'It has been a tough road back'
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The Guardian
30 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Trump's presence at Chelsea's trophy lift was a fitting coda to a misguided tournament
For the first four weeks of the 2025 Club World Cup, there had been the danger that the tournament would soon be largely forgotten. There is no danger of that after the final. There had been unease after the 2022 World Cup final at the way Qatar inserted itself into the trophy presentation by draping a bisht over Lionel Messi, but at least the Emir kept his distance. Donald Trump, by contrast, placed himself front and centre of the celebrations – and he was soon joined by the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, who has a pathological fear of missing out, and must follow his great ally in all things. And so we were presented with a grimly perfect image of this misguided tournament, a celebrating football team struggling to be seen from behind the politicians who took centre stage. The confusion of Cole Palmer and Reece James at Trump's continued presence was clear. History, and not just football history, will not forget such shameless grandstanding, or Fifa's complicity in allowing football to be hijacked by a national leader. It was a day the ramifications of which will be sifted for years. As a footballing spectacle, it was remarkable, a game in which Palmer produced a performance to elevate him to global stardom, in which Robert Sánchez did much to quiet his many critics, in which Enzo Maresca announced himself as a tactician of the highest rank. There had been plenty of intrigue earlier in the tournament – Al-Hilal's last-16 victory over Manchester City and Real Madrid's capitulation in the semi-final perhaps most notably – but they had always been undercut by doubts as to how seriously each side was taking it. But PSG's determination to add the world title to the Champions League crown they won in May was obvious and, in the final, they were outplayed to a startling degree. Luis Enrique's side had essentially been untouchable since the turn of the year, not just winning games but looking sharper than opponents, on another tactical level. They had outclassed Madrid in the semi-final to the extent that the game was done within 20 minutes. Yet the final was lost by half-time as their left flank was repeatedly over-run. Khvicha Khvaratskelia, whose defensive work is usually so striking, didn't make a single tackle or interception (PSG's front three as a whole managed just one regain between them) and Fabián Ruiz was bypassed so that Nuno Mendes, who for a year has seemed obviously the best left-back in the world, was repeatedly exposed, sometimes to Malo Gusto but sometimes, more dangerously, to Palmer. Palmer produced one of the great final performances, scoring the first with a great finish, the second with a great finish after a dummied pass of almost comical effectiveness and then setting up the third with a barrelling run and perfectly calibrated pass for João Pedro. Perhaps PSG were disadvantaged by having played in the second semi-final; perhaps in the extreme heat an extra 24 hours of rest makes a huge difference. Still, it's been a long time since anybody has taken Luis Enrique's PSG apart like that – even if it took two exceptional saves from Sánchez to prevent PSG getting a second-half goal that might have made the denouement more anxious than it was. There have been plenty who have doubted Maresca's tactical approach, his apparent over-caution, his obsession with avoiding risk. But on Sunday, he clearly got the gameplan right. Using Pedro Neto as an auxiliary wing-back helped negate the forward surges of Achraf Hakimi but it was on the other flank, the way space was created for Palmer, that the game was won. These were moments that will define careers and, in so doing, offer legitimacy and prestige to the Club World Cup. As world champions, after a performance like that, with a squad of such depth, Chelsea have to be considered serious contenders for the Premier League title. But in the end, the football seemed an afterthought. There is always something uncomfortable to the European mind in the militarism of US sporting fanfare (which has begun, regrettably, to seep into the FA Cup final). Why was the Star-Spangled Banner played before kick-off? When has the host's anthem ever previously been played like that at a Fifa event? Why was there a fly-over of military planes? Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion By the trophy presentation, that had become something much more sinister. Was the US hosting football, or was football hosting the US? Or rather a particular vision of the US represented by Trump? Fifa has just opened offices in Trump Tower: Infantino's alliance with the president is both committed and alarming. And having pushed through his vision of the Club World Cup with all its flaws without meaningful consultation, what next for Fifa? Checks and balances simply don't apply any more. This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Have a question for Jonathan? Email soccerwithjw@ and he'll answer the best in a future edition.
Scottish Sun
30 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
We live next to Premier League stadium & hate it – we can't park & the traffic is horrific… now it's about to get worse
The club have now been given the green light to increase stadium capacity PREM PAIN We live next to Premier League stadium & hate it – we can't park & the traffic is horrific… now it's about to get worse Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RESIDENTS have revealed it's a nightmare living next to a Premier League stadium with horrendous traffic and nowhere to park. But long-awaited plans to expand the stadium have now been given the green light leaving some locals furious. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Residents have revealed it's a nightmare living next to a Premier League stadium Credit: BPM 3 Long-awaited plans to expand Nottingham Forest's stadium have been approved Credit: Benoy Architects 3 Farrel Doherty said his drive is sometimes blocked during match days Credit: BPM After years in the works, Nottingham Forest's plans to expand their City Ground stadium have been approved. Forest will start progressing plans to demolish and rebuild the Peter Taylor Stand once all conditions have been met. The plans will increase the stadium's capacity by 5,000 and the decision has been warmly welcomed by the Premier League club's fans. But councillors and residents have pointed out two major problems that will become "significantly worse" - parking and traffic. One 73-year-old told NottinghamshireLive that she felt "residents were being forgotten" and that parking was a "nightmare" when there's a match on. She said: "I'm very disappointed that nothing has been allocated for residents with parking." "Once or twice we've had people blocking our drive and it's sometimes difficult to get the cars out," said Farrel Doherty who moved to the area 22 years ago. "It'll push more traffic onto these roads - we often have cars parked on the double yellows which can make it difficult to get through." Doherty added that the issue has "definitely got worse, especially over the last few seasons". A Labour councillor also also said that residents are "at their wits end" and that "a real opportunity" is being missed to create a sporting quarter. But other residents said they have no problem with match day parking as some are "accustomed to it" with others admitting it's "part and parcel of living here." Crystal Palace RELEGATED from Europa League with Nottingham Forest set to be promoted amid multi-club ownership row The congestion problem is likely to be made worse, however, as initial approval has been granted for plans to build a block of up to 170 apartments next to the rebuilt stand. This is still subject to further approval pending other details the club will have to provide to the council in the near future. But the current 171 parking spaces at the front of the stand would be reduced to just 35 under the redevelopment plan. It's likely to make existing parking and traffic issues in surrounding areas, such as West Bridgford, Lady Bay and The Meadows, even worse. Nottingham Forest's own transport assessment concluded that the developments, combined with the loss of car parking, will create demand for an additional 1,416 spaces. To address concerns, the club is debating measures such as including a map of walking routes and public transport modes being printed on the back of tickets. They say they are also considering temporary road closures at the end of matches to ensure pedestrian safety, particularly on Lady Bay Bridge. Schemes for staff including bus taster tickets and car club schemes are also under consideration. The club have also agreed to pay £2.9 million to go toward local improvements. This includes £1m for improving bus services and hundreds of thousands for cycling access, match day parking permits and safety improvements to the Cattle Market Junction. But a local councillor has said that it's nowhere near enough and will not "fully solve the problem". A spokesperson from Nottinghamshire County Council said: 'The County Council is aware of the issues facing many residents who live in the vicinity of the sports venues and the potential impact the proposed increase in capacity of the City Ground is likely to have on the number of car trips to the area. "The County Council has therefore worked with the football club and Rushcliffe Borough Council through the planning process to secure funding that will enable the implementation of permit schemes in the vicinity, subject to further detailed design and the necessary consultations." The spokesperson added: "The County Council is committed to working with the local community to help identify the priorities for how this funding will be spent, which may cover the cost of a parking review and the implementation of a co-ordinated set of parking measures. 'Additionally, the Council has secured funding for a number of transport measures aimed at reducing the overall impacts traffic of the ground as whole. "These include enhanced bus services on match days, extended traffic management measures, improvements to walking and cycling routes, and electronic travel signage. "Forest will also be required to prepare and implement a Sustainable Travel Plan prior to completion of the new stand.' A Rushcliffe Borough Council spokesperson said: 'Matters around highway safety and impacts upon traffic and parking on surrounding streets were considered as part of the determination of the planning application, which was approved at planning committee on June 26. 'As part of this application, highway authorities at both Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council were consultees and raised no objection to the plans put forward by Nottingham Forest Football Club, which sought to mitigate the impact of the proposed redevelopment works. 'However, in recognition of concerns about this topic being raised at planning committee, planning committee members requested the addition of an advisory note, with the recommendation that Nottingham Forest Football Club set up a Community Liaison Group to provide further input into an updated Travel Plan focused on encouraging sustainable travel and reducing single-occupancy vehicles.'
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Wythall PE teacher hails ex-student Glasspool for Wimbledon title win
"To think a student from Woodrush High School in Wythall can win at Wimbledon - it's just amazing."PE teacher Joe Maidment is in awe of his former student Lloyd Glasspool, who, alongside his partner Julian Cash, made history on Saturday when they became the first all-British pair to win the men's doubles title at the All England Club for 89 Maidment had travelled to Wimbledon to watch Glasspool, 31, from Redditch, in his second-round match in west London and said his performance throughout the tournament had been "inspirational"."It should be a message to everyone in the West Midlands to follow their dreams and see what they can achieve," he added. 'I played against the champion' Mr Maidment said even as a teenager at the school in Worcestershire, Glasspool had always been "level-headed, quietly determined and confident"."I can now say I've played tennis against a Wimbledon champion. Unfortunately, I did lose 6-0, 6-0, and he was only in year eight at the time."I am so, so pleased for him and everyone involved," Mr Maidment added. He described the title as "the icing on the cake" for the 31-year-old and said after he had now won Wimbledon, Queens and Eastbourne, his former student had secured "the triple crown". Personal thank you Mr Maidments said Glasspool, who is a member of the Warwickshire Lawn Tennis Association, had sent a video message to the school from the courts at SW19 ahead of the school's recent annual sports awards. He added that he also received a personal thank-you message from his former student after Saturday's final."I've come a long way since when we played in year seven or eight and I gave you that little thrashing," Glasspool said to him. "It gave me a nice little confidence boost to go and do great things in the sport."I appreciate the support from you and the whole of the Woodrush School," the men's doubles champion added. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
