Ivan Toney claims the Football Association “was a bit spiteful” in its handling of the Brentford striker’s eight-month ban for breaking betting rules.
Toney was charged with 262 breaches in November last year, but had to wait until May before the FA announced his ban and £50,000 fine after he had admitted to 232 of the counts.
The 27-year-old missed out on his World Cup “dream” after being omitted from Gareth Southgate’s Qatar 2022 squad and while he accepts his punishment, feels the timing of his charges being made public was harsh.
The independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons regarding Ivan Toney’s recent sanctions have now been published here:
— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson)
Toney told Kick Game: “It came o…
“I spent seven years, the best memories of my football career,” he said.
“I met great players, not just inside the team but also outside the club, it was seven years of pure happiness.
“When you leave you always feel a bit sad but this club is always in my head, so just good memories.”
Hazard, who has kept in shape because he doesn’t want to look like “Peppa Pig”, is enjoying life away from football.
He does not see a future in professional coaching or management, but would love to help his five children follow him into the game.
“I am enjoying it a lot, I miss being with the lads in the dressing room a bit but I have the freedom to do what I want now,” he told the PA news agency.
“I have kids, I have family, I can go…
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has not ruled out Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker being involved in Liverpool’s Europa League quarter-final against Atalanta on Thursday.
All three have been sidelined by injury since February but have returned to training and look set to contribute to Liverpool’s push for silverware over the closing weeks of the season.
Teenage midfielder Stefan Bajcetic, who has been out since September, is also back in training but is likely to have to wait a little longer for a first-team return.
Finish, |
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
“Obviously we didn’t rush it with the boys,” said Klopp. “That means they did a lot of training by themselves. Diogo and Trent worked as a group since two, three weeks…
Dani Olmo lauded a resilient Spain showing as his strike against France moved La Roja one step away from Euro 2024 glory.
Didier Deschamps side snatched an early lead through Randal Kolo Muani in Tuesday s first semi-final, only for record-breaking Lamine Yamal to equalise soon after before Olmo found the net just four minutes later.
Olmo became the first Spanish player to score in three successive games at the European Championship finals, while his five goal involvements at Euro 2024 (three goals, two assists) are the most by a Spaniard at a major tournament since David Silva at Euro 2012 (two goals, three assists).
His neat first-half finish helped Spain to a 2-1 victory, setting up Sunday s showpiece against the Netherlands or England, where Olmo hopes to wri…
Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho has accepted a UEFA doping charge, likely ruling him out for the rest of the season.
UEFA revealed Sakho tested positive for a banned substance after Liverpool s 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford last month.
The 26-year-old is not formally suspended by club or governing body yet, but he did not request a B sample be tested ahead of Tuesday s deadline.
Omnisport understands that Sakho could apply to be provisionally suspended once disciplinary proceedings are opened, which could happen before the weekend.
As a result, any ban that Sakho picks up would be backdated, potentially offering him a crumb of hope of returning in time to be included in France s Euro 2016 squad.
A fat burner is reported t…
Paris Saint-Germain ended their Ligue 1 campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win at Metz on Sunday, courtesy of early goals from Carlos Soler and Lee Kang-in.
The Ligue 1 champions, who rested several key players, ended the season with 76 points, nine ahead of Monaco in second place.
Luis Enrique s team also became the first side in Ligue 1 history to go unbeaten on the road through the entirety of a campaign.
PSG rested several key players, including Kylian Mbappe, ahead of the Coupe de France final on Saturday against Lyon.
The visitors made an excellent start with Soler, who was teed up by Lee, breaking the deadlock with a shot from outside the box seven minutes in.
Lee subsequently doubled the lead five minutes later, becoming the first South Korea…
Chelsea have hired the All Blacks mind coach who introduced a no d***heads policy as Graham Potter looks to turn the Blues into winners.
Heavy investment in players since Todd Boehly came in as owner has not yet been followed by success on the pitch, with Chelsea a disappointing ninth in the Premier League.
Thomas Tuchel was sacked in September and his replacement, Potter, is battling to prove he can be the coach to deliver strong results and trophies to Stamford Bridge.
Now Gilbert Enoka is heading to the London club after making an impressive impact in rugby union with New Zealand over the past 20 years.
Enoka, who stepped up from being mental skills coach to become leadership manager with New Zealand, will join up with Chelsea on what New Zealand said …
Erik ten Hag bemoaned a lack of consistency in refereeing decisions after he was left frustrated by the performance of Anthony Taylor in Manchester United s draw with Southampton on Sunday.
United could only scrape a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford after Casemiro was shown a straight red card in the first half – the Brazilian given his marching orders for a tough challenge on Carlos Alcaraz.
Taylor initially showed Casemiro a yellow card, but it was upgraded to a red following a VAR review, leaving the United midfielder clearly despondent after replays showed he won the ball before catching Alcaraz.
It means Casemiro is the first United player to receive two red cards in a single Premier League season since Nemanja Vidic in 2013-14, and he will serve a ban of four mat…
Rule out Italy at your peril, warned Daniel De Rossi ahead of the upcoming Euro 2016 in France.
The Roma great admitted that Italy are nowhere near favourites to take out the showpiece European tournament which features home nation France, world champions Germany and the ever-present threat of two-time defending winners Spain, but De Rossi said his team still have the potential to surprise everyone.
The 2012 Euros runners-ups face a tough group consisting of Belgium, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland, but De Rossi said the influence of Antonio Conte a serial winner as Juventus coach before taking on the Italy job could prove a telling factor.
He strikes the right chord, he knows how to motivate you, he told reporters.
We don t start as favourites and w…
Bukayo Saka’s hat-trick against North Macedonia was the 12th this century by an England men’s player.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the other 11, scored by just six players.
Michael Owen (v Germany, September 2001)
Owen’s first international hat-trick came in the famous 5-1 World Cup qualifying win at the Olympic Stadium in Munich which has entered the annals of England folklore, benefitting from knockdowns from Nick Barmby and Emile Heskey before lashing a Steven Gerrard pass past Oliver Kahn.
Michael Owen (v Colombia, May 2005)
Owen’s second and final treble came in the less-heralded surroundings of a 3-2 friendly win in Giants Stadium, New Jersey, at the end of a criticised post-season tour to the United States, going past Sir Tom Finney, …