Right, that’s all we’ve got time for today. It’s been a busy one for sure, with the FA Cup buildup dominated by that colossal Manchester United manager news. Erik ten Hag will be desperate to bow out with a victory, however slim those chances are, before all the attention turns to the identity of his successor. Football, eh? Bloody hell.
Thanks for following along throughout the day! Until next time.
In case you missed this one late last night, or early this morning, I can’t quite remember, here’s some more manager news that relates (vaguely) to Manchester United. Rooney to Argyle?
Looks like the Manchester United squad has just left for London, while City’s have just touched down in the capital in the past few moments.
*Insert joke about City always being one step ahead*
All roads lead to Wembley.
Some Palace/Everton takeover/ownership news for you.
American businessman John Textor is reportedly selling his 40 per cent stake in Crystal Palace with a view to buying Everton.
Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri is currently tied into a period of exclusivity with troubled US investment group 777 Partners until May 31 and cannot enter into alternative discussions.
But with the takeover seemingly on the verge of collapse, Moshiri confirmed this week to Everton’s Fan Advisory Board he had received unsolicited approaches from interested parties.
Textor and his multi-club network Eagle Football appears to be one of those, according to some of his comments to The Athletic.
13th time lucky? 12 teams have tried and failed to go back to back with ‘the double’ in English football – AKA do the ‘double double’.
Not content with making English football history with their four consecutive Premier League titles, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City could write themselves into the FA Cup history books as well tomorrow. And they probably will. Sachin Nakrini trawls through the archives for this one.
Kyle Walker, the modern day Manchester-based right-back, just wants to win. And win, and win, and …
Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker thinks it would be a mistake for the club to get rid of Ten Hag, even if they lose the FA Cup final.
He said: “I personally would stick with him.. If you change the manager, that means a whole new coaching staff. It would be rinse and start again.
“There would be too many changes too quickly - and there would still be a lot of dead wood [players] left there.”
Parker is not hopeful of a United win at Wembley, adding: “No-one can put their hand on their heart and say ‘I expect Manchester United to win’. It’s absolutely impossible.”
Maybe hiring a manager who would have a chance of winning these games would be a good idea. Just sayin’.
Football Daily has just landed and, shock horror, it’s all about FA Cup finals and managerial departures.
Over on the more serene blue side of Manchester, City are preparing to offer Pep Guardiola a new contract, according to the Daily Mail.
Goodness me, they’re going to go all Bayern/Celtic/PSG and win 10 on the spin, aren’t they? The contrast with the chaos going on at United on the eve of the FA Cup final couldn’t be starker.
Emails, emails, emails! Christian Oquendo is another who’s enjoying watching the merry-go-round spin:
Tuchel, Pochettino, McKenna blah, blah, when are all of us readers going to hear where Moyes is going to manage next? That’s REALLY what we are all here for!
My advice to Moyesy would be to put his feet up and relax. Steer clear, Dave.
Another email from Gary Stover:
McKenna, Tuchel, Poch? But what about Gasperini? He won his last game.
Kieran McKenna’s rise from derided Manchester United backroom coach under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, to the hottest managerial property on the market is astonishing when you think about it. The guy’s had two-and-a-half years in management and one-and-a-half of those were spent in League One. He might be the man to restore United (or indeed Chelsea) to their former glories, but it’s one hell of a punt from whichever club appoints him.
Thomas Tuchel seems nailed-on for the Chelsea job if McKenna doesn’t get it, with Mauricio Pochettino in the mix – but ineligible for the Chelsea position for obvious reasons – it could well be three managers for two jobs. Where’s yer money?
Another piece of breaking Premier League news for you this afternoon.
Thanks Taha. Have I missed anything?
Right then, that’s enough from me – Dominic Booth is back on the tools.
Kevin Wilson writes in: “I think it’s the correct decision to fire Erik Ten Hag – a decent first season was followed by a wretched second and as much as he could blame injuries, the signings he wanted have failed, the style of play is awful and he’s improved very few of the players. But Tuchel will just feel like a rehash of what they’ve tried before with Mourinho or Van Gaal. I don’t see him lasting very long. Tuchel tends to stay at a job for a couple of years before it goes sour. I’d much rather they went for a bolder, progressive choice of head coach than Tuchel, who’s not exactly excelled this season in Munich.”
Russell Martin is ready to embrace the magnitude of his Southampton side’s contest with Leeds at Wembley, reflecting on his playoff victory as Norwich’s captain over Middlesbrough in 2015. Quotes from PA:
It is such a privilege to play in a game of this magnitude, because you can go your whole career and not be playing in one like this or as a manager. I woke up [that morning] feeling calm, because of the work we had done in the buildup, but was still really emotional when I saw my family in the crowd. However, I had that calmness and I hope that our players will feel the same way.
They have the chance to feel something spectacular that they will remember forever and have feelings about, because I still remember that day now, it was one of the best. I feel like it would be an even better feeling to be on this side of the fence rather than playing – even though it feels 10 times worse not playing and not being on the pitch to control anything, but it will be incredible.
Bamford to miss Championship playoff final
Leeds striker Patrick Bamford will miss their playoff final against Southampton at Wembley due to a knee injury. The 30-year-old has scored nine goals this season. Here’s what Daniel Farke had to say (quotes from PA):
Patrick is not available and won’t be there for the game. He will definitely miss out. We had some other minor issues this week, but it seems every player will be available, including [Sam] Byram, who returned to team training yesterday. I would have preferred to have Bamford available, but it’s important to face reality and the reality is he is not there. So we must find other solutions. I trust my whole group and squad, so there will be no need to search for excuses.
In other Manchester United news … Jamie Jackson sits down with the teenage sensation Kobbie Mainoo.
Giroud to retire from international football after Euro 2024
Olivier Giroud, the record goalscorer for the France men’s team, will end his international career at the end of the upcoming Euros. It’s been a stellar one, with 57 goals in 131 appearances, topping a list featuring Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappé (though he’ll probably end up No 1). Giroud was part of the 2018 World Cup-winning side and runners-up finishes at Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup.
Here was Pep Guardiola speaking about Erik ten Hag earlier in the day.
"In terms of history, [Manchester United] is the best team in England." 🏆
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 24, 2024
Pep Guardiola speaks on Erik ten Hag's future as Manchester United manager 🔴👔 pic.twitter.com/WNEnMWw0HL
Thomas Tuchel entering the door could well be history repeating itself for Manchester United. A Dutchman spends two seasons at the club, ending it with the FA Cup final, and in comes an ex-Chelsea manager with Champions League-winning pedigree who isn’t one for long-term relationships. Seen that one before.
Mammillaria Hahniana responds to Gary Stover (scroll down): “Trick question. Manchester United, obviously.” Well played.
“A well-placed source said that even winning the Cup would not save Ten Hag,” reports Jacob Steinberg. So it could well be the case that Ten Hag repeats what Louis van Gaal did eight years ago, winning the FA Cup in his last game in charge of United (it would be some achievement against this City side). It’s been a difficult second season after a promising debut year. Who’s next in the mixer?
Manchester United decide to sack Erik ten Hag
Huge news.
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Rather taken aback by Ewan Murray’s intro here, pointing out that there hasn’t been an Old Firm Scottish Cup final in 22 (!) years. It was settled by a last-minute winner; here’s to even more drama this year.
Afternoon, everyone. A terrific question, Gary. While Barça’s flip-flopping is something to behold it’s got to be Chelsea for me at the moment in the Dysfunction Rankings. Cue my shameless plug:
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Right, that’s the end of my football blog shift and I’m off for some chicken drumsticks. Taha Hashim will be coming into the hot-seat for the next bit.
Here’s a question for him to answer, via Gary Stover.
Which organisation is proving to be the most dysfunctional: Barca, Bayern, Chelsea or Spurs?
It’s so nice to know lots of you are following along while living your best Friday lives. Karen As’adi gets in touch:
Following you Dom in between listening to Metallica’s 72 Seasons; I gotta say appointing Tuchel for Man United is actually the best option there; they could do a lot worse and they probably will! McKenna should go to Brighton like God intended.
The managerial merry-go-round is certainly capturing the imagination this week, that’s for sure.
“Lads, can you tweet out a picture of Pep where 80% of the image is just blank white.”
PEP 💬 (On whether everyone is available except Ederson) Yes. pic.twitter.com/Aqd2suXjJi
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 24, 2024
Whereas Newcastle’s youngsters were trounced by the A-League’s male all-stars, Arsenal’s women were up the to task against their Aussie counterparts, with Alessia Russo on target in a win for Jonas Eidevall’s side.
Guardiola has also confirmed Manchester City have a fully fit squad to pick from, bar the injured Ederson, while he also extended his sympathies for Erik ten Hag, whose job is under serious threat going into the cup final. United have a fair few more injuries than their neighbours.
“I have huge respect for the job he has done,” added Guardiola. “He has had a lot of injuries. They had a lot of problems. The squad is really good but if they are injured you cannot use them.”
Guardiola: It will be a different game v United
These type of finals against teams like United – in the Premier League we have been better than them and more consistent, but this year they performed well against the top teams. It will be a completely different game, that’s for sure.
[On the double double] It never happened before and we respect United a lot. In the last decade we have been better but in terms of history they are the best team in England.
It’s finally time to hear from Pep Guardiola, who’ll no doubt have a word or two to say about Foden, as well as Manchester United and the FA Cup final.
The big news ahead of the Championship playoff final:
Will Ferrell won't be attending on Sunday, we're told. #lufc
— Beren Cross (@BerenCross) May 24, 2024
Phil Foden = world class. Don’t @ me. Here’s Will Unwin’s piece on the Manchester City superstar.
Right, as it stands, the list of managers available this summer includes:
Zinedine Zidane, Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino, Max Allegri, Roberto De Zerbi, Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel and Xavi.
And I’ve probably missed off a few.
Here’s Barcelona’s comunicado oficial on Xavi’s departure:
Today, Friday, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has informed Xavi Hernandez that he will not be continuing as first team coach in the 2024-25 season. Barcelona wishes to thank Xavi for his work as coach, as well as for his inimitable career as a player and as team captain, and wishes him every future success in the world.
Xavi Hernandez will be coaching the team for the last time in Sunday’s game away to Sevilla. During the course of the next few days, Barcelona will be making an announcement regarding the new first team structure.
An email has dropped from Kieran McHugh, who isn’t overly impressed with Bruno Fernandes’ latest missive.
The quote from the piece written by Bruno Fernandes in The Players Tribune could, let’s be honest, have been written by any number of players at any number of clubs. To cite it as evidence of his value to United is daft. It proves nothing. His goals and assists are better evidence in my opinion. In an underperforming team he can point to a genuine contribution.
There are some reports now doing the rounds suggesting José Mourinho is the new frontrunner for the Chelsea job.
Go home, managerial merry-go-round, you’re drunk. What next? Sir Alex Ferguson back at Man Unit– actually, that might be a good idea …
More Manchester United chat now, with André Onana leaping to the defence of teammate Marcus Rashford in another pre-FA Cup final interview. He is backing the out-of-sorts forward to fire at Wembley tomorrow. (Our very own David Hytner explored this very possibility in a recent article).
Rashford – how many goals did he score last season? How many goals did he score this season? We are talking about the same player. He’s a bad player? So last season he was good, this season he is bad? No. It is just a moment. You can have a bad season, you can have a bad start.
But the most important thing is how you end and Rashy, for me, is one of the best players in the world. But he is facing difficulty, like us, not only him and me, but the whole club. And he will come back and I know my killer will score some important goals for us. Hopefully Saturday he will score two and we win the FA Cup.
🗣️ "Rashford for me is one of the best players in the world."
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) May 24, 2024
Onana is hopeful Rashford can get on the scoresheet this weekend in the FA Cup final 🤝#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/GrXKT8L3cZ
Barcelona to hire Hansi Flick
A double U-turn from Barcelona, as they plan to replace Xavi after all.
They gave me flip flops, y’know? Someone actually went out and bought flip flops to give me.
As PR stunts go, this isn’t a bad one. Domino’s are giving away 115 pizzas free of charge to Manchester United fans from its Wembley High Road outlet this Saturday. All supporters have to do is rock up in United colours from 11am and ask for a ‘Financial Free Pizza’. “Supporters who feel they are missing out are free to lodge an appeal,” says a PR statement.
We see what you’ve done there.
Sharing this because it’s a glorious goal scored by a glorious player in a glorious team winning the Champions League final at Wembley. It’s also a glorious camera angle.
📍 Wembley #UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/b8uob57dDh
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 24, 2024
Fernandes vows to stay at United
Bruno Fernandes has penned some nice words on his past few years at Manchester United – and indeed his future – in a piece for The Players’ Tribune.
The United captain has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford this summer but amid a rallying cry to supporters ahead of the FA Cup final, he’s provided some much-needed context to recent interviews.
I love to step out at Old Trafford more than anything in the world. I don’t want to leave. This has always been my ultimate dream.
I just want my expectations to fit with the expectations of the club. If you go talk to any fan, they will tell you the same thing. We want to compete for the league. We want to be playing Champions League football. We want to be in cup finals. That is the standard. That is what I want. That is what you all deserve.
And some people actually think he’s the problem at United? What a mad world.
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Real Madrid conclude their La Liga campaign against Real Betis on Saturday night, with the small matter (insert irony) of the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund to come in a week’s time.
Aurélien Tchouaméni has been ruled out of the Wembley showdown with injury, Carlo Ancelotti confirmed today, while Toni Kroos is in contention to start what will be his final game in club football.
“Toni Kroos has made his decision to leave at the top, we spoke but he decided to retire,” Ancelotti said. “Toni has balls, we have to respect that.”
Some Bournemouth news before we get to the City pre-final presser.
The Cherries have announced the appointment of Tiago Pinto as their new president of football operations. The 39-year-old will start in his role next week, after he left AS Roma. It’s part of a reshuffle at the south coast club, with Richard Hughes departing as technical director to join Liverpool. Simon Francis is taking up that role and will work with Pinto.
We're delighted to welcome our new president of football operations, Tiago Pinto 🤝
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) May 24, 2024
He will start in his role next week and will work with the club’s chief executive Neill Blake and technical director Simon Francis on all football matters.
Welcome, Tiago 🍒 pic.twitter.com/fMheEM6301
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Thanks Barry. I wonder if anyone will ask Ten Hag about the swirling speculation surrounding his job. It feels like Louis van Gaal pre-cup final areas, to me …
(We won’t be finding out until the embargoed section is released at 10.30pm unfortunately).
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Handover: With pre-FA Cup final press conferences from Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag very much ahoy, it’s time for Dominic Booth to take up the cudgels.
Wolves season ticket renewal prices spark outrage
Wolverhampton Wanderers: The club have released their renewal prices for next season, prompting fury and open revolt among fans at the massive price hikes across the board. Wolves’ most expensive season ticket will now cost £939, while their cheapest remains £525.
Adults in Molineux’s family enclosure have seen the price of their tickets rise by 22.8% to £780, while the price of season tickets for supporters aged under 14 in the same area have gone up by an eye-watering and scarcely believable 133.3% from £105 to £245. Some under-14 fans, seated elsewhere in the ground, are facing a price hike of 176%.
Wolves last week: Scrap VAR, the fan experience is so much worse. It's VAR that's damaged the relationship between fans and football
— Tim Spiers (@TimSpiers) May 24, 2024
Wolves this week: Pay us £735-£939 for a season ticket, 17% more than last year, in a city with the 2nd highest unemployment rate in the country
Scottish Cup final: Having already masterminded victory over Aberdeen in the League Cup, Rangers boss Philippe Clement is hoping to win his first game against Celtic at the fourth time of asking in tomorrow’s Scottish FA Cup final.
Unlike his Celtic counterpart Brendan Rodgers, Clement has several injury concerns and saysd he may ask several players to play through the pain barrier at Hampden Park tomorrow. Oscar Cortes, Rabbi Matondo, Danilo, Connor Goldson, Tom Lawrence, John Souttar, Borna Barisic, and Leon Balogun all sat out last weekend’s league draw with Hearts.
“This is a final game, a decisive game,” said Clement. “Maybe we need to take some risks with players that we normally don’t do. The last six, eight weeks, it’s been difficult with all the players falling out, coming back from injury but missing rhythm, others falling out.
“It’s now about this one moment, about 90 minutes, 120 minutes, 120 minutes and penalties, to give everything with the whole squad, with everybody who is available. I think a few guys even want to come on the pitch with crutches. I cannot allow that, of course, but we’re going to go hard with the team with every energy that is available in the building.”
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Scottish Cup final: Celtic have played Rangers four times in the Scottish Premiership this season, beating them three times and drawing once, at Ibrox in April. The Glasgow rivals meet for a fifth time in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park tomorrow but despite his side’s supremacy over Rangers, Brendan Rodgers insists his players won’t be complacent.
“We have a humility in how we work,” the Celtic manager said ahead of tomorrow’s final. “You can never have that arrogance. We respect every opponent we play, whether it’s Rangers, Raith or whoever. From a football perspective there’s no different approach to this game than the other four in the league, we want to impose ourselves.
“For the supporters it’s everything,. They live their life for Celtic. To deliver it for them would be great. Any final is always a challenge, a Celtic-Rangers final is a great occasion, but for us it’s focusing on our game and how we can win it.”
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DFB-Pokal final: After a surprise run to the German Cup final, fallen giants Kaiserslautern, who spent the season battling against relegation from the second tier, need a miracle against Xabi Alonso’s champions – but they still have hope. Words: Will Magee.
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FA Cup final: While a strong Manchester City side will start at Wembley on Saturday, a rotating cast has helped propel Pep Guardiola’s side through the earlier rounds. Will Unwin reports …
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A-League All Stars 8-0 Newcastle United
Newcastle have been slaughtered in the second of their two end-of-season friendlies in Melbourne this week. Eddie Howe’s young and inexperienced side boasted no first team regulars and conceded eight without reply against a combined A-League XI.
Next up in the Marvel Stadium double-header? The A-League Women’s All Stars v Arsenal.
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Rooney linked with vacant Plymouth job
In news that may come as somerthing of a surprise to anyone who recalls his disastrous 15-match spell at Birmingham City earlier this season, Wayne Rooney is being linked with another managerial post in the Championship.
It is being repoorted that the 38-year-old former England striker is ready to have talks with Plymouth Argyle, with a view to becoming their head coach. Plymouth are in the market for a new head coach after sacking Ian Foster a month ago.
The club’s director of football Neil Dewsnip and coach Kevin Nancekivell took over for the remainder of the campaign and managed to keep Plymouth up at the expense of Birmingham, who were relegated on the final day of the season. When Rooney took over at St Andrew’s following the dismissal of John Eustace, the club were sixth in the table.
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Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna will manage in the top flight from August onwards but, with the merry-go-round gearing up for overdrive before 2023-24 has breathed its last, doubts continue to swirl over around where it might be. Our resident Tractor Boy, Nick Ames, types through salty tears to explain exactly why the young coach from Northern Ireland is in such massive demand …
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West Ham fear Lucas Paquetá's career could be over ...
The club’s outstanding Brazilian midfielder is in a world of trouble after being charged with several breaches of gambling regulations that include four allegations of match manipulation in the form spot-fixing.
West Ham fear their star player’s career could be banned for 10 years to life if he is found guilty of deliberately getting booked on four separate occasions. Paquetá denies any wrongdoing and has vowed “to fight with every breath” to clear his name.
A-League All Stars v Newcastle United: When Eddie Howe inevitably starts complaining about the intensity of the fixture schedule and player burn-out in six months time, it is to be hoped that somebody will remind him that he and his players went straight to the airport after their final game of the Premier League season, boarded a plane and flew all the way to Australia to twerk their collective money-maker in a couple of exhibition matches.
On Wednesday, Newcastle beat Tottenham Hotspur on penalties at the MCG after the two teams played out a 1-1 draw. Right now, Howe’s side are getting walloped by a team of A-League All Stars at Melbourne’s considerably smaller Marvel Stadium. They’re in the second half and it’s currently 3-0 to the hosts.
Preamble
The Premier League may have ended last weekend but there are still a few loose ends to tie up before the season officially draws to a close. The main orders of business will be conducted at Wembley Stadium over the weekend, starting with tomorrow’s FA Cup final between Manchester United and Manchester City, followed by Monday’s playoff decider, in which Southampton and Leeds United go toe-to-toe.
Meanwhile in Scotland, Celtic and Rangers face off in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park, where Rangers will attempt to record their first win over Celtic in five attempts this season. Brendan Rodgers’ men are hoping to record a league and cup double, while their Old Firm rivals from Ibrox can make it a domestic cup double and salvage some pride after ending the Scottish Premiership season with something of a whimper.
With no end of high profile managerial vacancies to be filled, what might have been a quietish day on the football front could prove extremely busy. We’ll bring you news from the pre-final press conferences, flag up any other talking points of interest and highlight any speculation regarding the managerial merry-go-round that happens to come our way.
