Latest news with #Romanov
The Herald Scotland
24-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Gordon on earlier Hearts exit interest and Romanov claims
After initial interest from clubs, he had signed a lucrative contract to remain at Tynecastle. However, it was becoming clear his abilities were elite-level, by this point the Scotland number one, and his exit was inevitable. A transfer offer from Italian side Palermo was rejected and there were links to Celtic, Rangers, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Sunderland, among others. In a recent podcast appearance, madcap former owner Romanov had claimed that, at the time of the new contract, he had given Gordon a blank cheque to remain at the club and fend off interest from Celtic. He also claimed that he signed off on the deal despite the goalkeeper responding with a sum that dwarfed anything else at Hearts, or indeed in Scottish football. The 42-year-old, now in his second spell at Hearts and about to receive a testimonial match against the Black Cats on Saturday, has had his say on what really happened. Speaking on the Scarves Around the Funnel podcast, he said: "There's a small element of truth in that, but not a great deal from my side. "Hearts made me a good contract offer to stay. It wasn't Celtic that were the interested party at that point, so that's wrong. But that makes a nice story because that's where I ended up going to play. So, it wasn't Celtic. There was another offer on the table. And Hearts more than matched it. "It wasn't as if they went and blew the budget for everybody or for a huge amount from within Scottish football. I mean, that's just not true. I earned more at Celtic when I did eventually go there than what I earned at Hearts. "So the amounts he's talking about or trying to refer to are probably a little bit inflated, or just maybe just leaving it to people's imagination, but it is not quite, not quite as large as he's making out." Asked which club the interest really came from, he went on: "It was Rangers. So he's got the wrong half of Glasgow. They were interested at that point, but nothing ever happened there. "I was happy to sign at Hearts. They made an equivalent offer and there was no point moving to Rangers at that point when I was earning the same, playing for Hearts, who I always wanted to play for and who I felt were really making big strides to try and bridge that gap and challenge for titles and for European football. So for me, that was a fairly easy decision." The Arsenal interest appeared concrete, especially when then boss Arsene Wenger was quoted as being a big fan of the player. At the time, the legendary Frenchman said Gordon had "presence and good handling and looks a very good goalkeeper to me." Read more: So, did the Premier League giants ever make any contact behind the scenes? "No, actually. That was the extent of it," Gordon insists. "There was no offer or anything like that. "So that was just a bit of stuff in the media really that they were chatting about, but nothing, nothing concrete. Nothing ever came of that." Sunderland was the eventual destination for the Scotland star, at that point aged 24. At the time, Aston Villa were reported to have made a last-ditch attempt to persuade him to change his mind and head to the Midlands instead. That was true, Gordon has now revealed, but there was never any chance of him changing his mind. "The Villa thing was true," he admitted. "They were looking for a new goalkeeper that summer as well. They eventually signed Scott Carson. But that was a possibility. "I was already in the room negotiating with Sunderland when that call came in and they were trying to get me out of that and get me down to Birmingham to discuss things with them. But Sunderland wanted to do the deal there and then. Not let us out of the building before it was signed. "So they were very keen and showing all the interest. So I was more than happy to stay there and sign the contract and begin my Premier League career there."
Novaya Gazeta Europe
02-07-2025
- Novaya Gazeta Europe
Anti-Roma unrest erupts in Russian Volga region village after death of local teenager — Novaya Gazeta Europe
Roughly 200 people gathered to demand the eviction of local Roma families from a village in Russia's Saratov region in a spontaneous protest on Tuesday, following a fatal traffic accident involving a 15-year-old boy and a Roma driver, local media has reported. The fatal collision occurred in the village of Podlesnoye at about 9:30am local time on Tuesday when a Lada vehicle being driven by a member of the local Roma community struck a teenager, who was driving a moped, killing him. According to Vzglyad-info, a local media outlet which first reported the incident, the driver was detained at the scene and later placed under criminal investigation. In the hours following the announcement of the boy's death, demonstrators converged outside the village administration building, accusing the local Roma community of long-standing disorder and criminality, including the sale of drugs, driving without driver's licences, and evading military service. Thereafter, Vzglyad-info reports, district head Dmitry Romanov arrived at the protest and attempted to calm the crowd, along with the district's chief prosecutor. Romanov promised to investigate the community for alleged violations of migration law and pledged to provide a list of Roma men from the village who had participated in Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, while asking locals to avoid turning the incident into 'something interethnic'. Following the unrest, most of the Roma community fled Podlesnoye, according to Vzglyad-info. Elsewhere in Russia, a physically disabled Roma teenager was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison at the end of May for the fatal stabbing of a fellow teenager — a case that sparked wider anti-Roma riots and mass detentions in the town of Korkino, in the Urals, last October.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
New York Islanders sign Alexander Romanov to eight-year, $6.25 million-per-season deal
Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images When the New York Islanders announced on Monday that Alexander Romanov had signed an eight-year contract extension, they weren't just making another offseason move—they were making a clear statement about their future. Romanov, 25, has become one of the team's most reliable and physical defensemen since arriving from Montreal in 2022, leading the Islanders in blocked shots last season. As Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes once put it, trading Romanov was 'very difficult,' a sign of the value he's brought everywhere he's played. Now the Islanders are betting big that Romanov will anchor their defense for years to come. Why the New York Islanders are betting on Alexander Romanov with an eight-year, $6.25 million-per-season commitment Alexander Romanov's new deal, reported to carry an average annual value of $6.25 million according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, is designed to secure the Islanders' blue line deep into the next decade. Last season, he logged over 22 minutes of ice time per game—the highest of his career—while finishing with a positive plus-minus rating for the third straight year. He also tallied 20 points in 64 games, scoring four goals and adding 16 assists. — BR_OpenIce (@BR_OpenIce) Since joining the Islanders in 2022, Romanov has brought a blend of grit and reliability, leading team defensemen with 147 hits and pacing the entire squad with 165 blocked shots this past season. That kind of physical presence has made him indispensable on the back end and a natural candidate for a long-term commitment from management. How Alexander Romanov transformed from a Montreal Canadiens prospect to a key New York Islanders defender Alexander Romanov's path to New York Islanders started with the Montreal Canadiens, who selected him 38th overall in the 2018 NHL Draft. After playing two seasons in the KHL, he signed a three-year, entry-level deal on July 13, 2020, and debuted with the Canadiens in the COVID-shortened 2020–21 season, appearing in 54 of 56 regular-season games. Though he saw limited playoff action, Romanov still carved out a memorable moment by becoming the youngest defenseman in Canadiens history to score in the Stanley Cup Final on July 5, 2021. A year later, on July 7, 2022, Montreal traded him along with a fourth-round pick to the Islanders in exchange for the 13th overall selection in the draft—a move that Hughes described as 'very difficult' but necessary to land centerman Kirby Dach. Why Alexander Romanov's eight-year deal could redefine the New York Islanders' future Beyond his NHL experience, Romanov has also shone internationally. At the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship in Canada, he anchored Russia's defense, finishing with one goal and seven assists on the way to a bronze medal, and earning Best Defenseman honors from the IIHF Directorate. Monday's extension reflects the Islanders' confidence in Romanov as a central figure in their plans, especially as they reshape their roster following the recent trade of Noah Dobson to Montreal. By committing to Romanov for eight more years, New York is investing in toughness, experience, and leadership on the blue line—hoping he will be the cornerstone of their defense for seasons to come. Also Read: Why pursuing Mikael Granlund could be a high-risk gamble for the Montreal Canadiens Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Scottish Sun
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
MMA referee screams at doctors to help as former UFC star carried out of cage after sickening kick to testicles
A REFEREE screamed for help from a doctor after a former UFC star crumpled in agony from a kick to the testicles. Stricken Alexander Romanov had to be carried from the cage on a stretcher after just his second Professional Fighters League (PFL) match. 5 Alexander Romanov was in agony after the low kick 5 Romanov crashed to the floor during the first round 5 Valentin Moldavsky appeared distressed at his opponent's fate The Moldovan, aka King Kong, was once a top UFC heavyweight prospect. But the 34-year-old switched to a different Mixed Martial Art earlier this year. And he was closing in on a PFL heavyweight title shot when a sickening blow sent him reeling. Romanov was taking on Russian Valentin Moldavsky, 33, in Chicago. READ MORE ON MMA TOP GUN Meet Ilia Topuria, the high school dropout set to replace McGregor as UFC kingpin And his eye-watering fate came as early as the opening round. Romanov struggled to seriously trouble Moldavsky, despite landing a few of his renowned slam takedowns. And when the younger man got up, he put on enough pressure to leave King Kong tiring. But little more than 30 seconds were left in the first of the three five-minute rounds when the distressing moment arrived. 5 'King Kong' Romanov could do little but suffer desperately BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK The pair were grasping each other on the ropes when Romanov delivered a knee to his opponent. Moldavsky returned the blow in kind - but accidentally went too low. Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford in another twist as UFC boss Dana White says he IS promoting super-fight Romanov instantly slumped to the floor, holding his groin - while his rival protested his innocence. The ref yelled for medical aid as Romanov was in obvious agony and fight fans looked on worried. Meanwhile, Moldavsky sunk to his knees, with his head down - apparently in rueful reflection The cage-side doctor dashed over to treat the stricken giant. And the doc soon confirmed the inevitable - that Romanov would be unable to continue. The 18st 13lbs wrestler was then taken away on a stretcher. It meant the bout - a PFL heavyweight tournament semi-final - was ruled a "no contest". Romanov had dazzled when winning his only other PFL fight in May, beating 40-year-old American Timothy May by submission. It left the East European well placed for a title shot - until a badly placed knee in his very next fight.
The Irish Sun
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
MMA referee screams at doctors to help as former UFC star carried out of cage after sickening kick to testicles
A REFEREE screamed for help from a doctor after a former UFC star crumpled in agony from a kick to the testicles. Stricken Alexander Romanov had to be carried from the cage on a stretcher after just his second Professional Fighters League (PFL) match. Advertisement 5 Alexander Romanov was in agony after the low kick 5 Romanov crashed to the floor during the first round 5 Valentin Moldavsky appeared distressed at his opponent's fate The Moldovan, aka King Kong, was once a top UFC heavyweight prospect. But the 34-year-old switched to a different Mixed Martial Art earlier this year. And he was closing in on a PFL heavyweight title shot when a sickening blow sent him reeling. Romanov was taking on Russian Valentin Moldavsky, 33, in Chicago. Advertisement READ MORE ON MMA And his eye-watering fate came as early as the opening round. Romanov struggled to seriously trouble Moldavsky, despite landing a few of his renowned slam takedowns. And when the younger man got up, he put on enough pressure to leave King Kong tiring. But little more than 30 seconds were left in the first of the three five-minute rounds when the distressing moment arrived. Advertisement Most read in MMA 5 'King Kong' Romanov could do little but suffer desperately BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK The pair were grasping each other on the ropes when Romanov delivered a knee to his opponent. Moldavsky returned the blow in kind - but accidentally went too low. Advertisement Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford in another twist as UFC boss Dana White says he IS promoting super-fight Romanov instantly slumped to the floor, holding his groin - while his rival protested his innocence. The ref yelled for medical aid as Romanov was in obvious agony and fight fans looked on worried. Meanwhile, Moldavsky sunk to his knees, with his head down - apparently in rueful reflection The cage-side doctor dashed over to treat the stricken giant. Advertisement And the doc soon confirmed the inevitable - that Romanov would be unable to continue. The 18st 13lbs wrestler was then taken away on a stretcher. It meant the bout - a PFL heavyweight tournament semi-final - was ruled a "no contest". Romanov had dazzled when winning his only other PFL fight in May, beating 40-year-old American Timothy May by submission. Advertisement It left the East European well placed for a title shot - until a badly placed knee in his very next fight. 5 There was never much doubt the fight was over at this point
