Sports
As new Tottenham and Forest managers get to work, here’s what players really think when a boss arrives
Nedum Onuoha played 14 seasons in the Premier League with Manchester City, Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers before finishing his career with MLS side Real Salt Lake. He joined ESPN in 2020, appearing on ESPN FC, and has since featured as ESPN’s lead studio pundit in England. His columns offer his perspective as a former player on the big issues of the day.
When your team changes a manager in midseason, as a player, it feels like a hostile introduction. You are thrown into what feels like a mini-preseason and must quickly prove yourself in a really uncertain environment. For those Tottenham Hotspur players who have seen Thomas Frank fired and replaced by Igor Tudor, there is the additional issue of knowing virtually nothing about the guy tasked with steadying the ship because he has no Premier League experience either as a player or as a coach.
– Spurs job too big for Frank, but changing manager won’t fix mess at club
– Forest on 4th manager of season. Do multiple hires and fires ever work?
– How Premier League clubs are looking to the U.S. to raise transfers funds
The soccer community in England is big, but it also can feel quite small the longer you’re involved. Players have connections — friends, former teammates and coaches — all over the place. A few Spurs players — Rodrigo Bentancur, Radu Dragusin and Dejan Kulusevski — crossed paths with Tudor when he was part of Andrea Pirlo’s coaching staff at Juventus, so other members of the squad will be asking them what he’s like, but also contacting other people they know who have worked with the Croatian to learn more about him.
I can imagine that England under-21 international Lloyd Kelly, who played for AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle United before signing for Juventus last year, will have had calls and messages from Spurs players desperate for information on Tudor, his head coach at Juve for seven months last year.
Tudor was a surprise appointment, and many Spurs players will have had zero knowledge of him as a person or as a coach. But before he took his first session, they will have asked enough people about what he’s like in terms of managing players, his training styles and how he wants players to play, to form a basic picture of his approach to the game.
Whether they are happy with the appointment or not, the Spurs players will still want to start off on the right footing under the new coach, even though he will only be in charge for 12 Premier League games and however long Spurs survive in the UEFA Champions League.
The players may quickly make their judgements about the new coach, but they will also want to finish the season in a better shape than they are now — none of them will want to be part of the first Spurs team to be relegated in almost 50 years — because individual pride is important. And, for many of them, there is the issue of ensuring they go to the FIFA World Cup with their respective countries.
Sunday’s game against Arsenal — Tudor’s first in charge — will mean everything to the players because they don’t want to reach breaking point with the fans. That is something that could happen if they were to lose badly against their biggest rivals on home turf.
And if it starts badly, some players will just check out. I’ve seen it first-hand when a player tells a coach that he will outlast him at a club. When that happens, you know things are turning in a negative way.
The Spurs players will have known change was coming, though. Looking back on my experiences, it’s very rare to be surprised by a managerial change. Managers are human beings, after all. It’s very hard for them to keep doing the same job, pretending that nothing is happening when they are facing the sack.
As things get worse, you start to see almost a sense of resentment toward outcomes, players and things they weren’t previously stressed about. You can also tell when they’ve lost a group. Sometimes that could be due not necessarily to results, but a change you can see in their own principles that they once tried to tell you defined who they were.
So, when a new manager comes in, it is a clean slate and they can become whoever they want to be. If they say ‘we train at 3 p.m.’ and that’s the standard, everyone’s like ‘OK, we train at 3 p.m..’ If they set out the standards they expect, that’s fine. But — and maybe it’s human nature — as time passes, you start to see some people start making concessions for certain individuals. But Tudor’s contract is so short, that he may not get to that stage.
In this interim role, Tudor can go in and have a quick impact, get buy-in from the players — be a motivator and organiser — and succeed in his mission of keeping Spurs up. Their potential is clearly there, but being an interim can make it harder to maintain support within the squad. We saw that during Ralf Rangnick’s unsuccessful six-month spell as interim at Manchester United in 2022.
When Roberto Mancini replaced Mark Hughes as Manchester City manager in 2009, he didn’t have any gravitas among the City players because of who he was, but he was the first appointment of the new owners, so we knew he had all the power in the world to make whatever changes he wanted. There were no discussions. It was his way, his style and that was that. He is the only coach I have ever worked with who told the players that we weren’t allowed to laugh while we were jogging around the training pitch to warm up.
But we knew Mancini was the future, and that allowed him to be a true authoritarian. The Spurs players know that Tudor most likely isn’t the future, so it feels like a risky move by the club to hire him in the situation they find themselves in.
I experienced a midseason change of manager several times during my playing career, and it rarely had a positive impact. Mancini was perhaps the one coach who made things better for the team. But generally, a new coach will come in and the first thing they will say is that the players aren’t fit enough. That’s just a way to buy time if initial results and performances aren’t good because, if the players aren’t fit, it’s the last guy’s fault, right?
1:18
Was Nottingham Forest right to sack Sean Dyche?
ESPN’s Nedum Onuoha and Julien Laurens react to Nottingham Forest sacking Sean Dyche after just 114 days in charge.
The situation at Nottingham Forest is on a whole other level. The players are now on their fourth coach of the season after Vítor Pereira was hired to replace Sean Dyche, who succeeded Ange Postecoglou, the early-season replacement for Nuno Espírito Santo.
They have had a ridiculous season, leaping from one playing style to another, but they have probably landed on the most reasonable appointment of all in Pereira. He knows the league, has the credentials of having an instant impact when he moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers and is also more personable than the coaches who went before him at Forest.
If I was in the Forest squad, four coaches in a season is the type of energy where you probably start doubting whether you’re at the right soccer club, to be honest. But Forest are maybe just two good weeks away from securing Premier League survival, so they can see a path out of their situation.
Spurs should also have enough about them to survive, but there’s no doubt Tudor is a strange appointment. We will discover soon enough whether he is the right one or reckless gamble by the club.
Nedum Onuoha was speaking to ESPN senior writer Mark Ogden
Multan Sultans have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Rawalpindiz in the 14th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday.
This will be the first time both Sultans and Pindiz face each other in the PSL.
Playing XIs
Multan Sultans: Steven Smith, Sahibzada Farhan, Josh Philippe (wk), Shan Masood, Ashton Turner (c), Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Nawaz, Peter Siddle, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Ismail and Faisal Akram.
RawalPindiz: Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Yasir Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings, Abdullah Fazal, Dian Forrester, Rishad Hossain, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Amir Khan and Asif Afridi.
This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.
Sports
BYU women’s basketball star explains religious reason why team didn’t practice before tourney win
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The BYU Cougars women’s basketball team was on the outside looking into the NCAA Tournament this season despite going 26-12 under head coach Lee Cummard.
The Cougars played well enough to earn an invitation to the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament, where the team was able to knock out the Kansas Jayhawks last week before losing to the Columbia Lions on Wednesday.
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BYU Cougars guard Delaney Gibb brings the ball upcourt against the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., on March 6, 2026. (Nick Tre Smith/Imagn Images)
BYU drew attention for an interesting and faith-based, decision ahead of their 70-67 win over Kansas. The team didn’t practice because it was a Sunday.
Delaney Gibb, who led the team in scoring, explained it was for religious reasons that the team doesn’t practice on Sundays.
“When you look at it from a perspective of our team and our culture we’ve built and the faith that we have it’s a day that we get to have a different perspective on life,” Gibb said, via the school’s website. “There’s things that are bigger than basketball and Jesus Christ and having faith in Him is something that’s bigger than basketball.”
BYU’s Delaney Gibb speaks to media during Big 12 Women’s Basketball Media Day at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 21, 2025. (Sophia Scheller/Imagn Images)
SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM POSTS ‘JESUS IS KING’ MESSAGE AS WNBA NEGOTIATIONS HEAT UP AHEAD OF CBA DEADLINE
Gibb scored 12 points in the three-point victory. Sydney Benally added 15.
The sophomore’s remarks went viral during the week.
Unfortunately, for the Cougars, BYU lost to the Lions in their next game.
Gibb is likely to return for her junior season. She was named to the All-Big 12 Conference First Team after being named the 2025 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year.
BYU guard Delaney Gibb drives the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., on March 6, 2026. (Nick Tre Smith/Imagn Images)
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During the 2025-26 season, Gibb averaged a team-leading 18.3 points per game. She also averaged 5.1 rebounds.
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Some of Europe’s top clubs have been sounded out about a deal for Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. this summer, while Madrid are increasingly confident of sealing a move for Manchester City midfielder Rodri. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
Transfers home page | Men’s winter grades | Women’s grades
TRENDING RUMORS
– Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have been contacted by intermediaries regarding a possible move for Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. this summer, according to TEAMtalk. Some of Europe’s top clubs have been sounded out about a deal as the winger enters the final year of his contract, while the Saudi Pro League is also ready to move if any opportunity arises. Contract talks with the 25-year Brazil international have stalled for the past few months and sources recently told ESPN that negotiations may not resume until after the 2026 World Cup, though the player has reiterated that he wants to stay.
– Real Madrid are increasingly confident of sealing a move for Manchester City midfielder Rodri this summer, claims TEAMtalk. Rodri, 29, has reportedly held discussions with City about the possible terms for an exit this summer and, while he continues to be linked with a move to the Bernabeu, Real Madrid won’t “pay over the odds” to bring the Spain international to the club. An offer of €60 million will reportedly be enough to do a deal.
– AS reports that Real Madrid are open to a potential exit for Eduardo Camavinga, with PSG monitoring the midfielder’s situation. The 23-year-old has been with Los Blancos since 2021, but has struggled to make himself a regular starter since joining from Rennes. A switch back to Ligue 1 could reignite his career once again, though Madrid would want to make a profit on the €40 million they paid to sign him five years ago.
– Arsenal are soon expected to make a formal approach to sign Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane, according to Christian Falk. The Gunners have been linked with a €65 million move for the 19-year-old, with an offer expected in the coming weeks. The Cameroon international has made 40 appearances across all competitions this season, with seven goals and eight assists to his name, with Bayern Munich also reported be monitoring his progress.
– RB Leipzig are discussing a new contract with €80 million-rated winger Yan Diomande that could include a release clause, amid links with a move to the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United, says Fabrizio Romano. Diomande, 19, has shot to prominence this season with some fine displays, but Leipzig are keen to let him develop even further.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Madrid correspondent Alex Kirkland explores the future for Vinicius Junior.
Vinicius Junior’s situation at Real Madrid has, in many ways, changed radically over the course of the season — but the bottom line is that his contract is still due to expire in 2027 and there’s been no progress on an extension.
The first half of 2025-26 was perhaps the most turbulent time of Vini’s career at Madrid, losing his place as a guaranteed starter under then coach Xabi Alonso, going three months without scoring, and becoming the public face of dressing room unrest with his reaction at being substituted early in October’s Clásico.
Since January, and the arrival of Álvaro Arbeloa, it’s been a very different story. Arbeloa has talked up Vinicius at every opportunity and he’s been rewarded on the pitch, with the forward nearing career-best form with back-to-back, decisive braces last month against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid.
But still, the clock is ticking on that contract extension. ESPN reported that a renewal was near impossible with Alonso in charge, but that is no longer an issue. Vinicius loves playing for Madrid and the club would like him to stay; the remaining issue is the gap between Vinicius’ wage demands and what the club are willing to offer.
Madrid would do anything to avoid losing him on a free transfer in 2027, so the situation has to be resolved, one way or the other, this summer. ESPN has reported that a move to Saudi Arabia would not appeal to Vinicius, leaving PSG or the Premier League as the only realistic remaining options.
But at this stage, given his improved form, and Madrid’s desire to keep him and avoid the nightmare scenario of a free transfer, the most likely scenario feels like the club going the extra mile to offer a deal structured with enough variables and bonuses to reach the kind of total package Vinicius and his camp would be happy with.
OTHER RUMORS
1:51
Hutchison doubtful about Arne Slot’s Liverpool future
Don Hutchison believes Arne Slot won’t be Liverpool manager at the start of next season following their FA Cup exit to Manchester City.
– Liverpool could sign Al Hilal forward Marcus Leonardo, 22, to replace Mohamed Salah this summer. (GMS)
– Manchester United are among the clubs keen to sign Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana, 24. (Football Insider)
– Spain forward Dani Olmo is not planning on leaving Barcelona this summer, amid links with a move to the Saudi Pro League. (Fabrizio Romano)
– AC Milan are pushing to sign midfielder Leon Goretzka as a free agent when he leaves Bayern Munich in the summer, ahead of Premier League competition. (Calciomercato)
– Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli is closing in on a contract renewal with Juventus until 2030. (Tuttosport)
– Liverpool are keen on Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba and Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon as part of a summer rebuild. (Ekrem Konur)
– Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are all showing interest in Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong, amid his lack of game time for the Blues. (Ekrem Konur)
– Harry Wilson is on Tottenham’s shortlist of transfer options this summer, as he looks set to become a free agent at the end of his contract at Fulham. (Ekrem Konur)
– Antonio Rudiger is progressing in talks to extend his contract at Real Madrid, as he nears the final 12 months of his deal with Los Blancos. (Nicolo Schira)
– Barcelona and PSG are both interested in 16-year-old Mali wonderkid Aboubacar Maiga, who plays for Academy Africa Foot, as an option for the future. (Sport)
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