Latest news with #GaryNeville
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Sir Alex Ferguson arrives at Champions League final with Gary Neville as £2m-a-year Man Utd role comes to an end
Legendary ex-boss hoping for more exciting watch than Red Devils' Europa league loss FERGIE FINALE Sir Alex Ferguson arrives at Champions League final with Gary Neville as £2m-a-year Man Utd role comes to an end Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SIR ALEX FERGUSON is preparing for a new chapter in his life - by watching Paris Saint-Germain attempt to write the greatest one in their history. The legendary ex-Manchester United boss arrived at Bayern Munich with Gary Neville as PSG bid to finally win the Champions League. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Sir Alex Ferguson and Gary Neville are in Munich for the final Credit: Getty The French giants are taking on Inter Milan, just as 83-year-old Fergie bows out of his special role as United's global ambassador. So far it's not been the final flourish the Red Devils' most famous ever manager would have liked. He was in Bilbao to see United's 1-0 loss to Tottenham in the Europa League showpiece on May 21. And tat's after he lost his £2million-a-year position at Old Trafford - as part of huge cost-cutting from United's minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. However, it certainly wasn't personal as Ratcliffe and his company unveiled nearly 500 redundancies in all. Meanwhile, there's also major investment planned for the future - most notably for a new £2billion 100,000-seat stadium. Ferguson's glittering 26 years in charge contrasts with everything that has followed since his managerial retirement in 2013. Fergie guided United to 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Undoubtedly the peak was the Treble in 1998-99 - three years before fellow club icon Neville arrived. Now the ex-England defender, 50, is a TV pundit - while it's unclear if Fergie will have another direct job in football. At least the duo beat traffic mayhem to arrive at the final in good time. It follows chaos at a Munich station caused by fighting between rival groups of fans.
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Sir Alex Ferguson arrives at Champions League final with Gary Neville as £2m-a-year Man Utd role comes to an end
SIR ALEX FERGUSON is preparing for a new chapter - by watching Paris Saint-Germain attempt to write their greatest one ever. The legendary ex-Manchester United boss arrived at Bayern Munich's famous venue with Gary Neville as PSG bid to finally win the Champions league. 1 The French giants are taking on Inter Milan, just as 83-year-old Fergie bows out of his special role as United's global ambassador. It's not quite been the final flourish the Red Devils' most famous ever manager might have liked. He was in Bilbao to see United's 1-0 loss to Tottenham in the Europa league showpiece on May 21. And that's after he lost his £2million-a-year position at Old Trafford - as part of major cost-cutting from United's minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. It certainly wasn't personal as Ratcliffe and his company unveiled nearly 500 redundancies. And there's also planned investment for the future - most notably for a new £2billion 100,000-seat stadium. Ferguson's glittering 26 years in charge contrasts with everything that has followed since his managerial retirement in 2013. Fergie guided United to 13 Premier League titles and two Champions league crowns. Undoubtedly the peak was the Treble in 1998-99 - three years before fellow club icon Neville arrived. Now the ex-England defender, 50, is a TV pundit - while it's unclear if Fergie will have another direct job in football.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Paul Ince interview: Manchester United players are mentally weak
Manchester United have fallen from being the standard-bearers of English football to its laughing stock after their worst season in more than 50 years. A 15th-place finish in the Premier League, defeat by Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final and, just this week, further humiliation in a post-season tour of Asia have left United fans yearning for the dominance of the Sir Alex Ferguson era. Paul Ince is no different. When United won their first league title in 26 years in 1993, Ferguson did so with a team famed as much for their character as ability. Hardened warriors such as Steve Bruce, Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes and Ince, an uncompromising, abrasive driving force in midfield, were at the heart of it all. The contrast to today could not be greater. 'It really saddens me to see where Manchester United are now,' the former England captain tells Telegraph Sport. 'In the teams I played in, we not only had so many top players, but tough competitors and great characters, too. 'You hear Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane talk about there being no characters in the game because players haven't got that mental toughness nowadays. 'When I was at United, as players we used to analyse potential signings and say, 'Is he good enough to play for Man United?' 'It wasn't just about being a top player, but how you conducted yourself and dealt with the pressure and expectation of playing for United. 'The fans demand that you produce week in and week out, but some of the current players can't cope with that mentally. They haven't got the character to do it.' Ruben Amorim, the manager, and indeed the United hierarchy, have come under mounting scrutiny amid a wave of brutal cutbacks and redundancies at Old Trafford. While Ince says stability is needed, he queries some of the Portuguese coach's tactics, such as rigidly sticking to a formation that simply has not worked. The 57-year-old also questioned Amorim's decision to play Luke Shaw and Mason Mount in the Europa League final while Alejandro Garnacho started on the bench. 'We had the best manager in the world in Sir Alex Ferguson, who laid the foundation for the club to be as great as it was,' Ince says. 'Since he left, United have had numerous different managers, which has shown that they can't get it quite right. Amorim's had these players since he came in and there has been no improvement whatsoever. 'We're not talking about bad players here – we're talking about players who can't play in a system that Amorim wants to play. He's said he's not going to change his system of three at the back and that he believes in it, but the balance doesn't look right. 'As a manager, you play with the players you've got and in a system that suits them. Garnacho had played all season in the Europa League, but was on the bench for the final and for some reason Amorim started two players [Shaw and Mount] who have barely played for God knows how long. They spent over £40 million on Manuel Ugarte and he couldn't even get on the pitch in Bilbao! 'People say, 'I feel sorry for Amorim', but I don't feel sorry for anybody – he's manager of Manchester United and it's the greatest job in the world. The fans are patient with him, as are the board, because they can't be in a position where they're chopping and changing managers because that won't get them anywhere. 'But this summer is going to be vital because United are currently miles away from the top five in the Premier League.' Recruitment will be key after last summer's splurge under Erik ten Hag failed to pay off. 'United have spent a lot of money, so there's absolutely no excuse for where they finished in the league,' Ince says. 'We finished 13th in my first season at United in 1989-90 but won the FA Cup that year and we kept progressing. I'm hoping it's going to be a similar scenario under Amorim, but it's going to be a very long road. 'These next two to three months are a very important period for Amorim and the board at United.' Matheus Cunha is expected to complete a £62.5 million move from Wolves, but Ince warns United need more firepower and described their recent recruitment as substandard. Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins is a player he feels United need to try to bring to Old Trafford. 'If you picked your best 11 players from the Premier League, you wouldn't have one United player in there. And you probably could have said that in the last six or seven years. How can Liverpool go and sign the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, and Arsenal get Declan Rice? 'Why haven't United been in the market for them? Are they looking in the right places? I don't think they are right now, so it's a big summer for everyone involved at the club, that's for sure. 'They badly need more firepower and I'm looking at someone like Ollie Watkins – a striker who can actually score goals – as a player United need to be going for.' Ince arrived at Old Trafford from West Ham United in 1989 and won two Premier League titles, two FA Cups, a League Cup, the European Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup. He left to join Inter Milan in 1995 and became a pantomime villain among United fans after being branded a 'big-time Charlie' by Ferguson before returning to the Premier League to join arch rivals Liverpool in 1997. Ince, who won 53 international caps and was the first black player to captain England, believes Inter can defeat Paris St-Germain in Saturday's Champions League final. 'A lot of people are getting caught up in this PSG side because the likes of [Lionel] Messi, Neymar and [Kylian] Mbappé have been there. But all their stars have gone now and they're more of a team,' Ince says. 'Yes, PSG have had some games leading into this final where they have been very good. But they've also been very vulnerable at times, especially against Aston Villa, so defensively you can get at them. I believe that, with their experience of the past two to three years, this Inter Milan side can go on and lift the trophy.' Ince has been out of management since being sacked by Reading in April 2023, but he is open to the prospect of finding a route back in. 'I did a fantastic job at Reading and getting sacked set me back a bit,' he admits. 'But I've proved myself as a manager, having managed in every league in English football. 'I've always been firefighting, so I'm quite proud of my managerial career and if I get another opportunity then I'd love to manage again.'
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Sky Sports presenter hits out at racism, sexism and ‘hate' following exit
Melissa Reddy, the outgoing Sky Sports News reporter, has hit out at racism in the industry, saying 'abuse as a foreign woman of colour in this sphere never ceases'. Reddy was one of seven journalists and presenters confirmed to be heading for the exit as the Premier League's biggest rights-holder reboots its news channel. In an Instagram statement confirming 'I've called time on three years at Sky', the former Independent football reporter suggested she had faced some recent abuse. 'The messages I've received from managers, players, club staff, my Sky and wider industry colleagues – people who know me, my journey and sacrifices over the past decade – carry more weight than any of the nasty noise,' Reddy explained. Gary Neville, the Sky Sports pundit, and Darren Lewis, president of the Sports Journalists' Association, were among well-wishers responding to her post. 'All the best to you Melissa and great working with you,' Neville posted. Reddy, who has spent 11 years covering Premier League football, hinted that she is planning to write books among other projects. She spoke out, however, about hurdles she has faced during her time in the profession. 'After the first press conference I covered in England all those years back, a journalist turned to the press officer and said, 'Why are you letting them come over here and take our jobs,' she wrote. 'You just want a little lick don't you?!' I would love to be able to say that things have changed in that regard, but alas… the abuse as a foreign woman of colour in this sphere never ceases. I will always be stronger than the hate; I know who I am, I know the substance of my work. You can't dim the light of someone who learnt how to shine in the dark.'
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Bonnie Blue one of three high-profile names banned from Nottingham Forest stadium this season
THREE high-profile names were banned from Nottingham Forest's stadium this season - including Bonnie Blue. The City Ground witnessed a superb season as the East Midlanders launched a surprise Champions League challenge. 6 6 Ultimately, Nuno Espirito Santo's side fell just short of securing a spot at Europe's top table. Forest lost 1-0 at home to Chelsea on the final day of the season. But neither Bonnie Blue nor Gary Neville were able to see the conclusion of the campaign - due to their City Ground bans. Bonnie was slapped with a permanent stadium suspension by Forest in April after trying to enter the ground and pull off a viral stunt. But the adult content creator - who shot to fame by allegedly bedding 1,057 men in 24 hours - then sneaked into the Chelsea away end in disguise with a cap, wig and glasses. She said: "I am playing hide and seek with Nottingham Forest's security. The first security officer that finds me, gets to boink me." Bonnie was eventually found and escorted out - with footage circulating online capturing the moment. She then made a lewd gesture behind one of the security guards. Bonnie - real name Tia Billinger - previously said of her initial City Ground ban: "I recently went to a Nottingham Forest game. Well, I attempted to. "I put on my socials, 'Hey boys, I'm going to be at the game, I'd like to film with you afterwards.' "I turn up at the football game and the gate security was like, 'You are permanently banned from the ground.' "I thought when they asked me to go to the side, maybe they're upgrading my tickets, maybe they want to escort me to my seat, this is quite nice, it's a good service. "They asked to see my tickets, I showed them and they took them off me, saying, 'We're escorting you off the premises.' "Apparently they don't discriminate against sex workers but I was banned because I was a sex worker. "I was going to encourage them (the players), give them a good time. I also think if I'm entertaining the supporters it's less people drinking so I'm actually doing something good for their health." However, Bonnie was not the only person to miss the Chelsea game. That is because Forest rejected Sky Sports' media accreditation application for Neville. Who is Bonnie Blue? Born in May 1999, Bonnie - whose real name is Tia Billinger - grew up in a small Derbyshire village, and attended the Friesland School in the village of Sandiacre. She has two half-siblings - a sister and a brother - who have always remained out of the public eye. She never knew her biological father, and considers stepfather Nicholas Elliott her dad. Bonnie also became something of a dance star in her local area, and competed in the British Street Dance Championships alongside her sister back in 2015. She also had a part-time job at Poundstretcher as a teenager. After school, she began working in recruitment. In October 2022, Bonnie married Oliver Davidson, who she had started dating when she was just 15. Once they were married, they moved to Australia, where Bonnie continued working in recruitment. However, it was in Australia that she decided to pursue a different line of work, and tried her luck as a 'cam girl' - crediting Oliver for giving her the confidence to enter the adult entertainment world. She quickly made a name for herself in the industry, and was soon making £5,000 a week. But while her work life was going from strength to strength, her relationship was crumbling, and she and Oliver split after almost a decade together. She moved over to OnlyFans following her cam girl success, and once again found fame on there. She quickly became a favourite on the site, especially thanks to her "niche" of sleeping with young male students - such as when she bedded 158 students during Nottingham Trent University's freshers week in September 2024. Bonnie is now estimated to be worth £3 million, and makes around £600,000 a month on OnlyFans. Her family are also supportive of her work, with mum Sarah Billinger even claiming she's her daughter's PA, and helps clean up after Bonnie's events - as well as handing out condoms to young clients. In January 2025, Bonnie claimed to have broken the world record for the most amount of sex in 12 hours, after apparently sleeping with 1,057 men from 1pm to 1am at a secret London event. The ex-Manchester United man was due to be on co-commentary at the City Ground for the crunch clash. However, Forest blocked Sky's plans - forcing them into a late reshuffle - because Neville had been critical of Evangelos Marinakis' on-pitch row with Santo following the 2-2 draw with Leicester. over the incident - and Forest retaliated with the shock suspension. That prompted a series of X-rated chants and even masks mocking Neville from Forest fans at the Chelsea game. But as well as Bonnie and Neville, Marinakis himself was banned from his own club's home stadium this season, too. The Greek businessman launched a furious outburst at the referees after a 1-0 defeat to Fulham in September as he had a meltdown in the tunnel and spat on the floor in a "disgusting display of contempt". And The FA's punishment was a five-match stadium ban - which included being barred from entering the City Ground for the home fixtures against Crystal Palace, West Ham and Newcastle. 6 6 6 6
