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      Forgotten ex-Premier League ace Yannick Bolasie, 34, returns to English football on free transfer after Turkey spell

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      YANNICK BOLASIE has signed for Swansea on a short-term contract.The Swans confirmed the winger will wear the No 17 shirt after putting pen to paper.
      Yannick Bolasie has signed for Swansea on a short-term contractCredit: Action Images – Reuters
      His transfer is subject to EFL and international clearance.
      Bolasie, 34, returns to English football following a two-year spell in Turkey playing for Caykur Rizespor.
      He experienced relegation in his first season with the club before scoring 17 goals in 26 league games to help them return to the Super Lig at the first time of asking.
      However he was released at the end of the summer and was unable to find a new club – until now.
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      Bolasie previously had spells in the Championship with Bristol City, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and most recently Middlesbrough.
      He helped Palace win promotion to the Premier League in 2013 and scored 13 goals in 144 games for the Eagles.
      Bolasie was also part of the side that finished as FA Cup runners-up in 2016.
      The Lyon-born star has also had spells at Plymouth, Barnet and once signed for Everton for £25million, but injuries limited his opportunities and he subsequently spent time on loan at Sporting Lisbon and Anderlecht.
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      Bolasie could be in line to make his first Swansea appearance against Leeds on Saturday.
      The Swans are 17th in the Championship with just five wins in 17 games, but they are only seven points off the play-offs. More

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      Liverpool could let wonderkid leave on January loan transfer with Championship side leading chase

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      YOUNG Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah will be on Preston’s wanted list if he goes out on loan.Quansah, 20, made his Kop debut against Newcastle in August.
      Jarell Quansah is on the radar of PrestonCredit: Getty
      He has played nine matches so far with four starts coming in the Europa League and Carabao Cup.
      And he may be allowed out in January to gain more experience.
      North End boss Ryan Lowe has watched the centre-back and is already on good terms with the Anfield chiefs after taking Calvin Ramsay on loan in the summer.
      The Scottish right-back is yet to make his debut due to a knee issue but did make the subs bench yesterday in Preston’s 2-1 loss to Cardiff.
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      Meanwhile, Quansah has also been checked out by Leicester, who are in the market for a defender.
      The Foxes are top of the Championship and the new signing could boost their squad as they aim for the title.
      Quansah has come through the ranks at Liverpool after joining the club aged five.
      He spent last season out on loan with Bristol Rovers in League One.
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      The wonderkid has also been capped three times by the England Under-21s.
      Jurgen Klopp has heaped praise on Quansah and admitted he has been pleasantly surprised by how good he has been this season.
      His manager when at Bristol Rovers, Joey Barton said: “He has an enormous future in front of him.” More

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      Huge brawl breaks out at end of dramatic Preston vs Cardiff clash as raging players and staff dragged apart by stewards

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      PLAYERS and staff were dragged apart in a brawl at the end of Cardiff’s 2-1 victory at Preston.The aggro kicked off after Karlan Grant and Ike Ugbo both scored for the Welsh side during TEN MINUTES of added time.
      Cardiff’s Yakou Meite was in the middle of the row on the final whistleCredit: Getty
      Bluebirds star Joe Ralls, right, gets heated at the endCredit: PA
      Players grappled following Cardiff’s last-gasp comeback winCredit: Getty
      Deepdale stewards stepped in while others tried to restore order.
      Feelings had run high all through the Championship clash as Preston’s Robbie Brady was sent off and Cardiff’s Jamelu Collins clashed with Ched Evans.
      Referee Bobby Madley took a close look at the ruck and will consider all the evidence before submitting his report.
      Both clubs could be fined for failing to control their players rather than seeing individuals punished.
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      Grant and Ugbo were Cardiff’s late heroes — but Preston bad boy Brady went down as the villain.
      Brady was booked for dissent then body-checked Yakou Meite to be sent off with 52 minutes gone – just after Milutin Osmajic had burst clear to fire North End in front.
      Preston clung on until Grant squeezed in Cardiff’s equaliser from a 96th-minute corner.
      And Ugbo was left unmarked to head the winner three minutes later.
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      Bluebirds boss Erol Bulut said: “I made changes and the game changed in a positive way. It’s never easy playing against ten men. you can lose your focus.
      “We controlled the game from the first minute until the end. We didn’t allow them many chances.”
      Preston chief Ryan Lowe said: “I’m gutted but I’m not angry about the sending off. If you take someone down when you’re on a yellow card you have to go.
      “We left everything out there. If we carried on with 11 we win the game but we switched off and they got their goals.” More

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      Wayne Rooney loses his voice after Birmingham boss’ furious half-time rollicking inspires Blues to first win in charge

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      WAYNE ROONEY lost his voice – as his own version of the hairdryer treatment inspired his first victory as Birmingham boss.The former England skipper went hoarse roasting his players at half-time against Sheffield Wednesday – seemingly aping the legendary blasts of his ex-Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
      Wayne Rooney was left speechless after tearing into his side’s first-half displayCredit: Rex
      Rooney and Co suffered ‘hairdryer treatment’ from Alex Ferguson at Man UtdCredit: PA:Press Association
      And although Rooney’s tactic backfired on his own voice, it revived the Blues for a late win at his sixth attempt.
      Sub Jordan James drilled home late on after Juninho Bacuna cancelled out George Byers’ opener for Championship bottom side Wednesday.
      Birmingham’s players also had to overcome a hostile reaction from home supporters at the interval.
      But Rooney said: “Forget the fans, my reaction at half-time wasn’t good. That’s why my voice has gone.
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      “We didn’t play with the energy I wanted first half, and I made the players aware of that at half-time, but in the second half we were a lot better.”
      And the former Everton hero explained why he had been so frustrated.
      He said: “I wanted more and I expected more.
      “I keep saying this, over the last few weeks the lads have been great and I’ve seen an improvement week by week.
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      “So if that first half was four weeks ago I would understand it, but it was unrecognisable to what we have been doing in this international break.”
      Rooney’s legendary old Red Devils’ manager Fergie famously introduced the verbal hairdryer to football during his golden reign from 1986-2013.
      But it seems Roo has plenty to do to get the same vocal stamina and power – unless he has happy to keep whispering after victories. More

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      I’ve had two multi-million pound transfers to Premier League clubs – but am yet to play in top-flight and am out on loan

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      TWO Premier League clubs forked out a total of £5.5million to sign  Josh Bowler — and yet he is still waiting to play a first-team game in the top flight.But the 24-year-old winger believes he is finding the confidence and consistency he needs to reach his goal of playing in the big time during his latest loan spell at Cardiff.
      Josh Bowler (centre) is on loan at yet another club – this time, CardiffCredit: Getty
      Bowler joined Everton for £1.5m in 2017Credit: Getty – Contributor
      The forward’s current parent club is Nottingham Forest, who paid £4m for himCredit: Getty
      It is the fourth occasion in his career that Bowler has been sent out by his parent club — the Bluebirds being his latest short-term home after stints at Hull, Blackpool and Olympiakos.
      A wonderkid in his teenage years at QPR, he was sold to Everton in 2017 for £1.5m. 
      Only 18 at the time, he played for the under-21 side but then got sent out on loan to Hull.
      Four years on, he joined Blackpool on a free without making a first-team appearance for the Toffees.
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      Nottingham Forest were next to splash the cash, paying £4m in September 2022 then immediately sending him to their sister club in Greece for five months.
      He came back to Blackpool for another temporary stint before starting a season-long loan under boss Erol Bulut at Cardiff in the summer.
      Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Preston, Bowler said: “The type of player I am it is always going to be hit and miss. I try stuff that’s difficult, and I’m never going to back down from that.
      “Some games it won’t come off  and that’s why I need to improve on my consistency.
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      “I think that is coming with age and more knowledge of the game.
      “Every night I dream about making my Premier League debut and I don’t think my time is over.  It’s important I don’t give up on myself, however tough it is, and .
      “I feel I’m flourishing here at Cardiff and the manager has given me real self-belief and confidence. Confidence is the biggest drug in football — with it you can go out and be ten times the player.
      “I moved away from my family at 18 and since then living I’ve be on my own. It’s been a bit lonely, but there are people in worse situations.”
      His ball of fluff, Pomeranian dog Esaias keeps him company on his travels, with his Liverpool-based partner and family visiting him for matches.
      Bowler said: “I’ve been on my own for a while now, so I’m used to that, and my little dog is massive for me and keeps me company.
      It was a surreal moment for me to sign for such a massive club as Everton as a teenager… it was an offer I couldn’t turn down.Josh Bowler
      “It was a surreal moment for me to sign for such a massive club as Everton as a teenager. It was an offer I couldn’t turn down.
      “There have been a lot of ups and downs in my career with moves to Everton and Forest, but that’s just like many other players. Finally, I feel I’ve got a bit of stability.
      “But the experience at Everton was great for me, but it just didn’t click. I was quite shy, and it helped me to grow as a person and a player.
      “The key is to never stop believing in yourself and to keep working hard.
      “Because I’ve been close a few times to reaching my dream, it makes me even more hungry for it. 
      “I can taste it, but I haven’t had the full bite yet… and I really want it.” More

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      Amazing XI of stars playing in Championship in 2019 ‘would challenge for title’ now with Bellingham and World Cup winner

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      JUDE BELLINGHAM and World Cup-winner Emi Martinez were playing in the Championship in 2019 along with a host of other stars.Some were on loan while Bellingham was enjoying his first year as a professional at Birmingham.
      Several 2019 Championship stars are now England playersCredit: Getty
      Several high-profile players do not even make the starting line-up including an England star
      The Real Madrid man is the superstar in a line-up from that season, with fans suggesting the side of Championship all-stars would challenge for the Premier League title if they were a team today.
      Nine out of 11 players in the team have gone on to represent their country while Martinez, who was on loan at Reading from Arsenal in 2019, won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina.
      Rico Henry is the only other player in the squad not to have represented England, but he has impressed since arriving in the Premier League with Brentford.
      He is joined on the left flank by £100million man Jack Grealish, who was a talisman for Aston Villa in 2019.
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      Now the Villa faithful have a new hero – Ollie Watkins – who also played for Brentford that season.
      He is joined in attack by Jarrod Bowen, who scored 52 goals in 124 games for Hull before leaving in 2020.
      There are also four players with Chelsea links in the side – Reece James, Fikayo Tomori, Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount.
      They were all on loan from the Blues and while Tomori and Mount have since departed on permanent deals, James is Chelsea captain.
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      Ben White also features in the line-up while his former Leeds team-mate Kalvin-Phillips is unfortunate to miss out.
      There are several notable absentees with the 2019 Championship also featuring the likes of Harvey Barnes, John McGinn, David Raya, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Dean Henderson.
      Fans were in awe of the team and many claimed it could challenge for the title if they played together now.
      One said: “As a manager if you didn’t get this team in the top 4 you’d have underperformed.”
      Another added: “That team could compete for the title tbf if City weren’t around.”
      A third wrote: “With Jude [Bellingham] in the team they should be comfortably top four.” More

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      I’m an EFL star but I have a degree and invested in firm selling boots made of kangaroo leather, carpet and castor beans

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      GEORGIE KELLY’S football boots are made partly from kangaroo leather.But it has not had a negative impact on the way he plays – and he can pouch for it!
      Georgie Kelly has a Masters degree in renewable energy and environmental scienceCredit: Rex
      He has also invested in start-up company SokitoCredit: Instagram @officialsokito
      The Rotherham striker is an investor in start-up company Sokito, whose handmade boots are also made from earth-friendly materials such as carpet, plastic bottles and castor beans.
      It is one of the ways boffin Kelly – who has a Masters degree in renewable energy and environmental science – is contributing to the planet.
      And he is also passionate about climate change.
      Kelly, 27, said: “Climate change is such a huge issue which needs to be addressed.
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      “But it isn’t really a topic I discuss with my team-mates – not that many of them would be interested.”
      Two years ago the EFL announced its Green Clubs scheme, which helps support teams to improve their environmental practices and operations.
      Irishman Kelly added: “It is definitely becoming a thing among all the professional clubs and you can see them getting on board with it.
      “The trouble for EFL clubs is the cost, such as wanting to do an energy audit at their stadium.
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      “I’d love our ground, for example, to have solar panels, but it is all about the money.
      “It is easier to invest in for clubs who have lots of it.”
      Premier League Tottenham are one example, having committed to halve their carbon emissions by 2030.
      And, earlier this year, Wycombe midfielder David Wheeler became the Professional Footballers Association’s first sustainability champion.
      Kelly was raised in County Donegal, where his grandfather was a farmer – and which gave him an understanding of the challenges for agriculture in his native Ireland.
      Last year the country’s government agreed on an emissions ceiling of 25 per cent for its agriculture sector, much to the ire of farmers.
      Kelly said: “There has been a backlash among the farmers I’ve spoken to.
      “The problem is that plans look easy on paper, but then there is investment in things such as wind farms and to deal with planning regulations, so it slows everything down.
      Sokito produce handmade boots from earth-friendly materialsCredit: Instagram @officialsokito
      Kelly plays for Championship side RotherhamCredit: Rex
      “The way forward is to help small high-tech companies and let them create what is needed.”
      Away from the fields and on the pitch, Kelly is enjoying life at Rotherham – who axed boss Matt Taylor earlier this month.
      The managerless Millers sit in the Championship relegation zone and host Leeds on Friday night in a Yorkshire derby.
      He played for Derry City and Dundalk before joining University College Dublin, where he gained a degree in business commerce.
      After a short spell at Bohemians, he joined The Millers in January 2022 – where his first goal was the one which sealed promotion back to the Championship.
      Kelly added: “I was actually flying to and from Ireland three times a week when I joined Rotherham to complete my Masters.
      “I never thought I’d be playing in the Championship, so I am savouring it while I can.
      “Our home form has been good, but we know it is going to be a tough season.
      Kelly is one of a number of footballers who have invested in SokitoCredit: Rex
      Sokito make boots from carpet, plastic bottles and castor beansCredit: Instagram @officialsokito
      “We have a lot of new players, so it will take time for us to grind out results.”
      As for Sokito, its investors also include former Dutch international brothers Siem and Luuk de Jong, Borussia Dortmund striker Felix Nmecha and Norwegian midfielder Morten Thorsby.
      Kelly said: “Sokito is a start-up company, so I am buzzing to come on board and see how I can help.
      “There are a lot of pessimists out there when it comes to environmental issues, but I am optimistic and think it will be addressed, whether that is in the next 10 years or 20 years.” More

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      Wayne Rooney hasn’t earned the right to be given Birmingham job, slams ex-England star as he hits out at Tom Brady

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      FORMER Birmingham and Arsenal star Jermaine Pennant has hit out at the Blues’ decision to appoint Wayne Rooney.The former winger, 40, says that Rooney’s managerial CV – which includes stints at Derby and D.C. United has not earned him the chance to have a crack at the Birmingham job.
      Wayne Rooney is yet to win a game as Birmingham managerCredit: Getty
      Pennant had a successful couple of seasons at BirminghamCredit: PA:Press Association
      Birmingham were in a play-off spot in sixth place when they sacked John Eustace in October.
      The club’s new owners, Knighthead, who were fronted by former NFL legend Tom Brady wanted to appoint a marquee name and saw Rooney as the man for the job.
      So far, Rooney is yet to win a game as Birmingham manager and his appointment is coming under increased scrutiny.
      Speaking to King Casino Bonus, Pennant said: “It’s sad to see what’s happening at Birmingham. John Eustace will be sitting there with a cigar and a cup of tea at home.
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      “Birmingham were sitting pretty in sixth, but they’re now 18th and eight points off relegation. That’s a catastrophe and a massive blunder.
      “There was no reason to look at Wayne Rooney or any other manager considering what they did last season. I know it’s early days, but it doesn’t look as if it’s going anywhere. 
      “Wayne Rooney hasn’t earned the right to be given a job like this, but I thought the American owners saw him as a marquee name.
      “They need to understand it doesn’t work like that. It’s not American football or basketball, it’s English football, and you need a manager who knows how to win games.’”
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      Fans have said the Rooney decision now looks like a vanity appointmentCredit: PA
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      Rooney’s attempt to shift Birmingham away from Eustace’s direct style to a more progressive brand of football has been catastrophic so far.
      The England legend has just a solitary point from his five games managed – with that coming surprisingly against second in the table Ipswich.
      Rooney has already been subjected to booing from sections of the St Andrews crowd who cannot get their head around the appointment.
      And Pennant has said that he does not think the manager has what it takes to turn things around: “We need to ask ourselves how long we give Rooney and his staff.
      “I’m not very confident based on what I’m seeing. I’m not sure if things can get better.
      “It’s not like they can go out and splash £100 million on players. I’m not sure what they can do in six months’ time to help turn things around.
      “I think Birmingham will be in the bottom half, and I think they won’t be far off where they are now – fighting with relegation.”
      Pennant also said he was surprised to see Rooney’s assistant Ashley Cole join Rooney at Birmingham, saying: “I can’t say I ever saw Ashley Cole going into coaching.
      “We used to speak about it, and he used to say he’d never go into it.
      “It was strange to hear he was at the Under-18s a few years ago, and then he went to Chelsea and Derby.
      “Fair play to him, but I never saw him having that desire when we played together.” More