An entire round of men’s and women’s A-League matches will be played in Sydney on the same January weekend as part of a revamped contract with the NSW government, that will no longer have grand final hosting rights.
“Unite Round” – set to generate more than $10 million for the NSW economy – twill take place at Allianz Stadium, CommBank Stadium and Leichardt Oval from January 12 to 14.
The concept is locked in for the next two seasons in what has been described as an “updated partnership” between the Australian Professional Leagues and the NSW government.
It replaces the an initial three-year contract that had Sydney hosting the men’s and women’s A-League grand finals regardless of which teams were playing.
After just one year of the grand final contract, which led to fans staging walkout protests, the deciders for the each competition will now be hosted by the club that earns the right to stage the match courtesy of ladder positions.
“We have worked closely with our clubs and fans to ensure that there are suitable constructive
mechanisms for the voices of fans to be heard,” APL chief executive officer Danny Townsend said.
“Many of the resulting conversations have included the hosting of the grand finals, and the strong sentiments around that.
“The Unite Round is a brand new experience which brings together all A-League clubs, fans and grassroots players together for the very first time in Sydney in an unprecedented
celebration of football.”
A-League men’s and women’s players will take part in ‘Unite Round’ in January. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Of the 12 Unite Round matches, four games – two men’s and two women’s – will be played on each of the three days.
APL chairman Stephen Conroy said: “We saw record crowds in the men’s and women’s finals series last season, and we again saw the appetite for professional football in NSW during the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“Having all of our teams play in one place, over one weekend, is a fantastic way to serve up the best of the A-League for our fans.
“We are one of the only leagues in the world where almost every club has both men’s and
women’s teams, so we are uniquely positioned to create an event like this.”
Unite Round is also an additional round for the men’s competition, with each club to now play 27 regular season matches before the finals series, which starts on May 3 and ends with the grand final on the weekend of May 25-26.
Unite Round men’s fixtures:
Friday, January 12: Macarthur FC v Western United, CommBank Stadium; Melbourne City v Western Sydney Wanderers, CommBank Stadium.
Saturday, January 13: Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory, Allianz Stadium; Adelaide United v Sydney FC Allianz Stadium.
Sunday, January 14: Brisbane Roar v Newcastle Jets, Allianz Stadium; Perth Glory v Wellington Phoenix, CommBank Stadium.
Unite Round women’s fixtures:
Friday, January 12: Melbourne Victory v Perth Glory, Leichhardt Oval; Wellington Phoenix v Central Coast Mariners, Leichhardt Oval.
Saturday, January 13: Canberra United v Adelaide United, Leichhardt Oval; Brisbane Roar v Newcastle Jets, Leichhardt Oval.
Sunday, January 14: Western Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne City, CommBank Stadium; Western United v Sydney FC, Allianz Stadium.
It was a win that left the English media stunned at how Australia, who had only qualified for one World Cup by that point, managed to overcome a Three Lions team brimming with superstars.
Yet that’s exactly what transpired in 2003, as goals from Tony Popovic, Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton sealed a famous victory.
The historic rivals played just once since that match as England exacted revenge in 2016 with a 2-1 win at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.
However the Socceroos, now coached by Graham Arnold — an assistant to Frank Farina for that 3-1 win — have the chance to get another one over the old enemy when the nations collide on Saturday at Wembley.
But before we get to that match, why not take a stroll down memory lane and see what the 18 Aussies in the squad and coach are up to these days.
Australia’s greatest goalkeeper is a vocal presence in the football media landscape.
Schwarzer, who resides in Europe, is a pundit for Optus Sport.
Lucas Neill
What Neill gets up to in his post-playing days remains one of the biggest mysteries in Australian football.
The former Socceroos skipper quietly retired in 2014 but popped back into the public consciousness when he declared bankruptcy in 2016.
However, Neill broke his silence in 2020 when he was filmed alongside Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson in London.
The former Blackburn Rovers defender, who lives in England, assisted with “on-ground logistics and operations” given Gustavsson was announced during the Covid pandemic.
No-one had heard or seen Neill since until he made yet another surprise appearance, this time alongside Australian Test captain Pat Cummins after day five at Old Trafford during this year’s Ashes series.
Where and when Neill will next pop up is anyone’s guess.
Lucas Neill made a rogue appearance alongside Pat Cummins during this year’s Ashes. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied
Craig Moore
Moore still remains involved in football, but not in a coaching or administrative capacity.
Instead, the 47-year-old is a football agent and works as a Senior Football Consultant for a company called 451 Football Consultancy.
Tony Popovic
Popovic moved straight into coaching after his retirement in 2008, joining Sydney FC’s ranks as an assistant coach.
After moving to Crystal Palace as a first team coach in 2011, Popovic returned home to Australia where he became the Western Sydney Wanderers’ inaugural head coach in 2012.
Popovic has held a number of jobs since then and is now the manager at Melbourne Victory.
Stan Lazaridis
Since retiring in 2008, Lazaridis has remained in his home state of Western Australia and resides in Perth.
He does various media contributions and is involved in the property game.
Lazaridis was also linked with a mooted takeover of Perth Glory in August, per the Sydney Morning Herald, where he would take a seat on the board if the acquisition went through.
Brett Emerton
Emerton hasn’t quite left the playing field yet, as the former Blackburn Rovers star has returned to one of his youth clubs, the Macarthur Rams.
Okon moved back to Australia in 2006 to finish his playing days with the Newcastle Jets before moving into coaching in 2008.
He eventually earned a crack in the A-League as the manager at Central Coast Mariners but was unceremoniously sacked in 2018 and prompted him to move back to Brugge in Belgium, the city where he enjoyed plenty of success as a player for Club Brugge.
Okon has since moved out of the coaching world and opened up an Italian restaurant in Brugge called Cuore di Puglia in 2021, and he still lives in the city today.
Okon runs an Italian restaurant in Brugge called Cuore di Puglia. Picture: Benny Proot via HLNSource: Supplied
Josip Skoko
As of March this year, Skoko is back at his first club North Geelong Warriors where he has a key role in their football operations, per Optus Sport.
Scott Chipperfield
Chipperfield turned his hand to coaching in his post-playing days and recently coached the women’s NPL NSW team Illawarra Stingrays.
However, the versatile ex-Socceroo was found guilty of assaulting his partner in June this year after a domestic violence incident, per the Illawarra Mercury.
Mark Viduka
One of the greatest strikers to ever pull on a Socceroos shirt, if not the greatest, Viduka retired from all forms of football aged 33.
He has since moved to Zagreb in Croatia, where he runs a coffee shop called Non Plus Ultra, which translates to No Higher Point.
According to the Daily Mail, Viduka even plays guitar in his son’s band where they practice in the Aussie legend’s basement.
Harry Kewell
Kewell retired in 2014 after a brief spell with Melbourne Heart (now Melbourne City) and moved almost immediately into coaching, joining Watford as their under-23 coach in 2015.
He then moved into senior management when he was appointed as Crawley Town’s coach in 2017 and bounced around a number of teams in the lower tiers of the English Football League (EFL) for a number of years.
Kewell was then brought to Scottish giants Celtic by former manager Ange Postecoglou in 2022 and although the former Socceroos boss has since moved to Tottenham, he remains a member of Celtic’s coaching staff under Brendan Rodgers.
Kewell is an assistant manager at Celtic under Brendan Rodgers. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Mile Sterjovski
After hanging up his boots in 2014, Sterjovski picked up the clipboard and moved into coaching.
He helped out as an adviser and mentor to the Socceroos from 2017 to 2019 but got his first major coaching gig in 2020 as an assistant coach to Ante Milicic at A-League Men’s team Macarthur FC.
After Dwight Yorke left his post in 2022, Sterjovski was promoted to head coach and has been in the role since.
Tony Vidmar
Vidmar remains heavily involved in Australian football.
The former Rangers defender is the Olyroos coach and is also an assistant to Socceroos boss Graham Arnold.
Vince Grella
Grella ventured into the world of player agency after retiring in 2013 and became increasingly influential in that sphere.
However, he was appointed as the vice president and CEO of Serie C side Catania, a club owned by Australian-Italian property developer Ross Pelligra, in July 2022 and remains in the role today.
Kevin Muscat
Muscat enjoyed a playing career spanning several decades and has gone on to achieve great success as a manager.
The tough-tackling defender is the coach of J1 League side Yokohama F. Marinos and even led the team to a league title in 2022.
He’s also been heavily linked with the vacancy at Scottish giants Rangers after Michael Beale’s recent sacking.
Kevin Muscat has enjoyed plenty of success in his managerial career. (Photo by Kenta Harada/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Mark Bresciano
Bresciano has had quite the career since he retired in 2015.
The Socceroos stalwart entered the property investment game and revealed he was working in the medicinal cannabis field in 2018.
It remains unclear if Bresciano is still working in that industry, but he remains involved in the property game and is a business partner of Ross Pelligra, the owner of Italian side Catania.
Bresciano also sits on Football Australia’s Board of Directors.
John Aloisi
Add Aloisi to the long list of players from this Socceroos team who moved into management.
Although his first coaching spell at Melbourne Heart wasn’t exactly a success, Aloisi impressed in his next role at Brisbane Roar and led the team to consecutive top four finishes before resigning in December 2018.
Aloisi then joined Western United as their head coach in July 2021 and won the title in his first year at the helm, where he remains today.
Zeljko Kalac
Kalac retired as a player in 2013 and has bounced around several A-League clubs over the years as a goalkeeping coach.
The 50-year-old, affectionately known as ‘Spider’, is now the head coach of Macarthur’s Bulls FC Academy in NPL NSW.
Frank Farina
Farina departed his Socceroos post in 2005 and was replaced by Guus Hiddink, who led the team to a Round of 16 berth at the 2006 World Cup.
The Darwin native then took over at the Brisbane Roar in November 2006 and lasted almost three years in the job before he was sacked as a result of a drink-driving charge.
Spells as manager at Papau New Guinea and Sydney FC followed, before he was appointed as the technical director of the Fiji Football Association and coach of Fiji’s under-20 team in 2015 and was sacked a year later.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Farina now works as a Business Development Manager for Statewide Sports in Brisbane, who describe themselves as a company “distributing quality sport brands to retail stores, sports clubs and the general public.”
He moved into the role in April 2021 and remains in it today.
A-League outfit Perth Glory is in disarray after it was on Saturday placed into voluntary receivership.
The club is desperately searching for a new owner after long-time owner Tony Sage relinquished the club’s licence after a turbulent period for the club.
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) – which runs the A-League – announced on Saturday that it had appointed advisory firm KordaMentha to “manage” the receivership process for the Glory, and that Sage would “cease in his ownership of the club immediately”.
The governing body claims the license is expected to be handed over within the next 10 weeks.
The 2023-24 A-League season begins October 13 — giving the club less than three months to get its house in order
The Age reports several parties have shown interest in considering an application to take over the license.
WA Today reported Saturday the club was forced to use loans from the APL in order to pay the wages of players and staff over the past five months — totalling around $5 million in debt.
The writing has been on the wall for some time with Sage’s intent to step aside widely known and the club was further rocked last month when head coach Ruben Zadkovich left after just one season.
Financial agency KordaMentha has been given the job of finding the club’s next owner while ensuring the club’s “obligations” are met.
The football club has three months. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.Source: Getty Images
APL chief executive officer Danny Townsend said the Glory had “faced incredibly difficult circumstances over the last five years”.
“We are pleased to close off this period of uncertainty for players, staff, members and fans as they continue their preparations for next season,” Townsend said.
“Here we have a process which allows for the club’s operations to continue … while the technical adjustments are made to the club’s ownership structure.
“Under this league structure, the continuity of our clubs is now guaranteed by the league.”
Sage, who has owned the Glory for 17 years, said in a club statement: “It is with profound sadness that I can confirm my decision to step down as owner of this wonderful football club which is so close to my heart and will always remain so.
“I have often referred to Perth Glory as my fourth child and that provides an insight into just how profoundly difficult it is for me to step away.
“My family has invested millions into the club to put competitive men’s, women’s and youth teams on the pitch to represent this great club and our state and provide a genuine football pathway for all aspiring WA footballers.
Tony Sage has handed back Perth Glory’s licence to the Australian Professional Leagues. Picture: Philip GostelowSource: News Corp Australia
“However, I have always maintained that everything I do is in the best interests of the club and that commitment underpins this decision.”
Glory chief executive officer Anthony Radich thanked Sage for his “enormous contribution” to the club.
“As we now transition into a new era, I would like to reassure our members, fans, corporate sponsors and all other stakeholders that this news is very much a positive development,” Radich said.
Tony Sage’s final letter to Glory fans
To the Glory Family,
As owner of the club for the past 17 years, I can say in all honesty that it has taken a huge emotional, financial and time commitment on my family’s part to sustain it and ensure that Perth and Western Australia continues to be represented at the elite level of Australian football.
In total, my family has invested millions into the club to put competitive Men’s, Women’s and Youth teams on the pitch to represent this great club and our state and provide a genuine football pathway for all aspiring WA footballers.
This investment was increased greatly and unsustainably by the impact of COVID-19 which decimated the club’s income streams and then further compounded by our forced relocation from HBF Park last season for 10 of 13 home games while upgrades were made to enable the stadium to host upcoming matches in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
We are still in talks about compensation with the WA Government and trust they see the financial damage the relocation caused the club, especially after the two COVID-ravaged seasons.
It was the best of times. AAP Image/Tony McDonough.Source: AAP
The culmination of these events and the damage they caused has made it all but impossible for us to continue financing the club and led directly to the position we find ourselves in today.
It is with profound sadness that I can confirm my decision to step down as owner of this wonderful football club which is so close to my heart and will always remain so.
I have often referred to Perth Glory as my fourth child and that provides an insight into just how profoundly difficult it is for me to step away.
However, I have always maintained that everything I do is in the best interests of the club and that commitment underpins this decision.
Australian Professional Leagues (APL) will take temporary control of the club in order to safeguard its future in the short-term while a buyer is found who can provide the level of financial support required to take Perth Glory FC forward and provide its Members, fans and sponsors with the success they demand and deserve.
My time as owner of the club may have come to an end, but I will always be incredibly proud of my family’s role in its history.
As an extremely proud West Australian, it has been an incredible privilege to have been a custodian of this iconic brand.
My only regret is not achieving the ultimate goal of a Grand Final win.
In our time we featured in seven memorable Grand Finals (two A-League Men’s, three A-League Women’s and two FFA Cup) and reached the Asian Champions League qualifiers.
I leave the club with an Academy rich in talent, with over 15 of our young players currently representing Australia at various age levels.
This bodes well for the future of our great club and our leagues that are entering a new period of exciting prosperity.
I would like to thank everyone who has supported my family and I during this unforgettable journey.
Our genuine love for Perth Glory has never been stronger and we will always remain passionate supporters of the club.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has signed a contract through the 2025 season with Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer team announced on Saturday.
The 36-year-old striker, who sparked Argentina to a World Cup title last year in Qatar, is set to be unveiled by the team in a Sunday ceremony and expected to join Inter Miami on the pitch by Friday.
“I’m very excited to start this next step in my career with Inter Miami and in the United States,” Messi said in a statement.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s arrival in Miami from Paris Saint-Germain has already caused a sensation and is expected to spark greater interest in the game and MLS across the United States.
It’s also hoped the long-time Barcelona talisman can revive the fortunes of a Miami squad at the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference at 5-13 with three drawn.
“This is a fantastic opportunity and together we will continue to build this beautiful project,” Messi said. “The idea is to work together to achieve the objectives we set and I’m very eager to start helping here in my new home.”
Messi’s debut match is planned for Friday (21st) when Inter Miami will host Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup, a revamped competition between MLS and Mexican league squads.
It’s the biggest boost for MLS since English star David Beckham, now a co-owner of Inter Miami, joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007. He launched the MLS Miami squad in 2020 after years of trying to find a stadium site.
“Ten years ago, when I started my journey to build a new team in Miami, I said that I dreamt of bringing the greatest players in the world to this amazing city, players who shared the ambition I had when I joined LA Galaxy to help grow football in the USA and to build a legacy for the next generation in this sport that we love so much,” Beckham said in a statement.
“Today that dream came true.
“I couldn’t be prouder that a player of Leo’s caliber is joining our club … The next phase of our adventure starts here and I can’t wait to see Leo take to the pitch.”
Inter Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino has managed Messi in two separate prior stints — with FC Barcelona in the 2013-14 campaign, winning the 2013 Spanish SuperCup, and from 2014-2016 with the Argentine national team.
Maestro Messi captained the Albiceleste to victory at the 2021 Copa America as well as the Qatar World Cup and has records of 103 goals and 175 appearances for Argentina.
“We’re overjoyed that the greatest player in the world chose Inter Miami and Major League Soccer,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said.
“His decision is a testament to the momentum and energy behind our league and our sport in North America.”
Messi is set for a glitzy arrival ceremony on Sunday at “The Unveil” with 18,000 expected to watch his first public event with his new club, followed by his first training session on Tuesday.
West Ham outclass Glory in goalfest! | 00:45
“We made a promise to build an ambitious club that would attract the world’s elite players,” Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said.
“A heartfelt thank you to our fans that never stopped believing. Together we will continue to turn dreams into reality.” With iconic Messi expected to be joined by Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets, the hope is Inter Miami can rise from a doormat to a champion.
“Lionel Messi is an incomparable talent,” said Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson. “What he brings on and off the field will elevate everyone around him.”
His legend has few rivals.
Messi is a two-time World Cup Golden Ball winner, a three-time UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award winner who also has six La Liga Best Player titles.
Messi is a four-time UEFA Champions League winner, an Olympic gold medal winner, has played on 10 La Liga champions, two Ligue 1 champions and taken seven Copa del Rey titles.
He played for Barcelona from 2004-2021 before joining Paris Saint-Germain for two seasons, making 75 appearances across all competitions, tallying 32 goals and 35 assists.
Midfielders: Quinn (OL Reign), Simi Awujo (University of Southern California), Jessie Fleming (Chelsea), Julia Grosso (Juventus), Sophie Schmidt (Houston Dash)
Forwards: Jordyn Huitema (OL Reign), Cloe Lacasse (Benfica), Adriana Leon (Portland Thorns), Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns), Nichelle Prince (Houston Dash), Deanne Rose (Reading), Evelyne Viens (Kristianstad), Olivia Smith (Penn State Nittany Lions)
Forwards: Mariona Caldentey (Barcelona), Athenea del Castillo (Real Madrid), Esther Gonzalez (Real Madrid), Eva Navarro (Atletico Madrid), Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona), Alba Redondo (Levante)
Costa Rica
Goalkeepers: Priscila Tapia (Saprissa FF), Daniela Solera (Sporting FC), Genesis Perez (University of Central Florida)
Defenders: Mariana Benavides (Saprissa FF), Maria Paula Elizondo (Saprissa FF), Valeria del Campo (Monterrey), Fabiola Villalobos (Alajuelense), Maria Paula Coto (Alajuelense), Gabriela Guillen (Alajuelense), Carol Sanchez (Sporting)
Forwards: Wang Shuang (Racing Louisville), Wang Shanshan (Wuhan Jiangham University), Tang Jiali (Shanghai Shengli), Xiao Yuyi (Shanghai Shengli)
Kerr reveals the ‘key’ for WC success | 01:10
Group E
United States
Goalkeepers: Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
Defenders: Alana Cook (OL Reign), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns), Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign), Kelley O’Hara (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (OL Reign)
Forwards: Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham)
Vietnam
Goalkeepers: Tran Thị Kim Thanh (Ho Chi Minh), Khong Thị Hang (Than KSVN), Dao Thị Kieu Oanh (Hanoi).
Defenders: Chuong Thị Kieu (Ho Chi Minh), Tran Thị Thu Thao (Ho Chi Minh), Tran Thị Thu (Ho Chi Minh), Hoang Thị Loan (Hanoi), Tran Thị Hai Linh (Hanoi), Le Thi Diem My (Than KSVN), Luong Thị Thu Thuong (Than KSVN), Nguyen Thị My Anh (Thai Nguyen), Tran Thị Thuy Nga (Thai Nguyen).
Midfielders: Nguyen Thị Tuyet Dung (Ha Nam), Nguyen Thị Bcch Thuy (Ho Chi Minh), Tran Thị Thuy Trang (Ho Chi Minh), Ngan Thị Vạn Su (Hanoi), Nguyen Thị Thanh Nha (Hanoi), Thai Thị Thao (Hanoi), Duong Thị Van (Than KSVN)
Forwards: Phạm Hai Yen (Hanoi), Vu Thi Hoa (Ho Chi Minh), Nguyen Thị Thuy Hang (Than KSVN), Huynh Nhu (Lank Vilaverdense)
Netherlands
Goalkeepers: Daphne van Domselaar (Twente), Lize Kop (Ajax), Jacintha Weimar (Feyenoord)
Defenders: Stefanie van der Gragt (Inter Milan), Merel van Dongen (Atletico Madrid), Aniek Nouwen (Chelsea), Lynn Wilms (VfL Wolfsburg), Kerstin Casparij (Manchester City), Caitlin Dijkstra (Twente), Dominque Janssen (VfL Wolfsburg)
Midfielders: Sherida Spitse (Ajax), Danielle van de Donk (Lyon), Jackie Groenen (PSG), Jill Roord (Wolfsburg), Victoria Pelova (Arsenal), Damaris Egurrola (Lyon), Jill Baijings (Bayer Leverkusen), Wieke Kaptein (Twente)
Midfielders: Peyton McNamara (Ohio State), Drew Spence (Tottenham), Trudi Carter (Levante), Solai Washington (Concorde Fire), Giselle Washington (University of Tennessee), Rachel Jones (Southern Soccer Academy), Atlanta Primus (London City Lionesses).
Forwards: Khadija Shaw (Manchester City), Jody Brown (Florida State), Tiffany Cameron (ETO FC Gyor), Kameron Simmonds (University of Tennessee), Kiki van Zanten (Notre Dame), Mikayla Dayes (Maryland), Paige Bailey-Gayle (Crystal Palace)
Brazil
Goalkeepers: Leticia Izidoro (Corinthians), Camila (Santos), Barbara (Flamengo)
Defenders: Hanane Ait El Haj (ASFAR), Nouhaila Benzina (ASFAR), Nesryne El Chad (Lille), Rkia Mazrouai (Charleroi), Yasmin Mrabet (Levante), Zineb Redouani (ASFAR), Sabah Seghir (Sampdoria)
Defenders: Shim Seo-yeon (Suwon), Lee Young-ju (Madrid CFF), Lim Seon-joo (Incheon Hyundai), Kim Hye-ri (Incheon Hyundai), Jang Sel-ji (Incheon Hyundai), Choo Hyo-joo (Suwon), Hong Hye-ji (Incheon Hyundai)
Midfielders: Kim Yun-ji (Suwon), Jeon Eun-ha (Suwon), Bae Ye-bin (Uiduk University), Cho So-hyun (Tottenham Hotspur), Lee Geum-min (Brighton), Ji So-yun (Suwon), Chun Ga-ram (Hwacheon)
Forwards: Kang Chae-rim (Incheon Hyundai), Son Hwa-yeon (Incheon Hyundai), Moon Mi-ra (Suwon), Park Eun-sun (Seoul), Choe Yu-ri (Incheon Hyundai), Casey Phair (unattached)
Tottenham sacked interim manager Cristian Stellini on Monday after chairman Daniel Levy branded Sunday’s 6-1 defeat at Newcastle “wholly unacceptable”.
Stellini, who was only put in charge 29 days earlier after his former boss Antonio Conte left the club, will be replaced by Ryan Mason with immediate effect.
Conte’s long-term assistant won only one of his four games in charge, dealing what appears a fatal blow to Spurs’ chances of Champions League football next season.
Watch the world’s best footballers every week with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. LIVE coverage from Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Carabao Cup, EFL & SPFL. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Tottenham still sit fifth in the Premier League but are six points adrift of the top four and have played at least one game more than the sides directly above them.
A difficult season hit a new low at St James’ Park as Spurs were 5-0 down after just 21 minutes.
“Sunday’s performance against Newcastle was wholly unacceptable,” said Levy in a club statement.
Newcastle stun Spurs with 6 goal blitz | 01:30
“Cristian will leave his current role along with his coaching staff. Cristian stepped in at a difficult point in our season and I want to thank him for the professional manner in which he and his coaching staff have conducted themselves during such a challenging time.”
However, the decision to replace Conte with a member of his backroom staff in the first place has opened Levy up to more criticism from fans.
“We can look at many reasons why it happened and whilst myself, the board, the coaches and players must all take collective responsibility, ultimately the responsibility is mine,” Levy added.
“I met with the player committee today – the squad is determined to pull together to ensure the strongest possible finish to the season. We are all clear we need to deliver performances which earn your amazing support.” Mason, who also took charge towards the end of the 2020/21 season, will be in the dugout for Thursday’s clash at home to Manchester United.
After finishing fourth under Conte last season, hopes were high that Tottenham could go even better this campaign as the former Chelsea boss was armed with over £100 million ($124 million) of new signings.
But after just one defeat in their opening 10 league games, Spurs have lost 10 of their last 22.
An astonishing rant by Conte, pointing the finger at his players’ inability to perform under pressure, ended the Italian’s time in charge.
United edge Brighton to head to final | 00:58
But things did not improve under Stellini as Spurs blew a goal and a man advantage at relegation-threatened Everton to draw 1-1 and lost 3-2 at home to Bournemouth before their collapse at Newcastle.
Tottenham’s malaise has raised questions over the future of star striker Harry Kane.
The England captain has just one year left on his contract and is attracting interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
The club’s managing director of football Fabio Paratici also resigned last week after losing his appeal against a 30-month global ban from performing his role.
Paratici was handed the suspension by the Italian football federation (FIGC) in January after his former club Juventus were found guilty of false accounting.
With such a strong footballing bloodline, it seemed like destiny for Alexander Robertson to forge a career in the beautiful game, a feat easier said than done.
But that’s exactly what the Scottish-born, Maroubra-raised teenager is now doing.
Watch the world’s best footballers every week with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. LIVE coverage from Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Carabao Cup, EFL & SPFL. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Alexander, the son and grandson of former Socceroos Mark and Alex, has the incredible fortune of rubbing shoulders with modern footballing royalty every day at Manchester City.
Look over one shoulder and Alexander sees Belgian midfield wizard Kevin de Bruyne.
Look over the other and there’s a goalscoring machine named Erling Haaland, with legendary manager Pep Guardiola overseeing it all.
Having earned a spot on the bench in Manchester City’s Champions League tie against RB Leipzig, Alexander is inching ever closer to his first minutes with the Premier League heavyweights.
Remarkably, he is also in the frame to become a third-generation Socceroo after being called up to the national team for the friendlies against Ecuador.
It is a dream footballing journey that has not been without its hindrances: a frustrating loan spell, a hellish run of injuries and a brutal home truth upon arrival in Manchester.
But it is also a journey his father and grandfather carefully mapped out in the strong belief he would succeed from as young as nine months.
‘HE CAN’T BE JUMPING OUT OF COTS AT NINE MONTHS OLD’
In the middle of the night, Mark and his wife, Lucia, heard a noise.
They looked around the house for what it could have been, but nothing could be found.
All of a sudden, “a little shadow” appeared at the door: it was Alexander, who was only nine months old.
“He’d actually scaled out of the cot that he was sleeping in, jumped out and was able to manoeuvre his way through,” Mark told foxsports.com.au.
Alexander was then popped back into his cot, only for Mark and Lucia to scarcely believe what they’d see next.
“So he’s pacing up and down in this cot,” Mark said.
“Then, monkey-like, he’s just up and he’s over and the boom, he’s down on the floor.
“Then we looked at each other and thought, ‘He can’t be scaling and jumping out of cots at nine months old.’”
Alexander Robertson has impressed throughout his time in Manchester City’s academy. SuppliedSource: Supplied
It wasn’t just his remarkable ability to escape the confines of his cot at such a young age either that had Mark thinking his youngest child had something special about him.
As an Australian footballer playing overseas in England, Mark had just about every bit of sporting equipment you could imagine in his backyard.
Footballs, cricket bats and balls, golf clubs and balls, trampolines; you name it, Mark probably had it.
A young Alexander took a keen eye to the golf equipment because, according to Mark, “kids tend to use their hands more than they do their feet.”
“He had this golf club and he was swinging a ball,” Mark said.
“90 per cent, 95 per cent of the time he was hitting the ball, whereas a lot of kids would just miss the ball. It was quite fascinating.
“I just remember thinking, ‘OK, that’s interesting.’”
At the time, Mark even thought he might have had a little Greg Norman on his hands.
But, as he’d learn in the coming years, his son would go on to forge a vastly different sporting career.
Mark (left) and Alexander (right) Robertson after a match for Manchester City. SuppliedSource: Supplied
HOW ‘A LITTLE FEATHER’ BUILT THE FOUNDATIONS FOR A FOOTBALL CAREER
Mark’s playing days in the United Kingdom soon wrapped up, returning back to Australia in 2006 with Perth Glory before moving to Sydney FC in 2007.
The harbour city would then become where the Robertson’s would set up their roots, building a house in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Mark knew he had to get his son playing some sort of sport, with football the obvious answer.
But he couldn’t enrol Alexander with the local club, Pagewood Botany FC, because children weren’t insured to play football until they turned five at the time.
Thus, Alexander tried his hand at rugby league with the Mascot Jets, with Mark hoping it would “toughen him up” given it was full contact, even at such a young age.
Yes, little Alexander, who Mark described as “just a little feather,” would attempt to take down significantly larger kids his age whilst also learning how to run in straight lines.
The multi-sport background continued at Bunnerong Gymnastics, a venue run by Mark’s parents, where Alexander would participate in various classes which helped to improve his balance skills.
A young Alexander Robertson celebrating after scoring a hat-trick for Maroubra United. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied
Eventually the youngest Robertson would have a ball at his feet once he was old enough to play for Pagewood before moving to Maroubra United, Mark’s first grassroots club, for two years.
But it would be in Mark’s very own coaching academy, known as Mr. Soccer, where Alexander got endless amounts of time with the ball.
He would be at the afternoon session run by his old man every day of the week, no matter the level.
Then there was a select group of players, who Mark described as “the most elite footballers that you could get in the Eastern Suburbs,” that Alexander would train with.
Despite being a year or two younger than his peers, Alexander held his own in a group which included Zach Sapsford (now with the Western Sydney Wanderers), Oliver Jones (Macarthur FC) and Ryan Teague (Famalicao in Portugal) among others.
They would train four nights a week and have two games on the weekend, providing plenty of football for Alexander, who had also joined Hakoah Sydney City East’s under-12 team as a 10-year-old.
For all of the football Alexander was playing, it would prove to be nothing quite like the education he was about to receive.
A pint-sized Alexander Robertson chases the ball alongside Maroubra teammate Ryan Teague (right). Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied
WRESTLING, A CROSS-CITY DIVIDE AND THAT GUARDIAN ARTICLE
While Alexander enjoyed some time off from Westfield Sports High in the September school holidays of 2015, he and his dad went to English giants Manchester United for a number of training sessions.
It wouldn’t be long before all parties sat down for the conversation that would change the Robertson’s lives forever.
“They [Manchester United] said, ‘Do you want the good news or the bad news,’” Mark said.
“I was like, ‘Let’s start with the good.’
“United said, ‘He’s one of the best players that we’ve seen for a long, long time. The bad news is, you don’t live in the country.’”
As Mark says, “the rest is history.”
The Robertson clan made the full move over to England, but Alexander was unable to play structured football with the Red Devils just yet because he needed international clearance from FIFA.
So, how did the father keep his son fit?
By doing sessions on days off in the park.
Oh, and some sessions in the local leisure centre to improve his balance and core involving plenty of medicine and exercise balls.
As Mark says, “it was an important time for Alexander to really pick up on some of the stronger exercises” because he had to compete with boys far more physically mature than he was.
Alexander scored goals for fun as a kid but found things a bit tougher at Manchester United. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied
Yet there was another, more unconventional method, Mark employed to prepare his son for the physical rigours of English academy football.
“I just started doing a few different things with Alexander, then I started doing some wrestling with him, because I could see where it was going,” Mark said.
“He only had an older sister, he didn’t have any boys around him. It was just me and him.
“We’d start doing a bit of wrestling and grappling, not MMA, but it was quite full-on just to try and help him a little bit.”
Aside from a rude awakening on the physical side of football, Alexander had to rapidly pick up some technical aspects of the game too.
When Mark and his father, Alex, decided what would be the best way for the youngest Robertson to succeed, they decided it would be best if they “just allowed him the free ability to be on the ball” and “never, ever put shackles on him.”
He’d embark on mazy runs past two, three, even four opponents at a time which, by Mark’s own admission, “might have been a little bit frustrating for some of the players that played with him or some of the families that were standing on the sideline.”
But once he got to Carrington, United’s famous training facility, it was a whole different ball game.
“In terms of having the ability to scan fields and look for the next pass, Alexander was way off it when he got to Manchester United,” Mark said.
“That’s the biggest thing they said to me. They said he was an unbelievable player, but he just doesn’t have that understanding of where that next pass is going to go.”
Will Alexander one day get to hold the famous Premier League trophy aloft? Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied
Alexander wasted no time in picking up the technical skills needed to thrive and even though he was at a grand club like United, it didn’t stop the sharks from circling in the hopes they could prise him away.
As it turned out, it was United’s noisy neighbours, Manchester City, who convinced father and son to make the cross-city divide in 2017.
“They had a whole host of reasons why they wanted to sign him,” Mark said.
“They’d seen him on a nice pathway going through the academy and what he offered was a little bit different than to what they already had in the building.”
The switch has seemingly been the perfect fit to help Alexander realise his immense talent, although a number of lengthy spells on the sidelines due to injury at United and City have hindered his progress.
Primarily operating as a box-to-box midfielder for City who enjoys getting into the attacking third, he’s provided numerous goals and assists throughout the various age groups.
Alexander Robertson has scored plenty of goals for Manchester City’s academy teams. (Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Such eye-catching form saw Alexander included in The Guardian’s list of the 60 best young talents in world football in 2020 alongside names like Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz and Xavi Simons to name three.
Did the praise ever get into Alexander’s head?
“He didn’t even give it a second look, mate,” Mark said.
“He’s never spoke about it, I’ve never spoke about it.
“I just said to him, ‘That’s what it is mate, it’s a newspaper article that no-one will remember unless you hit Google.’
“It would never, ever go to his head or my head, no chance.”
With plenty of hype surrounding Alexander, at least externally, there would be calls for him to move out on loan and log some minutes in senior football.
What transpired provided him with yet another brutal education in life as a footballer, but also one that perhaps taught him even more about himself as a person.
Mark and Alexander celebrate pitchside. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied
‘PROMISED THE WORLD AND DELIVERED AN ATLAS’
In July 2021, Alexander would get his first real taste of what it’s like to live out his dream, signing for Scottish Premiership side Ross County on a season-long loan.
By doing so, he became the second-youngest in the nation to go out on loan, beaten only by his City academy teammate Callum Doyle.
It also seemed like an ideal switch given Ross County boss Malky Mackay said he’d been tracking Alexander for “four years” upon signing the teenager.
For Alexander and Mark, they viewed the move as “work experience where you’re into a win-win situation,” but not purely for footballing reasons.
“You’re going to have conversations with men,” Mark said.
“If you’re not able to talk about music, if you’re not able to talk about cars or politics or fashion, if you can’t hold a conversation with adults, for me, you’re not going to make it as a footballer.
“There’s a lot of kids at Alexander and Callum’s age that couldn’t do that. They’d have crumbled if they were put in a changing room or cafeteria or a restaurant with adults, day-in, day-out.”
Thankfully, Alexander proved his value in the changing room.
Robertson didn’t get the playing time he wanted at Ross County. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“Everyone loved him, mate,” Mark said. “Everyone in the squad loved him. He really picked up some top, top friends that he’s still friends with now.”
Well, everyone but Mackay.
Robertson logged just five appearances in all competitions for Ross County for a combined 143 minutes in a deeply frustrating loan spell that was cut short in January 2022.
In the words of Mark, that was “a disaster.”
“For whatever Malky promised and for whatever he delivered, he may have promised the world and delivered an atlas,” Mark said.
“But hey, that’s football. You’ve just got move on.
“I’m sure later down the line Malky will say, ‘I’ve had a big part to play in his development,’ but at the time it wasn’t easy, it wasn’t nice.
“It was very difficult for the kid to be told that he’s going to have opportunities to play and, it’s public knowledge that if you go through the stats, he never actually got an opportunity to play.”
Ross County manager Malky Mackay certainly doesn’t have one admirer in Mark Robertson. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
THE SOCCEROO COMPARISON DRIVING TEENAGER FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE
With Alexander now getting some needed game time and scoring goals for Manchester City in Premier League Two, the calls for him to go on loan may return in the summer.
An impressive cameo for the Socceroos, should he see any minutes in the friendlies against Ecuador, will only amplify those same calls.
The mere fact he’s in the Australian camp for these games is monumental given his international future has been a hot topic for a number of years.
Having played for England’s under-16, under-17 and under-18 teams there may have been a fear he could have stuck to the Three Lions pathway.
There were also loose reports in 2022 he had committed to Peru but those turned out to be incorrect, while Scotland were also on the table as an option.
Mark revealed his son had received a number of invites from different nations to train and perhaps even play for them, but there was one key issue: Alexander was never at full fitness.
“He’d always relucantly look at me when he was invited,” Mark said.
“I’d tell him, ‘You’d be crazy to join any of these because you’re not really going to give a good account of yourself.’”
Ultimately it was Australia who won the four-way tussle as Socceroos boss Graham Arnold’s persistence paid off.
Arnold was in contact with Alexander for “over 18 months” in his attempts to bring him into the national fold, noting it was “a matter of one step at a time.”
“It’s great that the kid, I do believe, is aligning himself with Australia,” Arnold said in his squad selection press conference.
“I’m pretty sure once he puts that Socceroos shirt on and feels the emblem on his heart, there’s only one nation he will play for.”
Mark and Alexander Robertson would be “stoked” to have a career like Aaron Mooy. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
One player who Alexander would no doubt have been excited to speak with was Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy, but he was forced to withdraw from the squad due to a back injury.
Mark, Alexander and his agent Paddy Dominguez, who used to count Mooy as a client, have used the Celtic midfielder as a case study to chart Alexander against to see where he was and how he looked at the City youngster’s age.
“We’ve always said that if Alexander ends up with a career of Aaron Mooy, we’d be totally stoked,” Mark said.
“Everyone’s got their own journey, but the three of us always talk about Aaron.”
In a twist of fate, Mooy’s absence may open up a spot for Alexander in the Socceroos lineup given Arnold planned to use the 32-year-old in a more advanced role compared to his usual position at the base of the Aussie midfield.
Whether Arnold’s team selection plays out in that scenario remains to be seen, as does Alexander getting any Socceroos minutes at all.
But, for the teenager who shocked his parents as early as nine months old, perhaps we must expect the unexpected when it comes to the career of Alexander Robertson.
Manor Solomon extended his hot streak as the Fulham forward came off the bench to rescue a 1-1 draw against Wolves in Friday’s Premier League clash.
Marco Silva’s side trailed to Pablo Sarabia’s first goal in five appearances for Wolves since his January move from Paris Saint Germain.
Watch the world’s best footballers every week with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. LIVE coverage from Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Carabao Cup, EFL & SPFL. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
But Israel international Solomon netted after half-time to stretch Fulham’s unbeaten run in the league to four matches.
Solomon made a quiet start after joining Fulham on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk last year, but the 23-year-old now has three goals in his last three appearances.
Solomon is the first Israeli player to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances since Liverpool’s Ronny Rosenthal in 1992.
Tipped as relegation candidates at the start of the campaign, sixth-placed Fulham have been one of the season’s biggest surprises and they remain firmly in contention to qualify for the Europa League.
Wolves were bottom of the table going into the World Cup break, but have lifted themselves out of the relegation zone.
Julen Lopetegui’s 15th-placed side are four points clear of the bottom three. After a scrappy opening, Wolves took the lead from the first serious chance for either team in the 23rd minute.
Raul Jimenez guided a deft header back to Sarabia and the Spanish midfielder controlled with his left foot before using his right to drive a clinical finish into the far corner from eight yards.
Fulham tried to respond as Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s cross picked out Carlos Vinicius and his header forced Jose Sa to make his first save of the night.
Ruben Neves should have doubled Wolves’ lead when the Portugal midfielder headed wide from Matheus Nunes’ cross.
Andreas Pereira was inches away from equalising in spectacular style on the stroke of half-time as Sa tipped over the Fulham midfielder’s 30-yard free-kick.
Jimenez nodded just wide from Sarabia’s cross before Wolves forward Matheus Cunha was stretchered off after lengthy treatment following a seemingly innocuous challenge.
Solomon has been in fine form of late, coming off the bench to net the winner against Brighton last weekend.
Reprising his super-sub role after coming on at half-time on this occasion, Solomon equalised in the 64th minute with a superb curler that arrowed into the far corner from the edge of the area.
Chasing a winner, a Fulham penalty appeal was rejected after a VAR check when Joao Palhinha went down under an apparent push from Mario Lemina.
Sa preserved Wolves’ point deep into stoppage-time when he plunged to his right to keep out Vinicius’s towering header.
