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Vitol Group doubled the amount its staff earned last year as it notched up record profit of $15.1

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Women’s football is continuing to set the standard for inclusivity in the sport as the men’s game lags far behind, according to a player from the London Unity League. While several of the big-name players preparing for the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand are openly gay or bisexual, the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in the men’s game is in stark contrast. Joshua Day, a 30-year-old striker for London Titans in the LUL – a league set up to give members of the LGBTQ+ community a safe environment to play competitive football – had previously been in a professional club’s academy. He quit, largely due to casual homophobia within the dressing room, and has since come out as gay and found his home in the LUL. A Chelsea fan, who has previously left matches when homophobic chants have been heard, Day believes the men’s game has a long way to go to catch up with the inclusive nature of their female counterparts. On Thursday, a Fulham supporter was fined and banned from football for three years after admitting a public order offence relating to homophobic chanting during a match at Stamford Bridge – the latest in a string of similar incidents. “I think there’s a lot that the men’s game can learn from the women’s game at the minute in terms of inclusivity,” Day told the PA news agency. “Fans can learn a lot more from fans in the women’s game, too. There is a better vibe, more inclusivity, more acceptance and that is something we need in men’s football. “Women’s football has players at the very top of the game who are open about their sexuality but that shouldn’t be the catalyst for change in men’s football. “For me, personally, I’m not even sure that (a top-level men’s player coming out) would change things. “If you look at the trans movement at the minute, trans people are under so much scrutiny by being more visible and fighting for their rights much more out in the open – that has brought more trans hate than a decade ago. “Football and sport fits into society and, until we get to a point in society where LGBT people in sport is being much more normalised – and I think that’s why the LUL is really important – I’m not 100 per cent convinced that would mean fans chanting or tweeting homophobic abuse would stop.” Day was part of a Nike advertisement campaign ahead of the Women’s Euros won by England last summer – it was the first time the company had included a gay kiss in an advert, with the online backlash against Day and Nike leading to the comments section being disabled on the post. Rather than having players come out, Day feels having more visible allies for potential LGBTQ+ professionals is key. For me, personally, I'm not even sure that (a top-level men's player coming out) would change things Joshua Day “Players could do more in the men’s game,” added Day. “You see the odd interview saying ‘we’d have no issue with players coming out’ but they are few and far between. “I think if we had more players come out in support of LGBT players, even in lower leagues, the fans are behind players and if players are visibly on board, that’s what I think might help fans change the way that they look at LGBT people in sport. “I remember my first Chelsea game when I was 13 – at that age, I knew that I was gay, I was just not out and I can remember hearing the chant, and just feeling so withdrawn in myself, and I felt so uncomfortable. “I never, ever wanted to feel like that again. No-one should feel like that at a football stadium and eventually that fight for equality will be won.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Football rumours: Barcelona looking to reunite with Thiago Alcantara Denise O’Sullivan not shying away from Republic’s momentous World Cup debut Rory McIlroy returns to Hoylake looking to end nine-year major drought at Open

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Sol Campbell has turned his back on football management and says he is no longer applying for jobs. The former Arsenal and Tottenham defender has tried to forge a career in the dugout and had spells at crisis clubs Macclesfield and Southend between 2018 and 2020. He has not been able to find a job since and has spoken out in the past about his frustration at the lack of opportunities. And the 49-year-old has revealed he is no longer chasing managerial roles. “For me, it is about getting opportunities to fail,” he told the PA news agency at Web Summit in Lisbon. “Some of my peers have had jobs and it’s not worked out and then they have had opportunities again straight away, they’ve always had a lifeline. “That is a nice position to be in. I am not in that position, I would love to be, but those situations are not coming to me. I would love to be involved in football and have chances, but that is not happening. “You have to look at football in a different way and that is what I am going to start doing and hopefully it will work out and I will be able to help players, just in a different way. I want to be in football in a meaningful way. It won't be on the sideline. I am not applying any more for jobs Sol Campbell “I love coaching, so I am going to go back into football in a meaningful way. I have had to go away, studied at Harvard. I want to be in football in a meaningful way. It won’t be on the sideline. “I am not applying any more for jobs. “I’m happy to be in a different space now and one I want to be in.” Burnley’s Vincent Kompany is the only black manager in the Premier League and Campbell believes the bosses at the top clubs in the country should be doing more to diversify their backroom staff. “Football needs that diversity in terms of management, but for me it seems to have gone backwards in some cases. “We need to understand not everyone is going to make it to be an amazing manager, but you have to get the opportunity or a chance to prove yourself right or even show you can do the job. “Sometimes you get to the stage where you can’t fail. Sometimes you have to fail to suceed, but if you don’t get that opportunity how can you succeed. “There are a few managers who are slowly having diversity in the backroom staff, that can help. “Some of the top managers know if they could diversify their coaching staff it would help. That is a start. “They are the ones in a strong position, where they have won things and are at great clubs. “I think that is how people should start thinking, that is an easy way to kind of get experience and get through the door. Some of the top, top managers have to look at their coaching staff and mix it up a little bit.” Read More Rohit Sharma urges India to retain same mindset for World Cup semi-final Luis Diaz reunited with kidnapped parents after returning to Colombia LaLiga president says Jude Bellingham ‘like he’s from a different planet’ Rory McIlroy aware ‘loose lips sink ships’ as progress made towards golf future ‘Drained and stressed’ Ronnie O’Sullivan withdraws from Champion of Champions Liam Cooper wants Scotland to ‘do ourselves justice’ at Euro 2024