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      in Soccer

      Gary Lineker laughs off Match of the Day ‘porn noise’ scandal & enjoyed half-time analysis with sex-filled innuendo

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      GARY Lineker yesterday laughed off the Match of the Day “porn noise” scandal — and said he took great pleasure filling his half-time analysis with sex-filled innuendo.The presenter said the BBC has had to look at its security measures following YouTuber Daniel “Jarvo” Jarvis’s stunt.
      Gary Lineker laughed off the MOTD ‘porn noise’ scandalCredit: BBC/UNPIXS
      The presenter said he enjoyed his half-time analysis with sex-filled innuendo – pictured The Sun’s coverage of the story
      But Gary, 62, who memorably had an on-pitch “accident” during England’s 1990 World Cup opener, joked: “If you told me yesterday morning that I’d be on the front page of The Sun, involved with a porn ­scandal, I’d have s*** myself — again!”
      Gary added: “I thought it was funny, and the YouTube prankster has shown his work.
      “It was that loud that I couldn’t really hear myself think, or what the other guys were saying, and realised people could probably hear it at home so I knew I had to both keep it together, whilst also addressing the matter.
      “In these situations, you have to keep your head.
      Read More on Gary Lineker
      “Yes, it’s funny but you can’t overwhelm the show — you can’t ignore it.
      “But, and after the studio manager had located the strap-on phone, I started to have a bit of fun with it all.
      “So at half-time every question I asked about the analysis, my comments were some kind of reference to it.
      “Things like ‘Wolves huffed and puffed’ or ‘the only goal was a screamer — and not the only screamer we had’, and ‘Liverpool pressed really hard in trying to get behind them’ — all that kind of thing.
      Most read in Football
      “It was daft but it really did amuse me. And once I realised it was a prank, I knew that if I started laughing I probably wouldn’t have stopped.
      “It was the most surreal and one of the strangest things I’ve ever encountered in broadcasting.”
      Prankster Jarvo, a serial pitch invader, had broken into the studio and activated a sexy sounds ring tone on a mobile phone, which he hid on the set.
      He then called the phone during Gary’s studio segments at the Wolves v Liverpool FA Cup replay at Molineux on Tuesday.
      The BBC later issued a po-faced apology.
      But Gary questioned that decision.
      He said: “I’m not sure why the BBC apologised because it’s not our fault obviously.
      “It’s a security issue, and there is a serious side to it; if someone can do that, they can do something else with something that could be more dangerous.
      “But, in this instance, I felt that universally people were finding it really funny.
      Read More on The Sun
      “And actually I have to agree with them, even if it was at our expense.
      “It was enjoyed, I think . . . much like those people on that phone!” More

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      in Soccer

      Pele is set to be honoured in Brazil with a statue at Congress and could have Maracana named after him

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      FOOTY legend Pele is to get a statue at the Brazilian Congress, The Sun can reveal.Known as “O Rei” or the King of Football, Edson Arantes do Nascimento died aged 82 last month after battling colon cancer.
      Pele is set to get a statue in his honour after his death last month. He is pictured during a ceremony in Milan in 1990Credit: AFP
      Pele’s wife Marcia Aoki (C) is seen near his coffin during his funeral ceremony in DecemberCredit: Getty
      The whole of Brazil observed three days of national mourning following his passing.
      Now the three-time World Cup winner’s business manager says the country’s authorities are preparing to honor him with a statue at the National Congress building in Brasilia.
      Joe Fraga, 51, told The Sun: “There’s a conversation of putting a statue of him in the legislative area in Brasilia where they have other statues.
      “We’re talking with the Secretary of State who deals with those matters.

      “Pele is one of the most iconic people that ever lived on the planet and the biggest ambassador Brazil has ever had.
      “I don’t think there’s ever going to be anyone bigger than Pele to represent Brazil.
      “They’re also talking about naming the Maracana field in Rio de Janeiro after him and putting his face on a coin or maybe even a bill.
      “I don’t know what denomination it would be, we are just in the infancy of that conversation.
      Most read in Football
      “The government has approached me about a tribute stamp too.”
      This isn’t the first statue to the soccer star. A Pele statue has also been erected at the Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica cemeteryCredit: Getty
      Fraga said he has also been contacted by the local governments of Sao Paulo, Santos – where Pele made his name as a player – and Gaurujá where he lived regarding statues and the naming of parks after Pele.
      Earlier this month Pele was laid to rest at Santos’ Vila Belmiro stadium.
      Some 230,000 mourners including the new Brazilian president Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva filed past his coffin to pay their respects.
      A huge mass was held at the stadium before the coffin was draped in a Brazil flag guarded by army soldiers this morning for the procession through the city.
      Pele’s coffin was carried through the streets and passed in front of the home of his 100-year-old mother, Celeste.
      The burial took place at the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica in Santos and only his family attended.
      Pele is said to have chosen the burial site on the ninth floor of the cemetery to allow him to “watch over” the Santos stadium.
      His final resting place is in a “vertical cemetery” in a 14-floor building that includes 14,000 vaults, a waterfall and a car museum.
      Pele burst onto the global stage in 1958 and helped Brazil win back-to-back World Cups four years later.
      His success in 1970 ensured he became and remains the only person to win three World Cup tournaments as a player.
      At club level Pele enjoyed 18 years at Santos, the team he made his debut for aged 15.
      Read More on The Sun
      Overall, he scored a staggering 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, including friendlies, which is recognised as a Guinness World Record.
      He also managed a remarkable 77 goals in 92 games for the Brazilian national team.
      The whole of Brazil observed three days of national mourning following his passing. An aerial view of the streets during Pele’s funeral procession in Santos, BrazilCredit: Getty
      Earlier this month Pele (pictured in 2015) was laid to rest at Santos’ Vila Belmiro stadiumCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      England ace Harry Maguire snaps up beachfront villa on Caribbean resort loved by Wayne Rooney and Gary Lineker

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      ENGLAND ace Harry Maguire has snapped up a beachfront villa on a Barbados resort loved by Three Lions heroes Wayne Rooney and Gary Lineker.The Manchester United defender’s four-bed pad has a pool and overlooks an 18-hole golf course.
      England ace Harry Maguire has snapped up a beachfront villa on a Barbados resort loved by Three Lions heroes Wayne Rooney and Gary LinekerCredit: Reuters
      Harry, 29, and his wife Fern, 28, wanted somewhere private to escape with their two childrenCredit: Alamy
      Man United legend Rooney regularly holidays at the exclusive Royal Westmoreland resort with wife Coleen, 36, and their four kidsCredit: PA:Press Association
      Match of the Day host Lineker, 62, still visits after selling a property there in 2010Credit: Colorsport
      A source said Harry, 29, and wife Fern, 28, wanted somewhere private to escape with their two children.
      They added: “It’s been a tough year.
      “Harry’s struggled on the pitch and been targeted off it.
      “They need somewhere they can unwind.”

      Man United legend Rooney, 37, regularly holidays at the exclusive Royal Westmoreland resort with wife Coleen, 36, and their four kids after buying a £5million villa during his playing days.
      Match of the Day host Lineker, 62, still visits after selling a property there in 2010.
      Sir Cliff Richard and Denise van Outen are also regulars in the swish clubhouse.
      Maguire, a late sub in United’s dramatic 2-1 win over City in the Manchester derby, picked up the Barbados property during Covid.
      Most read in Football
      He has also invested in a farm close to his family in Mosborough, South Yorks.
      A source said: “Harry is from Mosborough.
      “When he retires, that will be his long-term home.” More

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      in Soccer

      Rio Ferdinand no longer watches Man Utd through his fingers as he praises turnaround under Erik ten Hag

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      RIO FERDINAND no longer has to watch Manchester United through his fingers fearing “crazy s***.”The Red Devils legend has watched the demise of his former club in recent years in his role as a TV pundit.
      Rio Ferdinand used to watch Manchester United through his handsCredit: Getty
      The club have been on the end of a number of embarrassing resultsCredit: Reuters
      But Ferdinand has praised the work of Erik ten HagCredit: PA
      But the six-time title winner now believes there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel under Erik ten Hag.
      The United boss is on an eight-game winning run going into tomorrow’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
      And Ferdinand said: “I’m going into this derby thinking, ‘We can give them a game’.
      “You can see players gaining in confidence. For far too long we were going into games thinking, ‘Obviously, we are going to get beat here today but I don’t know how many’.
      READ MORE ON MAN UTD
      “Or we were going to the likes of Brentford and concede one and it could be three or four.
      “When we have been feeling that as Man United fans, it is now nice going to games not feeling like that.
      “I am now going to a game not looking through my fingers, expecting crazy s going on. I am going there now with a bit of, ‘I fancy us today. I fancy us to beat them and dominate the ball’, because you can see something tactically that has been consistently coming out every week now.
      “We have got to play at our best and hope that they drop a little bit off it to win the game — but that is better than how I’ve gone into games in recent seasons.”
      Most read in Football
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      Ferdinand believes Ten Hag has done a lot more than just get a team up and running again.
      He feels the situation was so bad at the end of last season, with confidence at rock bottom throughout the club, that the Dutchman had to rebuild individuals as people as well as footballers.
      The former United defender added: “There were some really good quotes from him after the game the other day about the team spirit and how the ambience at the place was not right.
      “He would have seen that in half the results and in games and in training, that the mentality at the place was not right.
      “These were a bunch of players that were quite low, they were shot to pieces.
      “He has had to build not only footballers but men back up again because they have been through a lot of negativity.
      “Obviously, part of that is their own fault and the regime before.
      “But he had to build a lot of human beings back up and that takes time.
      Man Utd players have had many reasons to celebrate since Ten Hag took over compared to last seasonCredit: AFP
      “The fact he is now talking about qualifying for the Champions League so positively, and putting markers down, he can sense a confidence coming back into this team.
      “There is a consistency of performance from the team and individuals, that wasn’t there before, that he now believes and fills him with the confidence to speak about.
      “There isn’t that panic there was before or the complete capitulation that we’ve been seeing for a while. There is a much more calm edge around the team.
      “All the signs are very positive. I just feel like there is a jigsaw puzzle that needs putting together at this football club and there are some good pieces being put in place, whether it be the manager, coaching staff, the tactical element he is trying to implement, or recruitment.”
      One of the big pieces of the puzzle that needed putting back in place at United, according to Ferdinand, was the discipline.
      He said: “When people have asked me about Man United and what I want to see, one of them definitely is to have discipline running through the veins of the club.
      “Any team that is successful has an element of discipline. That is a real bedrock of any good football club, that discipline runs through, and the players are very aware of where they are standing in that, so that is pleasing to see. The fanbase will be looking at that and going, ‘I like that’.
      “Players are being made accountable for their actions, whether it is during 90 minutes or off the pitch and at the training ground. I think that is a key part of any success.”
      Fans always try to put together their best-combined team from both sides whenever a derby game approaches. In recent years few, if any, United players would get into City’s side.
      Marcus Rashford has been leading the club’s rise up the tableCredit: AFP
      But Ferdinand claims that is not the case any more — even if he believes Pep Guardiola’s side are still well ahead of United as it stands.
      He said: “On form, Marcus Rashford would have to be in the team.
      “Christian Eriksen would be in with a shout, Bruno Fernandes would be in with a shout. Casemiro or Rodri is a massive one in terms of form, the two best holding midfielders in the league.
      “Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane would have an argument to get in the team as well, so you could put a good case forward.
      “Definitely, the distance is a bit closer but it’s still not anywhere near where we want it to be. There is still work to be done.
      “The fact you can have an argument over four or five players getting into the team, or to have a conversation about it at least, is a step in the right direction.
      “But, let’s not get it twisted. City are way ahead of where Man United are.”
      Way ahead — but no longer over the hill and far away.Ferdinand, like many United fans, can see that bright new dawn on the horizon.
      Read More on The Sun
      And he no longer has to look through his fingers and go searching for it.
      RIO FERDINAND is an ambassador for BT Sport.
      It is set to be a hotly contested derby More

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      in Motorsport

      Lewis Hamilton celebrates birthday with £200m mega-yacht cruise to see penguins in Antarctica

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      RACE ace Lewis Hamilton had a really ice birthday with a trip to see penguins in Antarctica.The seven-time F1 world champion was in (South) Pole position as he celebrated with the cruise on a £200million mega-yacht.
      Lewis Hamilton strikes a pose on a trip to see penguins in Antarctica
      The racing driver was joined by US Olympic snowboard gold medallist Shaun White
      Hamilton, 38 last Saturday, joined US Olympic snowboard gold medallist Shaun White, 36, on board M/Y Octopus.
      He was spotted in a video White posted on Instagram as the group snapped Adélie penguins in Antarctica’s Victoria Land.
      Hamilton also posed in a bright orange snowsuit for his own pictures and videos online.
      The 414ft Octopus, which costs £1.8million a week to charter, was built for late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and is owned by Swedish billionaire Roger Samuelsson.
      Read More on Lewis Hamilton
      The vessel boasts a glass-bottomed aquarium, dive centre and underwater robot.
      The racing driver also posted a video of him running with the “Eye of the Tiger” song playing over the top.
      Hamilton took this selfie in the South Pole
      The 414ft Octopus, which costs £1.8million a week to charter, was built for late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen More

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      in Soccer

      Celeb BB’s Natasha Giggs – who had affair with Man Utd legend Ryan – living with fireman who left his wife and 3 kids

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      CELEBRITY Big Brother’s Natasha Giggs has scored with a married man again — this time bagging a hunky fireman.The reality TV star, who had an affair with ex-footballer Ryan Giggs despite being wed to his brother Rhodri, is living with Haroon Headley after he walked out on his wife Nicole.
      Natasha Giggs has scored with a married man again — this time bagging a hunky firemanCredit: Dan Kennedy – The Sun
      Natasha is living with Haroon Headley after he walked out on his wife NicoleCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
      The couple moved in to a three-bedroom home together in ManchesterCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
      Natasha had an affair with Ryan Giggs despite being wed to his brother RhodriCredit: Getty
      Mum-of-four Natasha, 40, and dad-of-three Haroon, 45, have now moved in to a three-bedroom home together in Greater Manchester.
      But a source warned that Natasha, who also bedded a string of other footballers, may have met her match.
      The source said: “Haroon walked out on his wife and three kids a couple of months ago after more than 20 years of being together.
      “He has always fancied himself as a bit of a ladies’ man.
      Read More on Natasha Giggs
      “Earlier this year things started to go from bad to worse in their relationship. Haroon would disappear for hours and then be very defensive when Nicole asked where he had been.
      “He and Natasha met and they hit it off and it would appear she knew he was a married man.
      “It may be she has met her match in him. Time will tell.”
      Stacey’s betrayal of husband Rhodri, 45, came to light in June 2011 when she admitted she had been sleeping with his footie ace brother Ryan, 49, for eight years.
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      She revealed she aborted Ryan’s baby just weeks before she married Rhodri in Las Vegas.
      Natasha and Ryan first began dating secretly in 2003 and continued their affair while his wife Stacey had been pregnant with their two children.
      The day before her interview was published, Natasha fled to Spain, leaving her mum to go round to tell Rhodri.
      Natasha, who has two children with Rhodri, appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2012, telling housemates: “I had a really long affair with a footballer who happened to be my brother-in-law.”
      A year later she started dating Mark Smith and had two more children with him.
      The couple are believed to have split during lockdown.
      Last year, Rhodri claimed his ex-wife had flings with ten footballers.
      Ryan Giggs with his mum and brother Rhodri with the Premiership trophyCredit: Collect
      Natasha with Rhodri celebrating their Las Vegas wedding in 2010Credit: Collect More

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      Mystery surrounds wedding of Jermain Defoe and estranged ‘wife’ Donna as ‘no record of marriage can be found’

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      JERMAIN Defoe’s £200,000 wedding that featured in celeb mag OK! has caused a riddle about whether it actually happened.The local register office has no record of him and his “bride” Donna Tierney legally getting married at the country house venue, which it normally would do.
      Jermain Defoe’s wedding to Donna Tierney is at the centre of a riddle over whether it really took placeCredit: instagram
      The footballer’s wedding cost £200,000 and was featured by OK! magazineCredit: instagram
      Defoe was pictured without his wedding ring while on holiday in St Lucia
      The Sun on Sunday revealed last week that the couple had split and spent Christmas thousands of miles apart.
      Their Berkshire wedding six months earlier featured over 14 pages in the mag and on the cover.
      The split came three months after we revealed former Spurs and England footie ace Defoe, 39, had sent sex texts to a nurse while “married”.
      There is also no record of any marriage in Glasgow where they were living at the time on June 4 last year.
      READ MORE JERMAIN DEFOE
      A source said: “It’s all a mystery. They didn’t let the mag have their reporter and photographer at the wedding at Cliveden House.
      “Instead, they had their own photographer and sent them the pictures, and then subsequently gave an interview to a reporter.
      “But no one is aware of them actually getting married and there were no pictures in the magazine of anyone marrying them.”
      We approached Defoe for comment.
      Most read in Football
      When we approached Donna — who has removed the pics from her social media — and asked if they actually got wed, she said: “Of course we did. I’ve heard these rumours, I don’t know where they’ve come from.”
      Former England international footballer Defoe retired from playing last yearCredit: The FA – Getty Images
      Donna Tierney insists her wedding to Jermain Defoe was legitimateCredit: instagram
      There is also no record of any marriage between Jermain and DonnaCredit: instagram
      Defoe and Donna both spent Christmas apart – which should have been their first together as a married coupleCredit: instagram More

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      in Soccer

      Troy Deeney: I love Arteta’s touchline antics and Arsenal stars will want to know their manager is in trenches with them

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      AFTER Mikel Arteta threw a wobbler on the touchline the other night, I’ve heard a few people urging the Arsenal boss to keep calm.They reckon that it’s important not to lose your head, especially in a title race, and that Arteta’s antics might have a negative effect on his team.
      Mikel Arteta’s touchline antics vs Newcastle were criticised by someCredit: Alamy
      But Troy Deeney has backed Arteta for setting a tone for his playersCredit: Getty
      But I disagree with that and I think his players will, too.
      If you’re playing a crucial match, you want to know your manager is in the trenches with you.
      It’s not so much about showing ‘passion’. It’s about intensity. It’s about a manager setting a tone for his players.
      I see Arteta kicking every ball, slinging the ball back in for throw-ins and getting in the ear of the match officials — and I like it.
      READ MORE ON ARSENAL
      Against Newcastle on Tuesday night, Arteta was particularly hyper and I think he overstepped the mark right at the end when he was appealing for a penalty for handball.
      That was a case of clutching at straws and it looked as if he felt Arsenal were simply entitled to get a penalty.
      But, generally, I love Arteta’s demeanour on the touchline.
      One thing I do know for a fact is that the Spaniard is not putting on any kind of a show during matches.
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      I’ve heard from his players that he has the same sort of intensity during every training session.
      I think this is one of the reasons why Arteta is really getting a tune out of his players this season.
      Most of the very best managers are the same — Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola.
      Even Arsene Wenger, supposedly one of the nicest gentlemen in the game, was sent off several times.
      Being successful in management is not all about keeping a cool head. I’ve had managers who are even more manic than Arteta — one in particular, Walter Mazzarri at Watford.
      To be honest, he was an absolute nutter during matches.
      Mazzarri would be up and down the touchline, frequently on the pitch while the ball was in play, swearing in Italian, sweating profusely.
      He was maybe a little over the top. If you were winning, you’d have a sly smile at him.
      If you were losing, you did wonder whether he was doing more harm than good — that some players wouldn’t react well.
      Mazzarri’s successor, Marco Silva, was clever. He would leave it to his fitness coach or other assistants to get into the referee’s ear on his behalf.
      I see Arteta kicking every ball, slinging the ball back in for throw-ins and getting in the ear of the match officials — and I like it. Troy Deeney
      Nigel Pearson knew he had a bit of a reputation with referees so, by the time he was at Watford, he would try to kill the fourth official with kindness.
      I tell you something, though, however loud it is inside a stadium, players always hear what their manager is shouting — pretty much every word.
      It then becomes a case of selective hearing.
      We will hear every word of praise we get from a gaffer but if we’re getting criticism we will cock a deaf ’un.
      But the way managers act and what they say during matches really can have an affect on the outcome of a game.
      Arteta will not be calming down on the touchline any time soon and his players won’t want him to.
      As he enters his first title race as a manager, he will be even more aware of the effect his words and actions have — it becomes psychological warfare.
      Arteta described it as ‘scandalous’ that Arsenal’s two penalty shouts against Newcastle were turned down by the officials. That was a classic deflection technique.
      Putting the blame on the referee and VAR when Arsenal simply hadn’t done enough to break down an excellent Newcastle defence in the 0-0 draw at the Emirates.
      Just like Jurgen Klopp, when Liverpool were well beaten at Brentford the previous night.
      Klopp claimed talking to referees was like speaking to his microwave. He knew it was an easy headline to deflect the fact that his team hadn’t been good enough.
      Players appreciate that kind of thing too — especially if you know that you personally have had a stinker.
      You know your manager has taken some heat off you.
      Read More on The Sun
      Of course, Arteta doesn’t want to have a Kevin Keegan-style meltdown in front of the cameras and I don’t think he will.
      But if you are expecting the Arsenal manager to chill out on the touchline, you can think again — he’s probably going to get even more intense from here on in. More