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Sporting U-turns

Jo Carter October 28, 2011

In honour of ESPN columnist Kelly Sotherton's decision to return to heptathlon, just a year after quitting the event to focus on the 400m, we pick out ten of the best sporting U-turns.

Wayne Rooney
In October 2010, star striker Wayne Rooney stunned Sir Alex Ferguson after announcing his desire to leave Manchester United. "We don't understand it, but Wayne's adamant he wants to leave," Ferguson revealed. Rooney admitted he had concerns over the ambition of the club, and was linked with a January move to Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona. But just two days later, Rooney signed a lucrative new five-year deal with the Premier League champions. "I am sure the fans over the last week have felt let down by what they have read and seen," Rooney said. "The fans have been brilliant with me since I arrived and it's up to me through my performances to win them over again."

Rory McIlroy
Less than a year after turning his back on American golf in favour of returning to the European Tour, Rory McIlroy performed a surprise U-turn, confirming he would be returning to the United States in 2012. "I found myself in America last year, especially during the FedEx Cup play-off series, just not wanting to be there," McIlroy said. But after splitting up with childhood sweetheart Holly Sweeney and linking up with tennis world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, McIlroy has confirmed he would take up his PGA Tour membership again. "I think it's a good move for my career. I feel like I play my best golf over here," McIlroy said.

Steve McClaren
When McClaren replaced Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager in August 2006, he handed the armband to John Terry and dropped many of the established players in the team, including Sol Campbell, David James and David Beckham, claiming he was heading in a "different direction" with the team. However, with England facing an uphill struggle to qualify for Euro 2008, McClaren performed a surprise U-turn, recalling Beckham to the squad in May 2007. "Everyone knows David's attributes and he's a big-game player who can help us win in Estonia," McClaren said.

Andre Agassi
One of the most charismatic players in tennis history, we were nearly deprived of one of the greatest players of all time. After losing to world No. 106 Patrik Kuhnen in Washington in July 1987, a 17-year-old Andre Agassi lost the final set 6-0 and in a fit of rage handed out his rackets to a group of homeless men, vowing to never pick one up again. "I can't take this s*** anymore! I'm f****** done! I quit," he raged, before handing out hundreds of pounds worth of equipment to the bemused men. "Here, man, you want these? Do you? Because I don't have any use for them anymore," Agassi recalled in his autobiography Open. Fortunately for tennis fans, Agassi was convinced to go back on his word, and within a year he was No. 3 in the world. He went on to win eight grand slam titles (including a career Grand Slam) and an Olympic gold medal.

Sir Alex Ferguson
After 15 years at the helm of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson announced he would be retiring at the end of the season. His announcement had a negative effect on the players but when he agreed a new three-year deal in February 2002, results soon picked up. Fast forward nearly a decade, and countless trophies later (including a second Champions League trophy in 2008) Fergie is still going strong. The Scot turns 70 on New Year's Eve, and has no thoughts of calling it a day, claiming he is "too old for retirement".

Mike Tyson
Possibly the quickest U-turn in sporting history, Mike Tyson changed his mind in the space of 24 hours. The heavyweight had withdrawn from his fight against Clifford Etienne in February 2003 after coming down with the 'flu, but just 24 hours later had decided he was fit enough to fight. "He hasn't left the house. He's not moving. I know that he is sick," his manager Shelly Finkel had said, only to reveal the following day that Tyson was no longer on death's door: "Mike rang me and said 'I want to do it'," he said. Despite concerns over his fitness, Tyson, complete with a new facial tattoo, needed just 49 seconds to knock out Etienne in Memphis.

Sol Campbell
Just three years after scoring in the Champions League final against Barcelona, Sol Campbell made a surprise move to League Two side Notts County on a free transfer. The club had recently been subject of a takeover by a Middle Eastern consortium and had appointed former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson as director of football. Campbell made his debut for County in September 2006 in a 2-1 defeat to Morecambe, but just three days later walked out on the Magpies, his contract cancelled by mutual consent the following day.

Michael Jordan
Widely regarded to be the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan stunned sports fans around the world when he retired from basketball to pursue a career in baseball following the murder of his father. However, in March 1995, 'His Airness' announced his comeback via a two-word press release -"I'm back".

Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong had already defied cancer to win the Tour de France a record seven times between 1999 and 2005, before announcing his retirement. However, in 2008 Armstrong confirmed he intended to come out of retirement to compete in the 2009 edition, "in order to raise awareness of the global cancer burden". He narrowly missed out on regaining the yellow jersey after the fourth stage, but finished third overall after three years out of the sport. In February 2011, Armstrong confirmed he would be retiring for good.

Justine Henin
Dubbed the 'female Federer', Justine Henin shocked the tennis world when she announced her retirement in May, just two weeks before the French Open, where she was the four-time defending champion. She was the first, and to date only, female to quit the sport as the reigning world No. 1. But a fortnight after rival Kim Clijsters celebrated her comeback with a grand slam victory at the 2009 US Open, Henin confirmed she would return to the tour in 2010. In only her second tournament back, Henin reached the final of the Australian Open, but was unable to emulate Clijsters' victory, falling to Serena Williams. But a nasty fall at Wimbledon saw her damage her elbow, and she was forced to hang up her racket for a second time, having failed to complete her career Grand Slam with victory at the All England Club.

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