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BBC News
28 minutes ago
- BBC News
New-look Man City aim to bounce back amid uncertainty
Manchester City head into the new season with the cloud of financial charges still hovering over them, while there are questions on how quickly their new signings will integrate into the been dominant with four successive Premier League titles, Pep Guardiola's all-conquering side endured a bitterly disappointing 2024-25 finished third in the table, failed to win a major trophy and suffered a shock last-16 exit from the Fifa Club World Cup at the hands of Saudi Arabia's will be a wounded beast, but there is uncertainty as to how they will respond to last season's struggles and whether Guardiola can build another title-winning machine."We are ready," said the Spaniard. "We had a short pre-season but a really good one and we are ready to go, to enjoy the good moments and bounce back as soon as possible."I cannot assure you, but the signs are that we can be better. Maybe we can be worse! You never know. But I think it will be better." Charges verdict rumbles on Last Sunday, the giant electronic advertising board close to Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium served a reminder it has been "246 days since Man City's FFP hearing ended".That has since ticked on to 252 days and we are no closer to knowing the outcome of City's 115 charges for allegedly breaching the Premier League's financial rules, which were first published in February hearing took place in front of an independent commission between September and December of last year, but there has been no indication as to when the findings will be have strongly denied the charges but, if found guilty, the commission could sanction a massive points deduction or the unthinkable scenario of relegation.A decision was widely expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2025 and boss Guardiola provided a timeline of "in one month" back in February, but that has now dragged into another sheer scale of charges and amount of evidence has led to October now being mooted for the time of the verdict, but there has been no official confirmation of club has declined to comment, while Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said they have "no influence" on the timing and it would be "wrong" for him to the meantime, it has been business as usual for striker Erling Haaland signed a new bumper contract which expires in 2034 and the club extended their kit partnership with Puma for a record £100m per season, making it the largest such deal in the Premier January, they have spent almost £400m on new signings as Guardiola reshaped his squad in an attempt to reclaim the Premier League trophy. Are City flying under the radar? It isn't that often Guardiola gets it wrong in the transfer market but of the four January signings, only Egypt forward Omar Marmoush can be classed as a success after scoring eight goals, including a hat-trick against defender Abdukodir Khusanov barely got a look-in after March, Brazilian centre-back Vitor Reis has now been sent on loan to Girona, while there appear doubts over whether Guardiola trusts midfielder Nico summer strategy was to bolster the squad by addressing the problem areas, bringing in Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves to fill the hole at left-back, while box-to-box Dutchman Tijjani Reijnders will bring much-needed energy to the legend Kevin de Bruyne and Jack Grealish left in the summer and it may fall to Frenchman Rayan Cherki to pick up the mantle of attacking creativity, while James Trafford will provide goalkeeping competition to Ederson as the Brazilian enters the final year of his desperately missed the presence of Rodri in the middle of the park during an injury-ravaged season for the club and the Spaniard is unlikely to be fully fit until September after a dressing room has lost serial winners in De Bruyne, Grealish and former captain Kyle Walker so, while Guardiola will be hoping the new boys quickly grasp his vision and settle in immediately, are City flying under the radar?Aside from the acquisition of Trafford from Burnley, City did the bulk of their transfer business in June before the Club World Cup, while signings such as Florian Wirtz for champions Liverpool and Viktor Gyokeres at Arsenal caught the sources have pointed to new captain Bernardo Silva having the experience to galvanise a side which underperformed to their previous high standards last term, when he leads them out against Wolves on Saturday (kick-off 17:30 BST).One insider said "don't count us out" and it would be foolish to do so for a side that has been champions in six of the last eight seasons. Guardiola to relight fire - or is the end near? Last season will have been a shock to Guardiola, finishing outside of the top two for only the second time in 15 seasons as manager at City, Barcelona and Bayern a 10th season with City, the 54-year-old is currently the Premier League's longest-serving boss and has said he will take a break from management once he the great Sir Alex Ferguson did over at neighbours Manchester United, Guardiola will need to show he still has the desire to re-energise himself and his team in an attempt to overthrow Arne Slot's Liverpool and return to the summit only has the playing squad been refreshed, but the coaching staff too. Jurgen Klopp's former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders has joined in a similar role, and set-piece coach James French has also arrived from the Reds, while Kolo Toure was promoted from the youth former City and Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has cast doubt over whether Guardiola has the ability to go again, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: "When a season starts, you've got to light a fire in a team, with the fans, and make people believe. And I'm not sure he's got that fire any more."I'm not sure they're going to win another big title under Guardiola. I'd be surprised, to be honest."Spanish football expert Guillem Balague added: "The fire that we see now - what we see in his eyes, in the jokes with his players and how he returned refreshed from the summer - can that continue until the end of the season?"He has a two-year contract until 2027 and 100% by the end of the two years he will not continue with club football. But nobody can say that may not happen earlier, that this could be his last season."Is he excited because it is his last season or is it because he really feels he has a team in his hands which he can mould and create a new Manchester City, a third version?"If he sees himself having the ability to continue then we will see a second year but we will not see a third. We are seeing the end of Pep Guardiola as a manager."
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Ipswich Town Fans Supporting Foodbanks returns for fourth year
A group of football fans who help organise foodbank donations will return for their fourth Town Fans Supporting Foodbanks was set up in January 2023 and has since raised more than £20,000 for local Suffolk foodbank, Families in take on their first Championship home game of the season at Portman Road against Southampton on Sunday, and the group is asking fans to consider Nixon, co-founder and leader organiser, said the fans had made their work possible over the years. "Ipswich is one of the top 50 worst areas for child poverty, unfortunately, and there's been a 28% rise in child poverty in Ipswich in the past year alone," Mr Nixon explained."As people who care about the town and the area, we feel that we can't let that go unaddressed."The group is part of the national Fans Supporting Foodbanks movement, which originated with Liverpool and Everton supporters in scheme now spans across more than 40 clubs in England, all united under a principle that "hunger doesn't wear club colours". On Sunday, the group will collect from 10:00 BST before kick-off at ask for non-perishable food items, financial donations and clothing."It's not just us that do it, we are just the facilitators," Mr Nixon continued."It's the Ipswich Town fans that really put in the work and make what we do possible."It's the fans and the community who are the real champions in this fight against food poverty."The cost of living crisis has hit everyone, and I think everyone can bond over the struggles we face in our communities, with heating our homes, and the rising cost of the weekly shop." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Family, memories and childhood - getting to know Wayne Rooney
The Football Interview is a new series in which the biggest names in sport and entertainment join host Kelly Somers for bold and in-depth conversations about the nation's favourite sport. We'll explore mindset and motivation, and talk about defining moments, career highs and personal reflections. The Football Interview brings you the person behind the will drop on Saturdays across BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website. They will also run on BBC One on a Saturday after Match of the Day. Wayne Rooney will always be regarded as one of England's best scored 53 goals in 120 appearances for his country and won the Premier League five times with Manchester United, as well as lifting the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup during a glittering will be one of the pundits on the BBC's Match of the Day throughout the season, giving his views on all the latest Premier League that, he sat down with Kelly Somers in the first of a weekly BBC feature called The Football Interview to discuss his career, his life away from football and his family. Watch the full Football Interview with Rooney on BBC iPlayer Kelly Somers: What does football mean to you? Wayne Rooney: As a young boy, it's all I ever wanted to do - to play football, at school, in the house, on the streets. The emotion of the game, of trying to win, the excitement. It was a massive adrenaline rush. Then I was fortunate enough to go on and play professionally and have a good, long career. Now I'm living in a different way as a parent, with my children involved in football. It's something that will always be with me. KS: Can you remember your first team? WR: Yes, it was the Copplehouse Colts - an under-nines team. I think I was about seven. I scored a lot of goals and used to keep the games on the fridge in the house. My mum would do it with me. We would write the game down, what the score was and if I scored. We did that every season. When you're young, there are a lot of goals scored. It was really special. KS: Was there one moment - maybe a turning point - that enabled you to go on and do what you do? WR: Yes, I always remember when I was about 14 - I was doing things you shouldn't be doing. Colin Harvey was the under-19s manager at the time. He saw me crossing the road with a bag of cider, which of course was wrong. He pulled me in and said: 'If you keep doing this, you are going to throw everything - your talent, your ability - away. You need to focus yourself because you have the ability to go on and play for not just Everton - but England.'From then was when I thought, 'I need to stop doing it'. I stopped going out with my mates quite a lot and purely focused on football. I think that conversation with Colin Harvey was definitely the turning point. KS: Is there one person who has had the biggest impact on your career? WR: I couldn't say one. My mum and dad equally. I see it now when I'm taking my kids to football. My mum didn't drive and my dad worked, so I used to have to take three buses with my mum at my mum and dad had huge roles to play and, as a kid, you probably don't appreciate it. You take it for granted - the stress, the work they put in. I have two brothers and they had to do it for them as well. It's only when you have kids you see it and understand the sacrifices they had to have four boys and they are all in different places, so me and Coleen are often in different places. The kids always want me to be there, so I have to mix up what I go and watch. It's non-stop really, every day of the week. KS: You played in some huge matches. If there was one match you could go back and relive and you can change the outcome - which would it be? WR: If I had to choose one, I'd say the Arsenal FA Cup final in 2005. The performance, how we played against a very good Arsenal team... and then we lost on penalties. I would say that is the one I would change, because it was one we probably deserved to the Croatia game, which I didn't play in, for England. We needed to draw or win the game to qualify for Euro 2008. That was horrible - being there behind the players on the bench, sitting there and watching them. Then seeing what happened with Steve McClaren on the touchline. Rain was pouring down - losing the game and not going to Euro 2008... that was one time I felt embarrassed about being a player. KS: When you finished playing, did you always know you wanted to try management. Did you know you wanted to try the media? What was that decision like? WR: With management, it was something I always wanted to go into. I saw it as a challenge. I always want in life to be challenged and take things head on, but also understood that there's a chance it might go wrong as well. But I don't mind taking that risk and challenge. Some former players might wait for the perfect opportunity. The Derby County one... I was playing there and Phillip Cocu got sacked. We went into administration. It was a really tough start to management but I felt we did a really good DC United, when we went there, I felt we did a good job even though it doesn't get portrayed that way. They had finished bottom the three seasons before we went there and we got them to within a point of the play-offs. The Birmingham one, everything was wrong - the timing of it, the fans didn't really give me an opportunity, we lost games. It felt right at the time but looking back at it, it wasn' at Plymouth, we were doing OK for what we had and then the decision was made. After that I thought, 'I don't know why I am putting myself in these positions'. I looked into doing punditry, did bits and enjoyed it and felt the time was right. So here I am! KS: What type of pundit is Wayne Rooney going to be? WR: I think I'm quite fair and honest really - that is the only way to be. I say this as a player, a manager, and now as a pundit - it's the same values. The fans aren't stupid. If you expect me to sit there and try and sugar-coat things which fans can see, I don't think I should be doing are some pundits out there who try and go over the top as well. All I can do is try and be fair with what I'm seeing and give my honest opinion. I am sure some players or managers might get annoyed with that but you have to be honest. Wayne Rooney the player probably wouldn't like Wayne Rooney the pundit, and I get used to think 'why would pundits say that?' but when you finish playing you realise why pundits say things. I've been criticised by many pundits as a player and I was never one to phone them up and complain - it actually drove me a bit more to think, 'next time you are speaking, you are saying good things'. I want to see Man Utd do well, of course I do, but I'm very good mates with Jonny Evans and I criticised him last season. If you're speaking truthfully on what you feel then it makes it very difficult for a player to come to you and question why you're saying things. KS: How do you switch off and relax? WR: I always try to have some time just to sit there and if watching a TV series I just chill with a glass of wine and just switch off from important just to switch your mind off from everything really. I used to do this as a player and leave anything football-wise at the gate. I would come in and wouldn't even talk about football. KS: It must be hard to switch off from football with your boys - Kai is in Manchester United's academy and seems to be doing well WR: Yes, he's doing really well. I was at my cousin's wedding at the weekend. They were doing the speeches and I had my phone and was watching Kai playing in Croatia. I jumped up - he scored in the last minute - but he was offside!He loves it. He wants to be a football player, that's the most important thing. He wants to do it and he is working hard to try to do it. KS: Describe what he is like WR: He plays as a striker, plays off the right. He's strong, not the tallest, but he will be taller than me. He understands the game fantastically and he thinks about it. He comes home, cooks for himself, he speaks fluent Spanish, so he is doing everything he can to try to live his the last few months it has been the first time I've been able to go on a consistent basis. KS: Do you coach him from the sidelines? WR: No. I think it's important he listens to his coaches. I can give my thoughts afterwards, which a lot of the time is the same as the coaches. There are a lot of other parents that are doing the shouting on the touchline so I stay quiet! I have a conversation with him on the way home and ask him what happened, what he could do better, how he feels about the game and that way suits him. KS: What is your favourite film? WR: It was The Shawshank Redemption but I think over the last few years I'm going to have to say The Wolf of Wall Street.I also love Sister Act - I love musicals! KS: Before what important game did you watch Sister Act? WR: It was before the Champions League final! It was just the longest afternoon. I always tried to watch a movie before an evening game. KS: Tell me something about you that will surprise me WR: The one thing I can think of is I cry at everything on TV - X-Factor when people go through, I start crying. As a player I was quite aggressive, but I'm actually quite soft really. KS: What do people get wrong about you the most? WR: It's no secret that I didn't even take GCSEs but I think people assume because of that that I'm not educated, which is really wrong.I made a conscious effort when I was at Everton and Manchester United to educate myself in a lot of different things, such as black history and religion. The reason I did that was because I wanted to hold conversations with my team-mates who are from different was something I did to help me with my team-mates and help understand how they have been brought up. That's probably something people don't understand about me. KS: What are you most proud of? WR: With family, that's the main thing. That's why you do things. Being a bit older and seeing my kids grow into teenagers, I'm helping them grow up in life. That's what I'm proud of - that's what I do everything for. KS: If you could only achieve or do one thing in the rest of your life what would it be? WR: Maybe become the next James Bond!
