Category Sports News

Less than 12 months after his appointment, Newcastle United’s sporting director Paul Mitchell will step down with mutual consent at the end of June.

Dan Ashworth left St James’ Park for Manchester United in July 2024, and the former Spurs sporting director took over as manager.

After only five months in his new position, Ashworth left United in December 2024, and earlier this month agreed to work in the Football Association as head of the elite’s development.

Mitchell and Newcastle CEO Darren Eales, who hired him at Tottenham Hotspur in 2014, had previously spoken, but Eales will soon step down due to health issues.

“I want to thank everyone at Newcastle United for their support over the past year,” Mitchell said.

“I’m leaving at a moment that’s right for me and the club, particularly Darren Eales, with whom I have worked so closely throughout my career, who will soon be moving.”

The club is “in a fantastic position to continue growing,” the club said. “The club is in excellent hands both on and off the pitch.”

All photographs licensed by Getty Images and subject to copyright.

Dan Cole, a prop for England and the Tigers of Leicester, will retire at the end of the season.

The 38-year-old has made 118 appearances for his country, making him the second-most successful men’s player in English history.

Cole, who has won four Premiership titles with his boyhood club and twice toured with the British and Irish Lions, graduated from Leicester’s academy.

Cole claimed that Ben Youngs, his long-time team-mate for both club and nation, who just announced he would be hanging up his boots, had an influence on his decision to retire.

The Tigers’ full-back Mike Brown, who is a decorated 39-year-old, left after the season, while Julian Montoya, who is also a former Tigers and England team-mate, is leaving as head coach.

With the end of the season and the start of a new chapter for the club with Geoff Parling serving as head coach, “it’s time for me to leave,” he told the club website.

Physically speaking, I am 10 years older than most of the men in the changing room, which is challenging, and that’s because it’s harder to carry on as you get older.

Cole, who won three Test caps for the Lions between 2013 and 2017, played in the final of his 118 Test matches against England last year.

Only Youngs, who has 127 caps, has played for the men’s national team more than the prop, who missed more than three years without starting for England after their 2019 World Cup final defeat by South Africa.

When Cole took over as head coach of the Tigers in 2023, it was Steve Borthwick, the Tigers’ 2022 Premiership winner, who brought him to the international stage.

Cole then won his fourth World Cup, where he praised his performance in England’s semi-final defeat to South Africa as a lesson in redemption.

Overall, I have enjoyed my career but not every minute, which has made the good times even more special, Cole said.

Borthwick described playing alongside Cole as a “privilege” and later as a privilege.

The England head coach said, “He’s a brilliant team player as well as a rare talent.”

His devotion to both England and the Tigers of Leicester has been “absolutely outstanding.”

With Tigers next month on top and a quest for their 12th Premiership title, Cole is the latest player to aim high with them.

It’s obvious that the world is still in its infancy, Cole said.

After playing against the prop in the past against Australia and Argentina, Tigers head coach Michael Cheika, who is also leaving at the end of the season, described it as “super interesting” getting to know Cole in their year together.

Joe Heyes established himself as the first-choice tight-head under the Australian flag this year, making 13 league starts and starting just once.

He has a number of facets, Cheika told BBC Radio Leicester.

As a podcast host with Youngs, he says, “He loves his footy but he is a smart guy in other areas as well, as you can see from what he is building.” He approaches the game both in terms of his strategy and his plan of attack.

“But he still possesses the joy and emotion of playing for the club or being a part of England, and he uses that as inspiration to improve.”

Dan Cole, a prop for England and the Tigers of Leicester, will retire at the end of the season.

The 38-year-old has made 118 appearances for his country, making him the second-most successful men’s player in English history.

Cole, who has won four Premiership titles with his boyhood club and twice toured with the British and Irish Lions, graduated from Leicester’s academy.

Cole claimed that Ben Youngs, his long-time team-mate for both club and nation, who just announced he would be hanging up his boots, had an influence on his decision to retire.

The Tigers’ full-back Mike Brown, who is a decorated 39-year-old, left after the season, while Julian Montoya, who is also a former Tigers and England team-mate, is leaving as head coach.

With the end of the season and the start of a new chapter for the club with Geoff Parling serving as head coach, “it’s time for me to leave,” he told the club website.

Physically speaking, I am 10 years older than most of the men in the changing room, which is challenging, and that’s because it’s harder to carry on as you get older.

Last autumn, Cole participated in the final of his 118 England Test matches.

Only Youngs, who has 127 caps, has played for the men’s national team more than the prop, who missed more than three years without starting for England after their 2019 World Cup final defeat by South Africa.

When Cole took over as head coach of the Tigers in 2023, it was Steve Borthwick, the Tigers’ 2022 Premiership winner, who brought him to the international stage.

Cole then won his fourth World Cup, where the forward claimed that his performance in England’s semi-final defeat to South Africa taught him the lesson of redemption.

Overall, he said, “I have loved my career but not loved every minute, which has made the good times even more special,” he continued.

With Tigers next month on top and a quest for their 12th Premiership title, Cole is the latest player to aim high with them.

It’s obvious that the world is still in its infancy, Cole said.

After playing against the prop in the past against Australia and Argentina, Tigers head coach Michael Cheika, who is also leaving at the end of the season, described it as “super interesting” getting to know Cole in their year together.

Joe Heyes established himself as the first-choice tight-head under the Australian team this season, making 13 appearances and starting just once.

He has a number of facets, Cheika told BBC Radio Leicester.

As a podcast host with Youngs, he says, “He loves his footy but he is a smart guy in other areas as well, as you can see from what he is building.” He approaches the game both in terms of his strategy and his plan of attack.

“But he still possesses the joy and emotion of playing for the club or being a part of England, and he uses that as inspiration to improve.”

After crashing on stage 16, Britain’s Josh Tarling was forced to resign from the Giro d’Italia.

Tarling, a 21-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider, slid into a barrier early on Tuesday’s stage after colliding heavily on a wet surface.

The Welsh rider’s success came when he won the stage two time trial and his first Grand Tour stage victory.

On stage 10, Tarling finished second, seven seconds behind Dutchman Daan Hoole, who had previously been successful in the race’s second time trial.

As the race resumed in heavy rain on Monday’s second rest day, Tarling was a part of a seven-rider breakaway that had a 30-second lead over the peleton.

The Welshman’s body struck the barrier as his bike slid out of a roundabout.

The 2023 European time trial champion was confirmed by Ineos Grenadiers.

Following a collision on the current stage, Josh Tarling, according to the team, has regrettably had to leave the Giro d’Italia.

He is being evaluated further by our team doctor, who is with him. As soon as possible, we’ll keep you informed of his condition.

Nicolo Zaniolo, a former Aston Villa midfielder, has been accused of inciting Roma’s youth team players, with two of them reportedly “struck” following a game on Monday.

Following Fiorentina’s Under-20s’ victory over Roma in the Italian Primavera semi-final, the alleged incident occurred.

Zaniolo, who left Roma in 2023 and signed for Fiorentina on loan from Galatasaray in February, was present for the game.

Roma claimed that Zaniolo “engaged in provocative behavior toward some of the Giallorossi youth players” after the match.

Two Primavera players reportedly received physical injuries during the altercation, according to a club statement.

Any aggressive behavior or behavior that conflicts with AS Roma’s values is a force to condemn with all impunity.

In response to the allegations made in a statement from Fiorentina, Zaniolo said: “At the end of the game, I went down to the locker room to congratulate the Fiorentina boys, and then I went to the Roma locker room to say hello and congratulate them on the season.

They started insulting me at a certain point, so I decided to leave to prevent the situation from deteriorating.

Roma’s claim that two of their players were struck by the 25-year-old did not get through to the 25-year-old.