Blogs

PHILIPPE CLEMENT’S time as Rangers manager is coming to an end.

Attention will now very quickly turn to exactly who could replace him at Ibrox.

The Sun

Steven Gerrard led Rangers to the title in 2021[/caption]

Getty

He’s out of work after leaving Al-Ettifaq[/caption]

Getty

Russell Martin is also in the frame[/caption]

SunSport were first to exclusively reveal that Clement is to be SACKED by Rangers.

Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren has proved the final straw for Ibrox chiefs.

The 50-year old Belgian has been under severe pressure for some time and official confirmation from the club is expected that the club have pulled the trigger.

Clement‘s spell at Ibrox started off well with a League Cup triumph a matter of weeks into his reign.

But an unexpected title challenge ended up collapsing towards the end of last season and this time around, the Gers have never been in the hunt.

The Gers trail Celtic by 13 points in the league, have already lost the League Cup Final and were dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Queen’s Park in humiliating fashion.

That defeat to the Buddies on Saturday will signal the end of Clement’s tenure.

There is of course plenty going on at Ibrox with the dramatic takeover talks between 49ers Enterprises – the financial arm of the San Francisco 49ers – and current Gers chiefs ongoing.

A stunning US takeover the Ibrox club looks set to go through in the coming months.

So a decision on who will be Clement’s long term replacement as Rangers manager will likely wait but as you can imagine, interest will be huge.

The early favourite for the role is Steven Gerrard.

It would be a sensational return to Ibrox for the 44-year old who is currently out of work after leaving Saudi club Al-Ettifaq.

Gerrard was of course in charge of Rangers between 2018 and 2021 and led the club to a first league title in a decade.

Just a few months after leading the Light Blues to the championship, Gerrard left to take over at Aston Villa.

He was sacked after less than a year in charge before making the move to Saudi Arabia in 2023, with that spell coming to an end earlier this year.

Betting experts OLBG have revealed Gerrard is the current FAVOURITE to take the helm and make a stunning return to Scottish football.

The former Liverpool and England captain is priced at 4/1.

Just behind him, it’s two former Rangers PLAYERS who are also in the frame.

Russell Martin is out of work after being sacked by Southampton.

The former Scotland international had a brief loan spell at Rangers in 2018 and is priced at 5/1 to make a return to the club as manager.

Just behind him at 6/1 is Kevin Muscat, the man who Clement beat to the job towards the end of 2023.

Muscat is currently in China with Shanghai Port.

Two former English Premier League bosses are next in the list, with Gary O’Neil (6/1) and Steve Cooper (8/1) rounding-off the top five.

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

SEVEN years after hanging up his headphones for the final time on Radio 1’s Breakfast Show, Nick Grimshaw is ready to wake up the nation again.

Today he kicks off his brand-new show on 6 Music after taking over the role from his good pal Lauren Laverne — and despite having to set his alarm for 5.45am, Nick assures me the new full-time slot is a breeze compared with his hedonistic days in the studio next door.

Supplied

Getty

Nick will have celeb guests like Elton John on the show[/caption]

“Radio 1 Breakfast was so high-octane, I’d always feel ­knackered when I left,” Nick tells me across the desk in his new home at Broadcasting House.

“I wouldn’t want to speak to anyone else for the rest of the day.”

But he adds: “6 Music is a softer place to land. It’s a different pace. We’re starting the new show at 7am. At Radio 1 it was 6.30am so this feels leisurely.

“Plus, I see those freaks on Instagram who are like, ‘Start your day at 5am!’

“I feel like starting my day at 5.45am isn’t that bad — and I am totally wrapped up by 10am.”

Nick then breaks off politely as he picks up the phone to his mum Eileen, his legendary sidekick who fans often see on Instagram.

“I’m just sorting her an Uber,” Nick says. “Her phone is so old the app does not work.

“And she only wants a driver with five stars.”

With Mother Grimshaw safely in her taxi, we continue our chat and Nick tells me how 6 Music — where he has taken over since Lauren underwent treatment for cancer — has always been a favourite of his.

He says: “I first did 6 at ­Glastonbury with Beth Ditto who was brilliant but unruly, shall we say.

“I never thought they’d ask me back after that but when Lauren was ill they asked if I could cover.

Celebrity guests

“Now Lauren has a new slot at the station and I am on ­Breakfast.

“I’ve always listened to 6 Music — I love it and it feels like home. Beth is with me too.

“I want her as sort of an agony aunt for the show.”

And Nick asks: “Is there a problem you’d like Beth to solve,                                                Ellie?” Racking my brain, I tell Nick I’m looking to rescue a dog.

“The BBC used to let you bring them in and now they don’t,” Nick says, before adding, with a cheeky glint flashing in his eye: “Sara Cox’s dog chewed through a wire.”

During his time at 6 Music, Nick has already clocked up a load of top celebrity guests on his show including Keira Knightley, Jesse Eisenberg and Eddie Redmayne.

And there are plenty more to come, including Sir Elton John — who Nick joined at his home in Windsor last year with rising Scots star Jacob Alon.

“I had an existential crisis when I was in Elton’s house,” Nick recalls.

“When you interview him, it’s like if you interviewed Madonna in a conical bra.

“He wore the suit and he has the hair and the glasses.

“I was listening to him talking to Jacob about the music he loves, like Kneecap and Fontaines DC, and in my head I was like, ‘Wow, I am in your house’. I started to freak out a little bit.”

As he launches his new show today, Nick has plenty more big-name celebs booked in to shoot the breeze with.

“We’ve got a mix of new artists and ­legends,” he says.

“ShyGirl is coming on, Paul Simonon from The Clash and Goldie.

“Goldie is really into yoga and he’s trying to make me go with him.
“I’d be so zen after that.”

I reckon a daily downward dog would certainly make that 5.45am alarm even more of a breeze, Nick.

Getty

New show guest Goldie[/caption]

A saving Grace

THEY have defied the odds as a band by staying together for over a decade, which is not a milestone many pop acts reach.

But Clean Bandit have admitted they did once have a screaming match, although it’s thankfully one of very few ­disagreements they’ve had.

PA

Grace Chatto fronts band Clean Bandit[/caption]

Grace Chatto, who fronts the group with bandmate brothers Luke and Jack ­Patterson, told me: “There was one between me and Luke when we were in America backstage. I think it was when we were promoting ­Symphony with Zara Larsson.

“We ended up screaming at each other in front of everybody, which was quite extreme.

“But if we do have any ­fallings out, we make up quite quickly. And we’ve been together so long it feels like we have got such a strong trust that nothing can really go too wrong. Often it’s me and Jack who ­disagree on things – then Luke has to be the peacekeeper. But as brothers, they are actually just very solid.”

The trio will be back on stage this Friday for a one-off headline concert at the ­London Palladium as part of the charity gig series Brits Week For War Child, where they will be joined by guests including Jess Glynne and Wes Nelson.

Grace teased: “We’re playing a lot of unreleased songs because we thought that, in the intimate setting, it would be really cool to play new stuff that isn’t even finished, to gauge which ones feel right.

And we just finished our new single yesterday.

“It’s with Tiesto and Leony, who’s an amazing singer we met up with in Berlin and made the track there.”

K-Pop hopefuls go with the Flo

GONE are the days of competing girl groups, as British trio Flo are busy helping to launch the career of a ­fledgling act in South Korea.

I’ve learned the girls – Jorja Douglas, Stella ­Quaresma and Renee Downer– have written a debut single called The Chase for K-pop’s newest act Hearts2Hearts.

Supplied

British trio Flo are busy helping to launch the career of a ­fledgling act in South Korea[/caption]

It is out today and has been described as a dreamy yet mysterious introduction to the eight- member Asian group.

Despite this being their first tune, they have already been announced to play at SMTOWN Live in London at Twickenham Stadium on June 28, alongside a load of other K-pop acts.

Meanwhile Flo are gearing up for their ­European tour, including shows in Glasgow, ­Manchester, Birmingham and London, which kicks off next month.

Glynne and tonic for Alex

ALEX SCOTT and Jess Glynne looked loved up as they attended a London Fashion Week show.

The couple, who have been dating since 2023 and are no strangers to attending a glitzy event together, held hands as they smiled for cameras outside the venue.

Getty

Jess Glynne and Alex Scott were pictured at a London Fashion Week show[/caption]

Ex-Lioness Alex and singer Jess were joined by Ella Eyre at Abbey Road Studios for the showcase from menswear brand Labrum.

‘Boozey blow for the Brits

HIS viral hit A Bar Song (Tipsy) was up for best International Song at Saturday’s Brit Awards.

But if Shaboozey wins the gong he won’t be there to pick it up in person, after he was forced to pull out of appearing.

The US star, who was also due to perform, shocked fans last night with a sudden statement on Instagram.

Shaboozey said: “For reasons beyond my control I sadly won’t be making my planned appearance at the Brit Awards. I want to say good luck to all the nominees and the performers on the night.”

Shaboozey was one of the first acts to be announced in January as a performer at the ceremony at London’s O2 Arena, and we were excited to see him live.

Whatever the reason, he won’t have taken the decision lightly and we wish him all the best.

MO SALAH’s record-breaking season continued in style as Liverpool saw off Manchester City at the Etihad.

The Egyptian forward, 32, scored and assisted as the Reds ran out comfortable 2-0 winners in the Premier League champions’ backyard.

PA

Mo Salah broke another six remarkable records on Sunday afternoon[/caption]

Getty

The Liverpool superstar notched another goal and assist as the Reds beat Man City[/caption]

Getty

Salah has now contributed more than 50 goals and assists combined this season[/caption]

Salah has now racked up an incredible 51 combined goals and assists this season across all competitions.

He has now reached 25 goals and 16 assists in the Premier League alone – with 11 top-flight games still to go.

The remarkable season comes as the 32-year-old’s contract future at Anfield remains uncertain.

But fans were left in awe as he put in a world-class performance to shatter SIX more records in a single evening.

Salah swept in Liverpool’s opener at Eastlands, finding the top corner as City’s defenders gave him far too much space from an early set-piece.

He later laid on the second goal for Dominik Szoboszlai, cutting in from the left before the Hungarian lashed past Ederson.

Salah’s goal and assist make him the first player in Premier League history to register over 40 goal involvements in TWO different seasons, per Squawka.

He is also the first player in Europe’s top five leagues to be directly involved in 50 goals across all competitions this season.

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

Salah has now scored AND assisted in 11 different Premier League games this season.

That’s the most since a certain Lionel Messi achieved the same feat for Barcelona in 2014/15.

Former England midfielder Steve McManaman had long held the assist record at Anfield, grabbing 15 in the 1995/96 season.

But Salah has now taken that record as well, with his 16 assists this season more than any other Liverpool player ever in Premier League history.

And Salah’s record-breaking day didn’t end there.

His goal and assist made him the first player in Premier League history to score AND assist in both games against the reigning champions in a single season.

To top things off, Salah is now the first player to score over 25 goals and register more than 15 assists in a single Prem season. 

He is also closing in on Messi’s all-time greatest LaLiga season, which saw the Argentine rack up 61 combined goals and assists, per StatMuse.

Liverpool fans were also keen to compare Salah’s heroics with Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the same age.

Aged 32 in 2019/20, Messi made 58 goal contributions during his time at Barcelona.

Ronaldo was at Real Madrid in 2017/18 when the same age, securing 52 goals and assists.

Salah has 51 contributions as of February 23 – and still has at least 14 games left to go.

Notre Dame football tailback Jadarian Price is revealing he has a very unique NIL deal. Price is working with jeweler to the stars Johnny Dang on a jewelry item that will help his NIL profits, per TMZ Sports. Their partnership in diamonds is a new, unique approach to the name, image and likeness craze. Price […]

The post Notre Dame football star reveals sick NIL deal with celebrity jeweler appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The schedule in SEC basketball this season is a grind week in and week out, and Texas A&M basketball is going through a low point over the last week. On Saturday, The No. 7-ranked Aggies lost to No. 6 Tennessee 77-69 in front of their home fans in College Station. Texas A&M will certainly be […]

The post Why Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams was ‘thankful’ despite loss to Tennessee appeared first on ClutchPoints.

With recurring injury issues rearing its ugly head, almost nothing went right for the Miami Dolphins in 2024. Following an 8-9 season that ended in the regular season, the Dolphins enter free agency in the 2025 NFL offseason with a lot of roster issues to address. The Dolphins enter free agency with one of the […]

The post 3 sneaky good NFL free agents Dolphins need to sign appeared first on ClutchPoints.

In a recent interview, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Lu Dort didn’t hold back while discussing his 2024-25 regular-season goal to win Defensive Player of the Year. While the Thunder are relatively healthy to finish the campaign, their longest-tenured player revealed his personal goal between now and the end of the postseason. As a team leader, […]

The post Thunder guard Lu Dort’s strong take on DPOY pursuit appeared first on ClutchPoints.

EDDIE HEARN paid tribute to Martin Bakole’s bravery but believes he should not have fought Joseph Parker.

The heavyweight stepped in at short notice after Daniel Dubois was ruled out days before the fight with sickness.

Getty

Eddie Hearn questioned Martin Bakole’s decision to take on the fight[/caption]

Getty

Bakole was KO’d by Joseph Parker in the second round[/caption]

Bakole travelled from the Congo and only arrived in Riyadh in the early hours on the day of the bout.

He weighed in considerably higher than his usual fight weight and looked rusty before being knocked out in the second round by a big Parker right hand.

Hearn questioned his decision to fight and suggested a member of his team should have intervened to prevent it from going ahead.

He told The Stomping Ground: “I don’t think the fight should have happened, if I’m honest.

“I don’t think anybody did anything wrong.

“But when you’re representing Martin Bakole, you’ve got to ask yourself [if it was the right decision]. For a long time, he struggled to get opportunities.

“Now he’s found his way in Riyadh Season. He’s developing a name, a brand. He’s got an IBF final eliminator to become the mandatory to Daniel Dubois against Efe Ajagba.

“Obviously, there’s more money tonight, but he did it [on a day’s notice]. He took two flights, indirect, across Africa and landed [in the] morning [before the fight].

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

“I think sometimes, you just need to take a step back and think about what you are doing. [He] probably [does not] know what day of the week it is. I think it was a bad decision.

“Respect to the bravery, but sometimes, you’ve got to be a bit smarter than that. You need people around you to say absolutely not. I couldn’t be happier for Joe.”

JURGEN KLOPP described his never-say-die Liverpool team as mentality monsters.

So what are Arsenal under Mikel Arteta?

On the back of this latest title collapse, they are English football’s mentality muppets.

Saturday’s abject display at the Emirates was surely confirmation the club’s wait for a title, which now stands at 21 years, will continue.

It is Arsenal’s longest gap for a title post-war and you have to wonder if Arteta is actually capable of getting them over the line.

This was their first Premier League defeat in 16 matches and only the third of the season.

But this was an absolute must-win and Arsenal bottled it just when they needed to show some b******s.

You can see why Arteta was so angry afterwards.

Conspiracy theorists — and there are certainly a few of them about — will complain about Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card, their fifth of the season, with the team dropping ten points in those games.

Incredibly, this was the 20th sending-off in the top flight under Arteta, so it is absurd to blame the officials for all of them.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

Arsenal have had some bad decisions go against them this term and Lewis-Skelly’s foul on Mohammed Kudus was on the halfway line.

But it was still a red card.  Arteta has spent over £600million, so he has been backed heavily by the club.

The decision not to sign a No 9 in the summer — or in January — was obviously ludicrous.

It would have helped. But looking at this current team, you have to wonder whether that will have solved all their problems because there are just so many flaky  players in this squad.

Due to the spectacular fall of Manchester City, this season was a great opportunity for Arteta.

You can see why some of the club’s fans are now having major reservations over their manager.

He will be given even more cash next summer.

But if Arsenal find themselves in a similar situation in 12 months’ time, then the club may consider a change – even though it would break  hearts.

Arteta has been hit badly by injuries this season which is why the team have gone backwards.

And maybe they can still deliver something magical in the Champions League.

Yet Liverpool suffered unbelievably bad luck last term with  injuries and, while they fell away in the league, Klopp’s team somehow managed to win the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea — even though they ended the game with a bunch of teenagers.

Arsenal’s approach to the West Ham game was completely wrong. There was a lack of belief, desire and intensity, as well as quality.

Equally, the visitors defended superbly and new boss Graham Potter seems a perfect fit.

Over the last couple of seasons, the atmosphere at the Emirates has been superb, the best since the move to the stadium in 2006.

Yet there was no buzz before or during this game. And it seemed as though the supporters were resigned to their team’s fate.

Mikel Merino was the two-goal hero against Leicester a week earlier in his first ever-game as a central striker.

You can see why Arteta started him in this position owing to the lack of options but the Spaniard looked lost up front.

The defending for the opening goal from Jarrod Bowen before half-time was embarrassing, with Riccardo Calafiori deciding not to bother to stop a cross from Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Calafiori, a £42m summer buy from Bologna, is still adjusting to the Prem but this display was just not good enough.

Arteta’s decision to relegate Lewis-Skelly to the bench was curious, particularly as he was also substituted at Leicester just minutes after he delivered a stunning goal-saving intervention.

The one positive was the sight of defender Ben White returning to action after three months out.

Now Arteta must lift his team for Wednesday’s tricky trip to Nottingham Forest.

And at the very least, Arsenal’s players need to start showing that they actually care.

JUDD TRUMP has returned to the table in China as he eyes World Open glory.

The World No1 is the defending champion and is eyeing a three-peat this year, having won the event in 2019 and 2024, the last two stages of the tournament.

Taka G Wu/Alamy Live News

But Trump will face some fierce competition from some of the biggest names in the sport, with the likes of Kyren Wilson and Shaun Murphy in action.

SunSport has the guide on everything you need to know ahead of World Open snooker 2025.

When is the World Open snooker 2025?

• The tournament will take place between Sunday, February 23 and Saturday, March 1.
• The World Open will take place in Yushan, China.

Is Ronnie O’Sullivan playing at World Open snooker 2025?

Ronnie O’Sullivan will not be playing in the World Open this year.

Rocket was due to play Stuart Carrington in his tournament opener before he withdrew from the event on medical grounds.

The seven-time world champion has pulled out of numerous tournaments this season, but it is expected that O’Sullivan will return to snooker at the World Grand Prix in March.

World Open snooker 2025 format

The tournament will consist of a top half and a bottom half, with the winner of either half facing off in the final on Saturday, March 1.

The order of rounds is:

• Round of 64
• Round of 32
• Round of 16
• Quarter-finals
• Semi-finals
• Final

The last 64, last 32, last 16 and quarter-finals will be best of nine frames.

The semi-final is best of 11 frames, and the final is best of 19 frames, played over two sessions.

How to watch World Open snooker 2025

• The World Open is broadcast live on Eurosport 1 and TNT Sports 3.
• From Thursday, February 28, Eurosport channels close down meaning TNT Sports 3 will be the only TV channel broadcasting the World Open.
• TNT Sports customers can live stream the tournament via the discovery+ app/website.

World Open snooker 2025 schedule and results

Sunday, February 23
All times GMT
From 1.30am
Elliot Slessor 5-2 Lyu Haotian
Sanderson Lam 1-5 Zhou Jinhao
David Lilley 5-4 Cao Jin
Scott Donaldson 5-0 Wang Yuhang
Zhang Anda 3-5 Stan Moody
Xu Si 5-3 Zou Pengfei
Kyren Wilson 5-2 Hammad Miah

From 6am
Mark Selby 2-5 Liu Hongyu
Jimmy Robertson 5-3 Noppon Saengkham
Aaron Hill 5-3 Sunny Akani
Mark Davis 1-5 John Higgins
Daniel Womersley 2-5 Stuart Carrington

From 11.30am
Antoni Kowalski 5-3 Matthew Stevens
Michael Holt 5-3 Martin O’Donnell
Wu Yize 5-4 Jackson Page
Ali Carter 5-3 He Guoqiang
M Phetmalaikul 1-5 Zhou Yuelong
Judd Trump 5-0 Xing Zihao
Ding Junhui 5-1 Jiang Jun

Monday, February 24

From 1.30am
Zhou Jinhao vs Shaun Murphy
Mark Allen vs David Lilley
Jack Lisowski vs Scott Donaldson
Zak Surety vs Jordan Brown

From 6am
Ben Woollaston vs Amir Sarkosh
Jamie Jones vs Barry Hawkins
Louis Heathcote vs Stuart Carrington
Xiao Guodong vs Duane Jones
Pang Junxu vs Anthony McGill
Zhang/Moody vs Graeme Dott
Lei Peifan vs Kyren Wilson

From 11.30am
Judd Trump vs Long Zehuang
Alfie Burden vs Joe O’Connor
Yuan Sijun vs Hossein Vafaei
Joe Perry vs Ding Junhui
Ishpreet Singh Chadha vs Tom Ford
Daniel Wells vs Gary Wilson
Robert Milkins vs Xu Si

Wednesday, February 26 – Last-16

Thursday, February 27 – Quarter-finals

Friday, February 28 – Semi-finals

Saturday, March 1 – Final