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BBC News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
The stats behind Lewis-Skelly's breakout campaign
An imminent new contract and a place on the shortlist for PFA Young Player of the Season are reward for Myles Lewis-Skelly's breakout season with Arsenal and 18-year-old was a ball-carrying central midfielder in Arsenal's academy but has excelled at left-back, with licence to step into midfield, since making his first Premier League start in running power and physical strength are among his key attributes. He was only dribbled past once in the Premier League, the best record of any player to have made at least 15 starts. He also won the most duels (six) per 90 minutes and ranked third for fouls won (3.1) per background as a midfielder is evidenced by a 93.6% pass accuracy, the fifth-highest figure in the division among all players to have featured for at least 1,000 minutes during England head coach Thomas Tuchel said after giving Lewis-Skelly his first England call-up in March, "he's nothing but impressive".
New York Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Lee Johnson on managing abroad: ‘It's crunch time for English coaches, we need success stories'
Next season's Premier League will probably start with only three English managers or head coaches. The lowest number of English bosses to feature across a full Premier League campaign is six. This pattern is not exclusive to the Premier League. In the Championship, fewer than half the head coaches are English. Of the 96 clubs in Europe's top five leagues, there are just four: Strasbourg's Liam Rosenior joining the Premier League trio of Eddie Howe, Scott Parker and Graham Potter. And last year, the Football Association (FA) chose German Thomas Tuchel as the most suitable candidate to coach England. Advertisement Lee Johnson is trying to reverse the trend. Appointed permanent head coach at Belgian second division club Lommel this month following a successful interim stint, Johnson has called on fellow English coaches to be 'brave' and to consider moving abroad. 'We need more success stories,' Johnson told The Athletic. 'It's crunch time for English coaches. Everyone dreams of managing in the Premier League, but no route guarantees it.' Johnson's managerial career began in 2013 at Oldham Athletic. Aged 31, he was the youngest manager in England's top four divisions. Six clubs and over 500 matches later, he is still younger than 16 Premier League head coaches. 'I feel the pressure of being an English coach, there is a label which doesn't have the respect because of the lack of names. That can change, but only once we start winning.' English coaches abroad are notable by their rarity. Will Still, appointed Southampton head coach this summer, was at Reims and then Lens in Ligue 1. Still, however, was born and raised in Belgium. Rosenior enjoyed a strong first season at Strasbourg, qualifying for the UEFA Conference League. 'There needs to be more structural support,' Johnson adds, 'but more coaches must be willing to believe in themselves and take that risk.' English coaches are part of an unforgiving culture. Through the lens of English football, managerial careers rise and then fall. Success leads to opportunities at higher ranked clubs, but one disappointing stint leads to a move backwards, often down a division — the drop is often irreversible. This managerial stock culture is different elsewhere, most notably Italy, where head coaches are regularly hired and fired and often coach multiple clubs at the same level. Earlier this month, Ivan Juric was appointed head coach at Atalanta — who finished third in Serie A in 2024-25 — following a difficult season at Roma and Southampton. While neither culture is perfect, Johnson believes the mentality of owners within England needs to change. Advertisement 'Chairmen and owners need to start viewing coaching hardship as a virtue,' Johnson says. 'Every club is different and so contextual with their own specific circumstances, certain coaches are just a better fit for that club's environment. Once a manager has had 150 games, they have experienced behind-the-scenes politics, the ups and downs with players and fans, and how to handle the media.' Johnson's coaching career through Oldham, Barnsley, Bristol City, Sunderland, Hibernian and Fleetwood Town broadly reflects the English view on coaching: a trajectory rising through the English divisions before a reverse. Yet Johnson, whose father Gary enjoyed a four-decade managerial career, says it is natural that coaches learn more from defeats. 'Now, I have a point to prove on a personal level too, there is extra motivation.' In March, Johnson was appointed head coach of Belgian second division side Lommel until the end of the season. Winless in 13 matches, Lommel were in danger of relegation. 'The approach had to be simplicity, clarity and conciseness,' says Johnson. His first game was a 1-0 win at league leaders Zulte Waregem, and he got a win against third-place Molenbeek. Earlier this month, Johnson's appointment was made permanent. Johnson's move to Belgium came after 15 months out of management, the first meaningful break in his coaching career. 'It felt like being on a treadmill,' Johnson says, speaking of the daily pressures of a multitude of managerial responsibilities. 'It's only when you are away from that cycle you realise you needed time to reflect, to rest, and to give the energy to your family.' The break gave Johnson time to help his teenage daughter with studying but he also enjoyed a range of eclectic coaching-related activities; visiting the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and leading grassroots coaching seminars before travelling; speaking to sports psychologists at FC Copenhagen in Denmark and scouting at youth tournaments in Nigeria. Advertisement 'The Nigeria trip was particularly beneficial,' Johnson says. 'I'd never been to Africa but it helped me understand the culture, what players need to go through, the hunger and work they need, but the luck too.' That experience is now directly useful at Lommel, where there are five African-born players. 'You have to stay curious, and I know this may sound a bit cringey but those opportunities give you a chance to work on yourself, the man-management skills and understanding you need for management,' Johnson added. 'There are great coaches who struggle to manage. 'You need to know how to speak with players when you leave them out of a squad or substitute them, but also having more empathy with players and colleagues, to understand how that time and energy can deliver results rather than conflicting with coaching time.' Lommel are part of the City Football Group (CFG), the ownership group who are majority-owned by Abu Dhabi whose flagship club is Manchester City. Since CFG acquired the club in 2020, there have been a succession of English managers, including Liam Manning, Brian Eastick, Steve Bould and Ryan Garry. During his year out of management, Johnson helped coach fringe players at City. He has long been close to CFG'S managing director of global football Brian Marwood, dating back to Johnson's youth career at Arsenal. 'Connections are important,' Johnson admits. 'After Fleetwood was when my stock was lowest, I still believed in myself, and so did CFG — I am very grateful for that.' Multi-ownership groups in football are not without controversies, but Johnson was keen to point out how Lommel's relationship with City helped them defeat Molenbeek. Lommel were without full-backs for that match, so Johnson worked on a tactical plan to shut down space centrally by inverting players in those positions. This was how Pep Guardiola had deployed John Stones during games, so they leaned on City's idea for their trigger to pull off the multi-player move. 'For 25 minutes or so we were absolutely brilliant, because we used that manoeuvre five or six times,' Johnson explains. 'It was a small detail that made a big difference. There are tactical, scouting, performance or data benefits that we can lean upon to tweak our own style.' Lommel present unique challenges; their side's average age in 2024-25 was 21.9 ('the youngest in the world for a senior side,' claims Johnson) with 16 nationalities. 'Finding ways to communicate is key but not always straightforward,' Johnson admits. 'Sometimes it must be through videos and gesticulating, or through positive body language. Me and the staff must make players feel at home. If players are emotionally stable, they have more self-confidence and can take risks in games, which is when their talent comes out.' Advertisement Johnson draws parallels to his objectives at Lommel to his time at Bristol City. 'When I joined, the objective was to stay up in the first season, reduce the age the following season and the third was moving forward; we reached the Carabao Cup semi-final, beating Manchester United en route, and challenged for the play-offs.' With Johnson's managerial career spanning over a decade, a lot has changed including the generation of players, technologies available to coach them and tactical shifts. Johnson speaks of the need to 'stay curious' in coaching; he encouraged the use of virtual-reality headsets to replicate in-game simulations during training drills, drones for training sessions and pitchside tactical monitors. 'You assess and trial what adds value, not because it's a gimmick.' Johnson's approach to innovation is the same as his messages to English coaches. 'Football is evolving and so must coaches. We should never stay in our comfort zone.' (Header image: Maarten Straetemans/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Manchester United report: Marcus Rashford transfer decision made, following 'repeat messages'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Rashford has made his mind up on his future. | Credit: Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images Marcus Rashford is leaving Manchester United for good this summer, with a decision made over his preferred destination. Advertisement The England international has been on United's books for 20 years, joining in 2005 as a seven-year-old, but left in January to join Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season, where he made 17 appearances. But having been exiled by Ruben Amorim, it appears that there is no way back for Rashford, who is still looking to force a way into Thomas Tuchel's 2026 World Cup squad. Marcus Rashford decision reached, with permanent Manchester United exit on the cards Credit: Alamy Rashford impressed at Villa last season, displacing Ollie Watkins as Unai Emery's first-choice striker for the Champions League quarter-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain, in which the Villans were eventually eliminated. Advertisement With the Midlands side struggling with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) concerns and Amorim having made it clear that he wants fresh impetus in attack, with the signing of Matheus Cunha and the pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo, Rashford's options appear to be elsewhere. Ruben Amorim doesn't want Rashford back | Credit: Getty Images Spanish title Marca reports that Rashford remains determined to sign for Barcelona this summer and has sent 'repeat messages' to those close to him about the desire for a move to Catalonia. It is even suggested that the 27-year-old is willing to make significant sacrifices over wages and playing time in order to secure the move, with Capology estimating him to be earning a base wage of £225,000-a-week. Advertisement FourFourTwo understands, however, that the move is complicated by Barça's own plans: Nico Williams and Luis Diaz are higher on the priority list than Rashford, though cost is an issue in both of those potential transfers. Rashford may well be a cost-effective fallback option for Blaugrana chief Hansi Flick, with Sport reporting via Sport Witness that the attacker will leave United for £34 million. Rashford wants to play for Hansi Flick | Credit: Getty Images This is significantly cheaper than the proposed £58m release clause on Williams and £72m asking price that Liverpool have set for Diaz. Transfermarkt values Rashford at €50m.
The Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly set to become one of world's best-paid young players after MUM negotiated new contract
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY is on the verge of signing a new Arsenal contract, according to reports. The 18-year-old has just over a year left on his existing terms with the Gunners. 4 4 It had previously been claimed negotiations over an extension were not going well, with Real Madrid keeping tabs on the situation. However, according to The Athletic, Lewis-Skelly is now on the verge of signing a lucrative new deal to keep him at the Emirates. It's reported the deal, negotiated by his mother and agent Marcia Lewis, will see him land a substantial pay rise to make him one of the best-paid youngsters in world football. Mikel Arteta is said to have been crucial in the talks. The deal will be the teenager's first since putting pen to paper on his first professional deal when he turned 17 in October 2023. Lewis-Skelly played in the Hale End academy primarily as a midfielder. But when he broke into the Gunners' first team earlier this season, he starred as a left-back, though he often inverted into a more familiar midfield role. His debut came in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City in September, before going on to play 39 times in all competitions, scoring once and adding three assists. Lewis-Skelly's impressive breakthrough season saw him earn an England call-up by Thomas Tuchel during the March international break. He scored in his first senior Three Lions game against Latvia, making history as the youngest debutant to do so aged 18 years and 176 days. Arsenal wonderkid Lewis-Skelly's mum reveals he's 'still on washing-up duty'... and how she nearly missed Man City goal The PFA have also announced he is in the running for the Young Player of the Year award, after being nominated alongside fellow Hale End graduate Ethan Nwaneri. They are up against Chelsea new boy Liam Delap, Aston Villa 's Morgan Rogers, Bournemouth star Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen, who left the Cherries and has already made his Real Madrid debut at the Club World Cup. In the meantime, Arsenal's fixture list for the 2025/26 Premier League season has been revealed. They face a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United start the season in a Sunday 4:30pm kick-off on August 17. With clashes against Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea all in their first six games, it is not a schedule rivals will envy. They are also in a race against time to land their top striker targets as they eye a major deal for the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko. 4
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Jude Bellingham is AGAIN caught in x-rated rant at an official - just days after Thomas Tuchel admitted his own mother is REPULSED by Real Madrid star's on-pitch behaviour
Jude Bellingham rudely barked and swore at an official yet again in Real Madrid 's Club World Cup opener against Al-Hilal. The 21-year-old shouted an offensive term at the linesman amid increased focus on his sometimes brash behaviour after England boss Thomas Tuchel admitted his mother finds his on-field demeanour 'repulsive'. The midfielder berated the linesman after Joao Cancelo kicked the ball against him and out for a throw for the Saudi Pro League side. But the England star was adamant that it took another nick off the former Manchester City defender, leading him to shout 'our ball, our ball, f*** off' at the linesman. Bellingham admonished the offical during a hard-fought draw with Ai-Hilal in Madrid's Club World Cup match at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Real have won the Club World Cup on six occasions, mostly recently in 2022, and Gonzalo Garcia struck first after 34 minutes to give the Spanish giants the lead. 🚨 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Jude Bellingham to the linesman: 'Our ball, our ball! F*CK OFF!' — The Touchline | Football Coverage (@TouchlineX) June 18, 2025 But Los Blancos, who won the competition three years in a row from 2016 to 2018, were pegged back when former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves struck in an equalising penalty late in the second half. Federico Valverde then missed a stoppage time penalty, given after a VAR review, to prevent Madrid claiming a win on Trent Alexander-Arnold's debut and Xabi Alonso's first game in charge. Bellingham grew into the contest as it went on but he was unable to make the difference. His outburst at the linesman came just eight days after he was panned for kicking a water cooler in rage following the Three Lions' defeat by Senegal. He chased down the fourth official and booted a water cooler on full-time at the City Ground after his late goal was disallowed. In an extraordinary interview, Tuchel then revealed that his behaviour can intimidate team-mates because of his over-aggressive manner and have a negative impact on the team. Bellingham's attitude towards team-mates was also questioned at last summer's Euros. He was also handed a two-match suspension for swearing at a referee in a 1-1 La Liga draw with Osasuna in February. He was dismissed by referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero for foul and abusive language but the Englishman was adamant that he had not been abusive towards the referee, who accused the midfielder of telling him: 'F*** you'. Bellingham's account was that he had said: 'f*** off', but that these words were aimed at himself in frustration, rather than at the match official. The former Borussia Dortmund player was also caught swearing at the referee during Madrid's 3-1 defeat by AC Milan in the Champions League in November. Meanwhile, Real Madrid take on Mexican side Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg in theier next group fixtures in the US.
