List of All Articles with Tag 'a'

New Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill probably didn't have to think too hard about joining an AFC West rival this offseason.Switching allegiances and joining a divisional rivalry may pose as a moral quandary for some NFL players, but not Drue Tranquill.The newly minted Kansas City Chiefs...

Leslie Frazier may not coach for the Buffalo Bills anymore, but he's not done coaching just yet.A year out of football may be the best thing for former Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier after all.Frazier decided to step down as the Bills' defensive coordinator this...

AZ Alkmaar have apologised for the violence which marred West Ham’s Europa Conference League semi-final win and labelled it a “pitch-black evening”. Pablo Fornals’ stoppage-time strike, which earned a 3-1 aggregate victory and sent them to next month’s final in Prague, prompted a gang of black-shirted, hooded AZ ultras to attempt to storm into the area reserved for friends and family behind the dugout. Players including Michail Antonio, Said Benrahma, Aaron Cresswell and Flynn Downes climbed over the advertising hoardings in a bid to stop the trouble. An AZ statement read: “While everyone hoped for a historic European match, it turned into a pitch-black evening due to the events occurring at the referee’s final whistle. It turned into a night to reflect on with shame. “Not because of the football game played, but because of the behaviour of some attending. Unfortunately, we cannot use the word ‘supporters’ for these people. “What happened is beyond all bounds. The club again sincerely apologises to West Ham and the thousands of well-minded AZ supporters who have also been inconvenienced by the misconduct. “In the coming period AZ will – together with the police, Public Prosecution Service, and Alkmaar’s municipality – evaluate exactly what happened, how it could have happened and what needs to be improved from now on. It is clear that things need to be improved. “Part of the evaluation is a thorough review of all available footage so that appropriate consequences may follow for those responsible for this outrageous behaviour. “AZ is a civilised club where sportsmanship and norms and values are paramount. The club will do everything possible, together with the authorities involved, to identify these persons and to take appropriate measures.” UEFA is expected to launch an investigation into the trouble. The governing body’s disciplinary panel will wait for the relevant reports before deciding on any action, but the PA news agency understands that given the severity of the disorder, it could follow previous cases and an inspector may be appointed to investigate more thoroughly. Given the extensive video footage of the ugly scenes the Dutch club could face heavy sanctions. Hammers boss David Moyes, whose 87-year-old father David Snr was at the match, said: “I can’t explain what happened and why it happened. “I can only say the players were involved because it was the family section and most of their family and friends were in there. That was probably the reason for the reaction. “Was I worried? Yeah, my family were there and I had friends in that section. You’re hoping they would try and get themselves away from it. “I didn’t recognise it because I’d gone onto the pitch. Security wanted to take me inside, but I had to make sure my players weren’t involved.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Katie Taylor gears up for ‘biggest night’ of career against Chantelle Cameron Farewells for Phil and Alun Wyn as Joneses bow out – Friday’s sporting social Frank Lampard reveals how close Chelsea came to signing Erling Haaland

VIDEO: Goose on the loose at minor league baseball game.

Folarin Balogun has switched international allegiances from England to the USMNT. Here's how his new side could line up with the striker impressing in France with Reims.

LeBron James proved he is human after all as the Los Angeles Lakers fell to a 108-103 Game 2 playoff loss against the Denver Nuggets.

Arsenal visit Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday night. Preview includes team news, predicted lineups, recent form, score prediction and more.

Antonio Brown is ready to suit back up and play professional football, just not in the NFL.Antonio Brown's NFL playing career, at this point, seems like it's over. While the estranged star hinted that he was going to make a comeback with the Ravens, that seems more like fake news than ...

Josef Martinez has made history following his latest goal for Inter Miami. The former Atlanta United striker is one of the most prolific scorers in Major League Soccer history.

Frank Lampard has revealed he tried to sign Erling Haaland for Chelsea during his first spell as the manager at Stamford Bridge. The Manchester City striker came up against Lampard’s team in a pre-season friendly in 2019 while he was playing for RB Salzburg in Austria. He scored 28 goals in 22 matches that season before signing for Borussia Dortmund the following summer, but Lampard said he attempted to bring him to west London instead during his 18-month spell in charge between 2019 and 2021. Ultimately competition for the Norway international’s signature, together with the fact not everybody at Chelsea was convinced that a bid for Haaland would have been the right move, meant that Lampard was left frustrated. His 36 Premier League goals for title-chasing City this season mean he has scored as many times in the league as the entire Chelsea squad have, with the two teams meeting at the Etihad on Sunday as City look for the victory they need to seal the title. Chelsea by contrast remain in the bottom half of the table, with their struggles in front of goal this season having shown no sign of easing in recent weeks. “I’ve got huge respect for him as a player, he’s a player I tried to bring to Chelsea the first time I was here,” said Lampard. “I was really keen to get him here but obviously that couldn’t happen. His level at that point was very clear, we played against him in a pre-season game for Salzburg. “Credit to him, I love seeing players of that level, I love seeing players of that personality and hunger to play and be the best which he’s proved himself to be. In terms of having to deal with him you have to have obviously a plan and an idea, but players of that level can make anything happen at any moment. “I think he’s special, I thought he’d adapt straight away just (because of) his level. I think with the level of players and his record of scoring, firstly in Austria then for his country and in the Bundesliga – which is not an easy league – to come into a really good unit already. “The rest is just credit to himself and the team around him. I did expect that, it’s not just an easy hindsight answer, I’ve got real respect for the player. “I don’t know whether he would have decided to come here anyway but I was a big fan. There are some of those that happen that people don’t know about that could have been this way, people talk a lot about mistakes and the things that could have been in football. “Whether he would have come I don’t know, but I was pushing big, and for a couple of other players as well. But he was the outstanding one. “From our point I was pushing it, I’m not sure what the appetite everywhere else in the club was to do it. The competition was big to take him because he was an outstanding player. I think there was a buyout clause at the time which I think was relatively reasonable given the player (he joined Dortmund for around £17million). I don’t have enough detail to say how close it was.” Lampard has two matches left of his interim spell in charge, with Manchester United at Old Trafford and Newcastle at Stamford Bridge to come after City. He has won only once during his eight games in the job, a 3-1 victory at Bournemouth earlier in May, with six defeats having come in that time including a Champions League exit to Real Madrid. Mauricio Pochettino is expected to be confirmed as the permanent successor to Graham Potter, who was sacked on April 2, in the coming days, and he will have a huge rebuild on his hands after a disastrous season for the club. Despite the poor form, Lampard said he has no regrets about agreeing to take over in the short-term from Potter. Whether he would have come I don’t know, but I was pushing big, and for a couple of other players as well. But he was the outstanding one Frank Lampard “I have enjoyed it, I get asked it a lot,” he said. “You want to always get results but you have to be realistic in football. When I came into this, the Champions League dream that everyone talked to me about, (saying) it’s been done before, can we do it again? “The realistic answer was we were where we were in the league for a reason. Our view was to try and beat Real Madrid then possible City to get to a final. In terms of the rest of the job, it’s been how many small wins can I try and impact behind the scenes. You can’t always impact results. “Generally there’s a lot of work to do here. I can have a certain impact with certain individuals within the group because I have a big feeling for the club.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Pep Guardiola compares Man City’s title push to serving for Wimbledon glory Jurgen Klopp hails departing quartet with special praise for Milner and Firmino Wigan deducted four points for next season after failing to pay players’ wages

Pep Guardiola has no plans to celebrate if Manchester City win the title without playing on Saturday and compared closing out the Premier League season to a tennis player serving for Wimbledon glory. City are on the brink of a fifth top-flight crown in six seasons and it will be confirmed before they next play if challengers Arsenal lose to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Guardiola insists he is not thinking about that prospect, however, and is focusing only on beating Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium to win it on the field themselves on Sunday. The City manager said: “I don’t think (we’ll be celebrating) because we have a game the day after and Chelsea deserve it. “In my mind, I’d like to feel we have to win to be champions. This is what we have to think. “We cannot control Nottingham and it doesn’t matter what happens in Nottingham. We have to do our job and win our game. “If we can win we can celebrate in the stadium with our people and that would be the best.” Wrapping up the title this weekend would cap a memorable week in which treble-chasing City reached the Champions League final with a stunning victory over Real Madrid on Wednesday. Now is coming the most difficult thing. Tennis players say to serve to win Wimbledon is the most difficult one. Pep Guardiola Guardiola says there has been little time to celebrate that achievement as he now tries to ensure City, who trailed Arsenal by eight points last month, see out the job in the Premier League. He said: “Of course we are satisfied to be able to play the Champions League final but it’s non-stop. “Now is coming the most difficult thing. Tennis players say to serve to win Wimbledon is the most difficult one. “On Sunday, the game is in our hands to win the most important competition. We’re lucky to have the chance to finish at home with our people. We have to take it.” Guardiola knows how difficult it can be to cross the line. In April 2018 they had to put celebrations on hold after surrendering a 2-0 lead to lose to Manchester United and last season they risked losing the title to Liverpool on the final day after falling behind to Aston Villa. Guardiola said: “I have a good memory. When we played against United to win the Premier League, 2-0 up at half-time and we lost the game. “Against Aston Villa we were 20 minutes away from losing the Premier League at home. So the last one is the most difficult one because there are a lot of emotions and many things. “You have to control it and be focused. We cannot be distracted right now. We will not forgive ourselves if we are distracted in something.” Despite those reservations, recent form suggests Guardiola has brought his players to the boil at just the right stage of the season. Such is their intensity that Guardiola and key player Kevin De Bruyne shouted at each other during the victory over Real Madrid, and the manager says he has no problems with that. He said: “The action with Kevin, I love it. We shout at each other. I like it. I like this step from Kevin. “Sometimes, in some games, it’s a little bit flat and I like this energy. This is what we need from him. After that he becomes the best. “It is not absolutely personal. These things must happen to be competitive and be a good team.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Jurgen Klopp hails departing quartet with special praise for Milner and Firmino Wigan deducted four points for next season after failing to pay players’ wages Definitely not – Gary O’Neil won’t let Bournemouth rest after securing survival

Erik ten Hag offers the latest Man Utd injury news ahead of the Bournemouth game.