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      I’m ex-England star who worked with Pochettino and Mourinho but my current manager in EFL is a different level

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      HARRY WINKS believes Leicester boss Enzo Maresca is one of the best coaches he has ever worked with.The Foxes midfielder, 27, joined in a £10million summer move from Tottenham where he has been since he was six.
      Harry Winks is flying with Leicester in the Championship
      And he has already established himself as a key player helping the club top the Championship with nine wins and just one loss from the first 10 games.
      The 10-times capped England player said: “I’ve worked for some influential managers and Enzo Maresca is one of the best in terms of ideas, tactics and management. 
      “He’s excellent and I’m really enjoying working with him. I’ve learned so much, in a footballing way. I feel like I’ve improved a lot in my game as well and I’ve only been here for a couple of months. 
      “The way he makes you see the game, the scenarios he tells you, the way he almost tells you how the game’s going to go before you go into it, and where the solutions are. It’s just another level of coaching that I haven’t really experienced, and I’m loving it so much.”
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      When Winks made the drop down in the Championship after years playing at the top level for Tottenham and England, it was seen as something of a coup for the relegated Foxes.
      But the midfielder never had any doubt that the drop in level is better for him and the club long-term.
      He said: “Before I joined Leicester when I spoke to the owners and the manager, they said there’s a vision and a process and that’s something I am really excited to be a part of. 
      “I know many other players in the team who are excited as well because it’s exciting moments for the club. 
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      “It’s a Premier League club that’s currently in the Championship and everybody knows that. 
      Enzo Maresca is rated as one of the best coaches by Harry Winkes
      “The infrastructure, the stadium, the fans, everything, it’s a huge club and everybody knows that they should be in the Premier League.
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      “We must prove that now, we can’t sit back and say we want to be back there, we’ve got to prove that we can get back there. 
      “By doing that we have to beat as many teams in the championship as possible, even though we know it’s difficult.
      “It’s really exciting to be part of the project and this sort of moment in the club moving forward.” Harry Winks was speaking to SunSport courtesy of EFL sponsors SkyBet More

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      Forgotten ex-Premier League boss Garry Monk ‘in line to replace Andrea Pirlo’ after three years out of work

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      GARRY MONK is a shock name linked by Italian media to replace Andrea Pirlo at Sampdoria. Monk managed in the Premier League with Swansea and later in the Championship with Leeds, Middlesbrough and Birmingham.
      Garry Monk is a shock name linked by Italian media to replace Andrea Pirlo at SampdoriaCredit: PA
      His last job was with Sheffield Wednesday but he was sacked in November 2020 as the club sat one place above bottom.
      And despite not coaching for the last three years, he is a name on the shortlist to take over at Sampdoria, according to SampNews24.
      Italian legend Pirlo is under fire with his side 19th in Serie B.
      The former midfielder took over at ex-club Juventus in 2020 having coached their Under-23s.
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      He won the Italian cup with Juve in 2021 but the same year he left after securing a fourth-placed Champions League spot.
      Pirlo moved to Turkey Fatih Karagumruk but he lasted just one season.
      The 2006 World Cup winner has had an equally torrid time back in Italy with Sampdoria managing just one win in eight.
      Sampdoria fans started to protest during the club’s loss to Catanzaro on Sunday.
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      And after the defeat, Pirlo said: “It’s difficult to comment on these types of defeats after every game. We had taken the lead, then they managed to equalise with a half cross, with defensive indecision.
      “Everything becomes more difficult, but we must not look for alibis, we know that this is the moment.

      “We must not let our guard down, we must be more concentrated and try to get out of this situation together. We had the opportunities, but in football whoever scores goals wins and we were unable to do so.
      “The situation at the moment is this, we must try to stay united and try to get out of it quickly. We must try to be positive and not get caught up in this fear that we see and feel when we play. At the moment we are fragile and cannot win.”
      Andrea Pirlo faces the sack at SampdoriaCredit: Getty More

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      Neil Warnock ‘considers taking charge of club he promised to f*** up so badly if he was ever given manager’s job’

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      NEIL WARNOCK is interested in the vacant Sheffield Wednesday job, according to reports.The Owls are on the hunt for a new boss after sacking Xisco Munoz just 12 games into his reign.
      Neil Warnock stepped down as Huddersfield boss last monthCredit: Getty
      Warnock, 74, is available after leaving Huddersfield last month.
      The veteran boss stepped down after the Terriers decided to appoint former Wednesday manager Darren Moore.
      According to talkSPORT, Warnock would be open to joining Wednesday, despite his Sheffield United allegiance.
      Warnock is a boyhood Blades fan and managed at Bramall Lane between 1999 and 2007.
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      During his stint he won promotion to the Premier League in 2006.
      He infuriated Wednesday fans with comments about their club during an interview with the Guardian in 2002.
      Asked if he’d ever consider becoming their manager, Warnock said: “As long as the whole of my massive salary was paid within 28 days, then I would buy so many tosspots – although, come to think of it, their current squad would do – and f*** ’em up so badly.
      “Then I’d retire to Cornwall and spend the rest of my life laughing my head off.”
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      Warnock nearly took over as Wednesday boss in 2013, only for then-chairman Milan Mandaric to abandon the idea due to a fan backlash.
      After talks broke down, Warnock told talkSPORT at the time: “We both realised it was not to be. It’s been an interesting week.
      “When Milan phoned me originally, I did tell him it would be pretty much impossible to manage Sheffield Wednesday when I’m a Blade, but he asked me to have time to think about it.
      “No disrespect to the other candidates, but he wanted me to try and keep them up. He has tried to bring me in as his manager about four times over the last 20 years so I have got a lot of respect for him.
      “I have been really pleased about the number of people in Sheffield – Sheffield Wednesday fans as well – that wanted me. But I think it’s time to put myself to bed.
      “I spoke to Milan last night and we both realised that it wasn’t the right time. I don’t think it was going to benefit anybody by dragging it on.”
      Wednesday are set to host Huddersfield and former boss Moore at Hillsborough this weekend.
      The 49-year-old guided the Owls to promotion from League One via the play-offs last season.
      He then made a shock departure from Wednesday in mid-June following a difference in “vision” with owner Dejphon Chansiri.
      Darren Moore replaced Warnock at HuddersfieldCredit: Getty More

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      Patrick Bamford branded ‘cheat’ by QPR commentator after Leeds star’s ‘worst dive ever seen’ gets Asmir Begovic sent off

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      PATRICK BAMFORD was branded a “cheat” by a commentator on Wednesday night after the Leeds ace made “the worst dive ever” against QPR.QPR suffered their sixth defeat of the season with keeper Asmir Begovic sent off after Bamford appeared to dive in front of him.
      Patrick Bamford was branded a ‘cheat’ by QPR commentatorsCredit: Getty
      Asmir Begovic was sent off for his tackle on BamfordCredit: Getty

      Bamford, 30, faced relegation last term with the Whites after Sam Allardyce failed to resurrect the team at the end of the season.
      And Leeds have hardly made an impact in the Championship as they sit sixth in the table with four wins, two defeats and two losses.
      However, they did secure a controversial three points on Wednesday after Crysencio Summerville struck a goal early in the game.
      Bamford was aiming to double the lead and ran at Begovic – only for the Bosian No1 to lunge into a tackle just outside the box and get himself sent off.
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      But there was no contact despite Bamford crashing to the ground.
      QPR commentators were fuming at the incident and wasted no time in making their feelings known.
      The commentator shouted: “There’s no touch he’s a diving cheat.”
      Then as the English striker took the free-kick the commentator continued to rage.
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      He added: “Bamford the cheat will take the free kick, left-footed from outside the box.”
      VAR is not in place in England’s second tier meaning Begovic received no backing from video officials.
      Fans took to social media to give their thoughts on the incident, saying it was the “worst” dive they have seen.
      One fan said: “That Bamford dive is one of the worst I’ve seen 😂.”
      A second added: “That Bamford dive was atrocious.”
      While another fan said: “Bamford with a hell of a dive. Awful behaviour that.”
      QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth said he hopes to appeal the red card after hearing from both players after the match.
      He said: “I’ve had verification from both players that there was no contact. Patrick’s a great lad, he said he jumped out of the way.” More

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      Watford release club statement on manager leaving fans gobsmacked as club languish near drop zone

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      WATFORD have left their fans gobsmacked after releasing a statement on manager Valerien Ismael.The Hornets currently sit in 20th place in the Championship, just one point above the relegation zone.
      Watford have extended Valerien Ismael’s contractCredit: Getty
      Since Ismael’s appointment in the summer, they have won just two of their nine league matches.
      As a result, supporters suspected the Frenchman had been sacked when the club released a statement on Tuesday.
      However, despite Watford’s trigger-happy reputation with managers, they instead confirmed he has been handed a contract extension.
      “Head Coach Valérien Ismaël has signed an extended contract with Watford FC, the club is pleased to confirm,” read the statement on the club website.
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      “While the deal’s details remain broadly the same, the Hornets have moved to lock in the services of the former France youth international for a longer period of time.”
      Reacting to the news, one shocked fan commented: “I can’t be the only one who thought of something different to a contract extension.”
      Another added: “A club statement where no one has been sacked. GET INNNNNNNN!”
      A third also wrote: “Clearly the club has a sense of humour announcing it like that.”
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      Meanwhile, one more joked: “This is going to look even worse when we sack him in December.”
      Watford have been known for sacking their managers under the Pozzo family’s ownership.
      Since their takeover in 2012, 20 different managers have occupied the home dugout at Vicarage Road.
      However, Ismael appears set for an extended stay for the time being, despite Saturday’s 3-2 loss to fellow strugglers Middlesbrough.
      The 48-year-old has been in charge since July, returning to England after previous spells at Barnsley and West Brom.
      He will be looking to kickstart a climb up the table on Wednesday night as his side visit fourth-placed Sunderland.
      Ismael was only appointed Watford boss in the summerCredit: Rex More

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      Ex-England Under-21s star charged by FA for ‘racially abusing’ OWN team-mate before Cardiff contract torn up

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      JACK SIMPSON has been charged by the FA for racially abusing a team-mate during pre-season.Simpson had his Cardiff contract ripped up in August with the club issuing a blunt 16-word statement.
      Jack Simpson had his Cardiff contract ripped up only last monthCredit: Getty
      Simpson has been charged by the FA for alleged racial abuse towards a team-mateCredit: Getty
      The Bluebirds announced on their official website: “We can confirm that Jack Simpson has today left Cardiff City Football Club by mutual consent.”
      But the FA has now stated that the centre-back has been charged with an “aggravated breach” of rules relating to misconduct and abusive language towards “race and/or colour”.
      The ex-England Under-21 international was allegedly involved in an incident that took place in July during Cardiff’s pre-season tour in Portugal.
      The 26-year-old is alleged to have used “abusive and/or insulting and/or improper” language towards a team-mate.
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      The ex-Rangers player has until Tuesday, 10 October to issue a response.
      The FA issued the following statement on Twitter: “Jack Simpson, a former Cardiff City player, has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct that took place on their pre-season tour to Portugal in July 2023.
      “It’s alleged that the defender’s language towards a teammate was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper contrary to FA Rule E3.1.
      “It’s further alleged that this constitutes an “aggravated breach”, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference – whether express or implied – to race and/or colour.
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      “Jack Simpson has until Tuesday 10 October 2023 to provide a response.”
      Simpson joined Cardiff last year following a brief spell at Rangers and amassed a total of 23 appearances.
      The defender only played once on international level for England’s Under-21 side in a friendly against Denmark back in 2018. More

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      Neil Warnock tipped for stunning new job he could ‘do in his sleep’ just days after leaving Huddersfield

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      NEIL WARNOCK has been tipped for a stunning new role at Rangers after leaving Huddersfield. The 74-year-old confirmed he was stepping down from the managerial role at the Championship side after their home game against Stoke last month.
      Neil Warnock’s management career may not be over yetCredit: Getty
      The ex-Sheffield United manager was appointed at the John Smith’s stadium in February when the club was sitting 23rd in the Championship table.
      Warnock defied the odds and managed to keep the Yorkshire side in the second division last term after Huddersfield finished 18th.
      However, the club wanted to make long-term managerial appointments meaning Warnock and assistant Ronnie Jepson duly agreed to leave their roles.
      But Warnock’s coaching career might not be over yet.
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      Simon Jordan on TalkSPORT said Warnock would be a superb appointment to be Rangers new manger.
      He said: “I would advocate for Neil. I know that Warnock could do that job in his sleep.
      “I know that he could lift them. Whether he could overtake Celtic different matter but he could get them closer.
      “Huddersfield last season were gone. Done. Toast. Finished. They didn’t just avoid regulation they strolled past it.”
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      Rangers are currently third in the Scottish Premiership and sit five points behind rivals Celtic.
      Manager Michael Beale was sacked from his role on Sunday after just ten months on the job after the Light Blues poor start.
      Rangers have lost three of their seven league games this season.
      Warnock initially retired from management in 2022 after leaving Middlesbrough, before returning for his second spell in charge of Huddersfield in February.
      He has yet to confirm whether he will seek another challenge, having managed 16 different clubs and overseen eight promotions in his long career. More

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      Justin Allen: Guardiola’s comments show everything that’s wrong with the Prem… I’d love to see him try to boss Exeter

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      PEP GUARDIOLA made two ridiculous comments during the last week that illustrate everything that is wrong with Premier League elites.Don’t get me wrong, Guardiola deserves our respect and adulation for what he has achieved at Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. We all marvel at the exhibition of football his teams produce.
      Pep Guardiola made two ridiculous comments last week
      Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was not happy with taking a two-hour bus journey home after their Carabao Cup loss at Newcastle
      But I’d love to see him try managing an EFL club to see how he’d get on.
      When he whinged about his precious City lambs forced to make a two-hour 123-mile coach journey home from Newcastle after Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie rather than fly, I wondered how he might cope if he was in charge of clubs like Exeter and Carlisle?
      Neither team have the luxury of jetting to matches — like the majority of clubs outside the top flight.
      When the Grecians, managed by Gary Caldwell, travel to deepest Cumbria — and vice versa — both teams face a SIXTEEN-HOUR journey … on a coach! That would have surely sent Pep into meltdown.
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      In August for that Saturday game, Exeter broke up their epic trip by taking their team on a five-hour bus ride on Thursday to Mottram Hall in Cheshire where they stayed overnight.
      They then did another three hours to Penrith on Friday to train with another overnight stay before playing the Cumbrians 3pm the next day.
      Exeter boss Gary Caldwell has a far harder job than Pep Guardiola
      Pep Guardiola should try swapping places with Carlisle boss Paul Simpson
      But as soon as the players were showered and changed after the game, they were herded onto a coach to take them directly back to Devon. They arrived into Exeter at almost 2am.
      At least their journey was a happy one after a 2-0 win.
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      Only Bristol Rovers sit within a two-hour radius for the Grecians in League One.
      Pep would also be sent into a spin if he swapped places with Paul Simpson at Carlisle. They are a geographical outpost in the third tier.
      Championship side Plymouth, another team out on a limb, coach to most games. 
      They did fly to Hull on Friday ahead of their clash on Humberside — although had to take a six-hour bus ride home afterwards, getting back around midnight.
      You didn’t hear Pilgrims boss Steven Schumacher whinging.
      It’s good Guardiola’s chairman isn’t Forest Green’s Just Stop Oil campaigner Dale Vince. He’d never endorse flying.
      And I dread to think how many times the likes of Erling Haaland would have to hang around doing keepie-uppies while waiting for them to charge their soon-to-be-unveiled electric bus!
      But when Pep went on to later say he was “not going to waste one per cent of energy for the Carabao Cup” before complaining about how tired his first-team stars are, I had to laugh.
      Pep backed up his reasoning by saying he couldn’t play stars such as Kyle Walker and Ruben Dias because they were “exhausted”.
      City skipper Walker, who has played most, had clocked 11 matches for club and country this season ahead of being left out at Newcastle — only being substituted once, in the 89th-minute of the Premier League opener against Burnley. 
      Yet Exeter captain Will Aimson has not missed a single minute of THIRTEEN matches — while team-mate Alex Hartridge has also started 13 and played more minutes than the Man City star.
      Kyle Walker has played 12 matches for club and country this tem and is “exhausted”
      But Exeter City captain Will Aimson has played 13 and is not “exhausted”
      I decided to give Aimson a call because I was intrigued to know if he was “exhausted” having played more matches than Walker, who is now up to 12, over the same time period.
      “No, I’m feeling great,” Aimson told me as he was excitedly preparing for game No13 against Northampton on Saturday.
      And how is he finding riding on buses before and after games — especially the huge schlep for Carlisle?
      He laughed: “I had a couple of seasons previously at Plymouth so am used to it!“But we pass the time well — playing a few games, catching the late Premier League kick-offs if they’re on and building a rapport.”
      There are countless lower league footballers like Aimson who play 90 minutes twice a week and must endure long coach journeys to and from games.
      You also must remember clubs in the six divisions immediately below the Premier League play eight extra league games a season.
      And it’s even more difficult when you get into non-league. Imagine being a semi-pro at Dover Athletic and having a job on a building site but having to endure a 10-hour round coach trip to Truro City in the National League South.
      I wonder how “exhausted” some of those players are.
      But, thankfully, not everyone in the golden corridors of the Premier League have such a blinkered view of competitions like the Carabao Cup.
      Take West Ham’s Tomas Soucek for example.
      I had a chat with the Czech midfielder after the Hammers survived a huge scare at League One club Lincoln to win 1-0 on Wednesday thanks to his winning goal.
      Tomas Soucek loves playing lower-league teams and scored the winner at Lincoln
      And he told me: “I love these cup matches against lower league opponents because you can see how excited their players are to face a Premier League club.
      “The atmosphere at EFL grounds like this are sometimes better than it is in the Premier League.
      “It’s not a big stadium but the atmosphere is perfect. I love it because we all know where we came from. It’s great to play in this competition.”
      The atmosphere at EFL grounds like Lincoln are sometimes better than it is in the Premier League.Tomas Soucek, West Ham
      Soucek has hit the nail on the head. These matches are huge for clubs like Lincoln. 
      The Carabao Cup is worth an estimated £50MILLION a season to the EFL — which is a lifeline to clubs in the three divisions below the Prem.
      Yes, I know — it’s small change to Guardiola when you consider he spent £210m on four signings this summer. 
      Let’s hope £78m Josko Gvardiol didn’t get too exhausted playing 90 minutes at Newcastle and having to hop on a coach for that damn two-hour ride home.
      Wednesday are a huge turn off
      I MUST have witnessed the shortest fan attendance of the season at Hillsborough on Friday night.
      A Sheffield Wednesday supporter, looking flustered and out of breath, arrived 10 minutes late for their game against Sunderland. 
      He took to his seat, then looked up at the scoreboard to see his team were already 2-0 down, promptly stood up again and walked out!
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      What a sad indictment of how bad things have become for the Owls that fans cannot bear to watch another minute of the shower of rubbish being served up in front of them.
      He would have been better off staying at home to watch Dragons’ Den. Who knows maybe some boffin could invent something new on the show — like a winning Sheffield Wednesday football team! More