
Next few games 'massive' in bid to beat drop

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Telegraph
40 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Hull City hit with transfer embargo
Hull City have been placed under a transfer embargo by the Football League as fears grow over the financial stability of the Championship club. Telegraph Sport understands Hull are under increasing scrutiny over alleged non-payments to other clubs and local suppliers, with possible further sanctions including the prospect of severe restrictions over the next three transfer windows. Hull owe almost £1 million to one Premier League club and with concerns over future instalments agreed with other clubs the EFL has now taken action by imposing a registration embargo. The ban means that Hull will not be permitted to register new players without the consent of the EFL, while they will only be allowed to sign free agents or signings that do not involve any fees. Hull are in talks with the EFL over their long-term financial situation, with the prospect of further action this month. While Acun Ilicali, Hull's Turkish owner, has pumped huge amounts of money into the club since his takeover three years ago, there are alarm bells ringing over cash-flow and various financial issues. Earlier this week a deal to sign Aston Villa striker Louie Barry collapsed after a breakdown in negotiations with the player's representatives. Hull are under pressure to deliver certain financial information and the EFL could veto any transfer deals until they are satisfied with funding for future seasons. A range of sanctions could be possible, including a transfer ban or the club being placed under a strict business plan. If Hull also exceed the 30-day rule for late payments, they could also be subjected to a three-window transfer restriction which has been imposed on Sheffield Wednesday. Ilicali told supporters at a fans' forum earlier this week: 'We don't have financial problems. It's true we are spending too much money. 'Sometimes you can have little technical problems. The club has loans, but those loans are to me. I will not ask for all the loans.' Hull avoided relegation on the final day of last season, with Ilicali then dismissing head coach Ruben Selles after a review of the campaign. Selles has been replaced by the vastly experienced Bosnian manager Sergej Jakirovic. Ilicali, an entrepreneur and media mogul, acquired the club in January 2022 for a fee of around £30 million.


Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Nectar Triantis remains Hibs top transfer target but David Gray warns he's not their only option as wait window closes
Traintis has since returned to parent club Sunderland and their promotion to the English Premier League has complicated matters David Gray has reiterated that Nectar Triantis remains Hibs ' top target - but he is not their only option to fill that midfield berth. The Australian had a successful loan spell at Easter Road last season and was shortlisted for the PFA Scotland young player of the year award. Triantis has since gone back to Sunderland, who have just been promoted to the English Premier League, as he weighs up his next move. Hibs boss Gray acknowledged: 'You don't want to just be waiting around. We've got a clear plan of what we need to do. 'We're not just going to sit here and pin our hopes on a player deciding what he wants to do. We've made our interests very clear. 'Everybody's aware of that, but we're also working extremely hard to make sure we bring in quality in that position and the right type of people. 'We talk about that all the time. That work's never stopped. 'Nectar was clearly a loan player last season as well. We were always going to be at this point, depending on if it went well or not. 'I think Nectar was fantastic last season. Loads of improvement. 'It's always going to be something that's never going to happen overnight just purely because of how well he's done. He's going to attract a lot of interest. 'His parent club have just been promoted to the Premier League so they're going through a bit of a transition as to what their plan is going to be moving forward.' Hibs have targeted other midfield targets south of the border but Triantis still remains the main man. Gray added: 'For us, he's a big part of what we've done last season. 'When fit, he played nearly every minute of every game. He was a huge player for us last season. 'That's part of being a young player at such a big club. 'That's why nothing will happen really quickly at that stage because their priority will be dealing with the Premier League and what that looks like, how they jump from the Championship to the Premier League and the importance of trying to stay in that league and what that looks like. 'For a young player who's been on loan last season and who's done really, really well, they'll still have to go back and see exactly what it looks like. I'm sure there'll be conversations being had about what's best for Nectar. 'You just touched on the other levels and the money that can get spent at that sort of level. That's why nothing will happen directly overnight. 'There is always a process that everybody will have to go through and try to find out what's best out for everyone.' Gray has been delighted that Rocky Bushiri and Junior Hoilett have both committed. He added: 'I think I spoke so many times now about how good the group was last season - and they were two big parts of that,' said Gray. 'I think not just in their performance levels, but how they are every day around the building. Both leaders in different ways.'


Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Matt Sherratt's reasons for taking Wales job and three questions he asked players
Matt Sherratt's reasons for taking Wales job and three questions he asked players Cardiff Rugby boss Matt Sherratt is in charge on an interim basis this summer in Japan Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt says surveying the players, listening to his family and harbouring one major regret from the Six Nations were all behind taking on the job once again for the summer tour of Japan. The Cardiff boss was parachuted in as interim for the final three matches of the Six Nations, following Warren Gatland's mid-tournament departure following a difficult second spell in charge. While Sherratt wasn't able to end the lengthy losing run, he did instil some much-needed positivity as life after Gatland began for the second time around. With no replacement for the Kiwi in place, Sherratt has once again assumed the interim role - filling his coaching ticket with a trusted team of lieutenants. However, it wasn't a given that Sherratt would have accepted the role - something he explained to the travelling press in Japan as he outlined his reasons for doing the job again. Earlier this week, it was revealed by assistant coach T. Rhys Thomas that Sherratt has given a questionnaire to his squad, with Joe Roberts confirming on WalesOnline's Welsh Rugby Podcast that the vast majority of the squad - 30 out of 33 - said the target was nothing less than two victories in Japan. After naming his team, Sherratt revealed the feedback he'd received from his player survey, saying: "I spoke to the players before we came away. I wondered what their motivation was and why they were coming here. Article continues below "The short answer was they want to win for Wales. For the future, it's probably the end of something, this tour. Let's hope it's the start of something and they can start on a level playing field." Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for the exclusive five-week tour diary from Japan and Australia. However, when he was asked after his live press conference whether the feedback he got from his playing squad had achieved the desired effect, he admitted it was more to do with confirming he wanted to lead Wales in Japan this summer. "Do you know why I did it? I'll be brutally honest," said Sherratt as he launched into the lengthy answer. "When I got asked to do it again, it was the decision for me. Obviously doing Cardiff, having some family time is important in this job. "I knew I'd miss that. Career-wise as well, it's a tough challenge. We know Wales are in a little bit of a rebuild. "But when I really considered it, my family really wanted me to do it. They loved the Six Nations, which is why we all do our jobs really - for other people. "I really enjoyed working with different players, getting to know Scarlets and Dragons players, boys in the Prem as well. And probably my biggest regret was not getting a win for Wales. "I've obviously seen it from the outside before, and during the autumn, but the support during a Six Nations from the general public, just walking through Cardiff, the passion of the nation was pretty humbling. I really regretted not being able to win for the country. "So probably the three things that hit home for me were giving my family a really good experience, I really enjoyed working with other people and regretting not getting a win. I kind of thought I wonder why the players wanted to go. "I asked Toby if he wanted to go. He said yes straight away. Josh Adams was determined to go. Dewi Lake, boys who could have had a bit of a break. "So I just sent the players - it wasn't anything wordy, just three questions. What motivates you to play, what do you want to get out of the trip and what are you going to bring? "Literally everyone was I play for my family, I want to enjoy the trip and I want to win for Wales. So we've built everything around that. "It just hit home that we're all doing it for the same reason. Rather than think about the baggage around playing for Wales and the win/loss ratio at the moment, let's just strip it back and go there for the right reasons in terms of why we all want to be there. "That's how we've themed the tour really, we've just stuck to those three things. Make sure we enjoy it, remember why we're doing it and I think it's really important we start laying some foundations. Article continues below "What I mean by that is I'd love the next guy to come in and no one's talking about the 17. I'd love to do that for whoever comes in. If I'm honest, when I think about the Six Nations, I came in and changed the shape, some of the intricate parts of the game. "But I just felt it was a time to go back, I wouldn't say hard to beat, but making sure that our defence is important. Our contact area, our kicking game. "So making sure that whoever comes in next - and it's not all about who comes in next, it's about the now as well - can build of that, if they're looking at a team where the set-piece, defence, contact area and kicking game is good. We've really decided to go back to laying the foundation."