Latest news with #Evan
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Serie A pace will suit Evan Ferguson's style after AS Roma move
Evan Ferguson has been at AS Roma officially for less than a week, but he seems to be making an impression on the club's vociferous supporters. The Republic of Ireland international has been getting minutes into his legs, scoring four goals in a training match against minnows UniPomezia, who have been recently promoted to Italy's Serie D. Then on Saturday, he found the net again against German second division side and multiple former Bundesliga champions Kaiserslautern, nicking the ball off the goalkeeper and rolling it into an empty net in the 1-0 friendly win. The fact that neither game was a competitive one should of course temper expectations about what the 20-year-old could achieve in Serie A during his season-long loan. But crucially, unlike last season, he will have had a full and injury-free pre-season under his belt going into the campaign and he is going in with less expectation around him after seeing his progress stall somewhat over the past year. On that, former Drogheda United and Shamrock Rovers defender Graham Gartland also feels the style of play in Italy will suit Ferguson down to a tee as he told this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast. "He strikes me as a player that needs games to get his match sharpness up," said Gartland, a former team-mate of Ferguson's father Barry at Longford Town in 2003 and 2004. "But he can ease into that a little bit. He has a good pre-season behind him in Italy and once that comes, his sharpness comes. And once his sharpness comes, then he is a different player. "Because he is quite tall and he has a presence about him, that's where he has a chance to go and work on his feet, and the pace of the play in Italy will be different to the Premier League and I think that will suit him as well. "You see it with the likes of Edin Dzeko who went there from Man City and he did really well and he strikes me as a similar player to that, that the tempo of the game might be a bit slower and it would allow him just to build into that." In the wake of Ferguson's friendly cameos, Roma's new manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who enjoyed success over a long period with Atalanta - including on Irish soil when he led the Bergamo club to Europa League glory at Aviva Stadium in May 2024 - has spoken about the need to make the most of his talents, saying: "We need to get to know Evan and exploit his depth. In some situations, we could have looked for him more." And former Brighton, Celtic, Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk midfielder Richie Towell pointed to the player who netted the Europa League final hat-trick for Atalanta as an example of how Gasperini can improve players. "I think with a manager like Gasperini there, I think he's really going to take Evan under his wing and make him a proper, proper player this season," he said on the podcast. "You see what he's done with Ademola Lookman. Lookman was kind of in a little bit of a similar situation to Evan where he was doing ok but you were waiting on that flame to ignite; where he went to Gasperini at Atalanta and that Atalanta side were amazing - high energy, lots of shots on target, balls into the box, I loved the way they played - so if Evan can mimic anything like what Ademola Lookman did, he'll have a great season."
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Ibiza Rocks hotel where three Brits died still selling party tickets despite suspension
The Ibiza Ricks resort has seen four people die in tragic accidents while staying at the hotel in recent months, with multiple Brits dying in balcony falls The Ibiza hotel where two Brits tragically lost their lives in separate incidents is still flogging party tickets, despite claims they were suspending these events in light of the repeated deadly balcony falls in recent months. Evan Thomson, from Aberdeen, sadly died after falling from his Ibiza Rocks hotel balcony on Monday, July 7. The 26-year-old sadly fell from the sixth floor while away celebrating his birthday. Just a fortnight later, Gary Kelly, a 19-year-old from Dundee, suffered a fatal fall from the third floor of the same establishment just past midnight. These twin tragedies followed two other at the Ibiza Rocks resort, including a 33-year-old British woman who died on April 30, and a female Italian tourist, 19, who fell from a balcony just three days earlier. In the wake of these heartbreaking events, Ibiza Rocks had declared a suspension of all festivities. The hotel expressed its sorrow with the words: "We are deeply shocked and devastated by the recent incidents that have tragically occurred." They continued: "Our priority is to support those affected and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and to fully assist the authorities with their investigations. "The safety and wellbeing of our guests has, and always will remain, our highest priority. Given the seriousness of the situation and out of respect for those involved, we believe it is right to pause our advertised events programme at this time." Yet, despite these assurances, tickets for upcoming events, including this Saturday's LoveJuice Ibiza Day Party, are still up for grabs online. Ibiza Rocks is asking punters to pay £17.35 for standard entry and £26 for a Daylife pass, which includes a food and drink voucher. The hotel is gearing up for its RandB Affair Day Party this Sunday, tipped to be the island's most epic RandB bash, with entry fees matching those of the previous day's festivities. Dizzee Rascal was scheduled to play at the hotel yesterday as part of the venue's '20th birthday celebrations' but that was postponed. However, Rudimental are still set to perform on July 30 for the anniversary, with tickets still available to purchase online. In the wake of Evan's tragic passing, his family and friends have raised serious concerns about the hotel's safety measures, criticising the establishment's handling of the incident. Evan's mate Blair Robertson blasted the hotel for their eagerness to 'get things back to normal' after the tragedy, reports the Daily Record. He recounted: "Security took us away to front desk. Paramedics didn't arrive for about 30 minutes. Forensic officers didn't speak English. We were just standing there, not knowing what was going on. Reception gave us false hope. "We heard the jet washes cleaning the ground where Evan died. That was the worst thing for us". Evan's sister Teila also called for 'higher safety precautions', stating: "Once it did happen, the hotel's response was just completely heartbreaking; almost as if it never happened. I pray no other family has to go through this." Following the recent fatalities, Ibiza Rocks shared a safety message on their social media, expressing that their thoughts 'remained with the families' of Evan and Gary. They wrote: "The tragic incidents of the past few weeks have deeply affected many. We continue to work closely with the authorities, and our thoughts and support remain with everyone impacted. "Much of the hard work that goes into safety and security in hotels and venues across the world happens behind the scenes. With thousands of guests passing through our doors every summer, it takes a collective effort from our team, security and local partners to maximise safety for all. "In times like these, care matters - but so does action. We have zero tolerance for any behaviour that puts our guests or our team at risk and we are building on the strong work we already do to go even further. "Out of respect and privacy for the people involved, we don't usually comment on individual reports posted online, but that certainly doesn't mean we're not always listening. We're committed to working with anyone who raises solid concerns so that we can establish the facts and take the appropriate steps. "Our hotel remains open and more information on a future events programme will be shared as soon as possible." On the topic of balcony safety, the hotel added: "Balcony safety is something we take very seriously, and our hotel meets all the applicable building regulations. "Alongside that, we're introducing further safety measures and working to raise more guest awareness to help encourage responsible use and keep everyone safe."
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Ibiza Rocks selling party tickets despite suspending events after balcony plunge deaths
Evan Thomson, of Aberdeen, and Gary Kelly, from Dundee, died this month after falling from their hotel balcony in Ibiza. The Ibiza hotel where two Scots fell to their deaths within weeks of one another are still selling party tickets despite saying they were pausing future events. Evan Thomson, from Aberdeen, fell to his death from his Ibiza Rocks hotel balcony on Monday July 7. The 26-year-old tragically fell from the sixth floor while on holiday celebrating his birthday. Just two weeks later, on Monday, Gary Kelly, 19, from Dundee died after he fell from the third-floor of the hotel just after midnight. Following their tragic deaths, Ibiza Rocks announced that they would be suspending all events. In a statement, the hotel said: "We are deeply shocked and devastated by the recent incidents that have tragically occurred. "Our priority is to support those affected and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and to fully assist the authorities with their investigations. "The safety and wellbeing of our guests has, and always will remain, our highest priority. Given the seriousness of the situation and out of respect for those involved, we believe it is right to pause our advertised events programme at this time. "All customers will be informed directly via email." However, tickets for events from this Saturday are still available to purchase online, starting with their weekly LoveJuice Ibiza Day Party. Ibiza Rocks are charging holidaymakers £17.35 for general admission and £26 for a Daylife pass, which includes a food and drink voucher. The hotel is hosting an R&B Affair Day Party on Sunday, which promises to be the island's biggest R&B party, which is priced the same as the previous day's event. Dizzee Rascal was scheduled to play at the hotel yesterday as part of the venue's '20th birthday celebrations' but that was postponed. However, Rudimental are still set to perform on July 30 for the anniversary, with tickets still available to purchase online. Following Evan's death his loved ones raised questions about the hotel safety, slamming how the party destination handled the situation. Evan's friend Blair Robertson slammed the hotel, saying they tried hard to 'get things back to normal' following the death. He added: 'Security took us away to front desk. Paramedics didn't arrive for about 30 minutes. Forensic officers didn't speak English. We were just standing there, not knowing what was going on. Reception gave us false hope. "We heard the jet washes cleaning the ground where Evan died. That was the worst thing for us" While Evan's sister Teila said that there needed to be 'higher safety precautions', adding: "Once it did happen, the hotel's response was just completely heartbreaking; almost as if it never happened. I pray no other family has to go through this." Yesterday, Ibiza Rocks issued a safety notice on their social media following the deaths, saying their thoughts 'remained with the families' of Evan and Gary. They wrote: "The tragic incidents of the past few weeks have deeply affected many. We continue to work closely with the authorities and our thoughts and support remain with everyone impacted. "Much of the hard work that goes into safety and security in hotels and venues across the world happens behind the scenes. With thousands of guests passing through our doors every summer, it takes a collective effort from our team, security and local partners to maximise safety for all. "In times like these, care matters - but so does action. We have zero tolerance for any behaviour that puts our guests or our team at risk and we are building on the strong work we already do to go even further. "Out of respect and privacy for the people involved, we don't usually comment on individual reports posted online, but that certainly doesn't mean we're not always listening. We're committed to working with anyone who raises solid concerns so that we can establish the facts and take the appropriate steps. "Our hotel remains open and more information on a future events programme will be shared as soon as possible." The hotel also noted that it is working to improve balcony safety. They continued: "Balcony safety is something we take very seriously, and our hotel meets all the applicable building regulations. "Alongside that, we're introducing further safety measures and working to raise more guest awareness to help encourage responsible use and keep everyone safe." Ibiza Rocks did not respond to the Record's request for comment.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Brits beg American tourists to stop ‘annoying' travel trend that creates ‘unnecessary layer of friction'
BRITS are begging American tourists to stop an annoying travel trend that creates an "unnecessary layer of friction". Londoners have taken to social media in an attempt to Americans visiting the capital to stop this one act. 1 Brits are begging American tourists to stop an annoying travel trend Credit: Getty One Reddit user posted to the r/London group titled: "PSA to Americans visiting this summer: we do not shorten place names here." They added that American tourists were shortening location names when asking for help with directions. The post explained: "Was hanging out around Victoria/Pimlico yesterday having coffee and food with friends and we had three separate occasions of holidaying Americans asking for directions or help. "First was how to get to 'Green' (Green Park), and that they'd come via 'Edgware' (Edgware Road - obviously a totally different part of the city to Edgware itself). Read more News "The next wanted to find their hotel in 'Holland' (Holland Park, obviously not the country region)." They added: "An unnecessary layer of friction and could quite easily end up catastrophic if you're googling the wrong thing, asking for directions, researching somewhere (Gloucester instead of Gloucester Road, Liverpool instead of Liverpool Street, Leicester instead of Leicester Square, etc, etc)." It's not the first time frustrated Londoners have encountered American tourists confusing locations either. Another Reddit user shared their own experiences: "Can confirm from working on the railway that this is a genuine problem. Most read in The Sun "Once sold about £200 worth of tickets to Gloucester when a group wanted Gloucester Road. "Before selling them, I'd asked in every conceivable way I could think of if it was really Gloucester they wanted (It's not a top US tourist destination!)." Popular Italian holiday hotspot bans walking barefoot, booze & picnics with rules-breaking tourists facing hefty fines A third user said: "Growing up in a touristy town outside of London, we'd get a lot of American visitors asking for train tickets to Charing rather than "Charing of course being a town in Kent some 50 odd miles away." It's not just trains that Americans visiting the capital have a problem with either. The Sun reported in April how a tourist planning a gentle sight-seeing trip on the River Thames instead boarded a party boat full of boozy football fans by mistake. American Evan Johnston got on the vessel with 150 The student, 21, thought they were all going to see London's landmarks. The fans had hired a party boat from Tower Millennium Pier to Blackfriars Pier to catch a train to the ground. But the Shrimpers fans welcomed Evan — taking him to his first ever match, buying all his drinks and chanting: 'Evan is a Shrimper, la la la la.'
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Mum's desperate plea as son, 7, diagnosed with rare muscle-wasting disease
Evan Winter was diagnosed him with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) earlier this year which only around 2,500 people have in the UK - his family are now raisng funds to build a safer future for their son A seven-year-old boy has been diagnosed with a rare muscle-wasting disease after getting severe leg cramp at a birthday party. Evan Winter was slow to progress as a baby and did not walk until 20 months old and was clumsy. His mum, Laura Winter, 31, thought he was just "a little bit lazy" and his toe-walking was related to his autism diagnosis. In February 2025, Evan developed severe leg cramp at a laser tag party and when he was still limping the next morning his parents rushed him to the GP who diagnosed him with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The genetic condition causes progressive muscle degeneration and typically leaves children fully reliant on a wheelchair and round-the-clock care by their early teens. Evan's family are desperate to raise funds to build a new purpose built home that is safe for him. Laura, a disclosure risk assessor at Kent police, from Maidstone, Kent, said: 'He was very delayed as a toddler, so when he did start walking he would complain constantly 'my legs hurt, my legs hurt'. 'He would say 'carry me, carry me' but we thought he was just being a typical toddler. But we were always told it was because he's autistic - that toe-walking and tiredness were just part of that.' She added: 'Every time we mentioned the cramps or his walking they just said autistic children often walk on their toes or he was just cautious. We had no idea what DMD even was. We had never heard of it.' Laura said: 'It was a complete shock. Even though we had a few weeks to process it, I think there was still hope that it could be something else. I remember asking our GP afterwards, 'Did you think it was this?' She said no, she thought it might have been a vitamin D or calcium deficiency. She'd been a doctor for 30 years and had only ever seen one DMD patient." Since the diagnosis, Evan's world has changed dramatically. He now uses a wheelchair for longer trips and is about to begin steroid treatment in an effort to slow the condition's progression. She said: 'He said, 'I think it's Duchenne. I might be wrong, but I don't think I am.' We still had to wait for a formal diagnosis, but I think we knew by then.' The family received the official diagnosis of DMD, after Evan had received blood tests, on March 25, 2025. Laura said: 'It was a complete shock. Even though we had a few weeks to process it, I think there was still hope that it could be something else. 'I remember asking our GP afterwards, 'Did you think it was this?' She said no, she thought it might have been a vitamin D or calcium deficiency. She'd been a doctor for 30 years and had only ever seen one DMD patient.' Since the diagnosis, Evan's world has changed dramatically. He now uses a wheelchair for longer trips and is about to begin steroid treatment in an effort to slow the condition's progression. More than £1,000 has already been raised through their GoFundMe page and the family hopes this will be the start of building a safer future for Evan. Laura wrote: 'We never imagined we'd have to ask for help like this. But we will try with everything we have to give Evan a safe and comfortable home, where he can have the best childhood, we can give him.'
