Latest news with #JustinWalley
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
'Last nation without a football team' Marshall Islands to make international bow
Marshall Islands assistant manager Justin Walley admits the country's imminent first ever international football match still feels like a dream. The Marshall Islands have long claimed to be "the last nation on earth without a football team", and did not even have a federation until 2020, let alone the national set-up which has only existed for the last two and a half years. For some members of the squad, Thursday's meeting with the US Virgin Islands at the Outrigger Challenge Cup in Arkansas, USA will be their first competitive game of 11 v 11 football – ever. "There's a sort of unrealness to it that we can't believe it's actually happening," English-born Walley, who now lives in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said. "But we've been working very hard and we're really focused on what's ahead of us. We've already had several days of hard work and planning. Hopefully we will be as ready as we can be." Springdale, Arkansas might seem like an odd choice of location for the Marshall Islands-hosted four-team tournament, but it is an area which, as of 2019, boasted the highest concentration of Marshallese in continental United States. Some members of the squad have been recruited from Majuro, the Kwajalein Atoll, and other parts of the Marshall Islands itself, with its population of around 37,500 – and no club football. Several team members have moved to the United States, where some play for US colleges, while others have Marshallese heritage. Their technical director and head coach, Lloyd Owers, who joined in 2022, is based in Oxfordshire, England. As far as they are aware, the Marshall Islands is the only recognised UN member state not to have played an 11 v 11 international fixture. Some local to Majuro participated in an initial team meeting 18 months ago, but, revealed Walley: "In terms of an actual national team training camp, this is the first one we have ever done. "The guys flew in on Friday and Saturday, the first training session ever was on Saturday. We're trying to cram in five days of camp to be ready. "We try to train like we would with any normal club side. We just try to develop what we've got. Some of the guys do play club football, some have never played 11-a-side. They've played futsal. "We've been developing that all week, we've played a few sort of mini-games, so it's not as if they (will have) never played 11-a-side before, they will be ready." Walley hopes what started out as a group of men with a vision – but no infrastructure – will lead to FIFA recognition by 2030 at the latest, though the first step is acceptance into a confederation. Funding for their big international debut has come from sponsorship, a £21,573 (€25,000) crowdfunding campaign, and about 2,000 shirts sold over the last couple of years. "I think people weren't taking us seriously," admits Walley, who says the side want to give "the best account of themselves possible" in their historic match. He added: "They weren't thinking that we could possibly pull this off, playing national teams. We've come a long, long way in a short time."
Yahoo
09-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Colts place RB Salvon Ahmed, CB Justin Walley on IR
The Colts made several roster moves Friday, including placing running back Salvon Ahmed and cornerback Justin Walley on injured reserve. Ahmed and Walley are out for the season. Ahmed injured his ankle on a hip-drop tackle by Trey Washington in practice, and Walley, a third-round pick, tore his ACL in a joint practice with the Ravens on Tuesday. 'Heartbroken. Angry. Sad,' Ahmed wrote on Instagram last week. 'I'm going through so many emotions. I went through so much just to get back on the field, and it's cut short at the blink of an eye again. I do know my GOD is the same in the valley as he is in the mountain top. It all happens for a reason and at some point it will all be clear to me. Thank you GOD in advance for whatever you have planned for me.' The Colts also waived linebacker Liam Anderson with an injury designation after he left Thursday's preseason game with a hamstring injury. He will revert to injured reserve if he clears waivers. The team signed offensive tackle Marcellus Johnson, cornerback B.J. Mayes, running back Nate Noel and running back Nay'Quan Wright. Johnson originally signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and spent time on the practice squads of the Vikings and Giants last season. Mayes was in the Eagles' offseason program and training camp after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent on May 2. Noel participated in the Dolphins' offseason program after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent on May 9. Wright was a tryout player for the Colts in their rookie and veteran minicamps. Herndon was signed by Indianapolis as a free agent on July 31. He has played in 84 career games in his time with the Saints (2024), Giants (2024) and Jaguars (2018-23). Herndon has recorded 233 tackles, nine tackles for loss, one sack, 32 passes defensed, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 10 special teams stops.
Reuters
08-08-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Colts rookie CB Justin Walley (ACL) out for season
August 8 - Indianapolis Colts rookie cornerback Justin Walley will miss the upcoming season after sustaining a torn ACL in a joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens, head coach Shane Steichen announced. Walley was listed as a starter on the first depth chart of the preseason by the Colts, who selected him in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Minnesota. "Huge blow," Steichen said on Thursday, two days after Walley suffered the injury. "I think he was having a hell of a camp. His man coverage skills were great, he was making a ton of plays in practice too before it happened." Walley, 22, recorded 42 tackles and two interceptions -- including one returned for a touchdown -- in 10 games last season with the Golden Gophers. Fellow cornerbacks JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones have missed practices while nursing hamstring injuries. --Field Level Media
Time of India
08-08-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Colts' Justin Walley tears ACL, needs season-ending surgery as per reports
Justin Walley has hurt his knee and may not be a part of Week 1. Source: X As week 1 draws near, teams are ramping up their guard when it comes to protecting their players against injuries. However, some instances are unavoidable. Justin Walley's first NFL season is off to a rocky start. The Indianapolis Colts' rookie cornerback, who was participating in the training camp, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during Tuesday's practice with the Baltimore Ravens. As per reports, the injury may need some monitoring and will eventually need surgery which of course might mean that he will not be able to play at all this season. Will Justin Walley play for Colts? Will a knee surgery end his season? Coach Shane Steichen confirmed the news and also called it a huge blow to the team. As per reports, Walley sought a second opinion, but it only confirmed the initial diagnosis. 'It's a huge blow, huge blow,'' Steichen said in Thursday's pre-season game. 'He was having a helluva camp. His man coverage skills were great. He was making a ton of plays in practice, too, before it happened. Just an unfortunate situation for him, obviously being a rookie and going through that.' 'In this game, those things happen to guys. You never want it to happen in his rookie year, but it happens in life. He's down a little bit – and that's part of it – as he should be. But I know he's going to be in good spirits and attack his rehab the right way,' he added. Walley played four years of college football at Minnesota and was picked by the Colts as the 80th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. He was listed as a starter on their first depth chart of the preseason. There's no doubt Walley's injury will impact Colts' defense somewhat. As per reports, coaches were happy with Walley's progress during the offseason workouts and Walley was taking reps with the No. 1 defense at training camp. 'Well, he's a pretty damn good player,'' Steichen had said in the initial days of camp. 'He did some really good things in the spring, so he's going to compete at that spot. 'So, that's why you saw him out there.'' Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Colts lose third-round pick Justin Walley to torn ACL
Colts cornerback Justin Walley, a projected starter as a rookie third-round draft pick, is out for the season with a torn ACL. Walley suffered the injury on Tuesday in a joint practice with the Ravens, and on Thursday Colts head coach Shane Steichen confirmed that the injury is season-ending. "Huge blow," Steichen said. "I think he was having a hell of a camp. His man coverage skills were great, he was making a ton of plays in practice too before it happened." Walley played four years of college football at Minnesota and the Colts took him with the 80th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. The Colts listed Walley as a starter on their first depth chart of the preseason. With Walley out for the season, and Colts cornerbacks JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones both currently dealing with hamstring injuries, Indianapolis may need to bring in some help at cornerback before the regular season.
