
Pochettino rules out Spurs return
Mauricio Pochettino has ruled himself out the running to succeed Ange Postecoglou, saying a return to Tottenham at this point is "not realistic".Postecoglou was sacked on Friday, despite leading the club to their first piece of silverware in 17 years with victory in the Europa League.Pochettino, whose five-year stay at Spurs came to an end in November 2019, has been linked with a return to north London.But the Argentine, who was appointed United States manager in October 2024, says he is happy in his new role."Today it's not realistic," said Pochettino. "Look where I am. Look where we [his backroom staff] are. The answer is so clear."Since I left in 2019, my name has always been on the list [of rumours]. I've seen the rumours."If something happens [in the future], you for sure will see, but I am so happy in this moment and we cannot talk about this type of thing."
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Reuters
20 minutes ago
- Reuters
Lack of test preparation no bother for South Africa head of WTC final
LONDON, June 8 (Reuters) - A lack of preparation for the World Test Championship final will be no problem for South Africa as they get set to take on Australia at Lord's, opener Aiden Markram said on Sunday. South Africa last played a test in January when they beat Pakistan to book a place in the WTC final and their hopes of an extensive warm-up last week were stymied as their four-day match with Zimbabwe was largely rained out. "A lot of our series have been two test series, so in order to win them, you can't start slow, so I suppose there's a little bit of that that's helped us along the way," Markram told a press conference at Lord's, where the WTC final begins on Wednesday. "We know the importance of starting well, trying to get ahead of the game early and how important each session is going to be, because there's no second dip at it. "We have to make sure we hit the ground running and are nice and sharp come day one," he added. South Africa qualified for the final with a seven-match winning streak but also having played seven tests fewer than Australia, who are defending champions. "We've had a lot fewer games, so I suppose every time you get in, everyone's obviously getting super pumped up to play test cricket because we don't play as much of it," Markram said. South African cricket has a long history of coming close but failing in limited overs tournaments, but Markram felt that would have no impact on their first WTC final. "This team's obviously very different (in) personnel to what the white-ball squad was, so we haven't addressed it too much," he said. "The few of us that have been a part of previous ICC events that didn't go our way, have dealt with it. We've obviously chatted to each other and made sure we've buried it nicely and taken some good lessons from it. "But besides from that now it's more about the excitement of having another opportunity to actually do the job. So it's pretty much where the mind is at the moment. If we play good cricket, you give ourselves at least a fairly good chance of winning."


The Guardian
20 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Luciano Spalletti claims he has been sacked by Italy after Norway humiliation
Luciano Spalletti has been sacked from his role as Italy's coach, the manager said on Sunday, following their heavy loss to Norway, but will take charge of Monday's game against Moldova. Spalletti made the announcement at a press conference after Norway stunned Italy with a 3-0 win on Friday, handing the visitors a humiliating start to their World Cup qualifying campaign. 'Last night we were together with [Italian football federation] president [Gabriele] Gravina. He told me that I will be relieved of my position as coach of the national team,' Spalletti said. 'I had no intention of giving up. I would have preferred to stay in my place and continue doing my job. I'll be there tomorrow evening against Moldova, then we'll resolve the contract.' Spalletti's apparent dismissal comes after less than two years in the role, having replaced Roberto Mancini and taken charge in September 2023. While Spalletti took Italy to Euro 2024, their disappointing performance there had already put the manager under pressure. Italy went into the Euros last year in Germany as defending champions but after winning their opening game against Albania, they lost to Spain and snatched a late draw with Croatia to make the last 16, where they were beaten 2-0 by Switzerland. Spalletti's side seemed to have recovered as they put in an impressive Nations League campaign, beating France 3-1 away and losing just once. They lost at home to Les Bleus in the final group game to finish behind France on goal difference. Italy began this year with a 2-1 loss at the San Siro in their Nations League quarter-final first leg with Germany and found themselves 3-0 down at half-time in the return game in Dortmund. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion The Azzurri came back to salvage a draw but missed out on a semi-final place and when they fell 3-0 behind at the break against Norway, this time Italy had no reply. The loss left Spalletti's side already facing an uphill battle to secure automatic qualification for next year's World Cup, and after Italy missed out on the last two finals, the Italian football federation (FIGC) decided to act.


BBC News
32 minutes ago
- BBC News
Hope attacks after Wood strikes for England - text, radio & clips
Update: Date: 15:13 BST Title: Post Content: Carlos BrathwaiteFormer West Indies all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra This over is an important one. You feel like something will happen. West Indies have to target Bethell with Rashid bowling at the other end. Update: Date: 8.2 overs Title: WI 73-1 Content: Could that be taken... no, just over the leaping Will Jacks for six. Johnson Charles slog sweeps Jacob Bethell and just clears the sweeper on the rope. Update: Date: 8 overs Title: WI 66-1 Content: Runs from every delivery of Adil Rashid's first over, but no boundaries again as the England spinner rattles through his first six. Update: Date: 15:07 BST Title: Post Content: Carlos BrathwaiteFormer West Indies all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra There were two horrific drag-downs in that over by Jacob Bethell and they were both dots. Update: Date: 7 overs Title: WI 59-1 Content: Jacob Bethell replaces Liam Dawson for the first over out the powerplay. Left-arm spinner around the wicket which the West Indies can't get away - just four singles from the over. Update: Date: 6 overs Title: WI 55-1 Content: Carse sends down a bouncer to end the powerplay, but it's called a no ball. Hope smokes the resulting free hit straight to mid-off - no run. Update: Date: 15:03 BST Title: Post Content: Carlos BrathwaiteFormer West Indies all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra Again Carse is too full. He needs to find the one between that and the hit-the-length length. Update: Date: 5.5 overs Title: WI 55-1 Content: Two balls later, same shot, even bigger. The six lands deep in the stands, where it's shelled by a member of the public. 50 up for the West Indies. Update: Date: 15:02 BST Title: Post Content: Alex HartleyFormer England bowler on BBC Test Match Special Hope gave himself so much room, probably too much, and he ended up reaching for it. He's still hit it for six. Update: Date: 15:02 BST Title: Post Content: Henry MoeranTest Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra That is a massive hit. Update: Date: 5.3 overs Title: WI 48-1 Content: Big hit. Brydon Carse continues to take a bit of punishment from Shai Hope, with the West Indies captain making room to smash a six over mid-off. Update: Date: 15:00 BST Title: How's stat?! Content: Kieran ParmleyCricviz analyst This video can not be played Hope smashes Dawson over deep mid-wicket for six Shai Hope has improved significantly in T20Is after a poor start to his T20I career, upping both his average and strike rate significantly: 2017-2022 - 17 innings, 17.88 average, 121 strike rate 2023-Now - 22 innings, 35.62 average, 149 strike rate Update: Date: 5 overs Title: WI 40-1 Content: A couple of singles for Charles and Hope, to either side of the wicket, end the over. Update: Date: 14:59 BST Title: Post Content: Alex HartleyFormer England bowler on BBC Test Match Special A creaky bat handle... Update: Date: 4.4 overs Title: Not out Content: Daniel's ears can't be bested, snicko has absolutely nothing whatsoever - not a spike to be seen. Should that be a wide then? Nothing given. Update: Date: 14:57 BST Title: Post Content: Daniel NorcrossTest Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra Buttler said "you have got to refer this". I didn't hear a noise, I have got to say. Update: Date: 14:57 BST Title: Post Content: Alex HartleyFormer England bowler on BBC Test Match Special The spinner's margin for error with the off-side up is actually the leg-side wide. It is so hard to bowl to this field. Update: Date: 4.4 overs Title: Umpire review Content: A change of ends for Liam Dawson, and Johnson Charles gets his innings going by twice dropping back and cutting short balls from the spinner to the off side boundary. But now England fancy they have him out, caught down the leg side by Jos Buttler. They're going to take a look. Update: Date: 14:55 BST Title: Post Content: Alex HartleyFormer England bowler on BBC Test Match Special Three shots have all gone to the boundary by Shai Hope and he has not swiped at any of them. Update: Date: 4 overs Title: WI 28-1 Content: Hope makes it three boundaries a row, easing the ball through third for four with an open face. A further single to point takes him to 24 from 14, Charles has two from 10.