Ibrahima Konate revealed Liverpool boss Arne Slot's stern half time team talk that spurred the Reds to beat Wolves.
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Liverpool beat Wolves 2-1Struggled to get a foothold in the first halfSlot handed an earful to the players during the breakFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
In a first half where Liverpool struggled to impose their usual dominance, they found themselves under pressure from a resilient Wolves side. The home team created several threatening opportunities, and the Reds seemed sluggish in their movements and pressing.
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Against the run of play, Konate gave Liverpool the lead in additional time before the half-time whistle. However, it did little to mask the fact that the team was far from its best and Slot was loud and clear in his instructions to drive home his message.
WHAT KONATE SAID
“The first half was very hard for the team because we were late in our actions,” Konate admitted.
"This is what the manager said (at half-time) – we need more concentration and more aggression when we start the pressing. I think when we came back for the second half we did well in the first 15 minutes but afterwards it was a big battle again. But we expected this – we have to keep this on our mind and learn about what we missed."
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DID YOU KNOW?
Shortly after the break, a defensive mix-up between Konate and goalkeeper Alisson Becker allowed Rayan Ait-Nouri to capitalise and slot home an equaliser, leaving the Reds stunned and on the back foot once again. But just minutes later, Salah restored the lead after he converted from the spot to seal all three points for the Merseyside club.
Just over one year ago, Tottenham Hotspur failed to qualify for European competition after finishing eighth in the Premier League in 2022/23, Daniel Levy having dismissed Antonio Conte and tacitly resigning himself to the departure of record scorer Harry Kane.
It was a time of strife, a time of suffering and decline, but optimism sprouted from the rubble following Ange Postecoglou's appointment in June – soon after, James Maddison was signed from Leicester City for £40m on a five-year contract.
In one fell swoop, Tottenham bagged a new creative focal point and restored the midfield gusto that had dissipated after the departures and declines of Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen. The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare remarked that the transfer was "arguably their [Tottenham's] most significant in years".
James Maddison for Tottenham
That was last summer. Now, in May 2024, Maddison is suffering the poorest patch of his Lilywhites career, having failed to capture the pre-injury levels that had cemented him as one of the division's highest-quality playmakers – if he wasn't already as a Fox.
And it's for this reason that Postecoglou must consider dropping Maddison from the starting line-up as Tottenham take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this evening, fighting to recover from successive league losses against Newcastle United and Arsenal.
James Maddison's season in numbers
Maddison is the most inventive and inspiring midfielder in Postecoglou's first team but after a blistering start to life at the club that saw him earn the Premier League Player of the Month award for August and earned him three goals and five assists from his first 11 fixtures, injury in the reverse match against Chelsea has left him out of sorts.
While he was in staggering form early on, his recent efforts have pulled him away from the peak of his prowess and placed him in more mundane settings, where conversation has now risen to his place in the line-up.
Matches played
30
23
Matches started
28
23
Goals
10
4
Assists
9
7
G/A Rate
0.63
0.48
Pass completion
79%
87%
Big chances created
12
10
Key passes per game
2.3
2.4
Dribbles per game
1.5 (54%)
1.2 (46%)
Tackles per game
1.7
1.2
Duels won per game
6.0 (56%)
5.3 (55%)
The table displayed above highlights a dip in prolificness and a slight decline in his ball-carrying and defensive metrics, though this isn't necessarily a negative thing, with Leicester embroiled in a relegation battle last term and suffering from a woeful backline.
Maddison is influential through more than merely his passing and probing, offering an inborn tenacity and drive that cannot be taught. Postecoglou has noted: "He's that creative force for us. He works hard, he wins the ball back, presses."
But we can't shirk away from his recent struggles, having been branded with a 3/10 match rating against Arsenal by reporter Alasdair Gold, making just one key pass, failing with each of his three dribbles and winning just two of eight contested duels.
James Maddison
The Three Lions star remains a brilliant player, sadly suffering from aftereffects of the ankle injury that derailed his stunning start to life in London and kept him sidelined for over two wintry months.
But this evening's clash against Chelsea will be unforgiving, with the injury-hit Blues losing just one of their past 19 fixtures against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.
Postecoglou might be wise to shuffle the pack and bench the £170k-per-week midfielder for the first time in the top flight this season.
The question, naturally, then shifts to who should replace Maddison. Giovani Lo Celso? The Argentine offers similar creative qualities but has been used sparingly this season.
Dejan Kulusevski, who flourished against the Gunners, must be moved into the centre against Mauricio Pochettino's side.
Why Ange must unleash Dejan Kulusevski in fresh role
Kulusevski, a bit like Maddison, started the campaign in immovable form and started the first 19 Premier League matches in succession, only being substituted out on three occasions.
Described as the "engine" of Postecoglou's system by Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir, the Sweden international has many sterling attributes but has too been guilty of a nosedive in productivity recently, clinching just one goal and one assist across his past 14 outings.
However, the right-sided forward's energy and commitment makes him a very singular weapon for Postecoglou, outworking opponents and bringing an all-functioning skill set.
Evidencing this dynamic approach: he ranks among the top 20% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 6% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 10% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
Right winger
21
4
0
Attacking midfield
4
2
2
Left winger
1
0
0
Right midfield
1
0
1
Kulusevski hit a goal and assist apiece in matches against Manchester City and Nottingham Forest back in December when fielded as a No. 10, with Maddison recuperating from injury.
The £110k-per-week earner might not boast the same standard of ball-playing skills but Kulusevski has created 13 big chances in the Premier League this term and averages 1.9 key passes per game.
Moreover, the 6 foot 1 Kulusevski completed five dribbles, made five tackles, won 13 ground duels and placed two key passes during last weekend's defeat against Arsenal, trumping Maddison quite considerably in output.
With Timo Werner ruled out for the remainder of the campaign, Heung-min Son may well fall back into his natural left wing position, with Richarlison returning to the starting mix as the focal frontman.
Son has primarily played his football as centre-forward this season but he's not been brilliant recently, his penalty against Mikel Arteta's team the only goal scored across the past four games.
Moving back to the flank to diversify his attacking potency might be the way to go for Spurs, with Richarlison proving he can play well this term after bagging nine in eight earlier in 2024.
Indeed, the club skipper's 17 big chances created this season sit behind only Mohamed Salah and Bruno Fernandes, while he ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 14% for assists per 90 and the top 11% for pass completion, showcasing the multi-faceted tools that can inflict damage on Chelsea.
Heung-min Son
While Kulusevski would have to move over to replace Maddison, Brennan Johnson has been one of Spurs' most in-form forwards in recent months and was benched last time out, suggesting that his pace and directness could be used to compensate for the loss of Werner.
Clinching victory over Chelsea will be no easy task but should Postecoglou make the bold call to drop his elite playmaker, it might just pay dividends for his side, which will stand a better chance of outfighting the Blues in west London.
Spurs must bench 4/10 star who O'Hara thinks is 'not good enough'
He had a tough day against Bukayo Saka and could suffer against Chelsea.
Craig McDermott’s son had recently returned to the Queensland side after a three-year absence
ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jul-2020
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Alister McDermott, the quick bowler who played for Queensland and Brisbane Heat, has announced his retirement at the age of 29. Despite returning to his state side after a three-year absence in 2019-20, McDermott, son of former Australia quick Craig McDermott, remained sidelined due to a string of injuries, including a broken wrist, and persistent back trouble, prompting him to end his career.”From a young age I gave my full commitment to fulfilling my dream, looking to improve my fitness, strength, and skill level,” McDermott wrote on his website. “Even though I did not have the extended career I had dreamed of as a kid due to injuries, form and self-confidence, I have had some amazing memories that I can be proud of, and was fortunate to play with some absolute legends of the game.”Though he struggled with injuries, McDermott, who was part of Queensland’s Sheffield Shield (2011-12) and ODI Cup (2012-13) winning teams, and also Heat’s Big Bash League title win in 2013, had impressive numbers across formats. He took 75 wickets at 24.77 in 20 first-class appearances, the last of which came in November 2014, before he was cut from the contract list the following season.He also played 27 list A games, taking 48 wickets, and 25 T20s for 29 wickets. He played his last T20 in January 2015 in the BBL. McDermott was also a member of Australia’s Under-19 World Cup winning team in 2010, that was led by Mitchell Marsh and included the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Kane Richardson.Following a good showing in a List A match for Australia A against Durham, McDermott earned an Australia call-up as an injury replacement for the ODIs against Pakistan in the UAE in 2012. He was retained in the squad for the T20I leg of the tour as well, but did not get a look in.
The country has moved to Level 3 of its lockdown, which allows non-contact training and matches to take place
Firdose Moonda01-Jun-2020
South Africa has allowed non-contact professional sports training and matches•Associated Press
Subject to government approval, South Africa’s national and franchise cricketers could be back in training from next week, and may be involved in an exhibition event at the end of the month. The country moved to Level 3 of the five-stage lockdown today, which allows non-contact professional sports training and matches to take place, after consultation and approval from the sports ministry.That means national sporting bodies are required to present the ministry with their return-to-train and return-to-play protocols which should include details around social distancing. Cricket South Africa (CSA) hope to submit their plans this week, with a view to resuming training next week.In its first stage, the return-to-training plan will see franchise cricketers training at their home grounds, in accordance with set guidelines. That includes a prohibition on the use of saliva on the ball as well as regulations around the use of changing rooms – which will not be allowed – and the number of players and support staff who will train at the same time.ALSO READ: South Africa’s June tour of Sri Lanka postponedAt a later stage, CSA will look into whether it is possible to obtain permits to allow for players to travel across provincial borders for camps and eventually matches. Currently, South Africans cannot move between provinces for any reason other than a funeral or the transportation of children between parents or to schools and even those trips require a permit. Inter-provincial travel will be allowed at Level 2 of the lockdown, but there is no indication of when that will be.However, CSA still hope to be able to put on some live action at the end of June. An insider told ESPNcricinfo that the plan is to put on “something which we have not seen before,” which rules out a T20 festival or any other kind of franchise competition. CSA intend to reveal more in the next few weeks.South Africa are not in a rush to return to training or playing as they enter the winter period. Their next assignment is a two-Test and five-match T20 series in West Indies in July-August, which is set to be postponed with West Indies due to be in England until the end of July. CSA and Cricket West Indies remain in talks about when to schedule the series and are considering all options, including playing it in South Africa later in the year.South Africa are also due to host India for three T20s at the end of August and are looking at creating a bio-secure bubble for the series, which will take place behind closed doors. That series is particularly important for CSA finances, as it will help bolster their bank balance, amid forecasted losses of R645 million (approx. US $36.9 million) over the next four years. With South Africa’s Covid-19 cases expected to peak around July, it is possible the India series will have to take place later in the summer but CSA are confident it can happen before the end of the financial year in February 2021.
One point adrift of leaders Celtic with a game in hand, Rangers are set for a fiery end to the Scottish Premiership season. And as the final Old Firm derby of the season nears, Gers chiefs have reportedly turned their attention towards turning one particular loan deal permanent this summer.
Rangers transfer news
It's been quite the turnaround from Rangers, who instantly galvanised under Philippe Clement before scaling what looked an impossible climb back into the title race and now in control of the Scottish Premiership's outcome. January certainly helped the former AS Monaco boss too, with Oscar Cortes, Mohamed Diomande and Fabio Silva all arriving on loan. Diomande in particular has had some impressive moments, including his goal against St Johnstone.
The midfielder is set to join on a permanent basis this summer due to Rangers' obligation to buy in his initial loan deal. He's not the only loanee who may be around next season, either, with reports indicating that the Gers want to also turn Silva's loan deal permanent this summer.
According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Rangers are set to make contact with Wolverhampton Wanderers over securing a permanent deal for Silva in the coming months.
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Any deal will reportedly have to be for a cut-price, however, given that the Scottish giants will not be able to sanction a big-money deal this summer even with Champions League qualification. What's more, Silva's reported salary of £80k per week is already a hefty fee in itself, only adding to the cost of the potential transfer.
Still just 21-years-old, it would be quite the piece of business from Rangers if they managed to secure a relatively cheap deal to sign Silva this summer. The young forward has certainly shown signs that he's getting closer to his best form too, perhaps making a move to Ibrox ideal for all parties involved.
"Incredible" Silva has earned permanent move
With four goals to his name in 15 appearances, with nine of those being starts, Silva has shown plenty of signs that he's on course to take a huge step towards his potential under Clement to earn a permanent deal. It remains to be seen whether the Gers can agree the right price with Wolves, of course, but it's certainly one worth pursuing.
Fabio Silva
In what will be Clement's first full season in charge, those at Ibrox may have the opportunity to be defending their Scottish crown if all goes well in the remainder of the season. And they'll want as much of the current, potentially successful squad available to do that, including Silva, who earned plenty of praise during his Wolves days.
The club's executive chairman, Jeff Shi, told the official Wolves website when Silva first joined: "Fabio is a young player who shows not only incredible technical ability but also his game intelligence for a player of his age is top class."
One Rangers star has left his national team boss sweating on his fitness over the upcoming international break, with question marks placed over his position in the squad for EURO 2024.
Rangers stars heading on international duty
Six of Rangers' squad are heading off on International duty this March – Rabbi Matondo (Wales), Ross McCausland (Northern Ireland), John Souttar (Scotland), Cryriel Dessers (Nigeria) and Mohamed Diomande (Ghana) will be representing their senior sides, while Leon King has also been called up for Scotland's U21s.
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ByBen Browning Mar 20, 2024
It means that Gers boss Philippe Clement will have the majority of his squad at Ibrox as he looks to continue their push for the Scottish Premiership title, knowing that should they win their game in hand against Dundee they will move back above Celtic into top spot, while they also have to welcome their arch rivals to Ibrox before the end of the campaign.
One man who hasn't headed away is regular absentee Ryan Jack, who has already missed large chunks of the season through injury for his club and continues to struggle with fitness problems.
Decision made on Ryan Jack
Despite these problems, Steve Clarke has decided to consider him for the Scotland squad this summer, providing he can prove his fitness before the squad is announced, which is perhaps good news for Gers fans hoping to see him back before the end of the domestic season.
The 32-year-old has managed just 11 Scottish Premiership appearances this campaign, and though he returned to the substitutes bench in their most recent outing (a 2-1 defeat to Motherwell) he has seen just 13 minutes of action since the beginning of February.
Ryan Jack
Rangers boss Clement has hardly been forthcoming about his situation either. Speaking ahead of his side's clash with Hibs, Clement explained that: "We lost Ryan Jack for a short time. He picked up a small injury in the trip to Lisbon so that's a big disappointment because I was planning to start with him today, so we had to change our plans."
That has not changed Clarke's stance though. According to The Scottish Daily Mail, Jack will be handed the chance to 'prove his fitness' to the Scotland boss, though in exchange Clarke will demand 'honesty and transparency' from his midfielder.
Though the midfielder is set to miss the upcoming friendlies against the Netherlands and Northern Ireland, he is hoping to be back fit after the international break and will aim to remain so heading into EURO 2024 this summer. Should he be able to 'prove his fitness, his ability, and whether he can play consistent minutes', he will have an 'excellent chance' at remaining in the Scotland squad for the tournament, which implies we should see him play a part in the title run-in.
Scotland's midfield options for March internationals
Player
Age
Scott McTominay
27
John McGinn
29
Billy Gilmour
22
Ryan Christie
29
Lewis Ferguson
24
His future beyond this summer is unclear though, with his contract up at Rangers come the end of the campaign and without a new deal in the works as things stand. For now though, his full focus will be on heading to the EUROs with Scotland in three months time.
Manchester United's kit sponsor Snapdragon are reportedly interested in acquiring naming rights to Old Trafford.
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Snapdragon interested in Old Trafford naming rights
Brand features on new United shirt
INEOS seeking stadium investment
WHAT HAPPENED?
The US tech firm has a whopping £176 million ($225m) shirt deal with the club but is also interested in having their name attached to United's home ground, according to . As the club continues to assess whether or not to revamp Old Trafford or build a new home, Snapdragon has emerged as a potential investment option for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
This would be a controversial move for a club that has never sold its stadium naming rights to a private company before, but Snapdragon appears confident that there could be a deal to strike here. The US firm's £60m-per-year deal with United, penned last summer, was a world record-breaking shirt sponsorship contract. If they offer enough cash to the club, the Red Devils hierarchy may struggle to turn it down.
WHAT SNAPDRAGON SAID
Snapdragon chief marketing officer Don McGuire said: “Old Trafford is Old Trafford, it should always be Old Trafford [or whatever any new stadium name is]. But if there is a brand attached to that in some way shape or form, powered by someone, an ‘at’ or whatever [it could happen]. We are working very closely with the team on the reimagination of Old Trafford from a technology and innovation standpoint. So if that leads to something bigger… we are always looking out for opportunities.”
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WHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?
While the club's future off the pitch continues to be the source of much speculation, on the field they're preparing for a brand new campaign after a huge summer of change. Erik ten Hag remains in place but a major shake-up means he'll have fresh eyes on him at the start of the 2024-25 season. Key new faces at Old Trafford include director of football Dan Ashworth, technical director Jason Wilcox, and chief executive Omar Berrada.
The Three Lions are going to Berlin to take on Spain – and it's all thanks to their manager's genius changes
Good things come to those wait, and Ollie Watkins had been waiting patiently on the sidelines for the nearly the entirety of Euro 2024. But in Dortmund, all it took was a 10-minute cameo off the bench for him to deliver a show-stopping performance to leave the Netherlands speechless and send England to their second-successive Euros final.
Watkins had been a mere spectator for England's games against Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Switzerland, only getting 20 minutes in the 1-1 draw with Denmark. But he knew that Wednesday would be the night he would get the nod, and the moment he would make all the difference.
"I swear on my kids' life, I told Cole Palmer earlier today, we'd be coming on and he'd set me up and I'd score. And it happened," he told moments after his last-gasp winner, which was indeed laid on by Chelsea's Palmer.
The striker had a sense of destiny about the occasion and England have seemed destined for something special in this tournament. How else to explain their puzzling passage through Germany? The Three Lions stunk out the group stage and needed moments of brilliance from Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka to get them to the last four.
They conceded the first goal for the third consecutive knockout game, but once more they rallied and are heading for Berlin on Sunday, all thanks to the understated leadership of Gareth Southgate.
Spain will be confident of winning the final if they can replicate the wonderful form they have shown throughout the tournament, but they should not underestimate this England's team capacity to turn dust to gold.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Signal-Iduna Park…
Getty ImagesWINNER: Ollie Watkins
It did not feel right that a player who had contributed 32 combined goals and assists over the course of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign had featured so little at the tournament. But Watkins was just waiting for the right moment.
As soon as he came off the bench, the Aston Villa striker looked like he was ready to make an impact. A few minutes after arriving he made a darting run into the box and narrowly failed to make contact with Luke Shaw's cut-back.
He stayed focused, and with extra-time looming, he did what Harry Kane had failed to do for most of the game, attacking the centre-backs and demanding the ball. He still had loads to do, with Stefan de Vrij breathing down his neck, but he took the ball away from the defender, firing it through his legs and into the bottom corner.
Watkins has had a patchy England career, getting very few opportunities due to Kane's consistency and Southgate's reluctance to rotate. There was even a question over whether he would be included for the squad back in May. But his club form was impossible to ignore and the whole country are grateful he was brought along for the ride.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Memphis Depay
Memphis Depay has often been an enigma, an extremely talented forward who made a precocious start to his career, only to flop at Manchester United. He rebuilt his reputation with Lyon and earned a dream move to Barcelona, where he also failed to live up to expectations.
He has been consistent for his national team, though, and has had a strong tournament, albeit while only finding the net once. But on the biggest night of his life, he lasted just 35 minutes before succumbing to injury.
As it turned out, his departure from the pitch and the introduction of Joey Veerman helped stabilise the Netherlands and slowed England's explosive start. But the Oranje ultimately lost the semi-final, and their talisman was powerless to help them.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Gareth Southgate
Was this Southgate's revenge for all the mud that has been slung at him? Against the toughest team England had faced yet in Germany, they produced their best performance, dominating the Dutch for large parts of the game, particularly in the second half.
Southgate has been heavily criticised, not without reason, for his hesitation to make substitutes, but here his changes were spot-on. He brought on Luke Shaw surprisingly early for Kieran Trippier, but bided his time before taking off Kane and Phil Foden for Palmer and Watkins.
He learned from Roberto Martinez's mistake with Cristiano Ronaldo and removed Kane for the far livelier Watkins, who struck the winner with the help of a pass from Palmer. Job done. And now England are off to their second consecutive Euros final, their first on foreign soil.
Berlin could well prove to be Southgate's last act as England manager, but however the match ends, he must be remembered as the man who gave the country hope again. Some of that goodwill has been tested at this tournament, but England are exactly where they wanted to be. Time to give Southgate his flowers.
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Getty ImagesLOSER: VAR
Gary Neville could be forgiven for being biased towards England in normal circumstances, but even he was convinced they should not have been awarded a penalty in the first half. In fact, he saw its awarding as a very affront to defenders past and present, calling it an "absolutely disgraceful decision" and saying he found it "offensive".
's refereeing expert Christina Unkel was also taken aback by the decision to review the play on the VAR monitor, as she could not see how on-pitch referee Felix Zwayer had made a clear and obvious error by not awarding a spot-kick for Denzel Dumfries' challenge on Kane.
The Netherlands had every right to be upset by the decision, which gave England a ticket straight back into the match as Kane converted after falling behind early on. It was not the first bizarre decision from VAR at the tournament, either, as Denmark were harshly punished for a questionable handball against Germany, who were then stunned themselves as they were denied a penalty in their quarter-final tie with Spain when the ball had struck Marc Cucurella's arm.
GOAL runs through the top talents prevented from realising their full potential by persistent fitness problems
We sometimes forget how precarious the life of footballer can be. One moment of misfortune can shorten, ruin or even end a career – and there's nothing sadder than seeing a truly exceptional talent sidelined by injury.
Of course, some players are punished for failing to properly look after themselves, while others are just plain unfortunate, cursed with bodies incapable of coping with the rigours of the modern game.
Below, GOAL runs through some of the most high-profile victims of persistent fitness problems, from teenage prodigies prevented from realising their full potential, to stars that simply faded after incessant injury issues…
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14Jonathan Woodgate
Woodgate's Real Madrid debut is obviously the stuff of footballing infamy: after spending the first 17 months of his spell at Santiago Bernabeu sidelined by injury, the English defender belatedly introduced himself to the club's supporters with an own goal and a red card for a second bookable offence.
However, there's a reason why Madrid had taken a gamble on Woodgate in the first place: he was, when fully fit, an excellent centre-back – he had proved that during the early days of his breakthrough at Leeds United.
Unfortunately, he never stayed fit long enough to make the most of his obvious ability. There were some highlights along the way, most notably the winning goal for Tottenham in their League Cup win over Chelsea in 2008, but it's telling that he only played 30 or more league games twice between 2000 and 2016.
What really killed him, though, was being restricted to just 14 appearances for Madrid. "When I look back on my career, that gets to me, more than anything," he told the podcast. "Because you’re on the biggest stage… And my body let me down."
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13Yoann Gourcuff
After Gourcuff had inspired Bordeaux to a league-and-cup double in 2009, labelled the attacking midfielder 'Le Successeur', Zinedine Zidane's undisputed heir.
Even one of Zizou's former team-mates agreed. "I felt ill when Zidane retired," Christophe Dugarry admitted. "Watching Gourcuff has cured me." Unfortunately, there was no remedy for Gourcuff's many mental and physical issues.
By the time of his rebirth at Bordeaux, he had already flopped at AC Milan, Paolo Maldini argued, because "there was a problem with his behaviour", with the iconic defender castigating the Frenchman for failing to make any kind of effort to integrate.
After then making a historic move to Lyon in 2010, Gourcuff was plagued by injuries, some of which it was argued were psychosomatic. Certainly, some of his coaches and team-mates were never fully convinced by the severity of some of the ailments, which included hurting his hand after getting high-fived by Alexandre Lacazette, and spraining his ankle while walking his dog.
In the end, one of France's finest prospects retired at 34 – after more than a year without a club.
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12Abou Diaby
Both Arsenal and France fans were so excited by Diaby's form during his first six months in north London. They all felt that they had 'The new Patrick Vieira' on their hands.
Unfortunately, Diaby never hit those heights. In injury-time at the end of a 3-0 win at Sunderland in May 2006, the midfielder was on the receiving end of a horrendous and completely unnecessary challenge from Dan Smith. Diaby was left screaming on the pitch in agony, having suffered a severe ankle fracture that would require three operations and eight months of rehabilitation.
Diaby eventually returned in January 2007, but not at the same level and ultimately spent more than half of his remaining years at Arsenal sidelined by injury, with former manager Arsene Wenger subsequently stating on that his compatriot's hopes of reaching the very pinnacle of the profession had been "destroyed" by "an assassin's tackle".
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11Louis Saha
Sir Alex Ferguson essentially admitted that he signed Louis Saha from Fulham primarily because every time the Frenchman faced Manchester United, "he gave us a doing".
"Of all the centre-forwards we employed," the legendary manager later wrote in his autobiography, "when you talk about their talents (two-footed, good in the air, spring, speed, power), Saha would be one of the best. He posed a perpetual threat."
Only when fully fit, though. Saha made a sensational start to his Old Trafford career, showing exactly why United had agreed to pay £12.4 million ($15.5m) for his services by scoring seven times in his first 14 appearances.
However, then the injuries began to arrive and Saha felt so bad about his regular spells on the sidelines that he used to text Ferguson apologising for his absences. The Scot was sympathetic to Saha's plight, but eventually allowed Saha to join Everton in 2008.
Ferguson explained, "The reason for selling him was that no matter how talented he was, I could never plan around him."
Ella Toone and Alessia Russo have shown their appreciation for Lionesses team-mate Katie Zelem after her Manchester United departure was announced.
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Man Utd star Zelem bids farewell to clubCaptained Red Devils to first major honourToone & Russo praise fellow LionessWHAT HAPPENED?
Zelem will leave the club she has captained for the past five years when her contract expires this week, having been part of the Red Devils' women's team since it was re-established in 2018. The England midfielder helped United win promotion to the Women's Super League in that first season and then lifted their first major title, the Women's FA Cup, as skipper at Wembley last month.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Her departure from the club is a huge blow, then, especially given it comes just a day after popular forward Lucia Garcia bid farewell and joined Mexican champions Monterrey. Mary Earps, set to join Paris Saint-Germain, and Nikita Parris are expected to follow her out of the door in the coming days as United prepare for a summer of change.
WHAT ZELEM SAID
In a message on Instagram, Zelem wrote: "WOW, what a journey! From signing in the Championship to captaining my childhood club in the first ever Champions League game. Words don’t do justice for the unimaginable dreams that I have been able to achieve here. From first pulling on the kit at eight years old, I had no idea where this journey would take me. Lifting the FA Cup with Manchester United is and will forever be, one of my favourite moments of my career.
"The players I’ve met over these six years are nothing short of remarkable. When times were tough, it was always the players who stuck together and pulled each other through – that’s what made this team so special. Thank you to everyone who resolutely supported me over the years. Your unwavering support didn’t go unnoticed and for that I’ll be forever grateful. For six years I gave everything possible to Manchester United, both on and off the pitch. For me, now is the right time for a new challenge and I’m looking forward to my next chapter."
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DID YOU KNOW?
Toone, her United team-mate, was one of the first to comment, writing: "One of the OGs. Thanks for all the laughs and all the memories Zel, and for all the fight you gave on and off the pitch! We will miss you."
Russo, a fellow Lioness who left the Red Devils last summer, added: "Love you lots! Will always be a Zel fan."
Further messages came in from former United boss Casey Stoney, England icons such as Jill Scott and Fran Kirby, plus plenty of previous and current team-mates like Maya Le Tissier, Gabby George and Ona Batlle, now of Barcelona. Martha Thomas, the Tottenham striker, wrote: "Never got the credit you deserved! Go shine."