Jonathan Liew's Blog, page 51
March 31, 2023
Yorkshire racism allegations – Vaughan cleared, three charges against Hoggard considered proven – as it happened
Nothing yet on the news section of Yorkshire’s website …
A lot of people, myself included, are refreshing the ECB site to see official confirmation of the decision by the commission.
Continue reading...
as it happened
Nothing yet on the news section of Yorkshire’s website …
A lot of people, myself included, are refreshing the ECB site to see official confirmation of the decision by the commission.
Continue reading...March 29, 2023
Germany fans seek new ‘summer fairytale’ but need a team to believe in | Jonathan Liew
The Euro 2024 hosts have work to do if they are to unite the nation as they did even in glorious failure at 2006 World Cup
“Bring on the new Sommermärchen,” read a banner that was unfurled at the Rhein-Energie Stadion just before kick-off on Tuesday night. Almost two decades on, it’s hard to overstate what a cherished place the 2006 World Cup still holds in Germany’s collective memory. The “summer fairytale”, they call it: a summer of golden memories and national euphoria, of street parties on scorching evenings, a summer that has spawned films and books and songs, despite ending in the semi-finals for the hosts.
“All the streets were full, everything with German flags, public viewing was practically invented,” remembered Matthias Ginter last week. Ginter was a 12-year-old boy in the summer of 2006 and is now a 29-year-old defender in the squad that will be expected to recreate the Sommermärchen in 2024. And ever since Germany was awarded the right to host next year’s European Championship the tournament has been imbued with an almost alchemic power: a chance to unite and dream and make magic again.
For the players, still bruised after last year’s Qatar World Cup and its road of many miseries, a Euros on home soil offers a clear redemptive arc. Twelve fixtures separate Hansi Flick’s side from the opening game in Munich in June 2024. All are friendlies, which is less than ideal. No host nation has won a World Cup or European Championship on home soil since France in 1998, and perhaps the lack of competitive practice is one reason. The indeterminate 2-0 win over Peru last Saturday was one example: friendlies may show you how bad you are, but they won’t necessarily show how good you are.
Continue reading...March 28, 2023
Antonio has joined the chat: group therapy for departed Spurs managers | Jonathan Liew
WhatsApp group where Daniel Levy’s former employees discuss his wine gum obsession and sketchy transfer policy
Daniel Levy Su pport Network Nuno, José, Mauricio +10 others
José Mourinho someone add antonio
Continue reading...March 26, 2023
Ukraine fans bring fervency to England’s soulless headquarters | Jonathan Liew
Sixteen years after reopening, Wembley still does not feel like home but it gave the visitors an opportunity for expression
A recorded announcement plays on a loop on the approach to Wembley Stadium. “I’m Clive Tyldesley,” says the voice, for the voice is indeed Clive Tyldesley’s. “It is not allowed to drink alcohol on Olympic Way or the surrounding streets. This is due to a Public Space Protection Order. I’m sorry, it’s the law.”
On Tyldesley goes, advising fans that anybody caught with an open container of alcohol will be dealt with by law enforcement officers, before warning that bags over a certain size will not be permitted into the stadium. “I’m sorry,” Tyldesley repeats, and to be fair he genuinely does sound as if he’s sorry about all this, almost as if he’s reading the message under duress. Then, after a short silence, the recording plays again: “I’m Clive Tyldesley. It is not allowed …”
Continue reading...Russia-Ukraine war live: Russian plans for nuclear weapons in Belarus ‘dangerous and irresponsible’ – as it happened
Senior US administration official says there are no signs Moscow intends to use its nuclear weapons
What we know on day 396 of the invasionUkrainian refugees are increasingly being targeted for sexual exploitation with an increase in interest in pornography claiming to feature refugees from the war-torn country, according to research.
Thomson Reuters has conducted the research, which has found that Ukrainian refugees may be victims of both traffickers on the ground and cyber-voyeurs.
Continue reading...Russia-Ukraine war live: Nato calls Russia plans for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus ‘dangerous and irresponsible’
Senior US administration official says there are no signs Moscow intends to use its nuclear weapons
What we know on day 396 of the invasionUkrainian refugees are increasingly being targeted for sexual exploitation with an increase in interest in pornography claiming to feature refugees from the war-torn country, according to research.
Thomson Reuters has conducted the research, which has found that Ukrainian refugees may be victims of both traffickers on the ground and cyber-voyeurs.
Continue reading...Russia has seamlessly returned to football – and nobody seems overly perturbed | Jonathan Liew
Europe may be prepared to ‘forget Russia’ but closer ties to Asian confederation are a warning sign of what is to come
The Azadi Stadium in Tehran can hold up to 78,000 at capacity. As Anton Miranchuk of Lokomotiv Moscow kicked off under a giant portrait of the former supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini on Thursday night, let’s generously say it wasn’t quite full. Still, what crowd there was made a pretty decent noise.
There were even a few hundred travelling fans, who were rewarded when Miranchuk scored for Russia from the penalty spot. Early in the second half the Porto striker Mehdi Taremi equalised for Iran, and although the later stages disintegrated into a procession of substitutions, the visitors were ultimately a little fortunate to escape with a 1-1 draw.
Continue reading...March 21, 2023
Lea Schüller’s header gives Bayern Munich first-leg lead against Arsenal
Down, but not out. As 1-0 defeats go this was the vaguely encouraging kind for Arsenal: a performance of real energy and purpose that has set up a beautifully poised second leg at the Emirates Stadium next week. And amid their disappointment Arsenal now know they can hurt Bayern Munich, can pin them back and starve them of the ball, can put them under pressure and create chances.
The burning question, of course, is whether Arsenal will manage to take any of them. Twenty‑five shots came and went for them here, seven of them to the luckless Stina Blackstenius. But Bayern really did need to be at their resilient best in a pulsating second half, twice clearing off the line as an injury-depleted Arsenal turned up the heat against a team that has conceded just four league goals all season. And so Lea Schüller’s towering header proved the difference between the sides here, even if the Bayern coach Alexander Straus suggested that on the balance of play 1-1 might have been a fairer result.
Continue reading...Gareth Southgate’s last dance begins to the soundtrack of England fans’ toxic rage | Jonathan Liew
As his last tournament cycle starts, let’s appreciate a manager who has endured a grossly disproportionate level of derision
Gareth Southgate, the whole of England is with you. Perhaps this was the first and last point at which these words were ever spoken truthfully. Perhaps it wasn’t even true at the time. The inevitable tranche of snark and eyeball-rolling at Southgate’s latest England squad belies the fact that very little of substance has changed in the three months since the defeat against France.
The seven midfielders are the same as they were in Qatar. Harry Maguire is still in the centre of defence. Harry Kane’s penalty is still airborne. And for all the soul-searching and agonising, Southgate too is still there: still politely explaining himself to an audience that will never listen, still cocking his head slightly as questions are put to him, a gesture that says yes, this is the stupidest formulation of words ever constructed in the English language, but I’m listening.
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