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      Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani prepared for Marcelo Bielsa exit in summer after boss turned them into ‘proper club’

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      LEEDS owner Andrea Radrizzani will NOT worry if Marcelo Bielsa leaves next summer.
      The Argentine’s contract is up at the end of the season, with the Elland Road boss only signing for a year at a time.

      Marcelo Bielsa’s contract expires at the end of the season – and Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani is prepared if he leavesCredit: PA:Press Association

      But while confident he is not going anywhere, Radrizzani insists Leeds can thrive without Bielsa because of the club’s transformation under him.
      The Italian said: “I hope he can stay with us for a long time. But we like to decide year by year because, obviously, he’s not a young manager, he’s 65 and his family, his wife is often in Argentina.
      “Hopefully, he can stay longer — 60 is the new 40 these days!
      “If not, I think what he’s building is the foundation for a proper club.

      “He has put in the foundations for the future without him.
      “I say that really convinced of his job, because it’s not only what you can see every game but what he has done in terms of changing the facilities, the work ethic — they really reflect what I wanted to do in the club.”
      Bielsa is idolised in Leeds having led them back to the top flight for the first time in 16 years at the second time  of asking.
      Director of football Victor Orta recommended ‘El Loco’ in 2018 after the Yorkshiremen finished 13th in the Championship under Paul Heckingbottom.

      And Radrizzani told beIN SPORTS: “It was a discussion in the car with Victor.
      “It was a difficult season so I wanted to have a leader, a charismatic coach who could change the culture.
      “Victor said ‘I think  Marcelo Bielsa would be amazing, but it’s impossible’ . . . when someone says something is impossible I want it more.
      “So I said ‘Call him now’. And then he didn’t pick up but Victor left him a message.
      “By the time he spoke to him the next day, Marcelo had already watched ten games, already knew the players.
      “Then we flew to Buenos Aires and we spent ten hours in a room learning from him, while he was already clear in his mind what to do and change.”
      On his relationship with Bielsa, Radrizzani, 46, joked the key is not spending too much time together.

      Andrea Radrizzani reckons Leeds can thrive without Bielsa but hopes the tactician remainsCredit: AP:Associated Press
      He said: “It’s good. I think maybe because we don’t meet every day! He is fully immersed, so I need to give him comfort.
      “We’re happy and working very well. I learn a lot from him and at the same time, I try to give him support.”
      Leeds’ flying start was checked by Monday’s 4-1  hammering at Elland Road by Leicester.
      And Radrizzani, who took full ownership from Massimo Cellino in May 2017, told fans  that survival is the name of the game.
      He added: “We need to focus for the next couple of years to stay in the Premier League.
      “We all know this club is massive, this brand is well known everywhere, so if we stay in the league we can aim to stay just next to the top six.
      “Leeds have potential to grow over the next three to five years.”

      Leeds United fans in rowdy celebrations More

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      Man Utd legend Ryan Giggs’ future as Wales manager in doubt following arrest on suspicion of ‘assaulting girlfriend’

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      RYAN GIGGS’ future as Wales boss has been thrown into doubt after his arrest.
      The Manchester United legend, 46, was on Monday questioned and then bailed, pending inquiries by police, on suspicion of actual bodily harm and assault following an alleged bust-up with his girlfriend.

      Giggs’ future as Wales boss is in doubt following his arrest on suspicion of ‘assaulting girlfriend Kate Greville’Credit: BackGrid

      The shock news came as Wales last night cancelled Giggs’ squad announcement for a trio of November games which was due to be via Zoom on Tuesday morning.
      Welsh FA chiefs were locked in talks on Monday night over how to deal with Giggs’ alleged conduct.
      A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: “Police were called at 10.05pm on Sunday to reports of a disturbance.
      “A woman in her 30s sustained minor injuries but did not require any treatment.

      “A 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of section 47 assault and section 39 common assault.”
      The Welsh FA added: “The squad announcement scheduled for tomorrow will no longer take place and has been postponed.”
      Giggs emerged from Pendleton police station on Monday afternoon after hours of questioning.
      And now the Wales boss will have to answer to chief executive Jonathan Ford over the alleged incident.

      It is not clear at this stage if Giggs will continue in his duties as boss for the friendly with USACredit: AFP or licensors

      It is not clear at this stage if Giggs will continue in his duties as boss for the friendly with USA in Swansea on November 12.
      After that, there’s the Nations League double-header against the Republic of Ireland and Finland in Cardiff later this month.
      Giggs, who won 13 Premier League titles and the Champions League twice in a glittering playing career, became Wales manager in January 2018 after signing a four-year contract.
      He guided his country to their second successive European Championship finals with qualification last November, following a 2-0 win over Hungary. More

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      Marcus Rashford looks like a superhero as he joins forces with Burberry to end child food poverty

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      MARCUS Rashford looks like a true superhero as he joins forces with Burberry.
      The England striker modelled the fashion brand’s cape as it signed up to give cash to youth groups supplying meals in London.

      Marcus Rashford looks every inch the superhero in a Burberry capeCredit: Courtesy of Burberry / Rafael Pavarotti

      The footballer has joined forces with the fashion brand as it signed up to give cash to youth groups supplying meals in LondonCredit: Courtesy of Burberry / Rafael Pavarotti

      The high end fashion house is providing grants for Norbrook Youth Club and Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre, two youth centres Rashford, 22, attended as a child.
      Burberry will also be providing support for 15 youth centres across London selected by Burberry and the organisation London Youth – which supports over 600 community youth organisations in the capital.
      London Youth will use the money for meals and support with school work, while Norbrook will be improving their outdoor space.
      The announcement of the England striker’s partnership with Burberry was accompanied by the publication of a moving letter the footballer wrote to his 10-year-old self.

      He said: “When you fall, which you will, there will always be neighbours and friends to catch you.

      Burberry is providing grants for two youth centres Rashford attended as a childCredit: Rex Features

      “There is no need to feel ashamed because they will catch you without judgment and comment. No questions asked.
      “Feel the warmth of those around you and know that one day, you are going to have the platform to repay them.
      “For a young boy who says so little, one day you will have a voice that speaks for many.”

      Man Utd’s Marcus Rashford helps out at food charity after MPs reject bid to extend school meals
      GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk More

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      Man Utd legend Ryan Giggs’ future as Wales boss in doubt following arrest on suspicion of ‘assaulting girlfriend’

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      RYAN GIGGS’ future as Wales boss was last night thrown into doubt after his arrest.
      The Manchester United legend, 46, was yesterday questioned and then bailed, pending inquiries by police, on suspicion of actual bodily harm and assault following an alleged bust-up with his girlfriend.

      Giggs’ future as Wales boss is in doubt following his arrest on suspicion of ‘assaulting girlfriend Kate Greville’Credit: BackGrid

      The shock news came as Wales last night cancelled Giggs’ squad announcement for a trio of November games which was due to be via Zoom on Tuesday morning.
      Welsh FA chiefs were locked in talks on Monday night over how to deal with Giggs’ alleged conduct.
      A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: “Police were called at 10.05pm on Sunday to reports of a disturbance.
      “A woman in her 30s sustained minor injuries but did not require any treatment.

      “A 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of section 47 assault and section 39 common assault.”
      The Welsh FA added: “The squad announcement scheduled for tomorrow will no longer take place and has been postponed.”
      Giggs emerged from Pendleton police station on Monday afternoon after hours of questioning.
      And now the Wales boss will have to answer to chief executive Jonathan Ford over the alleged incident.

      It is not clear at this stage if Giggs will continue in his duties as boss for the friendly with USACredit: AFP or licensors

      It is not clear at this stage if Giggs will continue in his duties as boss for the friendly with USA in Swansea on November 12.
      After that, there’s the Nations League double-header against the Republic of Ireland and Finland in Cardiff later this month.
      Giggs, who won 13 Premier League titles and the Champions League twice in a glittering playing career, became Wales manager in January 2018 after signing a four-year contract.
      He guided his country to their second successive European Championship finals with qualification last November, following a 2-0 win over Hungary. More

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      Man Utd must prove they are serious about being elite with questions over Solskjaer just a smokescreen for real problems

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      IT is convenient for the Manchester United hierarchy that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s swingometer veers so wildly between triumph and disaster.
      Because debate over the manager’s future serves as a smokescreen when there are more fundamental questions to be answered.

      Questions being asked about Solskjaer a merely distracting from the real problemsCredit: Reuters

      Most recently Man Utd slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to ArsenalCredit: Reuters

      Are United even serious about wanting to be an elite football club any more?
      From the boardroom to the dressing room, are United actually willing to commit to the highest standards needed to challenge for the Premier League and the Champions League?
      Can they be bothered to strive for excellence?
      Do they have sufficient motivation to be relentlessly successful?

      Are the Glazer family merely content to take millions out of the club in dividends each year, or are these Donald Trump supporters genuinely driven to make United great again?
      Does managing director Richard Arnold care about major trophies when he is happy to claim the club’s social media reach makes them bigger than Jesus?
      Is executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward only now interested in self-preservation, given that his own future is bound so tightly with that of Solskjaer?
      Do any of them want a proper director of football, employed to recruit the footballers that United actually need, rather than those with the commercial clout and social-media reach?

      Does Edinson Cavani want to warm up properly for £174,000 per week?
      Is Paul Pogba’s heart really in it? Truly? Week in, week out? A world-class footballer who costs United as many matches as he wins them.
      Did Solskjaer even particularly want Cavani or Donny van de Beek, when the club should obviously have prioritised a top-class centre-half?
      Solskjaer is patently not the best man for the manager’s job.
      He got the gig on a caretaker basis because he was a terrace idol and he was very definitely not Jose Mourinho. Then he kept it after an extraordinary early burst of form.
      The Norwegian is not a disastrously poor manager but he certainly isn’t a great one.
      So the old swingometer swings – and this season more wildly than ever.
      A 6-1 home thrashing by Tottenham, then two outstanding results in Europe, then a grim home defeat by Arsenal leaving United without a win in six home Premier League matches.
      But sticking with Solskjaer suits the players, directors and owners – all very nicely off in their comfort zones – because he is not sufficiently demanding enough of any of them.

      Mauricio Pochettino wouldn’t have accepted anything less than the highest level of standards Credit: Reuters
      Would Solskjaer’s most obvious successor, Mauricio Pochettino – out of work for almost a year now – even want to commit to a club so accepting of mediocrity?
      Pochettino, who made a rare public appearance on Sky’s Monday Night Football last night, has the highest footballing standards. Alex Ferguson recognised it in him.
      The Argentinian wouldn’t accept the lack of focus on sporting excellence among United’s directors or their players.
      United might have moved for Pochettino on several occasions, both before and after he left Spurs.
      That they haven’t suggests they are prepared to drift along – sneaking into the top four being deemed a success, maybe a domestic knockout trophy thrown in if they can stop bottling semi-finals.
      It feels as if too many people at United think that is good enough.
      Despite those Champions League successes against Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig, United are not in a false position in the Premier League – unless you argue that they should actually be lower than 15th.

      Man Utd have shown signs of life in the Champions League but struggled in the Premier LeagueCredit: Reuters
      Solskjaer’s men have been comprehensively outplayed in four of their six fixtures – their 3-2 victory over Brighton was utterly freakish, the Seagulls hitting the woodwork five times and United scoring the winning penalty after the final whistle had blown.
      And in the goalless draw against Chelsea, United survived a shout for a stonewall penalty against Harry Maguire.
      So United might easily have lost five out of six and stood 17th.
      This is not to suggest that they will finish in the bottom four, even the bottom half.
      United have enough good players to win a fair proportion of matches.
      They may defeat a below-strength Everton next weekend and will probably end that horrible home run against West Brom, allowing the Solskjaer swingometer to move away from the disaster zone.
      However, those underlying issues won’t have changed. From top to bottom, United must now prove they are serious.

      Man Utd legend Roy Keane slams Edinson Cavani’s work ethic and questions whether he even warmed up vs Arsenal More

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      Premier League chiefs tell cash-strapped lower league clubs ‘we’ll help you survive with or without EFL blessing’

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      PREMIER LEAGUE chiefs have told cash-strapped lower-league clubs: ‘We will help you survive – whether the EFL gives its blessing or not.’
      The top-flight insists the initial £50million bailout offer for League One and Two, which was rejected last month, remains on the table.

      Premier League chiefs have told lower league clubs they are ready to help with or without EFL supportCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Lower-tier clubs have been told they can come to the PL for survival cash, even if the EFL does not give its approval.
      One Premier League source explained: “We would prefer to do this with the EFL’s blessing.
      “But we have made it clear that any club in League One or Two can come to us and ask for funding, as long as they can show they need it because of Covid.”
      And  in a new letter to the EFL, the top flight  promised Championship clubs who face Covid- enforced oblivion they can come to them for  help.

      Premier League bosses confirmed their initial offer to the lower tiers remains in place despite its rejection.
      It added: “We will also support any Championship club suffering from  Covid-19 distress, on a case-by-case basis.”
      The letter comes ahead of the next  EFL board meeting on Thursday — in which chairman Rick Parry will urge his 72 teams to hold the line over the cash issue.
      Parry, who says the EFL needs £250m by the end of the season, last week warned Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden he would “never be forgiven” if clubs went under as a result of the failure of Government to offer cash while grounds are shut.

      Parry also appeared to be backing away from a  conflict with the Premier League but admitted at the weekend that  EFL sides would be “struggling” to pay wages “around Christmas”.
      One club chief said:  “We have made it clear that any team that needs help because of Covid only has to come to us.
      “That applies to the Championship as well.”

      Premier League WILL continue despite second lockdown but fans now unlikely to set foot in grounds until 2021 More

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      Wimbledon return to Plough Lane after 29 years away – having ‘lost their spirit’ following Selhurst Park ground-share

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      IT HAS been 29 long years — but tonight Wimbledon come home.
      The Dons left Plough Lane in 1991 to groundshare with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, before being franchised to Milton Keynes in 2002.

      Wimbledon return to their home at Plough Lane for the first time in 29 years tonightCredit: Twitter @TimMcKenna5

      Since then, there has been the formation of AFC Wimbledon and their remarkable rise through the non-league ranks to reach League One.
      Off the pitch, a series of red-tape struggles have slowed the return to their spiritual home, with supporters raising funds to get the building work finally completed on a stadium with an initial capacity of 9,300.
      The old ground has long since been bulldozed to make way for flats, but Plough Lane stands just 500 yards from the original site, albeit in a different postcode.
      Dons legend Dickie Guy, who made almost 600 appearances for the club, hailed the achievement in getting back to their Plough Lane roots.

      He told SunSport: “It will mean everything to see the club back at Plough Lane.
      “To have our club taken away from us like we did back in 2002 by the outrageous decision from the FA.
      “To do what our supporters have done — by putting their hands in their pockets to get the stadium done — and what the team has done on the pitch throughout the years to get back to League One.
      “It is just an amazing story which I don’t think will ever be repeated.”

      The Dons welcome Doncaster Rovers to the Lane having left in 1991Credit: Rex Features

      Ex-keeper Guy played for Wimbledon between 1967 and 1978. He is widely remembered for saving Peter Lorimer’s penalty in 1975, as the non-league side held Leeds to a draw in the FA Cup at Elland Road.
      Guy is now president of AFC Wimbledon and claims the club lost their identity when they moved out of SW19.
      And he cannot hide his delight at their return for tonight’s clash with Doncaster Rovers.

      Plough Lane timeline

      1912: SEP 7, Wimbledon play their first match at Plough Lane — having secured a freehold on the land.

      1984: Ground  sold to chairman Sam Hammam for £3million. 
      1991: May 4, Wimbledon play their final game at Plough Lane, a 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace — who they would ground share with the following season.
      1998: Hammam sells Plough Lane to supermarket  Safeway.
      2002: The same season as AFC Wimbledon’s formation, Safeway fail to get planning permission but  Lane stands are demolished.
      2005: Site is sold to developers to build 570 flats — which are completed in 2008.
      2013: Dons submit plans to  Merton Council to redevelop the Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium.
      2015: Merton Council  agree to the proposal for a 20,000-seater ground on the site of Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium.
      2016: March 22, major blow as London Mayor Boris Johnson calls in  scheme for a review.
      2016: July 27, Johnson’s replacement Sadiq Khan moves plans back to council to press ahead.
      2016: Sep 27, final approval is granted for the Dons to build their dream home.
      2017: Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium is closed.
      2018: Work begins on building the new ground.

      He added: “Plough Lane was always a decent non-league ground.
      “But as the club moved closer to the Football League, it was small to the other clubs in the league.
      “It was our home and the club lost all its spirit once they moved to Selhurst Park.
      “I am absolutely over the moon we are back there.”

      Watch the hilarious moment Photographer falls of his stall during Wimbledon vs West Ham in EFL Cup More

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      Man Utd ‘frightened to death’ to attack at Old Trafford following 6-1 mauling by Tottenham, claims club legend Scholes

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      PAUL SCHOLES claims Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is ‘frightened to death’ to attack at Old Trafford.
      Manchester United have picked up just one point from their opening four home games of the Premier League season.

      Man Utd are ‘scared to attack’ at home after their Spurs humiliationCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

      Scholes reckons the 6-1 loss at home to Spurs has affected Solskjaer’s mentalityCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      That run marks their worst run of form on their own ground since 1972.
      The 6-1 thrashing by Tottenham has been one of three defeats so far this term, the others against Crystal Palace and Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal.
      United legend Scholes said: “It’s as poor as I’ve seen Manchester United at Old Trafford.
      “You are not playing against Real Madrid, you are playing against – I wouldn’t say average – but it’s not an Arsenal team of past years.

      “There’s no way you should be fearing them, you should be going after them, it’s a big hangover from the Tottenham game.
      “It’s frightened Ole to death – and he doesn’t want anything like that to happen again.”
      Scholes also tore into Fred and Scott McTominay after defeat left United 15th in the table.
      The ex-England midfield star said: “You have to expect more from United and those two midfielders.

      Man Utd have lost three of their last four home games this season, drawing the otherCredit: AFP or Licensors

      “They were playing like centre-halves, not central midfield players.”
      Paul Pogba, who gave away Arsenal’s penalty winner and claimed he was ‘out of breath’, did not escape Roy Keane’s wrath.
      Keane said: “For all Pogba’s talent, he should be in this team, but does not do enough.
      “He doesn’t show enough fight.”

      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says neither team deserved to win after Man Utd’s defeat by Arsenal More