13/08/2025

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | AUG 13, 2025

/thesuntelegram FOLLOW / Malaysian Paper

ON TELEGRAM m RAM

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Levy gets melancholy ‘When I’m not here I’ll get the credit from fans, says Spurs chairman

Ű BY ROBERT O’CONNOR

T OTTENHAM chairman Daniel Levy has predicted he will only earn credit from the club’s often-critical supporters once he has left his position. The assertion comes amid persistent fan discontent, largely stemming from a notable lack of silverware during his lengthy tenure. Supporters frequently cite the club’s failure to capitalise on promising Premier League title challenges in 2016 and 2017, alongside their run to the 2019 Champions League final, as key grievances. Last season proved particularly challenging, with the club recording a record-low 17th-place finish in the Premier League era. However, this domestic disappointment was partially offset by a victory in the Europa League final, marking Tottenham’s first trophy success since 2008. Despite the team’s struggles, former head coach Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked days after the win over Manchester United in Bilbao, largely avoided the brunt of the fan anger. Instead, the chairman became the primary EVERTON have agreed a deal with Manchester City to take Jack Grealish on loan for the season. The £100 million (RM580m) man is set to become David Moyes’ sixth summer signing as he leaves the Etihad Stadium in search of first-team football. Grealish was omitted from City’s squad for the Club World Cup as Pep Guardiola signalled that he had no place in his plans, prompting interest from the Toffees and other clubs this summer. Grealish is desperate to play more if he is to get into the England squad for next summer’s World Cup. There is also the added attraction of Everton entering a new era in the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and the Friedkin ownership’s willingness to spend after the recent takeover. Moyes has already signed striker Thierno Barry, goalkeeper Mark Travers, left-back Adam Aznou and attacking midfielders Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Charly Alcaraz this summer, but Everton are also looking for a right winger. The club opens up their season on Tuesday (3am Malaysian time) with a trip to newly-promoted Leeds at Elland Road. Rashford slammed by Spanish press MARCUS RASHFORD has had a dreadful introduction to life at Barcelona after delivering what many have labelled “the miss of the season.”The Manchester United loanee scored his first goal for Barcelona during their impressive 5-0 pre-season triumph over Daegu last week – but any momentum was swiftly undone in Sunday’s equally dominant 5 0 win over Como, where he astonishingly squandered a straightforward opportunity from eight yards out. Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo insisted that “it is clear he (Rashford) is not a natural No. 9.” AS went even further, condemning his “strange performance” marred by “notable errors in execution, especially in his attempt to provide continuity in the play with his back to goal.” Speaking on Spanish radio show El Larguero , pundit Jordi Marti remarked Rashford “left me cold,” venting: “The expectations I had of him in that No. 9 position have left me cold. But I’ve seen him do better on the wing; when he takes on the ball, he does so with power and accurate assists. But today was an important day for him. (Robert) Lewandowski injured, these are the games he needs to take advantage of.” SIDENETTING Everton strike Grealish deal

will take charge of his first competitive match when Spurs begin the new season at home to Burnley on Saturday (10pm Malaysian time). After last season’s dismal League campaign, Levy encouraged fans not to heap excessive expectation on their new boss. “He gets the style of football we want to play,” he said. “He understands that Rome wasn’t built in a day. “We haven’t set him, ‘You’ve got to win the League this year.’ We just want to compete at the highest level. “We will support him to the best of our ability. If you look at transfer fees, we’ve been in the top four spenders since the stadium opened, we’ve spent close to £700 million (RM4b) net on new players.” – The Independent appearances for his country, scored 21 goals in all competitions for Leipzig last season. He also revealed he admired other former United strikers, Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney. “Van Persie and Rooney, all those kind of guys,” Sesko said. “I’ve also been watching them, of course, on the videos. They have been great. “You can admire them a lot and I will also try to show myself in a good light here and try to help the team and the club to be as high as possible.” United completed their worst top flight campaign in 51 years after finishing 15th in the Premier League table last season, but Sesko is convinced good times lie ahead. Head coach Ruben Amorim’s attacking options have also been boosted by the summer arrivals of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. “For me the team is great, it’s getting better and better,” Sesko said. “I think it’s just a great project in general and I can’t wait to start, definitely. “Together you can grow a lot. It can give you a lot of fresh power, fresh energy and I think it’s going to be exciting in general.” On his hopes for his first season at Old Trafford, Sesko added: “Just that we get better, that we connect together in general and as a team try to grow and grow together, step by step. “It’s just a matter of time when we can fly high again.” – The Independent completed the purchase of Eagle Football Holdings’ stake in Palace. Textor has also resigned from Lyon’s board of directors with Michele Kang appointed chairwoman and president. As both Lyon and Palace had qualified for the Europa League, the French club were allowed to keep their place because they had finished higher in their respective league. Lyon finished sixth in Ligue 1 while Palace were 12th in the Premier League. Palace, who won the Community Shield on Sunday beating Liverpool in a penalty shootout, are set to play in the Conference League’s qualifying playoff round later this month. – Reuters

to mount a credible challenge for the Premier League and Champions League, though Levy admitted he was at a loss to explain the lack of success. “Nothing has changed in terms of our ambition,” said Levy. “Having won the Europa League – thank you to Ange – you get a taste of it, but it’s not enough. It’s never been enough. “We’ve been in 16 or 17 semifinals, seven finals, and we haven’t won enough. We now need to use that as a springboard to keep winning. We’ve won two trophies in the last 20 plus years. We’ve been so close, so many times. “I can’t really answer (why), because I’m not the one that picks the team, motivates the team.” Former Brentford boss Thomas Frank, who was appointed to replace Postecoglou in June,

target of supporters’ frustration over the club’s perceived regression. “I think it’s one of those situations (in which) when I’m not here I’m sure I’ll get the credit,” Levy told Gary Neville’s The Overlap podcast. “When you come here and look at this wonderful (stadium), and the fact that other clubs are now trying to copy what we’re doing, that should be a sign that maybe we did do something bold, and something right.” Spurs moved in to their 60,000-capacity stadium, built on the former site of White Hart Lane, in 2019 and it quickly acquired a reputation as one of the best sports venues in Europe, regularly hosting NFL fixtures as well as large-scale music and other events. Yet frustration remains with the team’s failure

Benjamin Sesko. – REUTERSPIC

Sesko hoping to emulate Zlatan

Ű BY MARK WALKER

MANCHESTER UNITED’S latest signing Benjamin Sesko is hoping to emulate his idol Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the club’s famous shirt. Slovenia international Sesko completed his move to Old Trafford from RB Leipzig at the weekend in a deal worth up to £74 million (RM429m). The 22-year-old revealed in his first interview on MUTV that former United striker Ibrahimovic, who spent almost two years at Old Trafford until 2018, was his hero. Sesko said: “Since I’ve been small I’ve been watching him. Every single YouTube video that I can find because he’s amazing for me. “We don’t have the same character, but I like to see the way he plays, the way he enjoys football, how everything works.

“It has been my dream to one day meet him, that would be great, so in general, he’s my

idol.

“We

have

a

different playing style, but if there is any situation, I try to

do the same as he did.” Sesko, who has made 41 senior

Palace lose appeal against Europa League demotion CRYSTAL PALACE’S appeal against Uefa’s decision to drop them from the Europa League to the third-tier Conference League was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday. Uefa demoted Palace while allowing Olympique Lyonnais to play in the Europa League as, at the time of assessment on March 1, the Eagle Football Group were majority owners of Lyon while their chairman John Textor owned a controlling stake in Palace. board member with decisive influence over both clubs at the time of UEFA’s assessment date,” the CAS said in a statement. “The panel also dismissed the argument by CPFC that they received unfair treatment in comparison to Nottingham Forest and OL.” Palace did not respond to a request for comment. Club chairman Steve Parish told reporters on Sunday that if Palace lost the appeal, they would “have to look if there’s any steps after that.”

Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, will replace Palace in the Europa League. “After considering the evidence, the panel found that John Textor, founder of Eagle Football Holdings, had shares in CPFC and OL and was a

The club, who qualified for the Europa League as FA Cup winners, appealed against UEFA’s decision last month. The appeal came days before New York Jets co-owner Robert Wood “Woody” Johnson