Latest news with #GeorgeBest
Khaleej Times
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
1971 was the real resurgence of Indian cricket, not 1983, says Farokh Engineer
Farokh Engineer retired from cricket almost 50 years ago. But the legendary Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, who settled down in Manchester after marrying an Englishwoman, still talks about the game with the same vigour he displayed while playing those fearless hook shots against the world's fastest bowlers in the pre-helmet era. Engineer is hale and hearty at 87, having recently undergone a successful heart valve surgery. A Brylcreem model in his youth, he was India's first glamour boy, who also played a significant role in India's first-ever Test series on English soil in 1971. Engineer is now itching to get back to Old Trafford — home of Lancashire Cricket Club where he became one of the legends of county cricket — for the fourth match of the new-look Indian team's five-Test series against England. During an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times over Zoom, Engineer reminisced about his glory days and also opened up about his friendship with Pele and George Best. Q. Good to see you and you seem to be doing very well after the heart surgery… Yes, I am fine and alive. And now I can't wait to go to the Old Trafford for the India-England Test. Q. Lancashire holds a very special place in your heart. You won so many trophies with them… Yes, I'm now a vice president of the club, a lifelong vice president. And I'm also one of the legends of the club. They have selected only a few people as legends. You know, legend is a term that's very loosely used, but Lancashire have honoured me along with Clive Lloyd and others. So, we are not only vice presidents for life, but we are legends as well, and I am very proud of it because it's a great club and a great institution. Q. Well, you are also an Indian cricket legend. You became the darling of Indian cricket for your flamboyant style of cricket, both in front of the wicket and behind it as a keeper-batter I usually get youngsters telling me that their grandfathers used to talk about me because I'm almost 88 now. But it's always nice to know that people still remember me. Q. People who truly love cricket will never forget India's historic Test series wins in the West Indies and England in 1971. And you played a big role in the series win against England… Yes, I got important runs in that Test series. The first Test at Lord's, we should have won that match. I had a very interesting partnership with Sunil Gavaskar when we were chasing some 180-odd runs. But rains fell and we lost wickets. The third Test at The Oval, which we won, will always remain in my mind as one of the most historical moments in Indian cricket. You know people think that 1983 (World Cup triumph) was the renaissance of Indian cricket. But 1971 was the real resurgence of Indian cricket, not 1983. Of course, the 83 World Cup win was a great achievement. But if you ask me, the resurgence of Indian cricket was in 1971. Unfortunately, people have short memories, you see, people forget what's happened before. Q. Now today's youngsters who love Virat Kohli are probably not even aware of Viv Richards and Barry Richards, the South African legend who played only four Tests because of apartheid… I have not seen a better batsman than Viv Richards and Barry Richards. You know, Sachin Tendulkar was a great player. Brian Lara was fantastic, a phenomenal player. Sunil Gavaskar was a great opening batsman. But you mentioned those two names — Viv Richards and Barry Richards — they were just incredible. Yes, the world hasn't heard much about Barry because he was from South Africa and South Africa was isolated those days because of that apartheid. I played against Gordon Greenidge and Barry Richards. I mean, what a formidable opening partnership that was for Hampshire. But we had good cricketers (at Lancashire). We had Clive Lloyd with us. You know, he was my roommate for over 10 years. The standard of county cricket was very high. Do you know how we were invited? Only six cricketers were initially invited to England to play county cricket, Garry Sobers, myself, Rohan Kanhai, Mike Proctor and Barry Richards. All those were greats of the game, but you mentioned two names, Viv and Barry. Viv was absolutely phenomenal for me. I think he's the finest batsman I have ever seen or played against, because his reflexive was so quick. Barry wasn't far behind, our own Tendulkar was a great player too. But Viv was the best I have seen. Q. The purists of the game still rave about your hundred against the fearsome West Indies attack at Chennai in 1967. They still call it one of the best attacking innings in Test cricket… Yes, I almost scored a century before lunch against Wes Hall, Charlie Griffith and Garry Sobers. When they won the toss on a real green top, nobody (in the Indian team) wanted to open. We didn't have any helmets, no thigh pads, no chest pads, nothing. I mean, there was no protection at all. People now rave about today's fast bowlers, but those guys were really quick. And I hooked their bounces all over the place. I was 94 before lunch, and when (spinner) Lance Gibbs came on after lunch, I hit him out of the stadium. People joke that the ball is still travelling because they never found it. Q. Cricket is not the same sport you played back in the 1960s and 1970s. There was absolutely no money then, and now players earn millions of dollars for playing a two-month-long IPL. I remember a Test match against New Zealand. We're winning the game in four days. Those days we used to get 50 rupees per day for a Test match. If we had won the match in four days, we would have lost out on the 50 rupees for the fifth and the final day. So when we were nearing the victory target, all sorts of messages were coming from the dressing room. They wanted us to defend. And a loud cheer went on when we had two or three runs left to score the next day for 50 rupees each. Luckily, I was involved with the advertising people at Brylcreem. Denis Compton was the first person to model for Brylcreem, and he was a double International. He was a soccer international and a cricket international for England. Then there was Keith Miller, the flamboyant Australian all-rounder, fantastic legend, good-looking guy, and I was the third person. To be offered a contract by Brylcreem those days was like being on the cover page of Vogue magazine. Q. We also heard stories about your friendship with Pele and George Best... Pele became a very dear friend of mine. Gordon Banks invited him to England and we got talking that day. He was playing golf with Bobby Charlton the next day. I live just 100 yards from that golf course. And he asked me if there was a good hotel where he could stay. I just looked at my wife, and I said 'you can stay with us.' So he came and stayed over at our place. Now when we have guests at our house, I show them the bed where Pele slept. He was a wonderful man, he gave me his shirt and also signed it. And how did you become friends with Best? George came from (Northern) Ireland and I came from India. You know the Old Trafford cricket ground is only 100 yards away from the Manchester United football club. So there's a lot of connection with that and George just became friendly. He loved to eat curries, and so we just hit it off from the start. Q. Did you get to see the other side of him, his flamboyant lifestyle? We had a car crash when I was giving him a lift to the ground. There was a traffic light and George being George, put this window down and started talking to a blonde. I don't know if you knew her or not. So I took my eyes off and suddenly the car in front stopped and I hit it. When the police came, I said, 'I'm sorry'. And he was like 'you don't see many blondes in Bombay'. So we were that kind of friends. I got a lovely shirt from him, his boots as well. I've got them at home, I will never sell them. Q. Cricket may not have given you a lot of money, but it gave you you some amazing friends… When I meet my (cricket) contemporaries, we have a good laugh. I was with Viv Richards a couple of weeks ago, and we had a great time. He had come over to England for a trade show. You know even Dennis Lillee came over from Australia to play my benefit match in India. We are still close friends, even though I scored 192 against him and Jeff Thomson, not against Australia, but in a tour game in Brisbane. So, we have kept our friendship going, and I hope it keeps blossoming till the day we die.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'It's something you carry' - Gomes on Man Utd history
Eight years on from his debut and Angel Gomes will never forget his Manchester United capped by England and set for a move to Marseille, he remains a player firmly on the leaving Old Trafford for Lille five years ago, Gomes says he still owes a lot to his football education in Manchester."From the moment you step into the place, the coaches are telling you about the history of the club," explains Gomes."The Busby Babes, they show you pictures of George Best and Bobby Charlton. The culture is set early."You know everything about the club and what it represents. It's just something that you carry."After limited first team chances, Gomes left for France in 2020 and has gone on to establish himself as a top whilst he is aware of the significance of playing for Manchester United, he feels several factors can impact a players success at Old Trafford."Players may have been intimidated or not really know about the weight [of the shirt], what it carries and what it takes."But ultimately, sometimes, it's down to environment, timing and having the right things in place to help you."Sometimes it's not as black and white as they failed or they've not held their own there because of the weight of the shirt."Read more from the interview here
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
George Best, Norman Whiteside... Isaac Price?
When Isaac Price spoke to the media before Northern Ireland's friendly with Iceland at Windsor Park, it was put to him that his next goal for Michael O'Neill's side would draw him level with some iconic figures who have worn the green jersey. George Best, Norman Whiteside, Gareth McAuley and Billy Bingham were the only four men to score exactly nine times for Northern Ireland. "The names are legends. I don't think I'm anywhere near that," replied the 21-year-old on Monday afternoon. "But if I got to score another goal and join them, it would be an incredibly proud moment for me and my family."In the end, the wait was a short one as, with 36 minutes gone in Tuesday night's 1-0 win, the West Bromwich Albion man drifted off the left before curling in a right-footed effort from outside the the final goal of his October hat-trick against Bulgaria and March's free-kick against Switzerland having come from a similar area of the Windsor Park pitch, it was the sort of finish that feels like it is quickly becoming Price's trademark. If this one seemed more special given the company the Everton youth product now keeps, what's most impressive is the speed with which he has reached such rarefied air in the country's record books. At 21 years and 257 days old, no player has ever hit their ninth goal for Northern Ireland at a younger age. The game against Iceland was the side's last before their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign begins in September with an away double-header against Luxembourg and the time those fixtures roll around, it will be almost two years since their last qualifier. If Liverpool's Conor Bradley has emerged as the side's talisman in that period, then Price has filled a role which has posed a problem for even longer - that of a regular goalscorer. He remains some way off David Healy's 36 scored for the side between 2000 and 2013, but when the former Leeds United and Preston North End striker came on the scene the record stood at just 13. While Kyle Lafferty later hit 20 in 89 caps, with his goals proving crucial in guiding the side to Euro 2016 qualification, the search for a successor has been difficult. Indeed, before Price's run of seven goals in his past seven caps, it had not been uncommon for defender Paddy McNair to be the most prolific member of Michael O'Neill's starting side during the manager's second stint in charge. That such a void has been filled by a player who is not striker at all, and rarely scores at club level, feels all the more noteworthy. He scored once for West Brom after his January move from Standard Liege, the same tally he managed in two seasons spent in Belgium's top flight. While calling his move abroad from Everton in 2023 the "best decision" he could have made for his football, Price noted it had been "challenging to settle" in a new country, something that conversely made Northern Ireland feel all the more "like home" when the England-born player came away on international too, did the confidence of his manager. O'Neill acknowledged only this week that he likely still did not know Price's best position, but internationally he has settled into playing off the left of midfield, inside a wing-back and behind a central striker. At club level, he often holds a more orthodox midfield position and has even turned out at right-back, although he noted he still works on his finishing "every day". "I think Michael said that from day one since coming here, he' s seen me as a player that's a goal threat," said Price, who made his international debut in March 2023 while still playing for Everton Under-23s. He added: "I've probably not had a manager that's told me that before. I feel like I've always been a number eight or a little bit deeper, trying to get on the ball more."But when I come here, he's seen something in me that I probably didn't see in myself."Just what was it that O'Neill saw?"Two things - intelligence and athleticism. They are the two biggest things," said the manager, who like Price made his international debut for NI as a teenager."There is a technical level there but he's an intelligent boy. He understands the game and if you give him an instruction he is able to do it."He is a very easy player to coach and I think that's the biggest attribute he has. If you are looking at the profile of a modern day footballer, we'd maybe like to see him a few kilograms heavier, but given his size and his ability to run, he has all the attributes you want in a young player."Of course, there is no greater attribute than a knack for a timely goal with Price's ability to find the net, even on nights like Tuesday when he felt below his best, key to NI's hopes of making it to the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico next summer."You need that in teams if you want to have a chance of qualifying," said defender Trai Hume who has lined out alongside Price in 19 of his 22 caps."You just look at Kyle Lafferty in 2016, he was scoring goals non-stop."He will keep on scoring, I've no doubt about that." O'Neill still maintains Price's biggest contribution is off the ball. While it is his goals that catch the eye, a game in which he did not score, the 2-1 defeat against Denmark on Saturday, offered a good Gustav Isaksen was quickly shown to be the host's most direct threat in Copenhagen with Price recognising that his left wing-back, Justin Devenny, was playing in an unfamiliar position and frequently tracked back deeper to help out. "The ball falls to Isaac and you know there's a bit of magic in him, you know it's going to happen," said Crystal Palace's Devenny."We see his quality on the ball, but it maybe goes under the radar, his work off the ball. He doesn't stop running for 90 minutes. "That's massive for this team when we need to dig in. Isaac maybe doesn't get the credit for that because he gets all the credit for his ability on the ball."Having spoken about his desire to achieve team success, Price wants to keep climbing Northern Ireland's goalscoring charts only 14 men have ever netted more for the team. Next in his sights are another fine trio of players - Jimmy McIlroy, Peter McParland and Johnny Crossan - who all scored 10 times for the side."I want more. I'm not satisfied with what I've got. I want to go and get more," he said. "The performances need to get better too."It's not just about the goals, they're a key part of my game, but I've got to get a lot better in games, keeping possession of the ball, and helping the team that way."
Belfast Telegraph
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Beauty pageants are easy targets while real discrimination against women still goes unchallenged
After the new Miss Northern Ireland was crowned this week, there was a debate about beauty contests on Radio Ulster. It's one of those issues that manages to be both a red herring and an Aunt Sally at the same time. It's a red herring because beauty pageants haven't been part of everyday culture for 40 years. They are back there with George Best in a Belfast hotel room with a suitcase full of £20 notes and Miss World in the shower.
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
What happened to reality TV love rat Calum Best? Star turned fitness fanatic battled drug addiction, love child accusations and a struggle to escape his late father's shadow
For a certain generation of Noughties fans, Calum Best was defined as one of reality TV 's biggest names. A nepo-baby before the term was even coined, the star was the son of legendary late footballer George Best, who attempted to kickstart his own career on Celebrity Love Island. The ensuing years have saw Calum a womanising reputation that wasn't helped by the release of a sex tape in 2017, while he was appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, and claims that he once fathered a love child. Now a self-confessed fitness fanatic, the heavily tattooed TV personality has also featured on Celebs Go Dating, Celebrity Ex On The Beach and SAS: Who Dares Wins. But his rollercoaster love life was never far from the headlines, with Calum dating names including Sarah Harding, Bianca Gascoigne and even Lindsay Lohan. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Calum endured a turbulent childhood as the son of late footballer George, given the sportsman's well-publicised battle with alcoholism In a 2017 interview, he revealed the details surrounding his father's relapse following a liver transplant. It happened in 2002, following his assurance that he was cured of his addiction to drink, and Calum caught him himself while the Best family were away on holiday. Speaking about the time he walked in on the late Manchester United player, Calum said: 'I knew he had just swigged from this bottle. And it was like f**k! It ended right there. I wanted to give up then totally. 'From then on it was just back to drinking. And he drank and drank until it ended. I remember leaving that trip so confused and upset and distraught.' Talking about how this set Calum himself on a downward spiral, the current CBB star said: 'I came back and snorted and drank and s***ged my way through everything.' George's battle with alcoholism finally took his life in 2005, which sent Calum into a tailspin of self destruction and grief. It was during this time that Calum was also a contestant on Celebrity Love Island, and won the second series with Bianca Gascoigne. Despite their winning title, the pair split up shortly after their stint on the dating series. Calum had already earned a reputation for his rollercoaster love life, having dated Girls Aloud star Sarah back in 2005. In 2006, he enjoyed a brief romance with Rod Stewart's daughter Kimberly, but their relationship quickly fizzled out. Later in 2006, Calum was given the chance to brush with some of Hollywood's finest, as he started dating actress Lindsay Lohan, at the height of her Mean Girls success. However, things took a turn when Calum confessed Lindsay dumped him after becoming fed up with his attempts to flirt with other women, and he wrote in his memoir: 'The two of us together are combustible. At this moment in our lives, we're both a bit nuts. 'We both like to party a lot and it makes things tempestuous.' Calum also had a short-lived romance with glamour model Georgia Salpa in 2011, and in 2016 he was rumoured to be dating TOWIE star Chloe Sims. They both kept quiet about the romance rumours at the time, but Chloe later referred to Calum as her 'ex' in an interview with The Daily Star. Later that year, Calum appeared on US dating show Famously Single and struck up a relationship with fellow reality star Brandi Glanville, but their romance ended after a fiery row which featured on screen. In the midst of his long list of famous girlfriends, Calum has also been accused of fathering a love child, after Lorna Hogan, 33, fell pregnant the day before the memorial of his father George Best. In 2015, Lorna claimed that Calum had refused to take a paternity test, and claimed he 'abandoned' his daughter Amelia. She told The Mirror: 'All she can say is that she doesn't know him and he doesn't want anything to do with her - it's heartbreaking.' She went onto claim that a DNA test was later planned through Calum's mother Angie, but says he failed to attend. In 2017, Calum hit back at these claims in a response to a fan on X, writing: 'Did a paternity test to clear the child wasn't mine bless.' George's own struggles with alcoholism would haunt Calum who described how he would feel, 'demonic anger,' because of his father's drinking. Indeed in 2007 his own life started to fall apart as he spiraled out of control, suffering alcohol and drug addiction. Calum said at the time: 'I'm a bad boy. I go out and get drunk, I get high on cocaine and I do stupid debauched things with the wrong women. 'I've been sowing my oats for years, and I've been doing drugs for the past six years. I do drink too much and it gets out of control. 'The drink leads to the coke and the coke leads to debauchery - the wrong people and places. When I'm high I do wild, stupid s**t. I'm a red-blooded male and I'm addicted to sex. 'I don't have to be like Dad, but I feel his blood running through my veins. I need to sort out my problems before it's too late.' Over the years, Calum hasn't given up in his quest to find love, and has been a regular on shows such as Celebrity Ex On The Beach and Celebs Go Dating. He previously told The Mirror: 'I'm doing it because I'm still f*****g single and in the hope of finding someone and the hope that this might be the one. 'The thing is, if I can't find a f*****g Mrs in my private life then I'm going to try elsewhere 'I remember I was once told, if opportunities come your way take them and if they're opportunities that are with the best intentions then go for it and this came about.' Calum has also endured two stints in the Celebrity Big Brother house, originally finishing in third place. In January 2024, Calum was cleared of sexually assaulting a British holidaymaker at Wayne Lineker's Ibiza beach club In recent years, Calum has taken a step back from reality TV to pursue his passion for fitness, and he is currently the chairman of Dorking Wanderers FC women's team In January 2024, Calum was cleared of sexually assaulting a British holidaymaker at Wayne Lineker's Ibiza beach club. The three trial judges ruled Spanish state prosecutors had not done enough to convince them Calum had forced his alleged victim to put her hand down his shorts and onto his penis as she claimed in her court testimony. They pointed to the lack of 'external corroboration' of the tourist's version of events and questioned why a female friend with her at the time and a security guard she said she had sought help from were not called to give evidence. In an Instagram Stories message alongside part of a news report confirming his acquittal, he wrote: 'The truth prevails. I have been acquitted and won my case. Thank you everyone for all your messages of support.' He finished the emotional post off - which was imposed over a scenic image of a lake and rolling hills in the distance -with a heart emoticon. In recent years, Calum has taken a step back from reality TV to pursue his passion for fitness, and he is currently the chairman of the Dorking Wanderers FC women's team. As well as regularly sharing shirtless snaps on Instagram, he is also a fixture at the annual Sellebrity soccer charity matches. He is also the chairman of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACOA), and designs crystal jewellery with his brand Aura by Calu. Calum has also been hit by business woes in recent months, appointing liquidators to close his failing media business Trouble to Triumph. The liquidators reportedly found an unpaid £85,625 tax bill as well as a £48,971 director's loan. It was agreed based on his financial situation that Calum will pay just £60,000 of the £250,000 he is said to own, in monthly instalments.
