Jose Mourinho Quits UEFA Role Amid Anthony Taylor Conflict

Jose Mourinho has quit his position on the UEFA football board following his spat with referee Anthony Taylor after AS Roma's Europa League final loss.

What happened between Jose Mourinho and Anthony Taylor?

The Portuguese manager was incensed with the referee after his side lost on penalties in the final to Sevilla, and he quickly let him know about it.

The situation led to Taylor receiving abuse from numerous Roma fans shortly afterwards – with his family harassed at an airport – and an Italian man was even arrested for his role in the abuse.

Roma coach Jose Mourinho and refereeAnthonyTaylor

For his role in inciting the incident, Mourinho – who was spotted waiting for the referee in a car park after the final – has been punished with a four-match ban which will come into effect at the start of next season.

Clearly unhappy with the decision, the former Chelsea manager has let the UEFA football board know he was immediately stepping down from his role with the group, reports The Athletic.

How did Jose Mourinho quit the board?

After finding out about his four-match ban, Mourinho immediately quit the board, informing UEFA Chief of Football Zvonimir Boban in the form of a letter.

The letter read: "In thanking you for the invitation you extended to me to be a member of the UEFA football board, I regret to inform you that, effective immediately, I will be renouncing my participation in this group.

“The conditions which I so strongly believed in when I joined are no longer standing and I felt the obligation to take this decision.

“I kindly ask that you also communicate my decision to the President Mr. Aleksander Ceferin.”

Roma are expected to launch an appeal to overturn Mourinho's ban but will hold off until they receive UEFA's written reasons for the ban, before moving forward with it.

Has Jose Mourinho been involved in any other controversy in the past?

The incident is far from the first controversial moment of Mourinho's career, though, with the former Chelsea boss prone to some pretty wild moments.

One example of the Portuguese coach making headlines for the wrong reasons was his incredible seven-minute rant following Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Southampton in October 2015.

Enraged by the result, he went crazy in his post-match interview, calling out match officials, even saying the following: "I think it’s time to be a little bit honest and to say clearly that referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea."

Another controversial moment in his career was calling former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger a "specialist in failure" followings a war of the words between the two coaches in 2014.

Love him or hate him, there's no denying that Mourinho is one of football's biggest characters, and it's almost certain that this latest episode of controversy won't be the last in his career.

Gandhi ton gives TN first-innings lead

Kaushik Gandhi’s career-best 164 helped Tamil Nadu open up a 70-run lead over Punjab in Nagpur. After Tamil Nadu resumed on 218 for 4 in response to Punjab’s first-innings 284, Gandhi built on his overnight 75 not out for his second century this season, to go along with a half-century in the previous game against Bengal, before Siddarth Kaul (3 for 86) took out the lower order as Tamil Nadu were bowled out for 354. Manpreet Gony finished with 4 for 81. Punjab lost their openers Manan Vohra for 41 and Jiwanjot Singh for a duck before they wiped out the deficit. Uday Kaul (43*) and Mandeep Singh (35*) stitched together an unbroken 62-run third-wicket stand as Punjab ended on 121 for 2, ahead by 51 with one full day remaining.At the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh’s batsmen enjoyed a field day against Railways, scoring 285 runs for the loss of two wickets as they closed in on the first-innings lead. MP had ended the second day on 71 for 3 in response to Railways’ 371 with Naman Ojha batting on 9 and Devendra Bundela, the MP captain, on 13. Ojha struck an even 50, while Bundela raised his 26th first-class century, staying not out on 131 with 19 fours and two sixes, as MP finished the day on 356 for 5, trailing by 15 runs. The duo extended their fourth-wicket partnership to 95, before Ojha was bowled by left-arm spinner Avinash Yadav. Harpreet Singh chipped in with 22, but after his dismissal, Railways had to endure close to 58 wicketless overs as Bundela and Shubham Sharma shared an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 192 runs. Shubham was closing in on his maiden first-class century, finishing not out on 91 with the help of 10 fours and two sixes.Shreyas Iyer’s first century this season, an unbeaten 191, kept Mumbai in the hunt for first-innings points against Gujarat in Hubli. They ended on 328 for 6, still trailing by 109 runs. Resuming on 58 for 3 after having bowled out Gujarat for 437, Iyer and nightwatchman Dhawal Kulkarni, who made 61, frustrated Gujarat with a 187-run stand for the fourth wicket. The pair lasted 62.4 overs before Jasprit Bumrah sent back Kulkarni. Axar Patel, leading Gujarat in the absence of Parthiv Patel, who has joined the Indian Test team in place of the injured Wriddhiman Saha, then dismissed Suryakumar Yadav. Then, shortly before stumps, Bumrah returned to trap Abhishek Nayar lbw for 14. He finished with figures of 4 for 49.

West Ham must sign "unbelievable" 25 y/o ace

West Ham United are safe. An inconsistent, erratic, and stressful season has seen the Irons occasionally flirt with the devastating fate of relegation.

However, the Hammers finished relatively comfortably in 14th position and have the Europa Conference final next week.

Whatever the result of that European showdown, the east London outfit will undoubtedly be active in the summer transfer window, especially when considering their £179m outlay prior to this campaign.

For the quality of the squad, their league place was unflattering, and their underwhelming nature in front of goal hindered their progression.

David Moyes’ side netted an uninspiring 42 Premier League goals in 38 outings, drawing blanks in 32% of their domestic fixtures.

Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma were the club’s top scorers, sharing six goals a piece, to underline a mind-boggling lack of potency.

As a result, the Guardian has reported that West Ham are interested in Leicester City’s Harvey Barnes, which would be a huge statement of intent to resurrect their offensive woes.

Why should West Ham sign Harvey Barnes?

The Englishman is deliciously talented and has offered fantastic levels of output in a hideously disjointed Leciester team that suffered relegation back to the Championship after Everton defeated Bournemouth.

The one-cap international scored 13 goals this season, which is more than Phil Foden, Son Hueng-Min, and Roberto Firmino.

From a wider perspective, this is even more impressive as the former West Brom loanee ranks in the top 6% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for non-penalty goals, which begs the mouthwatering question of what the winger could achieve in a more functional team.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has previously heaped noticeable praise on the £35k-per-week star and said: “Barnes is probably one of the biggest talents, I’m not sure if he is respected or appreciated as much as he should be, he is an unbelievable player to be honest, a proper Leicester product.”

Barnes’ explosive style of play, combined with his ruthless productivity and commendable judgement of when to run in behind is reminiscent of Bowen’s feats last term.

Although not exactly at the race this season, scoring just six league strikes, during the 2021/22 season, the 26-year-old was utterly phenomenal, recording 22 goal involvements in 34 starts, as he was an integral part of a Clarets side that came sixth and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League.

For the Irons to produce a more fruitful return in front of goal and reclaim a spot in the top half of the league, then the signing of £35k-per-week Barnes could be a stroke of genius and one that replicates Bowen, just from the opposite flank.

Burnley: Powerful Titan Can Replace Weghorst At Turf Moor

Burnley are reportedly interested in signing Aberdeen striker Luis 'Duk' Lopes in the summer transfer window and his arrival at Turf Moor could see Vincent Kompany ditch Wout Weghorst for good.

Could Burnley sign Duk this summer?

It was reported by transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano last month that Burnley are interested in signing the Cape Verde international following their promotion back to the top flight.

Kompany will be keen to add attacking reinforcements to try and keep the Clarets in the Premier League and after a sensational first season in Scotland, Duk could be a promising option, having only joined Aberdeen on a free transfer last summer, with Benfica still holding 50% of the player's transfer value.

Transfermarkt values the striker at just €1m (£870k) but given that he is contracted at Pittodrie until 2025, Burnley could be forced to pay significantly more if they want to bring the 23-year-old to Lancashire in the summer.

Would Duk be a good signing?

Duk's performances in the Scottish Premiership so far this campaign certainly suggest that he could be a quality addition at Turf Moor, as Kompany seeks replacements for loanee Nathan Tella and departed club legend, Ashley Barnes.

In 35 league appearances, the frontman hit 16 goals and two assists with a strong 6.99 rating from WhoScored for his performances, with only Tella contributing to more goals and four players earning higher ratings in Burnley's squad this season.

Vincent Kompany

The striker's former coach Joao Tralhao isn't surprised by his impact at Aberdeen, given that he starred alongside Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix and Celtic's Jota in the youth team at Benfica.

He said: “He is powerful, aggressive, strong and he works hard to press. He also has an amazing instinct to score goals and you could see that with every year he progressed.

"He has a real instinct for goal that is his top quality. He just scores goals, with his right foot, left foot, chest, head or every part of his body. He has scored a few acrobatic goals for Aberdeen and trust me that is not usual. That is just Duk.”

Duk's physical and goalscoring attributes suggest he could be a dangerous target man for Kompany to have in his squad for next season, which could make Burnley flop Wout Weghorst surplus to requirements at Turf Moor.

After failing to have the desired impact in 2021/22 as Burnley suffered relegation, scoring just twice in 20 Premier League outings, the Netherlands international was sent out on loan to Besiktas and Manchester United and now looks unlikely to have a future with the Clarets.

Therefore, Burnley should definitely be looking to bring in the Portuguese-born forward this summer, especially if it allows Weghorst to be moved on permanently.

West Ham Not Keen On Swap Deal For "Outstanding" Player

West Ham have no interest in a swap deal involving influential midfielder Declan Rice despite the recent rumours of a player-plus-cash offer from Arsenal, according to a new update.

Is Rice leaving West Ham this summer?

The 24-year-old's future is a big talking point currently, with a new challenge looking likely to come his way at the end of the season. There is an increasing feeling that he has come as far as he can at the London Stadium, with a move to a Champions League-playing club potentially on the cards, or certainly one of the biggest teams in the country.

Rice has slowly become one of the most important players at West Ham over the years, developing into a dominant midfielder player with strong all-round attributes. Not only that, but he is also one of the first names on the team sheet for England manager Gareth Southgate, starting all five matches for the Three Lions at the 2022 World Cup.

There is still no confirmation that the Englishman will definitely leave West Ham, but with every fresh report that emerges, the more likely it feels. That being said, a new claim may at least give Hammers supporters an element of hope that he won't be allowed to go easily.

West Ham captainDeclan Rice

Cash only for Rice?

According to Football Insider, West Ham are "not interested in taking any player in part exchange" with Rice, with a summer swap deal off the table. It is stated that Arsenal "lead the chase" for the midfielder and there have been rumours that "Arsenal could include a first-team or emerging star", but he will only depart in a routine cash transfer.

In truth, it feels like a given that Rice will leave at the end of the campaign, especially as his current deal expires in 2024, meaning West Ham would lose him for free next year, rather than earn a huge sum of money this time around.

In an ideal world, he would remain in east London for the rest of his career – he has been hailed as "outstanding" by Joe Cole – but he has lofty ambitions and will want to test himself in the Champions League and win trophies in the coming years. It is hard to begrudge him a move, given his ceiling as a player and the loyalty to he has shown West Ham until this point, and it is now vital that the club use the funds they receive for him wisely.

Hughes inquest to examine short balls

The number of bouncers bowled to Phillip Hughes in his final innings will be among the issues addressed by the New South Wales Coronial inquest into his death

Daniel Brettig13-Jun-2016The number of bouncers bowled to Phillip Hughes in his final innings will be among the issues addressed by the New South Wales Coronial inquest into his death, a directions hearing has confirmed.The NSW coroner Michael Barnes will pursue multiple avenues during an inquest to be held from October 10-14, as he examines the death of Hughes after he was struck by a short-pitched ball while playing for South Australia in a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG in November 2014.At a directions hearing in Sydney on Friday, the areas to be investigated were outlined, including the “nature of play” on the day Hughes was struck and whether it complied with the rules of the competition. The response times of ambulances, the possibility of whether additional head protection could have deflected the blow, the vast media coverage of Hughes’ collapse and subsequent death will be among other issues explored.Players on the field at the time, including Australia’s vice-captain David Warner and allrounder Sean Abbott, who was bowling when Hughes was struck, are expected to give evidence. Cricket Australia are to schedule the season-opening limited overs tournament in such a way that witness testimony does not clash with matches.A CA-commissioned review of events was completed last year and released to the public in May. Conducted by David Curtain QC, it concluded that neither greater head protection for Hughes nor swifter transport from the SCG to the nearest hospital would have prevented his death, while also recommending a raft of changes to head and heart-related safety precautions around the game.When releasing the report, CA’s chief executive James Sutherland expressed hope that the coronial inquest would not tear at the fabric of the game by calling for greater restrictions on the use of short-pitched bowling.”You’ll see in the brief terms of reference we gave David Curtain that we needed to draw a line about the laws of the game and to have some perspective around that,” Sutherland said. “You can make the game of cricket a lot safer by playing with a tennis ball, but that’s not how Test cricket has been played and it would obviously be a very different game.”We’re not wanting to go there, but we do need to find the right balance in the circumstances to not compromise the way the game’s played and not compromise the way in which the players are best equipped to show their skills.”The ICC’s cricket committee recently rejected a CA-driven call for mandatory concussion substitutes to be brought into first-class matches and potentially Tests.

£85k-p/w Spurs Man Slammed After Liverpool Loss

Journalist Rob Guest has slammed Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier after his dismal showing in the club’s recent defeat.

What’s the latest on Eric Dier and Spurs?

On Sunday afternoon, Spurs travelled away to Liverpool and treated neutrals to an absolute classic in the Premier League.

Just 15 minutes into the affair, it looks as though the Reds were going to run away with the game as they led 3-0 thanks to goals from Curtis Jones, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah. However, Harry Kane got his name on the scoresheet to keep Tottenham just about alive.

Incredibly, Ryan Mason’s men then fought back through Son Heung-min before Richarlison looked to have earned a point with a last-gasp header.

Despite having netted an equaliser in the 93rd minute, though, Tottenham still managed to throw away the point as Diogo Jota scored to make it 4-3 to Liverpool with seconds to play.

It was a chaotic end to a chaotic game and Spurs’ calamitous defending throughout did not help. At the heart of that, centre-back Dier didn’t come out of the game with much credit.

Indeed, he was slammed by Guest in football.london’s player ratings as he handed the Englishman a 3/10.

He also wrote: “[Cody] Gakpo ran off him far too easily for the second goal and was then lucky to get away with some really sloppy passing. Tottenham need so much better from him.”

How bad was Dier vs Liverpool?

Things didn’t get any kinder for the £85k-per-week defender in the media after that either. For instance, journalist Jonathan Veal simply wrote on Twitter: “Dier’s time is up, surely?”

While Sky Sports’ Gary Neville said: “Dier and [Cristian] Romero need the season to end.” And YouTuber Mark Goldbridge added: “How Dier gets picked for England over [Fikayo] Tomori is criminal.”

Tottenham Hotspur's Eric Dier

His stats on Sofascore don’t paint a pretty picture, either. For example, the defender lost the ball 16 times (only Pedro Porro was sloppier on the ball for Spurs).

His pass completion was also down at a low 70%, while he found a teammate with just one of seven attempted long balls – showing just how shaky he was on the day.

Spurs need leaders right now and the experienced 29-year-old is supposed to be one in North London but he failed to show his best attributes at Anfield and it cost the club dearly.

Leeds Have Dream Origi Alternative In ‘Astonishing’ £15k-p/w Star

Leeds United have been heavily linked with former Liverpool forward Divock Origi recently, but Javi Gracia may already have an ideal alternative at Elland Road in Joe Gelhardt.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Divock Origi?

According to Italian news outlet Calcio Mercato, AC Milan are ready to say goodbye to the Belgian forward his summer after a disappointing debut campaign in Serie A, which has seen him manage just two goals and one assist in 26 appearances.

Leeds, Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Aston Villa are all name-checked as potential destinations for the 27-year-old, who only left Anfield on a free transfer last summer after scoring 45 goals in 175 appearances for Jurgen Klopp's side.

The report claims that the Rossoneri are keen to get Origi off their wage budget, while Transfermarkt values the striker at just €8m (£7m), so he could be a very cheap option for Leeds this summer as they look to bolster their attacking options.

AC Milan's Divock Origi celebrates after the match.

However, given his less-than-impressive form in Italy, Gracia may be better off looking towards Leeds' youth prospects this summer, and Gelhardt could be a dream alternative to the misfiring Milan flop.

Could Gelhardt be a regular for Leeds next season?

Gelhardt, who earns £15k-per-week, joined Leeds from Wigan Athletic in the summer of 2020 and despite his age, he has already made 41 appearances for the senior side, in which he has contributed two goals and an impressive seven assists.

The 20-year-old's record in Premier League 2 also speaks for itself, as he has managed 18 goals and four assists in 27 appearances for Leeds' U21 side, so he is clearly ready to make his mark in senior football.

The Yorkshire outfit evidently felt the same way following the club-record signing of Georginio Rutter in January, as Gelhardt was sent on loan to Sunderland in the Championship, where he has been a regular in Tony Mowbray's side ever since, contributing one goal and two assists in 11 appearances.

This loan spell will do Gelhardt the world of good as he enjoys regular starts in a physical, high-quality league, and that will give him excellent preparation ahead of what could be a breakthrough 2023/24 campaign for the striker.

Throughout the infancy of his career, he has already impressed significantly, with Adrian Durham notably waxing lyrical over the youngster after a 1-1 draw with Wolves.

He said (via MOT Leeds): “Joe Gelhardt for Leeds, was astonishing at the weekend. This is somebody who is 19, he’s not even 20 until May. What a player this kid is going to be.

“Joe Gelhardt rescued Leeds and Bielsa, he was brilliant. By the way, he should be involved in far more games. I think he’s been a bit reluctant to use him because of his age, but get him in there.”

Therefore, rather than potentially wasting money on a striker who struggled to score goals in one of the best Liverpool sides in living memory, Leeds should instead look towards the talented Gelhardt to help fire them up the Premier League table next season.

Carlton Palmer thinks Sheffield Wednesday could sign Elliot Anderson

Pundit and former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer believes that Hillsborough could be a possible destination for Newcastle United’s Elliot Anderson next season.

The Lowdown: Previous interest

The Owls appeared to have their eye on Anderson earlier in the year during the January transfer window, with reports suggesting that the club were keen on a loan deal for the 20-year-old, who contributed to 13 goals in 21 League Two appearances on loan at Bristol Rovers last season.

As we know, a move for Anderson failed to materialise, with the midfielder remaining at St. James’ Park under Eddie Howe, but it looks as if a loan move could be on the cards ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Latest: Palmer’s comments

Palmer, who contributes for the BBC, was talking to Football League World about Anderson, describing his display against Nottingham Forest as ‘brilliant’. The Pundit then name-checked Sheffield Wednesday as a potential destination for the midfielder next season, labelling him as a ‘very, very talented young player’.

“Elliot Anderson was brilliant for Newcastle the other night (against Nottingham Forest). He’s a very, very talented young player but all the noise coming out of Newcastle is that he could be loaned out to a Championship club, but it will be a Championship club that play football in the right manner.

“So yes, I think Sheffield Wednesday would be in the frame to get him and he would be a very, very good acquisition should they secure promotion.”

The Verdict: Wednesday to benefit?

A loan move to the second tier could be extremely beneficial for Anderson after playing just 179 minutes of Premier League action across 12 appearances. He caught the eye prior to the international break against Nottingham Forest, with Kieran Trippier hailing his display from the bench.

“He’s a young lad, with so much potential and I really mean that. It’s crazy really how good he is. He just has to be patient. Keep working hard as he has been doing. He was unbelievable when he came on (at Forest). He has a massive future ahead of him, like I said, he just has to keep being patient.”

He appears to be a star in the making, so Darren Moore’s side could benefit from having him upon their return to the Championship, should they get over the line and out of League One in the coming months.

The Owls have just one out-and-out attacking midfielder on the books in Josh Windass, so Anderson could be a shrewd signing to add strength in depth, although the club may face plenty of interest from possible second-tier rivals.

Southampton: Alcaraz is Steven Davis 2.0

Southampton’s season has been mired in a detrimental decline that has left a formerly exciting and energetic outfit spluttering to a stop and facing the peril that runs in tandem with the all-engulfing Premier League relegation zone.

Entangled in the bottom three for the past 12 match-weeks, Saints’ owners Sport Republic have dismissed long-time endeared boss Ralph Hasenhuttl before sacking Nathan Jones in what was an unequivocally shambolic appointment, losing seven of his eight league matches at the helm.

Ruben Selles, who has been involved at St. Mary’s Stadium in a coaching capacity all season, now heads the table, looking to instil confidence and cohesion into a team devoid of all the tangible qualities that left them comfortably placed for the majority of Hasenhuttl’s reign.

And it has paid off somewhat over the early weeks of the Spaniard’s term in the dugout; a monumental victory against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in his first match as permanent boss preceded a battling loss to relegation rivals Leeds United and a shambolic home defeat in the FA Cup to League Two Grimsby Town.

However, optimism has been borne anew following a dogged 1-0 league victory on the south coast against Leicester City, narrowing the gap to safety to just one point after 25 fixtures in the campaign, and despite captain James Ward-Prowse uncharacteristically blundering from the penalty spot, £12m winter signing Carlos Alcaraz took the weight on his shoulders and set the Saints support rocking with his emphatic match-winning strike.

Is Alcaraz the next Steven Davis?

Clinched from Argentinian outfit Racing Club in January, the 20-year-old has made an instant impact in England, and one which Selles and co will hope can play a big part in the scrap to secure top-flight survival.

Having made 83 appearances for Racing, scoring 12 goals, the Argentine has now forged eight outings for Southampton and netted from both his starting displays in the league.

As per Sofascore, the thrilling talent has averaged 1.6 shots per match across his Premier League performances thus far, with his two goals complemented by a 60% dribble success rate and a 79% passing accuracy.

He is already growing into his skin, and his composure when placed through on goal belied both his young age and inexperience, with The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell even going as far as dubbing the prodigy “tremendous” for his early feats in red and white.

Tanswell even went as far as to say he reminded him of Saints stalwart Steven Davis, remarking that the dynamic midfielder “offers a new slant.”

David made 226 appearances for the south coast club, plundering 14 goals and registering 26 assists, and as per WhoScored, his 1.6 key passes and 0.6 shots and dribbles per game in the 15/16 season for the outfit epitomised the robust and progressive role he played, recording a 7.04 average rating and landing five goals and three assists.

If Alcaraz – hailed a “young baller” by the Daily Echo’s Alfie House – can build upon his resounding entrance, he can adopt Davis’ mantle and serve as the new force to be reckoned with from the heart of the St. Mary’s system.

There’s a long way to go in this mammoth season; Alcaraz is still just 20 and but a matter of weeks into his Premier League career, but if the early work is anything to go by, he will surpass the feats of Davis and emerge as a devastating force to steer Southampton to success.

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