The United States men’s soccer team may be forced to navigate much of the coming year, including a series of competitive matches, without a full-time head coach after the departure on Thursday of two top officials threw the already-reeling organization further into turmoil.
Earlier this month, U.S. Soccer announced an investigation into the personal conduct of Gregg Berhalter, who coached the American men to a successful run at the World Cup late last year, after accusations from a disgruntled player’s parents that he physically abused his wife in a decades-old incident.
The team announced it would hold off on deciding whether to retain Berhalter — whose contract expired at the end of 2022 — for another World Cup cycle until the independent investigation reached a conclusion. With the team eager to build off the momentum of the World Cup in Qatar and start preparations for the 2026 tournament, which the United States is co-hosting, those processes were expected to occur in relatively short order.
Cindy Parlow Cone, the president of U.S. Soccer, said the organization would employ an outside consulting firm to conduct a wholesale review of its team structure. The new developments, she said, meant the team could be without a sporting director and coach until the end of the summer. Berhalter, she said, remained “a candidate” to coach the national team, but the loss of two key decision makers and the end of his contract — with no end in sight for the investigation — almost certainly will mean the end of his tenure. A U.S. Soccer spokesman confirmed that Berhalter “is no longer a U.S. Soccer employee.”
“We did not plan it this way,” Cone said Thursday. “We find ourselves in this position, and we’re going to take the opportunity to really do a deep dive on our sporting side to make sure we’re as effective and as efficient as possible, because we have grand vision of where we want to go on the sporting side, and we want to make sure we’re in the best position to accomplish those goals.”
Stewart, who is taking a job at the Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, will stay with the organization through the middle of February. McBride will depart at the end of this month. Both men were former national team players and former teammates of Berhalter.
Cone said that the departures were unrelated to the ongoing investigation of Berhalter, which was triggered when Danielle Reyna, the mother of the star wing Gio Reyna, informed Stewart that Berhalter had hit his wife in an incident in 1991, when the two were dating during college.
Reyna and his parents were upset that Berhalter had not given the player much time on the field in the World Cup in Qatar, and that he had made thinly veiled comments about Reyna’s poor attitude — without identifying him — in a speaking engagement after the tournament. (Reyna’s father, Claudio, another former teammate of Berhalter’s, resigned on Thursday as the sporting director of the M.L.S. club Austin F.C. and said he’d transition to an advisory role.)
“Gregg remains a candidate,” Cone said of Berhalter’s status. She added, “Ultimately the new sporting director will be tasked with hiring the men’s national team coach.”
Cone said it was possible that the team would move forward without a general manager after the review of the organization’s structure by Sportsology Group, a sports consulting company. She admitted the time needed for the review could lead to uncertainty “for our staff, for players,” but she characterized it as an opportunity.
“What it actually is,” she said, “is a clean canvas.”
The United States team is currently being led by the interim coach Anthony Hudson. The group is currently in the middle of a training camp that concludes this Saturday with an exhibition game against Colombia. (It lost to Serbia, 2-1, on Wednesday night.) In March, the team will resume playing competitive matches with two games in the CONCACAF Nations League, a regional tournament that serves as a qualifier for this summer’s Gold Cup.
Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior scored in extra-time as Real Madrid fought back to beat local rivals Atletico 3-1 on Thursday and reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
– Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr. scored in extra time as Real Madrid fought back to beat local rivals Atletico 3-1 on Thursday and reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
On a freezing night at a sold-out Santiago Bernabeu hosting its first game for 77 days due to the World Cup break, Real started slowly and Atletico had many dangerous counter-attacks.
Image: Atletico Madrid took the lead against their rivals
Atletico captain Koke delivered a brilliant through ball to Nahuel Molina who ghosting in behind Reals defence and the full back set up Alvaro Morata, a former Real academy player, to tap the ball into an empty net in the 19th minute.
Eder Militao wasted a golden chance to equalise in the 32nd minute after Toni Kroos had delivered a perfect cross.
Image: Alvaro Morata celebrates scoring the opener
It was not only until Dani Ceballos came off the bench to replace the injured Ferland Mendy late in the first half that Real started to play better.
The 26-year-old midfielder injected a new dynamic into the team who were far more aggressive after the break.
Benzema wasted two good opportunities and Federico Valverde also sent a shot wide from just outside the box.
Image: Real Madrid’s Rodrygo celebrates with team-mates
Substitute Rodrygo equalised in the 79th with a delightful goal, dribbling past three defenders before finishing well.
With Real Madrid in full control, Atletico played most of extra time with 10 men after defender Stefan Savic was shown his second yellow card for chopping down Eduardo Camavinga in the 99th minute.
Five minutes later, Real substitute Marco Asensio sent a low cross into the box and Vinicius’s deflected shot reached Benzema who unleashed an unstoppable strike into the net.
Image: Karim Benzema’s goal made it 2-1 in extra time
Vinicius secured Real’s win in the dying seconds with a brilliant individual goal, running half the length of the pitch before scoring with a low shot.
“We got behind very early and after Mendy’s injury the whole team had to be rebuilt. But we woke up and played really well after the break,” Ceballos told TVE.
“They played better in the first half, but the coach corrected things in the second; we took control of the ball and found the goal. Then, after the red card, everything was easier.”
Real Madrid joined Barcelona, Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals.
{{ timeAgo(‘2023-01-26 17:09:23 -0600’) }} football Edit
Clint Cosgrove
• Rivals.com
National Recruiting Analyst
Clint Cosgrove catches up with three-star linebacker K’Vion Thunderbird to break down his commitment to Arizona State. Thunderbird discusses how it feels to be a Sun Devil, why he chose Arizona State, players and coaches he connected with throughout the recruiting process, his message to the fans and more.
The Chicago, Ill. Kenwood Academy standout chose Arizona State out of a final five that also included Colorado, Oregon, Purdue and Tennessee.
WHY THIS IS BIG FOR ARIZONA STATE…
Thunderbird is a sideline to sideline defender who’s style of play is perfect for the Pac-12. He is fast, physical, twitched up and plays the game with bad intentions. Even though Thunderbird is listed as an outside linebacker, he also has the frame and athleticism to play on the inside, or even as a nickel to cover slot defenders and come as an extra rusher.
This is a big win for coach Dillingham and staff from a recruiting standpoint as it shows the staff is willing to scour the nation in order to find the best available players and expand their recruiting footprint when necessary. There are also a number of talented players coming up in the Kenwood Academy program as well and Thunderbird could become a key recruiter for the Sun Devils moving forward. This is a big win on the recruiting trail and the Arizona State fans should be extremely excited to land a player of Thunderbird’s caliber this late in the recruiting cycle.
All the top stories and transfer rumours from Friday’s newspapers…
THE TIMES
Real Sociedad have told Arsenal they will have to pay Martín Zubimendi’s €60m (about £52.8m) release clause if they want to sign the midfielder this month.
Tottenham are close to completing the signing of Pedro Porro from Sporting Lisbon in a deal worth €45m (£39.6m). Porro has agreed personal terms with Spurs over a five-year contract, with the final details of the transfer fee the only part left to be agreed.
Wolves have agreed a deal to land Brazilian midfielder Joao Gomes from Flamengo. The Premier League club had a £15m offer for the 21-year-old accepted earlier in the month before the move was called off when Lyon approached the Brazilian side.
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The Transfer Show’s Kaveh Solhekol has the latest news on Everton’s search for a new manager with Marcelo Bielsa the current front runner for the job
World Athletics’ long-term strategy is likely to stop trans and intersex athletes competing in female categories – and instead lead to them taking on elite men in a new ‘open’ classification.
Erling Haaland’s prolific goalscoring is costing bookmakers more than any other player in Premier League history.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Everton are expected to drop their asking price for Anthony Gordon after the forward missed training for a third day. Newcastle United have been confident of signing Gordon after holding talks with Everton over the England U21 international this week.
Everton had been hoping to agree a deal worth up to £60m for Gordon, however, which threatened to force Newcastle to walk away and pursue other targets.
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The Transfer Show’s Kaveh Solhekol says there is a possibility of Wout Weghorst’s loan move to Manchester United becoming permanent in the summer
Chelsea have suffered a double setback in their bid to fill two key positions before the transfer window shuts next week.
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has claimed right-back Malo Gusto, who Chelsea this week made a bid for, will not be sold this month, while an opening proposal over Everton midfielder Amadou Onana has been knocked back.
Chelsea could also make new bids for midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, despite already seeing offers turned down by Benfica and Brighton.
The legal tackle height is set to be lowered across all elite rugby globally, despite a growing revolt against plans to roll out the most seismic changes to the way the game is played since it turned professional.
THE SUN
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The Transfer Show’s Dharmesh Sheth and Kaveh Solhekol round up the latest transfer news from all 20 Premier League clubs
Danny Ings has been given an injection in his injured knee to speed up his recovery. West Ham’s new £15m striker suffered a painful whack barely 30 seconds into his debut on Saturday.
Leeds are haggling with Juventus over a fee to sign USA star Weston McKennie. Whites boss Jesse Marsch wants to land his countryman – but Leeds’ offer of £20m plus add-ons is short of Juve’s £30m valuation.
Manchester United are open to letting four more players leave before Tuesday’s transfer deadline – plus Charlie Savage. Robbie Savage’s son will join Forest Green Rovers on loan for the remainder of the season.
Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son have been tipped to seal a sensational double transfer to Newcastle.
Everton are considering a move for Dnipro striker Artem Dovbyk in a bid to boost their survival hopes.
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A look at Jack Harrison’s best Premier League goals as the Leeds winger continues to be linked with a move away from Elland Road
Farhad Moshiri is staring at a financial black hole that could cost him as much as £300m if he sells Everton.
Michail Antonio has been linked with a late January move to the MLS.
Chelsea manager Graham Potter is set to sell three star players this month as he looks to rebuild the squad, according to reports.
DAILY MAIL
Southampton have asked about Rennes winger Kamaldeen Sulemana.
Belgium have shortlisted Joachim Low, Mauricio Pochettino and Andre Villas-Boas for their managerial vacancy after the departure of Roberto Martinez, according to a new report.
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South American football expert Tim Vickery feels Marcelo Bielsa will be dubious of the Everton hierarchy as their turnover of managers has been high under Farhad Moshiri’s ownership
Lyon have made an enquiry about taking Tottenham right-back Djed Spence on loan until the end of the season.
THE ATHLETIC
Erling Haaland has a €200m (£175.5m) release clause inserted into his Manchester City contract, which comes into play after two years, in the summer of 2024.
Real Madrid are set to activate Fran Garcia’s €10m (£8.8m) buy option. Sources close to Garcia and Real have confirmed that the move is close, with the 23-year-old left-back likely to remain on loan at Rayo Vallecano until the end of the season.
Bournemouth agreed a deal to sign Antoine Semenyo at the third time of asking, having seen two previous bids knocked back by Bristol City.
DAILY MIRROR
Pep Guardiola has opened the door to a sensational return to Barcelona and claimed he would walk out on Manchester City if the opportunity arose.
Ian Wright has called for Manchester United to offer out-of-favour striker Anthony Martial in a player-plus-cash deal for Harry Kane this summer – but such a plan may meet resistance from Joel Glazer.
Arsenal legend David Seaman reckons that missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk will prove to be a blessing in disguise.
Cristiano Ronaldo was mocked with Lionel Messi’s famous Barcelona goal celebration as his new team Al Nassr struggled in Thursday’s Saudi Super Cup semi-final.
DAILY STAR
Former Everton manager Frank Lampard has broken his silence with a heartfelt message to the club’s supporters.
Jurgen Klopp has admitted he will not be managing “beyond 70” with the German quick to rebuff emulating the career of ex-Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson.
EVENING STANDARD
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Jonathan Liew from The Guardian and Charlotte Duncker from The Times look at the back pages tonight as the main talking point is how will be the next Everton manager as well Everton’s current financial situation.
Chelsea have cooled their interest in Moises Caicedo as Arsenal prepare for Brighton fight.
Ibrahima Bamba’s agent has played down rumours that the defender is on the verge of completing a move to Arsenal, though refused to rule out business being done before the transfer window shuts.
West Ham expect Michail Antonio to remain at the club beyond the end of this month’s transfer window, despite the forward claiming he has held talks over a possible move away.
DAILY EXPRESS
Manchester United have set their sights on a surprise move for Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias, according to reports in Spain.
Leeds are ‘convinced’ they are leading the race to sign Juventus star Weston McKennie, with Arsenal and Tottenham also interested in acquiring his services
Wimbledon chiefs have reportedly been told by government sources not to allow pro-Russia protestors to disrupt the competition, as they did at the Australian Open on Wednesday night. Flags and T-shirts were seen at the tournament, despite it being made clear they were banned beforehand.
DAILY RECORD
Celtic are playing hardball with Atlanta United and their pitch for Giorgos Giakoumakis. The Major League Soccer side have tabled a bid for the Greek striker but it is a loan with an option to buy at the end of it.
Former Hibs boss Shaun Maloney has reportedly been lined up as Wigan’s No 1 candidate to replace Kolo Toure as manager.
Midfielder Joe Aribo is facing the prospect of being dumped by Southampton less than eight months after writing his name into Rangers history by netting in the Europa League final.
Bournemouth and Brentford could open the Premier League door to Scotland star Ross Stewart.
THE SCOTTISH SUN
Rangers will need to stump up around £1.5m if they want to sign Nicolas Raskin this month. Standard Liege knocked back the Ibrox side’s opening offer.
Fuming Hearts have slammed Blackpool boss Mick McCarthy after he accused the Jambos of being ‘dishonest’ over his side’s pursuit of Toby Sibbick.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The focus for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has shifted from whether he can play in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals to how effective he can be.
Mahomes indicated that his high ankle sprain has improved throughout the week and that he was able to get through the Chiefs’ first practice of the week without much trouble.
“I thought I had a good day yesterday,” Mahomes said Thursday. “Overall probably better than I expected being able to go out there and throw the football and get in the work I needed to get in.”
Mahomes was also listed as a full participant in practice on Thursday.
Mahomes’ mobility diminished and his style of play changed after he injured the ankle in Saturday’s divisional round playoff win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. After leading the league during the regular season in passes from outside of the pocket, Mahomes made no such throws against the Jaguars after the injury.
But Mahomes said he thought he would be closer on Sunday to being able to scramble and make some of the signature plays he’s known for.
“I feel like I can still do a lot of things but we’ll see as we get closer and closer,” Mahomes said. “We’ll see during the game. You can’t fully do exactly what it’s going to be like in those moments in the game. All I can do is prepare myself the best way possible and then when we get in the game you hope adrenaline takes over and you can make those throws when you need to.”
Each week, Mahomes communicates with Andy Reid and the offensive coaches about which plays from the game plan that he favors. He said that process this week would be more important.
“Obviously this week it’s going to be a little bit different,” he said. “I’ll give them a feel for how I feel about each and every play, if it’s a play I think we can utilize or if it’s a play that might not put me in the best position. I’ll let them know that. You do that every week but obviously this week it’s a little more important to let them know what I’m comfortable with.”
MELBOURNE, Australia — In the two women’s semifinal matches at the Australian Open on Thursday night, geopolitics won in straight sets.
For nearly a year, professional tennis — the most international of sports with its globe-trotting schedule and players from all over the world — has tried to balance its stated opposition to the Russian president Vladimir V. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine with its hopes that its competitions rise above the quagmire of international politics.
It is not going well. Geopolitics has been everywhere at the Australian Open and will be on center stage in the women’s final.
It has been 11 months since the sport banned Russia and Belarus from participating in team events at tournaments, as well as any symbol that identified those countries. It’s been nine months since Wimbledon prohibited players representing Russia and Belarus from competing, and it’s unclear whether they will be able to play this year. Players from Ukraine have lobbied to have them barred from all events instead of simply not being allowed to play under their flags or for their countries.
That has not happened, and on Saturday Elena Rybakina, a native Russian who became a citizen of Kazakhstan five years ago in exchange for financial support, and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will meet for the women’s singles title.
Rybakina beat Victoria Azarenka, another Belarusian, 7-6 (4), 6-3, while Sabalenka topped Magda Linette of Poland, 7-6 (1), 6-2. Conditions at this tournament — warm weather, balls the players say are tough to spin — have favored the big flat hitters since the first round, making the final showdown between Rybakina and Sabalenka almost inevitable.
The 2023 Australian Open
The year’s first Grand Slam event runs from Jan. 16 to Jan. 29 in Melbourne.
The matchup is sure to rekindle the debate over Russian and Belarusian participation in sports, a discussion that has become increasingly heated in recent days, both at this tournament and throughout the world. Rybakina’s and Sabalenka’s victories occurred hours after videos surfaced of Novak Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, posing with fans whowaved a Russian flag and wore the pro-war “Z” logo and voicing his support of Russia, against tournament rules. Serbia and Russia have close historical and cultural ties.
Another video raised the ire of Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, who wrote on Twitter, “It’s a full package. Among the Serbian flags, there is: a Russian flag, Putin, Z-symbol, so-called Donetsk People’s Republic flag.”
Last week, Tennis Australia, organizers of the Australian Open, prohibited fans from exhibiting any form of the Russian or Belarusian flags or other symbols that supported Russia’s war in Ukraine.
On Thursday, Tennis Australia said four people waving the banned flags had been detained and questioned by the police for both revealing the “inappropriate flags” and threatening security guards.
Djokovic, the nine-time Australian Open champion, plays in the semifinals Friday against Tommy Paul of the United States.
On Wednesday, the International Olympic Committee made clear that it was intent on having athletes from Russia and Belarus at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The move went against the stated wishes of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who lobbied President Emmanuel Macron of France on the issue earlier this week.
The I.O.C. last year recommended that sports federations not allow athletes from those countries to compete, a move it said protected Olympic sports from having the national governments in countries hosting competitions from inserting their politics into sports. Most international sports federations have followed that recommendation, but a few have recently relaxed their stances.
In a statement Wednesday, the organization said, “No athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport.” The I.O.C. said it planned to pursue “a pathway for athletes’ participation in competition under strict conditions.” If it follows recent precedent, that will most likely involve requiring Russians and Belarusians to compete either under a neutral flag or no flag at all and in uniforms without their national colors.
Russian and Belarusian athletes could also compete in the Asian Games later this year, which will serve as an Olympic qualifier.
The geopolitical strife at the Australian Open hasn’t even been limited to the war in Ukraine. Karen Khachanov of Russia, who faces Stefanos Tsitsipas in a semifinal Friday, has been writing messages of support to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. The area is a long-disputed enclave that is home to tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians within Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized borders, where a full-scale war was fought in 2020. Since December, Azerbaijani activists have blocked a main supply route for Nagorno-Karabakh, causing a growing humanitarian crisis.
Khachanov, who is of Armenian descent and has spent extensive time in the country, said Wednesday he “just wanted to show strength and support to my people.”
Khachanov’s messages prompted officials in Azerbaijan to write to the International Tennis Federation demanding it punish Khachanov. His messages do not violate any tournament or federation rules. He said Wednesday no one had told him to stop writing them.
All this has put tennis back where it was last summer at Wimbledon. The tournament, along with the Lawn Tennis Association, prohibited players from participating in the sport’s most prestigious event and the lead-up tournaments in Britain.
The men’s and women’s tours responded by refusing to award rankings points, an attempt to essentially turn Wimbledon into an exhibition. All the Grand Slams are supposed to abide by the sport’s rules prohibiting discrimination, but not awarding points for wins at Wimbledon also turned the tour’s rankings into something of a farce.
Rybakina, a Russian through her childhood who became a citizen of Kazakhstan at 18 when the country promised to pay for her tennis training, spent the better part of two weeks talking about whether she was actually Kazakh or Russian and being asked to answer for her native country’s invasion as she stampeded to the title. Her family still lives in Russia.
She has mostly not had to answer any political questions here. The actual Russians and Belarusians received those, allowing Rybakina to focus on tennis.
“I think at Wimbledon I answered all the questions,” she said. “There is nothing to say anymore.”
Sabalenka and the other players from Belarus and Russia have not had that luxury. They know how the world and many of their competitors have viewed them and their countries.
“I just understand that it’s not my fault,” she said. “I have zero control. If I could do something, of course I would do it, but I cannot do anything.”
The political currents show no sign of letting up. Wimbledon and the Lawn Tennis Association are discussing whether to let the players from Belarus and Russia participate this year. A decision is expected in the coming weeks. Wimbledon was the only Grand Slam to prohibit them from participating.
Djokovic, the defending Wimbledon champion and seven-time winner of the championship, has been strategizing with his fledgling players’ organization, the Professional Tennis Players Association, to get the ban lifted.
Russian players are desperate to get back to the All England Club.
“The last information that I heard was, like, maybe one week ago that the announcement will be in couple of weeks,” Andrey Rublev said after Djokovic beat him in their quarterfinal Wednesday. “We’re all waiting. Hopefully we’ll be able to play. I would love to play. Wimbledon is one of the best tournaments in our sport.”
Florida State is stockpiling talented receivers. Head coach Mike Norvell signed four wideouts in the 2023 that included five-star Hykeem Williams and four-stars Vandrevius Jacobs and Edwin Joseph. Adding more fuel to the mix, the Seminoles have a commitment from 2024 four-star Camdon Frier and landed another dynamic talent in Tawaski Abrams on Thursday.
WHAT MAKES ABRAMS DIFFERENT
The next level gear Abrams has under the hood is not something that can be taught. Playing for Dunbar High School (Fort Myers, Fla.) during the 2022 season, if Abrams had any sort of green grass ahead of him, he showed the speed to take it to the house. His Tigers’ squad was not prolific in the passing attack compiling 1,722 yards, but Abrams had a team-high 37 receptions covering 429 yards with five scores. He also ran the rock 21 times with 248 more yards on the resume getting into the end zone two more times.
WHY THIS IS BIG FOR FLORIDA STATE
Abrams was also used in the kick return game with Dunbar; he has the speed to be a game breaker as a punt returner at the next level. He also has the speed to stretch teams vertically in the passing attack, but is also a nightmare to keep tabs on as an inside target dragging corners and nickels all over the field. FSU got another big threat with Abrams’ commitment.
IN HIS WORDS
“I grew up an FSU fan. FSU is my dream school. I like their communication. They reach out every day, the relationship is there.”
No details have been released on the cause of death.
Lemonier, who was drafted by the XFL’s Arlington Renegades in November, instead recently signed with the USFL’s Houston Gamblers for the upcoming season before being traded to the Birmingham Stallions.
He appeared in seven games with the Lions during the 2021 season, finishing with 15 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. He signed with the Arizona Cardinals last summer and registered a sack in a preseason game but was later released during training camp.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of former Detroit Lion Jessie Lemonier,” the Lions said in a statement. “Jessie was a model teammate and wonderful young man who is gone far too soon. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
His agent, Drew Smith of DEC Management, told ESPN that Lemonier and his girlfriend were expecting a child.
Lemonier, a native of Hialeah, Florida, originally signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent out of Liberty in 2020. He saw action in six games, making two tackles.
The group moved to the other side of the plaza, directly across from the 23rd Police Precinct. Facing a row of mini-cruisers, Ari, who was in sixth grade and lives in Brooklyn, stood at the end of one long block of marble. In front of him was another block; between the two, a gap.
Ari wore look of stern focus and clothes flowed from Volcom and Adidas.
His dad hung back with Mr. Rodriguez. They talked about street skating and the hazards of being kicked out of public spaces. “I grew up dealing with cops almost every day,” Mr. Misurelli said, adding that he raised his son to be respectful and to avoid confrontation.
“They’re not legally allowed to touch us,” Ari said.
“Kids nowadays know that,” said his dad. “Back then, they could touch you.”
Standing atop the long marble block, Ari jolted into motion, rolling to the end and popping a kick-flip over the gap. He landed on the next block but fell, sliding upright in a seated position, the way good skaters fall. He tried again. Then again. And again, sliding off the block and spilling onto the ground. He looked displeased but patient.
New skaters joined the group. Some had their phones out to shoot video.
Ari stepped up onto the marble.
“You got that, Ar!”
He threw down, popped, flipped, landed clean and rolled away — off the block and past the fountain.
Skaters tapped the tails of their boards on the pavement, a universal sign of appreciation.
Jiro and Shiki gave their friend a moment to bask in the achievement, then went after him, convening in something of a hopping huddle, hitting one another on the head.
Kolo Toure has been sacked by Wigan Athletic just two months after his managerial appointment.
Toure only signed a three-and-a-half-year deal in late November, but a run of nine games without a victory in all competitions has brought an abrupt end to his spell as manager at the DW Stadium – after just 59 days.
The Latics are bottom of the Sky Bet Championship on 25 points, four points adrift of safety. Wigan suffered a second home defeat to Luton in the space of four days – with the Hatters easing to a 2-0 win on Tuesday.
The Wigan board have stated they feel now is the right time to make a change with Kevin Betsy and Ashvir Johal also leaving the club.
Image: Toure failed to win any of his nine games in charge
Chief executive Malachy Brannigan said: “Firstly, I’d like to thank Kolo, along with Kevin and Ash, for their efforts during their time at the football club.
“Unfortunately, the results on the field have not been as we would have liked and as tough a decision as this was, the board felt it necessary to give us the best possible chance of remaining a Championship club next season.
“We know that this time of year is a key period for any football club, ourselves included. Therefore, we will now work swiftly and effectively to ensure the right person is appointed as the next permanent manager of Wigan Athletic, with the immediate objective of remaining in the second tier for next season.”
The club have confirmed that first-team matters will be taken on by the remaining coaching staff during this interim period, with the club working quickly to identify and appoint a new manager.
Toure said after the Luton defeat: “We conceded another cheap goal early on and, when that is the case, it is very difficult for you.
“After the first 20 minutes, I thought things got better, the link-up play got better, and we were on the front foot as the game entered the second half. We were putting them under pressure, but then we conceded another cheap goal. We have to be more ruthless in both boxes.
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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Wigan Athletic and Luton Town
“We did manage to score a good goal, but unfortunately it was disallowed for offside. I don’t know if it was offside, it was very close, but that is the way things are going for us. The boys are continuing to give me everything, that is never in doubt. But individual errors are costing us any chance in games.”
Toure worked under the likes of Arsene Wenger, Jurgen Klopp and Roberto Mancini during a playing career that saw him represent Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, but he had no previous management experience.
The Ivorian, 41, had been working as first-team coach at Leicester since February 2019, but his first move into management has not proven to be a success.
“I don’t know what he thought, but you don’t just go out and party all night Friday night when you’re leading the Tour Championship.” Larson said. “That would have been his third win that year, but we ended up losing that tournament by a shot, and he was out Friday night, late, and I’m just like, ‘What are we doing?’”
Schriber, the swing coach, recounted another moment that, in retrospect, felt loaded with meaning. It was 2010, the night after what turned out to be Kim’s final PGA Tour win, at the Houston Open. Schriber and the rest of Kim’s team were on a private jet to Georgia happily passing around a bottle of tequila, but Kim seemed withdrawn.
“We were just getting pummeled celebrating — because winning’s hard — but he didn’t even drink after the win,” Schriber said. “He said, ‘Schribes, I don’t feel anything, I don’t feel the joy.’”
A week later, Kim finished third at the Masters.
Schriber is reluctant to speculate too much on his friend’s mind-set, but, in his view, Kim’s childhood and the continually rocky relationship he had with his father had a deeper and more lasting effect on Kim than most realized.
The story of how Paul Kim tossed one of his son’s second-place trophies in the trash is part of Anthony’s lore. Later, when Kim was in college, he and his father had a fight that resulted in a two-year stretch of silence between them. After Kim turned professional, his father publicly acknowledged that he was too hard on his son, that he was too cold, that when other parents asked him how to mold their children into top athletes, he advised them against it.
Schriber doubted that golf, even during Kim’s loftiest moments, was the respite the young man needed it to be.
“I think it was the feeling of, ‘It’s not taking the pain away like I hoped it would,’” Schriber said.
PHILADELPHIA — Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson hasn’t given up a sack since Nov. 22, 2020, against the Cleveland Browns, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s a streak that spans 29 games, 794 days and more than 1,800 snaps.
Just how hard is that to pull off?
“That is basically, you go out there and win 100% of the reps against a better athlete when you’re going backward and they’re coming forward,” Eagles lineman Andre Dillard said. “That’s how hard that is.”
Arguably the biggest test of the past two-plus years comes Sunday in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers (3 p.m. ET, Fox) when Johnson faces regular-season sacks leader Nick Bosa. He’ll do so while playing with a torn adductor — a groin injury suffered on Christmas Eve against the Dallas Cowboys that sidelined him for the rest of the regular season. Surgery awaits him at season’s end, but he returned in the divisional round against the New York Giants and, somehow, pitched another shutout in a 38-7 Eagles win.
“He’s a true warrior,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said.
The run of sustained excellence becomes all the more extraordinary when you consider Johnson was, as he once put it, “living in hell” for much of it. Johnson, 32, has had anxiety since 2008 when he was a college freshman, but things took a dark turn early in the 2021 season.
Johnson’s frustration largely stemmed from an ankle injury that was impacting his play with the Eagles. Simultaneously, he was suffering severe withdrawal symptoms after unsuccessfully attempting to taper off an SSRI medication — a type of antidepressant that works by increasing levels of serotonin in the brain. He was vomiting, had tremors in his hands and was having difficulty eating and sleeping.
Concern spread when he didn’t show up to the stadium prior to the Eagles’ Week 4 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Few knew Johnson had decided to never play football again.
“I was really scared how my body was responding,” Johnson told ESPN. “I didn’t feel right. My ankle was f—ed up. I didn’t want to play no more.”
He had been living with depression and anxiety for a long time and had lost touch with his sense of self. Things had gotten so bad, he was vomiting daily and throwing up blood. But after a conversation with his psychiatrist, Dr. Lonny Rosen, Johnson decided to go back to Philadelphia to meet with the Eagles, which eventually led to his return following a three-game absence. He also began opening up about his mental health.
Johnson’s candidness had a profound effect in the locker room, “opening up a pathway” for players to talk about their personal struggles, Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata said, adding that Johnson is now viewed as the “focal point of our locker room for mental health.”
“I’ve never had any siblings, so being in a locker room, those guys are my brothers,” Johnson said. “I can tell from body language, I can tell from a lot of stuff that people are not doing good. So my thing is to just talk to them … to get personal with them and really tell them how I was feeling very similar, and I know what you’re feeling, I know what you’re going through.”
THE FRIGHTENING PART to some close to Johnson was the unknown on the morning of Oct. 3, 2021.
Johnson had worked out early with trainer Gabe Rangel at the “Bro Barn” — the standalone gym in the backyard of Johnson’s New Jersey home — before leaving in his black pickup truck. The assumption was he was headed to Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles were hosting the Kansas City Chiefs at 1 p.m.
But then Rangel’s phone started blowing up. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and vice president of team security Dom DiSandro called to ask about Johnson’s whereabouts. No one knew where he was for the better part of an hour.
Johnson’s wife eventually texted Rangel to let him know they were headed to Johnson’s home in Oklahoma to be with family.
He had cut off communications with most of the outside world, including teammates. But if they wanted to get to him, they could still go through Rangel.
“I remember [Eagles center Jason Kelce] calling, and he was very, very upset,” Rangel said. “And he was just like, ‘Please, tell him I love him. I just want to talk to him. I just want to say hi.’ And I think that really touched Lane. It’s just a lot of those connections of, ‘It’s not about football, buddy, these guys are your actual family and they care what happens, nothing to do with if you’re going to ever play again or any pressure of that.’”
There is a history of mental health struggles on the paternal side of Johnson’s family, he said. According to Johnson, his grandfather died by suicide when his father was a few months old. But Johnson was not having suicidal thoughts on the day he drove off.
“[My thought] was never suicide,” he said. … “My thing was to stop the pressure of what I was feeling from my job. I felt like my body was shutting down, and I couldn’t do what I normally do. And so I was over that.”
Because of his medication withdrawal symptoms, Johnson said he knew the night before he was heading out of town.
“I was going back to see my dad. And be in a place where I wasn’t going to be bombarded,” he said.
His lingering ankle injury was making it impossible for him to reach his perfectionist standard, even though by most measures he was playing at a high level. The last time he gave up a sack — the one against the Browns — he was playing with a torn ligament in that left ankle. Season-ending surgery followed. The foot still didn’t feel right as he limped into the 2021 campaign.
Meanwhile, Johnson feared his medication was becoming a “crutch” as he tried to wean himself off. But he was doing it too rapidly.
“It’s like a withdrawal from an opioid. Similar side effects, it’s that bad,” Johnson said.
People who stop taking SSRI medication suddenly “can experience a constellation of withdrawal symptoms,” according to the American Psychological Association, citing Dr. Maurizio Fava, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital. A study conducted by Fava and colleagues showed those effects can include dizziness, insomnia, flu-like symptoms, anxiety and panic attacks.
“I was facing that, on top of my foot [injury]. If my foot wasn’t going to feel better, I was ready to call it a career because I didn’t want to go out there and play half-ass and be remembered for that. That was a big reason why my anxiety was the way it was.”
Upon arrival in Oklahoma, Johnson called Rosen to fill him in on all that had transpired and his intentions to potentially step away from the game for good.
“He said, ‘Before you make any rash decisions, you owe it to yourself to communicate with the Eagles,’” Johnson said. “So after a couple days, Dom came down and that’s what I did.”
Johnson returned to Philadelphia not long after, though his mind hadn’t changed about playing again. However, as time passed and the issue with his medication withdrawal began to resolve, his passion came back into focus.
“I remember we were in the barn and he was being emotional. He was just like, ‘I love football, and I want to go down as one of the best, and I know I can do this,’” Rangel said. “And I was like, ‘All right, well, let’s get everything else in life back in order and we’ll go from there.’”
Johnson signaled his return with a social media message on Oct. 18, 2021.
“I appreciate the positive notes and messages as I’ve worked hard to restore my personal life,” he wrote in part. “Depression and anxiety are things I’ve dealt with for a long time and have kept hidden from my friends and family. If you’re reading this and struggling, please know that you are not alone.”
IF YOU POLLED the Eagles locker room, Johnson would likely get the most votes for funniest player on the team. His wit is as quick as his get-off, and he’s got a knack for finding out what gets you going and then using it against you for the comedic benefit of the group.
But a different side to his personality was revealed when he returned from addressing his mental health break.
“Seeing Lane the way he has opened up about his mental health has kind of given me an opportunity to be able to be myself and go seek help, too,” Mailata said.
When the stresses of the job and life become burdensome, Mailata ducks into the therapist’s office to unload.
“When I talk to Lane now, he’s like ‘Hey man, hang in there.’ He’s got great advice. Most of the time he’s just making me laugh, making me forget about it, and making sure I know there’s more to life than football,” Mailata said.
The Eagles have three therapists on site at the practice facility, with at least one present when players are in the building. Players have access to those clinicians after hours as well. Per an agreement between the NFL and NFL Players Association, teams are required to have a behavioral health clinician on site at least 8-12 hours per week.
Dillard, a 2019 first-round pick who has endured his share of criticism for not meeting the lofty expectations placed on him, called Johnson a “role model” and an “older brother” to whom he can relate.
“Always wanting to be perfect, being a first-rounder, being hated in the beginning. All of it,” Dillard said. Johnson’s openness “was huge for me because I had been dealing with some struggles of my own. To see him go public about that type of thing, it meant a lot to me.”
Liberated through telling his story and with his ankle strengthened, Johnson is in “a good headspace” now. And his play has never been better: He was named first-team All-Pro for the second time in his career and received his fourth Pro Bowl nod.
“He’s been a stalwart of this organization for a long time. Going through what he went through last year, it’s hard to fully grasp,” Kelce said. “I’m just so happy for him that he’s back, he’s playing well, he’s happy.”
In the summer of 2022, Johnson led his first speaking engagement for over 80 people at an event hosted by the Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties in Southern New Jersey. He went deep into his personal story, and broke into tears when talking about how his father “self-medicated with alcohol much of his life.”
Said Roberta Clark, executive director of the organization: “His messaging is critical to people who see mental health challenges as somehow something being wrong with themselves or that they should be ashamed of, as well as the importance of getting help. … His legacy is his leadership, his ability to show vulnerability to help people have better lives.”
JOHNSON IS FOND of a quote from Mike Tyson’s former trainer Cus D’Amato that likens anxiety to fire, where it can work for you — in an athlete’s case, alerting their bodies and pushing them to exceptional heights — “but if it gets out of control,” Johnson said, “it can take over your life and destroy it.”
Johnson is learning how to hone that fire.
He actively works on the mental part of the game, assisted by sports psychologists and mental performance coaches.
Like many athletes, he used to listen to music during his pregame routine to get amped up, but came to realize that it took away from his focus. Now, he listens to an audio track of mental performance coach Brian Cain, who has worked with Olympic gold medalists and a number of top-level athletes in the NFL and UFC.
“Talking about stuff I need to focus on during the game: alignments. Me getting off the line of scrimmage and a quick pass set. Eyes on the safeties. Quick feet,” Johnson said. “He really tells you to focus on your breathing, but then he starts going into deeper detail.”
Instead of scrolling through social media, he’ll sit at his locker stall pregame and pull up a concentration grid app, where up to 100 numbers are scrambled and the objective is to find each in order, one by one.
“As stupid as that may seem,” Johnson said, “it’s a good way to stay in the moment.”
That level of concentration, Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland said, is key to Johnson’s elite play, along with his athleticism and spatial awareness.
“I fear not the man who practices 10,000 kicks once. But I do fear the man who practices one kick 10,000 times,” Stoutland said, paraphrasing Bruce Lee. “That’s Lane. We can complicate this game all you want. But until you have until you consistently take the set, take the set, and not get bored with it, that’s when you become super great.”
Stoutland and Johnson came into the league together in 2013 — Johnson as a first-round pick out of Oklahoma, Stoutland as a former college coach. The bond between them is tight and it hurt Stoutland when Johnson was going through his challenges last year, because he knew how much pain he was in.
But by deciding to no longer bottle his feelings up, Johnson is in a better spot.
“It’s great that those guys are willing to come forward and express their feelings and not be afraid, because I’ve done this for quite a long time. … I can go back and tell you players that I’ve coached that have struggled, struggled, struggled that weren’t so fortunate,” Stoutland said, his voice catching as he grew emotional. “And you did everything you could to help.”
Standing in sharp contrast to the dark road Johnson traveled was a scene from the team’s Christmas party this past December. Stoutland remembers it vividly: It’s of his wife, Allison, taking Johnson’s face in her hands.
“I’ve never seen you look this happy in my entire time with you,” she told him.
LOS ANGELES — Lakers star big man Anthony Davis returned Wednesday night against the San Antonio Spurs, scoring 21 points in a 113-104 Los Angeles victory while coming off the bench for the first time in nearly a decade.
Afterward he said he couldn’t even remember the handful of times he didn’t start as a pro.
“It was definitely new for me since I’ve been playing,” Davis said. “I told them, I said the last time I came off the bench was the 2012 Olympics.”
Davis, out for the past 5½ weeks because of a fractured bone spur and stress reaction in his right foot, was cleared after his pregame warm-up Wednesday about two hours prior to tipoff.
“I’m happy for him, first and foremost,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said before the game. “I know how frustrating this process has been for him, especially at the level at which he was playing. I’m just happy for him, and definitely happy for us. We’ll get him out there, we won’t go too crazy with his minutes, and see how he responds.”
Davis checked in for the first time with 4:22 remaining in the opening quarter and played 26 minutes as the team managed his workload. In addition to his team-leading 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting, he contributed 12 rebounds and 4 blocks.
The last time Davis came off the bench in a game was Dec. 18, 2013, in Los Angeles against the Clippers in his second season with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Davis’ stint off the bench will be short-lived. He will be back in the starting lineup against the Boston Celtics on Saturday, sources told ESPN.
As great as Davis looked overall, there were a couple of shaky moments.
His first block of playing time in the first quarter was a little choppy, including a free throw attempt he clanked off the backboard.
“I was kind of just testing the water,” Davis explained. “Even though I’ve been playing pick-up and things, you can control that pace. In real games, you can’t. They’re flying down the floor and you’ve got to sprint back or your team is running.”
Then, at the end of the third quarter, he attempted a 3-pointer near center court and was fouled by Zach Collins, who was assessed a flagrant foul 1 for taking away Davis’ landing space following a video review by the officials.
The contact caused Davis to fall to the floor and slightly turn his right ankle — the same leg that kept him out since mid-December.
“I almost fainted,” Ham said when asked for his reaction to the foul. “To see him jump up, bounce up, ‘Big Fella, you good?’ He said, ‘I’m all right. I’m OK.’ So, that was a huge relief to see him overcome that unfortunate play.”
Davis stayed in the game and made all three free throws after the foul was called.
“Foot is fine. Ankle is fine. Body feels good,” he said.
Before the game, Ham was asked if Davis was fully recovered or if the team had any lingering concerns about the eight-time All-Star reinjuring himself.
“He’s gone through some rigorous therapy, weight training, weight-bearing exercises, activity on the court — both individually and some group workouts,” Ham said. “We would save him from himself if we thought there was any type of threat or harm that he could do to himself. So he had these boxes that he had to check, and he’s checked all of them. So we feel comfortable with him appearing tonight.”
Rui Hachimura, acquired in a trade with the Washington Wizards earlier this week, made his Lakers debut against the Spurs and also came off the bench, checking in at the same time as Davis. They were welcomed with a loud ovation from the Lakers crowd.
Hachimura finished with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting in 22 minutes.
“He can really, really help us on both ends of the floor,” Davis said of Hachimura. “Obviously, him getting acclimated with the team is going to take time. But tonight, it looked he was able to fit in really well.”
Newcastle and Chelsea tried to sign Everton forward Anthony Gordon last summer and now the Magpies are believed to be the frontrunners to sign him in January – but why is the 21-year-old in demand?
Gordonfailed to turn up to Everton training for a third day in a row on Thursday and his future at the club looks increasingly in doubt. It is thought a bid of around £40m could tempt Everton to sell.
Here, we take a look at what the England U21 international could offer Newcastle or other potential suitors…
Youthful endeavour
The winger has only made two substitute appearances since the defeat to Wolves on Boxing Day and was an unused substitute in last weekend’s defeat against West Ham.
Despite having limited game time since November, Gordon remains the club’s joint-top scorer with three league goals and has also fired a team-topping 16 shots on target.
Among fellow U21s in the Premier League, the chart below reveals how Gordon is out on his own when it comes to hitting the target per 90 minutes and shooting accuracy – while only Bukayo Saka outguns him for open-play expected goals (xG).
While the heat map above clearly shows how Gordon has operated primarily down the right flank this term, the youngster fires most of his accurate shots from the left side of the penalty box – scoring two of his three goals from this area.
His ability to cut inside and shoot from inside opposition boxes, between six and 18 yards out, is typical of the modern inverted forward, and it’s worth remembering Gordon is playing at a club who have scored only 15 league goals this term – only Wolves have scored fewer.
As a result of frequently shooting from the left side of the opposition box, the majority of his attempts are fired low with his favoured right boot – to the goalkeeper’s left corner.
Energy and speed
Arguably, Gordon’s primary strength is pure speed and energy, having clocked the second-fastest burst of pace in the Premier League this term at 36.61 km/h – bettered only by new Chelsea signing Mykhailo Mudryk.
The graphic below plots Gordon’s physical exertions against all his current Everton team-mates and Newcastle players this season and reveals how he also ranks among the elite for sprints – behind only Jacob Murphy and Miguel Almiron.
Powerhouse clubs are attracted to the England U21 star’s pace, energy and eye for goal, while his tender years offer considerable scope for development. Meanwhile, his three-day absence from training appears to indicate his future at Goodison Park could be coming to an end.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Following his Monday arrest on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence, San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Charles Omenihu will remain with the team and continue preparing for Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday.
Shanahan added that the Niners spent the past couple of days looking into what happened with Omenihu and concluded that the best way of handling it is to let the legal process play out before making further decisions.
“We feel very good letting the legal process take care of itself. And don’t feel we should kick him off our team at this time,” Shanahan said.
According to a release from the San Jose Police Department, police arrived at a residence at 4:39 p.m. local time on Monday after a woman called to report that Omenihu, who is her boyfriend, pushed her to the ground during an argument. No visible injuries were observed on the woman, who did complain of pain in her arm but declined medical attention, police said.
Omenihu was booked into the Santa Clara County jail and released Monday after posting bail. He was also served with a restraining order. The case will be submitted to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges.
The NFL said in a statement Wednesday that “the matter will be reviewed under the league’s personal conduct policy. There is no change to his status.”
Omenihu has served as a key part of San Francisco’s defensive line rotation this season, posting 4.5 sacks in the regular season and two more sacks with a forced fumble in the team’s NFC wild-card win against the Seattle Seahawks.
On Wednesday, Omenihu was limited in practice as he deals with an oblique injury.
Barring something changing with his legal status, Shanahan said Omenihu will play against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
“We’re letting the legal process take care of itself so if he’s healthy, he’ll play this week,” Shanahan said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, the governing body of one of the sport’s powerhouse nations, announced that the five new teams, which will comprise the nascent Women’s Premier League when it takes place in March, were sold to local investors for a combined price of more than $570 million.
The size of the deals was the biggest headline: The average price of the teams ($114 million) dwarfed valuations in more established American leagues like the W.N.B.A., based on recent sales, and signaled the lucrative potential of the women’s game in the world’s richest cricket market. It also made the Women’s Premier League the latest test case for women’s competitions attempting to attract audiences and sponsors, and drive profits, comparable with the most lucrative men’s tournaments.
Top women’s cricketers could be the first to benefit: They can most likely expect salaries to reach new highs when the teams stock their rosters at an auction next month.
“Today marks a new era where our women cricketers will get the platform they deserve to thrive, excel and develop on the global stage,” the Indian women’s star Harmanpreet Kaur wrote on Twitter. “I’m sure you’ll be mesmerized by the talent we have!”
In the creation of the Women’s Premier League, the B.C.C.I. has followed the same playbook it used 15 years ago, when it sold eight franchises for a men’s competition, the Indian Premier League, to private investors.
The I.P.L.’s popularity has since revolutionized how cricket is played and watched by popularizing the television-friendly, three-hour Twenty20 format of the game. It also has attracted nine-figure investments from a diverse group that includes Indian billionaires, overseas private equity groups and global media giants.
The most recent I.P.L. expansion franchises sold for more than $700 million apiece, and the new media rights deal made the I.P.L. the second most expensive league in the world, behind the National Football League, on a per-game basis.
“It is going to have a huge impact on the women’s game in India and in the rest of the world,” said Mustafa Ghouse, an executive from JSW, an Indian energy company that was one of the successful bidders.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, or B.C.C.I., has designed the Women’s Premier League to be a sister version of the I.P.L. Of the five franchises, three went to existing owners of I.P.L. teams. Reliance Industries, owner of the Mumbai Indians, spent $112 million to add the Mumbai women’s side to its portfolio. Diageo, which runs the Royal Challengers I.P.L. franchise, handed over a similar amount for the Bangalore team. A joint venture between JSW and an infrastructure company, GMR, which together control the Delhi franchise in the I.P.L., successfully bid $99 million for the new women’s side that will also be based in the capital.
The other two franchises were won by new entrants to Indian cricket: The Adani Group, a conglomerate owned by one of Asia’s richest men, made the largest bid — $158 million — for the team based in Ahmedabad, while Capri Global, a financial lender, bought the Lucknow team for $92 million. Both companies had previously been outbid in attempts to buy I.P.L. expansion teams.
To drive up the value of the franchise sales, the Indian governing body first announced the sale of media rights to the Women’s Premier League this month: At a closed-bid auction, it sold five years of domestic television and digital rights to the tournament to Viacom18 for $116 million. According to Jack Genovese of Ampere Analytics, a media research firm, that made the W.P.L. — a monthlong championship that has yet to play a game — the second-most valuable women’s sports league in the world, behind only the 12-team W.N.B.A.
In addition to the sheer size of the Indian market, Genovese said, “having franchises that operate in both the men’s and women’s leagues helps to build on existing narratives and creates a sense of familiarity for the W.P.L.”
Some of the money raised from the media rights sale will be invested back into the game through player salaries, which will help to ensure the participation of the world’s best players. Although salary figures have yet to be confirmed by the B.C.C.I., base prices for players at the auction — a high-stakes marketplace in which teams bid for individual players one at a time — are likely to range from $12,000 to $60,000 for the four-week competition. The most in-demand players, such as the Indian internationals Kaur and Shafali Verma, and leading overseas stars from England and Australia, are expected to earn several times more than the base salaries.
Some critics have raised concerns that the money that will pour into women’s cricket through the W.P.L. will be funneled disproportionately to a handful of people at the top of the sport. “It would be better to organize a tournament which explicitly seeks to redistribute wealth in women’s cricket,” said Raf Nicholson, a historian of women’s cricket at Bournemouth University in England. “But unfortunately, we seem to be following the path set out by the men, which just makes the rich richer.”
Others argued that any additional funding at all should be welcomed, especially in a sport where only a couple of hundred players around the world can afford to play professionally.
“In many countries, including established places like South Africa, the national board cannot afford to retain their best players,” said Daniel Norcross, who has worked on BBC broadcasts of women’s cricket for years. “The franchise leagues that are springing up around the world are providing a more adequate living. That helps more than just the country that is running the league. To have India coming in makes a massive difference. Suddenly, the sport becomes a viable career.”
Several leading international players, such as Lizelle Lee of South Africa, have retired from playing internationals in favor of appearing in short-form tournaments like the Hundred in England and the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia. Now, the top wages on offer at the W.P.L. will be substantially larger than even those events.
In an attempt to ensure the continued viability of the new Indian women’s league, the winning owners were given 10 years to pay their initial franchise fees to the B.C.C.I., while the governing body agree to hand over 80 percent of the revenue from the first five-year media rights deal to the teams. As in the I.P.L., teams will retain the majority of their local revenue, earned through sponsorship and sales of tickets and merchandise. A similar revenue-sharing model was one of the reasons every I.P.L. team managed to remain profitable through the Covid-19 pandemic.
The challenge for the B.C.C.I. and Viacom18 is to ensure that the women’s tournament commands attention, but both they and the team owners say they believe that there is an appetite for watching women’s cricket: More than 47,000 people watched the Indian team play Australia in Mumbai in December, for example, setting a national record. And a cultural historian, Boria Majumdar, noted crowds climbed walls to watch women’s exhibition matches held before I.P.L. games in previous years.
The five-team competition may be just the beginning. The B.C.C.I. has indicated that it is planning to add more teams after at least nine entities who submitted bids missed out on the first five franchises. Norcross suggested that the B.C.C.I. chose to keep the initial W.P.L. to five teams because it was worried about the depth of talent. But he also said, “any concerns will pass quite quickly when the spectacle happens.”
“When there are up to five overseas players and several Indian internationals in each side,” he added, “there will be more than enough talent to create really high-quality games. And that will drive the expansion.”
LOS ANGELES — In the team’s first game since the 2022 World Cup, the United States men’s national team got an early goal from debutant Brandon Vazquez before conceding twice in a 2-1 loss to Serbia at BMO Stadium.
All four players on the roster eligible to represent Mexico — Vazquez, Alejandro Zendejas, Cade Cowell and Jonathan Gomez — were in the starting XI. It represented a clear statement of intent from U.S. Soccer that the federation wants long-term commitments from each of them.
Vazquez, Zendejas — both making their first full national team caps — and Cowell played together in a front three that was lively and consistently dangerous. Vazquez’s goal on a cross from fellow debutant Julian Gressell was an excellent finish — redirecting the ball to the far corner — and leaves a positive first impression about his ability to play at the international level.
For all the attention Zendejas’ inclusion drew coming in midseason from Club America, he was outshined by Cowell on the opposite wing. The San Jose Earthquakes winger has been billed as a potential star for years and while he’s still only 19 years old, this is a massive year in terms of solidifying what fair expectations for his development should be. If he’s as dangerous for the Quakes as he was against Serbia, it’s fair to reignite talks about a potential European transfer.
Gomez didn’t find the same success as the other three. His physical limitation were on display and provided important context for why he has not made a first team appearance for Real Sociedad in LaLiga since transferring from Louisville City in USL in 2021.
Fresh off his move from the Chicago Fire to Chelsea, Slonina made history as the youngest goalkeeper to ever appear for the United States. At 18 years, 255 days, takes the record from Tony Meola, who debuted a few months after his 19th birthday against Ecuador in 1988.
The youngster had a few nice moments — including one sequence in which he was kicked in the head while pushing a ball off the line — and wasn’t really to blame for either of Serbia’s goals. Though he’s still a long way from seeing the field in England, Slonina certainly has the talent to someday develop into the US No. 1. Is it possible by 2026? That seems like a stretch, but not outside the realm of possibility.
3. Typical vibe for a January game
If U.S. Soccer was hoping the excitement from the World Cup would translate to a better-than-usual January atmosphere, it would have left disappointed. BMO Stadium — the new name for LAFC‘s home — was about half full and had the appropriate energy level for a glorified training exercise.
The reality for this type of game is the result doesn’t matter. It’s about giving individual players opportunities to be exposed to the international level as part of their development process. There is team aspect, of course, but as the U.S. plays with an interim coaching staff, there was less value there Wednesday night as there might have been otherwise.
Seven starters made their national team debuts, which was the most in a single game since 1988.
Best and worst performers
Best: Aidan Morris, USA
Morris was calm on the ball and solid defensively in a position — defensive midfielder — that lacks depth in the pool. There’s a significant drop after Tyler Adams and Morris appears very much ready to compete for minutes behind him.
Best: Cade Cowell, USA
As mentioned above, Cowell was consistently impactful playing down the left wing. He didn’t have a goal or assist to show for it, but it felt inevitable every time he got the ball he was going to blow by the defender marking him and get the ball into a good spot.
Best: Veljko Simic, Serbia
Simic, who plays for Vojvodina in Serbia, scored the game-winner early in the second half and was influential in the Serbian attack throughout the match.
Worst: Marko Mijailovic, Serbia
Cowell had his way with Mijailovic throughout the night.
Worst: Jonathan Gomez, USA
Gomez showed he’s not ready to be considered for minutes in official competitions.
Worst: Jalen Neal, USA
Neal had some bright moments but got caught of position a few times and wasn’t strong in possession.
Highlights and notable moments
Vazquez opened the scoring on the night with a debut goal.
¡Se estrena como goleador🤩 !
⚽ @Brvndonv con la cabeza vence al arquero y marca su primer gol en su debut con @USMNT.
— Fudbalski savez Srbije | FA of Serbia (@FSSrbije) January 26, 2023
After the match: What the managers and players said
USMNT coach Anthony Hudson on Alejandro Zendejas: “Incredible. Obviously, he has to go back to his club tonight and I was pretty much trying to beg him to stay because I thought he was outstanding. He’s been in a few days and — you saw him tonight — you see his personality on the field. He’s a really, really exciting player. Good quality. Technically really, really strong. Really attack-minded. I just love his desire just to keep going and keep going.”
Walker Zimmerman on starting in Qatar vs. this friendly: “I told the guys in the huddle before the game, anytime we put on this jersey, we don’t care if it’s a World Cup game or if it’s a January camp game. You put on that jersey, it’s the pride that you have to try to win the game. So we went out there and wanted to be competitive. It’s a little bit different when you have that preseason deal and for a lot of guys it’s a week or two into getting back into it. Whereas ain normal January camp,you have a whole month to build up. So for a lot of guys, it’s really the first bit of football action that they’ve had. From that standpoint, it makes it difficult. It makes it difficult for the rotations, the fitness standpoint and then the understanding.”
Brandon Vazquez on scoring in his debut: “Making my debut tonight and scoring on my debut with my family here close to where I grew up, it’s something incredible. Seeing my family celebrate like that and it’s something amazing to see.”
Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information research)
Vazquez becomes the 59th #USMNT player to score in his debut
Seven starters earn their senior team debuts — the most first caps in a USMNT Starting XI since nine players debuted in a friendly match against Guatemala on January 10, 1988
At 18 years, 255 days, Gaga Slonina will become the youngest goalkeeper to play for the USMNT
Up next
USMNT: The Americans have one more friendly attached this camp against Colombia on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET in nearby Carson, California.
Serbia: For now, Serbia’s next matches on the calendar are not until March for the qualifying tournament for the Euros against Lithuania and Montenegro.
