Latest news with #StephenWatson
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'No regrets' - Keane, Saipan and the story of a lifetime
With just two words and three syllables, Stephen Watson knew he had the scoop of his career. In Saipan airport on the eve of the 2002 Fifa World Cup, the BBC Sport NI presenter had not found Roy Keane in a particularly talkative mood but, such was the furore unfolding around the Republic of Ireland captain, any word from the mouth of the Manchester United midfielder would be the stuff of global headlines. The Cork native's forthright views on his side's preparations for the tournament in Japan and South Korea had sparked a week-long saga and provided the biggest story in the build-up to world's largest sporting event. One minute he was headed home, the next he was staying, but with just one utterance into Watson's microphone as Keane waited for his unexpectedly early return flight it became clear that the chances of a thawing of the frosty relationship with manager Mick McCarthy were remote. How did Keane feel about the sequence of events that had led to him being sent home from what should have been the biggest tournament of his life? "No regrets," he told Watson. "The biggest story of my career," recalls the presenter in the first episode of Hold the Front Page, which airs on BBC One NI at 22.40 BST on Monday. Watch: Stephen Watson interviews Roy Keane in Saipan What triggered the Roy Keane row in Saipan? As the programme - which delves into how journalists broke their most memorable stories - shows, the troubled relationship between Keane and his international boss dated back to when they were international team-mates. When the side arrived in Saipan for their tournament preparations without sufficient kits or footballs, Watson remembers wondering whether Keane's complaints were going to become "something that actually sticks and becomes a major problem or just a storm in a teacup". It soon became clear it would be the former with the fallout becoming one of the most infamous episodes in Irish sporting history, one that more than two decades later will be the subject of an upcoming film starring two-time Oscar nominee Steve Coogan. First Keane was to leave of his own accord, then he was to stay but retire from international football after the tournament. Finally, when word broke of how he had criticised his manager and the Football Association of Ireland in media interviews, he was on his way home eight days before his side's tournament opener. Watson says he was "still finding his feet" in his new job after joining BBC NI but soon found himself thrust into a huge sporting story, one which the time difference ensured would play out across a virtual 24-hour news cycle. "I didn't know as many of the Republic of Ireland players as I did the Northern Ireland players, so it was more a chance for me to try and get to know them," he recalls of the initial assignment. "Relationships in my job are the most important thing. Building relationships with sporting stars is absolutely key, but as it turned out, having those relationships didn't actually matter when the Roy Keane story broke." Watson admits he "took a gamble" to trust his instincts to stay behind when the Republic of Ireland team, and as a result the majority of the press pack, departed for Japan. "My feeling was if Roy Keane's staying here, I'm staying here. "There was the slightest opportunity that we could get some pictures of him, if we could get an interview with him even better. "It was a long shot." When Keane slipped out the back of what had been the team hotel to head for the airport and start his journey home, Watson and a few remaining photographers thought they had missed their chance but followed in a waiting van. "There was a heightened tension within that van because we thought we'd missed him. Suddenly, very close to the airport, we saw [Keane] in a white van and we were euphoric," Watson remembers. "Roy knew that he'd been rumbled and he jumped out of the van and then all hell broke loose I suppose. The flashbulbs went off left, right and centre. "I said to the cameraman we need to go and ask some questions and I fired off four, five, six questions and [Keane] never changed his gaze, he never even looked at me." As Keane waited in line for security, Watson tried again with the player's brief answers that followed the "gold dust" he had chased. "It was a short interview but anything said by Roy Keane was going to be powerful," he adds. Indeed it was with the quotes soon travelling far and wide. The Keane saga cast a shadow of Republic of Ireland's tournament. Reportedly written on the wall of the team's dressing room as they reached the last 16 of the tournament...'no regrets'. Watch 'Hold the Front Page: Roy Keane in Saipan' on Monday, 19 May at 22.40 BST on BBC One NI and BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'No regrets' - Keane, Saipan and the story of a lifetime
With just two words and three syllables, Stephen Watson knew he had the scoop of his Saipan airport on the eve of the 2002 Fifa World Cup, the BBC Sport NI presenter had not found Roy Keane in a particularly talkative mood but, such was the furore unfolding around the Republic of Ireland captain, any word from the mouth of the Manchester United midfielder would be the stuff of global headlines. The Cork native's forthright views on his side's preparations for the tournament in Japan and South Korea had sparked a week-long saga and provided the biggest story in the build-up to world's largest sporting event. One minute he was headed home, the next he was staying, but with just one utterance into Watson's microphone as Keane waited for his unexpectedly early return flight it became clear that the chances of a thawing of the frosty relationship with manager Mick McCarthy were remote. How did Keane feel about the sequence of events that had led to him being sent home from what should have been the biggest tournament of his life?"No regrets," he told Watson."The biggest story of my career," recalls the presenter in the first episode of Hold the Front Page, which airs on BBC One NI at 22.40 BST on Monday. As the programme - which delves into how journalists broke their most memorable stories - shows, the troubled relationship between Keane and his international boss dated back to when they were international team-mates. When the side arrived in Saipan for their tournament preparations without sufficient kits or footballs, Watson remembers wondering whether Keane's complaints were going to become "something that actually sticks and becomes a major problem or just a storm in a teacup".It soon became clear it would be the former with the fallout becoming one of the most infamous episodes in Irish sporting history, one that more than two decades later will be the subject of an upcoming film starring two-time Oscar nominee Steve Keane was to leave of his own accord, then he was to stay but retire from international football after the tournament. Finally, when word broke of how he had criticised his manager and the Football Association of Ireland in media interviews, he was on his way home eight days before his side's tournament opener. Watson says he was "still finding his feet" in his new job after joining BBC NI but soon found himself thrust into a huge sporting story, one which the time difference ensured would play out across a virtual 24-hour news cycle."I didn't know as many of the Republic of Ireland players as I did the Northern Ireland players, so it was more a chance for me to try and get to know them," he recalls of the initial assignment."Relationships in my job are the most important thing. Building relationships with sporting stars is absolutely key, but as it turned out, having those relationships didn't actually matter when the Roy Keane story broke."Watson admits he "took a gamble" to trust his instincts to stay behind when the Republic of Ireland team, and as a result the majority of the press pack, departed for Japan."My feeling was if Roy Keane's staying here, I'm staying here. "There was the slightest opportunity that we could get some pictures of him, if we could get an interview with him even better."It was a long shot." 'All hell broke loose' When Keane slipped out the back of what had been the team hotel to head for the airport and start his journey home, Watson and a few remaining photographers thought they had missed their chance but followed in a waiting van."There was a heightened tension within that van because we thought we'd missed him. Suddenly, very close to the airport, we saw [Keane] in a white van and we were euphoric," Watson remembers."Roy knew that he'd been rumbled and he jumped out of the van and then all hell broke loose I suppose. The flashbulbs went off left, right and centre. "I said to the cameraman we need to go and ask some questions and I fired off four, five, six questions and [Keane] never changed his gaze, he never even looked at me."As Keane waited in line for security, Watson tried again with the player's brief answers that followed the "gold dust" he had chased."It was a short interview but anything said by Roy Keane was going to be powerful," he adds. Indeed it was with the quotes soon travelling far and wide. The Keane saga cast a shadow of Republic of Ireland's tournament. Reportedly written on the wall of the team's dressing room as they reached the last 16 of the tournament...'no regrets'.Watch 'Hold the Front Page: Roy Keane in Saipan' on Monday, 19 May at 22.40 BST on BBC One NI and BBC iPlayer.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Australian grandmother claims she was tricked into drug trafficking after cocaine was found in her luggage
An Australian grandmother of nine being held in Brazil on drug trafficking charges has spoken out to reveal how she claims she was tricked into becoming a drug mule. Veronica Watson, 59, from the Sunshine Coast was recently released on bail from Santana Women's Penitentiary in São Paulo, but has to remain in the country as she prepares to fight the charge in court. She was arrested at the city's airport on December 1 last year after customs officials found close to 1.5kg of cocaine in a hidden compartment in her suitcase. Ms Watson said she was given the suitcase only hours before her flight out of the country and had looked inside but saw 'nothing suspicious'. She had gone to the South American country after striking up a friendship with a man online two years earlier, who claimed his name was Norman Leach. 'He introduced himself as an ex-army officer who was on his own suffering PTSD and so I thought I'd be a nice person and give him someone to talk to,' she told Seven News. The broadcaster was shown records of 'thousands' of text messages and calls between Ms Watson and the mystery man, who she had never met in person, and which eventually turned romantic. She said she was 'excited to go to another country' when, after two years, she was asked by him to go to Brazil to collect investment documents that would fund their life together and deliver them to Sri Lanka because he could not go himself. Ms Watson's husband of 16 years, Stephen, said she had met some people online who promised to pay for her holiday if she went over to get the documents in person. He said that he only found out about the trip when Ms Watson asked if she could go to Brazil over dinner one night. 'I said, ''what do you want to go to Brazil for?'' - she goes, ''I need to go over there to sign paperwork'' and I said, ''do you even know what you're signing?'',' he explained. Stephen asked Ms Watson how well she knew the people she'd met online and she replied they had only come into contact recently and that it wasn't a particularly personal relationship. Ms Watson also informed her partner that if the documents were written in Portuguese and that she would 'have someone there to explain'. 'I said, ''that's not good enough'' ... [but] she was adamant [she would] go,' Stephen added. Ms Watson is being represented by a local lawyer who said he have seen many other woman who have been manipulated into becoming drug mules. He secured the release of another Australian woman who spent several months in the same São Paulo prison. 'I don't want to go back there, I don't know how I'd go,' Ms Watson said from her basic one bedroom flat in the city. She said it was a total 'shock' when security officials at the airport stopped her. 'I want to get my story out If I can save one woman then I've don my job,' she said.
BBC News
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
North West 200 2025 - all you need to know & BBC coverage details
It's that time of year again to savour the sights and sounds of high speed motorcycles racing around the 8.9-mile Triangle circuit on the north coast of Northern North West 200 regularly attracts the world's leading exponents of racing on closed public roads on some of the most exotic machinery on the planet, with an atmosphere to match as tens of thousands of spectators thrill to the action this year's event prepares to rev into action, we bring you up to speed with all the information you need to know, including details of coverage across BBC Sport NI. How can I follow the action on the BBC? BBC Sport NI will provide exclusive full live-streamed coverage of every qualifying session and every race on BBC iPlayer and worldwide on the BBC Sport website and qualifying sessions on Wednesday 7 May and Thursday 8 May will be broadcast from 10:00 BST to 14: of Thursday's racing will be streamed from 17:00 to 20:30 BST and Saturday's race programme will be shown from 09:00 to 18: Stephen Watson will once again this year be joined on the grid by analysts Lee Johnston, Phillip McCallen and Jenny Tinmouth, with Larry Carter out and about on the grid gathering interviews and Steve Parrish and Keith Huewen in the commentary will also be full coverage of all the races on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Foyle on Thursday evening from 17:00 BST to 21:00 and on Saturday from 09:30 to 19:00, with Gavin Andrews and Orla Bannon your hosts. Radio Ulster will join the commentary from 14:00 to 16:00 on Kinley, Larry Carter and Adrian Coates will provide commentary and analysis, with Jamie Hamilton the studio programmes will be broadcast on BBC One NI and BBC iPlayer on Friday 9 May at 22:40, Sunday 11 May at 22:25 and Monday 12 May at 22: same programmes can be viewed on BBC Three on the same evenings at 23:40, 23:35 and 23: Newsline will be live at the event throughout the week, with extensive coverage on the BBC Sport website and BBC Sport NI's social media channels. Practice and race schedule The practice and race schedule follows a similar format to last year with three Superbike races on the roster for the second year in succession and a nine-race programme slated across Thursday and 7 May - first qualifying – roads closed 0900 to 1500 BSTNewcomers 0945 BST; Superbikes 1030; Supersport 1145; Superstock 1245; Supertwin 1345Thursday 8 May - second and final qualifying – roads close 0900 to 1500Superbikes 0945; Supersport 1100; Superstocks 1200; Supertwins 1300Roads close for racing – 1645 to 2100Race one – Superbike (four laps) - 1730Race two – Supersport (four laps) - 1830Race three – Superstock (four laps) - 1915Saturday 10 May - roads close for racing - 0900-1900Race 1 – Supertwins (four laps) at 1000 approxRace 2 – Superbike race (six laps)Race 3 – Supersport race (six laps)Race 4 – Superstocks (six laps)Race 5 – Supertwins (four laps)Race 6 – Superbike race (six laps) Lap records Superbike - Glenn Irwin, 125.799mph, Ducati, 2024Superstock - Alastair Seeley, 124.484, BMW, 2023Supersport - Peter Hickman, 118.273, Triumph, 2023Supertwin - Richard Cooper, 112.251, Kawasaki, 2023 Most wins Alastair Seeley 29; Robert Dunlop 15; Michael Rutter 14; Joey Dunlop 13; Phillip McCallen 11; Glenn Irwin 11; Bruce Anstey 10; Tony Rutter 9; Ian Lougher 8 Fastest laps 1 Glenn Irwin 125.799; 2 Davey Todd 125.673; 3 Dean Harrison 124.973; 4 Peter Hickman 124.799; 5 Richard Cooper 124.545; 6 Alastair Seeley 124.484; 7 Michael Dunlop 123.207; 8 Josh Brookes 123.141 2024 results Superbike race one - 1 Glenn Irwin; 2 Michael Dunlop; 3 Davey ToddSuperbike race two - 1 Glenn Irwin; 2 Davey Todd; 3 Dean HarrisonSuperbike race three - 1 Glenn Irwin; 2 Davey Todd; 3 Michael DunlopSuperstock race one - 1 Davey Todd; 2 Dean Harrison; 3 Michael DunlopSuperstock race two - 1 Davey Todd; 2 Peter Hickman; 3 John McGuinnessSupersport race one - 1 Richard Cooper; 2 Peter Hickman; 3 Michael DunlopSupersport race two - 1 Davey Todd; 2 Richard Cooper; 3 Michael DunlopSupertwin race one - 1 Peter Hickman; 2 Richard Cooper; 3 Mike BrowneSupertwin race two - 1 Peter Hickman; 2 Richard Cooper; 3 Jeremy McWilliams
BBC News
28-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
All you need to know about the Irish Cup final
Clearer Water Irish Cup final: Cliftonville v Dungannon SwiftsDate: Saturday 3 May Venue: Windsor Park, Belfast Kick-off: 14:30 GMTCoverage: Watch live on BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport NI website from 14:00 BST, also live on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster. Follow live text updates with in-play clips on BBC Sport NI website & app. This weekend brings the annual showpiece of the domestic football calendar with the Irish Cup final to be staged at Windsor the second season in succession, Cliftonville will take their place in the decider, this time meeting Dungannon Swifts. With the season's last piece of silverware, as well as European football next season, on offer, BBC Sport NI looks ahead to what promises to be an intriguing final. How to follow the game Stephen Watson will present live coverage from Windsor Park on BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport NI website, He will be joined by Irish Cup winners Paul Leeman and David Jeffrey with Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter alongside Michael Clarke on are also live on Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds with David Healy, Darren Murphy, Colin Coates and Liam Beckett all part of the also be able to watch or listen on the BBC Sport website with accompanying live text commentary and in-play all week, we'll have all your build-up covered right here on the BBC Sport NI website. Irish Cup history Jim Magilton's side come into the 2025 final as holders having ended their long wait for the trophy in last season's beat Linfield 3-1 after extra time in May 2024 with Ronan Hale scoring twice during what was his last appearance for the club before his summer switch to Ross County. That ended a 45-year Irish Cup drought at Solitude, although the north Belfast club had previously waited even longer to get their hands on the with Linfield and Distillery, Cliftonville were one of the dominant forces in the early years of the competition, winning the cup seven times between would be another 70 years before they secured their eighth title with a 3-2 win over Portadown in are still chasing an elusive first Irish Cup closest the Swifts have come in the past was in 2007 when, with current manager Rodney McAree a goalscorer, they drew 2-2 with Linfield in the final but were beaten on penalties by the tournament's most successful side. Head to head this season With the two sides having ended up on differing sides of the end-of-season split, Cliftonville and Dungannon have met on three occasions so far this Reds were victorious in the first two with Joe Gormley netting a second-half winner in a 1-0 win during August before the same man's hat-trick proved the key in a 4-1 win in November. The Swifts edged the most recent meeting, however, with James Knowles and John McGovern scoring in a 2-0 win that came just three days after Cliftonville had lifted the BetMcLean Cup. Route to the final Fifth Round: Cliftonville 4–0 Banbridge Rangers Dungannon Swifts 5–0 Rathfriland RangersSixth Round: Cliftonville 3–2 Glenavon (AET)Dungannon Swifts 2–1 Coleraine (AET)Quarter-finals: Carrick Rangers 1–3 Dungannon SwiftsCrusaders 1–2 CliftonvilleSemi-finals: Ards 0–3 CliftonvilleBangor 0–2 Dungannon Swifts What the managers say Dungannon Swifts boss Rodney McAree: "It's been good, a real good buzz."Everyone is wanting to talk to you and everyone is wanting to congratulate you, which is nice."We haven't got the biggest support in the world but what we have is a very loyal support but I know they'll come out in their numbers."It would be nice to reward them with something special like the Irish Cup, like European football, but we know it's going to take a lot of hard work."Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton: "To play Dungannon in the final, they've had a terrific season so we're well aware of their capabilities, the strengths and weaknesses of Dungannon."It's an Irish Cup final, it's something to really look forward to."We said at the start of the season we were going to go and defend it for all it's worth and now we've got to the final. It's an opportunity to win it again."
