Camilla Parker Bowles aka The Duchess of Cornwall has had a turbulent time of it as a Royal, being as she was Prince Charles’ answer to Squidgygate, and the bane of Daily Express-reading Middle England - forever haunted, as they are, by images of Princess Diana’s sad-face. However, having avoided the press in recent times, she has recently gone public about exercise in a bid to promote a more active lifestyle. Being the president of the National Osteoporosis Society, she confesses that whilst she should exercise more herself, keeping fit is vital for maintaining a long and active life. Apparently Body Sculpture Pilates is the way forward for many women.

“I did do a bit of yoga and used to do a lot of walking before I got married, but I have let things slide” she remarked. “I think I am going to have to make it my New Year’s resolution – maybe to do some ‘Pilates’ or even some Tai Chi.”

Osteoporosis itself is a gradual thinning of the bones which many women can become susceptible when they reach the age of 50. “Pilates” itself is a simple exercise that helps build up key muscles around the body, and it is said to be practiced by up to 11 million people around the world.

Whilst we can only commend the Duchess on promoting Pilates, we do wonder why she would seek to convert to Tai Chi as well. Has she gone exercise crazy? Where will it all end up? Kick boxing? Bare knuckle fighting? The next 12 months will certainly be interesting in the Royal household if she carries on like this… Charles beware!

Yes, yes we know it’s a comical name. Nomis The Glove. The inventors must have been smoking Astroturf when they christened their new “football boots”. You can just picture them all sitting around the meeting table, mulling over potential names. Predator was already taken, ditto for King… so in a leftfield stroke of genius, they decided to name it after an item of clothing that you tend to wear on your hands.

There is a method to this naming madness though, as a pair of these “football boots” really do fit you like a glove! They slip right on, and once you are strapped in you’ll be hard pushed to find a more comfortable pair.

Nomis are a relatively new Australian-based “football boot” manufacturer, set up by an ex-Adidas employee. Whilst the quality isn’t quite up to the standard as you would expect from the German manufacturer, it isn’t far off - if The Glove is anything to go by, the future for the Ozzy newcomer has a distinctive rosy glow. You could be fooled into thinking you were wearing a running shoe instead of a “football boot”, and technically you will find the level of grip and control provided is surprising. The big question is, are they worth your hard earned pennies? Hey if nothing else, they merit buying just so you can tell your mates that you are wearing a pair of “Nomis The Glove”. Go on, you know you want to.

The fourth round of the Carling Cup proved to be the comeuppance for billionaire football club Chelsea, who lost out on penalties to Championship side Burnley. With the game tied at 1-1, the Lancashire team proved to be more than a match for Roman Abramovich’s squad of Internationals, knocking them out of the cup in a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout.
Their victory stole all the headlines from the other big game of the night, as Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham thrashed an out of sorts Liverpool at White Hart Lane, winning by four goals to two. Since taking charge of the side three weeks ago, they have yet to lose a game. Now I wonder what the odds will be for a Burnley vs Tottenham Carling Cup final…
Other games of note were Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Wigan, with the Gunners sporting a team barely out of their nappies, and Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers, where the visitors showed they are more than capable of missing it up with one of the best sides in the Premier League.

The full results of the Carling Cup fourth round:

Arsenal 3-0 Wigan
Derby 2-1 Leeds
Man Utd 1-0 QPR
Stoke 2-0 Rotherham
Swansea 0-1 Watford
Chelsea 1-1 Burnley (Burnley win 5-4 on penalties)
Sunderland 1-2 Blackburn
Tottenham 4-2 Liverpool

Sporting probably the greatest name I have ever seen for a pair of football boots, the Adidas Copa Mundial are every strikers dream. The merest hint of contact with the boot will send a ball flying into the back of the net; some forwards have even been known to wander around the field looking for a television remote control, being so comfortable they are fooled into thinking they are wearing a pair of slippers in their front room. Obviously these players aren’t the kind who are signed to professional contracts.

They’re not the greatest looking boot out there (in my opinion Adidas boots never tend to be), but that is the only chink in the Copa Mundial’s armour. Aesthetics notwithstanding, you’ll these to be excellent value for money. They offer great ball control, a powerful shot and are light enough to run around in for 90 minutes without tiredness setting in. Pure quality. Go forth and hunt down a pair of these football boots today, and remember to thank me when you get promoted to club captain.

British tennis player Andy Murray is planning on adding on more than a few pounds this Christmas, as he attempts to add further muscle to his game next year. Unlike his rivals, Andy is lacking behind in terms of his physical game, and if he is to compete with the Federer’s and Nadel’s of this world, he will need to follow their examples and beef up a bit.
“I’ll have to eat loads, because I’m training for five hours a day,” he told local media. “I’ll be eating sushi, drinking protein drinks, eating those bars you have after a match. Mind you, my gGran is cooking Christmas lunch, so I don’t think that will be sushi.”

Mmm-mm! Sushi, energy bars and protein drinks. Sounds like a mouthwatering combination. Perfect for Christmas.

Take our advice Andy, follow the Ricky Hatton diet - just eat everything you can get your hands on. Come January, leap into your “gym kit” and pick up those wrist weights after you’ve gorged yourself on chocolate, turkey and copious amounts of alcohol. Before you know it, you’ll be wandering around the tennis court like some pseudo-Olympic god. Possibly. At least it’s worth a go, and has got to be better than eating… sushi? Right?

Who is the greatest player to ever grace a football pitch? In this regular feature I will be profiling a true hero of the game; the kind of player whose mere presence on the pitch is enough to inspire his team to victory. The best of the best, who deserve a place in any football hall of fame. Agree or disagree? Feel free to comment!

Name:
Alan Shearer

Age:
38

Clubs played for:
1988-1992 – Southampton
1992-1996 – Blackburn Rovers
1996-2006 – Newcastle United

Career highlights:
• 1994 – Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year
• 1995 – PFA Players’ Player of the Year
• 1996 – Euro 96 Golden Boot Winner
• 1997 – PFA Players’ Player of the Year
• 2004 – Inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame
• Highest-ever Premier League goalscorer (260 goals)
• Most overall goals scored for Newcastle United (206)
• Most European goals for Newcastle United (30)

Believe it or not:
Hailed as Newcastle United’s golden boy, ironically Alan Shearer’s best days were arguably served whilst at Blackburn. His goals there were the cornerstone for the teams Premier League title, and it was here that he was the more prolific goalscorer.

Where is he now:
Working as a football pundit and colour commentator for the BBC, Alan has repeatedly denied that he wants to embark on a career as a manager, much to the Geordies fans disappointment.

As a company, Reebok aren’t known for being a mass producer of football boots, preferring to leave that side of the business to other manufacturers. However when they do release a pair, people usually sit up and take notice. The Baleni is no exception to this rule, being one of the nicest looking boots ever to grace a football pitch.
Highly recommended by everyone who wears them, the Reebok’s incorporate the same materials that their sister company, Adidas, use for their “football boots”. In fact, they share exactly the same insoles as the F50 – a legendary boot if ever there was one.

As mentioned, they look great, but beauty is more than skin deep, as I found my pair fitted me well too. Granted, they do take some time to break in – I had a nice blister on my foot the first game I played with them on – but once you have got used to them, they are as comfortable as the next boot. Design-wise, it is all pretty standard stuff, with the only feature of note being an elastic strap that you can use to tuck your boots tongue under. Good-looking, functional and will last you an age. What more could you possibly want out of a boot?

Who is the greatest player to ever grace a football pitch? In this regular feature I will be profiling a true hero of the game; the kind of player whose mere presence on the pitch is enough to inspire his team to victory. The best of the best, who deserves a place in any football hall of fame. Agree or disagree? Feel free to comment!

Name:
Henrik Larsson

Age:
37

Clubs played for:
1988-1992 – Hogaborgs BK
1992-1993 – Helsingborgs IF
1993-1997 – Feyenoord
1997-2004 – Celtic
2004-2006 – FC Barcelona
2006 – Helsingborgs IF
2007 – Manchester United

Career highlights:
• 2000-2001 – European Golden Boot
• 1998, 2004 – Guldbollen
• 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 – SPL Top Goalscorer
• All-time Leading SPL Goalscorer
• All-time Greatest Swedish Footballer
• Member of the British Empire

Believe it or not:
Henerik was awarded his MBE in 2006 for his contributions to British football by the consulate in Barcelona in the name of Queen Elizabeth II. Not bad for a Swedish footballer who only spent 7 years of his career in Scotland!

Where is he now:
Still playing for his club side Helsingborgs and internationally for Sweden, where he is the present team’s captain.

The Puma King is one of the most famous makes of football boots in the world, built upon a rich heritage of football glory. The Puma King boot beats the Chelsea boot – and most others – hands down. For some, they are the ultimate boot. What then, would you say if we told you that the Puma v1.08’s had improved upon their sibling and were even lighter on the foot?

This lightness is down to a special material that the manufacturer uses. Not only is the boot weight reduced to virtually nothing, but it’s also extremely durable. The revolutionary construction means they fit your feet tightly, and this in turn improves your response and accuracy when touching and kicking the ball. The clever design even features an off-centre lacing system that increases the area on the inside of the boot, allowing you to improve the distribution of power and decrease the chances of a shot going wide when you hoof it down the pitch.

These Puma football boots are built to last too, due to special layers of added microfiber sewn into areas where reinforcement is needed. This cuts down on the wear and tear a boot normally experiences during a season of play. If only more companies incorporated this idea into their boots, we wouldn’t have to keep forking out for a new pair ever 12 months.

Admittedly, they are fairly pricey, and I preferred the Puma Kings, but for a good alternative give these a go. I have yet to find one person who dislikes them.