List of All Articles with Tag 'a'

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay called out the fanbase for their behavior while wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland was carted off during the team's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.The Philadelphia Eagles played their second preseason game on Thursday night, where they host...

DENVER — On the day that his MLB suspension began for a much-publicized altercation, Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox opened up about a variety of topics, including what comes next for him.Perhaps it was a bit ironic that just before Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox walked up the...

Lance Lynn is having a resurgence with the Los Angeles Dodgers, after a rough start to the season with the Chicago White Sox.The Chicago White Sox last made the playoffs in 2021, and appear nowhere close to returning any time soon. That was evident this year, as the team fell out of the running ...

Lionel Messi could clinch his first trophy with Inter Miami, just four weeks after making his debut for the club, when his team face Nashville in the final of the...

With the Yankees under .500 in August for the first time this century, someone is on the hot seat, but one insider thinks that heat is on the wrong seat.The Yankees are in trouble. Or at least, someone in the Yankees organization is.It's the middle of August and the team's record i...

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper saw growth in his side as they rallied to beat Sheffield United late on. Forest looked like being held by the Blades after Taiwo Awoniyi’s third-minute opener was cancelled out by Gus Hamer’s delightful strike shortly after half-time. But Chris Wood, whose loan move from Newcastle was made permanent in the summer, came up with the goods in the 89th minute when he headed home to seal a 2-1 victory and get his side’s Premier League campaign up and running. Cooper does not think his side would have won that fixture last season and praised his side’s mentality. “The last sort of 30 minutes of the game I thought we were by far the superior team, played high up the pitch, played good football, and created real dangerous moments in the game,” Cooper said. “We took the game to try and win it. Of course we were by far the better team, of course we deserved to win, but I really liked the attitude of the team in getting over the line and getting the goal late on. “I’m not sure we win that game last year at times, especially at the start of the season. It reminded me a little bit of (the 3-2 home defeats against) Fulham and Bournemouth, so hopefully that is a bit of growth in the mentality of the team. “I really liked how we stuck to the task, there was only one team who deserved to win tonight. “We took our foot off the pedal and gave Sheffield United a chance in the game. I am really glad we regrouped and did what we did in the last 30 minutes.” The Blades have now lost their opening two games on their return to the top flight after two seasons away. But they may feel hard done by as, after overcoming a chastening first 30 minutes, they competed well and had chances to take the lead when the score was 1-1. Paul Heckingbottom’s side are a work in progress after their preparations for the season were hit by the sale of star players Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye, meaning recruitment is still going on. The Blades boss is confident players will come in, but knows the current situation is hurting their chances. “I just feel for the players a little bit because they deserved more this,” he said. “If you sign players in June or July, you have two or three months with them by the end of August. If you sign them in August you are looking at September, October into November before you are really happy. “It is something I have prepared for. I wish we weren’t doing it in the Premier League, but it can’t scare us, it can’t be an excuse. “There is a commitment to get the players in, we will get them in, but it’s tough. “It’s tough recruiting, we could go and get one tomorrow, but it wouldn’t be the one I want. I am playing my part in that, part of my brief is to develop players and make money for the club as well. “I have to believe in a player and he has to be able to come and add. We will get them, I just wish we had them. “But it’s no one fault, we can’t control when clubs come and take our players. Circumstances have meant we have been vulnerable.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Manchester United’s new-look midfield must click quickly – Erik ten Hag Big transfer fees no guarantee for Chelsea starting spot – Mauricio Pochettino Ange Postecoglou promises to bring Spurs fans joy after Nick Cave inspiration

The St. Louis Cardinals are giving fans a glimpse of their future by calling up one of their top prospects.Last year, the St. Louis Cardinals went on a second-half run to the postseason, highlighted by Albert Pujols' chase for 700 career home runs. While that did end with a Wild Card Series...

The Philadelphia 76ers lost several key free agents over the summer and James Harden is gone in spirit. Even with depth waning, these players could break into Nick Nurse's starting five.The Philadelphia 76ers are off to the worst possible start to Nick Nurse's first season as head coac...

Before every Women's World Cup game in Australia and New Zealand, the rhythmic tones of ancient songs rumble across the stadium to give thanks to the lands' traditional owners.

Ange Postecoglou does not currently feel worthy of the Tottenham fans’ support but has promised to try bring them joy after being inspired by Australian singer Nick Cave. It has been a difficult 2023 for Spurs after the club’s trophy drought extended and record goalscorer Harry Kane departed on the eve of the new Premier League season, but there is overwhelming support for Postecoglou. The new man in the Tottenham hotseat was this week reminded of football’s significance to supporters when he listened to a podcast between Louis Theroux and his compatriot Cave. “It is not about making the fans happy, it is about giving them joy and joy comes from suffering,” Postecoglou said ahead of Manchester United’s visit on Saturday. “I am saying that because I listened to a podcast during the week and I thought it was a great description of what football is about. “I am at that funny stage where supporters have been very, very supportive but I don’t expect that nor do I feel worthy of it. “I still need to prove myself to our fans and the people at the club by our deeds rather than our words. I haven’t yet delivered anything. Hopefully when the day comes that we deliver as a team it will mean something different then Ange Postecoglou “Hopefully at the moment we are giving them sort of belief in what we’re trying to create but we need to back it up on a weekly basis. “We need our supporters behind us. We want the Tottenham ground to be a place where the energy is all on our side, so hopefully that happens tomorrow.” Postecoglou was serenaded for a number of minutes by the away fans at Brentford last weekend and a tifo display is planned for his first competitive home match in charge. But he admitted: “It means a lot but I’m not comfortable with it. You love what it means because for the most part it’s blind faith. “I haven’t yet delivered anything. Hopefully when the day comes that we deliver as a team it will mean something different then. “I don’t dismiss it either, that’s people taking a huge leap of faith on me as an individual and I appreciate that. It’s a really good reminder of the responsibility that I have.” While fans will get behind the team for the 5.30pm kick-off with Erik Ten Hag’s United, a protest will take place hours before arranged by Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust over the club’s decision to increase matchday ticket prices. The ‘Call to Action’ from THST will ask for the club to reverse the increase – which they insist will price out loyal fans – and Postecoglou backed their right to “express their emotions” during Friday’s press conference. He is also acutely aware of how important home form can be, adding: “It’s a beautiful stadium, absolutely, but as much as opposition teams enjoy playing in the venue, what we have got to make sure is they don’t enjoy the experience. “What makes grounds difficult to play on is the experience you give teams, whether that’s the environment the fans create or the football you play against them. “If you want to make it a place where we see it as an advantage, you have got to make sure the experience for opposition clubs is not a pleasant one.” Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made sure teams did not enjoy travelling to Old Trafford and Postecoglou reminisced about his meeting with the managerial great this week. Postecoglou was in charge of South Melbourne when they lost 2-0 to United in the Club World Championship in 2000. And more than two decades later he will try to secure his first Premier League win against Ferguson’s old club. “I don’t think I take elements in my own game but people like Sir Alex, whether it’s consciously or unconsciously, they have an effect on you,” Postecoglou acknowledged. “It’s not just football managers. I’m a pretty curious kind of guy and you learn things from all sorts of people and events. “I’ve always tried to constantly nourish that part of my brain that is constantly curious about things. “It was significant for me because we were coming from nowhere playing at one of the world’s most iconic stadiums, the Maracana, against one of the greatest teams at that time that football had seen, against one of the greatest managers. “I had five or six minutes with him and apart from saying hello, I just listened. That’s the best way to have interaction with people like that. There’s no point me talking for five minutes, he’s not going to learn anything off me.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Manchester United’s new-look midfield must click quickly – Erik ten Hag Big transfer fees no guarantee for Chelsea starting spot – Mauricio Pochettino Top seed Iga Swiatek fights back to reach Western and Southern Open semi-finals

Erik ten Hag has admitted Manchester United’s new-look midfield must click quickly after a stuttering start in Monday’s victory over Wolves. Raphael Varane’s 76th-minute header gave United three points at Old Trafford, but Wolves were worth at least a point after registering 23 shots at goal and being denied a stoppage-time penalty that even Premier League referees’ boss Jon Moss later acknowledged should have been given. Much of the focus was put on an underwhelming display from United’s engine room after the match. Ten Hag disputed suggestions that Casemiro had been left isolated as both Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount pushed forward, but he admitted much better is needed away to Tottenham on Saturday. “It’s a new midfield and we have step up there,” he said. “We have to improve in possession. We were absolutely not good. “It had to do with our rules and principles and we did not match those rules and principles in possession and then you do not get a good game. “Also the players made so many unforced errors and we were below our standards from what we are used to and what our players are capable of. “We have already seen in pre-season we can do much better and we’ve seen last year they can do much better so I’m sure they will improve quickly.” Making his Premier League debut for United after a £60million move from Chelsea, Mount struggled to make an impression and was replaced by Christian Eriksen in the 68th minute, with the Dane providing more defensive cover alongside Casemiro. But Ten Hag believes Mount, who played in advanced positions for Chelsea, can adapt to a deeper role in much the same way as Eriksen did after joining from Brentford last summer. “I think he can and already we have seen it in pre-season,” Ten Hag said. “We have to work on many facts of our game, the midfield and the cooperation in how we have to set it. “I’m sure we will get it. It’s not coming overnight but if it was easy, everyone could do it. “Christian Eriksen came in and had the same thing, it was the first time in his life he played in a deep role. That was the ambition from Christian and it’s also the ambition from Mason to be more multi-functional. “It will not come overnight. There is a process we have to go through but I’m sure with his game intelligence, he has the technical abilities and also he is efficient with the ball. He knows how to deal with the ball. “He has the dynamics and he has the mentality. All the ingredients are there to do it.” New goalkeeper Andre Onana emerged from his Premier League debut with a clean sheet, but was lucky not to concede a penalty when he clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic without claiming the ball late on. I will encourage it, I like it when players are proactive, to be on the front foot. That is the type of player we need Erik ten Hag But Ten Hag said he had no problem with the Cameroon international’s approach to the game. “I think he is very proactive and that is what we want,” he said. “We want proactive players but of course he has to manage himself as well, when to be proactive and when to be more passive. “I will encourage it, I like it when players are proactive, to be on the front foot. That is the type of player we need.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Big transfer fees no guarantee for Chelsea starting spot – Mauricio Pochettino Ange Postecoglou promises to bring Spurs fans joy after Nick Cave inspiration Top seed Iga Swiatek fights back to reach Western and Southern Open semi-finals

Mauricio Pochettino has warned big transfer fees will not guarantee players a place in Chelsea’s starting XI after the club’s summer spending surpassed £350million. Significant headway was made earlier in the window on reducing the size of a squad that was heavily bloated last season, but eight incoming signings together with players returning from loan has meant the size of the first team remains almost unchanged. Southampton’s Romeo Lavia and long-time target Moises Caicedo, signed on Monday from Brighton for a British record £115million, are the latest recruits to Pochettino’s playing staff. Graham Potter and Frank Lampard both voiced their frustration at the negative effect that having too many available players had on their job last season and Pochettino has already found himself fielding similar queries. The manager was bullish in his response ahead of Sunday’s trip to face West Ham, placing responsibility firmly at the door of his new recruits to repay the club’s faith and financial outlay in order to force themselves into his plans. “Players that aren’t happy and don’t want to fight for their place, to be part of the team, playing or not playing, the door is open (to leave),” he said. “The players have a clear idea that they need to compete for their place and then it’s the coach that is going to decide who are the best for every single game. “It’s not that (if) we sign a player and we spend big money, that they are sure to play. I don’t tell Moises or Lavia ‘you are going to play, (whether) you are good or bad’. It’s not like this, football. “Talented players, players that the club spends money on, they need to show every day that they deserve to play. “My job is to be fair with everyone in the squad. You sign a player on an eight-year contract and after (that) he doesn’t run, is not involved, no commitment – is he going play? That is our job. It’s our judgement. “I have the support of the owner, I have the support of the sporting director, so far. They need to trust in our judgement. It’s not the people of social media, it’s our judgement.” Chelsea have pursued a policy of awarding unusually long contracts during the ownership of Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium, with deals of between six and eight years now commonplace at the club. Pochettino was asked how easy it would be to get rid of players on lengthy deals who are unwilling to work for their place in the side. “If you have an eight-year contract, you need to be responsible,” he said. “Players need to show respect, need to show commitment, need to show the performance that we expect from them. If not, they’re not going to play. “The player cannot be upset. If we sign a player and give an eight-year contract and then the player is not going to do what we expect or what he needs to do and then he doesn’t play, it’s because of him, not because of us. “They need to give their best and for sure if they have the talent that we assume and we paid for them, they are going to play.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Manchester United’s new-look midfield must click quickly – Erik ten Hag Ange Postecoglou promises to bring Spurs fans joy after Nick Cave inspiration Top seed Iga Swiatek fights back to reach Western and Southern Open semi-finals