Sports
Don’t expect Chelsea to hire an elite coach after Maresca split
It’s one of the biggest jobs in football, a club that has — as their supporters sing at every game — won it all, but to be head coach at Chelsea, top-level experience and a proven track record are not required, so don’t expect an elite managerial name to replace Enzo Maresca. If you think that makes no sense — a view taken by many confused Chelsea fans right now — it is the reality of the “new” Chelsea under the control of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali’s Clearlake Capital.
So don’t be surprised that former Hull City manager Liam Rosenior, now coaching Chelsea’s Ligue 1 partner club Strasbourg, is a leading candidate to take over from Maresca at Stamford Bridge. Rosenior is talented and well-regarded, but his last job in English football ended with the sack at Hull, so his appointment is unlikely to be well-received by the Chelsea fan base, just as Maresca’s arrival was met with a lukewarm reception in 2024.
Maresca parted company with Chelsea on New Year’s Day after just 18 months in charge, despite delivering success in last season’s UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, and also securing UEFA Champions League qualification with a fourth-place finish in last season’s Premier League.
But winning is no longer the primary consideration at Chelsea. It is also about fitting in with the ownership’s blueprint, and that involves young coaches with potential just as much as it revolves around recruiting the best emerging playing talent from all over the world.
It is a club with two owners, two sporting directors — Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart — and a raft of other prominent figures in its so-called “integrated football leadership structure,” including former Liverpool director of scouting and recruitment Dave Fallows and talent scouts Sam Jewell and Joe Shields. It is also a team that requires the head coach to heed the advice of medical staff rather than merely take it under consideration, so managing the team at Chelsea is a job that would likely lead an experienced manager to say, “Thanks, but no thanks” if an offer came his way.
But that’s Chelsea, and whether it is working or not is another matter. Measuring success at the modern Chelsea is no longer as straightforward as it used to be, and that is a big reason why Maresca is no longer in a job.
For almost 20 years, under the ownership of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, Chelsea were all about big spending and ambition to match, with José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel some of the blue-chip coaches hired by Abramovich.
Abramovich demanded success, and he recruited the biggest names in coaching to deliver it. And it was an approach that worked, with Chelsea winning two Champions Leagues and five Premier Leagues during the Abramovich era (2003-2022) before U.K. government sanctions forced the oligarch to sell the club in May 2022.
Maresca would never have been hired by Abramovich, so his arrival as head coach at Stamford Bridge defined the changes at the club. At the time of his appointment, the 45-year-old had been a head coach for less than 18 months: six months with Parma in Italy’s Serie B before being fired for failing to put the team in contention for promotion, and then a full season with Leicester City, guiding the Foxes to the EFL Championship title and a return to the Premier League.
By hiring Maresca, Boehly and Clearlake reverted back to their original plan of identifying a bright, young coach who would develop a team of equally bright and hungry players.
The first attempt with Graham Potter, who replaced Tuchel just seven games into the new regime’s first season, was a short-lived failure, while the more experienced Mauricio Pochettino lasted just one season before leaving his post due to his call for older, more season players being rejected by the ownership group. But when Chelsea turned to Maresca, after considering the similarly inexperienced but highly rated Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town, it signaled the determination of the club to do it their way.
An Abramovich-era coach would quickly push back on the requirements of the integrated football leadership structure and demand to be given the tools with which to do the job of winning. But by giving a young coach a huge opportunity ahead of his time, the thinking would be that he would be so grateful to have the chance of managing an elite club such as Chelsea that the frustrations of a more senior coach would not be aired, and he would happily embrace the collegiate approach laid down by the owners.
That works for only a short time, though, and Maresca perhaps felt emboldened enough by last season’s successes to push a little bit harder for the players that he felt he needed to take the team into title contention. That was what ultimately led to Pochettino leaving the club, just as Tuchel was gone within weeks of a chaotic summer transfer window that resulted in him urging the club not to make a move for Cristiano Ronaldo.
So when Chelsea hire a new coach, young, up-and-coming and malleable will be the key criteria for the successful candidate. The days of Chelsea hiring the cream of coaching are firmly in the past.
Sports
NJ Transit CEO explains World Cup fare hike as NJ Gov again implores FIFA to pay for $150 train tickets
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An already-expensive trip to the World Cup just got even more costly, as NJ Transit and the FIFA New York New Jersey Host Committee announced fare hikes to attend eight matches at MetLife Stadium this year.
The East Rutherford, New Jersey, stadium will host those matches, beginning June 13 and ending with the final on July 19, but a roundtrip train ticket to and from New York Penn Station and MetLife Stadium will be $150, up from the usual $12.90. Shuttles are also available for $80.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri defended the fare hikes on Friday, saying that the ultimate cost to the public transportation company should not be the burden of New Jersey commuters.
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NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri and Alex Lasry, CEO of the 2026 FIFA World Cup New York New Jersey Host Committee, speak during a press briefing on the regional mobility plan for the World Cup in Newark, New Jersey, on April 17, 2026. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
“It is an exciting moment for New Jersey to showcase New Jersey’s diversity as well as its economic standing in the country and in the world. Equally important, she has said that New Jersey commuters cannot and will not subsidize the movement of fans going to the game, because that would not be fair,” Kolluri said, reiterating that the tournament will cost NJ Transit $48 million.
“In order to move 40,000 people and to pay for the cost of $6 million (per game), we have to charge $150.”
The CEO said that if the regular $12.90 fare were put in place, commuters would subsidize the $48 million bill by 92%.
“No one that I have spoken to thinks that’s fair or reasonable. Commuters in New Jersey should not carry the cost years into the future for a wonderful event, no doubt. But the fans going to the games should burden the cost, that’s all we’re trying to say,” Kolluri added.
Days after New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said that FIFA should pay for commuters’ costs, she did so again shortly after the fare hikes were announced.
“New Jersey is ready and excited to host eight FIFA World Cup matches this summer – including the World Cup Final,” Sherrill began in a social media post Friday.
A general view of MetLife Stadium and the Meadowlands Train Station is seen from a NJ Transit train before the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semi-final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 9, 2025. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
“Since I took office, my Administration has been working to prepare for the biggest sporting event our state has ever seen – and today, NJ TRANSIT released their Mobility Plan to move 40,000 fans to and from each match safely and efficiently. In the FIFA World Cup agreement that my Administration inherited, FIFA put zero dollars towards transporting World Cup fans. It also eliminated parking at MetLife Stadium, putting the burden of transporting four times more matchday riders than typical for an event at the stadium on NJ TRANSIT. This agreement will cost NJ TRANSIT at least $48 million, while FIFA is positioned to make $11 billion during the World Cup.
“As I have said repeatedly, FIFA should cover the cost of transporting its fans. If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day.”
The fare hikes, however, did not please FIFA. In a scathing statement to Fox News Digital, World Cup COO Heimo Schirgi said the “current pricing model will have a chilling effect,” including congestion, late arrivals, and “broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain from hosting the World Cup.”
Schirgi also ripped Sherrill for her “unprecedented” ask to make FIFA pay for the commuting costs.
“No other global event, concert or major sporting promoter has faced such a demand. While FIFA is projected to generate approximately $11 billion in revenue, not profit, as the Governor incorrectly claims, FIFA has always been a not-for-profit organization as per our statutes. Revenues from the FIFA World Cup are reinvested into developing the game of football, particularly for youth and women, worldwide,” Schirgi said.
Commuters move through the NJ Transit section of Penn Station in New York City on May 20, 2025, after NJ Transit resumed operations following a tentative deal to end a three-day strike by train engineers. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
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Parking has been barred from MetLife Stadium, and rideshare will be extremely limited, both of which will result in increased NJ Transit commutes.
New York Penn Station will also only be open to matchgoers beginning four hours prior to the start of games, and fans were urged to avoid nonessential NJ Transit travel on game days.
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- Lahore Qalandars defeat Rawalpindiz by 32 runs.
- Chasing 211, Rawalpindiz were restricted to 178-9.
- Fakhar Zaman gets Player of the Match award.
Defending champions Lahore Qalandars secured their third victory of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 on Saturday, defeating Rawalpindiz by 32 runs at the National Bank Stadium Karachi to eliminate them from the tournament.
Chasing 211, Rawalpindiz were restricted to 178-9 in their 20 overs, courtesy of an excellent bowling performance by the Qalandars’ attack.
Pindiz made a poor start as opener Shahzaib Khan became the first batter dismissed in the third over, falling to skipper Shaheen Afridi.
Afridi struck again in the same over, removing captain Mohammad Rizwan for a run-a-ball nine, which included two boundaries, leaving the side struggling at 17-2 in 2.3 overs.
Daryl Mitchell and Yasir Khan then steadied the innings with a crucial partnership, taking the score past the 50-run mark. The duo added a 50-run stand as Yasir played positively, bringing up his fourth PSL half-century.
However, their 71-run partnership was broken when Haris Rauf dismissed Mitchell for 11 off 15 balls, including one four, leaving Pindiz at 88-3 in 9.2 overs.
Rauf struck again in the same over, removing Yasir after a brilliant 58 off 29 deliveries, which included six fours and three sixes.
Sam Billings and Dian Forrester attempted to rebuild the innings and took the score past 100. However, Sikandar Raza broke the stand by dismissing Billings via stumping for just seven runs.
RawalPindiz continued to lose wickets as Usama Mir joined the attack, removing Dian Forrester for eight off 10 balls, leaving the side at 110-6 in 12.5 overs.
Usama struck again, dismissing Colin McConchie for three off five deliveries. Daniel Sams then removed Razaullah cheaply for five off 10 balls, adding further pressure on the batting side.
Saad Masood fought hard with a spirited knock, pushing the total past 150 and bringing up his maiden PSL half-century.
In the final over, Haris Rauf picked up his third wicket by ending Saad’s impressive innings of 54 off 26 balls, which included nine fours and one six, while Asif Afridi hit a four off the last delivery.
Batting first, Lahore Qalandars finished their innings at 210-4 in their allotted 20 overs, courtesy of outstanding performances by their opening batters Mohammad Farooq and Fakhar Zaman.
The pair began scoring at regular intervals, with Farooq leading from the front as runs flowed quickly through boundaries, putting early pressure on the Pindiz bowling attack as the score crossed the 50-run mark inside the powerplay.
Farooq was in top-notch form with the bat, while Fakhar contributed steadily from the other end, which also helped the young batter raise his bat for his maiden PSL fifty.
The duo troubled the opposition and showed no signs of slowing down as they brought up their 100-run stand, showcasing their brilliance while aiming to post a mammoth total to defend.
However, the 121-run partnership was broken when Mohammad Amir struck on the fifth delivery of the 11th over, dismissing the prized wicket of Farooq, who played an exceptional knock of 63 off 41 deliveries, including five fours and the same number of sixes.
Fakhar remained composed at the crease and kept the scoreboard moving for his side, which not only helped the team’s total surge past the 150-run mark but also saw the left-handed batter raise his bat for his 25th PSL half-century.
Abdullah Shafique came to the crease and started piling on runs, notching up a 50-run stand alongside Fakhar as the duo remained dominant with their batting approach.
However, Razaullah struck to break the 70-run partnership, dismissing Abdullah Shafique, who played a vital knock of 26 off 18 deliveries, including one four and two sixes.
Raza then dealt RawalPindiz another blow as he picked up his second wicket of the match, removing Sikandar Raza for a first-ball duck, leaving the team at 191-3 after 18 overs.
Qalandars lost their fourth wicket in the 19th over as Mohammad Amir struck to end Fakhar Zaman’s brilliant innings. He played an exceptional knock of 84 off 54 deliveries, featuring 11 fours and one six.
Charith Asalanka and Asif Ali came to the crease in the final over to finish the Qalandars’ innings.
Asif struck back-to-back sixes to push the team’s total past the 200-run mark and remained unbeaten on 14 off six deliveries, while Asalanka added one run.
Razaullah and Mohammad Amir led the bowling attack, picking up two wickets each during their spells.
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LAS VEGAS – Paul Walter Hauser is an actor who has been in “The Naked Gun,” “Blackbird,” and “Richard Jewell.” But on Friday night at Maple Leaf Pro’s first U.S. event, MLP Multiverse, there was no acting going on.
Hauser squared off against QT Marshall in a sin city street fight at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It was the final show of Slam Fest. The two pro wrestlers pulled out all the stops and left the ring in complete disarray.
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Paul Walter Hauser competed against QT Marshall at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
It was a rematch of their brawl at Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor event. Marshall went on the attack first, throwing in all kinds of foreign objects into the ring, including a piece of wood wrapped with barbed wire, a table, a cane, chairs and even a door was brought into the match.
Hauser was able to regain momentum in the match. He set up the barbed-wire object in the corner. Marshall countered and was trying to whip Hauser into the barbed wire. However, Hauser stopped himself. As Marshall tried to take Hauser by surprise, the movie star avoided Marshall and tossed him into the barbed wire.
Marshall was busted open, but wasn’t done. Hauser was trying to inflict more pain. He set up a table near one corner of the ring and poured thumbtacks on top of it. Marshall was able to powerbomb Hauser through the tacked table.
Paul Walter Hauser is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. (Nathan Congleton/NBC)
BLUE PANTHER AND ÚLTIMO GUERRERO STEAL THE SHOW AT CMLL’S FIRST-EVER US EVENT IN LAS VEGAS
Hauser was left with thumbtacks in his back and one in his head. He managed to power through and put Marshall into a sharpshooter. Marshall tapped out. Hauser picked up the victory.
Hauser got his start in pro wrestling in 2023 at Pro Wrestling Revolver. He worked his way through appearances at All Elite Wrestling before he signed with Major League Wrestling in 2024.
He’s currently Progress Wrestling’s Progress proteus champion.
Elsewhere, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) world heavyweight champion Hechicero defended his championship against Jonathan Gresham, Maple Leaf Pro Canadian women’s champion Gisele Shaw fended off Shotzi Blackheart, Persephone and surprise entrant Killer Kelly to keep the title.
Mistico, Mascara Dorada and Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
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The show started with Subculture, the tag team duo of Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster, defeated Vaughn Vertigo and Guy Cool. The Demand’s Ricochet, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona defeated Sidney Akeem, Michael Oku and Rich Swaan, Steve Borden defeated Kiran Gray and Mistico, Mascara Dorada, Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz – Desmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz and Myron Reed.
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