Latest news with #PhilJones
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Blackburn Rovers favourite delivers transfer ultimatum to achieve play-off hopes
Phil Jones believes Blackburn Rovers will struggle to make the play-offs next season without impressive recruitment. A top-six finish is the obvious next step for Valerien Ismael's side having fallen just short in 2024/25. That has been the case in three of Rovers' last four league campaigns. However, with the renewal of the Championship likely to be as competitive as ever, Rovers face a tall order to reach the play-offs without significant investment in the squad. Adding more goals to the team is an obvious area to improve the team whilst adding pace in wide areas is another priority. READ MORE: ROVERS REGISTER INTEREST IN WANTED CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENDER Jones has his doubts about Rovers' prospects without significantly adding to their squad. "Yeah, it would be tough (to get promoted next year)," Jones told OLBG. 'I think they do need to bring one or two in, I was just looking before the retained list and the lads who have gone and stuff, I think they're going to need to strengthen that area for sure. "I think it'd be difficult for them to get playoffs next year. They're going to have to recruit well. 'I'm not sure what the transfer budget will be either, but it'd be nice to see them competing for sure." Jones spent time at Brockhall earlier in the campaign under John Eustace. It's little surprise he therefore came away thinking his exit was anything but a huge blow to his boyhood club. The Academy graduate's perception that they were overachieving feeds into his view on how next season might look. 'I think they were overachieving a little bit during the middle of the season. I thought they did a fantastic job under John Eustace. I thought he was brilliant. 'I went in to see John at Blackburn and watched him train for a couple of days and you could see the culture he'd created there was a good one. Then obviously he left to go to Derby. 'He's kept them in the league (Derby), which is a great achievement for them, pleased for them. Blackburn didn't win in eight games, nine games and I think it absolutely killed them. 'Obviously, Ismael had a tough start; he only won two out of his first eight games or something like that, but I think it'd be too early to call that one. 'I mean he's only been in the job short of six months, so let's see how they get on next season." Jones still speaks with great pride about his time at Rovers. He remains a fan and has been down to the Senior Training Centre since retiring. It was the perfect start to a career path that he would not change, having also turned out for England's biggest club. 'I look back and I think I went for £16 million plus add-ons, and that was 2011," he said. 'In this day and age, if I were to move from Blackburn again to Man United, you'd be looking at £40-50M for sure. 'I mean, I'm not trying to bump my price up and add a few noughts on the end, but I think coming from Blackburn, I would have definitely thought at least £40 million 'It's a club that I grew up supporting when I was a little boy and played for. So many fond members down at Blackburn "I grew up supporting Blackburn, so to play for Blackburn was an incredible achievement for me. 'I remember being on the terraces watching from the stand all those years, and then I'm playing there, which was amazing. 'Then playing for Man United, whilst I would have liked to have played more, there's not really another club I would have liked to have played for. 'Obviously you look at Real Madrid, everyone wants to play for Real Madrid, look at Trent going there now (and I don't blame him by the way). 'I don't think I'd go to any club that I look back and think, we should have gone there or we should have gone here." Should Tyrhys Dolan leave, one man who could be central to Rovers' efforts is Todd Cantwell. The former Norwich City and Rangers man had a up and down debut season at Ewood Park. Jones feels he is someone Rovers must look to retain due to his 'big-game experience' but also wants to see more consistency from Cantwell. 'Yeah, I think he's done all right," he added. 'I think he's scored a few goals, got a few assists, but again, I think he was out injured towards the end of the season. 'I think he struggled for continuity, but again, he's a player that I think was on the retained list. 'They need to keep hold of him because again, he's somebody who can score goals. He's played at that level before, and he's been to Rangers, he's played in big games. 'He's a big game player, he's a type of player and character that you want to play in big games because he's not frightened of taking the ball under pressure or in difficult circumstances'.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Mount 'wants to prove himself' so Man Utd 'have got to keep him fit'
Former Manchester United defender Phil Jones is confident Mason Mount can play a big part in Ruben Amorim's side going 26-year-old's time at United has been blighted with injuries but his first two goals under the Old Trafford lights on Thursday were a glimpse of what fans can look forward to."I am delighted for him," Jones told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "It is always difficult when you are out for a lengthy spell because all you want to do is play football."He works extremely hard and he wants to prove himself to people at this football club."When you allow him to play wherever and be free, you get the best out of him. The energy he brings on to the pitch with his pressing, alongside his tracking back and sprinting, his all-around game is brilliant."He is a wonderful player and he has shown that for England along with a good goalscoring record on both his left and right foot."They have just got to keep him fit now and he has got to look after himself. There are not many games left so it is up to the manager to manage his minutes."Keeping Bruno Fernandes, Amad and Mount fit is absolutely vital."Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mount 'wants to prove himself' so Man Utd 'have got to keep him fit'
Former Manchester United defender Phil Jones is confident Mason Mount can play a big part in Ruben Amorim's side going forward. The 26-year-old's time at United has been blighted with injuries but his first two goals under the Old Trafford lights on Thursday were a glimpse of what fans can look forward to. "I am delighted for him," Jones told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "It is always difficult when you are out for a lengthy spell because all you want to do is play football. "He works extremely hard and he wants to prove himself to people at this football club. "When you allow him to play wherever and be free, you get the best out of him. The energy he brings on to the pitch with his pressing, alongside his tracking back and sprinting, his all-around game is brilliant. "He is a wonderful player and he has shown that for England along with a good goalscoring record on both his left and right foot. "They have just got to keep him fit now and he has got to look after himself. There are not many games left so it is up to the manager to manage his minutes. "Keeping Bruno Fernandes, Amad and Mount fit is absolutely vital." Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Football Daily Europa League Debrief: One foot in the final for Man United & Spurs
Steve Crossman is joined by Phil Jones & Andros Townsend to reflect on wins for Man Utd & Spurs. Manchester United beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to put one foot in the Europa League final, and 5 Live's commentary team of Ian Dennis and Paul Robinson join the pod to reflect on United's win. It was a night to remember for Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and in particular Harry Maguire. And finally, we hear from Manchester United head coach, Ruben Amorim. Meanwhile, Spurs beat Bodo Glimt 3-1, with a late goal for the Norwegian side giving them a glimmer of hope going into the second leg. Alistair Bruce-Ball and Rob Green were watching from the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, and reflect on Spurs' win on the pod before we hear from Ange Postecoglou. We hear about Chelsea's comprehensive 4-1 win in the Europa Conference League semi-final, before hearing from Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo as his side lost 2-0 to Brentford in the Premier League. Timecodes: 01:16 Manchester United win 3-0 in Bilbao 17:48 Reaction to Spurs' 3-1 win over Bodo Glimt 25:42 Chelsea's 4-1 semi-final victory 26:53 Nottingham Forest fail to return to third in the Premier League Football commentaries this week: Saturday 3rd May PREMIER LEAGUE: Everton v Ipswich 1500 KO - LIVE ON 5 LIVE PREMIER LEAGUE: Arsenal v Bournemouth 1730 KO - LIVE ON 5 LIVE Sunday 4th May WOMENS SUPER LEAGUE: Manchester United v Manchester City 1200 KO – LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA PREMIER LEAGUE: Brighton v Newcastle 1400 KO - LIVE ON 5 LIVE PREMIER LEAGUE: Brentford v Manchester United 1400 KO – LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA PREMIER LEAGUE: West Ham v Spurs 1400 KO – LIVE ON BBC SPORT WEBSITE PREMIER LEAGUE: Chelsea v Liverpool 1630 KO - LIVE ON 5 LIVE
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'When my child slammed down the toilet seat the bang would trigger me. I thought, this wasn't right'
Phil Jones had set himself up in business to help others. But it was while doing that he realised he needed help himself, haunted as he was by his experiences in the Royal Marines. He served as a Royal Marines Commando for over a decade, having signed up at the age of 19, inspired by the path of his parents, both of whom are former RAF. Serving with his brother Gareth, he went on operational tours around the world, including in Afghanistan. In 2013 he decided, after 11 years, to leave the forces, returning home to Swansea. The former Pentrehafod School pupil created his own business, So Fit Group Limited, a health and wellbeing company whose mission statement is to create high performers in the corporate space by optimising their wellbeing. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here. But the 42-year-old explained that, ten years after leaving the Royal Marines, and focusing his work on the wellbeing of others, he realised something was not right. He said: "I had a very fulfilling career, with some exciting and adrenaline-filled experiences, but obviously, there was also some challenging and difficult situations. "I got to a point where I felt I had achieved pretty much all that I could and decided to leave in 2013. Just earning the coveted green beret was my highlight. The marines are an elite fighting force, well respected across the globe. I also played squash for the Marines and Navy during which I went on a tour of America. "I own a health and wellbeing company, and I have helped dozens of veterans and the general public, so when I was diagnosed (with PTSD - post-traumatic stress disorder) it was a difficult situation where, I was supposed to be helping people, and it was myself that actually needed support and help. "I have been in conflict situations with the enemy, and some of the challenges with PTSD is not what you've seen or witnessed, it was the feeling afterwards of 'what if' and how could I have done things differently to change the outcomes. The effects of combat are there as well. I've seen and done things which most have not. They are triggers, and when I went through therapy, it was a realisation that I had constantly been beating myself up. That was the challenge. "I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2023. It was little things to start off with. I've got two young boys, and it was a case of, for instance, my little one was going through toilet training, and had a habit of slamming down the seat, and that bang would trigger me. My eldest boy is into Nerf guns, and I could not engage or handle the Nerf bullets being fired off or anything like that." According to PTSD UK, one in 10 people in the UK is expected to experience PTSD at some point in their lives. Yet, despite its prevalence, there has been limited research undertaken into the condition in the UK. Speaking of the moment he realised he needed help, Mr Jones said: "From giving wellbeing talks and workshops with my company I am normally at ease speaking in public to a large scale audience, however, on this occasion, the previous talker before me showed a clip of someone they had helped with their PTSD, showing footage. My palms were sweating, I couldn't speak, I couldn't even stand up, it was a real turning point where I thought this wasn't right." Mr Jones engaged with services and began therapy. Aware that there was a large drop out among veterans who had attempted therapy in the past, the dad-of-two decided to try cold water immersion to keep him engaged. And he helped initiate a ground-breaking Swansea University study where scientists are examining whether cold water immersion (CWI) therapy can alleviate PTSD. The study involves 16 members of the Veterans RV Swansea Community group, which Mr Jones supports, who have PTSD, and are taking part in cold-water dipping and swimming sessions at Caswell Bay in Gower. To date, no scientific study has been conducted anywhere in the world that explicitly examines the impact of CWI on PTSD symptoms. Before the observation period, study participants began self-administering saliva samples four times a day over two days to measure cortisol levels – an indicator of stress. After each weekly cold water immersion session, participants complete three post-dip questionnaires assessing their levels of wellbeing, depression, and PTSD symptoms. Throughout the study, participants periodically repeat the saliva sampling process to track changes in cortisol levels and overall symptomology. Initial findings from the study show that cold water immersion is positively impacting a number of the PTSD symptoms across the participant group. Lead researcher and associate professor of applied sport psychology at Swansea University, Dr Denise Hill, said: 'With at least eight percent of UK veterans diagnosed with PTSD annually, the condition presents significant economic, personal, and social challenges. While other studies have highlighted the benefits of cold water therapy, ours seeks to establish whether regular cold-water immersion can reduce PTSD symptoms specifically, and serve as an accessible and acceptable supplement to traditional mental health treatments. 'This study represents an important first step in understanding whether CWI can serve as a complementary therapy for veterans diagnosed with PTSD. If successful, the findings should pave the way for further research, and if cold water immersion is deemed to be effective, the development of new, accessible treatment pathways for those with the condition. Given the accessibility and appeal of cold water immersion among veterans, we hope our research will provide valuable insights into its potential as a therapeutic option.' Discussing his own journey with cold water immersion, Mr Jones said: "I discovered it just before lockdown. Because we couldn't do a lot of the traditional workshops, fitness and things like that, because of the restrictions, I decided to look at new holistic approaches to wellbeing, and one of those was cold water immersion, breath work and things like that. I thought to myself, 'there's something in this'. "It was really calming from all the stresses of Covid, having a new family, and it was really helping to support my day-to-day wellbeing during the start of my symptoms. It was my go-to and the thing I was really at peace with, and it calmed all the chaos which comes with PTSD. It also helped me stay engaged with therapy. "The study we're doing now is focusing on PTSD and managing the symptoms that produces, but from a general wellbeing aspect, it has been known to help depression, anxiety, releases lots of good hormones, dopamine, adrenaline, things like that. "Getting into the water is sometimes quite difficult, and you kind of go into that fight or flight zone, where you think, 'Oh my God, what am I doing?', which is normal and natural, but the fact that you can overcome that with your mind and your body, really calms your central nervous system. If you've got stresses in the day, whether that's e-mails, pressures at work, pressures at home, I find you're able to cope with that a lot better and have a lot more resilience, focus, and a sense of calm. It is a bold statement, but I think it kept me from going into a dark place." He added: "With my company, we do it for corporate staff, and companies who want to improve the wellbeing and productivity of staff. We facilitate workshops and sessions for that, and really, it's a fantastic way to improve your mental health and wellbeing. "We've got a group of veterans who have been part of the study, and the early data is very, very promising. It has shown that when people dip, they are in a better mood and their symptoms are a lot less severe. The early data shows the more you dip, the better that is. This study is a world first and it's much-needed, there's hundreds of thousands across the country who say 'I dip and I feel great', but there isn't actually a great deal of research and evidence to support that, so it is subjective. We need the evidence to back it up so we can help the other thousands of veterans and other members of the general public that suffer with mental health disorders. "I just want to help as many veterans who have been in the same place as me, and if we can demonstrate that cold water immersion can be a supplementary supportive activity for guys and girls with PTSD. I'm proud to be involved in this research, but it is the first step of many to be where we want to be." If you wish to get in contact with Veterans RV Swansea, you can do so by contacting the group via its Facebook page by clicking here. Get Swansea news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.
