Declan Rice is aiming for Premier League and Champions League glory at Arsenal, insisting he will take his £105million price tag in his stride.

The England midfielder joined from London rivals West Ham earlier this month after the two clubs negotiated how the record payment for a British player in the Premier League would be broken down.

Now Rice is in the United States, having joined his new team-mates to prepare for the upcoming campaign, with the Gunners aiming to go one better than their second-placed finish last season.

Mikel Arteta’s side will also return to the top table of European football for the first time since 2017 and Rice is hungry for success, having lifted the Europa Conference League trophy in his final game as West Ham skipper.

“I think it’s time now. You know Arsenal under Mikel have won Community Shields, FA Cups, but I think now, this is a massive club, it’s constant pressure of delivering titles and it’s been such a long time now since Arsenal won the Premier League,” Rice told Sky Sports News.

“Last year was so close, I feel like we’re better off now this year, learning from that experience. I think that’s definitely a target and of course you’re in the Champions League, you go into the Champions League to win, you don’t go into (it) just to take part.

“There’s always a narrative around Arsenal that they’re not going to win the Premier League or they haven’t been good enough.

“But I didn’t see it in that way at all. I see it in a way that he (Arteta) has improved the squad every year. The players have improved individually. Everyone’s gone up another level and when I spoke to Mikel about the way he wanted me to play, where he sees me playing and the vision he has for Arsenal.

“For me it is really exciting now to be a part of this project that Arsenal can get back to the big time and win some trophies.”

Rice’s arrival at the Emirates Stadium has eclipsed Arsenal’s previous transfer record – the signing of Nicolas Pepe from Lille for £72m – and will see West Ham receive a guaranteed £100m, with a potential £5m in add-ons.

The 24-year-old believes it is unfair he will carry increased expectations because of his price tag but insists he will not be weighed down by it.

“I just try to take everything in my stride. I can’t control what I’ve been bought for, that’s obviously been determined on how well I’ve played consistently over the last couple years,” he added.

“West Ham have obviously set that price, I tried to take it all of my stride, I’ve not really thought about the price tag once. I’ve been brought to Arsenal for a reason and that is to perform, to play football. To try and add to the squad, to try and win trophies.

“I’m not going to get involved in price tags. Of course people have always got opinions, you can’t please everybody. Someone’s always got something to say, but what’s important is that the manager, you know you’ve got his support, you’ve got family support, people that are close to you, that’s all that matters.

“I won’t try to think about that too much and to be honest with you, I haven’t. It’s football. A lot of players have been bought for £80, £90, £100million. It’s our profession. It’s just down to us to perform. So over the six years (of his contract), hopefully I can repay that price tag.”

Chelsea and Arsenal were the leading producers of Premier League players in the 2022-23 season, research by the PA news agency has found.

The two clubs’ academy products each racked up just over 21,000 minutes of playing time but remarkably were separated by just 37 seconds, with Chelsea edging top spot.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the main stories to come out of the data.

Small margins

On August 6, 2022, Chelsea sent on Conor Gallagher to replace Jorginho in the ninth added minute of their season-opening 1-0 win over Everton.

It may have been a mere game management move by then-manager Thomas Tuchel but Gallagher’s two-and-a-half-minute appearance – Chelsea’s shortest all season – ended up deciding top spot in the academy study.

PA’s data includes minutes and seconds played by each player in every match, including stoppage time, and the total of 21,031 minutes and 44 seconds for Chelsea graduates put them fractionally ahead of their Arsenal counterparts’ 21,031 minutes, seven seconds.

The other headline news is that Manchester United – leaders in every previous edition of the academy study, most recently after the 2018-19 season – drop to fourth place and have been overtaken by rivals Manchester City, whose total of almost 19,458 minutes is over 1,500 behind the leading pair.

United graduates managed just under 18,533 minutes and they gave playing time to five products of their own academy – Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay, Alejandro Garnacho, Anthony Elanga and Kobbie Mainoo.

Relegated Southampton completed the top five with almost 16,570 minutes.

What they said

Former AFC Wimbledon manager Mark Robinson is now Chelsea’s development squad head coach.

He recently told The Athletic: “If the (youth-team) trophies come, that’s great. But it’s more about ‘who is the next one we can produce for the first team?’.

“It’s also given the other lads an incentive — the ones who have trained with the first team but haven’t played yet, plus the ones who haven’t had the opportunity. It drives them on, thinking ‘am I going to be next?’.”

Arsenal’s habit of handing key roles to their recent players, with manager Mikel Arteta working alongside technical director Edu, extends to the youth set-up with Per Mertesacker and Jack Wilshere as academy manager and under-18 coach respectively.

Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah lead the homegrown contingent in the first team and Mertesacker told the club’s website: “It feels really positive. It sends a message that we need to be developing strong, young individuals who can cope with pressure. I like that, setting standards at the highest level.

“We have always been at the forefront of giving young players a chance. This is something that has been part of Arsenal DNA forever.

“You have to look at a 10-year cycle in the academy. I’m looking at the next three years thinking ‘this is when the real work starts’.”

Global giants

It is not just Premier League clubs represented in the study, with many players’ English Football League beginnings and the top flight’s global reach also captured.

In fact Dutch club Ajax rank sixth, just ahead of domestic heavyweights Liverpool and Tottenham.

Sven Botman, Kenny Tete, Pascal Struijk, Joel Veltman and Christian Eriksen each played over 2,000 minutes as Donny van de Beek and Jairo Riedewald rounded out a group of seven Ajax graduates.

Benfica were 10th behind Nottingham Forest and produced as many players in Manchester City’s treble-winning squad – four – as City’s own academy.

Fellow Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon are 11th with Anderlecht, Genk, Nice and St Etienne also in the top 20.

Sheffield United were the top EFL side in 17th as they secured their return to the Premier League, while League One Charlton were 20th.

Far and wide

There were 277 academies represented in the study, with playing time ranging from Chelsea and Arsenal’s totals all the way down to Lagans AIK’s three minutes and 22 seconds in a solitary appearance for Newcastle full-back Emil Krafth.

Lagan were one of 190 academies represented by just a single player each, Blackburn ranking highest among them thanks to David Raya’s 3,765 minutes for Brentford.

The Bees themselves produced only Bournemouth defender Chris Mepham, whose 2,408 minutes placed them 132nd in the rankings and last among the 20 top-flight clubs.

Only seven clubs hit double figures for players – Chelsea in front again with 16, one more than Manchester United. City produced 14, Arsenal and Southampton 13 apiece, Liverpool 11 and Tottenham 10.

What the papers say

West Ham believe they are still in the box seat to sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher despite a rejected £40million bid, the Evening Standard reports. Tottenham are also interested in the 23-year-old.

The Mirror says the Bayern Munich’s chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen and technical director Marco Neppe have not joined the club on their trip to Japan to stay behind to work on another bid for Harry Kane. Tottenham want £100million for the England captain.

Liverpool have had their bid for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia rejected with the £35million offer deemed not enough, according to the Guardian. Southampton are hoping for a bid closer to £50million.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Fabinho: The Liverpool midfielder looks set to start pre-season training with the club which could be a blow to Saudi Pro League team Al Ittihad who are hoping to sign the 29-year-old, the Athletic reports.

Bernardo Silva: The Manchester City midfielder looks set to stay after the club told the 28-year-old they do not want to sell him, despite his desire to leave, 90 min says.

Wrexham’s ‘USA invasion’ has won hearts and minds this summer as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s club continue their seemingly inexorable rise.

Last July’s pre-season got under way at Nantwich Town, whereas this time more than 50,000 were in attendance in North Carolina as the EFL new boys began preparations for life in League Two against Chelsea.

A 4-0 victory against LA Galaxy II followed before taking on Manchester United’s youngsters in San Diego, where Wrexham’s impact meant that, incredibly, they felt like the home team at times.

Goalkeeper Nathan Bishop was booed mercilessly by fans for injuring star striker Paul Mullin, while fireworks and Wrexham celebrations filled the air as Phil Parkinson’s men took a two-goal lead at sold-out Snapdragon Stadium.

Elliot Lee and Aaron Hayden scored before Marc Jurado reduced the deficit for United, only for Sam Dalby to wrap up a 3-1 win after Dan Gore received a harsh-looking red.

McElhenney looked in dreamland as his team soared in San Diego – a night when fellow owner Reynolds was absent due to filming Deadpool 3 in London.

This summer’s US tour is the latest chapter in a remarkable story that has seen Wrexham go from the National League quagmire to become one of the world’s most talked about teams in 30 months.

Reynolds and McElhenney put the club on the map with the critically acclaimed FX docuseries ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ and have overseen a rapid improvement in fortunes.

The second series starts in September and documents last season’s dramatic National League triumph, when they pipped Notts County to the title and ended their 15 years in non-league.

Viewers across the world have been hooked and Wrexham players have become stars, with thousands of the club’s new fans making journeys from across the US to catch a glimpse of their heroes over the past fortnight.

Keri Eaton, who took the 90-minute flight from Salt Lake City, Utah with husband Todd to be in San Diego, said: “As soon as I heard Rob and Ryan bought the team I did a deep dive.

“I was really excited and kind of just spiralled from there. I watched as many games as I could.

“I like the fact that they were kind of at the top and then have been the underdogs for so long.

“Then to turn around and have owners that come in that are passionate, and not only care about the club but the town. That’s what I fell in love with.”

The American fans’ passion was palpable and their interest visible, with queues for merchandise snaking around the ground. The impressive engagement with fans also came with reminders of their home 3,800 miles away.

Every sign was in Welsh as well as English, with a food truck outside the stadium serving free Welsh rarebit and Welsh cake. Supplies ran out long before kick-off.

Wrexham’s fan fest offered a chance to see if supporters could take a throw-in like captain Ben Tozer and visit a giant mock-up of The Turf – the much-loved pub next door to the Racecourse Ground.

Landlord Wayne Jones features regularly on ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ and still struggles to get his head around the whole experience.

“I’m proud, I guess, but it’s just surreal, isn’t it? You know, it’s crazy, it’s bonkers,” he told the PA news agency. “This is the third one now – obviously we had one in Chapel Hill, one in LA and now we’ve got one in beautiful San Diego.

“Bonkers, just insane. Everybody’s enjoying themselves and the weather is a lot nicer here than it is in Wrexham, right? Having a whale of a time.

“People ask me all the time if life has changed. You know, I’m just the same person. I’ll be cleaning the toilets this time next week, for example.

“But I’m in San Diego, with a mock-up Turf with thousands of fans all cheering on Wrexham, so of course life has changed but it’s all for the better.

“All I really cared about was that the football team continues to grow and becomes better, and the town is thriving, and that continues.”

To underline that how surreal Jones’ life has become, Californian brothers David and Chris Hudson were quick to get a photo with the landlord inside the giant mock-up of his pub.

“It’s the real underdog thing,” Chris, from Fresno said of his passion for Wrexham. “I really got into soccer during the pandemic so it just kind of all came along all at the right time for me.

“Then all of a sudden there was this show on TV and then I’m hooked. What can I say?”

David, who lives in Los Angeles, added: “Total underdog story, promotion and relegation.

“I mean, how can you not root for someone in the National League trying to come up? It’s just a great story.”

The pair would wait with bated breath for the next episode to drop on Disney+ and are excited for League Two action after streaming National League games at awkward times.

As for the possibility of Wrexham securing back-to-back promotions, David said: “A lot of the soccer pundits say we have got a chance… Wrexham, I can’t say we.”

Chris – wearing a red Wrexham t-shirt featuring a dragon – interjected, saying as he put a hand on his brother’s shoulder: “Oh no, we’re part of it now.” Ends

Wrexham secured a memorable 3-1 victory against Manchester United’s youngsters but are sweating on the fitness of star striker Paul Mullin.

Ryan Reynolds was unable to make the San Diego friendly but fellow owner Rob McElhenney was in attendance as the League Two new boys triumphed at sold-out Snapdragon Stadium.

Elliot Lee, Aaron Hayden and Sam Dalby scored for Wrexham against a United side mostly comprised of Under-21 players, with Marc Jurado scoring for Travis Binnion’s side on a night when Dan Gore was sent off.

That second half red card seemed harsh, especially after the referee decided to only book goalkeeper Nathan Bishop for clumsily bringing down Mullin early on.

The Wrexham star required lengthy treatment before groggily walking off the field with an oxygen mask around his neck, with Lee and Hayden giving Phil Parkinson’s men a half-time lead.

United boss Erik ten Hag watched from the bench as Gore was sent off for a tackle on Andy Cannon early in a second half that saw Dalby head home from close range in front of a 34,248 crowd.

While admitting to some disappointment that she was sent off in their opening Fifa Women's World Cup game against France, Reggae Girlz captain Khadija "Bunny" Shaw says she has nothing to be ashamed of, as she did what was required to assure her team the best possible result.

In fact, Shaw's general mindset and outlook is one of utmost positivity, especially given the fact that the Girlz remained composed and resolute to earn their first ever World Cup point, following her ejection at Sydney Football Stadium.

The towering striker, who is rated among the best in the world at present, was sent off in time added in the goalless stalemate with fifth-ranked France, after she was shown a second yellow card for an unnecessary sliding challenge on Wendie Renard. She had early picked up a 37th-minute caution.

Though video replay showed that there was minimal contact, the rules of the game are such that VAR could not have intervened unless it was a straight red card. Still, it mattered little as an appeal by Head coach Lorne Donaldson was dismissed by Fifa and her suspension stands.

"Every time I go out on the pitch, I always give my 100 percent and try to help the team and be the leader that I know I can be. So, at the end of the day, my ultimate goal is more than just to score goals, I always aim to help the team defensively as well and stuff like that.

"So, it's a bit difficult for me, my first red card but looking back at the game, I am taking the positives from it which is my overall performance and of course, our first point at the World Cup," Shaw said.

"Physically I am pretty banged up, it was a very physical game and I strive off that so I know that my overall effort is something that I can feel proud of, and I walked off the pitch, not in the best way, but I walked off knowing that I did my best. So yes, I've looked back at it but only taking positives from it," she added.

Reflecting on the performance, Shaw pointed out that the well-experienced French outfit, a quarterfinalist from 2019 and one of the favourites for this ongoing showpiece, was always expected to prove a handful. On that note, she credits her teammates for their grit and determination in executing the game plan.

"As a team, we spoke about the game, we had a while to prepare for the game and we knew it wasn't going to be an easy game. We knew defensively we had to be solid and attacking wise, we had to make the right decisions when we are on the ball, so I think overall our performance was good. 

"We dug deep as a team, we had some difficult moments when France had a lot of corners and transitional moments, but we fed off each other in different aspects and actions of the game and I think ultimately the result speak for itself,” the Manchester City stalwart noted.

Despite her suspension from the upcoming game against 52nd-ranked Panama, a team she has always had success against dating back to the historic qualification in 2018, Shaw, 26, has every confidence in her team to once again deliver accordingly.

"Outsiders looking in can see our team, we are always together, we are one family and like I said, we feed of each other’s energy. So, when you have that chemistry and that sort of relationship with your teammates, it means if one of the ladies are out of position and another cover for her, they are going to do that and we have always been that way," Shaw reasoned.

"We have always believed in ourselves and our capabilities and preparation wise, it wasn't the best, but we have to focus on what we can control and that is to give of our best on the pitch and hopefully it will always be good enough," the Spanish Town native said.

The 43rd-ranked Girlz are currently third in Group F on a point, same as France, both behind leaders Brazil on three points, while Panama is pointless.

A win, particularly by a handsome scoreline in Saturday's encounter at Perth Rectangular Stadium, would put the Girlz in a good position to achieve their main objective –to progress beyond the group stages.

They are scheduled to close group play against Brazil on August 2.

"I think that (upcoming game) is going to be a big challenge for us, we have played Panama multiple times before, so we know what they have to offer. But I think ultimately, we have to focus on ourselves go out there build from the result that we got against France, keep our confidence high and hopefully at the end of the day we can get the job done," Shaw ended.

 

Star quarterback Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers have reached agreement on a massive five-year, $262.5 million contract extension, according to multiple sources.

The deal makes Herbert the highest paid quarterback in the league by average salary per year and total money, just slightly surpassing the extension Lamar Jackson signed with the Baltimore Ravens in April.

Herbert, 25, will be entering his fourth NFL season since the Chargers selected him sixth overall in the 2020 draft out of Oregon. He had two years remaining on his rookie contract, which was to pay him roughly $8.5 million this season and $29.5 million on his fifth-year option contract in 2024.

The new deal locks Herbert in with the Chargers through the 2029 season.

He passed for 4,739 yards and 25 touchdowns with 10 interceptions last season while helping Los Angeles to a 10-7 record and their first playoff appearance since 2018.

Herbert had his best season in 2021, when he threw for 5,014 yards with 38 touchdowns and 15 picks.

His 1,316 completions are the most through a player’s first three seasons and his 64 Total QBR is ranked fourth best in the NFL since his 2020 rookie season.

Debutants Philippines stunned co-hosts New Zealand to claim their first World Cup victory.

Norway’s hopes are in the balance after their draw with Switzerland while Colombia cruised past South Korea.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at all of Tuesday’s action.

Philippines pull off shock result

Sarina Bolden’s first-half winner made World Cup history as the Philippines grabbed their first-ever win after beating New Zealand 1-0 in Group A. Bolden’s 24th-minute header was the difference as the co-hosts wasted their chance to build on their opening win over Norway with Jacqui Hand hitting the post and having a goal disallowed. The Philippines struck midway through the first half when Bolden headed past Victoria Esson from close range.

Norway off the boil

Norway’s World Cup hopes hang by a thread after a stalemate with Switzerland. Norway, who were stunned by New Zealand in their opener, lost star forward Ada Hegerberg to injury just before kick-off. Swiss goalkeeper Gaelle Thalmann kept them out and Norway will now need to beat Philippines and hope results elsewhere go their way to avoid an early exit.

Colombia kick off with win

Colombia brushed aside South Korea 2-0 in their Group H game in Sydney. Catalina Usme – Colombia’s all-time top scorer – broke the deadlock from the spot after Shim Seo-Yeon’s handball. Real Madrid’s 18-year-old Linda Caicedo doubled the lead soon after with her shot slipping past Yoon Young-Geul in the Korea goal.

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Group B: Canada v Republic of Ireland (7am, Perth Rectangular Stadium)
Group C: Japan v Costa Rica (6am, Dunedin Stadium)
Group C: Spain v Zambia (8.30am, Eden Park)

Paris St Germain are anticipating further player-plus-cash offers for Kylian Mbappe from European clubs in the days ahead following a world-record £259million bid for the player from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal.

PSG are understood to have given the 24-year-old permission to discuss personal terms with Al Hilal after they submitted their gigantic offer in writing following the news Mbappe had been omitted from a pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea.

However, sources close to the French club say further bids are also expected, but may take longer to formulate because they are likely to involve a player swap element.

Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Inter Milan and Barcelona have expressed an interest in Mbappe since his omission from the pre-season tour on Friday, sources have said.

Mbappe’s PSG future has been in serious doubt ever since it emerged in June that he would not extend his existing deal through to 2025, meaning he would become a free agent next summer and able to discuss a pre-contract agreement with another club as early as January next year.

PSG are understood to feel certain that Mbappe has already agreed a free transfer to Real Madrid next summer, with Parisian sources saying he would benefit from a 160m euro (£138m) signing-on fee if he wound down his existing contract and moved to the Spanish capital in 2024.

Al Hilal’s interest could ultimately have the effect of giving Mbappe leverage to push for even higher wages or larger signing-on fee from Real, or any other club that might come in for him in January.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has pledged to fight to keep the “irreplaceable” Kyle Walker after an approach from Bayern Munich.

Walker’s place in the side became less secure in last season’s treble-winning campaign as a new system was introduced which often involved fielding four centre-backs with one stepping into a midfield role in possession.

He still made 39 appearances but did not start the Champions League final win against Inter Milan and speculation soon began about a potential move to the Bundesliga champions.

Guardiola insists he wants to retain the 33-year-old, whose contract expires next summer, saying: “He’s an incredibly important player for us. He has specific qualities, so difficult to find worldwide. His specific qualities are irreplaceable.

“We want him, yes. In the end, I don’t know what will happen. I know we’re in contact, both clubs, we will fight for him like I’m sure Bayern will do it. I don’t know how it will finish.”

By coincidence the two sides will meet each other in a pre-season friendly in Tokyo on Wednesday.

At a pre-match press conference Guardiola was asked whether Walker would play in the game and he added: “He’s our player. We need to play against Bayern, we need the best players, why should he not play?”

After last season’s success there has been a significant change behind the scenes with Guardiola’s two assistant managers Rodolfo Borrell and Enzo Maresca departing.

Long-term lieutenant Borrell joined MLS side Austin FC as sporting director while Maresca has taken over as manager of relegated Leicester.

“We are looking to have some people to help us but I have enough quality in the (backroom) team and so far it is okay,” said Guardiola.

“I have in mind a few people but I cannot say more.”

Vera Pauw is “a bit concerned” about Louise Quinn’s fitness as the Republic of Ireland look to put a losing start in the Women’s World Cup behind them against Canada.

A 1-0 defeat against tournament co-hosts Australia in Sydney last week was compounded by Quinn suffering a foot injury, with the defender touch and go to face the Olympic champions in Perth on Wednesday.

She lightly trained on Monday and was put through her paces in their final practice session on Tuesday, but Pauw revealed “plan B is ready” should Quinn unexpectedly fail her fitness test.

“We’re a bit concerned but we think that she can play,” the Ireland head coach told a press conference. “It’s an injury that is not very straightforward and it’s relying on how she reacts (during) training. Plan B is ready.”

The Girls in Green go into their next match knowing a defeat would spell the end of their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages in their historic maiden World Cup campaign.

“Winning starts with not losing,” Pauw said. “If you play a game like this against an Olympic champion, I have to stay realistic but it’s clear that if we want to go through in this group, we need a result.

“If we win, we have it in our own hands. If we have a draw then we depend on other results.

“Canada is a very, very experienced team and they know how to have patience in getting their results. They often get their results in the later stages so that shows they have the trust to keep on going.”

But Kyra Carusa feels Ireland can take heart from their battling performance against Australia, where they rallied after Steph Catley’s second-half penalty without being able to find a way through.

“Those last few minutes of the Australia game did light a fire under us and show this 90-plus minutes that we have in us and the dangers we have in us throughout an entire game,” Carusa said.

“That’s definitely something we take away from that game. We are reliable and have that endurance and longevity to make sure we come up with a result at any minute in the game.”

England forward Lauren Hemp feels the Lionesses have moved on from their Euro 2022 triumph and are determined to refocus attention on their World Cup campaign.

Manchester City’s Hemp started every game for boss Sarina Wiegman during an historic run that ended, one year ago Monday, with England lifting their first major trophy at Wembley, igniting unprecedented interest in women’s football across the UK.

As a result of injuries and retirements, the England boss’s World Cup squad features seven players who were not part of that monumental match, while Rachel Daly, last summer’s left-back, is a forward for this competition.

Asked if it was fair to place sky-high expectations on her largely changed side, Hemp said: “I think, as a team, yes that happened last summer, what a fantastic summer it was, but obviously it’s a new summer now, new challenges. You’ve seen in games in this tournament that anything can happen, but we’re ready for each one.

“So yeah, it’s exciting to be a part of but obviously it’s a massive tournament where anything can happen, so as a team we’re just focusing on each game as it comes.”

Norfolk-born Hemp, 22, was speaking from the palm tree-lined Central Coast Stadium north of Sydney, home of the A-League’s Central Coast Mariners and the Lionesses’ training base for the remainder of the tournament.

After beating Haiti 1-0 in their opener, England will now play Denmark in the New South Wales capital on Friday before travelling to Adelaide to face China in their final group game on Tuesday.

There were 49 places separating world number four England from Haiti, but they are just nine clear of their more familiar European opponents Denmark, who Hemp said feature “a very big attacking threat” in ex-Chelsea forward Pernille Harder.

The Lionesses began their Australian adventure on the Sunshine Coast before travelling to Brisbane for the Haiti match, and have now settled into the beachside town of Terrigal, New South Wales. 

The full squad took part in Tuesday’s training session, which was attended by approximately 2500 locals, mostly school groups, with many sticking around for autographs and pictures with obliging players – though a strong contingent were also hollering for Wiegman herself to pay them a visit.

The England boss has demanded her side be more “ruthless” after Georgia Stanway’s retaken penalty was the only goal against Haiti.

Hemp said: “I think we are all working really hard in training to make sure we are being more clinical, creating more chances and obviously getting our goal percentage higher.

“But we know it is something we need to improve on and we are working really hard as a team to make sure we are ready for the next game. We will be raring and ready to score some goals.

“We have seen in games that we are capable of doing that, so it’s not like we have not scored before. We are all capable of scoring. It is just about making it click and getting those connections working.

“I think obviously being at a World Cup is new for a lot of us – a lot of us have never been to one before. It’s across the other side of the world and I’m not making excuses but it’s important that each game we build on and we’ve seen that last summer, so we’re more than capable of doing that.”

Jamaica's assistant coach Xavier Gilbert says the senior Reggae Girlz are well aware of the importance of focusing on the task at hand, instead of overdosing on the high of earning their first ever Fifa Women's World Cup point.

Though their historic goalless draw against one of the tournaments favourite and fifth-ranked France is worth celebrating, Gilbert pointed out that the players required no reminders about their main objective at the tournament being co-hosted in Australia and New Zealand --to progress beyond the group stages.

In fact, the assistant to Head coach Lorne Donaldson emphasized that the focus shifted to their upcoming game against Panama, soon after they departed the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday, where the 43rd-ranked Girlz gritty performance delighted a crowd of almost 40,000.

"I think we did well, we had our game plan against France and the Girlz executed, not perfectly, but well enough to earn us a point in an atmosphere that almost felt like Jamaica's National Stadium. The crowd was really behind us and supported us and for that we are happy, even moreso, to get on the board where the point is concerned, but it's unto the next game," Gilbert told SportsMax.tv.

"It (the point) is huge, and it no doubt ranks high on the list of the country's accomplishments among male or female teams, but more importantly, it puts us in good stead for the rest of the tournament and the players know that. So, while they basked in the achievement, they remain focus on the job at hand and know the level of work they have to put in to earn it," he added.

The Girlz have now been subjected to much higher expectations than they usually entertain with many pundits now believing they can pull off what initially seemed an impossible task of getting out Group F which also includes number eight-ranked Brazil.

That hype and confidence behind the team has reached a level where the Girlz commanded the media spotlight for the past two days and even earned the respect of many, who would have probably scoffed at their ambitions in the buildup to this, their second appearance global showpiece, following three losses on debut in France 2019.

Still, Gilbert reiterated that the players are aware that the off-field hype isn't enough to carry the team and it is only through consistent efficiency in their performances against more top-quality teams that will truly prove them worthy.

"I'm sure the other teams will start to respect us now, we had objectives that we want to achieve so the strength of the first game performance would have increased the confidence level in the Girlz ability and what they can achieve in the tournament," he said.

"But we haven’t won anything yet, so obviously there’s a lot of expectations, but we still feel like the underdogs, and we still have a lot of work to do as we keep building towards a sustainable and competitive women’s football programme," Gilbert noted.

With Brazil currently at the top of the group on three points, the Jamaicans, who are joint second on a point with France, will be hoping to assert their authority against 52nd-ranked Concacaf rivals Panama, who are without a point, after a 0-4 loss to the Brazilians.

Though the Reggae Girlz setup has improved significantly where player quality is concerned, since that famous October 17, 2018, penalty shootout victory against the Panamanians, which secured their first World Cup berth, Gilbert said they will by no means grandstand against their rivals come Saturday at the Perth Rectangular Stadium, especially without inspirational captain Khadija "Bunny" Shaw.

The prolific striker picked up two yellow cards I that opening contest against France. Efforts have since been made to have the second caution that led to the suspension, overturned, but it is left to be seen what will transpire.

For now, Gilbert explained that they are proceeding accordingly.

"It's a huge disappointment both for her [Bunny] and the team that she will miss the next game, but the ladies are professional, they know what is at stake, they understand what to do and again it's just about the belief in their own ability to get the job done without Bunny.

"So we are preparing for the next game in that vein because we don't underestimate any team. So as soon as we got the Girlz recovered, it was back to business because we have to take care of business come Saturday," Gilbert ended.

 

Chief executive Neil Doncaster has hailed the Scottish Professional Football League’s multi-year extension to its partnership with Loch Lomond Group.

The partnership between the SPFL and Vodka brand Glen’s owner, The Loch Lomond Group, started in 2020.

Glen’s Vodka, as well as several other of Loch Lomond’s Scotch whisky brands, will continue to work closely with the SPFL and many of its clubs across both league and cup competitions.

Doncaster said: “It is fantastic news to be able to announce this extension to our relationship with Glen’s Vodka and Loch Lomond Group.

“This partnership, with a growing and much-loved Scottish brand, will continue to see us working with our friends at Loch Lomond to provide new commercial opportunities, including special edition products, for a number of SPFL clubs.

“This contract extension comes on the back of record fee payments to the 42 SPFL clubs announced in the past year.

“Alongside our recently-extended agreements with Sky Sports, BBC Scotland and Infront, our partnership with Loch Lomond Group will play a major role in strengthening the financial future of the SPFL and our 42 Member Clubs.”

Glen’s Vodka will have exclusive presenting rights to each division’s manager of the month and manager of the season awards for the duration of the partnership.

The sponsorship will also encompass Loch Lomond’s wider, award-winning portfolio, including its premium Scotch malt whisky brands, Loch Lomond and Glen Scotia and its Ben Lomond premium Scottish Gin.

Colin Matthews, CEO of Loch Lomond Group, said: “Since 2018, Loch Lomond Whiskies have enjoyed great success as a sponsor of The Open, the world’s greatest and most prestigious golf tournament.

“But football is the number one sport in Scotland and, with the fantastic start made by the men’s national team to qualifying for the 2024 European Championship, this is a great time to support Scottish football and its clubs.

“The teams in the SPFL are a key part of Scotland’s cultural fabric and Glen’s vodka is an award-winning and iconic Scottish brand, so it was a no-brainer to continue to give our backing to Scotland’s best-loved national sport and all of the teams.”

Roy Hodgson lamented the loss of an “iconic figure” at Crystal Palace after Wilfried Zaha left the club to join Turkish giants Galatasaray.

Zaha was a free agent after the expiry of his Crystal Palace contract and had revealed he was in Istanbul for talks, having reportedly turned down a £200,000-a-week offer to remain at Selhurst Park.

Earlier this week, he took to Instagram to confirmed his exit from Palace, the club he joined when he was 12 and scored 90 goals in 458 appearances, describing their shirt as his “second skin”.

After Galatasaray announced Zaha had signed a three-year deal worth an annual £3.75million, Hodgson expressed his disappointment at the forward’s exit.

“I was really sad to hear that Wilf has decided to leave and start a new chapter in his footballing life,” said Hodgson, who earlier this month confirmed he would manage Palace for the 2023-24 season.

“I was always hoping that he would commit his future to the club and I would have the benefit of working with him again this season.

“I would like to thank him personally for everything he did during my time as manager.

“The club is losing an iconic figure and, although we regret that it has not been possible to persuade Wilfried to stay longer, we can only wish the very best of luck to him and his family in their new venture.”

Zaha left Palace for Manchester United in 2013 but had two loan spells back in south London before returning on a permanent basis in 2015.

The Ivory Coast international, who made two appearances for England before switching his allegiance, had also been linked with Lazio, Fenerbahce and Al-Nassr this summer.

 

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A post shared by Wilfried Zaha (@wilfriedzaha)

 

Palace chairman Steve Parish added on the club’s website: “Wilfried Zaha leaves the club having been our best and most influential player.

“After long discussions it became clear he wanted a different challenge, to experience something new and somewhere different before the end of his career, and I think that’s something we can all understand.

“We would not be the club we are today without Wilfried. We are entering our 11th consecutive season in the top flight, and he has spearheaded the vast majority of those campaigns.

“A phenomenal player, who gave us incredible moments on the pitch and worked hard in the community helping inspire people off it, he will be treasured in all of our memories.”

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