'Eight finals to go' for Argyle, says Bundu
Plymouth Argyle forward Mustapha Bundu says his side have "eight finals left" in their bid for Championship survival.The 28-year-old's excellent first-half free-kick drew Argyle back into the match in their eventual 3-2 defeat at home by fellow strugglers Derby County on Saturday.The loss leaves Argyle rooted to the foot of the table and six points from safety."After half-time, I thought we controlled the game after it went 2-2 and then one little mistake and we conceded a goal," Bundu told BBC Radio Devon."We gave everything at the end."[We're] very disappointed as it was a game we were very positive about getting a good result in because we wanted to build on the performance at Portsmouth."But now we have an international break, get some time off. Go back, reset, and eight finals to go when we get back."Following his second goal in a week, and Bundu's sixth of the Championship campaign overall, the Sierra Leone international says there is still hope of Argyle repeating last season's final-day survival heroics."We were here last year and got some very big results in the last five, six games so there's points to be won - never give up," he added."We did it last year so we're going to give everything again."
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
How Daniel Dubois and his team are training the first professional fighter to beat Oleksandr Usyk
Daniel Dubois is a formidably powerful athlete. When his training camp is opened up to press for a few hours, coaches tell him to wind back to '40-45 per cent' for some padwork, but ringside you can still feel your hair vibrate as each punch connects. This power is one of the major advantages he holds over his upcoming opponent – the undefeated Oleksandr Usyk. On 19 July, the pair will meet for the second time, with the title of undisputed heavyweight champion of the world on the line. When they clashed in 2023, Dubois dropped the Ukrainian with what was judged to be a low blow in the fifth round. The latter took a few minutes to recover, then characteristically grew into the fight to claim victory via a ninth-round stoppage. This time, Dubois and his expanded team are certain things will be different, and they are laser-focussed on the task at hand. Asked about other heavyweights who could present a future challenge, Dubois refuses to be drawn, telling me: 'Many of them, but right now I'm just going to stay in my own lane and focus on the guy in front of me: Usyk. I've got to get him out of the way. It's the mountaintop from there.' At the time of our interview, the 27-year-old is eight weeks into a 14-week training camp. His team is understandably keeping many cards close to their chest with the fight just weeks away – 'When we have press here, we tend not to show everything, because remember the same personnel are still going to go to Usyk's camp, and they gossip,' his trainer Don Charles says with a wry smile. But they are willing to share a bird's eye view of the training techniques they are implementing to create a world champion in waiting. Daniel Dubois: Strength training You might expect someone with Dubois' physique to spend much of their time hoisting heavy weights around. This is not the case, although strength training still plays an important part in his training regime. The first phase of the training camp is used to 'load him up' with heavy compound exercises like squats and clean and jerks, three or four times per week, Charles says. This is not Dubois' favourite part of training – asked to name any exercises he is particularly partial to, he laughs and says it would be a struggle. Although, he is a fan of calisthenics moves, especially those involving the gymnastic rings. 'I like training where you can actually put some creativity and imagination into it,' he tells me. After four weeks of the training camp, strength training sessions shift to focus on developing power using explosive exercises – 'He's already built the body,' Charles adds. He tends to do two per week, never lasting more than 45 minutes. Daniel Dubois: Running From speaking to Dubois' team, running seems to play a significant role in his training regime – both for developing his capacity across all energy systems, and improving his ability to recover from intense efforts. Dubois has just signed a deal with US-based Brooks Running, and dons the brand's Ghost 17 shoe most mornings for a 'compulsory' 5-8km run around his home. Three evenings per week, he also completes sprint sessions at a track with his strength and conditioning coach. 'Then, on Saturdays, he does the mother of all sprints – the hill sprint in Greenwich Park,' Charles says. 'We're talking about a gradient of 25 degrees, then at the top it's about a 45-degree hill. It has a bend to it, it's approximately 120m from bottom to top, and he does it inside 20 seconds.' Dubois will walk back down the hill in about 1min 15sec for his recovery, then hit it again until he has completed 20 rounds. Fortunately, Sunday is his one day off. 'Running is massive for me, just for getting that extra speed' he says at the Brooks Running media day. 'I'm glad we've got the right trainers to help me run faster; it means I fight better. I like to punch and having that speed means I can land it quicker. You also need that athleticism, and the speed to jump around the ring.' Daniel Dubois: Boxing training Boxing dominates Dubois' training time; he is at the gym five times per week, three hours per day. 'Obviously you need all the other parts to help it work at its best,' Charles says. 'But when you undress it all, what you have left standing there is the boxing. His training is all centred around boxing and boxing technique.' He usually does 20 rounds, with three minutes of work followed by 45 seconds of recovery, rather than the full minute he will be privy to on fight night. 'In training, we do 45 seconds recovery so when it comes to the fight, he's ready to go – it's programming the body and the mind,' Charles explains. Daniel Dubois: Diet Dubois' team for the Usyk fight includes a nutritionist who ensures the athlete is fuelling himself for optimal performance. He also has help from his family on this front. 'My dad cooks brilliant food for us,' Dubois says. 'It's good, natural wholefood – the food that gives you power and strength.' Daniel Dubois: Recovery A big change Dubois has made for his latest clash is to expand his team. It now includes a nutritionist, physio Tom Kopelman and Dr Ravi Gill, who is present at training sessions. 'Our main remit is illness and injury prevention, recovery optimisation, and giving Don Charles the best possible version of Daniel Dubois every day,' says Dr Gill. Kopelman is responsible for the injury prevention side of things, prescribing prehab and strengthening exercises to keep Dubois moving smoothly. During training, Dr Gill monitors metrics such as heart rate variability and pulse via a chest-worn strap. After Dubois' last-minute withdrawal against Joseph Parker earlier this year, no chances are being taken regarding illness. Dr Gill also keeps tabs on the fighter's vitals, and says it is 'impressive' how quickly Dubois recovers during training – 'He can go 18 rounds, no problem,' he adds. Several members of this extended team, including Kopelman and Gill, have been sourced from Premier league side Tottenham Hotspur. 'They work with a multi-million, if not billion, pound industry in the football industry,' says Charles. 'If they've been trusted with those players, they're worth a lot of money, so that's good enough for us.' He adds: 'We have a nutritionist, we have a physio and we have a doctor, so they take care of that side of things; helping him maximise his recovery and giving him advice based on their experience.' The work does not end there, says Charles. He adds: 'They've been advising Daniel on how to get the best out of himself, and they talk to us as well. We share information on where we can improve things – I've learned a lot from them, and they learn from us.' Post-training ice baths and even an oxygen chamber have also been employed to aid recovery, but sleep remains the primary focus. 'Sleep is massive for me,' Dubois says. 'I'm knackered now,' he adds with a grin. I am the last reporter of the day. It feels like a good point to stop. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney face up to £13.4billion reality after Wrexham promotion
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney face up to £13.4billion reality after Wrexham promotion Wrexham have achieved huge success under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, but now face a tough test in the Championship, where many clubs are well-backed Wrexham co-owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are facing up to the financial reality of the Championship (Image: PA ) Wrexham's Hollywood owners are facing a stark new financial reality as the club prepares to compete in the Championship next season. The new campaign will mark the first time in 43 years that the Red Dragons have played in the second tier after previously spending four seasons in the old Second Division between 1978 and 1982. A lot has changed since then, with plenty of money floating around thanks to lucrative TV deals and parachute payments on offer for newly-relegated Premier League sides. Many club owners are also very wealthy in their own right, with one part-owner boasting a net worth stretching to an astonishing £13.4billion. Wrexham's co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are hardly short of money themselves. The two A-listers have an estimated combined net worth of around £295m ($400m) thanks to their acting income and business investments. However, even their fortunes pale in comparison to the Championship's biggest hitters. As the North Wales outfit prepares for life in the second tier, WalesOnline looks at how Reynolds and McElhenney's wealth stacks up to that of their rival owners. QPR are often highlighted at the top end of the scale in terms of their owners' combined net worth, with their main shareholders being Ruben Gnanalingam, Richard Reilly and Amit Bhatia. Bhatia is the son in law and a representative of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, who alone is said to be worth £13.4bn, according to Forbes. Article continues below Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna will be well-backed next season (Image: PA ) Not too far behind are American investment fund Gamechanger 20 Ltd, who own newly-relegated Ipswich, with reports valuing the firm at a staggering £10.8bn. Another well-backed side are Leicester, who also recently dropped out of the Premier League, with the Srivaddhanaprabha family worth approximately £2.7bn. Meanwhile, Bristol City owner Steve Lansdown holds a wealth of £2.3bn, and Stoke City custodian John Coates is said to have £2.2bn. At the bottom end of the table in terms of their net worth are Watford's Gino Pozzo (£93m), Millwall's James Berylson (£110m) and Hull City's Acun Ilicali (£147m). The combined net worth of Reynolds and McElhenney would therefore place Wrexham in a lower mid-table position in the Championship. However, they do have an ace up their sleeves in the form of the Allyn family from New York, who came on board as minority owners of the club in October. Eric Allyn and his daughter Kaleen have helped shore up Wrexham's financial position (Image: Geraint Lloyd ) Watch Welcome to Wrexham season 4 on Disney+ This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more from £4.99 Disney+ Get Disney+ here Product Description Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. For more than a century, the family were the owners of US medical device manufacturing company Welch Allyn Inc. That was until September 2015 when the firm was sold to Hill-Rom in a deal reported to be worth just under £1.5bn at current rates . The Allyns have since turned their focus to investing in private and public markets, and Wrexham have received several large cash injections since their arrival. It's hope their involvement will help Reynolds and McElhenney achieve their dream of taking the club into the Premier League. Deadpool star Reynolds restated that goal in the wake of Wrexham's promotion from League One, which was confirmed after a 3-0 home win over Charlton in April. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year. Sign up for Wrexham is the Game here Posting on social media, the Canadian wrote: "We've been with Wrexham for what seems like the blink of an eye, but so much has happened. "I remember the first press conference, we were asked what our goals were… and I think Rob jumped in with, 'The Premier League'. People laughed. They had every right to. It seemed insane… But we weren't kidding." Article continues below The co-owners have certainly taken steps to shore up Wrexham's financial position in recent times and prudently took out an insurance policy to cover the cost of promotion bonuses ahead of the 2024/25 season. However, climbing into the Championship will be the biggest challenge they have faced yet during their whirlwind journey.
Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Craig Bellamy issues new Wales demand as Belgium accused of 'lack of respect'
Wales fought back from three goals down to level the scores in their World Cup qualifier in Belgium. only for Kevin De Bruyne, the former Manchester City star, to score a winner in a seven-goal thriller Craig Bellamy patted his brave Wales players on the back and gave them a boot up the backside at the same time after a night of high drama in Brussels. And Sorba Thomas slammed Belgium over a "lack of respect" after the Welsh fought from three goals down, only to let Kevin De Bruyne blast home the winner in a seven-goal thriller. The Welsh looked dead and buried after half and hour, trailing 3-0 to an inspired Belgium. But a Harry Wilson penalty on the stroke of half-time was the springboard for an incredible comeback that saw them draw level at 3-3 before De Bruyne broke their hearts in the closing minutes. Bellamy hailed his side for their spirited response but reproached them for a half-hour horror show. 'I have to be honest, since September I've really felt proud to be their coach,' he said. 'But we didn't cope with the momentum in the first half when their pen went against us. We suffered for a period but then we got a penalty and that gave us belief. 'Second half we showed what we can do. The players have to understand how good they are. To come to a top-eight team and to play that way will give us so much. But I don't like the defeat and I don't feel 'oh unlucky Wales.' We need to win these games.' Thomas, who recently sealed a move to Championship side Stoke City after leaving League One Huddersfield, accused the Belgians and insisted Wales "won in our own heads" despite the late heartbreak. "I don't think they showed us the respect we deserved,' said Thomas. 'I think they thought the game was done, but we showed our Welsh fire. We run through brick walls for each other. Even though we lost, I feel like we won in our own heads. Bellamy had not suffered defeat since being appointed Wales head coach last July, going nine games unbeaten. So to be 3-0 down within 30 minutes must have come as one hell of a shock. De Bruyne earned Belgium a penalty early on when his shot hit Brennan Johnson's arm. It looked a very harsh call by the referee but VAR had a long look and agreed with the decision. Ex-Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku, who won Serie A with Napoli this term, made no mistake from the spot. The lead was doubled less than five minutes later when Belgium captain Youri Tielemans was teed up by Leandro Trossard and fired into the top corner. It went from bad to worse for Wales when Manchester City 's Jeremy Doku, in electric form all night, made it 3-0, though Wales keeper Karl Darlow perhaps should have done better with his left-footed shot. The Dragons looked outfought, outclassed, and out of ideas. But they gave themselves a glimmer of hope in stoppage time. Thomas's corner was aimed towards Chris Mepham, who was clattered by Belgium keeper Matz Sels. Wales were awarded a penalty which Wilson slotted home with his left foot. That glimmer turned into a real opportunity six minutes after the break when Sorba Thomas coolly finished for his first goal for his country. All of a sudden the comeback was most definitely on. And Thomas turned provider for a dramatic equaliser, his header being nodded home by Johnson as Belgium fans looked on in disbelief. As Wales pressed hard for a winner, Belgium broke quickly and Lukaku thought he'd won it but, after another lengthy VAR check, it was deemed the ball had earlier gone out of play right under the nose of a hugely animated Bellamy. De Bruyne did win it late on, though, expertly volleying home at the back post from a Tielemans cross, with the Wales players on their knees. Wales captain Ben Davies said the De Bruyne winner was a real sickener. 'Getting back as close as we did is probably why the result is as painful as it is,' he said. 'We knew we could do a lot better. You could see in the second half, we managed to nick a goal before half-time and it gave us something to hang on to and we pushed them close. 'We have plenty more games we just have to focus on ourselves and hopefully results go our way.'
