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      Arsene Wenger wants World Cup or Euros EVERY summer as ex-Arsenal boss calls for Nations League to be scrapped

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      ARSENE WENGER wants a World Cup or Euros every summer.
      And he is willing to see the Nations League scrapped in order to accommodate the major shake up.

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      Arsene Wenger wants to see the World Cup or European Championships staged every summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Wenger, 70, was appointed Fifa’s head of global football development last year and suggested the new plans to improve the international game.
      Currently the World Cup and Euros are both played every four years with the Nations League finals staged in the non-tournament summers.
      The ex-Arsenal boss – whose home nation France are the reigning world champions – told Bild: “We need to get rid of the Nations League and find clearer events that everyone understands.
      “If you ask people in the street what the Nations League is, you won’t find many able to explain it.

      “We need to have as few events as possible. One World Cup and one European Championship every other year would probably be more appropriate for a modern world.”
      Many have argued that a World Cup played more frequently than every four years would lose much of its prestige.
      Wenger, though, does not believe this is the case.
      He added: “I always tell people who say this that the image is not linked to the time you wait before playing again, but rather the quality of the competition.

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      Wenger is Fifa’s head of global football development but wants to see Uefa ditch the Nations LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      “After all, people also watch the Champions League every year. Personally, I think it would be a great step forward.”
      Uefa’s Nations League was brought in two years ago to cut out meaningless international friendlies and add some competitiveness.
      There is also the added bonus of an extra shot at tournament qualification for teams that win their groups.
      Portugal won the inaugural final last year, beating the Netherlands, while England claimed third with a penalty shootout win over Switzerland.

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      United’s Tobin Heath ready for ‘crazy competitive’ Women’s Super League and race for third Champions League spot

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      MANCHESTER UNITED’S Tobin Heath expects the women’s top-flight to be “crazy competitive” with a third Champion’s League spot up for grabs this term.
      And the World Cup-winning USA star admitted to “nerding out” the first time she set foot on the club’s Old Trafford turf.

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      Tobin Heath admitted to getting’the feels’ the first time she stepped on the pitch at Old Trafford Credit: USA TODAY Sports

      Heath, 32, is among the big-name US stars who made high-profile moves to the Women’s Super League this month.
      The last time the American ace set foot on United’s pitch was during the 2012 Olympics.
      Her international side beat Canada to seal their place in the tournament’s finals.
      Heath said: “Any footballer’s dream would be to play for Manchester United and to play at Old Trafford.

      “I had all the feels when going back there. I was nerding out before and during the Olympics when we played there.
      “I think in our first game, there was a group stage match and then we played that epic, semi-final against Canada.
      “The pitch just has this iconic feeling about it and it’s just such an iconic venue for any footballer.”
      Heath will be part of Casey Stoney’s United squad following a one-year deal she signed with the team this month.

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      Two-time World Cup winner Heath signed a one-year deal with Man United this monthCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Other big-name US arrivals who made temporary WSL moves include Tottenham’s Alex Morgan and Manchester City’s Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle.
      Heath hopes her performances for Stoney’s side, who are currently fourth in the table, will help the team challenge for major trophies.

      Pretty much my whole footballing education and introduction was through English football
      Tobin Heath

      The USA star added: “It’s definitely a more unique set-up here. There are a lot more things to compete for.
      “There’s the big league title, the cup and also Champions League spots.
      “And having that third Champions League spot added this year is going to be crazy competitive”

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      Heath’s international team-mate Alex Morgan is among the US women’s football stars who have switched to the WSL Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Heath, who is a big Arsenal fan, says her introduction to the English game came from growing up watching the Premier League on TV.
      The USA international could be set to make her league debut when United take on Hope Powell’s Brighton side on October 4.
      And the Red Devils midfielder is excited about the prospect of taking on United’s WSL rivals under Stoney.

      I’m hoping she (Casey Stoney) can not only continue to propel this team to big things but for me as well
      Tobin Heath

      Heath added: “Pretty much my whole footballing education and introduction was through English football.
      “When TV rights started becoming more prominent in the US with all the games, it was something as a football fan that was just a dream to be able to watch.

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      Heath (left) and her USA team-mates beat England in the 2019 Women’s World Cup semis before winning the tournament Credit: AP:Associated Press

      “I’ve had a few, a few training sessions to get to know Casey’s personality a bit.
      “She’s all business and she really cares about the players.
      “I’m hoping she can not only continue to propel this team to big things but for me as well.”

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      Premier League clubs facing huge coronavirus row over international players being called up for World Cup qualifiers

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      PREMIER LEAGUE clubs could be facing an international Covid-19 row after the global players’ union raised fears over next month’s opening South American World Cup qualifiers.
      Jonas Baer-Hoffman, FIFPro’s general secretary, has demanded that players should be allowed to pull out of the games if they are concerned about their safety.

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      Roberto Firmino, along with fellow Liverpool stars Fabinho and Alisson, have all been called up by BrazilCredit: Getty Images – Getty

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      Everton striker Richarlison is also in the Brazil squad to take on Bolivia and PeruCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Colombia are all countries in the world top 10 of confirmed Covid cases.
      And that means a genuine worry for Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Everton and  and Spurs in particular.
      Liverpool’s trio of Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and Alisson were named in the provisional squad for Brazil’s games with Bolivia and Peru, alongside Gabriel Jesus, Everton striker Richarlison, Chelsea new recruit Thiago Silva and Villa’s Douglas Luiz.
      Jesus’ City team-mate Nicolas Otamendi is in the Argentina squad for their matches with Ecuador and Bolivia, joined by the Spurs pair of Juan Foyth and Giovani Lo Celso and Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez.

      All ten South American nations are due to play two matches in  the delayed opening rounds of the 18-match qualifying competition.
      But the FifPro chief says the players must not be strong-armed into playing for their countries and risking issues with their club careers.
      Baer-Hoffman said: “The players need to be able to make free decisions.

      “It’s a region heavily infected by the pandemic and there are certain COVID-19 restrictions and travel warnings.

      “There are players who are concerned about this and we are concerned that players may be in a situation where the health protection of them and their families would come into a collision course with national team commitments.”
      Any players travelling to South America could also face quarantine requirements, ruling them out for up to 14 days after their return.
      Earlier this month, Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson and Burnley’s Johann Berg Gudmundsson pulled out of Iceland’s Nations League games with England and Belgium, sparking fury in their homeland. More

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      Alex Morgan’s transfer move to Spurs is a real coup for the WSL and shows America is not THE place for stars to play

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      MOST England fans will remember Alex Morgan for trolling the entire English nation after she celebrated by “sipping the tea” in their World Cup semi-final clash.
      But as the striker, 31, prepares to embark on a short-term loan deal with Spurs until January 2021 – I can assure you, that you can expect SO much more from her.

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      Alex Morgan is a popular figure in the women’s game and one of the latest big names to make the move to the Women’s Super LeagueCredit: © 2019 SOPA Img

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      Morgan, 31, made headlines last year with her famous tea-sipping celebration during the USA’s World Cup semi-final win against EnglandCredit: PA:Press Association

      Her signing is a huge coup for the WSL and it’s huge for the North Londoners to land a player of that caliber, as they look to push on in only their second season in the top division.
      Morgan is one of the most high-profile names in world football, a two-time World Cup winner and 2012 Olympic gold medalist.
      Not to mention, she has 9.2MILLION followers on Instagram – more than Spurs’ official account – which shows just how huge this signing is for the club.

      She will join the familiar faces of her Orlando Pride team-mates Shelina Zadorsky and Alanna Kennedy who are also on loan deals with the club.
      As well as FOUR fellow USA World Cup winners in the league who have decided to cross the pond as the country continues to struggle with the Covid-19 pandemic.
      Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle signed for Manchester City, while Christen Press and Tobin Heath headed for rivals United last week.
      One of the main reasons Morgan has signed for Spurs on a short-term deal, is to increase her game time as she tries to win a place in the US squad for the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

      Which seems a shame, as I would love for her and the other players on loan to be invested in helping raise the standard of our league more longer term then short term.

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      Alex Morgan made headlines last week after Tottenham announced their signing of the World Cup winner Credit: Getty Images – Getty

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      Morgan will look to make her debut for Tottenham barely FOUR months after giving birthCredit: Sportsfile – Subscription
      And I’m obviously gutted she decided to join Spurs and not Arsenal!
      In August, Morgan made her return to action after the birth of her daughter Charlie on 7 May, but she left the pitch after a heavy collision.
      And the strike sensation will look to make her debut for Tottenham barely FOUR months after giving birth.

      I am buzzing to see so many World Cup winners now playing on our doorstep because during my playing days America was the place to be

      Not that fitness has been a problem for her, if the clips on social media of her doing grueling workouts while nine months pregnant are anything to go by.
      The videos even drew the attention of popstar Justin Timberlake who was one of Morgan’s many admirers and called her a “beast.”
      On a more serious note, the American league set up a Fall Series tournament consisting of four matches until October 17, but the lack of a regular season has led to many players moving to Europe.
      The Series hasn’t done a very good job of keeping players around – with many stars from Megan Rapinoe to Julie Ertz opting out.

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      Manchester City’s Sam Mewis is among the NWSL stars who have made loan switches to the Women’s Super LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      And one player even pointed directly at the handling of Covid-19 in America as to why she’s pursuing football overseas.
      I am buzzing to see so many World Cup winners now playing on our doorstep because during my playing days America was the place to be.
      The tables have clearly turned and Alex Morgan’s decision to play in OUR league is the cherry on the cake.

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      West Germany’s 1966 World Cup team smuggled porn into hotel room and held secret screening with film projector

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      THE West German national team were getting their kicks in more ways than one at the 1966 World Cup, by smuggling PORN into their hotel.
      Featuring the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, the Germans stormed through to the final of the competition after defeating Switzerland, Spain, Uruguay and the Soviet Union.

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      The West German national team reached the final of the 1966 World CupCredit: Alamy

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      Players found a novel way to get their kicks at the tournamentCredit: Getty – Contributor
      And it turns out that they had an unorthodox method of keeping up team morale and camaraderie.
      For at regular intervals during the tournament, all 22 players would cram into room 24 of their hotel, occupied by goalkeeper Sepp Maier and defender Bernd Patzke – in order to watch a porn movie together.
      After sharing the code “Porn in room 24”, the team would pile into the small twin room to watch the adult films using a screen projector.
      There was one slight hitch, however, as Maier, now 76, described the scene to Bild.

      He said: “We hadn’t set the thing properly. In the pictures that were shone on the wall, the heads were at the bottom, the bodies at the top, with the dividing strip in between.”
      Despite the protestations of his team-mates, who were presumably enjoying the film as it was – Maier was determined to fix the projection – but with disastrous results.
      He continued: “When I posted it, the damn movie tore.”
      Amid his furious team-mates’ stream of insults, a sheepish Maier hopped straight in a car to find a new film to watch – with the hour-long trip nothing compared to facing the increased ire of his peers.

      But in football, things can be settled by the finest of margins, as Maier and Co were to find out in the subsequent World Cup final.

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      Sepp Maier, now 76, has admitted hosting the 22-man squad’s porn sessionsCredit: Reuters

      With Maier an unused reserve on the day, West Germany fell to a famous 4-2 defeat in extra time to Alf Ramsey’s England.
      Not for the first time that summer, the German players found themselves enraged, as hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst’s crucial strike didn’t appear to have crossed the line.
      But linesman Tofiq Bahramov waved for a goal and the rest, they say, is history.

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      World Cup 2022 schedule released with FOUR matches a day starting at 10am and final week before Christmas Day

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      THE 2022 World Cup in Qatar will feature FOUR matches a day – with the final taking place a week before Christmas.
      Action will get going on November 21, 2022 – as the world tunes in to the first ever winter World Cup.

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      France will aim to defend their trophy in QatarCredit: Getty Images – Getty

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      The tournament will finish in Doha on December 18Credit: Handout – Getty
      For the first fortnight of the tournament, fans will be treated to FOUR games a day – with reasonably favourable kick-off times for a UK audience.
      Matches will take place at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm UK time – with Qatar three hours ahead of Great Britain.
      The group stage will finish on December 2, with the round of 16 action taking place between December 3 and 6.
      Fans will then get a short rest, before tuning into the quarter-finals on December 9 and 10.

      The world will mix football frenzy with ever-increasing Christmas spirit, with the semis played on December 13 and 14.
      And the showpiece final will take place in Doha on December 18.
      The action, kicking off at Lusail Stadium in Qatar’s capital, will have a traditional feel for British football fans – kicking off at 3pm UK time.

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      Lusail Stadium, around 20 miles north of Doha, is currently under constructionCredit: AFP or licensors

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      The tournament emblem has been released ahead of the showpiece eventCredit: PA:Press Association

      Lusail Stadium will be one of seven new venues constructed for the tournament.
      Holding 80,000, it has been designed to resemble a traditional Arab lantern.
      And Three Lions fans will already be dreaming of watching Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Co lifting the trophy there… even if they may struggle to get hold of any booze to celebrate.

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