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• 'The biggest loss of face in the history of football,' says Klopp on England rumours

  Jurgen Klopp has distanced himself from taking on the vacant England job, saying it would be "the biggest loss of face in the history of football". 

  Klopp, who left Liverpool at the end of last season after a nine-year stay on Merseyside, is one of many names linked with taking over from Gareth Southgate. 

  Southgate led England to back-to-back European Championship finals, failing to win in both and stepped down from his role after their defeat to Spain at Euro 2024. 

  The last time the Three Lions employed a foreign manager came back in 2008, when Fabio Capello was announced as Steve McClaren's replacement. 

  Klopp was asked at an International Coaches' Congress in Wurzburg whether he had been offered a way back into management since leaving Liverpool. 

  "At the moment, there is nothing at all in terms of jobs. No club, no country," Klopp said.

  “England? That would be the biggest loss of face in the history of football if I said I’ll make an exception for you.”

  England's first game following Southgate's departure will be against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on 7 September in the UEFA Nations League.

  Klopp said his reasoning for leaving Liverpool was because he was "running out of energy" having helped the Reds win eight major honours during his time at Anfield. 

  However, the 57-year-old did not rule out a return to the dugout in the future, expressing his desire of working in football again. 

  "Let's see what it will look like in a few months. Nothing is coming through at the moment," he said.

  "As of today, that's it for me as a coach. I didn't quit on a whim, it was a general decision.

  "I've also coached the best clubs in the world. Maybe we can talk about it again in a few months.

  "I still want to work in football and help people with my experience and contacts. Let's see what else there is for me."

• Gilbert lauds dominant 7-1 victory over Jong Holland as Arnett Gardens into CFU Club Shield semis

  Arnett Gardens Head coach Xavier Gilbert was full of praise for his team following their emphatic 7-1 victory over CRKSV Jong Holland, which secured their spot in the semifinals of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield.

  A hat-trick from the prolific Fabian Reid (5th, 45+1, 60th) was the platform for the Jamaican club’s lopsided victory over their Curacao counterparts at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad on Tuesday.

  Kimani Arbouine (82nd and 90th), Jaheim Thomas (9th), and substitute Rushike Kelson (70th) got the other goals for Arnett Gardens. Shurwendel Roosje (59th) got Jong Holland’s consolation.

  It was an encounter that showcased Arnett Gardens' attacking prowess and tactical discipline, as the ‘Junglists’ took their opponents apart with clinical precision, much to the delight of their coach, who pointed out that it was a clear indication of their potential to achieve their primary objective of qualifying for the Concacaf Club Championships.

  “Yeah, it was a good victory. I'm happy that we are in the semi-finals and one step away from the next round, which is objective,” Gilbert told Sportsmax.TV.

  “We started off well, but I thought we could have been better because we allowed them some opportunities. Eventually, we settled in and controlled the entire game and we made some adjustments as it relates to what we needed to do to curtail the strengths coming forward, and we executed well for most parts. Winning 7-1 at this level is a great feat and so I have to lift my hat off to them,” he added.

  Arnett Gardens survived an early wave of pressure, with goalkeeper Richard White called upon twice to deny the opponents in quick succession. However, when they settled, the Jamaicans dominated possession and created numerous scoring opportunities throughout the match.

  Their fluid ball movements, coupled with their attacking quality, left Jong Holland’s defence in disarray, as it was a goalkeeping error that allowed Reid to break the deadlock with a firm finish from in the six-yard box.

  Another defensive error saw Arnett Gardens double their lead four minutes later as Keneldo Brown picked up the loose ball and found Thomas, who made no mistakes.

  

  Jong Holland also had their fair share of chances at the half-hour mark, but lacked composure in the final third, and were made to pay for their profligacy. This, as Reid grabbed his second with a well-taken finish in time, added to put Arnett Gardens 3-0 up at the break.

  Jong Holland eventually pulled one back 14 minutes into the resumption when Roosje finished off a well-orchestrated counterattack.

  However, their celebrations were short-lived, as Reid responded a minute later with another finish from close range to complete his hat-trick.

  Kelson got in on the act shortly after entering the contest, with a tidy finish that left Jong Holland’s goalkeeper flat-footed.

  Aubouine then wrapped things up for Arnett Gardens with two quick goals, the first of which was a well-struck right-footer that gave Jong Holland’s custodian no chance at a save.

  He then secured the brace with an easy finish, making amends for a previous strike that was ruled offside.

  Gilbert believes his team’s win came down to pre-game preparation, where they identified their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

  “We scouted them, and so we knew what they were coming at us with. Unfortunately, we just didn't start the execution of that plan as early as possible, but eventually we got it right, and it paid dividends. We could have won by a wider margin because we created way more opportunities, so that is something we will have to look at going forward,” Gilbert reasoned.

  With Friday’s semi-final clash with Club Atlético Pantoja, who were 1-0 winners over Puerto Rico’s Metropolitan FC, looming, Gilbert stressed the need for his team to remain grounded.

  “Our goal has always been to make it to the Concacaf Club Championships. This victory is a significant step towards that, but we know there's still work to be done. We need to stay focused and continue playing at this level,” the tactician noted.

  “We have a talented squad with the right mentality, so if we keep playing with the same intensity and commitment, I'm confident we can achieve our goal. But we're taking it one game at a time; the semi-finals will be another tough test, so we’ll ensure we're ready for that hurdle,” Gilbert ended.

• Brentford's Thiago ruled out until late 2024

  Brentford have confirmed that record signing Igor Thiago has had successful surgery on his meniscus injury sustained in pre-season, but will be out of action until late 2024.

  Thiago, who arrived from Club Brugge for £30million in July, picked up the injury in Brentford's 5-2 win over AFC Wimbledon earlier this month. 

  The Brazilian had scored twice on his first appearance for the club against the League Two side, but was withdrawn from the action at half-time. 

  Thiago was expected to be the replacement for Brentford's all-time top scorer Ivan Toney, but the recent news makes a move for the England international now less likely. 

  The 23-year-old scored 29 goals in 55 appearances in all competitions for the Belgian side last season, helping them claim a 19th Jupiler Pro League title. 

  Thomas Frank's side continue their preparations for the new campaign this weekend against Watford, before facing Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg in their final pre-season outing.

  The Bees welcome Crystal Palace to the Gtech Community Stadium on the opening day of the Premier League season, searching for a first win over their opponents since a 2-1 victory in the League Cup back in 1977.