Aberdeen interim boss Neil Warnock has insisted his days of immersing himself in a job for the long haul are firmly behind him.
The 75-year-old has become a specialist in short-term fixes in recent seasons and has no desire to overstay his welcome at a club.
Warnock has seen Roy Hodgson – one year his senior – come under fire from Crystal Palace supporters after deciding to stay on for the current campaign following his impressive fire-fighting spell in charge of the Eagles at the end of last season.
Warnock is content to continue in end-of-season interim roles like the one he has taken on with the Dons, even though such a scenario means he is generally unable to recruit players in his mould.
“I don’t put myself in Roy’s situation,” he said when asked why someone in their mid-70s would take on such a pressurised position.
“I’m quite happy when I’m not involved in football, I’ve got a lovely family and everything. But I just get challenges that crop up and I look at my last few years when I’ve retired about eight times, the challenges have always been there.
“The Huddersfield challenge was impossible but we came through it, then Cardiff, to get promotion with a group like that, and even Rotherham, those challenges were something I had to roll my sleeves up for.
“And I’ve always wanted to manage up here (in Scotland). Yes, I wish it was a few years ago because I’d have loved to have had the opportunity to build a Scottish club up and bring my type of players in.
“Even though I’ve only had a couple of games, I can see what’s missing in certain areas. But that’s not going to be possible. I have to make the job as good as I can with what I have. It’s that buzz that I get but my wife does think I’m flipping my lid at times.”
Warnock has enjoyed his first week at Aberdeen as he continues the process of weaning himself off football management.
“When I’m at home and I’m fishing and going on little holidays and things, I don’t miss it altogether,” he said. “But I do miss the dressing-room banter and trying to improve players.
“I don’t miss hotels, air conditioning and motorways. That’s why I couldn’t do it long-term now because I don’t enjoy that bit but I still get a kick out of the games and trying to get the whistle to go when you’ve got a victory.
“I don’t think there’s any better feeling than that. I’m gradually weaning off, it’s just taking a lot longer than I thought.”
If Warnock was to have a transfer window, he would look to add more leaders in the mould of Graeme Shinnie.
“I like my leaders at a club, I like people to stand up and be counted during a game,” he said ahead of his first home league game in charge against Motherwell on Wednesday.
“We haven’t got many, there’s only really Shinnie that does that at the club. But they’re a genuine bunch so I just have to move on with that.”
Warnock has “one or two little knocks” to check on before naming his side for the visit of a Motherwell team bidding to bounce back from their Scottish Cup defeat at cinch Championship outfit Morton on Friday.
“I don’t think Motherwell will have any hangovers from Friday,” he said. “I think they might think they’re catching us at a good time. The games that are coming up now, I would imagine teams playing against us will think it’s winnable for them and we think it’s winnable for us as well.”
Hayes concedes title race is over as Chelsea suffer dramatic Liverpool defeat
It has been a difficult week for Chelsea and their boss Emma Hayes.
After seeing their Champions League dreams dashed by holders Barcelona on Saturday, they had no margin for error when they travelled to Liverpool in the Women's Super League on Wednesday.
Six points behind Manchester City with two games in hand but an inferior goal difference, the Blues needed three points to stop Hayes' final season in charge from totalling unravelling.
But there was to be no respite for the Blues, who were at one point tipped for a quadruple but have been stuck in a downward spiral since losing Sam Kerr to an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the winter break.
Matt Beard's Liverpool put on a tremendous display to win 4-3, with Gemma Bonner scoring a stoppage-time equaliser to leave Hayes certain the title is out of reach.
"I think the title is done," she said after Wednesday's game.
"Of course mathematically it's not, but I think the title is done. Our job between now and the end of the season is to keep pushing until the end, but I think it will be very difficult.
"This team has done a tremendous job in my time here to push for titles.
"I don’t know if we have ever conceded four goals in a half before. Three from set pieces is just unforgivable. But I'm going to credit Liverpool."
Chelsea now need an almighty collapse from City, who may only require three points from their remaining two matches to seal the title, if their goal difference advantage holds firm.
Hayes believes fighting on multiple fronts has not helped her team, adding: "We looked exhausted but I don't want to make excuses.
"I want to remind our fans how much success we have brought over the years. It's just not to be this year."
Next up, Chelsea face relegated Bristol City in their final home game before Hayes departs to take the United States job, with City taking on Arsenal in Sunday's headline fixture.
Sancho outshines Mbappe as Dortmund seize initiative against PSG
Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho issued a reminder of his star quality as Borussia Dortmund beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Wednesday.
Niclas Fullkrug scored the winner after 36 minutes, taking in Nico Schlotterbeck's floated pass before driving a low shot beyond PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Fullkrug has now been involved in six Champions League goals this season (three goals, three assists), the joint-most by a German player in their debut campaign in the competition, alongside BVB team-mate Marco Reus in 2012-13 (four goals, two assists).
The star of the show, however, was undoubtedly Sancho.
He tormented Nuno Mendes throughout a lively performance, creating three chances for his team-mates – a game-high tally alongside Julian Brandt, Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi.
Sancho had completed seven dribbles by the halfway point, more than he managed in any full game for the Red Devils.
By full-time, that number had crept up to 12, the most by any player in a Champions League semi-final since Lionel Messi completed 16 for Barcelona against United in April 2008, and the most on record by an Englishman at any stage of the competition (since 2003-04).
Sancho even outshone Mbappe, who struck the far post with a curling effort early in the second half but was limited to just three shots totalling 0.17 expected goals (xG).
PSG did have their chances, though, with their total of 14 shots their most without scoring in any Champions League game since the second leg of their 2020-21 semi-final against Manchester City (also 14), when they were beaten 2-0 and eliminated from the competition.
Dortmund are now unbeaten in 11 straight Champions League home games, winning seven and drawing four.
It's their longest ever such streak at Signal Iduna Park, and they have also won four straight knockout games on their own turf for the first time in their Champions League history.
While Dortmund have a valuable lead to protect in Paris next Tuesday, Edin Terzic will be expecting a strong reaction from PSG.
The Ligue 1 champions have progressed from two of their last four Champions League knockout ties when losing the first leg, with the first of those successes coming against Dortmund in the last 16 in 2019-20 (1-2 away, 2-0 at home).
Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain: Fullkrug hands hosts first-leg win
Niclas Fullkrug fired home a first-half winner as Borussia Dortmund claimed a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie in Germany.
Nico Schlotterbeck floated a pass into Fullkrug's path and the Germany international brought the ball under his spell with a wonderful touch before drilling a low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 36th minute.
PSG, on the back foot for much of the first half, improved after the break and struck the woodwork twice in a matter of moments just after the restart.
Kylian Mbappe curled an effort against the right-hand post before Achraf Hakimi scuffed a shot against the other upright on the rebound as Edin Terzic's side escaped with a first-leg lead.
The teams will meet again at the Parc des Princes next Tuesday, with the winners of the tie facing either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid – who drew 2-2 in their first leg on Tuesday – in the final at Wembley Stadium.
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