Fernandes 'will have more help this season'

6 days ago

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is confident skipper Bruno Fernandes will get the help he needs at Old Trafford this season.Far too often last campaign, Fernandes - who was deservedly named the club's player of the year - was alone in carrying United's attacking threat.At the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Saturday, it was tempting to think nothing had changed as he scored both goals in his side's 2-1 win over West Ham in their first Premier League Summer Series outing.But there was a subtle change.Matheus Cunha was also demanding the ball and trying to threaten the Hammers goal. When he is fully fit and ready to join his new team-mates during a game, Amorim believes £65m new-boy Bryan Mbeumo will do the same."He will have more help this season," said Amorim."It's impossible to play all the positions. Last year I felt sometimes I pushed him back to have more possession in the build-up and then we missed Bruno near the box."Cunha and Bryan have different characteristics."It was Amorim's predecessor Erik ten Hag who launched a fierce defence of Fernandes when his role as captain was questioned after his emotional response during the infamous 7-0 hammering at Liverpool in March 2023.The 30-year-old's critics believe the flaws in his character remain.However, Amorim shares the same view as Ten Hag - that Fernandes is a true leader."He's our leader, not just on the field, but also off it," United boss said."He leads by example. He works really hard and is always available. Sometimes he plays with pain."The problem is sometimes he gets frustrated and loses the focus on his job a little bit."Sometimes he wants to help his team-mates so much but it's not the best thing to do."They have to learn and they have to do their job. Bruno has to wait for the ball."

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Cut-throat NFL roster cull pits Australian pair against each other with millions at stake

The Guardian

24 minutes ago

The Guardian

Cut-throat NFL roster cull pits Australian pair against each other with millions at stake

There is a brutal ritual involving Australian punters that takes place this time of year in Louisiana's intense summer heat, near the bayous and swamps that are home to alligators and venomous cottonmouth snakes. It features former Australian rules footballers battling for a single $US3m NFL punting contract with the New Orleans Saints. This year's showdown began with Matt Hayball, a former Geelong Cat and the Saints' incumbent punter, against James Burnip, a 198cm rookie from Mount Macedon in Victoria, who just wrapped a standout punting career at the University of Alabama. The Saints complicated the battle this week by signing a third punter, American Kai Kroeger. Only one will survive final cuts on 26 August, when NFL teams must slash their training camp rosters from 90 players to 53. The winner will enjoy the spotlight and riches of playing in America's most popular sports league, while the losers will be unemployed and left with the long shot hope one of the other 31 NFL teams might need a punter. 'It's the nature of the NFL,' Hayball tells Guardian Australia from a boisterous Saints locker room inside the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in New Orleans. 'You're always competing for your position, and it's the same for every other player in this building.' This isn't Hayball's first showdown. Last year, he was the rookie and edged out West Australian and Saints incumbent punter Lou Hedley. A year before that, it was Hedley who was the rookie and ousted the incumbent, American punter Blake Gillikin. No NFL team has embraced Australian punters more than the Saints in recent years. They prize their mobility, toughness and versatile kicking skills, honed from years of booting a Sherrin on both feet. Special teams coordinator Phil Galiano even dubbed Hayball 'The Aussie Flash' last season after a successful fake punt saw him dash 11 yards for a first down. Despite the cutthroat stakes, Hayball and Burnip maintain a relaxed camaraderie. 'There's only going to be one punter at the end of camp, but it's friendly,' Burnip says. 'We still wake up, get a coffee together, eat, and head out to practice. We're trying to make each other better.' 'James is talented and a good dude,' says Hayball. 'It's a similar situation to last year with Lou. We're learning from each other while competing. But really, we're competing against ourselves.' Hayball and Burnip are graduates of ProKick Australia, the Melbourne-based punting academy that has sent several hundred former Australian rules footballers to play with US colleges. 'Matt was leaving ProKick for the US when I was just starting,' Burnip says. 'We kept in touch whenever he came back to Australia.' Like many before them, both endured the heartbreak of seeing their AFL dreams fade. Hayball was raised in Adelaide, played U18s as a midfielder with the West Adelaide Football Club and was drafted by Geelong in 2015. But after three years playing for the Cats in the second-tier VFL, he was delisted. He joined ProKick, secured a punting scholarship at Florida Atlantic University, and later transferred to Tennessee's Vanderbilt University. Burnip played junior footy in the Riddell District Football League, but when it became clear the AFL wasn't in his future, he pivoted. 'I found ProKick, and the rest is history,' he says. Burnip landed at US college football powerhouse Alabama in 2021, won the starting job under legendary coach Nick Saban, and became the Tide's punter for four seasons – although Saban often referred to him as a 'rugby player'. While Hayball enters the Saints camp as the incumbent and having led the NFL last season in punts downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line, recent history favours the rookie. The Saints have opted for the rookie punter in each of the last three training camp duels. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Hayball is in the second year of a three-year, $US2.84m contract, so has already pocketed close to $US1m. Burnip, undrafted at April's NFL draft, quickly signed a three-year $US2.975m free agent deal with the Saints. But with just $US35,000 guaranteed, that's all Burnip will keep if cut later this month. Kroeger, also a rookie, has had a short and tumultuous NFL career. He punted for the University of South Carolina the past four years, also was undrafted in April, was signed by the New York Jets, waived on 27 July and picked up by the Saints four days later. They are all well aware of what Saints head coach Kellen Moore and Galiano are looking for. 'It's about consistency, hang time, distance, direction, getting the ball off quickly, and flipping the field,' Burnip says. 'If you can do those things, you'll have a pretty successful career.' Hayball says he is 'chasing perfection with every punt.' 'Last year I did a good job getting it inside the 20, but this year I want more plays down inside the 10 or five. Those can be game changers.' If Hayball wins the job and stays in New Orleans, he has one non-NFL goal: exploring the Louisiana swamps on an alligator sightseeing tour. 'I know [Saints kicker Blake] Grupe is into that kind of stuff, so I might tag along next time he goes,' Hayball says. When asked if Americans might expect him to go full Steve Irwin and jump out of the boat and wrestle an alligator, he grins. 'Nah, I couldn't see myself doing that. Even though our crocs are way bigger in Australia, I still wouldn't want to share the water with them.'

'Always loved them': Rangers complete 'thrilling' Mikey Moore loan deal as Spurs make statement

Scotsman

44 minutes ago

Scotsman

'Always loved them': Rangers complete 'thrilling' Mikey Moore loan deal as Spurs make statement

Martin delighted to get his man as highly-rated youngster signs up for Ibrox revolution Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Rangers have completed the loan signing of Tottenham Hotspur's teenage forward Mikey Moore for the 2025/26 season. Moore, 17, is regarded as one of English football's most exciting prospects after making the breakthrough at senior level with Spurs last season under Ange Postecoglou. He made 19 first-team appearances for the north London side, but new head coach Thomas Frank believes a loan move will best suit his development and Rangers have won the race for his signature. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Moore is capable of playing all across the front line, but is expected to be used predominantly as a winger by Rangers head coach Russell Martin. The Ibrox club have been keen to reinforce in that area following the departure of Vaclav Cerny, a key wide man from last season. New Rangers loanee Mikey Moore celebrates scoring for Spurs against Elfsborg - his first senior goal. | Getty Images Rangers have been linked with Go Ahead Eagles winger Oliver Antman and Crystal Palace's Jerusun Rak-Sakyi in recent weeks. Moore becomes Rangers' eighth summer signing, following Max Aarons, Emmanuel Fernandez, Nasser Djiga, Joe Rothwell, Lyall Cameron, Thelo Aasgaard and Djeidi Gassama through the Ibrox door. Moore revealed that as soon as he heard of Rangers' interest, he wanted to join the club. 'I'm excited to get going,' he told the Rangers website. 'As soon as I heard Rangers were interested and wanted me to come, it was a massive opportunity for me. I'm excited to be here and hopefully I can show the fans and everyone what I can do. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Moore: I have always loved Rangers 'I've always loved Rangers as a club. My family have always loved them. I think with the new boss and the way that we play, it's a great place to be at the minute. It was a pretty easy decision for me to come here.' Speaking on the loan deal for Moore, Martin said: 'We are thrilled to bring Mikey on loan for this season. His profile as a brave, aggressive attacking player is one that we were keen to add to the squad, and he is certainly a player who, despite his age, can make an impact on the team from day one. 'He is a player with huge potential, and it is testament to his quality that he has been entrusted by Spurs in both the Premier League and UEFA Europa League with such regularity over the last 18 months.' Mikey Moore rubbed shoulders with Spurs first-teamers such as James Maddison last season. | Getty Images Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell added: 'It is no secret that there was significant interest from elsewhere in Mikey and we are delighted that he has chosen Rangers at this stage in his career. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'He rose to prominence with Spurs last year and it is a reflection of his temperament and quality as a player that he made an immediate impact at a senior level which demands the best. 'We are convinced that Mikey is a player who will enhance our attacking unit. He is stepping into an ambitious, demanding environment that will test him, support him, and provide the platform to deliver and fulfil his potential, to the benefit of both himself and the club.' What Spurs had to say on the move A statement on the Tottenham website read: 'Mikey Moore has joined Rangers on loan for the 2025/26 campaign. 'Having joined us as a seven-year-old, the forward progressed through our ranks to help our Under-17 and Under-18 teams secure the Premier League Cup double in 2022/23. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'In May, 2024, he earned his competitive first team debut against Manchester City, becoming the youngest ever player to appear for us in a Premier League fixture. The 17-year-old has made 21 senior appearances in all competitions to date, scoring once. 'Mikey registered his first senior goal for the Club in a UEFA Europa League fixture against Elfsborg in January – we memorably went onto win the competition in May, defeating Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao. At international level, Mikey has appeared for England up to Under-19 level to date.'

Rooneys have a bumper time at Curry's Fun Park

Belfast Telegraph

an hour ago

Belfast Telegraph

Rooneys have a bumper time at Curry's Fun Park

Former footballer in NI to support son at Super Cup Wayne Rooney and his family were spotted enjoying the bumper cars at a north coast fun park on Friday. The former Manchester United striker and his wife Coleen arrived in Northern Ireland earlier in the week to support their son Kai, who was competing in the Super Cup youth football tournament.