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      Birmingham City boss Carla Ward dismisses rumours about her future amid interest from West Ham after Matt Beard’s exit

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      CARLA WARD has shutdown speculation about her future as Birmingham City boss following her side’s solid start to the season. 
      The October Manager of the Month is reportedly a top target for West Ham following Matthew Beard’s departure, according to BBC Sport. 

      Carla Ward says her future is at Birmingham despite rumours linking her with West HamCredit: Rex Features

      Birmingham, who struggled towards the end of the curtailed 2019-20 season with just eight senior players in their squad, have enjoyed a decent run this term following Ward’s appointment in August. 
      And the former Sheffield United gaffer, 36, has seen her new club rise to sixth in the top-flight following their 11th place finish last season. 
      Ward’s side are three points and one place behind title runners-up Manchester City ahead of their upcoming game against Everton. 
      Meanwhile, West Ham, who are on the hunt for a new head coach, are currently winless in the league and ninth in the table. 

      Ward told Birmingham City’s web site: “Naturally when there is speculation it’s overwhelming if I’m honest because I have only been in this division a few months. 
      “For me, I came to this football club to do a job and that was to maintain WSL status.  My future is here, I don’t want to go anywhere else. 

      “The job is half done. It’s not done yet, so as far as I’m concerned right now, it’s about the players, the staff, the football club. 
      “I had great conversations with the board and I can honestly say that after those conversations we are very much on the same page and both want the same things for Birmingham City Women. 

      “They can’t get rid of me just yet!” 

      Ward has been touted as a possible replacement for Matt Beard following his West Ham departureCredit: PA:Press Association

      Ward’s Birmingham side have enjoyed a decent start to their tenth season in the WSL Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      December is set to be a tough month fixtures-wise for Birmingham with tricky pre-Christmas clashes against Arsenal,  Everton, and Manchester City. 
      But Blues keeper Hannah Hampton, 19, is optimistic about her team surprising the WSL’s big guns after claiming three wins in October and November. 
      Hampton told SunSport:  “Everybody wrote us off in the summer. 
      “Nobody thought we’d have a chance so those two wins in October really helped with the belief in the group. 

      Hannah Hampton (right) reckons Birmingham’s October wins have boosted their confidenceCredit: Rex Features
      “We’ve got a great set of girls and I think we just have to concentrate on getting as many points as possible to stay in this division. 
      “We know how much of a big job it is and how we’re going up against sides who have spent a lot of money this summer.
      “We’re going to give it everything we’ve got and see where it leaves us at the end of the season.”

      Lionesses in training More

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      Phil Neville hands Man Utd defender Abbie McManus late England call up

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      PHIL NEVILLE has handed Manchester United ace Abbie McManus a late England call-up.
      The 27-year-old is set to train with the team for the remaining few days of the November camp.

      Abbie McManus signed for United ahead of the 2019/20 seasonCredit: Rex Features

      The Red Devils defender has joined the squad at St. George’s Park and will be available for the second in-house match.
      England Women have been starved of competitive action after TWO of their friendly matches were axed amid the coronavirus crisis.
      After the latest in-house fixture, boss Phil Neville admitted he ‘tried not to think about’ the lack of matches.

      He said: “We have tried to be positive and think about how lucky we are to have camps and play in stadiums like this.
      “But the players are crying out for competitive games where they can test themselves against the best teams.
      “That’s what I really want. We’ve got [camps in] February and April where hopefully we have some exciting plans and we can play some top-quality opposition.

      “What we have had is some tough camps and have got the best out of a situation that is affecting everyone in the world.”

      United youngster Lauren James, the sister of Chelsea star Reece James, was handed her first senior international call-up by Neville.
      Other starlets who joined England’s ten-day camp included Arsenal’s Lotte Wubben-Moy and Liverpool’s Rinsola Babajide for their second senior call-ups. 

      Alex Morgan pokes the Lionesses with ‘tea-sipping’ celebration after putting USA ahead against England in Women’s World Cup semi-final More

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      Brighton ace Kerdijk reckons Phil Neville’s successor Sarina Wiegman will be a hit as England boss

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      BRIGHTON’S Danique Kerdijk expects England’s prospects will be given a boost when Sarina Wiegman succeeds Phil Neville as manager. 
      The Seagulls forward hailed the in-coming Lionesses chief for turning the Netherlands into one of the top four teams in the world. 

      Sarina Wiegman will take over from Phil Neville in September 2021 Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      Wiegman, 51, widely regarded as one of the best managers in the women’s game, is a nominee for the 2020 Best FIFA Women’s Coach Award. 
      The former defender made history in 2016 when she became the first woman in the Netherlands to coach a professional men’s side at Sparta Rotterdam. 
      The Dutch boss, who England heroine Kelly Smith described as “a proven winner”, currently holds the record for the most wins by a coach of a Netherlands national football team. 
      And Kerkdijk, 24, who has experience of being managed by England’s future boss as well as a past one in Hope Powell, sees both as “big impact” managers. 

      The Netherlands forward told Brighton’s official website: “Serena Wiegman has developed the Netherlands a huge amount.
      “She is a really good manager and really strong on the pitch. She has a plan and you know that the plan will work. 
      “It’s a loss for Dutch football, but I think she can make the difference for England. She made the difference for us.
      “I only know Hope as a team manager and not an international one. 

      Danique Kerdijk (right) believes Sarina Wiegman can make a positive difference to the LionessesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      “But I know for sure they both have a big impact on teams, with their experience I know they can add a huge amount wherever they go.”
      Wiegmann, whose players were beaten in the 2019 Women’s World Cup finals, will be without the services of record-breaking striker Vivianne Miedema when her team plays the USA in Dutch city Breda. 
      And the injured Arsenal ace’s national team-mates will take on an American side likely to feature Manchester United aces Tobin Heath and Christen Press.
      The World Cup-winning duo have been in fine form for the Red Devils who return to league action against Aston Villa after the international break. 

      Sarina Wiegman Profile

      Born: The Hague,  Netherlands – 26 October 1969
      Playing career: KFC 71 (1987-88), North Carolina Tar Heels (1989-1990),  Ter Leede (1994-2003)
      Coaching career: Ter Leede (2006-07), Ado Den Haag Women (2007-14), Sparta Rotterdam – Assistant coach – Reserves (2016), Netherlands Women – Assistant and head coach (2016-2021)
      Managerial achievements: Women’s Euro 2017 winner, Women’s World Cup 2020 runner-up, Fifa Best Women’s 2017

      And their team, who reached the Women’s Super League’s summit for the first time in their history, are yet to lose a WSL game this season.
      Press, 31, who has scored once in five league appearances, says she will be taking a “trial and error” approach with her performances this term.
      Press told journalists: “The game (in the WSL) is not as transitional and not as direct and so it is not the exact same solution as it was in the NWSL for how I personally make an impact. 
      “In various moments in my career I have also been playing wide and playing central.

      Christen Press (left) is looking to make a big impression in the WSL this termCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      “Going back to primarily being a No9, I have to adjust some of the tactical decisions and positioning that I have so that I can be really effective 
      “Playing No9 in a league where defences stay organised is quite different from playing where the fullbacks are getting really high and there is a lot of space to play in. 
      “So I am still kind of in the trial and error phase of how I can make the biggest impact consistently.’’

      Watch Vivianne Miedema hit her 50th WSL goal to become the league’s all-time record scorer More

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      Brazil heroine Marta pays heartfelt tribute to inspirational ‘God of the ball’ Diego Maradona as she shares pic of pair

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      BRAZIL icon Marta has joined footballing greats in paying tribute to Diego Maradona. 
      The Orlando Pride striker, 34,  shared an emotional post on Instagram describing the Argentina hero as one of the ‘Gods’ of the game. 

      Brazil icons Marta and Pele are among the football heroes who paid tribute to Diego Maradona Credit: Reuters

      Maradona, who is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest ever players, passed away, aged 60, after suffering a cardiac arrest.
      On Instagram Marta, who is a six-time Fifa World Player of the Year, posted a picture of herself sat next to the Argentinian icon. 
      In her message the Brazilian football heroine wrote: “We lost one of the Gods of the ball, a historical legend who inspired all of us professionals with his magic and love.”
      Maradona took the world of football by storm with his goalscoring feats for Argentina and for Napoli, with whom he won two Serie A titles.  

      The death of the striker, famous for his Hand of God and for leading his national team to World Cup glory,  has led to an outpouring of grief in his home country and in Naples. 
      And members of Napoli’s women’s team including Federico Di Criscio and Eleanora Goldoni took to social media to share their thoughts on Maradona’s passing. 

      Football fans in Naples have been mourning the passing of Maradona Credit: AP:Associated Press
      In part of her Instagram post Goldoni, 24, said: “You changed Argentina, you changed Naples, you embellished football. 
      “As a fan, as a Napoli footballer of, as a lover of football and of this city, thank you for what you did!”

      Today schools in Naples are closed in honour of the former Serie A player whose image adorns a mural in the city’s San Giovanni a Teduccio quarter. 

      Thousands of fans took to the streets of Naples and Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires where Maradona became a hero with Boca Juniors. 
      And three days of national mourning have commenced in Argentina in honour of the player.
      It has been reported that Napoli will go ahead with plans to rename their San Paolo stadium after one of their most famous stars.   

      Diego Maradona fans all around the world pay their respects to a football icon More

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      Risks of dementia could be greater for female footballers, says expert running ground-breaking study

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      WOMEN footballers are being urged to take part in a study to determine if they are at a higher risk of getting dementia than male players. 
      And its lead scientist believes female athletes heading the ball could be in greater danger of developing the condition diagnosed in five of 1966 World Cup winners. 

      University of East Anglia scientists are studying the effect heading a football has on female playersCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Retired Crystal Palace ace Mark Bright and ex-Norwich City players are among the former professionals involved in the SCORES Project run by the University of East Anglia (UEA). 
      Dr Michael Grey, the study’s chief researcher, revealed his team are desperate to see more women players over the age of 40 to volunteer to take part. 
      Their call-out comes less than a month after the death of Manchester United and England hero Nobby Stiles who lived with dementia in his later years. 

      Professional female players who are 40 are being encouraged to take part in research Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      And it follows University of Glasgow research, funded by the FA, which revealed that retired male players are five times more likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s compared to the average person. 

      Dr Grey told SunSport three amateur women footballers are currently involved in the study, with netballers, swimmers, tennis and badminton players making up the rest of the 37 sportswomen taking part. 
      And Sky Sports News reports the project is yet to include a single former professional female player. 
      Dr Grey said: “We know very little about how this affects female players, but we think female players are at even greater risk of developing sport-related dementia than male players.
      “We have already signed up more than 35 professional male players but we have very few women footballers in the study so far. 

      “We know that there is greater risk of dementia in former professional footballers, and we think this is related to repetitive heading of the ball.
      “We know there are physical and physiological differences between male and female players and this could be important when it comes to the impact of repeatedly heading the ball.
      “But we don’t fully understand the impact these differences could have, so we are encouraging former amateur and professional female players to come forward to help us with our project.
      “We are looking for women and men over 40, who live in the UK and do not have a diagnosis of dementia. 
      “We are tracking their brain health over time. And we hope to follow these footballers for many years to come.”

      Sir Geoff Hurst is among leading football figures calling for a ban on children heading footballsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The issue of dementia in football has become a pressing concern for the sport with some of the game’s biggest names supporting a ban on children heading the ball. 
      1966 World Cup legend Sir Geoff Hurst is among the leading figures backing the call following his England peers’ struggles with dementia. 
      And the Professional Footballers’ Association announced its plans to create a new taskforce to analyse the issue of brain injury diseases in football. More

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      Fifa Best Women’s Footballer nominations announced with Chelsea having FOUR in running and Hayes up for top coach

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      CHELSEA have scooped an eye-watering FIVE nominations across three categories for women in the Fifa Best Footballer Awards. Football bigwigs decided to go ahead with the annual awards ceremony, which are to be held virtually next month, as coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the globe. Chelsea are flying the flag for England among the […] More

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      Chelsea ace Pernille Harder hopeful of WSL Denmark aces travelling for international duty amid coronavirus restrictions

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      DENMARK’S WSL aces have been left in limbo as they await to hear a decision on whether they can fly out for international duty amid the Covid-19 crisis.
      The UK has imposed strict travel restrictions on the country amid concerns over a new coronavirus strain that has spread from mink to humans.

      Chelsea’s Pernille Harder ‘really hopes’ Denmark’s WSL players are granted a travel exemption to compete for their country Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      The four WSL aces in the Denmark national team include Chelsea strike sensation Pernille Harder – who became the club’s record signing in the summer.
      Everton’s Nicoline Sorensen and Rikke Sevecke and Aston Villa’s Stine Larsen are the others.
      Harder also wears the captain’s armband for her country, and she said: “I really hope we can be granted permission to travel home to represent our country and fight alongside our team-mates next Tuesday in another important match.
      “Fingers crossed.”

      As reported by the BBC, earlier this month, the UK government agreed to an exemption to allow players to travel from the country to Copenhagen and back, without needing to self-isolate.
      That exemption was understood to expire on November 26 and it is unclear whether it will be extended for the women’s game against Italy at home on December 1.
      Danish and English football officials have reportedly asked the UK government for the exemption to be extended to allow the WSL stars to compete for their country.
      Losing deadly striker, Harder, would be a major blow to Denmark.

      I really hope we can be granted permission to travel home to represent our country and fight alongside our teammates next Tuesday in another important match. Fingers crossed🤞🏼🇩🇰 https://t.co/Z6AJQOWWAj
      — Pernille Harder (@PernilleMHarder) November 24, 2020

      She made her international debut at the age of 16 against Georgia in which she scored a hat-trick.
      The prolific four-time Bundesliga winner, who scored 27 times in 22 league games last season, found the net 105 times during her three years at Wolfsburg.
      She arrived in West London in the summer and joined her partner Magdalena Eriksson, 26, at the club for a record fee.
      The forward is already living up to her price-tag having netted a 90th minute equaliser, thanks to a huge deflection off Lotte Wubben-Moy, against Arsenal last time out.

      Frank Lampard insists Olivier Giroud is in his plans despite Chelsea striker admitting he is ready for January transfer More

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      Arsenal could face further injury crisis after Vivianne Miedema pulls out of international duty

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      ARSENAL WOMEN could be hit with a further injury crisis after Vivianne Miedema was forced to pull out of international duty with a hip complaint.
      The Gunners currently have FIVE first-team players on the treatment table.

      Vivianne Miedema has pulled out of international duty due to a hip injuryCredit: Getty Images – Getty

       The Dutch national team confirmed the news on Friday that the striker would miss the upcoming fixtures with the USA and Kosovo.
      They said: “Vivianne Miedema has to miss the upcoming international match due to a hip injury.
      “Victoria Pelova has been called up as her replacement. Get well soon Vivianne Miedema.”
      Jordan Nobbs, Steph Catley, Lisa Evans, Jen Beattie and Noelle Maritz all missed the Gunners’ dramatic 1-1 draw with Chelsea last time out.

      And losing Miedema, 24, would be a major blow to Joe Montemurro’s side.
      She recently broke the record to become the WSL’s all-time top scorer, after taking her tally to 52 goals in just 50 appearances midway through October.
      The strike sensation stormed past the former record-holder, Nikita Parris, who found the net 49 times in 110 matches for Manchester City and Everton.
      ⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates

      Miedema is already the league’s top scorer this season after finding the net 10 times in seven outings.
      Jordan Nobbs is out with a hamstring injury but she is expected to start pitch based work in the weeks following the international break.

      Lisa Evans and Steph Catley are dogged with calf injuries and are also expected back in the weeks after the international break.
      Captain Kim Little and Jill Roord, who has scored two hat-tricks this term, have only recently returned to action, after they were both sidelined with knocks.
      Gunners boss Joe Montemurro revealed back in October that the club was undertaking a “massive internal review” of their injury crisis.
      He said: “I’m looking at every exercise we do in training, I am looking at my session planning, we are looking at our rehab processes.
      “We’re trying to work out where and how and why this has happened. We need to be better at understanding all of this.
      “There is no finger pointing here, this is about us coming together as a group, as a wider Arsenal and also how we work with individuals on a specific basis and looking at how we can get better results.” More