The ‘taking for granted’ aspect of Carrick’s answer was telling.
The former United and England midfielder knows the sacrifices needed to excel at the very highest levels of the game. He also knows the demands that are placed on players’ bodies.
Mental strength is also key.
Beyond his ability, it is the kind of attitude that meant he put himself forward to be involved at Burnley, which makes Maguire so valuable to United.
It is why, as they approach a summer when Casemiro’s vast experience is going to be lost, it should be welcomed that multiple sources with an understanding of the situation believe a resolution will eventually be found to Maguire’s contractual situation that will allow him to remain at Manchester United at least for next season.
Nothing is agreed yet. Until it is, there remains the potential for Maguire to either agree a deal with another club – which, under freedom of contract regulations, he is entitled to do – or United back away.
But the mood music is upbeat.
Compromise is likely to be needed, on both salary – Maguire is one of United’s highest-paid players and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is determined to drive costs down – and maybe contract length.
But through Burnley, Brighton, City and beyond Maguire played for every single minute of the four-match winning streak Carrick started his spell in charge with.
The England defender has shown just how valuable he is at a time when Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined for an indefinite period with a back injury, with no immediate sign of return.
Maguire does not only have experience and calmness. His communication is also crucial. He is demanding of those around him and is not scared to let team-mates know when they have fallen below the standards he expects.
His central defensive partnership with Lisandro Martinez has a familiarity about it too, which is a bit surprising given the pair have only started 16 times together in a two-man central defence since the Argentina international joined the Old Trafford outfit from Ajax in 2022.
The reasons for that are numerous. Amorim’s formation for a start. Before that, Erik ten Hag clearly did not feel Maguire was the kind of player he wanted, while Martinez has suffered some pretty hefty injuries.
There is also the knowledge their first two games together were the defeats by Brighton and Brentford that started Ten Hag’s reign.
They have won in 11 of the following 14 games they have started though, which suggests keeping them both fit could be the key to United’s Champions League qualification quest.
Kim Kyung-man, director of the Artificial Intelligence Policy Office at the Ministry of Science and ICT, announces additional selections for the Independent AI Foundation Model project at the Seoul Government Complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Feb. 20. Photo by Asia Today
Feb. 20 (Asia Today) — Motif Technology’s consortium has been selected in an additional call to join South Korea’s government-backed effort to build an “independent” artificial intelligence foundation model, as officials said a second evaluation in August will continue to weigh whether teams meet the project’s originality standard.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said Motif was chosen for its experience designing models with its own architecture and for achieving performance it said could compete with leading global systems despite operating in a limited data environment.
The Motif consortium includes the company, startup More, Seoul National University’s industry-academia cooperation foundation and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
The group plans to build an inference-focused large language model with 300 billion parameters and later expand work into vision-language models and vision-language-action models, the ministry said.
Motif will develop its model from this month through July and then compete in an August stage evaluation against LG AI Research, Upstage and SK Telecom. The ministry said it will extend the development timeline for the existing three teams by one month, setting the deadline at the end of July, and will provide Motif with support comparable to the other teams, including 768 graphics processing units and data.
The August stage evaluation will narrow the field to three teams and will include the originality requirement, officials said. Two teams are to be selected for final support by the end of the year.
Kim Kyung-man, director of the ministry’s AI policy office, said the four teams will discuss how to apply the originality assessment and that more detailed criteria will be developed with input from industry and academia.
The project drew attention last month after Naver Cloud failed to meet the originality requirement in an initial evaluation and NC AI was eliminated after scoring lowest on other criteria, raising questions in some quarters about the program’s momentum.
The ministry said the project’s priority is building a domestic AI ecosystem through teams capable of developing an independent foundation model.
MILAN — The U.S. will take the No. 2 seed into the quarterfinals of the men’s hockey tournament of the Milan-Cortina Olympics after beating Germany 5-1 on Sunday to finish group play unbeaten.
The Americans’ opponent in the final eight will be determined in a four-game qualification round Tuesday. Canada, also unbeaten after it thrashed France 10-2 earlier in the day, will take the top seed into the quarterfinals by virtue of its plus-17 goal differential.
The U.S. got two scores Sunday from Auston Matthews and goals from Zach Werenski, Brock Faber and Tage Thompson. Germany’s only score came from Tim Stutzle of the Ottawa Senators, his fourth of the Olympics, with less than nine minutes to play.
The Americans outshot Germany 13-3 during the first 16 minutes, but a combination of poor puck handling and sloppy play in front of the net kept them off the scoreboard until Werenski, a defenseman with the Columbus Blue Jackets, took a pass from Matthews in the center of the right circle, stepped up and drilled a wrister past goalie Maximilian Franzreb nine seconds before the first intermission.
The U.S. thought it had a goal moments earlier when Vegas Golden Knights’ forward Jack Eichel drove the puck from the top of the left circle though a crowd and into the back of the net. But the officials ruled the play had been whistled dead before the shot.
Matthews, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ captain, doubled the advantage 3:25 into the second period, poking the rebound of a Quinn Hughes’ shot by Franzreb for his second power-play goal of the Olympics.
Faber, who plays for he Minnesota Wild, made it 3-0 with less than 2:30 left in the second period, playing the puck off the boards near the blue line and flicking it on goal where Eichel got a stick up in front of Franzreb, distracting the goalie as he reached up unsuccessfully to glove the puck.
Thompson, of the Buffalo Sabres, and Matthews closed out the scoring for the U.S. with goals less than five minutes apart into the final period.
Remember when people were wondering what might happen to the Sherman Oaks Notre Dame basketball team after All-American Tyran Stokes left for a new high school in Washington?
What’s happened is that the Knights (20-6) went into the weight room, got stronger to make up for losing Stokes’ rebounding prowess and are very much alive in the Southern Section Open Division playoffs after defeating La Mirada 76-60 on Wednesday night in their opening game of Pool D. Next up is St. John Bosco at home Tuesday night.
Players such as Zach White, Josiah Nance, Ilan Niklov and Zion Lanier are showing off their muscles. Even guard NaVorro Bowman, who scored 25 points, is using his strength to draw fouls and head to the free-throw line.
Andrew Castro scored 17 points for La Mirada, which had won 14 consecutive games.
Santa Margarita 81, Damien 71: The Eagles won their pool play opener at home. Kaiden Bailey finished with 21 points.
Sierra Canyon 71, Crespi 64: Jordan Mize scored 16 points, Brandon McCoy and Brannon Martinsen 15 and Maxi Adams 14 to power top-seeded Sierra Canyon to an Open Division win.
Redondo Union 74, Etiwanda 31: SJ Madison led the way with 20 points for Redondo Union.
Windward 77, Bishop Montgomery 61: Davey Harris finished with 26 points, nine rebounds and four assists for Windward.
JSerra 72, Pasadena 66: The Lions won in overtime. Jaden Bailes had 21 points.
Orange Lutheran 79, Arcadia 74: Josh King scored 22 points for Orange Lutheran.
Inglewood 102, Tesoro 70: Jason Crowe Jr. finished with 34 points for Inglewood.
St. Bernard 63, La Habra 51: Chris Rupert led St. Bernard with 14 points.
Saugus 65, Culver City 64: Braydon Harmon came through with 44 points and 14 rebounds for Saugus. The Centurions came back from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Brentwood 61, Long Beach Poly 55: AJ Okoh delivered a 31-point performance for the Eagles, who will face Fairmont Prep on the road Friday. Fairmont Prep eiminated Crossroads.
Loyola 72, Los Alamitos 64: Deuce Newt had 24 points for the Cubs.
Eastside 65, Redlands East Valley 61: Christian Duran led Eastside with 18 points.
Rolling Hills Prep 50, St. Monica 47: Kawika Suter had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Rolling Hills Prep.
Oakwood 72, San Bernardino 69: Dylan Williams had 19 points and 14 rebounds and Bryce Fletcher added 18 points for Oakwood.
Rancho Christian 78, St. Francis 59: With 7-4 center Cherif Millogo not playing, St. Francis was beaten in its playoff opener. Luke Paulus had 17 points.
Long Beach Millikan 79, Thousand Oaks 34: Freshman guard Quali Giran had 21 points.
Murrieta Mesa 71, Viewpoint 58: Murrieta Mesa advances in the Division 3 playoffs.
MIra Costa 57, Oaks Christian 56: Paxx Bell scored 15 points for Mira Costa.
Fairfax 66, Birmingham 58: Chris Stokes scored 22 points to help the Lions upset No. 3-seeded Birmingham in the City Section Open Division playoffs. Fairfax will face Cleveland, a 57-52 winner over Narbonne, in the semifinals on Feb. 21. Charlie Adams scored 23 points for Cleveland.
Palisades 72, El Camino Real 45: Top-seeded Palisades received 23 points from EJ Popoola and will face San Pedro in an Open Division semifinals on Feb. 21 at L.A. Southwest College.
San Pedro 51, Washington Prep 47: The Pirates won on the road to reach the Open Division semifinals. AJ Bobich made four free throws in the final 30 seconds and finished with 10 points. Chris Morgan led the way with 15 points and Ricky Alonso had 12.
Sun Valley Poly 44, Westchester 36: The Parrots eliminated defending City Open Division champion Westchester in a Division I opener. Kevin Lara scored 15 points for Poly.
Carson 68, LACES 53: Mekhi Williams had 28 points and Blake McCall 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Colts in a City Division II game.
Crenshaw 69, Grant 58: Lauran Coleman had 20 points for the Cougars in a Division I opener.
Eagle Rock 53, University 51: Skylar Melton scored 27 points for University in the Division II loss.
STRESSED about your half-term family getaway stretching your bank account? Well, many hotels offer free stays for kids.
Whether you are heading out of the country and need a hotel near an airport or are just heading on a staycation, hotels can be expensive when you add on the kids.
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Down Hall, Bishop’s Stortford, is just 15 minutes from Stansted AirportCredit: Booking.com
But there are a number of hotels all over the UK that offer free kids stays making it more affordable.
Some even offer free meals and other perks too…
Down Hall, Bishop’s Stortford
Named AA Hotel of the Year, Down Hall nestled in the English countryside is just 45 minutes from central London and 15 minutes from Stansted Airport.
The hotel is an Italianate mansion with a historydating back to the 11th century.
Inside, there are 98 individually designed bedrooms, including ones with views of the garden.
There is also an on-site restaurant called The Garden Room, which uses ingredients from its own vegetable garden.
Visitors can head to the Eden Spa too, a 24-hour gym, tenniscourts and 11 acres of woodland.
Kids stay free between February 14 and 22, based on two adults and two children under 12 years old sharing.
It is worth noting though that the spa facilities are not included.
From £212 per room.
Mallory Court, Leamington Spa
Surrounded by gardens, Mallory Court Hotel is pretty to just look at.
Then, once inside, there are 42 individually styled bedrooms with a traditional country house feel.
There is a spa as well with a pool and gym.
For a bite to eat, you can head to The Warwick which is run by MasterChef winner Stu Deeley.
Over February half-term, children under the age of 10 can stay for free when sharing a room with an adult.
And included in the stay is bed and breakfast accommodation and designated family pool times.
To benefit from the offer, you must call to book.
Mallory Court Hotel has a restaurant run by MasterChef winner Stu DeeleyCredit: Booking.com
Langstone Cliff Hotel, Dawlish, Devon
Set in 19 acres of woodlands, the Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish, Devon boasts spectacular views of the sea.
Nearby there are sandy beaches to explore, which can be reached via a short walk.
There’s lots to do at the hotel as well, including an indoor and an outdoor pool, and both indoor and outdoor play areas for children.
During the half-term break, kids under 10-years-old stay free when sharing with two adults.
Rooms start from around £123 per night.
The Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish overlooks the seaCredit: Langstone Cliff Hotel
The Grove, Watford
If you fancy something a little more luxury, The Grove is a great option.
The five-star hotel is just 18 miles from London and used to be the home of the Earls of Clarendon.
In total, there are 214 rooms and suites, an 18-hole golf course, a spa and a number of restaurants.
Over half term, kids stay free when sharing with parents and get breakfast at The Glasshouse, two hours of free childcare for kids aged two to nine, use of the Sequoia Spa and use of Asher’s Woodland Trails.
The offer runs from February 13 to 22 and costs from £550 per room.
For something more luxury, head to The Grove where you will get two hours of free childcareCredit: The Grove
The Fish Hotel, Broadway, The Cotswolds
This back-to-nature retreat looks over the village of Broadway in the Cotswolds.
The hotel has 500 acres to explore, as well as a number of activities and well-being classes.
There are a range of rooms to choose from too, such as treehouses, suites and huts.
When it comes to having something to eat there are a couple of options on site, including a bar and lounge and Hook – a seafood-focused restaurant.
Kids stay for free between February 13 and 22 with rooms costing from £340 based on two adults and a child sharing.
The Fish Hotel overlooks the picturesque village of Broadway in the CotswoldsCredit: The Fish Hotel
Britannia Hotels, various locations
Britannia Hotels has locations across the country and between February 13 and 22, kids under 14-years old stay for free when sharing a room with two adults.
Breakfast is included and so are kids meals.
Though if you stay on a Saturday night at Royal Court Hotel; Prince of Wales Hotel Southport; Britannia Airport Hotel Manchester; Norbreck; Castle Hotel Blackpool; Grand Hotel Scarborough; Grand Hotel Llandudno; Carrington House Hotel Bournemouth or Grand Hotel Blackpool – there will be a £10 supplement.
Otherwise, rooms cost from £59 per night.
Britannia Hotels have locations across the UK with prices starting from £59 a nightCredit: Britannia Hotels
The Swan at Lavenham, Sudbury
Inside a 15th century building, The Swan at Lavenham is a cosy hotel with traditional oak beams and large fireplaces.
There are 46 rooms to choose from, with period features in each.
Inside, there are classic rooms and executive suites, as well as a bar, restaurant and terrace.
Over the February half-term, kids under 12-years-old stay for free and also get a Cornish breakfast each morning of their stay.
There are two room types in the offer to choose from.
Firstly, the classic room which costs from £110 based on one adult and one child sharing.
Or, secondly, the executive suites, costing from £203 based on two adults and two children sharing.
The Alverton in Cornwall is a Grade-II listed hotel with a cosy feelCredit: Alamy
Holiday Inn, various locations
Holiday Inns are great for budget travel or if you are heading off on holiday but want to stay near the airport before your flight.
Perfect for half-term trips out of the country, kids under the age of 17-years-old stay for free during the school break when sharing a room with up to two adults.
Kids under 12-years-old also get free meals during their stay.
Prices vary depending on Location, but as an example you could stay at Holiday Inn London Bexley for £68 per night.
Holiday Inns are all over the country and provide a great cheaper stayCredit: John Kirkby – Commissioned by The Sun Glasgow
The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands,
The four-star Belfry Hotel & Resort sits in 550 acres of countryside and is well-known for its world-class golf.
The hotel features over 300 rooms, as well as a Fire and Ice spa with a 12-room thermal journey, restaurants such as Ryder Grill and Sam’s Club House.
If you are heading on holiday from Birmingham Airport, the hotel is ideal to stay at the night before as it is less than 20 minutes away.
To get the offer, you will need to use the promo code ‘FAMILYPROMO’.
Rooms cost from £259 per night and include breakfast, buffet dinner, kids’ activities and access to the leisure club (but not spa).
The Belfry is a perfect choice if you are looking to stay near Birmingham AirportCredit: The Belfry
Carlyon Bay Hotel, Cornwall
With 86 luxury rooms, Carlyon Bay Hotel in Cornwall is a great spot for families as it has a large entertainment programme.
There’s magic shows and an appearance from Chloe the Clown…
For the adults, there is also a golf course and a large spa.
Kids under 15-years-old stay for free between February 14 and 22, with a room and breakfast costing from £85 per night.
Kids under 15-years-old also get to eat for free during their stay.
Included in your stay is access to the supervised Funzone, a complimentary round of golf and use of the spa and leisure facilities which features an indoor pool.
A room and breakfast costs from £85 per person per night (so from £170 per night for two adults and two children).
In other hotel news, here’s 12 of our favourite UK hotels to visit this year – from cosy farm retreats to £55 all-inclusives in London.
