After a run of poor results, Aston Villa sacked manager Steven Gerrard on Thursday night in the immediate aftermath of the 3-0 Premier League defeat at Fulham. The Birmingham outfit have won just two of 11 league outings this term, with the former Liverpool player paying the price for poor form and results. It could also be nearing the end of Cristiano Ronaldo’s time at Manchester United as manager Erik ten Hag dropped the star for Manchester United’s game at Chelsea over his early tunnel exit. The Portuguese striker is said to have a fractious relationship with some of the manager’s coaching staff at Old Trafford.
In her column today, Lisa Fallon writes Saturday’s draw turns World Cup dream into a reality for Ireland. She writes Irish women’s football can learn from the imperfections of the men’s game as it establishes its own new identity. “Because young girls watching last week will never see Katie McCabe or Denise O’Sullivan or Amber Barrett or Lily Agg or Courtney Brosnan as tomboys. They see them as women playing football, being strong in the challenge, athletic, technical, clever, determined, passionate and most of all ambitious,” Fallon writes. Soccer correspondent Gavin Cummiskey explains what Vera Pauw’s side can hope for when the groups are picked out in a useful all you need to know piece.
In today’s subscriber only piece, Johnny Watterson writes death threats and fear are all part of sporting protest. Hatred and bigotry is part of sport but sometimes individuals step up and call it out to their own detriment. “Sport has unlikely heroes. Rekabi is keeping it lit. Whether many listen is a moot point,” he writes. In golf, Rory McIlroy has fired his way into contention in defence of CJ Cup title with an opening 66, with Séamus Power only a shot further back and Lowry one more. McIlroy trails Trey Mullinax and Gary Woodland by one stroke.
In GAA, the treatment of referees has been a hot topic and Seán Moran has spoken to two referees who would like to see a fundamental re-evaluation of the key role referees play within the association. “The mantra here is ‘the GAA, where we all belong’. Referees have to be central to that and I would like to see an improvement in the support structures so there’s a better respect for referees,” says this year’s All-Ireland football referee, Seán Hurson from Tyrone. Next season has opened up for Sligo, London, Leitrim and New York after the lop-sided Connacht draw gave division four teams in the province a chance to compete for the Sam Maguire. Sligo boss Tony McEntee has been a strong proponent for the Tailteann Cup, and remains so, but he sees the draw as a massive opportunity for all of the teams on their side in Connacht to make progress.
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In rugby, Jean Kleyn is looking forward to “probably still one of the ultimate tests in world rugby” as the experienced lock sees Leinster game as another chance to radically change the trajectory of Munster’s season. Leo Cullen and Graham Rowntree must decide whether to stick or twist for the Aviva showdown on Saturday as both Leinster and Munster have a proliferation of injuries with their backlines hardest hit. On Friday lunchtime the coaches will turn over their cards.
