Bala Town and Barry Town drew 3-3 in Premier League. The fixture is part of the 1st Phase - 10 stage in the 2021 season. The match was played at Maes Tegid in Bala, Gwynedd. D. John officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Bala Town vs Barry Town meeting in Premier League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Bala Town and Barry Town. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Premier League
Barry Town BARRecorded meetings: 8 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Bala Town and Barry Town drew 3-3 in Premier League. The fixture is part of the 1st Phase - 10 stage in the 2021 season. The match was played at Maes Tegid in Bala, Gwynedd. D. John officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Bala Town vs Barry Town meeting in Premier League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Bala Town and Barry Town. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Premier LeagueBarry Town BARRecorded meetings: 8 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
The Nottingham Forest owner on Monday lodged a claim for defamation against his club's Premier League rivals that dates back to the 1-1 draw between the clubs.
Newcastle United stars Lewis Miley and Tino Livramento remain doubts for the Premier League opener against Liverpool. The post Questions Remain On Newcastle United Pair For Liverpool Opener appeared first on Inside Futbol | Latest Football News, Transfer Rumours & Articles.
Ashley Young is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck didn’t rejoin Manchester United (Picture: Sky Sports) Ashley Young says he is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck made a transfer move to Chelsea rather than former club Manchester United this summer. Chelsea have moved away from their purely youth-led transfer policy to add some much-needed experience to their dressing room ahead of Xabi Alonso’s debut season at the helm. After beating Arsenal to a £117million deal for Morgan Rogers, the Blues turned their attentions to Welbeck, a move that took many fans by surprise given the forward is set to turn 36 in November. Welbeck would go on to leave Brighton for Chelsea for a fee in the region of £5million, with the veteran attacker putting pen to paper on a two-year deal in west London. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Just two days later, it was announced that 36-year-old Jordan Henderson had decided to terminate his contract at Brentford to follow Welbeck through the doors at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea supporters got a first glimpse of Welbeck in their colours last week as the ex-England international was given a 45-minute run-out in the side’s pre-season clash with Juventus. Young, who played alongside Welbeck for four years at Manchester United, has been impressed by Chelsea’s transfer business and is confident his old team-mate can make a big impact both on and off the pitch. Welbeck has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge (Picture: Getty) The veteran forward made his unofficial Chelsea debut against Juventus (Picture: Getty) ‘Chelsea have made some good signings and they need some experience in that squad,’ Young told talkSPORT. ‘He’s a really good friend of mine, Welbs is. ‘I’ve been speaking to him the last couple of weeks.’ Welbeck should have been in England’s World Cup squad, says Young (Picture: Getty) Asked if Welbeck is excited for the season ahead at Chelsea, Young replied: ‘Yeah, of course he is. He’s delighted to be signing for Chelsea, especially at this stage of his career. ‘He’s proved himself time and time again. ‘Could he have been on the plane going to the World Cup? For me, I’m probably being biased in saying he should have, but he wasn’t. ‘He’s been fantastic and I’m gutted he hasn’t gone back to United, to be honest.’ {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Xabi Alonso says Chelsea are 'thrilled' to have Mykhailo Mudryk back with the squad","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/08\/04\/3201686063122201576\/480x270_MP4_3201686063122201576.mp4","description":"Chelsea's new head coach Xabi Alonso says he wants to 'fight for important things' this season. This comes as he spoke to the media ahead of a friendly against Juventus in Hong Kong.","duration":"T4M44S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/04\/18\/110436895-0-image-m-12_1785863746233.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-08-04T18:15:03+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); Earlier this month, Old Trafford great Gary Neville – another of Welbeck’s former team-mates – criticised United for allowing the striker to leave for Arsenal back in 2014. According to Neville, the 2012/13 Premier Leag
Chelsea and Manchester United are potentially set to battle it out and try to compete for Adam Wharton this summer. If you enjoy CaughtOffside coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content. Chelsea are in a […] The post Why Man U have advantage over Chelsea in battle for €100m midfielder appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Liverpool have taken a major step forward in their pursuit of Bradley Barcola, with the Paris Saint-Germain winger now giving the Reds the green light over personal terms. That removes one of the biggest potential obstacles in what could become one of the most expensive transfers of the summer. Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us […] The post Romano drops Barcola bombshell and issues update on what Liverpool need to do next appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris says recruitment this summer preparing for a Europa League campaign is "much harder" than it was before last season's Premier League return. Defender Thomas Meunier is the only player to arrive on a permanent deal to the Black Cats so far this window, on a free transfer after his departure from Lille. The transfer window is still unpredictable but we are working behind the scenes to strengthen the squad.
Mikel Arteta is dealing with some big injuries before the season has begun (Picture: Getty Images) Mikel Arteta has given the latest on the injury status of William Saliba and Jurrien Timber and it sounds like Arsenal fans will not be seeing either for a while. The Gunners boss was speaking after a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday at the Emirates which the German side won 3-2. Neither Saliba nor Timber were involved as the Frenchman deals with a back problem and the Dutchman is out with a groin issue. Arsenal are back in action in a friendly with Como on Wednesday before taking on Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Their Premier League title defence starts with a home game against Coventry on August 21 and it sounds unlikely either injured player will be involved. Asked on their return dates, Arteta told a press conference on Sunday: ‘I cannot be very precise with that. Jurrien is progressing really well, he’s on the pitch, he’s doing quite a lot right now, but is still weeks away, I cannot say how much. ‘William is in rest mode at the moment. For two weeks he had to do almost nothing, don’t aggravate the injury. It’s going to take some time to heal, we know that. William Saliba has been ruled out after the World Cup (Picture: Reuters Connect) ‘As quick as we have more news we can inform.’ Two weeks ago Arsenal released a statement on Saliba, saying he ‘has suffered a back injury which will require a period of rehabilitation.’ The club added: ‘Extensive assessments have concluded that surgery is not recommended, but William should now commence a managed recovery programme. ‘William’s rehabilitation will commence immediately, with continual management of his injury, and he is expected to be out of action for an extended period.’ Jurrien Timber has been training but is not fit to play (Picture: Getty Images) Arsenal are not short of options at the back, with Gabriel, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly also in the squad. However, Arteta accepted that Saliba is a huge loss given his level of influence in the side. ‘We have experienced that in the past, unfortunately,’ the manager said on being without the Frenchman. ‘When he’s been available, his stats are incredible. ‘We know that we have lost an incredible player. Same with Jurrien.’ Arteta was asked if he is looking to add a defender to his squad in the transfer window, but did not suggest this is where he is looking to strengthen. ‘We conceded some poor goals the other day, some poor goals today, in the way we competed especially, but that’s a collective responsibility,’ he said. ‘We need to improve with the players that we have.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Today’s rumours broke you once, made you strongCody Gakpo’s performances went south last season and now his entire personage might follow, with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly preparing an offer in the region of £70m to bring him to north London. There appears to be some mixed messages floating around about this potential deal. The Mail say Liverpool “have no plans to sell Gakpo” and that “it would take a huge sum to change their stance”, but these things are fluid. The Athletic say “Liverpool have no intention of selling”, but also, and in the same sentence, that they “would judge his value relative to other deals this summer, including Morgan Rogers’ transfer to Chelsea”. So, in short, Spurs will have to whip out their recently-discovered XXL chequebook if they want to get this one over the line.Talking about Chelsea, “multiple Premier League clubs” have contacted them to ask about the availability of Mykhailo Mudryk, recently freed from a doping ban, says the Mirror. They name only one of them: Coventry City, coached by two-time former Stamford Bridge manager Frank Lampard. The Sun specify that “two more Prem sides are believed to have enquired, while there is interest from three clubs in Europe”. The Mirror’s report on the battle for the Ukrainian’s services is inevitably, but pleasingly, headlined “Mud Fight”. Continue reading...
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Here we go again. And, no, we are not talking about the start of the new Scottish Premiership season or the preliminary round of the Carabao Cup – although that Tranmere v Rochdale shootout was a cracker. Yes, after a week of talk about money, greed and Donald Trump’s son-in-law’s brother, the hot topic around the water cooler on Monday was again Gianni Infantino and, more specifically, the English and Welsh FAs’ decisions to row back on their support of a stalling ship. Along with Finland, they’re the first of Uefa’s 55 members to withdraw their letters of support for next year’s Fifa overlord elections.I write to you with my deep regret on hearing about the death of the heroic and granite-made Franco Baresi. Two moments stand out to me, both off the pitch, and show what a great man he was. The first was when Arrigo Sacchi, the Milan manager, dropped his intensity in training, fearing he was overworking the players; Baresi convinced Sacchi to up it instead for the sake of the team, with spectacular results. The second was an older Baresi reflecting on his 1994 World Cup final loss to Brazil, which he appeared in 25 days after knee surgery. Rather than lamenting his lot, having missed a penalty and lost the final, Baresi instead recalled watching the 1970 final between Italy and Brazil, only the second game he had seen on TV. The first game was the West Germany v Italy semi-final, where he recalled watching the players who ‘to me, they were Martians’. He said: ‘I would never have thought 24 years later, at 34 years old, I would have the possibility to play in that same game, the final, against Brazil, the same team. It was a dream that came true.’ Rest in peace” – Nick Kinsella.I was wondering if Gianni Infantino might revist his Big Sale Opportunity by allowing smaller, club-level contestants from less lucrative leagues to participate in a seriously revamped World Cup, replacing their boycotting national sides. For instance, from the lower leagues of Scottish competitions. Mainly to render possible the wonderful hypothetical headline result of the last match of the (?) 2038 edition: Fifa Forward Final fiasco … East Fife 4, Forfar 5” – Russell Richardson.Steve Bennett’s comment on Newcastle United’s new kit (Friday’s Football Daily letters) made me think of West Bromwich Albion’s similarly ‘bar-coded’ Premier League strip from the 2020-21 season, at the end of which they were relegated. Newcastle may have to hope that isn’t an omen” – Derrick Cameron.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic says defender Charlie Hughes is "far away" from a return from injury and has "no hope" of making the first game of the Premier League season against Manchester United. Hughes underwent a hernia operation after last season's Wembley success and complained of discomfort when he returned to first-team training this summer. "Every player, especially from last season who was a main player in our road to Wembley, to the Premier League, has a big role for us."
Everything was looking rosy for Howe at St James’ Park until Alexander Isak’s departure led to rushed signings and a messy seasonLast September, David Hopkinson, just installed as Newcastle’s chief executive, perched on a stool at a downstairs corner table in Shearer’s Bar at St James’ Park and between sips of zero alcohol lager, likened Eddie Howe to Bruce Springsteen. According to Hopkinson, Newcastle’s manager was “the Boss” and “the talent”. He conjured up an imaginary scene involving Springsteen asking for M&M’s before a concert and being duly supplied with a dressing room overflowing with the brightly coloured confectionery. The same principle, he said, would apply to “Eddie”, who would e furnished with “whatever he wants”.Six months later, things had changed. In late March, Hopkinson sat around a heavy wooden table in a St James’ Park boardroom and, between sips of coffee, said he did not “have a stance on the manager’s future”. What he could tell assembled reporters was that a recent home defeat by Sunderland “hurt”. It “resonated” and was being taken “seriously”. Given that Newcastle had just lost a Champions League tie 8-3 to Barcelona on aggregate and were en route to finishing 12th in the Premier League, Howe admitted to “sleepless nights” before a summit with the club’s majority Saudi Arabian ownership at Matfen Hall hotel in Northumberland the following month. Continue reading...
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!That a vote of confidence isn’t worth the paper it’s written on has long been a footballing cliche. But not until this day did we know that this even applies to a vote of confidence that comes from Jonjo Shelvey – a man so devoted to the righteously upstanding that he once accused Alex Ferguson of grassing, following a high tackle committed in front of 45,000 fans, a worldwide television audience of millions and in full view of the referee.Re: Marc Cucurella’s tattoo (Wednesday’s full email edition). So you’re saying he got a champ stamp? I’ll see myself out” – Andy Beller.Hats off to the Brazil Superior Court of Sports Justice for banning Victor Gabriel for however long it takes his injured opponent to recover (Wednesday’s news). Building on this initiative, perhaps we should record the amount of time players waste rolling around on the floor feigning injury, and hand out bans of equivalent duration at the start of the next match” – John Collins (not that one).Far be it for me to offer a conspiracy theory, but Joshua Kushner is the brother of real estate developer Jared Kushner, who is the son-in-law of … Donald Trump. I think we know where Fifa’s money-making idea may have come from” – JJ Zucal.I agree that Jürgen Klinsmann reshaped the Premier League (Wednesday’s Memory Lane). He certainly introduced to me the concept of a talented sportsman using his skills to game the ref or gain an advantage rather than play the bloody game. For all his self-deprecating humour and quirky bloody car, he showed his soul on the pitch. As for that car, the cabriolet lacked stability and would flop about at random – an appropriate choice for the man” – Jon Millard.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
The Nottingham Forest owner on Monday lodged a claim for defamation against his club's Premier League rivals that dates back to the 1-1 draw between the clubs.
Newcastle United stars Lewis Miley and Tino Livramento remain doubts for the Premier League opener against Liverpool. The post Questions Remain On Newcastle United Pair For Liverpool Opener appeared first on Inside Futbol | Latest Football News, Transfer Rumours & Articles.
Ashley Young is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck didn’t rejoin Manchester United (Picture: Sky Sports) Ashley Young says he is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck made a transfer move to Chelsea rather than former club Manchester United this summer. Chelsea have moved away from their purely youth-led transfer policy to add some much-needed experience to their dressing room ahead of Xabi Alonso’s debut season at the helm. After beating Arsenal to a £117million deal for Morgan Rogers, the Blues turned their attentions to Welbeck, a move that took many fans by surprise given the forward is set to turn 36 in November. Welbeck would go on to leave Brighton for Chelsea for a fee in the region of £5million, with the veteran attacker putting pen to paper on a two-year deal in west London. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Just two days later, it was announced that 36-year-old Jordan Henderson had decided to terminate his contract at Brentford to follow Welbeck through the doors at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea supporters got a first glimpse of Welbeck in their colours last week as the ex-England international was given a 45-minute run-out in the side’s pre-season clash with Juventus. Young, who played alongside Welbeck for four years at Manchester United, has been impressed by Chelsea’s transfer business and is confident his old team-mate can make a big impact both on and off the pitch. Welbeck has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge (Picture: Getty) The veteran forward made his unofficial Chelsea debut against Juventus (Picture: Getty) ‘Chelsea have made some good signings and they need some experience in that squad,’ Young told talkSPORT. ‘He’s a really good friend of mine, Welbs is. ‘I’ve been speaking to him the last couple of weeks.’ Welbeck should have been in England’s World Cup squad, says Young (Picture: Getty) Asked if Welbeck is excited for the season ahead at Chelsea, Young replied: ‘Yeah, of course he is. He’s delighted to be signing for Chelsea, especially at this stage of his career. ‘He’s proved himself time and time again. ‘Could he have been on the plane going to the World Cup? For me, I’m probably being biased in saying he should have, but he wasn’t. ‘He’s been fantastic and I’m gutted he hasn’t gone back to United, to be honest.’ {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Xabi Alonso says Chelsea are 'thrilled' to have Mykhailo Mudryk back with the squad","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/08\/04\/3201686063122201576\/480x270_MP4_3201686063122201576.mp4","description":"Chelsea's new head coach Xabi Alonso says he wants to 'fight for important things' this season. This comes as he spoke to the media ahead of a friendly against Juventus in Hong Kong.","duration":"T4M44S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/04\/18\/110436895-0-image-m-12_1785863746233.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-08-04T18:15:03+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); Earlier this month, Old Trafford great Gary Neville – another of Welbeck’s former team-mates – criticised United for allowing the striker to leave for Arsenal back in 2014. According to Neville, the 2012/13 Premier Leag
Chelsea and Manchester United are potentially set to battle it out and try to compete for Adam Wharton this summer. If you enjoy CaughtOffside coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content. Chelsea are in a […] The post Why Man U have advantage over Chelsea in battle for €100m midfielder appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Liverpool have taken a major step forward in their pursuit of Bradley Barcola, with the Paris Saint-Germain winger now giving the Reds the green light over personal terms. That removes one of the biggest potential obstacles in what could become one of the most expensive transfers of the summer. Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us […] The post Romano drops Barcola bombshell and issues update on what Liverpool need to do next appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris says recruitment this summer preparing for a Europa League campaign is "much harder" than it was before last season's Premier League return. Defender Thomas Meunier is the only player to arrive on a permanent deal to the Black Cats so far this window, on a free transfer after his departure from Lille. The transfer window is still unpredictable but we are working behind the scenes to strengthen the squad.
Mikel Arteta is dealing with some big injuries before the season has begun (Picture: Getty Images) Mikel Arteta has given the latest on the injury status of William Saliba and Jurrien Timber and it sounds like Arsenal fans will not be seeing either for a while. The Gunners boss was speaking after a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday at the Emirates which the German side won 3-2. Neither Saliba nor Timber were involved as the Frenchman deals with a back problem and the Dutchman is out with a groin issue. Arsenal are back in action in a friendly with Como on Wednesday before taking on Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Their Premier League title defence starts with a home game against Coventry on August 21 and it sounds unlikely either injured player will be involved. Asked on their return dates, Arteta told a press conference on Sunday: ‘I cannot be very precise with that. Jurrien is progressing really well, he’s on the pitch, he’s doing quite a lot right now, but is still weeks away, I cannot say how much. ‘William is in rest mode at the moment. For two weeks he had to do almost nothing, don’t aggravate the injury. It’s going to take some time to heal, we know that. William Saliba has been ruled out after the World Cup (Picture: Reuters Connect) ‘As quick as we have more news we can inform.’ Two weeks ago Arsenal released a statement on Saliba, saying he ‘has suffered a back injury which will require a period of rehabilitation.’ The club added: ‘Extensive assessments have concluded that surgery is not recommended, but William should now commence a managed recovery programme. ‘William’s rehabilitation will commence immediately, with continual management of his injury, and he is expected to be out of action for an extended period.’ Jurrien Timber has been training but is not fit to play (Picture: Getty Images) Arsenal are not short of options at the back, with Gabriel, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly also in the squad. However, Arteta accepted that Saliba is a huge loss given his level of influence in the side. ‘We have experienced that in the past, unfortunately,’ the manager said on being without the Frenchman. ‘When he’s been available, his stats are incredible. ‘We know that we have lost an incredible player. Same with Jurrien.’ Arteta was asked if he is looking to add a defender to his squad in the transfer window, but did not suggest this is where he is looking to strengthen. ‘We conceded some poor goals the other day, some poor goals today, in the way we competed especially, but that’s a collective responsibility,’ he said. ‘We need to improve with the players that we have.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Today’s rumours broke you once, made you strongCody Gakpo’s performances went south last season and now his entire personage might follow, with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly preparing an offer in the region of £70m to bring him to north London. There appears to be some mixed messages floating around about this potential deal. The Mail say Liverpool “have no plans to sell Gakpo” and that “it would take a huge sum to change their stance”, but these things are fluid. The Athletic say “Liverpool have no intention of selling”, but also, and in the same sentence, that they “would judge his value relative to other deals this summer, including Morgan Rogers’ transfer to Chelsea”. So, in short, Spurs will have to whip out their recently-discovered XXL chequebook if they want to get this one over the line.Talking about Chelsea, “multiple Premier League clubs” have contacted them to ask about the availability of Mykhailo Mudryk, recently freed from a doping ban, says the Mirror. They name only one of them: Coventry City, coached by two-time former Stamford Bridge manager Frank Lampard. The Sun specify that “two more Prem sides are believed to have enquired, while there is interest from three clubs in Europe”. The Mirror’s report on the battle for the Ukrainian’s services is inevitably, but pleasingly, headlined “Mud Fight”. Continue reading...
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Here we go again. And, no, we are not talking about the start of the new Scottish Premiership season or the preliminary round of the Carabao Cup – although that Tranmere v Rochdale shootout was a cracker. Yes, after a week of talk about money, greed and Donald Trump’s son-in-law’s brother, the hot topic around the water cooler on Monday was again Gianni Infantino and, more specifically, the English and Welsh FAs’ decisions to row back on their support of a stalling ship. Along with Finland, they’re the first of Uefa’s 55 members to withdraw their letters of support for next year’s Fifa overlord elections.I write to you with my deep regret on hearing about the death of the heroic and granite-made Franco Baresi. Two moments stand out to me, both off the pitch, and show what a great man he was. The first was when Arrigo Sacchi, the Milan manager, dropped his intensity in training, fearing he was overworking the players; Baresi convinced Sacchi to up it instead for the sake of the team, with spectacular results. The second was an older Baresi reflecting on his 1994 World Cup final loss to Brazil, which he appeared in 25 days after knee surgery. Rather than lamenting his lot, having missed a penalty and lost the final, Baresi instead recalled watching the 1970 final between Italy and Brazil, only the second game he had seen on TV. The first game was the West Germany v Italy semi-final, where he recalled watching the players who ‘to me, they were Martians’. He said: ‘I would never have thought 24 years later, at 34 years old, I would have the possibility to play in that same game, the final, against Brazil, the same team. It was a dream that came true.’ Rest in peace” – Nick Kinsella.I was wondering if Gianni Infantino might revist his Big Sale Opportunity by allowing smaller, club-level contestants from less lucrative leagues to participate in a seriously revamped World Cup, replacing their boycotting national sides. For instance, from the lower leagues of Scottish competitions. Mainly to render possible the wonderful hypothetical headline result of the last match of the (?) 2038 edition: Fifa Forward Final fiasco … East Fife 4, Forfar 5” – Russell Richardson.Steve Bennett’s comment on Newcastle United’s new kit (Friday’s Football Daily letters) made me think of West Bromwich Albion’s similarly ‘bar-coded’ Premier League strip from the 2020-21 season, at the end of which they were relegated. Newcastle may have to hope that isn’t an omen” – Derrick Cameron.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic says defender Charlie Hughes is "far away" from a return from injury and has "no hope" of making the first game of the Premier League season against Manchester United. Hughes underwent a hernia operation after last season's Wembley success and complained of discomfort when he returned to first-team training this summer. "Every player, especially from last season who was a main player in our road to Wembley, to the Premier League, has a big role for us."
Everything was looking rosy for Howe at St James’ Park until Alexander Isak’s departure led to rushed signings and a messy seasonLast September, David Hopkinson, just installed as Newcastle’s chief executive, perched on a stool at a downstairs corner table in Shearer’s Bar at St James’ Park and between sips of zero alcohol lager, likened Eddie Howe to Bruce Springsteen. According to Hopkinson, Newcastle’s manager was “the Boss” and “the talent”. He conjured up an imaginary scene involving Springsteen asking for M&M’s before a concert and being duly supplied with a dressing room overflowing with the brightly coloured confectionery. The same principle, he said, would apply to “Eddie”, who would e furnished with “whatever he wants”.Six months later, things had changed. In late March, Hopkinson sat around a heavy wooden table in a St James’ Park boardroom and, between sips of coffee, said he did not “have a stance on the manager’s future”. What he could tell assembled reporters was that a recent home defeat by Sunderland “hurt”. It “resonated” and was being taken “seriously”. Given that Newcastle had just lost a Champions League tie 8-3 to Barcelona on aggregate and were en route to finishing 12th in the Premier League, Howe admitted to “sleepless nights” before a summit with the club’s majority Saudi Arabian ownership at Matfen Hall hotel in Northumberland the following month. Continue reading...
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!That a vote of confidence isn’t worth the paper it’s written on has long been a footballing cliche. But not until this day did we know that this even applies to a vote of confidence that comes from Jonjo Shelvey – a man so devoted to the righteously upstanding that he once accused Alex Ferguson of grassing, following a high tackle committed in front of 45,000 fans, a worldwide television audience of millions and in full view of the referee.Re: Marc Cucurella’s tattoo (Wednesday’s full email edition). So you’re saying he got a champ stamp? I’ll see myself out” – Andy Beller.Hats off to the Brazil Superior Court of Sports Justice for banning Victor Gabriel for however long it takes his injured opponent to recover (Wednesday’s news). Building on this initiative, perhaps we should record the amount of time players waste rolling around on the floor feigning injury, and hand out bans of equivalent duration at the start of the next match” – John Collins (not that one).Far be it for me to offer a conspiracy theory, but Joshua Kushner is the brother of real estate developer Jared Kushner, who is the son-in-law of … Donald Trump. I think we know where Fifa’s money-making idea may have come from” – JJ Zucal.I agree that Jürgen Klinsmann reshaped the Premier League (Wednesday’s Memory Lane). He certainly introduced to me the concept of a talented sportsman using his skills to game the ref or gain an advantage rather than play the bloody game. For all his self-deprecating humour and quirky bloody car, he showed his soul on the pitch. As for that car, the cabriolet lacked stability and would flop about at random – an appropriate choice for the man” – Jon Millard.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
