Thomas

Alek Thomas is used to playing center field at Dodger Stadium.

Over parts of five seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the 26-year-old grew accustomed to being booed in L.A., all while watching baseball’s latest dynasty take shape.

“It’s funny, because they always hated me whenever I came out there in center field,” Thomas said before Saturday’s 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. “I was, like, ‘Come on, guys, I’m Mexican too. You don’t have to yell at me; like, we’re on the same side here.’

“But, obviously … it doesn’t matter where you’re from. ‘If you’re not a Dodgers guy, you’re not my guy.’”

Thomas, whom Arizona designated for assignment 28 games into the season before trading him to the Dodgers in May, is, well, a Dodgers guy now.

He was called up from triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday after center fielder Andy Pages sustained a hand fracture after being hit by a pitch Friday.

“Great buy-in [and] great teammate,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Thomas before the game. “Really good defender. Had a good chat with him earlier. … he’s happy to be back in the big leagues.”

One could imagine how nice it felt for Thomas to hit an RBI single in the fourth inning, in his first game with the Dodgers and the team’s 12th sellout of the season.

“It’s been a little while,” said Thomas, who has spent 55 games in Oklahoma City this year. “So, I’m super glad to be back, and happy to help the team in any way, shape or form.”

Thomas looked solid in his primary role as a defender.

Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal delivers against the Pirates at Dodger Stadium on Saturday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

He also showed some hustle, turning a should-be groundout into a two-bagger in the eighth after an error by Pirates first baseman Rafael Flores Jr.

“Andy’s a great player, and speedy recovery for him,” Thomas said. “But I’m gonna try and play my brand of baseball; that’s why the Dodgers got me. So, yeah, I’m just gonna go out there and be myself.”

Tarik Skubal and the Dodgers were themselves, too, after a rough start.

The left-hander gave up three runs and three hits in the first. But Skubal recovered to earn his first win with the Dodgers (79-51), giving up five hits and striking out 11 over seven innings to earn a standing ovation upon his exit.

Teoscar Hernández, who entered with two RBIs over his past 16 games, put the Dodgers on the board with a run-scoring single in the fourth. Six pitches later, Thomas earned his RBI, shrinking the Pirates’ lead to 3-2.

Starter Jared Jones, a Whittier native, lasted four innings for the Pirates (63-68). He gave up two runs on three hits with five strikeouts. Pirates reliever Yohan Ramirez struggled in his place.

Kyle Tucker ended his 0-for-26 drought at home with a go-ahead, two-run single off Ramirez in the fifth.

Relievers Evan Phillips, Jack Dreyer and Tanner Scott combined for two shutout innings. Dreyer struck out Oneil Cruz looking to end the top of the eighth with a runner on third, fighting off the Pirates’ final gasp.

The Dodgers have now taken the three-game series against Pittsburgh and are victors of five straight games for the first time since late May.

RYAN Thomas’ daughter Scarlett has revealed she’s been diagnosed with ADHD and her famous family “need to chill out” over the condition.

The singer, 17, took to Snapchat to share the news with her followers as well as to rant about how people treat her as a result of it.

She began: “The word ADHD, get it away and put it in the bin because what do you mean somebody talks too much?

“What do you mean somebody has a different personality and suddenly they’ve got a disorder.

“I don’t get it. I was diagnosed in year 9, it’s literally just a personality.

“It doesn’t make sense to me. Anyway, that’s my take on that. I say it because my uncle Adam talks about it and he needs to chill out.”

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Scarlett’s famous uncles and dad Ryan have spoken about ADHD at length on their podcast, with Adam emotionally detailing his experience with the condition several times in the past.

While her dad, Ryan, revealed in March this year that he too has been diagnosed with the condition.

Opening up about the situation on the podcast, At Home With The Thomas Bro’s podcast, Ryan expressed: “ADHD for me has been a big problem and I’ve not actually spoke about it yet because If I’m really honest, I was quite embarrassed that I had ADHD.

“It felt like I had a condition and growing up, as kids, ADHD, I don’t feel like, was ever a thing – or it was loosely spoke about.”

The former Corrie actor went on to explain that his fiancée Lucy Mecklenburgh would tell him that he was losing his phone, not listening to conversations and misplacing his belongings.

He decided to visit doctors to get assessed for ADHD and had to go through an extensive process to get the diagnosis confirmed.

Ryan continued: “After the whole process, I was diagnosed – and I’m on medication.

“And friends that are on the medication have said it changes your life instantly, like the limitless pill. And it’s been quite disheartening for me because I’m on the medication every day.

“I’ve been on it for the last three, four weeks. And I still feel overwhelmed. I still misplace things.

“There is a part of me that I recognise – that I can sit down and write something on a piece of paper, which is very rare that that happens with me.”

Scarlett revealed last year that she didn’t take her GCSE’s as she opened up while everybody else was receiving their results.

In a short video posted to her TikTok account, the young stunner posed in front of a camera, showing a close up of her immaculate makeup.

Over the top of the clip set to music, Scarlett put some simple lines of POV text, reading: “Watching everyone get their GCSE results today wondering if I could’ve had good results but I will forever wonder.”

Despite not taking her exams, Scarlett’s career seems to be going from strength to strength.

As well as starring on Waterloo Road, she signed a music record deal this year with Big Family Music and is gearing up to release her own tracks.

Scarlett has amassed over 360,000 followers on TikTok and regularly shares singing videos as well as life updates with her fans.

Footballers Toby Alderweireld, Robbie Keane, Ashley Young, and former Tottenham manager Thomas Frank will join Match of the Day as pundits and BBC Sport will launch four new YouTube formats for the new men’s football season.

The BBC Football YouTube channel will house the quartet of new shows including FANS², The Truth About Football, Golden Goal and Football Hub.

There will be a focus on fan experience with the addition of the BBC Sport Fan Collective, which will bring together supporters representing all 20 Premier League clubs.

“Football means something different to every fan, and this season BBC Sport is putting those fans even more firmly at the heart of the game,” said BBC director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski.

“We’re bringing together the unrivalled expertise of former players and managers with the passion, personality and perspectives of supporters to create a richer football experience wherever and however audiences follow the game.”

BBC Radio 5 Live will broadcast live commentary of 209 Premier League matches this season, as well as coverage from the Champions League, Scottish Premiership, FA Cup, men’s League Cup and international matches.

As well as Match of the Day’s Premier League coverage, BBC will broadcast two matches from each round of the FA Cup as well as one Bundesliga match every week on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

Highlights and clips will also be available from La Liga, Serie A, the Europa League and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland’s international games.

Kelly Somer’s The Football Interview will continue on BBC iPlayer, BBC Football YouTube and the BBC Sport website and app, as well as on BBC One every Saturday from 12:45 BST.

Reporting from Washington — Will the second time be a charm for Judge Thomas M. Hardiman?

Hardiman, 53, was the runner-up last year in the seat that went to Justice Neil M. Gorsuch.

He has a solidly conservative record, including a strong defense of gun rights. And Hardiman’s working-class background could bring a fresh perspective to the nation’s highest court, giving him a special appeal to the voters who propelled President Trump’s drive to the White House.

He would become the current court’s only non-Ivy League graduate. The first in his family to graduate from college, Hardiman drove a cab to help pay his tuition.

As a young man, he learned Spanish, studied in Mexico and worked with Ayuda, a legal aid clinic in Washington, where he represented Spanish-speaking immigrants, including those who were seeking political asylum.

Beyond that, Hardiman had an inside advantage: He serves on the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia along with Judge Maryanne Trump Barry, who has reportedly urged her brother to choose him.

Hardiman’s compelling personal back story may make him harder for Senate Democrats to oppose.

But he has not appeared to be among Trump’s top three candidates in the search to replace retiring Justice Anthony M. Kennedy.

He has been seen as a capable, hardworking and well-liked judge. But he did not have a national reputation as a legal thinker, and even lawyers in Pittsburgh said last year that they do not see him as Supreme Court material.

“He takes the case before him and looks at the facts and precedents, but without imposing an overarching view of the law,” said University of Pittsburgh law professor Arthur Hellman. “It’s hard to assess what he would be like as a Supreme Court justice. My guess is that he will be a cautious judge, at least for a few years.”

President George W. Bush chose Hardiman to become a district judge in 2003 and then elevated him to the appeals court two years later, when he won unanimous confirmation from the Senate.

Hardiman does not have record of strident comments on issues such as abortion or gay rights that could fuel opposition in the Senate.

He grew up in Waltham, Mass., where his father ran a company that provided taxi service and school transportation. Hardiman won a merit scholarship to go the University of Notre Dame, and he earned his law degree at Georgetown University in Washington. He practiced law in Washington before moving to Pittsburgh. His wife, Lori Zappala Hardiman, comes from a prominent Democratic family long active in Pittsburgh politics.

He staked out a strong position four years ago in favor of the 2nd Amendment right to carry a gun in public. He dissented when the 3rd Circuit upheld a New Jersey law that required people seeking gun permits to demonstrate a “justifiable need” to be armed. Several plaintiffs who had been turned down for permits sued, alleging the restriction violated the 2nd Amendment.

A district judge upheld the law — as did the 3rd Circuit, by a 2-1 vote. The majority said that although the Supreme Court had recognized a right to have a gun at home for self-defense, it had not ruled the Constitution protected the right to carry a gun in public.

Hardiman wrote a 40-page dissent, arguing the high court and Justice Scalia described the 2nd Amendment as protecting a right to “self-defense.” Because “the need for self-defense naturally exists outside and inside the home, I would hold the 2nd Amendment applies outside the home,” he wrote in Drake vs. Filko.

In passing the law, “New Jersey has decided that fewer handguns legally carried in public means less crime…. It is obvious that the justifiable need requirement functions as a rationing system designed to limit the number of handguns carried in New Jersey,” he wrote, maintaining that the law could not stand in the face of 2nd Amendment challenge.

The law survived an appeal to the Supreme Court, however. The justices, without comment, turned down a petition in 2014 asking them to review the 3rd Circuit’s decision.

Hardiman also wrote an important opinion that upheld the power of jailers to strip-search all new inmates, even those being held briefly for failing to pay a fine who do not appear to a pose a security risk. A class-action suit was brought on behalf of people who had been arrested and strip-searched in a county jail in New Jersey. They alleged these full-body exams amounted to “unreasonable searches” in violation of the 4th Amendment. The lead plaintiff, Albert Florence, had been arrested and briefly jailed for not paying a fine. It later turned out he had paid the fine.

A district judge ruled for the plaintiffs, but Hardiman spoke for a 2-1 majority to throw out their claim. “We do not minimize the extreme intrusion on privacy associated with a strip search by law enforcement officers,” he wrote, but he added that “the prevention of the entry of illegal weapons and drugs is vital to the protection of inmates and prison personnel alike.”

The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal in the case, Florence vs. Board of Chosen Freeholders, but affirmed Hardiman’s 3rd Circuit decision by a 5-4 vote in 2012.

However, Hardiman’s judicial record is not uniformly conservative, which raises concerns among conservatives.

In 2009, one of his opinions for the 3rd Circuit revived a claim of “gender stereotyping discrimination” brought by a man who said he was harassed, ridiculed and finally fired from his job at a specialty printing company because he was seen as effeminate.

Hardiman noted that neither Congress nor the Supreme Court had outlawed discrimination based on an employee’s sexual orientation. However, he said, the justices had said employees may sue if they are fired for failing to conform to “gender stereotypes.” In the case of Prowel vs. Wise, he cleared the way for the fired employee to take his claim before a jury.

david.savage@latimes.com

On Twitter: DavidGSavage

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas publicly praised Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and his philosophy of black empowerment eight years ago, but the embattled judge said Friday that he “repudiates” the anti-Semitic views later attributed to Farrakhan.

“I cannot leave standing any suggestion that I am anti-Semitic,” Thomas said in a prepared statement. “I am and have always been unalterably and adamantly opposed to anti-Semitism and bigotry of any kind, including by Louis Farrakhan.”

Disclosures that Farrakhan was praised in two speeches prepared for delivery by Thomas to black organizations in 1983 prompted expressions of concern from leading Jewish organizations and raised new questions about the beliefs of the conservative black jurist. The Farrakhan material was actually delivered in only one speech.

Since President Bush nominated him two weeks ago to replace retiring Justice Thurgood Marshall, the Supreme Court’s only black and its leading liberal voice, Thomas has come under increasing criticism for his views on civil rights and other issues.

At the time of Thomas’ speeches in 1983, Farrakhan was a relatively unknown Chicago preacher who had yet to attain national notoriety for his militancy and anti-Semitic views.

Thomas, who currently sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia, opposes affirmative action and other race-based remedies for discrimination long favored by civil rights organizations and many members of Congress.

On Thursday, the Congressional Black Caucus registered its opposition to Thomas, saying it was concerned about his commitment to civil rights. Although the House members who belong to the caucus will play no direct role in the Senate confirmation process, their opposition could prompt other black organizations to coalesce against Thomas.

The list of groups expressing reservations about Thomas was joined Friday by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the nation’s largest public employee union. It urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject Thomas, saying that he “lacks the judicial experience necessary” to serve on the high court and has exhibited a “lack of commitment to equal justice and fundamental rights.”

Thomas has also had to deal with the problem of reports that he had used marijuana as a college student, although President Bush on Friday dismissed the significance of his drug experimentation.

“I think the matter has been put in proper perspective, and I think he handled it very well, and, certainly, in this instance, in these circumstances, in no way is disqualifying,” Bush told reporters in Kennebunkport, Me.

The references to Farrakhan were contained in the prepared texts of two speeches written for Thomas when he was chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission during the Ronald Reagan Administration.

Farrakhan, who has espoused black separatism as leader of the Nation of Islam, has drawn fire from Jewish rights groups for characterizing their faith as “a dirty religion” in early 1984, several months after Thomas delivered his speeches.

According to the texts of the prepared speeches, which were released by EEOC officials, Thomas concluded his remarks about black self-empowerment with a reference to Farrakhan as “a man I have admired for more than a decade.”

Both speeches went on to quote Farrakhan: “And so, I say to you, whether America overcomes or not, we the poor, we the oppressed, we the blacks, we the Hispanics, we the disinherited, we the rejected and most despised, we will overcome and then together we will be able to say in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King: Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we have united and made freedom a reality at last.”

The speeches were written by Thomas aide Armstrong Williams, who said they were intended to endorse only the self-help philosophy espoused by Farrakhan. In late 1983, he said, there was “no inkling” that Farrakhan later would become associated with anti-Semitism.

“Farrakhan was not controversial at that time,” Williams said. “If he had been the least bit controversial, I would not have included the quote in a speech, and Clarence would never have used it.”

In his statement, Thomas sought to distinguish between Farrakhan’s self-help philosophy and his other views. “I repudiate the anti-Semitism of Louis Farrakhan or anyone else,” he said. “While I support the concept of economic self-help, I have never supported or tolerated bigotry of any kind.”

Despite that assurance, the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith said that Thomas “unfortunately did not go far enough” to distance himself from Farrakhan. “It is not possible to separate Farrakhan’s message from Farrakhan, the messenger,” said Abraham H. Foxman, the group’s national director.

However, spokesmen for the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles said they were satisfied with Thomas’ explanation. “That put the issue to rest,” said Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean of the center. “We are satisfied as far as the Farrakhan issue is concerned.”

Sen. John C. Danforth (R-Mo.), who is serving as Thomas’ sponsor during the confirmation process, said the nominee “was adamant” in his opposition to anti-Semitism. “As a victim of prejudice himself, he feels most strongly that it is morally wrong, and he has committed much of his professional life to combating it,” Danforth said in a statement.

One of the 1983 speeches, prepared for delivery to a group of black journalists in Washington, was not delivered as written, Williams said. Because he was speaking to an informal gathering of reporters, Thomas abandoned the prepared text and apparently did not mention Farrakhan in his off-the-cuff remarks, he said.

However, the second speech was a more formal presentation at a convention of the National Assn. of Black MBAs in Atlanta. In that case, Thomas stuck to the prepared text, including the reference to Farrakhan, Williams said.

Thomas received a standing ovation from the MBAs, something that happened only rarely in speeches to black groups, he said.

Williams, now a managing partner in a Washington public relations firm, said he included the Farrakhan quote in the Atlanta speech in an effort to link Thomas’ self-help philosophy with a similar opinion held by a figure familiar to inner-city blacks.

“We always discussed his speeches and interviews,” Williams said. After he drafted the speech and showed it to Thomas, Williams said, his boss told him: “This is one passage of Farrakhan’s I can relate to.”

Staff writer James Gerstenzang in Kennebunkport, Me., contributed to this story.

Sprinters Thomas Young and Sophie Hahn picked up gold medals for England on the opening night of athletics at the Commonwealth Games.

Both won their races in the men’s and women’s 100m T38 finals in Glasgow with Young doing so to mark his 26th birthday in style.

Young, who missed out on the 2022 Games with an injury, recorded a season’s best and Games record time of 11:11 seconds.

“It might be the best birthday I’ve ever had,” he said. “It’s actually joint with Fulham winning in the play-offs on my 20th, but it’s probably this to be fair. Just. I’ve not had my birthday cake yet. I was eyeing up a chocolate cake in the hotel so if they’re still open I’ll have some of that.”

In the women’s final, Hahn beat Team Wales captain and defending champion Olivia Breen into second place, triumphing with a time of 12:79, with England team-mate Maddie Down posting a personal best of 12:86 to secure a bronze medal.

“This is very special,” said Hahn. “It’s been a long time since I last won a Commonwealth Games back in 2018. This means a lot to come here in a home Games and to win.”

British champion Sam Bennett won silver in the men’s 110m hurdles final with a personal best time of 13:30 as he was beaten by Jamaica’s Demario Prince. England’s Tade Ojoro missed out on a medal in fifth.

Kimani Jack, 22, secured a bronze in the men’s high jump final with a jump of 2.20m, with the gold medal going to Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford who cleared 2.25m.

“I really really loved it out there, it was a great experience,” said Jack. “I’ve said it multiple times but shout out Glasgow, they know how to put on an event.”

In round one of the women’s 800m, Olympic silver medallist Georgia Hunter Bell won her heat in two minutes 02.61 seconds to finish ahead of Scotland’s Jemmie Reekie as both qualified.

“I was happy to control it and I felt really good,” said Hunter Bell. “I’m happy and it’s job done.

“I’ve never done the Commonwealth Games before, so it’s obviously my debut. For me, it was always going to be a no-brainer that I do it.”

SCOTT Thomas has revealed a secret row between him and brother Ryan that led to the two not speaking to each other for six months.

Former Love Island star Scott and his actor twin Adam, 37, are the younger brother of ex-Coronation Street actor, Ryan, 42.

All three Thomas siblings joined Sam Thompson on his Staying Relevant podcast, where he asked the trio questions that had been sent in.

They addressed how long they’d gone without speaking to each other after an argument.

Turning to Scott, Ryan said: “You can answer that one, can’t ya?”, while Adam added: “They fell out for a while.”

Scott elaborated: “Me and Ryan didn’t speak for six months. This was back in the day.”

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He further explained how Ryan “used to be really stubborn” regarding arguments.

Continuing, Scott added: “There was one time… he was playing a charity football game.

“I was just meant to come down and mind Scarlett while you were playing the game.

“Bearing in mind, he had other people there, but wanted me there.

“I was so hungover. And I couldn’t get there. So next minute, we didn’t speak for six months.”

Ryan jokingly quipped: “You let the family down.”

Scott said: “He was punishing for me for going on a night out basically and being hungover.

“Bearing in mind, now I never drink, I don’t punish you.”

Asked about how he viewed the last 35 minutes of the game having had time to reflect, Tuchel said he felt “the same way – that we were too passive”.

“If you’re asking if I regret my decision, if this is the question, then I don’t regret my decisions,” he added.

“I felt that the momentum switches in the match. And I tried to help my team…

“I took several decisions, trusting my instinct, my intuition, my experience, trusting my competitiveness, and I took the decision in order to help the team and get the result. We didn’t get the result.

“So I take, of course, the responsibility and for these decisions. I would regret if I didn’t help. I would regret if we didn’t react.”

Tuchel said he was not willing to engage “in this kind of game” over who is to blame.

“No problem,” he said. “This is the deal that you sign up for, but I will not engage.

“For me, there is no-one to blame.
If you need someone to blame, I take the responsibility. I’m the head coach.”

Asked why England’s record goalscorer Kane played so deep in the latter stages, he said: “What do you mean? Like in the last 30 minutes?

“Why we defended in a deep block. Well, that’s what you do if you defend in a block. We were not active enough.”

Tuchel said Argentina had “played with a lot of momentum after our goal”.

“They had a lot of offensive changes, and a lot of offensive positions,” the 52-year-old added.

“We could not stop the crosses, and we could not stop the runners into the box.

“So we decided to play a back five, to have more width in the field, to be closer to the guys who cross.

“We just became too passive, and Argentina, by the way, found another gear and they found the total flow.

“We played in the semi-final against the reigning world champions.

“We were 85 minutes 1-0 up. We played against the best player in the world, and we lost 2-1, which is painful.”

Tuchel was asked if he had studied data which showed England’s physical performance levels against Argentina were lower than the DR Congo game in the same stadium earlier in the tournament.

He said “even if we don’t want to admit it because it feels like an excuse”, the Mexico game with 10 men in the altitude of the Azteca Stadium and the heat against Norway in Miami “cost us more than we maybe thought”.

“The players literally gave everything physically [in] every single match. If you see this data drop, there must be a reason behind it, because the motivation was through the roof,” he said.

What jumps out is that although both managers have started from opposite tactical viewpoints, there are clear similarities in both their tournament runs – much to Tuchel’s frustration.

After England’s victory against Norway, Tuchel said: “The result is fantastic but I’m not happy with the performance,” before adding, “[we were] sloppy, tactical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough.”

These all speak to fact that the principles he wanted to see in his side were not on show.

Both goals against Norway came from moments of individual brilliance against disorganised defences.

A goal-kick that fell short and landed at Elliot Anderson’s feet gave England possession against a Norway side not in their rigid 4-5-1 shape and through direct running and quick passing, Bellingham was then able to score.

The winner came from the second phase of a corner, before Rogers had a long shot parried into Bellingham’s path.

Those goals feel more Southgate than Tuchel – player-led, intuitive and slightly chaotic rather than repetitive, drilled and choreographed.

Harry Kane was in the form of his life in the Bundesliga last season, scoring 61 goals in all competitions.

But time is against the Bayern Munich striker, who turns 33 on 28 July.

The captain, who scored six goals at the World Cup, said after the loss to Argentina that it was “too early” to talk about playing at the finals in 2030.

Kane will, though, surely be around for Euro 2028. Lifting a trophy on home soil could yet be the end of his international career.

So who starts up front should not be a problem, barring injury.

Tuchel’s key task is to work out a Plan B, or find an able understudy should Kane not be available.

Phil Foden was given a chance in a false nine role against Uruguay in March, but he underperformed to such an extent that he missed out on the World Cup.

Tuchel took two other central strikers, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney. Yet they were limited to one minor substitute appearance each.

Watkins, the top-scoring English striker in the Premier League last season with 16 goals, played just six minutes when he replaced Kane against Panama.

Kane played every other minute save for stoppage time against Mexico, when Morgan Rogers replaced him.

Toney, who like Watkins is 30, was only granted the final throes of stoppage time against Argentina.

It suggests an over-reliance on Kane, and alternatives must be found to ease his workload as he approaches the age of 35.

Dominic Solanke (28) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (29) are the only other strikers to be used by England in the last 12 months.

Watkins, Leeds’ Calvert-Lewin (14) and the 35-year-old Brighton attacker Danny Welbeck (13) were the only English strikers to hit double figures in the Premier League last season.

Age is not on the side of any of these players, and it is unclear where the new blood is coming from.

It was hoped that Eddie Nketiah, the England Under-21 all-time record goalscorer, would be the next prolific striker to come through the youth levels.

But the former Arsenal player has scored just five Premier League goals in two seasons at Crystal Palace.

Perhaps Liam Delap, still only 23, who scored 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich Town in 2024-25, will finally find his feet at Chelsea – or at a new club.

This may be a problem for another manager beyond Euro 2028, as Tuchel may feel that he has got Kane and that will do him.

England have showed character at this World Cup, coming from behind to defeat both DR Congo at the last-32 stage and Norway in the quarter-finals.

“The difference is hanging on against Norway or Mexico [in the last 16], they have not got the quality this Argentina team have got in terms of the ability on the ball and the ability they have to punish you,” former England captain Alan Shearer told BBC Sport.

“Tuchel played his cards very, very early and it has backfired.”

England looked to have taken full control of the semi-final against their old foes when Gordon put them ahead 10 minutes into the second half.

England’s fans celebrated wildly – but then the Three Lions opted to sit back and defend.

“The fact that England got themselves in front and then basically handed Argentina the initiative… that was a coaching catastrophe from Thomas Tuchel,” Chris Sutton, a Premier League winner with Blackburn in 1994-95, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“You can’t expect to defend for 30 minutes against the quality Argentina had.

“It’s all on the coach where I am concerned. He made the changes. He was negative, so the question which I’m going to ask is ‘how can you trust Thomas Tuchel to take this team forward?'”

England have come undone against Argentina in the past.

Who can forget Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal at the 1986 World Cup or the 1998 World Cup defeat that burns so deep.

England, however, have no-one but themselves to blame for Wednesday’s loss.

“Norway and Mexico panicked against England,” former England goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC Sport.

“I didn’t see one bit of panic from that Argentina side. I saw belief, I saw the realising they could free up the great man Lionel Messi in the pocket, and they were running all over England.

“Gareth Southgate took a lot of criticism for the big moments with England, when they had the lead in big games and shut up shop. I don’t see that anything has changed in that big moment out there.”

So what were the changes that frustrated England fans so much?

Leading 1-0, many expected Tuchel to go for another goal – but instead the German made three defensive changes.

He brought Konsa on for Gordon in the 72nd minute – switching to a back five – before bringing on further defensive reinforcements 10 minutes later in Burn and O’Reilly.

Tuchel sent on forwards Rashford and Toney in added time, but it proved too little too late.

“I felt the changes we made at 1-0, that if Argentina scored we wouldn’t make extra time,” added Rooney.

Former England defender Micah Richards told BBC Sport: “When England scored that first goal they should have gone for the second.

“Yes, you respect their quality, but dropping deep allowed Argentina to get into their flow.”

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, said Tuchel went too deep too soon.

“I think he has got that wrong,” added Robinson, who won 41 caps for England between 2003 and 2007.

“He has got a lot of decisions right, but I think trying to defend a lead against this team was a wrong choice.”

England will face France in the bronze-medal match on Saturday (22:00 BST) – and victory will mean this is their best performance in a men’s World Cup since 1966.

“It is heartbreaking to be so close,” said Bullingham.

“The players and Thomas gave it everything today and the squad, coaches and staff could not have worked harder during the tournament.

“I would like to thank them all – and also give my heartfelt thanks to our wonderful fans here in the USA and at home.”

Despite the disappointment of losing in the semi-final, England’s progress will be viewed internally as a relative success.

Tuchel said at his post-match news conference in Atlanta: “We keep on going with the contract until the home Euros.

“I’m looking forward to that even though right now it’s difficult to look that far ahead.

“Of course, it’s a semi-final; a lot of big football nations are eliminated before the semi-final, so it is an achievement.

“No-one wants to hear that at the moment; me neither because we demand the most of ourselves. That’s just the nature of being competitive.”

But England do not have to remove direct play from their game entirely.

By managing the space and speed of the game, they can pick their moments to release the likes of Noni Madueke, Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford and Jude Bellingham.

If England do opt to play more slowly, they will also be hoping these ‘boring’ spells of play work to silence the Mexican home crowd.

The decision to pick a squad of similar profiles might be one of the more astute decisions Tuchel has made as England boss when it comes to this game too.

With a tactical plan in mind, making five substitutions that do not alter the dynamic of the game greatly, but instead reinforce the plan with freshness and energy as Mexico begin to tire could be the difference.

This could indeed be a match full of mini-games and picking moments in which to change things will be key.

Tuchel, as we’ve seen throughout his club career, and most recently against DR Congo, has a knack for getting mid-game tweaks right but the many variables of the game against Mexico make this one of his toughest challenges yet.

Thomas Tuchel has dismissed concerns over England’s treatment in Mexico as they prepare to face the World Cup co-hosts – saying it had been “nicer than I expected” and that home fans were “friendly and respectful”.

Tuchel’s side take on Mexico in a last-16 match that kicks off at 18:00 local time on Sunday (Monday 01:00 BST, live on BBC One, iPlayer and Radio 5 Live).

On Saturday, the team were met with a mixture of cheers and jeers from fans as they left their hotel for training under enhanced security measures in Mexico City.

Ecuador – beaten 2-0 by Mexico in the World Cup last 32 – lodged a noise complaint with Fifa after fans with loudspeakers, motorbikes and horns disrupted their sleep last week.

As a result, members of Mexico’s National Guard lined the entrance to England’s hotel, while police officers in riot gear stood next to barriers on the road outside.

“We had no issues tonight and I think Fifa took care of the situation,” head coach Tuchel said. “We have security around the hotel so we expect a good night’s sleep.

“I don’t want to talk about problems that don’t exist yet. If they come, we will accept them. The best way to approach is to be relaxed and calm.

“We have a six o’clock kick-off, so if we miss some hours of sleep we will have time to get some other hours in the late morning.

“What I experienced until now was very respectful and emotional and very supportive to towards our teams so are very respectful towards everyone. We expect to be treated with respect and that was the case.

“It was even nicer than I expected.”

Tuchel said he had felt the energy in Mexico City.

“It just catches you straight away once you land here and saw the excitement and the emotions,” he said.

“This will be a proper World Cup match. We are in an iconic place, an iconic stadium and a massive knockout game.

“It is a big stage and we feel it. It makes you sharper and brings the best out of you. It makes you feel alive.”

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White has denounced the racist hate and abuse directed at Alyssa Thomas since the Phoenix Mercury forward committed a flagrant foul against star guard Caitlin Clark.

“It’s absolutely unacceptable,” White told the media before the team’s practice on Wednesday. “I think as a league as a whole, there’s been so much more toxicity, racism, homophobia — straight-out hate nonsense. And it is absolutely unacceptable.”

White attributed most of the hateful comments to online agitators rather than true WNBA or Indiana Fever fans.

“I believe this is people who are using our league, using our players, to further divisive agendas,” White said, while acknowledging that certain criticisms and fan dynamics are part of the game. “But it’s not hard to not be a jerk. If you are one of these people that are online doing this, do not call yourself a WNBA fan.”

A former Indiana Miss Basketball honoree, White played in the WNBA from 1999 to 2003, including with the Fever, before transitioning to coaching. She was previously the head coach of the Connecticut Sun — where she coached Thomas — before being hired by the Fever.

“Our league is about inclusiveness,” she continued. “Our league is about competition. Our league is about elevating — elevating women, elevating marginalized communities, and being inclusive of all different walks of life. That is what our league has always been about from day one. That is what our league will continue to be about.”

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White has denounced the racist abuse directed to Alyssa Thomas.

(Erik Rank / Associated Press)

Thomas was suspended for a game after the WNBA reviewed a viral moment that occurred during the Mercury’s 111-109 win over the Fever last Wednesday. Thomas and Clark were scrambling for a loose ball at around the 6:52 mark during the second quarter and Thomas’ fist pressed into Clark’s throat after she landed on her. No fouls were called at that time, and screenshots and video from the incident quickly made their rounds on social media. Upon review after the game, the WNBA assessed Thomas a Flagrant 2 foul.

The 13-year veteran and six-time All Star told reporters Tuesday that she has received death threats and racist abuse in the aftermath.

“It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this over basketball,” Thomas, who had served her suspension Saturday, said. “A lot of us, myself included, didn’t even know the play took place until after the game. Now we’re being painted as thugs. There’s death threats out on us. It’s really unacceptable. It’s something that needs to change in this league and I’m just really sick and tired of it.”

She called out the WNBA and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for not doing more to protect players off the court.

“We’re so concerned about the safety on the court, but time and time again, we’re having people threaten our lives,” Thomas said, explaining that her main concern was not the suspension itself. “Leaking addresses out there. Putting crazy pictures that have nothing to do with basketball. At some point, the league needs to [take] a stand … Time and time again, players are going through this and the league remains silent. I’m sick and tired of it. It’s time for them to step up and have our backs.”

Engelbert released a statement Tuesday night following Thomas’ comments.

“The WNBA vehemently condemns any and all forms of hate,” the widely reported statement read. “The safety and well-being of everyone in our community is always the league’s top priority. We are aware of Alyssa Thomas’ comments, and what she and her teammates have experienced is completely unacceptable and not representative of the WNBA community. The league and our security team have been in contact with the Phoenix Mercury organization and remain committed to protecting all players.”

This is not the first time Thomas has spoken out about racist abuse she and her teammates have received following a match-up against the Fever. During the 2024 playoffs, while a member of the Sun, Thomas said that she had never experienced the sort of “racial comments” or “been called the things that [she’s] been called on social media” by so-called Fever fans. The Sun eliminated the Fever that year.

Clark’s fame and popularity have often led to various talking heads, commentators and even politicians who may not regularly follow the WNBA to share their hot takes whenever a situation involves the former college phenom. The ensuing discourse and social media chatter are often divisive.

Thomas’ flagrant foul occurred two days after the teams’ chippy June 22 matchup, which saw Thomas and Clark receive technical fouls along with three other players for their involvement in a scuffle during the final frame of the Fever’s 86-77 win.

“There’s a difference between trolling, and there’s a difference between hatred,” Thomas said Tuesday of the racist slurs she and other players have received. “The hatred that we’re experiencing over a play that, honestly, was a complete accident, no one even knew it happened. It’s just unfortunate. The league has to do better in this instance.”

England manager Thomas Tuchel has defended his full-back selection policy after confirming Reece James will miss Saturday’s World Cup match against Panama.

As revealed by BBC Sport this week, James was assessed by England medics following Tuesday’s goalless draw against Ghana after complaining of a hamstring issue.

Tuchel has since confirmed that the Chelsea right-back has not travelled to New Jersey from their Kansas City base for their final Group L game against Panama on Saturday (22:00 BST). But he insists James has a chance of playing in England’s possible last-32 match next week.

However, BBC Sport understands that James is a significant doubt for the start of the knockout stages, should England qualify.

James’ injury – and the calf issue that caused Tino Livramento to return home from the United States – has thrown into question Tuchel’s decision to bring just three recognised full-backs to the World Cup.

Djed Spence, James and Livramento were the only genuine full-backs selected.

Nico O’Reilly, who played at left-back for Manchester City last season, is also in the squad – but he came through the ranks at Etihad Stadium as a midfielder. Dan Burn has also played at left-back but is recognised as a centre-back.

Spence and central defenders Jarell Quansah and Ezri Konsa are Tuchel’s alternative options at right-back.

Nevertheless, Tuchel said: “Yes, I am [happy with my options at right-back]. I selected the team, so I’m very happy with everything with the characteristic of the players and strengths that they give us.

“We would love to have every single key player, we would love to have them available, it’s not available – we find solutions, it’s what we do. It’s a tournament, we move on.”

James and Livramento, in particular, have a chequered injury history and Tuchel’s decision to take both to the World Cup is likely to be called into question.

Tuchel, though, is confident James will play again in the World Cup should England progress.

“It’s a minor hamstring issue, he’s not been able to train the last two days,” confirmed Tuchel.

“He’s now on an accelerated rehabilitation program and we take it game by game, but we strongly believe that he will be available [during the tournament].”

There was better news with regards to the availability of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, who Tuchel said would all be available to face Panama.

Rice (calf) and Anderson (glute) missed training on Thursday – but returned on Friday.

Tuchel confirmed Saka is ready to start after coming off the bench in the opening two matches because of a long-term Achilles tendinitis complaint.

Both players were on the floor when Thomas pushed her fist into Clark’s throat before getting up and stepping over her.

Phoenix Mercury star guard Alyssa Thomas has been given a flagrant foul 2 by the WNBA office and suspended one game for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area” of Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark during Wednesday’s game between the teams.

The incident occurred with 6:52 left in the second quarter of the Mercury’s 111-109 triumph over host Indiana. No foul was called.

Thomas will serve the suspension Saturday when the Phoenix visit the Toronto Tempo.

The WNBA office said it has the option to review games and “classify as flagrant any foul not called as such during a game.”

In this instance, Clark drove into the lane and fell on her side following contact with Phoenix defender Lexi Held. In the ensuing scramble for the ball, Thomas pushed her fist into Clark’s throat before getting up and stepping over Clark.

Fever coach Stephanie White was upset after the contest that Thomas wasn’t called for a foul.

“Number one, you’ve got to call it. It’s absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful,” White said.

The teams also had played a testy contest two nights earlier in which a combined six technical fouls were called during Indiana’s 86-77 victory.

Thomas, 34, is a six-time All-Star. She is in her second season with the Mercury after playing 11 campaigns with the Connecticut Sun.

Thomas is averaging 14.7 points, 8.4 assists and 6.6 rebounds in 18 games this season.

Clark exited Wednesday’s game with 5:15 left in the third quarter due to back issues.

Clark, 24, is averaging a career-high 21.2 points, 8.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds through 17 games this season. She’s a two-time All-Star.

The Fever host the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted he is not a fan of the controversial hydration breaks being used at the World Cup.

Tuchel, 52, was speaking before England’s second Group L game against Ghana in Boston on Wednesday (21:00 BST), where rain and cool temperatures are forecast.

England’s fans started the now customary jeering of the breaks when play was stopped in the first half of their opening game against Croatia in Dallas, despite the match being played under a roof in an air-conditioned arena.

The breaks will continue to be used in Boston irrespective of the weather, but Tuchel expressed his reservations about them and the impact they are having on games.

“I think that it interrupts and changes the identity of a football match much more than I thought. I had hydration breaks before when it was really, really hot and needed, but they were shorter,” Tuchel said.

“They were shorter and they were just in a few matches. In the interests of fairness here, it is now done in every match for every team.

“It breaks the match almost in four quarters. And I think it changes the characteristic of the match more than I thought.”

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey says he is ready to face England after being denied entry to Canada for the Black Stars’ World Cup opener.

The former Arsenal player, 33, missed Ghana’s win against Panama last week because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK.

Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and is scheduled to stand trial next year.

He was denied entry to Canada after telling officials he had never been arrested or charged with a crime, but is expected to feature against England in Boston on Tuesday.

“It’s part of football,” the Villarreal player said.

“Things happen outside football that you cannot control. For me now, I feel OK and ready to play.”

In a statement, US customs and border protection (CBP) said last week: “The US is aware of the pending court case for Mr Partey.

“However, at this time, he has not been convicted of a crime and was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa.”

Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz said his players were “fully motivated” to face England.

“This is the easiest type of match, because when you’re about to play against England, France or Germany, you don’t need to say anything to the players,” he added.

“Everybody is fully switched on and everybody wants to perform well.”

ADAM Thomas has revealed that he was ROBBED in a local corner shop by the owner.

The actor, who appeared on the latest I’m A Celebrity All Stars, explained that he was charged £100 for a couple of bags of sweets.

Adam was left stunned when he confronted the shopkeeper, who told him he didn’t think the soap star “needed the money” after his latest stint on the ITV jungle show, where he received a sizeable fee for his appearance.

The Emmerdale star said he spotted the error on the card reader after he had already paid for it.

Speaking on At Home with the Thomas Bros podcast, Adam said: “I got robbed the other day!’

“Listen right, so I went to my local off-licence, I was buying some sweets for the kids, and I went to pay for it, and I paid for it, and then I looked at the card machine, and it said £100, and I was like ”bro what are you doing?” 

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He went: ”Come on you don’t need it!” and I was like ‘what do you mean I don’t need it?’”

Adam went on to say that the owner told him: ”You’ve just come off the jungle man, you don’t need it’.”

He continued: “I looked him dead in the eyes, and don’t get me wrong I had a banter with this guy, we have a little bit of a laugh back and forth and everything. I was just a bit caught off guard.

“That’s what I think, he’s getting his money back. But I was like ‘bro you can’t do that’.

‘He said ‘oh come on man, you don’t need, I need some money, I need some.’

“I said ‘I listen, I like you and everything, but don’t take the p**s out of me’.”

The Waterloo Road star revealed that the owner finally paid him back and apologised for it.

“Weeks passed and everything, and I sort of forgot about it, and I was walking through my village again, and I went in there, and he was like ‘bro where have you been? You’ve not been back, I’ve been wanting to give you the money, come in, come in, come in,’ and he was so apologetic. 

“Like counting the money out, and he was giving it to me, and he was like, ‘I’m so sorry, like I was just doing it as a joke. I didn’t really mean to offend you or anything like that.”

“And I felt really bad, and at one point I was gonna go ‘you know what, keep the money, it’s not about the money.”

“And anyway, he gave me my money back, and then I ended up giving him the bacon roll, and the croissant.”

The actor found himself at the centre of a catastrophic row during his time I’m A Celeb as he clashed with co-stars Jimmy Bullard and David Haye.

Last month, Adam said he had finally moved on from his I’m A Celeb feud drama, saying “a weight has been lifted” from his shoulders.

On a recent episode of their podcast, Adam’s brother Scott noted: “Ever since all this jungle stuff, you’ve become a proper man, mate, you’ve got a different presence. You’ve god a new strength, mate, about you.

“Even the way you talk, everything.”

Admitting he agreed, Adam responded: “I don’t know, I feel like, for months, I just feel like there was a big dark cloud over me.

“It was for a while until after the final. And then, literally, about a week and a half after the final, I was like, ‘Oh my god, it’s gone’.”

As Scott, Adam and brother Ryan continued to discuss the tough time, the jungle winner admitted he was finally feeling back to his best.

“I just feel like a big weight has been lifted.

“Even when I did the podcast when I first came out, it was straight after as well so I was resenting it a lot, I was angry a lot, I was sad.

“But now I can see the light between the trees a little bit. I just feel like, you know what? It was what it was, it was meant to be, that was my journey and I feel like a better man for it.”

Following the chaotic I’m A Celeb live final, which saw boxer David and former footballer Jimmy stand against Adam, the actor broke down on tears on his podcast with Ryan and Scott.

At the time, he said: “I’m just tired, I want it all to go away and just be forgotten about.

“The sad truth is that everyone will go on with their lives but for me, this will be in for me the rest of my life”.

Tuchel’s decision to select a central defender in Chalobah, rather than a natural full-back replacement, is further proof Real Madrid’s Alexander-Arnold remains well out of the picture.

Alexander-Arnold’s fate seemed sealed as far back as August when Tuchel left him out of England’s squad for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.

This was after Tuchel even opted to pick Alexander-Arnold’s former Liverpool team-mate Curtis Jones, a central midfielder, ahead of him at right-back against Andorra in June.

Tuchel has made his concerns over Alexander-Arnold’s perceived defensive frailties clear, saying: “If he wants to have this impact in the English national team then he has to take the defensive part very, very seriously.

“Because when we are talking, especially about qualifying football, and then tournament football, the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100% awake, can be decisive. It can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home.”

Packing his suitcase early for a flight back to England is not on Tuchel’s agenda – so one of the country’s most naturally gifted footballers is overlooked again.

Alexander-Arnold was not included in Tuchel’s 35-man squad for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan in March, missing out again when the coach needed to seek reinforcements.

Tuchel instead picked Arsenal’s Ben White, who has not been a regular at club level and had been in self-imposed England exile since the Qatar World Cup in 2022.

Alexander-Arnold did make Tuchel’s provisional 55-man World Cup squad, although that could hardly be called a ringing endorsement.

It is in sharp contrast to the faith placed in Alexander-Arnold by Lee Carsley, England’s Under-21 coach who bridged the gap between Southgate’s departure and Tuchel’s appointment.

Carsley even used Alexander-Arnold at left-back in a 3-1 Nations League win at Finland in October 2024, crowning his performance with a superb free-kick.

Alexander-Arnold started four games out of six under Carsley but none of Tuchel’s 14 – those facts speak for themselves.

As a head coach who fixates on squad togetherness, was there a worry that having such a high-profile player on the margins might lead Alexander-Arnold to provide an unintentional distraction and focus of attention?

Alexander-Arnold’s latest rejection appears to be further evidence there is no way back for him with England as long as Tuchel is in charge.

Partey’s visa was denied due to the multiple charges of rape he faces in the United Kingdom.

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will not play in his team’s World Cup opener after Canada denied his visa application while he awaits trial on multiple charges of rape in the United Kingdom.

FIFA said on Friday in a statement that the 32-year-old Partey won’t be able to travel from his team’s base camp in Smithfield, Rhode Island, for Ghana’s opening match with Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.

“His visa application has been refused by the Canadian government,” the governing body of world football said.

“FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in a statement that every person wanting to come to Canada is assessed individually “based on the facts available and the law that applies”.

“Canada is proud to be a host country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is working to facilitate a successful event while maintaining the safety and security of Canadians,” the IRCC said in the statement.

“Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada’s immigration laws.”

Partey was travelling back to Ghana’s base camp in Rhode Island after his visa denial. He will be able to play on June 23 when Ghana play England in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Ghana conclude group play on June 27 against Croatia in Philadelphia.

Partey is scheduled to stand trial in November or later on allegations dating to his time with English club Arsenal from 2020-25. Partey, who now plays in Spain for Villarreal, has pleaded not guilty.

A second World Cup player, Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi, is awaiting trial on similar charges in Paris.

Ghana are making their fifth appearance in the last six World Cups.