
Man United and Spurs may stink this season but final is still about glory
Here's what Danny Blanchflower got wrong about football and glory. Sometimes it really doesn't matter how you win. Sometimes it makes no difference whether you deserve it. Sometimes it is just about the result and its consequence. And, for Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, this is one of those times.
The precise origin of a quote that has come to define a football philosophy is uncertain. Blanchflower said it to a newspaper, or maybe a broadcaster, in the early 1960s as a player; or maybe he said it as late as the 1970s when he worked in coaching and the media.
What is not in dispute, however, is what was said: 'The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It's
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Telegraph
21 minutes ago
- Telegraph
My retirement warning to Care, Youngs, Cole, Brown and Goode
For more than two decades these players will have thought of themselves, principally, as rugby players and not just because it was their profession. I would bet much that even before they made it to the professional grade they thought of themselves as such. What they now have to accommodate is a different identity and one through which they can find ongoing fulfilment. They have had extraordinary experiences but must now find a new way forward. Coaching, managing, punditry; all might keep some involvement with rugby, but there is nothing like playing. Another factor they will have to accommodate is that they all played with clubs with very distinct identities. When players assume a role as part of a group, they assume some of the group's characteristics as part of their identity. Clubs with a highly developed sense of locality, such as Leicester Tigers, imperceptibly instil more than just an affinity between player and club. This affects players in a wider sense that is not always appreciated by players until they leave that environment (Hogg & van Knippenberg, 2005) (Turner, 2004). They need to think carefully about what sort of future career could give them a sufficient challenge and maintain an amended identity, all of which depends squarely on their own personality. Living in the non-sporting world can be frustratingly opaque. There is a thrill in publicly, and definitively, winning or losing a weekly contest – no arguing. I won; you lost. This can become addictive, and its intensity is enhanced by digital and social media. Finding a life that is not boring by comparison is not as easy as assumed. Financially, all of them should be comfortable by normal standards, but they should note that a past player survey commissioned by the Professional Players' Federation, (in partnership with the RPA, the PCA, and PFA) stated that 52 per cent of respondents reported financial difficulties in the five years immediately after stopping playing. The unfortunate experiences of playing greats such as Lawrence Dallaglio and Phil Vickery evidence that even winning a World Cup is no barrier to financial difficulties. What players should understand is that what makes them successful at sport does not necessarily lead them to make sensible financial decisions. Bars, restaurants and the like, are more exciting than gilts and longer-term investments but a player's fame is not enough to make a bad investment good. Taking egregious risks might win games; it is rarely the same in finance. It took me years of struggle, obtaining the relevant diplomas in counselling and psychotherapy, and a master's degree in psychology to understand all this. I salute your outstanding careers and good luck in whatever comes next. Just remember this – men, for a variety of proven reasons, are not good at asking for help when they get into trouble, especially regarding mental health (Schlichthorst et al, 2016). If you do struggle, there is no shame in asking for help.


Daily Mirror
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Man Utd encounter hold-up in Matheus Cunha's unveiling after £62.5m transfer
Manchester United announced the signing of Wolves forward Matheus Cunha on Sunday in a £62.5million transfer deal, but he wasn't unveiled in their usual fashion Manchester United fans will have to wait another fortnight to get their first look at new signing Matheus Cunha in a red shirt. The Red Devils announced on Sunday that they'd agreed to sign Cunha from Wolves, paying his £62.5million release clause to make the Brazilian their first addition of the summer transfer window. Cunha, 26, has signed a five-year contract which keeps him at Old Trafford until June 2030. There's also an option to extend his stay by a further 12 months. Supporters noticed, however, that United's announcement was relatively low-key. The Red Devils didn't post any images of Cunha, nor were there any quotes available from boss Ruben Amorim or another figure at Old Trafford. Instead, a brief statement was posted on the club's website confirming that Cunha's hot-anticipated arrival was 'subject to visa and registration'. " Manchester United has reached agreement with Wolverhampton Wanderers for the signing of Matheus Cunha," it read. "The Brazilian forward's signing is subject to visa and registration. The 26 year-old has 13 senior caps for Brazil, and, in his club career, has made 270 appearances and scored 72 goals in the English, Spanish, German and Swiss top flights. "During two-and-a-half seasons at Wolves, Cunha has scored 33 goals in 92 appearances. Everyone at Manchester United looks forward to welcoming Matheus to Old Trafford." It's understood that United will complete the signing of Cunha and unveil him after the international break which starts this week. The forward has been called up to play for Brazil, as the five-time World Cup winners face Ecuador and Paraguay over the next fortnight under new manager Carlo Ancelotti. Cunha also hasn't commented on his move publicly. The ex-Atletico Madrid star stayed at The Lowry Hotel in Manchester on Saturday with his family before jetting off to Brazil, where he'll hope to build on a his good final season with Wolves, scoring 17 goals and providing six assists in 36 games. Wolves, who helped avoid relegation thanks to Cunha's form, confirmed that his departure will earn them a club-record fee. The Premier League side added in their statement: "Everyone at Wolves would like to thank Matheus for his contributions in old gold and wish he and his family the best of luck for the future."


BBC News
39 minutes ago
- BBC News
Brighton council to unveil plans for Withdean swimming pool
Initial designs for a new swimming pool at a Brighton sports centre will be put on public display on plans for the 25m pool at the Withdean Sports Complex will be unveiled online ahead of a public consultation.A Brighton & Hove City Council spokesperson said work on the pool was hoped to start in the "early part of 2026", subject to a full planning Robins, cabinet member for sport, said the council wanted to provide "modern, sustainable and affordable sports facilities for all". An online survey on the five-lane pool will run until 27 June, and three public events are being can see the plans on Tuesday at Westdene Library, and the following Monday and Tuesday in Withdean Sports Complex.A planning application for the swimming pool is due to be submitted in the summer, a council spokesperson Robins said: "It's incredibly exciting that plans for this much-needed new swimming pool at Withdean are about to be unveiled."I'm looking forward to seeing the plans and would encourage residents to get along to the drop-in sessions and complete the survey to help us shape this exciting and much needed new facility."Councillors were previously told the new facility could generate £12,000 profit per year.