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      in Soccer

      How hosts Germany can win Euro 2024 – squad, predicted line-up versus Scotland, latest odds and star players

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      GERMANY’S reputation as tournament football’s greatest nation has taken a battering in recent years.At Qatar 2022 the Nationalmannschaft went out at the group stage for the second World Cup in a row, having lost in the last 16 to England at Euro 2020 in between the two.Germany have turned to Julian Nagelsmann after a disappointing few yearsCredit: RexSo when Julian Nagelsmann took over last autumn, expectations were at their lowest for some time.But hosting a big competition brings back happy memories for German fans. They won the 1974 World Cup on home soil, finished third under Jurgen Klinsmann in the game-changing 2006 tournament, and reached the semis of Euro 1988.And there have been recent signs of improvement.read more on the eurosAfter disappointing friendly defeats by Turkey and Austria in November, Germany beat World Cup runners-up France and Qatar quarter finalists Holland in back-to-back games in March.They were Toni Kroos’ first matches back following his decision to return from three years in international retirement.Kroos, 34, brings experience, quality and grit to a midfield that has lacked all three.The backline remains a bit of a concern, however, and Germany’s best form of defence may be attack. Most read in Euro 2024Their impressive options include Florian Wirtz, fresh from helping Bayer Leverkusen win their first Bundesliga title.Germany play Scotland in the opening game of Euro 2024 on 14 June at Munich’s Allianz Arena.Meet the ten Wags ready to stun at Euro 2024Manager: Julian NagelsmannBright, young boss and a bit of a maverick. Known for his flashy outfits and arriving for training on a skateboard. Nagelsmann, 36, was appointed as Hansi Flick’s successor in September 2023.His masterstroke was to talk Kroos back into the fold, after the Real Madrid man had retired from international football in 2021.Julian Nagelsmann has brought hope to German fans ahead of Euro 2024Credit: APKey Man: Jamal MusialaStill only 21, Musiala can make things happen out of nothing. Maybe the disappointment of Bayern Munich’s season will spur him on to greatness.The former Chelsea academy star is one of the most creative players on show at Euro 2024.Musiala likes to come in from the right to cause havocLikely line-upNagelsmann has yet to decide on a settled formation. He used a back three against Austria in November, before opting to go four at the back in a defeat to Turkey – with Kai Havertz at left back.Recently however he has gone for a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Kroos and Robert Andrich in front of the back four, and three attacking midfielders.He can chose between Niclas Fullkrug of Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal star Havertz as lone striker.How Germany could line up in a 4-2-3-1 formationHow they attackGermany will be very structured in their build-up with an emphasis on creating situations that allow them to dominate the ball from the middle of the park.This is generally achieved by the two deepest midfielders who will look to take up positions to support the attack.Toni Kroos drops deeper to take the ball off the defendersAs Germany are building the attack Kroos likes to drop from the midfield back to take the ball off the defence to help with ball progression.When the ball is out on the wing, Germany will look to overload the ball side of the pitch with revolving triangles and passing options to help the player in possession.But this overload creates space on the far side, away from the ball, that can be exploited through a quick cross-field ball.Focussing on one side of the pitch occupies the opposition, which frees up space on the opposite flankThese angles and passing triangles mean that the man in possession will have options to play through.But it also means that the player on the far side is left in acres of space.As Germany attack they have options – pass their way through the congested area of the pitch or to switch the play and attack the space behind the opposition defence.And with the creative talents of Wirtz, Musiala and Ilkay Gundogan in midfield, they have the ability to unpick any opposition.Germany dominate the ball on one side of the pitch with two players on the far side then able to make aggressive off the ball runs to hurt the opposition.How they defendDefensively we will see Germany working hard to protect and shut off the centre of the pitch. Because of their likely structure of play as 4-3-2-1, the two deeper midfielders will hold the base of the defensive shape.The three more attacking midfielders and the striker position themselves in more of a narrow shape to stop the opposition from being able to play through the middle.The Germans stay narrow to limit the options available to the French defence as they try to play from the backBy working in this way to prevent the opposition from playing through the centre of the pitch they are trying to force the opposition either out wide, where they can press against the line, or long where they can win the duel.As Germany force their opposition to pass wide to try to play around the defensive block we will then typically see the Germans press out.The midfielders and the fullback on that side of the pitch look to engage the ball carrier to try to win the ball back high.Once the opposition attack down the wing, the Germans use the touchline as an extra defenderThe passes from the opposition to move the ball will then be immediately pressed as Germany use the touchline as an extra defender to try to regain the ball.Germany have a very proactive and effective form of defending as they look to choke off the pitch in a medium to high defensive block and win the ball back high. Indeed, defending in this way is likely to be one of the most used defensive systems at the tournament as teams try to protect their defensive line at all costs.As the ball is played across to the far side we see Germany quickly break out to try to engage the ball and win possession in the opposition halfPredictionShould Germany win Group A, they’ll face the runners up of England’s Group C.If they get through that last-16 game, the likely opponent are the Group B winners, which many expect will be Spain.Then it’s a potential semi-final against the likes of Portugal, Netherlands, or Slovakia.And the final could pit Germany against the likes of France or England.Latest oddsAs hosts, Germany are the third favourites to win the competition, behind England and France respectively.William Hill price them as 5/1 to lift the Euros in Berlin on July 14.Glam fans and WagsSara Gundogan was one of the stars of Prime Video’s series ‘Married to the Game’, which followed the lives of five football Wags.The Italian model had a highly-successful career as a TV presenter before meeting former Manchester City Gundogan in 2021.She sparked fury when she called the Manchester restaurant scene “horrible” in 2022.READ MORE SUN STORIESMeanwhile, Germany’s lone striker Havertz will be supported by his fiancee Sophia Weber.But with Germany hosting Euro 2024, the squad will be blessed with an army of Wags cheering them on.Sara Gundogan models for Chanel and PradaCredit: Instagram @sarabenamiraShe married Ilkay Gundogan in 2022Credit: Instagram @sarabenamiraThe Italian beauty has been enjoying life since moving to Barcelona last summerCredit: Instagram @sarabenamiraSophia Weber is engaged to Germany and Arsenal striker Kai HavertzCredit: Instagram @sophiaaemeliaSophia Weber has amassed 180,000 followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram @sophiaaemeliaHavertz and Weber are high school sweetheartsCredit: INSTAGRAM @sophiaaemeliaGerman left-back David Raum is married to Eva KatharinaCredit: InstagramGlam Eva Katharina boasts an enviable lifestyle of travel and loves shoppingCredit: InstagramEva and Raum like to keep their relationship privateCredit: Instagram @katharina.raumToni Kroos’ wife Jessica will return to watch tournament football after watching her husband win the 2014 World CupCredit: GettyThe couple were married in June 2015 and have three childrenCredit: GettyNina Neuer is married to legendary German goalkeeper Manuel NeuerCredit: GettyNeuer tied the knot with the German beauty in 2017Credit: Splash News More

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      in Soccer

      Inside Kylian Mbappe’s private suite at Real Madrid training ground with fingerprint scanner and huge balcony

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE’S eyes have been opened to the luxuries enjoyed by Real Madrid stars.The former Paris-Saint Germain winger was gifted with his own stunning private suite with a lavish balcony at Madrid’s £100million training base.Kylian Mbappe has been gifted with his very own private suiteCredit: Real MadridEvery player has their own stunning suiteCredit: Real MadridThe bed is fitted with Real Madrid crested pillowsCredit: Real MadridA luxuriant en-suite is among the facilities on handCredit: Real MadridAs well as a HUGE modern balconyCredit: Real MadridMbappe, 25, joined Los Blancos as a free agent last week, in what many consider the ‘most expensive free transfer in football history’.And now he has discovered that no expense is spared for players who wear the Madrid shirt, after being introduced to his very own private room.The video released by Spanish TV channel Conexion Deportiva shows that Mbappe’s name has been nailed to the door of his exclusive digs.Each room is only accessible by the fingerprint of that specific player, with an immense balcony overlooking the impressive training pitches.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSJust like a five-star hotel, Mbappe’s en-suite is larger than most flats. The hallway walls are covered in white gloss with luminous club crests, before you get to French World Cup winner’s room 103.The building boasts an indoor swimming pool, games room, cinema and 57 individual bedrooms across an area of more than 7,800 squared metres.The Valdebebas Park facilities were opened in 2005 and cost an estimated £100million.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSMbappe was reportedly allocated the room which was previously occupied by legendary German midfielder Toni Kroos.The suite emptied quite recently when Kroos, 34, left the club last week, having announced his retirement from football.Play Home Games and guess which sporting icon lived in this dream mansionMbappe ended his career at Paris Saint-Germain by lifting the Coupe de France trophy a few weeks ago.Before announcing his move to the former club of his favourite player, Cristiano Ronaldo.He expressed his excitement about joining Madrid on social media and even received words of support from Ronaldo himself.Fans joked that after Ronaldo had left Madrid’s stunning training base for Juventus, he was forced to suffer with Manchester United’s ancient facilities when he re-joined in 2021.After seeing the video, one Man Utd fan account wrote: “Wow. We’re sorry Ronaldo.”Another said: “Now I understand why Ronaldo was complaining about Man Utd’s leaking roof.”Mbappe joins the 15-time European cup winners after a six-year spell with PSG in which he scored 256 goals in 308 appearances.The French midfielder penned a five-year contract with Madrid that will see him take a whopping £51MILLION pay cut to join.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt’s believed that the star was earning a whopping £63.9m per year during his final season in Paris with an annual £25.6m signing-on-bonus too.While his new deal in the Spanish capital will see him earn a comparatively measly £12.8m per year deal after tax.Mbappe joined Real Madrid as a free agentCredit: AFP More

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      in Soccer

      Our clubs are playthings of US wealth funds and billionaire Arabs who don’t care, says ex-Chelsea owner Ken Bates

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      FEW people played a greater role than Ken Bates in revolutionising and globalising English football.During his controversial 21-year reign as chairman, Chelsea fielded England’s first all-foreign starting XI, appointed a string of overseas managers and eventually sold to Roman Abramovich — the first foreigner to buy a Premier League club.Ken Bates pulled no punches when talking about the state of the Premier LeagueCredit: RexHe sold the club to Roman AbramovichCredit: GettyYet as Chelsea’s latest owners, Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, appoint Enzo Maresca as their fifth manager in two years, Bates hates what English football has become.He told SunSport: “Most clubs are the playthings of multi-billionaire Arabs or (like Chelsea) part of American wealth fund portfolios, people who know nothing and care even less about football.“Football clubs used to be run by men like Jack Walker, who loved their local community.“I met Jack once and said, ‘I’m very proud of what you achieved at Blackburn. I admire you immensely but I wouldn’t want to be you’.READ MORE CHELSEA NEWS“He asked why not and I told him, ‘Because I wouldn’t want to live in f***ing Blackburn!’.”Bates offered me a rare interview in the Monaco tax haven he and his third wife, Suzannah, have called home for 20 years because he’d read a column in which I’d poured manure over the ills of modern football.He sees me as a kindred spirit and, while I’m not entirely sure about that, a 2½-hour lunch with Old Greybeard is an in-depth education and a glorious entertainment.At 92, Bates retains a sharp mind and an acid tongue. He swears like a docker and is spectacularly rude about most of the people he encountered in football.Most read in FootballMan City owner Sheikh Mansour is now taking on the Premier LeagueCredit: AlamyCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSHe sees himself as a working-class outsider, always standing up for smaller clubs.After the scrapping of FA Cup replays and the lack of proper recompense for those further down the pyramid, he proposes that all 72 Football League clubs resign from the FA — a reverse of the European Super League, with the rank-and-file breaking away from the elite.Jose Mourinho’s iconic first Chelsea press conferenceBates says: “They should persuade non-league clubs to join them and find out what the FA would do when their Cup only has 20 entrants.“But the EFL haven’t got anybody with enough balls to do it. The FA is feckless and f***ing useless.”It’s now 20 years since Bates left Chelsea, after serving a further nine months as chairman following the sale to Abramovich.That deal was done within 48 hours of Bates even knowing who the Russian oligarch was.But Bates soon disliked what the club became, and also decried Abramovich for appointing former Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon, “who couldn’t run a f***ing egg-and-spoon race”.He adds: “It became a different club. The trouble is Russia is a communist state based on fear…“Licking the a**e of the guy above you and s**ting in the face of the bloke beneath you. It’s crude but it sums it up. That’s how Chelsea went. The culture changed.“London-based Russians were using our executive boxes to discuss deals with Vladimir Putin.”Abramovich tried to buy Tottenham first but, Bates says, Spurs chairman “Daniel Levy always wanted a bit more”.To understand Bates best, it is instructive to hear him discuss his 1982 takeover of a bankrupt Chelsea from the Mears family, who founded the club 77 years earlier, and aristocratic chairman Viscount Chelsea.Bates said clubs have become playthings of billionairesCredit: GettyBates recalls: “They told me, ‘We’ve got two cheques — one for the FA and one for the wages — which one shall we bounce?’.“I handed over a £300,000 cheque on the Friday. Viscount Chelsea then asked if I’d like to be their guest tomorrow for the match. I thought, ‘Great, I’m being invited to attend a match at a club I’ve just bought!’.“Knowing my place in the working class, I said, ‘That’s very kind of you my Lord, I accept’.“The next day 30 people were having a four-course lunch — all the directors, their wives and kids.“Champagne, wine, brandy, port, big cigars — I said, ‘This lot said they couldn’t pay the players’ wages!’.“They were giving away 700 free tickets. I stopped the lot, making 700 enemies for life.“One of the Mears family said, ‘My great-grandfather built this club’. I said, ‘Yeah and your father f***ed it up! You want tickets? Walk 50 yards and you’ll see the ticket office’.”Bates — a father of five, with “15 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and two more on the way” — spent much of his time in football eating with people he despised.Like one disgraced FA exec who “left his wife for a woman who was as fat as he was but was a vegetarian. I was at dinner where they served his wife lamb chops so he stuck the chops in his suit pocket”.Or a colleague who “was an arrogant b****d with a snotty-nosed b**ch of a wife. I was at dinner where she was served the finest foie gras and she said, ‘I don’t eat tinned meat’. He split up with her and said, ‘As long as I can keep the dog . . . ’.”Bates was brought up by his grandparents in Hanwell, West London. Despite being born “a cripple” with a club foot, he came close to being a professional footballer.He adds: “I had seven unsuccessful operations before a doctor walked past at Great Ormond Street Hospital and said he could fix it for £20 cash — and did.“I was right-footed but not having any instep, the ball went everywhere, so I trained myself to be left-footed.“I wanted to be a footballer — I didn’t drink, smoke or go with girls.“When I was 20 I realised I’d wasted my f***ing youth!”He got as far as Arsenal’s youth team before a motorcycle accident “b***ered my knee” — then made his fortune in business, owned Oldham Athletic and a major share in Wigan before buying a Chelsea side on the brink of the Third Division.Bates says: “But 16 years later we won the European Cup-Winners’ Cup on the smell of an oily rag.”That was under Gianluca Vialli, who replaced Ruud Gullit as player-manager and was succeeded by Claudio Ranieri — this when foreign bosses were rare in English football.Bates says: “Gullit spent too much time on commercial interests. I’d see him posing in black swimming trunks on the back of London buses.“I told him to stop playing. He said, ‘I’ll decide that’ — he was very arrogant. I said, ‘Yeah and I will decide when I stop paying you’.”Meet Pep Guardiola disciple Enzo Maresca
      ENZO MARESCA is considered among the most exciting young coaches on the planet.
      Born in Italy in 1980, he managed to guide Leicester to the Championship title in his first season as Foxes boss.
      His management career started at Italian minnows Ascoli before he was snapped up by Man City in 2020 to manage their Elite Development Squad.
      He guided the youth team to the Premier League 2 title in his one season working for the Citizens – with Cole Palmer in the side.
      His first senior job was with Parma but he was sacked after just a few months after failing to impress.
      Despite the team playing in Serie B and Maresca having an impressive squad he was unable to get them on course for promotion.
      He returned to Man City and worked as one of Pep Guardiola’s assistants for the 2022/23 season as they won the Treble.
      He took over relegated Leicester last summer and made an immediate impact, with the Foxes winning the Championship title.
      Maresca showed his dedication to the job by living at the training ground for the first two months after his appointment.
      He’s considered something of a Pep disciple and has said: “For a coach, it’s important to have the mentality of a chess player.”
      During his playing career he played under Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi – and alongside ex-Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi.

      Vialli and Ranieri were favourites of Bates, who speaks with affection about Gianfranco Zola, Roberto Di Matteo, Celestine Babayaro, Frank Leboeuf and Marcel Desailly  — most of whom were part of that all-foreign XI which played at Southampton on Boxing Day 1999.But he credits captain Dennis Wise for ensuring there were no cliques, insisting only English was spoken in the dressing room. All that was a far cry from the Chelsea Bates inherited, which had hooligan and racism problems — with the National Front to the fore.Infamously, Bates put in electrified fences at the Bridge but the council wouldn’t let him switch them on.That story sees Bates remembered as an acolyte of Margaret Thatcher — the Prime Minister who declared war on football fans with a proposed ID card scheme, only ditched after the Hillsborough disaster. Bates says: “We’d had a pitch invasion and I was a farmer then.“Cows s**t all over the place, s**t on tomorrow’s breakfast — so you used electric wire to control them.“One of my guys said, ‘Why don’t you use it on the fences at  Chelsea?’ People accused me of wanting to murder my own family and other bulls**t.“Thatcher said hooliganism was football’s problem. I said, ‘No, football reflects society’.“David Evans, a Tory MP, was chairman of Luton. They’d had Millwall fans rioting, so Evans tried to score political points with Thatcher by banning away supporters.“Chelsea were Luton’s next visitors. He banned away supporters and sent us our usual allocation for the directors’ box. I gave the directors’ tickets up to ordinary Chelsea fans and didn’t go myself. “When Luton visited us, I banned their directors and invited ordinary fans into the directors’ box.”READ MORE SUN STORIESPochettino’s Chelsea record
      MAURICIO POCHETTINO had just started to turn Chelsea around.
      An impressive run of end-of-season form saw the Blues leapfrog the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle to finish sixth in the Premier League – and earn a Europa League spot.
      But it wasn’t enough to keep him in a job as it was announced on Tuesday evening that the Argentine had left.
      Here are all Pochettino’s Stamford Bridge stats:
      Premier League – 6th
      FA Cup – Semi-finals (lost to Man City)
      Carabao Cup – Runners-up (Lost to Liverpool)
      Total record:
      Games 51Wins 26Draws 11Defeats 14
      Goals for 103Goals against 74

      And that’s Ken Bates — at least Ken Bates’ version of Ken Bates.  An ordinary bloke who stood up to the powerful, the arrogant, the feckless and the f***ing useless.Whether you believe him or not, he is always worth listening to. More

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      in Boxing

      My grandad is a Rolling Stones legend, but I hope to be a Team GB Olympic gold medallist with the help of Prince Naseem

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      ROLLING STONES axeman Ronnie Wood might have had plenty of fights over the years, but it’s his grandson who is showing pedigree as a real fighter.At just 18, Leo Wood – who is the son of Ronnie’s adopted son, Jamie – is winning the plaudits because of his boxing ability.Leo Wood’s blossoming boxing career has hit new heightsAmateur champ Leo is the grandson of Rolling Stones axeman Ronnie WoodBack in April, Leo won a title at the prestigious England Boxing National Amateur ChampionshipsBack in April, the ambitious teenager won the under 57kg weight class at the prestigious England Boxing National Amateur Championships, previously known as the ABA Championships, in Derby.That success saw him invited for assessment by Team GB, who could offer Wood a shot at the Olympics when the Games heads to Los Angeles in 2028.Leo has come a long way since he was introduced to the sport by Prince Naseem’s brother, Morade.A member of Ropes and Glory Club in Chatham, Kent – his skills are honed by the gym’s owners, a father and son duo who share the same name, Dan Woledge.Read more boxing newsHe told SunSport how a chance meeting with Naz’s sibling on holiday kick-started a love-affair with combat sport.”I went out to Dubai and I met Prince Naseem’s brother out there,” he said.”He introduced to boxing on the beach and had me practicing all week.”When I got home, he set me up with a trainer and from then I fell in love with it.Most read in Boxing”I joined a club and it began from there.”In a clip shared with SunSport, a 10-year-old Leo can be seen throwing haymakers at Morade Hamed (below).Leo Wood, aged 10, sparring with Prince Naseem’s brother, MoradeAlthough refinement was necessary, a natural talent for boxing was evident even then.”I realised I had a natural talent when I practiced on the beach,” Wood told us.”I remember this boy who was a few years older than me wanting to box with me and I clocked him.”In a controlled environment, in a ring, it was the best course of action for Leo, who had his troubles at school.Full of energy, he admitted he got into scraps in the playground that got him in bother with his teachers.Boxing gave Leo the remedy to channel his aggression elsewhere.”I was always getting into trouble at school and fighting,” he revealed.”I got kicked out a few times, it was how I was. I turned to sport to keep myself out of trouble.”I played football, but that was more of a team sport and I had to rely on everybody else.”I decided to take on boxing and it was much more exciting.”Soon, Wood began to earn the accolades. In 2022, he won the Southern Area under 54kg Youth Title Belt.Boxing legend Prince Naseem Hamed has aided Leo’s developmentLeo Wood already has a number of accolades to show offHe got a Team GB call up for the first time at 16 for assessment, and things began to snowball.While Prince Naseem Hamed has lent his expertise and wisdom to aid Leo’s development.”After I won my first championships, it was unreal. I knew I was good enough then,” he said.”I beat the best boys that everyone was talking about, when I didn’t really expect to win it.”That got me selection for Team GB, which was amazing but Covid hit and that affected my training.”For the past six months, Wood has been fighting out of the Ropes and Glory stable.He trains four days a week, religiously, and spars with other exciting prospects.Amazingly, in such a short space of time, he was able to land an ABA title – defeating boxers years older than him.”Entering the competition at jut 18, you don’t expect to beat all these guys who are older than you – with some even being 25-year-olds,” Wood divulged.”To have seven fights in the competition and come out on top against the top adults in the country, it didn’t even feel real.”Wood was again invited for Team GB assessment, while he is gearing up for the GB Three Nations, where he will take on fighters from Scotland and Wales.At the prestigious England Boxing National Amateur Championships, Wood won the title in the 57kg weight classWood saw off seven boxers, including some seven years his senior to win the titleBen Whittaker presented Wood with his beltREAD MORE SPORT FEATURESHe’s already had 50 fights as an amateur, and admitted he is targeting an Olympic appearance. “It would be a dream to go to the Olympics,” Wood beamed.”If not, the pro-game is always still available. They are both great achievements to have.”When Wood received his ABA belt, it was presented by Olympic silver medallist Ben Whittaker.The Surgeon is a boxer the aspiring Wood admires and hopes to emulate.He said: “I really like Ben Whittaker, especially the journey he’s made from the Olympics to now smashing it in the pro game.”He’s got an amazing style, and I think as a pro you have to entertain the crowd which is what he does. I respect that.”If I go pro, I’d have to do something like that!”Grandad hasn’t seen me box yet, but he’s really supportive.
      “He’s always texting me to say ‘Well done'”.Whatever Wood achieves, inevitably his famous grandad Ronnie Wood will come up in conversation.But, as Leo put it, “At the end of the day, I am my own person. I am me for me. We do different things.”Has Ronnie passed on any fighting tips? “Grandad hasn’t seen me box yet, but he’s really supportive,” Wood added.READ MORE SUN STORIES”He’s always texting me to say ‘Well done'”.Judging by Leo’s rapid trajectory, maybe both grandson and grandad will be stadium fillers in the years to come.Ronnie Wood shows off his art skills to grandson LeoRonnie Wood hasn’t seen Leo box yetLeo poses with proud parents, mum Jodie and dad Jamie WoodRolling Stones star Ronnie, currently on tour, sends Leo messages of support More

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      in Soccer

      Bitter 50-year feud between two football clubs 200 miles apart with ‘lockdown’ youths fuelling new wave of hooliganism

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      TWO Football League clubs have formed an unlikely bitter feud stretching back 50 years – despite being 200 miles apart.Geography is the usually the predominant cause of a rivalry, with hatred instilled within fans from a young age.Cops broke up a brawl between youths ahead of the Coventry and Sunderland gameCredit: Channel 4A pitch invader is tackled by stewards after running onto the field with a flareCredit: Channel 4Sunderland fans clashing with police following their match with CoventryCredit: Channel 4Cops patrolling the Coventry and Sunderland gameBased hundreds of miles apart, Sunderland and Coventry City had an indifferent opinion of each other for much of their respective existences.But the two Football League clubs have maintained a deep hatred for each other since the final day of the 1976/77 season.The teams were not playing against each other, but were vying for safety in the top-flight of English football.As is customary on the final day, the games had been scheduled to kick off at the same time.Read more footballBut owing to traffic congestion outside Coventry’s Highfield Stadium, then director Jimmy Hill delayed the start of his club’s game by 15 minutes to allow fans of the home side time to make into the ground.Sunderland ultimately lost to Everton 2-0 on the day, with the result being broadcast mid-game for all to hear at Coventry.Coventry’s encounter with Bristol City subsequently petered out into a 2-2 draw with both sides knowing a point was enough to keep them up – and so little effort was made to score.It meant Sunderland were relegated out of the top-flight and would remain in the second division for three years.Most read in FootballFifty years later, the rivalry between the clubs remains just as intense.New Channel 4 documentary Football Cops follows police as they work to prevent outbreaks of violence at matches across England.Watch footballer punch rival in furious fit of rage as fans demand lifetime ban for moment of madnessThe series opener on Monday night showed Dedicated Football Officers (DFOs) fighting an uphill battle while patrolling Coventry and Sunderland fans during the 2022/23 season.But many leading the chaos weren’t born when the infamous incident occurred.Instead, police found themselves breaking up a group of youths brawling in a car park in close proximity to the ground.It comes as an expert warned a “lockdown generation” of youngsters are fuelling a return of hooliganism across Britain.Geoff Pearson, professor of law at the University of Manchester, has suggested older family members would usually set boundaries for acceptable behaviour when attending games.But he said boys stuck in lockdown had missed out on this step and are now rushing to stadiums together.He told MailOnline: “If you think of how fan communities work when you don’t have lockdowns, young fans go with family members, who at points will make interventions and draw the line about what is acceptable. “During lockdown these young fans were set at home. So you had a sudden rush of young, new fans rushing into stadiums at the same time.”Ahead of the fixture, DFOs had positioned themselves around local pubs to prevent away fans from entering.One officer told the show that away fans outnumbering home supporters in a pub is seen as “a big thing”.Cops also followed a group of 70 youths as they chanted expletive-filled songs before the match.Once inside the stadium, DFOs spotted a fan with a blue flare, who then sprinted onto the pitch waving it around.The man was subsequently arrested and handed a four-year football banning order.But the violence continued after the game as Sunderland fans became enraged and knocked down a barrier as they were taunted by Coventry supporters.It comes as football-related arrests have reached their highest level for nine years.The latest data shows there were 2,264 football-related arrests across the 2022/23 season.READ MORE SUN STORIESThere was also the highest number of new football banning orders for a decade, with 682 issued.The majority of banning orders were handed to men aged between 18 and 34, figures show.Then Coventry City manager Jimmy Hill signing autographs for young fans in August 1967Credit: GettyAmad Diallo of Sunderland scores the only goal during the match between Coventry and Sunderland at the Coventry Building Society Arena on February 25, 2023Credit: GettyPolice officers on the pitch during the disorder at West Brom vs Wolves in the FA Cup in JanuaryCredit: PAJonny Sunley (DFO Carlisle United), Stu Spencer “Cardio” (DFO Coventry City), Wayne Mitchell (National DFO UK Football Policing Unit), Jessy Sorrell (Operational Football Officer or “Spotter” Ipswich Town) and Rickie Wallbank (DFO Brrow AFC)Credit: Patch Dolan / Channel 4 More

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      in Soccer

      Jude Bellingham owes superstardom to mum he calls his ‘queen’ & ‘hero’ ex-cop dad – as Jose Mourinho praises family

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      GRATEFUL Jude Bellingham made mum Denise the centre of attention after his Wembley triumph as thanks for helping his dreams of glory come true.The Champions League winner, 20, credits the woman he calls his Queen with getting him within touching distance of Euros greatness.Jude Bellingham owes a lot to his family following his Champions League victory with Real MadridCredit: AFPJude has won the coveted trophy in his first season at the Spanish clubCredit: GettyReal Madrid star Jude took Denise, dad Mark and younger brother Jobe from the crowd and later fought back tears as he thanked his family for their support.He said: “This is the best night of my life. I was all right until I saw my mum and dad’s faces.“The amount of nights where they could be at home by seven o’clock and they’re doing trips at 11 and 12 at night to take me to football.“And my little brother there who I’m trying to be a role model for. Yeah, it’s the best night of my life.”READ MORE ON JUDE BELLINGHAMEngland fans were now urging Jude to save his strength for the upcoming Euros in Germany, after playing 42 games for Real in a debut season which saw him La Liga Player of the Year.Chelsea fan Richard Wilson, 36, from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, said: “Jude has played twice as much football as most top professionals at his age — he must be knackered.“But he has the ability to become a true England great.”On Saturday night Jude celebrated the 2-0 win over former club Borussia Dortmund by taking Denise to the sidelines to meet former Madrid manager and TV pundit Jose Mourinho, dubbed The Special One.Most read in FootballJude snapped the pair together, telling smiling Mourinho: “Sorry about that, my mum’s fancied you for years!”Mourinho later told TNT Sports: “Special player, special family. To see that family, the way they are there, they are not looking for cameras, they are not looking for the VIP seats, they are just there to support their kid in the most humble way.Gareth Evans recalls playing against ‘exceptional’ 16-year-old Jude Bellingham on his debut“For me, it’s really beautiful. Family, we play for them, especially in these moments, we play for them.”Mum Denise, 54, had accompanied former Birmingham City player Jude when he was sold to Dortmund in 2020 for £21million — then stayed by his side as he moved to Madrid last year for an initial £88million.Retired cop Mark, 48, remained at home with 18-year-old Jobe, currently playing for Sunderland.Denise made sure to celebrate her birthday, in December, back in the UK.Jude wrote online: “Happy Birthday to my Queen! Love you more than life.”He has admitted: “Without my mum, sometimes I’d get too low with the lows or too high with the highs and I stay pretty humble because I’ve got her around.“She’s a great laugh as well. We get on so well, and we’re always doing stuff together. The role my mum is playing is massive.“It’s probably the biggest role of anyone, more than my coaches and managers, to be honest.”Denise, a former human resources manager, looks after all of Jude’s financial affairs, while Mark is his manager.Jude said: “It leads to great conversations at the table. It can be anything from a discussion about a movie or something that happened to, ‘By the way, Real Madrid is interested . . . ’.”Jude has said he only has “good memories” about his childhood in Hagley, West Midlands.He was not obsessed with football as a young child, despite Mark being a prolific striker in the non-league game.When taken along to his dad’s training sessions, he opted to make a daisy bouquet for his mum or play hide and seek.Jude took a photo of his mum with her crush Jose MourinhoCredit: Pixel8000But he became hooked. He recalled: “We talk about footballing heroes, and my dad was like my first.”“Seeing the way he played and the atmosphere, it made me fall in love with football.”The family’s unwavering support let him focus on simply being a “good footballer” and not getting caught up in the trappings of attention and fame.But The Sun revealed he has found time for romance with Dutch model Laura Celia Valk, 25.Yesterday he flew back to Madrid ahead of a huge parade in the city to mark the club’s 15th European Cup win.That means he will not be available for England’s friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina at St James Park, Newcastle, tonight.But he will join team-mates in time for our final friendly before the Euros against Iceland at Wembley on Friday night.An England source told The Sun: “He’ll probably join in light training with the squad on Wednesday or Thursday but Gareth Southgate will want him to take a well-earned break.“He might be on the substitutes’ bench against Iceland but is unlikely to get any game time.”Supporter Paul Taylor, a 46-year-old building firm director from Birmingham, said: “We have our best chance in my lifetime with this squad and Jude is our stand-out player. He needs to take a break before the Euros.”And events organiser Jemma Swift, 39, from West London said: “We have our best chance of finally winning a trophy.“If he stays fit and fired up it’ll be an incredible summer!”READ MORE SUN STORIESThe England source added: “I’m sure Jude will be raring to go once the Euros kick off and will be fired up when the time comes.“He has tasted success and now he will be wanting more in an England shirt.”Bellingham has found romance with Dutch model Laura Celia ValkCredit: Instagram/lauraceliavBaby Jude with mother DeniseCredit: Twitter More

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      Alex Scott reveals struggles of dating Jess Glynne after her dad ‘banned her from “showing emotion”‘

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      ALEX SCOTT has revealed her struggles dating Jess Glynne after her dad banned her from showing emotion.The BBC presenter shared her life story in her autobiography, in which she describes the abuse her mum Carol suffered at the hands of her dad, Tony.Alex Scott struggled to show affection in her relationship with Jess GlynneCredit: SplashPast traumas have affected the presenter’s emotionsCredit: GettyScott revealed she was even unable to hug Glynne at firstCredit: SplashThe couple were hesitant about going public despite being spotted at Wimbledon togetherCredit: GettyThe pair went official earlier this yearCredit: InstagramThey now feel comfortable expressing their love publiclyCredit: GettyScott still finds it difficult to show emotion after being warned not to by her father, who has denied allegations of domestic violence.Tony left the home when Scott was eight years old but his lessons stuck with her, and to this day she struggles to express emotion.Scott told The Times: “We weren’t allowed to express emotion. “Dad didn’t allow us to hug each other or say ‘I love you’. It had a huge impact on us all. To this day, if I want to show people love, I’ll do it by taking them out to dinner and paying.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSo when she first got with Glynne, Scott was even unable to reciprocate a hug.She recalled the story, saying: “I remember one of the first times Jess hugged me. I was like… [rigid]”“She was like, ‘Are you not going to put your arms around me?’ But I didn’t know how to do that. We laugh about it to this day.”Scott is not the only one in her family who finds affection difficult, with her mum and brother, Ronnie, also unable to hug.Most read in FootballShe added: “I’ve worked through it all, but for them there’s still that awkwardness. The love’s absolutely there but it doesn’t come naturally to them.”Scott’s relationship with Glynne has likely helped in her development, though the couple were cautious about going public.Alex Scott looks incredible in bold see-through dress as she holds hands with Jess Glynne at amfAR Gala in CannesThey were spotted together for months including at Wimbledon and awards shows, before going official earlier this year.Scott explained: “It took us a while because we knew what we have is so special, so it has been about trying to protect that and keep that for us in such a way that it continues to be beautiful.”The pundit no longer keeps in contact with her father, who denied allegations he “bullied and abused” Scott during her childhood.Tony said: “I have no idea why she’s saying all this stuff. I was raised in a strict but loving Jamaican family and Alex should know what they are like. I taught her discipline, I did a lot to help her.”Perhaps she is judging me by today’s standards, I don’t know. “Parents were a lot tougher back then. But I was never violent, that’s just not me. I never beat Alex or anyone else in the family or did anything like that.” More

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      I thought I was the next Wayne Rooney but was forced to retire – what happened to me can’t happen to other players

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      A FORMER Premier League prospect is calling for more support to be given to young athletes.Matthew Briggs was once a promising rising star in England. He made his debut in the top flight for Fulham in 2007.Matthew Briggs came through the Fulham academyCredit: GettyHe wants more support to be made for young playersCredit: Instagram @matthewbriggs_12Briggs, 33, became the Premier League’s youngest-ever player as he replaced Mortiz Volz in the 3-1 defeat to Middlesborough.The left-back held the record of 16 years and 65 days old until Harvey Elliot made his Prem debut 12 years later at 16 years and 30 days old.However, Briggs failed to make the grade at Craven Cottage and spent four spells away from the club on loan.In 2014 he left the club for Millwall but only made 12 appearances for the club.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe joined Colchester and enjoyed a decent spell in which he made 65 appearances in three seasons.Briggs then bounced around non-league sides which included stints in Denmark before his last club in Horsham.He has now claimed that there was not enough support for young athletes.He told the BBC: “You know for me I didn’t know I wasn’t as a kid that was academic.Most read in Football”So I didn’t apply myself in school and because I started so young.”I just assumed, I’m the next Wayne Rooney, I’m the next Theo Walcott.Young stars set to shine at Euro 2024″I’ve made it, I don’t need school.”So and the way my career kind of went, I didn’t do anything else.”When I got told I had to retire and it was not on my own terms I panicked.”I’m like ‘Well, if I can’t play football, what am I going to do? How am I going to support myself? How am I going to look after my family?'”And I literally had a panic up and that’s all.”I spoke to a close friend who is a life coach, I spoke to a therapist, the counsellor to try and work out these things.”Working out my next options. I want to stop that happening to other young people.”I needed to realise that stuff a lot sooner.”READ MORE SUN STORIESBriggs retired from football in 2023 having also won 15 caps for Guyana.He was also part of the team that played in the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.Who are these famous footballers? More