Latest news with #ex-Australia
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Ex-SPFL star quits manager job after two months as historic club faces first EVER relegation two years after title win
The club have won titles under two Old Firm heroes in recent years NOR WAY BACK Ex-SPFL star quits manager job after two months as historic club faces first EVER relegation two years after title win Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A former Celtic manager and an ex-Rangers star have both led the club to championship glory in recent years. But now, a historic club are facing up to the possibility of what would be a first EVER relegation. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Patrick Kisnorbo was a key player during two years at Hearts Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow 3 He was capped 18 times by Australia Credit: Reuters 3 He's left his most recent managerial role Credit: Getty Yokohama F. Marinos reached the top level of Japanese football in 1982 and they've been there ever since. They've won the five times, most recently just over two years ago. That title triumph came under the management of former Rangers defender Kevin Muscat. Three years before that, they were also crowned champions under Ange Postecoglou who would move on to Celtic a matter of months later. They fell short of retaining the title under Muscat in 2023 as the finished second behind Vissel Kobe. Last season saw a disappointing eighth placed finish, with former Celtic coach Harry Kewell being sacked mid-season after just seven months in charge. Unfortunately for the club, this season is verging on disaster. Former Chelsea and England assistant manager Steve Holland was appointed manager ahead of the new campaign in December but was sacked in April. His assistant - former Hearts defender Patrick Kisnorbo - took over on an interim basis initially before being handed the reins permanently. However, the ex-Australia international has failed to oversee any kind of major turnaround. Derek McInnes spotted leaving Rugby Park for last time as Kilmarnock fans thank ex-manager Kisnorbo lost his first five matches as interim boss, before recording back-to-back wins over Kashima Antlers - the league leaders - and Machida Zelvia. It was a brief reprieve, however, with Yokohama losing 1-0 at Albirex Niigata on Sunday. With half of the season gone, Yokohama incredibly sit BOTTOM of the table. With just three wins from 19 games, they're rock bottom at that and find themselves six points adrift of safety. The dire situation has led to yet another change of manager. The club have confirmed Kisnorbo has decided to QUIT the role after just two months. He's left with immediate effect. Kisnorbo, 44, spent two years with Hearts between 2003 and 2005. Signed from hometown club South Melbourne, he became a key man for the Jambos playing in both defence and midfield. He played 48 times for Hearts and scored once - a strike in a 2-1 derby win over Edinburgh rivals Hibs. Kisnorbo was one of the Scottish-based players taken to Leicester by his former Jambos boss Craig Levein in 2005 and he enjoyed four years with the foxes. He had a four-year stint at Leeds United too before returning to Australia with Melbourne City in 2013. Kisnorbo quickly moved into coaching after hanging up his boots in 2016, taking charge of Melbourne City Women between 2017 and 2018 and then becoming boss of the men's team in 2020. Kisnorbo led the club to their first A-League Championship in his first season as boss. He moved within the City Football Group in 2022, leaving Melbourne City to take over at French club Troyes. He couldn't continue his success, however, with the club relegated to Ligue 2. Kisnorbo departed after just over a year in charge in December 2023. Last summer, he took over at Melbourne Victory - former club City's big rivals - but was sacked just seven games into a three-year contract. That was despite winning five of those matches. Kisnorbo became Holland's assistant in Yokohama at the end of last year before becoming manager in April. However, exactly two months on, he's now exited the role. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Glasgow Times
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Steve Smith not thinking about Ashes as Australia prepare for World Test final
England have been vocal about their long-term planning being geared towards building a team capable of wresting the urn from Australia for the first time in a decade ahead of the 2025-26 series Down Under. However, Smith is zoned in on this week's World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's, starting on Wednesday, before Australia head to the Caribbean for three Tests and five T20s. Steve Smith trains at Lord's ahead of the World Test Championship final (Ben Whitley/PA) 'The Ashes is a big series but you also can't look too far ahead,' said Smith, winner of the Compton–Miller Medal for player of the Ashes series in 2017-18 and 2019. 'You've got to keep playing each game as it comes, every game is important with the World Test Championship on the line. 'That's the reason it came in: to make every Test more relevant. We go to the West Indies next week and we've got a series there, that'll be the next focus after this game.' Australia's last Test visit to Lord's in the 2023 Ashes saw an extraordinary bust-up between a couple of players and Marylebone Cricket Club members, one of whom was expelled and two others suspended. Asked about sort of reception he is anticipating from the members this time, Smith replied: 'Unsure, and I'm actually not fussed either way.' Australia defeated India in the 2023 final and are overwhelming favourites to see off the Proteas, whose place at the showpiece has been questioned, including by former England captain Michael Vaughan. Vaughan said they got there 'on the back of beating pretty much nobody', while ex-Australia spinner Kerry O'Keeffe likened their run to 'making the Wimbledon final without playing a seed along the way'. South Africa played only a dozen Tests in the 2023-25 edition and did not have to face either England or Australia, although six successive wins saw them book their spot in the final with a match to spare. Head coach Shukri Conrad said: 'I'm tired of speaking about it, we're here and that's all that matters. We get a chance to walk away World Test champions. 'Playing Australia, it doesn't get any bigger than that. What's gone before counts for absolutely nothing at the minute. We're quietly confident going into this game that we can pull one over them. 'We still hold Test cricket very dearly, our fixture list might not speak to that, but this is the biggest final all of our players have ever been involved in and their biggest match.' Stuart Broad joined South Africa as a consultant on Monday (Ben Whitley/PA) Conrad and his coaching staff had dinner on Sunday evening with former England seamer Stuart Broad, who took 113 of his 604 Test wickets at Lord's and has more dismissals against Australia than anyone else. Broad joined South Africa as a consultant at practice on Monday to pass on tips to the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen about dealing with the notorious slope at the home of cricket. 'It was just a casual chat and if I didn't call time at 10:30pm, I think he'd still be there chatting to us,' Conrad said. 'It was really enlightening, really casual and everybody walked away thinking 'that was great', Broady included.'
South Wales Guardian
09-06-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Steve Smith not thinking about Ashes as Australia prepare for World Test final
England have been vocal about their long-term planning being geared towards building a team capable of wresting the urn from Australia for the first time in a decade ahead of the 2025-26 series Down Under. However, Smith is zoned in on this week's World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's, starting on Wednesday, before Australia head to the Caribbean for three Tests and five T20s. 'The Ashes is a big series but you also can't look too far ahead,' said Smith, winner of the Compton–Miller Medal for player of the Ashes series in 2017-18 and 2019. 'You've got to keep playing each game as it comes, every game is important with the World Test Championship on the line. 'That's the reason it came in: to make every Test more relevant. We go to the West Indies next week and we've got a series there, that'll be the next focus after this game.' Australia's last Test visit to Lord's in the 2023 Ashes saw an extraordinary bust-up between a couple of players and Marylebone Cricket Club members, one of whom was expelled and two others suspended. Asked about sort of reception he is anticipating from the members this time, Smith replied: 'Unsure, and I'm actually not fussed either way.' Australia defeated India in the 2023 final and are overwhelming favourites to see off the Proteas, whose place at the showpiece has been questioned, including by former England captain Michael Vaughan. Vaughan said they got there 'on the back of beating pretty much nobody', while ex-Australia spinner Kerry O'Keeffe likened their run to 'making the Wimbledon final without playing a seed along the way'. South Africa played only a dozen Tests in the 2023-25 edition and did not have to face either England or Australia, although six successive wins saw them book their spot in the final with a match to spare. Head coach Shukri Conrad said: 'I'm tired of speaking about it, we're here and that's all that matters. We get a chance to walk away World Test champions. 'Playing Australia, it doesn't get any bigger than that. What's gone before counts for absolutely nothing at the minute. We're quietly confident going into this game that we can pull one over them. 'We still hold Test cricket very dearly, our fixture list might not speak to that, but this is the biggest final all of our players have ever been involved in and their biggest match.' Conrad and his coaching staff had dinner on Sunday evening with former England seamer Stuart Broad, who took 113 of his 604 Test wickets at Lord's and has more dismissals against Australia than anyone else. Broad joined South Africa as a consultant at practice on Monday to pass on tips to the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen about dealing with the notorious slope at the home of cricket. 'It was just a casual chat and if I didn't call time at 10:30pm, I think he'd still be there chatting to us,' Conrad said. 'It was really enlightening, really casual and everybody walked away thinking 'that was great', Broady included.'
Leader Live
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Steve Smith not thinking about Ashes as Australia prepare for World Test final
England have been vocal about their long-term planning being geared towards building a team capable of wresting the urn from Australia for the first time in a decade ahead of the 2025-26 series Down Under. However, Smith is zoned in on this week's World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's, starting on Wednesday, before Australia head to the Caribbean for three Tests and five T20s. 'The Ashes is a big series but you also can't look too far ahead,' said Smith, winner of the Compton–Miller Medal for player of the Ashes series in 2017-18 and 2019. 'You've got to keep playing each game as it comes, every game is important with the World Test Championship on the line. 'That's the reason it came in: to make every Test more relevant. We go to the West Indies next week and we've got a series there, that'll be the next focus after this game.' Australia's last Test visit to Lord's in the 2023 Ashes saw an extraordinary bust-up between a couple of players and Marylebone Cricket Club members, one of whom was expelled and two others suspended. Asked about sort of reception he is anticipating from the members this time, Smith replied: 'Unsure, and I'm actually not fussed either way.' Australia defeated India in the 2023 final and are overwhelming favourites to see off the Proteas, whose place at the showpiece has been questioned, including by former England captain Michael Vaughan. Vaughan said they got there 'on the back of beating pretty much nobody', while ex-Australia spinner Kerry O'Keeffe likened their run to 'making the Wimbledon final without playing a seed along the way'. South Africa played only a dozen Tests in the 2023-25 edition and did not have to face either England or Australia, although six successive wins saw them book their spot in the final with a match to spare. Head coach Shukri Conrad said: 'I'm tired of speaking about it, we're here and that's all that matters. We get a chance to walk away World Test champions. 'Playing Australia, it doesn't get any bigger than that. What's gone before counts for absolutely nothing at the minute. We're quietly confident going into this game that we can pull one over them. 'We still hold Test cricket very dearly, our fixture list might not speak to that, but this is the biggest final all of our players have ever been involved in and their biggest match.' Conrad and his coaching staff had dinner on Sunday evening with former England seamer Stuart Broad, who took 113 of his 604 Test wickets at Lord's and has more dismissals against Australia than anyone else. Broad joined South Africa as a consultant at practice on Monday to pass on tips to the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen about dealing with the notorious slope at the home of cricket. 'It was just a casual chat and if I didn't call time at 10:30pm, I think he'd still be there chatting to us,' Conrad said. 'It was really enlightening, really casual and everybody walked away thinking 'that was great', Broady included.'
Rhyl Journal
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Steve Smith not thinking about Ashes as Australia prepare for World Test final
England have been vocal about their long-term planning being geared towards building a team capable of wresting the urn from Australia for the first time in a decade ahead of the 2025-26 series Down Under. However, Smith is zoned in on this week's World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's, starting on Wednesday, before Australia head to the Caribbean for three Tests and five T20s. 'The Ashes is a big series but you also can't look too far ahead,' said Smith, winner of the Compton–Miller Medal for player of the Ashes series in 2017-18 and 2019. 'You've got to keep playing each game as it comes, every game is important with the World Test Championship on the line. 'That's the reason it came in: to make every Test more relevant. We go to the West Indies next week and we've got a series there, that'll be the next focus after this game.' Australia's last Test visit to Lord's in the 2023 Ashes saw an extraordinary bust-up between a couple of players and Marylebone Cricket Club members, one of whom was expelled and two others suspended. Asked about sort of reception he is anticipating from the members this time, Smith replied: 'Unsure, and I'm actually not fussed either way.' Australia defeated India in the 2023 final and are overwhelming favourites to see off the Proteas, whose place at the showpiece has been questioned, including by former England captain Michael Vaughan. Vaughan said they got there 'on the back of beating pretty much nobody', while ex-Australia spinner Kerry O'Keeffe likened their run to 'making the Wimbledon final without playing a seed along the way'. South Africa played only a dozen Tests in the 2023-25 edition and did not have to face either England or Australia, although six successive wins saw them book their spot in the final with a match to spare. Head coach Shukri Conrad said: 'I'm tired of speaking about it, we're here and that's all that matters. We get a chance to walk away World Test champions. 'Playing Australia, it doesn't get any bigger than that. What's gone before counts for absolutely nothing at the minute. We're quietly confident going into this game that we can pull one over them. 'We still hold Test cricket very dearly, our fixture list might not speak to that, but this is the biggest final all of our players have ever been involved in and their biggest match.' Conrad and his coaching staff had dinner on Sunday evening with former England seamer Stuart Broad, who took 113 of his 604 Test wickets at Lord's and has more dismissals against Australia than anyone else. Broad joined South Africa as a consultant at practice on Monday to pass on tips to the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen about dealing with the notorious slope at the home of cricket. 'It was just a casual chat and if I didn't call time at 10:30pm, I think he'd still be there chatting to us,' Conrad said. 'It was really enlightening, really casual and everybody walked away thinking 'that was great', Broady included.'
