It's a huge deal for me to have Linfield boss David Healy's trust, hails Blues prodigy
It has been quite a month of April for Linfield youngster Matthew Orr, who turned 18, signed a contract extension and was presented with a League winner's medal – all while studying for his A-Levels.
The teenage defender is also on the shortlist for Young Player of the Year after an outstanding debut season.
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Scottish Sun
14 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Jadon Sancho at centre of three-way Premier League transfer battle with Man Utd misfit not part of Ruben Amorim's plans
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THREE Premier League clubs are battling to sign Jadon Sancho, SunSport can reveal. The former Borussia Dortmund winger is back at Manchester United after Chelsea rejected the chance to make his move permanent. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Chelsea have turned down the chance to sign Jadon Sancho Credit: Alamy 4 He did score in the Conference League final Credit: Reuters Manager Ruben Amorim has no plans to integrate Sancho back into his first team - meaning the 25-year-old is searching for a fresh start. And SunSport understands Aston Villa, Tottenham and Newcastle are all monitoring developments. Villa are thought to be keen on a loan deal for the player, but United would prefer cash to free up funds for a rebuild. Newcastle and Tottenham both see Sancho as a strong option as they look to build squads that can compete in the League and the Champions League. READ MORE ON FOOTBALL FROZEN OUT Island nation 9 times larger than UK banned from World Cup as statement released Borussia Dortmund were also tracking Sancho, but they've now opted for Jobe Bellingham. Despite netting in the 4-1 Europa Conference League final win over Real Betis, Sancho couldn't seal a £25million switch to Chelsea. Chelsea had initially loaned Sancho from United and had agreed to buy him for £25million, unless they dropped below 14th or coughed up a £5m penalty clause. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS After the Blues finished fourth and lifted the Conference League trophy, they opted to pay the £5m penalty. Now, Chelsea's eyes are set on a range of wingers, including Jamie Byroe-Gittens and Nico Williams of Borussia Dortmund and Athletic Bilbao, respectively. Jadon Sancho shares his Chelsea highlights reel as he says goodbye to fans ahead of Man Utd return 4 They are still linked with Sancho's team-mate Alejandro Garnacho, who looks to have been banished to the wilderness by Ruben Amorim in a similar fallout to the one Sancho had with Erik ten Hag. United have set a staggering £70m asking price on the Argentine winger. Garnacho is viewed as one of United's sellable assets this summer as he is considered homegrown, although he does have three years remaining on his contract. Chelsea today confirmed Sancho's return to Man Utd in a 92-word statement on the club website. It said: "Sancho, 25, joined on a season-long loan on August 31 2024 and went on to make a total of 41 appearances for the club. "The winger registered five goals during his time at Stamford Bridge, with his final strike coming in the Blues' UEFA Conference League Final victory against Real Betis on May 28. "Everyone at Chelsea would like to thank Jadon for his efforts and we wish him every success for the future."
Reuters
15 hours ago
- Reuters
USGA commissioner on golf ball rollback: ‘We're full speed ahead'
June 11 - Despite opposition from professional players, USGA commissioner Mike Whan said Wednesday that the governing body is "full speed ahead" on its plan to "roll back" the golf ball. Whan spoke with reporters at Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh ahead of the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday. Forthcoming equipment regulations were one of the chief topics he addressed. In December 2023, the USGA (governing the U.S. and Mexico) and R&A (covering the rest of the world of golf) announced they will change the speed standard they use to test golf balls beginning in January 2028. The changes will "only minimally" affect the recreational golfer starting in 2030, they said at the time. The PGA Tour and PGA of America opposed the move, but Whan said Wednesday that recent "stakeholder meetings" at The Players Championship and the Masters left him feeling encouraged. "Listen, I get this isn't easy and everybody has got their own constituents," Whan said. "I'll just say what I said yesterday again, is as an industry we have to be able to make small adjustments that are in the best interest of the game long-term, that we all know would be better 40 years from now if we were smart enough to make them today. "We'll make those. Not everybody will like it. It'll be high anxiety until we get there. But nobody is going to die. The game is going to be great. ... Yeah, if I'm being honest with you, we're full speed ahead on what we've announced. Those decisions have been made." Asked if the USGA and R&A have a Plan B, Whan countered, "We've announced our plan." Ultimately, the goal is to decrease a player's driving distance, which leaders have agreed is necessary for the long-health of the game. For now, golf ball manufacturers are in the research and development phase and submitting prototypes to the governing bodies. Whan said the USGA will "stay open-minded" to new data that could change its position -- in short, that the current chase for distance off the tee is not sustainable for the future of golf -- but it has yet to encounter such data. "When I first told Jack (Nicklaus) about it," Whan shared, "his comment was, 'Well, that's a nice start, Mike, but you and I both know that's not enough.' He's been pretty consistent with that from the beginning. .".. But what we have to do is stop the pace, the slope of that curve that it's been on the last 20 to 40 years for the next 20 to 40. And that's what this does. Anybody who thinks this is more than that, including Jack, who's smart enough because we've had numerous conversations about this, he knows that this change is moderate and it won't have a significant impact, but maybe in 10 or 15 years will feel like the growth of that curve is pretty slow as opposed to the pace we're dealing with today." Whan and USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer covered a number of other issues, including: --The rough this week at Oakmont will be a bit longer than five inches, and dense. Players practicing on the course have had trouble simply punching the ball out of the rough at all. "We have plenty of spotters, but no guarantees we won't lose a golf ball or two, but we're going to do everything we possibly can not to do so," Bodenhamer said. "But we feel good about that. As I said, I think the rough, players that drive the ball in the fairway will have an advantage, no question about it." Players in the field know what they're in for, of course. Oakmont long has been considered the toughest test of championship golf in the U.S., and Whan said of the 1,385 golfers who've played a major championship at Oakmont, 27 finished under par after four days -- less than 2 percent. "Frankly, we give the players all of -- we're pretty transparent," Whan said. "We show them what our plans are for green speeds, rough height, everything, our cutting document. We think that's the right thing to do." --Phil Mickelson has been transparent about the likelihood that this week could mark his final U.S. Open. He was granted a special exemption into the 2021 U.S. Open, but rendered that moot when he won the PGA Championship at 50 years old, assuring himself of invitations into the next five U.S. Opens. That runs out this week in Pennsylvania. Bodenhamer did not rule out the idea that the USGA would grant Mickelson a special exemption again next year. "It's like anything; we would review things for Shinnecock ahead of next year and look at all of those possibilities and evaluate it from there. "I think the way that we would also think of Phil is we hope he earns his way in, and I think he'd tell you the same thing." Mickelson has won six major tournaments, with only the U.S. Open eluding him. He has finished second or tied for second six times at the event. --The USGA's media rights will be up for negotiation in 2027. NBC's exclusive negotiating window has expired, and its current deal lasts through 2026. "I guess all I'd say is the level of interest, including our current partners, which are phenomenal, has been great," Whan said. "We're not to the point yet where we're close. We're months away, not weeks away from figuring out what the future is, but I would say that the breadth of interest, which is really a great statement for the game, not just a great statement for USGA championships, but the breadth of statements and the amount of people that have come to the table is really the exciting part." Fox struck a deal to carry the USGA's numerous championships starting in 2015, but exited the pact after five years. NBC, which already carries PGA Tour golf, picked up the rights it previously owned before 2015. Whan did not comment on the idea that the rights package could be split between the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open by themselves separate from the amateur championships. --Field Level Media
Scottish Sun
17 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Left-field manager who replicated Ange Postecoglou's success in Australia emerges as hot candidate for SPFL job
WELL IN Left-field manager who replicated Ange Postecoglou's success in Australia emerges as hot candidate for SPFL job MARK JACKSON has emerged as a shock candidate for the Motherwell job. SunSport can reveal the boss of A-League side Central Coast Mariners is among names being considered to succeed Michael Wimmer. 1 Ange Postecoglou and Matt McKay in Brisbane Roar's Double-winning season Credit: Getty Leeds-born Jackson, a former defender who mainly played in England's lower leagues, has spent the past three years Down Under after previously bossing MK Dons. He has won an A-League Premiership and Championship as well as the Asian Champions League Two title. In the 2023-24 season Jackson and the Mariners won a Double, emulating ex-Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou who achieved the feat with Brisbane Road in 2010-11. Jackson, 47, honed his coaching talents working at Leeds United, where he came through the ranks as a player. After starting out as the Elland Road club's Under-15s boss he quickly moved his way up the ranks. He had experience working under Marcelo Bielsa before being promoted to first team coach by successor Jesse Marsch. Jackson was appointed MK Dons boss in December 2022 with the side sitting 22nd in League One but was sacked just six months later when they were relegated. Well have been searching for a new manager since German Wimmer stunned the club by quitting last month after just 12 games in charge. He claimed his reason for leaving was down to family matters before being appointed as boss of SSV Jahn Regensburg in his homeland. The likes of Tony Docherty and Robbie Neilson have also been linked with the Fir Park vacancy. More to follow. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
