Why Cliftonville star feels he needs to set the record straight against St Joseph's

Shea Gordon has more reason than most in the Cliftonville camp to relish next month's European showdowns with St Joseph's.
This week's draw for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League paired the Reds with the side that only missed out on last season's Gibraltar Football League title due to their head-to-head record with Champions Lincoln Red Imps.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Record

an hour ago

• Daily Record

Philippe Clement sees his Nico Raskin transfer prophecy ring true as Rangers star sees Premier League interest rise

Clement was sacked by Gers back in February but recently predicted that his former player is destined for big things down south Philippe Clement didn't get too much right in the final weeks of his Rangers tenure - but his transfer prophecy about Nicolas Raskin could have some weight to it. ‌ It comes off the back of recent reports that West-Midlands rivals Aston Villa have also been keeping tabs on Raskin, who is also said to have potential suitors abroad. ‌ The 24-year-old was a shining light in an otherwise dismal campaign for Gers last season, and his efforts have been rewarded with four caps for the Red Devils at senior international level. It remains to be seen if new owners San Francisco 49ers will opt to cash in on their prized asset - who still has two years remaining on his contract - this summer to give boss Russell Martin an additional boost to the £20million transfer kitty already laid down by the Ibrox hierarchy. And the recent surge of interest in the player from the big boys down south will have come as no surprise to Clement, who recently opened up on all things Rangers four months on from his sacking in Govan. Asked about Raskin, he said: "He's ready. I'm convinced Nico would fit perfectly in the Premier League. "I'm not saying he would be in a top six team now. But just below that, so he can calmly adapt to the level. "Make no mistake: Nico has a lot of room to grow. ‌ "He has to make the right choice now. And if he leaves and gets enough playing time at his new club, he will only get better. I would put my hand in the fire for that." Clement, who handed Raskin the captain's armband for an Old Firm clash with Celtic back in January, added: "He's a character. I worked with him intensively for a year at Rangers. Nico wants to know everything, gets into discussions and has his own opinion. But if you communicate and argue clearly, there's no problem at all. "I like players with an opinion. I didn't just give him the captain's armband for nothing. That way he could grow as a footballer and take on more responsibility. ‌ "He has good feet and plays energetic football, but the most important step Nico has taken is that he has become tactically stronger. That's why he was ready for the national team - something I said six months ago. I've talked to him about it a lot. "Nico was a firefighter. You know? He often went somewhere else to put out fires and that caused problems in his zone. He doesn't do that anymore. "I wasn't surprised when he played so well for Belgium on his debut. He's played a lot of European matches. Both with Standard Liege and Rangers. "When you play against teams like Manchester United, Spurs, Benfica or Real means it's nothing new for him to play against top players. "Playing for his country was a huge honour for him. Nico benefits from that - he's a born winner.'

Metro

2 hours ago

• Metro

Napoli respond to transfer offer for Scott McTominay after dream debut season

Italian champions Napoli have responded to a transfer offer for Scott McTominay following his dream debut season, according to reports. McTominay moved to Naples less than 12 months ago from Manchester United in a deal worth just £25.7m and has already become a club icon. The Scotland international was crowned Serie A Most Valuable Player for the 2024-25 campaign as he helped Napoli land the Italian top-flight title. McTominay registered 12 goals and six assists across 34 Serie A games after having a 'point to prove' following his Old Trafford exit in August. After such a brilliant debut season for his new club, there is one team outside of Italy who are keen on recruiting the 28-year-old midfielder… Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal approached Napoli to see if they could be tempted to sell McTominay this summer, according to Alfredo Pedulla. Napoli have already responded to the offer and said that no deal will be done at any price for the for their star man, under contract until June 2028. McTominay himself, meanwhile, is thought to be extremely happy at Napoli and is not considering a move away from the club any time soon. Speaking this month, Liverpool and Scotland star Andy Robertson called out United for their transfer mistake in letting McTominay join Napoli. 'He (McTominay) probably didn't get the respect he deserves,' Robertson said. 'Then he goes over there (Napoli), puts in a magnificent season and fair play to him to end it with the league title. 'Even before he was at Napoli, his standards for Scotland were unbelievable. He's getting better and better, he has taken it to a whole new level.' Speaking to Sky Sports Italy this week, Napoli manager Antonio Conte admitted he was stunned his club were able to sign McTominay last year. 'Scott is a player whom I really knew well,' Conte said. 'He was born and raised at Manchester United. More Trending 'I could see that he always made an impact when he played, but at the same time, I noticed he wasn't used as a key player at Manchester United. 'He was hardly a starter. Honestly, we had talked about it with [Napoli director] Giovanni Manna. He told me it was a possible solution. 'Sometimes, directors make up stories also to keep you calm. If you ask me, 'Have you ever thought McTominay would surely arrive?' – I'd say no. 'Don't forget we were heading into a season without European trophies to play for, so he had to leave Manchester United to start over with us.' MORE: £50m star told to reject Chelsea transfer and join Manchester United MORE: Arsenal set asking price as Bayern Munich consider Gabriel Martinelli transfer MORE: Kevin De Bruyne tells Antonio Conte to sign England star in blow to Manchester United

The Independent

2 hours ago

• The Independent

Two baseball players taken ill in the heat as sweltering weather intensifies across the US

Two Major League Baseball players fell ill while playing in extreme heat – as millions of Americans face dangerous temperatures and humidity during the first heat wave of the year. Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz and Seattle Mariners reliever Trent Thornton both fell sick Saturday as temperatures t opped 90 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity drove the heat index above 100. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, De La Cruz vomited on the field in St. Louis as his team took on the Cardinals. An athletic trainer came out onto the field to check on him while the grounds crew cleaned up the area. 'I actually watched him. He drank a bunch of water. I mean a bunch,' Reds manager Terry Francona said. 'And then he went right out and got rid of it.' De La Cruz, a 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic, stayed in the game. While the Reds went on to lose, De La Cruz hit a home run and was able to stroll around the bases. Meanwhile, in Seattle, the Mariners pitcher, Thornton, 31, had to be held off the field after nearly collapsing behind the mound. Mariners manager Dan Wilson said Thornton had 'a little bit of a heat-related illness.' 'It was a scary moment, for sure,' Wilson said. 'He battled hard. But just really glad that he's feeling a little bit better now and should be OK.' The temperature for the Reds vs Cardinals game was 92 degrees Fahrenheit (33.3 Celsius), while it was 94F (34.4C) at the start of the Mariners vs Cubs. The home plate umpire for the Mariners-Cubs game, Chad Whitson, also got sick from dehydration during the game. 'He came in, same kind of thing. Just was not feeling well,' Wilson said. 'Threw up a few times in the dugout and then they came and took care of him from there. The heat was a real thing today, for sure.' A Major League Baseball spokesperson said Whitman was doing better Saturday night and was cleared to work third base for the series finale. More than 170 million Americans will face dangerous temperatures and humidity heading into Monday as the first major heat wave of the year is expected to smash record temperatures across the central and eastern portions of the country. A heat dome, or a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere that traps heat and humidity, is currently looming over parts of the U.S. 'Extreme heat is tragically the leading cause of weather-related fatalities in America,' AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said. 'There is an amplified risk of heat-related illnesses because this is the first heat wave of the year for millions of people, and their bodies are not yet acclimated to this type of heat and humidity.' The temperature reached 80F (26.6C) in the Chicago area by 7:30 a.m. Sunday. Forecasts predicted heat indices – how hot it feels to the human body when humidity is taken into account – of between 100F and 105F (37.7C to 40.5C). The heat index in Pittsburgh was expected to top 105F (40.5C). The temperature in Columbus, Ohio, was 77F (25C) at 8:30 a.m. Highs there were expected to reach 97F (36C). Forecasts called for a heat index of 100F (37.7C) in Philadelphia on Sunday, with a 108F (42.2C) heat index on Monday. The city's public health department declared a heat emergency starting at noon Sunday and ending Wednesday evening. Officials directed residents to air-conditioned libraries, community centers and other locations, and set up a "heat line" staffed by medical professionals to discuss conditions and illnesses made worse by the heat. Forecasters warned the heat index in Cromwell, Connecticut, would reach 105F (40.5C) on Sunday, which was expected to make life challenging for golfers Tommy Fleetwood and Keegan Bradley as they compete during the final round of the Travelers Championship.