Latest News

Andy Murray has endured plenty of fierce battles with Roger Federer over the years (Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images) Andy Murray knows he would have won a lot more had he not been playing in the same era as Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, but also feels lucky to have been a part of it.

All four veterans of the sport are heading into the twilight of their tennis careers and it’s Murray who sits at the bottom of the list when comparing Grand Slam wins. Murray has three to his name while Federer, Djokovic and Nadal all sit joint top of the men’s all-time list on an incredible 20 each.

The 34-year-old has endured his fair share of injuries in recent years but, like the others, is not showing signs of slowing down just yet. With the younger generation coming through and seemingly looking wide open when it comes to finding another player who could match Djokovic, Nadal and Federer’s feats, Murray is in two minds over any regrets he may have about playing in the wrong era.

‘Yeah, I mean it’s a difficult question that one because in some ways of course, because I feel like I would have won a lot more if I’d had played at a different time, even if I was five, six years younger, I would be having big opportunities just now with some of them,’ Murray said.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have both won 20 Grand Slams each (Picture: John Berry/Getty Images) ‘You know, [I’m] getting older and potentially finishing soon so from that respect, yeah it would have been nice.

‘But then at the same time I had the opportunity to play against and compete against the best male players of all time in the biggest competitions.

‘I was able to face Rafa at the French Open, Federer at Wimbledon, Novak at the Australian Open and the US Open and in the final, even at the Olympic Games. More: TennisEmma Raducanu urged to rehire US Open winning coachAndy Murray gives blunt response when asked about Emma Raducanu's next coachEmma Raducanu beaten by world No.100 in first match after US Open win ‘I didn’t get to win all of the matches but I won some which was great.

It’s a difficult one. ‘I feel lucky to have been able to play against them, they made me improve a lot by setting the bar and I was always trying to get there.

So, yes that’s a difficult one. ‘I would have won more but memories may not be the same.’ MORE : Andy Murray considering Davis Cup U-turn as Leon Smith calls up four players MORE : Andy Murray gives blunt response when asked about Emma Raducanu’s next coach For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Undefeated boxing great Floyd Mayweather has thrown his support behind Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, the basketball firebrand who cannot currently play due to his refusal to take the Covid-19 vaccine. Irving, 29, is the most high-profile athlete to have fallen foul of New York's vaccine mandate which would mean that the seven-time NBA all-star would be prohibited from playing with his teammates in their home state - with the Nets opting to inform him to stay away from the team and training until he received a full dose of one of the several vaccines against Covid-19.

The issue has been a contentious one.

A group on anti-vaccine mandate protestors made their voices heard on Sunday outside Brooklyn's Barclays Center prior to the Nets home season opener against Charlotte - and now Mayweather has added his significant weight to the debate by issuing an impassioned defense of Irving on social media.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Floyd Mayweather (@floydmayweather) "Kyrie, what's up, I know you’re going through a lot. We had the chance to hang out in 2016 when you represented America, when you represented the red, white and blue," said Mayweather in a video posted to social media.

"You only want to be treated fairly. I was going to post something on my social media pages but I decided to do it the old-school way and read something out to you because you’re a great person, a great father, a great athlete and you believe what you believe.

"America is the land of the free; freedom of speech, freedom of religion and, supposedly, freedom to choose. Never be controlled by money, I respect you for having some integrity and for being your own man.

"A free mind makes his own choices and a slave mind follows the crowd. Stand for something or fall for anything. One man can lead a revolution, to stand up and fight for what’s right. One choice, one word, one action can change the world.

"It’s crazy how people hate you for being a leader. I hope your actions encourage many others to stand up and say enough is enough. Respect to you Kyrie and power to the people." Irving's hesitance, and Mayweather's subsequent backing of it, represents a movement among some within the sports world in opposition to vaccine mandates.

The issue has already been widely felt in the NFL, with players like Cole Beasley of the Buffalo Bills risking the wrath of the league for his continued opposition to the jab, while January's Australian Open is currently shrouded in mystery as conflicting information regarding quarantines and entry to the country for players continues to swell.

To date, the United States has recorded in excess of 730,000 deaths linked to Covid-19 - but explaining his own position further, Mayweather said that he believes the issue is one of freedom of choice.

"Choice is defined as an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities. To my understanding, America gave us the choice to take the vaccine or not take the vaccine originally," wrote Mayweather in a caption on Instagram along with the video message to Irving.

"As time moves on, that choice is gradually being stripped from us. Limiting the jobs we can do, places we can go, and activities we can perform. Trying to beat us into submission of what they say is best for us.

"It’s sad people are hated, punished, teased, and discriminated for not taking the vaccine, for making their own choice, standing up for what they not only think is right, but know is right for them and their families. "I am Pro Choice," he added.

"A person should be free to make the decision best suited for themself. If we can’t make our own decisions we are not truly free. Our forefathers, fought for our freedom as our soldiers, first responders, and patriots continue to do to this day. "Why is it when someone decides to do something differently from what we are told, it is right we condemn them? Condemn them for making a choice, choosing to be free, choosing to not conform to the norms society tells us to conform to." Also on rt.com ‘What’s being mad going to do?’: Nets star Durant speaks on Irving predicament after teammate sidelined for Covid jab refusal Somewhat predictably, the reaction online to Mayweather's polemic was mixed.

"I’m vaccinated, but I respect Kyrie, he is turning down a lot of money.

He is genuine," wrote one in response to the clip.

Others, though, weren't quite so on board with a billionaire openly railing against mandates for getting jabbed. "Reminder: Floyd is worth 1.2 billion dollars, he lives in a small, gated community, and he can afford the highest grade medical care available in the world," wrote one.  "I'm not even going to listen to him.

I would never take health advice from Floyd Mayweather under any other circumstance, so why would I now?" added another. Also on rt.com ‘Let Kyrie play’: Protesters breach barriers outside New York arena, demand that Brooklyn Nets reinstate unvaccinated star Irving

Fabrizio Romano has reported that Antonio Conte is “ready to accept” the Manchester United job as he makes an exception for the English giants. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been Manchester United boss since the end of 2018. He is yet to win a trophy and they are on a poor run of form in the Premier League.

The Red Devils are winless in their last four league games. Their latest defeat came at the weekend as they were hammered 5-0 by Liverpool at Old Trafford. Gary Neville on Ole is a logical endpoint for football’s chumocracy It was reported on Tuesday that Solskjaer “still has support” from key directors at United.

Conte is reportedly included on a four-man shortlist to replace Solskjaer if Man Utd decide to sack him. Respected journalist Romano has revealed via Twitter that Conte is “ready to accept” the Manchester United job.

He adds that the Italian has “never been a fan” of joining a club midway through a season. But Man Ud are the “only club right now” that could change his mind. Romano said: “To be clear about Antonio Conte. He’s never been a fan of joining clubs during the season as it’s not in his style – the only club right now that could change Antonio’s mind is Manchester United.

“Still no official talks. Depends on Solskjær situation – matter of respect. He later added: “There’s no doubt on Antonio Conte decision since days. He wants Manchester United job and he’d be ready to accept.

But there’s still no official proposal on the table, as things stand tonight. “Manchester United are still thinking whether sacking or not Solskjær.” Despite this, The Telegraph have stated that Man Utd have “distanced themselves” from reports linking them with Conte.

This is as they were “left scarred” by Jose Mourinho’s reign and they fear that the Italian is too similar to their former boss. Elsewhere, Paul Scholes has accused Mason Greenwood of “cheating” against Liverpool: “Tactically it was bad today, really bad.

But on the other side of that players have got to have some kind of common sense as well. “You think about Mason [Greenwood] in that first instance going to close him down, that was almost cheating. “He knew he wasn’t going to get the ball and he knew it looks like he was going to close him down but he knew he was just going to pass it and he can’t do anything.

“It’s almost a cheating way of sprinting to him, they pass it and then he has a little walk back because he thought, ‘I’ve done my bit’. But he hasn’t done his bit, he’s ruined the whole team, all the team get pulled out of position, [Aaron] Wan-Bissaka has to come out, [Victor] Lindelof ends up at right-back, then there’s all of the space in the middle.

“All of a sudden, from Mason not doing his job properly, the team attacking, Salah played Keita in, he could’ve played Alexander-Arnold in, he could’ve played Robertson in.

It was ridiculous the way it happened, sometimes players have got to use their common sense.” The post Romano: Conte makes Man Utd exception as he’s ‘ready to accept’ the job appeared first on Football365.

Scottie Pippen was a legend who was remembered as the Robin to Jordan’s Batman Scottie Pippen might have 3-peated twice, but he thinks his best achievement is the time he won the gold with the 1992 Olympic Dream Team. It is understandable, since that roster was packed! Imagine getting the chance to play with Larry Bird, John Stockton, Michael Jordan and a lot more.

There is something really patriotic in representing your country, and the opportunity to do it at the pinnacle of sports history is a dream come true. At club level, Pippen was playing with the greatest of all time, and when the opportunity presented itself to represent the USA, he took it.

Competing in the NBA is one thing, but competition against the best in the world is one level higher. Also Read: “Giving out my own pair of shoes… It feels amazing!”: Trae Young reacts to giving away his sneakers to fans for the first time after a magnificent 32 point performance vs Pistons Scottie Pippen deserves more recognition for his game.

When you get a compliment from Jordan saying that he cannot win a championship without him, you know you are very good.

Pippen enjoyed his best years with the Bulls from 1987-1998. Considered by NBA fans and players alike to be one of the best Small Forwards of all time, Scottie made the all-NBA team 8 years in a row. One of four players to ever get their number retired by the Bulls, it shows how important he was.

The 1992 championship came exactly one year after the Bulls won their first championship, and there is slight doubt that winning the medal put a fire in both Jordan and and Pippen’s belly that started their serial winning.

The Dream Team had a few competitors from the rest of the world like Toni Kukoc and Drazen Petrovic, but it was no trouble for them. Drazen was probably the only one who believed who believed he could beat them, but Scottie and team made sure it was light work. Also Read: “This Chicago Bulls team is as good as the Michael Jordan 1996 team”: NBA Twitter reacts as Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, and co.

start the regular season with a 4-0 record for the first time in 25 years Pippen may not have been the most flashy player out there, but he was an essential tool in every team he played, be it the Chicago Bulls or the 1992 Dream team.

The post “Winning the 1992 Olympic gold was Scottie Pippen’s biggest achievement”: The Hall of Famer felt playing alongside Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird was beyond special appeared first on The SportsRush.

Anthony Hamilton has denied his son Lewis and Max Verstappen have a fractious relationship, saying they are simply “fierce competitors”. The two title protagonists have collided twice on track this season, with reigning World Champion Hamilton having spoken to Verstappen on the phone in the aftermath of their high-speed crash at Silverstone, while the pair came to blows again at Monza as both were knocked out of the race.

Much has been made about how the duo’s relationship has potentially changed over the course of the season, but the Mercedes driver’s father insists their rivalry is simply for sporting reasons – believing the two will share “huge hugs” after the season has finished.

“No, that’s not true, they are fierce competitors,” Hamilton Snr told talkSPORT when asked if the title rivals did not get on. “Lewis is where Max wants to be, Max is where Lewis wants to be.

“They are like boxers going into the ring, but I guarantee that when it’s over and done there will be huge hugs and laughter and kisses between the pair of them.” These two on another planet #USGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Dr943xHjAp — PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) October 24, 2021 There was another flashpoint over the weekend in Austin, where the Red Bull and Mercedes drivers attempted to start a timed lap at the same moment in FP2 and headed into the first corner level pegging.

Verstappen ended up backing off but was not amused at the development, raising his middle finger and calling Hamilton a “stupid idiot” over team radio.

But as for Hamilton’s father, he explained competitors cannot be too friendly with each other on track, citing the example of how Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo – who enjoy friendly relationships off-track – all piled into the same corner three abreast on the first lap at the Circuit of The Americas as they jostled for position.

  “It’s called competition,” he said. “If you’re too friendly with your competitor then you ease off the gas a little bit too much.

You only have to look further down the field yesterday between the two McLaren drivers and the Ferrari drivers – those guys are friends. “This is racing. When you’re off the field you’re very friendly.

When you’re in battle, all is fair in love and war.” Verstappen pulled away from Hamilton in the World Championship with his victory in Austin, with 12 points now separating the title rivals heading into Round 18 in Mexico.     The post Anthony Hamilton expects ‘huge hugs’ after title fight decided appeared first on PlanetF1.

Newcastle United “dream” of appointing Rafa Benitez as Steve Bruce’s successor but that will prove “almost impossible”, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. Graeme Jones was in the dugout at Selhurst Park on Saturday as the Magpies drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace after Bruce’s tenure ended on Wednesday following last weekend’s 3-2 home Premier League defeat to Tottenham.

The point against Palace took Newcastle to four points from their opening nine matches of the Premier League season with the club in real danger of relegation this season. F365 Says: Newcastle on the defensive at the start of new era Jones will definitely be in charge of the team when they face leaders Chelsea on Saturday with the new Newcastle owners looking to appoint a new boss soon.

Paulo Fonseca, Lucien Favre, Eddie Howe and Frank Lampard among the names being linked with the job – but Sky Sport Italia journalist Di Marzio claims Everton boss Benitez is their first choice.

Di Marzio told MyBettingSites: “Their dream, for Newcastle, was and would be to convince Rafa to accept immediately. It is really really difficult that Rafa will leave Everton now.

They met Rafa twice even because the new sporting director who will be appointed in an official way, Frank McFarland. “He worked with Rafa at Liverpool and was responsible for the young players in the academy. He knows Rafa really well. But it is almost impossible that Rafa will go.

Di Marzio added: “They spoke to Paulo Fonseca and I don’t know if they are really really close but he is in the short list. The interviews and meetings with him were very good and he has good opportunities to go. Newcastle manager win rates since 2007… – Chris Hughton: 59.3% – Rafa Benitez: 42.4% – Alan Pardew: 38.3% – Sam Allardyce: 33.3% – Steve Bruce: 28.8% – Kevin Keegan: 28.5% – Steve McClaren: 22.5% – Joe Kinnear: 22.2% – John Carver: 15% – Alan Shearer: 12.5% #NUFC pic.twitter.com/lstcW523dG — The Sack Race (@thesackrace) October 20, 2021 “I think Fonseca is a good choice.

It’s a strange club because the sporting director is not official and a lot of persons want to decide.

It is strange to take a final decision but Fonseca is a good choice.” “Steven Gerrard is in the running too, as he is a good friend of McFarland.

They would have liked to have (Ralf) Rangnick as well. He is now at Lokomotiv Moscow and is a sporting director who likes to work with the coaches but Newcastle needs to have a coach at the bench.”   The post ‘Almost impossible’ for Newcastle to appoint ‘dream’ Bruce successor appeared first on Football365.

Rangers legend Walter Smith has died aged 73, the club have announced. The former Gers and Scotland boss delivered ten Scottish Premiership titles at Ibrox, making him the second-most successful manager in the club’s history. Smith was one of Britain’s most iconic managersAFP Smith also took charge of Everton and worked as an assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United during a glittering coaching career.

Announcing the news on Twitter, Rangers said: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our former manager, chairman and club legend, Walter Smith.” This is a breaking news story.

Stay up to date with the latest news on talkSPORT. To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2, click  HERE for the live stream. App iPhone – Download from the Apple storeAndroid – Download from Google PlayRadio – talkSPORT is available across the United Kingdom via DAB digital radio and on 1089 or 1053 AMTV – Listen to talkSPORT through your TV on the following channels: Sky: Channel 0108 Virgin Media: Channel 927 Freeview: Channel 723 Freesat: Channel 731

Walter Smith has died aged 73 (Picture: Getty) Former Scotland, Rangers and Everton boss Walter Smith has died, aged 73. The Scot represented Dundee United and Dumbarton as a defender during his playing days, but is perhaps best remembered for his success as manager across his two spells at Ibrox.

In total, Smith won ten league titles in charge of Rangers, while also steering the club to five Scottish Cups, six Scottish League Cups and the 2008 Uefa Cup final. Rangers chairman Douglas Park confirmed the news this morning, sending on his best wishes to Smith’s family and stressing that their iconic former head coach would be ‘sorely missed’.

‘On behalf of the Rangers board of directors, staff and players, I convey my deep condolences to the Smith family. Walter leaves behind a wife, children and grandchildren, all of whom are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time,’ Park said in a statement.

‘It is almost impossible to encapsulate what Walter meant to every one of us at Rangers. He embodied everything that a Ranger should be. His character and leadership was second to none, and will live long in the memory of everyone he worked with during his two terms as first team manager.

‘I spoke with Walter as recently as last weekend. Even when he was battling illness, he was still able to provide advice and support. For that, I am personally grateful.

I know that he continued also to maintain dialogue with senior members of staff, including our manager, Steven Gerrard. ‘Walter will be sorely missed by all of us at Rangers. ‘Winning 10 top-flight titles as manager, five Scottish Cups and six League Cups, as well as leading his club to the UEFA Cup Final in 2008, he will be remembered by the football community across the world.

His spells as Scotland manager as well as managing in the English Premier League underlined his credentials as one of the great modern day football managers.

‘However, for Rangers supporters, he was much more than just a football manager. Walter was a friend to many, a leader, an ambassador and most of all-a legend.’ More to follow.

The defender’s contract runs out in the summer (Picture: Getty Images) Contract talks between Chelsea and Andreas Christensen have reportedly reached an impasse, with a lack of contact between the two parties over the last two months. The Denmark international has been a key figure under Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge, but his current deal at the west London club is due to expire in the summer.

Without a new contract penned, Christensen is able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January 1. Tuchel has praised the Denmark international (Picture: Getty Images) According to Goal, there is an offer on the table of a four-year deal including the option of an extra year, but it would keep the centre-back among the lower earners in the squad.

The report states that talks over a new deal have stalled and there has been little contact since August.

Despite the lack of movement, Tuchel has insisted that the 25-year-old can be a ‘top defender’ for Chelsea in the coming years. ‘I think it is important we accept the personality of every player,’ Tuchel said. ‘Some are more loud, some aggressive, some more calm.

He’s a calm guy, very intelligent player, and sometimes you can get maybe a bit misled by judging him from his personality, because he is a hard defender and he is a guy who is not shy to have hard tackles and win challenges and step up in games.

He found his place. ‘He is very strong, very reliable and he has not reached his limits because in his age there is still room to improve. He can be a top defender for us in the next years and hopefully he will be because he comes from the academy. ‘He knows what it takes and he has improved massively so far but it is not done yet – you have to show it over and over.

There are big examples in this club of what it takes to be a legend in defence and there is still a way to go but we are very happy so far.’ More: Chelsea FCMan Utd include Brendan Rodgers on four-man shortlist to replace Ole Gunnar SolskjaerAntonio Conte willing to break his own rule in order to take Man Utd jobJose Mourinho has given Man Utd board 'fear' over Antonio Conte appointment Antonio Rudiger’s contract situation is also up in the air, with the Germany international’s current deal also running out at the end of the season – drawing interest from the likes of Bayern Munich.

The defender wants to stay in west London, but isn’t satisfied with the current offer from the club.

MORE : David Moyes says Manchester United and Chelsea have missed out on £100m Declan Rice ‘bargain’ as asking price goes up MORE : Chris Sutton backs Chelsea to win the Premier League after ‘excellent’ performance in Norwich thrashing For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Emma Raducanu is back in action at the Transylvania Open this week (Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Emma Raducanu has called for patience as she begins the next chapter of her tennis career following her meteoric rise to becoming US Open champion last month. The 18-year-old became the first ever qualifier to win a Grand Slam as she went the entire tournament without dropping a set in what was only her second ever appearance at a Grand Slam.

Raducanu began her US open campaign ranked 150 in the world rankings but shot up to the world No. 23 spot with her title and has ultimately become one of the sport’s biggest stars in just a few weeks.

Her first appearance since winning in New York ended in defeat at Indian Wells as she suffered a straight sets loss to Aliaksandra Sasnovich. All eyes will be on Raducanu when she takes to the court against Polona Hercog in the Transylvania Open this afternoon but she has asked for patience from the world of tennis with expectations high.

‘I don’t think there is any pressure on me,’ the British No.1 said. ‘I feel like everyone should just be a little patient with me.

Emma Raducanu made tennis history by beating Leylah Fernandez in the US Open final (Picture: Elsa/Getty Images) ‘I feel like I am the same person. I still go out there, approaching the same as before. ‘I am really enjoying my tennis right now. I feel it will be in a great place.

In the long term, I know it will be up and down, the past few weeks I have learned a lot about myself. ‘I am really excited for the next chapter. This end of the season and the next year I can play on the tour, like a full year, and that is the most exciting thing.

More: TennisEmma Raducanu urged to rehire US Open winning coachAndy Murray gives blunt response when asked about Emma Raducanu's next coachEmma Raducanu beaten by world No.100 in first match after US Open win ‘Patience is key. Because, as I said, there are a lot of lows, where you learn about your game.

You adjust to each level gradually. ‘I kind of went from zero to the top of the game. So, it’s obviously going to take some time to adjust and adapt but hopefully with some good work I will be able to do that.’ Raducanu will also be competing without a coach in her box during the tournament having yet to permanently replace Andrew Richardson after parting ways with him shortly after their US Open triumph together.

MORE : Andy Murray gives blunt response when asked about Emma Raducanu’s next coach MORE : Emma Raducanu urged to rehire US Open winning coach as former Grand Slam champion disagrees with decision For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

At least one Manchester United player reportedly told Ole Gunnar Solskjaer he is the ‘issue’ after their 5-0 drubbing by Liverpool on Sunday. That humiliating result at home to their arch-rivals means the Red Devils have now only taken one point from their last four matches in the Premier League.

United were poor throughout as Mohamed Salah hit a hat-trick, with goals from Naby Keita and Diogo Jota adding to the embarrassment for Solskjaer and his players. Ronaldo leads the ‘worst’ Premier League XI of the weekend Solskjaer said the defeat saw United hit “rock bottom” but believes he is the right man to continue at the helm.

There are already rumours that he could be replaced before their next match against Tottenham in the Premier League with Antonio Conte and Zinedine Zidane among the names linked. And now The Athletic write that Solskjaer’s speech in the dressing room after their match against Liverpool was badly received by some of his players.

The Athletic claim: ‘Solskjaer asked his team for their thoughts on the issues causing United to leak chances week after week. More than one concluded that the answer was the man posing the question.

‘Recriminations abound when sides are on the slide, but the sense that Solskjaer is not the manager to lead United on has taken hold for a section of his squad over the past month. They admire his manner, his commitment, and public protection but doubts are growing about his sophistication to challenge Pep Guardiola, Thomas Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp.’ Meanwhile, former Man Utd goalkeeper Mark Bosnich insisted the result against Liverpool was “devastating” for the Red Devils.

“It was a disaster.

There is no other word for it,” Bosnich told Sky Sports News. “It was devastating. There was a time during the first half that it was ugly but I thought it was going to get to six, seven or eight. “It is a very dark day, there is no doubt about it. He is an ex-team-mate and I want him to do well, but I don’t think he had any other choice than to say that (he is still the right man).

“If this continues there is no other choice for the board – we don’t know whether Manchester United have already approached people about the possibility of taking over.

“There are three tough games coming up – Tottenham away, Atalanta and then Manchester City before the international break. If they lose those three games, which right now is a massive possibility, I don’t really see there being any other choice.”   The post Man Utd players tell Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he is the ‘issue’ appeared first on Football365.

Keep your mails on Solskjaer or anything else coming to theeditor@football365.com.   Five #OleIns I really should have sent this on Friday, it’s hard to send it after Man U just lost by 5 at home. Anyway, here are the reasons I think Ole keeps his job. 1. Who hired him? The man who hired Ole and extended his contract is also responsible for 3 other failures.

2 of the 3 we’re big time managers and still failed. I believe 4 consecutive failures is a mark of incompetence. Nobody wants to be called incompetent, this Ole keeps his job, because no rich man (Woodward) wants to look at a mirror and call it correct.

I’m shit at this. Each club has expectations, Man U it’s silverware, Leeds, stay in the premier league, win a cup, Europa, the fact that Man U have been shite since he took over, it’s time to move on Woodward. 2.

Club legend. Man U have 3 European titles, one being the famous treble, which Ole helped secure. Even if you want him gone, that Man won that club it’s biggest shouting point to this day. There is nobody shouting about the play style, nobody says Man U changed the game, but that treble though, it somehow keeps Giggs and Ole on a job.

3. Friends in the media. They seem keen to avoid criticizing the man. You would have to watch ESPN , to see anyone notice that Man U lost by 5 to Liverpool. Otherwise,it’s Paul Pogba’s fault, Luke Shaw, Ronaldo, or Maguire’s fault.

In my opinion, elite Leve players. What about the management and coaching, does that never apply. According to the loudest mouth Gary Neville, never look past the players. The coaching is working it the players fault. 4. Broadcasting. Why is it Man U are always available.

I watch an Everton game 2 times in a month. Even Liverpool, despite being better don’t appear on tv as much as Man U. Can someone on tv say to Man U, they need to improve their product and until then , limited tv time. 5. Fans. It’s hard to accuse Man U fans, I mean that’s the only fanbase that demonstatively acted against the super 12 league.

How can they react like that in 1 week, but not react at all for 2-3 years? All in all, Ole shouldn’t be fired, because the guy doing the hiring hasn’t changed. His latest hire was worse than his previous 3, so it’s actually getting worse.

Even Moyes won some silverware. I feel like we’ll be here 3 years from now, new manager, who doesn’t fit the club, isn’t backed when it matters, Woodward then buys Mbappe and puts his manager on the crosshairs.

Dave(Groundhogs day, all over again), Somewhere F365 says: Gary Neville on Ole is a logical endpoint for football’s chumocracy Predictable sadness Well, that was so predictable, I’m annoyed at myself for not putting a bet on. I told my wife the starting line-up in the morning, that is how predictable it is.

We all knew it was going to be a battering, it’s sad. Not sad in an upsetting way, just sad in the other way that I can’t describe. Ole chased this young lad in Germany for about 18 months, finally signing him only to realise that he has no idea of what to do with him.

Ole signed a couple of young wingers, only to realise he has no idea of what to do with them. Ole signed this guy from Holland, an apparent creative, lively character, only to realise he has no idea of what to do with him. Ole signed a guy who had a few ok games for Palace and made him first choice, undroppable right back.

Not realising and still not realising that he isn’t that good. Ole signed the most expensive defender in the world, failing to realise that he has a terrible CV for a reason and then made him captain.

Ole signed Verane who has won everything and has made him look just as incompetent. Ole said when he first came in that the team would outrun the opposition and they now sit bottom of the running stats. Ole plays Fred and McTominay as 2 CDM when neither of them have been good enough from day one.

Ole plays 2 CDM and says he is an attacking team with the Utd DNA. Ole has made Ronaldo look distinctively rubbish. Ole has not developed any player, either ones already there or ones he has bought. In fact, every player has regressed.

Ole still sees a player in Pogba and we are just awaiting him being unleashed. Ole seems happy with Fernandes giving the ball away 95% of the time because he will eventually get one right. Ole has spent close to 500million quid and made the team worse. Ole’s cliches are a book in itself, awaiting the world’s most boring, predictable autobiograpghy.

Ole’s mates still won’t say it how it is, despite being paid to be impartial. (scholes ex) Ole has been in charge of the worst period at Utd for over 30 years despite spending almost as much as his 3 predessors combined.

Ole says his coaching staff are brilliant. Ole gave new contracts to Jones, Mata, Martial and probably a few others. He made De Gea the highest paid keeper in the world. Ole says he’s come too far and he is so close to achieving what he set out to do.

Which is what exactly? Please tell us. Ole says winning trophies is not everything. I thought that was the whole point. Ole doesn’t park in his own space. Becasue he doesn’t have a wheel. Ole has no style of play, never has had, it’s a myth. Ole promotes youth, another myth.

Name one? Ole yet again holds his hand up and says he made a mistake. After every game. Even though I feel the players are not anyway near as good as they are made out to be, that is Ole’s team, that is what he has put together in almost 3 years.

I wouldn’t say that any player is safe when a decent, professional manager who knows what he is doing comes in. We cannot defend even the most basic of attacks, we have no midfield, we create nothing, we have no style, no fight, no grit, no determination, no flair. But Ole needs time? He’s had 3 years and we are no better than we were when he took over, I’d even say we are worse, no, we definatley are worse than we ever were under LVG and Maur.

This result has been coming all season, with the exception of Leeds and Newcastle, we could have easily been beaten in every game.

Quick note on Pogba being sent off, (stupid hair style for a grown ass man) yes it was a bad foul, yes it was very dangerous, reckless, ill-disciplined, stupid, naive, reckless. Not disputing the sending off. But can we just point out that it was yet another hospital ball from the messiah Fernandes.

That sort of challenge has been waiting to happen for months. Terrible pass that was only going to end up one way. Why on earth they decided to give Ole a new contract in the summer is beyond me. Nobody was ever going to come along and tap him up, he was never going to turn any offer down.

They could and should have waited until December, but decided to make him something like the 3rd highest paid manager in the league, which is now going to cost them millions when they eventually fire him.

But we finsihed 2nd last season. So did Maurinho and you wanted him gone, plus, he actually won something. Mike (Just give him more time and few more 100 million, we might keep a clean sheet) United confusion United supporters, and indeed the club itself, are a very confused bunch.

We’re so desperate to recreate the success and longevity of the Busby and Ferguson eras that we’re ignoring the real history of this club. For every Busby there have been multiple Frank O’Farrells and Wilf McGuiness’. Without being realistic about Dave Sexton and Ron Atkinson there would never have been a Ferguson era.

Evolution has to be honest; make the best decisions you can and then assess in an honest manner whether they worked or not. No trophies are handed out for who’s had the longest manager. For years we loved taking the piss out of Chelsea, and later City, for their attitudes towards binning managers – because let’s face it, we could – but in our desire to be different we’ve lost sight of what’s most important, that circumstances dictate the decisions, not the other way around.

The policy of treating our managers with respect and giving them resources and time is a good one, but the knowledge that we aren’t the sort of club who sacks title winning managers (or doubles in Ancelotti’s) case after one poor run or next shiny bauble in the background has to be enough.

No club is best served pursuing the wrong course too long.

Chris, MUFC. Fixtures forcing United action I genuinely believe that if Man Utd had a gentler run of fixtures to come after the game yesterday, there would still be plenty of support internally to let the Ole show run on and on and give him even more time to turn it around despite all the damning evidence against it.

There are many who seem to think we’re in our ‘ta ra Fergie, 3 years of excuses and it’s still crap’ moment, and it’s all about to magically come good and become *something*.

What exactly? Who can tell! It’s only because the upcoming fixtures are so unappealing that their hands will be forced, whether it’s in the next day or so, or after Spurs, Man City or Chelsea. Ole can have no complaints, 3 years and the vast funds made available to him has given him far more patience to succeed than any other manager at a top level club would have enjoyed.

This should have been the season Liverpool had after signing Alisson and VVD – it is not. And this is really the problem – it’s all knee jerk from the Man Utd hierarchy, floating from day to day trying to cobble something together.

What will really be different in another week or another month? Bayern are really the super club Man Utd *should* have become. When they played in the 99′ final, they felt like similar clubs with similar histories and identities.

Since then they have developed a culture based on their rich heritage and a ruthless desire to succeed, which has become bigger than any one person – there is no SAF. Ex players are in significant positions at the club, but it’s all in the pursuit of building a relentless winning machine.

It feels like Man Utd had aspirations of adopting that kind of model; I think that was the vision when this cycle started. It’s just been horribly, horribly executed. Bleak! Alex, Ipswich What are United “close” to? When asked if OGS was willing to resign his response was ‘We are too close to give up now’.

I was a bit confused by this following this season’s showing so decided to look it up in the old Oxford English…it states close means ‘very near to someone or something; with very little space between’.

Firstly, I was surprised, that as we are 8 points behind league leaders Chelsea after only 9 games, I am unsure if that qualifies as ‘close’, at least from a quantitative standpoint. Given what I also experienced last night being ‘utter dogsh#t’, and in fact worse than ANY football being played under his predecessors, I’m also unsure we can be considered ‘close’ on a qualitative level also.

The question then becomes ‘what the F…’ does Ole actually think we are close to, and does he expect another half billion to eke out that SMALL gap to City, Liverpool and Chelsea? #neverolein Dubai Red   Where are the tactics? If there is one team in the EPL that consistently plays the same way, regardless of who comes into the team that day, over the 3 years OGS has been in charge of United, it’s Liverpool.

City occasionally change things up – Cancelo pushing into midfield last season or false 9’s when Aguero was out injured.

Chelsea have been through a couple of managers, etc. But Liverpool play exactly the same way. So how can OGS and his coaching team set up and play so badly.

Scholes saw how bad they were against Atalanta and prophesied exactly what was going to happen. It was that clear. So for Neville to continue defending the manager and coaching team to the hilt, was extraordinary. OGS had set them up with a 2 man midfield and they were going to press (if you can call it that) when they clearly hadn’t been coached how to do it properly or the players couldn’t be arsed to do it properly.

I just can’t imagine they were doing this brilliantly in training and then failed on Sunday.

But against Liverpool? Neville using the “United came second ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea last year” to defend his pal OGS is insane. It is clear that Fernandes has been the single positive impact since joining. And playing counter attacking football leveraging several fast forwards.

Since bringing in Ronaldo they have changed the playing philosophy. Fernandes doesn’t have the same influence or impact (just as when he plays for Portugal), they have one less fast forward, Ronaldo shuffles around preserving energy waiting for an opportunity in the box.

He is an amazing header of the ball but it is unsurprising he scores a higher percentage than on the ground now, as it means he doesn’t have to chase and run hard to get into position. He doesn’t bring other players into the game like Cavani either – who would have been better to start yesterday.

But the point the question is who is the most deluded? Neville or OGS. OGS saying the project Is close to coming together or Neville saying OGS is a good manager with a great snd experienced coaching team? How much does OGS think it’s going okay because of support from people like Neville snd Ferdinand? United have become the archetypical vanity project.

Expensive players who think they are so good they only have to turn up to win. With teams playing to a system and with players who are willing to put in the graft to go with it, United are being left behind.

How much further down will they go using the same tactics against more astute managers than OGS ( or Neville.) Paul McDevitt   Formation change Man utd have been awful for the past games and watching them against Liverpool was heartbreaking.As a fan, I don’t understand the coach’s obsession with a 4-2-3-1 formation.

I think solskjaer should change to 5-3-2 formation. Play Wanbisaka at the right of the defensive 3; Shaw and Dalot as wing backs; any 2 in the midfield with Bruno Fernandez/Sancho/Lingardinhio slightly ahead; Ronaldo and any of Rashford/Cavani/Greenwood up top.

This would make us more compact and solid at the back and dangerous in the attack. It would also suit the counterattacking style of play he loves to play. I think Conte, if given the opportunity, would utilize this same system.

Joel Z.   Time to say goodbye Been very much #OleIn all along and been trying to cling to signs of growth but the last few games have shown he has done his job and has taken them as far as he can. Time to say thanks and goodbye as this result has been on the cards for a while.

Whilst they would still have been miles off the signing of Ronaldo was always going to cause issues in some way or another and I’m sure it wont be long before the media leaks start. However, to my point, I heard someone make a very good point over the weekend about when he goes (it’s When not if now).

He won’t resign due to being stubborn/proud (delete as applicable) so it will need the trigger being pulled. Woodward is due to leave at the end of the year and there is no way he will be the guy ‘who shot Bambi’ So, he is here till January when the job will fall to Richard Arnold…and we all know he hasn’t been the same since GMTV (one for the morning TV crowd) Right back in to exile King Ralph (stayed till the end to avoid the Traffic)   No need to gloat… So I’m a Liverpool fan but I’m not here to gloat.

No need.

We were and are a superior TEAM. Have your expensive toys. They just go to waste on the bench anyway. Just to prove how Ole is out of his depth is the fact he took off your best player in the 1St half, Greenwood, and left on that Oldie Wan Kenobi ‘Ronaldo’ who was the icing on that pile of shite.

I’ve watched many comedies in my life. Only Fools and Horses, Arrested Development, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Allo Allo. So many classics. But yesterday during United Liverpool someone should have told me they’d interrupt the program to show Benny Hill on the tear.

Don’t get me wrong, it was HILARIOUS! Who you ask? The most expensive CB in world is who! Harry ‘Benny Hill’ Maguire. I mean he’s so bad it’s actually hilarious. I thought Djimi Traore was funny but Maguire has clearly said I said your shite defending son and raise you utter shite.

Watch him for each first half goal. For the 1st, forget about it. Just standing like a tree in the middle of nowhere. For the second he actually tackles and pushes his own man.

Brilliant. The 4th he’s busy trying to tackle Firmino but it’s a 10 year old kid kinda tackle. Just swinging at the ball he can’t reach I love him. He cost more than Virgil. Beautiful. Any United fan that criticises City’s spending, well you really can’t talk.

Btw Varane was never gonna be your rock. I’m also a Madrid supporter. He has been pants for years now. Benny Hill finally has his comedic partner. Alex (New York)   Goal-poaching managers This might be true, it might not, but hey, everyone loves a theory, so here goes – if there is one position on a football pitch that cannot, repeat cannot, ever go on to have a successful managerial career, it’s ‘goal-poacher’.

What is a goal poacher? Someone who reads the evolving currents of the game, notices its aura, how these two players are slotting together, how the midfield pivot is somehow off balance? It most certainly is not.

It’s a player who, at a speed that would warp the mind of us non-pros, can spot that the weight their defender is shifted slightly the wrong way and so if they bend their run right this second .

. goal. Goal for Van Nistelrooy, goal for Owen, Vardy. Goal for Solskjaer. Do you reckon that, if that was how they ‘saw’ football, all their instincts tuned that way over twenty years or so – they’d suddenly start to develop a deep, broader appreciation for it afterward? Or might they think things like – Ronaldo, Greenwood, Rashford, Sancho, altogether? That’s four times as many goals! They’ll figure out how with their own natural abilities! To be as frank as it requires – Solskjaer being mentally fit to be an elite manager is like saying Michael Owen is mentally fit to be an elite analyst.

It has always been thus – the winning spell at the start was the demob-happy vibe of a team freed from Mourinho’s hateful reign; they played off that memory for a while.

Now they’ve forgotten. P.S Theory 2: until the cameras stop knee-jerk looking for Fergie at every game United will stay ‘like this’.

best, Toby Sprigings   Firmino resurgence Just a quick one on Firmino, what a resurgence over the last few weeks?! Last season was tricky to say the least (though his stats remained fairly consistent with previous years it just didn’t quite fire for him), and for a myriad of reasons, it was starting to look like his days as a first choice might be behind him.

Given our absent defence/midfield, our pressing game was off, and we weren’t winning the ball back high up the pitch, which is where he flourishes.

This season, with order restored to the rest of the team he looks sharp, he’s full of ideas, he’s confident and boy is it showing. Where I thought it would be Mane, Salah, Jota every week – we currently have a real choice in there with Jota’s ability to play wide or in the middle.

More than anything it will help manage fatigue and ensure Firmino and Jota have good minutes under their belts before AFCON. Lovely to see him back to his best. Just thought it was worth a mention.

Cheers, Marc (London)   The post The #OleOut Mailbox… appeared first on Football365.

Australian legend Shane Warne has called cricket the second most popular sport after the grand valuation of IPL 2022 teams. Shane Warne was left amused after the two new teams of IPL went for a whopping price. BCCI conducted the bidding ceremony for the two new IPL teams in Dubai on 25 October 2021.

The tournament will be played between ten teams from the next season. From the six cities available, the new franchises chose Lucknow and Ahmedabad to be their bases. The RPSG group and CVC Capitals were the successful bidders in the BCCI event. RPSG group were the highest bidders with INR 7090 Cr, whereas CVC Capitals were the second highest with INR 5625 Cr.

Lucknow will be the base city of the RPSG Group, whereas Ahmedabad will be of CVC Capitals. There were a total of nine parties involved in the bidding process, but only two of them were successful.

Glazers were the lowest bidders with a price of just INR 4000 Cr, but the biggest surprise was Adani Group. Adani’s were considered the favourites to win the bid, but their bid was way too low comparatively. Shane Warne on IPL team prices Australian legend Shane Warne tweeted to appreciate the effort, whereas he also called Cricket the second biggest sport on the planet.

He went on to Twitter and wrote, “Wow! Congratulations to both of the new franchise owners. Staggering amounts of money for each team & shows why cricket has become the 2nd most popular & biggest sport on the planet.

$932 & $692 million dollars (USA). Well done to @SGanguly99 & everyone at the @BCCI on the @IPL.” Wow ! Congratulations to both of the new franchise owners. Staggering amounts of money for each team & shows why cricket has become the 2nd most popular & biggest sport on the planet.

$932 & $692 million dollars (USA). Well done to @SGanguly99 & everyone at the @BCCI on the @IPL https://t.co/pFkhKqv9ln — Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) October 25, 2021 BCCI president Sourab Ganguly also expressed his delight on the valuation of new teams.

“It is heartening to see the inclusion of two new teams at such a high valuation, and it reiterates the cricketing and financial strength of our cricket ecosystem,” said Sourav Ganguly. Chennai Super Kings won IPL 2021, whereas KKR remained the runner-up.

The post “Cricket has become the 2nd most popular sport on the planet”: Shane Warne lauds the valuation of two new IPL 2022 teams appeared first on The SportsRush.

Grabbing a close 111-108 win against the Raptors, the Chicago Bulls now start the regular season with a 4-0 record for the first time since the 1996-1997 season. Over the past couple of years, the Chicago Bulls have been a lottery team at best, failing to make the postseason consistently.

However, this offseason, the Bulls front office managed to surround Zach LaVine with some talented players like DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, among many others. And all of a sudden, this squad looks to be a pretty deadly bunch of players. As expected, the Bulls have been playing much better than they have over the past few years.

After defeating the Pistons, Pelicans and again the Pistons in their first three games, LaVine and co. looked confident entering the Scotiabank Arena. Even though the Raptors managed to cut down the lead tremendously, it was Chicago winning their 4th consecutive game.

It was an efficient night for DeMar, finishing with 26 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds on 36.8/50/100 shooting splits, with Zach contributing 22 points on 43.8% shooting from the field, helping Chicago win 111-108.

And with this win, the Bulls now have started the regular season with a winning 4-0 record. The Chicago Bulls mean business pic.twitter.com/2vlyUAkzF0 — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 26, 2021 Also Read: NBA Twitter reacts to the Celtics star’s insane overtime poster over Hornets’ Miles Bridges NBA Twitter reacts to Chicago Bulls and their first 4-0 regular-season start since 1996-97 campaign The Bulls are one of only three teams who are undefeated, and the only team to win all four of their games.

The last time they did so? Back when Michael Jordan was leading the team during the 1996-1997 season.

NBA Twitter went crazy with reactions after the Bulls’ 4-0 record. The Chicago Bulls good at basketball again pic.twitter.com/GUgCJj1zGv — Dev (@goatkurosaki) October 26, 2021 I can’t see the Chicago Bulls losing any time soon.

This is literally the 96-97 bulls in 2021 — Troydan (@Troydan) October 26, 2021 The Orlando Magic started 4-0 last season and ended up eliminated in the Playoffs.. lol — James3 (@Son0faBeach305) October 26, 2021 BEST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE CONFIRMED pic.twitter.com/WIXHJNK5AE — Delusional Lonzo Fan(4-0) (@DelusionalZoFan) October 26, 2021 Also Read: Nets head coach Steve Nash warns the return of a prime James Harden After winning the game on the road, the Bulls will go back to Chicago and play the Knicks and the Jazz.

While this team might not be the title favourite, it surely can cause a problem for many powerhouses.

The post “This Chicago Bulls team is as good as the Michael Jordan 1996 team”: NBA Twitter reacts as Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine and co. start the regular season with a 4-0 record for the first time in 25 years appeared first on The SportsRush.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lauri Markkanen performs a monster dunk on MVP Nikola Jokic. The Finland native talks about Kobe Bryant being his favorite hooper, remembering the Black Mamba’s iconic 81-point game. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a lottery team ever since LeBron James left in 2018.

The team has been in the news lately for its tumultuous relationship with its five-time All-Star Kevin Love. The former champion was recently replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Evan Mobley. However, Love has embraced his new role and has nothing but praise for the 20-year old Mobley.

Nonetheless, the Cavs fans had something to cheer about today with their team defeating the Denver Nuggets. However, the highlight of the game consisted of newly acquired Lauri Markkanen dunk over MVP Nikola Jokic. The play involved Markkanen intercepting a Jokic pass and would follow it up by posterizing the former MVP.

The seven-foot Cavs forward had everyone’s attention with that play. Also read: “Tacko Fall at ‘point guard’ would mean an 82-0 season”: Jarrett Allen hilariously mocks the Cavaliers for having too many big-men following Lauri Markkanen trade Markkanen told Scoop B Radio that Kobe Bryant was his all-time favorite player.

The 20-year old recalled the iconic 81-point game the Lakers legend had against the Toronto Raptors. Twitter reacts to Lauri Markkanen’s dunk on reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.

The Cavs defeated the Nuggets 99-87. However, Markkanen’s dunk had the social media buzzing more than Cavs’ win over Nuggets. LAURI MARKKANEN POSTERIZED JOKIC. Stared down MVP. pic.twitter.com/1hDRh6LWDc — House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) October 26, 2021 Ouch.

RIP Jokic. pic.twitter.com/AlIOs8nWqW — Leor (@LeorPlaysDrums) October 26, 2021 Euro dudes got low key aggression on each other lol — Karl (@KJP24dfs) October 26, 2021 Oh wow that is actually a poster. I was waiting for some fake ass post but that my friends is an authentic 100% real poster — Jesy (@TheJesseMessy) October 26, 2021 That’s tuff — Big Honey Stan Account (@jgives99) October 26, 2021 Lauri Markkanen is an ardent Kobe Bryant fan.

Markkanen, who has been trending on social media for his dunk on Jokic, had recently spoken about his all-time favorite NBA player to Scoop B Radio.

The Finland native would reminiscence the Mamba’s 81-point game. “I remember he shot like 3 threes in a row against the Toronto Raptors and tied the game to go to the overtime,” he told Scoop B Radio.

“I watched the 81 point games.” Also read: “Damian Lillard likes image that places Ben Simmons in Portland”: Blazers superstar sends NBA fans into a frenzy amidst Sixers DPOY trade rumors The late Kobe Bryant has had a huge impact on the current generation of NBA stars.

Whether it is Devin Booker or Lauri Markkanen, nobody forgets to mention the Lakers legend every time they have a special performance.   The post “Finland goes to war with Serbia”: Lauri Markkanen posterizes reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, exhibiting Kobe Bryant’s Mamba mentality appeared first on The SportsRush.

WWE star Carmella believes she’ll never get ‘respect’ in the industry because of her looks. The 34-year-old has been on the main roster for over five years, and recently transferred to Raw. Carmella feels that she is disrespected The 34-year-old has been on the main WWE roster for five years Carmella transferred to Raw from SmackDown She feels she has to work twice as hard as some others, however, because she’s ‘pretty’.

Mandy Rose recently made similar comments about getting respected for her achievements in the ring. And during an appearance on the After the Bell podcast, Carmella agreed with her.

She said: “Good luck, because when you’re pretty, that doesn’t happen. “That fires me up, it really does. I get so upset when I hear something like that, Because (Mandy) is pretty, and she’s a babe, and she has a great body then she can’t be good in the ring.

She just can’t. “When I got signed in NXT, I remember Bill Demott said, ‘You’re going to have to work twice as hard as everyone else because you’re pretty’. Most read in Sport OL BE DAMNED Man Utd 'considering SACKING Solskjaer in days' after Liverpool humiliation CLOCK TICKING Man Utd draw up four-man shortlist to replace Solskjaer including Rodgers CHEW ARE YER? Paul Scholes mocked as daughter shares video of him chewing her TOENAILS ACE'S NEW LOVE Spurs ace Dele Alli enjoys date with Made In Chelsea newcomer Nicole Berry SHIRT STORY Man Utd fan asks and gets Roberto Firmino's shirt after Liverpool hammering ON THE PAUL Ferdinand mocks Scholes after Utd legend was caught biting daughter's TOENAILS JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply) “I remember being like, ‘What?.

That’s crazy’.

You see all these girls from the past that were gorgeous and these models and all of that, so I was like, that’s crazy to hear from a coach.

‘You’re going to have to work twice as hard because people aren’t going to respect you because of how you look’.

“And it just blew my mind, and I remembered thinking, ‘Okay, noted and challenge accepted’. “That’s what I did. I was the last draft pick when I came to SmackDown and I busted my butt and made history left and right.

“I’ve done amazing things in this business and I’m not sorry for them, I’m not apologising for that and I’m proud of myself for that. Because I look how I do, I’m not going to get the respect that I deserve Carmella “No matter what, I’m never going to get the respect that I deserve because of how I look and that’s just how it is.

“If I didn’t look like this and I had the same matches and same career, people would be like ‘Carmella is amazing, we love her’. “Because I look how I do, I’m not going to get the respect that I deserve.” Carmella was speaking to Corey Graves on his podcast.

The pair yesterday announced their engagement, after two years of dating. The American got engaged yesterday Carmella empathises with Mandy Rose

In the early season of 1992-93 Paul Warhurst was living a fairly unremarkable career as a professional footballer. After earning England Under-21 caps with Oldham, he’d moved to Sheffield Wednesday and carved out a reputation as a solid, if unspectacular Premier League central defender.

Wednesday, under the guidance of manager Trevor Francis, were a decent attacking outfit. John Sheridan played champagne passes across the middle of the park, Chris Waddle was still one of the best players in the league, and David Hirst’s left foot was capable of extraordinary acts of violence.

Nobody noticed the defence. And certainly nobody noticed Warhurst. In an age where Sky’s hullabaloo meant footballers were slowly becoming household names, Wednesday’s dependable centre-half was still effectively Mr Nobody. Read the article at Planet Football.

The post Paul Warhurst: From jobbing centre-half to lethal striker appeared first on Football365.

Toto Wolff thinks Formula 1’s historical form book offers no guide to how this year’s enthralling World Championship battle will be decided. Both titles remain very much up for grabs with Max Verstappen leading Lewis Hamilton by 12 points in the Drivers’ standings, while Mercedes are 23 ahead of Red Bull in the Constructors’ heading into the final five races.

Two of those grands prix, in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, are at entirely new venues for Formula 1 and therefore it is impossible to know which team will prove to be the faster there. Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi provide more in the way of clues from previous editions, with Red Bull entitled to feel confident about the first two of those in particular based on past results.

But Wolff believes the form book may as well be tossed out of the window given how some of this season’s races have turned out, not least in Austin where Red Bull achieved a one-three finish at what had previously been a Mercedes stronghold.

Brilliant racing and strategic battle This is why we F1! #USGP 17 down, 5 to go. pic.twitter.com/PTU6ZjojUw — Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) October 25, 2021 “Mexico was traditionally a track that was difficult for us, but this season everything can change,” the Mercedes team principal told Sky Sports F1.

“We’ve seen where traditionally our strong ones and they haven’t [been] and vice versa, so I really think it’s race by race.

“I think we’ve had tough fights with Ferrari in 2018 and ’19 and we won seven [titles] in a row, but that is no comfort whilst you are in a championship that’s hard. “History has no relevance – only if you stop one day you can look at the stats that don’t interest anybody anyway.” Seeing Verstappen take the chequered flag in Austin was undoubtedly a setback for Wolff, especially with Hamilton potentially needing to take more new power-unit parts that would incur another grid penalty – possibly even next time out in Mexico.

His team-mate, Valtteri Bottas, has had to serve such penalties at three of the last four races.

  However, in the face of the biggest threat to his team’s dominance since their title-winning run began, Wolff insisted he is embracing the challenge and remaining upbeat that Mercedes can find a way to hold on to both of their crowns.

“It’s hard but we have fun, we are enjoying it,” he said. “I think the morale is high. We arrive there [thinking] we can win every race and it’s about avoiding the DNFs, they are the killers.

“Therefore, we are taking this grid penalty with the engines [with Bottas] but it’s just good fun for everybody. There is pressure, but it’s positive pressure.”     The post Wolff: ‘History has no relevance’ in title fight appeared first on PlanetF1.

Earlier this month the trailer dropped for ‘Arsene Wenger: Invincible’ – a documentary focusing on the incredible Arsenal side that went the 2003/04 Premier League season unbeaten, winning the club’s most recent league title. It was a stacked squad with a ridiculously strong starting XI; but who was their most important player? You probably already know the answer to that, but here are our rankings of the importance of the whole squad…   21) Graham Stack (goalkeeper) Stack had the best seat in the house during this legendary campaign.

The goalkeeper sat on the bench all season, only getting game time in the League Cup.

With zero minutes played in the league, there was no way Stack could avoid being 21st in this list, only achieving a medal for being the second-choice ‘keeper. Outfield players would have to earn ten appearances to be given a medal.

  20) Jeremie Aliadiere (striker) The French forward picked up ten league appearances during 03/04 to get his hands on a medal. He didn’t play the full 90 minutes in any of those ten matches, whilst failing to score a goal. His form in the League Cup was pretty impressive, however, scoring four goals in three matches.

Arsenal were beaten in the semi-finals by eventual winners and Aliadiere’s future club, Middlesbrough.   19) Martin Keown (centre-back) Keown played a little bit at the start of the season, helping the Gunners to a 0-0 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford, memorably jumping all over Ruud van Nistelrooy after the Dutchman cannoned a late penalty off the crossbar.

His reaction to the miss is iconic; the penalty would have put any invincible talk to bed very early on indeed.

Four early appearances in which the 43-cap England man started were followed by a lack of game time. With four games remaining Keown had to play in them all to get his hands on a medal. He played in all four, coming off the bench very late on in every match.

If you haven’t heard the story of the last game against Leicester, I would recommend giving it a listen. A timeless classic Have you heard the one about @martinkeown5, @RealRomfordPele and the @premierleague medal? pic.twitter.com/axFZoKYV91 — Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 24, 2021   18) Gael Clichy (left-back) Clichy definitely contributed towards Arsenal’s success in 03/04 – filling in for Ashley Cole whilst the England left-back was injured.

He made 12 appearances in the Premier League as the Gunners strolled to the league title.

Two of his full 90-minute appearances came in a 1-1 draw with Man Utd at Highbury and a win away to Chelsea, so the Frenchman definitely earned his medal. He was only a teenager at the time and went on to replace Cole as the north Londoners’ first-choice left-back after the Englishman controversially left for Chelsea in 2006.

  17) Pascal Cygan (centre-back) The centre-back signed from Lille in 2002 made 18 Premier League appearances in 03/04. He was certainly not a fan favourite at Highbury, and would tend to make Arsenal fans nervous whenever he was named on the team sheet.

But Cygan nearly played in half of the games, obviously failing to experience a league defeat in the process. After a spell in which the Frenchman played the full 90 minutes in ten consecutive games, he would then be used very sparingly by Wenger, often coming on in stoppage time to wind the clock down and help shore up the defence.

  16) Sylvain Wiltord (striker) Wiltord scored one of the most famous goals in the club’s history during the 01/02 season, slotting under Fabian Barthez after the Red Devils ‘keeper denied Freddie Ljungberg, securing a 1-0 win at Old Trafford to win the league title on their rival’s home turf.

There was no such moment for Wiltord during the invincible season, however. Approaching his 30s, the forward made 12 appearances, scoring three times.

All of his league goals came in the opening four fixtures of the season, including one in a 2-1 win away to Manchester City – who weren’t very good back then.   15) Nwankwo Kanu (striker) Kanu only played ten times, and he was past his best in an Arsenal shirt by the time 03/04 came around, but he scored a pretty crucial goal that edged him up a few rankings.

The Nigerian netted the opener in a 1-1 draw with Everton. The Gunners would have lost the match if it wasn’t for Kanu’s goal, technically speaking.   14) Edu Gaspar (midfielder) Despite being an invincible, Edu will be mostly remembered for his time as the club’s technical director.

He is still in the role and isn’t exactly a popular man at the Emirates. Edu joined the Gunners in January 2002, signing from Corinthians in Brazil. He played sparingly in his maiden season in England before stepping up to become a crucial back-up option under Wenger.

The central midfielder made 48 appearances for Arsenal during 03/04, including 30 in the Premier League. The Brazilian scored two goals in the league on his way to a winner’s medal – both coming in 2-1 wins against Chelsea, strangely enough.

He was a very important player who could play anywhere in midfield when called upon, and it will be harsh if his time as a technical director outweighs his time as a player.   13) Jose Antonio Reyes (winger) It was very tempting to put Reyes a little bit higher due to his goal against Portsmouth late on in the season.

The 1-1 draw at Fratton Park was one of the occasions where Arsenal found themselves lucky not to have lost. It was their third-last match of the campaign, and the final time they failed to pick up all three points in a game.

Reyes joined up with the squad in January after moving from Sevilla and frightened defences with his trickery and incredible pace. He went on to have a decent career, returning to Sevilla in 2012 after spells with Atletico Madrid and Benfica, before he tragically passed away in 2019.

  12) Ray Parlour (midfielder) Parlour could perhaps have broken into the top XI due to the fact he was a very influential member of the dressing room, as well as an important player.

This sort of character was pivotal in their title challenge; he was one of the few proper Arsenal men within the squad. The ten-cap England midfielder played over 400 times for the Gunners, spending 13 years in north London before moving to Middlesbrough at the end of the 03/04 season.

During his final season at the club he played 25 times in the Premier League – 16 as a starter – and failed to score a goal, but that wasn’t his job. His job was to do the dirty work and he smashed it.   11) Freddie Ljungberg (right-midfielder) It’s time for the starting XI, with no fringe player breaking into this list.

Every single man in Wenger’s most-used XI was incredibly important, and were truly world class in their position. That’s what it takes to go a whole season unbeaten: a team full of world-class footballers.

Ljungberg was no exception. The tricky right-midfielder started 27 out of 38 games for Arsenal, chipping in with four goals. He scored the winner against Man City at the Etihad as well as the winning goal against Tottenham in the north London derby. As you can see, he rarely scored, but he did love an important goal.

Stats are not the be all and end all. His dynamism down the right flank was crucial and he created plenty of chances for his team-mates. To say he was the least important player in any starting XI is a testament to how good this team was.

  10) Lauren (right-back) A shoo-in for tenth or eleventh in this list, Lauren was a rock solid right-back and blossomed into one of the most underrated players in Premier League history. His seven years as a Gunner were definitely enough to be in the conversation for the best in his position in the league’s history.

Like Keown, he got in Van Nisterlrooy’s grill and was fined and banned by the FA for his reaction to the Dutchman’s missed spot-kick. In the six matches he missed during 03/04, Arsenal drew three and won three.

Lauren was a player that epitomised the Invincibles. He was aggressive (in a good way, besides the RVN penalty drama), strong physically and mentally, and of course, excellent at football.   9) Kolo Toure (centre-back) Only one player in the squad played all 38 matches – not Toure, but he was close with 37.

Only 22 years old at the start of the season, the Ivorian defender became a constant in Wenger’s first-choice XI after being in and out of the starting line-up in 02/03. Toure was a unique defender. His defensive partner during the season was Sol Campbell, which was pretty perfect for the team, combining Campbell’s experience and out-and-out defending, with Toure’s full-on, ‘heavy metal’ approach.

The young defender played 37 times in 03/04, chipping in with a single goal all season, which came in a 3-1 win away to Wolves.

He filled in at right-back whenever Lauren was absent, providing crucial versatility and cover for Wenger.   8) Ashley Cole (left-back) This is where it begins to get near-impossible. Ranking Cole as the eighth most important player in any team seems harsh, but this is yet another indication of this team’s utter brilliance.

Cole played 32 times in the league and 47 times in all competitions. He was ridiculously consistent and comfortably the best left-back in the league during the vast majority of his career. His output both defensively and offensively was insane, often contributing to attacks whilst slotting the opposition’s right-midfielder in his back pocket.

Everyone knows what Cole was about and that he is the best in his position in Premier League history – there is no need to disagree to increase your edginess.

  7) Gilberto Silva (centre-midfield) Gilberto formed one of the best midfield partnerships in league history next to Patrick Vieira. He was the anchor of Wenger’s bank of four, allowing his French counterpart to bomb forward and be the engine in Wenger’s midfield.

The 2002 World Cup winner scored in a 1-1 draw against Leicester in December 2003. His header should have been enough for the win, but Cole’s second-half red card put the Gunners under pressure, conceding to a 90th-minute Craig Hignett goal.

Much like Lauren, Gilberto was aggressive, strong, and technically superb. He did a lot of the dirty work in midfield and knew when to go forward and when to sit.   Man Utd signing Ronaldo was a mistake? Like f*** it was…   6) Dennis Bergkamp (shadow striker) Bergkamp was the perfect link between midfield and attack and is arguably the most technically gifted player to grace the English game.

He was 35 years old when the trophy was lifted in May 2004, undoubtedly past his best, but he never lost his positional awareness and amazing technical ability.

‘The Non-Flying Dutchman’ operated in a shadow striker role under Wenger for the majority of his Highbury career, and that was his position in 03/04, sitting behind Thierry Henry, pulling the strings. Obviously, as a player in his mid-30s, he did not play every match.

Bergkamp played 28 times in the league, completing 90 minutes on only four occasions. In his prime, he would have been much higher up the list. He only scored four times that season, including the only goal in a win against Blackburn Rovers.   5) Sol Campbell (centre-back) The other member of the centre-back partnership, Campbell was the rock of Arsenal’s 03/04 defence.

The 73-cap England star played 35 times in the league that season, winning the vast majority of his battles with the opposing striker. Dominant in the air, quick, good with the ball and strong as an ox, Campbell was ahead of his time and would not look out of place in the modern game.

Campbell lasted 24 minutes in the first game of the season; being sent off early on in a home win against Everton. That was the only match he started and didn’t finish during the legendary campaign, completing 90 minutes on 34 occasions.

  4) Jens Lehmann (goalkeeper) The German shot-stopper saved Arsenal numerous times, and as the last line of defence, his saves tend to be highlighted more than the tackles, blocks and interceptions of the men in front of him.

Lehmann played every single minute in the league – the only player to play all 38 matches – and was outstanding all season. 03/04 was his first season at Arsenal as he became club legend David Seaman’s replacement. He also played every minute in the Champions League, FA Cup and Community Shield, shifting from the sticks in the League Cup only.

In 2020, Lehmann admitted the Gunners were “lucky” at times but also said: “I am a believer that you have to work hard to earn your good fortune”, which Wenger’s men most certainly did.

Lehmann was particularly crucial during draws against Bolton, Birmingham City, Man Utd and Portsmouth, all of which could easily have been defeats.   3) Robert Pires (left-midfielder) Despite playing on the wing, Pires was Henry’s Robin.

His trickery and ability to go on either foot kept defenders constantly guessing as he became a thorn in any full-back’s side. Pires played 36 times, scoring 14 goals and assisting a further nine. He scored in narrow wins against Everton, Liverpool, Spurs, Southampton, Charlton and Bolton as well as draws against Spurs and Bolton.

Much like Robin, Pires’ work was overshadowed by Batman (Henry in this instance). Looking back, his season is one of the most underrated in Premier League history and he is one of the most under-appreciated players (by modern fans, at least) to ever grace England’s top flight.

  2) Patrick Vieira (centre-midfield) The captain of the Invincibles, Vieira was the spine of the team. His marauding runs forward with the ball – enabled by Gilberto – helped push Arsenal on every single time he played.

It was been well-documented that the north Londoners have not replaced Vieira since he departed in 2005, which is admittedly a tall order. During the 03/04 league campaign, the midfielder played 29 times, scoring thrice. One of his goals came in their 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane, the title-clinching match for the Gunners.

Vieira had a few injury problems and was sent off against Man Utd before the penalty fiasco. He missed nine matches overall, but his dressing-room influence was key throughout the season. It would have been easier to place the Frenchman lower as he played less than 30 games, but he was the best midfielder in the league that season.

He rounded off the season by scoring Arsenal’s last goal of the season: a winning goal against Leicester on matchday 38, shortly before lifting the trophy at Highbury.

  1) Thierry Henry (striker) This was inevitable. Any other answer is simply wrong, no matter what the argument. Henry scored 30 league goals as Arsenal went unbeaten, producing one of the most scintillating seasons in football history. Pace, strength, dribbling, composure, heading, passing; the Frenchman literally did everything imaginable on the pitch.

If Harry Kane is worth £150m, Henry would have been worth at least £200m after this season. France’s all-time top scorer scored two in a 3-2 win against Newcastle and a 2-0 win vs Southampton, on top of one goal in single-digit victories against Chelsea, Southampton, Man City, Charlton, Leicester and in 1-1 draws against Charlton and Man Utd.

Henry also bagged a hat-trick as the Gunners beat Liverpool 4-2 at Highbury, and famously netted four in a 5-0 win against Leeds.

There is no need to justify Henry’s position on this list, neither is there a need to justify his standing as the greatest player in Premier League history. The post Ranking the 21 Arsenal Invincibles by importance appeared first on Football365.

It was a fierce battle between Norwich and Manchester United players to make the weekend’s worst side, with just one player outside the those two making the cut. As always this XI is based on Whoscored’s ratings and, this week, it’s a 4-3-3.   GK: David De Gea – 5.60 Conceded five but it didn’t feel like he was particularly to blame for any of them, as he watched his defence run into each other, play people onside and fail to mark the best player in the Premier League.

For him to be in this side and Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw to escape is very unfair.

  RB: Max Aarons – 4.75 Callum Hudson-Odoi ran riot on his side and Aarons was nowhere to be seen – he took up bizarrely attacking wing-back positions considering his side were getting absolutely battered. Made a pathetic attempt to block Ben Chilwell’s strike into the far corner, handled the ball into his own net, attempted two tackles and was dribbled past on both occasions.

  CB: Grant Hanley – 5.24 He actually did a reasonable job in shackling Kai Havertz, who, despite Chelsea’s fluency, didn’t (or wasn’t allowed to) get going at Stamford Bridge.

But there was a clear and staggering lack of leadership and huge gaps in the Norwich defence, for which a man of Hanley’s experience has to take a big portion of the blame.   CB: Ben Gibson – 4.37 Gibson also lacked leadership, as well as any defensive quality whatsoever.

To cap it all he decided he didn’t really want to be on the pitch anymore, made a horribly rash challenge on Reece James and happily walked off for an early bath.   LB: Dimitris Giannoulis – 5.51 Replaced by Brandon Williams at half-time having been bullied by James, who continued to dole out chinese burns and wet willies regardless.

  CM: Paul Pogba – 5.10 He was only on the pitch for 15 minutes but more than merits his place in this side considering his two significant contributions were being caught in possession for Liverpool’s fifth and then being sent off.

Fred (5.41) is very fortunate to miss out.   CM: Mathias Normann – 4.69 Attempted two tackles and was dribbled past on both occasions, made no interceptions, no blocks and had a pass percentage of 70 per cent. A rotten afternoon for a player who’s rated as Norwich’s best player on average this season.

  AM: Bruno Fernandes – 6.21 His arm waving became less and less as the goals went in, as reality dawned. He’s a very fine footballer alongside many other very fine footballers, playing under a manager who doesn’t ask him to defend, which is a big factor in making them a very average team.

  RW: Theo Walcott – 5.86 He’s started four games this season, has been hooked at half-time in two of them and probably should have been against Burnley. He lasted until the 74th minute and attempted no dribbles, touched the ball 21 times and misplaced nearly half of his 17 passes.

  ST: Cristiano Ronaldo – 5.65 It’s not clear what the travelling Liverpool fans enjoyed more: any of their five goals or Ronaldo’s being ruled out for offside. Some people will say him kicking a man nearly half his age on the floor is a sign of how much of a winner he is, but those people are Manchester United fans.

The only thing more undoubted than him being an absurdly good goalscorer is how much of a petulant pr*ck he is.   LW: Marcus Rashford – 5.86 The three times he gave up possession was more than anyone but Diogo Dalot, who somehow contrived to lose the ball four times in under half an hour.

Rashford made no key passes and had the lowest pass percentage (68.4%) of any outfield player.   The post Ronaldo leads the ‘worst’ Premier League XI of the weekend appeared first on Football365.