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      Karren Brady: It’s a case of Deja Roo as Wayne Rooney follows England pals Gerrard and Lampard onto managerial scrapheap

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      WITHOUT question the most important item on a football club agenda is the choice of manager, more fashionably a head coach.The team will stand or fall by this decision. Wayne Rooney at Birmingham was the latest to confirm that getting the chop could also be as brutally swift as the slide of the guillotine.
      Wayne Rooney was given the boot by Birmingham after a horror run of formCredit: Reuters
      He must have been aware that it might. After all, it had happened to two of his former England team-mates, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, who found that being great footballers was no defence against managerial botch-ups.
      Rooney was the last of the turn-of-century Three Musketeers to slip off the manager’s saddle, after only two wins in 15 Championship games.
      Vastly popular at Everton and Manchester United, the rest of the country wasn’t far behind in delight at his ability to score stacks of goals combined with thrilling ball skills.
      Birmingham fans were just as admiring, at least until the new American owners accompanied his appointment by ruthlessly sacking the relatively successful John Eustace, a local boy, after he led them to sixth in the Championship.
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      There can be fewer jobs as stressful, unpredictable and unrelenting than being a football boss where only two things are guaranteed — the sack or a move to a bigger club.
      The man in charge must be trusted by players, staff and chairman. He has to be deeply knowledgeable in all things football. And most of all he must be a leader.
      The fact that he was a great footballer hardly matters.
      So where did our golden boys go wrong? My guess is that, above all, the players didn’t get it. Simply weren’t on the same wavelength.
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      Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is feeling the heat – managing out in SaudiCredit: Getty
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      I remember an England player telling me that in training their star man was challenged by the coach to hit the bar from 15 yards out.
      He tried twice and failed.
      The coach placed the ball in the same spot and struck the bar first time. “Easy as that,” he said, striding away.
      The victim was undermined. And the coach didn’t last too long.
      Is it fair to say that Rooney seemed the most unlikely of the three to make an outstanding manager? But you never know.
      Did mouthy Brian Clough strike many people as a possible double European Cup winner?
      I am told by football oracles that Rooney did a sound job at Derby and his trouble at St Andrew’s was introducing a fresh style too quickly.
      Birmingham City have enormous potential. The way forward is by meticulous planning and an ambitious boss of humbler origin is crucial, unless Pep Guardiola is up for a new challenge.
      Read more on The Sun
      Had they studied a list of previous appointments, they would have been aware of a similar farce at the club when Gary Rowett was axed for Gianfranco Zola in 2016.
      The Italian star lasted slightly longer than Rooney. Not so much ‘deja vu’ as ‘deja Blues’.
      Frank Lampard has not found managing as easy as he seemed to make playingCredit: Getty More

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      Harry Redknapp: Klopp and Guardiola would struggle to keep this Luton team up… Rob Edwards could be a miracle worker

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      THERE have been some classic Christmas hits over the years… and a few no one would have predicted.I’m reliably informed that Mr Blobby, Bob the Builder and Lily the Pink were all No 1s — and I don’t think too many saw them coming.
      Rob Edwards in Harry Redknapp’s Christmas No1 this season for his heroics with LutonCredit: Reuters

      Andros Townsend scored the winner as Luton got a huge win over NewcastleCredit: Getty
      Harry has picked out his Christmas chart toppersCredit: Rex
      So with the Big Day tomorrow, I thought I’d pick my chart toppers.
      Maybe not in terms of a place in the table but definitely so when it comes to the job they’re doing.
      Of course, if silverware and success were the only criteria, Pep Guardiola is streets ahead.
      Five trophies in one year for Manchester City. That will never — can never — be bettered.
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      And Friday’s disappointing draw with Sheffield United doesn’t mean Unai Emery has been anything but an absolute star at Aston Villa.
      I know that blew Villa’s chance to go top but don’t go overboard — they are still right in the mix. I’ll come back to him, though.
      Because the one who has really worked a water-into-wine miracle is Luton boss Rob Edwards. In so many ways.
      Look, I know it will probably end in relegation. Let’s face it, Pep, Jurgen Klopp or whoever you name would struggle to keep them up.
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      I always say the best teams have the best players and Luton haven’t got too many stars, didn’t spend any money and have a small squad.
      But that doesn’t mean Edwards is a poor manager. For me, it’s the total opposite. And he’s certainly put the hard yards in to get there, from a less than glamorous starting point.
      Forest Green to be exact, where he won the title and took them into League One for the first time ever — and got the Watford job.
      He never had a chance there — you’re in a long list, Rob — so fair play to Luton for giving him a crack. That’s what you call a punt paying off, as well.
      Tenth in the Championship when he was appointed, third by the end and a day they’ll never forget at Wembley in the play-off final.
      Rob won’t be in the running for the usual end-of-season awards but he edges mine for what he’s done so far.Harry Redknapp
      A one-season stay it may be but the memories keep on coming. And what a bond he has built.
      Getting the best out of what you’ve got is vital for any manager, even more so when there are no superstars. Well, you won’t find many at Luton but they can match anyone for spirit.
      Yesterday’s win over Newcastle, a draw with Liverpool and pushing City and Arsenal close proves that.
      As much as I’d love to see them survive, that would be the biggest miracle of all. And highly unlikely.
      But it still doesn’t take away from how good Edwards has been — and how impressively he handles himself, too, because there’s been a lot to cope with outside of football.
      Rob won’t be in the running for the usual end-of-season awards but he edges mine for what he’s done so far.
      Harry has been very impressed by Sean Dyche’s work at EvertonCredit: EPA
      Jude Bellingham has been tearing it up for Real MadridCredit: AP
      He’s not the only boss who’s stood out, though, and Emery has been magnificent at Villa. Disappointing against the Blades, for sure but everyone has the odd blip.
      I’m not the only one who didn’t think Villa would be above both Manchester clubs, Spurs, Chelsea and Newcastle — not by chance, either.
      I’m not saying they’re going to win the title — I fancied United in August, so you wouldn’t back my tips anyway — but Emery’s certainly making it a season to remember.
      It’s turned out that way for Everton, too, although not in the way they hoped because of that ten-point penalty.
      Look, I know it will probably end in relegation. But let’s face it, Pep, Jurgen Klopp or whoever you name would struggle to keep them up.Harry Redknapp
      But if there’s one man you’d want in charge when things are going against you, it’s Sean Dyche, who’s always got the best out of people and is doing so again at Goodison Park.
      Wolves manager Gary O’Neil needs a mention as well and Newcastle fans idolise Eddie Howe for a reason — they know they’ve got a diamond.
      I love the way he has given the kids a chance and wasn’t scared to play 17-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley in France against Paris Saint-Germain. That’s what it’s all about.
      Talking of players, by the way, there’s a good argument that the best two in Europe right now are both English. Just a shame that they’re playing abroad.
      Read more on The Sun
      Harry Kane, with 25 goals for Bayern Munich, and Jude Bellingham tearing it up every week for Real Madrid.
      It would be great if they were playing in the Premier League. Fingers crossed they’re both fit for the Euros next summer. More

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      Karren Brady: Gareth Southgate couldn’t wish for better Christmas gift than seeing Kane and Bellingham tearing up Europe

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      THERE isn’t a team in the world who wouldn’t tear open Santa’s sack if they thought Harry Kane or Jude Bellingham was the gift inside it.That they are now worth even more than the £200million-plus Bayern Munich and Real Madrid paid for them is of great credit to the quality of coaching in English football.
      Harry Kane has had a sensational start to his spell with Bayern MunichCredit: Reuters
      Jude Bellingham’s switch to Real Madrid has been just as incredibleCredit: AP
      It also underlines how standards here have soared since the introduction of the Premier League.
      Those are all pluses. The minus is both are scoring floods of goals on foreign fields, not ours. Yes, we’re more likely to see a sleigh in the sky than either in the Premier League this season.
      Kane left his much-loved Spurs primarily as he grew frustrated at a failure to win major trophies.
      But also because his club were adamant about the size of his transfer fee having practically shut the door on an English rival.
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      So off to Bayern it was and 21 goals in 15 games in the Bundesliga is the kind of return offered only by Erling Haaland of current strikers.
      It is no accident Bellingham’s behaviour on and off the field is similar to Kane’s — civilised and appreciative of fans.
      He joined Borussia Dortmund in 2017 as a 17-year-old, leaving last summer for a fee that could reach £115m with add-ons.
      He has offered a fountain of goals for Real and is on his way to earning the idol status enjoyed by Bernabeu titans Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and Alfredo Di Stefano.
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      After 15 games he shared the club’s record of 13 goals with Portuguese great Ronaldo — who played as a forward. Bellingham isn’t.
      He is “the complete midfielder,” according to former Bayern and Germany captain Philipp Lahm.
      At 20, he already has 27 England caps and two goals. Expect those figures to change dramatically.
      And boss Gareth Southgate hopes that will be in time for next summer’s Euros.
      Bellingham has many similarities with Kane. Both are tall and exceptional in the air.
      Maybe the younger man has slightly better ball control, while Kane possesses all the hunger of a top striker.
      His partnership with Son Heung-min led to numerous Spurs goals for the speedy South Korean.
      He is an accurate and sometimes penetrative passer of the ball, willing to run forever and quick to take up devastating attacking positions.
      Kane and Bellingham should be England’s main hopes for Euro 2024 joyCredit: Getty
      For different reasons, these outstanding talents have left these shores.
      There must be a chance that at least Bellingham, already of Birmingham, Dortmund and now Real, will return at some stage.
      When exactly, no one can forecast although the lad from Stourbridge and his father Mark — a retired police sergeant and once a useful striker — might well have a plan for his entire career.
      One thing we do know is that Jude is already rich and will become a great deal richer, possibly even in the Ronaldo-Lionel Messi bracket.
      Logically, only two or three clubs here will be able to afford his transfer fee, never mind his wages, his agent’s costs and his accountants.
      Again, like Kane, Jude is straightforward and happy to chat to whoever asks questions.
      This was not true of many star players pre-Southgate, who encouraged his team to open up in public.
      Read more on The Sun
      As England’s greatest goalscorer, Kane has lots of awards but no trophies. He is also humble and a credit to his country.
      Accidents and injuries apart, I fancy his cups are not far away. Bellingham has time to win hatfuls. More

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      Troy Deeney: Tonight is my first game as a manager in the Football League… and I’m playing myself up front

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      FRIDAY night will be my first match as a manager in the Football League.Ask me what kind of boss I’ll be and the only answer I can honestly give at this early stage is “a bald one with bags under his eyes”.
      Troy Deeney has ‘mixed emotions’ after stepping up from player-coach to replace sacked friend Dave Horseman, left, as Forest Green managerCredit: Rex
      Deeney reckons he’ll be fine if he takes the best bits of the managers he played under – because there were so many of themCredit: Getty
      From my first few hours in charge of Forest Green Rovers, I know this is going to be a new level of busy.
      I’ve just had the physio, the analyst and the set-piece coach on the phone to me in the last hour.
      And I am still a player, too. Because we have two strikers out injured, I will be naming myself on the bench for Friday’s home game against Gillingham.
      Oh and, by the way, the fact that we’ve got a specialist set-piece coach in League Two shows our owner Dale Vince has a very decent level of investment and ambition.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      We may be 91st out of 92 league clubs in English football at present but we have two games in hand to get us out of the relegation places and I am determined to make an immediate impact.
      When a player goes into management, he will often say he wants to take the best bits from all the bosses he played under.
      Well, the plus point for me is that I spent more than a decade at Watford so I have a lot of managers to choose from!
      I would like to have the organisational ability of Sean Dyche, the attacking mentality of Gianfranco Zola, the tactical nous of Marco Silva, the likeability of Quique Sanchez Flores and Javi Gracia’s ability to ‘manage up’ and deal with owners and directors.
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      Those are all men I worked under at Vicarage Road and if I can take all of their best attributes, I’ll be a success in this role.
      I’ve been doing my coaching badges and have a Uefa A licence.
      While those courses were beneficial in some ways, they are also idealistic.
      What you learn would be great if you had Manchester City’s players and Paris Saint-Germain’s budget.
      In League Two, you’re more likely to find a player turning up for training having slept on his mate’s sofa because he’s been up playing Fifa computer games until 2am.
      After a run of bad results, I want to remind my players that being a professional footballer is the best job in the world. I want them to rediscover that joy.
      They don’t throw that sort of thing at you when you’ve got your  L plates on.
      I’ve had mixed emotions since getting the job because, for the past few months, I’ve been a player-coach under the management of my friend Dave Horseman.
      Dave is an excellent coach, a wonderful bloke and a good mate.
      He’d had a long career coaching at youth level — at Watford among other clubs — before getting his first job in senior management at Forest Green this summer.
      Zola’s attacking instincts as Watford boss impressed DeeneyCredit: Alan Walter
      Marco Silva is rated by Deeney as a great tactical brainCredit: Reuters
      But football is ruthless and this situation is business. Dave was sacked on Wednesday and, one day, either at Forest Green or elsewhere, I’ll be the one getting sacked.
      Forest Green is a lovely, friendly family club in rural Gloucestershire.
      The one thing everyone knows about us is that it’s a vegan club — and while it might have been funny the first time an opposition fan asked me if I wanted a steak bake or thrust a sausage roll at me, it soon wears off.
      I’m not vegan but for Dale it is all about educating people about vegan lifestyles and wider environmental issues. I have huge respect for that.
      But when Gillingham visit, our ground won’t be a bear pit.
      It won’t be like turning up at Millwall or West Ham’s old Upton Park.
      We need to find a bit more nastiness. Without wanting to turn us into 80s Wimbledon, I want us to become horrible to play against.
      I’m going to keep playing until January, when Dale hopes to invest more in the squad and then I hope to gradually fade into the background as a player, rather than retiring altogether.
      In League Two, you’re more likely to find a player turning up for training having slept on his mate’s sofa because he’s been up playing Fifa computer games until 2am.Troy Deeney
      Everyone has told me it will  be extremely tough to be a player-manager but, for the time being, it’s ‘needs must’.
      Some people have asked why I wanted to take over a club next to bottom in League Two for my first job in management — but I have never been one to turn down a challenge.
      I remember Paul Ince and Sol Campbell taking over at Macclesfield in similar circumstances and leading them to safety.
      It’s also true that there aren’t enough black and ethnic minority managers in English football.
      We’re still under-represented and we are less likely to get opportunities — even though I’m not sure how many black guys are applying for jobs at League Two level.
      But I’ll be giving my first team talk as a manager before kick-off on Friday evening and I hope I won’t be giving too many of them too often.
      I want our dressing room to become more self-sustaining, where players will give their own speeches before matches.
      Read more on The Sun
      But after a run of bad results, I just want to remind my players that being a professional footballer is the best job in the world. I want them to rediscover that joy.
      And I want to be in that dugout with a big toothy grin just like ­Jurgen Klopp’s.
      After managing Deeney at Vicarage Road, Sean Dyche has gone on to boss Burnley for 10 years and Everton since January 2023Credit: Rex More

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      Terry Venables is the man who put a smile on the face of the nation… I’ll never stop singing his praises

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      IF they did a league table of football’s larger-than-life  personalities, Terry Venables would be the odds-on favourite for the title.I have come across plenty of characters in my career — but Terry was head and shoulders above all of them.
      Terry Venables passed away aged 80 last weekCredit: Getty
      El Tel was an all-round entertainerCredit: Paul Edwards – The Sun
      And he even roped Harry Redknapp into singing in The Sun’s choir before the 2010 World CupCredit: Jon Bond -The Sun
      And there’s no doubt the world won’t be quite as bright after his passing last week.
      As a real Dagenham boy, our paths crossed a lot over the years, going back to when we were  still kids looking for our big break in the 1960s.
      Chelsea had a magnificent youth team at the time, so it was no surprise that he went there when  so many clubs wanted him.
      We met plenty of times on the pitch, but just as much off it.
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      And if it involved Terry, there was one thing you could guarantee — there would be lots of fun and laughter.
      Although back in the day I’d never have guessed that it would end up with me joining a choir and singing to the whole country.
      Among his many talents, Terry was always a decent singer and loved nothing better than  belting out a few numbers at his club.
      What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For was a favourite of his, and it always went down well. Bobby Moore loved him.
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      Venables enjoyed an illustrious managerial careerCredit: PA: Press Association
      So before the 2010 World Cup, The Sun’s television advert centred on Terry performing the old Elvis classic If I Can Dream.
      Obviously he was centre stage, but he was backed by a full choir… which included two extra members just for the ad, in me and Ian Wright.
      Great fun, but we didn’t get asked back! It always made me chuckle that when England went out to Hong Kong before Euro 96, he delegated Bryan Robson to look after them.
      Robbo might have been a coach by then, but he was captain of  the drinking team.
      That was when everyone kicked off about the dentist’s chair incident.
      And if it involved Terry, there was one thing you could guarantee — there would be lots of fun and laughter. Although back in the day I’d never have guessed that it would end up with me joining a choir and singing to the whole country.Harry Redknapp
      But Terry knew how to handle it, like he knew how to  handle most things, and England had a great tournament.
      People look at his personality — which was probably too big for the FA to cope with — and miss the real point… which is that he had a brilliant football brain.
      Players loved playing for him, he knew exactly how to get the best out of them.
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      Gazza, Alan Shearer, Teddy  Sheringham, Gary Neville… you just won’t find anyone with a bad word to say.
      Anyone who looks back to the summer of ’96 and It’s Coming Home does so with a smile… well, Terry Venables is the man who put it on the face of the nation.
      The beloved manager guided England to the semi-finals of Euro 96Credit: Getty More

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      Harry Redknapp: Even Pep Guardiola is going back to the old ways – expect to see more of his ‘back to the future’ tactic

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      I’VE always said football is a simple game — now it seems even Pep Guardiola agrees that you can’t beat winging it.But don’t think I’m having a pop at a bloke who’s rightfully got a reputation as one of modern football’s trailblazers. Nothing could be further from the truth.
      Pep Guardiola does something and often the rest followCredit: Getty
      I’m not suggesting all the success he’s had at Manchester City is down to playing it off the cuff. It’s the result of hard graft, preparation and obviously having the best players.
      If you’re talking trends, it’s usually a case of what Pep does today, the rest do tomorrow, from goalkeepers who must be as good with their feet as their hands, to playing out from the back.
      But sometimes the best ways can be the old ways — and that’s what I mean by Pep winging it at City this season.
      Or, to put it another way, the way he has turned back time with Jeremy Doku, the man who, for me, is the most exciting player in the Premier League.
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      Back in the day every club in the league would play with at least one winger — most had them on both sides.
      Blokes whose first thought and main objective was to be positive, to run at their full-back, to take him on and whip in a cross.
      Division One, as it was back then, was full of them. Mike Summerbee, Steve Heighway, Eddie Gray, Dave Thomas, Stevie Coppell — the list was endless. And that’s only from the 1970s and ’80s.
      Sir Alex Ferguson turned Manchester United into the best team in the country with Ryan Giggs or Lee Sharpe on one side, Andrei Kanchelskis on the other.
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      When I was at Tottenham I had two of the best, with Gareth Bale flying down the left and Aaron Lennon on the right.
      All of them players who excited fans and put the fear of God in full-backs. And who would get the crowd buzzing every time they got the ball.
      Lots of managers would no doubt argue they play with wingers now as well. But not in the old sense. Not in the way I view them.
      These days, the ball goes wide and the first thought is not to try to beat the defender and get to the byline or fire in a shot.
      Most of the time it’s about finding a square ball or — and this frustrates me even more — passing it back the way it’s just come.
      Wolves had one in Adama Traore, who was an absolute flyer and would tear at people, although in his case there was rarely an end product.
      But in Doku, City have an  old-school winger who is absolute dynamite. A man whose first thought isn’t to play it safe but to turn and take on the full-back, to attack and create.
      If I had to choose one man who’s lit up the Premier League this season, it’s Doku. At a time when there is such a stink over VAR, he has been a breath of fresh air.
      But sometimes the best ways can be the old ways — and that’s what I mean by Pep winging it at City this season.Harry Redknapp
      Not so much a guy who puts bums on seats, as gets backsides out of them — because he makes things happen.
      There aren’t many games now when the full-back gets put under any serious, sustained pressure.
      Players are more intent on a safe pass and keeping possession than running at their opponent and trying to be positive.
      But in Doku, Pep has a player who thinks the opposite. Someone who is killing defenders, in a football sense, every time he gets the ball.
      I feel sorry for Pedro Porro, who will be the one in his firing line today when Tottenham are at the Etihad.
      Porro’s done alright in his first season in England but he will have his hands full this afternoon.
      To be honest, it looks a pretty thankless task all round for Spurs.
      They have a better record than most against City and I’m sure Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou will send them out to have a go. Rightly so, too, because if you sit back, there’s only one winner.
      It’s tough enough at the best of times and now not only is Harry Kane gone, but they also hardly have any fit first-choice defenders.
      Read More on The Sun
      Ange is doing a great job and the recent blip is more down to injuries and suspensions.
      But I can’t see them getting anything at City — especially with Doku in this form.
      Jeremy Doku has lit up the Premier League with his pace and trickery More

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      Ben Hunt: Mercedes already have work cut out for 2024 season after disastrous 2023 with Hamilton’s assessment damning

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      IT is just 95 days until the Bahrain Grand Prix, the opening race for the 2024 season, and boy do Mercedes have their work cut out.This season has been a total disaster from start to finish.
      It’s been a season to forget for MercedesCredit: Rex
      From the opening qualifying session in Bahrain, where boss Toto Wolff ordered their car design to be scrapped, to the final race in Abu Dhabi, where Lewis Hamilton delivered the bleak assessment that his only highlight from the season was the fact he “survived it”.
      Each time the team appeared to make progress, they took two steps back the next weekend.
      Hamilton and his teammate George Russell were despondent as Mercedes went without a single win for the first time in 12 years.
      This is now a hugely important time for Wolff as he tries to steer his ship back on course to challenge for wins again.
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      In the past, it would have been easier to buy their way out of trouble, committing funds to the development of their car until finding something that worked.
      F1’s cost cap means his spending is limited to that of his rivals — a figure of just $135million (£107m) for the whole season, a third of what the big teams would spend before it was introduced in 2021.
      It was encouraging at least to see no back-slapping at finishing second in the championship, having narrowly pipped perennial under-achievers Ferrari by three points.
      Somewhat worryingly, in his post-race media session in Abu Dhabi, Wolff said he could draw some optimism from McLaren, Aston Martin and Alpha Tauri, who had all made a strong finish to the season.
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      Wolff needs to find answers quickCredit: PA
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      Only, this is not a customer team like those listed above, this is Mercedes, who won eight constructors’ titles in a row.
      Wolff spoke with a frown which now appears etched across his brow and the general mood raises more fears for next season.
      For the development of their challenger in 2024 is now well under way at their Brackley HQ.
      But there seems to be nothing to brighten their spirits, no optimism, only the painful realisation of another season of woe ahead.
      This campaign has only just finished but time is already running out to be able to challenge Red Bull next season.
      I received a great deal of feedback from people working in the F1 paddock after last week’s column, where I revealed the human cost of six races in seven weeks, criss-crossing the world.
      Staff sickness was a big issue in Abu Dhabi, with Red Bull boss Christian Horner saying: “I sincerely hope that subscriptions to Lemsip are not within the budget cap. It’s been a pretty brutal regime.”
      Horner said there had been sickness in his campCredit: Splash
      LEAVING HIS DIRTY MARQ
      MARCO BEZZECCHI has blasted MotoGP rival Marc Marquez, calling him “the dirtiest rider”.
      The two collided on the opening lap of the Valencia GP, which was won by Ducati’s 26-year-old Francesco Bagnaia, who retained his title.
      Bezzecchi, 25, fumed: “Marquez decided to end my race on the third corner. He did the same as he did in Thailand with me in corners five and six.
      “So, he hit me right here in my back. It was very, very dirty.
      “I think from the view from the TV you can see very well, but it’s Marquez so they don’t do anything to him.
      “Most of the time, when the other rider doesn’t crash it’s OK. But when you make the other rider crash, at least it’s a f***ing penalty.
      “They never do anything to him — because it’s Marquez and he’s the dirtiest rider.”
      Bezzecchi raged at rival Marc MarquezCredit: Getty
      MUSICAL CHAIRES
      FRENCH driver Theo Pourchaire won the Formula Two title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
      A fifth-place finish at Yas Island was enough to beat Danish racer Frederik Vesti by 11 points in the overall standings.
      Rules in the competition state that champions must retire from Formula Two — but with no seat in F1 available, Pourchaire faces a spell on the sidelines.
      The 20-year-old is currently a member of the Sauber Academy and serves as a test and reserve driver for Alfa Romeo Racing.
      Pourchaire earned Formula 2 victoryCredit: Getty More

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      Troy Deeney: Ramsdale’s dad has absolutely KILLED him with Arsenal comments – it could backfire badly

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      UP until this week, I thought Aaron Ramsdale would be OK against Brentford.I was confident he would have a strong game and put himself in contention again.
      Aaron Ramsdale is set to start for Arsenal against Brentford on SaturdayCredit: PA
      It will be the goalkeeper’s first Premier League start since SeptemberCredit: Reuters
      But that was before I heard his dad speak. 
      It has made the situation ten times worse.
      This was going to be a free hit for Aaron, and as a father, if you want to then speak after that game when your son has played well, that’s fine by me. 
      Apply the pressure to Mikel Arteta.
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      Yet he has now put his lad under the microscope even further with his comments criticising Mikel for his decision making.
      Now Ramsdale is starting for Arsenal against Brentford as David Raya is ineligible to play against his parent club.
      And Aaron will have to have the perfect game, be good with his feet, take crosses and make two or three good saves.
      If I am Brentford, I am putting the first couple of crosses right under the bar and saying to Aaron: ‘Let’s have a go’.
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      Those comments from his dad have absolutely killed him.
      I hope it doesn’t backfire badly. More