Colin Graves has apologised “personally and unreservedly” to those who experienced racism at Yorkshire after the club’s board approved a loan offer that paves the way for his controversial return as chair.

But Azeem Rafiq, the former spinner turned whistleblower whose revelations lie at the heart of the scandal that has engulfed the club in recent years, has already rejected Graves’ attempts to say sorry.

Rafiq believes the acceptance of Graves’ proposals, described by Yorkshire as the only viable offer left to tackle a crippling financial situation that involves debts of almost £15million to the Graves family trust, shows the game has failed to tackle its discrimination problem.

Graves is set to resume the role he left in 2015, when he became chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board, when Yorkshire members vote at an extraordinary general meeting scheduled for February 2.

The 75-year-old has offered an initial £1million, with another £4m of backing promised over a five-month period, provided members ratify him as chair and agree to bring allies Phillip Hodson, Sanjay Patel and Sanjeev Gandhi on to a much-changed board.

Those currently in charge of the club have recommended the deal but it is a divisive move considering the racism scandal partially took place during Graves’ first stint in charge.

Graves has attempted to row back from his previous bullish approach, apologising fully to those who suffered racism and adding that he “profoundly regrets” comments last summer that appeared to explain away the issue as “banter”.

Rafiq, for one, says that is not enough.

“It’s not something I accept. It’s got to be further than just words,” he told the PA news agency.

“We’ve seen a lot of grand apologies and I’ve believed them – not any more. Be careful what you wish for is what I say, not just to Yorkshire members, but to cricket.

“This is a clear message to me, to other people that have been abused, to south Asians, to people of colour, that cricket is not a place for you. Actions speak louder than words and at the first point of challenge the game has shown exactly what it is, which is institutionally, systemically, racist.

“It’s not my club (anymore). Even after everything that’s happened – driven out of the country, attacked, abused, still I was like ‘I have got pride in this (county) cap’. I no longer do and I am contemplating what to do with it.”

Graves’ statement, which accompanied news that his emergency funding offer had been accepted at board level, read: “I apologise personally and unreservedly to anyone who experienced any form of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

“Discrimination or abuse based on race, ethnicity or any other protected characteristic is not and never will be acceptable. I profoundly regret some of the language I used when asked about the events that took place when I was chairman, at a time when I was no longer at the club. I understand and sympathise with those who regarded my comments as dismissive or uncaring.

“I am determined to do whatever is required to ensure Yorkshire County Cricket Club continues to reflect the communities it represents.”

Graves went on to make it clear he and his backers accepted the findings of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) and would uphold its recommendations.

The ECB, which recently stepped in to provide Yorkshire with financial support in the form of cash advances, welcomed Graves’ apology but warned it would keep a close eye on the club’s conduct.

“Considerable work has been carried out at Yorkshire – and across cricket more widely – in recent years to tackle discrimination and make the game more inclusive, and it is vital this continues,” read a statement from the governing body.

“We welcome Colin Graves’ commitment to continue this work, his unreserved apology and acceptance of the findings of the ICEC. These words must be put into action if Yorkshire members approve this deal.

“In addition, the ECB continues to exercise its ongoing role of ensuring effective oversight of governance across the wider game. There are also significant powers which can be used to hold Yorkshire County Cricket Club to account if it does not continue with the progress and reform we have seen over the last few years.”

The threat of suspending Headingley’s right to host international cricket was previously imposed in 2021 and lifted the following year following sweeping changes by previous chair Lord Kamlesh Patel.

Graves has been invited to appear in front of the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) select committee, with chair, Caroline Dinenage MP, warning her group would be “watching closely” amid concerns that his comeback “risks undermining what progress has been made so far”.

One of Graves closest allies, and another former Yorkshire chair, Robin Smith offered a more optimistic take.

He told PA: “The proposal from Colin Graves is the only one on the table. Fortunately, it happens to be a rather good one.

“The proposal comes from people of proven integrity and experience, notably Colin Graves himself, who, for the second time, has been willing to come to Yorkshire’s aid in its hour of desperate need.”

Former Ivory Coast star Sol Bamba admits the Africa Cup of Nations hosts need to prove their worth.

The ex-Cardiff and Leeds defender believes the team have fallen short at the tournament too many times.

The hosts, who open the tournament against Guinea-Bissau in Abidjan on Saturday, have only won the competition twice, the last coming in 2015.

Final defeats in 2008 and 2012, with Bamba playing in their penalty loss to Zambia 12 years ago, still hurt and the 38-year-old knows it is time for the squad to step up.

“Have we done enough? We know we haven’t because we should have won at least two more Africa Cup of Nations, definitely,” he told the PA news agency.

“Losing in 2012 was huge because we hadn’t won it since 1992. So we were absolutely desperate.

“We had what people called a golden generation with top players. We went as favourites, didn’t concede a goal and we ended up losing. The disappointment was absolutely huge. We talk about it between ourselves, we felt we missed a trick.

“Now we have top players playing in Europe but the difference of handling pressure in Europe and hosting a tournament in Africa is different.

“The expectation will be huge. In Africa it’s more than football. The first game will be massive. For Ivory Coast, though, winning games is not enough, you have to play a certain way.”

Manager Jean-Louis Gasset has omitted Galatasaray’s Wilfried Zaha for the tournament and Bamba hopes he does not regret the decision.

“It’s controversial because he’s a top player,” said Bamba, who earned 46 caps for his country.

“When you’re a top player you have to be picked for the national team. The manager said it was for the balance of the team, that they’ve got too many right-footed players on the wing.

“For me, this is an excuse. When you’re a manager you need to pick your best players and it is your job to make them perform at the highest level.

“The most important thing is he doesn’t really gel with the group, he keeps himself to himself. You also have to pick a team according to the dynamic of the group.

“The fans know it’s the main reason he’s not been picked. They had better have a good tournament otherwise everyone will be on his (Gasset’s) back.”

Seven-time champions Egypt, with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah spearheading their challenge, face Mozambique in Group B on Sunday and Senegal start their title defence against Gambia in Group C on Monday.

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Senegal, with Tottenham midfielder Pape Sarr, are favourites with the final due to be held on February 11 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, leaving Premier League clubs waiting to see when their stars will return.

Ghana, coached by former Newcastle and Brighton boss Chris Hughton, boast West Ham’s in form Mohamed Kudus and Crystal Palace’s Jordan Ayew.

Arsenal will be without Thomas Partey (Ghana) and Mohamed Elneny (Egypt) while Nottingham Forest will miss seven players, including Cheikhou Kouyate and Serge Aurier, in a blow to new boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Manchester United have Andre Onana (Cameroon), Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco) and Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast) away.

Chelsea have recalled David Fofana from his loan at Union Berlin.

The 21-year-old striker featured 17 times for the Bundesliga side including four matches in the club’s debut Champions League campaign, scoring twice in total.

Having arrived at Stamford Bridge for £10.9million from Norwegian outfit Molde in January 2023, he made three Premier League appearances under former boss Graham Potter last season before agreeing what was due to be a 12-month switch to Germany.

He returns early to west London with the club currently lacking in attacking options, with Nicolas Jackson away representing Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations and Christopher Nkunku having missed the last two games with a hip injury.

Armando Broja has been the only recognised striker available to manager Mauricio Pochettino in recent weeks but has scored just twice this season since recovering from an ACL injury.

Union have endured a difficult campaign after finishing fourth last time, losing nine games in a row which led to the sacking of manager Urs Fischer in November.

They were eliminated in the group stages of the Champions League, collecting two points from their six games.

Meanwhile goalkeeper Jamie Cumming has joined League One promotion hopefuls Oxford on loan for the rest of the season.

The 24-year-old, who has not played a senior competitive game for the Blues, spent 2022-23 on loan at MK Dons where he won player of the year.

Chief executive Darren Eales has admitted even Newcastle could not resist a “£1billion” bid for one of their biggest names after reporting a loss of £73.4million.

The Magpies, who are 80 per cent owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, are considered one of the world’s richest football clubs, but like all their Premier League counterparts they have to operate within profit and sustainability rules.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth has insisted in the past that spending £200m a year on players – Amanda Staveley’s consortium has invested in excess of £400m in the squad since completing its takeover in October 2021 – is unsustainable, prompting speculation that the likes of Sven Botman, Bruno Guimaraes or Alexander Isak could be sold to fund future recruitment.

Asked about that possibility as he discussed the club’s financial figures for the year ending June 30, 2023, Eales said: “It’s difficult to hypothesise, but if we’re offered £1billion for one of those players, then no one could argue against that making sense.

“Any decision we make will always be against the backdrop of the medium to long-term benefit for the club. It’s difficult to say specifically on certain players, but I can say that, if we’re going to get to where we want to get to, at times it is necessary to trade your players.”

Newcastle’s rise since Staveley and her partners – the Ripon-based financier is understood to have reduced her 10 per cent personal stake in the club, but she and the Reuben Brothers still control the remaining 20 per cent of the shares between them – took charge at St James’ Park has been spectacular.

They inherited a side sitting in 19th place in the table and having appointed Eddie Howe as their new head coach, saw him guide them to safety in comfort by the end of the 2021-22 season, and then a fourth-placed finish and Champions League qualification 12 months later with a trip to the Carabao Cup final along the way.

The latest figures, which show a loss after tax of £73.4m, but also how the club have grown off the pitch – turnover increased by £70.3m (39 per cent) from £180m to £250.3m, while an operating loss of £26.4m was transformed into a profit of £20.1m.

However, increased player amortisation costs – the way transfer fees are spread across the length of contracts – rose to £89.3m, contributing to the overall deficit, but one which falls within permitted limits.

The documents also reveal the club have loaned Staveley more than £1.2m “in respect of certain legal fees” which are unspecified.

The results do not include projected revenue of at least £37m from the club’s involvement in this season’s Champions League, nor income from new sponsorship deals with Sela and Adidas, and efforts to increase commercial revenue are ongoing with an expansion of the stadium one possibility.

Eales said: “To put it into perspective, we want to be a top-six sustainable club and Tottenham’s latest accounts available, (total revenue) was £440m. We are at £250m, so there is a big step even to the lower end of the top six.

“We have also seen that Manchester City are £710m in revenue in their latest accounts. There is a long way to go in growing those revenues.”

Eales, who signalled the club’s intention to retain the services of Ashworth amid reported interest from Manchester United, indicated that significant investment during the “difficult” January transfer window is unlikely, but insisted there were no plans to loan players from the Saudi Arabian clubs in which PIF holds controlling interests.

He also confirmed Howe’s centrality to the project amid speculation over his future during a testing series of results as 2023 drew to a close.

Eales said: “There’s no doubt we have had that real progression on the pitch and Eddie is a huge, integral part of that. We hope he is going to be with us for many years to come.”

Jonjo O’Neill has not given up hope of getting Monbeg Genius back on track in time to contest the Randox Grand National, despite being forced to miss another big-race engagement at Warwick this weekend.

Last seen finishing third in the in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in early December, the eight-year-old is the 14-1 co-favourite with Paddy Power for the Aintree spectacular alongside last year’s first and third, Corach Rambler and Gaillard Du Mesnil.

However, a minor setback led to him not taking up his place as ante-post favourite for the Welsh Grand National over the festive period and he will also miss Saturday’s Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase.

“He doesn’t run on Saturday, he’s still not right, he’s not recovered,” O’Neill said at Catterick on Thursday.

“He’ll be all right, but I don’t know when he’ll be able to run. He hasn’t done any work, so he won’t be running for a little while I’d say.”

The Jackdaws Castle trainer admits he will need to get another run and potentially another win into his charge to ensure he makes the cut for what will be a 34-runner National for the first time this year.

He added: “He still could be a Grand National horse, it’s a few months away. That is still in the back of our minds obviously, but he needs to come right first. There’s no point running them if they’re not right.

“He will have to run before then (Aintree), he probably needs to win to get into the weights now the field has been cut down.

“If he can’t go there, he could go for the Scottish National or Midlands National or something like that. He has plenty of time, but he’s a horse for those races.”

Victor Wembanyama was delighted to make a "statement" with his first NBA triple-double on Wednesday, having helped the San Antonio Spurs past the Detroit Pistons with a dominant display.

Last year's number one draft pick finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists at Little Caesars Arena as the Spurs ended a five-game losing streak with a 130-108 win over their struggling opponents.

In doing so, Wembanyama – at the age of 20 years and six days – became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double with no turnovers since turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78, surpassing Andre Iguodala, who did so aged 21 years and 54 days in 2005.

Wembanyama's achievement was made all the more impressive by the fact he played just 21 minutes and two seconds overall, the second-fewest minutes needed for a triple-double in the shot-clock era (since 1954-55).

The Frenchman was under a minute away from the outright record, with Russell Westbrook having recorded a triple-double in 20 minutes and 17 seconds for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2014, against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Speaking after the win, Wembanyama said of his landmark performance: "Doing it in a win is everything, of course. I didn't know it was the second-fastest in NBA history. 

"It matters to me. I'm not the type to talk for nothing. This is the kind of statement we want to make as a team, and this is the type of statement I want to make as a player."

The Pistons were one of the teams who had hoped to recruit Wembanyama, with Detroit having failed to secure the first overall draft pick despite finishing with the league's worst record last year.

Asked about Detroit's previous interest in him, Wembanyama said: "It's weird to imagine a different future and what could have been."

Detroit also have the worst record in the NBA this season, sitting at 3-35 after losing six straight games. Their current losing run started after a win over the Toronto Raptors in late December, which itself halted a joint-record 28-game losing streak.

Pistons coach Monty Williams was unimpressed after a poor first quarter set the tone for another disappointing outing, saying: "The focus and discipline wasn't there.

"There's nobody to look at other than me, not having guys ready to play."

Whispering Royal will attempt to put himself in the Cheltenham Festival picture when he lines up in the Weatherbys Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle at Huntingdon on Friday.

A useful cast of six have assembled for another competitive running of the juvenile event, with Paul Nicholls’ French import Kabral Du Mathan heading most bookmakers lists ahead of his first outing for the Ditcheat team.

Whispering Royal has already tasted defeat at the hands of the same connections’ Liari earlier in the season, but stepped up markedly on that Wincanton third when a taking winner at Doncaster last month.

Alan King’s youngster now has the chance to follow in the footsteps of recently-retired Barbury Castle stalwart Sceau Royal, who won this contest in 2016, while also going a step closer to booking his ticket to Prestbury Park in the spring.

“It looks like a hot race on paper, as it always is,” said Ella McNeill, National Hunt racing manager for owners Chelsea Thoroughbreds.

“Alan has been really pleased with him at home and he’s a horse that takes his racing really well. He’s been running since the beginning of the summer on the Flat and I hope we go there with a nice chance.

“I think he prefers the better side of soft so hopefully it keeps drying out and doesn’t get too tacky, but I think we will really know what we have got on Friday.

“He obviously won really nicely at Doncaster in the middle of December and I think this is the perfect next race to see what we have really.

“I think most of the horses in there will be looking at the Boodles (Fred Winter) at the Festival so it is nice timing in terms of it being six weeks until Cheltenham. We will see if we can go there after this.”

Gary Moore has won this with Kotmask and Perseus Way in the past two years and will be relying on wide-margin Fontwell scorer Soigneux Bell to bring up the hat-trick.

“He schooled well over hurdles, but then the first time I ran him over them he was disappointing and he was disappointing the next day at Huntingdon,” said Moore.

“When he won at Fontwell I was much happier, and I think he is just starting to come together.

“He needs to improve a lot to win this on Friday, but I did have this race earmarked out for him.

“He seemed much happier on the softer ground the other day as it was his first time on it over here since coming over from France. Hopefully he will continue improving.”

Although that was Soigneux Bell’s first victory in the three starts over obstacles at Fontwell, Moore is yet to totally give up on the four-year-old taking his place at the Festival in March.

He added: “I hoped this lad was going to be a Triumph Hurdle horse, but I don’t think he is that at the moment. He would have to win well on Friday and prove me wrong.

“There are some nice handicaps at the end of the season for juveniles and that is the route he is likely to go down.

“If the owners want to go to the Cheltenham Festival then he would run in the Fred Winter (Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle), but he would need to go up in the handicap to get in that.”

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel believes his side have taken a “step forward” over the winter break as they set their sights on victory against Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Friday night.

Munich have three consecutive home games, starting with the visit of seventh-placed Hoffenheim, as they turn the corner for the final half of the season looking to become champions for a 12th successive season.

They currently sit second in pursuit of that goal, four points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen with a game in hand, and will be looking to keep their home unbeaten run going.

Tuchel thinks his side are improving and has set a clear goal for the remainder of the season.

He told a press conference: “We’ve got the chance on Friday to move closer to Leverkusen.

“We’ve got a very high level but still have room for improvement in the opposition half and in counter-pressing. I’ve got the impression that we’ve taken a step forward in the last week.

“We want to get on a bit of a run with the three home games. The goal is clear that we want to be champions.”

Munich will head off on a four-day training camp to Portugal following the Hoffenheim fixture.

Tuchel is confident that will further improve his squad, giving them the opportunity to train in warm weather with less risk of injury or illness.

He added: “I like training camps with warm temperatures. You can spend more time together.

“We don’t have the extreme cold so can organise the breaks differently. With the cold there’s a greater danger of illness and injuries. The conditions should be perfect to train twice a day.

“We can then continue working more on patterns in attack and defence, set pieces and much more. I’m looking forward to it. I hope we head to Portugal with a win. We can gain a few more percent from it.”

Bayern Munich are expected to confirm the signing of Eric Dier from Tottenham ahead of the game and Tuchel thinks the England international will add great versatility to his team.

The former Chelsea boss said: “Things can always go wrong at the final moment. He’s (Dier) in Munich and we’re trying to finalise the deal. He’d be a good alternative for the squad. We’ll have to wait and see with everything else, but he’s in the city.

“Eric has become a specialist at centre-back. He can play either centre-back position and in a back three. He often used to play in midfield. We’ll see whether it happens or not.

“Patience isn’t my greatest virtue. Every coach wants to have all their players from the first day, but that will never happen. I’m more patient than in the past. I know how complicated the transfer business has become.

“There are a lot of interests and it’s become very complex. Even though Eric is in the city, it’s not done yet. When he signs, we’ll be pleased. We’re always trying to make things happen – not just transfers but also other things. We have ambitious goals.”

Stephen Curry acknowledged something needs to change for the Golden State Warriors after they suffered their second blowout loss in the space of three days, saying: "It all sucks."

The Warriors were booed off at Chase Center following Sunday's 133-118 defeat to the Toronto Raptors, and a similar reception awaited them on Wednesday as the New Orleans Pelicans ran out 141-105 victors. 

Steve Kerr's team did not lead at any point in those back-to-back defeats and are now 17-20 for the season, having gone 2-5 throughout a vital seven-game home stretch since Christmas.

Curry was limited to 15 points by the Pelicans after only managing a paltry nine against Toronto, both well below his season average of 26.7.

The two-time NBA MVP was at a loss to explain the Warriors' struggles after their latest home defeat, saying: "It's pretty evident that if things stay the same, that's the definition of insanity, right? Keep doing the same thing but expecting different results.

"You get to a point where you're trying to explain it, trying to figure out what can change specifically that can help us.

"Those conversations are happening between games, in film sessions, in the locker room. But it's headed in the opposite direction. 

"I don't know what to say about it. We're not used to this vibe around our team. It all sucks."

While the Warriors have suffered several gut-wrenching reverses this season, blowing big leads to lose to the Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets, head coach Kerr says their back-to-back blowout defeats exposed a lack of belief.

"We are lacking confidence," Kerr said. "You get to a stage where you lose your belief.

"One of the coaches said we are the quietest team ever. We need guys who can rally the troops right. 

"When you're going through it like this, there is only one way out. That's to fight together, to compete together."

Colin Graves has apologised “personally and unreservedly” to those who experienced racism at Yorkshire after the club’s board approved a loan offer that paves the way for his controversial return as chair.

The debt-ridden county’s long search for fresh investment has brought them back to the man who served as chair between 2012 and 2015 before leaving for the same role at the England and Wales Cricket Board.

With time running out to keep the business viable, almost £15million owed to the Graves family trust and a host of other potential investors no longer at the table, the board has recommended an emergency funding offer fronted by the 75-year-old.

The club’s membership will be asked to vote through the proposal at an extraordinary general meeting on February 2.

Graves’ reinstatement, which is expected to go ahead, represents a divisive move considering the racism scandal which has engulfed Yorkshire in recent years, an episode which partially took place during his first stint in charge.

Azeem Rafiq, the spinner-turned-whistleblower who first shed light on the issue, told the PA news agency it would represent “a sad day for all those that have suffered racism”, while MPs have raised concerns.

Graves has been bullish on the issue in the past, causing anger last summer when he told Sky Sports News that while he had never witnessed any racial discrimination during his tenure “there could have been a lot of banter”.

But he has now moved to adopt a more conciliatory tone and distanced himself from those comments.

“I apologise personally and unreservedly to anyone who experienced any form of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club,” he said in a statement.

“Discrimination or abuse based on race, ethnicity or any other protected characteristic is not and never will be acceptable.

“I profoundly regret some of the language I used when asked about the events that took place when I was chairman, at a time when I was no longer at the club. I understand and sympathise with those who regarded my comments as dismissive or uncaring.

“I am determined to do whatever is required to ensure Yorkshire County Cricket Club continues to reflect the communities it represents. The club cannot and will not succeed unless it is united in its commitment to meet the highest professional standards, on and off the field.

“I want to make it clear that we accept the findings of the report carried out by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket and its recommendations. If I am confirmed as chairman, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work that has been carried out over the last two years will continue.

“I hope that new and older members, former players, commercial sponsors and broadcasters will work with us to ensure that everyone connected with Yorkshire cricket is proud to be associated with the club.”

The England and Wales Cricket Board, which recently stepped in to provide Yorkshire with financial support in the form of cash advances, welcomed Graves’ apology but warned it would keep a close eye on the club’s conduct.

“Considerable work has been carried out at Yorkshire – and across cricket more widely – in recent years to tackle discrimination and make the game more inclusive, and it is vital this continues,” read a statement from the governing body.

“We welcome Colin Graves’ commitment to continue this work, his unreserved apology and acceptance of the findings of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket. These words must be put into action if Yorkshire members approve this deal.

“In addition, the ECB continues to exercise its ongoing role of ensuring effective oversight of governance across the wider game. There are also significant powers which can be used to hold Yorkshire County Cricket Club to account if it does not continue with the progress and reform we have seen over the last few years.”

The threat of suspending Headingley’s right to host international cricket was previously imposed in 2021 and lifted the following year following sweeping changes by previous chair Lord Kamlesh Patel.

The club’s EGM notice confirmed plans for an immediate cash injection of £1m, followed by further funding worth £4m over five months.

That is all contingent on members ratifying Graves’ return to an altered board alongside deputy Phillip Hodson, former managing director of The Hundred Sanjay Patel and Sanjeev Gandhi as non-executive directors. The initial £1m would be repayable instantly should those changes not meet with approval.

Graves made a direct appeal to the club’s membership ahead of their vote next month.

“I hope that members will vote in favour of this deal when it is put to them,” he said.

“Yorkshire CCC is one of the most illustrious sporting institutions in the country and one of the most successful clubs in world cricket. I believe its best days still lie ahead, but success on the field cannot be achieved without financial stability off the pitch.

“There are huge challenges ahead in order to achieve this. But if the offer is accepted by members, I will lead a management team which will oversee an immediate injection of capital into the club.

“It is our intention to get Yorkshire back to winning ways; grow the women’s game; and inspire a new generation of children and young adults to watch and play cricket.

“Yorkshire must be a club that is open and welcoming to everyone who shares a passion for the game, from every part of society.”

Bill Belichick is expected to announce the end of his historic reign as New England Patriots coach at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.

Belichick is due to speak alongside Patriots owner Robert Kraft following reports the record-breaking head coach is to leave the franchise after 24 years and six Super Bowl titles.

The Patriots ended the 2023 season with a 4-13 record, the worst of Belichick’s coaching career, and there had been widespread speculation over his future.

Belichick has one year remaining on his contract, but the 71-year-old has been in talks with Kraft since the end of the season and, according to reports, the pair have reached a mutual decision to move on after the most decorated partnership in NFL history.

Belichick was named as Patriots coach in 2000 and oversaw an unprecedented run of success, including three Super Bowl titles in the space of four seasons, as well as 17 AFC East division titles and 18 play-off appearances.

With Tom Brady leading the offence from quarterback, defensive specialist Belichick built a dynasty in New England, but their fortunes have declined since Brady left for Tampa Bay before the 2020 season and they have posted losing records in three of the four seasons since.

Belichick has 333 career wins across the regular season and the play-offs, putting him 14 behind the record held by Hall of Famer Don Shula. Belichick, George Halas and Curly Lambeau are the only NFL coaches with six championships since 1933 and the introduction of post-season play.

His 17 division titles, nine conference championships and 12 Super Bowl appearances (including three as an assistant coach) all stand as records.

Ile Atlantique faces the acid test of his Cheltenham Festival credentials as he leads the four-strong Willie Mullins-trained team into battle in the rearranged Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle.

The race fell victim to the fog that descended on the Kildare track on Sunday, but thankfully the ultra-competitive Grade One event has been saved and Mullins will be bidding for a record-extending ninth win in the contest, 19 years after first striking with Homer Wells.

Closutton stable jockey Paul Townend has elected to link up with Ile Atlantique after the duo sauntered to a 19-length success on hurdles debut at Gowran.

The six-year-old brings smart bumper form to the table – including a narrow defeat by chief market rival Firefox – but connections appreciate this is a huge leap up in class on just his second start over obstacles.

“He’s going from winning a maiden hurdle to a Grade One and it’s a big ask, but Firefox is doing the same and so are a few other horses in the race,” said Sean Graham, racing manager to Ile Atlantique’s owner Tony Bloom.

“You don’t know how much improvement a horse can find after winning a maiden hurdle, but then are they good enough to win a Grade One?

“The bumper form has held up well and we’re hoping he’s as good as everyone thinks he is, but it’s only his second run over hurdles and its a big ask going straight in there at Grade One level. I asked Willie if there was any chance of giving him another run before going into Grade One company and Willie said those races don’t exist anymore.

“He’s a classy horse and he works with all the best horses Willie has, but until he goes and does it, you are not quite sure. If we run on Friday and finish fifth or sixth, then you’ve got to think maybe Cheltenham isn’t on the cards then, so it will be a learning curve for us as well as the horse. We’re just hopeful he will run his race.”

Not only does Friday’s contest represent a step up in grade for Ile Atlantique, it is also the first time he will race beyond two miles in Ireland.

Despite that, he is already single-figure odds with the majority of bookmakers for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and connections feel that is currently his most likely Prestbury Park target if all goes according to script.

“We always felt on his bumper form he would need further, but when Paul rode him at Gowran Park, he more or less said he wasn’t a slow horse,” continued Graham.

“We didn’t think three miles would be his trip this year and the Albert Bartlett would be too far for him, but the Ballymore is in his stretch. That is not to say next year he won’t get three miles, or further over fences in the future.

“We’re hoping he will run well and the Ballymore is his most likely target, but Friday will tell us a lot more.”

Joining Ile Atlantique from Closutton is easy Clonmel scorer Chapeau De Soleil, who will be the mount of Patrick Mullins, Navan runner-up Lecky Watson (Danny Mullins) and the four-timer-seeking Readin Tommy Wrong (Daryl Jacob).

If Mullins is the race’s most successful trainer, then it is Gordon Elliott who has dominated the recent history winning four of the last seven runnings.

Death Duty (2017), Battleoverdoyen (2019), Envoi Allen (2020) and Ginto (2022) have all struck for Elliott in the past and it is Firefox who carries the Cullentra House handler’s main hopes this time around.

Following his documented exploits in bumpers, which includes the defeat of Ile Atlantique, he has claimed the scalp of the highly-regarded Ballyburn since turning his attentions to hurdling – form that was given a timely boost over the Christmas period.

Elliott has a second string to his bow in the form of Croke Park, who arguably sets the standard on hurdling form, having landed the Grade Three Monksfield at Navan last time out.

“We’re looking forward to both of our horses and we hope they’ll run well,” said Elliott.

“Firefox was good the last day and I don’t think stepping up in trip will be a problem to him.

“Croke Park is a good horse as well and hasn’t done much wrong.”

The only runner not trained by Mullins or Elliott is Henry de Bromhead’s An Tobar, who steps up in trip after finishing third in the Grade One Royal Bond at Fairyhouse.

De Bromhead’s race planner Robbie Power said: “He ran very well in the Royal Bond on what was only his second ever start over hurdles. With that experience and the step up to two and a half miles, this looked a good race to go for.

“The Fairyhouse race looked a strong Grade One, as the winner, Farren Glory, looked like he was going to win another Grade One at Aintree over Christmas (before falling) and the runner-up, King Of Kingsfield, was very impressive winning at Leopardstown over Christmas, so it is strong form.”

Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings are joining the Jacksonville Jaguars in playing NFL games in London next season.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host the Bears and Vikings against as yet unnamed opposition in the autumn as part of the 2024 International Games series.

The Jags will also be returning to Wembley, their home away from home, as part of their multi-year commitment to the UK, with this set to be their 12th game in the capital.

Carolina Panthers are heading to Munich, Germany while Brazil is set to host its first game in Sao Paulo as the NFL continues to grow across the globe – no teams have yet been announced for that fixture.

Peter O’Reilly, executive vice president of club business, league events and international at the NFL, said: “Taking our game to more fans around the world is a major priority for the league and its 32 teams, and we are delighted to be returning to London and Munich in 2024.

“Whether tackle or flag football, international passion for the game and the NFL continues to grow, and having our teams and their world-class athletes play games and engage with fans around the world is an important part of becoming a truly global sport.”

A recent vote by teams means the NFL will have the ability to schedule up to eight international games per season from 2025.