Soccer

MICK MCCARTHY has revealed that former France boss Raymond Domenech once had a pop at him due to their language barrier.The ex-Prem boss, 66, spent the 1989-90 season with Lyon during his playing career.Mick McCarthy has recounted his playing careerCredit: GettyDuring that campaign he played under Domenech.Having spent his career prior to then in England and Scotland, McCarthy’s French wasn’t exactly fluent.And this led to an issue with his goalkeeper, Francois Lemasson.Recounting the incident, McCarthy said on the EFL Unfiltered podcast: “For anyone who speaks French, I’m sorry if this isn’t right.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“We’re playing and (the goalkeeper) shouts ‘Degagez vous’ and I think he’s coming for the ball. He doesn’t come for the ball and the guy I’m stood with heads it in the net.”So after the game, Raymond Domenech asks me ‘What happened?’. Everyone else is standing around talking French, probably saying it was my fault.”The keeper comes up to me and says ‘J’ai dit’ – which is ‘I said’ – ‘J’ai dit degagez vous’ he says, and I said, ‘I don’t know what f***ing degagez vous means. You f***ing clown.”Apparently it means ‘clear it’ – I was going to clear it, he didn’t have to tell me to clear it.Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKMcCarthy played under Raymond Domenech at LyonCredit: AFP”So anyway, that was my fault.”McCarthy also revealed that Domenech decided to sign him after watching him get sent off.Watch Mick McCarthy’s brilliant and brutal two-word reply after Blackpool’s horrendous form continuesThe Yorkshireman said: “We (Republic of Ireland) had a great tournament.”We beat England, we drew with Russia and we lose to Holland to that deflected goal.”They (Lyon) had seen me play (for Ireland at Euro 1988). Raymond Domenech comes to watch me then playing for Celtic, playing against Hearts. It was one of the games I got sent off.”It was one of those ones, it was a bad tackle and I came in for the melee.”Raymond Domenech loved it. I didn’t know he’d come to watch me then, but he came to watch me in the (1988-89) Cup Final and he told me… he loved my passion, and he’d seen me play for Ireland.”McCarthy played just 10 games for Lyon before returning to British football in 1990.Read More on The SunFollowing an initial loan spell, the Ireland international signed permanently for Millwall.Two years later he launched his managerial career with the Lions, going on to spend the next 30 years in the dugout with the likes of Wolves, Ipswich and the Republic of Ireland.McCarthy has had an eclectic managerial careerCredit: PA More

JACK GREALISH fought back tears in an emotional tribute to his brother Keelan, who passed away 25 years ago.Grealish, 29, scored his first Premier League goal since December 16, 2023 as Man City beat Leicester 2-0 on Wednesday night – scoring on a memorable date for the winger and his family.Jack Grealish choked back tears after Manchester City’s win over LeicesterCredit: Premier LeagueGrealish discussed ending his 473-day goal drought on the 25th anniversary of his baby brother’s deathCredit: Premier LeagueGrealish pointed to the sky after scoring his goalCredit: AFPGrealish and his family lost his brother Keelan on April 2, 2000 – so it was fitting that the 39-time England international would end his goal drought on the 25th anniversary of his death.Birmingham-born Grealish couldn’t help but get emotional when talking to the media about his performance and what it meant to score it on such an important evening.Choking up, he said: “I felt like I deserved to play tonight and I was just happy. It was a nice day because my little brother passed away 25 years ago today.”So this day is always hard in the family. My mum and dad were here and I think this day is always difficult in the family so to score and to win is brilliant.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLGrealish also took to social media to pay tribute to Keelan, posting a picture of his celebration and one of his baby brother’s grave.He wrote alongside the upload: “With me always, especially this day. That was for you Keelan”.His comments were flooded with messages of support from team-mates and fellow pros such as Morgan Rogers, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jacob Ramsey and John Terry.Keelan was just nine months old when he passed away from cot death when Jack was four.Most read in FootballGrealish’s brother Keelan died on April 2, 2000Credit: TwitterGrealish shared a photo of his brother’s graveCredit: Instagram @jackgrealishIt’s not the first time that Grealish has paid tribute to his brother, doing so when he scored his first senior goal while on loan at Notts County in the 2013-14 season.He did the same in November 2018 while playing for Aston Villa – that time dedicating his goal in a 4-2 victory over Birmingham City to his sibling.Jack Grealish’s reaction to Cole Palmer becoming a manager says it all as he and Maguire apologise to Chelsea starAfter that game, the three-time Premier League champion was targeted by a sick troll who taunted him about Keelan’s death.The troll – Alfie Perkins – was later fined after being convicted of sending offensive communications.Jack’s dad Kevin has previously spoken about the trauma of Keelan’s death too.He said: “He was only nine months old, he was a little angel and I was devastated. We all were.“Jack was only a kid himself back then, but he still remembers Keelan and he still thinks about him with everything he achieves.“We still miss Keelan and still think about him – you never ever get over losing a child – but we are so grateful and lucky that we are blessed with Jack, his brother Kevan and his little sisters Holly and Kiera.”Grealish welcomed his own child for the first time in October, becoming a dad after partner Sasha Attwood gave birth to their baby girl Mila.The £100million-man said that 2024 was the “the most difficult year of his life” back in February after his struggles on the pitch with Man City.Read More on The SunBut his goal against Leicester has brought an end to a 473-day stint without a league goal.His guided finish opened up the scoring for Man City before Omar Marmoush doubled the lead for Pep Guardiola’s side before half-time.Grealish poked home from close range to open the scoring for Man CityCredit: APOmar Marmoush added a second for the CityzensCredit: Rex More

ALEXANDER THE GREAT continued his crusade to outdo Alan Shearer but it was Newcastle’s Italian Stallion who downed Brentford.Sandro Tonali’s piledriver from out wide caught out Mark Flekken and kept Toon hot on fourth-placed Manchester City’s tails.Alexander Isak made history as Newcastle’s only Premier League player to score 20 goals in consecutive seasonsCredit: ReutersTonali scores from a stunning angleCredit: AlamyAnd that came without new legendary striker Alexander Isak even being on the pitch by that point.While the 25-year-old still has some way to go to overtake Super Al’s club-record 206 goal haul, Newcastle’s sensational Swede has now achieved another feat the legend could not.Fresh from ending the Magpies’ wait since 1969 for silverware, Isak is now the first Newcastle player to score 20-plus in consecutive Premier League campaigns after his opener.Brentford, six games unbeaten on the road, threatened to spoil the fun after Bryan Mbeumo equalised with a penalty until Tonali’s moment of magic.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt was another party atmosphere on Tyneside beforehand as the Carabao Cup winners returned to action for the first time since that Wembley triumph.And just days after an estimated 300,000 attended the trophy parade, the Toon Army had another trick up their sleeve to mark their 70-year major trophy drought ending.A huge flag of Newcastle’s now legendary boss was unfurled in the Gallowgate End pre-match, next to the message: “Eddie Howe History Made”.Humble Howe clapped in appreciation, but he and his players know that an even bigger prize is there for the taking.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSHe admitted that Newcastle’s biggest hurdle to overcome was their own inconsistency in the quest to secure Champions League qualification.And after naming the same starting XI that toppled Liverpool in the final, his men roared into action.’I wish he would have hung on for one more year’ Alan Shearer chokes up in tribute to his dad at Newcastle paradeThey carved Brentford open in just the second minute in an almost dream start.Joelinton passed out left to Tino Livramento, the full-back beating a man and floating a cross towards the back post.Isak raced in to meet it, though the usual lethal hotshot was unable to find the target from six yards out under pressure.Joelinton dragged a shot wide as the pressure continued before Isak was at it again.Jacob Murphy stole the ball off Ethan Pinnock in the Brentford half and the Toon striker pounced like a lion.He broke forward, freeing himself from the defence, and got clean through only to then blaze over from 20 yards.The Bees, however, had weathered the early storm and it soon became apparent that Thomas Frank’s team were not just here to frustrate and put a cork in the cup celebration champers.They came here looking for a sixth-straight away win and started to go toe-to-toe with the hosts.Bryan Mbeumo fired one wide from the edge of the area before Kieran Trippier’s back post clearance from the Brentford winger’s cross denied Kevin Schade from nodding in.Up the other end, Harvey Barnes tried his luck after cutting in from the left, but his fierce whipped strike whizzed past the wrong side of the far post.Fabian Schar’s piledriver from distance diverted off Isak’s thigh as the Magpies tried to move through the gears again ahead of half time.And they thought they had found a breakthrough in the final seconds when Isak danced past the defence and fed Barnes to finish into an empty net – but the winger had strayed offside.However, just as it looked to be a tense teamtalk from Howe, up stepped his magic man.This time he capitalised on a slip from his marker Mbeumo to guide Murphy’s cross past Mark Flekken for his 24th of the campaign.Mbeumo slots home to give the Bees hopeCredit: AlamyBarnes shot wide straight after the break and then Murphy hesitated after stealing the ball and going through.Caught in two minds whether to pass or shoot, his eventual effort was blocked as was Barnes’ follow-up and Brentford instantly launched a counter.Bruno Guimaraes blocked one effort as the Magpies struggled to clear the danger and eventually they were punished after a frantic few seconds.Newcastle goalie Nick Pope came out to stop Yoane Wissa from meeting a pass over the top and sent the Congolese ace tumbling.The ref pointed straight to the spot, and after a VAR check, Mbeumo calmly sent Pope the wrong way.Howe reacted by replacing Isak and Murphy with Callum Wilson and Joe Willock but it was the Bees who very nearly took the lead moments later.A corner came in from the left and Pinnock jumped highest only to agonisingly watch his header hit the inside of the post and bounce into Pope’s hands.Newcastle looked to be rocking with accusations of a Wembley hangover set to be thrown at them – but Tonali had other ideas.Barnes laid it into his path down the right wing, and the eagle-eyed ex-AC Milan ace meant every bit of it as he spotted the gap and unleashed a thunderous strike inside Flekken’s near post.Read More on The SunDeep into the eight minutes of additional time the Bees had one final chance to deliver a sting, but substitute Mikkel Damsgaard blazed high into the Gallowgate.The Dane then went down after colliding with Guimaraes, but despite Brentford’s pleas, the penalty appeals were waved away. 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