Melissa Reddy among SEVEN Sky Sports News presenters leaving in major shake-up
Long-serving presenter
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Melissa Reddy is also set to leave her position at Sky Sports News
Credit: instagram @melissa_reddy
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She was a fresh recruit for Sky three years ago
Credit: INSTAGRAM @melissa_reddy
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Reddy has covered several major news stories including ones involving both Manchester clubs and Liverpool
Credit: Instagram / @melissa_reddy
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Presenter Rob Wotton announced his departure after 30 years
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And SunSport has learned that Sky Sports News have told staff that six of Wotton's colleagues will also be leaving in an internal memo sent yesterday.
Fellow presenters Teddy Draper and Jasper Taylor are also going this summer, along with senior reporters Jeremy Langdon and Melissa Reddy and Fadumo Olow, and producer Nick Lustig.
Sky Sports declined to comment when approached by SunSport.
Wotton was in tears as he announced his departure from the company he joined in 1998 at the end of a Sky Sports News presenting shift on Monday.
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He also presented The Football Show – a look back at the weekend's matches and talking points that aired every Monday morning – but the programme has been axed for next season.
"It's been an absolute pleasure,' Wotton said. 'I came here in my 20s and I thought I was only coming for a couple of weeks.
"And look, they haven't been able to get rid of me. I keep turning up, maybe one day they'll pay me!"
Fellow presenters Draper and Taylor are also Sky stalwarts and graduated from production roles to presenting, spending 18 and 11 years respectively at the broadcaster, while well-known reporter Langdon has been at Sky for over 20 years.
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Senior Football Reporter Reddy was a new recruit three years ago, but has covered most of the biggest stories in the Premier League in that period, particularly involving Liverpool and both Manchester clubs.
Sky told staff they were embarking on a redundancy programme at the start of the month and the departures follow a period of consultation.
Sky Sports presenter chokes up on final appearance as he leaves after nearly 30 YEARS with much-loved show axed
Sky insist the changes are not primarily a cost-cutting measure with a spokesperson saying they are aimed at 'making us more agile and better equipped to serve audiences'.
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Teddy Draper is leaving the broadcaster after 18 years
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Jasper Taylor will be going after 11 years at the company
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Jeremy Langdon has served Sky Sports for more than two decades
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The Irish Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Man Utd's new front three of Mbeumo, Cunha & Sesko showed flashes against Arsenal – but will £200m revamp really work?
MANCHESTER UNITED may have lost their opening game of the new Premier League season to title-chasing Arsenal. But there were flashes of brilliance from their new-look front three, which will be a significant upgrade for Ruben Amorim this season. 16 It was not the opening result Ruben Amorim was hoping for, but there were positives Credit: AP Amorim's men looked more like a collective team than they did last season. United came into the match following a busy off-season, having revitalised their attacking options at a cost of a whopping £200MILLION. Two new attackers, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, started the match, while new star striker Benjamin Sesko was on the bench - although he did feature in the final 30 minutes. At the start of the game, it seemed that Cunha would be playing as the central striker, with Mason Mount and Mbeumo playing as the narrow attacking No. 10s behind him. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL SESK APPEAL Inside Benjamin Sesko's life including glam older Wag & controversial car The positioning and role of Cunha, however, was more versatile than that – until the introduction of Sesko in the second half. The game was just a taste of what United's three new attacking players can bring over the coming weeks and months. So with that in mind, SunSport's Tactics Exposed team is on hand to take an in-depth look at each of United's new attacking options and break down what fans can expect to see from them this season. Bryan Mbeumo When United secured the signing of Mbeumo from Brentford for a £71m fee, it was off the back of a strong season in which he finished with 20 goals and nine assists in all competitions. He appears to ideally suit the 3-4-2-1 system that is favoured by United's Portuguese head coach Amorim. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS 16 16 It is likely – and this was supported against Arsenal – that Mbeumo will start for United as the right-sided No.10 behind the main striker. From this position on the right, one of the biggest threats from Mbeumo comes from his off-the-ball movement. During his time at Brentford, he looked to make attacking runs in the channel, starting from deeper positions. Mbeumo can then accelerate to attack the space between the opposition's fullback and central defenders. Against Arsenal, we saw early signs of these runs and the danger that they'll bring. Glamorous Man Utd fan rocks up at Old Trafford in nothing but bodypaint but is 'not allowed into Arsenal game' 16 Bryan Mbeumo showed promising signs against Arsenal Credit: Getty 16 Mbeumo catches the Arsenal defence on their heels as he makes the run to receive Mount's pass Here, we see the kind of movement that we can expect this season from Mbeumo. As Cunha and Mount work to collect a loose ball, Mbeumo starts a run to attack the space through the channel The positioning and movement of Mbeumo throughout this match were interesting. He showed a clear tendency in the build-up phase, and when the ball came into the middle third, to come out wide to receive and support the attack. Mbeumo dropped back to goal to receive the ball and showed his touch and technical ability when receiving and linking up with teammates behind him. Also, he looked comfortable when getting the ball on the turn and looking to attack forward with aggression. As the play progressed into the middle third he narrowed off as he likes to play closer to the area and to goal. This was supported by the longer overlapping runs from Diogo Dalot from the right wingback position, and then the higher attacking positions from Amad Diallo when he came into that role. Mbeumo was difficult to play against for the opposition defenders as he varied his approach. At points, he released the ball to play in the wingback when he moved from deep to support. And at other points, he took the ball and drove inside towards the area. In this example, Mbeumo is in possession of the ball as United are on the attack. 16 Mbeumo creates confusion as he could go either way, with Dalot adding the option with a run on the outside The defender is isolated and cannot commit as he does not know which way Mbeumo will go. This time, he uses the overlap and plays the ball for Dalot to carry forward. The movement and attacking intelligence that Mbeumo showed throughout the match against Arsenal should excite United fans. Matheus Cunha United moved very quickly at the end of last season to trigger the release clause of the Brazil star Cunha to take him from Wolves for £62.5m. Similar to Mbeumo, United made the move for Cunha on the back of a strong season in which he scored 17 goals and had six assists. 16 16 While we think as the season goes on that Cunha will end up playing as the left-sided No.10 behind the main striker, he actually started against Arsenal as the main striker. Cunha was, however, still very versatile with his attacking positioning and movement as he moved and dropped deep to get on the ball. He would then either turn and driving in possession of the ball or link the play with teammates and move into advanced areas with his off the ball movement. Cunha consistently got into positions in which he could take the ball and then look to hurt the Arsenal backline. 16 Matheus Cunha was signed from Wolves for £62.5m Credit: Getty 16 Here, Cunha drops deep to act as a playmaker with seven United players more advanced up the pitch There were moments when Cunha dropped very deep, even as the central striker, and was deeper in the United half to help progress the ball. We see an example of this here as Cunha has dropped very deep and taken possession before turning and driving forward. It was interesting to see how effective Cunha was in the final third in terms of giving United a platform to attack from. He played as the main striker until the final 30 minutes, when Sesko was introduced for Mount, before dropping back to play as the 10. During the match, however, he completed all 11 passes that he attempted in the final third as he linked the play. He was consistently willing to take possession of the ball under pressure in advanced areas and to link the play with teammates moving to support the play. The Brazilian is also a threat in these situations, however, to take the ball on the turn and drive to goal in order to get a shot away. 16 Matheus Cunha is happy taking the ball in tight situations, with his back to goal Here, Cunha takes possession of the ball from a short forward pass from Bruno Fernandes on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area. He holds off the pressure from the defender and plays the ball back into the path of Bruno as he moves forward to attack the edge of the area. The positional versatility that we see from Cunha combined with his ability on the ball to combine with teammates and drive through space in the final third will help United to break down opposition teams. Benjamin Sesko The final new attacking player is Slovenian international striker Sesko, who was recruited from RB Leipzig for £74m. While he was not quite ready to start the first game of the season, we did see him come off the bench for the final 30 minutes. 16 16 And in that time, we saw what the striker will bring to the squad. Sesko likes to run at defences. He is far less effective when playing back to goal and receiving into his feet. This means he provides a very different option to Cunha as the No.9 in this game. The willingness of Sesko to make these runs and stretch the game provides a threat, but it also creates space underneath that the likes of Cunha and Mbeumo could take advantage of. 16 Benjamin Sesko made his debut against Arsenal Credit: Getty 16 Sesko has a knack of timing his runs perfectly to receive the ball from the defence As United are in possession in their own half with the man in possession under no pressure, Sesko times his run to break beyond the last line and allow the ball to be played over the top and into space. Sesko is a very physical and is 6' 5' tall, with the ability to routinely threaten space for his team. His off-the-ball movement is similar to that of Rasmus Hojlund, who is still in the United squad. But Sesko should provide more consistent threat through his ball striking and ability to maintain that pace when in possession of the ball. 16 Sesko makes clever runs, this time making a diagonal burst to free up space for Cunha Here, we see a clear example of Sesko making a diagonal run to force the opposition defensive line backwards and create space for teammates underneath. Cunha has taken possession of the ball and turned his man before driving towards the opposition half. As Sesko makes a darting diagonal run the entire defensive line for Arsenal is pushed backwards. A striker like Sesko, when compared to the profiles and positional tendencies of the likes of Cunha and Mbeumo, will create a lot of threat across the season for United. Man Utd's transfer deals IN Bryan Mbeumo - from Brentford - £71m Matheus Cunha - from Wolves - £62.5m Diego Leon - from Cerro Porteno - £7m Benjamin Sesko - from RB Leipzig - £74m TOTAL - £214.5m OUT Victor Lindelof - released Christian Eriksen - released TOTAL - £0m MAN UTD TRANSFER NEWS LIVE Conclusion We have gone through the three new attacking players for United and not even mentioned their best attacking threat from last season in Bruno Fernandes. The United captain will likely find himself moving deeper to play a more deep midfielder as opposed to one of the No10's. But his passing ability and aggressive nature from this role will be very strong for United. As the season progresses we are likely to see Sesko established as the main striker with Cunha and Mbeumo as the No.10's behind him. This will be the strongest attacking setup for Amorin and his United squad and a vast improvement on last season's attacking options.
The 42
4 minutes ago
- The 42
Leverkusen star joins Bournemouth in €29 million deal
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Irish Daily Mirror
4 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Eamon Dunphy column: Roy Keane is a bully, an unpleasant character, a little man
My starting point is the ending point of a doomed World Cup campaign. I was sitting in a television studio that night, analysing the game for RTE. Across the corridor, Keith Andrews was carrying out the same role for Sky Sports. The date was November 2017. Ireland were playing Denmark. The half-time score was 2-1 to the Danes, prompting the Irish management team of Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane to make the following calls; Wes Hoolahan replaced David Meyler; Aiden McGeady came in for Harry Arter. Carnage followed. Ireland started the game without a decent striker; they ended it without any structure. The final score was Ireland 1-5 Denmark. An embarrassment. Read more: Eamon Dunphy column: If Liverpool sign Isak and Guehi then the Premier League will be over before it begins Read more: Eamon Dunphy column: Mikel Arteta is becoming more graceless by the day - he should shut up and show some class I was critical of O'Neill and Keane that night and when I was subsequently told that Keith Andrews had also called the Ireland management out, I didn't bat an eyelid. 'He is just doing his job,' I thought. I knew Keith. I had worked with him. He is honest, confident and knowledgeable. The fact he was critical of a tactical blunder is a reflection of his say-it-as-he-sees-it nature. Now there is a difference between what Keith said about Keane and O'Neill that night and what Roy Keane has done to him subsequently. In an interview with the Sunday Independent, Keane said: 'I've heard a lot of bullshitters over the last 10 years, and Keith Andrews is up there with the best of them.' His old pal, Martin O'Neill, recently joined in when asked about Andrews' suitability for the Brentford job. 'It is not as easy as sitting in a pundit's chair and criticising someone, who, in all honesty, had a much better career than he had,' said O'Neill of Andrews, referencing the fact Keith played 'at the bottom end' of the league when O'Neill was 'winning the European Cup'. As an example of pure football snobbery, O'Neill hit the jackpot with that remark. Whereas Andrews was analytical of their management, O'Neill and Keane made their criticism personal. Keane made another snide remark last weekend ahead of Brentford's opening game against Nottingham Forest. Andrews was someone 'who talks a good game', he said, the implication being that he does not, in effect, speak with consideration. Well, that's where Keith differs from Roy Keane. Roy Keane Because it is Keane who is a bullshitter. What's more, he is a bully. Now, behaving that way didn't do him any harm when he was a player. Both his team-mates and his opponents danced to his tune. Yet while that led to his greatness as a player, the continuation of that behaviour in his post-playing days has seriously diminished his credibility as a person. Look at what he has become, a caricature of himself, doing television ads which play on his intimidating nature, one where he frightens a window cleaner, another where he is rude to a barista. Let's call this out for what it is. He is glorifying bullying in these ads. He is doing them for monetary gain, making a few quid out of his persona. There's no class in that. Nor is there any class in going after a young Irish coach who is starting out in his managerial career. Given his status as a serial Premier League winner, someone who was a superb player, Keane should be bigger than this. And so should O'Neill. Neither man forgot the criticism they received without ever accepting the fact they did a bad job when they were with Ireland. They should, as a former captain and a former manager of Ireland, want to see the national team do well and to see Irish players and managers excel. Let's face it, there has been a huge shortage of Irish managers in the Premier League. The fact a new one has just arrived should be a cause for celebration, or at the very least, hope. What if Andrews turns out to be an excellent choice? Think of the doors that could open for emerging Irish players. Think of the future. We could have our next Ireland manager here. Instead we have someone with status, which Keane undoubtedly has as a former United captain, criticising Andrews from the off. That's seriously undermining because the Brentford board will hear those comments as will their players and fans. Words do have an impact, especially when they come from a man of Keane's standing. I don't consider him a pleasant character at all. As a television analyst, there is no depth to his commentary; and in terms of his personality, he is clearly thin-skinned. And that's before we address the hypocrisy. Both he and O'Neill were critical of pundits when they were in charge of Ireland. Yet they deliver their criticism from a pundit's chair - Keane at Sky, O'Neill at Talksport. Why do they feel the need to attack Keith Andrews? Is it because of what he said eight years ago? Seriously? The game where Andrews called them out ended in a 5-1 defeat. What did O'Neill and Keane expect after that drubbing? A statue outside the Aviva? For two men who had outstanding playing careers, each winning the European Cup, they should be big enough to wish Keith well. I certainly hope he succeeds, especially as the circumstances are so difficult, Brentford having sold their three best players across the summer. As for O'Neill and Keane, I wish they'd just go away. Both are behaving like little men. 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