Latest news with #Bonner
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fever get unfortunate DeWanna Bonner update for Sun clash
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images The post Fever get unfortunate DeWanna Bonner update for Sun clash appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Indiana Fever continue to be shorthanded, as DeWanna Bonner will miss her second consecutive contest due to personal issues. Bonner's extended absence will force her to miss the Fever's Tuesday night clash with the Connecticut Sun. Advertisement Bonner, who missed the Fever's Sunday afternoon game against the New York Liberty, was officially ruled out against the Sun on Monday afternoon. She remains away from the team, dealing with an unspecified issue, according to the Fever-Liberty ABC broadcast. Bonner, a six-time All-Star, signed with the Fever in the 2024 offseason, following her head coach, Stephanie White. She began the year in the starting lineup before quickly reverting to the bench. Through nine games, Bonner is averaging a career-low 7.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Despite not being her vintage self, Bonner's signing significantly influenced Indiana's 2025 championship aspirations. The Fever follow the lead of Caitlin Clark, but adding experienced veterans like Bonner and Sophie Cunningham bumped them from a young, up-and-coming team to title contenders. While the Fever will not have Bonner on the court, Clark will remain in the lineup for the second straight game. The 2024 Rookie of the Year missed five games with a quad injury before returning against the Liberty. DeWanna Bonner's history with Sun before Fever Matt Krohn-Imagn Images By missing the game, Bonner forfeits her second opportunity to face her former team. The 37-year-old spent five years with the Sun, playing for the organization from 2020 to 2024. Bonner made three All-Star appearances with the Sun and one All-WNBA team. Advertisement Bonner notably played with her fiancée, Alyssa Thomas, on the Sun. The power couple played five seasons together, leading Connecticut to the playoffs each year. Despite their strong partnership on and off the court, both decided to hit the open market in 2024. Just days before Bonner signed with the Fever, Thomas joined the Phoenix Mercury via sign-and-trade. In doing so, Thomas signed with the franchise that Bonner spent her first 10 years in the league with. Related: Fever share record-breaking announcement on Liberty game Related: Fever's Caitlin Clark picks winner in potential shootout vs. Stephen Curry
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Brendan Rodgers has 2 immediate Celtic priorities to focus on instead of being distracted by contract talk
Celtic fans are getting worried with the boss heading into the final year of his Parkhead deal Brendan Rodgers has been backed to keep his focus on keeping Celtic on top in Scotland while shooting for Europe despite uncertainty over his long-term future. The Hoops boss is set to hold talks with Parkhead power broker Dermot Desmond over the summer as he heads into the final year of his contract. But Celts hero Packie Bonner is convinced the Irishman won't allow any distractions as he aims to keep Rangers at bay and cracking the Champions League. Bonner said: ' Brendan is an elite manager. His future doesn't get in the way for him. He's really focused on getting in the players he wants and preparing for that initial first game in Europe. 'And if he gets over that hurdle, gets the right players in, he'll be a happy, happy man. Has Rangers re-energised him? I hope so. I've always said that Celtic need competition. 'Last year was slightly different from a European context in that they did so well in the Champions League. I think the league format helped them. It was really good and I think we were all excited about that and the way that it was different. "Now they have to build on that. But I think when you're in this league and you're trying to perform in Europe and you're trying to improve the team, you do need other people to challenge you and the players can learn from that. 'So there are no issues around that. I think he'll enjoy that, actually, if it happens. 'I'm just happy that he's there at this point in time because he's building the squad. It's not a big build, maybe two out, two or three in. 'Get up and get over this first qualification for Champions League again and then build on what they did last year and carry it on. 'Listen, last year was a fantastic year for them. Take away the Scottish Cup final, which was disappointing, they won a Double and they did so well in Europe. You wouldn't even think about anything.' Rodgers had promised there is no way he'd jump ship before the end of his current deal and he hasn't ruled out an extension. But Bonner insisted Celtic fans should just enjoy having the boss around right now. He said: 'The most important thing for Brendan is that he's still here and he made it very clear last year when that discussion happened that he was here and he was going to be here. "That's important. That's important for continuity and so on and so forth. But there will be a time when he leaves – just like everybody else. 'That's when the board and everybody else has got to do their homework long before maybe that situation occurs. 'But at this moment in time, I think the club, the board, the fans, the majority of them at this stage I would think, are very happy that he's there and he's guiding the ship and he's in charge. 'I'm just happy he's here. You're at a stage in this world where things happen. This is a strange world. It's not like the old days where you have somebody there for maybe four, five, six years, ten years, in some cases longer. "But now it's about turning around the people. So as long as he's here and he says he's totally committed for next year." Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Celtic urged to consider selling 'inconsistent' Nicolas Kuhn
The Hoops winger's former club, RB Leipzig, are reportedly weighing up a £15million bid to take him back to his homeland after a strong first full season in the Scottish Premiership. That comes after links to Premier League duo Brighton and Bournemouth following a sparkling campaign with 21 goals and 15 assists. Celtic's player trading model has been on point in recent years and it would be another perfect example of bringing in a player for a relatively low transfer fee and flipping him for multiples of that. Bonner reckons it would make sense to cash in on a player who, while he has ability, isn't as consistent as he would like. Speaking to promote the Refugee World Cup, the former Hoops goalkeeper said: "I think all players are up for sale. In the modern world that we live in, everybody's up for sale. 'There's always a price, if that price is at a level then you have to say, okay, we have to make a decision here. 'Celtic paid, £2m or £3m, to make that profit, I think that you've got to look at it and you've got to say, well, if we can cash him in and bring somebody else in that's a wee bit more consistent with the same ability, that's the challenge. 'I think he's done really well to turn his game around and he was also a big part of the success last year, especially early on in the season. "If he does go out the door, he'll go out with people saying, 'Well done, thank you very much. You've contributed.' 'If he stays, then we want him to be more consistent next year, to continue to find form and get back to what he was doing really well.' After signing from Rapid Vienna, Kuhn struggled to put a run of form together. But after a settling in period and a pre-season, it all came together for him. Bonner admits he wasn't a huge fan to begin with but credits the player for sticking at it and coming good. 'When Kuhn came in, I, like many, said, he has to do something different," he added. "He looked as if he lacked confidence when he arrived. 'I don't know what his background was and what he was doing before he came but somebody obviously saw something in him to bring him in. 'I've got to give him a lot of credit, and I've got to give the staff a lot of credit, and Brendan himself, to almost turn around his career at that point in time. 'I didn't see it at the start, but the form he had at the start of the season was incredible. I was critical that he only did one thing, he turned back and he went inside. 'But then he started to get the balance right, go to the line, he mixed his game up, and he had pace, he always had pace. 'But he got a few injuries, and then he went off the boil again. And maybe that lack of consistency would be something that you might question.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
I had to fend off Celtic glove rivals by getting politicians on board and Kasper Schmeichel might have a similar scrap
Hoops legend Packie Bonner spent almost 20 year as no.1 at Parkhead and knows what it takes to remain the main man Packie Bonner had such a fierce scrap on his hands to keep hold of the Celtic no.1 shirt he called up MPs for hauners. And the Hoops hero reckons Kasper Schmeichel might have a similar fight to stop Viljami Sinisalo snatching the jersey next season. Bonner knows what it's like to be the main man at Parkhead and have others determined to take your place. The Irish legend saw off plenty in nearly two decades at the club and the sight of Shay Given back in town last week brought back memories of a particularly tough time. Bonner had Gordon Marshall and Stuart Kerr as competition in the mid-90s – but there was also Given coming up the ranks and future USA star Brad Friedel on the books. Those two would depart the club and go on to make more than 1000 English Premier League appearances between them – and hoover up more than 200 international caps. Bonner said: 'That's some list of goalkeepers. I was thinking, get rid of him, get rid of him, don't give him a chance! 'Brad couldn't get his work permit. I was talking to the politicians, saying don't give him one! You've got to fend them off!' Schmeichel is in the same boat now with Sinisalo pushing hard and Ross Doohan set to return to the club from Aberdeen. The big Dane enjoyed a superb first season in Scotland but suffered a disappointing end with a blunder in the Scottish Cup Final. Sinisalo impressed when he got the chance when Schmeichel was out injured and made no bones about the fact he wants to be the one handed the gloves as soon as possible. Bonner said: 'I loved that. I remember when my first contract was up and I went in to see big Billy. He was doing his hair in front of the mirror and I asked what was happening. 'He said, 'Oh, we've just taken up the option on your contract.' 'I didn't even know I signed that! I just said I wanted to be in the team, and he just kept doing his hair, and he didn't even look at me. 'But that resonates with the manager. I want to be the No.1. There are lots of people who want to be number two or three now because they're getting 15 grand a week, and they don't have to do anything. 'But if you want to be no.1 that's the profile you want. Who will be no.1? That's a good question. I thought Sinisalo did really well. 'We didn't know much about him. Every time I watched him in the warm-ups, he looked okay – but that's the warm-ups! 'Listen, I think he's got the profile. When you play with Celtic, or Rangers for that matter, you can do all the right things and it looks great and so on, but you have to make the big saves under pressure. 'It's sometimes not the repeated saves, it's the one when you have to pull it out when you're not maybe getting a lot to do. That's what keeps you in tournaments. That's what wins you games. 'With Sinisalo, we are wondering whether he can come up with that. That's what the likes of Joe Hart and Schmeichel have shown. "Forget the cup final, that was a one-off. It'll happen to everybody. 'But they have come up with the big saves at the right time. Andy Gorham did it for years, Jim Leighton did it for years. Peter Latchford did it for years. We make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes.' Bonner suspects Schmeichel will still get the nod but he's convinced the Denmark legend won't make a fuss if he is eventually usurped. He said: 'Kasper doesn't have to worry. He won't worry. At the end of the day, he'll either play or not. Even if he doesn't play, he's going to be very happy to be here. 'I was talking to his dad, had a good chat with his dad on the plane going out and coming back, and he was talking about how Kasper's really enjoying his time here at Celtic, and it's a breath of fresh air for him. 'He's won things, and he's in a team that's in Europe. It's a fantastic place to come for a goalkeeper of that nature. 'He's 38 years old, he knows he's in his last couple of years, and if he isn't no.1, he's going to be their support, and he's not going to throw the toys out of the pram. But it's important that Sinisalo wants that position. 'Goalkeepers are very different. We work together, we room together, even though we were fighting for the position. 'But you were never hostile to the person. You were good friends, and you got on, but you were challenging each other. 'That's different, maybe, than outfield players. It was the same with myself and Peter Latchford. He had a grasp of it. Yeah. And listen, Peter was great for me. 'Gerry Peyton was great for me with the Irish team. Maybe they knew they weren't going to get in!' Pat Bonner was launching the Refugee World Cup Scotland 2025 tournament at Toryglen Regional Football Centre on June 29. The event celebrated the diversity of communities in Scotland through football while standing up for the rights of refugees.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Celtic told the time could be right to sell 'inconsistent' Nicolas Kuhn as RB Leipzig line up £15m transfer bid
The Hoops star is a man in demand after a strong season in Scotland and a mega money offer could be on the way Packie Bonner admits the time could be right for Celtic to cash in on inconsistent Nicholas Kuhn. The Hoops winger is attracting attention from clubs in England and in Germany – with former side RB Leipzig understood to be considering a £15million bid. Celts are also in the hunt for a string from wide men with Swedish star Benjamin Nygren expected to arrive in a £2m deal from Nordsjaelland and Royal Antwerp's Michel-Ange Balikwisha also still in the mix. Kuhn overcame a slow start at Parkhead to become one of the stars of the campaign for the champions before suffering a dip in form towards the end of term. Bonner rates the 24-year-old but admitted it will be tempting for Celtic if a big bid lands. The Hoops legend said: 'I think all players are up for sale. In the modern world that we live in, everybody's up for sale. 'There's always a price, if that price is at a level then you have to say, okay, we have to make a decision here. 'When Kuhn came in, I, like many, said, he has to do something different. He looked as if he lacked confidence when he arrived (from Rapid Vienna). 'I don't know what his background was and what he was doing before he came but somebody obviously saw something in him to bring him in. 'I've got to give him a lot of credit, and I've got to give the staff a lot of credit, and Brendan himself, to almost turn around his career at that point in time. 'I didn't see it at the start, but the form he had at the start of the season was incredible. I was critical that he only did one thing, he turned back and he went inside. 'But then he started to get the balance right, go to the line, he mixed his game up, and he had pace, he always had pace. 'But he got a few injuries, and then he went off the boil again. And maybe that lack of consistency would be something that you might question. 'Celtic paid, £2m or £3m, to make that profit, I think that you've got to look at it and you've got to say, well, if we can cash him in and bring somebody else in that's a wee bit more consistent with the same ability, that's the challenge. 'Can you get that player for that? And maybe make a couple of million profit in that respect. That's Celtic's model and they've perfected it so well. 'I think he's done really well to turn his game around and he was also a big part of the success last year, especially early on in the season. "If he does go out the door, he'll go out with people saying, 'Well done, thank you very much. You've contributed.' 'If he stays, then we want him to be more consistent next year, to continue to find form and get back to what he was doing really well.' Sweden cap Nygren is expected to seal a Celtic deal, with Kieran Tierney already snapped up and Callum Osmand and Roos Doohan on the way. Bonner believes the attacker looks promising – but he is happy boss Brendan Rodgers is calling the shots. He said: 'I don't know much about Nygren. You're talking about profile. Does it sound as though he fits the bill? I would hope so. 'What I like, that I've seen develop over the last while, is that the manager seems to be the ultimate one at the end of the day that makes the choice. He said last year it's about bringing quality in over quantity or projects. 'Any manager will want to get that right and be in charge of it. And I think he is. Of course, there's a process, there's a system there that you have to feed into. "You can't do it on your own. But he has to trust that process or whoever's doing that and how to go about it. 'But ultimately, he's the guy in charge. I think Brendan's a very, very clever manager and he's a manager of people, and that really helps. 'He will know the personality he wants, whether he gets it or not, but I think he will develop the personality also. And he's shown that with Kuhn.' Pat Bonner was launching the Refugee World Cup Scotland 2025 tournament at Toryglen Regional Football Centre on June 29. The event celebrated the diversity of communities in Scotland through football while standing up for the rights of refugees.
