Miguel Delaney: With Uefa seemingly wilting in the face of Fifa's unchecked power, where is Aleksander Ceferin?
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The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
England Lionesses hero Ella Toone heartbreakingly reveals her Nan passed away on morning of Euro 2025 final
ENGLAND midfielder Ella Toone has revealed that her nan passed away on the morning of the Euro 2025 final. The 25-year-old paid a heartfelt tribute to her 'Nana Maz' on Instagram just four days after lifting her second European trophy. Advertisement 1 Ella Toone revealed that her nan passed away on the day of the Euro 2025 final She wrote: "Even in the highest of highs life can hit you with the lowest of lows. "My Nana Maz took her last breath on the morning of our Euro final. I have comfort in knowing she got to watch from the best seat in the house with Dad, her favourite person. "I'll miss you forever nan but I'll cherish the special memories we made, there isn't enough words I can possibly say to sum up the person you were, but I'm grateful you were my nanna. "My football loving, crazy, funny Nan. All those years ago when you put a bet on at the bookies that I would play for England one day & on the day you leave us we bring it home again. Advertisement READ MORE ON EURO 2025 "You always knew it. Say hello to our angels up there, grandads been waiting for you for a while ❤️ love you always, our 'famous' Nanna Maz x." Toone started five games for the Lionesses on their road to Euro 2025 glory this month. She paid a heartfelt tribute to her late dad, Nick, after the final on Sunday with Beth Mead, who lost her mum to ovarian cancer in January 2023. Both players sent a kiss to the sky while celebrating their back-to-back European Championship success. Advertisement Most read in Football Toone also shared an image of an empty seat next to her family at St. Jakob-Park and said: "Spare seat next to my mum tonight. If that's not a sign, I don't know what is. "I know you were there dad, Love you." THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video . Like us on Facebook at Advertisement
The 42
3 hours ago
- The 42
Katie McCabe interview: Champions League glory, Euros hurt and 'not just feeding the English league'
IT'S JUST AFTER 8am in a Dublin city centre hotel, as Katie McCabe sits down with a small number of media outlets, including The 42. The Ireland captain and Arsenal champions League winner is home for a visit to Children's Health Ireland Crumlin, excited to show her European medal to the kids. 'If I can cheer one of the kids up, it would be really special,' she smiles. Katie McCabe with patient Millie at Crumlin Children's Hospital after this interview. SPORTSFILE. SPORTSFILE. There's plenty to talk about, from that historic success in Lisbon, to watching Euro 2025 from afar and women and girls' football in Ireland. ***** It's a while since we've asked any Irish player, male or female, this, Katie, but where do you keep your Champions League medal? 'It's upstairs in the room at the minute. I've locked the room, bolted the door! Look, it's so special. It's even surreal kind of opening it back up after the summer, the few weeks off. 'I spoke about it kind of after the final initially, but I was wanting to be a part of that group, that Irish group that have won a Chamois League medal. And I've always, since I was young, aspired to be like Yvonne [Tracey], Ciara [Grant] and Emma [Byrne]. 'I see that photo of them with the tricolour around their back and the Champions League trophy in their hand. And when we won, I went and found the tricolour as well because I was like, 'I want a photo like that'. For me, it's important to have the flag with me to show young girls in Ireland how proud I am to be Irish, just to kind of hold that with me, I suppose.' McCabe celebrating her Champions League win with Arsenal. Jose Breton / INPHO Jose Breton / INPHO / INPHO Ciara Grant, Emma Byrne and Yvonne Tracy celebrate with the Uefa Women's Cup in 2007. Ireland Football / Sportsfile. Ireland Football / Sportsfile. / Sportsfile. The left-back talks about the endless 'love and support' and how her phone was hopping with messages from famous people and sports stars, to former teammates at Raheny United and the Kilnamanagh community, which her mother, Sharon, keeps updated on Facebook. The big question: What were the celebrations like? 'It was just surreal. Everyone's ecstatic. You're running into people at the celebrations post-game back in the hotel. And then obviously it carried onto the trophy lift back in London where if you'd have told me 10 years ago I'd be standing outside the Emirates with 10,000 people after picking up a Champions League, I wouldn't have believed you because the growth of the game. 'For us to share that moment and give the fans that day to enjoy . . . and I guess the bragging rights of still being the only English club to win the Champions League.' McCabe was front and centre of the celebrations in London. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo McCabe mentions seeing former players on punditry duty in the immediate aftermath. Emma Byrne was one of the many, and they shared a lovely moment, McCabe jumping into her arms for a hug. 'Emma Byrne has been a special part of my career,' she says, their connection well-documented from role model, to team-mate at Ireland and Arsenal, and now coach in the international set-up. The conversation then moves to Ireland. Were you able to watch the Euros and enjoy them, or was there a bit of regret there? 'Not regret. I think for us, we were disappointed and I think everyone could see how hurt we were that we didn't get over the line at the end of last year. And then the transition period with Carla [Ward] coming in. 'Honestly, I didn't watch the start of it because I was just trying to switch off and kind of refresh. But then towards the knockout stages and semi-final, final, I watched a couple of the games. It's always tough because as a player you want to be there, having had the experience of the World Cup, you've got a taste of it. 'So for a tournament to be going on and being so close/away from it, it was a tough one to take for sure. We've dissected it and digested it and we need to just keep pushing forward now. Our next focus is obviously Belgium in October.' She's asked about Carla Ward next. 'I think it's still transitioning. I think when you've got a new coach, it takes time . . . I don't want to speak on behalf of her, but from our discussions, I'm sure she's seen a lot and learnt a lot about the squad and players individually over the course of the last few months. I think it's really beneficial for her to see that, so we can get a good steer on how we're going to be successful together moving forward because both of our ambition is to qualify for that World Cup.' McCabe disagrees with Carla Ward's 'verge of burnout' comment. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO She mentions 'big gaps to fill' following the retirements of Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell and Julie-Ann Russell, and says, 'It's time for people to step up.' Advertisement 'If I can get to where they were, I'd be so proud,' McCabe adds, two Irish caps off her 100th as her 30th birthday nears in September. There follows another interesting question. I know you've plenty of years left in you, but after missing out on the Euros, does it start to register with you that there's not an infinite amount of chances to qualify for major tournaments? 'No, it's funny as the years go on you think you'll be young forever and there's always just going to be a next one and a next one, then they start to die down as you get older. 'Yes, it's a transition period, but for me, I still have the hunger and desire to represent my country and be part of that, and have a good steer on how we can take the team forward and demand standards out of everybody.' Belgium are next in focus for Ireland's Uefa Nations League A/B relegation play-off in October, and McCabe points to their 'fantastic Euros'. She was impressed by them and Italy, in particular, Andrea Soncin's dark horses going all the way to the semi-final where back to back champions England squeezed by in extra time. 'It's fantastic to see with the Italian side, the level of investment they have in the domestic game back there and how many players are actually playing back in Italy 'You've seen the quality in that Italian side and the determination. And it's not just kind of hit and hope. They've got good structure, they're good on the ball, they're technical and they've got a real game plan. It's why they obviously got to the semi-finals, because they had a clear process throughout the tournament.' The spotlight then shifts to England, and ultimately, women and girls' football in Ireland. McCabe has a bit to get off her chest. Could England winning potentially benefit us on these shores? 'The only benefit England have for winning is for themselves and their youth structures, their academy structures, their leagues. McCabe with Denise O'Sullivan. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO 'For us, I think it's been 10 years since I last played in the Women's National League and I'd love to see continued investment, obviously from a senior level, but also the structures underneath. For me, the jump from 19s to seniors, I think we need to bridge that gap somehow. With the amount of players that I see drop off, they might not be quite ready to make the senior team at 18, 19, but you don't want to lose them, you want to still keep them in a system where they feel they are continuing to gain experience and to learn, to maybe see what it's like to be then a senior player, whether that's a 21s or 23s structure. 'Obviously England have that level of investment through the FA and through investing in their league over the last 10 years since I've been there. It's gotten better and better and better. I don't want us to just keep feeding to the English league. I think for us we need to take care of what we've got over here. 'In saying that, we have seen big growth in the level of young girls and grassroots level. I know the FAI are doing a lot, but we don't want to be left behind. We need to keep doing more. In my opinion, I think that structure between 19s and the senior level is really key, so we don't continue to lose players. Maybe it's the Gaelic football, maybe they stop playing, but it's a big issue for me.' It's understood a developmental U23s league is in talks, while calls are heightening for an international team to bridge the gap between U19 and senior. 'I think that would be the end goal,' McCabe says. 'The starting process would be to look at how we function as through Munster, Leinster, the four provinces. Then structure it into a development squad. We used to have it.' She speaks positively of home-based training sessions, which were introduced by Colin Bell and continued, to a lesser extent by Vera Pauw. 'I think you need to look at that. 'If we're comparing it to similar sized nations, Scotland, Wales, I feel like we can really establish ourselves in that department. We've got so much quality. 'Ireland is a big sporting nation. The eyes are on the women's game now. For me, I see it at the Emirates. You've got so many girls coming over to support the team – up in Tallaght, down in Cork, all over the country.' For many, McCabe is their hero. Just like Emma Byrne was for her all those years back. McCabe with patients, from left, Millie, Nikki, Lilly and Grace, at Crumlin Children's Hospital. SPORTSFILE. SPORTSFILE. After a hectic 2024/25 season — she played the most ever minutes in a Uefa Women's club campaign and was an ever-present in the WSL — McCabe is ready to go again after a well-needed break. She missed Ireland's friendlies against USA last month, with Ward saying McCabe was 'on the verge of burnout,' a comment the skipper disagrees with. She's feeling good physically and mentally, and ready for the madness to begin once again. 'I wasn't on the verge of burnout. I could have played three days later. I just chose to enjoy the break. It wasn't necessary for me to travel to the USA. But I feel great. I feel good. I was happy in the decision I took. I was supported by Carla. 'It was nice to be able to switch off and refocus, reset and recharge the batteries. I'm now obviously about a week or two into pre-season and ready to get going again. I think it's going to be an exciting year. 'We've got the Champions League trophy to defend. We want to keep pushing on all fronts and all competitions with Arsenal as well. I'm feeling really good and ready to have another big push this year.'
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Former Republic of Ireland head coach's future with FAI finally set to be clarified with new job title
A FORMER Ireland women's team boss is set to be announced in a new role in the Football Association of Ireland. Per 3 FAI chief executive officer David Courell sidestepped questions regarding Gleeson in recent media interviews 3 Gleeson served as Ireland head coach for 16 months having started as an interim boss 3 The 53-year-old attended Athlone Town's Champions League clash last night It is believed she will not take up her previous role of FAI head of women and girls' football which is currently vacant. It was announced that Hannah Dingley departed the position in May as she took up the job of Girls' Head of Academy with Manchester City. Gleeson is believed to have had a clause implemented into her head coach contract that she is entitled to return to the FAI in a staff position after the completion of her tenure. It is understood the Dublin native has remained an employee of the Association following the end of her contract. Read more on Irish football Sources have indicated she has been a more visible presence at Abbotstown headquarters in recent days. Gleeson took up the role of FAI head of women and girls' football in January 2023 having previously served as Gleeson left her position when she was appointed interim manager of the Ireland women's team following A successful Nations League campaign meant she was kept on in the managerial role for the European qualifiers. Most read in Football The former Glasgow City manager and her assistant Colin Healy were not offered new contracts after Ireland failed to qualify for Euro 2025. Healy Amorim refuses to guarantee Hojlund Man Utd future amid Sesko transfer push The Canham has since The Ireland women's team had Captain Katie McCabe had showed her gratitude for the Ireland boss by saying: "Thank you so much for everything Eileen. "You have given us so many special memories and brought me personally so much happiness again playing for Ireland. I want to wish you the best for whatever comes next for you."
