If God really exists, you™d think he™d have more important things on his plate than footballers™ injuries. Eradicating HIV or world poverty, perhaps. Or healing triple-jumper Jonathan Edwards of his I™m-going-to-heaven-me sanctimoniousness. But no. Instead, God seems to have spent April ensuring Rangers defender Marvin Andrews™ safe return for the fag-end of his club™s fruitless Scottish Premierleague campaign. Well, God does move in mysterious ways, etc and so on.
Andrews™ story is a strange one, mind. Last month, the Trinidad and Tobago international suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury against Dundee and was told he needed an operation. Instead Andrews, a devout Christian and faith healer, decided to trust in the power of prayer. Fast forward a month, and – stone the Eileen Drewerys! – the defender (above) was back for Sunday™s Old Firm derby. And today his manager Alex McLeish was hailing a modern miracle.
œUnless something untoward happens, he is available to me again, halleluiahed McLeish. œSome people have criticised the big fellow for not getting an operation, but you have to applaud his faith. Meanwhile Marvin™s healer, Joe Nwokoye, of the Zion Praise Centre International in Kirkcaldy, isn™t sure what the fuss is about. œIf Jesus can raise himself from the dead, he can heal a knee, he scoffed. œIn Nigeria, people are raised from the dead all the time. It™s about time people started believing in the word of God. If Rangers can pull back a five-point SPL deficit they just might start doing so.
AC Milan defeated PSV Eindhoven, 2-0, in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, said match marking the debut of Setanta Sport™s new US subscription channel. The home side™s Andriy Schevchenko tapped one past Heurelho Gomes in the 21st minute. Tomorrow™s Chelsea/Liverpool semi-final from Stamford Bridge will be shown live on ESPN2 at 2:30 pm EST.