39 h. ago ‘It’s a new world’: the analysts using AI to psychologically profile elite players

Statistics can help assess a potential recruit’s emotional control and leadership, while highlighting red flags“The players didn’t show enough fight.” Listen to any pundit’s post-match reaction and you will hear variations of that soundbite. But can you analyse an athlete’s state of mind, based on their on-pitch body language?In an era when football is increasingly leaning on data to demonstrate physical attributes, statistics offering an accurate indication of a player’s psychological qualities, such as emotional control and leadership, are harder to come by. But Premier League clubs including Brighton are using a technique intended to help in that regard with selection and recruitment. Continue reading...

Sport

63 h. ago Club World Cup teams facing tax threat in new blow to expanded tournament

Fifa is yet to secure exemption for 32 clubs taking partTax rate may vary according to where games are playedFifa is facing complex negotiations with the US authorities before the Club World Cup after failing to secure tax exemptions for the 32 competing clubs.The world governing body announced a huge prize fund for the tournament of $1bn (£754m) in March, including up to $125.8m for the winners, but without tax agreements clubs could be left with bills of tens of millions of dollars to the US tax authorities on top of tax payable in their home countries. At least 29 clubs from outside the US, including Chelsea and Manchester City, will be competing. Continue reading...

Society

4 d. ago ‘I couldn’t care less’: Postecoglou bats away speculation before Frankfurt trip

Manager pledges to fight ‘tooth and nail’ for victoryVan de Ven says players ‘still have trust in the gaffer’Ange Postecoglou has said that Tottenham will fight “tooth and nail” to salvage their season by reaching the Europa League semi-finals and admitted he “couldn’t care less” about speculation over his future.Spurs will be without Son Heung-min for the second leg of their quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt tonight due to a foot injury. Postecoglou admitted that it was a blow to lose his captain as his side prepares for their most important game of the season after a 17th Premier League defeat of the campaign against Wolves on Sunday. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Fresh Scott McTominay claim in Italy makes size of Man Utd transfer error clear

Manchester United sold Scott McTominay to Napoli for an initial £21million last summer and he's been one of Antonio Conte's best players as they fight to win Serie A

Politics

5 d. ago Afghanistan’s women cricketers get ICC funding and elite coaching

ICC says Australia, India and England will work to support displaced Afghan women players

Politics

1 week ago Ineos Britannia pull out of America’s Cup and aim barb at Ben Ainslie’s team

Ineos blames delays on talks with Ainslie’s Athena teamJim Ratcliffe laments ‘very difficult decision’Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Britannia team has withdrawn its intention to compete in the 38th America’s Cup.The team, which lost 7-2 to Emirates Team New Zealand in the 37th edition last year, has announced it has “reluctantly withdrawn its challenge”, claiming a six-month delay in reaching an agreement with Sir Ben Ainslie’s Athena Racing Ltd had “undermined its ability to prepare” for the event. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Ineos Britannia pulls out of America’s Cup and aims barb at Ben Ainslie’s team

Ineos blames delays on talks with Ainslie’s Athena teamSir Jim Ratcliffe laments ‘very difficult decision’Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Britannia team has withdrawn its intention to compete in the 38th America’s Cup.The team, which lost 7-2 against Emirates Team New Zealand in the 37th edition last year, has announced it has “reluctantly withdrawn its challenge”, claiming a six-month delay in reaching an agreement with Sir Ben Ainslie’s Athena Racing Ltd had “undermined its ability to prepare” for the event. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Robert MacIntyre's Masters bid fuelled by Andy Murray advice and brown sauce

The Ryder Cup hero loves the "buzz" of competing in big events - and home comforts on the road

Politics

2 w. ago Afghan rights defender told she faces ‘no risk’ from Taliban as Home Office denies asylum

Woman who worked with western governments in her home country before fleeing the Taliban told to returnAn Afghan woman who risked her life to defend human rights in her home country before fleeing to the UK has been told by the Home Office it is safe for her to return after officials rejected her asylum claim.Mina (not her real name) worked for western government-backed projects and was involved in training and mentoring women across Afghanistan, which left her in grave danger even before the Taliban took over in 2021. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago The ‘unacceptable’ Liverpool mistake that must change in Merseyside derby

Recent high-profile defeats to PSG and Newcastle ended Liverpool’s campaigns in two cup competitions and the manager must now to galvanise his team into a positive response

Politics

2 w. ago Nottingham Forest v Manchester United: Premier League – live

Premier League updates from the 8pm BST kick-offLive scores | Read Football Daily | And email ScottA pre-match palate-whetter, courtesy of friend of the site Steve Pye. “I wondered if you might be interested in a blog of mine looking back at Nottingham Forest dramatically beating Man Utd in December 1984?” Sure thing! “For the second time in two weeks, Ron Atkinson’s team threw away a two-goal lead on the road, with a couple of their players coming to blows in the dressing room after the match.”The return of the Premier League, then. It’s been a while, what with World Cup qualifiers, the Nations League, FA Cup quarters, all that. So here’s a reminder of how the division looks as we head into this full round of midweek fixtures. Forest are looking to consolidate third spot, as they chase a Champions League spot and a chance to bid for European Cup number three. United’s most realistic hope of continental competition next season is to win this year’s Europa League, though barreling up...

Politics

2 w. ago Mass brawl between Timberwolves and Pistons sees seven players and coaches ejected

Five players and two coaches were ejected after a fight broke out during the second quarter of the Minnesota Timberwolves' victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night.

Sport

3 w. ago Queen's Park 0 Livingston 5: Lions rampant as they seal first cup win in 10 years with five

It is Livingston's first cup win since they last triumphed in the competition back in 2015

Politics

3 w. ago ‘It means death’: Afghan women’s rights activists face deportation from Pakistan

Police go door-to-door arresting Afghans as government pledges to send millions back home to Taliban ruleMore than 50 prominent female Afghan women’s rights activists sheltering in Pakistan are facing deportation home, where they fear they will be imprisoned or killed under Taliban rule.Under a draconian policy, the Pakistan government has pledged to deport millions of Afghan nationals, after relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan severely deteriorated and attacks by militants in the border areas surged. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Why my radical FA Cup change would reward clubs who have taken competition seriously

An unfamiliar quarter-final line-up in the FA Cup could bring about a first-time winner, and Robbie Savage argues there's a surefire way to permanently refresh the competition

Events

3 w. ago ‘Not even a watch’: No prizes if City win Club World Cup, warns Guardiola

Manchester City coach says team doesn’t deserve bonusGuardiola on Rodri’s recovery: ‘We must be careful’Pep Guardiola has stated that if Manchester City win this summer’s Club World Cup he, his players and staff do not deserve even “a watch” as a bonus given their disappointing season.The champions travel to Bournemouth for Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final in the only other competition they can win. City are fifth in the Premier League, 22 points behind the leaders, Liverpool, were eliminated from the Champions League in February and went out of the Carabao Cup in the last 16. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago ‘Getting worse and worse’: former Afghanistan captain’s anger at state of football in his country

Against a backdrop of brutal Taliban rule and corruption claims, Zohib Islam Amiri sees demoralisation setting inWhen Zohib Islam Amiri came back to play in Afghanistan in January for the first time since 2010, he was hoping to make a difference. “I wanted to try to give some of the young Afghan kids some inspiration,” he says. “But as soon as I got there it was clear that things were even worse.”Amiri, who made his international debut as a 15-year-old in 2005 before serving as captain for more than a decade, became the first Afghanistan player to move overseas when he joined Mumbai in 2011. The defender’s return to play for Abu Muslim in the Afghanistan Champions League – a competition set up in 2021 when the Taliban regained power – was never intended to be the end of his career. But having seen his side crowned champions after a controversial 8-0 victory amid allegations of match-fixing, Amiri decided enough was enough. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago ‘Getting worse’: former Afghanistan captain’s anger at state of football under Taliban rule

Against a backdrop of brutal Taliban rule and corruption claims, Zohib Islam Amiri sees demoralisation setting inWhen Zohib Islam Amiri came back to play in Afghanistan in January for the first time since 2010, he was hoping to make a difference. “I wanted to try to give some of the young Afghan kids some inspiration,” he says. “But as soon as I got there it was clear that things were even worse.”Amiri, who made his international debut as a 15-year-old in 2005 before serving as captain for more than a decade, became the first Afghanistan player to move overseas when he joined Mumbai in 2011. The defender’s return to play for Abu Muslim in the Afghanistan Champions League – a competition set up in 2021 when the Taliban regained power – was never intended to be the end of his career. But having seen his side crowned champions after a controversial 8-0 victory amid allegations of match-fixing, Amiri decided enough was enough. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago ‘Getting worse’: former Afghanistan captain’s anger at state of football in homeland

Against a backdrop of Taliban rule and corruption claims against FA president, Zohib Islam Amiri sees demoralisation setting inWhen Zohib Islam Amiri came back to play in Afghanistan in January for the first time since 2010, he was hoping to make a difference. “I wanted to try to give some of the young Afghan kids some inspiration,” he says. “But as soon as I got there it was clear that things were even worse.”Amiri, who made his international debut as a 15-year-old in 2005 before serving as captain for more than a decade, became the first Afghanistan player to move overseas when he joined Mumbai in 2011. The defender’s return to play for Abu Muslim in the Afghanistan Champions League – a competition set up in 2021 when the Taliban regained power – was never intended to be the end of his career. But having seen his side crowned champions after a controversial 8-0 victory amid allegations of match-fixing, Amiri decided enough was enough. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Afghanistan women players fight to compete in World Cup qualifying after fleeing Taliban rule

Afghanistan’s women’s football team fled from their country after the Taliban takeover of 2021

Sport