All posts by h716a5.icu

Tottenham are reportedly determined to give Thomas Frank time to succeed at the club despite their 4-1 thumping away to rivals Arsenal. Spurs have lost three of their last five Premier League games and have dropped to ninth in the table following their wretched performance at Emirates Stadium. But the Dane's future at the club is not under threat for now.

Frank apologises for Tottenham drubbing

Head coach Frank admitted he felt confident going into the north London derby but Arsenal dismissed Tottenham with apparent ease, with Spurs mustering an Expected Goals tally of just 0.07 and a paltry three shots on goal. After the loss on Sunday, the former Brentford manager, who joined Spurs on a three-year deal over the summer, apologised to the travelling fans. 

He told Sky Sports: "I think it is extremely painful. I won't talk away from that. It was a bad performance. It was completely the opposite of what the intention was when we came here. We can only apologise to the fans for the performance. I think no matter if both teams wanted to play shirt, they got more out of that and we couldn't get out. When the team went long, we didn't win enough duels. That is exemplified by the 2-0 goal and the 3-0 goal, where a player went through two or three players. Bad performance and we lost. I have seen a lot of character and fight in this team but we didn't win enough duels. We can call that whatever we want but we didn't win enough."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTottenham to stick with Frank

According to The Telegraph, Tottenham want to give Frank enough time to get things right but there are concerns he is making life hard for himself by chopping and changing too much. The report adds that Spurs believe Frank's numerous rotations have contributed to their inconsistency and creativity problems. Some players are keen for Frank to focus more on his team's strengths, rather than the opposition's, but it is unclear how widespread that feeling is. The club's owners, the Lewis family, are targeting long-term success under the Dane, which suggests that no short-term decisions are being considered. Incidentally, Frank took the number of changes he has made to his starting XI to 29 for the Premier League so far – the third-most in the league after Wolves (39) and Chelsea (31).

Tottenham tactics go awry

Frank also said that he tried to deploy the same tactics Tottenham used in their agonising UEFA Super Cup loss to Paris Saint-Germain in August, but what he got was an "extremely bad" performance. 

He added: "That's an extremely hard defeat to take. We are all emotional and frustrated and need to look at it with calm heads. I was very confident going into the game that we could be competitive and we weren't, which was disappointing. We tried to do something different that was very successful against PSG. Today it wasn't and I always take responsibility for my decisions and then when it doesn't go the way we want it to go, that's on me. We changed it at half-time but I am 1000% sure that no matter what formation you play if you don't win enough duels or are aggressive enough, it doesn't matter what formation you play."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Spurs?

The games don't get any easier for Tottenham as after the loss to table-topping Arsenal, they travel to defending Champions League holders PSG in Europe's elite competition on Wednesday. And one area Frank is eager to fix is their toothless attack. 

He said: "That [lack of creativity] has been an ongoing theme that we are working hard to improve. It doesn't look good today or against Chelsea. We need to keep working on it. There were a lot of things in this game we need to do better. We are four months into it and they are further in their journey as a team and that was very obvious today. Of course there will be noise. We played against our biggest rivals and we lost badly. But we keep noise out and we focus. I know this tam is very competitive. I know this team is competitive and we showed that against Man City and PSG. Of course it looks bad today and it was not good enough."

Everton’s stance on selling Tim Iroegbunam in the January transfer window has now been revealed, amid a key decision from manager David Moyes.

Moyes has implemented a 4-2-3-1 system with two holding midfielders this season, giving the likes of Kieran Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye licence to push forward, with the former grabbing his second assist of the campaign against Fulham prior to the international break.

Idirissa Gueye has remained one of the first names on the team sheet, despite being 36-years-old, finding the back of the net in the 2-0 victory against the Cottagers, but Moyes has been unable to settle on a regular partner for the defensive midfielder.

James Garner has predominantly been given the nod, but the Toffees boss has also used the Englishman at right-back, meaning Iroegbunam has slotted in alongside Gueye intermittently, making eight appearances in the Premier League so far this season.

However, there has now been a significant update on the midfielder’s future at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, having seemingly not done enough to impress Moyes…

Everton planning to accept January offers for Tim Iroegbunam

According to a report from Football Insider, Everton are now planning to accept offers for Iroegbunam in the January transfer window, with Moyes making the decision that he is no longer a key part of his future plans.

The Toffees may even be willing to take a loss on the midfielder, who arrived from Aston Villa for a fee of around £9m back in 2024, such is their desire to get him off the books, while the Merseyside club could also sanction a loan move.

Gueye and Garner’s promising start to the campaign has meant the former Villa man has often been limited to appearances as a substitute, with Moyes perhaps not as fond of the central midfielder as former manager Sean Dyche.

Speaking after the EFL Cup victory against Doncaster Rovers last season, Dyche said: “Tim’s slightly different [to the new signings] because he’s had a full pre-season, I think he’s been different class. I think his equivalent minutes in the Premier League last season was about two games so to be having a full pre-season and to be doing what he’s doing – I’m very pleased with that.”

However, it may be a little early to cash-in on the 22-year-old, given that he is still very young, and has impressed from both an attacking and defensive point of view when given the opportunity over the past year.

Tim Iroegbunam’s key statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Assists

0.34 (99th percentile)

Tackles

3.38 (97th percentile)

Interceptions

2.54 (99th percentile)

Blocks

3.38 (98th percentile)

Iroegbunam may need a consistent run in the starting XI to prove himself, and with Garner moving to right-back against Fulham, he may have a chance to save his Everton career over the next month and a half.

Everton exploring move for James Ward-Prowse amid Tim Iroegbunam uncertainty Everton now exploring Ward-Prowse move with January exit expected

The midfielder desperately needs a winter move.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 12, 2025

Middlesex teenager Sebastian Morgan narrowly misses maiden career hundred after sharing 179 stand with his captain

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Sep-2025Gloucestershire 146 for 3 (Charlesworth 63) trail Middlesex 634 for 9 dec (du Plooy 263*, Morgan 97, Cracknell 64, Singh Dale 5-108) by 488 runsTeenage tailender Sebastian Morgan narrowly missed out on a maiden career hundred as Middlesex racked up the joint fifth-highest total in their history against Gloucestershire at Lord’s.Morgan, who turned 18 last month and is making his third first-class appearance, was out for 97 after sharing a partnership of 179 with his captain Leus du Plooy – a county record for the eighth wicket against Gloucestershire – to help Middlesex amass 634 for 9 declared.Du Plooy also posted his best first-class score, an unbeaten 263, to put the visitors firmly under pressure in their final Rothesay County Championship game of the season, despite Ajeet Singh Dale’s return of 5 for 108.Gloucestershire openers Ben Charlesworth (63) and Joe Phillips (36) responded with a century stand before three wickets fell for eight runs, two of them to spinner Zafar Gohar against his former team.Singh Dale, stuck on four wickets since the previous afternoon in his farewell game for Gloucestershire, lost no more time in completing a five-for, with Joe Cracknell taken low at slip for 64 in the seamer’s first over of the morning.He might have claimed a sixth victim soon afterwards when former team-mate Gohar swished outside off stump, but this time slip fielder Ollie Price could not cling onto the chance.It was spinner Graeme van Buuren who eventually removed Gohar, dragging on from a long way outside off stump and his dismissal seemed to dispel any Middlesex thoughts of making a dart for a fifth batting bonus point.Instead, Du Plooy sidled towards 200 while Morgan kept the scoreboard ticking along with an early brace of sweetly-struck fours off Marchant de Lange and went on to dominate the partnership.Du Plooy eventually emerged from his shell, charging down the track to drive Price over the top for four to seal his double ton from 294 balls, while Morgan’s half-century arrived soon afterwards courtesy of a leg-side clip to the fence off Singh Dale.Despite a spell of playing and missing to Matt Taylor just after lunch – and a return chance on 72 that De Lange was unable to grab – the teenager continued to flourish, expanding his repertoire to include a slog sweep and reverse sweep.Both were productive against Gloucestershire’s spinners, with a six off Jack Taylor ushering the total past the 600 mark shortly after identical tactics by Du Plooy had lifted his personal score beyond 250.But Morgan’s decision to attempt another reverse sweep against Price proved his undoing as he overbalanced while James Bracey took off the bails and, after a quickfire 19 by Toby Roland-Jones, the declaration soon followed.That left Phillips and Charlesworth to navigate 10 overs until tea and they did so with little cause for concern, the left-hander looking strong off his pads as well as punching Roland-Jones for two cover boundaries.Successive fours off Noah Cornwell took Charlesworth along to 50 at just under a run a ball and he continued on the offensive, using his feet and dispatching Gohar over the top twice in an over.Phillips gained a life when Roland-Jones found the edge, only for Sam Robson – diving across from slip – to shell the chance, but the seamer did achieve a breakthrough in his next over as Charlesworth tried to cut and Cracknell snared a tumbling catch behind the stumps.Gohar then struck twice in quick succession, pinning Phillips lbw before a looping bat-pad catch accounted for Miles Hammond, but Price and Bracey guided Gloucestershire to the close with another 339 needed to save the follow-on.

A few months before they play their first game in Sacramento, the Athletics dished out the largest contract extension in franchise history.

Ken Rosenthal reported Monday night that slugger Brent Rooker agreed to sign a five-year contract extension worth $60 million. Per Jon Heyman of , the deal includes a $10 million signing bonus and can be worth up to $92 million over six years if incentives are met.

Rooker's new deal is the largest contract extension doled out in A's history in terms of average annual value ($12 million), edging out the $11 million mark that third baseman Eric Chavez landed in 2004 on his six-year contract extension worth $66 million.

The A's have built a reputation as one of the most frugal organizations in all of professional sports over the years, especially since owner John Fisher bought the franchise in 2005. But now that the A's are leaving Oakland and plan to play at least the next three seasons in Sacramento as their proposed Las Vegas ballpark is built, the team is finally starting to spend some money. Along with the Rooker deal, the A's signed right-handed pitcher Luis Severino to a three-year deal worth $67 million in December.

Rooker, the No. 35 pick by the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 MLB draft, bounced around the big leagues from 2020 to '22 before finding a home in Oakland. He was named an All-Star in 2023 and batted .293/.365/.562 with a career-high 39 homers in 145 games last season.

England lose Zak Crawley to last ball of day after being set 374 to win with series on the line

Matt Roller02-Aug-20253:22

Bangar: ‘Jaiswal’s Sehwag-esque impact makes it easier for batters to follow’

The fate of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will be sealed at The Oval on Sunday. England need another 324 runs to pull off the second-biggest chase in their history and win 3-1; India need eight wickets – or nine, in the improbable event that Chris Woakes walks out to bat one-handed – to square the series. The draw is no longer on the table.India are the favourites, and owe that status to four men: Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored his sixth century, and second of the series; Akash Deep, the nightwatcher whose maiden Test fifty wore England’s seamers down; Ravindra Jadeja, who passed 500 runs for the series; and Washington Sundar, whose late blitz took the target from 335 to 374 inside five overs.Related

England made to toil amid mishaps of their own making

Akash Deep joins nightwatch lore with Oval knock to remember

Butter-fingered England spill six chances

Oval and out: Jaiswal's series comes a full circle with statement hundred

England have been here before. They chased 371 in the first Test of this series with five wickets in hand, and cruised to 378 against India at Edgbaston three years ago without breaking a sweat. A punchy opening stand between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett shaved 50 runs off the target as the shadows lengthened, and England will not be overawed by scoreboard pressure.But Crawley’s dismissal in the final over of the day swung the pendulum firmly in India’s favour. It was Mohammed Siraj, the last seamer standing in this series, who delivered a moment of high skill and high drama. With two balls remaining, Siraj pushed Jaiswal back to deep square leg, a bluff to mask the searing 84mph/135kph yorker which followed, and crashed into off stump.It will be a huge test of both teams’ character, skill and resilience as the series heads into its 24th – and surely final – day. A draw would be a superb achievement for India under new leadership, not least from 2-1 down and on the ropes in Manchester; for England, a series win would be their first against a ‘Big Three’ opponent under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.3:25

‘Root’s wicket will be most important for India’

In Woakes’ absence, this was a brutally tough day for their three greenhorn seamers Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Jamie Overton, who bowled 79 out of 88 overs between them in India’s second innings. Ollie Pope did his best to rotate them but the workload was immense, particularly without a specialist spinner. Their cause was not helped by six dropped catches, and India profited from their profligacy.Akash Deep was the unlikely protagonist of the morning session, seizing an opportunity to chance his arm after seeing out two balls as nightwatcher on Friday evening. He popped the third ball of the day over mid-on for four and decided to keep on swinging, punching the air and thumping his chest when he reached 50 for only the second time in his professional career.England could have had him twice in two balls: they were convinced that Tongue had trapped him lbw, only for the DRS to uphold umpire Ahsan Raza’s not-out call, and Crawley dropped Tongue’s follow-up at third slip. By the time his leading edge was pouched by Atkinson at point off Overton, Akash Deep had added 107 in partnership with Jaiswal.Akash Deep’s gleeful hitting cast Jaiswal in an unfamiliar role, playing in his partner’s slipstream. But he continued to inflict death by a thousand cuts on England’s seamers, scoring heavily behind square on the off side and seizing on any width offered. He reached his hundred after lunch by pinching a single into that very same region, bookending his first tour of England with centuries.By that stage, he had lost another partner. Shubman Gill’s fine series ended with the first ball after lunch, which nipped back off the seam and thumped into his knee roll to give Atkinson his seventh of the match. His overall aggregate – 754 – was second only to Sunil Gavaskar among Indian batters in a Test series, but his highest score in four innings in London was just 21.2:58

Bangar: ‘Akash Deep could be India’s No. 8’

Karun Nair soon became Atkinson’s eighth victim of the Test, edging behind for 17. Nair was struck on the glove first ball, and dropped by Harry Brook – whose view was obscured by Crawley diving across him – on 12 before failing to account for Atkinson’s extra bounce. After a top score of 57 in eight innings, it seems Nair’s comeback series may also prove to be his farewell.Dropped twice on Friday evening, Jaiswal got a third life from Duckett at leg gully, but holed out to deep point for 118 soon after. But India’s lead continued to swell: Jadeja successfully overturned an lbw decision after being struck flush on the right boot and added exactly 50 for the seventh wicket with Dhruv Jurel, as England finally resorted to their occasional spinners.The pitch had clearly flattened out from the first two days but still offered something to work with. Overton managed to get a 76-over-old ball to swing away and trap Jurel lbw, and Tongue threatened to end the innings quickly: Brook finally held on to one when Jadeja steered to him on 53, and Siraj was distraught when given out lbw off the inside edge, with India out of reviews.But Washington went down swinging, as though Brook’s advice in Manchester to “get on with it” was ringing in his ears. He hauled four leg-side sixes in 12 balls, the last of which brought up a 39-ball fifty. By the time he miscued to Crawley at midwicket to give Tongue his fifth wicket, he and Prasidh Krishna (0 off 2) had put on 39 vital runs for the 10th wicket.Duckett and Crawley were left with 14 overs to lay a foundation for England, and Gill was clearly desperate to avoid a repeat of their freewheeling stand in the first innings, posting a deep point from the outset to stem the flow of runs. If it initially seemed curious that Siraj was held back to first change, then his crucial strike vindicated Gill’s decision to give him a single, late burst.

The NWSL has seen remarkable growth in its second season on ESPN platforms, with viewership reaching record levels. According to Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel, the league’s average viewership for the 2025 regular season rose 61 percent compared to the previous year, while Spanish-language broadcasts grew by an impressive 109 percent from the 2024 average audience.

Getty Images SportRecord-breaking audience numbers

The 17-match schedule broadcast across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, Disney+, and ESPN Deportes averaged 228,000 viewers (P2+), a sharp increase from 141,000 during the 2024 season – the NWSL’s inaugural year on ESPN.

This surge reflects the broader rise in women’s sports viewership across ESPN platforms, joining record-setting audiences for both the WNBA and NCAA Women’s Basketball. The league’s partnership with presenting sponsor Ally has further bolstered its media presence, ensuring consistent visibility across multiple broadcast and streaming outlets.

AdvertisementESPN expands playoff coverage

The 2025 NWSL Playoffs kicked off with expanded coverage on November 7, highlighted by a special edition of , ESPN’s weekly studio show dedicated to professional women’s soccer.

Hosted by Cristina Alexander and featuring expert analysis from former USWNT defender Ali Krieger, the program included an exclusive one-on-one interview with Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie as she prepared for her club’s quarterfinal clash against the San Diego Wave.

ImagnQuarterfinal matchups showcased league's competitiveness

The 2025 NWSL quarterfinals concluded with four teams advancing to the semifinals and several closely contested matches highlighting the league’s parity. Top-seeded Kansas City Current (21-3-2) were eliminated in a major upset by No. 8 seed NJ/NY Gotham FC (9-8-9), marking the first time in league history that an eighth seed has won a playoff match.

Three of the four quarterfinal games were decided by a single goal or required extra time, with only one ending in a two-goal margin. The results underscored the competitiveness across the league and set the stage for an evenly matched semifinal round in the race for the 2025 NWSL Championship.

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Viewership growth reflects momentum

The surge in NWSL viewership comes during a transformative period for women’s sports broadcasting, driven by ESPN’s expanded investment and dedicated programming. With playoff audiences typically surpassing regular-season figures, ESPN expects strong postseason numbers leading up to the 2025 NWSL Championship on Nov. 23.

Football is a fickle game, but the feel-good factor has certainly returned to Manchester United in recent weeks, with Ruben Amorim’s men now in the midst of a rare three-game winning run in the Premier League.

While the prior win at Anfield may have been the cliched ‘statement’ performance, the subsequent display against Brighton provided even greater reason for encouragement.

Like the red arrows – or Sir Alex Ferguson’s beloved geese – United swarmed the Seagulls on Saturday night, with the frontline, in particular, simply proving too hot to handle.

This much-debated 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 set-up has no doubt had its critics, but the weekend triumph showcased what it can look like in full flow, with so many avenues available to hurt the opposition.

If it’s not Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha, it’s Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro making an impact, with even the high press of the backline working to emphatic effect amid Luke Shaw’s involvement in the opening two goals.

Where Amorim’s machine currently looks at its best, however, is on the right flank, making it all the more troubling that the Portuguese will soon be without the dynamic duo of Amad and Bryan Mbeumo.

How many games Amad and Mbeumo could miss due to AFCON

There was a moment on the opening weekend that seemed to illustrate everything wrong with Amorim’s approach, with the left-footed pair of Amad and Mbeumo getting in each other’s way inside the area against Arsenal.

With both men looking to come in onto their favoured left foot, they had been occupying the same areas in the early weeks of the season. That has all changed since Sunderland, however.

There were shades of Yorke and Cole about the two men against the Black Cats, while they also combined again to devastating effect against Liverpool, with opposite number Milos Kerkez enduring a torrid day at the office.

As Amad has himself spoken of, there is a fluidity emerging regarding United’s right-sided duo, with the pair comfortable alternating between a no.10 or right wing-back berth mid-game.

Mbeumo, signed for a total fee of £71m this summer, now boasts five goals already for the Red Devils, while Amad has created two ‘big chances’ and provided one assist in the Premier League thus far, as per Sofascore.

Frustratingly, this developing partnership is set to be halted in the near future, with the upcoming African Cup of Nations set to kick off on 21 December. Amad and Mbeumo will be representing Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon, respectively.

While festive fixtures are yet to be totally confirmed by broadcasters, United currently face Aston Villa (21st), Newcastle United (27th) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (30th) in late December, with further fixtures at risk in January should their nations progress.

Bournemouth

15th December

Aston Villa

21st December

Newcastle*

27 December

Wolves*

30th December

Leeds

3rd Jan

Burnley

7th Jan

FA Cup 3rd round

10th Jan

Man City

17th Jan

There should be no pressure applied for the pair to forego their international commitments, however, with Amorim and co instead needing to find international solutions to help fill that double-barreled void.

How Man Utd can replace Mbeumo and Amad

As per journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the impending departure of the two widemen will likely see United block potential January exits, with the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee having been tipped to depart in the New Year.

In truth, the club’s attacking options are light as it is following the summer exits of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony, with Amorim unable to afford his frontline getting any weaker.

Thankfully, an obvious solution to the Mbeumo absence would be Mason Mount, with the Englishman – who was named on the bench last time out – comfortable either in a left-sided or right-sided number ten role.

That would then leave Cunha and Sesko to complete the attacking trio, with the likes of Zirkzee and Mainoo in reserve – while a surprise chance could emerge for academy sensation, Shea Lacey.

If Amorim is looking for a more natural replacement for either Mbeumo or Amad, however, it might be Patrick Dorgu who he turns to, with the left footer able to provide another “explosive” presence down the right flank – as U23 scout Antonio Mango has described him.

While predominantly deployed on the left flank following his January arrival from Leece, the young Dane has been ousted from that role of late, with Diogo Dalot slotting in at left wing-back in each of the last three victories.

It would seem bizarre to have a right-footer on the left, and a left-footer on the right, although that approach is working currently, ensuring Dorgu might be the man to fill that Amad-Mbeumo-shaped hole.

Indeed, prior to moving to Manchester, the versatile 21-year-old had regularly lined up as a right winger in Italy, with three of his five Serie A goals coming from a right-wing or right midfield berth, as per Transfermarkt.

An impressive ball carrier, like Amad and Mbeumo, Dorgu currently ranks in the top 7% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carriers per 90, as per FBref, as well as in the top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 – highlighting his willingness to get forward.

Too often, the £30m signing produces a wayward attempt when cutting onto his right foot from the left, with there the chance that he might well benefit from being able to cut in onto his preferred foot instead from the opposite flank.

Noted as a statistically similar player to Amad in this season’s Premier League, as per FBref, Dorgu might well be the man to replace the Ivorian in something of a new role, having only featured on the right a handful of times to date under Amorim – namely on debut against Leicester City.

The ten-cap Denmark international will have big shoes to fill over the Christmas period, but he might just be the international solution that Amorim is in need of.

Not Cunha or Mbeumo: Man Utd gem is becoming one of the "best in the world"

Manchester United have yet another world-class star on their hands under Ruben Amorim.

2 ByEthan Lamb Oct 30, 2025

Jim Gray and Bill Belichick locked down some of the most legendary coaches across sports for a roundtable episode of their podcast this week as Mike Krzyzewski, Nick Saban and Joe Torre all shared their championship insights.

In addition to talking about their philosophy for building winning programs and sustaining a winning culture, the quartet of coaches also delved into how coming so close to winning a title but falling just short is a pain that never goes away.

It's a really interesting conversation and was one because of the environment the coaches were speaking in. The public is not used to getting these candid looks into the psyche and humanness of the greats but being amongst similarly accomplished peers caused the group to be more open.

We went to 13 Final Fours, we won five," Krzyzewski said. "When I look back, we don't have the guys for all these games. You have them for that one little period of time. JJ Redick, who was one of the great players for me, we had a chance in 2004 to win a championship, but we lost in the semis. And he has always said to me, he says, And so I think as coaches and managers, we've had many opportunities, but these guys have a limited amount. And when we are not able to come through in that moment with them, that's what disappoints you more, that loss, the loss of those guys being the ultimate champion.”

"What Mike said really hit home with me," Belichick responded. "Two of the greatest players I've had, both in the Hall of Fame, Junior Seau and Randy Moss, didn't win with us. And I think that I have the same feeling for them that Mike just mentioned with JJ Redick. Those guys were such great players and we came close. It's heartbreaking for me that I couldn't deliver for them.”

“I had the same situation when we had that 3-0 lead on the Red Sox, and then we lost four straight," Torre added. "And the thing that hurt me more than anything, I had Don Mattingly on my coaching staff and Tony Clark on my team, and these guys had never gotten to the World Series. And if there was anything I was sorry about and couldn't get it done, was to have these guys get the taste of winning."

The entire extended conversation is worth a listen. Also worth thinking about is the trend of notoriously guarded or objectively opaque coaches transforming into open books upon retirement. Saban and Belichick are two of the biggest and best examples of this but it's interesting that there's a market for such thoughts. Especially because they are offered so sparingly when a coach is actively coaching.

These stories and touches may be a long time coming and seem overdue, but there's a countless amount of memories and lessons they can draw upon to share in their second acts and media personalities.

Celtic’s interim manager Martin O’Neill got off to a dream start on Wednesday night with a commanding 4-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead in front of the home support.

The Hoops had lost their previous two matches in the Scottish Premiership, to Hearts and Dundee, before Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation from his role on Monday night.

O’Neill and his interim coaching team got a brilliant response out of the first-team player against Falkirk, with Johnny Kenny being one of the stars of the night.

Why Johnny Kenny is undroppable for Celtic

The Ireland U21 international has started the last two Premiership matches after Kelechi Iheanacho suffered a hamstring injury early on in the win over Sturm Graz in the Europa League last week.

Kenny failed to make much of an impact against Hearts on Sunday, but he stepped up with two goals from five shots in 66 minutes on the pitch against Falkirk, per Sofascore.

On top of his goalscoring exploits, converting from close range on two occasions, the Irishman won five of his nine duels and won three fouls for the team, per Sofascore, acting as the focal point in the number nine position.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With Iheanacho’s injury and Celtic’s lack of depth in the striker position, Kenny’s impressive performance against Falkirk should mean that he is undroppable for the time being.

The former Shamrock Rovers star is not the only Hoops ace who should be considered undroppable after Wednesday night, though, as Marcelo Saracchi was just as good.

Why Marcelo Saracchi should be undroppable already

The Uruguay international was brought in for experienced left-back Kieran Tierney, and barely put a foot wrong throughout the 90 minutes on the pitch.

Despite assisting Celtic’s goal, Tierney had a difficult afternoon against Hearts last time out. He lost three of his four aerial duels and failed to make a single tackle, per Sofascore, which is why the left-back position may not be guaranteed to him.

Saracchi came in against Falkirk on Wednesday and showed the defensive quality that was lacking from Tierney’s performance against Hearts, as he impressed for O’Neill.

Minutes

90

Tackles won

4

Interceptions

1

Ball recoveries

12

Ground duels won

7/11

Aerial duels won

3/3

Key passes

2

Crosses completed

3/6

As you can see in the table above, the Boca Juniors loanee made four more tackles and won 75% more of his aerial duels than Tierney did in his last outing at left-back.

On top of his impressive defensive work, with ten duels won and 12 ball recoveries, Saracchi also created two chances and had two shots on target, one of which was parried out to Benjamin Nygren for the third goal on the night.

It was a brilliant all-round display from the energetic full-back, who showed that he can contribute at both ends of the pitch. He has the bite, tenacity, and patience to provide quality defending, whilst also having the ability on the ball to make things happen in the final third, which is why he was just as good and influential as Kenny.

Saracchi, who earned an 8/10 player rating from 67HailHail, is now undroppable because his performance was one that the Hoops lacked when Tierney was in the XI against Hearts on Sunday, albeit that was away against the league leaders.

Rodgers upgrade: Celtic have "kamikaze" title-winning manager on the radar

Celtic have a manager on their radar who could come in as a big upgrade on Brendan Rodgers.

ByDan Emery Oct 29, 2025

O’Neill, should he still be in charge next time out, should consider the left-footed star an undroppable part of his team, along with Kenny, because of his sublime showing in and out of possession.

Carlo Ancelotti says he is close to deciding on his final Brazil squad for next summer's World Cup, which could come as a big blow to Neymar's prospects of representing his country one last time on the biggest stage. The Santos star was left out of the Selecao squad for the upcoming friendlies as he continues to shrug off fitness struggles.

Neymar’s wait for Brazil return continues

Brazil fans are patiently waiting for Neymar to put on the national team colours once more as the World Cup fast approaches. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star has not played for the five-time World Cup winners since October 2023, when Brazil lost 2-0 to Uruguay. Neymar had to be stretchered off in the stoppage time of the first half in that game, and Brazil’s worst fears came true after he was diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The dazzling attacker spent almost a year on the sidelines, before marking his return for his then-employers Al-Hilal in October 2024.

He made a sensational return to his boyhood club Santos in winter earlier this year, but he has struggled to regain fitness and rhythm, missing 40 games in the past year alone. His recent hamstring injury saw him remain out of action for over six weeks. Neymar marked his return with a 23-minute cameo against Fortaleza in a 1-1 league draw, but that wasn’t enough to convince Brazil boss Ancelotti to include him in the squad for the upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDid Ancelotti hint at Neymar missing out on World Cup selection?

In October, Neymar was handed an international lifeline by Ancelotti, who claimed that doors to the Brazil national team will always be open for the 33-year-old as long as he remains in good physical condition. "Neymar can play at his highest level in this team without any problems," the ex-Real Madrid boss told reporters. "When he is in good physical condition, he has the quality to play not only in Brazil but in any team in the world because of his talent."

However, following the announcement of Brazil's squad for the upcoming international friendlies, reporters once again began speculating whether Selecao's all-time top scorer would make it to the 2026 World Cup in Canada, United States and Mexico next summer. During the press conference recently, Ancelotti said: "I haven't spoken to Neymar yet, we'll see what happens when he recovers and is able to play again." He also added that he "might call up a player who lacks fitness for the first match or two of the World Cup, but it is impossible" for him "to include a player who is not physically ready for the entire tournament. We need players who are at their best." 

Ancelotti's statements following the announcement of the squad might have added further weight to the notion that Neymar might indeed miss out on the flight for next year's marquee event. "I believe that the more time I spend with the players, the closer we get to the final list. I think we are close to what could be the final list for June, I think 17 to 18 players," said the Italian head coach.

Ancelotti's dream: Ending Brazil's 24-year wait for the World Cup

In an interview with earlier this year, the former AC Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Bayern Munich and Everton boss revealed his ambition to guide Brazil to World Cup glory next year. "The same thing we always hope for!", said Ancelotti when asked what he is hoping for from the Brazilian faithful at the World Cup. "They’ll show us great support. I think it’s our responsibility, in the Selecao, to give Brazilians what they want: to win the World Cup for the first time in 24 years."

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Getty ImagesNeymar's future at Santos uncertain amid Brazil absence

Neymar is nearing the end of his contract with Santos, with reports suggesting that the Brazilian heavyweights are reportedly in a dilemma over the superstar's future at the club. Recently, Marcelo Teixeira, the club president, confirmed that they would like to renew Neymar's contract. But any extension will come with financial limitations. 

"The Neymar project isn’t for six months or a year. It’s for the 2026 World Cup," Teixeira said. "Santos knew how they would treat Neymar, the investment made. It’s a high investment. Santos and Neymar evaluate the situation periodically. We evaluated it when he came, and that evaluation isn't the same as today's. And the financial situation will be evaluated by both parties until the end of the year. He's not worried about the finances. And Santos has a limit.

"Neymar’s project is the 2026 World Cup. If we find common ground, his continuity will be confirmed. As long as Santos and Neymar, who have a strong and positive understanding of trust, reach a common ground. I believe we will resolve this situation at the right time."

Reports are suggesting that a reunion with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami could potentially materialise.