08/02/2026

SPORTS 12 theSun on Sunday FEB 8, 2026

Slot hopeful with Hughes’ backing

SHORTS ESTEVAO MOCKS ROSENIOR

Liam Rosenior is taking the laughter about his tenure so far at Chelsea in his stride, with the head coach fully aware of the external ridicule he’s faced in his first month at Stamford Bridge. Several of Rosenior’s press confer ence remarks have amused observers and even drawn parallels between the Blues’ head coach and David Brent from The Office . In a 2024 interview, when he was managing Hull City, Rosenior shared how he organised a Lego-building contest for his players to foster team dynamics. Although he hasn’t replicated this at Chelsea, it has been a source of recent mockery. His interpretation of the word ‘manager’ also raised eyebrows: “In English, ‘manage’, if you split the two words, it’s ‘man’ and ‘age’, so you’re ‘ageing men’.” Rosenior was further ridiculed for a clumsy attempt to control the ball on the touchline during Thursday’s Carabao Cup semifinal second leg loss to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. All these incidents have led to Rosenior becoming somewhat of a figure of fun in recent weeks. However, while the 41-year-old takes it all in good humour, he remains com mitted to steering Chelsea towards success – despite members of his squad openly mocking him. “The lads have played it [the video of his poor touch] back to me on the video and we’ve had a laugh about it,” Rosenior admitted. “Estevao Willian said he can’t believe that I was a pro fessional footballer. “You’ve got to (laugh at yourself). This is a great job, I love this job. I am serious in many aspects and demand ing in many aspects. “Life is too short. You have to enjoy life. You have to be able to laugh at yourself. At the moment, a lot of peo ple in this country have been laughing at me.” ARTETA APOLOGISES TO ROSENIOR Mikel Arteta has apologised to Liam Rosenior after the Chelsea boss accused Arsenal of a lack of respect before their Carabao Cup semifinal clash. Rosenior was angry that Arsenal staff encroached onto the Chelsea half of the pitch during the pre match warm-up at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday. He was seen shouting for them to stay in their own half and later said: “I’ve never asked my team or coaches to encroach on the opposi tion’s territory. In that moment, I didn’t think it was right where they were operating, they were affecting our warm-up. “I asked them, maybe not politely, to make sure they stay in their half. Mikel is someone I’ve got so much respect for. It was just in that moment, I didn’t think that respect was shown to my team.” Arsenal went on to beat Chelsea 1-0, securing a 4-2 aggregate victory that booked a final date with Manchester City on March 22. Responding to Rosenior’s criti cism, Arsenal boss Arteta told reporters yesterday: “It’s his opinion and we respect everybody. “At any point, if one of the staff members did that, we apologise. It’s very common in football. With the keepers they need to kick long balls.”

as he said he only plays a part when Hughes and others narrow a search down to three targets. “It is a big club and a club that is run in a way that a lot of people put a lot of work into it,” Slot said. “We do not think, ‘let’s sign a player tomorrow and we will start with it today’. The work that goes into that is so detailed in this club that there is a long, long period to go. “I don’t watch a football match and say, ‘Oh, he’s a good player, why don’t we try to sign him?’ That’s not the way we work over here. “There is a lot of data and scouting involved and then a list is brought down to one, two or three players and then that is the moment that I get also involved. If we do a signing, that is never one week’s work, let’s put it that way.” – The Independent

saying it but the moment you see it you probably believe it more. Then it is only a positive thing.” Liverpool have only lost one of their last 16 matches in all competitions, but some speculation about Slot’s position has per sisted. Meanwhile, he praised Hughes, as Liverpool took their spending in the last year past £500m by agreeing a £55 million (RM295m) deal for defender Jeremy Jacquet, who will join in the summer. “I said many times, how good his work has been in the last one-and-a-half to two years,” Slot added. “This is shown in the signings he made and another time now with Jeremy Jacquet. He’s done a great job for the club but also for me.” Slot gave an insight into the recruitment process and the long-term planning involved

BY RICHARD JOLLY

ARNE SLOT hopes Liverpool fans will believe he has the backing of sporting direc tor Richard Hughes after seeing their close relationship on a video. Slot has long insisted he had the support of Liverpool’s hierarchy, even in a run of nine defeats in 12 games, and that he and Hughes talk regularly and are in agreement. But Hughes, who was key in appointing the Dutchman in 2024, has hardly spoken in public since his arrival from Bournemouth until Liverpool released an in-house inter view with both men and CEO Billy Hogan this week. And Slot said: “If it has helped for people to understand not only I say it but the situa tion because they caught that synergy or whatever, then it is a good thing. I can keep

Carrick rips up rulebook What Casemiro told United interim boss speaks volumes as the Englishman’s impact has been felt throughout the Red Devils dressing room

MICHAEL CARRICK has rejuve nated Manchester United since tak ing charge of the Red Devils on an interim basis until the end of the season. The former midfielder has overseen the perfect start to his temporary reign, with United win ning all three of their matches under his guidance. He led them to victory in the Manchester derby in his first game in charge, before masterminding a dramatic victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal. Carrick made it three wins in a row last weekend as United edged Fulham in a five-goal thriller, with Benjamin Sesko’s late winner snatching victory in the dying sec onds. Their impressive recent form has brought a fresh wave of optimism at Old Trafford and Carrick has been widely credited with turning things around. He appears to have the backing of the entire squad, includ ing the departing Casemiro. The veteran midfielder, who will wave goodbye to United when his contract expires in the summer, knew he was leaving before Carrick was appointed last month. He recently sought out the United boss to thank him for making him feel like a footballer again, accord ing to The Athletic . It shows just how much of an impact Carrick has already had on the group of players

at his disposal. The likes of Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim would call the squad in just 24 hours after playing, but Carrick has approved desig nated rest days instead. He has overturned several rules implemented by Amorim, who had banned players from taking holi days during international breaks and prohibited food from entering the dressing room. The former United boss even stopped his own coaching staff from delivering complex tactical instruc tions to United stars, but Carrick has done away with those restrictions. Additionally, he has shortened training sessions whilst ramping up the intensity of exercises and has modified the timing of his squad’s arrival on matchdays. Carrick is also taking a hands-on approach on the training ground, as revealed by Harry Maguire in a recent episode of the Inside Carrington podcast. “He still does demos in passing drills and he still bangs it through the lines like he’s still got it,” said the United defender. “He was doing the demos the other day, and I think he did two passes. Everyone did about 300. I think his two were the best I’ve seen out of them all! But no, he’s still got it and he’s really hands-on in train ing.” – Express Newspapers

United’s Casemiro (left) embraces manager Michael Carrick as he is substituted during the recent Premier League match against Fulham

at Old Trafford. – REUTERSPIC

World Cup will prove critics wrong: Altidore

FORMER US striker Jozy Altidore believes this summer’s World Cup will silence doubters who claim football cannot compete with American football for the nation’s attention, drawing parallels to the transformative impact of the 1994 tournament. Altidore dismissed suggestions that foot ball would struggle to gain traction despite the United States co-hosting the World Cup with Mexico and Canada. “I think people pay attention too much to the critics,” Altidore told Reuters yesterday. “I think the ‘94 World Cup was a good example of how having the Fifa World Cup, what it can do to a community. Because from

that, a league in the United States was birthed.” The 1994 World Cup led directly to the creation of Major League Soccer two years later, and Altidore predicted similar growth this time around. “When I look at this summer, I see a similar event happening, where there’s going to be a boom in interest and registration and involve ment for young kids and people across the country,” he said. Altidore is particularly excited to watch

Haiti compete in their first World Cup in over 50 years when they face Scotland in Boston. On the US team’s prospects under coach Mauricio Pochettino, Altidore was optimistic. “I think Pochettino has done a great job, you know, coming into a new culture, a new envi ronment, and really, putting his stamp on the team, getting them to play how he wants them to play,” he said. “And I think the team is kind of ramping up at the right time and peaking at the right time.” – Reuters