'We all want to turn the page quickly'
'Proactive and entertaining' football
Style of play became a big talking point among supporters under Martin, who was known for his possession-based approach.When it worked well there was success, but fans became frustrated with some aspects of his coaching, and ultimately results. When Southampton announced Still as their new manager they described him as "one of the brightest young coaching talents in Europe.", externalLast season he took Lens to an eighth-place finish in Ligue 1 and at Reims he became the youngest manager in Europe's top five leagues.So what style of football will the new boss bring to Southampton? "We want to be proactive and entertaining," Still said."I've always said that we need to bring the supporters with us. It's easy to say now that we want to play sexy football, but we have to actually do it now."Being proactive is just taking initiative, being brave and positive in everything we do - it's what I have always done and what I would love to do with this team." Southampton's players are back for pre-season training ahead of a trip to Spain and some scheduled friendlies. They will play National League side Eastleigh before facing Espanyol and then Brighton at St Mary's in early August. "I think everyone is so excited to get going again and make it a real positive season," Still said."The potential of the club attracted me to come. If you look at the infrastructure, size and history of the club it is huge."It was a huge opportunity and I believe this is the right club at the right time with the right people."
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Times
35 minutes ago
- Times
Frail, exposed and outgunned Lionesses in real danger of premature exit
England's worst fears are realised. The Lionesses began their Euros title defence by letting France outgun, outrun and overpower them, and they will almost certainly be knocked out on Wednesday if they lose to the Netherlands, who beat Wales 3-0 earlier yesterday. England can point to several marginal calls going France's way but they reacted poorly to their bad luck, could not handle France's searing attack, and were 2-0 down at half-time. Keira Walsh's goal set up a frantic finale but France held on, despite Michelle Agyemang being denied by Selma Bacha's heroic block and Bacha clearing Lauren Hemp's shot off the line. The late rally cannot mask England's frailties during what was Sarina Wiegman's first Euros loss in her 13th match as head coach. Jess Carter was exposed at left back. Keira Walsh was isolated in midfield. The entire defence struggled with France's raw pace — as it also did against less talented but similarly fast forwards in South Africa and Belgium. Lauren James was named in England's XI, meaning she started for the first time in three months. The Chelsea forward looked good off the bench in last Sunday's 7-0 win over Jamaica — which was her comeback from a hamstring injury — and replaced Ella Toone in England's only change from that victory. Elsewhere, Alex Greenwood partnered Leah Williamson at centre back to earn her 100th cap. England started quickly. James wasted a good chance by firing over inside 38 seconds, but swiftly sent in a teasing cross that was more encouraging — even if it narrowly eluded Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo. France found their feet, but lacked the incisiveness of James. She appeared to have created the opener after 15 minutes by gliding through the France midfield and finding Beth Mead with a sweeping pass. Mead found Hemp, whose shot was saved before Russo steered home the rebound. Yet England's celebrations were short-lived, with the semi-automated technology revealing that Mead's shoulder was barely millimetres offside. Mead was gaining no advantage but razor-tight, somewhat confounding decisions are inevitable in the age of VAR. In any case, France were galvanised by the reprieve and England reacted poorly to the false dawn. Hannah Hampton, perhaps embodying the pressure of the Mary Earps comparisons on her major-tournament debut, was fortunate that Sakina Karchaoui sent a lob wide when the England goalkeeper was stranded. Hampton did save well from Élisa De Almeida, but it merely delayed France's onslaught. De Almeida soon picked off a limp Georgia Stanway pass and caught Jess Carter out of position with a ball down the right to Delphine Cascarino, who had the beating of Carter throughout the first half. Cascarino crossed to Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who lost Williamson with a dash of clever movement and had a tap-in. Suddenly, France's momentum was too much for an increasingly lethargic England. Three minutes later, France regained possession in the opposition half, Sandy Baltimore barged off Lucy Bronze and weaved past a flat-footed Williamson, then fired past Hampton. The goal stood despite a VAR check for a possible foul in the build-up. Although Maëlle Lakrar clipped Russo's foot before winning the ball, it was probably a 50-50 call. Sarina Wiegman, who perhaps still had England's disallowed goal in mind, was left uncharacteristically spewing on the touchline. She had a huge job to do at half-time. However, she made no changes. Wiegman rarely veers from plan A easily, but England needed a fresh injection of spark and bite. Mead tried to bring some energy by bumping Karchaoui off the ball and bearing down on goal, but the referee believed she had committed a foul. Wiegman was furious again, as was Mead. Still, England remained laboured. Russo, coming off such a brilliant season with Arsenal, wasted a promising opening with a heavy touch. GETTY At the other end, Hampton just about kept out Grace Geyoro's low drive after Mead inadvertently created the chance with a terribly sloppy pass. Carter's struggles continued, with a lightning-quick one-two leaving her isolated and characterising her lack of control or support. The left back was one of three hauled off on the hour, as she was replaced by Niamh Charles. James and Mead also made way for Toone and Chloe Kelly. Neat players, but neither teem with the dynamism England required. By contrast, France could substitute Baltimore and Cascarino for a couple more electric attackers in Kadidiatou Diani and Melvine Malard. Diani nearly profited from an inexcusable Hampton fumble, but England scrambled to safety to avoid further embarrassment. That Karchaoui did not even receive a yellow card for sliding her studs into Williamson's left knee would have only fuelled England's sense of injustice. Toone then received the game's first booking for a challenge nowhere near as bad. Just as England's hopes seemed extinguished, Walsh scored with their first shot on target by finishing well after a corner was cleared to her. Seconds earlier, Wiegman had sent on Agyemang, the imposing 19-year-old, to try to replicate France's attacking presence. She made an impact, but it was too little, too late. France (4-3-3): P Peyraud-Magnin — É De Almeida (M N'Dongala 80min), M Lakrar, A Sombath, S Bacha — S Karchaoui (S Toletti 80), O Jean-François, G Geyoro — S Baltimore (M Malard 62), M Katoto (C Mateo 62), D Cascarino (K Diani 62). England (4-2-3-1): H Hampton — L Bronze, L Williamson, A Greenwood (M Agyemang 86min), J Carter (N Charles 60) — K Walsh, G Stanway (G Clinton 77) — B Mead (C Kelly 60), L James (E Toone 60), L Hemp — A Russo.
The Guardian
36 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Baltimore fires France to opening win against England to end Wiegman's Euro record
The folded bodies of the players in white shirts at the close told the story. England were lacklustre and they are down, but they are not out. The Lionesses kicked off their European title defence with a 2-1 defeat by an impressive France team, delivering Sarina Wiegman's first major tournament defeat outside of a final. After a promising and pressing start fell away, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore delivered for a resurgent France, Keira Walsh's late strike from a corner reducing the reigning European champions' blushes. A late charge was not enough and England have a lot of work to do to escape the tournament's group of death. There had been a cautious optimism around England fans in the buildup, a feeling that the holders would be able to assert their authority on the competition in the showpiece of the opening set of fixtures. In the French press, pessimism was the order of the day, the unceremonious dropping of the long-term captain, Wendie Renard, and the record goalscorer, Eugenie Le Sommer, the key talking point. It felt like an even more outrageous decision with Griedge Mbock struggling to shake off a calf issue that Laurent Bonadei all but confirmed ruled her out of their first match. The manager had provoked some raised eyebrows when he quoted Einstein in reply to questions about Renard's omission for the first time since 2005, saying the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again. He had a point: the French had played 26 games at the Women's Euros before this fixture but have never made the final. They have been perennial underachievers, awash with individual talent but crippled by off the field issues, dressing room controversy and poor coaching. The ferocity with which England burst out the blocks at a balmy Stadion Letzigrund in front of 22,542 fans will have not eased French nerves and they were lucky to not be behind inside the opening minute. While Renard's absence dominated French headlines, the potential return of Lauren James – and the price of everything in Switzerland – was the talk of England's media and fans. Her name in the starting XI was an extremely welcome sight, the forward, a generational talent, having played just 30 minutes of football in three months, when she came on against Jamaica in England's sendoff game last Sunday. It was James who almost caught France out. England's press won the ball and Alessia Russo found space down the right to cut back for James, who fired wildly over inside 39 seconds. She was the outlet in a blistering opening 20 minutes for the defending champions, soon making a powerful run followed by a beautiful and testing cross into the middle with which neither Russo or Beth Mead could quite connect. Wiegman's side thought they had the lead in the 16th minute and it would have been deserved, Russo firing a rebound past Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, who had saved from Lauren Hemp. A video assistant referee check ruled it out for an offside in the buildup, but replays and stills were confusing, suggesting the most hairline of calls. There was a cagier period after the disallowed goal, the wind seemingly out of England's sails a little, and the French began to settle, finding joy out wide, particularly on the right against a somewhat bullied Jess Carter. A fine instinctive save from the foot of Hannah Hampton, freshly handed the No 1 shirt full time after the retirement of Mary Earps, spared England, although VAR also intervened for an offside. The goal was coming, though. England's passing was, put kindly, sloppy and France were quick to capitalise. Stanway was the culprit for the opener, her short pass pounced on by De Almeida. The full-back released Delphine Cascarino, who was untroubled by Carter, and pinged a cross in towards Katoto, who turned the ball coolly in. It was a bruising move. Six minutes later Les Bleues had a second and more calamitous defending proved costly. Lucy Bronze raced in to assist Leah Williamson as she tracked Baltimore but the full-back made a hash of her tackle and ended up on the floor poking the ball back to the Chelsea forward, who slammed across goal and in. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion England were rattled and France just looked hungrier. It took until the hour mark for Wiegman to make changes and it felt overdue: James, who was kept quiet after that blistering start, was hooked for Ella Toone, Mead made way for Chloe Kelly and Carter was spared facing forward Kadidiatou Diani, one of three France substitutions, when she was replaced by Charles. Concerningly, England just looked a little lost, unable to adapt to counteract the fluidity of the cohesive French. Toone fired wide late on, the ball taking a deflection on the way, and Wiegman played her hail Mary, sending on the 19-year-old Arsenal forward Michelle Agyemang as they waited to take the corner. The set piece was cleared as far as Walsh, who fired in from the edge of the box. Agyemang caused problems for the French defence, but she just didn't have enough time. All is not lost. As Bronze pointed out in the buildup, England lost to France in their opening game of the 2015 World Cup before going on to record their best ever tournament run at the time, when they suffered semi-final heartbreak against Japan. The difference now is the strength of the group. They face the Netherlands next, who earned a 3-0 win over Wales in the early kick-off, before the home nations battle it out.
Reuters
36 minutes ago
- Reuters
Reigning champions England beaten 2-1 by France in Women's Euro opener
July 5 (Reuters) - France forwards Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore scored first-half goals as they beat reigning champions England 2-1 in their Women's Euro Group D opener on Saturday, handing Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman her first defeat at the finals of the competition. After championship-winning runs with Netherlands in 2017 and England in 2022, Wiegman came into the game unbeaten in 12 games at the Euro finals, but the beginning of the end of that run came when Katoto scored from close range in the 36th minute. Her goal was the result of a brilliantly simple counter-attack, with Elisa De Almeida winning the ball and sending it down the line for Delphine Cascarino to chase and she squared it perfectly for Katoto to score with a simple finish. The second goal three minutes later was a virtuoso solo performance from Sandy Baltimore, who dribbled and jinked and almost lost the ball before firing it high over Hampton into the net from a tight angle. An uncharacteristically rudderless England did not register a shot on target until Keira Walsh reduced the deficit with a strike from distance in the 87th minute, prompting a late charge from the Lionesses. Alessia Russo and Grace Clinton both went close and 19-year-old substitute Michelle Agyemang had a goal-bound effort blocked by Selma Bacha, who threw herself at everything to protect the French goal in the closing minutes as her side hung on to win. Netherlands, who beat debutantes Wales 3-0 earlier on Saturday, top the group after the first round of games ahead of their clash with England on Wednesday in Zurich, while France can book their spot in the knockout stage with a win over Wales in St. Gallen the same evening.
