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Sunday World
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Kevin Palmer: We have been given a timely reminder that winning means more
Social media has polluted our lives negatively in recent years, but it can provide a platform to capture glimpses of moments to savour and the images emerging from Wembley last Saturday evening were enchanting on so many levels. As Crystal Palace won their first major trophy with a victory against Manchester City in the FA Cup final, fans who have supported the club their entire lives realised they had witnessed their greatest moment and they did it alongside 30,000 more who were also coming to terms with this joyous reality. The mobile phone videos of husbands and wives embracing as their 50-year journey with Palace was building towards this moment took place at the same time as young boys who had only supported Palace for a few years were hugging their Dads in embraces that will live with them forever. It is a collective euphoria that heightens the emotion for those fortunate enough to experience it. Many supporters of a club like Crystal Palace see it as a labour of love and they don't expect it to witness trophy-winning moments, but following Tottenham should be different. Tottenham striker Richarlison celebrates with joyful fans following their side's Europa League Final success Here is a club that redefined English football with their iconic 1961 Double winning team playing a brand of passing football that was ahead of its time, with their story since then illuminated by some of the games greats as Glenn Hoddle, Paul Gascoigne, Gareth Bale and Harry Kane have strived to put Spurs on the path to glory. Yet moments of trophy-winning success have so often eluded them in recent years, with fans who have been forced to accept the odd top four finish as 'success' growing tired of their annual diet of near misses. The expansion of the Champions League and the money it generates for the teams that qualify each year has become an obsession for clubs across Europe, but fans did not start their supporting adventure with an ambition of seeing their team finish fourth in the league. They want to be there when the players they have invested their hopes and dreams in are presented with a trophy confirming they are winners and after a 17-year wait, that's what Tottenham fans got as their team beat Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao. Once again, images quickly began to flow on social media of Tottenham fans crying their hearts out as Spurs captain Son Heung-min lifted the trophy high into the Spanish night sky, with the celebrations in their home stadium back in North London equally euphoric. Tens of thousands of seats were filled as Spurs fans who couldn't make it to Spain watched the match on big screens at the club's home ground and once again, tears were shed by young and old as the final whistle sounded. This is what sport is all about. Forget about the bank balances of Premier League football clubs as they hand out bumper bonuses to their directors when the team qualify for the Champions League or has a good boost in annual profits from the sales of tickets for a Beyonce concert at their stadium. Supporters want more than that and thankfully, this was the week when the moment of genuine victory was celebrated once again. Manchester City's dominance of all competitions in English football contributed to the demise of the scenes we have seen over the last few days, with the poorly attended trophy parades organised for Pep Guardiola and his players suggesting their fans saw winning as an expectation rather than a novelty. All that has changed this season and it was a boost for the English game that Newcastle won their first domestic trophy since 1955 when they lifted the Carabao Cup and staged a euphoric trophy parade. Crystal Palace fans celebrate after Eberechi Eze goal during the Emirates FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium It was fantastic to see the Palace players partying with their fans after their memorable Wembley win and a delight to witness jubilant Spurs supporters who started to doubt that they would ever see their team win a trophy again finding their voices after in their trophy parade on Friday. Today, it's the turn of Liverpool to celebrate their Premier League title win, with captain Virgil van Djik set to be presented with the trophy at Anfield after this afternoon's game against Palace and a lavish trophy parade planned for what is a public holiday in England on Monday. The streets of Liverpool will be lined with Reds fans who were denied the chance to celebrate their most recent Premier League title win due to the Covid pandemic, with the memories of days like this lasting a lifetime. We tend to be introduced to sport by our parents and the bond created from my days sitting next to my Dad at Tottenham in the 1980s and 90s formed the bond that glues us together to this day. I was nine when I sat with my Dad at the old White Hat Lane as Spurs captain Graham Roberts lifted the UEFA Cup in 1984 and despite my tender years, I can still remember the vantage point high in the East Stand as Tony Parkes saved the winning penalty in the shoot-out against Anderlecht. We were there when they won the FA Cup against Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest at Wembley in 1991 and there again when they came up short time and again in recent years. There are times when you are tempted to give up. You wonder how much more disappointment you can take. Then you have a moment like Wednesday night and it means so much more because of all that has gone before. Whether your sport is soccer, GAA or rugby, the moment your team wins a trophy is one that is instantly etched into your mind for so many reasons. Not because the club's owners have boosted their coffers, but because you were there with the people who matter most to you when the final whistle sounded and your team were declared as champions. That is what sport is all about and we have been given a timely reminder of the joy it can bring after a week of celebrations./
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Hopefully it's a stepping stone for more' - reaction to Europa League win
Former Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle on TNT Sports: "Incredible. I've got no nails left. Fantastic for the club."It wasn't a fantastic game, but they got over the line. Ange Postecoglou got it right in the end."He played three in midfield, and particularly in the first half, that overpowered Manchester United. In the second half, there was a case of holding on and hanging in there."They defended like trojans. Hopefully, it's a stepping stone for more."Former Premier League defender Steve Brown on BBC Radio London: "Ange Postecoglou has taken a great deal of criticism in recent months, but how better to respond to it than bringing a trophy back?"We are all going to wait with baited breath as to whether he will still be Tottenham manager next season."But Spurs are going to have Champions League football next year and that is huge for them as a club."Mark Ogden, senior writer for ESPN, on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Ange deserves a lot of credit and Spurs deserve a lot of credit."If you are a team in the Premier League, winning a European trophy is bigger than than winning a League Cup or FA Cup. It's a European trophy and they don't come around very often."
Daily Record
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
6 words from Ange to Tottenham players before Europa League final get Spurs legend laughing as 'derogatory' claim shut down
Glenn Hoddle reckons he might just have turned a famous Manchester United quote on its head The famous 'Lads, it's Tottenham' assessment from Sir Alex Ferguson was branded derogatory by Paul Scholes ahead of the Europa League final. And Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle believes Ange Postecoglou might just have turned it on its head in the dressing room. The legendary Manchester United boss was present in Bilbao for the final between the two Premier League strugglers and his presence got the pundits reminiscing about days gone by at both clubs. Back when Scholes was playing, Ferguson delivered a famous four-word team-talk before a clash with Spurs where he simply said 'lads, it's Tottenham.' But the legendary midfielder doesn't think that's aged too well. "'Lads, it's Tottenham' - It feels a bit derogatory to talk about such a great football club like that," he told TNT Sports. "We were always confident against Tottenham. You still have to play against a team with very good footballers." And Hoddle, who played an incredible 490 times for Spurs in the 1970s and 80s and was right behind Ange Postecoglou in his pursuit of European silverware, joked the Aussie might just have inverted it before kick-off. He said: "Maybe in that dressing room Ange is saying, 'Listen lads, it's only Man Utd'." You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also on WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Bale and Glenn Hoddle slum it on budget Spanish airline as TNT Sports' pundits make last minute dash to Bilbao ahead of Europa League final
TNT Sports' pundits were spotted slumming it on a last minute budget flight to Bilbao ahead of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur's Europa League final clash. Around 80,000 fans have started to descend on Bilbao using any means possible including planes, trains, cars and even a boat. And it is no different for TNT Sports' pundits, who were forced to fly out to the Basque city on a less than luxurious route. Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Bale and Glenn Hoddle, who will be hosting the channel's coverage of the final on Wednesday alongside Paul Scholes, were seen on a Vueling flight from London on Tuesday afternoon. They were joined by jubilant Tottenham fans who were loudly chanting 'Spurs are on their way to Bilbao' throughout the journey. Vueling, a Spanish low-cost airline, provides cheap routes to European cities. But it appears TNT still weren't keen to fork out extra on seating the pundits next to each other, with the former United and Tottenham stars spread out across the plane. Despite being surrounding by opposition fans, United legend Ferdinand appeared comfortable on the two hour flight, dozing off on his window seat while fans loudly chanted. Bale, who will hope his old club can pick up their first piece of silverware since 2008, tucked his baseball cap over his eyes and spent most of the journey fixated on his laptop. While, Hoddle, who won two FA Cups with Tottenham and managed the north Londoners for two years, slept in his aisle seat for most of the flight. A fellow passenger told MailOnline: 'I couldn't believe it when they turned up on our budget flight. 'Everyone was thrilled and singing at them. They took it in good spirits, even though they must be used to more luxury and quiet than this when they travel.' Ferdinand was criticised for his commentary during United's stunning Europa League quarter-final win against Lyon, with broadcasting legend Clive Tyldesley accusing the ex-United star of turning TNT's coverage into a club fan channel. But the 46-year-old is set to be the busiest pundit of the lot as he will be offering his views on the Champions League final on May 31 as well. Manchester United and Tottenham have both endured miserable domestic campaigns and sit in lowly 16th and 17th place in the Premier League. Fans who are hoping to see their season's revived with a European trophy have traveled using obscure routes via far away destinations and come up with other ingenious methods to help minimise the cost of getting to the game. United fan and YouTuber Flex charted his journey on X on Tuesday morning, and he started off by taking a plane to Prague. 'Road to Bilbao has began! he posted. '1st stop Prague lol! 'Bring this trophy back & Champions League money to rebuild this squad! YANITED!!!' After touching down in the Czech capital, Flex gave another update, writing: 'Plane number 2! Madrid bound.' A group of Spurs supporters decided that heading to Paris first was the best route, as they wrote on X: 'In France, next stop Bilbao.' Three of the fans were seen clutching a beer as they looked to get into the spirit ahead of what promises to be an exciting but nervy evening for both clubs. One seafaring chap posted a picture of a boat in a canal on Sunday morning, writing: 'En-Route to Bilbao. Over bay of Biscay, should arrive Tuesday night.' Some fans have been dusting off the boats and even campervans to make their way to Spain On Monday morning, the supporter gave an update with a video from the Bay of Biscay, claiming there was 'better phone signal on the moon'. 'One hundred per cent you're sinking in that,' warned one follower on X. While up to 80,000 supporters are believed to be making the journey to the Spanish city, each club has been given an allocation of just 15,000, meaning thousands are arriving ticketless. Exteberria Park, around 45 minutes on foot from the ground, is being converted into a gigantic Manchester United fan zone with 56,000 pints of lager being imported, according to local outlet El Correo. Meanwhile, Ruben Amorim's men were seen arriving at Manchester Airport on Tuesday ahead of their season-defining clash with Tottenham. Joshua Zirkzee shared a snap from his plane seat alongside captain Bruno Fernandes with an insightful one-word message for fans: 'Bilbao'. The Dutchman is one of three stars who handed United a boost in the morning by training along with Leny Yoro and Diogo Dalot. All three had been fitness doubts but they have been included in Amorim's travelling squad for a game which could be worth more than £100million to the victors. Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez are the only two first-team stars to miss out through injury, while youngster Chido Obi is ineligible.
United News of India
09-05-2025
- Sport
- United News of India
Europa League: Man Utd and Tottenham set up titanic battle to salvage season
London, May 9 (UNI) Manchester United and Tottenham will meet in an all-English Europa League final on May 21. Ruben Amorim's United saw off Spanish side Athletic Bilbao 7-1 on aggregate in their semi-final to progress, while Spurs got the better of Norwegians Bodo/Glimt 5-1 on aggregate. United are looking to win the Europa League for the second time in eight years, while Tottenham are bidding to end a 41-year wait for European success. It is the sixth all-English final in any major European competition - with half of them involving Spurs. It also means there are six English teams in next season's Champions League. Tottenham are looking to win a first trophy of any kind in 17 years and they will fancy themselves as favourites for the game in Bilbao, having beaten United three times already this season, the BBC reported. Spurs won 3-0 at Old Trafford and 1-0 at home in the Premier League and also triumphed 4-3 in the League Cup. "If you think in the odds it's hard for the club to lose four times in a row," United boss Ruben Amorim said. "We can think that way." Former Tottenham midfielder Glenn Hoddle agreed that it would be difficult for Spurs to win again. "To beat a team four times also from the Premier League in one season is really tough," Hoddle said on TNT Sports. He added: "It will be a titanic battle. Spurs have had the upper hand at the moment but United will be looking for revenge." United last won the Europa League in 2016-17, when Jose Mourinho was manager. They lost the Europa League final 11-10 on penalties to Villarreal in 2021 when David de Gea missed his spot kick for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side. Despite United's poor season domestically, ex-Red Devils midfielder Paul Scholes is confident his former side will rise to the occasion in the final. He said: "For some reason, the history of this club is almost like Real Madrid at times - when they aren't playing that well they can still go on and win European cups. "Manchester United's history tells me they will win it, they know how to win trophies, Tottenham don't." UNI BM
