EVERTON FORWARD CHARGED BY FAOAFYER ALLEGEDLY BREAKING BETTONG RULES BY PLACING 61 BETS OVER 15 MONTHS

Everton forward Martin Sherif has been charged by the FA for allegedly breaching betting rules. 

The 20-year-old, who was loaned out to Rotherham by the Toffees last season, has been accused of betting 61 times on matches over 15 months. 

The bets allegedly were placed between November 20 in 2024 and February 12 in 2026 and Sherif now has until next Monday to respond to the charges. 

The FA said in a statement: 'Martin Sherif of Everton FC has been charged with breaching the FA's betting rules.

'It's alleged that the player breached FA Rule E1.2 in respect of 61 bets placed on football matches between 20 November 2024 and 12 February 2026. 

'Martin Sherif has until Monday 17 August to provide a response.'

Sherif has never made a professional appearance for Everton but trained with the first team last year. 

He has been with the club since the age of 13 and boasted an impressive scoring record at youth level.  

He scored twice in 10 games for Rotherham in League One last season but the loan was cut short in December by the Premier League side due to Sherif suffering a number of injuries. 

The Liberia-born forward later joined Port Vale on loan in February but could not help them avoid relegation to League Two, scoring twice in 17 matches.  

- WILL GRIFFEE

THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF ENGLAND HAS DISQUALIFIED MUDRYK FOR FOUR YEARS FOR DOPING

Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk has filed an appeal against the four-year disqualification decision, which has been referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Football Association (FA) has disqualified Ukraine national team and London Chelsea midfielder Mykhailo Mudryk for 4 years for violating anti-doping rules. This was reported by UNN with reference to talkSPORT journalist Ben Jacobs and The Athletic. 

The Football Association imposed a four-year ban on Mykhailo Mudryk after a prohibited substance was detected in his system in 2024. The Chelsea star has already filed an appeal against this decision, which has been referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) 

- the journalist reported. 

The disqualification of the Ukrainian international will be backdated and will include a provisional suspension, which will keep him out of the game until 2028, although the exact date of his return is not yet known.

Currently, the parties (Mudryk and CAS - ed.) are exchanging written statements, and a hearing has not yet been scheduled. Subsequently, sources told us at talkSPORT that the disqualification period is four years, and Mudryk, using the services of the same lawyers as Paul Pogba, hopes to either achieve an acquittal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport or, in the worst-case scenario, secure a reduction in the disqualification period 

- the journalist adds. 

Addendum

In January 2023, Mykhailo Mudryk moved from Shakhtar Donetsk to London's Chelsea. The "Miners" received 70 million euros for the player and could also receive another 30 million euros in the form of bonuses. 

Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Serhiy Palkin stated in an interview with ESPN that Shakhtar risks losing a significant amount in bonus payments. 

"There are 30 million euros in bonuses in his contract. And if he doesn't play, if Chelsea doesn't achieve results, we will lose 30 million euros. This is a big financial blow for us. Therefore, everyone believes that this story will end as soon as possible with positive results, and Mudryk will return to the game. Otherwise, we will be in a position where we lose 30 million euros. I know Mudryk as a player and a person. I believe he will return and start playing. I know this because I have never met such a guy in my life. He is very hardworking. And he will prove that he is capable of playing and bringing results to the team. But, as I understand it, at the moment everyone is waiting for the court's decision, and we have no information about when this will happen and when the final decision will be made. Therefore, everyone is waiting for information" 

- Palkin said recently.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne confirmed receipt of the appeal from Mykhailo Mudryk against the decision of the English Football Association.

CAS confirms that it received an appeal from Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA, filed on February 25, 2026. The parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing has not yet been scheduled 

– CAS informed The Athletic. 

In 2024, the Ukrainian midfielder of the English football club Chelsea, Mykhailo Mudryk, failed a doping test. 

Subsequently, Chelsea confirmed the positive doping test of Ukrainian midfielder Mykhailo Mudryk. In turn, the footballer himself stated that he did not knowingly consume any prohibited substances. 

The Football Association (FA) charged Ukrainian Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk with violating anti-doping rules. 

In June last year, Mudryk received a positive result from a "B" doping sample. 

During his suspension from football, Mudryk spends time, in particular, on computer games, including Counter-Strike 2.

Thus, in February of this year, the footballer was involved in a scandal during a Faceit match with Poles. The London club winger insulted players from Poland, specifically with his remarks regarding Volhynia, for which he received a ban in the game. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs even had to intervene in the Mudryk situation; in particular, the ministry emphasized that there should be no place for such incidents. 

- Pavlo Bashynskyi, UNN  

LIVERPOOL KEEPER RAFAELA BORGGRAFE GETS SIX-GAME BAN FOR RACIST REMARK

Rafaela Borggrafe joined Liverpool last July

Liverpool goalkeeper Rafaela Borggrafe has been handed a six-match ban by the FA after an ⁠investigation found she made a racist comment, coach Gareth Taylor said on Friday, adding that the player has already served five games of her ban.

British media reported in September that the FA had launched an investigation into Borggrafe over allegations of using discriminatory language towards a teammate, who was not named.

"We have a slight update on the situation, in the sense that the FA has now completed its thorough investigation. They sanctioned ⁠the player with a six-game ban," Taylor said ahead of Sunday's ⁠Women's Super League home game against Tottenham Hotspur.

"That ban has been ongoing whilst we've ⁠been playing, ⁠so effectively she'll be out of the running to be included this weekend, but after that she is available ⁠for selection.

"We're happy now that it's completed... we have some actual detail on what it looks like, and all of us can now move on."

Borggrafe, 25, joined Liverpool in July, and has made three WSL appearances for the bottom side.

- RTÉ Sport

ARSENAL'S NEXT 9 FIXTURES

 

CHELSEA'S MARESCA BANNED FOR FOREST MATCH AFTER WILD CELEBRATION

London (AFP) – Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was given a one-match touchline ban on Wednesday for dissent and over-celebrating a last-gasp goal in a 2-1 Premier League win over Liverpool on October 4.

Chelsea's Italian head coach Enzo Maresca celebrated with his players after their winning goal against Liverpool © Glyn KIRK / AFP

The Italian will now be banned from the touchline for Chelsea's match away to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.

He has also been fined £8,000 ($10,685) and the Football Association said Maresca openly admitted the misconduct charge.

He was given a yellow card for railing against a penalty decision and picked up a second one in the sixth minute of stoppage time for wildly celebrating Estevao Willian's angled winner during a desperate onslaught.

Chelsea had lost their previous two matches before tackling Liverpool at home, and the win lifted them to sixth place at that time as under-fire Maresca avoided a third successive league defeat.

Maresca is reported to have told the Italian media that running down the touchline and celebrating with the players had been "an instinctive reaction" and added that it had been worth it even if he got sent off.

© 2025 AFP

CHELSEA CHARGED WITH 74 BREACHES OF FA AGENT RULES FROM 2009 TO 2022 FROM 'SELF-REPORTED' TRANSFER PAYMENTS

The charges against Chelsea relate to payments to player agents between 2009 and 2022 [Isabel Infantes/Reuters]
 https://aje.io/ebr7sf

Chelsea have been charged with 74 breaches of the English Football Association's (FA) regulations on agents, intermediaries and third party ownership.

The FA said the charges relate to incidents between 2009 and 2022, when the club was owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, with the bulk of the alleged breaches taking place between the 2010-11 and 2015-16 seasons. In response Chelsea said they had been aware of "potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules" during due diligence for the Clearlake Capital-led consortium in the spring of 2022. This was then reported to the FA upon completion of the sale.

The Blues have until September 19 to formally respond to charges which include breaches of regulations around the disclosure of the identity of agents involved in transactions. The FA's statement said: "The Football Association has today charged Chelsea FC with breaches of Regulations J1 and C2 of The FA Football Agents Regulations, Regulations A2 and A3 of The FA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries, and Regulations A1 and B3 of The FA Third Party Investment in Players Regulations.

"In total, 74 charges have been brought against Chelsea FC. The conduct that is the subject of the charges ranges from 2009 to 2022 and primarily relates to events which occurred between the 2010-11 to 2015-16 playing seasons. Chelsea FC has until 19 September 2025 to respond."

Chelsea will hope that their self reporting and cooperation with the FA investigation eases any potential sanction they could face. That all the offenses took place prior to the involvement of the US owners could also come into consideration. The Blues described themselves as having "shown unprecedented transparency" and that they were "pleased to confirm that [their] engagement with The FA... is now reaching a conclusion."

Their statement said: "Chelsea FC is pleased to confirm that its engagement with The FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion.

"The club's ownership group completed its purchase of the club on 30 May 2022. During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules. Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including The FA.

"The club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club's files and historical data. We will continue working collaboratively with The FA to conclude this matter as swiftly as possible. We wish to place on record our gratitude to The FA for their engagement with the club on this complex case, the focus of which has been on matters that took place over a decade ago."

- James Benge

FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INGANTINO 'DEEPLY SADDENED' BY RACIST ABUSE TOWARDS ENGLAND'S JESS CARTER

Jess Carter has been the target of racist abuse on social media during Euro 2025 and FIFA president Gianni Infantino has promised to help the authorities identify the culprits

FIFA president Gianni Infantino (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, has expressed his deep sorrow over the online racial abuse targeted at England's Jess Carter during Euro 2025, vowing that FIFA will collaborate with relevant authorities to identify those responsible.

Defender Carter announced she would be "taking a step back from social media and leaving it to a team to deal with" after disclosing she had been subjected to "a lot of racial abuse" throughout the tournament in Switzerland.

Infantino took to Instagram to express his dismay: "I am deeply saddened to see the online abuse directed at England's Jess Carter during the ongoing Women's EURO tournament. There is no place for racism in football or in society.

"We stand with Jess. We stand with every player and every individual who has suffered from racist abuse.

"No player should be discriminated against in any way, they should be free to be at their very best on the pitch.

"Through FIFA's Social Media Protection Service, we have helped tackle such abuse across multiple tournaments. We will continue to collaborate and support confederations, FIFA Member Associations and their players.

"In this instance, we will be offering our support with any further action required, as well as sharing data for appropriate action to be taken against any perpetrators."

Mark Bullingham, the chief of the Football Association, confirmed that his organisation has already reported the "abhorrent" abuse to UK police, who are "in touch with the relevant social media platform".

Bullingham stated the FA "will continue to discuss with the relevant authorities and social media companies about what more can and should be done."

Lucy Bronze expressed her sadness for England teammate Carter ahead of the Lionesses semi-final clash with Italy in Geneva on Tuesday, whilst cautioning social media firms that football players can "thrive" without their platforms.

"I think no player needs social media," Bronze remarked. "I think that's one thing that we can always remember, is that we play football because we love the sport.

"Someone like Jess, she's had an amazing tournament. I think she was one of our best players in the Netherlands game, for example, and she should be able to see messages and the fans and the support and live in that moment, because it's something you should be able to celebrate."

The Lionesses have reached a collective decision that they will not be "taking the knee" before kick-off in Geneva, abandoning the symbolic anti-racism gesture that has become commonplace across sport since 2016, when NFL player Colin Kaepernick knelt during the Star Spangled Banner in protest.

"Until now, we have chosen to take the knee before matches," the team statement declared.

"It's clear we and football need to find another way to tackle racism.

"We have agreed as a squad to remain standing before kick-off on Tuesday."

- Husmukh Kerai

ENGLAND BOSS TUCHEL ALLOWED TO WORK FROM HOME IN GERMANY AND SKIP MATCHES

Thomas Tuchel has not been seen in Premier League grounds on some weekends (Picture: Getty)

England boss Thomas Tuchel has not attended any of the last three Premier League weekends due to a work-from-home arrangement with the FA, it has emerged.

Tuchel was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October last year but did not begin his job full-time until the start of the New Year.

While England’s first game under Tuchel’s stewardship is not until late March against Albania, the German has been seen in various Premier League grounds as he watches over potential members of his first squad.

However, concerns have now arisen after it was noted that the former Chelsea boss has not been seen at any grounds over the last three Premier League gameweeks despite only starting his new job a little more than six weeks ago.

The Times now report that the FA have afforded Tuchel the flexibility to work from home in a move that will allow him to make regular trips back to Germany to visit his family.

It is a move not too dissimilar from the head coach of the England women’s team, Sarina Wiegman, who has carried out her role whilst commuting from her family home in the Netherlands.

There is also no suggestion that Tuchel has not been watching games despite not being in attendance. He is also said to have made several trips to the national team’s base, St George’s Park.

Tuchel has missed the last three weekends of Premier League action (Picture: Getty)

Tuchel is on an 18-month contract with a £5million salary (Picture: Getty)

Tuchel attended four games across the first weekend in his new role at the start of January but then missed both midweek Carabao Cup semi-final first legs as well as a full slate of FA Cup third-round action the following weekend.

The 51-year-old did then attend seven games across the next six days – from January 14 to 22 – which included the north London derby and Manchester City’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

More recently, Tuchel has been in Milan to watch England veteran Kyle Walker at his new club on February 2 and in Madrid to keep tabs on Jude Bellingham six days later.

But he also missed another weekend slate of Premier League action at the start of February as well as the fourth round of the FA Cup which included Marcus Rashford’s debut for Aston Villa against Tottenham on February 9.

Tuchel’s predecessor, Gareth Southgate, was a regular in the stands (Picture: Getty)

Tuchel was seen back in England for City’s clash with Real Madrid last Tuesday and watched Harry Kane in action in Munich on Saturday.

However, he once again opted against seeing any Premier League action last weekend, although he was in the stands for Chelsea’s clash with Brighton on Friday.

Defending Tuchel’s current working arrangments, a statement from the FA told The Times: ‘Thomas has attended 17 matches — both in England and abroad — to watch English players since he joined us in January, and is working full-time to assess players for his first squad announcement next month.’

- Ben Fleming

EVERTON, LIVERPOOL AND SLOT CHARGED AFTER DERBY MELEE

Everton, Liverpool and Arne Slot have been charged by the Football Association after the chaotic scenes at the end of Wednesday's Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

The clubs have been charged with failing to ensure their players "did not behave in an improper and/or provocative way" after the final whistle.

Liverpool head coach Slot is charged with having acted "in an improper manner and/or used insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour" towards referee Michael Oliver and one of his assistants, which led to the Dutchman being red-carded.

Slot's assistant Sipke Hulshoff, who was also sent off, faces a similar charge for his behaviour both before and after he was dismissed.

The clubs, Slot and Hulshoff have until Wednesday, 19 February to respond to the charges.

Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucoure clashed at the final whistle, sparking a melee involving both sets of players
 

The late chaos began after James Tarkowski scored a dramatic 98th-minute equaliser for Everton, which was awarded after a video assistant referee (VAR) check.

Liverpool were adamant the goal should have been disallowed because of a shove by Toffees striker Beto on Reds defender Ibrahima Konate in the build-up.

Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure celebrated in front of the Liverpool fans at the final whistle before being confronted by Reds midfielder Curtis Jones, with both players sent off for second yellow-card offences.

Slot and Hulshoff were then both shown the red card after approaching Oliver on the pitch.

Reds boss Slot told a news conference on Friday that "emotions got the better of me" and he should have "acted differently".

The draw moved Liverpool seven points clear at the top of the Premier League, with neighbours Everton rising to 15th and 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

Slot is expected to be on the touchline for Liverpool's Premier League match against Wolves at Anfield on Sunday (14:00 GMT).

The Premier League initially reported on its website that Slot would be banned for two matches "for using offensive, insulting, or abusive language", but that was later deleted. It is understood human error was to blame for the erroneous post.

 - BBC Sport

PREMIER LEAGUE, FA AND PGMOL ISSUE MAJOR JOINT STATEMENT AHEAD OF ASTON VILLA MATCH

The Premier League, the Football Association and Professional Game Match Officials Ltd have confirmed Villa Park plan

Semi-automated offside technology will be used for the first time in the FA Cup fifth round (Peter Byrne/PA)(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Semi-automated offside technology will make its debut in English football in seven of the eight FA Cup fifth-round ties.

The technology will be used at all the ties hosted at Premier League stadiums, with the Preston v Burnley tie the one exception. Aston Villa host Cardiff City.

A statement issued on Thursday morning confirmed the Premier League would look to introduce the technology in its competition later in the season.

The Premier League hopes SAOT will reduce the length of offside checks by an average of 31 seconds.

VAR will be used at all eight ties, a joint statement from the Premier League, the Football Association and Professional Game Match Officials Ltd confirmed.

The Premier League has worked with technology provider Genius Sports on the new offside system.

The original plan had been to introduce it in the Premier League after one of last autumn’s international breaks, but those deadlines came and went.

Speaking last week, Premier League chief football officer Tony Scholes said the technology was still on course to be introduced this season.

He said there had been “significant progress” made over the last four to six weeks.

“The system that we’ve adopted, we believe it to be the best system,” he said.

“We believe it to be the most accurate and the most future-proof system as well. I have to confess, given the difficulties that we had over the first few months of the season, I had severe doubts about this but the progress made over the last four to six weeks has been significant.”

Scholes insisted introducing it with potentially only a handful of games to go would not create an integrity issue.

“The operation of semi-automated offside technology does not change the integrity of the offside law and doesn’t change the integrity of decision-making,” he said.

“We have got 100 per cent accuracy (on offside after VAR checks) this season, so it won’t improve the accuracy. What it does is make the process more efficient.”

- James Pallatt and Jamie Gardner PA Chief Sports Reporter

RODRIGO BENTANCUR BANNED 7 GAMES FOR OFFENSIVE SON HEUNG-MIN REMARK

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been handed a seven-game ban and a £100,000 fine by the English Football Association (FA) for using abusive language and bringing the game into disrepute during a Spanish-language interview on Uruguayan television in June.

The ban applies only to English club football and not European competition, meaning he can still compete against Roma and Rangers in the Europa League. He will miss Premier League clashes with Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, as well as a Carabao Cup quarterfinal against Manchester United.

The charge by the FA stemmed from a clip posted on social media after Bentancur was interviewed on Uruguayan Television programme "Por La Camiseta." Host Rafa Cotelo asked Bentancur for a Spurs player's shirt, to which he replied, "Sonny's?" [Son Heung-Min], adding: "It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same."

He denied the initial FA charge, according to the statement issued on Monday, and can appeal the ruling.

The FA said: "It was further alleged that this constitutes an 'aggravated breach'... as it included a reference -- whether express or implied -- to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin."

In a news conference during the ongoing international break, Bentancur told reporters that he was braced for the punishment. As part of the decision, he also has to attend face-to-face education sessions which have to be completed by March 2025.

Rodrigo Bentancur has been banned for seven games over the use of a racial slur. Marc Atkins/Getty Images

The Uruguay international apologised on June 20 in a post on Instagram for the remark that he said was a "very bad joke." Five days later, Son, Tottenham's captain, said that he had accepted his teammate's apology.

"He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised. Lolo [Bentancur] would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all," Son said in a post on social media.

"We're past this, we're united, and we will be back together in preseason to fight for our club as one."

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.

- ESPN

PREMIER LEAGUE REF DAVID COOTE SUSPENDED OVER JÜRGEN KLOPP OUTBURST

Jürgen Klopp of Liverpool complains to fourth official David Coote during a game in May 2022. Robin Jones/Getty Images

Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended pending a full investigation after a video was circulated on social media that appeared to show him making disparaging remarks about Liverpool and their former manager Jürgen Klopp.

Two clips were posted on an account on X in which Coote is apparently sat on a sofa next to an unidentified male, who asks questions about Liverpool and Klopp.

The English Football Association (FA) has said it is "aware of the matter" and conducting its own investigation.

If the video is verified as being genuine, Coote -- who was the referee for Liverpool's 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa on Saturday -- would appear to have no future as a top-flight referee. There will be no further update from PGMOL, the refereeing body for English football, until the investigation has been completed, but Coote will be unavailable for selection as a referee or a VAR during this time.

Coote, 42, has been a Premier League referee since 2018 and took charge of the 2023 Carabao Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle. He was a FIFA-listed official between 2020 and 2022.

While not on a UEFA list as a referee, he has, alongside Stuart Attwell, been a lead VAR and was appointed to Euro 2024.

It is unclear when the video was filmed, but there is reference to Coote being the fourth official on a Liverpool game earlier in the day and COVID social distancing.

When asked about Liverpool's performance in the game, Coote replies "Liverpool were s---."

The referee is then asked about Klopp, to which he responds: "C---, absolute c---."

Asked why he has this opinion, Coote adds: "Aside from having a right pop at me when I was reffed them against Burnley in lockdown, then he accused me of lying and then just had a right f---ing pop at me. And I've got no interest in speaking to somebody as f---ing arrogant. So I do my best not to speak to him. [James] Milner's all right."

Coote officiated a 1-1 draw for Liverpool at home to Burnley in July 2020.

What suggests the video was filmed during lockdown is that Coote then shows a picture of him in a mask on the touchline at a Liverpool game, and says: "You can see me there with [a] mask on. COVID, gotta be done. Social distancing, right? We're 10 metres apart."

Coote then adds in another apparent reference to Klopp: "But, oh my god. German c---. F--- me."

The individual sat alongside Coote then said: "Long story short, Jürgen Klopp's a c---, Liverpool are all f---ing bellends, and we hate Scousers."

The second, shorter video sees Coote say: "Just to be clear, that f---ing last video can't go anywhere, seriously."

The other person then responds: "He's a Premier League referee, let's not f---ing ruin his career. Let's face it, we're good blokes but we can't ruin a bloke's career, we're not that bad. Also he's a f---ing legend. So let's not ruin his career."

- Dale Johnson, General Editor, ESPN FC

BREAKING: THOMAS TUCHEL APPOINTED ENGLAND HEAD COACH

Thomas Tuchel will start his England post on January 1 and will be assisted by English coach Anthony Barry; Lee Carsley will again take charge during the November international break; Tuchel: "We will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud"

Thomas Tuchel has been appointed the new England manager

Thomas Tuchel has been confirmed by the FA as  new England head coach.

The German - who becomes the Three Lions' third foreign coach after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello - signed his contract on October 8 and will start work on January 1.

Tuchel will be assisted by English coach Anthony Barry, who worked with him at Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

Lee Carsley will remain in interim charge of the senior team during the November international break for games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland, before returning to his previous post as U21s manager.

Tuchel said: "I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team. I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already. To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.

"Working closely with Anthony as my assistant coach, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud. I want to thank the FA, in particular Mark [Bullingham] and John [McDermott], for their trust and I am looking forward to starting our journey together."

The German boasts considerable elite-level experience having led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021 and also taken charge of Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

Tuchel will speak as England manager for the first time on Wednesday afternoon, at a press conference starting at 1.30pm. You can watch it live on Sky Sports News and on Sky's digital platforms.

Who is new England assistant Barry?

Liverpudlian Barry first met Tuchel when the German joined Chelsea in 2021, having already been at the club working under Frank Lampard.

Anthony Barry worked with Tuchel at Chelsea and Bayern Munich

He is widely regarded as one of the most promising upcoming English coaches and while he was at Chelsea, several Championship sides considered making him their manager.

At Chelsea, Barry undoubtedly made an impact under Tuchel - so much so that he stepped in as Chelsea caretaker boss when the German had Covid-19.

Barry then joined Tuchel's backroom staff at Bayern Munich. and also held assistant manager roles with the Republic of Ireland, while he was also Roberto Martinez's No 2 in the Belgium and Portugal national team set-ups.

Tuchel has credited Barry for the quality of his analysis, as well as his personality and drilling on the training pitch, and Barry is also known to be a set-piece specialist.

Speaking after being appointed England manager, Barry said in a statement: "For any Englishman in football, working with the national team is the pinnacle and I didn't hesitate when Thomas asked me to come and join him again.

"I know what a great place St. George's Park is and how much of an advantage it gives our England teams, and the support it gives to coaches.

"This squad is very talented and have done so much to bring the country together, I look forward to meeting and working with them on this exciting project."

- skysports.com

THOMAS TUCHEL SET TO BE NAMED ENGLAND MANAGER - SOURCES

Thomas Tuchel is set to become the full-time replacement for Gareth Southgate. Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images

Thomas Tuchel is set to become England's new men's head coach after talks accelerated with the Football Association at a rapid pace in the past 48 hours, sources told ESPN.

The FA are set to hold a news conference at Wembley on Wednesday with Tuchel likely to be confirmed as Gareth Southgate's successor.

Southgate stepped down after eight years after England's Euro 2024 defeat to Spain.

The FA initially appointed under-21s boss Lee Carsley on an interim basis for England's autumn UEFA Nations League fixtures as they stepped up their search for possible candidates, who included Tuchel and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.

Carsley repeatedly refused to rule himself in or out of the running for the role on a permanent basis and while speculation grew that the FA were hopeful he would prove himself able to succeed Southgate, sources told ESPN that English football's governing body were in fact making contact with high-profile alternatives.

Tuchel has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season, but he won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021.

In January during an exclusive interview with ESPN, Tuchel was asked whether he felt more appreciated in England rather than his native Germany.

"Yes," he replied. "I feel that we are very critical with each other in Germany and especially with players or coaches and not only with me. "Pretty simple question. ... I felt more appreciation in England, yes."

Tuchel will become the third foreign-born manager and first German to take charge of England.

Sources told ESPN that Guardiola was approached several weeks ago but the 53-year-old was uncertain over his future after entering the final year of his contract at Etihad Stadium.

The FA also considered English candidates including Graham Porter and Eddie Howe but their job specification -- published in July -- stated that the successful candidate would need "significant experience of English football" and "a strong track record delivering results in the Premier League and/or leading international competitions."

Tuchel has won 11 major trophies including the Bundesliga with Bayern, two Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain and the DFB-Pokal with Borussia Dortmund.

England reached back-to-back Euros finals under Southgate and are targeting a first trophy in 60 years at the 2026 World Cup.

- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

ENGLAND BOSS LEE CARSLEY TELLS BEN WHITE: LION'S ROLE UP TO HIM

Getty 

Lee Carsley said he has no plans to contact Ben White over a possible England call-up and believes the responsibility lies with the Arsenal defender to make himself available.

Carsley's predecessor Gareth Southgate said in March that the Football Association's technical director John McDermott was told in a phone call from Arsenal sporting director Edu that White did not want to be considered for England.

It has been widely reported that White had a disagreement with Southgate's assistant Steve Holland while part of the squad at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

White was sent home from that tournament for "personal reasons" as both the FA and Southgate subsequently denied there was an issue within the camp.

After Carsley began his interim role as Southgate's successor with back-to-back 2-0 UEFA Nations League wins away at Republic of Ireland and home to Finland, the 50-year-old hinted he would look to make changes to the squad for next month's friendly matches.

"I'm thinking about the game tonight, but it wasn't long after coming off the pitch where I was thinking 'right, I need to start thinking about next one now'," said Carsley on Tuesday. "How that might look and what players are going to be coming into form, and how that's going to pan out. So, yeah, competition for places within this squad is very high.

"I think you will see some movement and I think it's important that we keep freshening it up, we keep moving the squad forward."

Asked about whether that could involve speaking to White about his potential availability, Carsley said: "I've not planned to [contact him], no. We spoke about this in the squad selection. Every player that's eligible to play for England is in with a chance.

"As far as I was aware, he was asked to be not contacted. So, if that changes, then that'll change."

Pushed on whether the onus was on White to change the situation, Carsley replied: "Yeah I think it is important that we've got real competition all over the pitch and the more players we've got available to pick from, the better it is."

White only has four England caps to his name, but is now established as one of the Premier League's top right-backs in an Arsenal side that challenged Manchester City for the title in the past two seasons.

- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

GARETH SOUTHGATE LEAVES ENGLAND JOB AFTER EURO 2024 FINAL

Gareth Southgate's England became the first country to lose two successive European Championship finals. MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

 Gareth Southgate has resigned as England manager after their Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain, the English Football Association (FA) confirmed on Tuesday.

Southgate's contract was due to expire in December, and although sources told ESPN that the FA wanted him to continue through to the 2026 World Cup, Southgate opted to walk away after eight years as manager.

In a statement released by the FA, Southgate said: "As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England. It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all.

"But it's time for change, and for a new chapter. Sunday's final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager."

Southgate, 53, played 57 times for England and took charge of 102 games as manager. Only Walter Winterbottom (139) and Sir Alf Ramsey (113) coached England more often.

After taking charge in 2016, he guided England to the 2018 World Cup semifinals, the Euro 2020 final and the World Cup 2022 quarterfinals before they reached their first major final on foreign soil in Germany.

Southgate began work with the FA as head of elite development in 2011, and since replacing Sam Allardyce five years later, he has been widely credited with overhauling the culture of the England squad and reconnecting the team with supporters.

"I have had the privilege of leading a large group of players in 102 games," Southgate's statement continued. "Every one of them has been proud to wear the Three Lions on their shirts, and they have been a credit to their country in so many ways.

"The squad we took to Germany is full of exciting young talent and they can win the trophy we all dream of. I am so proud of them, and I hope we get behind the players and the team at St. George's Park and The FA who strive every day to improve English football and understand the power football has to drive positive change."

Southgate signed off his message by declaring: "We have the best fans in the world, and their support has meant the world to me. I'm an England fan and I always will be.

"I look forward to watching and celebrating as the players go on to create more special memories and to connect and inspire the nation as we know they can. Thank you, England -- for everything."

Sources told ESPN that Eddie Howe, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino are among the leading candidates to replace Southgate.

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham confirmed the search had now begun and hailed Southgate and his assistant Steve Holland's contribution to English football.

"Gareth has made the impossible job possible and laid strong foundations for future success," he said in a statement.

"He is held in the highest regard by the players, the backroom team, by everyone at The FA and across the world of football.

"We are very proud of everything Gareth and Steve achieved for England, and will be forever grateful to them.

"The process for appointing Gareth's successor is now under way and we aim to have our new manager confirmed as soon as possible. Our UEFA Nations League campaign starts in September, and we have an interim solution in place if it is needed.

"We know there will be inevitable speculation, but we won't be commenting further on our process until we appoint."

England captain Harry Kane shared his appreciation for Southgate on social media.

"Boss. Thank you for everything you have done for me and our country! You have been one of England's greatest ever managers and it has been a pleasure to have served as your captain throughout," he wrote on X. "You helped our nation connect and believe in our team again.

"There have been so many highlights and we've made memories together that will last forever! Good luck with your next chapter and I'm sure we'll see each other around. Thanks Boss!"

- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

MANCHESTER UNITED ARE 2024 FA CHAMPIONS

 

FA CHARGES NEWCASTLE'S TONALI FOR ALLEGED BREACHES OF BETTING RULES

Sandro Tonali has been charged by the FA over alleged betting rules breaches. Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images

 Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali has been charged by the English Football Association (FA) for misconduct relating to alleged breaches of the federation's betting rules.

"It's alleged that the Newcastle United midfielder breached FA Rule E8 50 times by placing bets on football matches between 12 August 2023 and 12 October 2023," the FA said in a statement.

The FA said Tonali has until April 5 to respond to the charges.

Tonali, who joined Newcastle from AC Milan in July last year, had been handed a 10-month suspension from football in October 2023 for betting on matches in Italy following an investigation by prosecutors in Turin.

The 23-year-old's agent, Giuseppe Riso, had claimed last year that Tonali suffers from a "gambling addiction."

In a statement on X, Newca6stle acknowledged the charges received by Tonali and said the Italy international continues to " fully comply with relevant investigations and he retains the club's full support."

Tonali has made 11 appearances for Newcastle in all competitions this season and scored one goal.

- ESPN

PALMER, LEWIS, KONSA GET FIRST ENGLAND CALL-UPS FOR EURO QUALIFIERS

Cole Palmer. Reuters 

England have handed first call-ups to Chelsea's Cole Palmer, Manchester City's Rico Lewis and Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa for this month's European Championship qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, the Football Association (FA) said on Monday.

FA TO REVIEW LIGHTING AT WEMBLEY ARCH IN ISRAELI COLOURS AFTER CRITICISM

Reuters 

The Football Association (FA) said it would be reviewing whether to light Wembley's arch in blue and white in solidarity with Israel after receiving criticism for not doing so last week, CEO Mark Bullingham said on Thursday.

Wembley, the home of England's national football team, has previously lit up its iconic arch with the colours of Ukraine, Turkey and other countries in solidarity.

However, it did not do so for Israel following attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Oct. 7 ahead of England games against Australia and Italy. The decision was criticised by the British government and by the Israel Football Association president Moshe Zuares.

Bullingham said the English governing body had immediately conveyed its horror at the attacks to the Israeli FA and had sought guidance from experts before deciding to wear black armbands and have a minute's silence at the games to mark the conflict.