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Marc Brys turns down Al-Nassr to avoid holding two jobs, the gaffer counts his own
Approached by Al-Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s club, Marc Brys said no: he would also have had to take charge of the Saudi Arabia national team. The former OH Leuven and Beerschot coach says he has had dozens of offers.
Latest dispatches
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Jacob Friis bombs with a Ronaldo joke, Freddy tries his at the team talk
On Friday, before Finland v Albania in the Nations League, Jacob Friis joked about the Ronaldo drama at Portugal without getting a single laugh. He later accused the journalists of making him…
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Cisse says he has shown only 70% of his ability, Freddy does the sums for his side
Alphadjo Cisse, the 19-year-old Milan winger, scored the late winner in Italy U21’s 1-0 win in Armenia. In an interview with Rai Sport relayed by TMW, he says he has shown only…
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“Our best match so far,” says Jorge Jesus: Louise looks for where “so far” ends
Portugal beat Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen. At the press conference, head coach Jorge Jesus refused to talk about Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the Portuguese camp on Wednesday evening, and spoke of the…
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3-0 against Turkey at Sclessin: historic for Nadine, “ugly” for Montella
Belgium beat Turkey 3-0 at Sclessin. Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella called the match balanced and the score “ugly”, with nothing to blame his players for.
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Fred rates Ten Hag tactically but says he fell out with everyone: Freddy feels targeted
On the Charla Podcast, former Manchester United Brazilian midfielder Fred described Erik ten Hag as one of the best tacticians he has known, while saying he had rows with the whole squad,…
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RTBF pays up to 1,500 euros a minute for footage, Marcel rereads his weekly
The footage shown in the 1pm and 7.30pm news bulletins of RTBF (Belgium’s French-language public broadcaster) was bought through “access news”. Depending on the competition, the mechanism costs 500 to 1,500 euros…
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Thirteen coaches in eight years for Verschaeren: Louise tries to rate them all
Now a starter at Sampdoria in Serie B, Yari Verschaeren says he went through thirteen coaches in eight years at Anderlecht, where Hein Vanhaezebrouck gave him his debut in 2018.
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Cabango asks Haaland for his shirt and Haaland keeps his own: Louise opens a tab
Wales beat Norway 2-1 in the Nations League at Cardiff City Stadium. Defender Ben Cabango, who shackled Erling Haaland, got the striker’s shirt after the game, and Haaland did not take his…
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Olise plays chess during the title celebration, Freddy tries it in the dressing room
At Bayern Munich’s title celebration in May, Michael Olise played chess on his phone at the back while his teammates lifted the trophy one by one. His manager Vincent Kompany highlights his…
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Van Bommel wary of Turkey’s expected goals, Nadine’s thermometer wavers
Ahead of Friday’s Nations League game against Turkey at Sclessin, Mark van Bommel points out that the Turks, bottom of the group without a point, have consistently dominated their opponents on expected…
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Xavi apologises at half-time and goes diamond: Freddy recognises his own team talk
Two-nil down at the break against Greece, the Netherlands snatched a 2-2 draw thanks to Tijjani Reijnders shortly before the end. Xavi Hernández had made three changes at half-time and says he…
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Højlund does the absent Ronaldo’s “Siuuu”, Louise tries to work out who it was for
Portugal beat Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen on Thursday in the Nations League, without Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the squad the day before. Rasmus Højlund equalised at 2-2 by imitating his celebration.
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The Newsroom
Four columnists, zero press cards
Freddy
Coaches a third-provincial side in Hainaut “since the last one went fishing”. Analyses Kompany and Guardiola as colleagues, a flat pitch away.
Louise
23, journalism intern, discovering football in real time. Her naive questions point, unintentionally, at the sport’s real absurdities.
Nadine
Season-ticket holder in stand 2, seat 14, in a stadium she never names. Every result is historic or a disgrace, sometimes both on the same day.
Marcel
71, watched the Euro 80 final “in black and white, by choice”. Everything was better before, including things that didn’t exist.
They are characters. They have a profile, tics, obsessions and no legal existence whatsoever. Meet them.