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Daniel James insists Wales have not given up hope of automatic Euro 2024 qualification despite the blow of Turkey beating Croatia on Thursday. Turkey’s shock 1-0 win in Osijek has left Wales with a mammoth task to claim a top-two place in Group D. Wales realistically need to win their final three group games – starting against Croatia in Cardiff on Sunday – to secure automatic qualification for next summer’s Euro finals and avoid going into the play-offs in March. “The players have spoken a little bit about it (the Turkey result) but not too much,” James told the PA news agency. “You always hope results go your way, but you can’t concentrate on hoping other teams lose. “We’ve gone into every game believing that we can win and it (qualification) is still in our hands. “Croatia lost the other night but they’re a great team that’s been to the semis and finals of World Cups. You can’t underestimate them at all. “We had a start in this group that wasn’t up to our standards, but we trust ourselves to go into this game with heads held high.” Although James points out that he is “no big verbal leader” almost as quickly as he bursts down the pitch, the 25-year-old winger now has senior status within Rob Page’s squad. James won his 46th cap in the 4-0 friendly victory against Gibraltar on Wednesday after coming on as an early substitute for the injured Wes Burns. He made two goals and hit the post with a ferocious shot from outside the box to build on his fine early-season form at Leeds. James, speaking at the Wales training camp to celebrate the wave of free McDonald’s Fun Football sessions in the country this autumn, said: “I still feel that age of 19 or 20 when I first came into the set-up. “But I do feel like one of the senior boys now. The way we sit in the dining room I’m at a more senior table. “You see boys in there now about 20 and it feels a bit crazy. It’s the same at club level where we’ve got a lot of youngsters. “I wouldn’t say I was a massive talker in the dressing room. I let the other boys do that and concentrate on my own game. “But you’ve got to try and set that example on the pitch by working hard and showing what you can do. I always give 100 per cent to help take the team forward.” James has certainly done that on his return to Leeds following a frustrating loan spell at Fulham last season. I wouldn't say I was a massive talker in the dressing room. I let the other boys do that and concentrate on my own game. Daniel James The former Manchester United player made only five Premier League starts in West London and has had to rebuild confidence in the Sky Bet Championship following Leeds’ relegation from the top flight. James said: “Fulham was a good learning curve for me and I don’t regret it at all. “I didn’t play as much as I wanted to but, because it happened so late in the window on deadline day, it takes a while to settle and find somewhere to live. “You’ve got children as well and the first two or three months were very hard. The World Cup was coming up and it’s always hard to settle in pretty quick.” On his return to Leeds, where he has been joined by Wales teammates Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon, James said: “It’s great to be back. As soon as I got back in the summer I just wanted to play and show that I was there to stay and work hard. “We had a little bit of a tricky start, but we’ve had a good run of games and we’ve just got to keep pushing. “It’s always harder when you haven’t played many minutes, not just physically but mentally as well. “You need to get into the rhythm of games and I’ve got that at Leeds now. I’m feeling fit and ready and, when that happens, everything comes naturally.” :: Daniel James was speaking at a special fun football session at the Wales training camp to celebrate the wave of free McDonald’s Fun Football sessions in Wales this autumn. McDonald’s Fun Football is the UK’s largest grassroots participation programme for 5-11 year-olds. Find your nearest free session at www.mcdonalds.co.uk/football Read More I feel sorry for the manager – Chiedozie Ogbene sympathises with Stephen Kenny Gareth Southgate questions why England fans booed Jordan Henderson Stephen Kenny admits Republic of Ireland ‘needed to win’ against Greece Ben Davies: Wales go into Croatia clash believing anything’s possible Matty Jones says late Wales Under-21s draw in Czech Republic ‘feels like a win’ Stephen Kenny under pressure as Ireland’s qualification hopes come to end

Chiedozie Ogbene has admitted he feels sorry for under-fire Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny after his lingering hopes of Euro 2024 qualification were finally dashed. Kenny’s reign seemingly reached the point of no return on Friday night when a 2-0 home defeat by Greece left his team with just three points from a possible 18 in Group B and mathematically unable to clinch a place in the top two. Ireland head for Gibraltar on Monday evening with only pride at stake and while Kenny received assurances last week that he would remain in charge until after next month’s fixtures, discontent with the direction of travel under his charge has reached fever pitch. I actually feel sorry for the manager Republic of Ireland international Chiedozie Ogbene Asked about the manager’s future, Luton striker Ogbene reflected on early chances which went begging and said: “Had we scored those chances, then the game would be different. “We would have been 2-0 up. But we didn’t take those chances and a positive start ends up negatively. “I actually feel sorry for the manager. We were not sharp in our decision-making and overall it is disappointing, the result.” Kenny took over from Mick McCarthy in April 2020 and vowed to shake up the squad he inherited. He has since blooded a new generation of young players and tried to implement a more progressive brand of football. Unfortunately for him, potential has not yielded results and his team have won just five of the 27 competitive games they have played. Four of those victories have come against lower-ranked sides – Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Armenia and Gibraltar – with a Nations League success against Scotland the exception. Qualification from a group which also includes World Cup runners-up France and the Netherlands was always a big ask, but five defeats in six games tell their own story. Even a handsome victory over Gibraltar in Faro would do little to quell the negativity surrounding Kenny’s reign, but Celtic defender Liam Scales, who made his senior international debut against Greece, insists there will be no shortage of motivation. Scales said: “Look, it’s never hard to lift yourself to play for your country. Obviously I’ve only done it once, but the lads will tell you that it’s the best thing you can do as a footballer. “As players, we’ll be motivated to go there and put on a performance. As disappointed as we are, it’s playing for the jersey now. “Obviously qualification is done and that’s that. But we’re playing for the jersey and pride now. We’re all proud to be wearing the jersey and we’ll go to Gibraltar, hopefully get a result and do better.” Read More Gareth Southgate questions why England fans booed Jordan Henderson Stephen Kenny admits Republic of Ireland ‘needed to win’ against Greece Ben Davies: Wales go into Croatia clash believing anything’s possible Matty Jones says late Wales Under-21s draw in Czech Republic ‘feels like a win’ Stephen Kenny under pressure as Ireland’s qualification hopes come to end England and Australia observe silence for those killed in Israel and Gaza

Gareth Southgate cannot understand why fans turned on Jordan Henderson after the long-serving England vice-captain was booed off against Australia at Wembley. Eyebrows were raised when the 33-year-old swapped his role as Liverpool skipper for the Saudi Pro League, joining Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq in a controversial £12million deal. Henderson had been a high-profile supporter of LGBTQ+ rights during his time at Anfield and last month apologised for any hurt he caused by moving to a country where homosexuality is illegal. There was no noticeable negative reaction towards him during September’s doubleheader against Ukraine and Scotland, but things were different in England’s first home match since his controversial move. There were murmurs when Henderson’s named was read out before Friday’s 1-0 friendly win against Australia at sold-out Wembley, where he was jeered by some fans when replaced in the second half. “I really don’t understand it,” Southgate said of the reaction. “He’s a player who I think has 79 caps now for England. “His commitment and what he has delivered for England is exceptional. “His role within the group on and off the pitch is phenomenally important. “He’s the one that has taken the likes of Jude Bellingham under his wing as soon as he came in the squad, provides a brilliant role model for all of the group in his professionalism and his approach to every part of his work. “Some people decided to boo. I really don’t understand what that is for. This is a team that are delivering a lot and they all deserve everybody’s support Gareth Southgate “We’ve got players in England shirts. Yeah, come on, we play Italy on Tuesday (in a key Euro 2024 qualifier). Let’s get behind this team. “I know we weren’t at our best tonight but that was due to a lot of changes we made and we gave the players out there a difficult task because to be cohesive with so many changes is tough. “But I would just say that this is a team that are delivering a lot and they all deserve everybody’s support.” Speaking upon calling up Henderson for September’s fixtures, Southgate said “I don’t really know why a player would receive an adverse reaction because of where he plays.” Asked if perhaps the player’s recent promotion of Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup bid might have had an impact, Southgate said: “What has that got to do with supporting a guy wearing an England shirt?” Put to him that England fans may not agree with Henderson’s principles, he said: “Well, yeah, I don’t really know where we are heading with everything. “I’m hugely impressed with the impeccable values and decisions that everybody in our country is making then. “Yeah, clearly, I don’t understand it. I know what’s created it and I know why it has happened, but it defies logic to me that you would give a player who is playing and putting his heart and soul into playing for England… why boo him? “How is that going to help him or help the team?” Southgate was later quizzed about his comments relating to what created the reception, only to respond “there’s nothing to gained by going over it, really”. The England manager was heard loud and clear in the post-match press conference, but the same could not be said for counterpart Graham Arnold. The passionate Australia boss lost his voice on a night when his side pushed England close, only to lose to returning Ollie Watkins’ 57th-minute effort. Arnold’s assistant Rene Meulensteen instead faced the media and was asked if it felt like a missed opportunity given the Socceroos’ performance under the arch. “Yeah, I think so,” the former Manchester United coach said. “Having said that, I think we’d be very, very proud of this performance. “Sometimes in football you play games and the results are not going for you, then you try to look for what the causes are. “But this, I think, is one of those losses where you can be really, really proud of the performance. “I mean, we played against a very strong nation. “They’ve obviously got a very big game coming up in a few days against Italy as we all know but they can field two world-class teams, without a shadow of a doubt.” Read More Stephen Kenny admits Republic of Ireland ‘needed to win’ against Greece Ben Davies: Wales go into Croatia clash believing anything’s possible Matty Jones says late Wales Under-21s draw in Czech Republic ‘feels like a win’ Stephen Kenny under pressure as Ireland’s qualification hopes come to end England and Australia observe silence for those killed in Israel and Gaza Simon Raiwalui ‘in no doubt’ grieving Sam Matavesi will be ready to face England

It's getting to that time of the year when the first NFL coach might lose his job. Who is most likely to be sent to the unemployment line (or more likely the broadcast booth)?

Beleaguered Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny declined to discuss his future after a deeply damaging 2-0 home defeat by Greece finally ended hopes of automatic qualification for Euro 2024. Ireland were decidedly second-best at the Aviva Stadium and will head for Gibraltar on Monday evening having taken just three points from their first six qualifiers. However, asked about his tenure, Kenny said: “I’m not going to use this to speak about that. “Ultimately of course we’re disappointed. We knew it was a group of death, tough games. “France, Holland, really tough. We had epic games against both of them. “You shouldn’t be losing at home to Greece. They are a good team, better than people think they are, technically very good with good qualities. “We needed to win tonight, I know that.” Kenny had gone into the game under pressure, but with the Football Association of Ireland having indicated he would remain in charge until the end of the campaign whatever happened. Asked this week if the results in these two fixtures could change the association’s stance, chief executive Jonathan Hill said: “No, I don’t think so. “We’re committed to that process of reviewing the whole of the qualification process in November.” Whether that is still the case after a dark night at the Aviva Stadium remains to be seen. The brutal truth is that Kenny’s 27 competitive matches at the helm have yielded just five victories – against Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Scotland, Armenia and Gibraltar – with only a 3-0 Nations League success against the Scots in June 2022 backing the manager’s claims of progress. He had made qualification for next summer’s finals – they still have a notional, but unlikely chance of securing a play-off spot – his goal when he was first appointed, and Ireland’s abject failure to even establish themselves in the race is a damning indictment. Greece, who had set out on the campaign knowing they and the Republic would realistically be competing for third place and a possible challenge to big two France and the Netherlands, were far superior in Dublin as they backed up their June win in Athens with an even more impressive display. First-half goals from Giorgos Giakoumakis and Giorgos Masouras did the damage, but did not fully reflect the comfort with which they banked the three points which took them to 12 from their opening six games, nine more than Kenny’s men. I think we're going to be in a better position to qualify Gus Poyet The Ireland boss said: “It is definitely a game that we would have wanted to win and it’s a disappointing result to lose at home to Greece.” Opposite number Gus Poyet, who reacted angrily to accusations that he had used Irish spies to plot victory in the reverse fixture, was delighted with his team’s efforts in Dublin, which left them three points ahead of Monday’s opponents the Netherlands having played a game more. He said: “I think we’re learning, I think we’re growing up. “I think the players are understanding that to qualify for the Euros and then to perform in the Euros, we still need a little bit more, and I think Monday is going to be massive. “There are plenty of things that we need to do well on Monday and depending on that, how much we grow up as a team, I think we’re going to be in a better position to qualify. “But I have to say, we have put ourselves there with our victories, with our work somehow, and if you’d asked me before we started when I was in Frankfurt for the draw and you said to me that we would be here now with this chance to qualify, I would have taken it.” Read More Ben Davies: Wales go into Croatia clash believing anything’s possible Matty Jones says late Wales Under-21s draw in Czech Republic ‘feels like a win’ Stephen Kenny under pressure as Ireland’s qualification hopes come to end England and Australia observe silence for those killed in Israel and Gaza Simon Raiwalui ‘in no doubt’ grieving Sam Matavesi will be ready to face England Shubman Gill could return to top of India order against Pakistan

The St. Louis Cardinals appear prepared to have a very active offseason, and these three high-priced free agents should be at the top of the list to target.

Ben Davies has urged Wales to summon up the spirit of reaching the World Cup to beat Croatia and keep their European Championship qualification hopes alive. Turkey’s shock win in Croatia on Thursday night damaged Welsh prospects of claiming a top-two place in Group D. Wales must now realistically beat top seeds Croatia in Cardiff on Sunday and finish with wins over Armenia and Turkey next month to qualify for Euro 2024. By doing so, Wales would qualify for a third successive major tournament – two European Championships either side of the 2022 World Cup. “We know the situation we’re in and it’s definitely going to be challenging,” said Tottenham defender Davies, who will be wearing the Wales armband in the absence of injured captain Aaron Ramsey. “We’ve shown in the past at Cardiff that against good teams we can win games. It’s the same mentality again that we go into it believing anything’s possible. “The two World Cup qualifiers (play-offs against Austria and Ukraine) were big pressure moments for this team. We've shown in the past at Cardiff that against good teams we can win games Ben Davies “Arguably people would say they were better sides than us, but we showed that we’re more than capable of making our home in Cardiff a fortress and making it difficult for the opposition. “We’ve played some of the best teams in Europe there – like Belgium and the Netherlands – and we’ve put good performances in. Playing at home gives us that something special.” Wales have not beaten Croatia in seven games between the two nations. There have been three 1-1 draws, including the March meeting in Split when Nathan Broadhead equalised with virtually the last kick of the match to get Wales’ Euro campaign off to a promising start. Davies said: “They’re a great footballing nation that have had great results over the last 10, 15, 20 years. “They’re a team stacked with quality players playing at the highest level. We know it’s going to be a hard game, but we believe it’s one we can get something out of. “It’s a huge opportunity playing at home. If we can get three points, then it will put us in a better situation going into next month.” Wales warmed up for their Croatia task by sweeping aside friendly opponents Gibraltar 4-0 in Wrexham on Wednesday. It was Wales’ third consecutive clean sheet following shut-outs against South Korea and Latvia last month, the first time the Dragons have achieved that for nearly three years. Number one goalkeeper Danny Ward said: “We got back to what we do best in the last camp, being defensively sound. “That was vital after the summer we had (4-2 and 2-0 defeats to Armenia and Turkey) and we’ve taken that into this camp.” Ward has yet to play for Leicester this season after losing his first-team place at the Sky Bet Championship club, but the 30-year-old insists that is not an issue while he is on Wales duty. He said: “It’s different for a goalkeeper as opposed to an outfield player. “It’s not so much about rhythm, more about bearings, knowing where you are on the pitch, distances, getting up to speed if you like. “That normally doesn’t take too long for our position thankfully.” Read More Matty Jones says late Wales Under-21s draw in Czech Republic ‘feels like a win’ Stephen Kenny under pressure as Ireland’s qualification hopes come to end England and Australia observe silence for those killed in Israel and Gaza Simon Raiwalui ‘in no doubt’ grieving Sam Matavesi will be ready to face England Shubman Gill could return to top of India order against Pakistan Sam Tomkins says Grand Final farewell will only be a fairytale if Catalans win

Jordan Henderson was booed by some England fans on a night when Ollie Watkins helped Gareth Southgate’s much-changed side secure an unconvincing 1-0 win against Australia. A sold-out Wembley crowd watched a surprisingly hard-fought friendly between these great sporting rivals on Friday night as the hosts experimented with Euro 2024 in mind. England can wrap up qualification against Italy on Tuesday night and Watkins boosted his chances of being on the plane to Germany with a goal and solid display. The Socceroos can count themselves unlucky to leave Wembley without so much as a goal to celebrate. Lewis Dunk’s brilliant block denied Ryan Strain ending a fine team move just before half-time and Connor Metcalfe headed off the outside of the post late in the second period. But England rode their luck to emerge victorious as Watkins, winning his first cap since March 2022, turned in Jack Grealish’s cross-shot at the far post in the 57th minute having earlier hit a post. The in-form Aston Villa striker will have boosted his chance of being regular back-up to captain Harry Kane, whose place on the bench meant Henderson wore the armband on Friday. There were murmurs from the crowd when his named was read out before England’s first home game since his controversial move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq. That reception turned to jeers when he was replaced in the second half of a match that began with the innocent victims of the conflict in Israel and Palestine being remembered. The Football Association was criticised by the UK government and the Jewish community in the build-up to the match for its response to recent devastating events. The Wembley arch was not lit up on a night when both sides wore black armbands and observed a period of silence before kick-off. Southgate made 10 alterations from last month’s friendly win in Scotland, leading to a sloppiness and disorganisation that allowed Australia to settle and threaten. A slight touch prevented Watkins sweeping home with the first noteworthy attack of the night and Sam Johnstone soon brilliantly stopped Keanu Baccus’ curling effort going in off Fikayo Tomori. England remained in control of first-half possession, but Australia continued to offer the greater threat. Mitch Duke connected brilliantly with a low cross, flashing a first-time strike under pressure narrowly wide before Kye Rowles hammered over following a set-piece scramble. England’s carelessness was summed up by James Maddison’s slip and strike out for a throw-in, but the Tottenham man showed his quality when slipping through Watkins. The Aston Villa frontman took the ball around Mat Ryan and got away a bobbling effort from an acute angle that came back off the far post in the 34th minute. Debutant Levi Colwill and Conor Gallagher received bookings in quick succession as a frustrating half continued, although it would have been worse was it not for Dunk – the only survivor from the side that started in Scotland. Graham Arnold’s outfit showed skill and confidence playing out from the back, with Martin Boyle following fine hold up play by playing in Strain to get away an attempt that was blocked brilliantly by the Brighton skipper. It was a moment Australia were made to rue in the 57th minute. England returned from the break with more urgency and Trent Alexander-Arnold swung a ball over to the back post after an initial free-kick was cleared. Grealish controlled and hit an attempt across goal that Watkins slid to turn home on the line – his third goal in eight England appearances. Southgate made a quadruple change as he turned to his talent-filled bench with around 30 minutes remaining. Henderson was among those withdrawn and Friday’s captain was booed by sections of the Wembley crowd, which he made a point of applauding as Kieran Trippier took the armband. Baccus dragged wide as Australia tried to claw back an equaliser and Metcalfe was free to meet a corner with a powerful header off the outside of the post in the 80th minute. Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah came on for his England debut and the visitors failed in their attempt to grab a memorable late goal. Read More England and Australia observe silence for those killed in Israel and Gaza Simon Raiwalui ‘in no doubt’ grieving Sam Matavesi will be ready to face England Shubman Gill could return to top of India order against Pakistan Sam Tomkins says Grand Final farewell will only be a fairytale if Catalans win Harry Brook admits he is learning on the job due to lack of 50-over experience England prop Joe Marler backs Marcus Smith to ‘thrive’ at full-back against Fiji

Kylian Mbappe scored twice, including a stunning strike from just outside the box, as France beat the Netherlands 2-0 in Amsterdam to secure Euro 2024 qualification. After putting Les Bleus ahead with a seventh-minute finish, Mbappe added a breathtaking second eight minutes into the second half, exchanging passes with Adrien Rabiot and sending a curling shot over Bart Verbruggen and into the top corner. Quilindschy Hartman reduced the deficit with seven minutes of normal time remaining. The result extended France’s perfect record in Group B to a sixth victory as they rubber-stamped their place in next summer’s finals in Germany with two fixtures to spare. Their opponents dropped from second to third, replaced by Greece – who won 2-0 against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin. Georgios Giakoumakis and Georgios Masouras scored in the first half as Ireland’s chances of automatic qualification officially came to an end. Greece are now three points clear of the Netherlands, who have a game in hand. In Group F, Belgium sealed progress to the finals with a 3-2 win away against second-placed Austria. The visitors appeared to be cruising after Dodi Lukebakio’s double and a Romelu Lukaku effort had them three goals up before the hour mark. Things then became less comfortable as Konrad Laimer pulled a goal back in the 72nd minute, Belgium were reduced to 10 men by a red card for Amadou Onana six minutes later, and Marcel Sabitzer scored an 84th-minute penalty – but Domenico Tedesco’s side managed to see out the win. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan registered their first win in the group as they beat Estonia 2-0 in Tallinn. Portugal also completed the job of qualification via a 3-2 victory as they defeated Slovakia in Porto, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice. Goncalo Ramos and a Ronaldo penalty had the hosts two goals up at half-time, and after David Hancko’s reply, Ronaldo made it 3-1 in the 72nd minute with his 125th international goal. Stanislav Lobotka netted a second for Slovakia, who are second behind Portugal in Group J. Friday’s other matches in the pool saw Iceland and Luxembourg draw 1-1 in Reykjavik and Bosnia and Herzegovina win 2-0 in Liechtenstein. Read More Newcastle boss Eddie Howe hails Alexander Isak’s battling response against PSG Dan Burn’s dream comes true on a ‘special’ night for Newcastle Alan Shearer leads tributes after Newcastle’s Champions League demolition job Eddie Howe praises Jamaal Lascelles for stepping up as Newcastle stun PSG Eddie Howe staying grounded after Newcastle’s ‘amazing night’ against PSG Newcastle’s local heroes stun PSG to twist a tale of geopolitical tension

The Philadelphia Eagles are one of two undefeated teams left in the NFL, while the New York Jets are just below .500 at 2-3. Will defensive tackle Jalen Carter even play in this one for the Birds after spraining his ankle at practice this week?

Colorado's two-way star Travis Hunter has not played for the Buffaloes since suffering an injury in the Rocky Mountain Showdown vs. Colorado State. They are 1-2 without him. Will he be returning vs. Stanford on Friday night?

The Dodgers, Braves, Orioles and Twins were all stunningly eliminated in the Divisional Series. Here's how they should approach their offseasons.