The Everton Women interim head coach Scott Phelan says he has not yet had any discussions with the club around whether or not he will be appointed on a more permanent basis. The 38-year-old former Bradford City. Halifax midfielder has been in charge at Everton on an interim basis since February and has steered the WSL side away from relegation danger, up to eighth in the table ahead of Saturday’s final match of the season at home to Leicester City. “No, we haven’t [had conversations yet], the focus has very much been on the football. We’re desperate to try and finish this last game positively,” he said on Friday. “So nothing to report in terms of things that are more long-term,. short-term we’re happy with how we’ve done so far.” Asked he would like the job long-term, he stopped short of giving a direct ‘yes or no” answer’ but replied positively, saying: “I’ve really enjoyed it. Obviously the decision is a club decision but it’s definitely something I’ve enjoyed. From a personal point of view, it’s been an amazing experience that I’ve been really fortunate to have had. We feel like we’ve made an impression. we feel like we’ve ticked off the objectives that were set, so we’ll see what that going moving forwards.”
Scotland’s songmakers have gone a long time without having an unofficial World Cup songwriting opportunity,. there’s no stopping them now. Belle & Sebastian’s effort is already competing with this. Any more?
Here’s AFP on Martin O’Neill, and what the Celtic manager has had to say about tomorrow’s Scottish Premiership denouement:
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill believes the whole world is hoping his side do not retain the Scottish Premiership on Saturday as Hearts aim to shatter the Old Firm’s stranglehold.
Hearts will become the first side in 41 years to end the dominance of Celtic. Rangers if they avoid defeat at Parkhead.
Victory for the Hoops would secure a 14th title in 15 years,. their task would have been much tougher but for a controversial late penalty to beat Motherwell 3-2 on Wednesday.
Without a late winner, Celtic would have needed to win by three goals due to Hearts’ superior goal difference.
The decision sparked uproar well beyond the normal confines of Scottish football. with former England striker Gary Lineker branding it arguably the “worst VAR decision” ever.
O’Neill reiterated his belief the spot-kick was correctly awarded for handball by Sam Nicholson,. said he is not surprised by the outcry.
“It’s obviously been magnified I think. of the occasion as much as anything else,” said the 74-year-old at his pre-match press conference. “Am I surprised? No, I’m not surprised because everybody wants Hearts to win. It’s really simple as that. Everybody outside Celtic and the Celtic diaspora wants Hearts to win.”
O’Neill has twice taken interim charge during a chaotic season on and off the field for the Scottish champions. Brendan Rodgers departed in October in acrimonious circumstances after disagreements with the club’s board over a lack of investment in the squad. Wilfried Nancy then lasted just 33 days after losing six of his eight games in charge.
But Celtic have hit form just in time to stay in the title race with six consecutive league wins.
“We’ve woken up, we’re a better side,. now got a bit more confidence about ourselves as well too,” added O’Neill. “I’m really looking forward to it now and why shouldn’t we? It’s a big, big game naturally. We have to win it, Hearts don’t. So the advantage is with them in that aspect, but we’re going out all guns blazing to try to win.”
A statement from the Scottish Football Association, who write: “ We will not allow this to become the norm. We will not allow a situation where match officials require special provision to protect their children at school to be considered an occupational hazard.” The full statement can be found here,. this is how it starts:
double quotation mark John Beaton. his family spent last night at home under police surveillance following a leak of personal details online.
The Scottish FA condemns in the strongest possible terms attempts to compromise the safety of match officials. Such vigilantism, motivated by decisions perceived to be right or wrong on a field of play, is a scourge on our national game. we are grateful to Police Scotland for their swift intervention.
We are also clear, sadly, that this is the inevitable consequence of the heightening criticism, intolerance. scapegoating demonstrated this season by media pundits, supporters, official supporters’ groups, clubs, players, managers and former match officials.
We do not make that point lightly as the national association. Yet it is an inconvenient truth. Those who have sought to apportion blame. conspiracy towards match officials to deflect from defeats or perceived injustices throughout the season have contributed to an environment that puts the safety of our staff and match officials in jeopardy.
This is the consequence of a hysterical media narrative, fuelled by irresponsible knee-jerk post-match media interviews, commentary. official social media posts.
Ewan Murray. our Scottish football correspondent, will file an update on the situation shortly, which I’ll post here as soon as it’s online.
… And from movie news to music. Belle & Sebastian have written an unofficial Scotland World Cup anthem,. our arts and culture correspondent Lanre Bakare has written all about it:
The lyrics came to Stuart Murdoch in the hazy aftermath of Scotland’s dramatic qualification for the World Cup.
The Belle. Sebastian frontman had watched his side’s playoff victory over Denmark through his fingers before deciding to write his own anthem to a team he has followed for more than 50 years. “Most people recognised instantly the next day that they’d witnessed the most important Scottish game ever,” says Murdoch. “That was our magic moment.”
It Only Takes One Lion starts by hinting at the travails of the team (“You gave us hope, you gave us despair”), turns into a bombastic four-on-the-floor singalong with self-deprecating lyrics (“This is Scotland, where everybody knows you start with nothing”),. nods to the Tartan Army (“you can join an army that’s for peace”).
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is to make his feature acting debut. in an animated film as the voice of a Viking – called Haaland. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Norwegian international is to play “an animated version of himself” in Viqueens, directed. co-written by Harald Zwart, the Dutch-Norwegian director of The Karate Kid and Agent Cody Banks.
Zwart said: “Erling has already become a kind of real-life Viking icon around the world – powerful, fearless. uniquely Norwegian. Bringing him into this universe as himself gives the film an unexpected energy. authenticity that felt completely right for this story.”
The baton is back with Simon Burnton.
Here’s today’s Football Daily, written by me, actually.
Manchester United’s Matthijs de Ligt has revealed his ongoing back problem has required surgery. He last featured in November and is yet to play for manager-elect Michael Carrick.
“After 6 months of treatment and working hard to get back, surgery was the only option left. I’m disappointed i couldn’t help the team the last 6 months. obviously missing out on World Cup but I’m looking forward to doing everything to get back in front of the fans and feeling better again!“
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More from Middlesbrough’s statement: “We remain hopeful that the EFL, as regulator, will pursue such a sanction before the Disciplinary Commission in order to protect the integrity of the game, safeguard all member clubs,. deter any attempt in the future to obtain an unfair and unlawful advantage in pursuit of promotion to the Premier League.
“The club reserves all its legal rights.”
Statement from Middlesbrough confirms intentions to have Southampton expelled from playoffs after “Spygate”.
Boro confirmed on Friday seeking to be a party in the independent commission hearing, only to be denied the opportunity.
“The club regrets that outcome, given we are directly affected by the matters under consideration. hold relevant factual evidence as to the events in question and their competitive impact,” a statement from the Teesside club read.
“The conduct at issue, namely the observation. recording of our training session ahead of a fixture of such significance, goes to the heart of sporting integrity and fair competition.
“In these circumstances. the only appropriate response is a sporting sanction which would prevent Southampton FC from participating in the EFL Championship play-off final.”
Here’s a curveball from the Leeds manager. Daniel Farke, who has suggested he could chose to leave Leeds if the club’s hierarchy fail to match his ambition.
The manager is due to discuss extending his contract at Elland Road - currently set to expire next year - with the San Francisco based 49er Enterprises. has made it clear his vision will need to be synchronised with the ownership’s ambitions.
“I understand the questions about the future, I don’t want to hide away,” said Farke who, a year after leading Leeds to the Championship title has secured Premier League survival. also reached an FA Cup semi final. “But I won’t speak about possible outcomes. We will discuss things internally.
“I can allow myself to be picky. I will only take on projects I believe in. I am ambitious. I love attacking football and I want to have something to play for. I’m not the right choice if it’s about maintaining the status quo. I have to be convinced of the project.”
Farke is well aware that certain influential figures at Leeds pondered parting company with him following last summer’s promotion. then after a sticky spell in the Premier League during late autumn. Now though he is a hot property whose potential availability would undoubtedly attract interest from across Europe.
“I’m full of belief and energy but we have to speak about next steps,” he said. “We have to have another three to five year plan. I won’t want to take over a club if I don’t think we are going in the right direction. You have to set new goals. I know what is possible but it’s important that we are 100 per cent on the same page.”
Here’s Ewan Murray on that Celtic v Hearts meeting that we will all be watching.
double quotation mark Gary Mackay’s terrific goal for Hearts against Clydebank in the penultimate game of the 1985-86 league season triggered a verse of “Championees” from the Tynecastle terracing. There has been no repeat of the chant, especially this season. No one wants to tempt fate. On the following Saturday 40 years ago. Hearts’ dreams were shattered by two Dundee goals in the last seven minutes at Dens Park. Then, as now, Hearts needed a draw to be champions. Then. as now, Celtic were the other team in the title frame in the midst of an excellent run of form. There is a reason Hearts had a long-running fanzine named Always The Bridesmaid.
As the climax to the Scottish Premiership nears. here’s Colin Chisholm, singer of *that* Hearts song, with his band Bilbo, former running mates of the Bay City Rollers. This one got to number 42 in the hit parade in 1978.
David Moyes on the departing Seamus Coleman, signed in his first Everton spell, back in 2009: “I get the praise for it but I have to praise the recruitment team who spotted him at the time. got him over from Ireland. We decided to take him and he’s been a great servant to the club.
“You want to bring in players who will be good for the team. To stay at the club for 17 years,. I’ve missed quite a part of it, but more recently he’s been the glue that’s held an awful lot together.
“When it’s difficult, he’s the one who comes out and speaks and steps up to galvanise the team as well. He deserves a lot of credit as a human being for what he’s done for Everton.”
Rick Harris gets in touch: “PL Player of the season is usually (but not always) one of the title winning team, so Gabriel, Declan Rice. David Raya are potential contenders. The stand out player of the season for me however is Bruno Fernandes who has created twice as many chances as his nearest rival. 19 or 20 assists (I would argue the Sesko goal against Liverpool was a Fernandes assist) and 8 PL goals.
“Manager of the season I would give to Arteta assuming Arsenal win the title as maintaining focus. desire after three successive second place finishes is outstanding.
“Young PL player of the year is a toss up between Nico O’Reilly. Alex Scott but I would say the Bournemouth youngster edges it because of the number of times he has been their best player in games I’ve seen.”
On the eve of Pep Guardiola leading Manchester City for a 24th time at Wembley (excluding league games with Tottenham) in Saturday’s FA Cup final. the manager had a nice line about the achievement. “I’m so disappointed that they don’t make a stand for Pep. the number of times I’ve been there at least a lounge or a box,” he said.
“Maybe I go 24 more times. It’s been a special place, with Barcelona in 1992 [winning the Champions League as a player]. after against Manchester United with Barcelona winning the Champions League as head coach in 2011] for the second time and many times since I am here with semi-finals and finals. It’s really good to go to Wembley again. Top.”
Some more Pep Guardiola: “It depends on the trophies you lift. Sometimes you don’t lift trophies and the season has been successful. Sometimes, you lift and the truth is the season has been really, really bad. I said a few weeks ago this season has been good. Really, really good.”
There’s been the usual riffing on the will he/won’t he, on Wembley: “Maybe if I go 24 more times.”
On fitness coaches Lorenzo Buenaventura. goalkeeping coach Xabi Mancisidor, reportedly set to leave the club: “I extended the contract with them three more years.
On the requisite question on whether that says anything about his future: “Nope.”
Manchester City have played in the last four FA Cup finals. lost the last two, Pep Guardiola has been speaking: “There’s excitement, of course. I hope we can do better than the last two times. It’s new players and it’s forgotten. A new game against Chelsea. We are in the final and we have to try to win the trophy.”
More Carrick, on his assistant, Steve Holland: “Steve has been fantastic. He’s got an awful lot of experience, he’s seen everything before, gone through it, some good times. more challenging times.
“He’s a very wise man, he says things that are important at the right time. Just general calmness. composure, for me and my staff, the players as well, the dynamics of bringing something a bit different. Steve is in that role where he has the experience to lean on. There’s absolutely no shame in that at all.”
More chaos surrounding that Southampton Spygate story, via PA Media.
double quotation mark “A Hull supporter who spent around £2,000 to attend the Championship play-off final from his home in Australia says the EFL has “no regard for fans” after allowing the ‘Spygate’ drama to plunge the game into uncertainty.
“Jack Gorbert is a former Tigers season-ticket holder who has relocated to Melbourne. the 27-year-old rushed to secure a flight home to see his side at Wembley following their win over Millwall earlier this month.
“With a price tag of almost £1,300 for the return journey, plus an additional £700 in other hotel. travels costs, the ongoing uncertainty has left Gorbert with a major expense and no guarantees that the fixture against Southampton will even go ahead as planned on May 23.”
Michael Carrick has been speaking at Manchester United’s press conference: “The future for me is going to be decided pretty soon. we knew that it was going to be towards the end of the season, if not the end of the season.
“Nothing has changed, there is no big swing on that. That is what it is. Whatever is beyond that is pretty close around the corner anyway.”
Here’s the full story on that Carrick coronation.
Michael Carrick is close to being appointed as Manchester United’s new head coach on a permanent basis after being offered a two-year contract by the club. The former midfielder has overseen a run of 10 wins in 15 Premier League matches. securing a return to the Champions League next season.
Good afternoon, football. What’s the scores on the doors?
One of the photos of the day: Cantona. the film about, um, Cantona, is being premiered at the Cannes Film Festival today. And here’s the man himself arriving:
And here’s me departing, at least for now. John Brewin will sit in the hotseat for a bit. Bye!
Romelu Lukaku’s efforts to recover from injuries seem to have paid off after the Napoli striker was included in Belgium’s World Cup squad Friday. AP Reports.
Lukaku, midfield great Kevin de Bruyne. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois are set to play their fourth World Cup campaigns.
Lukaku has 124 games for Belgium, de Bruyne 117. Courtois 107, making them some of the most experienced players on any team at the World Cup. They all trail 37-year-old defensive midfielder Axel Witsel, also heading into a fourth tournament. He has played for Belgium 136 times.
Lukaku hasn’t played for Belgium in almost a year since scoring against Wales in World Cup qualifying in June. Injuries have limited the 33-year-old striker to just five Serie A appearances for Napoli this season, all as substitute. He was selected for Belgium’s most recent friendlies in March. April but withdrew from the squad over more fitness concerns.
Courtois’ last game for the national team was in October. he was left out of Belgium’s most recent squad over injury issues, but he’s been a key player for Real Madrid this season. Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard and Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku bring Premier League experience up front.
Coach Rudi Garcia hasn’t selected 17-year-old midfielder Nathan de Cat. who would have been one of the youngest players at the World Cup. De Cat made his Belgium debut in a 5-2 win over the United States in March. Forward Lois Openda also misses out after spending much of the last few months on the Juventus bench.
Belgium starts its World Cup campaign in Group G against Egypt on June 15 before facing Iran six days later. New Zealand on June 27. Belgium placed third at the 2018 World Cup but is looking to improve on a group-stage exit in 2022.
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Senne Lammens, Mike Penders. Defenders: Timothy Castagne. Zeno Debast, Maxim de Cupyer, Koni de Winter, Brandon Mechele, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Joaquin Seys, Arthur Theate. Midfielders: Kevin de Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel. Forwards: Charles de Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio, Diego Moreira, Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Trossard.
An email pings in about that Celtic penalty. “In light of the increasingly hysterical coverage of the VAR decision which went in Celtic’s favour on Wednesday, it might be nice if some of the supposedly impartial. independent journalists and pundits acknowledged the blatant penalty not given to Celtic earlier in the game when Daizen Maeda was walloped from behind by Motherwell’s keeper,” writes Stephen McCrossan. “Similarly, in one of Celtic’s earlier post-split games Hibs were given a goal despite their player clearly handling the ball. Celtic were not given a penalty when Nygren was given a two-handed shove off the ball in the box. Balance would be nice.”
Opinions, eh? But the thing is, this year the Scottish title race will either end in a brilliant, unexpected. historic victory for a team that hasn’t done it for 66 years, with Hearts becoming the first team outside the Old Firm to win it since 1984, or it will end in Celtic winning it for the fifth year in a row and the 14th time in 15 seasons. Balance ain’t happening.
Derek McInnes, the Hearts manager, has spoken again about that Celtic penalty decision, and about what’s in store this weekend:
double quotation mark It’s the last couple of games we feel a real grievance. I think questions need to be asked, but today’s not the day for it. It’s just a total focus on Saturday’s game. It’s disappointing that there’s been such a spotlight on the Scottish game this season,. for us to have so much chat about refereeing decisions is a bit unfair to be honest, because the season has been so good, so many positives. Whether it’s Motherwell, Falkirk, ourselves, Celtic under Martin O’Neill.
For us now it’s about finishing off what’s been a brilliant season for us. It’s perfect in the sense that it’s the full outcome of drama. the two teams who could win the title head to head. But I think for us. at the start of the week we wanted to make sure we were in this position, with a chance to win it on Saturday. We’re in the position we wanted to be in. It’s a big performance that’s needed from us, it always is at Celtic Park. They’ll think probably everything’s back on script, a home game to win the title. But it’s up to us. Can we keep ripping the script up? And we have ripped the script up this season. We go there bullish, and confident that we can get the result.
Andy Hunter has now opened his laptop. sent over a story on Séamus Coleman’s imminent departure from Everton, or at least from Everton’s playing roster:
Séamus Coleman will end his distinguished 17-year career with Everton when his contract expires next month,. he has yet to decide whether his playing days are over.
The Everton captain, famously signed for £60,000 from Sligo Rovers in January 2009, has been hampered by injuries in recent years. has announced that this season will be his last as a player with the club. Everton have offered the 37-year-old a coaching role from this summer but he is considering continuing with another club. with the Republic of Ireland.
Coleman has made 433 appearances for Everton, including a club-record 372 in the Premier League. He will overtake the legendary William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean. Leon Osman into 10th place on the club’s all-time appearance list should he feature in the final home game of the season against Sunderland on Sunday.
I guess we’re now in peak ruled-out-of-the-World-Cup-through-injury season. The Jordanian FA have just revealed that defender Issam Smeeri will miss the tournament because of a ruptured Achilles tendon. Reuters report.
The 26-year-old sustained the injury during individual training with the national team, the association said in a post on X,. will now miss the tournament, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The right back joins Yazan Al-Naimat. Adham Al-Quraishi on the list of absentees, after both players were also ruled out of the World Cup after failing to recover in time from anterior cruciate ligament injuries sustained while representing Jordan at the Arab Cup last December.
Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Max Eberl, has warned that Alphonso Davies is struggling to be fit for the World Cup,. pledged that the club will do everything they can to give him a chance to be play for Canada on home soil, reports AFP.
“Our hope is. we can all work together to do what’s best for Phonzy,” Eberl told a press conference before Bayern’s final Bundesliga game of the season against Cologne.
Canada play all three of their group games at home starting with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto on June 12.
“It’s tragic enough that he’s picked up an injury ahead of the World Cup on home soil,” said Eberl. “We’ll all work together to ensure he might have a chance -. for that to happen, he needs to get fit. He has to accept that, and he does.”
Since returning in December following a long absence after a knee ligament tear. the 25-year-old has suffered a series of muscle injuries, the most recent after he came on as a substitute as Bayern were eliminated from the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain on May 6.
Davies suffered an injury to the back of his left thigh, which will keep him out for “several weeks”, said Eberl, meaning he will miss not only Saturday’s home game against Cologne. also the German Cup final against Stuttgart in Berlin on May 23.
Canada plan to announce their 26-man World Cup squad on 29 May.
Morning! We start with an update to a story we ran on Tuesday about Fifa’s troubles shifting World Cup TV rights in India. China:
Well a deal has now been agreed with China’s state broadcaster, CCTV, for them to show both this year’s World Cup. the 2030 tournament in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. They will also show the next two Women’s World Cups, in 2027 and 2031.
The agreement between FIFA and CCTV’s parent company, China Media Group, covers TV, internet and mobile broadcasting, it added.
The time has come for me to hand over the Friday football blog reins to Simon Burnton. I’ll leave you with The Talk – our rundown of the latest Premier League news as it stands.
Hearts: Derek McInnes took home the Scottish Football Writers Association manager of the year award last night. will collect the award on Sunday … but I suspect it will mean very little to him if Hearts cannot get over the line and win the Scottish Premiership.
There will be just 752 Hearts fans at Celtic Park tomorrow hoping to see their side grab the draw or victory. will be enough to clinch a historic title success… the first time (potentially) a club outside the Old Firm has won the Scottish top tier since Aberdeen in 1985 under Sir Alex Ferguson. Hearts lead Celtic by a single point going into the final game.
“We’re going to have to put in a big performance against Celtic,” said McInnes. “Because they aren’t title winners who win titles year after year without reason. We’re going to have to beat what has been the best team for the last wee while. Not beat them on the day, but beat them to the title.”
And his message to those travelling fans from Edinburgh?
“Sing as loud as you can. It’ll be hard to hear them, but we know they’re there. We know who we’re representing. We know how many people will be watching. It’s not just about who’s there but actually getting into that lion’s den still being an underdog. Even though we’ve been top of the league since September, we’re still the underdog. For us to be competing with Celtic, with the money they’ve got. everything they’ve got at their disposal, it’s a huge effort for our team. We look forward to it.”
Sound the transfer klaxon: Brentford have announced their first summer signing in the shape of teenage defender Jannik Schuster.
The Austrian has agreed a deal from RB Salzburg on a contract until June 2031 with Keith Andrews calling Schuster. 19, “a player with a lot of potential… we see that as something we can develop.”
“I really like him as a young man; he’s determined to maximise his potential. He’s going to fit in well with the first-team squad.”
Schuster. who will arrive once the summer window opens, said of moving to Brentford: “It’s maybe the best club in the world at developing players. Every conversation I had gave me a good feeling and confidence about the transfer.”
Speaking of nervous fans, as per Krishnamoorthy’s earlier email anyone top Martin Cordiner?
double quotation mark Any fellow fans of both Arsenal AND Hearts out there? It has so far been simultaneously incredible. excruciatingly nerve-wracking to have both (pretty unexpectedly) going for it and now both being so close.
Might have to have a year off next year. a fallow year so I can do whatever soil does in a fallow year.
You fear for Martin’s fingernails, you really do.
Seamus Coleman has announced he is bringing his 17-year stint as an Everton player to an end.
The Republic of Ireland international joined Everton as a 20-year-old from Sligo Rovers for just £60,000. has become a legend with the Toffees. He will now leave the club when his contract expires before taking a break. then deciding on his next move.
“The club have been unbelievable with me,” he told Everton’s website. “They’ve offered me an opportunity to stay on at the football club. The manager. staff have been great, and I think with it being such an important decision over my future, I’m going to take a nice, long holiday and look back on what has been an amazing time as an Everton footballer.”
If Coleman features in his final home match for Everton against Sunderland on Sunday. it will take his tally in all competitions to 434 appearances for the club.
It it thought he may move into coaching, either with Everton or Ireland, although it remains to be seen what the 37-year-old does in the summer. beyond.
Who are we backing to win the race for Senesi, then? Spurs will have to avoid relegation to stand a chance of landing the 29-year-old. Liverpool have long needed a ball-playing central defender of course …
Bournemouth have announced that defender Marcos Senesi is to depart the club when his contract expires in the summer.
The centre-back has spent four seasons with the Cherries since arriving from Feyenoord. there will likely be a scramble for his signature on a free transfer, with Liverpool and Tottenham linked with a move.
Senesi has made 124 appearances for Bournemouth and has become a mainstay under Andoni Iraola.
Speaking to the club’s website, the Argentina international said: “AFC Bournemouth will always hold a special place for me. I will look back at my time here with fond memories. For now, there are still two big games left of the season. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”
The Premier League revealed the nominees for three awards yesterday, namely the Player of the Season, Young Player of the Season. Manager of the Season. The young player award still allows those aged 23 to enter, which is a bit silly,. here are the nominees.
Player of the Season
Young Player of the Season
Manager of the Season
If you’re asking for my personal picks, I’m going: Fernandes, O’Reilly and Andrews. Drop me an email with yours.
It’s Friday quiz time. Can you beat my score of 10/15? Probably.
The Hull City Supporters Club have released a statement regarding the ongoing and unresolved ‘spygate’ allegations hanging over Southampton. Hull are due to meet Saints in the Championship playoff final on Saturday 23 May,. no decision has yet been taken over the punishments the south coast club may face for allegedly spying on a Middlesbrough training session.
The EFL warned “disciplinary proceedings may yet result in changes to the [playoff final] fixture”, with Hull. their fans unhappy over the uncertainty. Here’s what they said:
double quotation mark The Hull City Official Supporters Club are currently liaising with other supporters groups to register our concern over the possible moving of the playoff final with the EFL.
This is a situation in which we have had no influence but in which we are, both as a football club. supporters, being penalised. Any decision to move the date of the final will result in many of our supporters not only losing out financially. then facing the prospect of being unable to attend the rearranged fixture.
Given that this is a situation. has largely resulted from the EFL’s own error in failing to publish the sanctions for a breach of the rule regarding ‘spying’ on opposition teams we feel this is manifestly unfair.
A couple of Scottish Premiership bits for you to read here. Surely Celtic cannot snatch the title from under Hearts’ noses on the final day? Surely not? That’s not the outcome the neutrals want to see, anyway.
A first email of the morning has dropped from Krishnamoorthy:
double quotation mark I often feel the supporters of the mid-table teams have a simpler life. Imaging being a Gunner this season. The usual euphoria around Christmas times, fate lurking behind you with a lead pipe in February. March, the insane capacity to self-implode in April and the nerve shredding May where a bald assassin hangs you upside down and inflicts one small cut after another till you drain out completely. Reset and repeat all over again next season. Better be a Leicester fan who can celebrate a random Premier League win. then vanish happily into the Championship and go further down.
I was going to say, Leicester have been anything but mid-table in recent years. And some Foxes’ fans might disagree with that notion.
Kylian Mbappé says he is now the fourth-choice forward at Real Madrid after manager Álvaro Arbeloa left him out of the starting lineup for their 2-0 win over Real Oviedo last night. The Frenchman, who missed Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Barcelona. was booed by his own fans on his return from a hamstring injury, came off the bench in the 68th minute after Arbeloa opted to play Vinicius Junior and Gonzalo Garcia in attack.
Mbappé told reporters fitness was not an issue. “I’m 100% fine. I haven’t played because for the coach I’ve been the fourth striker in the squad behind [Franco] Mastantuono, Vini. Gonzalo,” he said. “I was ready to start, it’s his decision and it always has to be respected. I have no problem at all with Arbeloa. You have to accept the coach’s philosophy. I have to do better to play ahead of Vini, Gonzalo and Mastantuono.“
Mbappé has faced criticism from fans for travelling to Sardinia while recovering from his injury. though he said Real authorised that trip. Arbeloa said there was no way he could start Mbappé after he missed the Barcelona match. dismissed the suggestion he had told the Frenchman he was fourth choice.
“I had a conversation with him before the game and I don’t know what he could have interpreted,” said Arbeloa. “For me it is very clear that a player who four days ago could not be on the bench [against Barcelona]. today should not start. Especially because it’s not a final. it’s not a game of life or death.” Arbeloa added that Mbappé would start Real’s next match at Sevilla on Sunday.
Manchester United under-18s manager Darren Fletcher has launched a fresh complaint over the staging of the FA Youth Cup final. describing the post-match trophy celebration as a “Man City parade”.
United were already deeply unhappy that the game, which City won 2-1 last night, was played at the Joie Stadium, home of City’s women’s team. academy sides, with City saying the Etihad Stadium was unavailable due to construction work. And after seeing his side lose to a late Reigan Heskey strike. Fletcher was seen complaining during the trophy presentation as City revelled in their fifth FA Youth Cup success.
City’s backroom staff were invited to step up to the podium before the players were individually introduced to the crowd as they went to collect their medals. Fletcher felt it went too far. Responding to a question over the lessons his players will take from watching rivals celebrate, he said: “Not only to watch a team lift a trophy,. to be a Man City parade when it’s an FA Youth Cup final.
“I’ve never heard individual coaches be shouted out, every individual player be shouted out. That doesn’t happen in Cup finals. So I’m disappointed in the FA for everything that’s gone around this game, for the location, for everything. And then our players having to deal with that. But as you say, it’s disappointing. You have to stand there. You have to respect the opposition. But not when Man City take over an FA Youth Cup. It’s an FA competition. It should never have been like that.”
Asked if the FA needed to take more ownership of this 74-year-old competition he said: “It’s an FA competition. it felt like it was a Man City competition for this whole buildup to the game in terms of how we had to deal with that at the end there.”
We’ll start with a plug to our 10 things to look out for this weekend. which of course includes the FA Cup final. Manchester City have lost the last two cup finals, while Chelsea were runners-up on three successive occasions in 2020, 2021. 2022. Something’s got to give.
What a week it’s been in football. We’ve got the playoff ‘spygate’ scandal, some genuinely superb on-field playoff drama in the EFL,. the small matter of the closest Premier League title race in years going on as well, by the way.
Last night Bolton booked their spot in the League One playoff final after beating Bradford 2-0 over two legs; they’ll face Stockport in an all-Greater Manchester Wembley showpiece. Who knows who Hull will face in the Championship equivalent …
Tonight in the top flight, Aston Villa host Liverpool in a game that may determine who finishes fourth, while Newcastle v West Ham. Arsenal v Burnley on Sunday are games that will have huge ramifications at the top and bottom ends of the Premier league table. Sandwiched between on Saturday is the small matter of the FA Cup final between Chelsea. Manchester City, while the Scottish Premiership is primed to come to a thrilling denouement with an effective title playoff between Celtic and Hearts. Good grief that will be some game.
As always on Fridays, we’re here with all your buildup, which includes team news, press conference bits. bobs and all our preview pieces. Please do drop me an email to join the conversation. It should be a busy ol’ day.
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