A groundsman is called on to perform some crochet on one of the goal nets, which appears to be torn. As those repairs are carried out, a plane flies over the ground trailing a protest banner telling David Sullivan and Karren Brady to get out of West Ham.
Not long now: It’s a nice sunny Valentine’s Day in Staffordshire and the teams are out on the pitch in the compact Pirelli Stadium. West Ham are hoping to get the job done, Burton are hoping to make it to the fifth round for the first time in their history and kick-off is just a few minutes away.
Croatian’s priority to ‘improve our results quickly’
Igor Tudor has been announced as Tottenham’s interim head coach on a deal until the end of the season.
Spurs dismissed Thomas Frank on Wednesday after a dismal display in a 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle a day earlier left the club in 16th position and only five points above the Premier League relegation zone.
League expansion offers top-flight teams a greater chance of staying up but jeopardy remains in contest to steer clear of finishing bottom
The state of play at the top of Women’s Super League, with Manchester City 11 points clear of second-placed Manchester United, means jeopardy has to be found elsewhere.
There is excitement to be had in the likely scenario of a different name on the WSL trophy for the first time in seven years, but at this point we are watching a procession rather than a battle, despite Arsenal’s impressive 1-0 win over City last weekend.
Defender’s current contract expires at end of the season
‘We wouldn’t be in talks if we didn’t want him to stay’
Arne Slot has described Ibrahima Konaté as “vital” to Liverpool and the club have not given up hope of convincing the defender to sign a new contract.
Konaté has endured a tough time on and off the pitch this season but has impressed since returning from compassionate leave against Newcastle following the death of his father. Liverpool’s central-defensive rebuild is under way with the signings of Giovanni Leoni and Jérémy Jacquet, for an initial £26m and £55m respectively, but Slot insists Konaté remains an essential part of his plans.
With sleet, snow, swirling wind from the banks of the Humber and most importantly, a Hull City side pushing hard for promotion to the Premier League this season, it was hard not to believe pre-match that this had all the makings of a difficult evening’s work for Chelsea.
Liam Rosenior holds this city close to his heart, given how some of his family hail from Hull and he had an enjoyable spell in charge of the Tigers: well, until he was unceremoniously sacked nearly two years ago, that is. But his happy association with Hull continued with a magnificent display from his Chelsea side, who ultimately sauntered into the next round of the FA Cup.
Canada Soccer has extended its controversial sponsorship and broadcast deal with its privately owned commercial partner, Canadian Soccer Business (CSB), on improved terms for the governing body ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
A new 11-year contract has been agreed through to 2037, with both parties having an option to extend by a further five years, despite the in-fighting that marred the original 10-year deal. It culminated in player strikes and the Canadian Soccer Players Association filing a $40m lawsuit against Canada Soccer board members two years ago.
Beehive socialism | Ratcliffe’s apology | Tommy Cooper’s dream | Valentine’s Day | Love boat
The beehive may not be quite the utopian dream it first appears to be (Letters, 9 February). Worker bees need to be so active during the summer months that they typically only survive for about four to six weeks. Drone bees’ longevity is not much better. The lucky ones may get to service the queen, but die as a consequence. Unsurprisingly, the queen fares much better. Tom Challenor Ealing, London
• So Jim Ratcliffe is sorry for his choice of language use in relation to immigration (Report, 12 February). What about being sorry for his sentiments? Could I suggest that he spends a week as a bed-bound inpatient in a NHS hospital before he makes a judgment about the contribution of immigrants? Liz Thompson Oxford
Leicester City have a proud tradition of beating the odds. At the start of the 2015-16 Premier League season, the bookies rated them as no better than 5,000-1 long shots to win the title, only for the Foxes to send shockwaves around the world by doing exactly that in what is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in the history of sport. Five years later, they lifted the FA Cup despite having been priced up at the comparatively miserly – but still hefty – odds of 16-1. Earlier this week they were at it again, somehow contriving to defy the laws of probability by surrendering a three-goal half-time lead at home against Southampton and snatching the most unlikely of defeats from jaws of victory that weren’t so much gaping as unhinged like that of a snake. A capitulation that came just four days after they had been docked six points for financial shenanigans, it left them just one place above the drop zone and staring down the barrel of back-to-back relegations to League One.
Re: your coverage of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s latest comments (yesterday’s Football Daily). Alongside this billionaire’s first move at Old Trafford to cut the tea lady and the lunches, surely ‘Small Sir Jim’ would be a more accurate moniker?” – Nick Phelps.
Congratulations to Big Sir Jim for becoming the first person to put their hat in the ring for the second annual Fifa Peace Prize. A reminder that this worthless piece of junk is awarded annually ‘to reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world’. Sounds like a shoo-in to me” – John Collins.
‘Society is better when we embrace other cultures’
Haaland doubt for FA Cup tie, Rodri charged by FA
Pep Guardiola has said that blaming people from overseas for a country’s problems is wrong, the Manchester City manager’s comments coming amid the fallout of Sir Jim Ratcliffe claiming the UK is being “colonised by immigrants”.
Ratcliffe’s comment, made in an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, has led to widespread condemnation, including from within football, leading to Manchester United’s single largest minority owner saying he was sorry that his “choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe”.
Extending his England men’s team contract until 2028 means increased stability and a less relentless form of pressure
Thomas Tuchel was supposed to be here for a good time, not a long time. It was win or bust when he signed up to become England’s head coach in October 2024. The target was clear – lead the side to glory at the 2026 World Cup – and it came with an acceptance that the German was nothing more than a very expensive gun for hire.
An 18-month deal, which began on 1 January 2025, saw to that. Tuchel talked about it giving him focus. He said it streamlined the role. “It’s a little bit of a step into the unknown for me,” he said. Tuchel would have to adapt. He loves being out on the training pitch, working with his players, honing their understanding of his tactics. Wouldn’t he get bored during the long months without a game? Wouldn’t he get itchy feet as soon as he saw a job open up at a big club?
Tudor’s former clubs include Juventus and Marseille
Door remains open for summer Pochettino return
Tottenham have reached an agreement for Igor Tudor to become their interim manager until the end of the season, leaving the door open for Mauricio Pochettino to return this summer.
The club turned to Tudor after making checks on the former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic and the former RB Leizpig manager Marco Rose. The former Croatia international has been out of work since he left Juventus in October after the Serie A club went eight games without a win.
Brentford striker Igor Thiago has signed a new contract, extending his deal until 2031, with the option for an additional 12 months. The Brazilian was signed from Club Brugge in February 2024, but had to overcome a knee injury last season before hitting form this term, scoring 17 Premier League goals so far.
“I love the club and the people in the club,” said Thiago. “It’s a true love, a real love. When the fans support me, and I see them singing my name and singing my song, it gives me more power. It’s been a great season for us. Everybody has been on the same page. I hope we can get something special from it.”
The Colombian icon joined the MLS side in a short-term deal with an eye toward fitness for the 2026 World Cup
Two weeks ago, few could’ve expected that the most notable international acquisition of the MLS offseason would be made by Minnesota United.
The team’s marquee import until last week was Finland striker Teemu Pukki, with honorable mentions for Colombian playmaker Darwin Quintero and ex-Porto midfielder Ibson. The Loons aren’t known for paying sizable transfer fees, and their wage bill last year was the league’s fifth-smallest.
Manager’s unconventional techniques are designed to bring fun as well as results and he has West Ham in his sights
“At times the players must think I’m bonkers,” says Gary Bowyer, the Burton Albion manager, volunteering the time he walked into the dressing room with a tennis racket and ball. It is one of the unconventional techniques he has used to convey his message and tap into their psyche. Every week he explores different themes and stories with his squad – be it bullfighting or UFC – and brings them to life through imagery and props, everything from dragons to toy tigers.
He has leaned into boxing and particularly Mike Tyson during an FA Cup run that has led them to a fourth-round tie at home to West Ham on Saturday. “The theme for this week is The Ultimate,” he says, referencing Tyson’s 1987 bout with Tony Tucker to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. “We’ve created this idea of climbing into the ring, the pitch, and away you go. We’re fighting West Ham and we’re going to have to take some blows. What do you do if you get knocked on to the canvas? Get back up or lay there and take it?”
‘We need to speak about this at the end of the season’
Roberto Rosetti, Uefa’s managing director for refereeing, has warned video assistant refereeing is becoming too “microscopic” and fears use of the technology has strayed from its intended purpose.
VAR is rarely far from the headlines and has been the subject of further controversy in recent weeks after a series of high-profile incidents in the Premier League. Rosetti made clear that he was not commenting specifically on VAR’s deployment in England but suggested that, across the board, it is guilty of overreach. “We forgot a little bit, everywhere,” he said. “Eight years ago, I came to London and we discussed what VAR stands for. We spoke about clear mistakes, because technology works so well in factual decisions. In objective decisions, it is fantastic.
Chelsea manager, back at Hull in the Cup on Friday, made a strong impression on Humberside, as ex-colleagues explain
“That’s the best message I’ve received,” Liam Rosenior wrote, accompanied by laughing emojis, in response to one of the many congratulation posts sent after his surprise appointment as the Chelsea head coach. His former Hull teammate James Chester had wickedly told him: “After my time with you at Derby I never thought you’d have been Chelsea manager,” alongside a photograph of Chester in the pub with his fellow former Tigers Robbie Brady and Paul McShane, raising a glass to Rosenior.
It was a sign of the close bonds Rosenior built at Hull as a player and head coach. He returns as a Champions League head coach on Friday in the FA Cup, looking to avoid an upset against a team aiming to make it a more regular rivalry. Rosenior spent seven seasons on Humberside, five as a player and two in the dugout, which were crucial for his development.
Arsenal miss chance to restore six-point lead at top
Mikel Arteta admitted that Arsenal weren’t ruthless enough to beat a physical Brentford team as they missed the chance to restore their six-point lead over Manchester City.
Noni Madueke’s header broke the deadlock in west London in the second half but Keane Lewis-Potter equalised 10 minutes later from a long throw by Michael Kayode to set up a grandstand finale that saw both sides spurn chances to win it.
Burnley have the chance of a Cup run, Leicester fear an unwelcome repeat and Brighton fans get a raw deal
Chelsea have kept two clean sheets in 10 games since appointing Liam Rosenior as head coach last month. Repeated doziness at the back has cost them. They have held commanding advantages against Charlton, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Leeds, only to give away silly goals. It is a bad habit and proved costly when a 2-0 lead was squandered during Tuesday’s draw with Leeds. Rosenior was livid afterwards, and is waiting for a consistent performance. Chelsea travel to Hull , Rosenior’s former club, on Friday night. They will surely advance against Championship opponents, but how they do it will matter. It is time for them to get serious. Jacob Steinberg
Hull City v Chelsea, Friday 7.45pm (all times GMT)
Semi-final first leg: Atlético Madrid 4-0 Barcelona
E García 6og, Griezmann 14, Lookman 33, Alvarez 45+2
You must always have faith, Diego Simeone had insisted and so it was. A biblical storm blew through the Metropolitano, leaving Barcelona in pieces and Atlético Madrid closer to a first Copa del Rey final in 13 years. “I’m not a wizard but I did believe that the team could play like this,” Simeone said at the end of a wild night, yet even he could not have imagined anything quite like this, 45 extraordinary minutes giving his team a 4-0 lead to take to the Camp Nou in three weeks’ time.
“This will remain in the memory however the tie ends,” Simeone said, careful to note that this is not over yet. Hansi Flick, meanwhile, vowed that his Barcelona team will fight, claimed they had been handed a “great lesson” that might yet be helpful, and outlined a plan for the second leg: 2-0 in each half. But an an own goal from Eric García and three more before half-time here from Ademola Lookman, Antoine Griezmann and Julián Alvarez, did the kind of damage that will be mightily difficult to fix. Barcelona could not begin that task here, a Pau Cubarsí effort ruled out after a seven-minute VAR check the only “goal” of the second half. Indeed, another VAR check made their second leg task even harder when Eric García was sent off in the final minutes.
This was billed as a test of Arsenal’s mettle after Manchester City had picked themselves off the canvas against Liverpool at Anfield to reignite the title race. But having seen their lead at the top whittled down to three points since the weekend, Mikel Arteta’s side showed their fallibility as they were held by a dogged Brentford side who felt that they should have even claimed victory.
Just when they needed to put in a statement performance, Arsenal were edgy throughout and struggled to create anything of note until Noni Madueke opened the scoring. Keane Lewis-Potter’s equaliser that came from a Michael Kayode long throw was fully deserved as Keith Andrews’ side showed exactly why they are enjoying such a successful season since he stepped up to replace Thomas Frank last summer.
Manchester United took a big step towards the quarter-finals of the Women’s Champions League by sealing a comfortable lead in the first leg of their playoff against Atlético Madrid after goals from Elisabeth Terland, Melvine Malard and Julia Zigiotti Olme.
“I think it was [a professional win],” a delighted Marc Skinner, the United manager, said. “It was difficult for both teams on the pitch. I can understand it with the number of storms they had ... but I did think it affected the football. I thought we were ruthless. The three goals were fantastic. I felt like our defending as a whole team was excellent.”
Tax exile has already proven himself a terrible club owner; now his ill-informed diatribe about immigration has poured fuel on wider flames
Well I, for one, am shocked. Shocked to learn that a tax-exiled English expat who made his billions squeezing chemical plants doesn’t have liberal, let alone accurate, views on immigration. Or at least, in public anyway.
It seems highly likely Sir Jim Ratcliffe knew what he was doing in the course of his now semi-recanted Sky News interview. And it is above all vital that at least one part of his empire of influence – football, sport, Manchester United – rejects it, as the club have done to some extent in their statement.
Arsenal took a huge step forward towards the last eight int heir first leg against Leuven last night, you can catch up with that action:
The earlier kick-off between Wolfsburg and Juventus has been entertaining. Ana Capeta put the Italian visitors ahead in the sixth minute and Amalie Vangsgaard doubled their lead in the second half but the German club managed to equalise thanks to goals from Janina Minge and Sarai Linder. Linder’s equaliser was one of the last plays of the match. Next week’s second leg will be an interesting and tight watch.
Meanwhile last night … here are the reasons Arsenal will be looking anxiously over their shoulder.
Brentford boss Keith Andrews, exuding supercool, speaks to TNT Sports. “[We will] approach the game in a very confident but humble way … we’re very aware of what will be thrown at us tonight … [Arsenal] are a phenomenal team with phenomenal individuals … well-coached in every aspect of the game … we’ll have to match that and perform very, very well … but equally we’re a pretty good team ourselves … I hope [this game] is chaos … I like creating chaos … you want to feel like you’re in control [so] if you can alter that plan in any way, and you can remain calm amongst it, then that puts you in a good place … we’ll try to make it uncomfortable for them … we’ll have to raise our levels, and our levels are pretty good! … we’re a humble, hungry group … hopefully we can achieve something special.”
Villarreal player charged in July with five counts of rape
Former Arsenal midfielder denies all the charges
The footballer Thomas Partey has been charged with two new counts of rape relating to an additional woman who came forward to police with the allegations in August last year.
Partey will appear at Westminster magistrates court on 13 March in relation to the additional charges issued by the Crown Prosecution Service over allegations that date from 2020.
Barnet’s manager, Dean Brennan, has been given a nine-match touchline ban by the Football Association after being found guilty of making sexist comments to the referee Kirsty Dowle during a League Two game this season.
It was revealed in December that Brennan had been charged with an aggravated breach of FA rule E3.1 for allegedly making offensive remarks to Dowle during Barnet’s defeat by Shrewsbury in September.
Evangelos Marinakis is close to appointing fourth head coach of season after Sean Dyche’s sacking and it’s a mess of his own making because he should never have fired Nuno
Sacking three head coaches in a season does not reflect well on Nottingham Forest or their owner, Evangelos Marinakis. It is a mess of their own making, which started with the exit of their most successful manager in recent history and has the latest P45 going to the man brought in to sort out the problems created by an ill-judged appointment that lasted eight winless games.
Twelve months ago Forest were battling for a Champions League spot under the stable stewardship of Nuno Espírito Santo. A lot has changed and they will become the first Premier League side to have four permanent managers in a season, which was not a record the club were aiming for in August, when hoping to build on a seventh-place finish, an FA Cup semi-final and qualifying for Europe for the first time in 30 years.
There are a lot of billionaires making global headlines at the moment and even if we were dying of thirst, Football Daily wouldn’t go for a pint with any of them. Big Sir Jim Ratcliffe almost certainly wouldn’t want to come for a pint with us, given our backstreet local’s clientele boasts no end of foreigners of every stripe and shade, all of whom are apparently more hell-bent on annexing the pool table than “colonising the UK”. A man who is so patriotic he would do anything for his country except live or pay taxes in it, Big Sir Jim has plumbed unprecedented depths of unpopularity among Manchester United fans by embarking on a diatribe against immigrants that played fast and loose in its use of far-right rhetoric and was backed up by wildly inaccurate statistics.
Re: yesterday’s Football Daily. I am sure I am in tune with 1,057 others when I suggest that Tottenham Hotspur did a Frank appraisal of their situation and decided to have a frank conversation with Frank to explain that, frankly, his tenure as manager was not good enough and that, as soon as their franking machine could print off the postage, Frank would be getting a frank letter, asking him – frankly – to do one. Which is a great shame, as he seems to be a really good guy and, as his time at Brentford shows, he is a very good manager. As an Arsenal fan, I now wish him well, which I haven’t been able to do since June last year” – Andrew Kluth (and no others).
In yesterday’s Football Daily (full email edition), we have Liam Rosenior making sure his players are ‘switched on for 90 minutes’. Can I be one of 1,057 pedants pointing out that, according to no less an authority than Big Website, games now last an average of 100 minutes, 36 seconds? Demand more, Liam. Demand more” – Simon Riley (and no others).
This may be scant consolation to Rod de Lisle (yesterday’s Football Daily letters) but Leicester’s capitulation against Southampton, while spectacular, is eclipsed by at least one other game. Back in 1957, Huddersfield Town – managed by Bill Shankly, who, were he still around, would surely win letter o’ the day so often you’d probably drop it altogether as a feature, and also featuring future Wolves manager Bill McGarry as a player – somehow contrived to turn a 5-1 lead in the 63rd minute away at Charlton (who had also been down to 10 men since the 17th minute) into a 7-6 defeat” – Simon Gill.
It doubtless won’t be much consolation to interim Leicester boss Andy King, but given that his team weren’t playing against 10 men when they threw away that 3-0 lead to lose 4-3, it probably wasn’t the worst half in the history of football” – Nick Payne.
If Tottenham are waiting for Pochettino part two, then season three of Postecoglou might bring the right survival vibes
It’s panic time at the bottom of the Premier League and, if the past couple of days are anything to go by, probably don’t go following Ange Postecoglou into a job any time soon. Others who have followed it more closely can do Nottingham Forest and their 4 (four) managers. This is a piece about Tottenham Hotspur, or as I like to call them, my big team who win things.
November 2023 feels like a lifetime ago. Spurs were top of the league. Angeball was at its peak. Dynamic free-flowing football – they were 1-0 up against Chelsea thanks to Dejan Kulusevski (injured). It’s the 14th minute, Spurs neatly play themselves out from the back down the right, it breaks to Pape Sarr who rolls the ball to Destiny Udogie (injured), and Brennan Johnson (Crystal Palace) steams down the left. He plays a perfect first-time ball with his left foot into the path of Son Heung-min (LAFC), who rolls it home. Tottenham are 2-0 up against a team they lose to at least twice a season.
Ratcliffe claimed UK being ‘colonised’ by immigrants
United say Manchester a city ‘anyone can call home’
Manchester United took the extraordinary step of publicly asserting their “inclusive and welcoming” values after their co-owner Jim Ratcliffe sparked widespread condemnation with his comments about immigration.
In a statement that did not name Ratcliffe but clearly referred to his claims that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants, United affirmed their commitment to “equality, diversity and inclusion” and described Manchester as “a city that anyone can call home”.
Head coach’s deal was due to finish after World Cup
England get Spain, Croatia and Czechs in Nations League
Thomas Tuchel believes he can lead England to a victorious World Cup this summer in what he hopes will be the first of multiple successes with the national team after signing a surprise contract extension.
The fresh deal means Tuchel will stay in charge until after Euro 2028, which England will co-host, barring an unexpected change in fortunes. It puts to bed speculation that he could be tempted by a high-profile club vacancy and provides all parties with certainty before their tilt at football’s biggest prize begins in June.
As ‘the pressure of the haircut’ enters the game’s lexicon, the extent to which football revolves around winning and losing games appears to be fading
“I don’t care about his haircut at all,” Matheus Cunha said this week. “I don’t really look at other people if they need to go to the hairdresser or not,” Bruno Fernandes said at the weekend. Michael Carrick, for his part, said he was aware of the haircut issue. But the Manchester United coach insisted it would not factor into his team’s preparations for their game against West Ham on Tuesday night.
And so, here we are. Many games of football end up being remembered for reasons far outstripping their original significance: the 1914 Christmas Truce, the 1962 Battle of Santiago, the 2020 pandemic curtain‑raiser between Liverpool and Atlético Madrid. To these we can add the Haircut Game: a mildly arresting 1-1 Premier League draw at the London Stadium that posterity will nevertheless recall as the game when a man did not get his hair cut at the end.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
"Spot-fixing" is the practice of manipulating small, discrete events that have little to no bearing on the outcome of a game—the timing of a yellow card in soccer, a wide ball in cricket, a single double-fault in tennis. Or, in the case of Ortiz, the result of one of the roughly 300 pitches thrown in the average baseball game. What makes spot-fixing so insidious is how inconsequential the occurrences appear in real time. from The Scourge of 'Spot-Fixing' Is Coming for American Sports [WSJ; ungated]
Login
