THE REAL TEAM GB
Keir Starmer’s Britain is looking to improve relations with its continental partners, so surely the more sporting ambassadors the country has within the European Union the better. The bureaucratic appointments are being made already, despite him only being weeks in the job. Sir Oli McBurnie has been sent to the Canary Islands, Che Adams is building relations with car manufacturer Fiat in Turin and Andy Carroll is bringing good vibes and hair to France.
Harry Kane and Eric Dier have already made a difference in Munich, Jude Bellingham in Madrid has made the Spanish government forgive Marks & Spencer for their paella and chorizo croquettes. Contrary to what many holidaymakers believe, however, Europe is a much bigger place and there is only so much networking Lyon’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles can do, while Jordan Henderson has learned his lessons of trying to single-handedly create change in Saudi Arabia and is instead learning diplomacy in the Netherlands.
McBurnie is 6ft 2in of pure Yorkshireman, even though he has 16 caps and zero goals for Scotland. After plundering six goals in 21 games last season to help Sheffield United finish rock bottom of the Premier League, McBurnie must have realised his talents for endless running and winding up defenders were wasted in his homeland. Now, by spreading his wings to Las Palmas, he could show that British football is about a lot more than disjointed performances and throwing cups of beer at people. His rolled-down-socks attitude will change opinions.
Adams has said “arrivederci” to the English game and rocked up at Torino ready to show how football is played in the country that invented it. “Ciao Torino!” he cheered on Instachat, showing he is already fluent in the language. He might be adapting to Italy but can Serie A work out how to stop Adams? Fellow Scot Lewis Ferguson went ahead to open the consulate in Bologna and was named Serie A’s midfielder of the season for 2023-24, so everyone knows he has a lot to live up to. Bellingham has shown the impact a top-class Brit can have in Europe and everyone else is catching up. If you can’t afford a £100m midfielder raised in the Football League, you go for the next best thing: free transfer strikers boasting Newport County and Ilkeston on their CVs. Beware Europe: Britain is back – and it is bringing the big men.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
OK, so it’s not a match but some footballers will be on the opening ceremony barges for Big Sports Day. Follow it down the Seine from 6pm BST.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Additional information has come to our attention regarding previous drone use against opponents” – the spygate story keeps rumbling on at Big Sports Day, with the Canadian Olympic Committee removing head coach Bev Priestman from her role for the remainder of the competition as it investigates other alleged tactical espionage. Priestman said: “My reaction was you feel like this programme has let the country down. That’s why I took the proactive step to do what I felt was the right thing. Irrespective of the details, I’m ultimately accountable.” Canada won their opener, against New Zealand, 2-1.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Re: yesterday’s Football Daily. How extremely cultured of you to find a way to mention ‘The Prince of Denmark’ in a footballing context!” – Nigel Sanders.
Mention of Charlie George (yesterday’s Memory Lane, full email edition) reminded me of his unlikely – and often overlooked – role in one of Nottingham Forest’s European triumphs. He scored the only goal in the home leg of the 1979 European Super Cup, against Barcelona, and he also played in the away leg, a 1-1 draw. As a result, he picked up a winner’s medal, despite those matches being half of just four he played in a brief loan spell from Southampton. According to Stan Bowles, during one dressing room face-off, Charlie called Brian Clough a ‘northern [snip – Football Daily Bad Word Ed]’, hence the brevity of the stay” – Mike Slattery.
Regarding Canada’s outrageously disgraceful
yet imaginativelyamusingattempts at alleged cheating, could Football Daily please stop droning on about it?” – R Dolan.Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Mike Slattery. Terms and conditions for our competitions can be viewed here.
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