Dietmar Hamann worries it is "too late" for this Germany team as he called again for coach Hansi Flick to be sacked following Tuesday's defeat to Belgium.

Hamann was a vocal critic of Flick following the 2022 World Cup, where Germany exited at the group stage for the second consecutive finals.

Former midfielder Hamann wanted the coach to go then, and his stance was not softened by the March internationals.

With Germany hosting Euro 2024 and therefore absent from the qualification process, they played friendlies against Peru and Belgium.

A 2-0 win over Peru in Mainz was followed by a 3-2 defeat to Belgium in Cologne, in which Hamann suggested "it could have been 0-3, 0-4 or 1-5 in the first half".

Speaking to Sky Sport, the pundit said: "Nothing has changed at all.

"The team that started yesterday included eight World Cup players. [Florian] Wirtz and [Timo] Werner were also in the starting line-up, who were not there in Qatar due to injury.

"Marius Wolf was the only one who played against Belgium who wasn't at the World Cup. He did an excellent job in Dortmund in the last few weeks and months.

"So, it felt like there were 10 World Cup players in the line-up, and then I can't speak of a change.

"If [Flick] had let youngsters play and they had gotten under the wheels in the first half, then I would have understood because they would have learned something from it.

"But the way it was yesterday, that they play with the same players and we get served the same c*** as at the World Cup, sooner or later people will turn their backs on the national team."

Hamann felt that performance backed up his argument following a World Cup exit he had described as "pathetic".

"It's too late for me," he said. "I spoke after the World Cup, where it was clear to me that it's difficult to continue working with the coach when you're eliminated from the group for the second time in a row.

"I couldn't imagine it because you need a new impetus.

"They hid in Qatar, they let the team down, they didn't take responsibility. And if the coach doesn't take responsibility, then I can't expect the players to take responsibility.

"That's why I don't think the discussion [around Flick's future] comes too early. It's too late, for me, and they decided to continue with it.

"I have big, big concerns about whether things will get better in the coming weeks, months and then at the European Championships next year."

Aleksandar Mitrovic and Marco Silva have issued apologies over their dismissals during Fulham's FA Cup loss to Manchester United earlier this month.

The pair were both shown red cards by referee Chris Kavanagh during a seismic passage of play in the Cottagers' 3-1 quarter-final exit at Old Trafford.

Having been called over to the pitchside monitor to check for a handball offence by Willian, who was subsequently sent off, the match official also dismissed Silva for dissent before showing red to Mitrovic after the forward pushed him, reducing them to nine men.

Bruno Fernandes then scored the resulting penalty as Fulham swiftly collapsed from holding a 1-0 lead going into the closing stages.

On Wednesday, both player and manager revealed they had spoken to Kavanagh to apologise, and stressed they will accept the punishments handed down against them.

"I have been away with my national team and have had some time to reflect on the Manchester United match," Mitrovic told the club's website.

"As everyone knows, it was a very emotional one, in which the team gave absolutely everything on the pitch to try to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup.

"On a personal level, I regret my actions that led to me being sent off. I allowed my frustration to get the better of me, and how I reacted was wrong.

"I have accepted the three-match ban for my red card, I have spoken to Chris Kavanagh to apologise, and I have volunteered to accept a club fine.

"I now want to do what I can to put this incident behind me and get back to helping my teammates on the pitch as soon as possible."

Silva echoed his player's sentiments, adding: "Emotions were high at Old Trafford and, as I said in my press conference after the game, I should have controlled my own emotions better.

"It was a very difficult moment, in a match that we had dominated, but I could have handled the situation better. 

"I regret what happened, and I have spoken to Chris Kavanagh to apologise.

"He knows that I respect him and the job he has to do. I am sorry that I was not on the pitch to try to lead the team to Wembley, but I am thankful for all the support I have received from Fulham fans over the last few days."

The FA will review issuing a longer ban than the traditional three games for Mitrovic's actions, while Silva is likely to face a touchline suspension too.

Fulham return to action with a trip to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.

Anthony Joshua has promised there are a "lot of big nights ahead" as he looks to make a statement in his return fight against Jermaine Franklin on Saturday.

Joshua will return to the ring for the first time in seven months as he looks to bounce back from consecutive defeats to Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk.

Franklin – his opponent – has a 21-1 record and lost his most recent bout against former world title challenger Dillian Whyte. 

Joshua has moved to Dallas, Texas for this fight camp as he links up with renowned trainer Derrick James, with the heavyweight looking to get back to basics as he chases a winning formula. 

Writing in his column for The Evening Standard, he said: "His message has been pretty simple… to go back to basics. 

"The best athletes all do the basics well. In my last fight, I feel I maybe moved away from that a little bit.

"So, much of the in-camp training for the Jermaine Franklin fight at the O2 [Arena] on Saturday has been about stripping it down to the bare bones, getting my jab right, my defence, all the fundamentals of boxing.

"This is just the next chapter in my story but it also feels like the start of a long run, one I'm confident will also prove to be a long run of success.

"I see myself boxing for another three or four years and it feels like there are a lot of big nights ahead."

The 33-year-old's fight in London on Saturday will be his first without a world title involved since April 2016, but Joshua recognised the importance of the bout and the influence of new coach James.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, he said: "This is massive! I've put in the work, I still dream big so I'm gonna go out there and make sure I get the job done. 

"The goal is to take him out.

"Derick is up there with one of the best people I've ever spoken to about boxing. 

"I appreciate his time and the fact that he took me one, he's a well sought after coach and I'm looking forward to showing him that he hasn't wasted his time by taking on this project."

The Formula One grid will see a "different" Max Verstappen at the Australian Grand Prix, according to Helmut Marko.

Those are foreboding words for the two-time defending world champion's rivals, among which only his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez can be considered a serious challenger following the first two races of the season.

Red Bull claimed one-twos in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, doing so in dominant fashion as Verstappen prevailed in the season opener before Perez won from pole in Jeddah.

Verstappen recovered from 15th, his qualifying hindered by a driveshaft failure, to finish second in Saudi Arabia.

But Red Bull consultant Marko expects Verstappen to produce a stronger performance at Albert Park.

"He wasn't 100 per cent fit," Marko told F1-Insider after Verstappen had battled illness in the build up to the race.

"However, he is now doing everything he can to maximise performance next time. 

"We will therefore see a different Verstappen in Australia."

While Red Bull are the clear class of the field, Mercedes remain a long way off their former glories, though boss Toto Wolff has reason for optimism following fourth and fifth-place finishes for George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in Saudi Arabia and signs of progress at their factory.

"The signs we are seeing back at the factory are promising," said Wolff. "We have got to take it step by step, though, and won't get carried away until we see performance translated into lap time on track. 

"The competitive order behind Red Bull is tight, with small margins having a big effect on points scored. There remains a significant gap to the front and that is ultimately what we are interested in closing."
 

A Red Bull-Alonso hat-trick?

The only man who has come close to challenging Red Bull is Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, who got past Perez at the start in Saudi Arabia and briefly led.

He has back-to-back third-place finishes. If he, Verstappen and Perez share the podium again, it would be first time since 2015 with the same three drivers in the top three in the first three races of the year in Formula One (Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel).

A third straight one-two for Red Bull would mark the first time they have achieved such a feat and make them to sixth team to do so.

Piastri's progress

Oscar Piastri is the only Australian on the grid, having replaced compatriot Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren.

McLaren have yet to score a point in a difficult start to the season, but Piastri qualified an encouraging ninth in Saudi Arabia before early pit stops for front wing damage for him and team-mate Lando Norris hindered their respective races. 

But his qualifying performance in Jeddah offers hope he can score his first F1 point at his home grand prix, with team principal Andrea Stella praising the rookie.

"We have seen really strong progress by Oscar," Stella told Autosport. "Obviously, Lando is a complete certainty. So we know that Lando is there.

"If you look back, already in FP1 he [Piastri] was a little bit more competitive than Bahrain, then FP2 closer, then FP3 pretty much a match for Lando, capitalising in qualifying, and then very strong in the race. 

"For me, I see more the sense of constant progression, which is ultimately the plan that we have with Oscar."

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 44

2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 43

3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 27

4. George Russell (Mercedes) 21

5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 20

Constructors

1. Red Bull 87

2. Mercedes 41

3. Aston Martin 35

4. Ferrari 26

5. Alpine 8

Francesco Totti has lauded Napoli and "great coach" Luciano Spalletti but suggests the runaway Serie A leaders have been "also lucky" this season.

Napoli are on course for their first Scudetto since 1990, when Diego Maradona was still at the club.

The Partenopei are a mammoth 19 points clear with only 11 games remaining, making a title triumph almost an inevitability.

Yet Roma great Totti, while praising their work under ex-Giallorossi boss Spalletti, believes they have benefited from the absence of a genuine competitor.

Legend Totti won only one title with Roma, although they finished as runners-up on a further nine occasions across his remarkable career, missing out to Juventus, Milan and Inter.

"I honestly didn't expect it like this," Totti told Sky Sport of Napoli. "I knew it was a good team with a great coach – it was a well-made combination.

"They expressed themselves to the fullest in everything and were also lucky because they didn't have an opponent behind them who can keep up with their pace.

"When we were there, there was always Juve, Inter, Milan who always clung there.

"If you won 20 games, they won 19. Napoli doesn't have a second team like that."

Lazio are Napoli's nearest rivals, but Juve would be second if not for a 15-point deduction. Even then, the Bianconeri would be 15 points off the pace.

Jamaica’s national women’s badminton champion Tahlia Richardson is enjoying a purple patch, something she welcomes as she continues her journey in attempting to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Ever since she won the Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles titles at the Jamaica National Badminton Championships in November last year, Richardson has been on a tear.

This past weekend, March 25, she won the Mixed Doubles and Women’s Open Doubles at the Doubles Mania Tournament at GC Foster College in Spanish Town, St Catherine. The 2022 Female Badminton Athlete of the Year partnered with Kenneth Anglin to win the mixed doubles over Antoinette Ingleton and TJ Hines and then teamed up with former national champion Katherine Wynter to win the Women’s Doubles.

She went into the tournament coming off a bronze medal winning performance with Samuel Ricketts at the 2023 Giraldilla International in Havana, Cuba from March 16-19. And, in February, she won the Tournament of Kings defeating Wynter in the final.

She credits these successes to the work she has been putting in to improve her game.

“I think I have done really well whereas my fitness is up, I am getting more technical work in and I am able to go to tournaments and perform,” she said.

“The bronze medal for mixed was good. We lost to Bulgaria who ended up winning the tournament so that said something about the level we’re playing at,” she said.

“For singles I made it to the quarter-finals, which is good (Olympic qualification) points. I had played the top seed.”

The improved play, she said, has helped her go deeper into tournaments, another sign of her improved play.

“I have been matriculating into tournaments better and better. Whereas I used to make it to the round of 16 now I am making it to the quarter-finals which shows that there is improvement and getting good points geared towards the Olympics in 2024.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tottenham managing director of football Fabio Paratici's future at the club has been cast into doubt after his ban by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) was extended worldwide by FIFA.

Paratici was one of 11 individuals connected with Juventus who were issued with bans by the FIGC in January after the club was found guilty of false accounting in relation to transfer dealings.

Juventus were also docked 15 points as part of the punishment.

Paratici and Juventus denied any wrongdoing, with an appeal against the initial sanctions imposed by the FIGC to be heard by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on April 19.

Despite his 30-month ban, Spurs director Paratici was able to continue his role with the Premier League club because the suspension only applied to Italian Football. 

However, FIFA confirmed on Wednesday the bans handed out by the FIGC have been extended worldwide, meaning Paratici will be unable to fulfil his duties at Spurs unless his appeal is successful. 

A widely reported FIFA statement read: "FIFA can confirm that following a request by the FIGC, the chairperson of the FIFA disciplinary committee has decided to extend the sanctions imposed by the FIGC on several football officials to have worldwide effect."

The news comes just three days after the sacking of Spurs head coach Antonio Conte, with the Italian leaving after 17 months in charge. 

Paratici, who would have likely played an important in appointing Conte’s replacement, appeared in a video on Tuesday outlining Spurs' plans for the rest of the season and describing the decision to fire the former Inter and Chelsea coach as "the right decision."

Ansu Fati wants to stay at Barcelona, but his father has other ideas.

The 20-year-old, who has been with the club for a decade, has made 38 appearances in all competitions this season but 27 of them have come as a substitute.

Bori Fati – who manages his son alongside agent Jorge Mendes – has been left angered by the situation and believes the winger deserves more minutes for Xavi's side.

"If it was up to me, I would take him [to another team] but [Ansu] wants to stay at Barcelona," Bori Fati told Spanish outlet Cope.

"He does not want to sign for another club, but I want to see him succeed. As a dad, I am angry.

"Seeing Ansu play so little winds you up a little bit, and sometimes I think as a father, not a coach."

Fati, who has scored six goals this season, is under a long-term contract with Barca, who are 12 points clear at the top of LaLiga. 

And despite his father's wish, Fati has previously stated his desire to remain with Barcelona, where he feels at home. 

"I'm under contract with Barcelona until June 2027, and I hope to stay here for many more years," he said in February.

"I feel grateful and lucky to play for Barca and I have to thank the people who support me daily for their backing."

 

The situation led to Bori calling a meeting with Barcelona sporting director Mateu Alemany, and agent Mendes.

Alemany reassured him of his son's role at the club, though Bori remains unconvinced the situation will change.

"I called Mateu," said Bori. "He told us that Ansu is part of the club's heritage, and they have bet big on him.

"As a dad, I think differently, maybe I am wrong. He is your franchise player, the number 10, he took [that number] on when no one was ready to take it from [Lionel] Messi.

"What annoys me is how they're treating him in terms of minutes. One minute, two, three.

"I am not asking for him to be a starter, because all the forwards at the club are phenomenal, but we are talking about Ansu Fati, of Spain and Barcelona, who came through La Masia."

It is now at the point where Bori no longer wants to visit Camp Nou to watch his son play.

"If it carries on like this, I will go [back] to [the family home in] Seville and that's that," said Bori.

"I didn't go to the game against [Real] Madrid. I won't go to the stadium anymore.

"The other day Ansu asked me why I didn't go, he thought I was there. I told him I didn't fancy it."

Tottenham should not have been surprised by how Antonio Conte's time at the club ended as he "goes into conflict with everyone", says Christian Vieri.

Conte joined Spurs in November 2021 after the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo and guided the north London club to a top-four Premier League finish at the end of his first season.

Despite sitting fourth again this season, performances under Conte were hugely inconsistent with Spurs falling to disappointing exits in the Champions League and FA Cup in recent weeks. 

Following an explosive press conference in which the Italian labelled his players "selfish", he left the club on Sunday.

However, the breakdown in relations between Conte and the club was something former Juventus, Inter and Italy striker Vieri was expecting. 

"Antonio goes into conflict with everyone, it's his character," he told Corriere della Sera.

"If you take him, you can't expect someone who shuts up and everything is fine with him. He is always on the edge, it's his way of being; you can like it or not, you know who you get.

"Every two years does he fight with everyone? Yes. Does he always leave with problems? Yes. 

"You know he's demanding, serious, and it's hard to have him in your club, he doesn't let you sleep peacefully. 

"They are choices. There are coaches like Conte and Mourinho who hammer at all hours, put pressure and always demand the best. 

"And then there are those who are fine with anything, they stay there. Everyone trains and sees football in their own way, and it doesn't mean that this or that coach is right."

Conte's former assistant Cristian Stellini is set to take charge of Tottenham alongside Ryan Mason until the end of the season. 

Mikel Arteta labelled Arsene Wenger as the most influential manager in Premier League history, after the former Arsenal boss was inducted into the competition's Hall of Fame.

On Wednesday, Wenger was inducted alongside Alex Ferguson, with the pair becoming the first managers to go into the Hall of Fame after 16 players had already been added.

Wenger won three Premier League titles – including with the 2003-04 'Invincibles' – and seven FA Cups during his long stint in charge of Arsenal.

He is renowned for introducing a revolutionary football philosophy, which included a commitment to attacking football.

"I don't think any other managers have had a more impact," Arteta said.

"Some managers have brought different ideas, different characters, different competitions. 

"He opened the Premier League to the world in a different way to other managers. He had a vision that was much wider than any other manager had at the time.

"England and the Premier League have to be very grateful forever to this man."

Arteta played under Wenger for five seasons between 2011 and 2016, before becoming Arsenal boss himself in 2019.

After winning the 2020 FA Cup, Arteta has the Gunners leading the Premier League by eight points with 10 games to go.

On track for Arsenal’s first title in 19 years, Arteta has credited Wenger for helping him as a player and then in the next step of his career.

"I had a dream to play for this club and that was because of the way Arsenal played," added Arteta.

"It was so attractive. I had a phenomenal time with him. He pushed me as well at the end of my career to become a coach.

"We had a conversation and I asked him what he would do in my position because I had doubts in my career over whether I wanted to continue my journey as a coach.

"He helped me at the club and at the academy to do my badges and again, he was an inspiration."

Mikel Arteta labelled Arsene Wenger as the most influential manager in Premier League history, after the former Arsenal boss was inducted into the competition's Hall of Fame.

On Wednesday, Wenger was inducted alongside Alex Ferguson, with the pair becoming the first managers to go into the Hall of Fame after 16 players had already been added.

Wenger won three Premier League titles – including with the 2003-04 'Invincibles' – and seven FA Cups during his long stint in charge of Arsenal.

He is renowned for introducing a revolutionary football philosophy, which included a commitment to attacking football.

"I don't think any other managers have had a more impact," Arteta said.

"Some managers have brought different ideas, different characters, different competitions. 

"He opened the Premier League to the world in a different way to other managers. He had a vision that was much wider than any other manager had at the time.

"England and the Premier League have to be very grateful forever to this man."

Arteta played under Wenger for five seasons between 2011 and 2016, before becoming Arsenal boss himself in 2019.

After winning the 2020 FA Cup, Arteta has the Gunners leading the Premier League by eight points with 10 games to go.

On track for Arsenal’s first title in 19 years, Arteta has credited Wenger for helping him as a player and then in the next step of his career.

"I had a dream to play for this club and that was because of the way Arsenal played," added Arteta.

"It was so attractive. I had a phenomenal time with him. He pushed me as well at the end of my career to become a coach.

"We had a conversation and I asked him what he would do in my position because I had doubts in my career over whether I wanted to continue my journey as a coach.

"He helped me at the club and at the academy to do my badges and again, he was an inspiration."

Christian Vieri believes criticism of Roberto Mancini's decision to call up Argentine-born Mateo Retegui to the Italy team is "dinosaur stuff".

Retegui was born and raised in Argentina, has spent his entire career in South America and cannot speak Italian, but he qualified for the Azzurri through a grandparent.

The striker, who counted Vieri as an idol, made his Italy bow this month, scoring against both England and Malta to prompt links to Inter.

There has still been scepticism around his role in the Italy side, with Mario Balotelli among those to suggest Mancini should be relying on players closer to home.

But that is not an assessment Vieri agrees with, having grown up in Australia before representing Italy at two World Cups.

"They are poor people," Vieri told Corriere della Sera of the critics. "It is an ancient mentality, dinosaur stuff.

"In Australia, I grew up with kids from all over the world."

He added of Retegui: "It is promising, a positive impact. A really nice goal against England, perfect control and immediate, precise shooting, and a pure centre-forward's goal in Malta.

"Mancio was right once again: if he sees a good player, he throws him in without much problem. In any case, Mateo has to play and still improve a lot."

Mancini has repeatedly pointed to the lack of Italian talent in forward positions in Serie A, perhaps best illustrated by runaway league leaders Napoli.

Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nigeria's Victor Osimhen have inspired their outstanding campaign and are counted among Vieri's stars of the season – all of whom play for the Partenopei and none of whom are Italian.

"In first place is Kim [Min-jae]," Vieri said. "Kim Kardashian, I say.

"Seriously, I didn't even know who he was. And here I think back to [the work of Napoli sporting director Cristiano] Giuntoli. I was very impressed by the personality of the Korean.

"Then, of course, there's Kvaratskhelia – he seems to me George Best for the way he walks, dribbles, even for his hair.

"I say Osimhen, devastating. Italy completed him from all points of view, and today he is among the three strongest strikers in the world.

"Finally, we mustn't overlook the 'old' [Stanislav] Lobotka, who reminds me of Xavi, someone who made a mistake every 10 to 12 months."

Can Napoli win the Champions League as well as the Scudetto then?

"It wouldn't be a surprise for me, even if they'll have to be very careful about Milan," Vieri said.

Kai Havertz hailed the impact Thomas Tuchel had on his career, with the new Bayern Munich boss having coached the Germany international at Chelsea.

Tuchel, who was announced as Bayern's coach following the shock sacking of Julian Nagelsmann last week, took charge of the Blues between January 2021 and September last year.

The German guided Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021, with Havertz scoring the first-half winner in a 1-0 victory over fellow Premier League side Manchester City.

Speaking to The Guardian on Tuchel's influence, he said: "Tuchel gave me a different idea of football. 

"Every detail counts, every centimetre, how you touch the ball, how you control, where you pass, which foot, movement, creating spaces: he's just top level. 

"To come and win the Champions League in six months says it all.

"My brother and I used to watch every Champions League game and to hold the trophy with your family on the pitch was such a relief. 

"I scored this goal, I can be happy. I made my childhood dream come true."

Chelsea remain in this year's competition after overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit to Borussia Dortmund with a 2-0 home win at Stamford Bridge. 

Havertz scored the crucial second goal from the penalty spot and his side now face reigning champions Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

"The ambition is still there," Havertz said about Chelsea's Champions League aspirations this campaign. 

"In the league, we are not very good and we feel for the fans but against Dortmund, the atmosphere was the best I have seen. You feel the excitement. 

"The Premier League is big and winning it may be even more difficult but the Champions League is different. Hearing that anthem, playing at night, it's special."

Despite progress in the Champions League, Tuchel's successor Graham Potter sees his side sit tenth in the Premier League and 11 points off a top-four position heading into the final stage of the season.

Regardless of the pressure on Potter and the new singings brought in as part of an ambitious January spending spree, Havertz believes all of them will thrive at the club given time to develop. 

"Potter is very good for Chelsea even though he gets criticism; in the changing room, everyone knows his qualities.

"Enzo [Fernandez] and [Mykhaylo] Mudryk have come for a lot of money and they're only 22, you know? You cannot expect them to be Neymar straight away. It's like me: it takes time."

Erik ten Hag hailed Alex Ferguson as the defining personality in Manchester United's recent history following his induction into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

The league confirmed on Wednesday that Ferguson and his former rival Arsene Wenger are the first two inductees of 2023.

During a remarkable 27-year managerial stint at Old Trafford, Ferguson took standards to an altogether different level and he arguably remains the benchmark.

He took charge in 1986, six years before the foundation of the Premier League, and went on to win the competition 13 times – that is nine more than any other coach or manager.

United are waiting for their first Premier League title since Ferguson's retirement in 2013, and Ferguson's legacy still lauds over every manager who arrives at the club.

Ten Hag is the latest to try his luck and recognises the influence held by Ferguson, which is acting as a guide for the Dutchman as he looks to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.

"You feel it every day because he left a legacy and Manchester United is Alex Ferguson," Ten Hag told the Premier League.

"He set the highest standards, the highest values, and brought the winning attitude. He built that in the club… and that is the standard that you must face if you want to play for Manchester United or work for Manchester United.

"First of all, he knew when to rebuild and reconstruct a new team because he did it over two decades and every time he was successful. He did it with a balance of homegrown players and bringing big stars in.

"He got the best out of it, like working with Eric Cantona, working with [Ruud] van Nistelrooy, [Robin] van Persie, Wayne Rooney.

"That is huge if you are able to handle those personalities, but also to let them play as a team. That was always one of his most important qualities – that the team is always above any individual. It's difficult to construct one winning team. He did it so many times!”

Ten Hag was spotted having dinner with Ferguson in February before United played host to Barcelona in the Europa League.

At the time he spoke of how "committed" Ferguson still was to the club with his desire to help those who came after him.

Now, he is hoping to make such meetings more of a regular occurrence, such is Ferguson's wealth of experience.

"His experience is huge, so with all the knowledge he can help you with, he can," Ten Hag added.

"I'm really pleased that he wants to share his knowledge with me. It's great to talk and learn from him, and I hope we can do it more often."

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