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      ‘My daughter thought I was a referee’ says England legend Ashley Cole as he’s inducted into football Hall of Fame

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      ASHLEY COLE was an Arsenal Invincible, a European champion at Chelsea, a record seven-time FA Cup winner and a member of England’s exclusive 100 Club, once recognised as the best left-back on the planet. But ask him to reflect on that glorious career, after being inducted into the National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame, and Cole highlights his regret at the “silly bitterness” which overshadowed a large part of his career.Ashley Cole was inducted into the National Football Museum’s Hall of FameCredit: PAEngland Under-21 assistant boss Cole won major awards with Arsenal and ChelseaCredit: Getty Images – GettyCole, now a well-respected assistant to England Under-21 boss Lee Carsley, insists he is a very different person now to the hot-headed player who left Arsenal under a cloud after being tapped up by Chelsea.Back then he infamously wrote in his autobiography that he “almost swerved off the road” when being informed that Arsenal were offering “only £55,000 a week”.And Cole, 44, admits: “I’ve grown up since then, from making silly mistakes, silly words, bitter words, feuds – I’m so grown and so over that now.“I respect the both clubs I was at, they gave me a lot, they gave me opportunities.Read More on Arsenal “There isn’t one memory that sticks out, I’ve won Premier Leagues, Champions League, created history in the FA Cup, I look back and say, ‘Yeah you’ve done well and they were your rewards’.“And competing for my country at World Cups and Euros was really important to me.”Cole’s career was one of English football’s finest but after his tumultuous high-profile marriage to pop star Cheryl Tweedy and the controversy over his move to Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, he shied away from speaking to the media.As a result he is often under-appreciated and it turns out that even extends to his own home.Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford BridgeCole, who won 107 England caps, said: “I’ve got two young kids who are always asking me, ‘Was I a good player?’ My daughter thought I was a referee!“Getting this award did open my eyes as to what an achievement it was to get to the level I got to.Ashley Cole picks his all-time team-mates XI… but does it boast more Arsenal or Chelsea stars?“Working with these young [England Under-21] lads, I can see a lot of me in them. They are a very humble, hard-working group. It’s inspirational for me to watch these players grow and hopefully get into the senior team.“I look back at the journey from where I was as a 14, 15, 16-year-old, all the hard work and sacrifice. Then to make my debut for my boyhood club [Arsenal] and to win trophies and to grow as a player is something I won’t take lightly.“I really enjoyed the journey. There’s a message for the kids – keep working hard on the training pitch, keep persevering and hopefully you have a career like me.”Cole has urged patience with Arsenal’s teenage duo, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.I’ve grown up since then, from making silly mistakes, silly words, bitter words, feuds – I’m so grown and so over that now.Ashley ColeLeft-back MLS has gone straight into the England senior squad, while Nwaneri will make his Under-21 debut away to France under Carsley and Cole on his 18th birthday on Friday.Cole said: “I’ve seen Myles in the last year and a half. I’ve seen it with Ethan too. When you have so much talent, there is sometimes an urge to play them and do they sometimes fall short? These two haven’t.“Now he [Lewis-Skelly] is in the seniors, he has just got to continue to play well for Arsenal and continue to get himself in the senior squad.“But you’ve got to be careful with these young players. They are special and precious so you have to take your time sometimes.”After winning the last Under-21 Euros two years ago, Cole believes England are capable of retaining their crown in Slovakia this summer.Cole said: “That group two years ago, they had real pride in playing for the Three Lions, working for the badge.I’ve got two young kids who are always asking me, ‘Was I a good player?’ My daughter thought I was a referee!Ashley Cole“They were a great bunch and what they did in the last Euros showed a great team spirit and belief.READ MORE SUN STORIES“We’ve told this group that they have left a legacy for you and we want to continue that and hopefully do well in the Euros and leave a legacy for the next generation.“Every day I watch them train, I see the hunger and desire and if we don’t win the Euros, I know they will have given everything.” More

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      Lost lads are filling void with callous, manipulative & toxic influencers like Andrew Tate, warns Sir Gareth Southgate

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      FORMER England manager Sir Gareth Southgate has lashed out at “manipulative and toxic influencers” — and insisted young males need better role models.He said teenage boys are spending too much time gaming, gambling and watching pornography, and risk falling under the spell of internet personalities like vile Andrew Tate.Sir Gareth Southgate has lashed out at ‘manipulative and toxic influencers’Credit: BBCHe said teenage boys risk falling under the spell of internet personalities like the vile Andrew TateCrossbow killer Kyle Clifford was under the influence of misogyny ‘poster boy’ TateCredit: PASir Gareth, 54, spoke out after it was revealed crossbow killer Kyle Clifford was under the influence of misogyny “poster boy” Tate, 38, when he murdered his ex-girlfriend, her mum and her sister.His comments, at the BBC’s annual Richard Dimbleby Lecture, also come as Netflix hit Adolescence, starring Stephen Graham and teen Owen Cooper, highlights toxic masculinity.The Centre for Social Justice also released a “Lost Boys” report about the problem.Sir Gareth said many young men end up “searching for direction” and fill the void with a “new kind of role model who do not have their best interest at heart”.read more on gareth southgateHe said: “These are callous, manipulative and toxic influencers, whose sole drive is for their own gain.“They willingly trick young men into believing that success is measured by money or dominance, never showing emotion, and that the world, including women, is against them.“They are as far away as you could possibly get from the role models our young men need in their lives.”Sir Gareth delivered the 46th Richard Dimbleby Lecture at the University of London.Most read in FootballIt has been held in honour of the broadcaster most years since 1972.Previous speakers have included King Charles and Bill Gates.In his speech, Sir Gareth continued: “As real-world communities and mentorship declines, young men end up withdrawing, reluctant to talk or express their emotions.Stephen Graham and Ashley Walters’ acclaimed drama Adolescence smashes huge Netflix record by DOUBLE after taking world by storm“They spend more time online searching for direction and are falling into unhealthy alternatives like gaming, gambling and pornography.“And this void is filled by a new kind of role model who do not have their best interest at heart.”Sir Gareth, who led England to two Euros finals, added: “Young men are suffering. “They’re feeling isolated. “They’re grappling with their masculinity and with their broader place in society.“We need leaders to set the right tone — to be the role models we want for our young men.“We have to show young men that character is more important than status; that how you treat others is more important than how much money you make.“That values matter — courage, humility and integrity over selfishness, greed, arrogance. “The culture we create today will shape the kind of men that we inherit tomorrow.”During his speech, the former centre-back spoke about his penalty miss in England’s 1996 Euros semi-final defeat to Germany.Gareth consoles Jude Bellingham after England’s loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 finalCredit: AlamyHe said: “Missing that penalty was undoubtedly a watershed moment that made me a stronger, better man. “It forced me to dig deep and revealed an inner belief and resilience I never knew existed.”Sir Gareth stepped down as England boss last July, two days after England lost to Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Germany.He was credited with reviving the Three Lions’ flagging fortunes and was then knighted in the New Year Honours for services to football.Sir Gareth also referred to the Centre for Social Justice report, which warned young men were “in crisis” amid an increase in those not in education, employment or training.He said: “Too many young men are isolated. Too many feel uncomfortable opening up to friends or family. “Many don’t have mentors — teachers, coaches, bosses — who understand how best to push them to grow.“And so, when they struggle, young men inevitably try to handle whatever situation they find themselves in alone. “Young men end up withdrawing, reluctant to talk or express their emotions.”The former Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough star also warned that young men are often denied the chance to fail — and learn from their mistakes.He said: “If we make life too easy for young boys now, we will inevitably make life harder when they grow up to be young men.“Too many are at risk of fearing failure, because they’ve had too few opportunities to experience and overcome it. “They fail to try, rather than try and fail. “If I’ve learned anything from my life in football, it’s that success is much more than the final score.“True success is how you respond in the hardest moments.”Sir Gareth recently visited the “brilliant” OnSide youth zone in Oldham. He said: “I saw children from all backgrounds playing, talking, having fun. READ MORE SUN STORIES”There was online gaming but no one was on it.“If we can create the right environments for [youngsters] they will still want to go and play and that might be a very important message.”Owen Cooper in Netflix’s Adolescence, which highlights toxic masculinityCredit: Courtesy of Netflix. More

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      ‘I’ll never speak to them again’ – Phil Jones opens up on emotional moment he quit Man Utd WhatsApp group after retiring

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      PHIL JONES says leaving the England and Manchester United WhatsApp groups were some of the most difficult moments of retirement.The 33-year-old left boyhood club Blackburn Rovers to sign for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and won the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League.Phil Jones retired from professional football in AugustCredit: ReutersThe defender has recalled leaving the Man Utd WhatsApp groupCredit: GettyJones spent 12 years at Old Trafford and also won 27 caps for the Three Lions, but after a number of injury struggles he called time on his playing career last summer.Discussing the hardest parts of retirement, he revealed that departing the WhatsApp groups was one of the toughest.Jones said: “Believe it or not, it was quite emotional. I’d been on the WhatsApp for years and banter and you’re sending people pictures and all sorts.“I remember sitting in the bedroom going like, ‘Lads, it’s been a pleasure and blah blah blah. Some I’ve played with a lot, some I’ve only just met, but it’s been an absolute pleasure. I wish you all the best and I’ll be your biggest supporters.’ It was a tough moment actually.Read More in Football“Do you know what I gave it a minute and there was no response. I was like ‘gone, gone, gone, I’m gone!’ No-one cares. But that’s it. It’s football. “Things move so quickly and people come in. I played with people for six years. I will never see them again. I’ll never speak to them again.”Jones admitted he could not watch football for the first six months, saying: “I found myself getting really bitter towards the game and that’s not who I was, but I needed that time to reflect and come to terms with what happened and how it happened. “I look back now and I’m in a great place.”Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Old TraffordJones then embarked on a return to the game, doing a football directorship course and then completing his Uefa coaching A Licence while working with United’s U18 squad.He sat down with SunSport while doing his FA Pro licence badge at St George’s Park last week and said: “It was nice for the first few weeks, but then after that I was getting itchy feet and ready to embark on something, which is why I went down the director’s route just to give me a different sort of focus to football. Phil Jones reveals how Sir Alex Ferguson convinced him to sign for Man Utd “But my bread and butter is on the grass and it’s what I really enjoy doing. I know exactly what I want to do, where I want to be.“I’m ambitious as I was as a player. I wanted to play at the highest level, compete against the best players in the world.“I love being out on the grass, working with kids, watching players develop. Whether that’s at United, or that’s elsewhere, I love watching new players come through. “I’ve been lucky enough to help out with U18s at United, which has given me a different perspective on the game now.“I don’t watch a game any more, you’re analysing it a little bit differently. I love the game. I love everything about it. I love being involved in it.”It’s given me a purpose and I’m really ambitious and it’s something that I really want to go into.”Jones has seen the likes of Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard both endure difficulties in the dug-out but is still determined to do it rather than earn an easier living as a pundit.He added: “I just feel that I’ve got too much to offer with the managers I played under and the players I played with just to go, you know what, I’ll leave it there.I found myself getting really bitter towards the game and that’s not who I was“I want to be involved. I love being involved. The media work I’ve enjoyed. I’ve enjoyed it more than I actually thought I would but my bread and butter is certainly on the grass and coaching and going into that.“Listen, I’m not naive enough to think that I’m going to become a head coach or a manager in the next two or three years. “I understand that now I’m on the other side of the ladder where I’ve got to work myself up and build myself up. But I’m absolutely ready to do that and my family knows that.“When I visualise and try to manifest where I want to be in five years time, absolutely, I want to be the guy taking the team. “I want to be the guy making the decisions and having support and backing from the club and the owners and choosing that right moment to step in at that time.“I want to win games of football and I win at all costs. Whether that means I have to change personnel, whether that means I have to go down a different route to get results. It’s a results business game. Of course we all want to play expansive, attractive football but it doesn’t always work like that.”Jones, who had awful luck with injuries in his career, also backed Luke Shaw to bounce back from his “terrible” spell on the sidelines.Jones coached United’s Under-18 team for a seasonCredit: GettyHe said: “I feel so sorry for Mason (Mount) and Luke. The feeling for me was almost an embarrassed feeling.“You’re at Man United, the biggest club in the world and all you want to do is play football. “I love playing football, I just loved playing football like a little kid, and when you can’t do something, you have something taken away from you, it’s difficult to deal with.“You have the fans, you have social media. I can absolutely sympathise with them.“What I would say is they’ve got to come back to a state where they feel comfortable playing. READ MORE SUN STORIES”Medical staff these days will always try and promote you to come back sooner, but they’ve got to feel right in themselves, feel confident that they’re ready to come back and play and compete at a high level.“I absolutely sympathise with them. It’s a really, really terrible and tough place to be.”Man Utd ratings vs LeicesterMANCHESTER UNITED leapfrogged Tottenham into 13th in the Premier League by beating Leicester.Rasmus Hojlund was left to run in behind and shoot low into the bottom corner from an angle to open the scoring on 28 minutes.The Danish striker had not found the net since December 12 – a run of 21 matches.Alejandro Garnacho saw a goal chalked off for offside but there was no taking his snap-shot finish off him on 67 minutes.And skipper Bruno Fernandes rounded off the comfortable 3-0 win in style in the closing stages.Here’s how SunSport’s Graham Hill rated the Man Utd stars. More

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      Arsenal board has FAILED Arteta and have ‘got what they deserve’ for wasting money, says ex-chief in bombshell interview

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      KEITH EDELMAN was Arsenal’s managing director during one of the most successful and defining periods in the club’s history.Alongside vice-chairman David Dein and legendary manager Arsene Wenger between 2000 and 2008, Edelman oversaw the construction of the Emirates Stadium and departure from Highbury, as well as an iconic recruitment drive that won two Premier League titles – including the 2004 Invincibles.Keith Edelman (right) knows what it takes to succeed at ArsenalCredit: PA:Press AssociationThe former managing director helped to build the Invincibles teamCredit: ReutersEdelman helped build title-winning teams with David Dein (left) and Arsene WengerCredit: Getty – ContributorHe also oversaw the construction of the Emirates StadiumCredit: GettyAnd nearly two decades on, in an exclusive tell-all interview with SunSport, English businessman Edelman has opened up on:The “failure” of the current board to provide Mikel Arteta with a title-winning squadHow cash-strapped Arsenal worried about paying player WAGES in 2003Why the Emirates will stand the test of time WITHOUT increasing the capacitySelling Thierry Henry because he was “losing his speed”Twenty-one years on from their last title triumph, the Gunners look set to finish second for a THIRD year on the spin following yet another drop-off that sees them 12 points behind leaders Liverpool with nine games remaining.Arteta has been left hamstrung in attacking areas this term after failing to sign a striker in the past two windows, compounded by long-term injuries to forwards Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.Edelman, now 74, knows the value of building a squad capable of challenging for – and ultimately winning – major honours, working on deals for the likes of Robert Pires, Sylvain Wiltord, Sol Campbell, Gilberto Silva, Jens Lehmann and Jose Antonio Reyes during his time.Those six stars were bought for a combined total of around £42.5million, which in today’s money would be around £76million. In comparison, Havertz and Jesus were brought in for £110million.Edelman told The Sun: “I’m quite strategic in the way I see squads being built up and [Arsenal now] haven’t really built a balanced squad. They have failed on that front.“If that happens, you normally fail. You get what you deserve in a competitive environment.“If you look at the wage bill and the playing squad they have, you have to conclude that they’ve spent their money unwisely.“At the end of the day, the board has got to be responsible.”’He’s got a sense of humour’ – Sky Sports panel in stitches after Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s stunt in live TV interviewArsenal are hoping to announce the appointment of new sporting director Andrea Berta in the coming weeks, following the resignation of Edu back in November, ahead of a huge summer window.Berta will work alongside current managing director Richard Garlick, co-owners Stan and Josh Kroenke, executive vice-chair Tim Lewis and Arteta.It’s amazing how people who are paid huge amounts of money make so many big mistakes. People do lose their marbles a bit.Keith Edelmanformer Arsenal managing director From an era where Wenger ruled the roost when it came to incomings, Edelman continued: “It is clear that the manager now, with all the pressures and all the strains, can’t do everything.“He needs support in building a team and doing deals and transfers.“When I first joined Arsenal, there was one executive who ran one of the big football clubs who said to me: ‘You know, if Wenger doesn’t win the league this year or next year, you ought to fire him’.“He said, ‘It’s no good coming second all the time. You’ve got to win these things’. Fortunately, we did go on to win things.“Quite often people who are running football clubs seem to lose what I call their strategic nous in terms of working out what it is they need to do and how to build the squad.Arsenal’s biggest signings in the past 17 years“There are a lot of people who do it very well. There were some very wily operators like Ken Bates (Chelsea), Martin Edwards (Man Utd), and Daniel Levy.“And then of course, we’ve moved from that to large American organisations who think they know how to do football because they’ve done baseball or American football.“I’m not against all that. I’m just saying it’s a change. It’s different.“But it’s amazing how people who are paid huge amounts of money make so many big mistakes. People do lose their marbles a bit.“It’s extremely important to be really thoughtful and strategic and not be too emotional.“One CEO I knew used to go down to the training ground every day and had his initials put on his training gear, like one of the lads. That’s not what a CEO should do.”In their recent financial report, Arsenal’s wages have risen from £234.8million to £327.8million and posted an annual loss of £17.7million, despite record revenues of £616.6million – up £150million from last year.Those numbers are a world away from Edelman’s time at the club. Despite being one of the biggest clubs in English football, money was tight with little investment – even ahead of their unbeaten season of 2003/04.Arsenal were forced to sell many of their stars under EdelmanCredit: AFPThierry Henry left for Barcelona in a £16million dealCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdEdelman explained: “It was a very, very small business at that time. We had some big ideas about building a new stadium but we had no cash at all.“We used to turn over £65million when I joined. It’s a small number. The highest-paid player was on around £1.4million a year in those days.“Late in 2003, we’d sent some guy off to do a property deal. He said to me, ‘They’re not coming up with the right number. I should walk out of the room. I’ll get more tomorrow’.“I said, ‘No, you’ve got to sign the deal tonight because we can’t pay the wages on Thursday’. So yes, it was a bit stretched.”It was this sort of financial situation that led to the Invincibles squad being broken up just a few years after their historic 2004 triumph, seeing the likes of Pires, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry depart and replaced with young, bargain-buy hopefuls with potential.In the aftermath, Arsenal went nine years without lifting a major trophy. Edelman said: “If you’ve got endless amounts of money, as Manchester City had, you could keep a team going longer.“If you win things, you have a lot of world-class players because that’s how you win things. But when they get older, it’s very difficult to replace them. They won’t be world-class forever.“This is what I mean about looking at things strategically. You’ve got to ask the right questions. You’ve got to be probing. I don’t think a lot of people do that.”Henry – who was club captain and 29 at the time – was sold to Barcelona in the summer of 2007 for £16m. The Frenchman cited Dein’s departure and uncertainty over Wenger’s future as the reason.Edelman continued: “The reason Thierry moved on was because he was losing his speed. His game was basically all about speed. And if you lose your speed, then you’re dead.“So, we got money for him despite the fact that he was on the downward trap. It’s like Kevin De Bruyne. Would you have been better to sell him for more money at the end of last year?“Or, keep him and risk that he’d keep going this season?”Edelman is arguably best remembered for the Emirates Stadium, raising around £500million through loans and sponsorship to finance the construction, which was finished on time in the summer of 2006.Nearly 20 years on, there have been calls to increase the 60,704 capacity to compete with the likes of Old Trafford and Tottenham’s billion-pound stadium, something that could prove impossible given the original design and surrounding housing estates.And Edelman argues: “When I go there, I look around and it has stood up terribly well over time.“There are some things that are ageing and need to be replaced, but the fabric of the building is still amazing. It looks like it could have been built two years ago, not 20.“I know everyone wants to go bigger, but when I go to Wembley, I don’t enjoy the experience. You’re too far away from the pitch.”Edelman has landed a new role away from football. He has taken up a position with the country’s leading keynote speakers’ agency, Champions Speakers, to deliver speeches in the business world More

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      Inside Tuchel’s plan to win World Cup from high-fives and NFL tactics to calling players at 10pm and telling them off

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      THOMAS TUCHEL’S plan to win the World Cup has been revealed — and it is more about high fives than back fives.The new England boss has told his players he does not have time to introduce any visionary new tactics — but wants his team to become a ‘brotherhood’.Thomas Tuchel’s plans to win the World Cup have been revealedCredit: GettyTuchel wants his team to become a ‘brotherhood’Credit: GettyAnd the German believes body language is key, claiming that NBA outfits who perform the most high-fives with team-mates are more likely to win.Newcastle defender Dan Burn, who has the 6ft 7in frame of a basketball player himself, is in Tuchel’s squad as much for his strong character as his playing ability.And while Burn insists ‘I’m not just here to be a cheerleader’, he clearly buys into Tuchel’s philosophy that team bonding will play a major role at next year’s  tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico.Burn, 32, said: “The manager had a meeting on Monday night, saying that we have only got 24 training days until the World Cup, so it is not a lot at all.Read more football news“It is not going to be that he can really implement a strong way he wants us to play, which can take time, it is more about how we interact with each other and push each other. Not being afraid to speak up if something is not right.“Especially when I was younger, I would struggle with that because you didn’t want to ruffle any feathers.“But I think that is how you learn best about each other — if something is not right or you feel you could push more, I feel that is how we are going to have to be if we want to achieve that ultimate aim of winning the World Cup.”BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSAsked if he would be happy, as an international rookie, to have a go at Jude Bellingham or Harry Kane, Burn replied: “Absolutely. I’ve  no problem with that!”Most read in FootballTuchel has been asking previous tournament winners from other nations for insights on what makes a successful team, as well as studying  sports such as basketball.And Burn said: “There was more talk about ‘brotherhood’ in that initial meeting. It was more about mentality and how he wanted us to act around each other.Thomas Tuchel names his first England squad for upcoming match with Albania “He said he’d spoken to players from previous tournaments and from other countries about what the difference was between where they went out in early rounds and what happened when they won it.“And a lot of it was about interactions. The best teams historically in the NBA are normally the teams high-fiving each other, picking each other up and having a lot of those interactions.“We do a lot of that at Newcastle and speak about it, knowing those things keep people switched on and keep motivation levels high.“Working under people like Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, they say a lot of the time in meetings, people don’t want to speak up because they find it a bit embarrassing.“But I love the NFL and I feel like they’re really good at that. If they feel something going to help the group, they’ll just get up and say that — and I feel that’s something English football could probably  learn from.“I feel we’ll learn most about each other and you get close to each other as a team. When you do that, you take a risk and stand up in front of people and speak and be a bit vulnerable.”Burn has enjoyed a dream week, scoring the opener in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final victory over Liverpool, just two days after receiving his first England call-up from Tuchel.And the bruising defender admits he has to apologise to a few new team-mates, saying: “I absolutely smashed Jarrod Bowen when we were at West Ham and straight away, I went to apologise. I think it was a bit of red mist.”Burn confesses to having played his entire career with a ‘chip on my shoulder, wanting to prove people wrong’ after a career of ups and downs.Dan Burn spoke about Tuchel referencing NFL and NBA teams and their mentalityCredit: RexAnd he knows his ungainly frame can make him the target for excessive criticism.When Tuchel announced his squad last Friday he quipped that ‘despite being 6ft 7in, Burn was easy to overlook’.Burn said: “That made me laugh a little bit but it’s probably the story of my career. Visually, on the pitch, if I do make a mistake, I feel it is probably magnified just by how it looks. I was actually surprised how tall the gaffer is!”Tuchel is 6ft 4in and he made Burn feel ten feet tall when they spoke on FaceTime twice last week.Burn said: “It started off with the  manager FaceTiming me on Tuesday, saying they were debating calling me up and he’d let us know by Thursday.“Then it got to six o’clock on Thursday night and I’d not heard anything, so I said to my wife ‘nothing’s going to happen’. Then I got a text saying ‘are you still awake?’ at 10pm.“He FaceTimed, told us the good news and said I was very unprofessional for not being in bed by 10 o’clock!England’s stars enjoy a training session on Tuesday under Tuchel’s gazeCredit: GettyTuchel has 24 training days with his squad before the World CupCredit: Rex“He said he wanted me in the squad and just to use what he felt my strengths were.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I thought I could offer just as much off the pitch as on it. I feel I’m a leader on and off the pitch.“I know it’s going to be tough coming here with all these international players but that’s how I feel I can best help the team.” More

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      Newcastle and England’s Dan Burn’s ex-team mates recall his ‘baptism of fire’ pro debut that ended in 5-0 hammering

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      DAN BURN is still pinching himself after celebrating a shock England call-up by scoring and then lifting the Carabao Cup at Wembley.The boyhood Newcastle fan is living his football fairytale at long last – but it’s all a far cry from his first senior professional appearance.Dan Burn’s Wembley heroics against Liverpool were a million miles away from his EFL debutCredit: GettyHis big breakthrough in pro football came with struggling Darlington in League TwoCredit: XBurn’s EFL debut came as a 19th minute substitute aged 17 on December 12, 2009 for bottom of League Two Darlington in a 5-0 thumping at Torquay United.Mark Bower was the man Burn replaced at the back that day and is now the manager of seventh tier Guiseley.The 45-year-old, who was later a team-mate of another future England and Prem star, told SunSport: “I remember him coming on for me but I’d never twigged that it was his debut. I did my ankle and needed an operation after that.“He was a big boy back then but obviously he’s filled out a bit now and has done brilliantly.READ MORE ON DAN BURN“I remember it was December and it was a very long drive down there. We got there quite late on Friday. That was possibly his first experience of an overnight stay.“He managed to get himself on but it was a bit of a baptism of fire for him. We were on a bad run, couldn’t score any goals and conceding plenty.“Then to lose 5-0. But stuff like that builds character. You learn lessons from it and he has learned some lessons and done really well.”Ex-midfielder Nathan Mulligan, now a coach at Northern Premier League Premier Division play-off hopefuls Stockton Town, was on the bench alongside Burn at Plainmoor.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSThe 38-year-old said: “It was a real bad time for us. I think we’d lost four in a row.“I don’t remember being particularly worried when Dan had to come on. Even though he was a scholar at the time, he had been in and around the first team squad and because of his size you had no worries about him stepping in physically. He was very slim but was tall as he is now. Thomas Tuchel shares hug with Dan Burn and Lewis-Skelly as England stars arrive at St George’s Park for double-header“He was a quiet lad. Really nice too and kept his head down.”Bower, part of the Bradford side that won promotion to the Premier League in 1999, admits that it was not Burn’s playing abilities that first caught the eye after the then scholar was brought into the first-team.He said: “He just sort of kept himself to himself pretty much and did his job as a young lad and was just trying to make his way in the game and was pretty quiet.“His size was a standout thing for someone so young. He’s obviously a big unit now and has filled out a lot but back then he was very skinny. Really tall and maybe a little bit awkward too, but a really good left foot on him and he could obviously win headers.The star is now hoping to win his first England cap on FridayCredit: Getty“You always feel when young players have got them kind of tools that they’ve got a chance but I don’t think anyone back then would have thought he’d have been playing in major cup finals, playing the Premier League and potentially England.”Burn played three more times that season, losing on each occasion, as Darlington were relegated out of the EFL.But after making more appearances in the National League it appeared his dream had already come true when Premier League Fulham brought him in.Mulligan admitted: “It was a surprise but it just shows you that you never know who could be watching you.“Dan is a good example for anyone to show that you have to give everything you’ve got every single time you go on the pitch.“We’ve seen it a few times in football. Someone could spot you at any time and that one person’s opinion can change everything.”Burns journey has taken him to the likes of Yeovil, Birmingham, Wigan and Brighton before he realised his ultimate ambition when signing for Newcastle three years ago.He would have retired a happy man with just that, let alone helping them to end their 70-year wait for domestic silverware.But Burn now has the opportunity to add the cherry on top to an already magical week by winning his first England cap on Friday.Something that his old team-mates admit they would never have thought possible in a million years.Mulligan said: “No, I’d never have thought that back then. But it’s a great reward for him. He is one of them that gets an eight out of ten every week and doesn’t have a bad game and now he’s got his chance with England due to injuries.“But this isn’t the end. He can still keep this going. He might get this first cap and once he’s in he could be for a long time.“Another year or so of hard graft and he might make the World cup squad. What an extreme that would be to go from the bottom of League Two with Darlo to a World Cup.”Burn’s journey is the second football fairytale that Bower has seen from close quarters.He added: “Just a year after I played with Dan Burn at Darlington I went to Halifax and played with Jamie Vardy. I’ve seen it firsthand twice how you can come from the bottom and work your way up. It is inspirational to young lads who get knockbacks early on.READ MORE SUN STORIES“But in all honesty, I don’t think you’d have predicted him to have done so well and when you listen to him on TV now he’s probably surprised himself a little bit. “Fair play to him. He’s used what he’s got and has become a really good player. And, due to his size, he probably doesn’t get credit for how good of a footballer he is.”How ‘big angel’ Joelinton rescued boss after he fainted in SubwayNEWCASTLE cult hero Joelinton rescued his old boss after he fainted in Subway.And coach Pellegrino Matarazzo still calls the Brazilian his ‘angel’.Matarazzo was Joelinton assistant manager during the midfielder’s spell in Germany with Hoffenheim.Recalling the scary incident, the Matarazzo revealed: “I was standing in the queue and I wasn’t feeling well.“I tried to go over to the Coca-Cola machine to quickly get a drink.”I realised I was about to faint, and I did faint.“When I opened my eyes I saw Joelinton! ‘Rino, Rino, are you okay?'”He was like a small, no a big, angel – Joelinton, what are you doing here?”Read the full story… More

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      Chelsea files: Geovany Quenda, 17, was so good he was allowed to train in jeans and quit Benfica in bizarre bedroom row

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      CHELSEA hope to have a pair of star-studded Levis in their dressing room – but not in the way you think.Centre half Levi Colwill is already an established member of the first team squad. Chelsea have beaten Man Utd to the signing of Sporting’s Geovany QuendaCredit: GettyQuenda (pictured third from the left in the middle row) was initially allowed to play in his trousers as youth team Damaiense didn’t have any spare kit for himCredit: DamaienseBut next summer Portuguese wonderkid Geovany Quenda will be arriving at the club. And he is so good that he was allowed to train in jeans as a kid.Quenda was born in Guinea-Bissau in West Africa and migrated to Portugal in 2016 aged nine. On arrival he tried his luck at football with amateur side Damaiense but did not have any kit. Club officials went to find some but by the time they came back, Quenda was already showing his blistering potential so they let him carry on playing in his normal trousers.A Blues insider said: “He broke a lot of records that day. He then went with them to a tournament and totally bossed it. That’s when he caught the attention of Portugal’s bigger clubs.”Quenda was quickly snapped up by leading Portuguese team Benfica but in a bizarre episode ended up quitting to join their fierce rivals Sporting Lisbon soon after.Benfica had promised the young boy a bedroom at their academy in Seixal but then went back on the deal. Neighbours Sporting seized their chance and put him up and from there he has created shockwaves with his burgeoning talent.CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSHe was playing for the Under-23 side aged 16 and under Ruben Amorim, who is now manager at Manchester United he was given a first team chance.At 17 yrs and 95 days Quenda became the youngest player in history to score in Portugal’s La Liga top flight – taking the record from Cristiano Ronaldo.Humble Nicolas Jackson snubs mega-money supercars as he leaves Chelsea training in £30,000 Fiat 500 He is the youngest player from Sporting to start in the Champions League and at 16 was the leading scorer in Portugal’s Under-23 league.Although Chelsea say a deal has only been signed ‘in principle’ Quenda will be coming to England in summer 2026 to join a steady stream of young foreign talent on its way over.Brazilian winger Estevao Willian is coming in a few months’ time and Ecuadorian midfielder Kendry Paez is on his way.At a more senior level, Chelsea have agreed an £18.5 million fee for midfielder Dario Essugo – Portuguese like Quenda.Chelsea have also agreed a deal for Dario Essugo, who is currently on loan at Las Palmas from SportingCredit: GettyFAN-TASTICCHELSEA have been winning but not singing. And to try to put that right a group of fed-up season ticket holders have taken action.A group called We Are The Shed had a trial run of a ‘singing section’ in the Upper Tier of the famous stand at Stamford Bridge last week.Around 120 diehards have worked with the club in an effort to gather all those who want to generate noise and atmosphere together in the same group of seats in Block Four.While the deafening Danes from FC Copenhagen were impossible to compete with during last Thursday’s Conference League victory for The Blues, there was a visible and audible know of fans stoking things up.The atmosphere or lack of it at home games has been a big talking point among Chelsea fans in recent seasons. It is the same at most Premier League stadiums these days though in their defence.We Are The Shed are on the lookout for new recruits to join their growing band.A group of Chelsea fans are hoping to improve the atmosphere at Stamford BridgeCredit: GettyThe Blues’ support was drowned out by noisy fans of FC Copenhagen during last week’s Conference League clashCredit: PAROMAN IN RUINSROMAN ABRAMOVICH has turned his back on football since being forced to give up his beloved Chelsea.The Russian billionaire remains furious over the Theresa May Government withdrawing his “golden visa” in  2018.Four years later, Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine saw the Boris Johnson Government force Abramovich to sell the club as part of the sanctions against Russian financial interests.And close friends report that Abramovich has barely watched a game since being left with no option other than to hand the Blues over to the Todd Boehly-led consortium.One said: “Roman still likes football. But he doesn’t go to games any more. It was always about Chelsea.”Some £2.5bn of the sale price earmarked for victims of the war, remains stuck in an escrow account.Friends of Roman Abramovich (pictured in 2017) say the ex-Chelsea owner has turned his back on footballCredit: AFPNO LAUGHING MATTERAMID a frantic flurry of interviews and announcements from Manchester United last week, one briefing slipped out which would have pricked ears at Stamford Bridge.It has emerged that Red Devils minority owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has declared war on the club’s bloated wage bill.After branding some United players “overpaid”, the British billionaire wants to scale back base wages and focus on performance related incentives.This news was rather well received within the corridors of power at Chelsea, who have been doing the same for a couple of years now.Many were quick to laugh when the club’s American owners, Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly, started dishing out nine-year deals with the incentive of a big bump when certain targets are hit.Chelsea’s latest published accounts, for the year to June 2023, showed wages rising from £340.2million to £404m.However, the Blues owners have made huge efforts to trim their expenditure on wages back.It has also been noted at the Bridge that the restructuring at other top club’s, with multiple high-level people in place to look after recruitment, is starting to mirror the changes at Chelsea – who have two sporting directors in Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.There are signs that other clubs are starting to copy Todd Boehly’s often-derided approach at ChelseaCredit: APUNLUCKY 13LIFE as a professional footballer may seem like paradise – and it can be. But what people on the outside don’t often see is the sacrifice that goes into getting there.And forward Christopher Nkunku illuminated that in a recent interview. Born and raised in the suburbs of Paris, his blossoming skills earned him a place at France’s national football academy at Clariefontaine – some 35 miles away.Maybe not so far but Nkunku explained: “You are only 13 years old and you move out of home. It was really hard. Since then I have not lived in my family house and this is hard.“But you remember you are here for football because you have a dream and you have to sacrifice to achieve that.”Given that Nkunku played for Paris Saint-Germain then to Germany to join RB Leipzig and now Chelsea in London, that is quite the nomadic lifestyle. And none of it with any guarantee of success.Christopher Nkunku has been playing far from home ever since he was 13 years oldCredit: GettyCAUSING A STERRAHEEM STERLING has been voted into UEFA’s official Team of the Week after his sterling display for loan club Arsenal last Wednesday.The winger is not yet thinking about his long term future as time ticks away on his season long spell in North London.It seems obvious he does not have a future under current boss Enzo Maresca but with two years left on his contract in summer is under no pressure to quit – at least not on Chelsea’s terms. There are rumours that a host of Saudi Arabian clubs are taking interest in the 30-year-old who last week became the first English player to be directly involved in at least one goal for four different clubs in the Champions League: Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea and now Arsenal.But they can forget it. One place Sterling won’t be going is the Pro-League. There is money and adulation on tap from star-hungry Saudi fans but it doesn’t suit the born and bred Londoner.Raheem Sterling hasn’t pulled up any trees on loan at Arsenal this season, but he did set a unique Champions League recordCredit: Getty More

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      Virgil van Dijk issues fierce warning to Liverpool team-mates to avoid the ‘world sinking’ after disastrous week

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      VIRGIL VAN DIJK warned Liverpool must “work our a**es” off to stop the “world sinking”.Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle ended a miserable week in which Arne Slot’s side were also dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain.Virgil van Dijk sent a rallying call out to his Liverpool team-matesCredit: ReutersAlexander Isak struck for Newcastle in the finalCredit: GettyOusmane Dembele helped knock Liverpool out of the Champions LeagueCredit: GettySkipper Van Dijk wants the Reds to react with five straight wins that would likely see them secure the Prem title by beating Tottenham on April 27.He said: “We have to turn this around. If you lose twice in five days it feels like the world is sinking. Two weeks before, everything was sunshine and rainbows.“In the Champions League, we couldn’t get it done, we lost this final and we got knocked out of the FA Cup.“We have nine games to go and I don’t think there’s any motivation needed to try to get the job done. We have to work our a**es off.READ MORE IN football“But now everyone goes to their respective countries and will all play and hopefully stay fit.“We then have a couple of days to settle down and be ready for Everton at home.“If we win five games — obviously a very difficult job — we’ll be champions of England.“If you keep these things in your mind it also can benefit you to make sure you’re working hard.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS“I can guarantee you right now there will be so many difficult moments in all of those games.”Liverpool are 12 points clear of Arsenal. The Reds need 16 points to be sure but five wins should be enough due to their better goal difference.Ant & Dec scream with joy and Alan Shearer loses his hat as Geordies go wild after Newcastle win Carabao CupYet inconsistent Arsenal are likely to drop points in their next few games, meaning Arne Slot’s team — who last won the Premier League in 2020 — could wrap up the title even sooner.Van Dijk, whose team face rivals Everton on April 2, revealed how Slot tried to pick up his stars.Dutchman VVD added: “He said everyone should be disappointed by not winning the cup — but that there is a title to win and, when we come back, we have a big game.”The centre-back insisted that the Euro loss to PSG on penalties had nothing to do with Liverpool’s lacklustre Wembley display.He said: “No, I don’t think there was any impact from that. We gave it all, I don’t think PSG had anything to do with it.” More