Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou reportedly agrees deal to join Tottenham
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has agreed to become Tottenham’s new manager on a two-year contract, according to reports. The 57-year-old told Celtic principal shareholder Dermot Desmond on Saturday night of his decision to leave the Glasgow club and has now agreed a deal in principle with Spurs, with the option to extend. Former Australia head coach Postecoglou admitted on Saturday, after Celtic’s Scottish FA Cup final win over Inverness had secured them the domestic treble, that his celebrations would soon be disrupted. Neither club have commented but reports claim an announcement will be made when the finer details of the contract have been finalised. Tottenham have been searching for a permanent new manager since sacking Antonio Conte in March, with first Cristian Stellini and then Ryan Mason placed in temporary charge. When repeatedly pressed on his future after Celtic’s 3-1 Hampden win over Inverness on Saturday, Postecoglou said: “I anticipate enjoying this moment for the next 24-48 hours, as long as I can, before someone drags me away and takes my attention away from enjoying something that’s been hard-earned. “The reality is, there’s probably players in that dressing room who won’t be here next year. That’s the nature of football. “But I want them to enjoy it, I am going to enjoy it, and that’s all I am going to focus on until someone grabs me by the collar and tells me that I have to answer certain questions.” He has won five domestic trophies out of a possible six after arriving from Yokohama F Marinos in 2021 and was linked with numerous Premier League clubs throughout this season. Postecoglou became a hero with the Celtic support, not just for resuming their success after a barren season, but also for implementing an attacking style of play and his connection with the fans. But he looks set to swap Glasgow for another rebuild job as Spurs finally look to appoint Conte’s permanent successor after the Italian’s departure on March 26. Postecoglou is due to go on a family holiday on Tuesday and a deal could be finalised quickly. Tottenham failed to qualify for European football next season for the first time since 2009-10 after an eighth-placed finish in the Premier League. Former Hoops manager Brendan Rodgers has emerged as an unlikely favourite to succeed Postecoglou at Celtic, four years after leaving the club mid-season to take over at Leicester. Assistant manager John Kennedy is also high up the list but reports claim Postecoglou hopes to take the former Celtic defender to Tottenham. Read More Ange Postecoglou: Who is he and what can Tottenham fans expect? Celtic win Scottish Cup to seal treble as Ange Postecoglou faces questions on future Hugo Lloris contemplating Tottenham exit as he has ‘desire for other things’ Ange Postecoglou: Who is he and what can Tottenham fans expect? Ange Postecoglou agrees to leave Celtic for Tottenham – reports Celtic win Scottish Cup to clinch domestic treble
1970-01-01 08:00
Preakness winner National Treasure has final workout for Belmont Stakes
Preakness winner National Treasure breezed five furlong Monday in his final workout for the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes this weekend
1970-01-01 08:00
How to watch The Ultimate Fighter 31 in the UK
Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter is under way, as Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler coach opposing teams of competitors on the UFC television show. McGregor and Chandler’s teams consist of up-and-coming mixed martial artists who are bidding for a contract with the UFC, and fighters who have fought in the promotion in the past and are looking to make their way back. Only one fighter will emerge victorious on the show. McGregor has coached on the programme in the past, going up against Urijah Faber in 2015 and winning with his team. That was a rare case of two coaches taking part in the programme but not fighting each other afterwards, and McGregor vs Chandler has been announced for later this year. No date, location or weight class has been confirmed, but both fighters have promised that the bout will go ahead. The first episode of The Ultimate Fighter season 31 aired on Tuesday 30 May in the US, and on Thursday 1 June in the UK. The series will air weekly episodes until the season finale on 15 August. In the US, the programme is airing on ESPN and ESPN+. In the UK, BT Sport is broadcasting the show on TV, as well as on its website and app. Episodes go live at 10pm BST each Thursday. It is worth noting that BT Sport is being rebranded to TNT Sports in July. At the end of Episode 1 of the new season of The Ultimate Fighter, one of McGregor’s mentees was knocked out within eight seconds. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Conor McGregor mentee loses in eight seconds on The Ultimate Fighter Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler will be ‘over in two rounds’, says Dustin Poirier McGregor Forever: The problem with the new Conor McGregor documentary
1970-01-01 08:00
Ducks hire former Leafs, Islanders assistant Greg Cronin as head coach
The Anaheim Ducks have hired Greg Cronin to be their head coach
1970-01-01 08:00
With Robert F. Kennedy Jr. interview, Musk again uses Twitter to promote candidates aligned with his views
Twitter owner Elon Musk has proposed hosting Twitter Spaces interviews with political candidates of all stripes, reflecting the billionaire's supposed commitment to ideological neutrality and to promoting Twitter as a true "public square."
1970-01-01 08:00
Miami Heat are on a comeback run like few others in this year's NBA playoffs
The easiest way to explain what the Miami Heat are doing in the comeback department during these playoffs is simply to put up their numbers against the rest of the league
1970-01-01 08:00
Floyd reunited with Miller after agreeing to 1-year deal with Bills, AP source says
The Buffalo Bills have reached an agreement to sign linebacker Leonard Floyd to a one-year contract in reuniting the player with fellow edge rusher, Von Miller, a person with direct knowledge of the agreement tells The Associated Press
1970-01-01 08:00
Early NBA Finals Ratings Are Not the Disaster Many Predicted
NBA Finals Game 1 ratings are in.
1970-01-01 08:00
Finals are 50-50 – Kevin De Bruyne not saying City are favourites to beat Inter
Kevin De Bruyne does not believe Manchester City are favourites to beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final and secure the win they need to complete the treble. City are well fancied to beat the Serie A side on Saturday in Istanbul and become the first English club to win all three major trophies in a single season since Manchester United in 1999. They moved a step closer on Saturday by adding the FA Cup to the Premier League title already won, with Ilkay Gundogan’s goals helping Pep Guardiola’s side to a 2-1 victory against United at Wembley. Until now Guardiola and his players have largely sidestepped any talk of matching their city rivals’ feat of 24 years ago. But after the cup final victory, De Bruyne acknowledged how close he and his team-mates were to a remarkable achievement, yet stopped short of saying they were favourites to beat Inter. “There was belief anyway but there was no point talking about it before,” he said. “We know now. I want to win the Champions League and I want to win the treble but we were getting ready to win this game (against United). “We deserved to win. I am very happy and very proud. We should enjoy next week and hopefully we can perform the best we can. “Inter are a very good team. Finals are 50-50. We were favourites today. It is always difficult. You have to manage these moments. There will be moments when it is tough but in the big moments we try to do our job. “Inter have great players and we have respect for them. They haven’t got to the final by beating easy teams.” De Bruyne will be looking to exorcise personal demons from the last time he played in a Champions League final, fracturing an eye socket and breaking his nose as City went down 1-0 against Chelsea in an all-Premier League final in Porto. “That is football,” he said. “I have never broken anything in my life and I come out of the Champions League final with a broken nose, a broken eye socket and concussion. “It happens. There is nothing more I can do. I wished it was better but it wasn’t.” Guardiola’s team were knocked out in the last four by Real Madrid last season despite holding a two-goal aggregate lead going into the final moments of the second leg. I want to win the Champions League and I want to win the treble Kevin De Bruyne The Champions League is the only major honour that still eludes the club, with Guardiola not having lifted the trophy since his second triumph with Barcelona in 2011. Asked if he believed City were finally ready to take the next step in Europe, De Bruyne said: “I can answer that question next week. “I don’t see it that way. We have performed really well. We have been in so many quarter and semi-finals and two finals. We have been there most of the time. “Depends who you ask (whether City need to win in Europe to earn recognition). Most of the guys have been incredible anyway. Will it help, yes. “But one 90 minutes doesn’t define a career. I am on around 700 games. One 90 minutes out of 700 doesn’t define my career. But obviously it helps.”
1970-01-01 08:00
Column: Penske rolls into Le Mans on top of motor sports seeking evasive 1st win
Roger Penske accomplished a career first last week when his drivers swept the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend
1970-01-01 08:00
Newcastle owners take majority stakes in four Saudi clubs including Al Nassr
The Saudi sovereign wealth fund which owns Newcastle has taken majority stakes in four of the Middle Eastern country’s biggest clubs, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s team Al Nassr. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) is taking 75 per cent stakes in Al Nassr, Asian Champions League finalists Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad, who are understood to be interested in signing Karim Benzema after his intention to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season was confirmed. The PIF also own an 80 per cent stake in Newcastle following the completion of a protracted and controversial takeover in October 2021. Sources close to the fund have told the PA news agency that the move to take controlling stakes in the four Saudi clubs does not constitute the creation of a multi-club ownership model involving Newcastle. Each club will be managed by an independent board and have separate executive management, the sources said. Clubs in the Saudi top flight, who have technically been owned by the country’s Ministry of Sport until now, are being privatised as part of a government initiative to help the sport further develop. FIFA has been approached for comment on the issue. A statement on the PIF Twitter account read: “As part of today’s announcement of the Sports Clubs Investment and Privatization Project, four Saudi clubs – Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, Al Nassr, and Al Hilal – have been transformed into companies, each of which is owned by PIF and non-profit foundations for each club.” PIF said existing members of each club would be included in the four foundations and that the fund was working closely with the Ministry of Sport on the necessary regulatory procedures to complete the clubs’ transfers to their new structures as newly-founded companies alongside non-profit foundations. “The transfer of the four clubs will unleash various commercial opportunities, including investment, partnership and sponsorships across numerous sports,” the PIF statement concluded. The Saudi government said in a release from the country’s national press agency issued earlier on Monday that it hoped that as well as further bolstering participation in sport at grassroots level, the move to privatisation would raise the league’s revenues from 450million riyals (£96.7m) last year to 1.8 billion riyals (£386.7m) and increase its market value to more than 8bn riyals (£1.72bn) by 2030. The extent to which the Saudi government controls Newcastle came back into the spotlight in February this year after the publication of court documents in the US. The Premier League approved the PIF-led takeover of the club only after receiving “legally-binding assurances” that the Saudi state would not have control of the club. However, documents from PIF’s legal team published in a court case related to the LIV Golf and PGA Tour dispute described PIF as “a sovereign instrumentality of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” and PIF governor and Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan as “a sitting minister of the Saudi government”. The Premier League has declined to comment on whether it had opened an investigation following the publication of the court documents. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Andy Murray determined to show he remains among the elite on grass courts Ange Postecoglou: Who is he and what can Tottenham fans expect? Alfie Hewett adapting to his new status as the man to beat in wheelchair tennis
1970-01-01 08:00
East Timor media guide
An overview of on the media in East Timor, including links to broadcasters and newspapers.
1970-01-01 08:00
