5 d. ago Jordan’s long road to World Cup qualification took a strange diversion | John Duerden

Improvement of side has been slow and steady since Harry Redknapp and Ray Wilkins had short spells in chargeWould Harry Redknapp have taken Jordan to the World Cup had the 2018 tournament featured 48 teams instead of 32 and Asia had eight spots instead of four? It is an interesting question but the former West Ham manager’s short time in charge in 2016, not long after Ray Wilkins had the job, is not a subject anyone in the capital, Amman, is much focused on at the moment.“Redknapp and Wilkins? Now is not the time to talk about that,” said a smiling Jordan Football Association official on Monday. The reaction given the country has just qualified for a first World Cup and is in serious party mode is understandable. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Jordan’s long road to World Cup qualification took a strange diversion

Improvement of side has been slow and steady since Harry Redknapp and Ray Wilkins had short spells in chargeWould Harry Redknapp have taken Jordan to the World Cup had the 2018 tournament featured 48 teams instead of 32 and Asia had eight spots instead of four? It is an interesting question but the former West Ham manager’s short time in charge in 2016, not long after Ray Wilkins had the job, is not a subject anyone in the capital, Amman, is much focused on at the moment.“Redknapp and Wilkins? Now is not the time to talk about that,” said a smiling Jordan Football Association official on Monday. The reaction given the country has just qualified for a first World Cup and is in serious party mode is understandable. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Hibs duo heading to 2026 World Cup as qualification secured with help of returning Celtic star

Current and former SPFL players qualify for tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico

Politics

6 d. ago World Cup qualifiers: Spalletti exits with flat Italy victory, Haaland gives Norway boost

Departing Italy coach downbeat despite 2-0 win over MoldovaNorway defeat Estonia 1-0; Croatia thrash Czech RepublicLuciano Spalletti took charge of Italy one last time on Monday, and while his side sent him off with a win, the sacked manager accepted that he is not leaving the team in a good place for his replacement.Spalletti paid the price for a 3-0 drubbing in Norway on Friday as Italy’s World Cup qualifying campaign in Europe’s Group I was compromised in their opening game, and an uninspired 2-0 home win over Moldova was not how he wished to bow out. Italy broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time through Giacomo Raspadori’s strike from the edge of the penalty area, with Andrea Cambiaso adding another soon after the restart. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Jordan Henderson showed the attitude his England teammates were lacking | Jonathan Wilson

It was after the substitution of the former Liverpool captain that Thomas Tuchel’s side slipped in to individualismThe tendency is always to gloom. How could it not be? Nobody could have sat through England’s 1-0 win over Andorra on Saturday and not felt a profound sense of frustration. Six million years of human evolution has culminated in this? When the England manager shrugs and says he can’t blame the fans for booing, you know it was bad.Thomas Tuchel was a short-term appointment. He’s not in the post for pathways or development or creating a culture. He’s here to win the World Cup next summer. In the boozy, drowsy somnolence of the RCDE Stadium, that felt a preposterous ambition. Look at England’s rivals. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Tuchel insists ‘no harm done’ by honest criticism of England win over Andorra

‘They know they underperformed,’ says England managerEngland to face Senegal at City Ground on TuesdayThomas Tuchel has said his England ­players must accept his straight-­talking criticisms if they are to advance to World Cup glory. The manager did not hold back after the lacklustre performance in the 1-0 qualifying win against Andorra in Barcelona on Saturday, questioning their attitude and body language.The result followed wins against Albania and Latvia at Wembley in March during Tuchel’s first camp and means England have maximum points in Group K. They have also kept three clean sheets. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Italy fans call for Claudio Ranieri as Fabio Capello points finger amid World Cup fears

Claudio Ranieri's is the people's choice to take the coaching job after the shocking 3-0 defeat to Erling Haaland's Norway with Luciano Spalletti's position under threat

Politics

8 d. ago Italy fans call for Claudio Ranieri as Luciano Spalletti unceremoniously sacked

Claudio Ranieri's is the people's choice to take the coaching job after the shocking 3-0 defeat to Erling Haaland's Norway with Luciano Spalletti having been sacked by the FIGC

Politics

8 d. ago England’s drab display against Andorra shows football’s real problem

Andorra 0-1 England: An uninspiring showing left Thomas Tuchel furious but highlighted that England’s players need a break

Politics

8 d. ago ‘I didn’t like the attitude’: Thomas Tuchel lays into England squad after drab 1

England 1-0 Andorra: Tuchel’s men played out an uninspiring game with Harry Kane’s second-half goal the difference

Politics

8 d. ago England were dismal against minnows Andorra but it really doesn’t matter | Jonathan Wilson

Tuchel’s target is to win the World Cup and a scintillating performance would not have made lifting the prize in New Jersey any more likelyHow bad was it? Bad enough to be England’s worst result in seven games against Andorra. Bad enough for players used to operating at the highest of levels for the best clubs in the world to find themselves unable to weight simple passes or deliver crosses with precision. Bad enough that Andorra’s 37-year-old left-back Marc García nutmegged Noni Madueke in injury time. But, beyond the potential problems it may cause with goal difference, it doesn’t matter at all in terms of the main issue: the winning of the World Cup next summer.England could have played scintillating football and beaten Andorra 10-0 and it wouldn’t have made them any more likely to be lifting the prize in New Jersey next July. That’s not to excuse a dismal performance, just to say it’s irrelevant. The game was won, the box ticked, and Thomas Tuchel hopefully learned something fro...

Politics

8 d. ago Terrorism police deployed amid violence fears for World Cup qualifier in England's group

Tensions are high in Tirana as Albania host Serbia in England's 2026 World Cup qualifying group almost 11 years on from infamous abandonment because of drone carrying flag

Events

9 d. ago A year to go until the World Cup, Thomas Tuchel faces the reality of international football

Limited training sessions, a reliance on club coaches, and preparing for differing conditions all concern the England boss ahead of the World Cup qualifier with Andorra

Politics

9 d. ago Spurs sack Ange Postecoglou as head coach after two years in job: football news – live

Australian departs despite Europa League gloryRead the latest edition of Football DailyAsian World Cup qualifiers: Jordan and Uzbekistan have secured qualification at the World Cup finals for the very first time, while South Korea also booked their place in the tournament for the 11th time on the bounce. The three teams join Argentina, New Zealand, Iran and Japan in qualifying for World Cup 2026, while the USA, Canada and Mexico qualify automatically as co-hosts.Uzbekistan, who count Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov among their number, booked their place courtesy of a scoreless draw with the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, while a 3-0 win over Oman was enough to secure Jordan’s place at the tournament. South Korea beat Iraq 2-0 to win their place in the Fifa tombola. Continue reading...

Society

9 d. ago Spurs to sound out Thomas Frank, Liverpool relaxed over Díaz comments: football news – live

Men’s transfer interactive | Women’s transfer interactiveRead the latest edition of Football DailyAsian World Cup qualifiers: Jordan and Uzbekistan have secured qualification at the World Cup finals for the very first time, while South Korea also booked their place in the tournament for the 11th time on the bounce. The three teams join Argentina, New Zealand, Iran and Japan in qualifying for World Cup 2026, while the USA, Canada and Mexico qualify automatically as co-hosts.Uzbekistan, who count Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov among their number, booked their place courtesy of a scoreless draw with the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, while a 3-0 win over Oman was enough to secure Jordan’s place at the tournament. South Korea beat Iraq 2-0 to win their place in the Fifa tombola. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Liverpool relaxed despite Luis Díaz comments, Gabriel signs Arsenal deal: football news – live

Men’s transfer interactive | Women’s transfer interactiveRead the latest edition of Football Daily | And mail BarryAsian World Cup qualifiers: Jordan and Uzbekistan have secured qualification at the World Cup finals for the very first time, while South Korea also booked their place in the tournament for the 11th time on the bounce. The three teams join Argentina, New Zealand, Iran and Japan in qualifying for World Cup 2026, while the USA, Canada and Mexico qualify automatically as co-hosts.Uzbekistan, who count Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov among their number, booked their place courtesy of a scoreless draw with the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, while a 3-0 win over Oman was enough to secure Jordan’s place at the tournament. South Korea beat Iraq 2-0 to win their place in the Fifa tombola. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago Albania and Serbia face each other in a World Cup qualifier that’s about more than just football

A 2014 game between the teams in Belgrade was abandoned when a drone carrying an Albanian flag sparked a full-scale brawl

Politics

1 week ago England train in heated tents to prepare for ‘suffering’ at World Cup

Tuchel will travel to the United States to see how his players cope in the Club World Cup

Politics

3 w. ago Enzo Maresca hits back at Chelsea critics after Champions League qualification: 'Eff off'

Chelsea finished fourth despite having the youngest squad in Premier League history

Sport

3 w. ago Champions League return could be transformative for Chelsea and Enzo Maresca

Blues provide concrete proof they are heading in right direction for first time in years

Sport