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Glasgow Rangers fans love a video shared on the club’s Twitter page as they urge fans to renew their season tickets ahead of the new campaign.

This season has been a wonderful one for the Gers so far. They have already sewn up the Scottish Premiership title – they lead the table by 20 points (BBC) – and are just three matches away from going the whole league term unbeaten. Not only that, they are also into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals after knocking out Celtic in the previous round, meaning they are in with a chance of a domestic double.

Unfortunately, supporters have been unable to attend matches throughout the term due to the coronavirus pandemic – however, that didn’t stop the club selling out their season tickets (via The Daily Record). To convince fans to do the same ahead of the new season, the club released a rather emotional video.

It was shared on their official Twitter account, and it delighted the fans. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the Rangers fans had to say below

“Ooh Mr. Rangers. That is filthy.”

Credit: @Richard56830486

“Wow!! Talk about tugging on your heart strings!!!”

Credit: @ECMcElhatton

“Goosebumps watching that”

Credit: @papatam57

“Mr @RangersFC, that put a massive lump in my throat! Love this club!”

Credit: @EnsomVargr

“This is absolutely brilliant, well done to all involved”

Credit: @charliearchibal

“Oh hwg 10 in a row”

Credit: @sagahansenOF

In other news, Rangers fans react to this man’s comments.

As Liverpool bow out of the Champions League following a 0-0 draw at home to Real Madrid at Anfield, many Reds supporters weren’t impressed with the performance of Diogo Jota after he was brought on with half an hour remaining.

Jota wasn’t selected to start against the Galacticos on Merseyside despite his fine recent run of three goals in his last three Premier League outings (Transfermarkt), but he still failed to make the desired impact after replacing Ozan Kabak on the hour mark.

Liverpool spurned glorious first half chances to spark some sort of fight back after losing the first leg 3-1 and Jota was introduced by manager Jurgen Klopp to help turn the tide.

Alas, Jota instead lost possession 13 times whilst winning just 2/7 ground duels against Real – all while completing just one third of his dribble attempts on the night (SofaScore).

He was also one of the lowest rated Reds stars with a SofaScore ranking of 6.5, below the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum and Mohamed Salah, perhaps highlighting why supporters weren’t impressed with his cameo.

Some fans even called his display ‘atrocious’ and ‘shocking’ – find all of their verdicts down below.

Liverpool fans slam Jota

“Jota is playing worse than Mane”

Credit: @archielfc

“Jota been awful in CL knockout”

Credit: @lfcbradd

“Jota has been dreadful since coming on”

Credit: @MaccaLFC_

“Jota was awful when he came on. Same pointless crosses into the box”

Credit: @chinnyrekhon

“Jota/Thiago disasterclass off the bench”

Credit: @albaaaaaaaaaaah

“Phillips was immense. Salah, Mane and Jota were shocking. Far too many chances wasted.”

Credit: @a1e594a0de24474

“Jota’s been beyond atrocious.”

Credit: @ViktorFagerLFC

“Jota been awful since he has been on too. They are all dire.”

Credit: @AndyMc555

In other news: Premier League rival eyeing this ‘outstanding’ Reds ace, find out more here.

The legendary striker is finally in charge of a club going places and now is the time to prove he is a great coach and not just a big name

Some of the best coaches, both from the past and present, were brilliant footballers in their day. Take Johan Cruyff, Pep Guardiola, Diego Simeone, Didier Deschamps, Carlo Ancelotti or Zinedine Zidane. Yet from Diego Maradona and John Barnes through to Thierry Henry, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard or Andrea Pirlo, there is also a wealth of evidence to show that top footballers do not always make top coaches.

Owners and directors, however, continue to trust former greats with masterminding their teams despite having scarce or unconvincing track records in the dugout. Birmingham City are the latest club to put their eggs in the basket of one of the best players of the modern era after hiring Wayne Rooney.

Rooney's predecessor, John Eustace, had made a strong start to the season and taken the Blues to sixth position in the Championship, with realistic hopes of qualifying for the play-offs. In his last two outings as manager, he had overseen big wins over Huddersfield Town and local rivals West Brom.

Eustace's reward was to be booted out of his job and replaced by Rooney, whose D.C. United had just finished ninth in their MLS Eastern Conference and failed to make the play-offs. His two-year stint in charge of Derby County, meanwhile, ultimately ended in relegation, albeit in very challenging circumstances.

Rooney's appointment will undoubtedly further raise the global profile of Birmingham, whose new American owners, which include NFL legend Tom Brady, have huge ambitions. But hiring him is also a huge gamble. Rooney has so far built his coaching reputation on fighting fires and damage limitation. Now his task is to lead Birmingham back to the Premier League for the first time in 13 years. Falling below the sixth place Eustace had achieved and missing out on the play-offs would be seen as a huge failure.

So how good a coach is Rooney and is he likely to fall into the category of Cruyff and Zidane, or Henry and Lampard?

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  Leading Derby to safety… just

  Rooney cut his coaching teeth with Derby, first as a part-time player, part-time assistant coach to Philippe Cocu, and then as permanent manager after the Dutchman was sacked.

  The Rams were bottom of the Championship when Rooney made the transition, having taken six points from 11 matches. Under Rooney, who was interim boss for two weeks before taking the role permanently, they picked up 40 points from 35 games and ended the campaign one place and one point above the relegation zone.

  It was not exactly a great escape, however. Derby lost six of their final seven matches and only achieved survival on the final day of the season after the most frantic of finishes. They snatched a 3-3 draw against fellow relegation contenders Sheffield Wednesday with a late equaliser from the penalty spot, sending the Owls down instead.

  They also had to rely on Cardiff City equalising in the 88th minute against Rotherham United, who would otherwise have stayed up and relegated Derby.

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  Relegated but with pride intact

  Derby could not avoid relegation in Rooney's second campaign in charge, but this was the season when his reputation as manager grew. The club's long-running financial issues condemned the Rams before the season had begun as they were placed in administration and unable to make any transfers.

  Matters only got worse when they were hit with a 12-point penalty in September and then had an additional nine points docked in November for breaching the league's accounting rules. The punishments only made Derby more defiant, and Rooney was credited for leading a brilliant run of five wins and three draws in 10 matches to give them a semblance of hope of avoiding relegation.

  Derby's form led to Everton approaching Rooney when they sacked Rafael Benitez, but he turned down an interview to focus on trying to keep the Rams up. That hope eventually faded and Derby were relegated in April, eventually finishing second from bottom. If it had not been for the points deduction, they would have finished 17th, taking 55 points.

  Rooney was given a great reception by supporters following a rousing speech to outside the club's training ground after being relegated. "We're grateful for the support you've shown us all season. It's been f*cking tough, been hard. Difficult moments for us, for you especially", Rooney said. "But we've tried our best, we've given everything we can. It's unfortunate we've been relegated but now we'll plan to make sure this club comes back."

  Rooney did not keep his promise, though, as he left Derby in June 2022 after the planned takeover by Chris Kirchner fell through.

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  Developing back with D.C.

  Just a month after leaving Derby, Rooney went back to D.C. United, the penultimate club of his playing career. As with Derby, he inherited a club in a mess. D.C. United were bottom of the Eastern Conference when he succeeded Hernan Losada, and in 15 months he oversaw a big improvement.

  But it was ultimately not enough and D.C. failed to make the play-offs in Rooney's first and only full season in charge, finishing ninth in the 15-team Eastern Conference. They lost 14 of their 34 matches while winning just 10.

  Rooney was happy to admit that he saw his time in D.C. as another step in his coaching education. "Coming out here has just really been about gaining experience and for me to try and develop as a coach," Rooney told in July.

  “I know I am not where I want to be as a finished article, but these next few years are really important in terms of me getting to grips and getting the best out of myself and eventually out of the players. But it is something I really enjoy. It’s a great experience for me to come here and work and I think it will really help me moving forward.”

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  Attentive and soothing presence

  One problem that some world-class footballers have when they turn to coaching is a lack of empathy with players not quite at their level. That does not appear to be the case, however, with Rooney, who has developed close relationships with his players.

  “He makes you think about things that you have never thought about the game," former D.C. United midfielder Lewis O'Brien told . "You watch videos and he’ll stop it and his assistant coaches would stop and ask ‘Where should you play it now?’. I would give my answer and then Wayne would go ‘No, you should have played this pass five seconds ago because that guy is running that way and his footwork is out’.

  “I didn’t think of anything like that. There are just sides of the game that players don’t see and to have a coach like Wayne and the backroom staff, who have been with him for a while, to understand those little things is strange. I’ve tried to take the most out of this situation as possible.”

  Derby striker Martyn Waghorn, meanwhile, said Rooney always looked to lift the spirits of the younger players and was a soothing presence on the sidelines. "He could sense there was anxiousness and just tried to calm it down as much as he can, saying don't worry, it'll be fine I believe in you," Waghorn told . "He's got that winning mentality, but in terms of relaying it across to the players, he's very relaxed. He brings a lot of calm in pressure situatons. A really good presence to have in the side."

Mario Balotelli says new recruits at AC Milan, such as Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah, need to do more to support the efforts of Rafael Leao.

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• Portuguese forward starring for Rossoneri
• Needs more support from those around him
• Enigmatic Italian planning future Saudi switch

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Rossoneri, who savoured Serie A title glory in 2021-22, have become heavily reliant on their talismanic Portuguese forward. Efforts have been made to bring in creativity and firepower alongside him – with USMNT stars Pulisic and Musah acquired in the last transfer window – but big-money signings are still finding their feet.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ex-Milan striker Balotelli has told of the issues at San Siro: “I like [Stefano] Pioli, but if Leao isn’t good Milan do very little. If Leao has a bad day, it’s difficult for Milan to win.” Pulisic has registered two Serie A goals for Milan, while also being dropped in the Champions League, while fellow United States international Musah is being asked to fill an unfamiliar wing-back role.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Milan are considered to be alarmingly short in the striker department, with 36-year-old Olivier Giroud leading the way, and Balotelli has jokingly offered up his services having previously taken in two spells with the club. He added: “Here I am. Milan’s problem is that the young players you sign then have to deal with San Siro, which is not a stadium like any other, you need players with personality.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Enigmatic Italy international Balotelli is now 33 years of age himself and is currently back in Turkey with Adana Demirspor as his nomadic career continues. There will be at least one more adventure left him, with the ex-Liverpool and Inter frontman saying when asked if he could join the mass exodus of players leaving Europe for Saudi Arabia: “If the project works, I too will go in a few years.”

Ajax and Feyenoord saw their De Klassieker clash at the Johan Cruyff Arena suspended after supporters threw fireworks onto the pitch.

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• Arch-rivals lock horns
• Flurry of first-half goals
• Proceedings brought to a halt

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The game was suspended at one stage as missiles rained down from the stands, making it impossible for the match to continue due to the threat posed to player safety. It was decided to continue after a brief delay, but a second suspension was required as flares continued to land on the playing surface.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ajax were trailing 3-0 in a meeting with their fiercest rivals when proceedings were brought to a halt, with Santiago Gimenez bagging a brace before Igor Paixao also got in on the act before half-time. Supporters then took matters into their own hands in a bid to cause chaos.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ajax are likely to find themselves in trouble with the Dutch football authorities after failing to control the behaviour of those in the stands. Punishments will be handed out by the KNVB once it is determined how severe they should be. The Amsterdam giants will also see questions asked of how a group of hooligans were allowed to storm the stadium entrance – leading to tear gas going off and riot police being deployed.

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• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Ajax headed into derby day sat 13th in the Eredivisie table on the back of a disappointing start to the 2023-24 campaign – picking up just five points – while reigning champions Feyenoord are hot on the heels of PSV at the top of the division.

Naby Keita has again been linked with a summer move to Leicester City, with a host of other clubs also now interested in signing him.

The 26-year-old has been a disappointing signing for the Reds, having arrived with so much expected of him back in 2018, officially joining the year before.

While Keita has produced some good performances, and featured in some memorable Liverpool wins, it is still hard to deny that he has been underwhelming at Anfield.

Fresh report links Keita with Leicester move

The Guinean has recently been linked with a move away from the Reds, with Leicester emerging as a strong contenders to snap him up.

Now, Anfield Central claim that the Foxes are ‘excited by the thought’ of Keita moving to the King Power Stadium, such is his dynamic style of play.

Leicester aren’t alone in showing an interest, however, with Barcelona, Atalanta, Borussia Monchengladbach, Inter Milan, Sevilla and RB Leipzig all mentioned as potential suitors, too.

Transfer Tavern take

While Keita has been frustrating for Liverpool, especially in terms of injuries, it would be a risk to let him leave at this point in his career. This is a player that Virgil van Dijk has hailed as ‘incredible’ and ‘outstanding’, which speaks volumes.

At 26, his peak years could still be ahead of him and he has shown in the past that he can shine when his body allows him to, enjoying an 87.9 per cent pass completion rate in the Premier League this season – more than Jordan Henderson (87.3%) and James Milner (85.6%).

Keita still has two years remaining on his current deal, so if his struggles continue next season, a bigger decision could then be made about his future.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have bemoaned an update regarding two Reds players. Read more here.

USMNT star Folarin Balogun has named the players he takes inspiration from, with it no surprise to find Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe on that list.

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• American forward now at Monaco
• Impressed in France last season
• Has set himself a goal target

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 22-year-old striker is very much still at the learning stage of his career, with only one full season spent playing on a regular basis at senior level. That campaign did deliver 21 goals during a loan spell at Reims, and earned him a permanent transfer from Arsenal to Monaco, with a stint in Ligue 1 allowing Balogun to rub shoulders with superstars of the world game.

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  WHAT THEY SAID

  Balogun has told the podcast when asked to pick out those that he tries to take important lessons from: “There are loads of great players that I take inspiration from. I remember when I was on loan and we played against PSG and I had the opportunity to play against Messi, Neymar, Mbappe. For me personally, the player that stuck out the most in terms of when we were analysing them is Messi – and what he’s done in the game is undeniably. But also Mbappe, he’s somebody that I really look at and admire in terms of the way he has gone about his work and is so efficient and so effective at a young age.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Balogun is likely to line up against Mbappe again this season, with the World Cup winner still on the books at Paris Saint-German for now, and the United States international has explained why he returned to France when severing ties with Arsenal. He said: “I felt it was important to me to go to a side that is competing to win stuff. They are a really big team in the French league. At the same time I want to play games and improve, prove to myself and people around that I am capable of playing and being the main striker for a team. In the end when Monaco were interested, it was an easy decision for me. I told my agent this was the only place I wanted to go, and luckily for me he made it happen.”

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• Photos AS Monaco
  

  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Balogun has made just one appearance for Monaco so far, and is waiting to open his goal account for the club, but admits to setting lofty targets for 2023-24. He said when asked if he puts goals in place at the start of any given campaign: “Last year, I did have a goal total that I wanted. I went into the season with an aim. My aim was 10 goals, with that being my first professional season in a different country – I felt that was an appropriate goal to give myself at the time. Obviously I was able to do better than that. Going into this year, I have set myself a goal again. I think it’s a good way to keep you focused because not everyday is positive. There are some days when you need added motivation. I have set higher goals that will test me more.”

According to a report by football.london, Tottenham Hotspur are considering making a move for Lyon colossus Joachim Andersen along with other centre-back targets as the 24-year-old excels on loan at Fulham.

Daniel Levy is clearly keen to strengthen in the heart of defence after more rumours surfaced that Jose Mourinho is not keen on Davinson Sanchez.

Andersen, who has been a crucial player for the Cottagers in their battle to avoid Premier League relegation, has attracted big praise this season for his performances.

Tottenham and Levy eye Andersen move

Martin Keown, writing for the Daily Mail recently, even compared him to star Man City defender Ruben Dias – calling him Scott Parker’s equivalent of the Portuguese colossus.

Now, football.london report that Andersen is enticing interest from Spurs as a result of his consistent showings as Levy considers making a move for him this summer.

The 6 foot 4 centre-back is reportedly on his radar as the Lilywhites seek to sign a leader at the back for 2021/2022 – and it’s safe to say Andersen fits the bill.

Speaking to Optus Sports (via The Boot Room), pundit and former Scotland international Don Hutchison raved about the defender – hailing him as a ‘real leader’ whilst urging Liverpool to make a move.

He has also attracted praise from the English press, with Daily Mirror journalist John Cross calling Andersen ‘magnificent’ (Twitter).

Transfer Tavern take

However, while he appears to have the quality, Levy must first reach a practical agreement with alleged stern negotiator and Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas.

The Lilywhites chairman had to break the club’s transfer record to sign Tanguy Ndombele two years ago after talks with Aulas, and football.london say it will not be straight forward to get a deal done.

Time will tell whether Spurs can sign him in the summer, but the upcoming transfer window looks set to be an interesting one amid unprecedented circumstances caused by the global pandemic.

In other news: Tottenham are apparently ‘really trying’ to sign this £225,000-per-week star, find out more here.

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney found himself brought back down to earth after wife Kaitlin Olson brutally critiqued his golf swing.

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• Olsson offers brutal assessment of husband's tee shot
• McElhenney had impressed top golfers at Pro-Am
• Attention turns to huge FA Cup tie

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The star impressed professionals at the Farmers Insurance Open Pro-Am at San Diego's Torrey Pines course earlier this week with world number seven Max Homa leading the compliments. But it seems Olson is less of a fan, posting a hilarious and scathing analysis of her husband's tee-shot on social media.

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• WHAT KAITLIN OLSON SAID

  Offering a brutal analysis of her husband's swing on X, Olson posted: "Flat takeaway, no extension on the follow through, left knee bend reduced power and the hips didn't finish like we discussed. But other than that it’s beautiful."

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  THE GOSSIP

  McElhenney impressed some of the world's top players but ended the round exasperated at his own performance as the infamously frustrating game seemed to get the better of him after nine holes at the famed course on the Pacific coast.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ROB MCELHENNEY?

  Attention for the Wrexham co-owner turns back to football as the Red Dragons travel to Blackburn on Monday night for an FA Cup fourth-round tie backed by a travelling support of 7,000 fans, where they will be hoping for a place in the last 16 of the famous competition.

For years, the U.S. team has been crying out for a goalscorer. Now, after a long tug-of-war with England, they have one.

It's fun to remember that one of the great U.S. men's national team sagas of modern times truly began with four words: "Here to chase tail". From the moment those words were spotted in the background of Folarin Balogun's Instagram, and from the moment USMNT Twitter sleuths pinpointed those words to a bar in Orlando, the great race was on.

That race ended on Tuesday, months after that Orlando recruiting visit that may well be remembered as a pivotal moment in American soccer history. Balogun has arrived. England have missed out. The USMNT has won.

FIFA have confirmed that Balogun's switch from England to the U.S. has been approved, paving the way for the USMNT's next star striker to officially become the USMNT's new star striker. Balogun himself confirmed his allegiance shortly after, taking to social media with a simple announcement: "I'm coming home. Let's make history."

Balogun could be called up as soon as this summer for the Nations League or Gold Cup. The road to the World Cup in 2026 now has a new star striker to lead the way.

Over the last few years, the USMNT has won several key recruiting battles, and Balogun is the latest in a long line of success on that front. But this one feels different. This feels like the player and the moment that could take the USMNT to another level.

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  The recruitment

  When Balogun was spotted in Orlando, things truly started to heat up. The striker's arrival in Florida came ahead of the USMNT's Nations League return, and it signaled that there was at least some interest coming from the striker's side. In the midst of a breakout season in Ligue 1, Balogun had been ignored by England's senior squad in March and, as a result, was seemingly assessing his options.

  That first photo sent USMNT fans into a frenzy, as Twitter quickly pinpointed his location in Orlando. From there, the striker went on a true U.S. tour, taking in NBA and MLB games while meeting with his potential new team-mates. Fans, meanwhile, showed their love for the striker in the stands, carrying banners bearing his name before and during the match against El Salvador.

  “He’s out here having a little bit of a break, and some training, and we’ve had some discussions. Now it’s about him just enjoying the rest of his trip,” USMNT interim boss Anthony Hudson said at the time. “I think it’s good because it’s been an opportunity for us just to share about our program and who we are, and what we do. And again, hope we get the chance to speak with him again. It’s been good for me, and I know a few of the guys have spoken to him as well."

  It's a tactic that the U.S. used when recruiting Yunus Musah, who, coincidentally, may have been key to all of this. Balogun's former Arsenal team-mate, who committed to the USMNT last cycle, was invited to camp for an introduction and shown how the U.S. does things. He met his team-mates, trained with the team, was invited into the brotherhood and it worked. Musah switched from England shortly after.

  And now Balogun has followed suit, becoming the latest dual national star to become a member of that brotherhood on the road to 2026.

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  The missing piece

  What makes this commitment so massive is just how necessary it is. For years, the USMNT has struggled at the No.9 position. Not since Jozy Altidore has the U.S. had a central striker that could truly be defined as "the guy". And, as players like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna have made impacts at Europe's big clubs, there has not been a bonafide goalscorer to do the same.

  In this sport, especially at the international level, a true No.9 can paper over many cracks. You can get away with not having a top left-back or a top goalkeeper, but you cannot hide a lack of goalscorer up top. A top striker can carry a national team on their back, and a lack of one can doom a national team to defeat.

  It was a lesson the U.S. learned in Qatar, as they struggled to find someone to put the ball into the back of the net. Draws against both England and Wales were there for the taking and easily could have been wins if the U.S. had that goalscoring touch. Balogun, by all accounts, has just that. The Arsenal product has 19 Ligue 1 goals this season. Only four players in the French top-flight have more.

  For the U.S., Balogun very much feels like the missing piece, the one thing they need to complement their young, star-studded core. And now they have him, for the 2026 World Cup and, hopefully, for years to come.

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  The striker pool

  While Balogun is very much expected to be the USMNT starter going forward, that doesn't mean he will simply be handed the role. The U.S. does have a number of talented strikers, all of whom will certainly have a fire lit under them by this news.

  Ricardo Pepi, who just a year-and-a-half ago was in the same position Balogun finds himself in now as the striker of the future, is just 19 years old and having a fine season at Groningen. After his disastrous move to Augsburg, Pepi has totally rebuilt himself and is expected to make a big move at club level this summer.

  Jesus Ferreira looks poised for a big move of his own, with Napoli reportedly lurking, while Daryl Dike and Josh Sargent could still prove themselves in English soccer. Add in the likes of Haji Wright, who has been tearing it up in Turkey, and you have plenty of potential candidates to push Balogun for that starting spot.

  Make no mistake, though, Balogun has both the better track record and the highest potential. He's not made this switch to be a guy but guy, and he'll have every chance to be starting this summer.

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  How Balogun fits

  Much can change depending on the next coach and the next system but, as things stand, Balogun seems like the ideal fit for the USMNT as constructed. The U.S. has talented wingers in Pulisic, Reyna, Tim Weah and Brenden Aaronson, all of whom bring a different skillset to the position. Each of those named will benefit from having Balogun playing next to them, and each has aspects of their game that could help get the best of the new USMNT striker.

  Balogun is a natural finisher, a player that makes the most of the chances that fall his way. He's near the top of Ligue 1 goalscoring charts despite playing for a mid-table team in Reims because, when the ball does fall his way, he makes the most of it.

  That will take the burden off of someone like Pulisic, who can play his natural game as a creator with the USMNT. It will open doors for someone like Reyna, who has found his own goalscoring touch with Dortmund off the bench. Balogun's game will benefit from someone like Weah, who gets to the end-line with ease. And the striker could certainly benefit from someone like Aaronson, who presses until his legs fall off and can create opportunities out of nothing.

  They say a rising tide lifts all boats, and having a good striker is the equivalent of a tidal wave. What Balogun brings has a ripple effect, one that should benefit those around him.