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Rory McIlroy’s season starts in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

He won't find it easy though. It's a strong field and includes Americans Rickie Fowler and the world number one Jordan Spieth.

Spieth’s already won this season – he was in dazzling form last week at the (Tournament of Champions PGA Tour event in Hawaii where he won by eight shots and became only the second person in history to finish a tournament on 30 under par.

McIlroy has played at Abu Dhabi nine times and although he’s never won it he has been runner-up in four of the last five years.

Charlton Athletic have signed centre-back Jorge Teixeira from Belgian club Standard Liege for an undisclosed fee.

The 29-year-old Portuguese defender has agreed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Championship club.

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Gareth Bale has suffered his third calf muscle injury of the season, Real Madrid have confirmed.

Bale, 26, limped off shortly before half-time during Real's 5-1 La Liga win at home to Sporting Gijon on Sunday.

The Welshman, who scored his 13th goal of the season when he opened the scoring in the seventh minute, is expected to be out for three weeks.

"He has been diagnosed with a soleus (calf) muscle injury in his right leg," Real said on their website. "His recovery will continue to be assessed."

Apparently lots of Australian journalists have been trying to claim Johanna Konta as one of their own since the British number one's victory over Venus Williams earlier today.

Here she tells BBC Sport that she's very definitely a Brit - and, what's more, did not elope to the UK for a boy at the age of 11...

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Manchester City have loaned new signing Anthony Caceres to sister club Melbourne City for the rest of the A-League season.

Manuel Pellegrini's side signed the 23-year-old midfielder last week from Central Coast Mariners for an undisclosed fee.

The transfer has caused some consternation in Australia, where A-League clubs are not permitted to sign players for a fee from each other.

But Caceres' move to Manchester City has allowed Melbourne to recruit one of the most highly-sought-after players in the division.

Sydney FC chief executive Tony Pignata called for a review of the rules and wrote on Twitter: "The loaning of Caceres to City is wrong."

It's a rare sight in the football wildlife and, according to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, we will not be seeing it again any time soon. We are, of course, talking about a fit-again striker Daniel Sturridge.

He last played on 6 December when he came on during a defeat for the Reds by Newcastle. 

"Absolutely no chance for Daniel," said Klopp before Wednesday's FA Cup replay with Exeter.

"He had, again, a break in his training sessions because of some issues and he is now back on the pitch and training but always in a good way [then] losing time. 

"He has not had any team training since Newcastle and that is not a situation where we can think about him."

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Gareth Stewart:, external Got to be Jackie McNamara at York City. Shocking, one win in 11, four points in total.Signed youth team loanees. 

Lango: , externalGary Rowett, no money, lost his star player in Demarai Gray, yet still thumping teams like Derby 3-0 away from home #bcfc, external

Andrew Whalley: , externalThe best manager is John Coleman! seventh in League Two + four games in hand with small gates. Develops released players like Windass + Crooks.

You have given us loads of good suggestions, but we want even more. Tweet us on #bbcsportsday and the best messages will appear on this page.

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David Sullivan was also asked about Saturday's Premier League match at home to Manchester City.

West Ham beat the Blues at the Etihad Stadium but Sullivan isn't exactly exuding confidence about the Hammers chances on their own turf.

"If we get a draw it’s good, if we win it’s almost unbelievable," Sullivan told Sky Sports News.

"I think it’s a very hard game because they’ve got all their good players back bar one and are firing on all cylinders.

"We were hanging on at the Etihad. It was a real struggle and over the 90 mintues we could easily have lost. The one hope is they are not as good away from home."

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Wales have announced friendlies against Northern Ireland and Ukraine before Euro 2016.

Chris Coleman's men will meet Slovakia, England and Russia in Group B at the finals in France.

Wales will host Northern Ireland on Thursday, 24 March in Cardiff, before heading to the Ukraine on Monday, 28 March.

"I'm delighted," said Coleman. "They will be ideal preparation for our group games."

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South Africa bowler Dale Steyn has been ruled out of the Fourth Test with his shoulder injury.

Opener Stiaan van Zyl has been dropped with Stephen Cook expected to make his debut on Friday.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

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"Sunderland striker Danny Graham is expected to join Championship club Blackburn on loan to the end of the season.

"The intention is for the move to Ewood Park to become permanent at the end of the season.

"Graham, 30, started Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Tottenham. He returned to the Stadium of Light at the beginning of the month after a short spell at Wolves, where he scored one goal in five games.

"Goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon could also be joining Watford from Sunderland."

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Queens Park Rangers have paid an undisclosed fee to Peterborough United for striker Conor Washington.

The 23-year-old, who has scored 15 goals this season, will help fill the gap at Loftus Road left by Charlie Austin's move to Southampton last weekend.

Washington has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract and QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said: "Conor is a player I've admired for a while now, so I'm delighted he's agreed to join us."

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Back to David Sullivan and, on the move to the Olympic Stadium, he was asked if he'd be taking anything from Upton Park after the final game.

"I'd love to take the gates but unfortunately they are putting them in the club shop at the Olympic Stadium," he replied.

"I'm a great believer that you have to look forward. People who live their life in the past .. the best times are ahead.

"I believe the next five or 10 years will be the best the club has ever had. We really are on the verge of the big time."

A bold claim indeed.

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And speaking of David Sullivan, West Ham's co-owner, has just done an interview on Sky Sports News about his six years at Upton Park.

Next season, of course, he and the team head to pastures new when they switch to the Olympic Stadium and he seems quite excited about, well, the toilets.

"There are 1,000 loos. It's normally appalling for loos if you are not in the corporate areas," he says.

"The seats on the running track will create a cauldron of noise. Giant TVs inside and outside the ground. The whole matchday experience will be great."

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...in  2010: David Sullivan and David Gold completed their takeover of West Ham, having previously owned a controlling stake in Birmingham.

Chris Smith:, external Has to be King Eddie Howe taking us (Bournemouth) to the heights of the Premier League in a short space of time.

Dan Holman: , externalChris Wilder at Northampton Town has done a stunning job to get the club to the top of lg 2 considering the recent off-field issues.

Karl Carroll:, external Ainsworth at Wycombe. Smallest squad, smallest budget and relegation favourites to the play off final in two years.

Keep your suggestions coming in to us using #bbcsportsday, or via the Match of the Day Facebook page.

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...in 2012: Chris Coleman was appointed as the new Wales manager, succeeding his friend, the late Gary Speed.