Jodi Jones was wooed by Malta on Instagram and now he is looking for a picture perfect finish against England.
The Bow-born forward is ready for Friday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Gareth Southgate’s side and he has been ready for some time.
Three cruciate ligament injuries in just over three years at Coventry put his career on hold and thwarted a move to Leeds.
His injury despair also delayed international recognition with Malta, who initially made contact with Jones via social media four years ago.
But, having made his debut in last year’s Nations League loss to Estonia before winning promotion to the Football League at Wembley with Notts County this season, Jones is ready to make up for lost time.
“I remember getting messages on Instagram. Obviously, I didn’t know if they were genuine but then they started contacting my family regularly,” he tells the PA news agency.
“It was the president (Bjorn Vassallo) who reached out to me on there, then he got my number and was calling me a lot.
“I played against Luke (Gambin, Sutton’s Malta international) and he messaged me on Instagram saying they were asking about me out there.
“Then they reached out to me not too long after that with a proper phone call and contacted the club, that’s when I thought, ‘oh, yeah, obviously this is genuine’.
“I was injured at the time so I wasn’t really interested, not because I didn’t want to do it, I was interested but I just wanted to focus on getting back fit. As soon as I was and I thought I was back to my best I thought, ‘now’s the perfect time’.”
A seventh appearance came in Friday’s 1-0 win in Luxembourg, a victory which may not resonate worldwide but against a team 80 places above them in the FIFA rankings it suggests quick progress in Michele Marcolini’s three games in charge.
“It’s got my love for the game back. It’s been a great experience, playing international football, even just little things on a shirt like a badge that says Euro qualifiers,” says Jones.
“As a kid when you get a football kit you want it to have everything on. I remember Arsenal kits when I was younger, I wanted the Champions League badge on it, I wanted the Premier League badge. I’m still like a kid when I see things like that.
“It’s got my name back out there as well, which I really needed because if you mentioned my name, people say, ‘well, he’s done his ACL three times’.
“Now, if you say my name they’ll say, ‘he did his ACL three times, but he’s still playing, he’s just been promoted with Notts County, he’s an international and is playing against England’. So the positives have overtaken now.
“I just enjoy the little things, like just being able to play. I know how quickly things can change, especially with what I’ve been through.”
The support of his family – and godparents Terry and Geraldine – has been crucial in helping Jones return from despair but it took dad Jay to remind him of how far he has come.
“My godparents, they’ve sacrificed a lot for me. From the age of six they’ve taken me to football because my parents were very young when they had me,” said the 25-year-old, who made just two appearances for Coventry between November 2018 and August 2021 because of injury.
“Without them I definitely wouldn’t be a footballer. I can’t thank them enough. For my parents and my partner I’d say it’s more they’re just relieved to see me back playing.
“My dad said to me the other day, ‘for all you’ve been through you’ve still played at Wembley twice, you’re going to be playing against England, you’ve been promoted two or three times’.
“He said for someone to have missed so much you’ve also achieved so much.
“Being from England and watching England when I was a kid, playing against them would mean just a little bit more. It’ll just be a massive thing.
“I’m just really excited my family can come and watch me play. I want to be able to be a role model to them, just show them to follow your dreams and they can come true.”
Jones has Maltese connections on both sides of his family but more on his father’s side with Jay and mum, Frances, flying out. His partner Zoe, children and godparents will be at the Ta’ Qali Stadium for the Group C game.
He also remains close with James Maddison, remaining in a WhatsApp group with former Coventry team-mates with the ribbing about trying to keep up with the Leicester star ongoing.
Friday will cap his comeback season after Notts County’s dramatic National League play-off promotion.
Last month, Jones’ first goal since October 2018 sent the Magpies to Wembley after his last-minute extra-time winner capped a thrilling 3-2 semi-final victory over Boreham Wood before a penalty shoot-out win over Chesterfield in the final.
Jones, who made his senior debut at 16 for Dagenham in 2014, scored in the shoot-out and knows how special one more goal on Friday would be.
“I’ve pictured it loads of times, whether it’ll happen is another thing,” says Jones, who joined the Magpies permanently this month after leaving Oxford.
“I believe in my ability and I know if I get one chance I will take it.”
Ancelotti defends Kroos substitution against Bayern Munich
Carlo Ancelotti defended his decision to substitute Toni Kroos during Real Madrid's 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich.
The two European heavyweights shared the spoils in a thrilling Champions League semi-final first leg at the Allianz Arena, where Vinicius Junior's late penalty levelled the tie.
Vinicius had opened the scoring in the 24th minute after latching onto Kroos' delicious throughball, one of a game-high 15 line-breaking passes the Germany midfielder played during the first half.
The 34-year-old was replaced by Brahim Diaz for the final 14 minutes of the contest, which Bayern had turned around thanks to second-half strikes from Leroy Sane and Harry Kane.
But Ancelotti, who knows the support of Madrid's fans will be crucial when he welcomes his former club to Santiago Bernabeu for next week's second leg, explained his thinking.
"Jude Bellingham had cramp, Toni Kroos played a spectacular game, but the plan was to try to recover the control of the game by putting fresh legs in," the Italian told reporters during his post-match press conference.
"As always, at this point in the season, we have a great opportunity to play in another final. It's an even tie against a great team. It will be another 90 minutes of suffering, but in an atmosphere that we know quite well. The fans are going to help us."
Meanwhile, Thomas Tuchel knows Bayern will have their work cut out in the second leg, but has encouraged his players to be confident and embrace the challenge.
"The situation is now very clear," he said. "We go to Madrid and the winner takes it all. We are ready to fight. It is important to believe that.
"It is still possible. It is 50-50. It is one of the toughest places to win, but that is also what makes this challenge exciting."
Manchester United clearout continues as two more senior boardroom figures depart
Manchester United have continued their clearout under Jim Ratcliffe by confirming the departures of Patrick Stewart and Cliff Baty.
Interim chief executive Stewart and chief financial officer Baty will depart Old Trafford at the end of the current campaign.
Stewart, who replaced Richard Arnold in the position at the start of the year, will be temporarily replaced by Jean-Claude Blanc until Omar Berrada arrives in July, while Roger Bell will take over from Baty.
The news was confirmed by United on their official website on Tuesday.
INEOS Sport chief Blanc is well known to Ratcliffe, who recently bought a 27.7-per-cent stake in United and is in control of footballing affairs.
Bell also has ties to INEOS and will now take up the same CFO role at Old Trafford.
Ratcliffe said: "I would like to personally thank both Patrick and Cliff for their support in helping us get to know the club and making us feel welcome and I respect their decisions to now move on as we establish a new management team for the club."
Executive co-chairman Joel Glazer said: "I would like to thank Patrick and Cliff for their dedicated service to Manchester United and wish them well for the future.
"Both have been a source of invaluable advice and expertise over many years, and Patrick has served an important role as interim CEO during this transitional phase."
Since Ratcliffe purchased a minority stake in United, the club have made a number of other changes behind the scenes.
John Murtough stepped down as football director after more than a decade at the club, with Dan Ashworth lined up to replace him, while Jason Wilcox has been appointed as technical director.
United are sixth in the Premier League with four games remaining, raising questions over the future of manager Erik ten Hag under the new regime.
Bayern were victims of Real Madrid's lethal efficiency, says Tuchel
Bayern Munich were victims of Real Madrid's lethal efficiency in Tuesday's 2-2 draw but the Germans are ready to beat them in next week's Champions League semi-final return leg, says coach Thomas Tuchel.
The Bavarians struck twice in four minutes early in the second half with a shot from Leroy Sane and a Harry Kane penalty to turn the game around after Vinicius Junior had put the visitors ahead in the 24th against the run of play.
Brazilian striker Vinicius also bagged an equaliser with an 83rd-minute spot kick as Bayern were pushing for a third goal.
Tuchel felt Bayern were in a strong position to stretch their lead going into the closing stages, but instead they will travel to Madrid next Wednesday with the tie all square.
"The result is what it is and it is not worth spending any time thinking about it," Tuchel, who will leave Bayern at the end of the season after a disappointing domestic campaign, said at his post-match press conference.
"Real have done it before, to score twice with two chances.
"We are not the first team to suffer that. They have the finish, they have the quality to do that."
Reflecting on the match, Tuchel added: "We had a strong start, then we lost a bit of our rhythm.
"Then [later in the game] we should have scored a third, but we were not efficient enough, not cold enough to add a third. Then we gifted them a penalty."
Bayern enjoyed a strong start and also had chances to score again after going 2-1 up.
They will now need to win against Real, who are chasing a 15th European Cup, in Madrid if they are to advance to the final at Wembley.
Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain face each other in the other semi-final, with the first leg of that tie taking place on Wednesday.
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