Category Sports News

Brian Laudrup’s name was not one many would have expected to be evoked when discussing Rangers’ wide men in the 3-0 thumping of Viktoria Plzen.

Former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson did admit it was ridiculously premature to suggest Djeidi Gassama or Oliver Antman could ever make the sort of impact the iconic Dane did at Ibrox.

But the comparison served to underline the impression the dynamic wingers had made on him and the Rangers fans as they ripped the Czech side to shreds in this Champions League third qualifying round first leg.

Gassama has exploded onto the scene since signing from Sheffield Wednesday.

His two fabulous goals, one in each leg, helped drag Rangers through a treacherous assignment against Panathinaikos and over the first hurdle on the road to the Champions League.

With Antman on the other flank offering similar pace, footwork and eye for goal just one day after joining the club, Rangers looked a team that had found a new gear.

Antman left his prints all over the game on his Rangers debut.

The Finnish winger – signed from Go Ahead Eagles, where he scored six goals and provided 15 assists in 32 games last term – was unlucky not to score when he saw a goal-bound effort blocked on the line.

He was brought down in the box after a surging run that resulted in the penalty that was tucked away by Cyriel Dessers.

His cross was measured to perfection for Gassama to knock inthe third goal to give Rangers daylight in the tie.

“I think you can see why we wanted to sign him,” said Rangers head coach Russell Martin of the 23-year-old, who has agreed a four-year deal.

“He’s game, he’s willing, he’s really competitive and he has moments of real quality. “

Gassama’s performance also drew praise from the head coach.

The Mauritania-born 21-year-old has now scored four goals in as many games since joining from Sheffield Wednesday in July – 50% of what he delivered in 47 matches last term.

Three of those goals have come in the Champions League, making them even more valuable to the Ibrox club given the potential riches on offer.

“We spoke about the need for some winger-to-winger goals and Gassama is really stepping up in terms of intensity, he really wants to score,” Martin added.

Former Rangers winger Peter Lovenkrands:

“Antman has shown fantastic promise. He’s looking very, very exciting and he has a bundle of pace. And I love how Gassama attacks the back post.

“I love watching two wingers running in behind and they can make a fantastic partnership. It will definitely get fans out of their seats. “

Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday:

“I was so impressed with Antman. He had everything. His work rate was excellent and he did a great job.

“You can already see why he got so many assists last season. He doesn’t just drive it into the box, he tries to pick players out.

“Gassama is direct, quick and great 1v1. He was a constant threat and caused defenders a lot of problems. “

Former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson:

“The wingers gave Rangers an injection of pace in the final third was clearly missing against Motherwell.

“Antman was sensational. He’s very direct and lightning quick and I can’t remember him giving the ball away. His decision making was spot on. “

Former Rangers forward Steven Thompson:

Brian Laudrup’s name was not one many would have expected to be evoked when discussing Rangers ‘ wide men in the 3-0 thumping of Viktoria Plzen.

Former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson did admit it was ridiculously premature to suggest Djeidi Gassama or Oliver Antman could ever make the sort of impact the iconic Dane did at Ibrox.

But the comparison served to underline the impression the dynamic wingers had made on him and the Rangers fans as they ripped the Czech side to shreds in this Champions League third qualifying round first leg.

Gassama has exploded onto the scene since signing from Sheffield Wednesday.

His two fabulous goals, one in each leg, helped drag Rangers through a treacherous assignment against Panathinaikos and over the first hurdle on the road to the Champions League.

With Antman on the other flank offering similar pace, footwork and eye for goal just one day after joining the club, Rangers looked a team that had found a new gear.

Antman left his prints all over the game on his Rangers debut.

The Finnish winger – signed from Go Ahead Eagles, where he scored six goals and provided 15 assists in 32 games last term – was unlucky not to score when he saw a goal-bound effort blocked on the line.

He was brought down in the box after a surging run that resulted in the penalty that was tucked away by Cyriel Dessers.

His cross was measured to perfection for Gassama to knock inthe third goal to give Rangers daylight in the tie.

“I think you can see why we wanted to sign him”, said Rangers head coach Russell Martin of the 23-year-old, who has agreed a four-year deal.

“He’s game, he’s willing, he’s really competitive and he has moments of real quality”.

Gassama’s performance also drew praise from the head coach.

The Mauritania-born 21-year-old has now scored four goals in as many games since joining from Sheffield Wednesday in July – 50% of what he delivered in 47 matches last term.

Three of those goals have come in the Champions League, making them even more valuable to the Ibrox club given the potential riches on offer.

“We spoke about the need for some winger-to-winger goals and Gassama is really stepping up in terms of intensity, he really wants to score”, Martin added.

Former Rangers winger Peter Lovenkrands:

“Antman has shown fantastic promise. He’s looking very, very exciting and he has a bundle of pace. And I love how Gassama attacks the back post.

” I love watching two wingers running in behind and they can make a fantastic partnership. It will definitely get fans out of their seats. “

Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday:

” I was so impressed with Antman. He had everything. His work rate was excellent and he did a great job.

“You can already see why he got so many assists last season. He doesn’t just drive it into the box, he tries to pick players out.

” Gassama is direct, quick and great 1v1. He was a constant threat and caused defenders a lot of problems. “

Former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson:

” The wingers gave Rangers an injection of pace in the final third was clearly missing against Motherwell.

“Antman was sensational. He’s very direct and lightning quick and I can’t remember him giving the ball away. His decision making was spot on”.

Former Rangers forward Steven Thompson:

A new, independent association for leading snooker players will give them “a stronger voice”, according to its chairman John Higgins.

The four-time world champion is a director of the Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA) which says it is launching to “champion the sport”, along with its leading names.

“We feel as though we’ve not been listened to as we should have been in recent years”, Higgins told BBC Sport.

“The game has not moved forward with the times compared to other top sports.

The association also claims the governance of snooker “should factor in more of the views of the players”.

It has vowed to foster a “collaborative relationship” with the sport’s authorities, including the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), the existing WPBSA Players’ Board, and World Snooker Tour “to enhance the sport’s future, while safeguarding player welfare and commercial interests”.

The PSPA says it has established a players board comprising of Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby, Barry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy, Ali Carter, Gary Wilson, Stuart Bingham, Jack Lisowski, Stephen Maguire, Mark Allen, Ryan Day and Joe Perry. Another player – Matthew Selt – has been appointed a director, alongside lawyers Ben Rees and Mark Kenkre.

The association also claims that seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has agreed to become a member, along with Chinese stars Ding Junhui and Xiao Guodong.

“I’ve had lots of discussions with Ronnie” said Higgins. “He’s really excited about it, so it’s full steam ahead.”

The fact so many of the top players are behind the new body suggests some feel they do not have enough say in the running of the World Snooker Tour (WST), particularly the commercial side.

During the 2024 World Championship, the headlines at the Crucible were dominated by talk of a potential breakaway tour. This came after the game’s top players were approached to play in lucrative events in China and North America as part of a potential breakaway circuit.

Professional players sign a contract which does not allow them to compete in any outside events while WST tournaments are being played, unless they are events sanctioned by the WST, although players have recently negotiated more flexibility.

However, the WST has been increasing the amount of prize money in the game, and is preparing to stage the sport’s “fourth major” in Saudi Arabia with a prize pot of more than £2m. The second Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will take place later this week in Jeddah.

The WPBSA’s own players’ body was formed in 2020, and the governing body says it has “a specific mandate to act in the collective best interest of members in relation to welfare and issues affecting the professional game.”

It says that it “acts as a channel for member concerns and provides a platform whereby issues surrounding their wellbeing can be raised at the highest levels by the WPBSA Players Board.”

According to its chairman John Higgins, a new independent association for renowned snooker players will give them “a stronger voice” and may “massively” contribute to the development of the game.

The Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA), which has a four-time world championship, is a director who says it is “championing the sport.”

According to Higgins, “We feel as though we haven’t been as heard as we should have been in recent years.”

“Compared to other top sports, the game has not advanced with the times.

The association also claims that players’ opinions should be taken into account when governing snooker.

In order to advance the sport’s future, it has pledged to work with the sport’s authorities, including the WPBSA, the current WPBSA Players’ Board, and the World Snooker Tour, while protecting player welfare and business interests.

Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby, Barry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy, Ali Carter, Gary Wilson, Stuart Bingham, Jack Lisowski, Stephen Maguire, Mark Allen, Ryan Day, and Joe Perry are members of the PSPA’s players board, according to the organization. Matthew Selt, along with Mark Kenkre and Ben Rees, has been appointed as a director.

Ronnie O’Sullivan, a seven-time world champion, is reportedly a member along with Chinese stars Xiao Guodong and Ding Junhui, according to the association.

Higgins said, “I’ve had a lot of conversations with Ronnie.” He’s very excited about it, so the next step is “full steam ahead.”

Some players feel they do not have enough influence over the World Snooker Tour’s (WST) management, especially on the commercial side, given that so many of the top players are currently playing for the new body.

The talk of a potential breakaway tour dominated the headlines at the Crucible during the 2024 World Championship. Following a request to play in lucrative events in China and North America as part of a potential breakaway circuit, the game’s top players were offered the opportunity.

Professional players must agree to a contract that prohibits them from competing in any outside competitions while WST tournaments are being held, unless they are events that have been sanctioned by the WST, despite recent negotiations for more flexibility.

However, the WST has increased the prize money available for the game and is gearing up to stage the sport’s “fourth major” in Saudi Arabia with a prize pot of more than £2 million. Later this week in Jeddah, the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will take place.

The WPBSA’s own players’ body was established in 2020, and the governing body claims that it has been given the “separate mandate to act in the collective best interest of members in relation to welfare and issues affecting the professional game.”

It states that the WPBSA Players Board “as a platform where member concerns can be raised at the highest levels and as a forum for discussion.”

In addition to the rise in sexism, transphobia, and faith-based abuse, the anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out reports record-high reports of discrimination during the years 2024 to 2025.

The organization received 1, 398 reports last season across all levels of English football, an increase over the 1, 332 reported in the previous season’s figures, making that number the most reports ever received.

Reports of misogyny and sexism increased by 67%, from 115 to 192 in the 2023-to-24 season.

Reports of transphobia increased from 22 to 44, while reports of faith-based abuse increased from 117 to 132.

Reports on girls’ football increased from 144 to 186, with two of those reporting at under-9s level.

Overall, there were no fewer racist incidents in the professional game than there were overall, but overall there were no more racist incidents.

In addition, Kick It Out noted the following in its last-season end-of-season reporting statistics:

The rise in abuse in youth football “should be a wake-up call,” according to Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor, who stated that “discrimination still exists fundamentally throughout the game.”

Although Okafor acknowledged that there had been a “clear shift” in “calling out sexist behavior,” he wants to see more action taken to combat online abuse.

It is obvious that online services are still lacking. The abuse continues to rise, and many responsible parties don’t get any justice, according to Okafor.