Charisma Amoe-Tarrant, Australia’s strongest woman, won weightlifting bronze for Australia just four years after claiming the silver for Nauru.
The Tokyo Olympian, who won silver for the small Pacific Island nation at the Gold Coast four years ago, finished third in the women’s 87kg division, behind England’s flag-bearer Emily Campbell, who hoisted a Games record 286kg to win.
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Tarrant had an early hiccup with a miss on her second lift before topping out at 100kg.
She missed on her third lift in the clean and jerk but a 139kg lift was enough to put her just one kilogram ahead of Canada’s Emma Friesen in fourth.
Campbell took out the event with a Commonwealth record 286kg total, followed by Samoa’s Feagaiga Stowers.
“I’m proud to be Australian and I’m also proud to be Nauruan so at the end of the day, I’m representing both countries you know,” a beaming Tarrant said.
Charisma Amoe Tarrant of Australia yells in delight in the 87kg+ weightlifting at the NEC, during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on Wednesday 3rd August 2022. (Photo by Pat Scaasi/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The 25-year-old began weightlifting at the age of 11 in Nauru with her uncle, who was a coach at a weightlifting gym. Her mother de ella passed away in 2009 due to kidney problems, leading her grandparents de ella to eventually move her to Australia, becoming a citizen in 2016, competing for Australia from 2020.
She looked to the heavens after her final lift, in a tribute to her mother and an uncle who recently passed away.
“I couldn’t help looking up to both up there. All the lifts were for them,” she said afterwards.
Cikamatana was in tears at the medal ceremony and also paid tribute to coach Paul Coffa and his wife Lilly.
“I was emotional because I really appreciative of getting to represent the green and gold and standing on the podium, listening to the anthem,” she said.
“Representing the green and gold is once in a lifetime opportunity and it’s a dream come true.
“They (the Coffas) made all these impossible dreams come true.”
The weightlifter admitted she copped some backlash from fellow Naurans when she initially decided to compete for Australia.
“If I’m being honest, I had that, but I had to tell them, ‘I’m one of you too, I’ve got Nauran blood running in me.’ It took a while but they’re coming back now.”
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Commonwealth Games in pictures: Scottish runner Eilish McColgan breaks mother’s 32-year record with thrilling gold medal
resilience NSW is set to be scrapped and its commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons stood down as the state government overhauls its emergency response network.
Fitzsimmons, previously the commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW Australian of the Year in 2020, will stand down from his role as commissioner of Resilience NSW.
Resilience NSW is an agency set up after the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires to coordinate emergency services and their disaster management.
Resilience NSW Shane Fitzsimmons speaking at the Upper House estimates committee at NSW parliament in April. (Sam Mooy)
The agency has a $750 million budget.
Following the floods which devastated northern NSW earlier this year, an inquiry was launched to investigate the response to and recovery from the catastrophic event.
Accusations were leveled at Resilience NSW for “dropping the ball” during their flood response and that there was confusion about who was in charge between the multiple emergency agencies.
“Is Resilience NSW just in its infancy or is it a failed experiment?” Banasiak asked.
The inquiry was launched following the devastating 2022 Lismore floods. (Dan Peled/Getty Images)
9News reporter Chris O’Keefe said the inquiry’s report found the state’s disaster response needs to be restructured, starting with dismantling Resilience NSW – meaning Fitzsimmons is out of a job.
O’Keefe also said the report found police should be given a far greater role in responding to natural disasters.
The NSW premier is expected to address the changes later on Thursday.
The West Virginia Coal Association and several other state-based coal industry groups on Wednesday blasted the tax and climate deal that Sen. Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) agreed to last week, warning it will “severely threaten American coal” and an estimated 381,000 jobs.
“This legislation is so egregious, it leaves those of us that call Sen. Manchin a friend, shocked and disheartened,” the groups wrote in a blistering statement that accused the West Virginia senator of zigzagging in the energy debate.
“Sen. Manchin has seemingly fought against numerous climate measures advanced over the past year by the national democratic establishment,” the groups said. “The current Schumer-Manchin draft agreement on climate and energy frankly leaves us questioning the motivation and sincerity of Manchin’s previous stance and his repeated chant from him: we must ‘innovate not eliminate.’”
The groups warn the deal Manchin crafted with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (DN.Y.) after months of negotiation “will quickly diminish our coal producing operations and all but obviate any need to innovate coal assets.”
The groups argue the bill — which Democrats have dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act and plan to pass this weekend — will do “nothing for coal or coal generation” and won’t reduce inflation or lower household energy costs.
“By turbocharging the lofty incentives that already extend to renewable energy, our nation’s baseload (reliable) coal electric generation assets will continue to be devalued and thrust into rapid decline,” the groups warned.
The statement was signed by Chris Hamilton, the president of the West Virginia Coal Association, as well as the leaders of the Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wyoming mining associations.
Manchin on Tuesday said he didn’t agree with predictions the bill will lead to coal plants closing in his state.
“I don’t think that’s the case at all,” he told reporters. “We have to have a vibrant fossil industry. We have a lot of coal plants that have been pretty old.”
“Coal is going to be needed for the base load that we’re going to have to have,” he said, arguing that coal will continue to generate enough electricity to meet minimum domestic demand.
Manchin also cited permitting reform, an initiative he is pushing in conjunction with the energy and climate provisions in the budget bill, as something that will also help fossil fuel producers.
Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and nine other players who defected to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, the first step in a legal fight that could define the boundaries of where players can compete.
The lawsuit, filed in US District Court in San Francisco, claims the PGA Tour has used monopoly power to try to squash competition and has unfairly suspended players.
A separate motion was filed asking for a temporary restraining order to allow Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford to play in the FedEx Cup playoffs, the PGA Tour’s postseason, which begins next week.
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The lawsuit also revealed that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan suspended Mickelson for two months in March for his role in recruiting players to LIV Golf. It said Mickelson’s request in June to be reinstated was denied because he played in a LIV Golf event and that he was suspended until March 2024 for playing in another one.
Monahan responded to the lawsuit with a terse memo to his players in which he referred to “11 of your former colleagues” suing the tour and continued to refer to LIV Golf as the “Saudi Golf League.”
Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is the primary source of the money paying exorbitant signing bonuses and providing $36 million purses for 48-man fields. Several players are in their 40s and no longer ranked among the top 50 in the world.
Monahan said players knew the consequences of signing up for the rival league.
“We have been preparing to protect our membership and contest this latest attempt to disrupt our tour, and you should be confident in the legal merits of our position,” Monahan wrote.
“Fundamentally, these suspended players — who are now Saudi Golf League employees — have walked away from the tour and now want back in,” he wrote. “It’s an attempt to use the tour platform to promote themselves and to freeride on your benefits and efforts.”
LIV Golf said in a statement: “The players are right to have brought this action to challenge the PGA’s anti-competitive rules and to vindicate their rights as independent contractors to play where and when they choose. Despite the PGA Tour’s effort to stifle competition, we think golfers should be allowed to play golf.”
Its CEO, Greg Norman, has said LIV Golf would be willing to financially support any legal matters. Last month, four European tour players won a temporary stay from a UK judge that allowed them to play in the Scottish Open.
Mickelson reportedly signed a deal worth $288 million to join the Saudi-funded venture, with DeChambeau in the $216 million range. And those are just signing bonuses. Seventeen players already have made more than $1.4 million in three tournaments or fewer.
The PGA Tour denied releases for players to compete in LIV events and suspended them as soon as they put a ball in play. Some players, like Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia, chose to resign their PGA Tour membership.
At the heart of the lawsuit are allegations the PGA Tour is using its might as the strongest tour in golf to bully players and anyone else that could get involved with LIV Golf. It accused the tour of intimidating a tent vendor and a technology company, among others, with whom LIV Golf was trying to do business to launch its series.
It also claims the tour’s threats to ban players ultimately forced LIV Golf to pay more in signing bonuses to get the players it wanted, and forced the rival league to change its startup plans to only eight events this year. LIV Golf announced a 14-tournament schedule for next year.
“The Tour’s conduct has substantially diminished and impaired the entry of the promoters that could meaningfully threaten the PGA Tour’s monopoly, which has stood unchallenged for decades,” the lawsuit contends.
The tour has stood by its belief that it is a membership organization with regulations that players choose to accept. That includes a code of conduct and a requirement to play at least 15 tournaments a year to keep full membership.
Players typically are allowed three releases a year to play overseas events held the same week as a PGA Tour tournament. The tour does not allow releases for conflicting events in North America.
Two LIV Golf events were held in the US, first in Oregon last month and then last week at Trump National in New Jersey. Three more this year are scheduled for courses near Boston, Chicago and Miami.
Monahan has been forceful in his comments about LIV Golf, referring in June to the tour being unable to compete with “a foreign monarchy that is spending billions of dollars in attempt to buy the game of golf.”
“We welcome good, healthy competition. The LIV Saudi golf league is not that,” he said. “It’s an irrational threat, one not concerned with the return on investment or true growth of the game.”
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The stars who’ve signed with Greg Norman’s LIV Golf tour
NSW Transport Minister David Elliott has publicly thrown his hat in the ring to be the state’s next deputy Liberal leader following the resignation of Stuart Ayres.
Key points:
David Elliott says he has told the Premier he wants to be deputy leader
Mr Elliott says he would bring leadership and experience to the role
Former deputy leader Stuart Ayres resigned this week
Mr Elliott, who will take on one of Mr Ayres’s portfolios as Western Sydney Minister, said he was “prepared to put my name forward” to also fill the deputy leadership hole.
“The parliamentary Liberal Party has had a very traumatic period over the last couple of years and certainly in recent weeks with the loss of a number of ministers,” he said.
“I’ve said to the Premier, ‘I’ll make myself available.’
“Of course, it’s a matter for the party room but I believe I’ve got the leadership qualifications and experience in the military and the private sector to bring something to the party room leadership team.”
The Baulkham Hills MP is likely to face challenges from Treasurer Matt Kean, Roads Minister Natalie Ward and Alister Henskens — who holds multiple portfolios.
Mr Elliott said it would be up to his party colleagues to decide “what qualities they want to prioritize” in choosing a new deputy.
“It is certainly my attempt to provide (Premier) Dominic Perrottet, whether I’m deputy or not, with as much energy and as much frank advice and as much encouragement and loyalty as I possibly can.”
The NSW government was plunged into crisis yesterday when Mr Perrottet announced Mr Ayres had resigned.
Stuart Ayres announced his resignation from the ministry and deputy leadership on Wednesday.(AAP: Bianca De Marchi)
It came after the former deputy Liberal leader, who held several ministerial portfolios, was found to have potentially breached the Ministerial Code of Conduct over his role in the John Barilaro saga.
The appointment of Mr Barilaro to a lucrative New York trade role generated instant controversy and sparked two separate inquiries into the recruitment process.
One of the inquiries, ordered by Mr Perrottet, has “raised concerns” about Mr Ayres’s conduct in his position as the trade minister during Mr Barilaro’s recruitment.
Mr Ayres said he agreed to step down but denies any wrongdoing.
“To maintain the integrity of the cabinet, I have decided to resign as a minister to allow the investigation to be completed,” he said.
“Accordingly, I will also be resigning as the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.”
Mr Elliott said he was “heartbroken” at the loss of close friend Mr Ayres as deputy leader and a minister.
“Accepting his role as Minister for Western Sydney tomorrow does not come with any joy,” he said.
“I’m actually quite distressed about the fact that I’ve got to replace a guy who I think will be considered the best Western Sydney Minister that we’ve ever had.”
Mr Perrottet was also forced to sack Eleni Petinos from her position as fair trade and small business minister on Sunday night, after she became the subject of bullying allegations.
Ms Petinos rejected “any allegations of improper conduct”, but Mr Perrotett said he “had to take action” after being advised of issues within her office.
The superintendent of Hanover schools is apologizing about the district using a logo on T-shirts and other materials that resemble a swastika.
The logo was used in a Hanover County Public Schools professional learning conference this week.
T-shirts distributed for a Hanover County Public Schools conference display a logo that resembles a swastika.
courtesy photo
“One of our teachers designed the logo intending for it to represent four hands and arms grasping together — a symbol of unity for our all-county professional learning conference. Nothing more,” Superintendent Michael Gill wrote in a message to families and staff.
“While we are confident that the logo was created without any ill-intent, we understand that this has deeply upset members of our staff and community who see the logo as resembling a swastika.”
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Gill said the administration has stopped distributing the T-shirts that include the logo and staff are working to remove the logo from all conference materials.
“We are deeply sorry for this mistake and for the emotions that the logo has evoked by its semblance to a swastika and, by extension, to the atrocities that were committed under its banner,” Gill wrote.
“Unquestionably, we condemn anything associated with the Nazi regime in the strongest manner possible.”
Gill was not part of developing or reviewing the logo, according to district spokesperson Chris Whitley.
Moving forward, the administration will reevaluate the process by which logos are reviewed, Whitley said.
In a letter on Monday afternoon, the NAACP said that the incident is another example of the urgent need for required training and professional development in diversity, equity and inclusion for all HCPS employees, including the School Board and Board of Supervisors.
“We stand in solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters in calling out this insensitivity,” said the letter signed by Hanover NAACP President Patricia Hunter-Jordan. “We appreciate and respect Superintendent Gill’s apology. However, mere oversight by one individual cannot explain this pattern of a lack of diversity, and the refusal to make substantive changes that would result in the new direction for our schools…”
Last week, the NAACP wrote a letter urging the Hanover Board of Supervisors to “reconsider” some School Board appointments and to require both boards to participate in diversity, equity and inclusion training.
Newly appointed School Board member Johnny Redd, who was criticized in the letter in part for previous comments about using a biblical worldview to analyze policies, responded by referring to Hunter-Jordan as an “angry African American lady.” I later apologized.
The Anti-Defamation League’s regional office in Washington said in a statement to the Times-Dispatch on Wednesday that the ADL appreciates Gill’s swift response to the community and his acknowledgment of the impact the incident has on the Jewish community and other marginalized groups targeted by white supremacy and hate.
“We were deeply disturbed when we saw the image, and with antisemitic incidents continuing to reach historic highs across the country and the Commonwealth, it was upsetting for many of our community members to see this symbol — which so closely resembles a swastika — being used for a conference for educators,” the Washington ADL statement said in part.
According to an annual ADL audit, there were 46 antisemetic incidents reported in Virginia last year, a 6% decrease from the 49 incidents reported in 2020 and a 64% increase from the 28 incidents reported in 2019.
Virginia was the state with the 15th-highest number of antisemitic incidents reported in the US last year, according to the ADL.
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Cody Simpson’s mother believes the Australian swimmer is more than equipped to deal with media scrutiny as his personal life continues to be put under the spotlight.
The pop icon picked up a gold medal in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay at the Commonwealth Games earlier this week, swimming in the heats before missing out on a spot in the final.
But Simpson’s relationship with Australian champion Emma McKeon has dominated the headlines, with the power couple embroiled in a reported “love triangle” with Olympic gold medalist Kyle Chalmers.
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During an interview on Channel 7’s SunriseAngie Simpson claimed that the relentless media attention won’t bother her son, who previously dated American singer Miley Cyrus.
“I think he has been lucky because he has had so much history with press and media before, performing on stage for thousands of people,” she said on Wednesday morning AEST.
“I think the pressures of what he has dealt with in camp and at the Commonwealth Games has been pretty easy for him.
“It has given him an advantage to deal with a lot of those pressures and not let that stuff bother him.”
Angie also confessed she was initially skeptical about her son’s return to competitive swimming.
“I feel like a bad mum… I just didn’t think he could transition from so many years of that to then go to such isolation,” she explained.
“But he proved me wrong and once he convinced me he wanted to do it I was 100 per cent behind him.”
Simpson began his swimming comeback journey in 2020 after 10 years away from the pool as something of a sideshow alley attraction — but the Queenslander has quickly proven he’s box-office on his swimming credentials alone.
On Wednesday, Simpson finished fifth in the men’s 100m butterfly final, with Dolphins teammate Matt Temple winning a silver medal.
The 25-year-old’s time of 52.06 seconds was the second-quickest of his career, but still outside his personal best of 51.79 seconds.
“I want to inspire young people to know that they can do whatever it is they want to do, even if they feel like it’s too late or they’re too old to pick something up, because it’s never too late,” Simpson told Channel 7 after the race.
“I think with experience comes confidence. And I’m still gathering the experience, so still gaining confidence.
“I am happy to be here. And I think, win or lose today, I’m going to go back to the drawing board and make sure I come back stronger. I’m already way ahead where I thought I would be at this stage.”
Earlier this week, Chalmers slammed the media for focusing on “clickbait” rather than the Dolphins’ impressive results in Birmingham, declaring he’s not sure he wants to continue in the sport if it means dealing with this kind of attention.
The 24-year-old — who has won three gold medals this week — has been forced to repeatedly deny there is any tension between himself, Simpson and McKeon, who was romantically linked to Chalmers last year.
After his golden swim in the 100m freestyle on Tuesday, Chalmers put his finger to his lips to silence the critics, revealing he’d planned the celebration to send a “powerful message” as he affirmed his desire not to let the media “win” .
“It’s all just false news that is actually just crap. It’s honestly just a load of s**t that is not true,” he said.
“I do nothing but be as positive as I possibly can. I support him on the team but, again, people just want clickbait on the article.
“It’s unfortunate that I can’t do anything right at this point in time.
“I think it’s fantastic that he’s here… it’s fantastic for our sport, it brings new viewers in. What he has achieved in two years of swimming is incredible.”
“When I walk down the street and I see the lights and hear the sounds [of the gaming machines] it feels like they’re calling me, and I’m sure it does that for a lot of other people,” she says.
The 49-year-old mother who lives in Burwood says counseling provided by the Wesley Mission and other charities has helped her “reduce the harm” of poker machine use.
“I used to play every time I had a dollar, but now I only play once a week or once a fortnight,” Michele says.
NSW poker machine losses total $135 billion over the past 30 years, new research shows.Credit:Peter Braig
Wesley Mission chief executive Stu Cameron said hundreds of millions of dollars a year were being “siphoned out” of communities by poker machine losses that could be spent at local businesses and on the welfare of families, including housing.
“Looking at pokies losses by LGA in Sydney, it is immediately obvious that the suburbs that are losing the most money are the suburbs that can least afford it,” he said.
Wesley Mission used historical national gambling data published by the Queensland Statisticians Office to estimate total poker machine losses in NSW have been $135 billion over the past 30 years. NSW was the first state to legalize poker machines in 1956.
In response to Wesley Mission’s findings, a spokesperson for ClubsNSW said: “It is unclear why anyone would be interested in comparing the poker machine losses of NSW and Victoria that have occurred over a period of three decades — Crown Melbourne didn’t open until 1994 , The Star didn’t open until 1995, and NSW pubs didn’t have poker machines until 1997. Clearly, these discrepancies would deliver a skewed comparison.”
The spokesperson said clubs in the state were already “the safest places to play gaming machines” and that the industry was strengthening its approach through a new Gaming Code of Practice, announced in July.
“It should be noted that the Australian Gambling Statistics Report shows that real per-capita gaming machine expenditure in NSW peaked in 2004 and has been falling ever since,” the spokesperson added.
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Tim Costello, chief advocate of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, said Wesley Mission’s research underscored the need for more effective regulation of poker machines, including reduced access to gambling venues and slower gaming machine betting speeds.
“Poker machines are NSW’s blind spot,” he said. “Why do we have such big gambling losses? It’s because of accessibility.”
Cameron said NSW was “ready for change” in gaming regulation. Wesley Mission is calling for a curfew on poker machine venues opening between midnight and 10am; a limit on the number of gaming machines in NSW; a maximum of $1 bets on poker machines in clubs and hotels; and a local council veto over additional poker machines in their area.
*Not her real name. She requested this alternative to protect her identity from her because of the stigma attached to gambling addiction.
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Manhattan Rep. Carolyn Maloney doubled down Wednesday on her view that President Biden won’t seek re-election — even as she said she would back him if he did.
“I don’t believe he’s running for re-election,” Maloney declared Tuesday night during the NY1 three-way Democratic primary debate for New York’s 12th congressional district against Rep. Jerry Nadler and lawyer Suraj Patel.
Maloney’s surprise statement became national news and has become a talking point for Republicans that proof that Biden is washed up.
But it wasn’t just Maloney.
Nadler, who — because of court-ordered redistricting mandated after illegal gerrymandering by state Democrats — chose to fight it out with his one-time ally Maloney, also showed a lack of confidence in the commander in chief.
And he would not commit to supporting Biden’s re-election.
“Too early to say. Doesn’t serve the purpose of the Democratic Party to, to deal with that until after the midterms,” Nadler said in the debate.
By comparison, Patel simply said “yes” that he supports Biden’s re-election.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney speaks during New York’s 12th Congressional District Democratic primary debate.Mary Altaffer/AP
Maloney, during an interview with The Post Wednesday, stood by her surprise remark that Biden, 79, won’t seek re-election. Biden’s approval ratings are at record lows in recent polls.
“That’s my personal opinion,” she said.
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But a day later, Maloney sought to soften the blow, saying she would support Biden if he does run for a second term.
“If President Biden runs again, I will support him,” said Maloney, who has served in Congress since 1993.
“I’m glad Biden ran for president and defeated President Trump. He’s a great president.”
Political analysts said Maloney stated the obvious about what many Democrats are thinking privately about Biden, 79.
“It tells you that Democrats are very worried about a Joe Biden campaign in 2024 and what it could do to their chances of keeping the House,” said consultant Hank Sheinkopf.
“If we judge by today his poll numbers today, they’re atrocious and the sense that things are out of control and mismanaged is clear. It seems it would take an act of god to bring inflation down and lower gas prices in order to make Biden look like he’s in charge again – whether it’s his fault or not – and it looks like he’s not.
Sheinkopf said the video of Maloney and Nadler’s lack of enthusiasm for Biden is a “very good anti-Biden ad” for Republicans.
“Republicans will be able to use the video from that debate in races around the country by saying: `even if these people don’t want him!.’”
Rep. Maloney backtracked her statement, saying that she would support Biden if he chooses to run again. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Stu Loeser, who served as press secretary for former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, tweeted Tuesday night, “If lifelong professional liberal Dems in one of the deepest blue districts in the US can’t support the Democratic agenda, then….”
“Right on cue, the not-even-that-good oppo team at the RNC weaponizes this against Biden. That’s the downside.”
Perhaps sensing the political damage her remarks inflicted on Biden, Maloney also issued a statement on twitter.
“I will absolutely support President Biden, if he decides to run for re-election,” she said. “Biden’s leadership securing historic investments for healthcare, climate & economic justice prove once again why he is the strong and effective leader we need right now.”
“I urge all Democrats to stay united & focused on working towards winning the midterms,” she added.
Nadler also expounded on his non-endorsement of a second Biden term Wednesday, saying it was not intended as a snub.
“Anyone watching last night’s debate would have heard my extremely effusive comments about President Biden’s performance during historically trying times. As I have said many times, I strongly support the president,” Nadler said told The Post.
“My point in response to a yes or no question about the 2024 election was simply that a discussion about anything else then the historic midterm election this year is a distraction from our important work of keeping our House and Senate majorities and protecting our democracy.”
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Rep. Jerry Nadler and attorney Suraj Patel debate during New York’s 12th Congressional District Democratic primary debate. Mary Altaffer/AP
But Patel, during an MSNBC interview Wednesday, accused Maloney and Nadler of throwing the president “under the bus.”
“What the heck are you thinking, giving Republicans talking points ammo and making an ageist argument against your own president,” Patel said.
“Fact of the matter is, Joseph Robinette Biden was the only one capable of beating Donald Trump… He will after this climate bill, be the most accomplished President since Lyndon Baines Johnson. And as commander in chief, he has put Putin in a box.”
Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-Bronx-Queens) previously said she “will cross that bridge when we get to it” when asked about Biden’s re-election, saying she would first focus on helping Democrats preserve their House majority in the mid -term elections.
Other House Democratic members from New York had no immediate comment.
Chelsea are keen but we really want to see Marc Cucurella playing for Pep Guardiola. Chelsea can have Frenkie De Jong, just for the giggles.
Here are five deals we’re definitely here for this summer…
Marc Cucurella to Manchester City Watching Cucurella scuttling up and down Brighton’s left flank was one of the joys of last season. After arriving from Getafe for £15million a year ago, the Spaniard took to the Premier League like a duck to water. A duck with lovely, flowing locks.
The ‘do meant you couldn’t miss him, but Cucurella quickly stood out for reasons beyond his barnet. Defensively, he made the fourth-highest number of tackles in the league, and offensively, he flew forward, never at anything less than warp speed. His energy from him was infectious and his influence from him on the Seagulls was such that he was named Player of the Season by the supporters and his team-mates.
So it is understandable that Brighton want top dollar for Cucurella. Given what Pep Guardiola has spent before on full-backs, the Seagulls are right to ask for £50million. Just as it is City’s right not to meet that demand. But it would be very much worth their time. And since they have already sold Oleksandr Zinchenko for £30million, they have weakened their own bargaining position.
And now here come Chelsea, not just to f*** with City, though the Blues’ approach certainly achieves that aim while generating a bidding war for Cucurella. One that City should be more minded to win than they apparently are.
Of course, if Cucurella stays at Brighton, that’s cool. Doubtless he’ll be brilliant again and the Seagulls will enjoy another fine season. They probably will thrive even if he goes. And the 24-year-old belongs on the Champions League stage. We just think he’d be more fun for his Catalan compatriot at City than Chelsea.
Man City shouldn’t allow their own stubbornness to spoil perfect Cucurella opportunity
Frenkie De Jong to Manchester United Erik ten Hag certainly wants this to happen. The new Manchester United boss is desperate for a meeting with the former Ajax midfielder.
De Jong is pivotal to the plan Ten Hag has for United and the way he wants them to play. As a midfielder, De Jong doesn’t score many goals or claim bundles of assists, but Ten Hag recognizes that the Holland star sets the tempo. “He’s the player who supplies the team-mates who give the assists or who can score goals from their position,” said Ten Hag when De Jong was being utilized as a no.10 at Barcelona.
Ten Hag even used De Jong as a centre-back at Ajax in an effort to improve their build up play from deep and, apparently, there isn’t another player in the world that might be available who could do the job as proficiently.
So it’s a shame De Jong apparently doesn’t want to join United. Quite rightly, he’s digging in his heels while he waits for money owed to him by Barca but even then, word is he doesn’t fancy living in Manchester.
We reckon he should open his mind to the prospect. If for no other reason so that United can have no excuses and we can see how good both De Jong and Ten Hag are when they have everything in place. Otherwise there is a very real prospect of McFred living to fight another season.
Frenkie De Jong to Chelsea Just for the LOLs. De Jong is obviously loathe to relocate to the north west of England but, apparently, he might consider London. Just imagine all the boiled p*ss in Manchester at the sight of Ten Hag’s most-wanted lining up in blue against McFred and United.
It would also be absolutely hilarious if he stubbornly refused to leave Barcelona given they seem to have already banked and spent the money already. Just not on paying De Jong or his team-mates the deferred wages they are owed.
Cristiano Ronaldo to Sporting Lisbon We know Ronaldo wants a move. We also know now that almost no one wants to give him one – not Manchester United nor any of the clubs he might consider joining. So at some point during the coming weeks, one party will have to suck it up.
It could be Ronaldo, if he is made to stay at Old Trafford with his tail tucked between his legs. It might be United, who may have to take a hit to get the 37-year-old distraction away from Ten Hag while he begins his rebuild in earnest.
That being the case, a loan move back to Sporting would tick a lot of boxes for Ronaldo. It would enable him to go ‘home’ to where he began his career, while also keeping him the Champions League.
There was some excitement at the reported sighting of one of Ronaldo’s cars being spotted at Sporting’s stadium, but the player’s response was simply to cry ‘fake’ news. Going back to the Portuguese league might not be what Ronaldo had in mind when he declared his intention to leave United, but with no other options, away from Saudi Arabiaa romantic return may be the best way for him to save face and the Red Devils – and the rest of us – to move on. He’s only been back a week, but already he must be making Ten Hag’s t*ts itch.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Crystal Palace It’s not Wan-Bissaka’s fault he was promoted way above the level his talent merits. We’ll blame the transfer brains-trust that watched 804 right-backs and decided he was the best of the lot.
After a bright start to his United career, when slide tackles were still a novelty down Old Trafford’s right flank, Wan-Bissaka’s prospects have nose-dived. It soon became clear that the £45million man had none of the other tools in his locker that a modern-day full-back needs to thrive at a club expected to attack, leading to him being steadily sidelined by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Ralf Rangnick kept him there and Erik ten Hag wants rid completely.
Where next? The only obvious solution is to return to Palace, where he made his name from him, at home in the Eagles’ defense. Would Palace take him?
On loan, probably. With long-serving Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne, it feels as though Patrick Vieira is making do at right-back at present. The Eagles boss is keen for his defense to be comfortable in different shapes, and he wants Palace to be on the front foot. Maybe Wan-Bissaka isn’t that suited after all.
But we can all envisage him rediscovering some form and happiness back at Selhurst Park. United just have to accept that they will take a huge hit, however Wan-Bissaka departs.
