Month: June 2024

What Nathan Jones told Chris Cohen about Stoke City as summer homework revealed

21/06/2024 Raymond 0

Chris Cohen has been diligently preparing for his new role at Stoke City by reviewing a dozen matches from last season and requesting clips and data from analysts. This proactive approach is aimed at ensuring he hits the ground running when the players return for pre-season training in just over a week.

Cohen has recently joined Clayton Wood as the assistant head coach, a position offered by Jon Walters. He reunites with Steven Schumacher, with whom he spent two years studying for the pro licence coaching badge. Prior to this, Cohen spent six months as assistant head coach at Lincoln City, contributing to a turnaround that saw them push for a spot in the League One play-offs. Now at Stoke, he is utilizing the off-season to meticulously plan for the upcoming challenges.

Gutekunst Isn’t Satisfied With Green Bay’s Kicking Situation

20/06/2024 Raymond 0

The kicking competition is crucial for the Packers, especially with the trend of NFL teams moving away from drafting kickers due to the risks associated with inexperience. The UFL provides a valuable platform for identifying talented kickers, as seen with Bates and Andre Szmyt of the Battlehawks, who led the league with 19 field goals and a 90% success rate. Head coach Matt LaFleur has not yet decided if all three current kickers will attend training camp, but the interest in Bates highlights the ongoing search for strong competition.

Juventus really wanted Weston McKennie gone last summer. History may be repeating itself.

20/06/2024 Raymond 0

Weston McKennie has opened up about his challenging experience at Juventus last summer, revealing how the club ostracized him after his return from a loan spell at Leeds. The U.S. national team midfielder faced a tough period at Elland Road in the latter half of the 2022-23 season and came back to Turin to find himself marginalized.

Despite Juventus initially wanting to offload him, McKennie worked his way back into former manager Max Allegri’s plans and became a key player in the 2023-24 season. However, in an interview with The Athletic, he expressed frustration at the club’s harsh treatment. McKennie recounted being without a locker, a room in the hotel, or a parking space, and even having to change with academy players. He resolved to prove his worth on the field in response to this treatment.

Though McKennie was effective last season, Juventus seems ready to part ways with him again. With his contract expiring soon and extension talks stalled, the club is prepared to sell. Rumors of a move to Aston Villa fell through, leaving McKennie in a difficult spot with new manager Thiago Motta reportedly not including him in future plans.