#player-welfare

#player-welfare

Tonight, and the last 48 hours have broken my heart to see how the football world you love so much can be so cruel to you. To have something promised to you, to have been dragged along on an emotional rollercoaster, and to be toyed with until the final minute. To have four and a half years of your life promised to you, travelling, medicals, agreements made... promises made.

The players have been lobbying for a greater share of the money made by those organising the grand slam championships since last year's French Open when a delegation, including Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, urged executives from all four tournaments to increase their prize funds to 22% of revenue by 2030, which would be in line with ATP and WTA Tour events.

Though not an official term, in football 'bomb squad' is widely used to describe players who have fallen out of favour but still remain under contact. Those players are often excluded from first-team training and have to attend separate sessions with the club's youth teams, or even on their own in extreme cases. Some clubs even go as far as restricting any contact between the first-team and 'bomb squad' members by scheduling training sessions at times of day that will minimise the crossover between players.

On the surface it was business at usual at this year's Six Nations launch in a chilly Edinburgh. Had the city's most famous literary sleuth poked his nose into the venue at the top of the Royal Mile, Inspector Rebus would have clocked the usual suspects: head coaches trying not to divulge any secrets, captains quietly studying their opposite numbers and content creators seeking to jazz up their tournament previews.

The dates for the inaugural Club World Cup were approved by the FIFA Council in December. The tournament is set to run in the middle of the English domestic calendar -- which will also impact several leagues across Europe including Spain, France and Germany. A spokesperson for the WSL said holding the tournament in January is "at best inconvenient, and at worst, catastrophic" for the domestic game in England, commercially and for player welfare.

"David's contributions to the game of hockey will continue to impact the game for generations. The entire league mourns the loss of a great leader and visionary who oversaw the growth and evolution of the Ontario Hockey League, always prioritizing the players and putting their experience first."

Per a report by the football kit reporting dynamo Footy Headlines, Bundesliga clubs will feature a debut patch for players in their first Bundesliga appearance. It will serve as a milestone for the player making their first professional appearance in the BuLi as well as add a memorable moment for the fans. Post that, the match-worn patch would be removed and incorporated into a "special" trading card. Topps who are the official trading card partner with the DFL would then release the special debut card.

I just drank for two days straight, come [into] training and at the weekend I'd scored two goals and then I'd go back and go and drink for two days straight again,

Each day, Manchester United's players drive down Birch Road, occasionally stopping for the horses from the Carrington Riding Centre or a cyclist, and turn into the club's training ground. When the autograph seekers are satisfied and the entry barriers are lifted, they turn in front of the red neon "Manchester United" sign and head toward the first team parking lot behind the main building.

We had good conversations with the grand slams at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, so it was disappointing when they said they cannot act on our proposals until other issues are resolved. Calendar and scheduling are important topics, but there is nothing stopping the slams from addressing player welfare benefits like pensions and healthcare right now.

In the last two seasons we've seen quite a visibly massive increase, around the 100 per cent mark,

like all soccer players who earn millions, forgets that he's paid to carry out a function, which is playing soccer,

Players who appeared on the Lions tour in Australia over the summer were mandated 10 weeks off, ensuring they will miss the first two rounds of the new season and be available for three before England begin their November campaign against the Wallabies. Tom Curry has undergone pre-planned wrist surgery, after starring for the Lions with a torn ligament, and is unlikely to feature for Sale before England in the autumn

"It's a real disappointment. I owe a lot to Blackburn and it was a great club. I have some friends from there now at different clubs, and we're shocked you don't expect this would happen any more."