Hugo Ekitike scored both goals – including the fastest of the Premier League season – as Mohamed Salah made an earlier-than-expected return in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Brighton at Anfield, but it was another Reds star drawing all the praise.

Liverpool rampant in win over Brighton

Cameramen barely had time to shift their focus off Salah, back in the squad after being dropped for his explosive comments about being “thrown under the bus” by the club, when Ekitike struck after just 46 seconds.

Salah held talks with Arne Slot on Friday after his midweek Champions League omission and would have expected to wait until the second half for a chance to redeem himself – at least in most observers’ eyes.

But Joe Gomez’s injury released him from the bench, where he was for his fourth successive match sharing the occasional joke with Andy Robertson, midway through the first half.

It was not the change Slot wanted to make with the game still evenly poised but one he could not avoid without creating more headlines. However, set-piece coach Aaron Briggs gave the instructions as Slot was in conversation with Dominik Szoboszlai, his new right-back.

And it was the Hungary star, not match-winner Ekitike, who was impressing BBC commentator Chris Sutton, in part due to that ability to move into different positions.

Dominik Szoboszlai

vs Brighton

Touches

70

Passes (successful)

53 (49)

Shots

2

Duels (won)

5 (3)

Salah immediately combined with Alexis Mac Allister to almost set up Ekitike and the Kop broke into Salah’s song before he was involved again as Ekitike volleyed wide.

Liverpool’s 4-2-3-1 formation, with Florian Wirtz playing off the left, does not suit Salah due to the additional work-rate required but when from a Brighton counter-attack Szoboszlai made the lung-busting run to snuff out the danger Salah was not far behind in the tracking-back stakes.

And after the Egypt international forced Bart Verbruggen into his first save of the second half at the expense of a corner and the unmarked Ekitike headed home the chant for the Frenchman was quickly replaced with a louder one for Salah, closely followed by another for Slot.

Last weekend Salah, now destined for the Africa Cup of Nations, had suggested this could be his last match but talks will continue between the club and his representatives in an attempt to resolve the situation.

He finished the game paired with Alexander Isak, the British record-signing bought to eventually replace his weight of goals, but – perhaps symptomatic of his season – missed his moment by firing over Federico Chiesa’s cross in added time.

Salah applauded all four sides at the final whistle, lingering in front of the Kop as they sang his praise, and fans will hope this is au revoir and not farewell.

Amid the Salah circus it was easy to forget the improvement in the Liverpool’s performance, their third win in five unbeaten, and the growing prowess of Ekitike.

His first-minute goal, taking a touch before unleashing a shot which was still rising as it hit the roof of the net, came as a result of Yankuba Minteh’s risky cross-field clearance headed down by Joe Gomez.

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Minteh and Diego Gomez both had chances to equalise but the first half was controlled by Liverpool aided by the growing understanding between Wirtz and Mac Allister.

Ekitike continued to pose a threat in the second half but could not find a finish to match the quality of his driving run, although Brighton were becoming more dangerous with Diego Gomez hitting Alisson’s right-hand upright and Brajan Gruda dragging wide.

After Ekitike fired over when Mac Allister released Salah the Egyptian took matters into his own hands with the shot which led to the Frenchman’s second goal.

كشف مصدر بنادي الزمالك، عن سبب قرار الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، حرمان الفريق من القيد للمرة السادسة، والذي صدر اليوم الأربعاء.

وقرر فيفا إيقاف قيد الزمالك لـ3 فترات جديدة، ويستمر سريان القرار حتى يتم تسوية النزاعات المالية المرتبطة بالقضايا المرفوعة ضد النادي.

طالع.. عاجل | إيقاف قيد الزمالك للمرة السادسة

وعلم بطولات من مصادر خاصة، أن إيقاف قيد الزمالك جاء بسبب مستحقات متأخرة للتونسي فرجاني ساسي بقيمة نصف مليون دولار والحكم بات نهائيًا وإلا سيستمر الإيقاف.

وكان الزمالك قد تلقى عقوبة من الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” بإيقاف القيد، بسبب مستحقات مدربين ولاعبين سابقين، من بينهم فرجاني ساسي.

وكان الزمالك قد تعادل مع كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي بهدف لكل فريق، بالمباراة التي جمعت بينهما يوم السبت الماضي، ضمن منافسات دور مجموعات كأس الكونفدرالية.

Manchester United are now accelerating their move to sign a Premier League star, who’s already been contacted about a move to Chelsea, according to reports.

Man Utd debt breaks $1bn after summer window

It’s not getting any easier for INEOS and Manchester United. After they splashed out over £150m in the summer transfer window, the club’s net debt has reportedly broken the $1bn barrier for the first time. This is despite INEOS taking several controversial cost-cutting measures and highlights just how important it is that United get back into the Champions League this season.

In the club’s first-quarter accounts, which were released on Thursday, their noncurrent borrowings were reported at £481 million ($644m). Add in the £105m from their revolving credit facility, however, and that takes their total borrowings to £268m and their total net debt has grown to £749m ($1.002bn).

Yet, the transfer rumours ahead of 2026 continue to arrive. Reports earlier this week even claimed that Man United have made contact in the race to sign Arda Guler from Real Madrid. The Turkish superstar is reportedly worth £88m, however, and would once again add to the club’s growing debt.

INEOS also continue to remain patient with Ruben Amorim, insisting that he’s the man to take the Red Devils back to Europe’s top table. It’s a delicate balance. United need reinforcements, Amorim needs to get the best out of his current squad, and debt must not reach new records.

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With that said, rather than a move for such expensive targets, United are reportedly looking to sign Sunderland star Noah Sadiki ahead of Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Man Utd accelerating move to sign Sadiki

According to Sky Sports’ Sacha Tavolieri, Man United are now accelerating their move to sign Sadiki after the Sunderland star received contact from Chelsea back in October.

The central midfielder also received contact from United at the beginning of the season in an attempt to get ahead of the chasing pack. As of right now, though, those at Old Trafford find themselves head-to-head against Chelsea in the race to secure the 20-year-old, who joined Sunderland for around £15m in the summer.

It’s easy to see why Sadiki has attracted such interest so soon after arriving in the Premier League. He’s played a pivotal part in Sunderland’s incredible start to the season and it’s the type of rise that their sporting director, Kristjaan Speakman saw coming in the summer.

He told the club’s website after signing the midfielder: “Noah’s enjoyed a great level of experience at a relatively young age, and alongside his drive to improve, this makes him an exciting addition to our squad.

“During his time at USG, he’s played in domestic and European competitions regularly, and the Premier League is a natural next step in his promising career.”

Upgrade on Sesko: Man Utd pursuing "one of Europe's most in-form STs"

Tottenham Hotspur’s recruitment in recent years has left something to be desired, and though this is a squad of heroes who conquered the Europa League before the summer, domestic form has been cemented at a lower-than-expected level for a while now, and that needs to change.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though, with £55m summer recruit Mohammed Kudus among the most exciting players in Thomas Frank’s Lilywhites outfit.

The Ghanaian winger hasn’t been perfect, but he’s certainly underlined his credentials as a difference-maker under Frank’s wing, with his five assists in the Premier League this season a joint-divisional best.

That statistic juxtaposes with Tottenham’s creative struggles this season, and it adds substance to the emerging rumours that Tottenham plan to sign an even more exciting winger to help elevate Frank’s project down N17.

Spurs leading race for new winger

Tottenham are anticipated to be busy over the coming transfer windows, with improvements needed across a range of areas. However, there’s no denying Frank’s frontline have been blunter than expected, and that must be a priority.

Kudus has been a terrific addition, but wingers like Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simons are flattering to deceive. Perhaps this is why ENIC Group are aiming for the stars.

Indeed, according to Spanish sources, Tottenham are leading the race for Real Madrid star Rodrygo, and that’s despite growing interest from the Premier League’s heavyweights.

Rodrygo, 24, is also attracting interest from Liverpool, and though Real are open to selling the Brazilian talent, they would expect to bank something in the ballpark of £70m.

Why Rodrygo would succeed at Spurs

Rodrygo is currently embroiled in a crisis of confidence. He has gone 30 La Liga matches without a goal, and has been pushed out to the fringes of Xabi Alonso’s squad.

But let’s not forget that this is a truly special player, praised for his “world-class” quality by former Los Blancos teammate Luka Modric, and the depth of his technical quality goes far beyond that of Kudus, who is devastating on the ball but lacks clarity and output.

Goals scored

0.32

0.14

Assists

0.24

0.23

Shots taken

2.94

1.89

Shot-creating actions

4.65

3.41

Touches (att pen)

6.64

3.78

Pass completion (%)

85.4

78.8

Progressive passes

4.37

2.59

Progressive carries

6.00

3.44

Successful take-ons

2.38

3.05

Ball recoveries

3.77

5.44

Though Kudus has enjoyed a fine start to his career in north London, he doesn’t match Rodrygo’s breadth of skill. The Madrid man is one of the best forwards in the world, after all, and his recent drop-off does not negate that fact.

Crisper on the ball, more progressive with his passing and more active in dribbling forward himself, Rodrygo might not have Kudus’ same snappy speed, but that’s not to say that he isn’t a dynamic physical force in his own right.

Moreover, he has so often been shunted out onto the right flank in Madrid over the past several years, lower down the pecking order than the likes of Vincius Junior and Kylian Mbappe. The right-footed Rodrygo is at his best, his most prolific, when playing off the left.

Now, he has been reduced to a truly bit-part role, only afforded three league starts under Alonso’s management this term.

It feels like Rodrygo’s departure from the Santiago Bernabeu is a matter of when, not if, and while there are a multitude of high-profile suitors looking to excavate him from the hole he has fallen into, Tottenham have put in the hard yards for some time now, and Frank’s project would promise him a leading role.

Then it would be up to Rodrygo to prove that he is the real deal. On the basis of the evidence already, he is at that, and this would see him take on a more influential role than someone like Kudus down N17.

Spurs star is becoming Frank's own version of Kane & he's not even a forward

This Tottenham star is becoming a talismanic force for Frank’s side.

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Authoritative displays in Lilac Hill warm-up have ended the speculation leading into Perth Test

Vithushan Ehantharajah16-Nov-2025

The debate as to who will bat No.3 for England in the first Ashes Test has been all but settled with Ollie Pope’s standout performance in the warm-up match against England Lions locking up his familiar spot for Friday’s opener in Perth.Scores of 100 and 90 saw Pope emerge from Lilac Hills in credit, hurdling the challenge put forward by Jacob Bethell, who scored 3 and 70. Named in the England side for the warm-up match while Bethell was carded three for the Lions, Pope was comfortably the best batter on show across both innings. He looked more composed, and authoritative, even if this match was a far cry from the intensity the tourists will experience at the Optus Stadium from November 21.It effectively ended what has been months of speculation over Pope’s place in the side for the start of this Australia tour. Initial doubts were triggered by Bethell’s form at the back end of the summer, including a maiden professional century in an ODI against South Africa. They then gained momentum when Pope was ditched as Test vice-captain for Harry Brook. “I respect the decision they’ve made,” Pope said. “If they think that’s the right thing for the team going forward, and obviously Brooky captaining the one-day stuff and the T20 stuff as well, then that’s absolutely fine by me and I respect the decision they’ve made.”Perhaps spurred on further by the loss of an official leadership role, Pope reinforced his reliability on the eve of the biggest Ashes series in generations. Along with an accomplished body of work at No.3 – averaging 41.60 from 57 innings since the promotion up the order, while scoring eight of his nine career centuries – he feels confident this week has ended speculation, in his favour.”I hope so,” Pope said, when asked if he had ended the debate. “I’ve got so used to those conversations being had (about the No.3 position). I don’t go looking for them but it’s pretty hard to avoid sometimes. I’m so used to seeing it, I’ve just learned to focus on my game.Related

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“I’m just trying to become a better player each time I step out and that’s all I can do. Fingers crossed to get the nod, but all the trust is in those guys and I respect the decision they make.”Pope revealed he had made a few technical tweaks which he was workshopping this week, though was unwilling to disclose what they were ahead of the series. However, he did acknowledge the challenge posed by Bethell had narrowed his focus.Both have been pitted against one another since Bethell impressed on his maiden tour of New Zealand in 2024. That opportunity was ultimately provided by Pope, who ceded the No.3 position so he could bat lower and keep wicket after an injury to Jordan Cox in the lead-up to the series, with Jamie Smith on paternity leave.It was a selfless act from Pope that, in hindsight, looked a grave error. But he believes dealing with the extra scrutiny and fighting for his place will serve him well. Amid the huge clamour for Bethell to start against India last summer, Pope struck 106 in his first innings of the series. “It’s been good for me that I’ve learnt that, under the most pressure, I’ve been able to deliver, especially in that Headingley Test. I know that I can learn how to deal with that and get the best out of myself at times.”Everyone wants to be the first name on the team sheet, that’s pretty clear. But at the same time we’re playing international sport. I’ve got to remind myself of that at times – there’s always going to be someone on your heel if you haven’t quite scored the volume of runs that you would have liked.”I’ll try and use the pressure I’m under to get the best out of myself. I think I’m a far better player than I was the last time I came out to Australia. I’ve got those experiences behind me and I know how I want to go about it. So fingers crossed that I can deliver with a lot of runs.”In truth, Pope only really had one way to go after that last tour. A torturous 2021-22 campaign saw him average 11.16 from six innings. He played the first two Tests before being axed, only to be brought back for the last match in Hobart, which Australia won to confirm a 4-0 hammering.Can Pope make this tour count? Time will tell, but the signs are promising. He has faith in the batting improvements he is keeping close to his chest, and, for the first time in a year, has certainty over his place. He may also enjoy the liberation of not having to wonder if he might have to captain, in the event Stokes gets injured, having done so five times in the space of 12 months. Whatever happens, he is raring to go again.”Everyone is just so excited for it,” he said. “There’s obviously a lot of chat from the media, everywhere you look it’s Ashes, and for us it is enjoy that, enjoy the experience of it. But let’s just remember what’s made us a real good side over the last few years, and hopefully if I do get the nod on Friday, then it’s going to be an amazing series to be a part of.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Com o alívio de escapar do rebaixamento no Campeonato Brasileiro, o Internacional corre contra o tempo para contratar um técnico para a próxima temporada. Como as competições começam já em janeiro, dias 10 a 11, no Campeonato Gaúcho, e 28, no Brasileirão, quanto antes o nome for anunciado, melhor para a montagem da equipe. O Lance! conta aqui o que sabe sobre a situação de Odair Hellmann, um dos preferidos de Alessandro Barcellos.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasInternacionalO que o Lance! sabe da saída de D’Alessandro do InternacionalInternacional12/12/2025InternacionalVolante do Internacional desperta interesse de clubes brasileirosInternacional11/12/2025InternacionalAbel Braga revela cirurgia 15 dias antes de voltar ao InternacionalInternacional11/12/2025

➡️Tudo sobre o Colorado agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Internacional

Papito, como é carinhosamente chamado pela torcida, tem uma vantagem sobre os demais nomes, como Mozart, campeão da Série B como o Coritiba, e Martín Palermo, do Fortaleza. Como já trabalhou no Beira-Rio, atual treinado do Athlético-PR conhece o clube na intimidade. Além disso, é colorado. “Até demais”, como comentou uma fonte.

A situação de Odair Hellmann

Odair levou o Furacão de uma campanha irregular ao vice da Segunda Divisão brasileira. Tem contrato com o time paranaense até maio de 2026. As negociações de renovação estão em compasso de espera. Por dois motivos.

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O primeiro, é que o profissional está e viagem de família pela Europa. Já teria passado por Espanha e Inglaterra. Retorna antes do final do ano, quando as conversas devem ser reiniciadas. O outro motivo é que Papito quer ampliar o vínculo até dezembro de 2027. O clube, somente até dezembro de 2026.

Pelo que apurou o Lance!, o salário de Odair na Arena da Baixada seria em torno de R$ 400 mil. Esse valor, não incluiria a comissão, formada por Fábio Moreno, Anderson Nicolau e Guilherme Vaz. O valor de rescisão é baseado nesse valor. O que poderia impedir um retorno de Odair é a não permanência de Andrés D’Alessandro.

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West Indies allrounder has worked on his fitness and skills to adapt to different conditions

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-20252:59

Justin Greaves: ‘This is where I always wanted to be’

Allrounder Justin Greaves has called the progression from first-class cricket in the West Indies to Test cricket a “massive step up”.Greaves, 31, is coming off of a match-saving 202 not out against New Zealand in the first Test in Christchurch. Chasing 531, he began his innings with West Indies 72 for 4 on the fourth day. Greaves batted for nearly nine and a hours and faced 388 balls to help them survive 163.3 overs and salvage a draw. He said that learnings from conversations with Jason Holder had helped improve his game.”It [Test cricket] is a massive step up from first-class cricket in the Caribbean,” Greaves said. “It’s a lot more demanding both physically and mentally. This is where I always wanted to be – so I had to change the way I train, both strength-and-conditioning and skill-wise. Enjoying it, learning as I go along.Related

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“If I can pick up some tips from the other successful allrounders around the world when we play against them, I pretty much do that. I lean on Jason Holder, who’s been around with the T20 squad when I’m here. I’ve dropped him a few messages in terms of finding out what he’s done to have the career he’s had in Test cricket so far.”Greaves was part of the West Indies Test teams that toured Australia in 2023-24 and Pakistan earlier this year. He has played 12 Tests so far. Travelling to and playing in different countries has required him to get stronger, eat better, and learn to be patient.”Everything had to change because it’s not easy being on the road [in] different conditions,” Greaves said. “When you’re at home, it’s pretty easy because you know pretty much all the conditions in the Caribbean, and then, coming overseas, playing cricket in Australia and then to Pakistan, and here now, in New Zealand, everything is different.”Adapting to that in the gym, getting stronger, eating better in terms of food, putting on a bit more muscle as well, and being a bit stronger; skill-wise, adding a bit more to my game; [while] batting – being a bit more patient because at this level, everything is not given to you. Bowling-wise, being the allrounder in the team, you can be bowling, and within an hour or two, you could be batting again. So, you’re putting your mind to it, and adapting to change.”Greaves will hope to build on this performance in the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington, which starts on Wednesday, with the three-match series locked at 0-0.

Sri Lanka may sack T20 captain Charith Asalanka two months out from a home World Cup. Chief selector Upul Tharanga insisted no decision over the captaincy had yet been made, but did confirm that the selectors were mulling changes.According to Tharanga, Asalanka’s poor form in T20Is has prompted this re-evaluation. That Asalanka was sent home ahead of the ongoing tri-series in Pakistan was only due to illness, or so at least team management has claimed. In any case, it is possible he has captained his last T20 match for Sri Lanka.”We have to weigh our best options after this series,” said Tharanga, when asked whether the selectors were considering a change in captaincy. “With a World Cup so close we can’t make a lot of big changes. The selectors, after talking to the coach, will have to make a decision on what’s best for the team.”Related

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Tharanga indicated that the selectors had been mulling a change to the leadership even before the ongoing tour of Pakistan, which is why they had appointed Dasun Shanaka – who has captained Sri Lanka before – vice-captain for the tour. “That was to give us another option,” Tharanga said.Still, no firm decision has been made, he said.”Still Charith is our captain. It’s because of an illness to Charith that we appointed Dasun as our stand-in captain. Charith is still the captain in our plans. We haven’t made a decision to change that. We’ve planned all along for Charith to captain this World Cup. We’ll see what happens. We haven’t made a decision about that yet.”Charith hasn’t been among the runs in T20s, and because of an illness he was forced to return home, unfortunately.”Asalanka had never quite established himself as a reliable T20I batter, with a strike rate of 126 across 68 innings. He’s been modest in 2025 too, having scored only 156 runs in 12 innings this year, with a strike rate of 122. Sri Lanka have won 11 and lost 14 matches under Asalanka’s captaincy.Still, his return from Pakistan ahead of the tri-series serious prompted speculation in local media. One theory suggested Asalanka had been among the players who opposed remaining in Pakistan following a suicide bombing in Islamabad, and that his being sent home was punishment for voicing opinions that ran counter to board wishes. As the tri-series runs for two weeks, teams would generally keep a player in the squad until they make a recovery, especially if that player is captain.Tharanga said it was illness that forced the selectors’ hand.”He had a viral fever, and he had body aches,” Tharanga said of Asalanka. “The physio told us that it’s hard for him to predict when Charith would get better, and that’s why we had to make that decision.”We’ve also had a problem in the middle order, and we’ve not been consistent there. If he couldn’t play, we needed to have someone else there. That’s why we brought Charith to Sri Lanka.”Tharanga envisioned Asalanka playing a role in Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign with the bat.”Charith is a very talented cricketer, with a lot of experience. I’m sure he’ll be an important cricketer for Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup. We’ve seen what he can do in the middle order, where sometimes he’s won games by himself. He’s in our World Cup plans.”

Former Chelsea and England star and current England Under-21 assistant coach Ashley Cole has revealed that his journey into coaching has made him a "better person", as he has been able to learn more about the human side of football and how to manage the people behind the players, and what they may be going through behind the scenes on a day-to-day basis. He also revealed some of the inspiration he has taken from his former managers in his playing career.

• Ashley Cole reveals benefits of his coaching journey

  Cole began his coaching career at Derby County in 2019 following his retirement from playing, soon following former team-mate Frank Lampard to both Chelsea and Everton as his assistant. Cole first took up the role as Lee Carsley’s England U21 assistant on a part-time basis in 2021, briefly spending a period as assistant coach for the senior team during Carsley’s interim period in the top job, before Cole joined the FA on a full-time basis in September 2024.

  A marauding left-back in his playing days, Cole is viewed by many as arguably the greatest player in his position in Premier League history, shining at Arsenal before winning near enough all there is to win at Chelsea. The 44-year-old has since taken the plunge into coaching and while he has not yet become a manager or head coach, he has revealed how his time in coaching has helped him develop not only his skills on the training pitch, but also his interpersonal skills and off-field qualities needed to become a top modern-day coach.

  Cole was speaking as part of the an initiative where a group of aspiring football coaches were given the unique opportunity to learn from England U21 assistant Cole and Lionesses legend Fara Williams during a coaching masterclass at Wembley Stadium.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Cole reveals coaching has helped him become a 'better person'

  Cole said on his time as a coach so far: "I had a long, good career and it was, you know a few things. Giving back to football, that gave me a lot. Trying to help and develop people and create the new Ashley Cole, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira.

  "What Chase has done here with this football programme is brilliant. I think we're enhancing people's ability to communicate. We're enhancing people's ability to connect. And grow. And learn. And develop.

  "You start to learn people. You know, is he mad? Is he angry? Is he sad? Is he super happy? Through coaching, that's given me that ability to read people a bit. Which I think in the long run is going to make people better. So, I definitely learnt how to be a better person through my coaching journey."

• Cole speaks on influence of Mourinho and Ancelotti

  There is no doubt that Cole learnt a lot from the top managers and coaches he worked under during his playing career. 

  The three-time Premier League winner said on two of his iconic former bosses: "Jose Mourinho was very disciplined, strong, expectations high. Standards in training. Which has helped me grow as a coach because I really like that. 

  “Then Carlo Ancelotti who was more, know the person than the player. Get to know the person within this player, that has to give everything for the badge. So the communication skills of his were top. The understanding of people and as I alluded to before, really understanding the signs of people. 

  “Are they in distress, are they not playing well, how are they feeling? He was very, very good at that so, I definitely learnt from that and tried to develop my people skills a little bit more from that.”

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  Cole has started bright coaching career as he means to go on

  During his early coaching career thus far, Cole has demonstrated his ability to coach and develop young players, playing a key role in England U21 winning back-to-back European titles under the stewardship of Carsley and Cole alongside him.

  Where the 44-year-old decides to go with his coaching career next remains to be seen. Compared with contemporaries such as Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, Cole’s coaching career thus far has gone somewhat more under the radar. The former Chelsea man will no doubt continue to build up his skills as an assistant with the U21s and will aim to take his coaching career to new heights in the future.

More big names are expected to join Tom Brady at Birmingham, with Stephen Carr telling GOAL why marquee signings in the transfer market can be completed. The former Blues defender has also been discussing, in an exclusive interview, why plans for a new stadium – which could attract NFL games – and Premier League promotion dreams can come to fruition.

Winning mentality: Brady's role at Birmingham

Birmingham tumbled into League One during Brady’s first season as a minority stakeholder of the club. They did, however, bounce back in style when claiming the third tier title in record-breaking fashion last term.

With big-spending owners on board, the Blues are aiming high. They want to beat Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac and Wrexham to the top tier, with both clubs generating plenty of noise away from the field – with documentary series opening up a window to the world.

Seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady has helped Birmingham to spread their word, with the American football legend fully signed up to an exciting project in the West Midlands. He is helping to bring a winning mentality to St Andrew’s.

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With the Blues’ mass appeal continuing to grow, Carr – speaking in association with – told GOAL when asked if more household names will head to Birmingham: “I think so. I think that’s what they are aiming for. The stadium that they just released, you can see what they are building – that is for the Premier League, that’s not for the Football League. That has to be a Premier League stadium.

“I know there is all the other stuff with it, the NFL and everything, but it is being geared up now where they want to go. Very ambitious. But there is a limit to what you can spend, it’s as simple as that. You see it at Newcastle as well – the richest club in the world but they can’t go out and buy whoever they want. That’s where they need plans.

“They do need a good few players. If they stay in the Championship, consolidate and then build. They need players coming in. It’s what they can bring in, what they are restricted with and what they can spend. They have always had a good academy there, they produce some good young players. But you see with the stadium and everything, they are very ambitious.

“It’s amazing for the area, it needs it. In the long-term, I think you will see top players. But they need to get into the Premier League to get those players because you are limited in what you can spend. They can’t go and throw money at trying to get to the Premier League. You need to get up, but it’s going to take a bit of time. It’s not simple. The Championship is getting harder and harder. You see it’s stacked at the moment.

“For the future, that’s the goal. The stadium shows how much money they will be spending. That stadium is only worth something if you are in the Premier League, it’s not for the Championship – with the costs and all that. You see Tottenham’s stadium and what they spent, they spent a fortune, but they are in the Premier League. That’s a Premier League stadium, so hopefully they do it and get up. I think you will see spending. I think it will be controlled, it won’t be stupid, but you will see bigger names coming back to Birmingham.”

NFL & Taylor Swift: Grand plans for Birmingham

Another former Blues star, Clinton Morrison, told GOAL recently when asked about NFL games and Taylor Swift concerts at Birmingham: “The city in its own right is the second city in the country behind London. It’s a massive city and a city that probably hasn’t had as much investment as others – like Manchester and others in the UK. There is a lot of scope for growth economically in the city.

“The owners have got big dreams of bringing this all-purpose stadium in. We have seen it with a couple of other stadiums around the country where they have managed to incorporate other events and generate revenue that way. I believe it is only a good thing what they are planning. Whether that materialises or not is another thing. I believe they have to have Premier League status in order to achieve and attract that magnitude of event.”

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Birmingham CityPromotion push: When will Birmingham reach the Premier League?

Birmingham, who continue to work under the guidance of manager Chris Davies, are very much in the Championship top-six picture this season. They sit eighth in the table at present, one point outside the play-off places and only five adrift of the second automatic promotion spot.

They will be back in action on Saturday when taking in a trip to Southampton. They have six more games through to the end of the calendar year, at which point another transfer window will open and more fresh faces could be welcomed through the doors.