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ANALYSIS: England out in quarters, but Southgate should stay to guide young lions

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1 year ago

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DOHA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) — Another England World Cup dream dies in the quarterfinals meaning they carry on the ‘tradition’ of never making it past the last-8 outside of Europe.

England have now fallen in the quarterfinals seven times (more than any other country) with Qatar 2022 joining Germany, 2006, South Korea and Japan 2002, Mexico 1986, Spain 1982 (which had a different competition format), Mexico 1970 and Chile 1962.

What makes this year’s exit tough to take for England fans is that it came in what was arguably the best match of the tournament to date. A match between two top sides, after a performance that probably deserved better and after seeing captain and striker, Harry Kane fire a penalty that would have leveled the score at 2-2, high into the night sky of the Al Bayt Stadium.

Such an uncharacteristic miss for the player who 30 minutes earlier had equaled Wayne Rooney’s record of 53 goals in an England shirt.

“As the captain and the one who missed the penalty, I take responsibility for that. It will be something I have to live with and take on the chin,” said Kane after the match, showing why he is such as respected leader.

England’s other leader, coach Gareth Southgate was non-committal about his future when asked after the final whistle.

“After every tournament we’ve reviewed and reflected. We need a little bit of time to make sure that everyone makes the right decisions,” he said when asked if he would see out his contract, which runs until after the European Championships.

It’s easy to see why Southgate might want to step down: six years is a long time to be in the England job, in the public eye and the focus of criticism when things go wrong. Being England coach is a tough job, but Southgate has always handled himself with humility and dignity. Indeed he and his players have at times seemed like a beacon of calm and hope in the past difficult years, showing unity and taking a stand on social issues that is to be admired.

The coach deserves praise for bringing together an impressive group of young players and forming them into a compact and united group. Players such as Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice should form part of the England team for years to come and Southgate’s steady hand on the helm should help them continue to progress.

Others such as Kane, Luke Shaw and John Stones will all be around for the next European Championships and there is no reason to think that the blend of experience and youth can’t continue to improve.

Usually when England go out of a major tournament, the reaction is anger at the coach and the players. In this case most recognize how well they played. The only frustration is that they played a side as good as France so early in the tournament, because otherwise they could have gone all the way to the final and perhaps even lifted the trophy.

For that reason alone, most will hope that Southgate decides to stay.

Source(s): Xinhua

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The table tennis star Dheema, first Maldivian athlete to qualify for Olympics

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12 hours ago

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18/05/2024

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The table tennis star, Fathimath Dheema Ali, who will be partaking in the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, has received a warm welcome upon returning to Male’ City. Dheema showcased her exemplary skills amidst stiff competition from the finest table tennis players in South Asia and emerged victorious in the South Asia Regional Olympic Qualifications. Her triumph signifies a momentous milestone for the Maldives in the realm of international sports.

Upon arrival back to the Maldives, the Minister of Sports, Fitness and Recreation Abdulla Rafiu and senior officials of the ministry along with the President of Maldives Olympic Committee (MOC) Mohamed Abdul Sattar and key figures from the Table Tennis Association of the Maldives extended their heartfelt and warm welcomes to Dheema. The minister organised a special ceremony held in the Youth Centre, commemorating the groundbreaking achievement of Dheema.

Speaking at the ceremony, President of the table Tennis Association Ali Rasheed rejoiced, stating that Dheema’s historic performance marked a significant milestone in the history of the Maldives. Highlighting that this remarkable victory was a result of 10 years of her unwavering commitment and dedication, Ali affirmed that the administration and countries in which she received training played a pivotal role for her success. On this stance, he expressed heartfelt gratitude towards all who were engaged in assisting to ensure this significant opportunity was secured.

While Dheema successfully qualified for the Olympic Games, previously Maldivian athletes competed in the games in invitational (tripartite) opportunities provided. As such, Maldivian athletes have been actively participating and competing in athletics, badminton and swimming since 1988.

Source(s): PsmNews

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Minister announces survey for 20-year sports development plan

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3 days ago

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15/05/2024

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Minister of Sports, Fitness, and Recreation Abdulla Rafiu has announced a special survey for the Maldives’ 20-year sports development plan.

The draft plan was developed in February and focuses on cultivating top athletes by training coaches in schools, hosting major tournaments in the Maldives, and expanding sports associations’ activities in the atolls.

At a press conference, Minister Rafiu highlighted ongoing collaboration with sports associations. He said that detailed work on the long-term policy is available on the ministry’s website. He also said that the survey is a critical part of the process and spans 22 pages and requires time for completion by each association.

Additionally, Minister Rafiu mentioned agreements with Malaysia for training athletes and administrators. He also said that discussions about the plan have taken place with France, and talks are ongoing with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Source(s): PsmNews

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Mbappe announces PSG departure at end of season

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1 week ago

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11/05/2024

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MARSEILLE, May 10 (Xinhua) — Kylian Mbappe confirmed on Friday that he will leave French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, without revealing his next destination.

But according to multiple media reports, he will join the La Liga powerhouses Real Madrid after the season ends.

“I wanted to announce to you all that it’s my last year at Paris Saint-Germain. I will not extend and the adventure will come to an end in a few weeks,” Mbappe said in a video posted on social media.

“I will play my last game at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.”

The French international joined PSG on loan from Monaco in 2017 and officially signed with the capital-based side after the season ended for a transfer fee of 180 million euros.

During his seven years with the team, Mbappe helped the club claim six league titles and three French Cup victories, making 306 appearances and scoring 255 goals, becoming the top scorer in the team’s history.

“It’s a lot of emotions, many years where I had the chance and the great honor to be a member of the biggest French club, one of the best in the world,” said the 26-year-old.

“It allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure, to grow as a player of course, by being alongside some of the best in history, some of the greatest champions,” he added.

“It’s hard and I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that… but I think I needed this, a new challenge, after seven years.”

PSG have already secured the Ligue 1 title of this season and reached the French Cup final, where they will compete for the championship against Lyon on May 25th.

However, in the Champions League where the team most aspired to make a mark, they suffered another disappointing exit as they were eliminated in the semifinals after being defeated in both legs by Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.

Source(s): Xinhua

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