When the cameras go off, the skills come out...
— BT Sport (@btsport) November 23, 2018
Or the excuses, right @GaryLineker? 😉 pic.twitter.com/L4kJ5GhaWE
Neal Ardley takes up reins at Notts County
Notts County have confirmed the appointment of Neal Ardley as their new manager. The 46-year-old left AFC Wimbledon earlier this week after six years at the club and will take up his new position when he returns from a family holiday next week.
Steve Chettle, who has been acting as caretaker manager of County since the dismissal of Harry Kewell last week, will remain in charge for this weekend’s visit to Morecambe and next Tuesday night’s match against Carlisle United. County have not revealed the length of the contract they have offered Ardley, who guided AFC Wimbledon from non-League football to League One in his six years at the club.
Updated
Big, big news!!!
Chelsea have announced a new commercial partner.
🚢 Chelsea Football Club is pleased to announce @MSC_Cruises_UK as our official global cruise partner! https://t.co/IA0nRBlZdb
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 23, 2018
Sol Campbell to Macclesfield Town?
BBC Radio Manchester has reported that League Two side Macclesfield Town are holding talks with Sol Campbell about their vacant managerial position. Macclesfield are rock bottom of the football league after 18 games and have been run by assistant managers Danny Whitaker and Neil Howarth since the dismissal of Mark Yates over a month ago.
Campbell has no management experience, but has been vocal in his criticism of the lack of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) bosses in the game. The former Tottenham, Arsenal and England defender is 44 years old and has previously been linked with management jobs at Oxford United and Grimsby. He has recently spent time working with England U-21 coach Aidy Boothroyd.
Irish players banned for assault on ref
Three Mullingar Town players have been hit with 40-year-bans from the sport for assaulting a referee in Westmeath, according to the Combined Counties Football League in the Republic of Ireland.
Daniel Sweeney had to undergo facial surgery after the attack following a recent match between Horseleap United and Mullingar Town. A fourth Mullingar Town player who took part in the attack, who had not been playing in the game because he was already serving a ban for a previous assault, has been banned from all football activity in the FAI’s jurisdiction for life.
“The recent assault on CCFL match official Daniel Sweeney resulted in local, national and international headlines,” said the CCFL in a statement. “The vicious, unprecedented level of violence directed at Daniel was unprovoked, unwarranted and unjustifiable.”
“The incidents that occurred at the end and in the aftermath of this football game are not representative of the magnificent work undertaken by the volunteers in the administration, playing and refereeing of association football in our league or across any of the great leagues under the jurisdiction of the FAI.”
Premier League: Manchester United v Crystal Palace Paul Pogba is set to return to action in Manchester United’s Premier League home clash with Crystal Palace on Saturday. The midfielder has recovered from the injury that ruled him out of the 3-1 loss at Manchester City on November 11, and Romelu Lukaku, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini are also all ready to be involved despite question marks over whether they would be fit. Luke Shaw serves a one-game suspension having picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in the contest at the Etihad Stadium.
Provisional squad: De Gea, Romero, Lindelof, Bailly, Jones, Smalling, Rojo, Young, Dalot, Valencia, Darmian, Pogba, Mata, Lingard, Pereira, Fred, Herrera, Fellaini, Matic, McTominay, Sanchez, Lukaku, Rashford, Martial.
Unai Emery speaks ... The Arsenal manager has been talking about Rob Holding has stepped up to the plate this season and in doing so, has justified the club’s decision to keep him on this summer.
The defender has started 11 of the last 13 games across all competitions and has developed into a key figure in Emery’s first six months in charge at the Emirates Stadium. The 23-year-old stayed put following Emery’s arrival, while fellow centre-back Calum Chambers joined Fulham on loan.
Coupled with injuries to Laurent Koscielny and Konstantinos Mavropanos, Holding has seized his chance and appears to have impressed Emery along the way.
“We decided for him to stay here and when he had chances, he played well and he helped us with big performances,” he said. “Every match is a test, another test for Rob to do that. He is improving, he is taking confidence and with confidence he is at his best.
“In the pre-season we also had Mavropanos - but he is injured now - we had also Chambers and we decided to let him go on loan to Fulham and we decided that Rob Holding stayed here. But in the pre-season, every decision was looking at the matches with the players and finding the best performance in this moment.”
Holding’s place may come under threat in the next few weeks as Mavropanos and Koscielny return from their respective injuries. Koscielny is stepping up his return from an Achilles injury he suffered in the Europa League semi-final defeat to Atletico Madrid in May.
Emery has not ruled out slowly introducing the Frenchman back into action, starting with Monday’s Under-23 fixture against Derby.
“The process with him is that in this International break, it is to finish training with us every day to start playing, little by little,” he said. First, our idea is to start with the Under-23s, but also, these two weeks training with us, I am looking at him. He is well, with good performance, good feeling and I think he, today, is close to also play with us.
“But the first idea is, and maybe on Monday, he can play with the 23s. We are going to decide tomorrow the plan with him, but we are thinking for him to start to take minutes.”
Premier League: Burnley v Newcastle Newcastle defender Paul Dummett has been ruled out of his side’s Premier League trip to Burnley on Monday night. Dummett suffered a calf injury during Wales’ Nations League match against Denmark in midweek, with tests yet to reveal the extent of his setback. Rafael Benitez will give late tests to captain Jamaal Lascelles (shoulder), Jonjo Shelvey and Yoshinori Muto (both calf).
Provisional squad: Dubravka, Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Manquillo, Fernandez, Schar, Hayden, Shelvey, Muto, Diame, Ki, Ritchie, Kenedy, Murphy, Atsu, Longstaff, Perez, Rondon, Joselu. Press Association
Updated
Premier League: Manchester United v Crystal Palace Crystal Palace will welcome Wilfried Zaha back to their squad for the trip to Manchester United. Zaha missed Palace’s last game with Tottenham before the international break due to a hamstring injury but has now recovered, as has James Tomkins (knee). Mamadou Sakho has shaken off a knock he picked up on international duty, but Christian Benteke, Connor Wickham, Joel Ward and Scott Dann are all out.
Provisional Squad: Hennessey, Van Aanholt, Tomkins, Sakho, Wan-Bissaka, Milivojevic, Meyer, Kouyate, Townsend, McArthur, Zaha, Guaita, Schlupp, Kelly, Puncheon, Riedewald, Sorloth, Ayew. Press Association
Premier League: Everton v Cardiff Everton manager Marco Silva has confirmed midfielders Gylfi Sigurdsson and Andre Gomes are fit to face Cardiff on Saturday. Sigurdsson did not even travel to join up with Iceland over the international break because of an ankle problem while Gomes joined up with the Portugal squad but was sent home after it was decided he was not fit enough.
“We had some worries during the week about Gylfi but he’s OK and that’s good,” said Silva. “Gylfi and Gomes are OK. They are available for selection this weekend.” Press Association
Nuno responds to Football Leaks claims Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is “totally convinced” the club have no case to answer following the latest allegations made by Football Leaks.
Football Leaks claims the relationship between Wolves and agent Jorge Mendes breaches Football Association rules. Published by German publication Der Spiegel, the allegations claim that owners Fosun International own a 15 per cent stake in Mendes’ Gestifute agency and bought it shortly before they purchased Wolves in 2016.
This paved the way for a number of players - and Nuno - represented by Gestifute to join the Midlands club. “I am totally convinced, totally,” said Nuno, upon being asked if he was convinced nothing sinister is afoot. “There is no subject, no issue on that. Let’s wait and see but I am totally convinced. What is important is that I don’t care about that. I don’t focus on that and I don’t give any importance to it.”
Premier League: Wolves v Huddersfield Town Huddersfield will be without defenders Mathias Jorgensen and Chris Lowe for Sunday’s Premier League game at Wolves. Centre-half Jorgensen sits out a one-game ban after reaching five yellow cards and left-back Lowe sustained a shoulder injury in the recent home draw against West Ham. Jon Gorenc Stankovic and Erik Durm could fill the respective gaps, while midfielder Danny Williams has recovered from a long-term knee injury.
Provisional squad: Lossl, Kongolo, Schindler, Stankovic, Durm, Billing, Hogg, Mooy, Hadergjonaj, Pritchard, Mbenza, Mounie, Depoitre, Hamer, Smith, Bacuna, Van La Parra, Kachunga. Press Association
Glenn Hoddle update: A spokesman for the former England player and manager turned pundit, who went into cardiac arrest at the BT Sport studios in late October has released an update on the 61-year-old’s condition.
“After being taken ill on Saturday 27th October, Glenn received specialist care at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London,” it reads. To aid his recovery from a cardiac arrest, Glenn underwent surgery. He responded well to treatment and is now at home recuperating from the procedure. The care that Glenn received from St Bartholomew’s Hospital was exemplary. His family would like to thank the hospital staff and the many people who have sent supportive messages.
“Doctors have outlined that rest is paramount for Glenn now. With that in mind, his family ask politely that their privacy is respected and that Glenn is given time to recover fully.”
Benjamin Mendy injury news: Benjamin Mendy could be out of action for up to 12 weeks, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed. The City left-back underwent knee surgery last week. Bernardo Silva has also been ruled out of Saturday’s trip to West Ham with a knock. Mendy missed much of last season after suffering cruciate ligament damage in his right knee. This time the problem is with the meniscus in his left knee.
Silva is out after picking up an injury while away on international duty with Portugal and may also miss next week’s Champions League game at Lyon. “He cannot play this weekend,” said Guardiola. “It’s not too big but I don’t know if, next Tuesday, he’s ready.”
And across to Germany! Guardian Football Features editor Marcus Christenson is a man of huge influence. Indeed, he’s so influential that when Borussia Dortmund have a big announcement to make, they sent him the pertinent information in an email and he promptly forwards it on to whoever happens to be curating this blog. Here’s the latest dispatch from the Bundesliga front line ...
Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and Spain international Paco Alcácer are set for a long-term future together.
BVB, who signed the forward on loan from Barcelona during the summer, have decided to exercise an option included in the loan agreement and purchase Alcácer for a fixed transfer fee. This means there will be a contractual relationship between the player and the club, in accordance with the terms agreed in the summer, that runs until 30 June 2023.
Paco Alcácer has scored nine goals in the space of 303 minutes – spread across eight matches – since joining BVB. He has been involved in a BVB goal every 44 minutes on average.
“We’ve informed Barcelona today that we will exercise the purchase option. Paco is wholeheartedly committed to us, has integrated quickly and has become a core component of our squad,” said BVB sporting director Michael Zorc, who added: “He’s a real goalscorer who has great footballing ability and has already decided some important games for us. We’re looking forward to lots more goals and assists from Paco in the coming years.”
Paco Alcácer added: “I’m very happy to be in Dortmund, at BVB and part of this wonderful team. Borussia Dortmund was and remains totally the right decision for me. I’ll give it everything to repay the trust placed in me with performances and goals!”
Attention Hammers fans! Jacob Steinberg knows so much about West Ham that if you opened his head and peeped inside, you’d probably see Trevor Brooking, Julian Dicks and Alan Devonshire playing head-tennis while eating jellied eels to a Cockney Rejects soundtrack. Here’s his take on how Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini has got on since taking over at the club last summer.
Chelsea news: Maurizio Sarri has welcomed the “important news” that N’Golo Kante has signed a new five-year contract at Chelsea and, with the club under threat of a transfer embargo as Fifa investigate the recruitment of minors from abroad, is now hopeful Eden Hazard follows suit.
Kante, secured from Leicester back in the summer of 2016 and an ever present in the league under the Italian to date, has signed a deal through to 2023 worth around £290,000-a-week. Chelsea have been hoping to tie Hazard down to similar terms for some time, though no agreement has been reached with the Belgian, who indicated over the summer that he might be ready to leave after six years at Stamford Bridge, currently contracted until 2020.
Asked about any news on talks with Hazard, who should feature against Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow, Sarri said: “I don’t know the evolution of the deal, for the new contract, but he’s very well. Fortunately, he played the last match with the national team on Sunday, so he came back here on Tuesday. For us, that’s very important. I don’t know the evolution of the new contract, but I think we can do (it). I hope so, I hope so.”
Kante, a two-time Premier League winner and a key member of France’s successful World Cup campaign last summer, has suggested he has already improved as a player in his short time under Sarri’s stewardship this season. “N’Golo, for us, is not just an important player,” added Sarri. “He’s a ‘determining’ player for us. So I’m really happy with the new contract. Clearly very pleased for him. And it’s a very important news, I think.
“I know that David Luiz said something about him, that he never wants to pay the bill in the restaurant [owned by David Luiz and Willian]. So he has a flaw like everybody. But I think he is a really professional player, very professional on the pitch and off the pitch. He’s very important for us in the defensive phase, but he is improving in the offensive movements. Now he has to improve in the last 25m. He can score more.”
More Manchester United news: José Mourinho has a “huge 23-player” squad that includes Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku for Manchester United’s game at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, writes our Reni hat-wearing man on the Manchester beat, Jamie Jackson.
Pogba missed United’s 3-1 defeat at Manchester City before the international break because of a muscle injury and he and Martial then withdrew from the France squad.
Mourinho said: “Martial stayed with us and he worked really hard. He plays tomorrow. Is he ready to play three in a row in the same week? I don’t know. But the most important match is the next.
“[Maroune] Fellaini also stayed – no national team . They also let him stay in spite of playing 90 minutes against City. He needed to stay and prepare himself better after such an injury that he had before, so Marouane is also good.
“And the [other] boys in the national teams: [Marcus] Rashford came with a little problem but is ready, Lukaku is ready – I would say ready with a little bit of a risk but ready – and Paul [Pogba] we knew with this break he would recover from that small muscular injury. We have a huge 23 group to choose for tomorrow.”
Although United are seven points from fourth place Mourinho still believes his team can bridge this gap by Christmas.
“I know it’s a big gap but I also know until the end of December we have eight matches to play and we are speaking about 24 points,” he said. “I believe we are going to be there.”
Updated
Manchester United news: Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has refused to “play the game” and expand on comments made in a recent interview where he appeared to suggest some of his players lacked character.
As we mentioned earlier (in the entry posted at 11.43am), Mourinho was quoted as saying in an interview with Hristo Stoichkov on Univision that some of his players “are children with potential, but without character”, with those he was referring to being Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford.
When asked about his remarks at a press conference on Friday, Mourinho said: “I don’t play your game. I don’t play the game of take out of context and do what you want. I don’t play the game. I have nothing to say.”
According to a translator recruited by the Manchester Evening News, Mourinho said the following to Stoichkov: “When we talk about Luke Shaw, [Anthony] Martial, [Jesse] Lingard, Marcus Rashford, we’re talking about young lads but who also are still missing a word that I can’t use but you like to use. They are missing a bit of that. Character, personality, as they say in Spain as well, bad blood, that natural aggression that you had.”
In fairness to Jose, it would seem rather disingenuous to interpret his comments as an attack on his young players, when he was clearly come over all Abe Simpson and was suggesting youngsters in general have it too easy these days and are therefore lacking a certain amount of fortitude and inner steel.
And back to Scotland ... Rangers manager Steven Gerrard admits the explanation they received for the recent dismissal of Daniel Candeias only added to their frustration. Candeias returns from suspension for Saturday’s visit of Livingston after sitting out one game following his red card at St Mirren.
Rangers failed to overturn the winger’s dismissal after claiming mistaken identity when he was shown a second yellow card by referee Willie Collum after footage showed he did nothing wrong during a clash with Anton Ferdinand.
The club later announced they would make a formal complaint against Collum but it emerged that the booking was for the Portuguese player’s goal celebrations, which were directed towards Ferdinand. When asked if that added to their frustration, Gerrard said: “Yes, slightly, because I don’t think you deserve to get a yellow card in football if you blow a kiss. But we accept it, we move on, no hard feelings, and we move forward.” Press Association
Meanwhile in Ireland: St Patrick’s Athletic Football Club have issued a weird statement throwing their support behind Stephen Kenny, who manages their rivals Dundalk.
“The board of St Patrick’s Athletic FC, as stakeholders in Irish domestic football, have convened and endorse and recommend Stephen Kenny for the vacant position as manager of the national team,” it begins.
“We believe Stephen Kenny is the best candidate and that he has proven he has the experience, commitment and intellect to change the current direction of the Irish senior team. Stephen’s appointment would undeniably be a boost for both the grassroots and domestic leagues. All involved would know that the country’s game owuld be in the hands of a man who knows and believes that the future of the game is the nurturing and proper professional development of the game in schools, communities, academies and clubs countrywide. We hope that all stakeholders of the domestic game that agree, express their view in the public forum.”
While the statement from St Pats seems well meaning enough, it’s difficult to know why exactly they’ve chosen to stick their oar in on this matter. One thing’s for certain, the appointment of Stephen Kenny to the Ireland job would certainly benefit St Pats, as well as all the other League of Ireland sides who finished trailing in the wake of Kenny’s champions last season.
Club Statement: Supporting Stephen Kenny for @FAIreland Manager’s job 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/Num4SBgaj9
— St Patrick's Athletic FC (@stpatsfc) November 23, 2018
Neil Lennon speaks: The Hibernian manager says he is “flattered” to be linked with the vacant Republic of Ireland manager’s job, which comes as something of a surprise to this Irish reporter, who has not seen him being linked with it at all.
Then again, it seems he hasn’t either. “I am in a very good job here and I am just concentrating on that at the minute,” said Lenny. “It is just speculation. I am flattered if there is a link, I have not seen anything or heard anything regarding myself, all I have been doing is concentrating on us getting back into winning form because that is important. I am sorry to see Martin go because he had such a huge influence on my career, 10 years I played under him.”
Barry is now back from his lunch, refreshed, revitalised, rested, ready to attack the rest of the afternoon. Be nice to him.
If you like graphs, you’ll love this one: Martin Laurence from WhoScored? takes a look at when Premier League score their goals, and what that means.
An interview with Russell Martin, new Green Party member, scourge of teammates who leave the tap on when brushing their teeth, vegan.
A little reading from earlier in the week: life as a Premier League stadium manager, by Harvey Smith, recent Premier League stadium manager.
Ahead of Claudio Ranieri’s first game in his new gig, Fulham’s chief moustache Shahid Khan has written an explanation for the binning of Slavisa Jokanovic in his programme notes, a couple of weeks after he wrote a full-throated backing of Slavisa Jokanovic in his programme notes.
A portion of my last programme notes, published ahead of our home match against AFC Bournemouth, was dedicated to expressing my support and backing of Slaviša Jokanović as our Head Coach.
As I reflect upon my comments of four weeks ago, I don’t regret a word I said. My belief in Slav and our ability to restart our campaign was staunch. Reports of Slav’s future being in peril, at the time, were truly baseless.
I was troubled, subsequently, by our poor response and performances in the matches that followed. It became evident to me after our defeat at Huddersfield Town that patience and confidence were no longer a remedy to correct our course.
Upon determining that a change was in order, I judged potential candidates against a demanding list of standards with two key criteria considered as absolute - past success in the Premier League or top-flight football and being ready to go to work immediately.
I conducted the appropriate due diligence as to potential successors, and among many highly qualified candidates - some of whom were interviewed, others not - there was one man who clearly had done his research on our squad, wanted the challenge and was ready to go the instant his name was called. That’s Claudio Ranieri.
Interesting smidge of team news ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Watford on Saturday: Daniel Sturridge - under an FA charge for misconduct relating to betting - is in contention to play some part. Jurgen Klopp said:
Obviously I know about the case, but you don’t see any influence on Daniel in training. He’s completely normal, looks sharp, looks focused. Of course it’s not something you want but as long as he trains well he is 100 per cent in contention.
Big ol’ game in Buenos Aires this weekend. Biiiiiiiiiiiiig ol’ game. Here’s former local Jonathan Wilson to tell you all you need to know.
Hello. Barry’s off for some lunch, so it’s Nick Miller here for a bit. Emails to Nick.Miller@theGuardian.com, tweets to @NickMiller79.
Premier League: Watford v Liverpool Javi Gracia knows just how much damage Liverpool can do when at full throttle - but he will set up his side out to tackle them head on at Vicarage Road.
“We will be loyal to our style and play the way we usually do, but knowing we have to be careful with their players because they are very, very good,” the Watford manager said. “We know we are playing against this team and you need to play at a high level doing your best. It will be very, very demanding and if you make a mistake, they punish you. We will have our possibilities, but we want to enjoy playing the game and we try to get a good result.”
Watford return to Premier League action in seventh place, having produced some positive performances since ending a four-match losing streak in mid-October. Midfielder Etienne Capoue will be available to boost Gracia’s options, while defender Sebastian Prodl has shrugged off his leg problem.
Although Adalberto Penaranda has now received his work permit, the Venezuela forward is not expected to be thrown straight into action. Press Association
Jurgen Klopp speaks: At his press conference ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Watford this weekend, the Liverpool manager was asked about the new contract Sadio Mane inked yesterday. “It’s a big sign,” he told reporters. “To extend a contract is more than a signing, it is a statement. It shows a bit of change the club did in the last few years. A few years ago players felt they had to leave the club to make the next step.”
Meanwhile in Scotland ...
Motherwell goalkeeper Trevor Carson is out for an indefinite period after developing deep vein thrombosis. Carson has been in and out of Wishaw Hospital with a blood clot in his shoulder following his return from international duty with Northern Ireland.
“With my limited knowledge, he has had a blood clot and it is going to keep him out for a long time, said Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson. “He has been in and out of hospital since Wednesday. He felt a lot of pain while away with the international squad, came back and we thought it best that we take him into hospital.
“The medical staff at Wishaw General and our medical staff have been superb with him. There are still ongoing investigations, so that we can get to the bottom of the problem and make sure he is on the right tablets and medication that gets him back as quick as we can, but he is out for the foreseeable future.
“There has been no timescale put on that but first and foremost our concerns are with Trevor’s health. I am sure he will be fine but it is now important that we get the right treatment.”
‘Arry Redknapp-watch
The football manager is proving a popular recruit on the reality show I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! and last night regaled his campmates in the Australian jungle with a tale about Sir Alex Ferguson.
“Every manager after every game came in your office,” he said. “Fergie was always great. He had a great bottle of wine. He would get something special in when you went there. I have been in his office at 2:45 for a 3pm kick-off. The teams would go out and he would have the racing on! I would sit there and he said I have got one in the 2:45. I said ‘Alex I have got to go’. But he wasn’t bothered because he would go and win and had such a good team.”
Premier League: Bournemouth v Arsenal Bournemouth striker Joshua King could return to contention for Sunday’s home game against Arsenal. King has missed the Cherries’ last four Premier League games due to an ankle injury and will be assessed by manager Eddie Howe. Full-back Adam Smith is definitely out and faces a long spell on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury in the defeat at Newcastle before the international break.
Provisional squad: Begovic, Daniels, Ake, Francis, S Cook, L Cook, Lerma, Fraser, Ibe, Wilson, King, Brooks, Defoe, Gosling, Mousset, Pugh, Boruc, Surman. Press Association
José Mourinho’s been talking
The Manchester United manager sat down for an interview with former Bulgarian international Hristo Stoichkov, conducted in Spanish, for TV network Univision Deportes at the end of October and initial reports said Mourinho told Stoichkov that Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard of “lacked character”.
However, it seems his quotes may have been lost in translation, as the Manchester Evening News got a fluent Spanish speaker to interpret the exchange in question. It seems Jose meant that because the youth of today have it so easy, some of them might be lacking a little in aggression.
Stoichcov: “In your team there are lots of diamonds. What are they missing?”
Mourinho: “They are lacking maturity. Maturity that when you [Stoichcov] played, I think the youngsters… look at your situation, at my situation. I wasn’t a player, obviously, but when I say maturity I mean on a personal level. We were more like men. We were more mature. We were more prepared for life. Let’s say it like that. We were less protected.
“In English they call it ‘spoilt’, ‘spoilt kids’. Our kids are more spoilt than we were by our parents. We are more mature, we are better prepared. For young people now, it’s a different life on a social level compared to ours.
“Today plays also in their surroundings, they have a word that was used a lot in Barcelona, entorno [environment] that they use in a more global, holistic sense in relation to the club. When I use the word I use it more in relation to a personal environment. To the people who surround the players, who protect them too much, who give them – in my opinion – too much care, too many excuses. There’s always an excuse for everything.
“People are maturing more slowly. For example, the young lad Luke Shaw, who is the left-back of the national team, who arrived there [at United] two years before me. He didn’t know how to compete. He had great potential, yes, but he didn’t know how to compete.
“When we talk about Luke Shaw, [Anthony] Martial, [Jesse] Lingard, Marcus Rashford, we’re talking about young lads but who also are still missing a word that I can’t use but you like to use. They are missing a bit of that.
“Character, personality, as they say in Spain as well, bad blood, that natural aggression that you had.”
Stoney first English boss to join Common Goal
The head coach of the Manchester United women’s team, Casey Stoney, has become the first manager in England to join Juan Mata’s Common Goal project. Read on ...
Premier League: Fulham v Southampton New Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri has two injury doubts ahead of his first game in charge at home to fellow Premier League strugglers Southampton. Kevin McDonald (hamstring) remains sidelined with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa also ruled out by Ranieri with an unspecified issue, although Joe Bryan should be fit enough to return to the squad following his own hamstring problem.
Provisional squad: Bettinelli, Rico, Fabri, Fosu-Mensah, Christie, Odoi, Chambers, Mawson, Ream, Le Marchand, Bryan, Ayite, R Sessegnon, Seri, Johansen, De La Torre, Kebano, S Sessegnon, Schurrle, Vietto, Mitrovic, Fonte, Kamara. Press Association
Mark Hughes discusses his future
Mark Hughes plans to silence the “noise” around his future as Southampton provide Claudio Ranieri’s first opposition as Fulham manager. Hughes finds himself the favourite to be the next Premier League boss sacked after bottom-placed Fulham changed managers during the international break by replacing Slavisa Jokanovic with Ranieri.
Southampton are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference and have gone eight games without a league win. But Saints boss Hughes shrugged off talk of his future before the crunch trip to Craven Cottage by saying: “There will always be speculation and I call it noise.”
Hughes went on to say it was only natural that people might speculate about his prospects of holding on to his job. “Once a manager departs after a lot of noise that noise switches to someone else and all the negative stats come out. A little bit of the noise is around me at the moment which is the nature of the role that I have. It will go away with a few good results. It becomes a little bit predictable and you understand how it works.”
Hughes succeeded Mauricio Pellegrino in March with Southampton in the middle of a relegation dogfight. The Welshman kept Saints up and signed a three-year contract in May, but he has won only three of his 20 league games at St Mary’s and defeat at Craven Cottage could drop Southampton into the bottom three. Press Assocation
Next Republic of Ireland manager
Mick McCarthy is expected to chat with Football Association of Ireland officials in the next day or two, according to reports emanating from the Emerald Isle. The FAI are keen to appoint a replacement for Martin O’Neill before the draw for the group stages of Euro 2020, which will take place in Dublin on Sunday week. McCarthy is believed to be the frontrunner for the job he held previously, but Stephen Kenny is also in contention. The manager of League of Ireland side Dundalk, Kenny emphatically threw his hat in the ring while chatting to the Dundalk Democrat yesterday.
“I don’t have a PR strategy,” he said. “I don’t have a dream team. I think managing your country is the ultimate honour. If you offered me the job of managing Real Madrid or Barcelona or Ireland, I would choose to manage Ireland, because it’s the greatest honour you can have as an Irishman.”
Kenny has also rubbished suggestion that he might not be experienced enough to take the job. “I actually find the question quite insulting,” he told The Irish Times. “You have to earn respect. You earn it on the training ground every day with your level of preparation and attention to detail; no matter who you are you have to earn it every day. I’ve been with the Dundalk team for six seasons but every day I feel I have to go in and earn the respect of those players again. The minute you drop your standards, you receive nothing. Nothing.
“But I know a lot of the [international] players. I gave Stephen Ward his debut at Bohemians; gave James McClean his debut at Derry, then sold him. Obviously, there are some former Dundalk former players involved and a lot of the others . . . Sean Maguire, Enda Stevens, David Meyler. a high percentage of the players have been in the league. Shane Duffy was around the scene at Derry, even though he went away at a young age so I don’t consider that an issue.”
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Premier League: Brighton v Leicester Brighton expect to have midfielder Pascal Gross and defender Davy Propper available again following ankle problems for the Premier League match against Leicester. Midfielder Dale Stephens starts a three-match suspension after his red card at Cardiff before the international break. Winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh remains sidelined because of a hamstring strain.
Provisional squad: Ryan, Bong, Duffy, Dunk, Montoya, Gross, Kayal, Knockaert, March, Murray, Izquierdo, Steele, Bruno, Propper, Balogun, Bernardo, Bissouma, Andone, Gyokeres. Press Association
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Max Rushden was in the chair as Marcus Christenson, Paolo Bandini, David Conn and yours truly discussed the Nations League, Qatar’s World Cup preparations and a whole lot more on the latest edition of Football Weekly. You can listen here and if you’re not already a subscriber, sign up in all the usual podcast places.
Premier League: Watford v Liverpool Watford will have midfielder Etienne Capoue available for the Premier League match against Liverpool following suspension. Defender Sebastian Prodl has also been training again following his leg problem so could be involved. Venezuela forward Adalberto Penaranda has received his work permit, but is not expected to be thrown straight into action. Midfielder Tom Cleverley is stepping up his rehabilitation after a combination of hamstring and Achilles trouble, along with defender Daryl Janmaat (knee).
Provisional Squad: Foster, Mariappa, Cathcart, Kiko, Holebas, Chalobah, Doucoure, Hughes, Pereyra, Deulofeu, Isaac Success, Gomes, Masina, Wilmot, Kabasele, Deeney, Gray, Okaka, Capoue, Prodl. Press Association
Boca Juniors fans fill La Bombonera: Further to our story about Boca Juniors packing the stands of their home ground for an open training session ahead of tomorrow’s Copa Libertadores final second leg against their arch-rivals River Plate, here is a video of the astonishing turn-out in Buenos Aires.
Premier League: Fulham v Southampton Southampton are without the suspended Ryan Betrand for their visit to fellow Premier League strugglers Fulham. The England left-back serves a one-match ban for collecting five bookings and will be replaced by Matt Targett, who helped Fulham into the top flight while on loan at Craven Cottage last season. Danny Ings is a major doubt after picking up a knock in the home draw with Watford before the international break, but Moi Elyounoussi (hamstring) and Mario Lemina (thigh) should be available.
Provisional squad: McCarthy, Gunn, Forster, Soares, Stephens, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Hoedt, Bednarek, Targett, Hojbjerg, Davis, Romeu, Lemina, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Elyounoussi, Redmond, Gallagher, Long, Gabbiadini, Austin, Ings.
Premier League: West Ham v Manchester City Andy Carroll and Jack Wilshere could be added to the West Ham squad to face Manchester City after spells out with ankle injuries. Captain Mark Noble returns from suspension but fellow midfielder Robert Snodgrass serves a one-match ban. Ryan Fredericks is out until the new year with a shin injury, joining Manuel Lanzini, Winston Reid, Carlos Sanchez and Andriy Yarmolenko on the sidelines. Press Association
Premier League: Everton v Cardiff City Cardiff captain Sean Morrison has been declared fit for his side’s trip to Everton. Morrison was forced off in the home win over Brighton before the international break, and it was later revealed that the centre-half had suffered a broken nose. Midfielder Harry Arter returns after a one-match ban and full-back Jazz Richards could be available after a hamstring problem, but striker Kenneth Zohore (calf) is set to miss out again. PA Sport
Copa Libertadores: Boca Juniors trained at La Bombonera yesterday ahead of the second leg of of their Copa Libertadores final against fierce city rivals River Plate. Over 50,000 fans turned up to watch the session, while thousands more were turned away once the stands filled up. A thrilling first leg ended 2-2 at La Bombenera and the second leg will be played tomorrow at River’s El Monumental. A ban on visiting fans means Boca could lift the trophy in a stadium stuffed to the gunnels with supporters who hate them. Good luck with that, lads. We’ll have video footage from the remarkable session for your viewing pleasure shortly.
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Some early team news from Leicester. Jamie Vardy faces a fitness race before the trip to Brighton – he’s battling a groin injury. James Maddison is back in training, but Harry Maguire is out with knee-knack.
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Start your Friday right: we have 10 things to look out for in the Premier League, and the latest Rumour Mill:
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N'Golo Kanté signs five-year Chelsea deal
Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kanté has signed a new five-year contract, the club have announced.
The France international, signed from Leicester in the summer of 2016, has been an ever-present in Maurizio Sarri’s side this season.
“N’Golo Kanté has today extended his stay at Stamford Bridge by signing a new five-year contract,” Chelsea said on their official website.
“I’m happy to extend my time with Chelsea,” Kanté said. “It has been two beautiful years and I wish for more to come. Since I came, I completely improved as a player, challenged myself and got some awards I never thought about.”
Since joining Leicester City from Caen for just £5.6m in 2015, the midfielder has won Premier League titles with Leicester and Chelsea, and the 2018 World Cup with France.
Kanté was also voted the PFA player of the year in 2017, and was included in the FifPro World XI this year.
