More stories

  • in

    Former Chelsea star reveals the only job Jose Mourinho would take in England after Roma sacking

    JOSE MOURINHO could still return to England despite his dramatic dismissal from Roma.That is according to Chelsea hero Mario Melchiot, who claims the Three Lions position is probably the only team Mourinho would return to the UK for.
    Jose Mourinho could return to the UK to take over as England bossCredit: Rex
    The Special One had two glittering stints with the Blues as he won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup trophy and three League Cups.
    The Portuguese tactician also won the EFL Cup as well as the Europa League with Manchester United before a two-year stint with Tottenham.
    Melchiot is not sure if the ex-Real Madrid manager has anything left to prove in the Premier League.
    However, the former Birmingham and Wigan star believes the England job poses as a major possibility as long as Mourinho is open to “slowing down” after 24 years of club football.
    Read More on Football
    Plus, a lot will depend on how England fare in Euro 2024 with manager Gareth Southgate’s deal running out in December.
    Melchiot told Ladbrokes Fanzone: “Jose Mourinho has always been a strong character, and football teams need characters, whether that’s on the pitch or in the dugout.
    “He’s so instrumental; if you talk to any players who have worked with him, they love him. I wasn’t fortunate enough to work with him during a season, as I left Chelsea just as he arrived in 2004.
    “But I’ve had enough conversations with him over the years to know what he’s like as a person. And whenever I came up against Chelsea in my career, Jose would always go out of his way to stop and talk to me.
    Most read in Football

    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
    “He’s the kind of guy who respects good players, whether they’re on his team or not. And if he respects you as a player, he will stop you in the tunnel, and shake your hand. And every time I played against his team, he would do that to me.
    “Do I see him coming back to England? I’m not sure. Why would he? He has done so many great things in this country. He had two spells in charge of Chelsea and was successful in both, he’s also managed Manchester United and Tottenham before going out to Italy.
    Glum Jose Mourinho fights back tears as he leaves Roma training ground after being brutally sacked and replaced
    “I just don’t know what else he’d need to prove in England. What is he going to do next? Go to Liverpool? Probably not. I suppose the only job he might take in England, now, is the national job.
    “It’s something that has been spoken about in the past and, personally, I think that would just come down to what the FA want from their next manager.
    “Then you’ve got to ask whether or not Jose wants to slow down… Taking a national job is a sign of a manager slowing down, because the demands of that kind of role are completely different to those within club football management.
    “Everyone knows how he likes to play, so you’ve got to look at that, too. His style of play… Does that suit England right now, and where they want to be?
    “If England want him, then he’s a great name to bring in when Gareth Southgate moves on, for sure.”
    Chelsea hero Mario Melchiot claims Mourinho may not be done with English footballCredit: Getty More

  • in

    I scored a stunner in Maidstone’s stunning FA Cup giant-killing… 24 hours later I’m back to my day job as minibus driver

    LAMAR REYNOLDS has become English football’s most famous minibus driver.Less than 24 hours after playing a huge part in one of the truly magnificent FA Cup shocks, Reynolds was back at work — ferrying around young adults with autism for a day of activities in East London.
    Maidstone United hero Lamar Reynolds celebrates after his opener against IpswichCredit: Reuters
    The star was back driving a minibus less than 24 hours after his FA Cup heroicsCredit: Instagram @lamar_rey10
    The fact Reynolds, 28, often also has to work on some midweek matchdays was a timely reminder of the enormous gulf between Maidstone of National League South and Ipswich.
    Town are second in the Championship and with hopes of promotion to the Premier League under bright young manager Kieran McKenna.
    With 22 of the 24 National League clubs now professional, you have to dip down to tier six to find the traditional non-league players who have to work to top up their part-time wages.
    TV companies have been rightly criticised this season for ignoring some of the smaller clubs in the FA Cup.
    READ MORE ON MAIDSTONE
    But the BBC were rewarded for sending their cameras to Portman Road as Maidstone became the first club from their level to reach the fifth round since Blyth Spartans in 1978.
    And they will visit another Championship side next after being drawn to face Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry — who face a replay after drawing 1-1 on Friday.
    Reynolds — a summer arrival at Maidstone from Braintree — had not even scored a goal this season before putting his team ahead just before half-time with a superb chip.
    Knowing he was due a heroes’ reception when reporting to work yesterday, he said: “I work for a company that provides social support work. It is called Links Support Solutions in Gants Hill.
    Most read in FA Cup
    FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
    “I work there once or twice a week. I am a driver. If we have a game on a Tuesday I will probably do it in the mornings.
    “They are young adults with autism so I take them to events like live wrestling, maybe a basketball game.
    “They are just young local lads and a lot of them will have watched this game.
    “At Maidstone, a lot of the players do football coaching as jobs while a few have their own little business.”
    But boss George Elokobi was not going to have any of his players using that as an excuse.
    Reynolds added: “Our gaffer put it in our heads that we had to believe. Anything can happen and you can see that in the FA Cup. Playing a tough team like Ipswich, Premier League-bound, our belief was still strong.
    “I work there once or twice a week. I am a driver. If we have a game on a Tuesday I will probably do it in the mornings.”Lamar Reynolds
    “Before the game, the boss spoke about believing and trusting in each other, knowing we are all capable of winning the game. We did the analysis and the belief was there.”
    Stones keeper Lucas Covolan made some key saves to keep his team in it before Reynolds raced on to a pass from Liam Sole and delivered a sublime finish over home keeper Christian Walton.
    Jeremy Sarmiento did level for Ipswich on 56 minutes but Stones showed major cajones ten minutes later as Reynolds set up Sam Corne’s winner.
    Jamaica-born Reynolds has spent much of his career at Essex non-league clubs like Thurrock, Brentwood, Concord Rangers and Braintree before crossing the border into Kent with Maidstone.
    And he said: “I would wait another ten seasons for a goal like that. It felt so special.
    “It is funny as I share a room with Liam Sole on away trips and, when we spoke about the game on Friday, we said we would do an assist for one of us to score — and it happened.
    “Now, we are in the round of 16. Who would have thought? It sounds ridiculous.”
    Maidstone defender George Fowler, who started his career at Ipswich, said: “I was there from 12 to 19 but never got to walk out in a first-team game. I was very proud to do that here. My friends and family all still live around here.”
    As for Ipswich, after a hugely impressive season, they are suffering a bit of a wobble.
    They have now just won two of their last nine games.
    Midfielder Sam Morsy said: “There was not much to like about our performance.
    “We had 38 shots and if you don’t score more than one goal, the game will be in the balance.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    “It hurts. We must be better.  The day belonged to them and it’s an incredible achievement. They will always remember it.
    “But we felt deflated and we felt that we let the fans down.” More

  • in

    I didn’t want to eat or see or speak to anyone as a Premier League manager… I understand Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool exit

    TO the outside world, Jurgen Klopp looks like a manager who’s got it made.Adored by the fans, his team on top of the table, already in one final with maybe more to come and a fantastic journey that’s been full of highs and very few lows.
    Jurgen Klopp has announced he will quit as Liverpool managerCredit: Rex
    So if anything tells you about the pressures of the job, it’s Jurgen’s decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
    I must admit I never saw it coming . . . but I can also totally understand him, because it’s impossible to explain what every manager works under every day.
    I’ve been there. I know what it’s like. I know that feeling of carrying the responsibility of an entire club on your shoulders. Everyone who’s been in Jurgen’s position does.
    It’s difficult for people to understand. They just see a manager — especially at a big club — and think ‘he’s earning so much money, how can that be true’. But it is, believe me.
    READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
    The pressure is incredible. It’s relentless, constant, every minute of every day. The buck stops with you, not your assistant, not your players, but you.
    In the early days when I’d first gone to West Ham, and we were in a relegation battle, I’d be lying on the settee, just staring at the ceiling.
    Sandra was still living back home in Bournemouth, I was in a little flat by the training ground, and at times I’d be really, really low.
    I didn’t want to eat, didn’t want to see anyone or speak to anyone. It was absolutely crazy. I honestly think I was close to cracking up.
    Most read in Football

    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
    When you get a win on a Saturday, there is no feeling like it. It really is the best in the world.
    I’d be driving home punching the air, the radio would be turned up and I’d be singing along to anything and everything.
    But when the opposite happened, I’d be absolutely at rock bottom. I couldn’t face going out because I didn’t want to see anyone, to bump into people.
    I look back and think ‘my god, how low was I getting?’
    When I think about it, I must have been very close to having a breakdown.
    Sometimes I’d go home and be so down. Only now do I realise how close I must have been to the edge, because it’s a feeling you come to accept as being part of the job, part of your life.
    In one spell when I was away from the club, my assistant was running things for a while and it aged him ten years!
    I didn’t want to eat, didn’t want to see anyone or speak to anyone. It was absolutely crazy. I honestly think I was close to cracking up.Harry Redknapp on managing West Ham through relegation battle
    You have your assistant, you can be really close, but they don’t feel it the same. The buck stops with the manager, end of.
    And however much a player cares, it really doesn’t compare. Of course you’re down if you lose, but then you go out with your mates or for dinner with your family and that’s it.
    As a manager, it stays with you. Every day is a real challenge, and not just what happens on the pitch.
    Maybe a player who’s got an issue at home, a kid from the youth team who’s smashed his car up or in trouble . . . there’s always something beyond football.
    It’s the fans, the club, the whole business. Everything is on your shoulders and there’s no escaping it, it’s scary.
    And it doesn’t matter if you’re standing there in front of 50,000 or a few hundred, at whatever level the pressure is the same.
    You want to win, you want to be a success, you dread being seen as a failure. That’s on you all the time.
    ‘I certainly didn’t see the signs’
    Well there’s no way Jurgen has been a failure. Yes, there have been some disappointments, some defeats, but really it has been all about the ups, not downs.
    I looked at him after the Carabao Cup game at Fulham in midweek, and he was laughing, looking forward to going to another final.
    He’s been bringing the kids through, beaming that big smile of his, and you’d imagine his life as a football manager couldn’t be better.
    Liverpool are top of the league and he’s absolutely adored by the fans. He’s done an amazing job, built an incredible team, and everything is going forwards.
    Maybe Jurgen thinks the players need to hear a new voice, and now wants a break to recharge his batteries and enjoy life for a year or so.
    There’s no doubt that when he does come back, he’ll have the choice of some of the best jobs in the business.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    He’s certainly leaving a great club in a great position.
    It just goes to show that you never know what is going on underneath. I certainly didn’t see the signs. More

  • in

    John Ryder beaten by Jaime Munguia after Brit is dropped four times and knocked out in the ninth round in Phoenix

    JAIME MUNGUIA battered John Ryder into submission before calling out Canelo Alvarez to a Mexican standoff. The former light-middleweight world champion had Ryder down FOUR times before it was stopped in round nine.
    Jaime Munguia stopped John Ryder in nine roundsCredit: Getty
    Ryder was floored four timesCredit: Getty
    Munguia remans undefeatedCredit: Getty
    And Munguia had only one man on his mind following the demolition job in Phoenix.
    He said: “It would be a great fight among Mexicans. And if Canelo gives us the chance, it will be an honour to be in the same ring as him.”
    Ryder, beaten by Canelo over 12 rounds last May, was down for the first time in the second round following a right hand.
    In the fourth, he was hammered into the ropes and soon put down again, this time with a short countering left hand.
    READ MORE IN BOXING
    Ryder, 35, fought back but in round nine he was twice floored and stopped on his feet.
    It leaves the brave Brit on the brink of retirement while Munguia, 27, scored one of the most impressive wins of his career.
    He said: “I prepared for this. I worked hard, I know they don’t trust me and here are the results.
    “I’m ready, here at 168. Ryder is a great fighter, I learned a lot and I’m going forward.
    Most read in Boxing
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
    “He is a very strong fighter, I had to be very careful, he has a very hard head, but now I feel very happy.”
    Promoter Oscar de la Hoya added: “Jaime did what Canelo couldn’t do. He knocked out the Gorilla.
    “I’m very proud because Munguia has evolved.”
    Munguia called out Canelo AlvarezCredit: Getty More

  • in

    I’m a 6ft 9in former basketball star but I quit the sport… now I’m a boxer who could secretly help dethrone Tyson Fury

    SIX years ago Darren Sealy walked away from professional basketball to pursue boxing – now he is involved in the world’s biggest fights. The 6ft 9in heavyweight shot hoops in Spain and Lithuania before returning to the UK to play for London-based sides.
    Sealy is now a professional heavyweight boxerCredit: Instagram @darrensealy
    But after picking up personal training as a side hustle due to a lack of funding on the court, Sealy soon began coaching full time.
    That is when he was introduced to boxing, and given the chance to put his towering frame to use in a whole different way.
    Sealy told SunSport: “I was always in a team sport, but I knew I’d love to give it a go one day. 
    “I would always train, I always knew what I had to do, just with the basics, but I never took it seriously until I was in my mid to late 20s.” 
    READ MORE IN BOXING
    Sealy had 14 fights before turning pro, five in the white collar circuit and eight as an amateur.
    He was then granted a professional licence from the British Boxing Board of Control in August of 2022.
    But Sealy’s life would change forever when a year later heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury signed to fight MMA star Francis Ngannou.
    Realising a gap in the market for 6ft 9in sparring partners to replicate Fury’s size, Sealy reached out to Ngannou’s camp.
    Most read in Boxing
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
    And following talks in London after a press conference, Sealy was invited to spar the ex-UFC champ.
    After a successful rehearsal, he would later travel with Ngannou for two weeks of sparring in Saudi Arabia.
    He revealed: “I was in contact with Dewey Cooper, his head coach and obviously he had his fight with Fury. I’m relatively the same height, same build. It just made sense really. 
    “The sparring partners they were looking for needed to be the same height and same build and, speaking to Dewey, I went out to Saudi and finished up camp with them.” 
    Ngannou, 37, almost caused the mother of all upsets when he floored Fury, 35, only to lose a controversial decision.
    But the performance did not surprise anyone in the Cameroonian’s camp, including Sealy.
    He said: “I wasn’t shocked by the performance whatsoever because I saw the work rate that they were putting in. 
    “I saw his performances in the sparring and saw how much he was putting in, which was great.
    Francis Ngannou brought Sealy into his campCredit: instagram @darrensealy
    Ngannou finished up his sparring with Sealy in SaudiCredit: Instagram @darrensealy
    “I wasn’t shocked on the night as well because the man’s power cannot be uncredited. 
    “You don’t want to be hit clean by him, and when Fury was we saw what happened.”
    Fury’s split-decision meant his undisputed title decider with Oleksandr Usyk remained intact, although postponed from December to February 17.
    One of Ngannou’s sparring partners was also recruited by Usyk, 36, who then recommended Sealy to the Ukrainian.
    Before long, Sealy was back in camp tasked with the job of mimicking the Gypsy King.
    He said: “It’s all about connections, building connections and relationships and being confident to put yourself out there and put a good performance on. 
    “Putting your best foot forward and putting the best Darren on like I did in Saudi it enabled me to come into camp with Usyk because he’s fighting the same opponent.” 
    Usyk’s southpaw skills and eccentric personality remains somewhat of an enigma in boxing – but Sealy revealed he is as down to earth as they come.
    Sealy is now in camp with Oleksandr UsykCredit: instagram
    He said: “If someone walked in the room that didn’t know boxing you’d almost have to tell them, ‘That’s the heavyweight champ.’ 
    “Because he doesn’t carry himself with any type of, ‘Hey, look at me.’ Or, ‘You can’t come near me.’ He’s a very, very relaxed person, has time for everybody. 
    “You can always ask for a little bit of advice from him, English might be a different language to him but he still respects you and wants to listen to you. 
    “For someone of his credibility, his accolades and achievements, I think he’s one of the nicest people in boxing that I’ve ever met.” 
    Fury and Usyk will meet in what is the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt unification bout.
    So the historic occasion is not lost on Sealy, who said: “I reflect on it when I’m not sparring, when I’m having my own personal time.
    “I think it’s important to reflect and live in the moment because if I’m thinking too far ahead or thinking what’s next then I’m not soaking up the atmosphere, not relishing the opportunity. 
    “I know there’s not too many people that are my height and have the privilege to be a part of these camps. 
    “So by all means I am living up to the opportunity but I am living up to the expectation. It’s been two amazing experiences, two amazing camps.” 
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    Sealy, 32, suffered defeat on his pro debut last March against experienced journeyman Phil Williams, 38.
    But he gets the chance to exact revenge and right the wrong in a rematch on February 10 in Brentwood. More

  • in

    Jurgen Klopp next job odds: Germany national team most likely after Liverpool departure, Dortmund 15/2

    THE German national side looks most likely to be Jurgen Klopp’s next job once he steps away from Liverpool.The 56-year-old shocked the footballing world when revealing this season would be his last at Anfield as he plans to step down from the role in the summer.
    Where will Jurgen Klopp go next?Betfair odds

    Germany national team 1/9
    Dortmund 15/2
    Real Madrid 11/1
    Barcelona 14/1
    England national team 16/1
    Bayern Munich 50/1
    Man Utd 200/1

    BETFAIR: £30 IN FREE BETS*

    BETFAIR: £30 IN FREE BETS*
    Klopp admitted he was simply running out of energy, having given everything to the role since his appointment in 2015.
    Speaking back in 2020, he revealed when he did leave Liverpool that he’d take a year away from the game, only returning if he felt he missed football during that time.
    While Liverpool begin their search for a replacement, this announcement is sure to spike the interest of other chairmen across the footballing world, who now know he’ll be available come the summer.
    Taking into account what he’s said, bookmakers Betfair have a pretty clear idea of where Klopp will be heading next, making the German national team as short as 1/9 to be his next role.
    That move might work as preference for Klopp, taking him away from the 24/7 nature of club football.
    It’s a role he’s regularly been linked with and certainly would seem a likely target of his.
    Bonus sign-up offer: Get £30 in free football bet builders with BetfairCredit: BETFAIRHow to claimBetfair offer

    Visit the Betfair website HERE*
    Open a new account using Promo Code: ZSKANH
    Verify your number by SMS
    Deposit a minimum of £10 using a Debit card
    Place a minimum £10 football bet on the Betfair Sportsbook at odds of 1/2 or greater
    £30 Sportsbook free football bet builder will be awarded after the qualifying bet has settled
    All rewards are valid for 30 days after they have been awarded

    BETFAIR: £30 IN FREE BETS*

    A return to Dortmund – where he enjoyed great success before leaving for Merseyside – is next in the betting at 15/2.
    Dortmund won two Bundesliga titles, two DFB-Pokals and finished runners-up in the 2012/13 Champions League.
    Real Madrid (11/1) and Barcelona (14/1) come next, with Xavi under increased pressure at the Catalan side.
    Reports in Spain also already linked Klopp with Barcelona following his announcement earlier.
    At bigger odds come the England national team (16/1), Bayern Munich (50/1) and Manchester United at a huge – but probably not huge enough – 200/1.
    BETFAIR: £30 IN FREE BETS*

    Remember to gamble responsibly
    A responsible gambler is someone who:

    Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
    Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
    Never chase their losses
    Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
    Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
    Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

    Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
    For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.

    *New Customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on the Sportsbook on odds of min 1/2 (1.5), get £30 in Free Bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly More

  • in

    Why is Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool?

    JURGEN Klopp has been one of Liverpool’s most beloved and successful managers of recent years.The German has announced he’s stepping down at the end of the 2023/24 season — here we take a look at why.
    Jurgen Klopp celebrating after winning the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on May 14, 2022Credit: PA
    Why is Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool?
    The news broke that Jurgen Klopp will step down as Liverpool manager on January 26, 2024.
    He explained his reason for leaving is that he is running out of energy and cannot continue in the demanding job for years on end.
    Klopp opened up about his decision to leave his role in an emotional interview, during which he shared his love for the club, the fans and the city.
    He said: “I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it — or at least try to explain it.
    READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
    “I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff.
    “I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.
    “It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again.
    “After the years we had together and after all the time we spent together and after all the things we went through together, the respect grew for you, the love grew for you and the least I owe you is the truth — and that is the truth.”
    Most read in Football
    Klopp informed Liverpool’s owners of his intention to quit last summer.
    What has Jurgen Klopp won at Liverpool?
    Klopp took over at Anfield in October 2015.
    In a successful spell at the club, Jurgen has guided Liverpool to the Premier League (2019/20), Champions League (2018/19), UEFA Super Cup (2019/20), FIFA Club World Cup (2019/20), League Cup (2021/22) and FA Cup (2021/22).
    He is the only Liverpool manager to win six different major trophies.
    The Reds are also currently top of the Prem table.
    Who could replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool?
    Some of the managers in the running to replace Jurgen at Anfield are: More

  • in

    I’ve had to give up my part-time job as a BT engineer after landing my first role as an EFL manager

    STUART MAYNARD spent the best part of two decades as a telecommunications engineer – now he’s engineering Notts County’s promotion push.The Magpies’ new gaffer spent 19 years as a BT engineer, a role he fulfilled at the same time as being a non-league manager.
    Stuart Maynard was appointed as Notts County’s new manager this monthCredit: REX
    Maynard had to give his part time job as a BT engineer – which he had for 19 years – to take the gigCredit: PA
    But the former Wealdstone manager has finally ditched the day job after County came calling for his services, something he’s delighted about.
    He told The BBC: “I’m excited to solely focus everything I’ve got on football.”
    Maynard is thrilled to finally be in the big time that is the Football League, an experience he thought may never come when he was toiling away in the fifth division of English football.
    The 43-year-old – who was officially appointed as County’s new manager this week – admitted: “It’s very tough.
    READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
    “With football, you have to give your whole commitment and be all in – it was a lot of nights out watching games to understand players and trying to improve. It’s 24/7.
    “And that’s what’s got us excited – what we achieved at Wealdstone, basically training three hours a week, to now have everything at our disposal.
    “There is no excuses for anything.
    “It was always the ambition to get into full-time management.
    Most read in Football
    FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
    “We knew it wasn’t an easy step, but also knew that when we did step into full-time we wanted to be coming to the right club and the right project.
    “We are really looking forward to working in this environment.”
    Maynard has been joined at Valley Parade by his former Wealdstone assistants Matt Saunders and Craig Saunders, who got a first-hand glimpse at their future players when they thrashed The Stones 6-1 last season.
    He said: “That’s what excites us – to work with this level of players. Once we get our level of detail into them, how they can transform it and make it even better, our philosophy and structure.
    “I’m hugely proud to be given the opportunity and the trust that Chris and Alex [owners Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz] have put in me and Matt to take this role.”
    Maynard’s first outing as Magpies boss was supposed to take place this afternoon, with his troops welcoming Stockport County to Meadow Lane.
    But the match was CALLED OFF this morning due to an unplayable pitch, the result of the big freeze which has gripped the UK.
    Notts County’s clash with Stockport County was called off on Saturday morningCredit: NOTTS COUNTY More