England Under 21 boss Lee Carsley has emerged as a target for the Republic of Ireland should they part company with manager Stephen Kenny.
Former Ireland Under 21 boss Kenny is under pressure after failing to secure a play-off spot for Euro 2024 via the UEFA Nations League and starting the qualifying campaign for next summer’s tournament with a home defeat by France.
The Football Association of Ireland are planning to make a decision on Kenny’s future after the qualifying campaign this autumn.
But they may have to move more quickly if they want to secure Carsley, 49.
As reported by Mail Sport in March, Carsley will hold talks with the FA over his future after this summer’s Under 21 European Championship amid interest from several clubs.
The Republic of Ireland are considering England U21 boss Lee Carsley as their next manager
Ivan Toney will be allowed to receive treatment from Brentford on a hamstring injury despite his suspension for gambling offences
Toney’s rehab boost
Ivan Toney has received assurances from the FA that he can continue reporting to Brentford’s training ground for treatment on a hamstring injury throughout the close season, despite being banned from training until September 17 under the terms of his eight-month suspension for betting offences.
The 27-year-old will spend the start of the summer having rehab before being sent on a lengthy holiday by the Bees, who have no plans to line up any training sessions for him elsewhere before the first part of his ban finishes in the autumn.
EPL’s Sky high new title deal
The EFL have secured the biggest title sponsorship in British sport with their new five-year Sky Bet contract, announced this week.
The record-breaking deal is worth up to £73million, which easily trumps the Six Nations Championship’s £50m title sponsorship with Guinness, and builds on their success in negotiating a new £935m TV deal with Sky Sports, which also covers the 2024 to 2029 cycle.
The Premier League have not had a title sponsor since ending their long-running deal with Barclays in 2016, but bring in more than £100m from seven commercial partners.
Barclays are title sponsors of the Women’s Super League, a deal worth £30m over three years.
Brentford look set to miss out on £1.5 million in rent after London Irish, who had three years remaining on their lease of the Gtech Community Stadium, were suspended from the Gallagher Premiership
Bees £1.5m hit on Rugby lease
Brentford stand to lose around £1.5million in rent after London Irish were suspended from the Gallagher Premiership by the RFU this week.
Irish had three years left on their £500,000-a-season Gtech Community Stadium lease, which was not paid up front, and Brentford are resigned to never seeing the money.
The shortfall would have had a major impact on the Bees’ finances had they remained in the Championship, but as a Premier League club they are well equipped to cope and may even benefit because the pitch at the Gtech is likely to be in better condition next season.
Championship stays VAR-free
The EFL have decided to continue without VAR next season due to its operating costs
The EFL will continue to operate without VAR at all their matches until the play-off finals next season, following this week’s annual meeting of the 72 clubs.
A number of Championship sides had been pushing for a greater use of technology but, despite it being discussed in private, the issue did not make it on to the agenda. The cost of operating VAR is seen as prohibitive for many League One and League Two clubs, though that may change when the new TV deal kicks in for the 2024-25 season.
The price tag for running VAR will increase for Premier League clubs next season after they opted to install four extra cameras at every ground to increase the number of angles available for VAR reviews.
That came after a number of offside incidents last season when VAR was unable to intervene because the players involved were not covered by the available footage.