'We have to be robust'
Coventry City have to brush off any setbacks in their pursuit of a Championship play-off place, according to head coach Frank Lampard.The Sky Blues have pushed themselves into sixth position in the table after a fine run but their five-game winning streak came to an end in a 2-0 loss at Derby on Tuesday."It happens in football, we've been on an amazing run and it's important we realise what we've been doing," Lampard told BBC CWR."I've been in this situation, specifically in the Championship, played a lot of years and managed in the Premier League, the Champions League - you take hits along the way and being robust in these moments is par for the course."Coventry were just one point above the relegation zone when the former Chelsea boss took over in November and he admits their progress has surprised even him."I'd have settled to be in the top 12 when I came in," added Lampard, whose side face fourth-placed Sunderland on Saturday (15:00 GMT)."That's where we were looking so to get to where we are is a great thing and we have to reset a little with our mindset and thought process."Will we stay in the play-offs all the way to the end? Who knows, maybe not, but can we keep fighting to get in there? For sure."
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The Sun
22 minutes ago
- The Sun
Brutal Ange Postecoglou sacking leaves burning question for Daniel Levy: What is the point in Tottenham Hotspur?
MATE, oh mate, we'll miss you, mate. Even though you weren't our mate. And we knew that, especially if you called us "mate". 4 4 4 4 Ange Postecoglou, you were the last fair-dinkum footballing romantic inside the cynical world of Premier League football. You staked your reputation, you risked your job, on winning silverware for Tottenham. You told us you always won things in your second season in any job and we laughed at you and said, "Yes, mate, but this is Tottenham". And then you went and won something in your second season. You gambled and it paid off and yet they sacked you anyway. And what could be more cynical than that? You realised that winning the Europa League would mean far more to Spurs fans than finishing in the top half of the Premier League and you told us so. Just like you told us time and again that VAR is ruining the enjoyment of football. Just like you told us that those stats bores who try to suck the joy out of the game spend most of their time spouting nonsense. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Ange Breaks Silence On Tottenham Sacking ANGE Postecoglou issued a statement just moments after being axed. It read: "When I reflect on my time as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, my overriding emotion is one of pride. "The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. "Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget. "That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. "There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible. "We have also laid the foundations that means this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. "I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them. I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. "I know there were some difficult times, but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on. "It's important to acknowledge the hard working people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis. "And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. "A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special. 'We are forever connected. Audere est Facere.' You were right about all of those things and plenty more. You were chippy and sarcy and narky but you spoke more good, honest commonsense than any other manager in the Premier League has done for years. You spoke like a true lover of the game, a true fan, with all the heart-on-sleeve emotion and all the 'us against the world' spikiness that entails. You tried to play football the right way, the Spurs way, the glory, glory way, the 'To Dare Is To Do' way. And if it often looked naive and inflexible, then at least you never bored the pants off us. 'Are you not entertained?' you asked us and, invariably, we were. Even if Spurs invariably lost. Your policy of prioritising the Europa League over the Premier League cut to the heart of the essential question any Tottenham Hotspur manager should ask, namely: 'What is the point of Tottenham Hotspur?' For an entire generation, Spurs were the sixth richest club in England and since Newcastle's Geordie Arabia revolution, they are the seventh richest. As a result, Spurs are unlikely to win the Premier League any time soon. The peak of their realistic ambitions are to win knock-out competitions and to consistently entertain, to bring joy to those who pay to watch them. And if that wasn't the case very often last season - when Spurs lost 22 league matches and finished 17th - then at least it was always the intention. The scenes witnessed in Bilbao after the Europa League Final victory over Manchester United - and at the trophy parade a couple of days later - will be remembered by Spurs supporters for as long as they live. You were the last fair-dinkum footballing romantic inside the cynical world of Premier League football." Dave Kidd on Ange Postecgolou And that was down to you, Ange Postecoglou - a bloke who grew up on the other side of the world, where football is a minority sport. An outsider, consistently patronised and belittled throughout your career. A man who never tried to pretend that those attitudes didn't hurt you. And you defended your club. You hated the way we often laughed at it. You railed against long-held perceptions and 'agendas' and you stuck up for Spurs. You were loyal and you were proud and yet, ultimately that loyalty was never repaid. Because ultimately, no major football club, no big company, ever truly gives a stuff about its employees. We will miss you, mate. And if you ever wind up on our shores again, we will welcome you with open arms.
Scottish Sun
37 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Champions League giants could be hit with three-month stadium ban for refusing to let Cristiano Ronaldo play there
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PORTUGUESE giants Benfica could be hit with a three-month stadium ban and a fine after they threatened to refuse to host Portugal national team matches. Benfica issued a remarkable statement targeting the standard of officiating across Portuguese club competition last month, risking backlash from the Portuguese Footballing Federation (FPF). Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Benfica face a three month stadium ban Credit: Getty 3 The club have threatened to deny Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portuguese national team access to their stadium amid complaints about officiating in Portugal Credit: Shutterstock Editorial The Champions League club lashed out at "serious events" in the late rounds of the Portuguese Cup and Liga Portugal season that saw them miss out on both trophies to Sporting Lisbon. Benfica's statement requested disciplinary reviews against VAR officials from the Portuguese Cup final and the immediate release of audio recordings from the match. While they also detailed that they would inform the FPF that they will not host national team matches at the Estadio da Luz "until integrity prevails in domestic competitions" - barring Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates from the ground. That vow could prove costly to the two-time Champions League winners, who face a ban and a fine if they follow through with the threat. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL AZT TO CHANGE World Cup stadium looks unrecognisable with cranes on pitch & seats ripped up That's because FPF rules state that any club that refuses to make their stadium available to the national team "without justified cause" will be subject to a penalty. That penalty consists of a stadium ban running from one to three months and fine. At present no action has been taken against Benfica. Benfica narrowly missed out on the Primeira Liga title by two points following a 1-1 draw with Braga on the final day of the season. Benfica's requests Take a look at the action that Benfica have requested is taken following their complaint about officiating in Portugal... To request disciplinary review against the refereeing and VAR team of the Cup Final. To request disciplinary review against players Matheus Reis and Maxi Araújo for the multiple attacks on player Andrea Belotti. Demand the immediate release of the audio recordings between the Referee and VAR from the Portuguese Cup Final, as well as the scores given to them. Make a statement to FIFA, UEFA and IFAB regarding the illicit application of the VAR protocol in Portugal, which has called into question integrity. Demand that the newly elected Refereeing Council take a public position, presenting concrete measures and solutions to correct its actions, under penalty of not being able to continue in office. Suspend participation in the Centralisation League working groups and request an urgent hearing with the Government, informing it that, at this time, the conditions to move forward with this process are not being met. Inform the Portuguese Football Federation that, until integrity prevails in domestic competitions, Sport Lisboa e Benfica will be unavailable to host matches of the National Team in its stadium. Sport Lisboa e Benfica demands that the next season be decided on the pitch, in a transparent manner, which did not happen in the sports season that is now finished. We always assume our responsibilities. We demand that those who oversee and govern Portuguese football also assume theirs. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS While they fell to a controversial 3-1 defeat to Sporting in the Potuguese Cup final too, conceding in the 11th minute of injury time before shipping two more goals in extra-time. Club president Rui Costa slammed the officials after the conclusion of the cup final. Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, 14, given dad's number and copies iconic pose as he makes Portugal debut with grandma watching He said: "Benfica lost, I accept that responsibility, but we have to look at Portuguese football. We definitely have to look at Portuguese football." Adding: "So, let those in charge of refereeing, let those in charge of the referees analyse this game and see how a VAR that can cancel out two situations for Benfica can't see two plays like this. "He's probably going to be rewarded now and become the leader of VAR in Portugal, which is an extraordinary thing. "I repeat: you've rarely heard me talk about referees, but there are situations that go beyond that. I've tried, I've tried to be a president of an institution the size of Benfica that is responsible and tries to help Portuguese football in this regard. "But there are situations that go beyond all limits, because these aren't mistakes that we should be discussing here: whether it was a foul, whether it wasn't a foul, whether it was a penalty, whether it wasn't a penalty. "We're talking about two clear, obvious assaults, not seen either by the linesman, who was standing next to the play, or by the referee, or by the VAR." Benfica are currently preparing for the Club World Cup.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Celtic VIP pundits blast Ange sacking as Tottenham fired X rated warning and told they're morphing into Arsenal
A trio of Parkhead heroes have hit out at Daniel Levy's decision to fire the Aussie just weeks after he guided Spurs to the Europa League title Tottenham's decision to sack Ange Postecoglou in the wake of their Europa League triumph - has not gone down too well in some quarters. And those of a Celtic persuasion are among those fuming that the Parkhead favourite has been relieved of his duties. Despite a dismal Premier League season in which the Lilywhites lost 22 of their 38 league games and finished just one place above the relegation zone, the Aussie finished the campaign on a high by downing Manchester 1-0 in Bilbao to give Spurs their first piece of silverware in 15 years and their first European title since 1984. That victory has also sealed Spurs' place in the revamped league phase of the Champions League last season and has given the club some much needed cash to delve into the transfer market. However, Daniel Levy's call to sack Postecoglou has really upset a trio of Celtic heroes, none more so than John Hartson who has told Tottenham that they will go back to winning nothing very soon. In an expletive post on X, he said: "That's Spurs back to winning f*** all .. my word." Fellow Hoops legend Chris Sutton was also left baffled. He told BBC Sport: "I would love to know the thought process behind the decision to get rid of him. "Basically it is saying the finance of the Premier League is the be all and end all, is it? So finishing fourth or fifth in the Premier League and not winning a trophy is what matters - it is like they are morphing into Arsenal under Arsene Wenger at the end, if that's what is important. "But money over glory sums up the owner, Daniel Levy, doesn't it? "Nothing surprises me in football anymore, so Ange Postecoglou is better off out of it really - and maybe they can go back to being mediocre old Tottenham again now." One-time Celtic defender Ramon Vega - who was a part of the Tottenham team that won the League Cup in 1999 described the decision as 'disrespectful' to work done by Postecoglou and his players to deliver a trophy. He told talkSPORT: "This is just for me, absolutely major disrespect towards the manager, towards the players. "If you can see what these guys went through only this season with the injuries, and I'm telling you now, that these players are playing for this coach. You can see that."
