Latest news with #Serbian-born
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool target Kerkez ditched surprise career before life-changing phone call
Milos Kerkez looks set to clinch a big-money move to Liverpool from Bournemouth this summer and the talented Hungarian left-back has walked a long-winding road to Premier League stardom having also spent time in Italy with AC Milan Milos Kerkez originally wanted to be a swimmer - now he's itching to make a splash at Liverpool following two remarkable seasons at Bournemouth. The tenacious Hungarian left-back's spectacular growth has certainly come as no surprise to the Anfield hierarchy. Reds sporting director Richard Hughes, formerly of Bournemouth, played a fundamental role in the £15.5million deal that brought Kerkez to the Premier League with the Cherries in 2023. The explosive AZ Alkmaar starlet, now 21, had already agreed personal terms with Lazio after netting against the Italians in the UEFA Conference League before a late intervention from Hughes swung the balance. Bournemouth's pitch to the Kerkez family was centred around his development and unlocking his superstar potential. Their belief in his talent has since been vindicated in emphatic fashion after the all-action full-back was included in the Premier League's Fan Team of the Season following a stellar campaign under Andoni Iraola. Kerkez's relentless energy and impressive consistency has charmed Liverpool, who regard him as the perfect heir to Andy Robertson's throne as club-to-club negotiations continue between the parties. However, his electrifying displays had also left a notable impression upon Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid, among others. Serbian-born Kerkez is no stranger to big-name interest, in fact, he already has a firm grasp and understanding of the dedication and quality that is required to succeed at one of the world's best clubs having previously signed for AC Milan from Hungarian outfit Gyor in 2021. Rossoneri legend Paolo Maldini, Milan's sporting director at the time, had studied video footage of the fresh-faced prospect upon the recommendation of club scouts and he pulled out all the stops to pip Juventus to the highly-coveted teenager's signature. In a late dash to beat the transfer deadline, the Italian icon even sent a private jet to Hungary to conclude the deal. Kerkez later explained: "They left no stone unturned, if Paolo Maldini calls you personally, then you shouldn't think too much, you have to go! As a child, I watched many videos of him, we talked a lot and he gave me lots of advice, when you're talking to the best left-back in the world, every word is worth paying attention to." While Kerkez did not earn first-team minutes besides a practise match, he trained alongside the likes of Theo Hernandez, Rafael Leao and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and also played against a Liverpool side that featured Conor Bradley and Jarrell Quansah in the UEFA Youth League. He was humble enough to concede that physically, he "could not compete" with Milan's array of high-profile stars but when the Serie A giants pushed to send Kerkez on loan, he instead opted to seal a permanent switch to AZ, where he caught the eye of Arne Slot, despite receiving various offers from Germany. The Hungarian international no longer looks, nor feels, remotely out of place on the world stage and his impending arrival at Liverpool looks poised to propel Slot's champions to even greater heights. Kerkez's stunning rise to prominence, via six different countries, is a glowing reflection of not only his sacrifice - but his monstrous mentality. Shortly after deciding to ditch his swimming aspirations to prioritise his football career as an eight-year-old, Kerkez - released from Hungary's national team camp on Saturday morning ahead of his impending switch to Merseyside - moved to Austria where he spent five years with Rapid Wien. When the world later stood still in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, he would pick the brains of Gyor team-mate and former Watford striker Tamas Priskin on what it was like to play in the Premier League. Fast-forward five years and national treasure Kerkez is already on course to eclipse Priskin's 63 international caps for Hungary, having already made 23 appearances for his country. Kerkez, whose old brother plays as a left-back for Aris FC in the Greek Super League, is poised to become the second most-expensive Hungarian ever following compatriot Dominik Szoboszlai's £60m switch to Anfield from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Predicting Auburn basketball's starting five after Tahaad Pettiford's return announcement
Predicting Auburn basketball's starting five after Tahaad Pettiford's return announcement Tahaad Pettiford's return is huge for Auburn basketball. Here's a look at how the Tigers could line up next season. Auburn basketball locked in its final roster pieces Wednesday by signing Serbian-born forward Filip Jovic and reeling in Tahaad Pettiford from the NBA draft. The roster moves not only excited the Auburn fan base, but put the finishing touches on the 2025-26 roster. Despite Pettiford's return, Auburn fans will still need to get familiar with the new-look roster, as a bulk of last year's Final Four roster has departed from the team due to either graduation or the transfer portal. Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl and his staff worked tirelessly to find experienced pieces to fill those gaps this offseason, and managed to put together a solid mix of strong scorers and lockdown defenders. Now that the roster is built, how will the new-look Tigers lineup look next season? Here is our projection for the Auburn Tigers' starting five for the 2024-25 season. Guard 1: Tahaad Pettiford 2024-25 stats: 38 games played | 1 start | 11.6 PPG | 2.2 RPG | 3.0 APG Pettiford's return to Auburn is crucial, as he is the lone piece from Auburn's Final Four team remaining on the roster. Pettiford was a bench piece last season, but will transition easily to the starting point guard role. Reserve: Kaden Magwood Guard 2: Abdul Bashir 2024-25 stats (Casper College): 31 games played | 31 starts | 27.2 PPG | 3.8 RPG | 4.2 APG Bashir joins Auburn's roster as the No. 1 overall JUCO prospect from the 2025 recruiting cycle. He is a proven scoring threat, having reached double digits in points in all but one game last season and scoring 40 points four times. Pearl believes that Bashir will become one of the program's next great shooters and has potential to become a dominant player in orange and blue. Reserve: Kevin Overton Wing: Keyshawn Hall 2024-25 stats (UCF): 33 games played | 33 starts | 18.8 points per game | 7.1 RPG | 2.4 APG Hall led the Big 12 in scoring last season and is looking to bring his high-scoring profile to the SEC. He brings help to the board game as well by logging 6.2 rebounds per game over his three-year career, which included a 7.1 mark last season. Reserve: Sebastian Williams-Adams Forward: Elyjah Freeman 2024-25 stats (Lincoln Memorial): 31 games played | 28 starts | 18.9 PPG | 8.7 RPG | 2.3 APG Freeman has large shoes to fill this season as he is projected to take over the four position that Johni Broome occupied over the last three seasons. Freeman was the second-leading scorer at Lincoln-Memorial last season, but was a worthy defender as well. He pulled down a team-best 197 defensive rebounds per game with 54 steals and 23 blocked shots. Reserve: Filip Jovic Center: Keshawn Murphy 2024-25 stats (Mississippi State): 34 games | 3 starts | 11.7 PPG | 7.4 RPG | 1.6 APG What is meant to be will always find its way. Murphy, a native of Birmingham, was a high-priority target for Bruce Pearl during his high school days and is now a Tiger after joining the roster from the transfer portal last offseason. Murphy brings a 6-10 frame to the center position, as well as a strong scoring a rebounding presence. He has one season of eligibility remaining, which will allow JUCO center Emeka Opurum to develop into the role for next season. Reserve: Emeka Opurum Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
The Independent
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
‘Clothes should last longer than you': Designer Roksanda Ilinčić on how to dress sustainably
London-based fashion designer Roksanda Ilinčić discussed her thoughts on the future of fashion and creating timeless garments at Dylon's Sustainable Fashion Future panel, which closed London Fashion Week. 'I come from Serbia and the culture there is quite sustainable,' Ilinčić explains. 'You know, we don't buy many clothes, we don't throw the clothes away. It's very natural that clothes last almost longer than you!' 'When I grew up, we were not an over-consuming society, so somehow it's embedded in me already. So these [sustainable initiatives] are not unusual to me at all, because it's very normal to pass clothes from grandmother to mother to daughter. [Clothes] become an emotional part of you – it's not about wearing it for one season and then checking out. 'That's where the timelessness in my designs comes from.' The Serbian-born designer established her namesake brand in 2005, and quickly became known for her bold, smart and sculptural approach to womenswear. Roksanda gowns are worn by everyone from the Princess of Wales to Anne Hathaway and Cate Blanchett, as her sleek yet vibrant designs are fit for royals and Hollywood A-listers alike. Ilinčić's sustainable ethos is also a key selling factor for her clientele. Her latest autumn/winter 2025 collection, which debuted at London Fashion Week, was part of a collaboration with Dylon Detergent. The textile dye company explored the concept of 'Rethink New' with Roksanda, and how caring for your clothes properly can help shape a sustainable future of fashion. 'This show was inspired by the late British sculptor Phyllida Barlow, and in the heart of her practice was actually using old, discarded objects – pieces that didn't have any meaning – and giving them a new life,' explains Ilinčić. 'Barlow incorporated lots of recycled wood, MDF, polystyrene, sponges, duct tapes, cardboard [into her artwork]. And I love that idea of looking into something that is very often overlooked – that is left to die – and painting it a new life.' Ilinčić used Dylon colour dyes in her most recent runway collection, reviving old fabrics from past collections. Referring to one colour-blocked dress, 'You can see [the dress's] colour blocking, very much part of my design DNA, but it's also combining different textures [such as] the black fabric which was one of my core fabrics that I used to use in almost every season. 'It was a true pleasure to reuse something to come up with something new.' When asked about how one can start sourcing preloved pieces if they're used to fast fashion purchases, Ilinčić drew attention to the emotional connection people have with clothing. 'I think it's very important to buy pieces that you really love, that you really appreciate. It starts with a conscious purchase of investing in something that is going to have longevity from an emotional perspective, and then, of course, caring about it. 'I still have some dresses, for example, that I took from my mum – and I think making sure that you love [the piece] means that care will come naturally. 'You will make sure that it's in the best condition, taken to the best cleaners [and making sure they] are washed with the best products. So yes, it starts with the emotional connection you have with the piece that you buy. Ask yourself: Why am I buying this?' How one cares for their clothes in order to increase their longevity is becoming a growing trend in the sustainable fashion space. 'Wash your clothes at a lower temperature,' proclaims fellow panellist and deputy director of the Institute for Positive Fashion, Shailja Dube. 'That was one of the things that was quite interesting when we did our research in our Enabling Garment Longevity report, that actually just going from, say, 40 degrees to 30 degrees makes a big difference, alongside spot cleaning.' 'It's not about changing everything at once,' says Ilinčić, 'it's about small, constant steps.'
The Independent
23-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Roksanda brings sculptural silhouettes to London Fashion Week
Roksanda Illincic's autumn/winter 2025 collection brought sculptural silhouettes and tactile designs to the runway. The Serbian-born, London-based designer established her brand in 2005, rapidly becoming known for her bold, smart and sculptural approach to womenswear. Roksanda's client base include the Princess of Wales, Anne Hathaway and Cate Blanchett as her sophisticated, sleek yet vibrant designs are fit for royals and Hollywood A-listers alike. Ilincic's high end fans are an untimid class of women who do not necessarily need pointers to her inspiration. They are into her vibrant colour sense, revel in her extravagantly offbeat volumes and abstract drapes and appreciate the print-craft textures she wraps into her clothes. And her following will undoubtedly be thrilled with this latest collection. Inspired by the British sculptor Phyllida Barlow, the show closed with a monologue of Barlow stating: ' Space is malleable, it's a material, it's not just an empty vacuum.' The runway didn't stray far from Ilincic's creative roots, featuring stand-out colour blocking, modern cuts and sculptural silhouettes. Sharp lines were apparent alongside sumptuous heavy grey knits, oversized blazers and pinstriped wool capes. But it was not all long-lined neutrals. Roksanda's party wear stole the show with loose thread fringing, large disco sequins and vivid contrasting silks. Sustainability has always been at the core of Ilincic's design philosophy. This collection was inspired by Barlow's use of repurposing discarded items, which helped her explore fragility, impermanence and physicality, creating work that feels in constant motion. Ilincic evoked Barlow's own use of fabrications such as cardboard, tape and paint. Texture, colour and tactile experimentation took centre stage, featuring unconventional fabrics from fringe-spiked raffia to fil coupé tapestry and oversized sequins. Roksanda's signature dresses revealed their inner construction, while sharp, oversized tailoring was complemented by elegant organza panels that introduced a refined, feminine softness. In quintessential Roksanda style, there was a celebration of colour, delving into what lies beneath its surface, using dripping threads and cut outs. Constructed from negative spaces around the pattern pieces, dresses blurred the lines between sculpture and garment. With a sustained focus on space and form, there was no better venue than the Space House in central London, designed by architect Richard Seifert, this brutalist and minimal backdrop resonates with Roksanda's strong and sculptural design philosophy.
