Tag: England

13Dec By Football FlameNo Comments

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England draw Serbia in 2026 World Cup qualifier

Thomas Tuchel poses for a photo alongside John McDermott, FA Technical Director, as he is announced as the new England manager at Wembley Stadium on October 16, 2024 in London, England. Thomas Tuchel's first official duty as England coach was to see his new team drawn in a 2026 World Cup qualifying group with Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra. Tuchel starts work in January as the first German coach of the 1966 World Cup winners but was at FIFA headquarters on Friday to see the 54 European teams drawn into 12 qualifying groups. Games start in March for groups with five teams, but groups with four teams — like England's — will begin in September. Europe will send 16 teams to the first 48-team World Cup, being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 12 group winners next No...

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9Dec By Football FlameNo Comments

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Palmer reacts to winning England Player of the Year

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 08: Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 08, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Cole Palmer is grateful to England fans for their support after they voted him the Men's Player of the Year for 2023-24 connected by EE. The Chelsea star fought off competition from Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, who finished second and third respectively, to scoop the prize. Palmer made his Three Lions debut in November 2023 and scored just his second international goal in the final of EURO 2024 against Spain in July. He said: "I want to say thank you to the fans. Being voted by the who...

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18Nov By Football FlameNo Comments

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England Secure Nations League Promotion, France Beat Italy

Harry Kane of England celebrates scoring his sides first goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League B Group B2 match between England and Republic of Ireland at Wembley Stadium on November 17, 2024 in London, England. England blew away 10-man Republic of Ireland 5-0 to wrap up promotion to the Nations League top flight as four players netted their first international goals on Sunday, while Adrien Rabiot scored twice as France beat Italy. Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick to help Norway also top their group in League B. Euro 2024 runners-up England secured top spot in Group B2 in interim boss Lee Carsley's final game in charge before the arrival of Thomas Tuchel as manager. "I wanted the England team to be exciting to watch and be attacking," Carsley told ITV...

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17Nov By Football FlameNo Comments

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Newcastle United star in line for Wembley chance as England confirm injury

Lewis Hall of England trains with teammates during a training session at Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre on November 16, 2024 in Enfield, England. Newcastle United's Lewis Hall has taken a step closer to make his first start for England with the news that Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa has withdrawn from the Three Lions squad. Hall was a half-time replacement for Konsa in England's 3-0 win over Greece on Thursday night, winning his first senior cap for his country after an excellent season so far for Eddie Howe's Magpies. Lee Carsley's side take on Ireland at Wembley tonight in their final Nations League game, with the interim boss then handing the reigns over to Thomas Tuchel, someone Hall knows well from their time at Chelsea. While Konsa is a centre-back, Hall was brought on as pa...

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14Nov By Football FlameNo Comments

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Ben White ‘to make shock return to England setup under Thomas Tuchel’

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta talks to Ben White during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC at Stamford Bridge on November 10, 2024 in London, England. Ben White is reportedly set for a dramatic England comeback after a two-year self-imposed exile following a feud with senior coaching staff. The Arsenal defender has gone from strength to strength in the right-back position for Mikel Arteta's impressive side but his versatility is increasingly being missed by the Three Lions after he ruled himself out of selection in 2022. The 27-year-old last played for his national team in March that year, coming off the bench in an international friendly against Ivory Coast for his fourth cap, and was selected for the winter World Cup in Qatar. But White left the camp midway throug...

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12Nov By Football FlameNo Comments

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Jude and Jobe Bellingham enjoy special England reunion at St George’s

Jude Bellingham and his younger brother Jobe shared a heart-warming reunion as the pair enjoyed a brief moment together upon reporting for England duty. BURTON UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 11: Jude Bellingham of England and Jobe Bellingham of England Under-21s pose for a photo at St George's Park on November 11, 2024 in Burton upon Trent, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images) The Bellingham brothers don't often get to spend time with each other during the season with Jobe starring at Championship leaders Sunderland and Jude becoming one of the world's best players with Real Madrid.However, the duo were able to spend some valuable time in each other's company after reporting for national team duty at England's St George's Park training base on Monday. ...

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19Oct By Football Flame1 Comment

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Pep Guardiola: England manager’s nationality does not matter

Pep Guardiola attends the "Che Tempo Che Fa" TV show at Nove Studios on October 13, 2024 in Milan, Italy. The appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England manager has led to mixed reactions from media and fans but Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has called on the country's supporters to back the German unconditionally regardless of his nationality. Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel is the first German to manage England and only the third foreigner to take charge after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson of Sweden and Italian Fabio Capello. "We don't decide where we're born. Mum and Dad decide that and nine months later we're here. I didn't decide to be Catalan, you don't decide to be English," Guardiola told reporters ahead of City's clash at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday. "The f...

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18Oct By Football FlameNo Comments

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Thomas Tuchel and the English Game

Thomas Tuchel poses for a photo as he is announced as the new England manager at Wembley Stadium on October 16, 2024 in London, England. The appointment of Thomas Tuchel as manager of the England men’s team has caused a stir. It has been criticised as an abandonment of English football identity. A betrayal of St George and the English DNA forged at his football Park in Staffordshire. Such criticism forgets how football developed as a global game in the first place, and national team football has always been open to positive international influences and the sharing of ideas beyond borders. As it became increasingly unclear if England’s post-Southgate caretaker boss Lee Carsley wanted the job full-time, other names were put forward as possible successors. The most popular of them seemed to ...

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14Oct By Football FlameNo Comments

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Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins eyeing England start

The Villa striker, who memorably sent his country to the Euro 2024 final with a last-minute semi-final winner against the Netherlands, endured a frustrating Nations League camp over the last week. Despite Harry Kane being injured, Lee Carsley chose not to field a recognised striker in last Thursday’s match against Greece, instead opting to play Jude Bellingham as a false nine, and it backfired as England lost 2-1. Watkins came on as a substitute and teed up Bellingham but was again consigned to the bench when Kane returned against Finland on Sunday. The 28-year-old replaced the captain in the second half in Helsinki and got another assist as he created Declan Rice’s third goal. “People know what I can do,” Watkins said. “Whenever I come on I always try to grab that chance with both hands a...

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14Oct By Football FlameNo Comments

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Guardiola responds to England job speculation with intriguing remark

Pep Guardiola has left the door open to one day become manager of England after suggesting “anything can happen” in his future. Guardiola’s contract with Manchester City runs out at the end of the season, adding to the uncertainty around the four-in-a-row champions amid a legal case brought on by the Premier League alleging more than 100 financial breaches, which City deny. ITV pundit Roy Keane suggested England should “go for Pep” while interim manager Lee Carsley admitted: “The job deserves a world-class coach that has won trophies and has been there and done it.” Guardiola recently stressed his love for City is “deep” and has not ruled out signing an extension, but has yet to make any definitive decisions amid links to succeeding Gareth Southgate as permanent England manager. “Leaving C...

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13Oct By Football FlameNo Comments

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‘I did not apply for England manager’s job’ says Lee Carsley

Interim boss Lee Carsley has revealed he did not formally apply to become permanent England manager. The English Football Association turned to the 50-year-old former Ireland international for autumn’s Nations League fixtures after Gareth Southgate called time on his reign following July’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain. Carsley has frequently sidestepped questions about whether he wants to become England boss on a full-time basis, including saying he will “hopefully” be returning to his role with the under-21s. The former midfielder swerved follow-up questions about whether he wants the senior job after Thursday’s 2-1 defeat to Greece and was probed further before Sunday’s clash in Finland. Asked if he had applied for the job, Carsley told talkSPORT: “No, I didn’t formally apply for it.”...

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12Oct By Football FlameNo Comments

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Curtis Jones departs England camp

Curtis Jones has departed from the England camp amid the ongoing October international break due to a personal matter. The Liverpool midfielder was a late addition to Lee Carsley’s senior squad for this month’s round of UEFA Nations League fixtures, and was an unused substitute in Thursday’s meeting with Greece at Wembley. Jones, however, will not travel to Finland for the Three Lions’ second game of the break on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Netherlands have announced Reds captain Virgil van Dijk is to depart their camp. A red card against Hungary on Friday night means he is suspended for the next Dutch fixture.

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12Oct By Football FlameNo Comments

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Arsenal star Bukayo Saka ruled out of England’s match against Finland

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has been ruled out of England’s Nations League game against Finland on Sunday after sustaining an injury against Greece. The winger limped off during the second half of Thursday’s humiliating defeat to Greece at Wembley and is not fit for the match in Helsinki. He will now return to Arsenal for further assessment ahead of their Premier League clash with Bournemouth next weekend. Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is also out of the trip as he has a personal matter to deal with. Jones was a late addition to the England squad ahead of the Greece game but was an unused substitute. Harry Kane was one of 22 players who trained on Saturday, increasing hopes that the captain will be fit after missing Thursday’s game. Kane could not overcome a knock picked up playing for ...

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10Oct By Football FlameNo Comments

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Injured Harry Kane Won’t Start England’s Nations League Clash With Greece

England interim boss Lee Carsley has revealed Harry Kane will not be in the starting line-up for Thursday's Nations League clash with Greece as his captain recovers from injury. BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 09: Harry Kane of England talks to Ashley Cole, Interim Assistant Head Coach, and Lee Carsley, Interim Head Coach of England, during a training session at St Georges Park on October 09, 2024 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images) Kane suffered the knock in a collision while playing for Bayern Munich in their 3-3 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend. The 31-year-old striker -- England's record goal-scorer -- has been unable to train with the rest of the squad since linking up on Monday. Kane was limited to...

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7Oct By Football Flame2 Comments

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Harry Kane given green light for England duty but injured trio pull out of squad

Harry Kane has been given the green light to play for England following an injury scare but Ezri Konsa, Kobbie Mainoo and Morgan Gibbs-White have been ruled out of Nations League action. FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY - OCTOBER 06: Harry Kane of Bayern Munich receives medical treatment during the Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Bayern München at Deutsche Bank Park on October 06, 2024 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. (Photo by M. Donato/FC Bayern via Getty Images) The England captain limped off and was substituted in the 72nd minute of Bayern Munich’s 3-3 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt, moments after requiring treatment following a clash with Brazilian defender Tuta. Kane travelled directly to St George’s Park and, after being examined by Football Association doctors, ...

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7Sep By Football FlameNo Comments

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Declan Rice and Jack Grealish give Lee Carsley winning start to England reign

After all the focus on the soundtrack, Lee Carsley’s first game as England manager was certainly loaded with narrative. The inevitable line is that you couldn’t script this but, well, it’s really the first thing you’d script. Declan Rice and Jack Grealish scored the goals in a 2-0 England win over Ireland, the national team they both left, to also overcome a constant chorus of boos. If anything, such a response seemed to counter-productively drive them on, in the way that often happens. At least for a time. This win really just evolved into the sort of win over a smaller country that England have long learned to expect under Gareth Southgate, albeit with one important twist. The attacking under Carsley was different throughout and, for a brief period, quite exciting. There was a sens...

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7Sep By Football FlameNo Comments

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Hallgrimsson anticipates a defence-heavy encounter with England

Heimir Hallgrimsson initially scoffed at the question of playing “entertaining and “exciting” football against Uefa Nations League opponents England in Dublin tonight. Flanked by his captain Seamus Coleman at yesterday morning’s pre-match press conference, the new Republic of Ireland boss threw the question back at the reporter. “What do you mean with ‘entertainment’ and ‘excitement’? What excites you? What entertains you?”At that precise moment, the ghost of Giovanni Trapattoni hung in the air. “If you want to see a show – go to the opera,” the veteran Italian coach used to lecture the Irish media during his time as Ireland manager between 2008 and 2013. Trapattoni never professed to be in the entertainment business.Hallgrimsson is probably cut from the same cloth as the chari...

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5Sep By Football FlameNo Comments

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Tottenham’s midfield transfer plan revealed as president confirms £21m option

Tottenham Hotspur have an option to sign Real Betis and USA midfielder Johnny Cardoso for around £21m next year, the president of the Spanish side has confirmed. The two clubs conducted late business in the summer transfer window, as the Lilywhites sent Argentina midfielder Giovani Lo Celso back to his former club on a permanent deal. Betis and Tottenham had previously negotiated Lo Celso's move to North London in 2020, but the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder ultimately failed to make the grade in the Premier League. While discussing the Lo Celso deal, Tottenham and Betis also held talks over USA international Cardoso, whom Tottenham were reported to have struck a peculiar transfer deal for. As confirmed by Betis president Angel Haro - in quotes attributed to The Telegrap...

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5Sep By Football FlameNo Comments

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Angel Gomes’ decision to leave Man United has been vindicated

England’s new midfield hope Angel Gomes says his decision to leave Manchester United as a teenager has been vindicated by his call-up to Lee Carsley’s first squad. The 24-year-old has earned his reputation in France with Lille and has been included in the England squad for the first time by interim coach Carsley for the forthcoming Nations League games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland. Having left United at the age of 19, Gomes recalled last night: ‘When I left it was for the idea to better myself as a player and person and I knew eventually I could create a pathway to be in this position. ‘But it was difficult, leaving the club I was at from six and heading into the unknown.‘The hardest point was leaving England and going on loan to Portugal. There was a project in min...

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4Sep By Football Flame3 Comments

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Ollie Watkins pulls out of England squad ahead of UEFA Nations League fixtures

The England squad has been announced for the upcoming Nations League fixtures but ex-Weston striker Ollie Watkins has decided to pull out of the squad after his initial selection. England’s interim manager Lee Carsley named his squad last weekend for the upcoming games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland. The initial squad included ex-Weston star Ollie Watkins along with Cole Palmer and Phil Foden.However, since the squad announcement Watkins, Palmer, and Foden have decided to pull out of the squad. In a statement, the Football Association said: “Cole Palmer, Ollie Watkins and Phil Foden will play no part in England’s forthcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures. “The Three Lions squad reported to St George’s Park on Tuesday but, following assessment, both Palmer and Watkin...

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