While on paper it seems Jamaica has drawn perceived lesser opponents for the Concacaf Men’s Under-20 qualifiers, assistant coach John Wall insists that the young Reggae Boyz will not be grandstanding against anyone, as the main aim beyond qualification is to improve the quality of their play.
In fact, Wall is aware that teams such as Bermuda, Grenada and Martinique, who they will rub shoulders with in Group F, have all been on the upgrade which means the perception of easy games is now a thing of the past.
The 27-team tournament scheduled for February 23 to March 2, will be contested in six groups across five venues in Central America and the Caribbean.
After round-robin play, the group winners will progress to the 2024 Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship, joining the six top-ranked nations –United States, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic.
With this in mind, Wall pointed to the importance of ensuring the young Reggae Boyz are well prepared to give of their best.
"Obviously there is no simple game in Concacaf, I have learnt that firsthand and bearing in mind also that the trend overall in Concacaf is that the game has become more global, especially where the Diaspora comes in. So, Martinique when it comes to relationship with France and obviously Bermuda and Grenada with the United Kingdom predominantly.
“For us it is kind of a bigger scope, and we take it really seriously. We have been having camps from earlier this year and we are watching the players and identifying them as we go on. For me, it is really important to look at the next generation and the style of how Jamaica plays on a general basis,” Wall said.
“Also, qualifiers are a special kind of animal, you have to take certain things into account such as the number of games in a short space of time, you have players coming in as well as time zone differences. So, we are making all those external factors more internal per se and control the variables as much as we can,” he added.
Wall explained that his course of action has already be set in motion to identify character strengths he wants the young Reggae Boyz to exemplify and create an identity through purposeful planning.
“I have sent my preferred plan to the head of the Technical Committee because for us, it is obviously optimizing the time that we have. So, we want to use this upcoming Fifa window, we want to use December and January. What was done in the past is that players spent a lot of weeks in camps and accumulate too much fatigue heading into a tournament,” Wall reasoned.
“So, the good thing about what we are doing now by having these short camps since March is that it actually gives players time to adapt to the messaging and what we want and how I feel that we need to train and what we need to be. So given time, we can do a lot of things together and I am really looking forward to it myself,” he noted.
That said, the tactician who also works alongside Heimir Hallgrimsson with the senior Reggae Boyz team, expressed delight with how they have incorporated young players into that setup.
“The proof of it is in what we have been doing with the first team with guys like Dexter Lembikisa, Karoy Anderson and Whisper [Dujuan Richards]. So, the process is there and the pathway for the younger players should be there, and we need to have a really inclusive environment,” he stated.
“Jamaica for me is bold and likes to take on challenges and if there is anything I can add, I hope that I can, but I want to see that sense of desperation and urgency when Jamaica is playing football,” Wall ended.
Group A -Cuba, Nicaragua, Belize, British Virgin Islands, and Anguilla
(Venue: Estadio Nacional, Managua)
Group B -El Salvador, Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname, Guyana, and Turks and Caicos Islands (Venue: ABFA Technical Centre, Piggotts)
Group C -Guatemala, Curacao, Aruba, Saint Martin, and Barbados
(Venue: Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores, Guatemala City)
Group D -Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica (Venue: Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain)
Group E -Haiti, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Cayman Islands
(SKNFA Technical Center, Basseterre)
Group F -Jamaica, Bermuda, Grenada, and Martinique (Venue: SKNFA Technical Center, Basseterre)
After a three-year hiatus due in large part to the Covid-19 pandemic, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce’s Pocket Rocket Foundation is set to resume an inter-community six-a-side football tournament in Waterhouse.
The tournament dubbed the Fesco Six-A-Side Football Competition, will see 16 teams from Waterhouse and adjoining communities vying for cash and other prizes and even more importantly, harmony between communities that are occasionally in violent conflict with each other. Matches will be played on Saturdays beginning on October 14 until the grand finale on November 19.
For the opening weekend, matches will also be played on Monday, October 16, National Heroes Day in Jamaica.
The multiple Olympic and World Championship gold medallist told Sportsmax.TV that she is glad that she is able to resume the competition that for almost a decade engaged young men in the under-served communities.
“This is going to be our eighth staging and we were away for three years. For me, it’s about being able to engage young men coming together from different communities on the football field. Everybody knows what football does to the world and we want to offer young men an opportunity to relate to each other, to understand that we’re vying for something, that we can be competitive but we can have sportsmanship. We can understand that we are all fighting for the same thing, just to co-exist and having the football come back is a huge opportunity to see what the community has been doing, how we can engage them,” said Fraser-Pryce, whose Pocket Rocket Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The foundation has brought gasoline marketers and distributors, Fesco, on board as a title sponsor and Fraser-Pryce expressed her gratitude at having them on board, stating, “We are fortunate to have Fesco as one of our title sponsors. They have been such a pillar in the community because they are in the process of opening a gas station in my community so we are looking forward to the partnership and just to engage the young men.”
Teams will be outfitted by Nike and the iconic athlete promised that the tournament will be so much more than just about football. She expects it to be a fulfilling experience for the communities involved.
“We will have an ambulance on site. We will have entertainment and giveaways and a whole host of things. One of the things we want to do this year is to make sure that each Saturday we have an outreach, whether its inviting the cancer society or having blood pressure checks, different things that can engage the community as a whole.”
The football competition is among several initiatives that the Pocket Rocket Foundation is undertaking this year. There is a fundraising gala on November 4 at the AC Hotel in Kingston and its Christmas treat for the Waterhouse community later this year.
Scotland suffered their first Euro 2024 qualifying defeat with a 2-0 loss in Spain but qualification hopes remain alive.
The Scots had won their first five Group A qualifiers including a 2-0 win over the Spanish at Hampden Park in March and needed to take something from the return game in Seville or Norway fail to beat Cyprus, to qualify on the night.
In a stifling warm evening, the Scots survived some heavy first-half pressure to go in at the break goalless before Scott McTominay, who scored both goals against Spain in Glasgow, fired in a wonderful free-kick in the 59th
minute only to see it ruled out after a VAR check for a Jack Hendry infringement.
Alvaro Morata headed in after 73 minutes and substitute Oihan Sancet and Scotland defender Ryan Porteous clashed together for the second in the 86th minute and with Norway beating Cyprus, Steve Clarke’s men move on to the second October fixture.
Scotland face France in a friendly in Lille next Tuesday but Spain face Norway two days earlier and if the Norwegians drop points, Scotland’s place in Germany will be secured while the Scots also have Georgia away and Norway at home in November.
That it was the annual National Day of Spain added to the sense of occasion although the Scots had work to do.
In the absence of injured Kieran Tierney, Clarke stuck with a back-three with Scott McKenna taking over and Lyndon Dykes was asked to lead the line, supported mostly by Ryan Christie.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who had criticised Scotland’s tactics and talent after the defeat in March, Gavi and Morata were some of the stars starting for this summer’s Nations League winners.
Feran Torres missed a great chance in the second minute, beating Scotland keeper Angus Gunn with a close-range shot after taking a Morata pass but failing to hit the target.
Torres’s corner moments later sped through the Scotland six-yard box but Morata’s header at the far post was at a stretch and caused no danger.
It was looking like a long night for the visitors.
La Roja kept their corner count ticking over amid their control of the game – Rodri was jeered by the Scotland fans – but the Scots stuck to their task with only the occasional foray forward.
In the 34th minute, after Scotland defender Aaron Hickey brilliantly blocked a shot from Mikel Oyarzabal, Mikel Merino cracked the post with a left-footed drive and the ball spun away for a goal kick.
Morata had the ball in the net soon afterwards but was well offside but some bad luck followed.
Just before the break skipper Andy Robertson collided with Spain keeper Unai Simon and appeared to hurt his shoulder, with Nathan Patterson taking over and Hickey moving to left-back.
Granada attacker, Bryan Zaragoza, who scored twice against Barcelona at the weekend, came on to make his debut for Spain at the start of the second half, along with Fran Garcia.
Spain continued their dominance but in a rare Scotland attack, Christie could not quite control a John McGinn pass inside the box and the chance was lost.
Christie did well to win a free-kick against Dani Carvajal near the byline on the left and the Tartan Army were in raptures when McTominay fired it high past Simon but after Dutch referee Serdar Gozubuyuk was sent to check his pitchside monitor, he ruled a Hendry foul on the keeper.
Scotland were soon on the back foot again as Spain brought on Jesus Navas and Sancet and when Navas crossed from the right Morata skimmed a header past Gunn.
It was another blow for Scotland who came right out their shell, substitute Che Adams, on for Dykes, stabbing a close-range shot at Simon
while at the other end Porteous blocked a goal-bound shot from substitute Joselu before a mistake by Hickey allowed Joselu to square the ball and
Sancet and Porteous challenged with the ball ending in the net.
It was a tough night for Scotland but in qualification terms, Germany is still very much on the cards.
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has had a cancerous tumour removed from his liver.
The operation was carried out following a diagnosis at the beginning of August and was “completely successful”, but complications during the surgery meant Kenwright needed a lengthy stay in an intensive care unit.
A statement from the Toffees read: “Everton would like to provide a short update on the health of our chairman, Bill Kenwright.
“Following a diagnosis at the beginning of August, Mr Kenwright underwent a major medical procedure six weeks ago to remove a cancerous tumour from his liver.
“The procedure was completely successful but complications during surgery necessitated a prolonged period in an intensive care unit.
“Mr Kenwright is now out of intensive care and has left hospital. He has returned home to continue his recovery, which is expected to be lengthy, but complete.
“Right up until the day of the procedure, the chairman had continued to carry out all his club duties, working hard alongside Mr (Farhad) Moshiri to facilitate the proposed takeover by 777 Partners and supporting Kevin Thelwell with the club’s summer transfer activity.
“Mr Kenwright has always been fiercely protective of his private life and is grateful that his privacy has been respected during this difficult time. He hopes this will continue following this update.”
Kenwright, 78, first joined the Everton board in 1989 and has been chairman for nearly 20 years.
It was announced last month that a deal to sell the club to 777 Partners had been agreed.
Australia manager Graham Arnold reiterated Ange Postecoglou’s message for his side to beat England for “the kids and the nation” ahead of the first ever meeting between the countries at Wembley.
Arnold brought in Spurs boss Postecoglou and his fellow former Australia head coach Guus Hiddink in a bid to inspire the Socceroos ahead of Friday’s friendly in London.
Australia are underdogs going into the encounter, having only beaten England once in seven meetings – a 3-1 triumph at Upton Park in 2003 – and sitting 23 spots below their fourth-placed hosts in the FIFA world rankings, but Arnold says his side will only have victory on their minds when they take the pitch.
He said: “The speeches that Ange said yesterday were very similar about what we’ve been saying for years with doing it for the kids in Australia, the nation and your family and people who are close by and the supporters.
“I know one thing is that they (the players) will run until they drop, the energy will be there and they’ll put in the performance of their lives.
“I have got a special relationship with both (Postecoglou and Hiddink). I’ve known Ange for 40 odd years, I’ve played and coached against him, worked with him and we’ve had a great connection for years.
“With Guus, he’s pretty much a mentor to me and like a brother, a father. I’ve got to be careful with what I say because he’s not that old but he’s always been a great man to me and I worked with him during the 2006 World Cup as his assistant.
“We aim to win. We’re not going out there to lose or draw the game, we’re going out there to win the game.
“It’s the culture that we bring. We’ve seen the Socceroos and the Matildas (Australia women’s team) bring the nation together and this is not my team, it’s the nation’s team.”
While Australia are looking to make history at Wembley, Arnold highlighted some of the challenges he says they face trying to grow the game back home.
Despite the successful co-hosting of the Women’s World Cup this summer, where the Matildas got to the semi-finals, Arnold says the infrastructure and support they receive pales in comparison to other sports Down Under, or that England enjoy.
“We don’t get anywhere near the help and resources (of Australian rules football),” Arnold said.
“We see the Prime Minister and the government say they love coming out to watch the Socceroos and Matildas with scarves on but they must lose them when they go home.
“We don’t have a home of football. Whether you believe that or not, we don’t have a home.
“When the Socceroos come to Sydney to train, we have to go to a rugby league field where they remove the posts and put soccer posts up. That’s the truth.
“We are the highest participated sport at grassroots (in Australia). The last four days England have been at St George’s Park and they come down to (Wembley) where they are inspired and have a culture, we don’t have anything like that.
“After the World Cup I said ‘hopefully this will make things change’ and that government funding will help inspire the kid’s lives and fulfil their dreams.”
Australia’s most recent meeting with England saw the home side claim a 2-1 win at the Stadium of Light in 2016, when an 18-year-old Marcus Rashford because the youngest player to score on his England debut.
Roy Hodgson was in charge of England for that match but Arnold, who took charge in 2018, is looking forward to pitting his wits against the present incumbent Gareth Southgate.
Arnold said: “England are a fantastic team and Gareth Southgate is a great coach, a wonderful man and I look forward to seeing him tomorrow night.
“We are very appreciative of the invitation to play here and we’re looking forward to the match.”
Wayne Rooney has emphasised how much he is relishing the challenge he has taken on as boss of a Birmingham outfit with sights very much set on the Premier League.
The former England captain was appointed as Blues’ new manager on Wednesday on a three-and-a-half year deal after leaving DC United last weekend.
That was two days on from the Midlands club, who were taken over by US-based Shelby Companies Limited in July and had seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady become a minority owner the following month, sacking boss John Eustace while lying sixth in the Championship table.
Rooney returns to management in his home country having previously been in charge at Derby from 2020 to 2022, and he told a press conference at St Andrew’s on Thursday: “I think for myself firstly to get back into English football is great, it’s what I’ve wanted to do.
“I’ve had opportunities over the last four, six weeks at other clubs as well, to do that. But I think since speaking to Birmingham and seeing the ambitions of the club, where they want to go, where they want to get to, it excited me.
“I want to be successful, it’s clear this club wants to be successful, and everything we spoke about really was very similar. It was a really easy decision once I’d spoken to them.
“That’s the goal – for the club, for myself, is to get this club back to the Premier League, of course. I think there’s a lot of work to be done throughout the football club.
“The Premier League is where we want to get to, it’s an ambition of mine, one of the club’s, and we’re putting everything in place to make sure we do that in the near future.
“We’ll push for it (this season), of course. It’s a challenge, and something we’ll certainly push for. I’m committed, I’m ready to take this club forward, excited by this challenge…and looking forward to taking (it) on.”
When asked about taking over a club that has been doing well, Rooney said: “Of course it’s more pressure, which I love. I love the fact we’re in a good position.
“I love the pressure of it. That’s something I’ve dealt with since I was a young kid coming through at 16, so that’s nothing new to me.
“Who it might be new to is some of the players, so my job is to make sure I get them ready for that and to go out and be successful.”
The former Everton and Manchester United forward – who it emerged had got to work before 7am that morning – revealed he had spoken to Brady, and said: “It’s great to have him at the football club. He’s very ambitious to move this club forward. It’s clear, he’s fully involved in developing the club.”
An associate of the ownership is Steven Knight, the creator of Birmingham-set Peaky Blinders, which Rooney said was “one of the best television shows I’ve watched in the last 10 years”, before adding: “He actually gave me one of the caps, which I certainly wasn’t going to wear to this press conference! But I’m sure I’ll find time to put it on.”
The Republic of Ireland will attempt to launch a strong finish to a disappointing Euro 2024 qualifying campaign when they welcome Greece to the Aviva Stadium on Friday evening.
Stephen Kenny’s men saw hopes of automatic qualification effectively go up in smoke last month when they were beaten by Group B rivals France in Paris and the Netherlands in Dublin, leaving them with just three points from their five games to date.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding a game in which there is little more than pride at stake for the hosts.
Curtains for Kenny?
Despite inheriting an Ireland squad which had secured a Euro 2020 play-off place on which they were ultimately unable to cash in, Kenny stated from early in his reign that qualification for Euro 2024 was his target. Barring an unlikely series of results, the Republic will not make it to Germany automatically and even another ticket for the play-offs looks unlikely as a result of their poor Nations League record. A review of the manager’s tenure will take place next month, but even some of Kenny’s most staunch supporters are starting to turn.
Greek tragedy
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The Group B draw left both Ireland and Greece, who were already assured of a play-off spot, facing a difficult task to deny France and the Netherlands the top two berths and as such, the games between the two were going to be crucial. Kenny’s men travelled to Athens in June knowing victory would put them in a strong position from which to mount an attack; they left on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline and with the alarm bells already ringing after just two games.
Matt finish?
Matt Doherty in particular did not enjoy his trip to the Greek capital. With his side trailing to Anastasios Bakasetas’ and a second from Girogos Masouras after Nathan Collins had levelled, the defender was sent off after a needless clash with Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas. He and his team-mates were less than happy with the behaviour of some of the Greece players during the game and there is a hunger for a measure of revenge within the camp.
When Irish eyes are spying
Greece boss Gus Poyet was a satisfied man after the win at the OPAP Arena, claiming afterwards that he had anticipated what Ireland would do and had therefore been able to combat it. Ireland assistant manager Keith Andrews this week suggested the Uruguayan had enlisted the help of Irish contacts to draw up his masterplan. Time will tell if he has been able to do so once again.
Evan help us
Last month’s 2-0 defeat in Paris and the 2-1 reverse at the hands of the Dutch which followed it might have been different had Kenny been able to call upon one of his emerging stars. Eighteen-year-old Brighton striker Evan Ferguson was forced to withdraw from the squad due to a knee injury, robbing Ireland of their most potent weapon. Ferguson is back and primed and Ireland expects.
Black armbands will be worn and a period of silence observed at the England v Australia friendly to remember the innocent victims of the conflict in Israel and Palestine.
The Football Association has confirmed its plans to pay tribute, having come under pressure to illuminate the Wembley arch in the colours of the Israeli flag following attacks by Hamas militants over the weekend which were followed by Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
“On Friday evening, we will remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine,” the FA said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with them, and their families and friends in England and Australia and with all the communities who are affected by this ongoing conflict. We stand for humanity and an end to the death, violence, fear and suffering.
“England and Australia players will wear black armbands during their match at Wembley Stadium and there will also be a period of silence held before kick-off.”
The statement added that flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality not linked to England or Australia will not be permitted inside Wembley on Friday night.
Reggae Girlz captain Khadijah ‘Bunny’ Shaw opened her account for Manchester City Women on Wednesday during a 2-1 victory over Everton in the opening round of the Women’s League Cup.
Shaw also had an assist as she fed teammate Jess Park, who scored the opener in the 21st minute to see Manchester City take a 1-0 lead into the half-time break.
Shortly after the resumption, Shaw got her goal smashing in from 10 yard to give the Cityzens a 2-0 lead in the 47th minute.
“Got the job done. On to the next,” a proud Shaw posted on Instagram afterwards.
Toni Duggan headed in in stoppage time for Everton’s consolation. The former Manchester City player was scoring her first goal since she returned from maternity leave after giving birth to a daughter in March.
Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny has told his players they must believe they can still qualify automatically for the Euro 2024 finals until it becomes a mathematical impossibility.
The chances of Ireland making it to next summer’s finals effectively evaporated last month when they were beaten by Group B rivals France and the Netherlands, and even the prospect of a back-door ticket via the play-offs looks unlikely given their Nations League ranking.
However beleaguered boss Kenny, who has come under intense pressure as a result of just a single victory in the opening five qualifiers – and that against minnows Gibraltar – remained defiant as he plotted revenge against Greece, who got the better of his side in Athens in June.
The manager said: “We want to finish the group strongly. We are still in contention for automatic qualification.
“It’s not in our own hands, we are relying on results elsewhere. We have to see if we can take it to the November window and the only way we can do that is by taking six points from this window.
“It may not be enough, but we’d be kicking ourselves if we didn’t do that and results did happen elsewhere.
“We do our side. We win the games we need to win and that starts with Greece on Friday.”
Kenny’s desperation to get the better of Greece has been fuelled in part by a perception that opposite number Gus Poyet went into the reverse fixture armed with detailed knowledge of how to combat Ireland.
Assistant Keith Andrews suggested earlier this week that Poyet, in doing his homework on the Republic, had used his contacts from Ireland to get the low-down on players and tactics.
Kenny, however, played down talk of a spying scandal, insisting the Greeks had had no help from within his camp.
Asked if he had any surprises up his sleeve for Poyet, he said with a smile: “Yes, I had Theo Zagorakis in the hotel in Castleknock earlier. He’s coming down and we’ll see how he is.”
Kenny added: “It’s all quite possible, but listen, I’m not getting hung up on that and certainly we’re just focused on preparing the team for the game on Friday.”
Ireland have been boosted by the return of Brighton striker Evan Ferguson, who missed last month’s fixtures with a knee injury, although Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics, who wad called up to replace Aaron Connolly following his withdrawal, has left the squad for family reasons.
Just how different the Republic’s situation might have been had blossoming talent Ferguson been available against the French and the Dutch is a moot point, but Kenny is convinced the motivation of his players will be as high as ever despite the seeming futility of their position.
He said: “Firstly, it’s a huge honour just to put on the green shirt and to represent your country, especially in a qualifier.
“The reality is, although it’s an outside chance, mathematically we still have a chance. As long as that is the case, we must give everything of ourselves all the time.
“That’s not in question. I think they will be hugely motivated, the players, to try to fulfil their potential in this game.”
New Wales cap Regan Poole admits he owes so much to Manchester United after making his international debut on Wednesday night.
Defender Poole seemed destined for stardom in 2015 after leaving Newport aged 17, on the same day United made Anthony Martial football’s most expensive teenager.
But Poole’s first-team action at Old Trafford was restricted to an 89th-minute substitute appearance in a 2016 Champions League tie – a 5-1 win over Danish club Midtjylland, in which England striker Marcus Rashford announced himself with two goals on debut.
Poole would be loaned out to Northampton and Newport before signing for MK Dons, Lincoln and Portsmouth, where he has hit the ground running with three goals in 12 appearances for the Sky Bet League One leaders.
“It’s always been my aim to win that cap,” Poole said after helping Wales to a 4-0 friendly win over Gibraltar in Wrexham, ahead of their Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia.
“I’m 25 and I’ve had to wait a little while to get it, but hopefully there are many more to come.
“I had the experience of playing for the under-21s a few times and got called up there.
“It went quiet for a little while, but I’ve had a really positive start for my new club and hopefully I can stay in the squad.”
Cardiff-born Poole became Newport’s youngest-ever player in 2014 upon making his debut at the age of 16 and 94 days.
Poole’s performances soon had Premier League scouts flocking to Rodney Parade and he eventually headed for Old Trafford for a £100,000 fee, with attached add-ons taking it to a potential £500,000.
“I was at such a young age when the move came about,” said Poole.
“It was such a shock, but it was something I had to do. I look back on my time there and they improved me so much as a person and as a player.
“I don’t regret it in a way because I had to do it. I loved my time there and I think it’s showing now how much they improved me.
“I was training with such good players and that’s shown in my career.”
On his brief time as a United first-team player, Poole added: “That’s something I look back on with great pride.
“I know it was only one game but I can say that I played for Manchester United and not many people can say that. So I look back on that and think ‘well done’.
“Marcus scored two in that game and then I came on late. He was a good friend of mine at the time and he’s gone on to do such great things.”
Poole is determined to play at the top level again and believes that is possible at Portsmouth.
He said: “I’m loving it down there. We’ve started so brightly and we’re looking for promotion.
“We’re trying to get the football club back to where it belongs. Why can’t we do it at Portsmouth?
“Ipswich are doing really well (in the Championship after going up from League One last season) and if we can get promoted, why not?
“Portsmouth is a Premier League football club and should never be in League One.
“I believe I can play in the Premier League. If you don’t think that, you’re in the wrong sport.”
Sheffield United defender Chris Basham has been “overwhelmed by support” following his shocking injury sustained at Fulham last week.
Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom described Basham’s injury as “horrific” after he broke his ankle in the first half at Craven Cottage.
The 35-year-old required extensive medical attention before the game resumed and has since had two operations.
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Basham said on Instagram: “Had my two surgery’s done now and I can’t thank the surgeons enough for the fast response to me, the first surgery was for cleaning up the wound I suffered and dislocation, the second surgery was to repair the ligaments and to fit a plate on my bone where the fracture was.
“I’m in a cast now and it feels a lot more comfortable.
“Will be in London still for another few days but then be going home to recover in the right way.
“Trying to stay positive everyday with great family and friends around me. Still overwhelmed by the support I have received thank you.”
Basham is in his 10th year with the Blades, having joined from Blackpool in 2014, and has made eight Premier League appearances this season.
The Blades won promotion back to the top flight last season but have yet to register their first win after eight matches and sit bottom of the table.
Josh Magennis is determined to keep proving his worth to Northern Ireland for as long as possible.
When manager Michael O’Neill said after last month’s defeat to Kazakhstan he needed to evaluate some of the older players in his squad and whether they could still deliver for the team, the 33-year-old Magennis recognised he was among those under the spotlight.
But a player who has 73 caps for Northern Ireland, having made his debut against Turkey in May 2010, still savours every opportunity to represent his country.
“It’s up to me to stay fit, perform at club level and when I get a chance in matches here or in training show I’m still worth having around,” Magennis told the PA news agency.
“I know I’m getting on but to me that’s just an excuse, whether people say it for you or you say it yourself. If you still play with intent, with the sports science that’s available now you can play endlessly. It’s up to you to prove you are worth your place in the squad.”
Magennis went as far as telling fans at a meet-and-greet event in Belfast this week that he would fancy playing at Euro 2028 when it is hosted by the UK and Ireland in four and a half years’ time, when he would be just shy of 37.
“Playing for your country is the biggest accolade you’ve ever had,” Magennis said. “I’m never going to retire and nor will I ever say I’ve retired.
“If Michael decides, or anyone else decides, they don’t want me to come any more that’s up to them but I can never retire on my country. That’s not how I will be going out.”
His love of playing shines through as he discusses his season so far with League One Wigan and “riding the wave” of being back after an injury lay-off.
Magennis saw his 2022-23 campaign cut short by a bad knee injury in April, forcing him to miss Northern Ireland’s June fixtures as he went through a lengthy rehabilitation process.
Although Magennis got himself back to fitness by August, the early season form of Charlie Wyke, who has scored six in 11 for Wigan, has meant all but two of his 10 club appearances have been from the bench, but one of them saw him score a hat-trick in an EFL Trophy win over Leicester Under-21s.
“Charlie has been on fire and I’ve just had to wait for my chance,” Magennis said. “At any level scoring goals is massive. The goals don’t move. I’m just feeling good to be back and ready.”
Goals would certainly not go amiss for a Northern Ireland side who have only scored four in their six Euro 2024 qualifiers to date, suffering four 1-0 defeats along the way.
Qualification is beyond them but there is a clear opportunity to end a five-game losing streak when San Marino, the only team O’Neill’s side have beaten so far, visit Windsor Park on Saturday.
But while they can change the mood with victory, Magennis said the team does not need a reset.
“It’s not about trying to change our mentality,” he said. “Michael is working towards something.
“I don’t want to say we’re rebuilding but there’s been an influx of new players, a lot of players Michael’s not been around before and a lot of players who are experiencing international football for the first time.
“It’s just about trying to keep going, keep grafting and trying to implement what Michael wants us to do. It’s been tough not winning. This is a results-based business and everyone wants to win but there’s a process and Michael has proved this process has worked before. We’ve got to trust in it.”
What the papers say
Barcelona are considering making a move for Arsenal midfielder Jorginho, 31, according to the Mirror. Jorginho, who joined the Gunners from Chelsea in January, has featured in six Premier League games so far this season.
The Mirror also reports Spain goalkeeper David De Gea, 32, has caused an online stir after posting a picture in England with on-loan Manchester United defender Sergio Reguilon, with calls for the club to bring the out-of-contract player back to Old Trafford. Current United stopper Andre Onana has made a number of errors since joining the Manchester giants in the summer.
The Daily Mail says Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has a clause in his contract which allows him to become the boss of any of the clubs he played for as early as next summer. These clubs include Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Victor Osimhen: Chelsea have added the 24-year-old striker to their transfer list for January, ESPN reports. Osimhen has scored six goals in eight games for Napoli so far in Serie A this season.
Serhou Guirassy: The leading scorer in the Bundesliga this season for Stuttgart has attracted interest from Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Brighton. The 27-year-old has scored 13 goals in just seven games for the German club this campaign.
Manchester City confirmed Carlos Tevez would face disciplinary proceedings, after apparently refusing to come on as a substitute in a Champions League match, on this day in 2011.
Manager Roberto Mancini claimed Tevez refused to come off the bench during the 2-0 defeat at Bayern Munich. An internal investigation was launched and Tevez was informed he would be punished.
“The club has been conducting an investigation into the events of 27 September at the Allianz Arena,” a club statement read.
“The club has now reached a stage in its investigation where it has concluded that there is a case for Carlos Tevez to answer of alleged breaches of contract.
“Accordingly, the club has informed him that he will face disciplinary proceedings and the hearing will be convened shortly.”
Tevez claimed the incident was a misunderstanding as he had only refused to warm up.
Nevertheless, he was suspended for two weeks and hit with a substantial fine.
The Argentina forward did not play for City again until the following March, but stayed with the club until joining Juventus in 2013.
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