Blogs

IT’S day one of the post-Philippe Clement era at Rangers.

With the Gers now searching for a new permanent manager, there’s a need for someone to step up to lead first team affairs.

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Philippe Clement has been sacked as Rangers manager[/caption]

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Issame Charai is taking training this morning[/caption]

Willie Vass

Stephen van der Heyden and Alex Rae have reportedly left the club[/caption]

For now, that man appears to be Issame Charai.

The 42-year old was appointed assistant manager to Clement just a month ago.

The Rangers Review are reporting that Charai is the man who will lead first team training at Auchenhowie today.

The report also claims that coaches Alex Rae and Stephan van der Heyden have also LEFT Rangers.

They both worked under Clement during the Belgian’s entire spell in charge.

That spell came to an end when Clement was sacked last night in the wake of Saturday’s dire 2-0 defeat to St Mirren at the weekend.

Those exits leave Charai as the most senior first team coach left at Rangers.

While he’s taking training, it has yet to be confirmed whether or not he will be installed as the club’s official interim manager.

Charai joined Rangers following the exit of Clement’s previous assistant, Andries Ulderink.

An experienced coach, Charai was in charge of Morocco’s under-23 team between 2023 and 2024 and led them to the U23 Africa Cup of Nations title.

Charai spent his entire playing career in Belgium and after a spell coaching in Saudi Arabia, spent several years back in Belgium as No2 to Marc Brys at various clubs.

The Moroccan national job was his first job as a No1 and he most recently worked as assistant at Strasbourg in France.

Rangers chiefs are of course locked in takeover talks with supremos from the San Francisco 49ers.

That will likely lead to a delay in any permanent manager being appointed.

In terms of that permanent gig, SunSport revealed last night that former Gers defender Russell Martin is one of the names in the frame to land the role.

He’s available after departing Southampton earlier this season.

Former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard was installed as the early bookmakers’ favourite following the decision to sack Clement.

Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page

Because of its gripping plot and erratic character outcomes, “Person of Interest” kept viewers on edge. Sarah Shahi’s role Sameen Shaw is among the most captivating in the series. She was a popular favorite because of her bold personality and witty humor. Nonetheless, one of the most significant queries that viewers have continued to ask […]

ALLY McCOIST has told Rangers he is prepared to quit all of his media commitments at the drop of a hat to take over again at Ibrox.

The Rangers legend, 62, was shocked to discover he’s one of the many names in the frame to replace Philippe Clement in Govan.

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Ally McCoist has reacted to Philippe Clement’s dismissal[/caption]

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Clement was shown the door by Rangers on Sunday[/caption]

The Belgian was finally sacked by Ibrox chiefs on Sunday following Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren.

Patrick Stewart and Fraser Thornton eventually came to the decision to axe Clement last night and have already started the process of finding his replacement.

Several former Rangers men have been linked with the job in the hours following, with Steven Gerrard the favourite and sacked Southampton boss Russell Martin also in the running.

McCoist has found himself being touted for the role as a heavy outsider by the bookmakers too.

He found out this morning that he’s actually priced at 33/1 to become the next Gers manager.

It would see him make a stunning return to the Ibrox hot-seat after already spending three years in the position previously.

He was the Rangers manager between 2011 and 2014 after Walter Smith stepped down.

McCoist was quizzed on talkSPORT this morning if he would be interested in replacing Clement at Ibrox.

But the Rangers legend admitted there’s one thing standing in his way.

He doesn’t want to leave his radio pal Jeff Stelling.

However, he joked that even he’s tempted to put some money on himself given the odds.

McCoist said: “I tell you what, it would break Jeff’s heart. I might put a couple of quid on that if it’s 33/1!

“But I couldn’t do it to Jeff.”

Stelling laughed: “Well you couldn’t take the drop in salary, could you Coisty?”

He added: “He wouldn’t just be leaving me. He would be leaving talkSPORT, TNT, and his EIGHT other day jobs as well!”

Earlier in the breakfast show though, McCoist did reveal he would jump at the chance of becoming the Rangers manager again.

Stelling asked him if he’d drop his MANY commitments to return to Ibrox.

Laughing, McCoist said: “Listen, you know me, I’d drop everything for Rangers! You included!”

Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page

ANTHONY JOSHUA has vowed to spill Tyson Fury’s blood in an epic Battle of Britain – if his rival comes out of retirement.

The pair’s long-overdue domestic dust-up seemed finally set to come to fruition after Fury’s back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk last year.

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Tyson Fury was on course for a grudge match with Anthony Joshua before announcing his retirement last month[/caption]

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AJ isn’t buying the Gypsy King’s retirement and reckons he will fight again[/caption]

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The Watford warrior insists he’ll shed Fury’s blood if they do end up fighting[/caption]

But Fury threw a major spanner into the works last month by announcing his FIFTH retirement, although AJ isn’t giving up hope of putting a brutal beating on the Gypsy King.

The former two-time unified heavyweight champion told iFL TV: “I feel like it’s the best fight [for me].

“People might say [Joseph] Parker, people might say – I don’t know.

“But I think Fury, commercially, is a great fight and it’s a great man’s fight as well. So I think it makes sense.

“You could say it’s been years in the making. But listen, the heavyweight division has been thriving.

“And why I say it’s probably still a great fight is as I said Parker is, for me, a great story of someone that never gives up.

“And the thing is, there is going to be one winner and one loser and there’s going to be bloodshed. And it ain’t gonna be mine.”

Fury, 36, has remained radio silent on his fighting future since his latest hanging up of the gloves.

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But Joshua isn’t convinced we’ve seen the last of the Wythenshawe warrior.

“Has he retired with the possibility of coming back?” Joshua asked when quizzed about Fury’s retirement “Yes.

“Has he retired? Yes. Is he going to come back next month? No. In short, he might come back but he is retired.”

Joshua, 35, hasn’t set foot inside the ring since his brutal fifth-round KO defeat to former sparring partner Daniel Dubois last September.

A February rematch with Triple D was on the cards before his team convinced him to rest and recover from niggling injuries.

And he’s keeping his cards close to his chest over when he’ll next be back in the squared circle.

When asked about his ring return, AJ said: “More fights, this is my life, this is what I do.

“Right now I sit outside and I watch and then I’ll make my return one day.

“Right right I sit back as a fan and watch the great people in the sport I love.”

A NOUGHTIES pop group look unrecognisable 18 years on from their catchy hit singles – and they’re headlining a huge charity festival.

Originally formed in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2003, The Hoosiers consists of Irwin Sparkes and Alan Sharland.

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They first shot to fame with their 2007 debut album, The Trick to Life, which reached number one on the UK Albums Chart.

Their lead single, Worried About Ray, became an instant classic, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart, followed by the hit Goodbye Mr A, which cemented their status in the indie music scene.

Despite their success, the band took a few twists and turns in their career, parting ways with their record label in 2011 and independently releasing music.

This includes the albums The Illusion of Safety, The News from Nowhere and Confidence, their most recent release in 2023.

Over the years, they’ve experimented with different sounds and even dabbled in side projects.

Frontman Irwin launched his solo act White Tail Falls, while he and Alan also performed as comedy duo Felix and The Scootermen at the Edinburgh Fringe.

A previous iteration of the band even included members Tony Byrne, Tom Easey, Martin Skarendahl, Sam Swallow and Toby Smith.

Now, The Hoosiers are making a major comeback, not only with a new tour but also as the headline act for the Test Fest Music Festival 2025.

In a promotional video for their gigs, the pair certainly look different.

And, the charity event, taking place at Taunton Rugby Club on June 21, is organised by It’s in the Bag Cancer Support to raise awareness for testicular cancer.

The two-piece, originally formed by Irwin Sparkes and Alan Sharland in 2003, will be headlining as part of their The Illusion of Safety 15-year anniversary tour.

Charity founder and event organiser Sue Brand said: “2025 is It’s in the Bag’s 10th birthday as an independent charity, and what a great way to celebrate with The Hoosiers being our headline act.

“There are a few more exciting bands and artists to come, so don’t miss out on tickets. This year more than any, we encourage you to buy early.”

The festival has been recognised by the UK Festival Awards, Stand Out Magazine, and the BISFF Film Awards, and aims to attract attendees from across the South West.

Many survivors and their families are expected to attend.

Handout pic - refer to Picture Desk

Martin Skarendahl, Irwin Sparkes, Alfonso Sharland made up the line-up in 2013[/caption]

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Goodbye Mr A cemented their status in the indie music scene[/caption]

DEAR DEIDRE: MY partner’s passing comment while we were kissing and cuddling turned my stomach – and made me seriously think about dumping him.

We were both getting turned on when he said I reminded him of his mum. To say it killed the moment is an understatement.

There is a significant age gap between us but I want to be his partner, not his mum.

Besides, I’ve met his mum. She might only be nine years older than me but she looks and acts like an old lady. I was insulted.

I am 41, he is 28 and we’ve always had a brilliant sex life.

We have been very happy for nine months and he made it clear he wanted me right from the start.

We see one another most days and our feelings have grown over the months.

He would love to move in with me but I worry about my children, who are only 18 and 15.

They get on well with him but I have concerns about our age gap.

He says I remind him of his mum because I make him feel loved and secure.

He insists he doesn’t see me as a mother figure. Still, I am worried about us living together.

If it doesn’t work, the emotional upheaval for me and my children would be devastating.

Are relationships like ours ever successful?

DEIDRE SAYS: There are lots of couples who do have happy, lasting relationships, despite their age difference.

While age gaps, where one partner is in their late teens or early twenties, raise serious concerns of a potential power imbalance in the relationship, your boyfriend is in his late-20s and will have significant life experience.

As for the future, there are no guarantees in relationships. He may change down the line. And, of course, so might you.

Many of us are drawn to people who remind us of a parent without realising it, primarily because we find them comfortable and familiar.

It is time to clear the air and discuss your concerns with your boyfriend.

The main issue for age-gap relationships is when the couple are at different life stages.

So talk about whether he wants marriage and children of his own. These are important issues to iron out before getting more involved.

My support pack Age Gaps – Do They Matter? will help.

FIANCÉE SCORED WITH RUGBY PAL

DEAR DEIDRE: I KNEW my fiancée got on well with a close friend of mine – but I didn’t think they would end up secretly having sex.

I’m 29, she is 26 and we’ve been together for four years. I met my friend through our local rugby team. My fiancée often comes to watch our games, standing on the touchline cheering us on.

The two of them got on well but nothing more. We have been talking about starting a family and decided over Christmas we would be happy if she got pregnant. But a short time later, she started to get depressed and upset.

I thought she’d changed her mind about wanting a baby, but then she broke down in tears and admitted she had cheated on me with my mate. I was gobsmacked, but she insisted it was a stupid mistake and she still loves me.

She has apologised numerous times but doesn’t show any real regret.

I can’t help but think if she really wanted to be with me, she would be begging for forgiveness.

But she refuses to talk about what they did.

I want to believe her when she says that it won’t happen again.

She has suggested we have some space apart, but surely we need to be spending more time together if we are going to make it through this.

DEIDRE SAYS: You’ve been doubly betrayed, but your girlfriend doesn’t seem to understand how shocked and hurt you are.

You are dealing with her infidelity, and also the fact she has sexual feelings for your friend.

It is possible to get over an infidelity but being apart will solve nothing. Is she suggesting having some “space” so she can back away if she has a change of heart?

She needs to be committed to your relationship and to reassure you that this is what she wants.

At the very least, she owes you honesty. My support pack Cheating – Can You Get Over It? will help.

HOPE FOR BABY IS IGNORED

DEAR DEIDRE: DESPITE always knowing I want more children, my partner keeps going on about having a vasectomy.

I am 34 and he is 35. We have been together for five years. He already has a daughter from his previous relationship and we have a son together.

They get on well together, but I would love my boy to have a full sibling.

I don’t like vasectomies because they go against nature. My partner just laughs when I tell him this.

He doesn’t seem to value my opinions or my feelings.

I am on the Pill but I feel as though he doesn’t trust me enough to take it.

I love him but he ignores my longing for another child. How do we get past this?

DEIDRE SAYS: While I understand your desire to have another baby, it wouldn’t be right to force this on him. It wouldn’t be fair to him or the child.

When one partner wants more children and the other doesn’t, it can be a deal breaker. Does your partner really want the snip? It’s all very well to talk about this but going through with it is a different matter.

Tell him that being denied another child will hurt you deeply.

Ask him why he is so against the idea and make sure he understands that a vasectomy is final.

THE World Open is underway in Yushan, with some huge names eyeing the £175,000 jackpot.

Later today, Judd Trump takes on Long Zehuang in the last-64 of the tournament.

The World No1 is eyeing up a stunning three-peat in the World Open, having the last two editions of the tournament in 2019 and 2024.

• Start time: From 1.30am GMT
• TV channel: TNT Sports 3
• Live stream: discovery+

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THE six Premier League clubs still active in Europe now know their round of 16 opponents.

Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa will participate in the Champions League knockout stage in March while Tottenham and Manchester United are set to resume their Europa League campaigns – Chelsea remain favourites to win the Conference League.

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Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa will resume their Champions League campaigns in March[/caption]

The European competitions always have a significant bearing on Dream Team and managers should target these fixtures in the near future.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

• PSG v Liverpool
• PSV Eindhoven v Arsenal
• Clun Brugge v Aston Villa

Arne Slot’s reward for topping the league phase is meeting with the best team in France – Ousmane Dembele and company beat Brest 10-0 on aggregate in the play-offs.

The Gunners will face the current Dutch champions, who edged out Juventus in the play-offs.

PSV have won just one of their six league games since the turn of the year.

Unai Emery will be quietly confident after the Villains were drawn against the team that finished 24th in the league phase, although Club Brugge did bear Villa 1-0 in Belgium back in November.

Liverpool and Aston Villa will meet in the quarter-finals if both sides progress beyond the last 16.

If Arsenal get past PSV, they will play the winners of Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid.

SEE THE FULL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND OF 16 DRAW HERE.

Reuters

EUROPA LEAGUE

• AZ Alkmaar v Tottenham
• Real Sociedad v Manchester United

Like their North London rivals, Spurs have been drawn against Dutch opposition.

AZ lost to Ange Postecoglou’s side in North London in late October and ultimately finished 19th in the league phase.

The Red Devils’ goal-shy opponents are currently 11th in La Liga having lost four of their last five league games.

At the risk of getting far too ahead of the game, Spurs and Man United wouldn’t meet until the final…

SEE THE FULL EUROPA LEAGUE ROUND OF 16 DRAWS HERE.

CONFERENCE LEAGUE

• Chelsea v Copenhagen

SEE THE FULL CONFERENCE LEAGUE ROUND OF 16 DRAW HERE.

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Chelsea are favourites to win the Conference League[/caption]

All the last 16 first legs will take place in Gameweek 26 with the second legs to follow in Gameweek 27.

Consequently, Aston Villa and Man United will be the only teams to fulfil two fixtures in Gameweek 26; the Villains will also host Cardiff in the FA Cup fifth round while the Red Devils will welcome Fulham to Old Trafford in the same competition.

All six clubs will then double up in Gameweek 27 as the second legs of the European ties will follow a full round of league fixtures.

GAMEWEEK 27 DOUBLE HEADERS

• LIVERPOOL vs Southampton & PSG
• ARSENAL vs Manchester United & PSV
• ASTON VILLA vs Brentford & Club Brugge
• TOTTENHAM vs Bournemouth & AZ Alkmaar
• MANCHESTER UNITED vs Arsenal & Real Sociedad
• CHELSEA vs Leicester & Copenhagen

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Palmer is now available for selection in Europe[/caption]

It’s worth noting that Cole Palmer has been added to the Blues’ Conference League squad for the knockout phase.

The England international wasn’t included in Enzo Maresca’s squad for the league phase of the competition with the Italian tactician citing “load management” but it seems Dream Team’s leading midfielder will have a part to play on Thursday nights going forward.

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IN the coming days councils across Scotland are expected to vote for hefty rises in council tax.

Some of the larger authorities, like Glasgow and Edinburgh, have announced bumper double figure hikes already with others due to follow suit.

But why are Scots being hammered with the increases and what does it mean for services?

Today Professor Mairi Spowage, from Strathclyde University’s Fraser of Allander Institute, explains why councils are still struggling despite the planned hike – and why the tax must be reformed.

• Check our map to see how your council tax could rise

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IN the news in recent days have been announcements by councils all over Scotland of council tax rises for the coming financial year.

Some councils, including East Lothian and the Scottish Borders, have confirmed double digit 10 per cent rises, with more expected to follow suit in the coming days.

Far from being additional investment that the councils can use to bolster or improve existing services, many councils are putting these increases in place to ensure that existing services can survive.

Indeed, in many areas it may well be that citizens see their services scaled back as bills go up, due to the increased costs of delivering services and the extra demand on statutory services like social care.

The Scottish Government, for its part, has said that local government has been given a record amount of funding for 2025-26 in the most recent budget. Specifically, the Finance Secretary said that, in the light of this, there should be no need for local government to implement large increases in council tax.

Let’s leave aside the reaction from the Scottish Government if the UK Government was to say something similar about the taxes within the control of the Scottish Parliament – council tax is a local tax and the level is for councils to set out.

The Scottish Government has put in place council tax freezes for 11 of the last 15 years by making a pot of money available to councils conditional on them agreeing to freeze the tax.

The Scottish Government claims that this covers the cost of the freeze, but it is not only the annual increase that councils have missed out on, it is also the compounded effect of the freeze over time.

Some key figures tell the story of what has happened to council tax and local government funding in recent years.

Several years of Council Tax freezes have eroded the value of the council tax collected by local authorities. The average amount of council tax per household was £980 in 2007-08; if this had simply increased by the rate of inflation since then, it would have been £1,494 per year by 2024-25, compared to the actual figure of £1,310, some 14 per cent lower. So the purchasing power of this tax has fallen over the years.

Given that council tax has been roughly 20 per cent of local government budgets for the last decade, this underlines the reduction of purchasing power in the local government budget overall.

The priority of local government in the Scottish Budget has also changed, although we should recognise that this has happened at the same time that the powers of the Scottish Government has changed.

In 2015-16, local government made up 29 per cent of the Scottish budget, compared to 24 per cent by 2023-24.

Given the additional responsibilities being given to local government (including ring-fencing of funding for e.g. early years provision), and increasing demand for their services in the face of this reduced purchasing power, it seems inevitable – despite (as described by COSLA) a “better” funding settlement from the Scottish Government this year – that councils would be seeking to increase the revenue they are raising from council tax.

The Accounts Commission recently set out the dire state of local authority finances, with many breaking even in the most recent year by dipping into reserves. This situation was unlikely to be sustainable.

The focus today and for the next few weeks will be on the rises imposed by individual councils and everyone waiting for the new council tax bills to hit their doormat.

But, as we discuss council tax, let’s not forget about the outdated nature of the tax calculations and how it must be reformed to make it more fair.

Whichever rates and bands are used for such a tax, it is completely unacceptable that more than half of households are in the wrong band due to the outdated valuations that are used (from 1991).

We would and should not accept that we were paying the wrong amount of income tax because the government had our wages wrong.

Perhaps the tax increasing in amount will also spur politicians into action to actually revalue the taxbase and ensure people are paying the correct amounts.

Sure – there will be winners and losers – but let’s remember as many people will be paying too much tax as too little.

AN army of nudists is set to descend on a remote Scottish train station from an iconic film.

Corrour in the Scottish Highlands found fame after it was featured in a famous scene in hit movie Trainspotting.

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Corrour in the Highlands found fame after it was featured in Trainspotting[/caption]

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The event will see 20 nudists stay in a hostel and wander around naked[/caption]

It’s the most remote rail station in Britain and can only be reached by train or by foot or cycle.

Now the isolated location is to play host to a “Scottish Highland Adventure” organised by British Naturism – the UK’s largest organisation of its kind.

The event will see around 20 nudists stay in a hostel and wander around completely naked at the start of June, reports Mail Online.

The organisation said: “During the weekend we will have exclusive use of the Loch Ossian hostel in the central Highlands, providing direct access to the hills and lower-level tracks for naturist walking. The area is also full of lochs and rivers for skinny dipping.

“The remote location of the hostel means that we can be naked throughout the building and the grounds. It also has direct access to Loch Ossian for swimming and we will be able to walk there naked direct from the hostel.”

Bunk bed berths for the event have already sold out, while visitors also have the option to wild camp.

Situated on the West Highland Railway and built in the 19th Century, Corrour is located near Loch Ossian at the edge of Rannoch Moor.

The station was originally built as a stopping point however passenger numbers increased as grouse season arrived.

And the spot became famous after Ewan McGregor declared “It’s s***e being Scottish” in the 1996 flick Trainspotting.

The restaurant has three B&B rooms available to stay in which were opened in 2016.

It’s not a criminal offence to strip off in public, but all that changes if your actions alarm or distress those around you.

Police Scotland guidance states cops should take no action when individuals are naked in public and there is “no clear sexual motive or behaviour and no disorderly conduct, harassment or other offences”.

If this is found to be the case, you could be charged with breach of the peace.

Last year, we told how prude locals called in cops to try and stop a nude swim at a remote beach.