last three holes, making a 60-foot putt one last year," said DeMerit. "Now hes starin

Former Wales international Sam Ricketts has announced his retirement from the game due to a knee injury. Ricketts, who won 52 caps for his country between 2005 and 2014, made six League One starts for Coventry this season after signing a new one-year contract in the summer.The former Swansea, Hull, Bolton and Wolves player has not played for the club since October and the 35-year-old has decided to hang up his boots after taking medical advice. Ricketts played for Hull in the Premier League during 2008-09 In a statement issued to Sky Sports News HQ on Wednesday, he said: Today, I am announcing my decision to retire from the game after having received medical advice that I should stop playing with immediate effect due to injury. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me to fulfil every boys dream of becoming a professional footballer. I am grateful to all of the managers, coaches and team-mates that I have had the honour of working with and learning from throughout my career. Ricketts enjoyed a successful two-year spell at Wolves I would also like to express my gratitude to the brilliant supporters of the clubs I have played at for always offering me their wholehearted support. Last but not least, I wish to thank my family for being my inspiration and for having always been there for me.I have been hugely fortunate to ply my trade in every division from the Conference to the Premier League and am immensely proud of having being capped by Wales on 52 occasions. It has been a fantastic journey and one which has provided me with so many unbelievable experiences and memories. Ricketts had a spell at Swindon before joining Coventry last year As my playing career comes to an end, I am now looking forward to embarking on a new chapter. A few years ago, I started working towards my coaching badges and am currently in the process of completing my UEFA A Licence with the Welsh FA.I am excited about the challenges that lie ahead and now hope to be able to give something back to a game which has given me so much.Ricketts was a product of the Oxford United academy and made his senior debut for the club before joining Swansea in 2004 after a year-long spell at non-league Telford.He was signed by Hull for £300,000 in 2006 and made over 100 appearances for the club as an instrumental part of the side that was promoted to the Premier League in 2008.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: Wales latest news Wales fixtures/results Wales statistics Ricketts signs new contract Air Max 1 Sale Cheap . The right-hander pitched into the seventh inning and boosted Cincinnatis struggling offence by hitting a double and scoring as the Reds ended a seven-game losing streak by beating the Atlanta Braves 1-0 Saturday night. Discount Air Max 1 . - Ryan Spooner scored twice to lead the Boston Bruins to a 6-1 victory over the New York Islanders in a preseason game Friday night. http://www.discountairmax1uk.com/. The Raptors have to get through the pesky New York Knicks Wednesday at Madison Square Garden and can lock up the third spot in the Eastern Conference with a win or a Chicago loss in Charlotte. Nike Air Max 1 Wholesale . This is the final meeting of the season between these teams.? The Capitals were 5-4 winners in a shootout Oct. Nike Air Max 1 Cheap Uk . Nikolaos Kounenakis has been hired as an assistant coach, the team announced on Monday.VANCOUVER -- Carl Robinsons message was clear enough: Respect your opponents, but dont fear them. Even though the Vancouver Whitecaps (5-2-5) will be playing in a hostile environment at PPL Park, the team will carry a swagger into its Major League Soccer road game Saturday against the Philadelphia Union (3-7-5). "No game is easy," Robinson said earlier this week after the Whitecaps practised at the University of British Columbia. "There is no fear on this squad because they are playing well. "We will make them aware of how good Philadelphia are, because they are a good team. They havent picked up the results they probably want recently. .... But my players will never play with fear as long as Im here. Its important they go out and enjoy themselves. If they enjoy themselves they express themselves. If they express themselves, we play with a freedom and I think you can see an excitement in their football." The Whitecaps looked to be enjoying themselves in their final practice before leaving for Philadelphia. Several players engaged in a water fight which ended with English midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker emptying a cooler of ice water on Ghanian midfielder Gershon Koffie. Robinson looked on with a smile. The Whitecaps have earned the right to feel good about themselves. Their record gives them 20 points, good enough for fourth place in the Western Conference. Vancouver is coming off a 4-3 road victory over the Portland Timber last weekend, the first time the Whitecaps have beaten their Cascadia rivals in MLS play. Vancouver is unbeaten in six MLS games (3-0-3). The Whitecaps have scored 14 goals during that span, and only once managed fewer than two in a game. Vancouver also has two wins and a tie in their last three road games. While things are good, they could be better. The Whitecaps were up 4-1 against Portland but had to hold onto the victory. Vancouver has also allowed 11 goals over the last six games. "I think we can go to another level," said Robinson. "We have to tidy up a few things (defensively). We have to make sure we get back to basics on that and we will, without losing our attacking edge." The Union have struggled this season. They sit eighth in the Eastern Conference with 14 points but snapped a two-game losing skid with a 3-0 win over Chivas USA last weekend. Sebastien Le Toux, the French forward who has missed the last two Philadelphia matches with an injury, believes the team can still turn its seasoon around.dddddddddddd "I think its important to stay positive and keep working hard all the time," Le Toux, who could be in the lineup against Vancouver, told the Union website. "We havent had the type of start we were hoping for. "We just need to keep working and get this going in a good direction. We need to work as hard as we possibly can. We just have to find ways to do it on the field. I know we have the guys in here who can do it and we have be determined." One of the Whitecaps enjoying a breakout season is Erik Hurtado. The 23-year-old midfielder/forward scored once against Portland and drew a foul to set up another goal on a penalty kick. He also has scored a goal in the last four of Vancouvers games. Drafted fifth overall in last years MLS SuperDraft, the native of Fredericksburg, Va., struggled during his rookie season. He had speed to burn but sometimes looked like an unguided missile. He also had a heavy second touch on the ball. This year Hurtados play is more directed. Hes able to get open and can feather passes to his teammates. "Im more mature as a player," Hurtado said. "Ive learned in the centre-forward role how to move off the ball, how to get the ball in good places with space to turn, how to play off the defenders back, what runs to make." Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit said Hurtados game is evolving. "Everyone has seen his raw talent over the last year," said DeMerit. "Now hes staring to rein that in a little bit more. "Hes starting to figure out what hes good at and what he can hurt defenders with. When he was able to figure that out, and control his game a little bit more, hes consistently got better." The game against the Union will be the Whitecaps last before the MLS breaks for the World Cup in Brazil. It will also be Vancouvers third road match in four games. DeMerit expects a physical match. "They are a fairly big team," he said. "You might have to do some set pieces and make sure we are tight there. "Its a long way from home so we have to make sure we are up and ready for it and start the game right. A lot of times in these away games . . . sometimes you start a little flat. I think for us its about making sure that doesnt happen, make sure we are ready from the whistle to do combat in our style of game. When weve been able to do that, home or away, we have seemed to get the right results, so that has to continue." ' ' '