So, it would seem that Mauricio Pochettino is the latest man daft/ambitious enough to take on the Manchester United job. By Ken Early’s reckoning, the club considered appointing him in - deep breath - 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2024, but have finally got around to it. Will he restore the glory days? Ken has his doubts. “Drained by the parasitical Glazer ownership and now saddled with the incompetent Ratcliffe administration, Manchester United has become a place where the conditions for success simply cannot exist.”
Gavin Cummiskey, meanwhile, has the latest from the Irish camp ahead of Saturday’s Nations League game against Austria in Linz, Séamus Coleman still a bit stuck in no-man’s land between being a player and a coach. Gavin heard assistant head coach John O’Shea’s thoughts on Coleman’s ‘hybrid’ role.
And Dara O’Shea, captain in the absence of the then injured Nathan Collins in that turbulent last international window, looks back on the most challenging period of his career, one he says that wasn’t eased by “unfair” media coverage.
Meantime, the FAI put its absence from Wednesday’s Oireachtas committee meeting on safeguarding down to their busyness in this international window. “This is like a wedding without the bride and groom,” said one TD, who called their no-show “disgusting”. Gavin Cooney reports.
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In rugby, Andy Farrell will, no doubt, shuffle his team for Saturday’s Nations Championship meeting with Fiji, but with just eight competitive games between now and the World Cup, Gerry Thornley reckons he won’t “radically” dip in to his squad. One switch he does expect is the posting of Mack Hansen at fullback.
Some very good news for Farrell is that Jamison Gibson-Park is in “rude health” again after recovering from that groin injury that resulted in him playing just one club game since the summer. John O’Sullivan talks to the Leinster man.
In Gaelic games, Ciarán Murphy reflects on the mighty career of Donegal’s Michael Murphy, who announced his (second) retirement from inter county football recently, while Gordon Manning looks ahead to Sunday’s Munster hurling semi-final between Kilmallock and reigning All Ireland champions Ballygunner, “the masters of Munster”.
In golf, Philip Reid sets the scene for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship which got underway this morning, six men still in with a mathematical chance of finishing top of the Race to Dubai standings - including, need it be said, Rory McIroy.
And we have most excellent sailing news from Melbourne where a five-man Irish crew successfully defended its J/24 World Championship title on the final day of the event. The name of the victors? Team Headcase. It’s not the same way we all go.
TV Watch: Golf enthusiasts have three tournaments to tune in to today, all on Sky Sports Golf, starting with the season-closing DP World Tour Championship where Rory McIlroy has his sights set on a record-equalling eighth Harry Vardon Trophy. Round one got under way early this morning, with coverage continuing until 1pm.
From 4pm, you have the the Annika tournament in Florida, where Leona Maguire and Lauren Walsh are in the field, and from 7pm there’s the Austin Championship where Séamus Power will look to continue his strong run of form. And at 7.45pm, Virgin Media Two and UTV have live coverage of England’s Nations League game against Croatia.
