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      Former England star left unemployed at 40 after being released by Championship club

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      FORMER England international Phil Jagielka has been released by Stoke.Jagielka, 40, is one of eight players the Potters have let go following the conclusion of the Championship.
      Phil Jagielka has been released by Stoke alongside eight other playersCredit: Getty
      Jagielka rose to prominence at Everton in the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Jagielka also made England’s squad for Euro 2012 and the 2014 World CupCredit: Getty
      Jagielka is now a free agent at the age of 40 years oldCredit: Getty
      According to the BBC, Morgan Fox, Aden Flint, Demeaco Duhaney, Nick Powell, Sam Clucas and Tashan Oakley-Boothe are also leaving the Bet365 Stadium.
      Mario Vrancic has also joined Rijeka on a permanent basis after spending this season with the Croatian outfit on loan.
      Those departures have signalled at an imminent reboot by Stoke, who finished 16th in the Championship table.
      Technical director Ricky Martin said: “It is well documented that we are looking to execute a significant reset within our squad ahead of the new season.
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      “The result of players leaving the club is that it provides additional scope for us to recruit in the transfer market, as we look to put building blocks in place that help us progress towards a successful future.”
      Jagielka finds himself a free agent at a senior age without any indication he is set to retire.
      The centre-back recently hinted he has more left in the tank after a cryptic post on social media.
      Jagielka posted: “New chapter, pending.”
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      The experienced defender rose to prominence at Everton after his move from Sheffield United in 2007.
      The Toffees’ hero amassed a total of 19 goals and 11 assists in 385 appearances across 12 years with the Merseysiders.
      Jagielka’s convincing performances at Goodison Park led to an England call-up in 2008 and 40 caps down the road.
      He also made the Three Lions’ squad for Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup.
      The centre-half left Everton in 2019 and returned to Sheffield United before moving to Derby two years later.
      Jagielka then joined Stoke last year and registered a total of 50 appearances. More

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      Watford announce former Bayern Munich star as new manager but fans all ask: ‘Will he last until pre-season?’

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      WATFORD have confirmed the appointment of Valerien Ismael as their new manager.The former Barnsley and West Brom boss replaces Chris Wilder in the Vicarage Road hotseat.
      Valerien Ismael has been confirmed as Watford’s new bossCredit: Getty
      Ismael, 47, is the Hornets’ SEVENTH manager of the last two years.
      In this period, Watford have been managed Xisco Munoz, Claudio Ranieri, Roy Hodgson, Rob Edwards, Slaven Bilic and Wilder.
      Upon confirming their latest appointment, Hornets technical director Ben Manga told their official website: “Being able to appoint a new coach so soon in May means we can prepare very well together for next season.
      “To be able to welcome someone of Valerien’s experience to Watford is good news for our club. We are all looking forward to working with him.”
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      Former Bayern Munich defender Ismael began his senior managerial career in Germany with Nurnberg and Wolfsburg.
      He later managed Apollon Smyrnis and LASK before landing the Barnsley job in 2020.
      Ismael guided the Oakwell men into the Championship play-offs, before departing for West Brom.
      He lasted just 31 games in charge of the Baggies, and was sacked in February 2022 following a four-match losing streak.
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      The Frenchman then moved to Besiktas, where he managed Dele Alli, but was sacked in October after winning eight of his 19 matches in charge.
      Upon Ismael’s appointment, fans pondered how long Watford’s latest boss will get at the helm.
      One joked: “Will he last until pre season is the question.”
      While a second wrote: “Odds on him being sacked before the season starts.”
      Another joked: “Very clever to get him 3 months before our season starts to make him one of our longest serving managers. Respect.” More

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      Man Utd loanee Amad Diallo has ‘special FA Cup final suit reserved’ as fans ask ‘who will he bench?’

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      AMAD DIALLO will be invited to attend the FA CUP final ahead of a possible role in the Manchester United squad next season.According to the Manchester Evening News, Diallo has had a suit reserved in his measurements for the showdown against rivals Manchester City next month.
      Diallo is preparing for a possible role in the United squad next seasonCredit: Getty
      The Ivory Coast international has scored 13 league goals for Sunderland this seasonCredit: PA
      Although he can’t play in the final, United are understood to want Diallo to feel involved as he prepares to return to the club ahead of their pre-season tour of the United States.
      The 20-year-old joined the Red Devils from Serie A side Atalanta in 2019 for a fee that could rise to £37million.
      The Ivory Coast international has only made nine appearances for the Old Trafford outfit and joined Rangers on loan midway through last season.
      However, Diallo has enjoyed a very successful loan spell at Sunderland this season scoring 13 goals in 37 appearances as the Black Cats secured a Championship play-off spot.
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      If Sunderland overcome Luton in the play-off semi final then Diallo will be returning to Wembley a week after the FA Cup final for Tony Mowbray’s side.
      After their 3-0 win against Preston on Monday in which he scored a screamer, Diallo hinted he could stay at Sunderland beyond this season.
      He said: “Playing against Luton is very hard but I hope we’ll be in the Premier League next season and maybe I’ll come back, I don’t know.”
      United fans took to social media reacting to the news with a lot of clamour for Diallo to return.
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      One user said: ” Give him the right wing position next season, have to make Antony feel some threat.”
      A second commented: “Nice touch, definitely feels there is a better organized pathway for Amad and other young players under this management team.”
      A third replied: “Question is who is he going to bench? Rashford on the left, antony on the right.. and we might be shopping for a centre forward.?”
      United manager Erik ten Hag opted against recalling Diallo from Sunderland in January as he did not want to halt his development.
      He said: “We consider everything but I have a little bit of reservation about [recalling Amad] because I don’t want to stop the process.
      “He has made really good progress there so I’m happy with that.
      “But young players need experiences and when we decide for him to come back, he has to be a player who can compete for the starting XI or minimum to come on for a lot of games and make an impact.
      “I didn’t see him in the starting XI or a player who had already had an impact [in pre-season]. But I see and value his potential and capabilities.
      “What I saw is that he needs experience in men’s football, senior football. I think there are many aspects of football to get strong physically and mentally, and also skills-wise, to improve and develop that so he can have value for us.” More

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      Three EFL clubs watching former Liverpool ace with star set for transfer after stunning season in Scotland

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      YAN DHANDA is being watched by Blackburn, Birmingham and Ipswich.The Ross County attacking midfielder, 24, has shone for the Scottish Premiership club this season.
      Yan Dhanda has impressed in his first season in Scotland with Ross County after leaving Swansea last summer.Credit: PA
      The Birmingham-born midfielder started his career at LiverpoolCredit: Getty
      Dhanda has had nine assists and three goals in 31 games north of the border.
      And he even scored directly from a corner against Hibs in February.
      Dhanda moved to Scotland on a free transfer from Swansea.
      He signed a two-year deal with the SPL side.
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      But the Englishman could be available for a price of £400,000.
      Dhanda started his career with the Liverpool academy before joining Swansea in 2018.
      Since his move to Ross County, Dhanda’s performances have improved as the season has gone on.
      And that has attracted the Championship trio to register their interest in the Birmingham-born player.
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      Ross County travel to relegation rivals Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.
      Malky Mackay’s side are bottom of the table but just one point behind Kilmarnock and the Tangerines. More

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      Cardiff WILL lodge £80million legal action against Nantes over Emiliano Sala death as club look at Tevez precedent

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      CARDIFF CITY have confirmed they will lodge an astonishing £80million-plus legal action against Nantes over the transfer of Emiliano Sala – just as The Sun first revealed.The club has been taking detailed legal advice for many months on this landmark case, more than four years after the tragic death of the Argentinian striker in the plane crash in January 2019.
      Cardiff are lodging an £80m legal action against Nantes over the transfer of Emiliano SalaCredit: Getty
      The striker tragically died in a plane crash travelling from the France to Wales in 2019Credit: AFP
      After failure to get satisfaction with Fifa, the Sport of Arbitration and the Swiss Federal Tribunal, the Championship club will next week lodge their legal papers in the French courts.
      A Cardiff statement said yesterday: “The Swiss Federal Tribunal has decided the Court of Arbitration for Sport does not have jurisdiction to deal with Cardiff City’s claim for damages against FC Nantes.
      “This is not a surprise and the club has already prepared separate legal action against them which will be started straight away.”
      They maintain that “FC Nantes must be held responsible for the accident” which they allege was “organised by their agent” Willie McKay who organised the ill-fated flight with a pilot who did not have a commercial licence, did not have the appropriate papers to fly at night, and who was actually a part time DJ and plumber!
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      The Welsh club added the legal action will be to “recover what the club paid for Emiliano and additional damages for further consequential losses”.
      They were forced by Fifa to pay the full £15m transfer fee, despite claims that he was not properly registered as a Cardiff player, but the main compensation claim will be the cost of relegation from the Premier League £100m minus the £20m parachute payments.
      Fifa originally imposed a three-window transfer embargo when Cardiff refused to pay the first instalment of the £15m fee.
      Cardiff failed in their appeal to CAS in January and agreed to pay £7m to enable the embargo to be lifted.
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      Now, as first reported in The Sun, the club’s legal team will formally go ahead with a massive compensation claim on the basis that Sala’s death was negligent, and their legal documents might even refer to the tragic death as ‘manslaughter’.
      The Carlos Tevez affair at West Ham is a precedent Cardiff City believe backs their £80m ‘relegation’ compensation claim.
      Sheffield United won £26m compensation 15 years ago, the cost they claimed for relegation.
      Cardiff feel their case is strengthened by the tape recording where pilot David Ibbotson revealed the plane was in such a “dodgy” state that he feared for his life in the journey from Nantes back to Cardiff.
      Ibbotson was so scared that he said he wanted to wear a life jacket as he had no idea why a loud and scary bang had occurred on the first flight and he told a friend that would be the last chat between them such was the shoddy state of the the Piper Malibu plane.
      Ibbotson had been hired by pilot David Henderson, who served a jail sentence for his part in the scandal, who had in turn taken instruction from Willie McKay, whose son Mark, had the mandate for the transfer from Nantes.
      Cardiff dropped out of the Premier League by just one point, and they argue that a new striker would have saved them from the drop, the cost of relegation was £100m plus, minus parachute payments of £20m.
      The Sala tragedy came too late for Cardiff to buy an alternative striker as the transfer window closed.
      Only a few Sala goals might have kept Cardiff up, just the way that vital Tevez goals saved the Hammers. More

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      Watch QPR fan’s hilarious act after nicking rivals’ flag but away supporters are not happy

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      A QPR fan had his fellow supporters cheering but angered Bristol City’s travelling faithful with his hilarious antics. The cheeky chap was in the lower tier of the School End on Monday, with the Robins above in the upper tier.
      A QPR fan picked up a Bristol City flag at Loftus RoadCredit: Twitter / @zacqpr
      He pretended to wipe his bottom with itCredit: Twitter / @zacqpr
      But the City followers managed to drop a big flag down in front of the QPR section behind the goal.
      And one plucky joker seized his moment with both hands.
      A video circulated on social media showed the bloke run down the steps at the front of the stand and pick up the giant St George’s Cross.
      He then threw it to the ground and repeatedly stamped on it before cupping his ears to the rest of the supporters.
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      Those in the lower tier absolutely loved it and went wild but those looking down from above furiously booed as they helplessly asked for it back.
      Clearly enjoying his moment in the spotlight, the Hoops fan decided to carry on.
      He picked the flag up and threw it to the ground again before pretending to wipe his behind, sending his fellow supporters crazy.
      The man then danced on the flag and, as a steward eventually headed over to tell him off, he nonchalantly dropped it over the advertising hoardings, cue more cheers.
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      He then strolled back to his seat – but not before giving it large to the away fans as the banter continued.
      Viewers online could not get enough of the naughty behaviour.
      One said: “Thank you to this fan who has single-handedly given us the most entertainment all season.”
      Another wrote: “Waited for the a*** wipe. Didn’t disappoint fair play.”
      A third added: “This QPR fan decided to have a bit of fun with a Bristol City flag that got dropped from the away end. CLASS.”
      However, some on Twitter were appalled by the fan with suggestions the Robins flag was dedicated to a fan who passed away.
      And it was the Bristol City supporters who has the final say as Mark Sykes and Sam Bell secured a 2-0 win on the final day of an exciting Championship season to finish 14th under Nigel Pearson.
      Bristol City fans fumed at the home supporter’s anticsCredit: Twitter / @zacqpr
      The Robins had the last laugh with a 2-0 winCredit: PA More

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      Jude Bellingham mobbed by fans as Man Utd and Man City transfer target shows up at English football stadium

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      JUDE BELLINGHAM was mobbed by fans after he turned up at St Andrew’s to watch his former club Birmingham City.The Blues faced Sheffield United on the final day of the Championship season and lost 2-1.
      Jude Bellingham was swarmed by Birmingham fans outside St Andrew’sCredit: Twitter
      Jude Bellingham has been linked with a host of top clubsCredit: Getty
      Bellingham, who came through the ranks at Birmingham, was in attendance to watch younger brother Jobe play.
      Fans patiently waited two hours for Bellingham to appear outside the ground after the game.
      And the player was spotted greeting supporters and posing for photos as people swarmed him.
      The 19-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with a move away from Borussia Dortmund this summer.
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      Manchester United and Manchester City are interested but Real Madrid are supposedly leading the race.
      The LaLiga giants have reportedly offered him a £12million-a-year deal.
      However, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid are yet to agree a fee and they are demanding £124million.
      Liverpool were keen on the England star but have pulled out of the transfer race.
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      Bellingham is leading his side’s title push after scoring twice in a 6-0 demolition of Wolfsburg just the day before he returned home to Birmingham.
      Dortmund sit one point behind Bayern Munich with two games remaining. More

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      Paul Merson left totally lost on Soccer Saturday as Jeff Stelling steps in to clear things up

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      PAUL MERSON was left visibly confused as Burnley lifted the Championship trophy.The Clarets ran away with the second tier title under boss Vincent Kompany, finished ten points ahead of second-placed Sheffield United.

      Paul Merson was left confused by Burnley’s trophy liftCredit: Sky Sports
      Jeff Stelling was on hand to help outCredit: Sky Sports
      Burnley lifted their Championship title on the final day of the season at their home groundCredit: PA
      But Sheffield United lifted the second-place trophy at Bramall Lane last weekCredit: PA
      Burnley secured top spot last month with a win over bitter rivals Blackburn.
      But they opted to lift their trophy on the final day of the season in front of a jubilant sell-out crowd at Turf Moor.
      Yet second-placed Blades were also handed a cup of their own for finishing second in the league, and sealing automatic promotion to the Premier League, last week.
      And that left Merson confused on Soccer Saturday when Burnley stars celebrated, saying: “Sheffield United were lifting the trophy last week.”
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      Host Jeff Stelling tried to explain: “That was the second-place trophy.”
      To which Merson asked: “How do they pick that up before the first place people?”
      Stelling then replied: “Because they were at home last week and Burnley were away, so they wanted to have the trophy in front of their own fans.
      “Cause otherwise there might not be many celebrations.
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      “If they had given it to them at Blackburn [Burnley’s rivals] that would not have gone down too well.”
      Merson finally understood after a few chuckles with his fellow pundits.
      It was one of Stelling’s last times hosting the Sky Sports show.
      The TV favourite announced his decision to quit the popular programme last month.
      The 68-year-old has been in the hotseat for 25 years.
      And Stelling’s final show will come on May 28, with Adam Smith in pole position to take over. More