Chelsea star Malo Gusto hauled off at HALF TIME of Conference League final after ‘generational disasterclass'
CHELSEA star Malo Gusto was hooked at half-time following a horror performance in tonight's Conference League final.
The Frenchman, 22, had been selected ahead of Reece James for the clash with Real Betis.
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Malo Gusto endured a difficult evening in Poland
Credit: AP
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The 42
3 hours ago
- The 42
'Well, he didn't say f*** off' - Ireland boss on talks with Chelsea-bound Liam Delap
HEIMIR HALLGRÍMSSON HAD spoken about a handful of his Republic of Ireland players for the upcoming friendlies with Senegal and Luxembourg when conversation naturally turned to someone who has yet to have any involvement with the Boys in Green. Step right up Liam Delap. On a day when the Ipswich Town striker agreed a £30 million (€36m) move to Chelsea, informing the likes of Manchester United, Juventus and Newcastle United that their sales pitch was not sufficient, Hallgrímsson confirmed that they, too, had sat with the England Under-21 international to assess the lay of the land. The 22-year-old is still eligible for the upcoming U21 European Championships and will be part of Lee Carsley's squad for the tournament in the coming weeks. 'That is his focus at the moment. What will happen after that we will have to wait and see,' Hallgrímsson said. A senior pathway to the Ireland team, following in the footsteps of his father Rory, was made clear to him. 'Liam has good qualities, everybody knows that. We have sat with him, yeah. Just told him we would love to have him in our camp. But, like I said, the focus in the [England] under-21s.' Given he is a player who has progressed from Under-16 up with England and his club career is on the rise after a breakthrough season in the Premier League, the obvious question for the Ireland boss was whether Delap showed any interest in switching. Advertisement 'Well, he didn't say f*** off,' Hallgrímsson said, a deadpan delivery followed by a laugh. 'We want the best players available, always playing for us. Others might have other opinions. 'It is up to him. These questions you need to ask the player himself, not me. We always want the best players.' Attracting a player like Delap would be a coup, significantly bolstering options ahead of a World Cup qualifying campaign which the Ireland boss remains confident can end with reaching north America next summer. 'I think we have the material to qualify, sure. I think I have, again, from experience, have qualified with less talent than we have here,' the former Iceland boss said. 'So that's my take on this question. I know what you're getting at. Obviously, we would like more players to play at a higher level. And I think more players will play at a higher level. They're still not peaking in age and all of that. So I'm pretty confident that we will have more players playing more minutes in the top leagues.' After Seamus Coleman was forced to pull out through injury, Robbie Brady is the only player in the squad for the upcoming friendlies who was part of Euro 2016. If Ireland fail to reach the World Cup it means the country will have to wait until Euro 2028 – as one of the co-hosts – to play at a major international tournament. That 12-year-wait will be the longest since first making it to the European Championships in 1988. 'I can only say from my experience, once you have smelled it, you know how big it is and you would want to go again and again and again. They know that and we need them to spread that around the young players, just how massive it is and how fun it is,' Hallgrímsson said of reaching a tournament. 'These are the moments you remember when you stop playing. To share that experience is so important. I have spoken about Robbie [Brady], how good he has been since I came in, in the absence of Séamus, him and Doc (Matt Doherty) have needed to step up in the leadership role. Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson speaking yesterday. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO 'It's not only to qualify, it's the two months of being together that will continue to grow the team. That's not spoken of, but it's one of the reasons why it's always the same teams qualifying. They spend that valuable time together that other teams don't get. 'That is the valuable time for national teams, to be in camps in finals, it's something we really need at this moment.' Coleman's availability is also a necessity for Hallgrímsson, who believes some players might have called it quits at international level after dealing with some of the injury issues he's had. 'I think that is just an example of what kind of person he is, even though through this many players would probably have stopped. But he pushes himself always to the limit and he expects the same from others. And that's why he is so important for this young squad to grow. 'And just believe in his qualities. He's still in the Premiership and wants to be in the Premiership. Some players would have lowered maybe the standard around. So, but it just shows his mentality that he knows his quality and he knows he is helping a lot. I know Moyesey (Everton manager David Moyes) well and he respects him so much. So, no, it's big up for him, like we say in Jamaica,' Hallgrímsson said, smiling with the reference to his last job before coming to Ireland. 'We're selecting him (Coleman) even though he has little playing time. We've been in contact, so he knows our thoughts and we would like to have him. To have experience like him and to have leadership skills like him would be really important once you qualify for the World Cup, for example. So hopefully two more years.'
Extra.ie
3 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Dilemma for Delap as striker is offered chance to make Ireland switch
Heimir Hallgrímsson has revealed that he met Ipswich striker Liam Delap to gauge if he has any interest in switching nationality to Ireland. Delap, who turned 22 earlier this year, is expected to lead the line for Lee Carsley's England side in next month's European Under 21 Championships, but the forward didn't completely close the door on the Irish option. The talented centre-forward scored 12 Premier League goals this season and has been in demand following Ipswich's relegation. He looks set to join Chelsea for £30million, despite interest from Manchester United, Newcastle and Everton. Heimir Hallgrímsson has revealed that he met Ipswich striker Liam Delap to gauge if he has any interest in switching nationality to Ireland. Pic:In the past, players weren't allowed to change nationality after 21 but a recent change in FIFA eligibility rules means that footballers can now switch nationality up to 22 years of age. Delap's father Rory, who is Robbie Keane's assistant at Hungarian title-winners Ferencvaros, is an ex-Ireland international, having qualified through his Letterkenny father and mother from Meath. 'Liam has good qualities, everybody knows that and his father played for the Republic,' Hallgrímsson said. 'Obviously we are always hoping the good players will join us. He is now in the England U21 squad for the [Euros] finals. That is his focus at the moment. What will happen after that we will have to wait and see.' Hallgrímsson told Delap how much he would love to have the striker in the Ireland camp. Delap's father Rory, who is Robbie Keane's assistant at Hungarian title-winners Ferencvaros, is an ex-Ireland international. Pic: INPHO/Aleksandar Djorovic 'We want the best players available, always playing for us. Others might have other opinions. It is up to him. These questions you need to ask the player himself, not me. We always want the best players.' At club level, Delap is certain to move this summer with Chelsea set to win the race to sign him from Ipswich, reuniting him with his former Manchester City youth coach Enzo Maresca. Despite efforts from Manchester United, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Everton, the 22-year-old is preparing to link up with the Blues and is scheduled to have a medical in the next couple of days before signing a long-term contract. Delap is certain to move this summer with Chelsea set to win the race to sign him from Ipswich, reuniting him with his former Manchester City youth coach Enzo Maresca. Pic: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images Chelsea have reached an agreement over his £30million release clause, which they regard as excellent value. Ipswich paid £20m when they signed Delap from City last summer, and City will bank 30 per cent of the fee because of a sell-on clause. Meanwhile, Hallgrímsson insists that he wants Séamus Coleman to play some role in World Cup qualifying, despite the veteran Everton defender having to withdraw from the squad for the upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Luxembourg. 'He is a leader in this squad and you cannot have his experience in many players,' said the Ireland boss. 'His experience, his leadership skills are one thing, but his quality as a player is another thing as well,' said the Icelander.
RTÉ News
4 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Could Ireland's call make Liam Delap a Lions bolter?
Heimir Hallgrimsson remains hopeful that Liam Delap will follow in the footsteps of his father and represent the Republic of Ireland at senior international level. The in-demand Ipswich striker, who is expected to land a big-money move during the summer with Chelsea appearing the most likely destination, is Irish qualified, however, he is currently embedded in the England Under-21 set-up. Delap, son of Rory, who played 11 times for Ireland between 1998 and 2004, came through the ranks at Manchester City and following loan moves to Preston, Stoke and Hull, he signed a permanent deal with the newly-promoted Premier League side in the summer of 2024. Thirty-seven top-flight appearances and 12 Premier League goals later, Delap's impressive season was not enough to save Ipswich from relegation, however, it has cemented opinion about the quality and potential of the emerging frontman. Delap has represented the land of his birth at every international age group from U-16 to U-21 level, and will travel with the highly fancied England squad to Slovakia for next month's European Championships. A futile exercise, perhaps, for Ireland to still harbour hopes of attracting a player of Delap's quality into a squad that has not played at a major tournament since 2016, when the lure of being involved at the latter stages of the Euros and World Cups a veritable possibility if selected for the England senior side. In the meantime, as long as the player remains eligible to declare for the Republic, it would appear that the door remains firmly open with the manager admitting that talks had taken place with the young striker. "Liam has good qualities, everybody knows that," said Hallgrimsson, speaking to the media in Dublin on Thursday. "His father played for the Republic. Obviously, we are always hoping the good players will join us. He is now in the England U-21 squad in the [Euros] finals. "That is his focus at the moment. What will happen after that we will have to wait and see. "We have sat with him yeah," added the manager. "Just told him we would love to have him in our camp. But, like I said, the focus in the [England] U-21s." Hallgrimsson was then asked whether the young striker showed any interest in playing for Ireland. "Well, he didn't say f*** off," laughed the Icelander. But in reality, Hallgrimsson said that despite his admiration for the player and aware of the quality that he would bring to his Republic unit, he accepts that it all comes down to the player as to where allegiances lie. "I feel so, yeah. Probably you feel the same as well?" said Hallgrimsson, when asked if he thought players who have such a strong link should be playing for the national team. "We want the best players available, always playing for us. Others might have other opinions. "It is up to him. These questions you need to ask the player himself, not me. We always want the best players." So moving on from the hypotheticals, Hallgrimsson's focus was brought back to the here and now, and the fact that Ireland have to play two games in the upcoming summer international window. Ireland have failed to fire at this time of year in recent years with many players idle having finished their respective club seasons up to six weeks before the fixtures. Senegal are first up, at Aviva Stadium on Friday, 6 June, followed by an away game in Luxembourg four days later. But thankfully for Hallgrimsson, they are of the rarely spotted friendly variety, which has allowed the manager to use the window to look at some players, a situation that has proved difficult in a competitive environment. "I answer that with a yes," said the manager, when asked if he was relieved that these games were not part of the qualifying campaign. "We couldn't have done what we did, given them an extended holiday and off season so they will be fit in September so they will be rested when it comes to the new season. "And that's because the June window has not been successful for Ireland in the past, it's been a tricky window, not playing for a month and then coming in to the national team camp for a game that's maybe on a higher level than you play on a regular basis. "You are never 100% physically fit or mentally focussed after a holiday period, so yes, I am happy we are not playing World Cup group stage at this time." And Hallgrimsson is trying to focus on the positives of playing two games of little significance ahead of such an important run of matches, and coming off the back of consecutive victories against Bulgaria in March. "So this is one of, maybe, the negative sides in that we are breaking up partnerships that we have been trying to build, but it gives new faces the chance to prove a point, which is for us, playing only five camps a year, there is not many options to give them a chance. "There are always positives to every negative that you have in life so definitely pros and cons." Qualifying for next year's World Cup is the ultimate goal for this Ireland manager, and while the obvious benefits are showcased throughout a month-long football festival, which can lift the mood and often bring the nation to a standstill, Hallgrimsson offered his thoughts about what other benefits a team can gain from qualifying. "It is not only to qualify, but it is this two months of being together, which would continue to grow the team," he explained. "That is not much spoken of, but I think that is one of the reasons why it is always the same teams qualifying, because they spend this valuable time together that other national teams don't get. "So that is the value of time for national teams to be in camp for finals and that is something that we really need at this moment, I would say." Hallgrimsson was also asked whether he had the raw materials to work with to achieve that goal of taking his team to the USA, Canada and Mexico next summer. "I think we have the material to qualify, sure," he said. "I think I have, from experience, qualified with less talent than we have here."
