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      Rod Stewart blasts ‘disrespectful’ Cristiano Ronaldo for playing ‘manager’ at Old Trafford

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      IF footie fan Rod puts Celtic and Scotland first, he’s always taken a keen interest in Man United.This goes back to the incredible Busby Babes, the young team nurtured by legendary Scots manager Matt Busby in the Fifties. 
      Rod Stewart says he was ‘a little disturbed’ that Cristiano Ronaldo ‘was on the touchline the other night, taking over from Ole (manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer)’Credit: Getty
      Rod says Ronaldo was being ‘very disrespectful’Credit: Getty
      Eight players were killed in the devastating 1958 Munich air disaster.
      So, what’s Rod’s take on the return of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford?
      “Oh, it’s wonderful, it’s everywhere you go,” he says.
      “But I’m a little disturbed that he was on the touchline the other night, taking over from Ole (manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer).
      “He’s got to stop that, it’s very disrespectful.
      “One manager, one player!”
      And it looks like Ronald is set to be snubbed for a ‘dream’ Manchester United coaching role – both now and in the future.
      As revealed by SunSport earlier this season, the star wants to end his playing career at Old Trafford and then step into a backroom staff role.
      Senior figures within the club insist he was brought back exclusively as a player – and recognise he could still have plenty more seasons in the tank which would see him play into his 40s.

      Evra reveals Scholes and not Cristiano Ronaldo is best ever team-mate More

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      I met Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford playing Fortnite – now they both give me thousands to buy them designer gear

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      HIS knack for finding limited edition and sold-out clothing for top footie stars has seen him nicknamed the Garms Dealer.At just 20 years of age Sam Morgan has more than 1,500 big names in his phone including England midfielder Jack Grealish.
      Personal shopper Sam Morgan and regular customer Pogba show off Paul’s haulCredit: sammorgan/Instagram
      Sam with Man City ace Jack GrealishCredit: sammorgan/Instagram
      The young entrepreneur’s business is so successful that he now has his own Channel 4 show, Garms Dealer, where Premier League players chat all things fashion and challenge him to deliver designer outfits in less than 24 hours.
      Among his finds are a £7,300 Prada jacket for Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha, a £1,600 Saint Laurent jacket for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, and £1,500 vintage 1993 Chanel sunglasses for Grealish.
      Man City’s record British signing reveals on the show how he likes to spend some of his £300,000-a-week wages on eccentric clothing.
      Grealish, who just signed a six-figure deal with online retailer boohooMAN, says: “People say I am confident on the pitch, I’d say I’m the same off it. I like wearing ‘out there’ clothes.”
      The 26-year-old footie ace is on his way to becoming the new David Beckham thanks to his changing haircuts and quirky fashion sense.
      The Birmingham-born ace’s wardrobe staples include flowery tracksuits, colourful bucket hats and ultra-bright label hoodies all thrown together.

      And Grealish relies on Sam to make sure his purchases are “legit” and that he nabs exclusive lines before anyone else.
      Other big names to hire Sam to fill their wardrobes include Tottenham striker Harry Kane, Man United midfielder Paul Pogba, Man City ace Kevin De Bruyne and Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
      Personal shopper Sam doesn’t stop at clothes either — he can get hold of luxury bags and watches and organise private jets and last-minute bookings at top-end restaurants.
      His talents have even seen him become friends with some of his famous clients, who have invited him to their multi-million pads to play table football and pool.
      Sam says his ability to hustle goes back to his school days.
      He said: “I’ve always been selling. When I was in year seven, I’d come home with three or four pounds and it is the same now — but on a much bigger scale.”
      His clothes-selling business started when he bought a batch of Kanye West’s sought-after Yeezy trainers and sold them on for a profit of £5,000 via Instagram.
      The wheeler dealer’s contact book then expanded through word of mouth.
      After Arsenal reserve player Cohen Brammall, now at Lincoln City in division one, followed Sam on the social media site, he offered to find him clothing.
      He soon found more senior players and stars from Premier League teams were lining up to use Sam’s services.
      I’ve played with Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford. All these players have become clients from playing Fortnite.Sam Morgan
      He has known one of his clients, Rice, since the West Ham player was in the under-18 squad and went to watch him at this summer’s Euro championship with the midfielder’s brother.
      But it was Spurs ace Dele Alli that really drew in the A-listers.
      Sam said: “Dele introduced me to multiple England players. It just went from one to player to another player, and as long as you provide a good service you’re set.”
      Another way he managed to secure Everton goalie Jordan Pickford as a client and fill up his contacts is the online video game, Fortnite, where players can talk to one another.
      Sam said: “I’ve played with Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford. All these players have become clients from playing Fortnite.”
      The middle man is also the aces’ lucky charm, claiming strikers tend to score on the weekend he sells them clothes.
      One such star was Pogba, who is known for his garish haircuts and clothes.
      Two days before France beat Croatia at the 2018 World Cup final, Sam told the player to pay on the day of the match and Pogba went on to score the team’s third goal.
      Sam later hand-delivered several Gucci jackets and vintage glasses to the legend’s hotel room in Paris where they posed for a celebratory selfie.
      He also has clients outside of sports, including rappers and a sheikh who ordered a hard-to-get Rolex.
      Sam agreed to find the watch as long as he could deliver it in person so the billionaire promptly lined up a private jet to fly him in style.
      On The Garms Dealer, Grealish is super-excited about the designer items Sam has sourced for him, especially some sunglasses. He describes the pair as “rascal” and a Chrome Hearts cap as “ledge”.
      Aces’ £33,700 haul . . .
      JACK GREALISH ordered a £1,100 Louis Vuitton jumper, two Gallery Dept hats for £800 and four pairs of vintage glasses worth £2,320.
      Total: £4,220.
      DECLAN RICE bought a Saint Laurent jacket for £1,600, two Dior hoodies together priced at £2,350, Dior trainers for £810 and Givenchy sneakers for £495.
      Total: £5,255.
      WILFRIED ZAHA purchased a £1,100 Amiri tracksuit “for chilling”, Prada tracksuit £2,020, Palm Angels tracksuit £700, Yeezy foams £1,760 and Prada jacket, of which there were only two in the UK, at £7,300.
      Total: £12,880.
      PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG has ordered a £4,200 Louis Vuitton Prism backpack and Amiri hoodie and shorts for £1,700.
      Total: £5,900.
      PAUL POGBA once ordered Korean brand 99%IS trousers at £1,000, £400 Rhude T-shirts, and another time a pink Amiri leather jacket worth £2,000, Dior B22 trainers worth £980 and Amiri ripped jeans that retail around £1,000.
      Total: £5,380.
      Man City ace Jack models for boohooMANCredit: BOOHOO
      Sam with World Cup winner and former Arsenal ace Mesut OzilCredit: sammorgan/Instagram
      Wheeler dealer Sam with Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick AubameyangCredit: Refer to Caption
      Dior B22 trainers worth £980, Gallery Dept hat £380, Louis Vuitton Prism Backpack £4,200, Amiri tie dye hoodie
      Trevor Sinclair says that there is no desire within the Man Utd team More

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      I met Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford playing Fortnite – now they give me thousands to buy them designer gear

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      HIS knack for finding limited edition and sold-out clothing for top footie stars has seen him nicknamed the Garms Dealer.At just 20 years old Sam Morgan has more than 1,500 big names in his phone including England midfielder Jack Grealish.
      Personal shopper Sam Morgan and regular customer Pogba show off Paul’s haulCredit: sammorgan/Instagram
      Sam with Man City ace Jack GrealishCredit: sammorgan/Instagram
      The young entrepreneur’s business is so successful that he now has his own Channel 4 show, Garms Dealer, where Premier League players chat all things fashion and challenge him to deliver designer outfits in less than 24 hours.
      Among his finds are a £7,300 Prada jacket for Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha, a £1,600 Saint Laurent jacket for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, and £1,500 vintage 1993 Chanel sunglasses for Grealish.
      Man City’s record British signing reveals on the show how he likes to spend some of his £300,000-a-week wages on eccentric clothing.
      Grealish, who just signed a six- figure deal with online retailer boohooMAN, says: “People say I am confident on the pitch, I’d say I’m the same off it. I like wearing ‘out there’ clothes.”
      The 26-year-old footie ace is on his way to becoming the new David Beckham thanks to his changing haircuts and quirky fashion sense.
      The Birmingham-born ace’s wardrobe staples include flowery tracksuits, colourful bucket hats and ultra-bright label hoodies all thrown together.

      And Grealish relies on Sam to make sure his purchases are “legit” and that he nabs exclusive lines before anyone else.
      Other big names to hire Sam to fill their wardrobes include Tottenham striker Harry Kane, Man United midfielder Paul Pogba, Man City ace Kevin De Bruyne and Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
      Personal shopper Sam doesn’t stop at clothes either — he can get hold of luxury bags and watches and organise private jets and last-minute bookings at top-end restaurants.
      His talents have even seen him become friends with some of his famous clients, who have invited him to their multi-million pads to play table football and pool.
      Sam says his ability to hustle goes back to his school days.
      He said: “I’ve always been selling. When I was in year seven, I’d come home with three or four pounds and it is the same now — but on a much bigger scale.”
      His clothes-selling business started when he bought a batch of Kanye West’s sought-after Yeezy trainers and sold them on for a profit of £5,000 via Instagram.
      The wheeler dealer’s contact book then expanded through word of mouth.
      After Arsenal reserve player Cohen Brammall, now at Lincoln City in division one, followed Sam on the social media site, he offered to find him clothing.
      He soon found more senior players and stars from Premier League teams were lining up to use Sam’s services.
      I’ve played with Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford. All these players have become clients from playing Fortnite.Sam Morgan
      He has known one of his clients, Rice, since the West Ham player was in the under-18 squad and went to watch him at this summer’s Euro championship with the midfielder’s brother.
      But it was Spurs ace Dele Alli that really drew in the A-listers.
      Sam said: “Dele introduced me to multiple England players. It just went from one to player to another player, and as long as you provide a good service you’re set.”
      Another way he managed to secure Everton goalie Jordan Pickford as a client and fill up his contacts is the online video game, Fortnite, where players can talk to one another.
      Sam said: “I’ve played with Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford. All these players have become clients from playing Fortnite.”
      The middle man is also the aces’ lucky charm, claiming strikers tend to score on the weekend he sells them clothes.
      One such star was Pogba, who is known for his garish haircuts and clothes.
      Two days before France beat Croatia at the 2018 World Cup final, Sam told the player to pay on the day of the match and Pogba went on to score the team’s third goal.
      Sam later hand-delivered several Gucci jackets and vintage glasses to the legend’s hotel room in Paris where they posed for a celebratory selfie.
      He also has clients outside of sports, including rappers and a sheikh who ordered a hard-to-get Rolex.
      Sam agreed to find the watch as long as he could deliver it in person so the billionaire promptly lined up a private jet to fly him in style.
      On The Garms Dealer, Grealish is super-excited about the designer items Sam has sourced for him, especially some sunglasses. He describes the pair as “rascal” and a Chrome Hearts cap as “ledge”.
      Aces’ £33,700 haul . . .
      JACK GREALISH ordered a £1,100 Louis Vuitton jumper, two Gallery Dept hats for £800 and four pairs of vintage glasses worth £2,320.
      Total: £4,220.
      DECLAN RICE bought a Saint Laurent jacket for £1,600, two Dior hoodies together priced at £2,350, Dior trainers for £810 and Givenchy sneakers for £495.
      Total: £5,255.
      WILFRIED ZAHA purchased a £1,100 Amiri tracksuit “for chilling”, Prada tracksuit £2,020, Palm Angels tracksuit £700, Yeezy foams £1,760 and Prada jacket, of which there were only two in the UK, at £7,300.
      Total: £12,880.
      PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG has ordered a £4,200 Louis Vuitton Prism backpack and Amiri hoodie and shorts for £1,700.
      Total: £5,900.
      PAUL POGBA once ordered Korean brand 99%IS trousers at £1,000, £400 Rhude T-shirts, and another time a pink Amiri leather jacket worth £2,000, Dior B22 trainers worth £980 and Amiri ripped jeans that retail around £1,000.
      Total: £5,380.
      Man City ace Jack models for boohooMANCredit: BOOHOO
      Sam with World Cup winner and former Arsenal ace Mesut OzilCredit: sammorgan/Instagram
      Wheeler dealer Sam with Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick AubameyangCredit: Refer to Caption
      Dior B22 trainers worth £980, Gallery Dept hat £380, Louis Vuitton Prism Backpack £4,200, Amiri tie dye hoodie
      Trevor Sinclair says that there is no desire within the Man Utd team More

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      Racist fans who threw bananas at black players in 70s now hide on social media & FA needs to tackle it says Robson-Kanu

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      FOR Black History Month, The Sun is celebrating the achievements of black figures in British life, from politics to sport and entertainment.Here Welsh international and Premier League footballer Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu, 32, writes on why a lot still needs to be done to kick out racism in the beautiful game.
      Footballer Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu writes on racism in footballCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Robson-Kanu grew up in London with his Nigerian father and Welsh mother

      MY dad Rechi came from Nigeria to London in his late teens to train as a lawyer, and his philosophy around racism and understanding has always guided me.
      He showed me by example that racism is a form of discrimination, a judgement based on a lack of education.
      Racist comments, taunts and jokes say far more about the discriminator than the discriminated. It’s up to all of us to show understanding at the same time as celebrate the increasing cultural, religious and racial diversity in society.
      The England my dad came to in the 1970s was a very different place to what it is now.
      I know from him and some of the older footballers I played with when I was starting my career how bad racism was back then – the prejudice, throwing bananas at black footballers, you name it. It was horrific.
      I’m glad to say I haven’t experienced anything on that level, but when I have been exposed to racism, I’ve simply refused to acknowledge it, and certainly never let it stand in the way of my career or my positivity. We all have that choice.
      I grew up mixing with a wide range of races and cultures, both at school, on the pitch and also at home.
      My mum is English, but my gran is Welsh, and I’ve always loved that coming together of different heritages and backgrounds. It’s something to celebrate, and I do believe we’ve made huge advances.

      But as we all saw after the three young black players missed their penalties for England against Italy in the Euros final this summer, racism very much still exists, and shouldn’t be tolerated.
      Social media reduces accountability because racists can hide. There simply aren’t the repercussions there needed to stop this, and within football that should come from higher up, via the FA, EUFA, and the Premiership.
      If this was your son or daughter being attacked by hiding cowards, how would you feel? Somebody needs to take ownership of this problem, and deal with it.
      Black History Month is a way to remind ourselves of where we’ve been, but also where we’re going. Remember that “history” is just that – his story. It’s up to us who we listen to, how we interpret events, what we celebrate or condone.
      If this was your son or daughter being attacked by hiding cowards, how would you feel? Somebody needs to take ownership of this problemThomas Hal Robson-Kanu
      The recent toppling of statues of slave traders, renaming organisations linked to slavery, it’s correct that these things have happened as we reinterpret what happened.
      Growing awareness, education and acceptance are the ways forward.
      But while it’s great to have October as a focus, we need to make sure these conversations happen year-round. We need to develop and grow towards not just accepting all races and cultures, but celebrating our diversity to create a new legacy for our children.
      The business my dad and I run – The Turmeric Co. – is black-owned and employs people of all races, sourcing ingredients from Africa, with production in the UK.
      I hope that by creating organisations like ours we can champion an increased understanding and awareness of all our backgrounds and create a better world for all of us.
      The Turmeric Co. joined the boycott of social media in April and May along with a number of Premier League clubs in reaction to abuse directed at Anthony Martial, Trent Alexander Arnold, Marcus Rashford, Reece James and Sadio Mane. We can all do our bit to change the world.
      This is why I strongly support Black History Month, and The Sun championing awareness of all these issues. Together we really can kick it out.
      The dad-of-three, who is married to former Miss Scotland Hayley Bartlett, has played for West Bromwich Albion since 2016Credit: PA
      Hal now runs a nutritional supplement businessCredit: Rex
      Gareth Bale says countries with racist fans should be kicked out by Uefa and ‘they’ll learn their lesson that way’ More

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      I had to delete Twitter because of racist trolls – these people need help, says Jermaine Jenas

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      HIS good-natured grin and expert insights have made him a favourite with fans of TV’s Match Of The Day.But now Jermaine Jenas has told for the first time of the shocking racist abuse he was subjected to while commentating during Euro 2020, which led to him calling the police.
      Footie star Jermaine Jenas reveals for the first time of the shocking racist abuse he was subjected to while commentating during Euro 2020Credit: Flicker Productions
      The laid-back man and former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, even called the policeCredit: PA:Press Association
      The former footie ace and One Show host is urging social media giants to clamp down on trolls.
      Jermaine has joined forces with the Football Policing Unit — set up in conjunction with the Home Office — and has spent the past 12 months researching racism for a new Channel 4 documentary, sharing the frustrations of the country’s elite footballers.
      The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder even came face to face with a generic online abuser on Hunting The Football Trolls – after two trolls who had personally abused him, personally, were rules out on grounds of mental health. 
      Jermaine, 38, says: “These unregulated platforms, where people can be anonymous, have become like the black market of racism. I got a lot of abuse commentating during the Euros, which wasn’t nice.
      “Pretty much any game I did, I was trending on Twitter afterwards — a lot of it was racial abuse, some of it just abuse for no reason. It got to the point — after the third game, I think — where I had to delete Twitter. It wasn’t a healthy place for me to be.
      “I’m quite a laid-back person, quite relaxed and I have strong self-belief. But for the first time, I found myself acting a bit differently, being a lot more sensitive when people were trying to have a laugh or a joke with me. After the tournament, there were a couple of tweets that the police highlighted — ones that were directly racist.

      Learn and change
      “So I’m currently going through the process of trying to get some form of punishment for those two people. The police have tracked them down, and I’ve given my statement.
      “Unfortunately these things take time, so who knows if and when they will be charged. There does need to be more of a deterrent — be it a fine, a custodial sentence or some sort of reform, giving education and help to these people, so they can learn and change for good.”
      In the run-up to Euro 2020, as lockdown hit and fans were kept out of stadiums, reported online abuse against footballers soared by 48 per cent. England’s own success at the tournament, where they made their first final in 55 years, was unquestionably soured by fighting in the ground, and the horrendous trolling of young stars Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho in the wake of their penalty misses.
      Depressingly, Jermaine reveals he recently tried lodging a formal complaint with Instagram after being labelled a “half-caste c***” — but, staggeringly, was told the language did not break rules.
      He adds: “I went through the whole process, sent an email, everything, after someone called me that — it rocked me. I hadn’t heard that term since I was maybe eight years old. And Instagram came back to me and said it wasn’t against the community guidelines.
      “This is why so many players are so disillusioned. I spoke to Kyle Walker in the documentary and so many footballers are feeling very disheartened — they don’t feel empowered to do anything.
      I’m currently going through the process of trying to get some form of punishment for those two people. The police have tracked them down, and I’ve given my statement.Jermaine Jenas
      “They think, ‘I get racial abuse but what’s the point in me taking action, taking nine hours out of a couple of rest days, when nothing is going to happen?’
      “And from the clubs’ perspective, it deters them from wanting to get involved as much. They want their players ready for a Saturday afternoon. They want them fit and mentally ready to go.
      “They don’t want them in police stations giving statements every two minutes.”
      In the documentary, Jermaine meets an unidentified 22-year-old man to quiz him on his previous online racial abuse. It makes for uncomfortable viewing.
      The star suffered a career-ending cruciate ligament rupture in 2014 while playing for Queens Park Rangers. As a gifted box-to-box midfielder, the ace made his full Three Lions debut in 2003 — the same year he was named PFA Young Player Of The Year.
      He helped Tottenham win the Carling Cup in 2008, and went on to play 21 times for his country.
      Monkey chants
      In his heyday, Instagram was in its infancy. But the abuse he received was every bit as sinister, especially after a North London derby. Incredibly, Arsenal fans at his mobile phone provider would dish out his number to fans who would then ring and leave vile messages.
      He explains: “Somebody at the phone company where my mobile was registered at the time would hand out my number, and it would spread among opposition fans. I’d finish the 90 minutes, look at my phone and have 20 voicemails saying, ‘Jenas, you black this’ or ‘Jenas, you N-word’ — every kind of racial slur you can think of. I had to keep changing my number, it was awful.”
      He also reveals his worst ever footballing experience was in 2004 when playing for England against Spain at the Bernabeu stadium. England lost 1-0 but the game will be remembered more for the monstrous monkey chants hurled at the team’s black players “every time we touched the ball”.
      He adds: “That was the worst feeling being on a football pitch. I just thought, ‘Why are we here?’ ” Naturally, Jermaine agrees with players taking the knee before games and applauds current England players including Tyrone Mings, Raheem Sterling and Rashford for speaking so eloquently about the subject.
      “I’ve never been so attached to a team as I am this current England team,” he says. Everything they do, everything they stand for, the way they play. They have big shoulders, they take responsibility and they are quite happy to discuss social issues or big racial issues.
      “And we have a manager who gives them the freedom to do that. I actually love this team.” After formally announcing his retirement nearly six years ago, Jermaine has become a household name thanks to a regular slot on MoTD.
      Last year he made the successful transition from football pundit to bona fide broadcaster — and showbusiness celebrity — after landing a co-hosting role on BBC’s The One Show alongside Alex Jones.
      Surreally for a lad who grew up on a tough council estate in Nottingham, he has gone on to interview stars including Dolly Parton, Jennifer Aniston and Annie Lennox.
      ‘I look up to Gary’
      But Jermaine credits his “forward-thinking” parents, Dennis and Lynette, for helping him stay grounded — and sane in the face of racial abuse.
      He explains: “I was the son of a black dad and a white mum, and she’d be called a n****er-lover in the street when I was a child, walking by her side.” Of his former semi-professional footballing father, Jermaine adds: “He told me the best way to ignore the taunts in the stands was to score a goal. He was more a Martin Luther King than a Malcolm X.”
      Jermaine, a keen home cook and gym devotee, has been tipped to replace MoTD host Gary Lineker should the ex-England striker decide to hang up his microphone.
      Jermaine’s a big fan of the 60-year-old Leicester legend, and credits him with helping his career.
      Chatting from his home in London, where he lives with wife Ellie and their three children, the devoted family man says: “Gary is somebody I’ve always looked up to as a presenter, and someone I’ve loved working with.
      “I remember one of my first One Show gigs, I had a bit of a sticky moment and I knew I could have handled it better, and Gary reached out, messaged me and said, ‘Look, just a bit of advice; if this happens again, try doing this’.
      Match Of The Day is the biggest job on television, and if I ever got the opportunity of course I’d say yes.Jermaine Jenas
      “He’d tell me what he used to do when he was first starting out, and I always appreciated that. He went out of his way to help me. Gary is like the Des Lynam of my era, let’s make him feel nice and old!
      “Match Of The Day is the biggest job on television, and if I ever got the opportunity of course I’d say yes. When Gary decides to call it a day, I’m sure the BBC will have a look around and decide who’s the best fit for the job.
      “Obviously I’d be absolutely delighted if it was me. But Gary’s not going anywhere.”

      Hunting The Football Trolls: Jermaine Jenas, airs Thursday at 10pm on Channel 4.

      The former footie ace and One Show host, 38, is urging social media giants to clamp down on trollsCredit: Flicker Productions
      Jermaine, here with wife Ellie, says ‘It got to the point — after the third game, I think — where I had to delete Twitter. It wasn’t a healthy place for me to be’Credit: Rex
      The star, here as a pundit on Match Of The Day, reveals ‘Gary is somebody I’ve always looked up to as a presenter, and someone I’ve loved working with’
      The One Show’s Jermaine Jenas winces as he makes nightmare Martin Clunes name blunder More

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      Jack Grealish’s girlfriend Sasha Attwood is Exceptional, Elegant and very Expensive, says first footie WAG Suzi Walker

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      BRITAIN’S first footie Wag has tipped Jack Grealish and Sasha Attwood to become the new king and queen of the game.Suzi Walker says Sasha reminds her of a young Victoria Beckham, oozing the classic E-Type Wag characteristics: “Exceptional looks, elegance and expensive taste.”
      Britain’s first footie Wag compares Jack Grealish’s girlfriend Sasha Attwood to Victoria BeckhamCredit: INSTAGRAM/SASHA ATTWOOD
      Suzi Walker, was married to ex-England and Spurs goalie Ian Walker for 13 years, she says Sasha oozes the classic E-Type Wag characteristics
      But Suzi, who was married to ex-England and Spurs goalie Ian Walker for 13 years, had a warning for the £100milion Man City ace and his model partner about the fickle nature of life in football’s spotlight.
      She said: “One minute they treat you like Pele, the next minute they treat you like you play for Peckham Town.”
      Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, Suzi added: “If they can keep their feet on the ground, there’s no reason why Jack and Sasha can’t be the new king and queen of footie.
      “Sasha is very, very pretty and Jack is very good looking with his headband and cheeky grin. He’s got it all going on and between them, they’ve got the whole shebang — exceptional looks, elegance and expensive taste.“At the start of our relationship, Ian was new on the scene and very good-looking, like Jack Grealish.
      “I can see the similarities, like I can see the similarities with Beckham. Maybe it’s the floppy hair.
      “Half of me thinks, good luck to them, but half of me thinks you have no idea what you’re letting yourself in for. Being a superstar football couple is a mad journey.”

      ‘Robbie Savage’s wife never said hello to me’
      The pair have been dating on-and-off since meeting as teens in Solihull, West Midlands. Online clothes giant BooHoo this week handed 25-year-old Sasha a major deal to promote the fashion brand after it signed up Jack, 26, in June.
      The Sun this week hailed the couple as Sash and Jacks, revealing how they have everything to become as big as the Beckhams.
      Suzi’s roller-coaster Wag journey started in the mid-Nineties, when her childhood sweetheart Ian broke into the Spurs team and they were soon being pictured on red carpets.
      Today Suzi, 50, lifts the lid on her experiences of the Wag world — including the cliquey nature of the England major ­tournament bubble, being shunned because Ian played badly and how the Leicester City’s players’ lounge was once the most hostile to visit.
      She broke on to the scene in 1994, when Ian was playing for Tottenham and she was an aspiring model. She said: “I wasn’t really interested in football, but I loved chatting with all the other Wags in the players’ lounges. It was an incredibly glamorous life of lots of jewellery, lots of bags and lots and lots of glamour, which at that age I really craved.
      “But things went ballistic when Ian got into the England squad. While we were pretty well known, the absolute king and queen of the scene were David and Victoria. Everyone was desperate to be accepted into their inner circle.
      It was an incredibly glamorous life of lots of jewellery, lots of bags and lots and lots of glamour, which at that age I really craved. Suzi Walker
      “Victoria and I got on well, so we were invited to loads of parties at Beckingham Palace. Their house was beautiful and they were amazingly glamorous affairs. You’d spend all day getting ready, choosing your best dress and getting your hair, nails and make-up done.
      “We went to Brooklyn’s naming party and loads of murder mystery events and had lots of evening dinners too during the international tournaments like the Euros in Portugal in 2004.
      “Victoria was really down to earth and good fun, although all the other Wags got very competitive about getting an invite.”
      But it wasn’t always champagne, long lunches and days in the salon. If a Wag’s husband had a bad game or was dropped from the England squad or their club side, life very quickly became much harder. Suzi said: “When that happens, you’re straight out of the loop, and only one or two of the wives have ever contacted me since.”
      “I remember Ian once let a shot bounce over him in an England match, which they lost, and one of the other wives came over to me and said, ‘We would have won if it wasn’t for your husband’. I was gobsmacked, as I would never say things like that to anyone. Most of the wives were nice, but you did get a bit of bitchiness.
      “If a new player joined, I’d always make an effort to welcome their partner, like I did with Dennis Wise’s wife when he joined Leicester, but not everyone was as friendly.” And she claimed: “When I was there, Robbie Savage’s wife didn’t say hello or acknowledge me. Not even in the toilets. Because of the atmosphere, Leicester was always a player’s lounge that girls wanted to avoid but I remember Spurs being the friendliest. They were always so lovely there.”
      It’s tough living in that sort of spotlight. Suzi Walker
      Suzi, who divorced Ian in 2007 and married bank trader Mark ­Pitman three years ago, said one of the stand-out moments for her was going to Portugal with the other Wags while Ian played for England in Euro 2004.
      She said: “It was a great bonding experience. We went out to Italy before as a group to get to know each other then got really close in Portugal, spending the days by the pool in our fancy ­bikinis or having spa treatments and massages and shopping, all marshalled by Victoria Beckham.
      “She was definitely in charge then. Coleen Rooney was there but was just a kid. She was so innocent and young when I first met her. She was still a teenager and has this lovely Liverpool accent. I got on really well with Joe Cole’s wife Carly when we were there. One thing I remember was how it could become quite cliquey.
      “Sometimes you had to wait to find out if you’d been invited to dinner. If you hadn’t had a message by 5pm it meant you hadn’t.” But Suzi’s advice to Sasha and Jack is to enjoy the high life while they’re riding the crest of the wave — as it can all come crashing down.
      She said: “It’s fun when you are their age, with lots of lovely homes and lovely cars and holidays. But it’s tough living in that sort of spotlight. You’re always worried as a Wag that someone even prettier will come along at any moment, so all I’d say to Sasha is, ‘Be yourself, be kind — don’t be ruthless and don’t get ideas above your station’.
      “I hope Jack’s got good people around him or they’ve got no chance. But Jack and Sasha seem very much in love and a sweet couple so I hope they stay together. But only time will tell.
      “Maybe there will be a wedding in a couple of years. If not, we’ll all be back here talking about where it all went wrong. Good luck to them.”
      Below, Suzie rates how some other star Wags and players stack up . . . 
      Here Sasha Attwood watches on as Manchester City unveil new signing Jack Grealish to fans at Etihad Stadium on August 9, 2021Credit: Getty
      Suzi says of the pair, here pictured in 2014, ‘Jack and Sasha seem very much in love and a sweet couple so I hope they stay together. But only time will tell’Credit: TWITTER/JACK GREALISH
      Jack & Sasha
      WAG RATING (5): Handsome boy, and she is a very beautiful model. It doesn’t get any better.
      GLAM FACTOR (5): She looks immaculate, and what girl doesn’t love Jack’s hairband look? My daughter Cameron thinks he is gorgeous.
      SUZI SAYS: “Half of me thinks, ‘Wow they’ve got such a bright future’, and the other thinks, ‘You’ve no idea what you’ve got coming’.”

      David & Victoria Beckham
      WAG RATING (5): Still the reigning champions but maybe not for long with Jack and Sasha on the scene.
      GLAM FACTOR (5): Victoria is always immaculate and her style is amazing. David is an incredibly good-looking guy. They’re a tough act to follow.
      SUZI SAYS: “They were always super- nice to us, but we’ve lost touch now.”

      Steven & Alex Gerrard
      WAG RATING (4): Steven’s not brash and arrogant but is a good family man. Alex is a lovely person and stunning.
      GLAM FACTOR (5): Alex is beautiful inside and out. They’re not quite Posh and Becks but definitely not far behind.
      SUZI SAYS: “Steven was very focused during tournaments, so we didn’t spend much time on big nights out.

      Ashley & Cheryl Cole
      WAG RATING (3): Their relationship didn’t last but they were both gorgeous. I can’t give them top marks as I’m not sure Ashley has big charisma.
      GLAM FACTOR (5): It’s impossible not to give Cheryl a five.
      SUZI SAYS: “I met Ashley a few times but he was with someone else by then. I think Cheryl could have done better.”

      Man City ace Jack Grealish’s model girlfriend Sasha Attwood stuns in tight pink latex bunny outfit More

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      in Soccer

      Hardcore Fulham fans told me they’ve got my back – now I am fourth reserve goalie, says brave Rhys Porter

      by

      IT is not only Fulham players rallying behind trolled disabled footballer Rhys Porter. The 13-year-old became an internet sensation when stars from the Championship side ran to celebrate with him after going 1-0 up against Bristol City last Saturday. 
      Rhys was born with cerebral palsy, a condition that affects muscle control and movement, but his dream has always been to play football just like his friendsCredit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
      Rhys Porter, 13, became an internet sensation when stars from the Championship side ran to celebrate with him after going 1-0 up against Bristol City last SaturdayCredit: Reuters
      But what happened after the game was perhaps even more exciting for the youngster, who hit headlines after a TikTok video on him playing for his football team drew thousands of vile messages online.
      His mum Kelly has told how a gang of “serious-looking” Fulham fans raced down the train to find him on the way home after the match.
      She says: “They were the real hardcore fans that don’t wear any Fulham stuff. 
      “They were carrying their plastic pints, banter in full flow. Suddenly, one of the guys tells everyone in the carriage that Rhys, ‘Is a legend’.
      “He said the whole of Fulham’s Hammersmith End has got his back. Anyone picking on Rhys in the street is going to need to watch out. He’s one of the lads, wheelchair or not. 
      “Then this bloke said, ‘If your mum can’t take you to football, I’m going to come and get you’.”
       At the family’s home in Hillingdon, Middlesex, Rhys breaks into a wide smile and says: “It was brilliant!” 

      Kelly, 41, an aviation company HR worker, adds: “That probably meant as much to him as any of the many messages of support he’s had because that’s what he strives to be.
      “He wants to be walking, he wants to go in the pub, he wants to go to the football and do things which he considers normal.
      Loved the freedom
      “That moment on the train shows his message is getting across — ‘I’m in a wheelchair but there is nothing different about me. I’m still a lad. I still like football, it’s just my legs aren’t working’. 
      “And that is what he tried to say all along — ‘Why can’t I be included?’.”
       Rhys, an only child, was born with cerebral palsy, a condition that affects muscle control and movement. 
      He was unable to walk and, aged seven, developed epilepsy, but the seizures appear to have stopped.
      Rhys has always been football crazy, at first supporting dad Adam’s team Arsenal, before switching allegiance to Fulham six years ago.
      But his dream has always been to play football just like his friends.
      Kelly says: “I remember when he was about three or four, he asked, ‘Can you buy me these boots because all the football players play really good in them? If you buy me these boots maybe my legs will work’. Those things were heartbreaking.” 
      Rhys says: “I always wondered why I couldn’t play for a normal team. I always wanted to play for the school and win a cup. When I was little the coach kept saying I couldn’t play.”
      His dream of being a player came true in 2013 when he and pal Tom Manning, 16, joined Feltham Bees, a football team for disabled youngsters. 
      Sometimes Rhys would play outfield in his electric wheelchair but he loved the freedom of going in goal on his hands and knees.
      But a six-second video of him making a save during a Surrey pan-disability tournament he posted on TikTok in June sparked a torrent of cruel comments.
      Rhys named as reserve keeper for the Fulham squadCredit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun

       Adam, 43, who reduced his hours as a builder to be Rhys’s carer, says: “Some of the hurtful comments were from kids, but much of it was adults and that boiled my blood even more.”
      Kelly adds: “We knew it was adults by the names he was called, like ‘vegetable van der Sar’. Van der Sar is a player from our era, a child wouldn’t use that name. 
      “Another said, ‘Read these comments before you come to the pub tonight, they’re really funny’. 
      “Somebody else wrote, ‘Oh look at him, he is doing an Eriksen’, on the day Christian Eriksen had a cardiac arrest on the pitch playing for Denmark in the Euros.”
      Adam says: “When he saw all this hate, Rhys got in a right state, screaming the place down, saying, ‘I don’t want to play football any more. Why are people so cruel?’.
      “One thing we’ve never done is shield Rhys from the fact that life is harsh. If you tell him the truth he takes it on the chin, listens and then deals with it the way he wants to deal with it.”
      So the family sat down together and read every vile comment. They even found photos online of some of the people behind the slurs.
      Kelly says: “In the beginning we set out to drown the negative comments with positive ones. I dropped emails to Fulham and other clubs.
      “Arsenal commented, ‘Really great save, Rhys’. But off the back of the positivity, there were comments like, ‘Why the hell is a club commenting on a kid that has just jumped a centimetre?’. 
      “I don’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing because it was just making it more and more negative.”
      ‘I’m me, just me’
      Then, instead of censoring the offenders, TikTok removed Rhys’s video for “attracting too much hate”. It later backed down.
       Rhys decided to fight back against the haters with positivity. He raised nearly £20,000 for disability charity Scope by doing 20 saves a day and encouraged friends to take part in Scope’s Make It Count challenge with their own fundraising activities.
      Rhys also created his own campaign #BU, which stands for Be You, to encourage everyone to include those who are disabled or different in their lives and activities.
      Kelly says: “Being a teenager in a wheelchair he has noticed that you don’t often get invited with the rest of the class to hang around in the park and do all the things boys of his age do.” 
      In his bedroom, surrounded by football memorabilia, Rhys designed a logo to go on hoodies, which he sells to raise more money for Scope.
      His #BU logo shows stick people who are disabled, black, gay and white all high-fiving each other. 
      Rhys would love England and Arsenal star Bukayo Saka — who was a victim of trolls during the Euros — to wear one. He says: “I want to try to make a difference for disabled people. You should have the same opportunities and chances as anyone else would. 
      “You shouldn’t have to be anyone different, be compared or face bullying or torment for who you are. I may not be perfect but I’m good enough. I’m me, just me.”
      GIVE IT BACKHelp is needed now more than ever.
      We are asking YOU to sign an open letter written by parent Maureen Muteesa to urge the Government to fund Covid recovery policies for disabled children. Add your support here.

      PM Boris Johnson sent a handwritten letter telling Rhys how sorry he was to hear about the nasty comments.
      The PM added: “Please don’t let it bother you and carry on doing everything you enjoy.”
      Last week Rhys went to Wembley to play wheelchair football with the stars of the England Cerebral Palsy team, who have now invited him to St George’s Park, the national training ground. 
      And Fulham’s players were so impressed with how Rhys has beaten the bullies that they invited him to train with them last week. 
      ‘Every boy’s dream’
      Centre back Tim Ream says: “People think players are role models and inspirations. What Rhys is doing is more of an inspiration than anything any of us can do.”
      At Fulham’s Motspur Park training ground, Rhys gave a #BU hoodie to striker Bobby Reid.
      The youngster says: “I told Bobby ‘if you don’t score on Saturday against Bristol then I’ll take the hoodie back’. When Mitrovic scored, I saw Bobby wave at me and the players all came over, jumped the barrier and give me a big hug. It was amazing.”
      The game ended 1-1 but by then video of the goal celebration had gone viral. Through the early hours of the following morning, Rhys’s phone pinged non-stop.
      Kelly says: “I woke up in the night thinking, ‘What the bloody hell is that?’. 
      “His phone was lighting up with thousands of messages of support from all over the world — even someone from Peru. He has had the week of his life, every boy’s dream.”
      And the dream has carried on. 
      At their Craven Cottage ground on Wednesday — where Fulham beat Swansea 3-1 — Rhys was listed in the match programme as Goalkeeper Number 4. 
      Breaking into that massive grin, he said: “Three injuries and I’m on!”
      Rhys makes the save in the TikTok video that led to trolling
      In his beloved Fulham shirt with Adam and KellyCredit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
      Rhys looking right at home with his Fulham teammatesCredit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
      Ex-Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli shows his skills on the training pitch More

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      in Soccer

      Inside the glitzy world of Jack Grealish and girlfriend Sasha Attwood who are fast turning into the new Posh and Becks

      by

      WHEN it comes to football and fashion, Posh and Becks have always been top of the league.But now the seemingly untouchable golden couple of David and Victoria Beckham have a serious rival. . . Sash and Jacks.
      In the space of just a few months, Jack Grealish’s star status has tuned meteoric
      His glamorous girlfriend Sasha Attwood has become something of a star herself
      Jack Grealish, 26, and his glamourous girlfriend Sasha Attwood, 25, could be the Greal thing when it comes to footie’s new super couple.
      Jack got a glimpse of the Posh and Becks-style mania coming his way at this summer’s Euros.
      When he threw his England shirt into the crowd after a match a gang of grown men clamoured to grab it.
      Fast forward to today and the swaggering playmaker — who became the most expensive British footballer in history following his £115million move from Aston Villa to Manchester City — is so mobbed by fans that he is having to move out of his swanky apartment.
      And his model girlfriend Sasha has just landed her first major fashion deal.
      WALKING SAME PATH
      In the space of a few short months, following his historic transfer, Jack’s star status has turned meteoric.
      A source said: “Jack had been living in a nice apartment in Manchester but recently fans have started to congregate outside.

      “It’s all very innocent and those who have been waiting around adore Jack and want to get pictures and autographs. But for safety he has now relocated.”
      It comes on the back of Sasha revealing she had received up to 200 death threats a day from jealous and abusive fans, some as young as 13, during the Euros.
      The source added: “Looking at the bigger picture, it’s not ideal that people know their building, especially given the threats Sasha has endured.”
      It is easy to see the similarities between this golden pairing and Goldenballs and Victoria.
      Jack — who wears the No7 shirt for England, just as Becks did — even wears his hair in a style his idol used to sport.
      Jack said: “He’s iconic. Everyone in England loves Beckham.
      “That said, my hair wasn’t inspired by him. It’s long and during games, when I get sweaty and my hair gets wet, it would end up going over my face too much. That’s why I started wearing a headband.”
      Jack and Sasha now find themselves walking the same path as Posh and Becks, having moved from their £1.7million home in Worcester to Manchester, where Becks played for United for 11 years.
      But it is off the pitch that the young couple, who met as teenagers at school in Solihull, West Mids, are resembling Posh and Becks.
      He’s iconic. Everyone in England loves Beckham.Jack Grealish
      Yesterday we revealed Sasha has just scored a big-money deal as the face of online clothing brand, Boohoo.
      Jack had already been snapped up to promote Boohoo Men.
      Known for wearing rolled-down socks on the pitch, the lad certainly has his own style.
      And like that other footballing style icon, Jack also admits he has worn some questionable outfits in the past. He particularly regrets a “yellow and blue T-shirt and then some pink sunglasses, which weren’t the best, but I suppose that’s what I thought was in style at the time”.
      Becks, who famously wore a sarong, once admitted he regretted “most of” his fashion faux pas, adding “but they were right at the time”.
      Jack and Sasha might not be wearing Posh and Becks-style matching leather outfits (yet), but they are heading in the right direction.
      One source told The Sun: “Jack and Sasha are being jokingly called the new Posh and Becks by some of his mates because of their fashion deals.
      “He is the man of the moment in football but he’s got plenty of female fans too, and with Sasha, those around them think they could become a new power couple. They’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.”
      ENDLESS OFFERS
      When Jack appeared on the cover of SWM, Sports World Magazine, this summer, his signature locks slicked back, smouldering into the camera, he could have been Becks’s double.
      The world is at his feet and the offers will continue to pour in for all manner of deals — just as they did for Becks.
      The 46-year-old has racked up endorsements with the likes of fashion brand Armani and high street firm H&M, as well as Haig Club whisky, plus his £113million lifetime contract with Adidas.
      Jack is now one of the most searched-for sportsmen in the UK, with research showing there are more than 200,000 Google searches of his name every month.
      He has a sponsorship deal with sports giant Nike and, even before his megabucks move to Man City, he was at the centre of a four-way bidding war with rivals Adidas, Under Armour and Puma.
      Sasha, who has 96,000 followers on Instagram, is signed to Industry Model Management.
      Posh was 23 when she first met David in the Manchester United players’ lounge in 1997, and as one fifth of pop sensations the Spice Girls, she was more famous at the time.
      Jack and Sasha are being jokingly called the new Posh and Becks by some of his mates because of their fashion deals.
      There were secret dates in car parks and snatched liaisons at hotels.
      When they finally went public, everyone wanted a slice of the couple.
      There was a frenzy over their £1million wedding the following July, which was splashed across the pages of a glossy magazine.
      Jack and Sasha have been able to let their on/off relationship grow in private. Now, like Posh and Becks before them, their romance will be played out in public.
      We revealed in August that Jack’s profile on celebrity dating site Raya was still active, despite the fact that a month earlier, Sasha had been cheering him on at the Euros final at Wembley.
      He also set tongues wagging for being seen with ex-Love Islander Ellie Brown on a night out in Manchester, but she was quick to explain they had simply bumped into each other.
      Sasha cleared up their relationship status this month when she posted a series of loved-up selfies of the pair on Jack’s 26th birthday, and posted: “Happy birthday my babe, loving you always.”
      But even Posh and Becks had their troubles. Remember Rebecca Loos?Becks’s former PA claimed they had an affair, although he always denied it.
      And while we all like to think of Becks as a clean-cut national treasure, even heroes slip up.
      In 2019 he was banned from driving for six months for using his mobile at the wheel.
      Jack was also slapped with a nine-month ban and fined more than £80,000 after pleading guilty to two counts of careless driving in March and October 2020.
      If there is one other element to becoming the new Posh and Becks, it’s having famous pals.
      Last month Jack was pictured with Ed Sheeran, who is also close pals with the Beckhams.
      They have also rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s biggest names, from the Kardashians to Elton John to Prince William.
      Jack, on the other hand, hangs out with Love Islanders and Corrie actor Andy Whyment.
      But now they’re on their way to inheriting the Beckhams’ crown, Jack and Sasha will start to move in very A-list circles.
      Jack and Sasha have even been called the new Posh and BecksCredit: Getty
      Fans think they could scoop Posh and Becks’ title of Britain’s favourite power coupleCredit: PA:Press Association
      Jack wears the No7 shirt for England, just as Becks did
      They’ve even styled their hair the same
      Sasha sported a stylish outfit while supporting her boyfriend at the EurosCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Victoria’s iconic 2004 look inspired plenty of Wags
      The sporty pair even look similar when working out
      Just like Jack, David was spotted shirtless on an afternoon run
      Man City ace Jack Grealish’s model girlfriend Sasha Attwood stuns in tight pink latex bunny outfit More