The Matildas are still searching for a win in the SheBelieves Cup and while it was a gutsy 2-1 fightback against the No.1 team in the world, the USA, it threatens to disguise the biggest problem Football Australia is yet to solve; who will coach the Matildas?
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Even Sam Kerr’s court case in London proved a convenient distraction with the talking point both heading into this tournament, and after their opening 4-0 loss to Japan, centring around the injured skipper. Was the Kerr case a distraction? Should she still be captain? They were just some of the repetitive headlines.
Now the narrative needs to turn to the fact that the Matildas still don’t have a long term coach.
This is nothing against interim coach Tom Sermanni, who has been an incredible servant to the women’s game for 12 years with this, his third stint as the Matildas mentor. But the Australian National Team needs stability, longevity, strategic planning and fresh ideas.
They need a full time coach.
It’s been seven months since Tony Gustavsson finished his four-year stint — the most important tenure in Matildas history with the home World Cup in 2023 — with no word yet on any replacement.
For context, when Graham Arnold quit as Socceroos coach in September, they hired Tony Popovic four days later. The Socceroos had World Cup qualifiers and needed to fill the hole fast, but the Matildas have their own deadline with the Asian Cup, which is being held on home soil next March.
The Matildas won the Asian Cup in 2010 but failed to make it past the quarterfinals at the last Cup in 2022. The stakes are high. The commercial success of the Matildas has never been greater. The team created a tidal wave of excitement and interest from the Australian public like we’ve never seen before during their successful World Cup campaign in 2023. And if there is one thing that sustains that passion, it’s winning.
We have another opportunity to relive the Matildas hysteria and fandom of 2023 when we host next year’s Asian Cup. There’s a real opportunity to again create something special during the tournament and preserve the Matildas legacy. The packed stadiums, strong viewership and water cooler conversations can become the platforms to inspire and be a national source of pride. Not just strong performances, but winning scorelines, are essential to that success.
It was also widely expected Gustavsson wouldn’t be back after his contract came to an end, meaning either the search should have started much sooner or it’s taking way too long.
There’s been little said about FA’s shortlist. From what we do know, representatives have been reported as saying they were hoping to speak to the England Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman. Yet Wiegman is contracted to the World Cup Finalists until 2027 and is in the midst of preparing for the women’s Euros 2025 where they’re hoping to defend their title. The Euros final also isn’t until the end of July, leaving it very late for discussions and a possible, but improbable, move.
There were also rumours Football Australia was interested in former Manchester United women and San Diego Waves coach Casey Stoney although she has recently been appointed as the Canadian women’s head coach.
Closer to home, Ross Aloisi, Ante Juric and former Matilda Tanya Oxtoby were also reportedly being considered despite Oxtoby being contracted as the Northern Ireland women’s coach until 2027.
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Another woman in the pathways system, Young Matildas coach Leah Blayney took up a position as the Japanese Assistant Coach earlier this year.
The Matildas World Cup legacy is at risk if a coaching solution isn’t found soon. Commentator Grace Gill raised the concern after the Matildas loss to the USA.
“I think another thing the USA has is a coach (Emma Hayes) who is backed, who is there for the future, who has got these grand plans and we’re seeing those plans start to fall into place. Tommy Sermanni is in a position where he’s the interim coach, we know he’s not there long term,” Gill said.
“So in the way we saw such experimentation by Emma Hayes she’s got that backing, she’s got that support, you can see the federation is there saying ‘yep we’re behind you’ bringing in the 17s, the 20s, the senior team in the US altogether.
“Imagine that happening in Australia our 17s training with our senior team so there’s this stylistic pathway up from our juniors, our grassroots. These are grand plans, grand ambitions but Emma Hayes has that backing and Tom Sermanni is a little hamstrung in how much he can do while he is in the job.”
Former Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes only started as the USA coach a year ago and has already blooded 15 debutants and is unbeaten in 17 games.
The clock is ticking to fill the vacant coaching position and there’s so much more than just a game to lose for the Matildas.
Liverpool’s quest for a quadruple came to a crashing halt on Sunday (Monday AEDT) as they were dumped out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 defeat by Championship strugglers Plymouth.
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Ryan Hardie scored the only goal from the penalty spot as Arne Slot was made to pay for resting his star names as he suffered just a fourth defeat in 38 games as Liverpool boss.
Plymouth sit rock bottom of the English second tier, but have now taken two Premier League scalps on their way into round five after winning at Brentford in round three.
“We all came here today with a dream and we have done it,” said Hardie. Slot made 10 changes from the side that thrashed Tottenham 4-0 on Thursday to reach the League Cup final.
Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo were among those left completely out the squad, but Liverpool still started with Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa in attack.
Yet, the Reds’ fringe players did little to make their case for more playing time as they succumbed to one of the FA Cup’s great shocks.
Plymouth’s Scottish striker Ryan Hardie (C) celebrates scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot against Liverpool.Source: AFP
“We were not having a very good day. A result like this is the outcome,” said Slot.
“I can’t say the boys didn’t fight, both teams barely created a chance and then it was a penalty. In a game like this, it is up to one moment. That moment was for them and they deserve it.”
Hardie kept his cool to drill home the penalty after Harvey Elliott handled Darko Gyabi’s flick on 53 minutes.
Ryan Hardie of Plymouth Argyle scores his team’s shock winner.Source: Getty Images
Moments later it needed a fine save from Caoimhin Kelleher to deny Hardie a second.
Slot threw on Darwin Nunez to add more firepower to the forward line, but Plymouth stood strong thanks to a pair of stunning late saves from Connor Hazard.
Jota’s strike that was headed for the top corner was clawed away by the Northern Ireland international before he tipped over Nunez’s header deep into nine minutes of stoppage time.
“I’m speechless, and normally they tell me I’m eloquent! It’s a big moment, day for us,” said Plymouth boss Miron Muslic, who replaced the sacked Wayne Rooney last month.
“It’s a magical day for us. I told the lads in the locker room to enjoy it.”
Ryan Hardie celebrates with his son.Source: AFP
SLOT SHOCK
Liverpool boss Arne Slot said his side’s shock FA Cup exit to second-tier Plymouth was a setback after a near flawless start to his reign in charge.
The Reds had been on course for a quadruple of trophies before they travelled to Argyle, who sit bottom of the Championship, but came unstuck at Home Park as Slot paid a heavy price for making wholesale changes.
The Dutchman retained only goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher from the side that thrashed Tottenham 4-0 on Thursday to reach the League Cup final and left Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk out of his a squad entirely.
The Premier League leaders should still have had enough to progress as Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa started up front, while Darwin Nunez was introduced in a bid rescue the game in the second half.
“We were not having a very good day. A result like this is the outcome,” said Slot.
“It hurts everyone that is involved with Liverpool – fans, me players. We were all wanting to be in this competition for as long as possible and when you go out in the second possible game, that’s a setback.”
The game was decided by Ryan Hardie’s penalty eight minutes into the second half after Harvey Elliott handled inside the box.
Diogo Jota and Nunez forced Conor Hazard into late saves but Plymouth held out for one of the great all-time FA Cup upsets.
“I can’t say the boys didn’t fight, both teams barely created a chance and then it was a penalty. In a game like this, it is up to one moment. That moment was for them and they deserve it,” added Slot.
“I think they were able to do better but it’s a system and a way of playing which is hard to create against. I wasn’t surprised. When we had the ball they were really aggressive.
“Not easy to create especially if a team has not played together all the time. It hurts everyone. We were all wanting to be in this competition for as long as possible.
“They kept on fighting until the last second, it wasn’t a work rate problem but they couldn’t find chances. We have to be more creative.”
Arne Slot speaks to the media losing to Plymouth.Source: AFP
NACHOS AND FANTA
Plymouth’s “boring” boss Miron Muslic celebrated his side’s stunning FA Cup humiliation of Liverpool by “eating some nachos and drinking a Fanta”.
Ryan Hardie’s second-half penalty gave the Championship’s bottom club an astonishing 1-0 victory over the Premier League leaders at Home Park on Sunday.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot named a reserve team for the fourth round tie, resting stars including Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
Plymouth took full advantage to end Liverpool’s quadruple bid with one of the FA Cup’s more memorable giant-killings.
But the low-key Muslic opted against celebrating with alcohol. “Normally I’m very good in my words and eloquent, but I’m a little bit speechless,” said Muslic, who succeeded the sacked Wayne Rooney as Pilgrims manager in January.
“It’s a day for Argyle, a day for Plymouth, a day for the ‘Green Army’. They deserve it and I want them to give it celebrations their all.
“I will go home and re-watch the game, eat some Nachos and drink a Fanta. It’s very boring for me.”
Masterminding a famous victory over Liverpool while fighting to haul Plymouth off the bottom of the Championship was no hardship for Muslic, who was a refugee from war-torn Bosnia as a child.
Muslic was forced to move to Austria aged nine, escaping his home town of Bihac after it fell under siege by Serbian forces in 1992.
Plymouth’s Bosnian-born Austrian head coach Miron Muslic soaks up victory.Source: AFP
“I’m very emotional because I realised the task and the opponent. It’s the biggest moment so far in my coaching career, no doubt, because it’s the FA Cup and Liverpool,” he said.
“But the biggest moment will be staying up in the Championship. This is my goal, this is what I have in my mind and my soul.”
Plymouth had already beaten Premier League side Brentford in the third round, but their victory against West Brom last weekend was their first in the league since November.
They subdued Liverpool’s understudies with a gritty display before snatching the lead when Hardie converted from the spot after Harvey Elliott handled Darko Gyabi’s overhead kick.
Plymouth fans celebrate their shock win over Liverpool.Source: AFP
Plymouth had to withstand nine minutes of stoppage-time during which Conor Hazard made superb saves to deny Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez.
“We knew we would have a lot of moments to defend and it was a huge task to keep them away from the goal,” Muslic said.
“I watched them a couple of nights ago against Tottenham and the wave of Liverpool was unstoppable.
“Liverpool made changes but I said to the players there was nothing to be afraid of, nothing to lose and everything to win.
“We played like this and we have added another part in the history of Argyle that nobody can take away from us.”
If football has a home, on Sunday night it was far from the shores of England as fans of the Three Lions licked their wounds once again after their nation’s devastating loss to Spain in the final of the European Championships.
Within minutes of the Spaniards securing a 2-1 victory in Berlin, last drinks were being called and supporters clad in white and red were drowning their sorrows, pondering how their hopes had been dashed once again.
A little over 13 hours earlier in Ealing, a suburb situated on the Piccadilly line on the way into London from Heathrow Airport, kids were running through the streets singing out that “Football was coming home”.
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But when Mikel Oyarzabal scored in the 86th minute to reclaim the lead for Spain, 13 minutes after Cole Palmer had equalised in the final, the sobering truth became apparent. The home of football was in Spain, some 1200km away. Talk about an almighty hangover.
Adults stared bleakly into their pints. Kids were crying in bedrooms. When the Lionesses won the tournament at home two years ago, the nation celebrated. But the blokes? Bloody hell.
Not again, as Shreyes Trividi said at a house party about an hour after the whistle blew in the 94th minute as he contemplated the reality that a drought in major tournaments dating back to the 1966 World Cup triumph over West Germany continues.
“It feels like it will be another 60 more years of pain,” he told foxsports.com.au
“My youngest is crying upstairs in the bedroom, so yes, it will be shattering when I eventually go upstairs to pull him away from the pillow.”
NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME, ENGLAND- JULY 14: Fans of England react to defeat against Spain as England faced Spain in the men’s UEFA Euro 2024 final on July 14, 2024 in The Thistleberry pub in Newcastle-under-lyme, England. The match was held at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It is a theme that carried across the country.
On Saturday at Wimbledon, Alex Sharp tracked down his boyhood hero Tony Adams, a former England and Arsenal captain who played at the top level for more than 20 years, for a selfie and a chat outside Wimbledon’s Centre Court. He had hoped it was a good omen.
Instead Sharp, who lives south of Tooting and was working at Wimbledon, was lamenting a late goal he described as particularly “rough”.
“England fans can moan about the first half, justifiably, and the ‘let’s stay steady’ approach, but they nearly nicked it,” he said.
“I’m absolutely gutted. But, in saying that, Spain are deserving champions by quite some distance. Tomorrow, I’m sure, when the dust has settled, most England fans would agree it wasn’t good enough across the entire Euros.”
That has been the theme of the last month. England was scarcely scintillating. They scored late against Serbia and drew with Denmark and Slovenia in the group stages to qualify for the knockout rounds.
They edged Slovakia in the Rd of 16, beat Switzerland on penalties and rallied late to oust the Dutch. And they were level until the final eight minutes of the final, having also finished runner-up at home four years ago.
But as an Aussie working abroad through this period, the negativity associated with England’s campaign has been astonishing to witness and difficult to comprehend.
The pattern was familiar. England would start slowly and fall behind as the anxiety for fans reached a crescendo, only to score late to draw level and then clutch a win from the brink – at least until Sunday night.
Some celebrations were wild. As a case in point, check out the footage from the Wembley Boxpark, where fans have endured and enjoyed a roller coaster of emotions. But they were alive. And they made the final. Surely that is cause for some pride.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 14: England fans react as England face Spain in the men’s UEFA Euro 2024 final at Boxpark Croydon on July 14, 2024 in London, England. The match was held at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. (Photo by Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
But it was not long after each match before the talk turned to the topic of the month – England have got to SACK Gareth Southgate.
The formation was wrong. Stars were being played out of position. Southgate sucks. This will never work. So said the fans in the pubs. It is the same as it ever was.
But England kept progressing through the tournament and into the final. And on a day were summer seemed to finally arrive in London after a bleak few weeks, hope sprang eternal.
Venues across London were sold out, despite entry prices mirroring the year of the men’s last major tournament success. 66 quid? You must be joking. But the demand was that high and it seemed like everyone in England had a plan in place to watch the final.
Spanish champion Carlos Alcaraz, for example, was in a hurry to complete his engagements at Wimbledon prior to the final beginning and went about dismissing Novak Djokovic, who had ducked over to Germany to support Serbia prior to the tournament, rapidly.
Similarly to his semifinal win over Daniil Medvedev, when he declared Sunday was going to be a “very good day to be Spanish”, the dual-Wimbledon champion again played the pantomime villain when asked about the Euros to a chorus of boos. He was right, of course.
Up in Wimbledon village, the pubs were teeming with English fans bearing Union Jacks in the late evening sunshine.
The Dog and Fox where Nick Kyrgios, who appeared on the BBC wearing an English jumper, was spotted enjoying a few ales the night before a match with Spanish great Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon a few years ago, was jumping 30 minutes before kickoff.
Further down the high street Aussie Max Purcell, who was beaten in an epic Wimbledon doubles final alongside Jordan Thompson on Saturday and arrived for press holding a couple of stubbies, was instead stocking up on empanadas ahead of the final.
And down the hill and into the town of Wimbledon The Alexandra and The Hand And Racquet were also decked out in the red and white.
As the clock ticked towards kickoff, the streets emptied and the supermarkets closed as the trains heading south from Waterloo Station bore the message “Come on England”.
Back in Ealing, there was a sign at The New Inn declaring; “The pub is fully booked from 5pm this evening.” Up the road at The Castle, the same occurred. Talk about a man going thirsty.
But just as gaps opened in the English defence in the dying stages, so did an opening at The New Inn. Oyarzabal proved a party pooper. Bugger.
So, was it time to sack Southgate? Dipak Pankhania, who loved the way David Beckham went about his football, had been convinced it was the right move earlier in the tournament but was not so sure now.
“We are really disappointed in the result, but not massively surprised, because it happens a lot,” he said.
“Does he stay or go? I think he needs to stay now, actually, because he has got us to the finals now twice and no other manager has done that in my lifetime, not really, like Gareth have done. We have got to the playoffs before, but not really the finals. They are improving.”
Hope, after all, springs eternal. Perhaps football will come home when England, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales host the Euros in 2028. At least the games will be played here, anyway.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 14: England fans react as England face Spain in the men’s UEFA Euro 2024 final at Boxpark Croydon on July 14, 2024 in London, England. The match was held at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. (Photo by Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
After spending 15 years trying to escape the quagmire of the National League, Wrexham have earned back-to-back promotions and can now plan for League One, the third tier of the English football pyramid.
A 6-0 thrashing of Forest Green on April 14 sealed promotion for Wrexham as they returned to League One for the first time since 2005.
Granted, there has been nowhere near as much fanfare surrounding the Welsh club’s achievement compared to when they won the National League last season.
Perhaps it is because of the many near-misses that came with trying to get out of the fifth tier, giving a town down on its luck for so long something to cheer for once again.
Regardless of how many bottles of beers and champagne have been sprayed and consumed, Wrexham must now prepare for next season as they inch closer towards the bright lights of the Premier League.
It is a dream Wrexham’s Hollywood owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have never shied away from, even when the club were in the National League.
But they are now just two leagues away from English football’s top tier and the billions of eyeballs that come with it.
League One will present its own unique set of challenges, with every club going to be a harder test than what Wrexham has ever faced and on a weekly basis.
Unfortunately for the club, it could also mean the end of the road for several of the cult heroes football fans have come to know and love from watching the hit series Welcome to Wrexham.
Wrexham are going up to League One. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CULT HERO, SKIPPER TO FACE BRUTAL PROMOTION REALITY
At the end of this season, 11 Wrexham players will be out of contract: Steven Fletcher, Eoghan O’Connell, Mark Howard, Rob Lainton, Ben Tozer, James McClean, Callum McFadzean, Jordan Tunnicliffe, Aaron Hayden, Liam Hall and skipper Luke Young.
Of that group, only Hall, McClean and Fletcher arrived after Wrexham had been promoted to League Two.
Hall, a 19-year-old goalkeeper, has the option for an extra year on his contract and could be kept on.
As for McClean and Fletcher, who have made a combined 867 appearances across the Premier League all the way down to League Two, they have made vital contributions to Wrexham’s season despite their respective ages of 35 and 37.
McClean has three league goals and ten assists to his name while Fletcher has proven to be somewhat of a super sub, scoring eight league goals for Wrexham.
With all of their veteran nous, Wrexham could and likely will keep both on for another season as they navigate the perils of League One.
But what about the rest of that out-of-contract group?
Rob Lainton, the injury-riddled goalkeeper who has featured heavily on the Welcome to Wrexham documentary, has been with the club since November 2018.
But he’s likely to be a casualty of a ruthless player cull given Arsenal loanee Arthur Okonkwo was first choice goalkeeper and Howard the preferred backup.
As for Howard, who is 37, he would likely be offered a new deal with the expectation he would be the back-up for whoever Wrexham decide to pursue as their first-choice goalkeeper next season.
Lainton’s time at Wrexham is likely up. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Either way, at least one of Lainton or Howard is likely to move on, if not both.
That brings us to the defenders amongst the expiring contract crew in Tozer, O’Connell, McFadzean, Tunnicliffe and Hayden.
Of this group, O’Connell is the biggest contributor having started 28 league games for Wrexham and makes the most sense to remain at the club.
As for the other four, it’s grim reading.
Tozer, 34, has made the matchday squad on 42 occasions but has started in just 25 as his age and lack of pace has somewhat caught up to him, although his infamous long throws remain a lethal asset in Wrexham’s arsenal.
It would be no surprise to see McFadzean depart having made just two appearances off the bench in League Two all season long.
Same goes for Tunnicliffe who has made seven league appearances in total.
Hayden, who has endured his own injury issues at Wrexham but also contributes with vital goals, has started in 15 of the 16 games he was in the squad.
At 27, he could be kept on but having failed to nail down a starting spot in League Two, there’s little reason to believe that will change in a higher division.
And what of club captain Young, who joined Wrexham way back in 2018?
A brutal call will likely have to be made on Young who has battled with injuries and has started just 12 league games this season along with 13 appearances off the bench.
Even though he dons the skipper’s armband, Wrexham cannot rely on players like Young who, despite their lengthy tenures at the club, simply haven’t earned consistent starts in League Two.
But this is the ruthless, brutal nature of English football’s lower tiers and for Wrexham, they are going to have to make some uncomfortable decisions for some familiar faces.
Wrexham skipper Luke Young may be cut loose. (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
THE FALLEN GIANTS HOLDING WREXHAM BACK AS KEY STARS FINALLY ON LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
When Wrexham made several marquee signings while in the National League, those players had dropped down from League One and League Two.
Superstar striker Paul Mullin was lured to the club from League Two’s Cambridge United, Ollie Palmer joined from Wimbledon in League One and Elliott Lee moved from Luton Town, who were in the Championship.
Those players were, quite simply, far too good for the fifth tier.
Understandably, a key reason why Wrexham were able to sign these players was largely because of McElhenney and Reynolds’ deep pockets, pockets none of their National League rivals could ever compete with.
Wrexham once again loaded up on players from above when they made it to League Two, signing McClean from Wigan Athletic (League One), George Evans from Millwall (Championship), Will Boyle from Huddersfield (Championship) and Jack Marriott from Fleetwood Town (League One).
When Wrexham were in the National League and League Two, these players were largely head and shoulders above the competition.
But what will happen in League One, when these players won’t have the advantage over some of their lesser rivals?
Mullin, 29, has only played a single season in League One and scored just three league goals for Tranmere Rovers from 20 appearances in the 2019/20 season.
Yet his 24 league goals this season proves Mullin is aging like a fine wine and could enjoy better fortunes in the third tier.
Although Palmer joined from Wimbledon who were in League One, he hadn’t exactly lit up the third tier with just 10 goals in 41 total appearances for the Dons.
However, he brings much more to Wrexham’s style than just goals and as evidenced from the documentary, is a lively presence amongst the squad.
Mullin scored 24 goals over the course of the League Two season. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Lee, a diminutive attacking midfielder who knows how to score, has already proved himself in League One having amassed 113 total appearances with 24 goals and 13 assists to his name across five seasons in the third tier.
Assuming McClean puts pen to paper and stays in Wrexham for another season, he brings plenty of pedigree having played 221 games in the Championship.
The Irishman, 35, has also proved his durability having featured in 37 league games this season.
With the squad now starting to level out in terms of where the level they’ve played in their career, Wrexham may be forced to heavily invest in their squad once more.
But when they have previously been able to offer generous financial packages teams couldn’t compete with, that might not be the case in League One.
Stockport County, who have already secured the championship in League Two, have strong financial backing and will rival Wrexham in the transfer market.
McClean has proved to be a shrewd signing for Wrexham since arriving from Wigan last summer. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Throw in Charlton, Wigan Athletic, Reading, Blackpool and Huddersfield, who have all been in the Premier League at some stage since 2007, and one realises how big the calibre of clubs in the third tier are compared to League Two.
Simply, Wrexham are going to have a serious fight on their hands if they are going to go for back-to-back-to-back promotions.
But one key factor in their favour is the manager, Phil Parkinson.
The Wrexham boss has overseen more games in League One (385) than any other division in his managerial career, meaning he knows exactly what’s required to not only avoid the drop, but succeed.
Parkinson has also twice led teams in League One to promotion, guiding Colchester United to a second-place finish in 2005/06 and Bolton Wanderers in 2016/17.
There’s also no understating the momentum generated by consecutive promotions, either.
Just look at Ipswich Town, who are on the brink of going from League One all the way to the Premier League in the space of two seasons.
With Parkinson’s know-how of navigating League One coupled with a squad that really only knows success, it’s a lethal combination.
But how might they strengthen the squad ahead of its biggest challenge yet?
Parkinson has led teams to promotion from League One on two occasions. (Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WHO MIGHT JOIN THE WREXHAM REVOLUTION NEXT?
Given Wrexham’s ability to attract a strong calibre of players to lower leagues, there’s plenty of anticipation regarding who could be tempted to join the team in League One.
One obvious candidate Wrexham would love to snap up is goalkeeper Okonkwo.
The 22-year-old’s contract with Arsenal expires at the end of the season and Wrexham executive director Humphrey Ker has gone on the record stating he is “desperate” to keep the goalkeeper at the club.
However, Okonkwo’s wages could prove to be a stumbling block given Wrexham reportedly paid less than half of his wages during his loan spell, per The Athletic.
There were also reports Wrexham, along with Bolton and Charlton, were tracking 21-year-old Northern Irish talent Benji Magee.
TEAMTalk claimed Wrexham were tracking the Loughgall forward during a season in which he scored 16 goals in 31 games in the Northern Ireland top flight.
More transfer speculation for Wrexham awaits, especially now that they know which league they will be competing in next season.
But if the whispers regarding Okonkwo and Magee suggest anything, it’s that Wrexham may look to bring in younger talents with resale potential as opposed to proven stars that will only depreciate in value.
An incredibly difficult season awaits for Wrexham, especially with a handful of League One teams claiming Premier League status at least once from the turn of the century.
But with McElhenney and Reynolds at the helm, it doesn’t feel like Wrexham’s Hollywood story is going to end any time soon.
European champions Italy won the right to defend their title at Euro 2024 after a 0-0 draw on Tuesday (AEDT) with Ukraine in Leverkusen secured qualification for next year’s finals in Germany.
The final score belied the true nature of the match, with Italy’s high-octane attack and Ukraine’s counterattacking threat creating several chances for both teams.
Ukraine had a late penalty appeal turned down, despite Italy midfielder Bryan Cristante looking to have made contact with Mykhailo Mudryk’s foot in injury time.
The result means Italy, who failed to qualify for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups either side of their Euro 2020 triumph, avoid another embarrassing tournament miss.
Ukraine, forced to take the fixture to Germany due to the ongoing conflict with Russia, can still qualify, but will need to navigate the play-offs in March 2024.
Italy travelled to Leverkusen knowing they would progress by avoiding defeat, while Ukraine knew only a win would suffice.
Mudryk was lively down the left for Ukraine and crafted a number of half-chances early, with his side denied by poor finishing.
Italy’s dominance of possession started to tell after half an hour, Federico Chiesa sliding a smooth pass across the face of goal which eluded a desperate Davide Frattesi.
Italy continued to attack early in the second half but as the game wore on the increasingly nervous Italians sat back, allowing Ukraine more space up front.
Mudryk was always a threat and appeared to have been brought down in the box after contact from Cristante, but the referee waved his team’s desperate pleas for a spot-kick away.
Mudryk thought he earned Ukraine a late penalty. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
England narrowly avoided an embarrassing defeat against North Macedonia as they wrapped up a place among the top seeds at Euro 2024 with a 1-1 draw in Skopje.
Gareth Southgate’s side trailed to Enis Bardhi’s first-half strike before Jani Atanasov’s own goal gifted the visitors their second-half equaliser at the Tose Proeski Arena.
Having finished as Group C winners with six victories and two draws, England will be in the first pot of Euro 2024 seeds alongside Germany, Portugal, France, Spain and Belgium.
That should increase their chances of landing a favourable group when the draw for next year’s tournament in Germany is made on December 2.
The initial signs were promising for England as Declan Rice smashed a fierce drive against the post from 20 yards.
The ineffective Ollie Watkins, deputising for rested England striker Harry Kane, headed wide when he should have hit the target.
For all their territorial dominance, England were fortunate not to concede a penalty when Harry Maguire stumbled and clearly shoved Elif Elmas.
Referee Filip Glova waved play on and VAR upheld his decision to North Macedonia’s intense frustration.
If that was a debatable call, North Macedonia’s luck quickly turned as they benefitted from an equally dubious decision in the 41st minute.
North Macedonia went ahead after a contentious penalty was awarded. (Photo by Robert ATANASOVSKI / AFP)Source: AFP
When Rico Lewis jumped to head the ball away from Bojan Miovski, the England left-back’s outstretched arm caught the striker in the head, sending him sprawling in the area.
It looked like accidental contact by Lewis and a theatrical fall from Miovski, yet Glova awarded a penalty after checking the pitchside monitor.
Jordan Pickford dived to his left to save Bardhi’s spot-kick, but the Macedonian alertly pounced on the rebound to fire home from close range.
As Southgate’s frustration mounted, England thought they had equalised two minutes after halftime.
Jack Grealish bundled in Bukayo Saka’s cross, but the goal was correctly disallowed by VAR for offside against the Manchester City winger.
Against opponents throwing themselves into tackles with abandon, England had to dig deep before finally getting back on level terms in the 59th minute.
Kane had just come off the bench seconds earlier when he challenged for Phil Foden’s corner, forcing Atanasov to divert the ball into his own net.
England booked their place at Euro 2024 as Harry Kane’s double inspired an impressive fightback to beat holders Italy 3-1 at Wembley on Wednesday (AEDT).
Needing a point to be certain of qualifying for next year’s tournament in Germany, Gareth Southgate’s side fell behind to Gianluca Scamacca’s early goal.
But, fuelled by a superb display from Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham, England hit back to equalise before the break through Kane’s penalty.
Bellingham had won the spot-kick with a typically thrusting run and the 20-year-old prodigy was also the catalyst for Marcus Rashford’s decisive strike after the interval.
Underlining his own importance to the England cause, Kane struck again in the closing stages to give the skipper his 61st goal for the Three Lions.
With two group games still to play, unbeaten England, winners of five of their six qualifiers, are guaranteed to finish top of Group C.
“This was the toughest qualifying group with the seedings. We’ve performed really well,” Southgate said.
“The players are incredible to work with, so hungry, so eager to learn, so together.
“You saw that in the performance. It was relentless. What was really pleasing was that when we went behind we stayed calm.”
Following their failure to qualify for last year’s World Cup, Italy face a tense battle to secure the second automatic qualification place in the group.
Luciano Spalletti’s third-placed team are three points behind Ukraine.
Assured of a play-off place, Italy host North Macedonia before travelling to Ukraine in their remaining matches.
“It’s disappointing. We were a bit casual at times. Occasionally our attitude was found wanting,” Spalletti said.
Jude Bellingham played a starring role as England beat Italy. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“This is what European football is about at this level. It asks you serious questions.”
England have suffered just one defeat in their last 63 Euro and World Cup qualifiers, but reaching major tournaments hasn’t been the issue in the Southgate era.
It is his ability to end England’s wait for a first international men’s trophy since the 1966 World Cup that will define Southgate’s reign.
Beaten on penalties by Italy in the European Championship final at Wembley two years ago, England have gained a measure of revenge by defeating the Italians twice in the group.
Southgate believes his team are a more complete side than the one that lost the Euro final.
And with stars like Kane and Bellingham at his disposal, there can be no excuses if they fail to bring home the silverware from Germany.
England showed they have the character for the big occasion by recovering from the collective collapse that allowed Italy to seize the lead in the 15th minute.
Declan Rice missed a key tackle and Giovanni Di Lorenzo raced into the England area ahead of the out of position Kieran Trippier.
Di Lorenzo whipped over a low cross that eluded Harry Maguire at the near post, rolling perfectly for Scamacca to fire into roof of the net from close range for his first international goal in his 13th appearance.
Marcus Rashford got on the scoresheet for England. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)Source: AFP
In such sublime form for Real this season, it was no surprise that Bellingham played a major role in hauling England level in the 32nd minute.
Catching Italy with their guard down, Bellingham accelerated through on goal before Di Lorenzo’s tackle sent the midfielder sprawling.
Di Lorenzo claimed he got a foot on the ball but, after a lengthy VAR check, the penalty was awarded and Kane stepped up to send Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way for his 60th England goal.
England struck again in the 57th minute as Bellingham tracked back to win possession with a sliding tackle before surging forward from the halfway line.
Rather than go it alone, Bellingham unselfishly guided a pass out to Rashford, who punished woeful Italy defending as he advanced unchecked into the area before planting a clinical strike past the exposed Donnarumma.
Kane killed off Italy in the 77th minute as the Bayern Munich striker nicked the ball off the toe of Giorgio Scalvini before delivering a cool finish that had England packing their bags for Germany.
“You know what hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have ‘world champion’ on their head,” Lyles said after winning three gold medals at the 2023 World Championships.
And Stephen A. took their side on Monday’s First Take.
Lyles became the fifth man to take the 100m-200m double at the world champs. Photo by David Ramos/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
First, the sportscaster congratulated Lyles for his victory in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash as well as the 4×100-meter relay in Budapest, Hungary, where the tournament took place.
“I’m sure he’s a good brother and a whole bit,” the ESPN star continued.
“He just came across as flagrantly ignorant – and that needs to be said.”
To justify his point of view, Smith pointed out that a vast majority of NBA superstars – such as Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo – currently come from outside of the US.
He then brought up a press release from October 2022 that said the NBA featured 120 players from 40 countries and six continents between the 30 teams at the time.
Stephen A. Smith has unloaded on Noah Lyles. Photo: ESPNSource: Supplied
Stephen A. added the number has increased since then, making up nearly a third of the league.
“So how is that not global?” the First Take star asked.
“How is that not the world champion?”
Smith added: “One could easily argue that NBA players compete more against international competition than he (Lyles) does.”
Lyles claimed the gold in the 100m ahead of Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and Zharnell Hughes of Great Britain and Northern Ireland while fellow American Christian Coleman came in fifth.
In the 200-meter rush, two USA sprinters joined him in the final top five with Erriyon Knighton scooping the silver and Kenneth Bednarek finishing fifth.
This story first appeared in The US Sun and was republished with permission.
Harry Kane became England’s all-time leading goalscorer as the Three Lions enjoyed a perfect start to Euro 2024 qualifying by winning 2-1 away to Italy on Thursday, as Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in his record 197th cap in Portugal’s 4-0 win over Liechtenstein.
Kane netted his 54th goal for England in his 81st international appearance from the penalty spot in Naples after Declan Rice had fired the visitors into an early lead.
The England captain moves clear of the record mark he had shared with Wayne Rooney.
Gareth Southgate’s men gained some measure of revenge for their defeat by the Azzurri in the Euro 2020 final.
In their first match since bowing out in agonising fashion to France in the World Cup quarter-finals, England were dominant in the first 45 minutes.
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England’s forward Harry Kane acknowledges the public at the end of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C qualification match between Italy and England, on March 23, 2023 at the Diego-Maradona stadium in Naples. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)Source: AFP
Rice rifled home his third international goal on 13 minutes after Italy failed to clear a corner.
Another set-piece led to Kane’s record-breaking moment as Giovanni Di Lorenzo handled inside the area.
The Tottenham striker banished the memories of his missed penalty late on against France in Doha by sending Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way.
But Italy rallied after the break when Argentine-born striker Mateo Retegui fired home on his international debut.
England were forced to see out the final 10 minutes a man down after two quickfire yellow cards for Luke Shaw, but they held out for their first win away to Italy since 1961.
In the other game in Group C, North Macedonia beat Malta 2-1.
RONALDO MARKS HISTORIC NIGHT
Ronaldo marked Roberto Martinez’s bow as Portugal boss with another historic night in Lisbon.
The 38-year-old, who was dropped from the Portuguese starting XI during the World Cup, set a new record for men’s international appearances by passing the previous mark of 196 caps held by Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa.
Joao Cancelo fired home the opening goal after just eight minutes but it was not until Bernardo Silva doubled Portugal’s lead early in the second half that the floodgates opened.
Ronaldo made it 3-0 from the penalty spot before blasting home a free-kick from the edge of the area for his 120th international goal.
Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo.Source: AFP
In the same group, Rade Krunic scored twice as Bosnia and Herzegovina swept aside Iceland 3-0.
But Slovakia, who have qualified for the last two Euros, were held 0-0 at home by Luxembourg.
Euro 2020 semi-finalists Denmark bounced back from their disappointing early exit at the World Cup to beat Finland 3-1 in Copenhagen.
Atalanta forward Rasmus Hojlund scored a hat-trick for the Danes on his first start for his country.
Elsewhere in Group H, Dion Charles scored twice as Northern Ireland won 2-0 in San Marino, while Slovenia came from behind to win 2-1 away to Kazakhstan.
Cristiano Ronaldo broke the men’s international appearance record by starting Portugal’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Liechtenstein on Friday [AEDT].
The 38-year-old, who was dropped from the Portuguese starting XI during the World Cup in Qatar last year, won a 197th cap for his country.
“Records are my motivation,” Ronaldo told reporters.
“I want to become the most capped player in history. That would make me proud. But it doesn’t stop there, I still want to be called up very often.”
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Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates after Joao Cancelo (not pictured) scores. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Ronaldo made his international debut in 2003 and became the first man to score in five World Cups last year before Portugal lost to Morocco in the quarter-finals.
He is currently playing for Saudi club Al Nassr after an acrimonious end to his second spell at Manchester United.
Ronaldo’s appearance off the bench in the defeat by Morocco equalled the previous mark of 196 caps held by Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa.
He left the pitch in tears following Portugal’s shock 1-0 loss against the North Africans.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner will also be hoping to increase his record tally of 118 international goals as Portugal begin their qualification campaign for next year’s European Championship in Germany.
Since leaving Europe, Ronaldo has scored nine goals in 10 matches for Al Nassr. He was replaced as the starting striker by Goncalo Ramos during the World Cup, with the Benfica youngster scoring a hat-trick in a last-16 win over Switzerland.
Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo made history. (Photo by CARLOS COSTA / AFP)Source: AFP
But veteran coach Fernando Santos stepped down following the tournament and new boss Roberto Martinez has immediately put his faith in Ronaldo, who also captains the side.
There were questions over whether his 20-year international career had ended in Qatar as Ronaldo will be 39 by the time Euro 2024 kicks off.
But Martinez, who left his role as Belgium coach after the World Cup, has strongly defended his decision to keep Ronaldo in the fold.
“I do not look at the age,” said Martinez when he announced his first squad last week.
The Spaniard added his squad announcement was the “starting point” for Euro 2024, suggesting Ronaldo is likely to be involved if Portugal qualify for the tournament.
Ronaldo adds the international appearance landmark to an impressive list of individual records.
He is the leading goalscorer in European Championship finals with 14 goals and has netted a record 140 times in the Champions League.
Ronaldo has also finished as the top-scorer in three of Europe’s top five leagues — in England, Spain and Italy.
Portugal will visit Luxembourg in their second Group J qualifier. They have also been drawn alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland and Slovakia.
