Sport Columnists

Subterms

    More stories

    • 275 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Troy Deeney: Poch’s Tottenham were one of the best teams I EVER faced… but NOBODY will be scared of Spurs any more

      by

      MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S Spurs were not only a fine footballing team, they were a big, nasty, intimidating bunch to play against.They might never have won a trophy — though they came close to both the Premier League and Champions League — but they were one of the best teams I ever faced.
      Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham will not be scary anymoreCredit: Alamy
      Harry Kane was one of the last remaining links to the Pochettino era but the strong identity that team possessed had disappeared long before his departure.
      From Jose Mourinho to Nuno Espirito Santo to Antonio Conte, Tottenham lost their positivity, energy and aggression.
      Back in the day, you’d be facing Mousa Dembele, a wonderfully-gifted player but also a massive unit who would not be afraid to use his physical strength.
      Moussa Sissoko would often stick one on you, the centre-halves Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen were big and mean.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Kyle Walker loved a tackle and Danny Rose would delight in lifting opponents off their feet and ditching them in the stands.
      You lined up against them in the tunnel and they looked like a side not to be messed with — most were over 6ft, including Kane. You also knew they were a team who would never be outrun.
      I just can’t imagine opponents fearing them like that any more.
      Kane’s Bayern Munich move leaves Spurs without a genuine centre-forward — and that is something they must resolve before deadline day.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
      Harry Kane had a goal and assist on his Bayern Munich Bundesliga debutCredit: Reuters
      That is not going to be easy with just two weeks left in this window and with selling clubs knowing they have £100million burning a hole in their pockets.
      I find it hugely surprising that Spurs haven’t already bought a striker this summer because Kane was always likely to leave this year, or next at the very latest.
      But with Spurs, there never seems to be any long-term planning or strategy any more — that’s why they were overtaken by a small, brilliantly-run club like Brighton last season.
      Newcastle replaced them in the ‘Big Six’ and it could be a long way back for Ange Postecoglou.
      The obvious ready-made replacement for Kane would be Ivan Toney, if only the Brentford striker wasn’t banned until the New Year for breaking betting regulations.
      Harry Kane was one of the last remaining links to the Pochettino era but the strong identity that team possessed had disappeared long before his departure.Troy Deeney
      Toney is outstanding but would Spurs be prepared to strike a deal now for someone who can’t play for half of this season?
      My old Watford team-mate Richarlison led the line in Tottenham’s opener at Brentford and the team showed some decent signs in that 2-2 draw.
      But Richarlison is not a centre-forward, it’s simply not his natural position. He is a left-winger who can cut inside and score goals.
      I don’t remember him ever playing through the middle during his season at Watford.
      And although he had some success filling in there for Everton, you will never see the best of Richar in that role.
      That visit to Brentford was Postecoglou’s first competitive game in charge.
      There were some encouraging signs that he wants Spurs to get on the front foot and dominate games, like they used to do under Pochettino, but rarely since.
      New captain Son Heung-min was far from his best against BrentfordCredit: Getty
      Richarlison also has a point to prove at SpursCredit: Getty
      But too often Richarlison and Son Heung-min, who both prefer to operate as wide-left attackers, occupied the same positions.
      They were creating overloads but when the ball got into the box, either there was nobody there, or the ball fell to the ‘wrong’ players.
      And, yes, I know that Emerson Royal scored Tottenham’s equaliser but the full-back is hardly going to get double figures this season.
      I was surprised that Richar only scored one Premier League goal in his debut campaign for Spurs last season.
      But they have a genuine player there as long as he is able to operate in his best position.
      He arrived at Watford from Brazil six years ago as a 20-year-old who barely spoke any English — but we taught him all the right swear words and he had great fun learning.
      Richar is a great character to have in the dressing room.  His only fault is sometimes he seems to want it too much and can get too wound up on the pitch.
      I just can’t imagine opponents fearing Spurs any more.Troy Deeney
      But I don’t want to see him playing centre-forward for much longer.
      Spurs face Manchester United on Saturday and watching Erik ten Hag’s men struggle to their season-opening victory over Wolves was much like seeing Postecoglou’s team at Brentford.
      Marcus Rashford — just like Richarlison — is a wide-left player filling in at centre-forward and it was a frustrating night for him on Monday.
      While Spurs are missing Kane, United were the club that most people expected to sign the England captain.
      Instead, Ten Hag brought in the striker he wanted — the unproven Danish youngster Rasmus Hojlund, 20, who is now currently out injured.
      Read More on The Sun
      At least United have found a sense of identity under Ten Hag and perhaps we will be saying the same about Postecoglou’s Tottenham before too long.
      But if either club are to make forward strides this season, they need a proper goalscoring centre-forward. More

    • 275 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      Karren Brady: If anyone still says women’s football is a second rate version of men’s they should think again – and hard

      by

      ENGLAND’S appearance in the Women’s World Cup final places it among our great international sporting triumphs.Win it against Spain on Sunday and the MBEs are practically guaranteed — and perhaps more.
      England’s women’s team is set for the World Cup Final against SpainCredit: Rex
      Boss Sarina Wiegman has worked wonders with the LionessesCredit: Alamy
      The fact we haven’t had such a triumph since Sir Alf Ramsey roamed the planet makes it a certainty that Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman will become the Netherlands’ most famous expat since Vincent van Gogh.
      And anyone who asks who VVG played for should bite their own ear off.
      Wiegman earns £400,000 a year which is less than a few elite male footballers receive for a week.
      England’ men’s manager Gareth Southgate is on £5million annually.
      Read More on Football
      Tosh to the cash.
      Already European champions, our women players have proved themselves major athletes, enjoying their football and their success.
      Every woman in the England party has earned her fame.
      The Women’s Super League has already improved and professionalised the game here beyond the wildest dreams of 13 years ago, when it was founded.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      No one should underestimate women’s football, insists Karren BradyCredit: Getty
      Average attendance last season had doubled from 2021-2022, reaching well over 5,000 a match — about 500 fewer than League Two and nearly 2,000 more than the National League.
      But women’s football is becoming so hot that numbers should increase greatly this season and a few WSL clubs might even get close to breaking even.
      That should bring smiles of relief to accountants because financing before the expected boom is costly, in the case of West Ham more than £1m of losses a year for our WSL team.
      Players are bound to be paid more, too.
      At present, Chelsea’s Sam Kerr, scorer of Australia’s only goal against England last Wednesday showed why, in a touch and 25-yard strike, at about £470,000-a-year is the highest paid player in the woman’s game. She may shortly be overtaken.
      Manchester City’s 5ft 4in Lauren Hemp, renowned for her impish humour, is paid about half the Kerr sum but in Australia she displayed touches at pace that are going to be worth a good deal more. Other English stars will also be boosting their bank accounts.
      No doubt the commercial world is prepared for a selling bonanza in boots and strips and, just as obviously in scarves, hats, tracksuits, trainers, and maybe even tattoos.Karren Brady on the Lionesses’ success
      While Saudi Arabia is hardly likely to start a women’s professional league, there are any number of countries with excellent leagues, the US, Canada, France and Germany among them, soon to be joined by Australia.
      Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway, Kiera Walsh and Rachel Daly are among the England contingent playing overseas where the rewards are at least as high as at home. And their value is soaring, too.
      No doubt the commercial world is prepared for a selling bonanza in boots and strips and, just as obviously in scarves, hats, tracksuits, trainers, and maybe even tattoos.
      There will also be plenty of payments for endorsements, TV and public appearances. And in a reverse wash from all of this positivity, agents will thrive.
      This rebooted game is an attractive prospect for any talented female player, so much so that should any newcomer think women’s football is a second rate version of the men’s game they should think again. And think hard.
      It’s football, plain and simple.
      Read More on The Sun
      It’s also noteworthy that woman footballers don’t hide their sexual orientation as the men so guardedly do, setting a far better example that it’s OK to be who you are, and love who you want and feel safe and confident in being who they are.
      Yes, Viva the Lionesses and viva the woman’s game. More

    • 263 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      Ben Hunt: Verstappen’s F1 clean sweep isn’t a shoo-in as Norris and Co show the pack are catching up at Silverstone

      by

      MAX VERSTAPPEN was victorious again and Red Bull maintained their 100 per cent win-rate for the season.But don’t switch off yet, the others are definitely catching up.
      Lando Norris put his foot in the door of Max Verstappen’s title charge by coming second at the British GPCredit: Getty
      Max Verstappen sealed Red Bull’s 11th win in a row and is still the title favouriteCredit: Rex
      OK, it may already be too late in the title race for Verstappen has a whopping 99-point lead.
      But there was something, even in Red Bull’s 11th consecutive win, that makes me think we could see a driver from a different team on the top-step of the podium at the next race in Budapest.
      Red Bull started the season strongly with a car design that has proved to be best out of the box — as they usually do.
      I have asked their rivals and there is ZERO suspicion of any foul play with regards to the design — which in itself is unusual for F1 as team’s do enjoy pointing an accusing finger.
      READ MORE TOP STORIES
      Yet we have now reached the point of the season where the teams have had time to copy that design and produce their own version of it.
      Consequently, it was no surprise to see McLaren’s Red Bull-inspired car design perform so well at Silverstone.
      Others will follow suit soon.
       Aston Martin and even Mercedes would be foolish not to put engineering pride to one side and copy Red Bull’s homework.
      Most read in Motorsport
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS
      It was interesting to hear Lando Norris keep expectations in check after impressive back-to-back results — fourth  in Austria and second at Silverstone — on two very different tracks.
      He usually has a terrible poker face but they will again be in the mix in Budapest at the Hungarian GP, as will Mercedes after a difficult two races.
      Verstappen has been winning  by a good 25+  seconds yet, at Silverstone, that was cut to just 3.7sec.
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner has always maintained that convergence would happen over the course of the season as the other teams make up ground.
      And we also need to factor in the limited development Red Bull now have by virtue of the rules that cut the allotted wind-tunnel time depending on where you finish in the championship.
      The other element to consider is the further reduction as punishment for breaching last year’s cost cap.
      The gap in lap time between Verstappen and the rest is closing. 
      While it is too late to change the outcome of this year’s championship, it does bode well for the competitiveness for 2024.
      Pitt’s lost the plot
      FILMING for the new Formula One film started at Silverstone and we were told to hold back on the details so as not to spoil the plot.
      So it was a bit of a surprise to hear Brad Pitt say this in a TV interview with Sky F1.
      When asked about his character Sonny Hayes, movie star Pitt said: “So he has a horrible crash, kind of craps out and disappears and is racing in other disciplines.
      “His friend, played by Javier Bardem, is a team owner.
      “They’re the last-placed team — 21st and 22nd on the grid. They’ve never scored a point.
      “They have a young phenom played by Dansom Idris.
      “He brings me in as a kind of ‘Hail Mary’ and high jinks ensue.”
      Lew-dunit
      ACTOR Damian Lewis is well used to playing a baddie on screen — but boy did he murder the national anthem at Silverstone on Sunday.
      He sounded like a shoddy Elvis tribute act.
      Read More on The Sun
      Four’s to be reckoned with
      CHANNEL 4 has extended its deal with Sky to show Formula One action by three years to 2026.
      The agreement shows the British GP live and delivers a highlights package of all the other races. More

    • 225 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      I’ll be beaming with Brummie pride as Grealish plays in Champions League final… and Bellingham may be next

      by

      THERE will be a great deal of Brummie pride for me in seeing Jack Grealish playing in a Champions League final.Even though Jack is an Aston Villa man — and their former captain to boot — and I’m a lifelong Birmingham City fan, it’s great to see him thriving at the very highest level.
      Jack Grealish is on the verge of winning the TrebleCredit: Getty
      Jude Bellingham could be next as he nears a transfer to Real MadridCredit: AP
      In Grealish and Jude Bellingham — ‘one of our own’ for us Bluenoses — my home city has two genuine world-class players and that is wonderful to see.
      Jack has really come alive in his second season at Manchester City.
      I kept hearing about him being overpriced last season. His £100million price tag was repeatedly used as a stick to bash him with — but that has all gone quiet now.
      It looks as if Jack feels he belongs at City now and I can see him being a regular starter for the club and England for three or four years at least.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      At Villa, he was the main man. Everything went through him but now he has learned how to be a real team player.
      He makes goals, scores goals and tracks back to put in a defensive shift too.
      You can see when he celebrates goals how much he is a part of it, how he has bought into that team ethic.
      I know Jack well, he’s a cracking kid from a nice family and he has worked hard to get to the top of the game.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS
      You used to hear about him getting into scrapes off the field but, at 27, he’s grown up and learned lessons. You don’t hear those stories about him any more.
      He is clearly a lad who still likes to enjoy himself — but he is doing that in the right way and at the right times now.
      City chief Pep Guardiola has really developed him — much like he has done with other English talents, like John Stones and Kyle Walker.
      They have all improved and become so adaptable under him.
      Phil Foden is the one who is missing out on starts now.
      A few months ago, at the World Cup, the nation was crying out for Phil to start but now he can’t get a regular game for City and that is largely because Jack’s form has been so good, he’s become undroppable.
      I can’t see any other outcome other than a City win against Inter in Istanbul — it would be a massive shock if Guardiola’s men do not complete the Treble.
      Inter are a decent team but they are simply not at the same level and their route to the final was a bit freakish, they haven’t beaten any of the really major teams.
      I’d love to see Grealish play a starring role in the biggest game of his life so far.
      He’s got the sort of crowd-pleasing quality where you can imagine him playing for Real Madrid one day.
      And 19-year-old starlet Bellingham is likely to be heading just there this summer. Can you imagine two Brummies at the Bernabeu?
      Read more on The Sun
      For now, though, there is nowhere better to be than City.
      They’re the best team in the world and I expect them to prove it in Istanbul. More

    • 163 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Tony Adams: Arsenal’s squad has peaked… they may NEVER hit this level again

      by

      MIKEL ARTETA worked wonders to get Arsenal into second place considering the players he had at his disposal.But when a manager has massively over-performed and raised a club’s expectations so high, there’s often a fallout if the level of improvement isn’t maintained the following season.
      Mikel Arteta saw Arsenal’s title bid crumble as they gave up a big lead on Man CityCredit: Reuters
      Arsenal legend Tony Adams fears the Gunners might not be able to challenge againCredit: Getty
      And when that happens, he’s often gone by Christmas.
      Now I am not for one minute suggesting that the Gunners are going to be getting rid of Arteta, but I do fear that this could be as good as it gets for them.
      Talk of Arsenal bottling the title race was nonsense because they played to their absolute maximum and came up just short of the best team in the world.
      No one expected them to finish so high but the downside to all that is where do they go from here?
      Read More Arsenal News
      I hate to sound like a prophet of doom, but I do believe that a lot of this team has already peaked.
      It was possibly the best season that many of them will ever have. I don’t think they’ll get to that level again.
      They’re definitely not going to challenge Manchester City next season and without serious recruitment this summer it will be a struggle for them to finish runners-up again.
      City’s B team is better than any other Premier League side and we know that Newcastle, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea will all be much stronger next time out.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS
      So if Arsenal want to push on from here, they have to sign four big, experienced leaders this summer.
      Declan Rice could certainly be one of those, but if I’m going to spend £100million on one player, I want a Jack Grealish type of player who is going to give me goals and assists, not a holding midfielder.
      The problem is that Arsenal want players who are already acclimatised to English football and they’re always going to be overpriced when you buy from your Premier League rivals.
      Ben White cost £50m and we still don’t know if he is meant to be a centre-half, a right-back or a central midfielder.
      Arsenal need another centre-half, a striker, a midfielder and a winger. And they all need to be better than the players they already have.
      They have spent more than £400m on new signings since Arteta was appointed in 2019 but none of them were players City would have wanted.
      I am not for one minute suggesting that the Gunners are going to be getting rid of Arteta, but I do fear that this could be as good as it gets for them.Tony Adams
      They’ve always fished in the pool of second dibs, but you don’t catch the serial champions without recruiting the same elite level of player.
      Unfortunately I don’t think they have the cash to buy everything they need this summer and that’s why I fear they have already missed their window of opportunity to win the title.
      I was talking with George Graham the other day and he said this Arsenal team has no resilience. They had a technical leader but no physical leaders to stand strong in the games that really mattered.
      There wasn’t enough experience in the camp from top to bottom.
      I also don’t think there are enough people in the backroom staff challenging the manager like me and Joe Jordan did when we worked with Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth.
      Arsenal handed the title to City with two games to spare after a horror run of resultsCredit: Getty
      Legend Adams is worried about Arsenal and Arteta’s futureCredit: Louis Wood
      Arteta said that none of his players had reached their peak and denied that they ran out of steam.
      Well, sorry Mikel, but I have to disagree on both counts. Mentally, physically and emotionally, they ran out of resources when some lost form and others were ruled out by injury.
      I get the impression that Arteta didn’t have much faith in his back-up players and so he picked the same team week after week when some of them were crying out for a rest.
      Every time I won the league with Arsenal, we always had magnificent back-up players sitting on the bench.
      David O’Leary,  Ian Wright, Martin Keown, Sylvain Wiltord, Freddie Ljungberg, Gilberto Silva, some of the greatest players in the club’s  history, all served as understudies at one point or another.
      There’s no one of that calibre currently waiting in the Emirates wings and that’s why they couldn’t sustain their title challenge all the way to the finishing post.
      Of course they’ll regret not snatching the title when it was up for grabs because a lot of things went their way in terms of going unbeaten in all of their London derbies and so many other big clubs messing up.
      Someone said to me the other day that the 84 points Arsenal finished with would have been enough to win the title in some previous eras.
      City’s B team is better than any other Premier League side and we know that Newcastle, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea will all be much stronger next time out.Tony Adams
      But that’s totally irrelevant because awesome City have raised the bar so much higher and are turning it into a one-team league.
      They are so dominant that it’s becoming boring, so at least we should thank Arsenal for giving them a run for their money.
      And while I get the opportunity, I also want to put on record that the supporters have been absolutely magnificent.
      I played my entire career at the Highbury Library and George always used to tell us that we couldn’t rely on the crowd to get us going. But the Ashburton Army and the North London Forever anthem means the Emirates is a proper stadium for the first time since we’ve been here.
      It wasn’t so long ago that there was a pretty toxic atmosphere at the home games but now it’s an absolute joy to attend.

      So we might not be as good as City on the pitch, but at least our fans are better than theirs.
      And that’s got to be something worth celebrating, hasn’t it? More

    • 250 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      Ben Hunt: Red Bull CAN be ‘Invincibulls’ and win EVERY race this term as Verstappen turns F1 season into procession

      by

      CHRISTIAN HORNER says there is no way his Red Bull team can win every race this season — but I’m not too sure.After Max Verstappen’s dominant win in the rain-hit Monaco GP on Sunday, I asked him whether he felt it was achievable to win all the remaining 16 races having already wrapped up the first six.
      Red Bull superstar Max Verstappen could win every single F1 race this seasonCredit: Rex
      “You are trying to get me to do an Arsene Wenger here aren’t you?” he replied, with reference to the former Arsenal manager, who guided the Gunners through the 2003-2004 Premier League season without a single defeat.
      Wenger’s side, whose record was 49  games  unbeaten, are known as ‘The Invincibles’.
      But Horner is definitely in with a great chance to make his own, shall we call them, ‘Invincibulls’.
      His point is that in F1 racing there is “so much jeopardy” — pointing to the weather in Monaco and highlighting that the “competition is so strong”.
      Read More on F1
      But really, Red Bull and 25-year-old driver Verstappen were a class above everyone else involved last weekend.
      Verstappen mastered qualifying, and while the rain did make some drama, he had pulled out such a huge gap over Fernando Alonso, it was not what you could call close.
      Where I do agree with the Red Bull boss is that Monaco needs changing if it wants to retain its place on the F1 calendar.
      Yes, there is all the history and it clearly appealed to the TikTok generation of ‘influencers’ who were chauffeured and ferried into the Principality with their mobiles at the ready.
      Most read in Motorsport
      But the reality is, with F1 having dull races in Azerbaijan and Miami in the two GPs before this, they needed to have some exciting racing, but there wasn’t any until the rain — and that was only due to human error.
      Horner said: “The problem we have is the cars are so big now that all venues have to evolve a little.
      “I think it would be great if there was just one area where we could create a bit of space for an overtake.
      “I’m sure with the creativeness there is, and the amount of land they’re reclaiming [from the sea around Monaco], there’s got to be the opportunity to squeeze in a bigger braking zone.
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      Verstappen could emulate Arsenal’s legendary Invincibles’ recordCredit: PA:Press Association
      “Maybe they can extend the circuit? If there is an opportunity to add another kilometre and a hairpin, that would be phenomenal.
      “It is something maybe to contemplate when you think of the next 20 years of Monaco. You don’t want to see it left behind.”
      I guess the same can be said about his rivals.

      CHEEKY Christian Horner pinched Toto Wolff’s electric scooter as the two battled through the crowds in Monaco.
      While the Mercedes boss was stopped for selfies, Red Bull supremo Horner seized the chance to nick his ride.

      WHILE the Monaco GP was in danger of being a dullard, the Indy 500 was a thriller – even if it was a bit like banger racing.
      There were crashes after crashes bringing out the red flags – I was wondering if it would ever end.
      Eventually Josef Newgarden was crowned the winner and clinched the first prize worth around £2.5 million.

      ORGANISERS of the Isle of Man TT race have introduced a new safety management system for this year’s race.
      Six riders were killed last year and changes have been made including digital red flags screens, more fast-response vehicles and a redesigned Race Control building.
      Practice for this year’s race kicked off yesterday and there will also be an additional Riders’ Briefing midway through qualifying week.
      Read More on The Sun
      CELEBRITY chef Wolfgang Puck has devised a menu for Aston Martin’s VIP guests.
      Fittingly, the Austrian-American honed his skills at Monaco’s prestigious Hotel des Paris, which overlooks the circuit. More

    • 238 Shares109 Views

      in Motorsport

      Lewis Hamilton defends F1 Miami GP glitz… but why should it be treated any differently to Silverstone and Co?

      by

      LEWIS HAMILTON has leapt to the defence of F1’s pre-race razzmatazz, saying it is good new things are being tried to attract fans.A number of drivers were critical of the introductions from rapper LL Cool J at Sunday’s Miami GP, while music producer will.i.am conducted an orchestra on the grid.
      Lewis Hamilton believes new ideas to attract new fans are a good thing for the sportCredit: Splash
      will.i.am conducts an orchestra ahead of the Miami Grand PrixCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      It was over-the-top and a few drivers complained about standing around in the heat for too long — and fans blasted the stunt as tacky.
      But Hamilton, 38, said: “It is cool the sport is continuously growing and evolving and not doing the same stuff.
      “They are trying to do things to improve the show. I mean, I grew up listening to LL Cool J and now he’s there.
      “You look over and you have will.i.am, who is an incredible artist. I thought it was cool.”
      READ MORE IN F1
      I actually like the idea of a driver introduction. Fans rarely get to see them without their crash helmets on.
      Plus, I don’t really get the fuss when it is made part of the schedule. The drivers cannot complain they did not know it was happening.
      But if this is to be a new part of the show, then it needs to be applied to all races.
      As Fernando Alonso pointed out in his post-race comments, why should Miami fans be treated any differently to those in Mexico City or Silverstone?
      Most read in Motorsport
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
      F1 needs to engage more with the spectators and give drivers a profile, and this is a good opportunity to do that.
      I’m less a fan of the ridiculous song and video from will.i.am and Lil Wayne which F1 have commissioned.
      Called “The Formula” it features laughable lyrics such as “you a small fry, need ketchup, fall behind or you can catch up” — but then it is not aimed at me.
      As for the whole Miami GP experience? It seems as though organisers learned from the previous year and made substantial changes to enhance the event, which was a 90,000 sell-out on both Saturday and Sunday, so they must be doing something right.
      Mitch Clemence had a memorable Miami Grand Prix — but do not worry if you have not heard of him.
      An ESPN camera crew quizzed six fans at the race how they thought the “rookie” would do. Four of the six predicted a good performance for the completely bogus name the crew had made up.
      NICE JOB
      ALEX ALBON left his mobile phone in Nice airport before flying to the Azerbaijan GP.
      The Williams driver found a friend to fly from the UK to Nice and then back again to retrieve it.
      His phone was then put on the F1 charter flight to be reunited with its owner in Baku.
      Alex Albon managed to get his phone backCredit: EPA
      BRAKING BRAD
      THERE was lots of talk about the new F1 film with Brad Pitt — who is learning how to race at the track used by the French Grand Prix.
      I await the cliffhanger ending where we sweat for four hours while FIA stewards investigate a minor rules breach then decide the winner.
      MIAMI HEAT
      RACE bosses could install floodlights to beat Florida’s heat by turning the Miami GP into a night race.
      Miami Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel, who also oversees the race, said: “Obviously at this time of year, the weather’s a little unpredictable.
      “The breezes have helped a lot this year but last year was unseasonably hot.”
      TICKING OFF OVER
      DAN TICKTUM has cooled his row with Formula E rival Jake Dennis.
      The two clashed at the Sao Paulo E-Prix, where Dennis labelled his fellow Brit a “plonker” for punting him out of the race.
      Speaking at the Monaco E-Prix, Ticktum said: “It is not as beefy as the internet is making out.
      “We are both grown men — and we don’t really want to have these feuds any more.
      “It is in the past, I made a mistake, that’s it, I want to move on.”
      CAN’T BE TOP MAN
      FABIO QUARTARARO has ruled out the chances of Toprak Razgatlioglu joining MotoGP because “he knows” he can’t win.
      The Turkish World Superbike rider recently tested for Yamaha but the team were underwhelmed, reducing the likelihood of him swapping series.
      Yamaha ace Quartararo said: “I don’t think he will come. He is a rider who wants to win and, for me, he knows that if he comes here he can’t do it.
      “So I think he prefers to fight in Superbike.”

       - COLIN   TURKINGTON reached a victory milestone at Brands Hatch with his 64th career win.
      It moved the four-time British Touring Car champ, 41, into second spot on the all-time winners’ list — passing Matt Neal but behind Jason Plato’s 97 wins. More

    • 288 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      It’s testament to the utter shambles in 10 years since Fergie’s exit that this will be a season of progress for Man Utd

      by

      TEN years on from the announcement of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, the state of play with Manchester United’s squad is as follows:An under-performing goalkeeper, who is costing goals and can’t play confidently with his feet.
      So far Man Utd have come nowhere near replicating the glorious reign of Sir Alex Ferguson from 1986-2013Credit: PA
      Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge could yet be the best post-Fergie campaign for the Red Devils amid a battle to take over the clubCredit: Getty
      An £85million club captain who is currently fifth-choice centre-half.
      An over-priced £85.5m one-footed, one-trick pony and another winger who cost £73m and cannot get a regular place in an average team.
      The midfield lacks dynamism, the full-backs lack attacking threat, the entire team lacks goals and the ability to win away from home.
      And even the defining masterstroke of Erik ten Hag’s first season — fumigating the dressing-room by bombing out Cristiano Ronaldo — basically boils down to this: He has replaced one of the greatest footballers of all time with Wout Weghorst.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      It is a testament to the utter shambles of the last decade that this will still be a season of progress for England’s most famous football club.
      If United stagger over the line into fourth place ahead of a sprinting Liverpool and, in the far less likely event that they complete a Cup double by defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final, it might even be the club’s best post-Ferguson season.
      Yet still we could stage a fascinating debate over the most shambolic defeat of their campaign — the historic 7-0 hiding at Anfield, the 6-3 evisceration by City, the 4-0 first-half collapse at Brentford.
      Or the tossing away of a two-goal lead to lose 5-2 on aggregate to the weakest Sevilla team in years to exit the Europa League.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      Which shows how staggeringly far the mighty have fallen, how United continue to suffer from ten years of dismal player recruitment and how desperately they need the wretched Glazers to get out of the club ASAP.
      Ten Hag got lucky at West Ham on Sunday, where a 1-0 defeat  flattered them.
      He might easily have suffered a serious trouncing at the hands of the old ‘Chosen One’ David Moyes and added another entry to that list of complete humiliations.
      The Hammers should have had a penalty for handball.
      And after he disastrously conceded Said Benrahma’s pea-roller, David de Gea was lucky that a Michail Antonio effort was disallowed when the Spaniard was feeble in dealing with a cross.
      De Gea is out of contract this summer and if Ten Hag is serious about wanting to keep him, then the Dutchman presumably feels he is simply too short of long-serving senior pros, with the petulant Bruno Fernandes already a clearly unsuitable on-field captain.
      Although he already has too many struggling high-profile players to know what to do with — Harry Maguire, Antony and Jadon Sancho among them.
      United haven’t seriously challenged for either the Premier League or Champions League since Ferguson left and they do not look like doing so any time soon.
      Their only hope is a successful takeover and yet even that public auction has been an embarrassing muddle.
      There is no guarantee of any resolution, and even if there is, the Glazers may linger like a bad smell under Jim Ratcliffe.
      There are big question marks over the futures of Harry Maguire and David de GeaCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Or there will be serious questions asked about Sheikh Jassim, the Qatari royal who is absolutely not funded by the Qatari state which has made such a celebrity circus out of Paris Saint-Germain…
      Ten Hag is a good coach — probably the most suitable of all United’s six post-Ferguson bosses.
      Had it not been for injuries to centre-backs Lisandro Martinez, perhaps United’s best post- Ferguson signing, and Raphael Varane, United would surely have held off Liverpool with some comfort.
      Their home form remains pretty solid and three of their remaining four fixtures are Wolves, Chelsea and Fulham at Old Trafford.
      United should be back in the Champions League, they might still end up parading two Cups, welcoming new owners and capturing Harry Kane this summer.
      And still you can’t imagine them challenging City any time soon.
      PEP’S POSER
      PEP GUARDIOLA was fuming that Erling Haaland didn’t take Manchester City’s late penalty against Leeds — instead leaving it to Ilkay Gundogan.
      He missed his hat-trick attempt before Sam Allardyce’s side made it 2-1 to set up an unnecessarily nervy finale.
      When Haaland ceded spot-kick duties to Riyad Mahrez in the FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield  United a fortnight earlier, Guardiola claimed he’d left it up to the players to decide.
      Firstly, Guardiola must sort out this weird oversight before the greatest test of City’s Treble bid against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu tonight.
      Secondly, imagine how many goals Haaland might score if he was actually ruthless.
      BARRACK ‘N FORTH
      AT St James’ Park, seated directly behind the dugouts, you can appreciate the extent of the earache handed out to fourth officials.
      On Sunday, Anthony Taylor spent the vast majority of the 90 minutes being harangued by Newcastle assistant  Jason Tindall (the chief irritant), Eddie Howe, Mikel Arteta and his No 2 Steve Round.
      And for what? Do these men believe that Taylor will say: “I didn’t make that decision.
      I have no authority to overturn that decision. But, as you’ve moaned so much, I’m going to overturn it anyway.” 
      MUST PICK FIK
      FIKAYO TOMORI is heading into a Champions League semi-final with AC Milan against city rivals Inter, aiming to join a select band of Englishmen to  contest a European Cup final with a foreign club.
      Only Kevin Keegan, Laurie Cunningham, Chris Waddle, Steve McManaman and Owen Hargreaves have achieved this before, and nobody for more than 20 years.
      Given the paucity of decent English centre-backs, the absence of Tomori from Gareth Southgate’s squad is looking weird.
      EUROPE’S NO SPUR
      TOTTENHAM’S mini-revival under caretaker-caretaker-boss Ryan Mason might well earn them seventh place in the Premier League and a spot in the Europa Conference League.
      While West Ham have embraced that third-tier competition — as would Brighton, Aston Villa and other clubs — Spurs will, with some justification, consider it beneath them.
      The next permanent boss might wish Spurs had stuck with the last caretaker, Cristian Stellini, trashed the rest of this season and missed out on Europe altogether.
      CAUSING A STER
      FOR a stretch of time, Raheem Sterling was frequently booed by England fans while playing for his country.
      Yet he ended up as Gareth Southgate’s best player when the Three Lions reached their first major final in 55 years at the last Euros, in 2021.

      Chelsea fans are now booing Sterling but, under Mauricio Pochettino next season, he is well capable of changing minds at  Stamford Bridge.
      If ever there was a player who thrives on being under-appreciated, it is Sterling. More