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Reece James scores pinpoint free kick, praises Thomas Tuchel's perfect start to England era (video)

Reece James scores pinpoint free kick, praises Thomas Tuchel's perfect start to England era (video)

Yahoo24-03-2025

Reece James scored a magnificent goal and was joined on the score sheet by Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze as the Thomas Tuchel era remains perfect following England's 3-0 win over Latvia at Wembley Stadium on Monday.
England are now 2-0-0 to start World Cup qualifying and have not conceded a goal, topping Group K in its very early days, and James proffered some big words for the Tuchel era.
"It has been a long time — I have had a frustrating two years," James said. "I'm so happy to be called up by my country again. I saw the wall and felt I could bend it round. I was a bit surprised it hit the net. ... Thomas Tuchel's ideas are clear. We have one objective and that starts this week right up until the World Cup."
James celebrated his long-awaited return to England's starting lineup with the wonder goal to give the Three Lions a 1-0 lead over Latvia in UEFA World Cup qualifying.
MORE — UEFA World Cup qualifying home
James, 25, had 15 caps when he left England camp in September 2022 but had all of six minutes with the national team between that 3-3 draw with Germany and Monday's qualifier.
The Chelsea right back has suffered through injury after injury but is back in the England squad as former club boss Thomas Tuchel brought James back into the national team.
It's James' first senior goal for England and beat the leaping wall before spinning just inside the far post, a near-perfect effort.
England held 78% of the ball and rung up 15 shots to Latvia's two, and the visitors won't have any shame in the manner with how they were finally defied by James.
Reece James scores his first international goal for England!! pic.twitter.com/s63H1KTPbm
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 24, 2025
Declan Rice to Harry Kane for England's second goal! pic.twitter.com/vaFDv2jshl
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 24, 2025
EZE! England finds its third vs Latvia! ‍ pic.twitter.com/errQq9I4q1
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 24, 2025

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Planes, ferries and mini-buses with Aston Villa's long-distance supporters: ‘It's more than the game'
Planes, ferries and mini-buses with Aston Villa's long-distance supporters: ‘It's more than the game'

New York Times

time8 minutes ago

  • New York Times

Planes, ferries and mini-buses with Aston Villa's long-distance supporters: ‘It's more than the game'

It is an evening in early May and The Athletic joins the call. Smiling faces beam back. There are several, more than anticipated and, for the first few seconds, it feels overwhelming. They are each sitting in their homes, not in Birmingham, where Aston Villa are based, but 200 miles away in the county of Cornwall, England's extreme south-western peninsula. 'Our closest game is Bournemouth (circa 145 miles) but watching Villa is definitely still the quickest to get to,' says Andy. Andy is a member of the Cornwall Lions, a Villa supporters group based in the south-west that has amassed more than 250 local members. But it is far from the only supporters group geographically distant from Villa. Their stories vary, but each of them shares on thing: a mutual love of Villa. Here, The Athletic spoke to some of the team's long-distance supporters who make the journey through rain or shine, hell or high water, to Villa Park… Jay White lives on the Isle of Wight. Born and bred in Birmingham, he has resided on the island off the southern coast of England for more than a quarter of a century, though his passion remains. To get to Villa Park he has to travel by boat and car, with logistical and financial pressures complicating matters. Advertisement 'For context, my dad is Peter White,' Jay says. 'He's retired now, but he covered Villa in the 70s, 80s and 90s for the Birmingham Mail. It was ingrained into me. I've had a season ticket sitting in the Lower Holte End for four years. Before that, I didn't need one because I could always get tickets. 'My wife comes to a few games. I don't want to say our life revolves around Villa, but on occasions it can. I was fortunate enough for both of us to be in Paris (for the Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain). 'For other Champions League games, I've had to use holiday. I'll take a half day on the day of the game, stay up and then drive back down for work that afternoon. 'If it's a Saturday match, sometimes I'll go the night before. But mostly, for a 3pm kick off, I'll leave home at 7am to catch the ferry, which takes around an hour. The drive up into Birmingham's city centre is three and a half hours. I'll then meet pals. 'If I do come back straight after, it would be the 10pm ferry, provided we get out of the ground by six. I'll then walk through my front door just before midnight. 'I did 20 games last season, including a few Champions League matches. The cost is a problem. If an average ferry is £80, then staying up in a hotel, having a couple of beers and petrol costs means it becomes £250/£300 day. That's before you take into account a match ticket. 'But it's just a pure love. It's more than the game — it's meeting up with mates and camaraderie. The football we're playing now makes the journeys better. Luckily, my wife is very understanding. Our wedding last year had a claret-and-blue-themed table plan.' In the early hours of a January morning, Rob Steele sits next to me in one of Heathrow's departure lounges. Villa are playing Monaco that evening and despite a 6am flight, there is no shortage of enthusiasm. Rob, who lives in Bridgend in Wales, about 130 miles from Birmingham, is used to early morning starts in aid of Villa. 'The journey to Birmingham is fine most of the time,' he says. 'We set off a bit earlier to make sure we get a tidy parking spot and then we kill time in the Witton Pub.' Later in the season, he describes his itinerary for a home match against Newcastle: 'My main accessory is a portable charger. I can't be having a dead phone with the drive from South Wales. It wasn't such an issue with physical season-tickets, but with them now on my phone, you've got to have a backup plan. Advertisement 'I go with mates, so we sort who is driving — and organise pickup times — a couple of us live in Bridgend and some in Cardiff. For tonight's 5.30pm kick off, I'll leave Bridgend with my mate Nik at 11am. At 12pm, pick up one of the lads in Cardiff. At 2pm, park up and get some food. '5pm: Head to Villa Park. 5.30-7.30pm: Stress like hell about the game. 10.15pm: Home.' Bryan, one of the Cornwall supporters, explains his support for Villa over the video call: 'My family are from Essex, we moved to Hampshire when I was four. My dad supported Villa and we had season tickets driving from Hampshire for six years. I relocated here five years ago. Me and my lad George don't have season tickets, but we travel to as many games as we can.' 'I'm from North Kent,' says Stuart, another Villa supporter on the call. 'My dad was Tottenham, my mum was Arsenal. I got to the middle of junior school and I had to stick with a team. Villa chose me.' Karen: 'I was born in Sutton Coldfield, but my family came from different parts and just congregated in Birmingham. But I've got a great-grandmother who was a proper Brummie and family that were there before Villa's inception, so it's in my blood. I'm still a season ticket holder. I join the guys on the mini-bus — when we lose, it's like a hearse.' Andy: 'I'm from Great Barr. I used to walk to Villa Park with my dad and grandpa. I've been going since 1984. I had a hiatus after I moved down to Cornwall and started picking it back up in 2016. My first game back was with my boy in the Championship and we've been season-ticket holders for the best part of 10 years. 'We were going up on the train before I met Dave. We will car share up to Exeter and then make our own way, by hook or by crook. It's a labour of love and a 500-mile round trip every couple of days.' Stuart: 'For a Saturday 3pm, the mini-bus that some of our members arrange sets off at 9am. We aim to be up there two hours before.' Dave: 'With a pit stop at the Witton Pub for a couple of beverages.' Andy: 'For a 12.30 kick off, we hit the road just after six. Rousing my 16-year-old son takes time, but we are there for 10am. For Champions League nights, I was picking up from school and arriving 7pm. The journey is four hours on a good day.' Advertisement Dave: 'I was getting back from those games at 4.30am and then going to work about 10am. If you're not there, we have a big WhatsApp chat that you almost feel like you're at the game. We've got group chats for tickets, events, banter and matchday talk.' Karen: 'When you're somewhere like Cornwall, you're so far apart from each other. I live in a village and I've got two other Villa supporters here, so that helps any sort of isolation.' Bryan: 'When George and I go, we've had to buy higher-priced tickets because they were the only ones available. Throw in hotel accommodation and a couple of beers, it's expensive. We can't really stay on a Sunday night after games because George's school doesn't particularly like us missing Mondays. It's tricky to manage.' George: 'I don't think school is very important when it comes to Villa! It's painful when you go back to all your friends at school the next day who are United fans but have never been to the ground. They give it the big one all the time, for some reason.' The following week, I'm joined by Andrew Bready in the Villa Park press box. I first met Andrew in Athens before Villa's Conference League semi-final against Olympiacos last May. He commutes to every home and away match — barring the odd Carabao Cup fixture — from Northern Ireland and has been for 15 years. 'My love of Villa began in the early 90s,' he says. 'Villa came to Belfast to play against Man United and my cousins were going and were United fans. I just wanted to be different. I said, 'I'm supporting Villa'. I caught the bug after that. 'I missed three games in the Championship, home or away. Since Covid, I've rarely missed one. I didn't go to Brentford last season because I was at a wedding. I've not missed any other games aside from the Carabao Cup. 'Matches during the week are not ideal. For the Celtic match, I flew from Belfast at 3.30pm. To avoid missing a day off work (Andrew works in a factory managed by his cousin), I worked until lunchtime, got changed and drove to the airport, which takes an hour. 'I then fly over, go to Villa Park and fly back the next morning — usually the 8.35am flight. I'll land an hour later, drive home 70 miles and be back at work for 11am. The next day after the game at Paris Saint-Germain, I was back at work for lunchtime. I'll go straight to Belfast after early-evening kick-offs and will land at 1am. Advertisement 'Delayed flights are a pain. Ipswich Town away, I flew to Stansted. The flight was delayed by over three hours. The plan had been to meet Kevin and hire a car to drive up, but I was delayed so I ended up getting a bus. The drive felt like forever, but I only missed 10 minutes. 'It's nice to get the summer off, yet by the time the season starts, I'll have that buzz again. I sit in the Lower Trinity Stand, so it's good to meet up with the Villa family; the people you know from sitting around them.'

Kamari Doyle: What we learned from the Brighton youngster's season of two halves
Kamari Doyle: What we learned from the Brighton youngster's season of two halves

New York Times

time8 minutes ago

  • New York Times

Kamari Doyle: What we learned from the Brighton youngster's season of two halves

During a recent guest appearance with Brighton & Hove Albion's official supporters' club, Gordon Greer identified Kamari Doyle when the loans manager was asked about a player to keep an eye on for the future. It is a good indication of Doyle's potential, considering that more than 20 players were loaned out by the club during the 2024-25 campaign at a variety of levels, including the Premier League. (Facundo Buonanotte spent the season at Leicester City, Evan Ferguson joined West Ham United on loan from the winter window, and Julio Enciso went to Ipswich Town from January.) Advertisement Doyle's career is heading in the right direction again after contrasting spells with two League One clubs in 2024-25. The 19-year-old playmaker's fortunes were transformed by a mid-season swap to Crawley Town from Exeter City. Doyle's loan to Exeter last August kicked off off in style. He scored his first senior goal from a free kick on his full debut in a 2-0 win away at Bolton Wanderers. Kamari Doyle with a stunning free kick 🎯 The former Southampton prospect learned a thing or too from James Ward-Prowse 😏#EFL | @OfficialECFC — ITV Football (@itvfootball) August 31, 2024 It was reminiscent of James Ward-Prowse, his mentor at Southampton, the club where he started as a seven-year-old, training at their academy in Bath. However, that goal turned out to be the high point of a stint that was supposed to last for the season but was cut short by Brighton in January after Doyle dropped out of the picture for Gary Caldwell's side. By the time Doyle returned to the Amex Stadium he had made the same number of league appearances from the bench (10) as in the starting line-up. In those games he contributed three goals and no assists, having mainly been used by Caldwell as one of two No 10s in a flexible 3-4-2-1 formation, or sometimes deeper as one of two No 6s. 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Doyle was taken off at half-time by Caldwell in Exeter's final fixture of 2024, a 4-4 draw at fellow strugglers Crawley from 4-1 down at the interval. The result left Crawley in relegation peril in 21st place. Advertisement Although he could not save them from the drop into the fourth tier, Doyle's form at Crawley was scintillating. He contributed seven goals and four assists in 21 appearances, including 15 starts, under Rob Elliot and then Scott Lindsey who took over in March. A purple patch in February and March saw Doyle score four goals with three assists over 11 league games, the highest number of goal involvements of any teenager in the top four tiers over the period. He followed that with two goals in a 4-0 win at Rotherham, prompting a cheeky request on Crawley's social media account to Brighton for an asking price to sign him permanently. 'We couldn't believe that he was potentially going to be available,' Elliot told The Athletic. 'I spoke to him and went down to Brighton, spoke to Gordon Greer. The questions about him were out of possession and his work rate. I didn't really see that myself when I watched him. I thought he worked hard and was very gifted. 'He can look to the eye sometimes a bit lethargic, the way he runs, but the eye impression can be different to the output. I spoke to a couple of players at Exeter that I know and they spoke highly of him. 'When I spoke to him, he was very mature for his age. I told him that if his work rate and out-of-possession stuff was spot-on, his ability is unquestionable. From minute one when he walked in until I left he was different class. 'He scored goals, was top of the stats for physical output, trained hard every day, was never a problem. He was just a joy to be around. He has got an exciting future in the game. He is two-footed, can score goals and control the game. He has got a really good opportunity. 'Eventually, I think he will be able to play a more dynamic midfield role as a No 8, but for now he is best as a No 10. You want him central, because he has a real knack of arriving in the box and he has got a fantastic finish. He comes alive in front of goal. Clubs spend millions for someone who can put the ball in the net.' Advertisement Doyle appeared to be a star in the making at Southampton. Born to an English-Jamaican mother and a Rwandan father, he signed a professional contract at the age of 17, made his first-team debut as a substitute against Brighton in the Premier League in May 2023 and represented England at junior levels. Brighton took advantage of his reluctance to commit to a new contract at Southampton when they signed him in the January 2024 transfer window, blooding him initially in the under-21s. His prolific loan at Crawley, to begin with under Elliot, has put his career back on track. Elliot made 52 Premier League appearances in goal for Newcastle from 2011 to 2020 during his playing days, which also included spells in the second and third tiers for Charlton Athletic, so he knows what it takes to play at the top level. 'I believe he can go as far as he wants,' Elliot said of Doyle. 'I wouldn't be surprised if he makes appearances for Brighton's first team. Whether he can maintain that and become a regular is hard to tell when you step up the levels, but I think he is going to get better and better. 'The best thing for him next season is to play regular football in a team that suits the way he plays, whether that is at the top of League One or maybe even the Championship.'

The first task facing the next Spurs manager: Connect with players like Postecoglou did
The first task facing the next Spurs manager: Connect with players like Postecoglou did

New York Times

time13 minutes ago

  • New York Times

The first task facing the next Spurs manager: Connect with players like Postecoglou did

Leading the Tottenham Hotspur group onto the podium after collecting their Europa League winners' medals, Ange Postecoglou found his spot in the top-right corner away from the limelight, allowing the players to take centre stage in the trophy-lifting celebrations. Sergio Reguilon, a player firmly out of favour before departing as a free agent at the end of the season just finished, noticed Postecoglou drifting to the periphery and tried to encourage him into the group. Before long, Guglielmo Vicario, who Postecoglou namechecked in a sing-song Italian accent at the parade two days later, grabbed him by the hand and pulled him into the middle. Postecoglou has built long-lasting personal connections with many of this Tottenham squad and, as evidenced by the goodbye messages after his departure, he will be sorely missed. Advertisement These were not all just the standard brief 'thanks gaffer' messages — many were clearly incredibly personal and heartfelt tributes to the man who had helped these players achieve their goal of Europa League success. Micky van de Ven, whose acrobatic goal-line clearance will remain an enduring image of Bilbao for supporters, wrote on Instagram that he was 'forever grateful' to the departed head coach. He wrote that Postecoglou had 'believed in me from the first day I arrived at the club' despite 'many ups and downs in the last two years' James Maddison described him as a 'family man with great morals' and thanked him for making him vice-captain and part of the leadership group upon signing. 'Your unwavering self-belief and strong mindset is infectious and a massive reason in why you were the man to end this club's 17-year trophy drought,' Maddison added. Next to a picture of them holding the trophy together at the parade, Son Heung-min described Postecoglou as a 'Tottenham Hotspur legend forever' and, addressing Postecoglou, said it had been 'an incredible privilege to learn from your leadership up close, I am a better player and a better person because of you.' Like Maddison and Son, Vicario referenced the leadership position Postecoglou granted him in his goodbye post on Instagram, complete with an image reel of him and the 59-year-old together through his two-year period in north London. Even Yves Bissouma, who Postecoglou had publicly called out for his performance level after being replaced at half-time in the 2-0 away defeat to Fulham in March, wrote that the manager had 'believed in me, pushed me, and helped me become better every day'. The connection he has built with so many of Tottenham's players, both the experienced heads and the youngsters, will have undoubtedly factored into Daniel Levy's mind as he laboured over a decision to sack Postecoglou. Naturally, the Australian will also have an enduring emotional connection with a fanbase starved for silverware and a group of players new to winning trophies. Picking a replacement with the human skills to get that squad immediately on-side seems paramount as Spurs look for their sixth permanent head coach in as many years. Advertisement From that perspective, Thomas Frank appears to be a sensible appointment. He's not just the impressive head coach who guided Brentford to their first Premier League promotion in 2021 and has kept them there since; he's a warm, charismatic character with whom players connect. As a former teacher who started his coaching career in Denmark's youth system, Frank is a developer of young players and people. At Brentford, he's played a crucial role in elevating a teenage Bryan Mbeumo from a promising talent into one of the Premier League's best goalscorers. Part of that is coaching, but images of Frank and Mbeumo interacting after matches suggest it has as much to do with his personal mentorship. Tottenham have shopped in a similar talent pool to Brentford in recent seasons, identifying young talents like Archie Gray (whom Brentford were close to signing from Leeds United before he moved to Spurs), Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert and moving quickly to sign them. Postecoglou developed a reputation for convincing players that Tottenham would be the right move for their careers, and Frank's history of smoothing out rough diamonds should be encouraging for the club's young core. David Raya and Ivan Toney also blossomed under Frank, with the latter describing him as 'nothing but the biggest help I could have asked for' as he served an eight-month ban for breaches of the FA's gambling laws. Toney's comments speak volumes about Frank's ability to build personal connections with headstrong and ambitious international players, which will be important in endearing himself to the group ahead of next season. Maddison, Vicario, and Cristian Romero were some of Postecoglou's strongest supporters in the squad, and their influence over the rest of the group shouldn't be underestimated. Without their backing, a potentially promising season could fall apart quickly. Nuno Espirito Santo, who presided over a dire four-month spell at Tottenham before being sacked in November, is evidence of that. Advertisement Following Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho — charismatic coaches who created genuine connections with the group — Nuno's inability to form a united atmosphere in the dressing room halted any early-season momentum. Like Nuno, Frank is tasked with winning over an entirely new group without any pre-existing relationships, so Tottenham's pre-season tour in Asia will be the first opportunity to stamp his footprint on a club still reeling over Postecoglou's departure. A strong start will be integral in immediately putting to bed any lingering thoughts and feelings from the fanbase, players and leadership that Postecoglou deserved a third season at the helm, and building a bond with the squad's leadership team will be important in ensuring a broader buy-in as Frank endeavours to match his predecessor's flying start. Top photo:

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