3 w. ago Incongruity of World Test Championship final fails to dampen Australian excitement | Geoff Lemon

It may be a strange time of year for an Australian, and a strange tournament structure, but the decider is vindicated further each time it is playedIn Australia it is winter, and it is footy season. AFL, NRL, the works. The autumn was passing strange, with unnervingly high temperatures and the Gold Coast Suns in the top four. But now it is June, and feeling more as it should, with nights in the southern half of the continent dipping deep into single degrees. The Raiders must be breathing out steam on Canberra mornings, half remembering dreams of ending a premiership wait. And strangely positioned among all this, the Australia Test team is getting ready to play cricket.Australian winter tours happen, but outside the occasional Asian or Caribbean jaunt this century, they’re confined to quadrennial visits to England. Two years ago, the first time Australia qualified for a World Test Championship final, that match came directly before an Ashes series. As well as turning the supposed cul...

Sport

3 w. ago Thomas Tuchel shares England players' dressing room talk post 'failure' Andorra win

England laboured to a 1-0 win in their World Cup qualifier against Andorra on Saturday evening

Sport

3 w. 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

3 w. 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

3 w. ago Thomas Tuchel responds to critics after dismal England win with hint on next starting XI

Thomas Tuchel saw his England side scrape past minnows Andorra in their third World Cup qualification match, with the German insisting he is ready for the pressure coming his way

Politics

3 w. 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

3 w. 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

3 w. 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

3 w. ago Roy Keane accuses England players after awful Andorra display: 'They got bored!'

England beat Andorra 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Barcelona, but their dismal performance prompted criticism from Roy Keane, who accused them of getting bored

Sport

3 w. ago Andorra vs England live: Result and reaction as Harry Kane goal seals drab England win in World Cup qualifier

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

Politics

3 w. ago Harry Kane saves listless England’s blushes as Andorra frustrate Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel had demanded a convincing win and a performance without doubts. The England manager wanted to suffocate Andorra in this World Cup qualifier; to see his team attack cohesively, to unpick the low block of the nation that sits 173rd in the world rankings. So much for the wishlist.This was the end-of-season game that Tuchel had tried to talk up, mainly because he has so few matches to drill his players before the finals next summer. He was keen to see some energy. And yet his words failed to stir very much. Yes, England won, as they always do against Andorra. Yes, they did so without conceding, as they always do against Andorra. And yes, it is now three wins out of three for Tuchel, with no goals against. But it was not possible to get excited. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Andorra vs England LIVE: World Cup qualifier result, match stream and latest updates

Three Lions expected to produce big win in Barcelona to continue 100 per cent start under Thomas Tuchel

Politics

3 w. ago Andorra vs England LIVE: World Cup qualifier match stream, latest score and goal updates

Three Lions expected to produce big win in Barcelona to continue 100 per cent start under Thomas Tuchel

Sport

3 w. 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

3 w. ago Thomas Tuchel admits there are just 10 spots left in England's World Cup 2026 squad

England resume their World Cup qualification campaign on Saturday with a trip to Andorra, but players are fighting for a diminishing number of places in Thomas Tuchel's squad

Politics

3 w. ago Saka ruled out of England qualifier, Ronaldo will not play at Club World Cup – matchday live

Latest news and updates before Saturday’s footballFixtures | Tables | Mail matchday.live@theguardian.comPaul is confident that Tottenham will succeed if they appoint Thomas Frank to replace Ange Postecoglou:“There’s probably been too much over thinking on this. I sent this message to my son last night. ”It’s the right decision. He can leave a hero and will always be welcomed back. £100m just for turning up in the CL is too much to gamble on him getting top four. I know Frank hasn’t managed at CL level and he may be out of his depth but, personally, I’ve been walking out of games during the tenure of the last 3 managers. That needs to stop and if Frank gets me to stay 90+ minutes every week, he’s a step up! It will be interesting whether Frank can attract top quality signings. I see Manor Solomon’s coming back. Not a good start to the window!!” Continue reading...

Society

3 w. ago Spurs hunt for new manager, Saka ruled out of England qualifier – matchday live

Latest news and updates before Saturday’s footballFixtures | Tables | Mail matchday.live@theguardian.comPaul is confident that Tottenham will succeed if they appoint Thomas Frank to replace Ange Postecoglou:“There’s probably been too much over thinking on this. I sent this message to my son last night. ”It’s the right decision. He can leave a hero and will always be welcomed back. £100m just for turning up in the CL is too much to gamble on him getting top four. I know Frank hasn’t managed at CL level and he may be out of his depth but, personally, I’ve been walking out of games during the tenure of the last 3 managers. That needs to stop and if Frank gets me to stay 90+ minutes every week, he’s a step up! It will be interesting whether Frank can attract top quality signings. I see Manor Solomon’s coming back. Not a good start to the window!!” Continue reading...

Society

3 w. ago Why are England playing World Cup qualifier against Andorra in Spain today?

Three Lions face minnows in third World Cup qualifier, but in Spain

Politics

3 w. ago Cardiff weigh up move for Wales U20s star from English giants

The WRU are working hard to bring Welsh qualified players back to Wales from England

Politics

3 w. ago Spurs hunt for new manager, England face Andorra in World Cup qualifier – matchday live

Latest news and updates before Saturday’s footballFixtures | Tables | Mail matchday.live@theguardian.comAs always, I want to hear from you today! What are your thoughts on Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal? Did he deserve to be sacked? Who will replace him?Also, will you be watching England later today? Which starting XI should Thomas Tuchel go for? Let me know. Continue reading...

Society