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      I’m a Premier League star and gave myself a stupid nickname after watching Cool Runnings… it’s still on back of my shirt

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      A PREMIER LEAGUE ace has been performing with a nickname he received from the popular movie Cool Runnings throughout his 17-year career.The Disney film starring John Candy is loosely based on Jamaica’s national bobsleigh team which competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics.A Premier League ace has been carrying a nickname inspired from Cool RunningsCredit: AlamyA defender has been nicknamed after the character Sanka CoffieCredit: AlamyOne of the cast’s most beloved characters was called Sanka Coffie and was played by Doug E. Doug.And a well-known defender, who started his career in Denmark, ended up being named after him.However, the 33-year-old’s case comes with a twist as his own moniker is spelled differently.And it all kicked off during the Dane’s youth years at B.93 in 2000.Read More on FootballThe man in question? Well, it’s none other than Brentford ace Mathias ‘Zanka’ Jorgensen.Jorgensen earned the nickname when he was 10 years old during an awkward car ride that saw his then coach Johan Lange cramming his vehicle in such a way it looked like a bobsleigh. The Denmark international managed to get a set in the front to avoid the unpleasantness at the back.Lange happened to be a huge fan of Cool Runnings and so the rest is history…Most read in FootballZanka previously told BBC Radio Leeds: “My former youth coach had seen the movie ‘Cool Runnings’ and we were coming back from training about 20 minutes from where I was living in Copenhagen and we had to cram a lot of people in the car.“I was sat in front of the passenger seat in what seemed like a bobsleigh and he looked down and said ‘Sanka’ and it just caught on.Why More Penalties Are Being Scored“By the end of high school everyone was calling me ‘Zanka’ and when I signed my first contract at Copenhagen [in 2007] they asked me what I wanted on my shirt.“My mum was saying I could take my dad’s name ‘Jattah-Njie’ or her name Jorgensen and then the sports director said how about Zanka?BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER“It’s more recognisable than Jorgensen as a lot of people are named Jorgensen in Scandinavia.”Jorgensen continues to wear that nickname on the back of his shirt at Brentford and did the same during his two-year stint at Huddersfield until his departure for Fenerbahce in 2019.However, the centre-back is not sure why his moniker is misspelled to this day.Zanka added: “I think it has a Z because I was told it looks cooler. As a 10-year-old, I wanted to be cool and the nickname stuck.”That is none other than Brentford ace Mathias ‘Zanka’ JorgensenCredit: RexZanka still doesn’t know why his nickname is misspelledCredit: Rex More

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      My team-mate was subbed off at half time, he threw a boot at the manager then lost a punch-up with him

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      IT’S the greatest public humiliation that a footballer can suffer.The biggest slap in the face a professional can get.Troy Deeney’s team-mate came to blows with the manager after being subbed off at half time, and lived to regret itCredit: GettyA moment when a player is torn between wanting to chin his manager or wanting the floor to open up beneath him.Being substituted at half-time is bad enough — and that’s the worst that ever happened to me.But being hooked by your manager, without any hint of an injury, during the first half of a match carries an extreme sense of embarrassment.When his in-form Fulham team fell 2-0 behind at struggling Nottingham Forest after just 19 minutes on Tuesday night, Marco Silva did not just inflict this punishment on one player but THREE of them.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWhen Alex Iwobi, Harry Wilson and Sasa Lukic were hauled off in the 33rd minute, it was the earliest triple substitution in Premier League history.Those players will have been angry or mortified, or probably both. But Silva has history when it comes to early subs.When he was my manager at Watford,  I was on the bench as I’d only just come back from injury and we were 1-0 down at home to Southampton.Halfway through the first half, he turned to me and said ‘get warmed up, you’re coming on now’.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERI thought he was joking but he said ‘I’m f***ing serious!’On that occasion, he actually waited until half-time to bring me on and we did turn a 2-0 deficit into a 2-2 draw.Marco Silva fumes after Malo Gusto escapes red card in Chelsea’s win over FulhamNot that it helped Silva, as he was sacked that week — although that was more to do with him being approached by Everton.The most extreme example I’ve witnessed of a player taking an early substitution badly came later on in my time at Watford.One of my team-mates, who must remain nameless, was told he was being taken off at half-time and he responded by overturning a treatment table in the dressing room in a fit of rage, then forcefully chucking a boot at the manager.The boss was not a man to shy away from confrontation and the bout of fisticuffs which followed lasted fewer than ten seconds — with the chief coming out on top.That match was goalless at the break and we lost 1-0 so the flare-up didn’t work — just as Silva’s triple substitution failed to have the desired effect this week, as Fulham ended up losing 3-1.In a way, an early substitution — and especially three early changes — is an admission that a manager has got his original team selection wrong.So there is an element of bravery about it. Not that you would see it that way if you were on the receiving end.If a player is taken off before half-time — and even in an age of five subs, it is still very rare — then it is an awkward situation for his team-mates as well, because the embarrassment factor is so obvious. You don’t know where to look or what to say.When a player is subbed early on, he has little option but to sit on the bench and suck it up.Because if he throws a tantrum and goes straight down the tunnel, then the manager can say to the rest of the team ‘that’s why I did it, his attitude stinks’.And then you’ve lost any argument you might want to have. There’s also extra punishment for a player subbed in the first half.It means he has to do a full training session with ‘the bomb squad’ and the kids the following day — because he won’t have gone over the threshold of minutes played, which allows him to have the usual lighter warm-down session the day after a game.In my early days at Watford, the manager Malky Mackay subbed me off at half-time in a match at Preston, and replaced me with a teenager.I was absolutely seething. I was playing on the wing and had hardly seen anything of the ball. It wasn’t as if I’d had a stinker.I can still remember the feeling of being shamed by that.The score was 1-1 at the break and we lost 3-1. It was Malky’s last match as Watford boss before he quit to take over at Cardiff.Those three Fulham players who were pulled after half an hour or so will have been training with a mixture of anger and extreme motivation this week, desperate to prove Silva wrong.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut I’d be surprised if any of them ever forget the feeling of seeing their number coming up on the electronic board and having to make that long walk of shame to the bench so early in a game.It makes me wince just thinking about it. More

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      Inside Phil Foden’s amazing lifestyle, living in a £3million Cheshire mansion and in a romance with childhood sweetheart

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      HE is a definite shout for player of the season – and surely must be central to Gareth Southgate’s England plans.Phil Foden has pushed on this campaign – scoring a remarkable 22 goals in all competitions.Phil Foden is living a luxurious lifestyle away from the pitchFoden is in a longterm romance with high-school sweetheart Rebecca CookeHis latest display against Aston Villa kept Manchester City in the title race – a sublime hat-trick earning a standing ovation from the home faithful.A humble and modest lad from Stockport, Foden, 23, earns a dizzying salary of around £11.7million-per-year.And although he spends his money wisely, it still affords him to lead a luxurious life away from the pitch.Here is how Foden’s lifestyle plays out.Read more football newsHis homeWhen Foden was just a teenager, he splashed the cash on a £2.8million home in Cheshire.He bought it for his parents, and continued to live with them until 2021.Then, he splashed around £3million on a mansion in upmarket Prestbury, just five minutes away.The home features five bedrooms, and is in a village famous for where footballers live.Most read in FootballWayne Rooney used to live nearby, until he moved to a £20million mega-mansion nearby.Man City boss Pep Guardiola says top-class Phil Foden can do whatever he wants in footballA source told The Sun back in 2022: “Phil loves living in Cheshire but felt it was time to fly the nest now he has two young children with his partner, Rebecca.“It’s in his old neighbourhood so they feel very settled in already.”The missusMoving in with him was longterm missus, Rebecca Cooke – who is also the mother of his two children.They reportedly met at a party when they were teenagers in Stockport.She has since been spotted joining England’s Wags at tournaments including the Euros and World Cup.Foden became a dad for the first time at the age 18, when he and Rebecca welcomed son Ronnie into the world.Speaking of the magical moment to Man City’s website, he said: “I was there for the birth.”I walked out of the room, gave it a little tear and then went back in like nothing happened.“I’m not one for crying in front of people. I like to be on my own, but I was there in the room, watched it happen and it was a special moment.”Rebecca Cooke reportedly met Foden at a party when they were teenagersRebecca often joins England’s Wags at major tournaments including the Euros and World CupFoden and Rebecca are parents to two kidsCredit: instagramCity ace Foden shows off his brood on a family holidayCredit: Instagram / @philfodenread more sport featuresIn 2021, they added to their family with the birth of a daughter, whose name they have kept private.Getting behind the wheelOn a mega salary, and having to compete with other Man City stars in the motor stakes, you could have been fooled into thinking Foden drives a flashy car.But, that’s certainly not the case.For Foden only passed his driving test back in December. He took to social media to confirm the news.Posing behind a wheel with a Volkswagen logo on it with his thumb up in one hand and holding his practical driving test pass certificate in the other, the midfielder looked delighted.The car he has been driving is the all-electric hatchback, the ID.3.They can cost up to £40,000, comes with a 150kW electric motor powering the rear wheels, but it won’t compare in speed to the Lamborghinis or Ferraris decorating City’s training complex.The ID.3 reaches 0-60mph in around 7.9 seconds, but only has a top speed of 99mph.Perfect starter car, though, for a new driver.Last December, Foden passed his driving testCredit: Phil foden InstagramThree Lions star Foden is believed to be driving a Volkswagen ID.3 worth around £40kCredit: Volkswagen AGJewellery partnershipAlthough Foden has admitted in the past he was late to fashion and style, he has since dedicated himself to his own jewellery line.In 2023, the Champions League winner teamed up with London-based brand Cernucci.Inspired by a mix of hip hop, football and street culture, they have become a celebrity’s favourite.Rapper Don Toliver, Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and actor John Boyega are all fans.Foden has already released two collections with the brand, which were shared in a glossy photoshoot.Chains, rings, bracelets and earrings made from 18k gold and white gold plating, with 5A grade stones feature in the collection.All are reasonably priced, with chains costing as little as £137.99 online.Foden boasts his own fashion collection with London jewellers CernucciCredit: INSTAGRAM @cernucciFoden showed off the collection in a glossy photoshootCredit: INSTAGRAM @cernucciFavourite hobbyWhen Foden likes to relax, he indulges in his favourite hobby.It’s a passion the likes of Paul Gascoigne and David Seaman have also enjoyed, to take the minds away from the pressures of the game.Fishing is the Stockport Iniesta’s favourite hobby.Foden has even trekked to Spain, where he once caught a 130lb catfish.“I was probably about six or seven and my dad had a fishing rod of his dad’s and said we should go and try it out,” he recalled.”I fell in love with it and we ended up going every weekend. I still remember my first catch.”It wasn’t very big, I was just learning, but it’s the excitement of when you get one for the first time.“I think that’s the buzz that makes you want to go again, but it’s also a chance to chill and relax and to spend time with my dad.“I think it’s really good after games when you have to rest your legs and I just find it really enjoyable.“There’s tactics. Knowing in which spots to fish, knowing where the fish are, fishing at different lengths…Away from the pitch, Foden enjoys fishingOn a trip to Spain, Foden once hooked a huge catfishCredit: INSTAGRAM/phil foden
      “There’s a lot behind it but when I get the odd day off, I fish simple. I’m not a specialist at it but I still manage to catch“I generally love all types of sport, but I don’t do any others apart from fishing.” More

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      Inside Cole Palmer’s impressive car collection, with the Chelsea star now driving a £190,000 Lamborghini Urus

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      COLE PALMER can do no wrong on and off the pitch.For Chelsea, he has exploded into life and become a Premier League star since his £47.5million move from Man City last summer.Cole Palmer has exploded into life as a Premier League star since moving to ChelseaCredit: AlamyMost recently, Palmer has been spotted driving a £190k Lamborghini UrusCredit: GettyA hat-trick against Man Utd in a stunningly late 4-3 win for the Blues took his tally to 19 goals in all competitions.In what has been a disappointing campaign for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, Palmer has been the one bright spark.Ony 21, the attacking midfielder has also managed to build a steady car collection that belie his young years.SunSport takes a look at what the England international has in his garage.Read more football news Lamborghini Urus, £190,000The staple motor for any Premier League footballer, Lamborghini’s first foray into the SUV world is regularly seen at the training grounds of all the major clubs.It genuinely is an astonishing motor, boasting all the finesse of a supercar – but offering a lot more leg room.There once was a huge waiting list for the Urus, but top class athletes have seemingly jumped the queue.The starting price is around the £190,000 mark, but can rise up to £240,000.Most read in FootballPowered by Lamborghini’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, it reaches 0-62 mph in around 3.5 seconds, while it has a top speed of around 190 mph.Chelsea fans furious as Raheem Sterling appears to take penalty off Cole Palmer… before barely troubling goalkeeperMercedes A-Class, £30,000A starter kit into the Mercedes brand, when Palmer scored his first big contract at Man City he splashed the cash on an A-Class.It can come as a hatchback or sedan, so is mostly seen as a family car.But Palmer looked pleased as punch when he showed it off on social media as a teenage prodigy.Depending on the model, it reaches 0-62 mph in between 4.8 or 9.3 seconds.There are also hybrid models that offer a combination of petrol and electric power, with an electric range of around 44 miles.Palmer shows off his first big purchase – a Mercedes-Benz A-ClassThe A-Class costs an accessible £30k for first time Mercedes ownersCredit: Alamyread more sport featuresBMW i4, £71,000Launched in 2022, as Palmer’s began to integrate with the first team at the Etihad he upgraded his A-Class Merc to this classy beamer.It is BMW’s first Gran Coupé electric car and is based on the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé.Available in two versions – eDrive40 and M50 – Palmer had the latter.With a base price of around £71,000, it wasn’t a cheap upgrade.However, it is a zippy motor – able to reach 0-62 mph in a mere 3.9 seconds.As Palmer became a name at Man City, he splashed the cash on a £71k beamerThe BMW i4 is available in two versions – the eDrive40 and M50Check out what these celebs drive…Volkswagen Polo, £20,000Because we all have to start somewhere…Palmer’s first car was a suitably sensible Volkswagen Polo, with new models starting at around the £20,000 mark.Renowned for being the best budget car on the market, it’s perfect for city life.Although it’s not a car for speed demons – managing 0-62 mph in 6.5 or 15.6 seconds, dependent on specs.Still, you can trust German engineering to get it right, which Palmer seems to believe in given his car choices.Thankfully, though, he’s English and plays for the Three Lions. Palmer’s first car was a reliable Volkswagen PoloThe Polo has been voted the best budget car on the marketCredit: Alamy More

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      Legendary manager Neil Warnock’s funniest moments, from foul-mouthed teamtalk to eyeballing a camera, as boss retires

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      WITH 43 years of experience in the dugout, Neil Warnock provided plenty of laughs as a boss.Often controversial, the Sheffield-born gaffer stepped down as Aberdeen boss last month, after just eight games in charge.Neil Warnock has provided plenty of laughs during his 43 years in the dugoutCredit: GettyBefore that, though, he managed to save Huddersfield Town from relegation last season.Warnock fancied the job at the vacant job at Plymouth, but Argyle have now put director of football Neil Dewsnip and first-team coach Kevin Nancekivell in charge until the end of the season instead.Appearing on talkSPORT, the legendary manager was asked about a return to management.”Oh I’m retired now,” he said.Read more football news”I would have [gone to Plymouth], but not now.”It’s all done and dusted now, and I’m looking forward to going round some of the Scottish islands.”Warnick is also fondly remembered by Sheffield United, Cardiff City and QPR fans for guiding them to the Premier League.He began his career all the way back in 1980 with Gainsborough Trinity.Most read in FootballBut, he is also known for outspoken personality and eccentric behaviour on the touchline,SunSport takes a look at Warnock’s funniest moments.Neil Warnock stars in hilarious Sky Sports Christmas advert with former players as fans brand him a ‘national treasure’The epic rantWhen it comes to team talks, Warnock is a chief motivator.And at Sheffield United he delivered his most powerful sermon ever, although thankfully he wasn’t at church with the amount of F bombs dropped.Questioning his players’ attitudes and ambition, he launched into his powerful tirade, insisting his players won’t care when they go off on their holidays to “Majorca” during pre-season.Outrageously, he encourages his players to “s***” their partners in the front seat of their cars.He screams: “You’re picking up a wage… that’s a load of b*******! You’ve got to f***ing die to get three points!”It was all captured, eloquently and beautifully, by a fly-on-the-wall documentary called Warnock.[embedded content]She had a dreamWhat the wife says goes in Warnock’s book, and that includes playing a defender upfront.Ex-Crystal Palace star Darren Ambrose revealed the coach’s missus Sharon dreamed that right-back Danny Butterfield scored the winner before an FA Cup replay against Wolves.So, in real life, Warnock decided to play him as a forward.Ambrose told talkSPORT: “We were playing Wolves.”He said, ‘My wife Sharon, she had a dream last night. She dreamt that my right back scores the winning goal today. So Danny Butterfield – you’re playing up front’. We all started laughing then and he was like, ‘no, I’m serious’.”Unbelievably, Palace won 3-1 – with Butterfield scoring the perfect hat-trick, left foot, right foot, and a header.Warnock snapped clapping the fans at Crystal Palace’s replay with WolvesCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdWarnock picked his team based on a dream wife Sharon hadEyeballing the cameraChannelling his inner Liam Gallagher, Warnock played up to the camera for his next trick.As manager of Cardiff City, who he was desperate to keep up during the 2018/19 season, he had some run-ins.Famously, he stared out manager Craig Pawson following a late defeat to Chelsea.However, the funniest moment came before a match with Crystal Palace as he was filmed in the dugout before kick-off.Walking towards the camera, with his hands behind his back, he pushed his face in the direction of the cameraman.Part bird pecking, part ex-Oasis lead-singer – it had a more comical effect then threatening. Forget Liam Gallagher, Neil Warnock leans towards the camera in intimidating fashionBristol City requestAs manager of Cardiff City, Warnock was somewhat of a hate-figure for their rivals Bristol City.During one memorable appearance on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, he let it be known how he wants them to remember him when he passes away.“I joke with their fans that, when I do pass away, I hope they all have a minute’s applause for me at Ashton Gate and remember the good times I’ve given them,” Warnock explained.”I don’t want silence. I want them all to be chanting ‘Warnock’s a w*****’ over and over again. For a whole minute. That would be my ideal.”As a former boss of Cardiff City, Warnock has one request for rival Bristol City fansCredit: PA:Press AssociationTelling Lineker to f*** offWhen Match of the Day requested to interview Warnock after he oversaw a 2-0 win for his Cardiff team over Bournemouth, the manager was less than enamoured.Unaware the camera was rolling, he was caught telling MOTD host Gary Lineker to “f*** off”.It all began with Warnock annoyed by Lineker calling him an anagram of his first name, ‘Colin W*****”, as was coined by Wolves fans.”Match of the Day? Tell Gary Lineker to f*ck off,” Warnock was heard saying on BBC television in Canada when he was unaware the camera was rolling.”He calls me Colin. Can I say, ‘Colin here’?”Needless to say, the segment where Lineker spoke directly to managers was shelved for Warnock.Match of the Day host Gary Lineker is particularly disliked by WarnockCredit: BBC[embedded content]Even Thommo wasn’t safeOn the touchline, Warnock would come alive with the passion of the game.Worse was at Anfield, when temperatures were already heated on the touchline.In the 2002-2003 season, he guided Sheffield United to the semi-final of the league cup.The Blades lost the tie 3-2 on aggregate, and in his autobiography Warnock revealed a spat he had with Reds assistant Phil Thompson.During the fracas, he said: “You can f*** off Pinocchio, get back in your f***ing cupboard.”read MORE SPORT FEATURESWarnock’s frustration on the touchline often boiled overCredit: PA:Press AssociationSpot of bowlingThe art of the con was well mustered by Warnock.He used to be a bowling coach as a teenager, which is how he got his break in football when he coached a Sheffield United player’s wife, leading to a trial at Chesterfield.Amusingly, he used bowling as a team bonding exercise for his players, but took all their cash.Paul Peschisolido told the story of Warnock taking Sheffield United players bowling to SunSport.READ MORE SUN STORIES”He convinced us all to put £10 in the pot, winner take all,” he said.”We agreed for some fun, then he pulled out his own bowling shoes and custom ball, shot 250 and took all our money.”Neil Warnock’s team bonding exercises including taking his team bowlingCredit: PA:Press Association More

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      I’m a Premier League manager who did my coaching badges with Mikel Arteta – we’re still in the same WhatsApp group

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      ROB EDWARDS takes on WhatsApp pal Mikel Arteta on Wednesday as he deals with the “biggest challenge” of his managerial career.The Luton Town boss undertook his Uefa Pro Licence in Newport seven years ago and was on the same course as the Arsenal chief.Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta did his coaching badges with Luton Town manager Rob EdwardsCredit: XThe Luton manager is pictured behind Arsenal gaffer Arteta in the snapCredit: XEdwards will face his former classmate Arteta and Arsenal on WednesdayCredit: AlamyEdwards isn’t surprised by Arteta’s success with ArsenalCredit: RexOther classmates included Gunners hero Thierry Henry as well as Liverpool assistant Pepijn Lijnders and Mike Flynn, the ex-Newport and Swindon boss.The graduates have all stayed in contact via mobile phone group chat – but do not expect any goodwill messages when the Hatters travel to the Emirates for a crunch Premier League tie.Edwards, 41, said: “Mike and I did our Pro Licence together. He was always going to go on to top things.“He’s going to be one of the best, it looks like, for a long, long time.Read More on Arsenal“We’re still all in a group chat from that Pro Licence, which is nice.“So when people achieve something or go into a new role, it’s nice to see best wishes from other people that are on there. It’s nice to keep in touch a little bit from afar.“After his incredible playing career, it looks like Mikel is going on to have maybe an even more successful managerial career.”Injuries have ripped through the Luton Town first team and Edwards has major fitness concerns over Alfie Doughty, Reece Burke and Tahith Chong, who were subbed off in the 2-1 defeat at Tottenham.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERThere is the prospect that the Bedfordshire battlers will have, in total, “11-12-13 players out” depending on how training went on Tuesday.There could be four teenagers on the bench in North London as Luton look to end a streak of 10 matches without a win in all competitions.I hated playing against Arsenal Invincible, he’d pinch me and stand on my toes, I only spoke to him to abuse himEdwards is a decent bloke and very optimistic but even he knows the task at hand is extremely tough.The former Wales and Wolves centre-back said: “It’s where we are at. It’s the biggest challenge I’ve ever had.“Aside from a real serious incident that we had with our captain, it’s the most difficult and challenging period I’ve ever faced. I’ve never known anything like it.“We are coming up against the best teams in the world in this period.“Speaking honestly, to be competing the way we did, especially on Saturday against a top team in Tottenham, we’re doing pretty well.“To be as depleted as we are, the lads have given everything, it’s been brilliant.“But it’s hard to be your best when you have so many key players missing.“We are aware of the size and scale of the task. Arsenal can score at any moment, we have to be very good at every aspect of the game.’Must be perfect’“If we are to stop them, we almost have to be perfect. We have to embrace the challenge – but I want to be in the Premier League forever.“I don’t want us to say, ‘Ah, let’s enjoy this, one year and then off we go again’. This is where we feel comfortable and we’re competing. We want to make it the norm.”Luton were defeated 4-3 at Kenilworth Road last December when £105million man Declan Rice scored a headed winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time.Edwards added: “From the outside looking in, when you think really about it, you’d go, ‘It’s a chasm’.“For us in most games so far this season, we have tried to keep that chasm small and tight. The lads do deserve a lot of credit for that.READ MORE SUN STORIES“There are eight more games to go. We have to keep doing that.“People understand that we are down to the bare bones at the moment.” More

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      Inside Quincy Promes’ horror UAE jail where rape is ‘everyday occurrence’ and 20 men sleep on floor of six-man cells

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      DISGRACED football star Quincy Promes is enduring brutal living conditions in a prison in the United Arab Emirates.Promes, 32, stood out for the likes of Sevilla and Ajax but his career has taken a nosedive after his recent legal troubles.Quincy Promes is serving a six-year prison sentence in the United Arab EmiratesCredit: GettyPromes is still contracted to Spartak Moscow in RussiaCredit: Instagram @qpromesPromes is held in Al Aweer prison where rape is an everyday occurrenceCredit: AFPPromes and his fellow inmates have to shave their heads baldCredit: AFPThe winger has been sentenced to six years in prison for his involvement in the smuggling of 1,363kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of £65million.That came after the ex-Netherlands international received an 18-month sentence last year for stabbing his cousin in the knee at a family party.Promes was away in Russia playing for Spartak Moscow during the legal proceedings but was arrested in Dubai by border control at the request of Dutch authorities last month and wasn’t allowed to fly back.And now the Dutchman is living in the infamous Al Aweer prison in the UAE, which is a far cry from all the glitz and glamour famous footballers usually enjoy.Read More on FootballAccording to De Telegraaf, the ex-Twente star stays in a six-person cell and sleeps in a double bunk bed with up to 20 prisoners also lying on the floor.The cells are freezing cold as well as noisy and more harrowingly rape is an everyday occurrence as the prison has a small number of guards available.Prisoners are also forced to shave their heads bald or else they are deprived TV or phone privileges.The jailhouse also doesn’t serve fruit or vegetables and inmates can only exercise up to three times a week.Most read in FootballThis poses as an issue in Promes’ bid to retain fitness as he is still contracted to Spartak until 2025.The ex-Netherlands youth star can only watch TV outside his cell during the day with other fellow inmates.Dutch football star Quincy Promes charged with attempted murder after ‘stabbing his cousin at family party’ The forward is desperate to be extradited but wants to go back to Russia so that he doesn’t have to serve his sentence in his homeland.Promes shares the cell with other Dutchmen who are also expecting extradition.BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERThey are joined by other inmates – mostly of Pakistani, Egyptian and Indian descent – who are addicts and not aware of Promes’ status.The player’s lawyers had previously said: “We point out that an independent judge in Dubai will now decide on the Dutch request for extradition. “In general, extradition proceedings can take quite some time and involve many formal steps and requirements.”This is also completely common in the Netherlands. The outcome and duration of the extradition procedure cannot be predicted at this time.” More

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      How ‘Fascist’ football hooligans turn Rome into ‘Stab City’ with gangland executions & knife wounds ‘as common as pizza’

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      AS JUVENTUS fans travel to their away game against Lazio today, they will do so knowing they are taking their lives into their own hands.So many supporters have been injured, maimed or killed by hooligans backing Rome’s two main Serie A clubs, the Italian capital has become known as ‘Stab City’.Rome has become known as ‘Stab City’ due to knife-wielding Lazios hooligansCredit: AlamyLazio’s Paolo Di Canio salutes supporters to celebrate a winCredit: ReutersLazio has many fascist supporters who chant anti-semitic slogans at rivalsCredit: RexKnife wounds are as commonplace as pizza and rip-off ice cream in the Eternal city, with a “puncicate” – a jab in the buttocks, designed to cause pain but not to kill –the favoured method of attack.  Assaults with weapons occur so regularly that local newspapers no longer bother reporting on them – it is only when other European teams visit that the blade menace becomes clear.As part of our new series, League of Shame, The Sun examines how football hooliganism is seeing an unwelcome resurgence across the continent – and poses a worrying threat to fans ahead of this summer’s European Championships.And Lazio ultras, who until recently operated under the Irriducibili banner – meaning The Indomitable in Italian – are amongst the most notorious in the game.READ MORE FOOTBALL FEATURESInfested with fascists and with links to organised crime, they funded their feverish displays in the Curva Nord section of the Olympic Stadium by dealing drugs and carrying out bank robberies.Author James Montague wrote a book on extreme football fans called 1312: Among the Ultras.As part of his research, he befriended Lazio capos, or leaders, as well as those with arch-rivals Roma.  In a recent interview, he said: “English football culture – especially the hooligan scene of the 1980s and 90s – was incredibly influential on Italian ultra culture.Most read in Football“Roma, Lazio, Atalanta… all credited the English style of chanting, flags and violence as influencing how they approached things. Hooligans were the ultimate symbol of being against the authorities. Like punk. Even today that culture is influential.”He added: “The ultras who are there week in week out love their club, love football, and love their players when they put in the effort on the pitch comparable to the effort the ultras put in off the pitch.Lazio and Roma fans launch flares and fireworks at each other in shocking scenes before Rome derby “It’s a myth that they don’t love football. However, I’d met several capos who had very little interest in football. To them, ultras were a gang. It might as well have been a biker gang or a graffiti crew.”Admiration for English hooligans has not discouraged Lazio ultras from targeting British footie fans – if anything, it has made their attacks worse.Stitches in back of headIn 2019, Conor Weir was one of three Celtic fans set upon while celebrating the Glasgow club’s 2-1 Europa League victory over Lazio in Rome.He returned home with three stitches in the back of his head after masked men jumped out of a car and ran up behind him at around 2.30am.Celtic fan Connor Weir was left with stitches in the back of his headCredit: SuppliedLazio ultra fans in Glasgow with banner reading “Honour to Benito Mussolini’Trouble had been brewing ever since Lazio ultras marched through Glasgow two weeks earlier, making fascist salutes in tribute to deceased Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.Green Brigade fans responded with an anti-fascist protest, erecting a banner that depicted the tyrant hanging upside down and telling ultras to “follow your leader”.Conor, 20, from Bo’ness, West Lothian, said of his Rome visit: “I wasn’t wearing a Celtic strip, just a green t-shirt, but they must have been driving round looking for people to target and I was unlucky enough to get it.“It was cowardly. They weren’t looking for a fight, just to hurt somebody and escape without getting any comeback.“It was over so fast I hardly knew what was happening until I felt a sensation in my back and I felt blood on my top.“The other three people I was with scattered in panic and I tried to run myself but they grabbed me and stabbed me before I could break free. I’m ok and I’m lucky to escape with what I did.”Spurs fan knifed in groinSpurs fan Ashley Mills was knifed in the groin and left with head injuriesIn 2012, Tottenham Hotspur supporters were also fortunate to escape alive when they were surrounded by Lazio ultras before another European game.A group of Spurs fans were drinking at the Drunken Ship pub in Rome when 50 men – their faces covered and wielding knives, baseball bats and iron bars – stormed inside and launched a frenzied assault.Ten people were injured and two Italian supporters were later charged with attempted murder.Ashley Mills, 25, was knifed in a groin artery and suffered head injuries during what was described as a racist attack.I didn’t see the guy who stabbed me – there were too many of themAshley MillsSpurs fanHis life was saved by Alberto di Giovanni, 19, a law student, who had recently done a first aid course.Speaking from his hospital, Essex builder Ashley said: “They came out of nowhere. I didn’t see the guy who stabbed me. There were too many of them.”There was no physical violence inside the stadium, but antisemitic slogans were aimed at Spurs supporters due to the club’s historic Jewish links.Fanatical far right ultras chanted “Juden Tottenham”, using the German word for Jew, and a “Free Palestine” banner was unveiled.Three black players were subjected to monkey chants during the 0-0 draw and one fan said: “We felt in fear all the time.”It was not the first time Jewish supporters had been targeted by Lazio ultras.  In October 2017, thugs covered the Olympic stadium with stickers featuring Anne Frank wearing the shirt of their rivals, AS Roma, alongside an antisemitic message.Facist leader shot deadFabrizio Piscitelli, the leader of Lazio’s Ultra fans was shot in the head and killedPolice investigate the death of the ringleader, known as DiabolikCredit: RexThe Irriducibili’s long-time leader Fabrizio Piscitelli was a self-confessed fascist with links to the Albanian mafiaHe had a criminal record for drugs trafficking – in 2016 police seized £1.7m worth of his assets – and he ran the group like a paramilitary outfit, with members dressed identically in blue jeans and the black jackets once favoured by Mussolini.The group was the first in Italy to erect huge speakers in the terraces so that one ultra could dictate all the chanting and songs. They once ran a merchandising operation that sold their “Original Fans” label at 14 outlets.Italy star Paolo Di Canio, who later played in the Premier League with West Ham, was a well-known Irriducibili ultra. However, he had to keep his involvement secret at the start of his career.Too much blood, too many banning orders, too many arrestsIrriducibili ultrasHe once said: “I kept the club in the dark about my travels. If they had known that I spent my Sundays with the Irriducibili, visiting far-flung corners of Italy, they would probably have kicked me out of the youth academy.”The ultras’ power meant that during the 1990s they were often caught on video lecturing the players like schoolchildren at Lazio’s training ground.  Piscitelli’s reign came to an end when, aged 53, he was taken out in a gangland style hit in Acqueduct park in the Cinecittà area of Rome in 2019.His ultras then disbanded, releasing a statement saying: “Too much blood, too many banning orders, too many arrests. After 33 years, we have decided to disband the group.”But the shameful scenes witnessed before Lazio’s last 16 Champions League match with Bayern Munich earlier this month showed the far-right elements are still blighting the club.  On March 4, hundreds of Lazio fans gathered in the infamous Hofbräuhaus brewery where Adolf Hitler founded the Nazi party in 1920.Viral videos later emerged that showed them chanting and performing fascist salutes.Stabbings on a weekly basisStabbings linked to football in Rome occur on a weekly basis – and often in buttocksCredit: Corbis – GettyPartizan’s supporters celebrate during the Uefa Cup soccer match between Lazio and Partizan at Rome’s Olympic stadiumCredit: AP:Associated PressJohn Foot, professor of modern Italian history at University College London and author of Calcio: A History of Italian Football, says Roma and Lazio ultras are the only groups in Italy that still use weapons.And the situation has got so bad that stabbings linked to football games occur “on a weekly basis” in the Italian capital.  He said: “People are stabbed in Rome fairly often, but it is so common that it does not make the press.“It is worse in Rome, which has a particular problem with violence and stabbing.”Alarmingly, away fans have found they are most often stabbed in the buttocks.Between 2001 and 2009, around a dozen English football supporters were attacked in this manner whilst visiting Rome.READ MORE SUN STORIESFoot added of the Lazio ultras: “Puncicate is their speciality and is mainly about hurting rival fans but not killing them.”They target the buttocks because the victim is not likely to die. These people don’t want to kill and be known as murderers, they want to show they can hurt their rivals and get away with it.”Roma fans riot with police ahead the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Roma last yearCredit: AP More