Football365

Tottenham Hotspur have launched legal proceedings against Ineos Automotive, a subsidiary of the multinational owned by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, over the early termination of a commercial partnership.

This is according to a report from The Telegraph, which says the dispute – listed under “general commercial contracts and arrangements” – concerns a multi-million pound five-year deal agreed in December 2022, which named Ineos Grenadier as Spurs’ “official 4×4 vehicle partner”.

Ineos informed the club last December that it was exercising a contractual right to end the agreement two years early, and talks over a resolution have since failed.

The High Court claim was formally lodged on 12 June – less than a month after Spurs beat Manchester United, part-owned by Ineos, in the Europa League final.

Tottenham and Ineos have worked together since 2020, beginning with a pandemic-era deal for the petrochemicals giant to supply hand sanitiser.

Ineos has been scaling back its sporting investments in recent months, also cutting ties with the All Blacks and Sir Ben Ainslie’s sailing team. New Zealand Rugby had also pursued legal action over an early exit from a six-year sponsorship deal, though that dispute has since been resolved.

MORE: Transfer rumour power ranking: Man Utd to rival Liverpool, Chelsea; new Nunez link

The company has cited mounting financial pressures – including high energy prices and European carbon taxes – as the reason for its strategic cutbacks.

Ratcliffe, who acquired a 27.7% stake in Manchester United in December 2023, has also overseen cost-cutting measures at Old Trafford, including job losses and ticket price increases.

A spokesperson for Ineos told The Telegraph: “It’s completely normal for partnerships to be reviewed on a regular basis, and we’ve decided that the partnership wasn’t working out for us. We have the right to terminate the partnership.”

Spurs have yet to comment publicly on the legal action.

Upon announcing the Grenadier deal in 2022, Daniel Levy’s side said: “Our partnership with Ineos Grenadier represents the coming together of an innovative British brand with an iconic London football club – both of whom are committed to pushing boundaries and daring to do things differently, while staying true to authentic values and traditions.”

Meanwhile, Ineos told Telegraph Sport that it had exercised “a contractual right to terminate” its partnership with Tottenham last December.

A spokesperson said: “Ineos Automotive has been a partner of Tottenham Hotspur since 2022, taking on a partnership agreement that Ineos Group had in place with the club since 2020.

“Like any business, we have to be diligent in how we operate and where we invest marketing budgets.

“It’s completely normal for partnerships to be reviewed on a regular basis, and we’ve decided that the partnership wasn’t working out for us. We have the right to terminate the partnership.”

Tottenham have ‘received encouragement’ over a possible transfer for Man Utd target Bryan Mbeumo after ‘initial discussions with Brentford’.

Man Utd are looking to sign another new forward after unveiling Matheus Cunha as a new signing at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Mbeumo has been the subject of interest from the Red Devils for a long time with journalist Ben Jacobs revealing yesterday that Ruben Amorim’s side are set to make a second formal bid “imminently”.

Jacobs told The United Stand: “There hasn’t been a formal second bid placed yet. But what is happening, is there are conversations around a new number, much closer to the Matheus Cunha valuation.

“And when Manchester United feel that not just that number, but the structure is competitive based on their feedback from Brentford – and all of those discussions are ongoing at the moment – the expectation, and quite imminently, is they will then put that formal second bid in with a higher percentage chance.

“Hopefully from Manchester United’s point of view, that will be accepted.”

READ: Transfer rumour power ranking: Man Utd to rival Liverpool, Chelsea; new Nunez link

The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell had given Tottenham almost no chance of a hijack, which could still be the case, but now Sky Sports are reporting that Mbeumo is now ‘more intrigued by a move’ since Thomas Frank’s appointment as manager.

Sky Sports News‘ Michael Bridge and Lyall Thomas wrote on the website’s live blog: ‘Tottenham have held initial discussions with Brentford about a deal for Bryan Mbeumo. Spurs are interested in Mbeumo and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo – both are players they admire.

‘Mbeumo is understood to be more intrigued by a move to Tottenham now that Thomas Frank has become their head coach. And Spurs have received encouragement about a potential deal now that the Dane has made the switch to North London.

‘Last week we reported Spurs had stepped up their interest in Semenyo prior to sacking Ange Postecoglou. Manchester United had a bid rejected for Mbeumo before Spurs started talks to hire Frank.

MORE ON TOTTENHAM FROM F365:

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👉 Tottenham want second Brentford regular for Thomas Frank after ‘closely tracking’ him

👉 Five Brentford stars reassigned to PL rivals amid Frank to Tottenham as Man Utd, Arsenal benefit

‘And we reported last week that United are expected to make another offer for the Cameroon star. United are also interested in Semenyo too.’

And former Man Utd chief scout Mick Brown – who is still well-connected in the Premier League – reckons Frank ‘could be a big pull for Mbeumo’ this summer.

Brown told Football Insider: “It’s going to be difficult to beat Man United to Mbeumo. United are well down the line on this move, and the player himself wishes to make that move to Old Trafford rather than other potential clubs.

“Thomas Frank could be a big pull for Mbeumo, but United are very optimistic that they’ll be able to land the Cameroon international.

“They’ve had one bid rejected and talks are ongoing with Brentford. They just need to reach a compromise over his fee and then that deal will get done.

“The other factor is that Spurs won’t be able to match United on wages they could offer. So Man United are still in the driving seat to get this done, despite suggestions that Tottenham could hijack their move.”

With Thomas Frank off to Spurs, we have jumped the gun on a possible Brentford exodus and reassigned five Bees stars to rival Premier League clubs…

A move to a Big Six club had been long overdue for perennial overachiever Thomas Frank as he’s made pretty light work of establishing Brentford in the Premier League, with two top-half finishes and three of his four seasons in the division ending without even the slightest fear of relegation.

It’s a phenomenal achievement for a club of Brentford’s size and it’s a credit to them and Frank in particular, that it would feel weird not to have them in the Premier League with their feet firmly under the top-flight table.

Frank’s move to Tottenham for a supposed upward career move could raise their relegation fears, but the ever-increasing gap to the Championship should cushion their likely decline next season as Leeds United and co. face an uphill battle to buck a disheartening trend.

Brentford’s situation would become more problematic if several key stars follow Frank in leaving this summer, though. With that, we have decided to prepare their supporters for this worst-case scenario (you’re welcome, by the way) by reassigning five Bees standouts to rival Premier League clubs…

Kevin Schade to Arsenal

The Gunners have finally pulled their finger out and caught up with the rest of the footballing world, who some time ago that they needed to sign a new, for lack of a better term, proper striker.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko looks to be their man as they are in deep negotiations with the Bundesliga side, while they are also searching the market for a new left winger.

Bukayo Saka has emphatically left Gabriel Martinelli in the dirt, with their respective development heading in opposite directions as the stagnated Brazil international’s uninspiring form has fuelled their interest in potential upgrades, including one ‘dream target’.

With a large chunk of Arsenal’s summer budget likely to be spent on a striker, they may not have the financial muscle to splash out on a direct upgrade on Martinelli and if they decide to pursue an affordable option to compete with, rather than replace, the Gunners star, Schade would not be a bad shout.

The 23-year-old, valued at £25m on transfermarkt amid reported interest from Borussia Dortmund, enjoyed a breakout season in 2024/25 and was a consistent provider of goal involvements, with his final total of 13 in 38 games a more-than-respectable tally.

Rodrygo or Nico Williams would be ideal statement signings for Arsenal to send a message, but the addition of Schade could be enough to give Martinelli a much-needed kick up the arse.

READ: Thomas Frank sack incoming as Spurs and football are stupid, mate

Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United

Man Utd are already doing some good business in this summer’s transfer market, which is especially impressive considering they apparently faced going “bust by Christmas”.

Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his ever-changing recruitment team have prioritised fixing a key problem area after there was a severe lack of goals in Ruben Amorim’s side last season.

It has not helped that the squad inherited by Amorim was not suited to his 3-4-3 system, but their dire Premier League form ensured they were shot of confidence and the lack of creativity in the side was laid bare as they struggled to forge enough openings at goal.

The Red Devils seemingly have two irons in the fire for a new No.9, while significantly more progress has been made in their overhaul of the No.10 department, with £65m-rated Mbeumo set to follow Matheus Cunha in joining United for four reasons.

This is somewhat surprising given how shambolic United were in the 2024/25 season, but the grandeur of the club is still enough to lure key targets to their “graveyard”. Mbeumo and Cunha are great signings on paper, but we have been here before and success at Old Trafford, even for these seemingly safe bets, is far from a guarantee.

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Yoanne Wissa to Nottingham Forest

Mbeumo massively stepped up following Ivan Toney’s exit and Igor Thiago’s serious injury, but the same can also be said for Wissa, who also produced his best personal season in 2024/25.

His 19-goal Premier League tally was one shy of Mbeumo’s total as Brentford had two representatives in the chasing pack of big names left behind by Mohamed Salah due to the Liverpool star’s incredible stats.

In previous seasons, Wissa has mostly been used as a winger, but circumstances meant he had to operate as a No.9 in 2024/25 and he seamlessly adapted to this role and is attracting interest from elsewhere.

The age factor is against the 28-year-old as clubs eye targets with a longer shelf life, but Forest plotted an ambitious move in January and their chances of landing him have increased since securing European football. It’s hard to see Chris Wood replicating his relentless scoring next season, so Wissa would be a wise addition as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side prepares to juggle competing in four competitions.

READ: England World Cup ladder makes us almost cry as Henderson too high for comfort

Nathan Collins to Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs are reportedly set to fail to sign Man Utd-bound Mbeumo, so Frank will have to look elsewhere if he wants to bring a comfort blanket or two from Brentford.

The caveat of Tottenham’s injury crisis is not enough to justify their shambolic Premier League displays this season, with 22 losses in 38 games resulting in an embarrassing 17th-place finish.

Their much-needed Europa League triumph was not enough to save Ange Postecoglou, but it provides Frank and their recruitment team with a strong platform to build with Champions League football delivering a huge injection of funds.

You have to fancy Frank to steady the ship at Spurs with a more flexible approach than Postecoglou, while his philosophy is front-foot enough to align with the Spurs way.

As Spurs showed in the Europa League final, they can be strong defensively when tasked to do a job on an opposing team and Collins would provide strong competition to their current crop, and this transfer would be needed more if Cristian Romero is shown the door with a move to Liverpool mooted.

Mikkel Damsgaard to Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs only remained afloat amid their wide-ranging injury crisis due to the bottom three being quite so poor, so they need to build a well-equipped squad with quality cover in all positions if they are to compete in several competitions next season.

Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are brilliant assets when fit and firing, but they have had their respective issues with injuries and a loss of form this season, so Damsgaard would at least be a suitable squad player for Spurs, especially considering his ability to operate in several roles.

The 24-year-old arrived in the Premier League with plenty of promise but fell short of expectations in his first two years, though he is coming off a standout campaign as he reached double figures for assists in the Premier League and could be another regen of fellow Dane Christian Eriksen.

Tottenham are reportedly among the sides who have been ‘closely tracking’ a Brentford midfielder, as Thomas Frank could look to take two Bees players with him.

Frank was immediately identified as the successor to Ange Postecoglou upon his exit from Tottenham. In fact, Daniel Levy had already met with him multiple times before the Australian was dismissed.

On Thursday, it was widely reported that the Brentford manager had agreed to take the Spurs job, and that has now been confirmed by the north London club.

He could take with him not one but two Bees players. Caught Offside reports that Tottenham have been ‘closely tracking’ Yegor Yarmolyuk, along with the likes of Leeds, Burnley, Everton and Wolves.

Brentford are said to have placed a €30million (£25.5m) price tag on the midfielder, whose versatility has caught the attention of clubs, but none have made formal approaches yet.

With Frank now at the helm at Tottenham, after playing Yarmolyuk in 31 Premier League games last season for Brentford, Spurs might well be the side who make the first move for him.

The midfielder could potentially head across London alongside Bryan Mbeumo, who scored 20 Premier League goals for the Bees last season.

While it’s said he wants to move to Manchester United, with the Red Devils opening talks with Brentford for the transfer, reports have also suggested that Frank wants to hijack their move.

MORE ON TOTTENHAM FROM F365:

👉 Frank ‘demands’ Man Utd transfer hijack in style of deal which enraged Liverpool rival

👉 Mac Allister names the Tottenham star he would ‘love’ Liverpool to sign this summer

👉 Tottenham blow as PL star chooses Man Utd for four reasons as transfer ‘will get done’

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara has essentially stated that is a must.

“Thomas Frank’s first order of business should be to hijack Bryan Mbeumo’s move to Manchester Utd,” he said.

“Tottenham need to do everything they can to get Mbeumo off United’s hands and reunite him with Frank; he’d be an unbelievable signing, he has everything Spurs need.

“The current squad and players aren’t good enough to compete for Europe with the likes of Newcastle and Aston Villa.

“The target for next season should be getting back into the top six and giving the fans good football to watch every week. Structured formations and organised football have been missing for the last two seasons, and that’s what Spurs need if they’re to challenge in the top half of the table.”

Tottenham Hotspur-bound Thomas Frank has been encouraged to make a “Manchester United hijack” his “first order of business” this summer.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed on Thursday afternoon that the Premier League giants are closing in on appointing Frank, who is set to replace former boss Ange Postecoglou.

There has been a ‘hold up’ as Spurs and Brentford have discussed respected coach Justin Cochrane moving with Frank as each club were keen to secure his services.

However, Ornstein has confirmed that Tottenham have overcome issues with an ‘agreement struck’ for Frank and Cochrane.

Ornstein revealed:

‘Tottenham Hotspur are set to seal the appointment of Thomas Frank as head coach after managing to secure the highly-rated Justin Cochrane as his assistant.

‘The deal was held up by the situation of Cochrane, who Brentford wanted to keep and had admiration from elsewhere — but he decided to join Tottenham.’

READ: Thomas Frank sack incoming as Spurs and football are stupid, mate

Spurs and Frank have a busy summer as they prepare for a season in the Champions League as they need to make some statement signings after finishing 17th in the Premier League.

It has been suggested that they are interested in Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo and ex-Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara has told his former club to “hijack Man Utd” in the race to sign the forward, who scored 20 Premier League goals in 2024/25.

“Thomas Frank’s first order of business should be to hijack Bryan Mbeumo’s move to Manchester Utd,” O’Hara told Grosvenor Sport.

“Tottenham need to do everything they can to get Mbeumo off United’s hands and reunite him with Frank; he’d be an unbelievable signing, he has everything Spurs need.

“The current squad and players aren’t good enough to compete for Europe with the likes of Newcastle and Aston Villa.

“The target for next season should be getting back into the top six and giving the fans good football to watch every week. Structured formations and organised football have been missing for the last two seasons, and that’s what Spurs need if they’re to challenge in the top half of the table.”

MORE SPURS COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Frank ‘demands’ Man Utd transfer hijack in style of deal which enraged Liverpool rival

👉 Mac Allister names the Tottenham star he would ‘love’ Liverpool to sign this summer

👉 Tottenham blow as PL star chooses Man Utd for four reasons as transfer ‘will get done’

O’Hara has also offered his thoughts on whether Frank will be a successful appointment.

“Frank is a proven Premier League manager; he gets the best out of players. This is his time to step up and compete at a big club,” O’Hara added.

“He’s an honest manager, a good person and carries a lot of respect in the footballing industry.

“I think he’s a great appointment and it shows courage from Daniel Levy. The easy option was to keep Ange in the job, and we would’ve seen the same story play out as Erik ten Hag and Man Utd.”

According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur are ‘set to complete’ a deal to appoint Brentford boss Thomas Frank after ‘hitting an awkward roadblock’.

Frank quickly emerged as the frontrunner to replace Ange Postecoglou after Spurs announced the former head coach’s inevitable exit earlier this month.

It was widely reported that the former Celtic boss would be sacked ‘regardless’ of the Europa League outcome, with their win over Manchester United deemed not enough to save his job after Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League.

Once his exit was formalised, Spurs stepped up their interest in Frank after also being linked with Marco Silva, Oliver Glasner and Andoni Iraola.

Earlier this week, a report revealed that Frank had reached an ‘agreement’ with Spurs, who still needed to come to terms with Brentford for the Danish head coach, who has a £10m release clause.

READ: Thomas Frank sack incoming as Spurs and football are stupid, mate

On Thursday, a report from talkSPORT revealed Spurs had ‘hit an awkward roadblock’ in talks with Brentford and this centred on the ‘tug-of-war’ over highly-rated coach Justin Cochrane.

Brentford ‘wanted’ to keep Cochrane and even ‘shortlisted’ him as a potential replacement for Frank, who has been pushing for the coach to follow him to Spurs.

Shortly after this update emerged, The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed Spurs are ‘set’ to ‘complete’ a deal for Frank as they are ‘to seal the appointment after managing to secure the highly-rated Justin Cochrane as his assistant’.

MORE SPURS COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Frank ‘demands’ Man Utd transfer hijack in style of deal which enraged Liverpool rival

👉 Mac Allister names the Tottenham star he would ‘love’ Liverpool to sign this summer

👉 Tottenham blow as PL star chooses Man Utd for four reasons as transfer ‘will get done’

The Athletic’s report adds:

‘Spurs agreed terms with Frank following thehttps://www.football365.com/news/man-utd-tottenham-blow-mbeumo-four-rea… departure of Ange Postecoglou and contacted Brentford earlier this week to hold talks relating to compensation and staff.

‘The deal was held up by the situation of Cochrane, who Brentford wanted to keep and had admiration from elsewhere — but he decided to join Tottenham.’

Frank could also be joined at Tottenham by a Brentford player as the north London club are interested in Bryan Mbeumo.

Ex-Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara has explained why he thinks Mbeumo should be Frank’s “first order of business”.

“Thomas Frank’s first order of business should be to hijack Bryan Mbeumo’s move to Manchester Utd,” O’Hara said.

“Tottenham need to do everything they can to get Mbeumo off United’s hands and reunite him with Frank; he’d be an unbelievable signing, he has everything Spurs need.

“The current squad and players aren’t good enough to compete for Europe with the likes of Newcastle and Aston Villa. The target for next season should be getting back into the top six and giving the fans good football to watch every week. Structured formations and organised football have been missing for the last two seasons, and that’s what Spurs need if they’re to challenge in the top half of the table.

“Frank is a proven Premier League manager; he gets the best out of players. This is his time to step up and compete at a big club. He’s an honest manager, a good person and carries a lot of respect in the footballing industry. I think he’s a great appointment and it shows courage from Daniel Levy. The easy option was to keep Ange in the job, and we would’ve seen the same story play out as Erik ten Hag and Man Utd.”

Alexis Mac Allister has revealed that Tottenham defender Cristian Romero is the Argentina player he would “love” to have at Liverpool next season.

The Reds are in the market for a centre-back in an ideal summer transfer market with Arne Slot’s champions already looking to complete several signings.

Jeremie Frimpong has already joined from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth around £29.5m with the Netherlands international replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has left for Real Madrid.

Frimpong’s team-mate, Florian Wirtz, could be next through the door as Fabrizio Romano gave his ‘here we go’ confirmation on Tuesday evening, while Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez could soon follow as Liverpool look to agree a fee with the Cherries.

A centre-forward is likely to be their next target but there have been rumours that Slot would also like to provide some extra back-up for Liverpool centre-back duo Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

When asked which of his Argentina team-mates he would want to play with at Liverpool, Mac Allister said on international duty: “Oh, Cuti [Romero]. He’s a player that I love.

READ: Transfer rumour power ranking: Wirtz to Liverpool ‘done’; one in, Son out at Spurs?

“The way he speaks and plays, sometimes you feel like he’s too much because he makes everything so easy.

“He gives me confidence. For me, he’s been the best centre-back in the world for several years.”

Mac Allister’s come only a few weeks after Man Utd winger Alejandro Garnacho also said something similar.

Garnacho told ESPN Argentina: “We know Cuti, he’s the best centre-back in the world. He deserves it, congratulations to him [on winning the Europa League.”

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Romero’s future at Tottenham is uncertain with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claiming in early May that Spurs were not currently looking to renew his contract.

Romano said: “From what I’m hearing, there is no active conversation between Tottenham and Cristian Romero to extend the contract. And that’s the crucial point, I think.

“In this moment, Cristian Romero is not discussing a new deal, and it’s probably also not something they are expecting to do in the next months.

“So there is a possibility to see movements around Romero.”

Before revealing after the Europa League final, which secured Tottenham’s place in next season’s Champions League, that it could now be harder for Romero to leave Spurs this summer.

Romano said on his YouTube channel: “Now, with Tottenham beating Manchester United in the Europa League final, it means that they will be in the Champions League, so the feeling around the project and also that the chairman of Tottenham will make it even more difficult for some of the more important players to leave Tottenham this summer. One of them is for sure Cuti Romero.

“As mentioned, Cuti Romero was one of the players he [Paratici] wanted, had him at Juventus, first signing him from Genoa, then the player went to Atalanta, Tottenham signed the player from Atalanta, now he remains an absolutely crucial player for Tottenham.

“It is going to be a situation to follow because at the moment, there are no conversations ongoing to extend his contract but for sure now, Daniel Levy will try his best to keep Cuti Romero despite strong interest especially from Spain.”

Thomas Frank will reportedly face a chat with a Tottenham icon when he walks through the door, in regards to his openness to leave the club after winning a trophy.

Spurs ending a 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League last season was bittersweet. Indeed, they also finished 17th in the Premier League, and manager Ange Postecoglou was dismissed as a result.

There could be more casualties of the trophy win, per football.london.

Indeed, Brentford boss Frank is likely to take up the role as Tottenham boss in the coming days, and the report suggests one of the first things he encounters could be a ‘chat’ with Son Heung-min, who is ‘more open’ to leaving than he ever has been before.

That’s as he has now achieved something he never had before: winning a trophy. Son had previously admitted he’d looked to stay at the club as he felt he could bring them silverware, and he’s finally achieved that.

The drive to remain is therefore not as overwhelmingly strong, and he’d leave if a deal arose which suited all parties. Indeed, an exit is now ‘less unrealistic’ than it was a year ago.

The report identifies the Saudi Pro League as a potential destination, with decision-makers at the league aware that Son’s popularity in Asia would bring major exposure for them.

MORE ON TOTTENHAM FROM F365:

👉 Levy tipped to ‘go over Frank’s head’ to ‘accept lucrative offer’ for Tottenham star in ‘executive decision’

👉 Heung-min Son ‘receives approach’ to leave Spurs as future ‘depends on’ who replaces Postecoglou

👉 Tottenham stars respond to Thomas Frank news as Ornstein expects ‘agreement in 48 hours’

It has recently been suggested that Tottenham are seeking to generate funds for their upcoming Champions League campaign, and Son could be the high-profile departure that brings in those funds.

The Saudi Pro League would surely be a location from which Spurs could receive big money for their star. Son is 32, so should still have some good football ahead of him, and scored 11 goals and assisted 12 more last season.

He is still a player who could command a big fee, but he is also still one of the more important players in the Tottenham squad, so the decision over whether to sell him could be a tough one, but they might well receive an offer they can’t refuse.

The Thomas Tuchel sack calls – and apologies to Gareth Southgate – are in after an England defeat as embarrassing as their loss to Hungary decades ago.

Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com.

Tuchel Out

My knee just hit me in the face but It’s not going to get better.

Southgate had his time and we needed to move forward, but the FA have f**ked it again. I had a feeling Tuchel would take us backwards but you can feel the negative vibes flowing through the team already.

I mean what the sh*t is with all the weird positions?

What the sh*t is playing the likes of Kyle Walker and Henderson? Great in their day but clearly soooo past it.

Why the sh*t do we seem to suddenly have no central defenders worthy of international football? if that’s the level of defending we have got to look forward to, all hope is lost…

Tom (Nothing like an England game to bring out the grumpy old man)

Sorry, Gareth x

Was Southgate that bad after all?

Paul

Is it too late to give Gareth a call? All is forgiven!

Ian, Portsmouth

So can we all admit now that Southgate was actually pretty decent?

Dan, Plastic LFC

From a World Cup semi final and two European Championship finals to struggling to beat Albania, Latvia and Andorra and losing 3-1 to Senegal.

Southgate wasn’t all that bad was he?

Dan, London

England under Southgate 3 – 0 Senegal.

England under Tuchel 1 – 3 Senegal.

Is this still a “be careful what you wish for” situation, or are we now veering into “I told you so” territory for us Southgate apologists?

I’ve had the misfortune of watching both England games this week and that was far, far worse than anything Sir Gareth ever served up.

Tuchel is going to need some big performances soon, the knives have been out for him since day one and they must be looking mighty sharp right about now….

Harry, THFC (probably right to let Ange go, still sad about it)

They’re just tired, you say?

Another game, another terrible performance.

But I have to say I’m really enjoying the desperation to explain away England’s awfulness by blaming tiredness and a long gruelling season. Delicious.

Apparently the four Nations League teams who still managed to deliver high level performances had their players on the beach since January.

You do realize international tournaments, like that thing coming up next summer across the Atlantic, typically take place at the end of the season, right? Right??!

Maybe next season won’t be long and gruelling. Maybe the premier league will just be 19 games and they’ll probably scrap the Carabao. As far players abroad, maybe the FA will reach out to their clubs and impose a maximum number of games. Anything to protect and preserve your delicate flowers, I guess.

If that’s the excuse, they might as well give up now. Rubbish.

AY (Tommy isn’t really making them better, is he?)

Calling Big Ange (or possibly the next Hoddle)

Dear Ed,

After watching the debacle of the England v Senegal match Tuchel did a press conference saying that he can’t exactly slam his fist on the desk and yell at these players. It’s true, he’d lose the dressing room. Yet, one has to suspect that he should bark some choice obscenities in the dressing room. That’s just not him is it though?

What’s to be done:

The one thing England have not tried is an expletive laden Aussie like Ange to man motivate these England players. A foreigner who speaks English and yet really knows the English inside and out.

That, or some retired skilful player that the boys all admired. The way everyone who played for England under Hoddle said they admired him as such a skilful player. It’s all very perplexing. Something like a Scholes, a Gerrard or a Beckham who would be willing to sacrifice a cosy retirement. Not so much to manage but to scream at these lazy superstars to make an effort.

Losing to Senegal at home is an historic loss on the same level as the friendly loss to Hungary in the 1950s. It’s a disaster.

Dan McG LFC.

If in doubt, blame…

What does it mean to be an England player today?

Watching England’s dismal loss to Senegal has left many fans asking hard questions about the team and what it truly represents. The pride of wearing the England shirt — once a symbol of deep-rooted national identity and grit — feels diminished. It’s no longer clear what it means to be part of this team.

For some fans, being English isn’t just about where you’re born or your passport. It’s about heritage, history, and a connection to a culture that runs through generations. Many still hold the belief that “true Englishmen” have deep English roots — families who have lived in England for centuries, who understand the unique values and traditions of this country.

When players come from diverse backgrounds, including those of African descent born in England, it challenges traditional ideas of national identity. Some supporters find it difficult to fully connect or feel that the team reflects their idea of England.

This isn’t about disrespecting anyone’s heritage — many of these players have worked hard and probably love representing England. But for some fans, the pride in the shirt isn’t just about skill or talent — it’s about feeling an unbreakable bond to the land, the history, and the people.

Until that sense of belonging and pride returns, many will struggle to feel that the team truly represents England — in all its complexity and tradition

It’s hard to understand how these guys can truly have the same feelings about playing for England compared with a player whose family go back thousands of years. A true Englishman gives blood , sweat and tears for our national team. I see disinterested, nonchalant primadonnas who simply don’t care.

Ready for the pelters

Thomas Frank plans to mark his leap up the Premier League pecking order by making Bryan Mbeumo his first signing, copying an expensive move Man Utd ‘never wanted’.

Frank is expected to be appointed Spurs manager shortly after the north London club struck up an agreement with Brentford to make the Dane one of the most expensive coaches in Premier League history.

But the plundering of Brentford might not stop there as Frank has ‘demanded’ that Bryan Mbeumo accompany him on the trip to Spurs, who will have to hijack Man Utd’s move for the forward.

It would not be the first time a manager has joined a bigger club and made sure one of his players joins him – although Spurs will hope it goes better than most of these examples.

Marouane Fellaini

David Moyes “never wanted Marouane Fellaini to be my first Man Utd signing”, but the subtext is hilarious and crucial.

While he always intended to pack the Belgian among his belongings for the trip from Everton to Old Trafford, the manager was painfully aware of The Optics in using the rare transfer pull of one of the biggest clubs in world football to immediately bring in a relatively uncultured player from his old club.

But Ed Woodward somehow contrived to deliver an even more embarrassing scenario in his first and worst transfer window at Man Utd. Fellaini was the only signing handed down to Moyes after futile pursuits of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Thiago Alcantara, Cesc Fabregas, Ander Herrera and Fabio Coentrao, among a great many others.

“I knew, coming from my old club, the look of him was never going to be [right for United],” Moyes added. It undeniably contributed to the sheer incompetence of Man Utd signing Fellaini for £27.5m on September 3, despite there being a release clause in his contract making him £4m cheaper up to July 31.

Not that Moyes’ concern over perception prevented the club from making a joint bid for Fellaini and Leighton Baines earlier that summer.

The tales of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic being shown tapes of Phil Jagielka are regrettably apocryphal but it is without doubt that a manager out of his depth clutched a comfort blanket that carried the scent of Goodison Park as his big career break ended in inevitable failure.

Then again, as Sunderland manager a few years later Moyes openly said of Fellaini and Adnan Januzaj that he would “drive down to Manchester and pick them up” if a deal was possible, so the bloke obviously just values familiarity.

Arouna Kone

It is remarkable that Moyes jumping up to Man Utd was not the most absurd case of overpromotion those circumstances produced. Rarely ever has a manager failed upwards quite so impressively as Roberto Martinez with Everton.

The Spaniard arrived at Goodison Park as the Moyes replacement armed with an FA Cup winner’s medal, but the addition of a Premier League relegation on his CV suggested the arrangement might not end so well.

A brilliant first season was the precursor to two years of expensive backwards steps, by which point Martinez was sacked and again ludicrously fell higher up the managerial ladder by being entrusted with the Golden Generations of both Belgium and Portugal.

Martinez surely spent his first days in both posts investigating the genealogy of his old Wigan squad. His first signing at Everton was that of Kone, who described it as “an honour to be back working with the manager once again”.

James McCarthy made the same jump soon afterwards, passing Fellaini in the Finch Farm reception on deadline day as Man Utd, Everton and Wigan crystallised their respective places in the football food chain to an unnecessary extent.

Richarlison

Frank will inherit a fractured Spurs dressing room in any case but the undying support of one player would have been guaranteed with a different intra-Premier League appointment.

Richarlison specifically cited how he felt it was “important for me here to be with Marco Silva again” when Everton “spoiled” the entire transfer window by signing him in summer 2018.

The pair had first crossed paths at Watford when Silva personally intervened to hijack the Brazilian’s planned move to Ajax. The Hornets sacked Silva five months later in a rare show of impatience with a manager, who landed at Everton by the summer.

His first port of call was to link back up with Richarlison who, for his many faults, helped keep the Toffees up and never lacked for effort before leaving at a profit when Spurs came calling in summer 2022.

Joe Allen

“We have got some protection on Brendan coming back for our players in the initial period, which I think is the right thing,” Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said of a gentleman’s agreement – or what he termed “a 12-month respite” – designed to prevent Liverpool from raiding the Welsh club for anything more than their manager.

It lasted all of 70 days. While Rodgers reunited with former Swansea loanee Fabio Borini in his first signing as head coach at Anfield, the Northern Irishman immediately went back on that handshake deal with his former employers to return for Allen.

A furious Swansea lambasted Liverpool for reneging on “a written agreement” not to sign any of their players within a year of Rodgers’ appointment, but a clause which permitted Allen to join the Reds, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City or Man Utd for £15m overrode any informal accord.

Swansea, realising Rodgers was likely willing to drag them through every court around the globe and fight to the death to sign a player so courageous, relented and decided to just win the League Cup with Ki Sung-yueng instead.

Jermain Defoe

It is one of the great bits of Barclays folklore that the 18 most expensive signings in Harry Redknapp’s 34-year, almost 1,400-game managerial career only actually involve 15 players.

Sandro ranks 18th and 12th. Peter Crouch is 8th and 5th. And Defoe comes 14th and 2nd. It is an unfathomably effective way of saying someone managed Spurs, Portsmouth and QPR without explicitly stating it.

And the only thing preventing Niko Kranjcar from making that list is that he did not cost all that much on any of the three separate occasions Redknapp signed him.

“This is the third club I have signed him for. I know what a top-class player he is,” Redknapp said after making Defoe his first signing as Spurs manager in January 2009, spending £15m on a player he bought for £9m as Portsmouth boss 12 months before, and West Ham poached for £1m or so before the turn of the millennium.