Latest news with #PaulHeckingbottom
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Preston sign Montenegro defender Vukcevic
Andrija Vukcevic has joined Preston North End on a three-year deal after impressing during pre-season 28-year-old Montenegro left-back played against Getafe and Tranmere Rovers after linking up with the Lilywhites less than two weeks an international team-mate of Preston striker Milutin Osmajic, began his career with home-town club Buducnost, with whom he played Europa League has since had a nomadic career, playing for Sevilla's B team in Spain, Spartak Subotica in Serbia, Waasland-Beveren in Belgium, Rijeka in Croatia, Juarez in Mexico and spent last season on loan at Cartagena in manager Paul Heckingbottom told the club website, external: "We've been really happy with Andy since he joined us out in Spain. He has a great attitude in training, gives his all every day, and he's shown what he can do in the friendlies he's played in."He gives us real pace and power down the left-hand side of the pitch and adds to our options in that area."
BBC News
7 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'I can't wait to get going'
New Preston North End signing Michael Smith says he "can't wait to get going" following his move from Sheffield Wednesday earlier this 33-year-old left the Owls after his contract was ended by "mutual consent" along with former team-mate Josh Windass, who has subsequently moved to scored for Wednesday against Preston in a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough last December and is looking forward to reuniting with head coach Paul Heckingbottom, who he also worked with during a loan spell at Barnsley in 2015-16."Even at my age, with my experience, it's still always a little bit nerve-wracking coming into a new club but it seems like a good group to be a part of," Smith told BBC Radio Lancashire."The settling in period comes and goes really quickly. I'm going to have to play catch up a little bit but I've managed to get some runs in so I can't wait to get going."Obviously I've played under the manager before so I sort of know how he works. I want to come here and keep trying to get better even at my age."I know I've missed the pre-season trip so I'll be spending a lot of time getting to know the squad and on the training ground - hopefully it stands us in good stead come August."I've never had a good game there [at Deepdale] as an away player so I'm looking to change that but it's always been a stadium I've enjoyed playing at."
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Preston sign former Sheff Wed striker Smith
Preston North End have signed Michael Smith on a two-year deal following his exit from Sheffield 33, and Josh Windass left the Owls last week after their contracts were ended "by mutual consent".Windass is set to join Wrexham and Smith has now joined North End after scoring eight times in the Championship last season."Smudge is a player we know all about from his vast experience in the EFL," manager Paul Heckingbottom told the club website, external."He's a really intelligent footballer and a brilliant finisher who adds something different to our team with the way he plays."He'll give us a real focal point at the top end of the pitch and he's a striker who has a proven knack of being in the right place at the right time."Smith added: "It's a big club that I want to be a part of. As a striker you pride yourself on goals."I've managed to score a few over the years and hopefully I can still keep getting better and keep developing under this manager and score a few more."Preston begin their Championship season away to QPR on Saturday, 9 August.
BBC News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Heck's rebuild has PNE 'looking stronger' already
The Paul Heckingbottom rebuild is well under a dozen new players registered before the second week of July, which is ideal for a North End boss experiencing pre-season with the club for the first each position should have two players. There is still work to do in that regard, but you can see signs that Heckingbottom's strongest XI (if there is such a thing these days) is looking stronger than it did in Iversen will be the undisputed number one. If he's fit, he plays. A seven-figure sum for Odel Offiah from Brighton would also indicate he'll be at the forefront of the manager's less than a year, Heckingbottom has changed his number one, added two centre-backs (Offiah and Gibson) and both wing-back positions have undergone surgery with Pol Valentin and Thierry Small arriving to replace Premier League loan go-to formation has been a back three, but Offiah could open the door to switch to a four, should he mix things up from time to time. Offiah's loan at Blackpool last season saw him have a prolonged spell at arrival from Charlton has excited the fan base. This will be his first taste of Championship action at the age of 20 and perhaps he needs time to settle in to the level. His only season of regular first-team football was a promotion with Charlton last season from League offers more experience at 28 and has been in and out of Sheffield Wednesday's starting XI over the past two forward area is the one in most need of further reinforcements. Emil Riis and Ched Evans are no longer on the Keane and Milutin Osmajic have both been linked with moves away but a departure for either is extremely unlikely unless the numbers in that department drastically international Daniel Jebbison, a loan arrival from Bournemouth, has played under Heckingbottom before at Sheffield United, and he's come to play. His goal output is an area to work on, but with regular football and belief from his manager, he'll be given every a case of watch this space for more forwards to move to Deepdale. If another loan from a top-flight club is being sought, that might have to wait for Premier League overseas trips to for the engine room, Jordan Thompson is a reliable option with Championship experience under his belt. He's made 42 starts in the last three second-tier seasons and addresses Heckingbottom's admission that his midfield was lacking left-footed six in, so far… it wouldn't be a shock if we're talking double figures in terms of arrivals by the time the window closes.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Souza exit sad but inevitable end to redemption tale
This time last year, many Sheffield United fans would have been delighted to see Vinicius Souza leave the club. There were even offers to drive the Brazilian as far away from Bramall Lane as possible. Twelve months on, the 26-year-old midfielder has joined Wolfsburg in the German Bundesliga with a mix of genuine disappointment and best wishes from Blades supporters. Advertisement It's quite the redemption story. 'Vini' arrived during a challenging summer for ex-boss Paul Heckingbottom, as United prepared for the Premier League on a limited budget. Star players Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge were controversially sold, with Souza one of the new signings charged with filling a sizeable void. He failed to impress, as did the side in general, with his antics regularly annoying team-mates, including several on-pitch arguments with finger-pointing a plenty. I even remember a pre-kick-off 'low five' at Old Trafford for compatriot Antony, something which frustrated our BBC Sheffield summariser Carl Asaba at the time for its timing and unprofessionalism. Advertisement Relegation inevitably followed for the bottom-placed Blades, but a new season under returning boss Chris Wilder brought a new 4-2-3-1 formation and a fresh chance for Souza as one of two holding midfielders. The former Flamengo, Lommel and Espanyol man was a different player, bulldozing Championship opponents, driving the team forward, providing the fuel for the team's creative talents, like Gus Hamer, Callum O'Hare and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. Souza was also a superb foil for emerging academy stars Oli Arblaster and Sydie Peck in United's midfield two, giving them the confidence and security to flourish. Unfortunately, injury disrupted the second half of Souza's season and he did not quite finish the campaign in the same imperious way he started, but he had already done enough for many at Bramall Lane to expect his exit following defeat in the Championship play-off final. Advertisement Souza may have played the villain in his first season in England, but his name was increasingly sung – to a Slade classic – as United came agonisingly close to an immediate top-flight return. "Come on Vini Souza, join us in the boozer, we're one-nil up, we're one-nil up." I suspect the Brazilian will have a pint waiting when he returns to Sheffield in the future, rather than one being thrown in his face.
