Southgate in a ‘happier’ place shut off from criticism

Southgate in a ‘happier’ place shut off from criticism
England’s head coach Gareth Southgate (L) stands with assistant coach Steve Holland (C) while supervising his team training session at the UEFA Euro 2024 European Football Championship, in Blankenhain, on Jun. 19, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 19 June 2024
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Southgate in a ‘happier’ place shut off from criticism

Southgate in a ‘happier’ place shut off from criticism
  • The Three Lions men got off to a winning start, but a 1-0 victory over Serbia attracted criticism for not maximizing the use of the attacking talent on offer to England
  • "My world is a happier place if I shut myself off," Southgate said

FRANKFURT: England boss Gareth Southgate said he will ignore media coverage during Euro 2024 as his joy at winning matches lasts just “45 seconds” due to the scrutiny he is under.
The Three Lions men got off to a winning start, but a 1-0 victory over Serbia attracted criticism for not maximizing the use of the attacking talent on offer to England.
Jude Bellingham stole the show with the only goal in Gelsenkirchen, but Phil Foden and Harry Kane were among those who struggled to shine in a slow start by one of the pre-tournament favorites.
“My world is a happier place if I shut myself off,” Southgate said at his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Denmark on Thursday.
“It’s not good from a global perspective because I haven’t got a clue about politics or (world) events, but for the next month that’s going to be a better place for me.”
Under Southgate England have risen back into contention for glory, reaching a final, semifinal and quarter-final in his three attempts at major tournaments.
However, that record has not sheltered him from a backlash at times due to the wealth of talent he has to choose from.
And Southgate conceded there should be more joy in leading his country.
“We’ve had some good results over the years so maybe even we take wins for granted. I should let the boys enjoy it more than they do,” he added.
“I get about 45 seconds of enjoyment. The whistle blows, I cuddle everybody, walk off the pitch and that’s about it. I hope they have a little bit longer than me!
“There should be more joy in it but that’s not my reality if I’m frank. My focus is to get qualified from the group, two tough opponents and two games to achieve that.”
Manchester City defender Kyle Walker said he is also keen to shut out any outside noise — apart from the opinion of his mum.
“I don’t read it at all,” said Walker. “If you have outside noise, positively or negatively, it can have an impact so I’d rather not see it and concentrate on what it’s in camp, what the gaffer says, and mainly what my mum says. She always tells me if I’ve had a good game.”
Victory over Denmark in Frankfurt will secure England’s place in the last 16 with a game to spare.
Luke Shaw remains the only player unavailable to Southgate as he continues his rehabilitation of a calf injury.
The Manchester United left-back has not played at all for club or country since February, but Southgate remains confident Shaw will have a role to play in the tournament.
“Luke won’t be involved tomorrow. He is actually on track for where he was originally.
“He needs a bit more volume work. There are days he needs to do more than the rest of the group and other days he needs to recover.”


Chelsea’s Maresca says Conference League ‘best competition in the world’

Chelsea’s Maresca says Conference League ‘best competition in the world’
Updated 13 min 24 sec ago
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Chelsea’s Maresca says Conference League ‘best competition in the world’

Chelsea’s Maresca says Conference League ‘best competition in the world’
  • “Probably the most complicated thing this season about the Conference (League) has been to convince the players that for us it was the best competition in the world,” Maresca said
  • “And the reason why was because it was the competition that we were in“

WROCLAW, Poland: Enzo Maresca said he had to convince his Chelsea players this season that the UEFA Conference League was the “best competition in the world” as he prepares his men to face Real Betis in Wednesday’s final.

The Premier League club are seeking to end their campaign with a flourish in Wroclaw after securing a Champions League spot for next season.

If they beat Betis in Poland, Chelsea would become the first club to win all four major UEFA tournaments, having previously won the Champions League, Europa League and the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup.

Maresca, in his first season as manager at Stamford Bridge, said had been forced to stress the importance of Europe’s third-tier club competition to his players.

“Probably the most complicated thing this season about the Conference (League) has been to convince the players that for us it was the best competition in the world,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“And the reason why was because it was the competition that we were in.”

Chelsea are two-time European champions but have not won silverware since lifting the Champions League in 2021.

“We cannot play Champions League if we are at the Conference (League), or we cannot play Europa (League). We are in the Conference, so for us it was the most important competition, and we need to try to win that.

“If we are able to win, I think it’s a good thing, especially because we continue to build a winning mentality.”

Chelsea have reached the final in eye-catching style, scoring a competition-record 38 goals so far and winning 11 of their 12 matches.

Maresca rounded on his critics after his youthful side secured fourth spot in the Premier League on Sunday with a 1-0 win at the City Ground, even using an expletive.

His team were within touching distance of eventual Premier League champions Liverpool in mid-December before stumbling badly, but results picked up again toward the end of the campaign.

On Tuesday he described Sunday’s eruption as an “outburst” in the heat of the moment.

“From our point of view, they (critics) were not talking in the right way,” he said.

“And the reason why is because, yes, we are young, yes, we are the youngest squad in the history of the Premier League, but at the same time, they are men.

“So I also used what critics had said to say, ‘Guys, today (Sunday) is a chance that we can say that we are not young, we are mature enough, we can compete and we can do the right things’.”

The former Leicester boss said sealing a Champions League place for next season had been a huge relief.

“We feel much better,” he said. “I said a few times during the season that for me it was already a good season for different reasons.

“It can become a very good season if we finish top four, top five and if we are able to win the final tomorrow.

“The first target is there. We achieved that last Sunday and hopefully we can achieve tomorrow the second one.”


Stiller out, Burkardt in for Germany’s Nations League games

Stiller out, Burkardt in for Germany’s Nations League games
Updated 27 May 2025
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Stiller out, Burkardt in for Germany’s Nations League games

Stiller out, Burkardt in for Germany’s Nations League games
  • Burkardt will join the team at their training base in Herzogenaurach on Friday
  • The 24-year-old Burkardt has played three games for Germany

BERLIN: Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has called up Mainz forward Jonathan Burkardt to his squad for upcoming Nations League games after Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller dropped out with an injury.

Burkardt will join the team at their training base in Herzogenaurach on Friday, the German soccer federation said Tuesday, in preparation for the Nations League semifinal against Portugal in Munich on Wednesday, and the final or third-place playoff against either Spain or France four days later.

The 24-year-old Burkardt has played three games for Germany. He was the Bundesliga’s top-scoring German player with 18 goals for Mainz this season.

Stiller, who starred for Stuttgart as the team won the German Cup on Saturday, dropped out with a recurrence of the ankle ligament injury that had kept him out for two weeks previously.

The DFB said Stiller has “not completely healed.”

Stiller was involved in three of Stuttgart’s four goals as they defeated Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in the cup final.


Newcastle losing another sporting director as Mitchell to step down

Newcastle losing another sporting director as Mitchell to step down
Updated 27 May 2025
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Newcastle losing another sporting director as Mitchell to step down

Newcastle losing another sporting director as Mitchell to step down
  • Mitchell was leaving “due to health reasons” and his departure was “by mutual consent,” NUFC said
  • “The club are in great hands on and off the pitch,” Mitchell said

NEWCASTLE: Newcastle are losing another sporting director after the Premier League club announced Paul Mitchell is stepping down next month.

Mitchell took the position only last July following the departure of Newcastle’s previous sporting director, Dan Ashworth, to Manchester United.

Mitchell was leaving “due to health reasons” and his departure was “by mutual consent,” Saudi-backed Newcastle said on Tuesday.

There were reports of tension between Mitchell and Newcastle manager Eddie Howe at the start of this season.

Newcastle won the English League Cup in March for their first major domestic trophy in 70 years, and finished in fifth place in the Premier League to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

“The club are in great hands on and off the pitch,” Mitchell said, “and are in a fantastic position to continue building.

“I’d like to wish everyone connected with Newcastle United a bright and successful future.”

Mitchell previously worked for Tottenham, Leipzig and Monaco.


Coach Michel Gonzalez readies Al-Qadsiah for King Cup final

Coach Michel Gonzalez readies Al-Qadsiah for King Cup final
Updated 27 May 2025
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Coach Michel Gonzalez readies Al-Qadsiah for King Cup final

Coach Michel Gonzalez readies Al-Qadsiah for King Cup final
  • Spaniard holds light training session after resting key players for league game against Al-Hilal
  • Al-Qadsiah will play Al-Ittihad in Friday’s showdown in Jeddah

JEDDAH: Spanish coach Michel Gonzalez put his Al-Qadsiah team through a light training session on Tuesday as they prepare for Friday’s King Cup final showdown against Al-Ittihad.
Al-Qadsiah qualified for the final after beating Al-Raed 1–0 in the semifinal. Al-Ittihad beat Al-Shabab 3–2 to secure their spot.
Gonzalez left several of his first team players out of Monday’s Saudi Roshn League away clash with Al-Hilal at the Kingdom Arena, which they lost 2-0.
Goalkeeper Koen Casteels, defenders Nacho, Ibrahim Mahnashi, Turki Al-Ammar, midfielder Nahitan Nandez and striker Julian Quinones were all rested ahead of final, which will be played at Al-Inma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City.
Al-Qadsiah will fly to Jeddah on Thursday and have their final training session at the stadium ahead of the match.


Pope Leo XIV casts doubt on which soccer club he supports during audience with Italian champ Napoli

Pope Leo XIV casts doubt on which soccer club he supports during audience with Italian champ Napoli
Updated 27 May 2025
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Pope Leo XIV casts doubt on which soccer club he supports during audience with Italian champ Napoli

Pope Leo XIV casts doubt on which soccer club he supports during audience with Italian champ Napoli
  • Leo cast doubt on the assumption that he’s a Roma fan during a private audience with freshly crowned Italian champion Napoli
  • “Maybe they didn’t want to applaud because in the media they say I’m a Romanista,” Leo said

VATICAN CITY: That Pope Leo XIV is a Chicago White Sox fan and likes to play tennis has already been established.

The most pressing sports question for many locals inside the Vatican and surrounding Italy concerning the first American pope remains a mystery, though.

Does Leo support an Italian soccer club?

Leo cast doubt on the assumption that he’s a Roma fan during a private audience with freshly crowned Italian champion Napoli — Roma’s rival — on Tuesday. But his comments revealed that he follows the Italian game.

When Leo entered the Clementine Hall inside the Apostolic Palace where Napoli’s players and staff were seated, there was a slight delay before the guests applauded.

“Maybe they didn’t want to applaud because in the media they say I’m a Romanista,” Leo said, referring to Roma fans. “That’s what the press says. Not everything that you read in the press is true.”

Napoli clinched its fourth Serie A title following a 2-0 win over Cagliari on Friday with goals from Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku.

Napoli president and film producer Aurelio Del Laurentiis presented Leo with a Napoli No. 10 shirt — the same number worn by the late Diego Maradona when he played for the southern Italian team — with the pope’s name on it and featuring signatures from all of the club’s players.

“You’re a No. 10,” De Laurentiis said, referring to the number often worn by a team’s most talented forward.

When De Laurentiis introduced Napoli coach Antonio Conte, the pope cut him off and said “I know him from the (TV) screen, I’ve seen him many times.”

Conte has also coached Italy’s national team, as well as Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan.

“He’s profoundly Catholic,” De Laurentiis said of Conte. “He’s someone who believes in God very attentively and goes to pray often.”

Leo cited the “social aspect” of Napoli’s title.

“We know how popular soccer is in Italy and practically the entire world,” Leo said. “So, in that respect, the social value of an achievement like this, which is greater than the mere technical-sports aspect, is an example of a team that works together, in which the individual talents are sacrificed for the common good.”

The pope also warned that “when sports becomes a business, it risks losing the values that make it educational, and it can actually become un-educational.”

“I want to make an appeal to parents and sports officials: you need to pay careful attention to the moral quality of the sports experience at the competitive level, because it has an impact on the humane growth of young people,” Leo said.

The meeting with Napoli came less than two weeks after Leo held a private audience with top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner.