Over 130 teams confirmed for Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi Cup in February   

Over 130 teams confirmed for Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi Cup in February   
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A record number of female footballers are set to compete in Abu Dhabi in February. (MCFC)
Over 130 teams confirmed for Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi Cup in February   
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Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup returns this February. (MCFC)
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Updated 23 January 2023

Over 130 teams confirmed for Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi Cup in February   

Over 130 teams confirmed for Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi Cup in February   
  • Youth skills competition to feature 1,750 players
  • Premier League Trophy, on world tour, returning to capital city

ABU DHABI: Over 130 youth teams have been confirmed for Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi Cup over the weekend of Feb. 18 and 19.

Launched in 2017 with the aim of developing young football players in the region, the tournament has grown over the years. It returns for its fourth edition, for the first time since 2019, with 1,750 players set to compete.

The tournament will be held at Zayed City Sports Stadium, the largest multi-purpose sports venue in the UAE. In addition to football action, the “City Village” will be open to the general public to experience live entertainment, and a screening of Manchester City’s Premier League away fixture against Nottingham Forest on Feb. 18.

Fans will also have the opportunity to see the Premier League trophy up close, and have photographs taken with City mascots Moonbeam and Moonchester.

The trophy has been traveling the world to various countries including the US, Mexico, South Africa, Germany and South Korea. It is part of Manchester City’s global Trophy Tour to celebrate the club’s fourth title win in five years.


Newcastle United is an ‘ambitious, long-term project,’ says club’s chief exec

Newcastle United is an ‘ambitious, long-term project,’ says club’s chief exec
Updated 01 April 2023

Newcastle United is an ‘ambitious, long-term project,’ says club’s chief exec

Newcastle United is an ‘ambitious, long-term project,’ says club’s chief exec
  • Latest round of financial results revealed $87.2m loss, along with a need to increase revenues and secure more-lucrative sponsorship deals
  • Newcastle face Man United on Sunday in a Premier League re-run of February’s Carabao Cup final, which ended in defeat for Magpies

NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United Chief Executive Darren Eales spoke on Friday about the “ambitious, long-term project” that is underway at St James’ Park.

It followed the release of the club’s latest financial results, the main takeaway from which was a need to significantly increase revenues and secure more-lucrative sponsorship deals.

The accounts for the year ending June 30, 2022, were the first filed under the majority ownership of the club by Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, whose tutelage covered about nine months of that period.

Newcastle reported a loss, after tax, of £70.7 million ($87.2 million), over the 12 months, a significant increase on the £12.2m loss reported in 2021. It was mostly attributed to transfer market costs, and a significant increase in the ratio of wages to turnover, which now sits at an unsustainable-looking 94.6 percent.

Turnover, however, was up, with the club reporting revenues of £180 million, an increase of almost £40m compared with the previous year.

“This is an ambitious, long-term project,” said Eales. “The financial success of the club goes hand-in-hand with our performances on the pitch.

“We have come a long way in the past few months. There’s still a long way to go but we are looking to the future with confidence.”

In the immediate future, Newcastle will take on Manchester United on Sunday in a Premier League re-run of February’s Carabao Cup final, in which the Magpies ended up on the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline.

Newcastle have been plagued by injuries to some key players recently, including top scorer Miguel Almiron, and major January signing Anthony Gordon.

“Anthony did a very small part of training on Wednesday,” head coach Eddie Howe said on Friday. “We’ll see how he has responded to that.”

As for Almiron, Howe said: “I’d love him to beat the timescale given but I just don’t see it, currently. He’s making really good progress. I think he’s pain-free. I don’t think there’s any long-term issues. I think it’s just a case of that’s the time it will take for the muscle to fully heal.

“So I think we’re four weeks off (a return to action), maybe slightly less. But yeah, he’s making really good progress.”

Three other players were also under supervision during last week’s international break, which Newcastle spent in Dubai: Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Nick Pope. Schar and Pope were both withdrawn from the Swiss and English national teams respectively, while Botman was sent home by the Netherlands.

“I think it’s been good for some players,” Howe said of the international break. “It gave us an opportunity to rest a couple that were carrying niggles and problems.

“Fabian would be a prime example of someone that has played through pain and different things. It came at a good time for him and Anthony Gordon to improve his injury and try to get him closer to returning.

“Nick felt a problem in his thigh after the Wolves game. He didn’t train in preparation for the Nottingham Forest game but completed the game with some discomfort. He didn’t train in Dubai but has trained this week, so the signs are good.”

Regarding Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman’s decision to withdraw Botman from international duty, Howe said: “Sven, I think, suffered food poisoning; quite a nasty bout of illness. I don’t think he was alone in the Holland camp, there were few players suffering the same thing.

“He left the camp early to try and get himself back up to speed. He has trained with us since he’s returned, so he should be fine.”

One player who will be back in action this weekend is Joelinton, who missed the 2-1 wins over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest through suspension.

“Joe’s a huge presence, not just physically but the other lads know how good of a player he is,” said Howe. “So to have him back among the squad is a huge boost for us.

“He’s been very consistent this season, a huge player for us, very versatile. To have him back is a big lift but, as you say, the other players in his absence have performed very well. It’s great to have competition for players.”


Newcastle win would place it above Manchester United in race for Champions League

Newcastle win would place it above Manchester United in race for Champions League
Updated 01 April 2023

Newcastle win would place it above Manchester United in race for Champions League

Newcastle win would place it above Manchester United in race for Champions League
  • Howe is preparing to lock horns again with Dutchman Erik ten Hag
  • Newcastle have announced the arrival of former manager of rivals Sunderland

NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United can continue their rise from underdogs to equals with victory over Manchester United — that’s the view of head coach Eddie Howe.

Howe is preparing to lock horns again with Dutchman Erik ten Hag, a constant critic of his Magpies’ side, the first time the two have met since it was the Red Devils who emerged victorious from the Carabao Cup final encounter in February.

A win at St. James’ Park this weekend would see Newcastle climb above their more decorated rivals in the race for the Champions League, it would also better their points tally for the whole of last season — and that despite still having 11 more games to play.
That statistic in particular represents just how far Newcastle have come, in such a short space of time.

“I think we have tried this season to approach every game as equals with whoever we are playing,” said Howe ahead of the potentially pivotal weekend clash.

“Certainly in our preparations, we’ve tried not to filter anything negative through to the players. What I mean by that, we have tried to be very positive in our approach in every aspect of our play, whether that is on or off the ball. A fearless approach, an approach which hopefully makes the players believe we can win that game, home or away, because ultimately that is where we want to be to be the team we want to be in the future.

“Last season was slightly different. We had to play a certain way to get results to elevate our way up the league so. If you look at a game from last season to this, I hope you see a big difference in terms of our style and how we want to play.

“We are certainly evolving, hopefully into a better team.”

Meanwhile, Newcastle have announced the arrival of former manager of rivals Sunderland, Jack Ross, who joins as the interim head of coach development on a short-term basis.

Ross, who took Sunderland to Wembley twice in his two years as boss, will provide support for the academy’s coaching structure and players in the under-9 to under-16 age groups.

Academy director, Steve Harper, said: “Jack is a very experienced manager, coach and coach educator. His knowledge and experience will be of huge benefit to us during his time here.”

Ross has overseen almost 300 senior games at clubs including Alloa Athletic, St. Mirren, Sunderland, Hibernian and Dundee United. And the club’s summer schedule is starting to take shape with the announcement that Newcastle will travel north of the border to take on Scottish giants Rangers in pre-season.

As well as a trip to America’s Eastern seaboard in July, the Magpies are now slated to take on Gers at Ibrox on Tues. July 18. The fixture will act as a testimonial match in honor of Light Blues goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who — if selected this weekend — could make his 500th appearance for the Scottish Premiership side.

Of the announcement, Howe said: “A trip to Rangers will present a strong challenge at what will be an important time in our summer preparations.

“Any time Rangers play at Ibrox, you expect competitive football, and we hope to contribute to a great occasion in honor of Allan McGregor’s achievements with the club.”


French referees told not to pause matches during Ramadan

French referees told not to pause matches during Ramadan
Updated 31 March 2023

French referees told not to pause matches during Ramadan

French referees told not to pause matches during Ramadan
  • Unlike England's Premier League which allows it, the practice does not comply with the French Football Federation's statutes
  • It said it had been brought to the federation's attention that matches were being interrupted following the breaking of the Ramadan fast

PARIS: France’s football federation has told referees they must not pause matches to allow Muslim players to break their fast during Ramadan, media reports said Friday.
Unlike England’s Premier League which allows it, the practice does not comply with the French Football Federation’s statutes, several media reported the body saying in an email sent to referees Thursday.
It said it had been brought to the federation’s attention that matches were being interrupted following the breaking of the Ramadan fast.
“The idea is that there is a time for everything. A time to do sport, a time to practice one’s religion,” Eric Borghini, head of the federal referee commission at the Federation, told AFP.
He said that the federation had learned that “a certain number of amateur-level meetings have been stopped to allow players observing the fast to hydrate.”
This is not permitted in the regulations, he said, highlighting they included the strict respect of the principle of secularism in football.
English football has taken the reverse decision and will permit matches of the Premier League to pause during the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset. It is being observed this year from March 22.
Asked about the issue, Nice coach Didier Digard said Friday that several Muslim players in the team observed Ramadan without any problems.
Although he said it would be good if France allowed the breaks, he added “nobody cares that they don’t do it. Because we are not in a Muslim country. You have to accept the country you live in,” he told reporters.


Haaland a doubt for Man City’s match against Liverpool

Haaland a doubt for Man City’s match against Liverpool
Updated 31 March 2023

Haaland a doubt for Man City’s match against Liverpool

Haaland a doubt for Man City’s match against Liverpool
  • The 22-year-old Haaland withdrew from the Norway squad for their European Championship qualifiers against Spain and Georgia
  • City manager Pep Guardiola said Friday he would make a decision on Haaland’s availability after the team’s final training session

MANCHESTER, England: Erling Haaland is a doubt for Manchester City’s match against Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday as the striker recovers from a groin injury.
The 22-year-old Haaland withdrew from the Norway squad for their European Championship qualifiers against Spain and Georgia during the international break. His father, Alf-Inge, was quoted by Norwegian TV saying his son had traveled to Barcelona for treatment.
City manager Pep Guardiola said Friday he would make a decision on Haaland’s availability after the team’s final training session.
The team will definitely be without England winger Phil Foden, who underwent appendix surgery last weekend.
Guardiola said doctors told him that Foden would be out for “two-to-three weeks.”
Haaland’s fitness is more important, given he has scored 28 goals in the Premier League and 42 in all competitions during a prolific first season in English soccer.
City are second in the league, eight points behind Arsenal but with a game in hand.
The team have a busy April, including home-and-away games against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League and an FA Cup semifinal match against Sheffield United, as it looks to remain in contention for three trophies.


Howe backs Newcastle to reach Man United’s level on and off pitch

Howe backs Newcastle to reach  Man United’s level on and off pitch
Updated 31 March 2023

Howe backs Newcastle to reach Man United’s level on and off pitch

Howe backs Newcastle to reach  Man United’s level on and off pitch

NEWCASTLE: Eddie Howe insists Newcastle can “buck the trend” as they try to become the equal of Manchester United on and off the pitch.

Howe’s side host United on Sunday just over a month after they met in the League Cup final at Wembley.

Newcastle were beaten 2-0 by Erik ten Hag’s team, making it a frustrating first major final appearance for the Magpies in 24 years.

Despite that defeat, Newcastle boss Howe is confident his club are capable of matching the Old Trafford outfit in the long-term after their rapid rise since he took charge in November 2021.

With the help of sizeable investment from their Saudi-backed owners, Newcastle have climbed to fifth in the Premier League.

They sit three points behind third placed United and two adrift of fourth placed Tottenham with two games in hand on the north Londoners in the race to qualify for the Champions league via a top four finish.

While Newcastle have already closed the gap on United on the pitch, they have some way to go off it.

United’s forecast turnover for 2022-23 is approaching £600 million ($371 million), around three times the figure for Newcastle.

“I think you can buck the trend, of course you can, it’s possible. It’s not easy to do,” Howe told reporters on Friday.

FASTFACT

With the help of sizeable investment from their Saudi-backed owners, Newcastle have climbed to fifth in the Premier League.

“I go back to my early coaching experiences and we were always trying to buck the trend. We were going against teams with far superior budgets to us for years and years.

“When you say how: team spirit, togetherness, implementing a plan, hopefully everyone’s on the same page and working harder than everyone else. That’s the simple blueprint that
I’ve always tried to use.

“When you get to the elite level, as we are, it gets harder and harder. But believe in the squad we have and we’ll give everything to try to do that.”

Asked how quickly the Magpies could start to compete with United off the pitch, Howe added: “You’re probably asking the wrong man.

“But there are ambitions for the club to grow the income. It’s vital that we do with Financial Fair Play because we’re going to be restricted depending on our income, so I know that’s the challenge that everyone at the club is trying to find answers to.”