Gladbach midfielder Neuhaus suspended from first team for 'unacceptable' video
Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder Florian Neuhaus has been fined and banished from the first team after being filmed while appearing to mock the Bundesliga club's sporting director.
In a video posted on social media, Neuhaus could be seen talking to several people wearing Gladbach kits about sporting director Roland Virkus.
The 28-year-old appeared to call Virkus "the worst manager in the world" and referenced the sporting director's role in deciding his salary of four million euros ($4.71 million) per year.
Gladbach said they had imposed a "heavy" fine on Neuhaus and suspended him from training with the first team for four weeks, with German daily Bild reporting the fine was worth around 100,000 euros.
"The behaviour and statements of Florian Neuhaus are damaging to the club and unacceptable," Gladbach's CEO Stefan Stegemann said in a statement on Thursday.
"He has damaged the club with his words and deeply disappointed the people involved, which is not compatible with the values of the club."
Neuhaus joined Gladbach in 2017 and has made over 200 appearances in all competitions for the club, but mainly featured as a substitute last season and played just 17 times in the league as they finished 10th. REUTERS
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13 minutes ago
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Straits Times
28 minutes ago
- Straits Times
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Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Mr Stanley Ng (left), secretary-general of the Huang Clan Association's youth committee, and his father, Mr Ng Poh Wah, the clan's former chairman. SINGAPORE – For 78 years, the Huang Clan Association was housed in Jiangxia Tang, a two-storey bungalow with distinctive yellow shutters and red grille gates in Lorong 35 Geylang. The clan was established in 1924 following a merger of several clans whose members had the surname 'Huang' or its variants. Today, its headquarters are spread over a two-storey space in Sixteen35 Residences, an eight-storey condominium that was completed three years ago on the 2,220 sq m site of the original clan house. The association's name runs down a street-facing wall in seven silver Chinese characters beside a private entrance to the clan house, complete with its own private lift. The association occupies three levels of a dedicated section of the building. On level 2 are lushly carpeted air-conditioned rooms, a multi-purpose hall, library, meeting rooms and an office. A climate-controlled cultural and heritage exhibition room houses antique furniture and artworks from the original bungalow. The transformation of the Huang Clan's premises was three decades in the making. 'Since the 1990s, we were already discussing the deteriorating state of the building and ageing membership,' says Mr Ng Poh Wah, 67, the clan's former chairman. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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An opportunity emerged amid the condo development boom in Geylang in the 2010s. In 2013, Mr Ng – then the association chairman – established a task force to bring about the building of a new clan house. In 2018, the clan sold a 99-year leasehold estate to Oxley Holdings, while retaining ownership of the land. As part of the deal, the property developer would transfer a portion of the units back to the Huang Clan to form part of the new clan house. The old clan premises and an adjacent house made way for the new condominium, which now sits on a 23,800 sq ft plot of land. 'People have told us it doesn't look like a clan house at all, but we think of it as an entirely new model of the clan house. So there's not much regret over losing the old clan house, because we've gained something,' says Mr Ng . 'Clan events have shifted from the previous open-air grounds to a modern ballroom, which can be booked for activities by non-clan members,' says Mr Steven Huang, 60, the clan's former vice-chairman. The third floor of the clan's premises is currently rented to a Buddhist association, which took over the lease from a yoga studio. 'Now, the clan is entirely self-sustaining and we don't have to keep relying on donations,' says Mr Stanley Ng, 37, secretary-general of the youth committee and Mr Ng Poh Wah 's son. Since the new clan house opened in 2022, youth membership has increased by 30 per cent. Now, half of the clan's executive committee is under 45. To complement existing efforts to increase youth engagement, the clan used the premises to host youth wing activities and even added a karaoke room on the second floor as part of the renovations. The younger Mr Ng says: 'The old building was reminiscent of an old men's club, it was difficult to attract young people… It's so much better now – it's more comfortable, and there's a more conducive space for our youth wing activities. ' 'With the renovation, Huang Clan has fortunately transcended the issues of lack of funds, due to the sustainability of the premises and its attractiveness to our youth members.' Opposition to the redevelopment The redevelopment was not without its difficulties. 'Normally, you see mixed residential and commercial developments , but this was the first time anyone wanted to mix clan associations with residential use,' says Mr Stanley Ng. The unique nature of the deal saw his father engaging in extensive talks with potential developers, legal advisers, and clan members. 'We are the first clan in Singapore to have done anything like this. Originally, our lawyers thought that it wouldn't even have been possible,' says Mr Ng Poh Wah. 'I spent every weekend meeting developers, it was a very long and draining process. I spent more time on the negotiations than on my own business,' he adds. The Huang Clan Association's headquarters are spread over a two-storey space in Sixteen35 Residences. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE Internally, some clan members opposed the redevelopment, arguing for the original clan house to be gazetted as a cultural site. This was especially since it was where the renowned Chinese painter Xu Beihong created some of his works during his visits to Singapore between the 1920s and 1942 , when the island fell to the Japanese . Mr Ng explained to them that constructing a new clan house was a hard but necessary step. He says: 'We tried to preserve the original facade of the house, but the architect told us that it would not be possible because the piling works would affect the structural quality.' Mr Stanley Ng adds: 'If it was gazetted for preservation, then who would take on the cost of making the building safe and revamping the building? We had to think of what was in the best interest of the clan.' His father recalls: 'At the end of the day, the clan had a lot of cash flow problems. My committee members and I had to donate our own money to keep the clan running. When I was the chairman, I think I donated more than $100,000 of my own money for things like scholarships and banquets. If we continued, it would not be sustainable.' To obtain zoning approval for the redevelopment of the site, it had to give up the traditional practice of burning incense and paper offerings during the Chinese New Year and Hungry Ghost Festival. Moreover, as the entire clan house is now indoors, the clan's lion dance troupe had to disband as the noise would affect condo residents. But Mr Ng Poh Wah adds: 'It would have happened sooner or later, because more condominiums are popping up in the area.' 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The area, which stretches from Lorong 7 to 35, and Lorong 6 to 20, was designated 'commercial/institution' zoning, the only one of its kind in Singapore. Clans islandwide whose original premises had been acquired by the Government for redevelopment or which had been priced out of their original locations were encouraged to move into the area, with the promise of fast-track zoning approval for their premises. One of those clans that made use of the scheme is Char Yong (Dabu) Association. In 1988, the clan – one of Singapore's oldest clan associations – moved from its original premises in Cairnhill Road to its current location in Lorong 22 Geylang. The clan has been increasing its presence in Geylang steadily. It completed the construction of its Hakka village in Lorong 18 Geylang in December 2024. The building's temporary occupation permit is expected by July or August 2025. Four floors of the building will be leased out to commercial tenants while the rest of the building will be used for clan activities. The association bought the 17,000 sq ft freehold site for $37 million in August 2020. The site, which was formerly occupied by 11 shophouses, is a key part of the clan's future. 'It helps that it's close to our current location, and there's a very rich culture and heritage of clans in the area,' says Mr Lee Hong Ping, 55, head of the association's heritage committee. While Char Yong (Dabu) and the Huang Clan leveraged their locations in Geylang to launch redevelopment plans, smaller clans in the neighbourhood have not been immune to the broader decline of Chinese clan associations in Singapore. 'Other clans in Geylang are not as fortunate as they are still renting their premises, and they move out once rents rise,' says Ms Wong, who has documented the closure of several clans, many of which have shuttered for good or merged with larger ones. For the Huang Clan, the sacrifices that came with reconstructing its premises were necessary for the larger purpose of renewal. The elder Mr Ng, who also chairs the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations' Member Affairs Committee, says: 'Not all clans are able to replicate what we did due to constraints like land. However, the most crucial issue still lies in getting people on board with change.' He says: 'There are clan elders who want things to stay on as they are forever. We have to make progress as times change so that succession can happen.'
Straits Times
28 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Carlos Alcaraz quells Jan-Lennard Struff to march on at Wimbledon
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox LONDON - Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz was given another tough litmus test by plucky German Jan-Lennard Struff but the second seed battled his way to a 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory and reached the fourth round on July 4. An off-colour Alcaraz had flirted with danger in his five-set opener against Italian veteran Fabio Fognini before mowing down British hope Oliver Tarvet in the last round, begging the question of which avatar of the Spaniard would turn up. The 22-year-old, who was taken the distance by Struff before winning their meeting at the All England Club in 2022, began the match with a double fault and sprayed errors on Centre Court but rediscovered his rhythm to book a clash with Andrey Rublev. 'I knew that it was going to be really, really difficult,' Alcaraz said. 'I had to be really focused on every side, on my service games and the return. 'His game suits the grass - big serves, getting to the net as much as he can. So I'm just really pleased about everything that I've done today, fighting, running, making great shots. 'I tried to make the most of the opportunities he gave me in the match and I'm proud about getting the win in four sets.' Alcaraz saved two breakpoints in his second service game and then broke for a 3-1 lead, gaining the foothold he needed in the match before wrapping up the opening stanza on serve, hitting a huge ace on set point. But in a Jekyll and Hyde type switch, with shadows engulfing the main showcourt, the five-times Grand Slam winner surrendered the next set as Struff recovered an early break and went on to level the match comfortably. An untimely double fault from Struff in the second game of the third set gave Alcaraz the platform to re-establish his lead and the twice Wimbledon champion never looked back from there until he closed it out with another big serve. 'I was suffering in every service game that I did... 0-30s and breakpoints down. It was stressful. Every time he could push me, he did. I was trying to survive,' Alcaraz said. After going to deuce in each of his first four service games in the fourth set, Alcaraz pounced on Struff's sloppiness at the net when the German missed a simple volley, before pulling away with a break and completing his 21st straight tour-level win. 'He missed that volley... I still can't believe that I'm standing here 6-4,' Alcaraz added. Elsewhere, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, seeded 14, fell 6-1 7-6(4) against Belgium's Elise Mertens, seeded 24. Svitolina's husband, Gael Monfils, 38, also lost - 6-4 1-6 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4 to Hungary's Marton Fucsovics. 'To tell you that I would have won the match is too much,' Monfils said, sagely. 'I don't really know. I wish I could win this match today but that's sport. I'm going to rest a couple of days and go back on court and try to be ready for the US tour.' REUTERS
