Author: Andrew Rogers

Ian Wright has spoken out in defence of Jude Bellingham, arguing that some of the criticism directed at the England midfielder stems from discomfort with seeing a confident, high-profile black star succeed. Bellingham faced backlash after showing frustration when substituted during England’s World Cup qualifying win over Albania, with some suggesting he could be a disruptive figure within the squad. Wright rejected that narrative, saying people are “frightened” of Bellingham’s success and cannot find faults in his performances, so instead try to build negative stories around him. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Wright said society is more accepting…

Manchester United’s proposal to introduce personal seat licences (PSLs) to help finance a £2bn Old Trafford redevelopment has been jeopardized by new government plans to ban ticket resales above face value. United had explored a PSL system that would allow licence holders to resell their match or season tickets at a profit — similar to US sports models, where PSLs are a major investment tool. But upcoming legislation will prohibit selling sports and music tickets for more than their original price, part of a crackdown on touting. Although football ticket resales are already restricted under the 1994 Criminal Justice Act,…

Arsenal fear that defender Gabriel Magalhães may miss at least a month after suffering a thigh injury while on international duty with Brazil. The 27-year-old limped off during Brazil’s friendly win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium and has since undergone further tests, though the club has not yet confirmed a timeline for his recovery. Gabriel is already ruled out of Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham and the Champions League clash with Bayern Munich. Depending on the severity of the injury, he could also miss league games against Chelsea, Brentford and Aston Villa, as well as the Champions League…

Germany stormed into next year’s World Cup with a dominant 6-0 win over Slovakia, securing top spot in their group. Four first-half goals – from Nick Woltemade, Serge Gnabry, and a Leroy Sané double – put the match out of reach early. Ridle Baku and debutant Assan Ouédraogo added late goals, the latter becoming Germany’s youngest-ever scorer at 19. Slovakia, who had beaten Germany in September, were overwhelmed and will head to the playoffs. The Netherlands also booked their place at the finals with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Lithuania. After Tijjani Reijnders opened the scoring, the Dutch pulled away…

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has announced seven new priorities under its Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). The initiative aims to strengthen colleges and universities and enhance student success. Key priorities include expanding the use of artificial intelligence in higher education. Institutions are encouraged to adopt AI tools for learning, advising, and administrative processes, improving efficiency and student outcomes. Improving accreditation processes is another focus. The DOE seeks to ensure that accreditation standards maintain quality and promote innovation in curriculum and program delivery. These efforts are intended to provide students with reliable, high-quality educational options. The…

Denmark’s preparations for Tuesday’s decisive World Cup qualifier in Glasgow have been disrupted by a sickness bug affecting key players. Head coach Brian Riemer confirmed that Joachim Andersen and Rasmus Højlund both missed Saturday’s unexpected draw with Belarus due to illness, along with a staff member. The dropped points mean Scotland can still qualify automatically despite losing 3–2 to Greece. Denmark lead Group C by one point and need only a draw at Hampden Park, while Scotland must win to reach their first World Cup finals since 1998. Riemer acknowledged concern but said the team is working to stop the…

Manchester City issued a powerful title statement with a commanding 3-0 derby win over Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium. Goals from Rebecca Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp sealed the victory, extending City’s lead at the top of the WSL to four points. United, coming off a historic midweek win over PSG, looked fatigued and struggled to cope with City’s pace and precision. The defeat marked their second straight league loss — the first time they’ve suffered back-to-back WSL defeats since May 2024 — leaving them seven points off the top. Marc Skinner lamented his side’s mistakes, insisting City…

Celtic are stepping up talks with Wilfried Nancy, with the Columbus Crew boss now the leading candidate to replace Brendan Rodgers as manager. The Scottish champions formally informed the MLS side on Friday of their intent to open negotiations, with compensation not expected to be an obstacle. Nancy, who is understood to be keen on the move, could be appointed before Celtic’s trip to St Mirren next weekend, ending Martin O’Neill’s short caretaker spell. Nancy, 47, fits Celtic’s preferred profile of a progressive, emerging coach willing to work within the club’s transfer structure. After a strong spell at Montreal, he…

Patrick Bamford has signed a short-term deal with Sheffield United, just seven months after leading derogatory chants about manager Chris Wilder. The 32-year-old striker, released by Leeds United in August, has joined the Championship side until January, as Wilder looks to bolster an attack that has struggled for goals. During Leeds’ promotion celebrations in April, Bamford was filmed leading abusive chants about Wilder — though the pair later spoke and made peace. Wilder confirmed the following day that Bamford and Leeds boss Daniel Farke had both called to apologise, saying: “I’ve no issue at all. I appreciated and respected him…

Barcelona have identified Harry Kane as their top target to replace Robert Lewandowski next summer. The Spanish champions view the 32-year-old England captain as the ideal successor to the 37-year-old Polish striker, whose contract expires in June. According to reports, Barça are prepared to trigger a £57m release clause in Kane’s Bayern Munich contract. Kane has been a revelation since joining Bayern from Tottenham in 2023, scoring 108 goals in 113 appearances and helping the club reclaim the Bundesliga title. Although he has expressed openness to staying in Germany until 2027, the lure of Barcelona and another major challenge could…