Vesper

A play-off shake-up would be good news for Wrexham, but bad for football https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6618958/2025/09/11/wrexham-play-off-efl/ Mention “the play-offs” to Wrexham supporters of any vintage and chances are their first response will be to shudder. Six times the club now owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have competed in the end-of-season promotion deciders and six times they’ve failed to go up, most recently in 2022 against Grimsby Town. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course. There’s an argument that the 5-4 semi-final loss, which served as the finale to series one of the Welcome to Wrexham TV show, actually did the club a favour, in that it introduced a US audience to the sense of jeopardy that exists in a sport featuring promotion and relegation. But, at the time, the devastation felt by supporters wearily used to coming up short in the play-offs — a tale of woe that stretches back to 1989 — was so deep that a straw poll at the final whistle against Grimsby would surely have voted in favour of boycotting all future attempts at going up via this route. Three or so years on, the landscape at the Racecourse Ground has changed significantly. Wrexham are a Championship club now and the Premier League is just one more promotion away. Surely, then, The Athletic’s exclusive story about plans to expand the number of teams involved in the play-offs at this level from four to six must be good news for Wrexham, even allowing for that dreadful record. Basic mathematics says lowering the qualification bar to eighth place certainly means an increased chance of getting a shot at realising their Hollywood owners’ much-stated ambition of reaching the top flight. Play-off changes could be good news for Wrexham owners Rob McElhenney (left) and Ryan Reynolds (Kya Banasko/Getty Images) And Wrexham would not be alone in welcoming such a change. The proposals — presented by Preston North End chief executive Peter Ridsdale to a meeting of Championship chief executives last week — received widespread backing, as clubs sensed the door to the Premier League’s promised land creaking open a little wider. But at what cost? The play-offs are one of English football’s greatest success stories. Introduced in 1986-87, they quickly became a highlight of the calendar by offering an intoxicating mix of drama and excitement that spread to the regular season by keeping even mid-table teams in the promotion mix until well into the spring. Thanks to the prize of reaching the Premier League being so big, the second-tier play-offs have taken on an aura all of their own, with the final long ago dubbed The Richest Game in World Football. None of this will change under this plan. There is, though, a very real danger of the quality being diluted sufficiently to damage the EFL brand. Bristol City, having finished sixth in last season’s Championship, stunk out the semi-finals, even before Rob Dickie’s red card on the stroke of half-time in their first leg defeat at home to Sheffield United. But what if Liam Manning’s side had instead hit a purple patch in May and gone on to clinch promotion? Chances are, one of the worst teams to qualify for the Championship play-offs would now be drowning in the league above. This season’s newly-promoted Premier League clubs may have made encouraging starts but Southampton’s derisory 12 points in 2024-25 and all six of the promoted teams going straight back down in the last two campaigns have raised questions over a competitive imbalance between the top two divisions. The Premier League has always been hostile to the notion of expanding the play-offs, which has been regularly touted for over 20 years, partly because of fears it would dilute the quality of its competition. How long before those at the top table start questioning the validity of three sides coming up every year? Sounds far-fetched? Perhaps. But there’s a huge gulf between the top two divisions right now that will not be bridged by promoting a team who could only finish eighth in the Championship. Be careful what you wish for, if you like. Especially as any extension to the play-offs would mean having to create space in an already congested calendar. Grimsby’s Tristan Abrahams celebrates beating Wrexham in the 2022 National League play-offs (Lewis Storey/Getty Images) This could be done by either squeezing the regular season even tighter with more midweek fixtures or putting the Wembley final back a week. The latter, though, would be a terrible option as play-off winners would have even less time to prepare for the Premier League than they do now. Those behind the shake-up have clearly looked to the National League — England’s fifth tier — for inspiration, judging by how the proposed eliminator stage looks very similar to the current format of the fourth-placed side playing seventh and fifth taking on sixth. But the decision to extend the National League play-offs from four to six teams in 2017-18 made sense, in part, thanks to the two-up, two-down agreement with the EFL. By increasing the participating teams by 50 per cent, more stayed involved in the promotion race for longer. However, if the National League ever gets the three-up, three-down set-up it craves, this argument feels more redundant. It’s also worth noting how the National League play-offs have panned out, both before and after those changes eight years ago. The lowest-placed team in the final table to win promotion is Grimsby in 2022, when, as the sixth-placed side, they followed that win over Wrexham by beating Solihull Moors. Otherwise, promotion via the play-offs has been pretty much the preserve of the teams finishing second or third, with the 2025 final the big outlier as fifth-placed Oldham Athletic defeated seventh-placed Southend United. Is it really worth not only adding to fixture congestion by extending the current Championship play-offs but also potentially risking the wrath of the Premier League for such little impact? Especially for a league so competitive already that, with just two games remaining last season, every one of the 24 teams in the second tier could either go up or down. If Wrexham, Preston or anyone else wants to go up, then do it via the current route. Don’t fix what isn’t broken.

Enzo Maresca: Chelsea squad not ‘worried’ about club’s 74 FA charges https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6622773/2025/09/12/enzo-maresca-Chelsea-charges/ Enzo Maresca says neither he or the Chelsea players are worried about the club facing 74 charges for alleged rule breaches related to payments to agents between 2009 and 2022. Chelsea have until September 19 to respond to the Football Association (FA) with the potential punishments, if found guilty, ranging from a fine to a points deduction or transfer ban. The Athletic reported on Thursday that the club are expecting it to just be a fine, although an independent commission will be the ones to decide what happens. Maresca admits he is not too concerned about the situation. Speaking during Friday’s pre-match press conference, when asked if he had spoken to anyone in the hierarchy about the case, he replied: “I know from the club that they are satisfied about the situation, about the process. “Personally I don’t have anything to add, firstly because I don’t have any idea. If I say something I could be wrong or right. I just focus on the pitch side, something I can control. The rest is not in my hands.” When pressed if he will speak to the players to reassure them over the possible ramifications, he replied: “I don’t think the players are too worried about the situation.” What You Should Read Next Chelsea’s 74 FA charges explained: What are the allegations and how could they be punished? Breaking down what Chelsea are accused of by the FA and what the implications could be Chelsea face Brentford on Saturday and Maresca will make a late decision on whether to recall Cole Palmer to the squad after a groin problem. The 23-year-old has played just once this season, against Crystal Palace in the opening game. He was withdrawn from the starting XI against West Ham United the following week at the last moment having felt some discomfort during the warm-up. Maresca said: “Cole took part in the session for the first time yesterday. It was not for the whole session, we have one more session this afternoon and we will try with him. We will see if he is okay, otherwise he will be out of tomorrow’s game. “For sure the moment he is available we will probably have to think of managing him because of the amount of games.”

EXCL: What my sources are saying about Adam Wharton ahead of January interest from Liverpool, Chelsea & Man Utd Keep a close eye on this one... https://thedailybriefing.io/p/excl-what-my-sources-are-saying-about I’ve just had an interesting WhatsApp exchange with a very well-connected source who’s expecting strong interest in Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton this January. As I recently reported for CaughtOffside here, Wharton had genuine and concrete chances of moving late on this summer, but Palace succeeded in frightening suitors off with a whopping £100m price tag. Needless to say, there was no appetite to let Wharton leave so late in the window when Eberechi Eze had already joined Arsenal and Marc Guehi looked set for a move to Liverpool. In the end, Eagles co-owner and chairman Steve Parish will have to view the transfer window as a relative success - Eze was the only major sale, with Wharton and Guehi staying put, while Oliver Glasner is also still in charge despite interest from Manchester United. Adam Wharton will be one to watch again in January However, this may all only be a temporary reprieve, with Guehi obviously out of contract at the end of the season. As reported yesterday, Liverpool remain confident that they’re in pole position to sign him on a free transfer despite “noise” about links with other clubs. Wharton is also going to be one to watch again in upcoming transfer windows, with my sources telling me that Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United could all push for him in January. Starting with United, we know they made a bid for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, and he’s still on their list, but that might not be the only midfield signing they make in the next twelve months, with Wharton also highly appreciated. My source this morning told me: “United see Wharton as the ideal replacement for Casemiro, who’s expected to leave at the end of the season. His ability to dictate play from deep fits perfectly into Ruben Amorim’s tactical setup. They made an approach in the summer, but Palace rejected it outright.” This source, who was also one of the first to confirm Arsenal had made a breakthrough on the Eze deal, also informed me that Wharton’s asking price for January would likely be more like £60m than the £100m they raised it to towards the end of the summer. World Cup could come into Adam Wharton’s thinking Why the change of heart? Well, although Wharton is not expected to push hard for a move away from Selhurst Park, there is next summer’s World Cup to think about. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images) The England international is likely to be part of Thomas Tuchel’s squad, but there’s a lot of competition for a starting spot. Clearly, this is a player who knows very well that he’s good enough to be in that XI, but playing for a bigger club and in the Champions League would undoubtedly do his chances no harm. My source confirmed this to me, saying: “Wharton is keen to play European football and cement his place in the national team - these factors could influence his next move.” This could mean Liverpool and Chelsea have an advantage over United for the time being, as they’re both in Europe, but it’s also the case that there’d be more competition in those squads. Arne Slot is a big admirer of Wharton as I understand it, but football is unpredictable and all sides will know there’s some uncertainty about whether the 21-year-old would immediately be able to shift other top midfield players like Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch or Dominik Szoboszlai out of the Liverpool starting line up. Similarly, Chelsea already have Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez as their clear first-choice midfield pairing. Wharton very much fits the profile of player this Blues ownership likes, but it’s not a move without its risks. Wharton is open to leaving Palace and I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about this in the weeks and months ahead, but a combination of regular playing time and European football will be crucial. Let’s see if anything emerges that ticks both of those boxes.

Nilson Angulo

Chelsea to sign Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha in 2026 https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6622905/2025/09/12/Chelsea-transfer-news-strasbourg-emegha/ Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Emanuel Emegha from BlueCo sister club RC Strasbourg. BlueCo, the company the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium created when buying Chelsea in 2022, owns both clubs involved in the deal, which will be formally processed in 2026. Last season, the 22-year-old scored 14 goals and provided three assists in 27 appearances in Ligue 1. Having started his career at Sparta Rotterdam, the Netherlands under-21 international went on to play for Royal Antwerp and Sturm Graz before joining Strasbourg in 2023. This summer, Chelsea completed the signings of strikers Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, while Nicolas Jackson joined Bayern Munich on a loan deal with a conditional obligation to buy. Chelsea also recalled striker Marc Guiu from a previously agreed season-long loan deal at Sunderland following an injury to Delap, which is expected to rule out the striker for several months of the campaign. Enzo Maresca’s side, who have collected seven points from their opening three league games, travel to Brentford in a west London derby on Saturday. Why have Chelsea signed Emegha? Analysis from The Athletic’s Chelsea Correspondent Simon Johnson The summer window has been closed for under a fortnight and Chelsea have already made another signing for the future. The obvious question is why? Emegha has been under consideration at Chelsea for some time — it helps that they can keep a close eye on his progress at sister club Strasbourg. The multi club model worked in Chelsea’s favour here. Champions League clubs in England and abroad were beginning to show a lot of interest in the forward earlier this year but Strasbourg were able to keep hold of him this summer. Emegha was spoken to, assured that he’d be better off staying one more year and developing at Strasbourg before moving elsewhere. A sign of the trust and value placed in him was that he was also made captain for this season. At that point a move to Chelsea was not promised or guaranteed, but clearly given the relationship between the two clubs it could not be ruled out. What You Should Read Next Liam Delap, a hamstring tear and a frustrating start to life at Chelsea The summer signing from Ipswich made an impact at the Club World Cup but will have to wait to show the home supporters what he can do Emegha has increased in Chelsea’s thinking in recent weeks. For starters he is seen as a successor to Nicolas Jackson, who was granted his wish to leave Stamford Bridge last week and has joined Bayern Munich on loan. There is a contractual obligation included which can make that permanent if certain conditions are met, but even if that does not happen, the plan is for him to be sold permanently in 2026 regardless. Emegha is regarded as one of the fastest strikers in Ligue 1 and a player who likes to run in behind defences as well as down the channels – essentially what Jackson has been doing over the past two years but Chelsea feel his potential is greater. When Chelsea were assessing what to do following Liam Delap’s hamstring injury at the end of last month, which will rule him out until November, they deliberately decided not to add another striker in the last few days of window. They did not want to block the pathway of Marc Guiu, who they decided to recall from loan at Sunderland. Significantly the same reasoning was applied to Emegha as they stepped up thoughts of buying him with 2026 in mind. Chelsea felt it was too early for him to come now and that another year at Strasbourg will make him even more polished. The fact he will also get experience playing in European competition via the UEFA Conference League is seen as another positive. The club also feel there is a strong possibility of Emegha being part of the Netherlands squad for the World Cup should they qualify. That means getting a deal agreed in advance before facing possibly even more competition for his signature is so important. Chelsea want strength in depth for their attacking positions and with Joao Pedro able to play as a No 10 as well as up front, Emegha will provide another useful option leading the line along with Delap in 2026-27. What would Emegha bring to Chelsea? Analysis by Thom Harris Standing at 6ft 5in (195cm), and Europe’s fastest centre-forward per SkillCorner’s PSV-99 metric, Emegha instantly fits the physical, line-leading mould. The 22-year-old is another forward bought and sold by Austrian side Sturm Graz, along with Rasmus Hojlund and Monaco’s Mika Biereth, a sure-fire seal of approval regarding his athletic, goal-poacher profile. At the top of an exciting Strasbourg side, Emegha is often the man to stretch in behind and keep opposition centre-backs on their toes. His opening goal away at Marseille back in January was almost comical as he recalibrated his run three times to get in behind a slack defensive line. Emegha is more about bundling home from close-range and finishing his chances with finesse, but his shot map below illustrates just how much danger the Dutchman’s darting runs can generate, with almost 97 per cent of his league shots this season falling inside the penalty area. Only five Ligue 1 players scored more than his 14 goals. His expected goal (xG) value per shot of 0.28 was also the highest of any player in Europe’s top five leagues this season, pointing to a striker who consistently gets himself into threatening positions, even if his finishing can sometimes leave a little to be desired. Despite his more slender frame, Emegha can still hold his own and create something from nothing with combative channel runs. On occasion Emegha’s height can work against him — he can sometimes look clumsy in front of goal while he sorts out his feet — but his speed, strength, and magnetism to high-value shooting opportunities makes him an intriguing profile who will continue to cause damage as he sharpens his striking instincts.

Chelsea’s 74 FA charges explained: What are the allegations and how could they be punished? https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6619592/2025/09/11/Chelsea-fa-charges-agents-explained/ A 94-word statement released by the English Football Association on Thursday has cast a cloud over Chelsea. The news that the club had been hit with 74 charges relating to alleged breaches of rules on agent payments did not come as a surprise to club executives, given the issue has been hanging over them since 2022, but it has sparked concern among supporters. Here, The Athletic explains why Chelsea have been charged and what the implications could be. What have Chelsea been charged with? The 74 charges are related to alleged breaches of FA rules regarding regulations on working with intermediaries and third-party investment in players. To be more specific, and if you have time on your hands to go through all the jargon in the FA manual, the governing body’s statement refers to “breaches of regulations J1 and C2 of the FA’s football agents regulations, regulations A2 and A3 of the FA’s regulations on working with intermediaries, and regulations A1 and B3 of the FA’s third-party investment in player regulations”. The alleged offences took place between 2009 and 2022, although the focus is on what took place from the 2010-11 to 2015-16 seasons. Chelsea say the offences are all related to the regime of the club’s previous owner, the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, although the FA declined to confirm that point when asked about it by The Athletic. Chelsea also say that they flagged the discrepancies to all the governing bodies — the FA, the Premier League and UEFA, which looks after European football — when the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium bought the club in May 2022. Significantly, at the time, the consortium withheld £100million ($135m) from the £2.5billion sale price of Chelsea due to concerns they could inherit “unforeseen liabilities” after examining the club’s finances. What do the charges relate to? Essentially, Chelsea are accused of making payments worth millions of pounds in relation to player signings that were not registered in the club’s accounts submitted to the FA, Premier League and UEFA. Some of the accounting that has come under scrutiny relates to Eden Hazard’s £32m move from Lille to Chelsea in 2012, plus Willian’s and Samuel Eto’o’s transfers from Anzhi Makhachkala a year later, for £32m and on a free transfer respectively. There is no suggestion that any of the players were guilty of wrongdoing. Willian’s transfer to Chelsea is one deal under scrutiny by the FA (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images) One of the reasons the accusations have to be taken so seriously is that they could be seen as Chelsea trying to get around profit and sustainability rules to secure a sporting advantage. However, in the process of looking into their figures, Chelsea say that they hired an independent accountancy firm and they found the club would have still passed the threshold even if all the payments were declared on the official books. Club sources speaking anonymously to The Athletic to protect relationships say this is more of a tax issue and that a financial settlement has already been reached with HMRC. Why did Chelsea report themselves to the authorities? The discrepancies came to light while the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium was doing its due diligence during the takeover process in 2022. These related to payments connected to transfers to offshore companies and players’ families and representatives, which is why the £100m deduction in the asking price was demanded. On completing the purchase, the new owners made their findings known to all the governing bodies. They wanted to be open and transparent, particularly given the strong possibility these claims would come out eventually and they would face potentially even tougher questions. Chelsea wanted to ensure there was a clean slate from the previous era. Chelsea gave the FA the files and historical data they had discovered that related to the payments. There has been regular dialogue ever since and the club say that whenever the FA has come back with more questions or requests for material, it has been provided. Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) How long could this take? Chelsea have until September 19 to respond to the FA’s official statement, although there is a recognition that, given the number of charges to examine, the club could be given an extension. Any sanction will be decided by an independent commission, which will be held as soon as possible. If Chelsea plead guilty to all 74 charges, the commission will then just have to decide the punishment. Should the club protest against half of them, for example, the commission will have to decide to uphold or dismiss the half Chelsea have protested against. The different possibilities mean there is no fixed date for when this will all be over but Chelsea are aiming for it to be resolved quickly. However, there is also the issue of an ongoing Premier League investigation into the same financial issues. “The FA and Premier League will likely be looking at why no one picked up the irregularities and how they were shown in the many reports and documents, compiled by those both inside and outside the club,” said Yasin Patel, a leading sports barrister at Church Court Chambers. How could they be punished if the charges are upheld? There is a range of sanctions — sporting and non-sporting — that could be applied, ranging from a fine to a Premier League points deduction and/or a transfer ban. Chelsea reporting themselves and not fighting the investigation at any point should aid their cause. A precedent was set when UEFA handed Chelsea a £8.6m fine in July 2023 for ‘incomplete financial reporting’ under the Abramovich regime. Chelsea are hopeful that the independent panel will reach a similar conclusion and that it will end with another financial penalty rather than a sporting sanction. There are examples of the FA just issuing clubs with fines for breaching football agent regulations although it should be pointed out that these were isolated cases on a different scale to the claims made about Chelsea. For example, Wigan had to pay a £40,000 fine in 2014 over the signing of Marc-Antoine Fortune; Brighton & Hove Albion were fined £90,000 by the Football Association in 2015 over the transfer of Dale Stephens a year earlier; and Reading were fined £200,000 last year over breaching intermediary regulations with Michael Olise’s agent in 2019. Why are Chelsea’s owners facing possible punishment rather than the Abramovich regime? Even though the vast majority of staff and players have changed since Abramovich left, it is still Chelsea Football Club that has been seen to flout the rules, so they are the ones that have to be held accountable for what has allegedly taken place. What have Chelsea and the FA said? The FA has said nothing other than the statement announcing the charges on Thursday morning. Chelsea responded soon after with a statement published on their website. It read: “Chelsea is pleased to confirm that its engagement with the FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion. “The club’s ownership group completed its purchase of the club on May 30, 2022. During a thorough due diligence process before the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules. Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA. “The club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club’s files and historical data. We will continue working collaboratively with the FA to conclude this matter as swiftly as possible. We wish to place on record our gratitude to the FA for their engagement with the Club on this complex case, the focus of which has been on matters that took place over a decade ago.”

Deinner Ordóñez Chelsea join Liverpool in race for Ecuadorian prodigy, 15, as Blues hold talks over £14m-rated defender https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-15088427/Chelsea-Liverpool-Ecuador-prodigy-15-14m-rated.html Chelsea have held talks over a move for Ecuador defensive prodigy Deinner Ordonez. The centre back is regarded as the next great talent to emerge from Independiente del Valle who have produced the likes of Moises Caicedo, Kendry Paez and Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie. Still only 15, Ordonez impressed playing above his age group at the South American U20 Championships earlier this year where he was the youngest player to appear there in over a decade. His performances have already caught the eye of Liverpool scouts and clubs from Spain and Germany. Already over 6ft tall, Ordonez is right-footed but is utilised as a left-sided centre back where he is fast earning plaudits for excellent use of the ball and his ability to build play from the back. He is also strong in the air though still to develop physically. Independiente are willing to strike a deal to sell the youngster, similar to the transfer structured previously for Paez who agreed to leave at 16 but was only eligible for transfer this summer in turning 18. Ordonez does not turn 18 until October 2027 but there is already talk of Independiente looking for around £14million including add on payments for the teenager. Chelsea have been determined in their pursuit of global up-and-coming talents and often ruthless in their willingness to beat the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid to their signatures.

https://cognitivedissident.substack.com/p/charlie-kirk-31-shot-dead-in-utah “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” — Galatians 6:7 in the New Testament “You will never live in a society when you have an armed citizenry and you won’t have a single gun death. That is nonsense. It’s drivel. …I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational.” — Charlie Kirk, 2023 TPUSA Charlie Kirk has long argued that the epidemic of gun violence in America is the regrettable, but acceptable, price of liberty. In his words, the trade-off is a “prudent deal,” a “rational” sacrifice to preserve the Second Amendment and protect what he calls “God-given rights.” (He said these cruel and heartless words at a speaking event in April 2023 — I'm just the messenger.) When children are slaughtered in their classrooms, when congregants are gunned down in churches, when families are erased at grocery stores, Kirk’s response is not grief but calculus. The deaths are tragic, he says, but worth it. A necessary toll paid at freedom’s gate. “Thought and prayers.” — Conservative party after every public shooting And so, when he himself was shot at a speaking event in Utah, the hypocrisy was deafening. Here was a man who minimized other people’s agony, suddenly forced to taste the violence he once dismissed. This is what I mean by Second Amendment justice: not that the shooting should be celebrated, not that violence solves anything, but that the logic he defended has folded back on him like a tesseract. He declared that mass shootings were an unfortunate but tolerable part of liberty. Then he became a victim of the very “tolerable violence” he worked so hard to normalize. It is not justice in the sense of moral balance or divine retribution. It is justice in the way a mirror delivers justice: cold, impartial reflection. The gun culture he championed did not exempt him. The bullets he waved away in theory found their way into practice. He is not immune. None of us are. The asymmetry here is staggering. When Nashville lost six lives, when Buffalo buried grandmothers and fathers, when children in Uvalde were executed one after another, Kirk’s sympathy was withheld. He hardened his rhetoric. He doubled down. His “deal” demanded that others bear the cost, while he collected the political dividends of defiance. They are some sweet economic dividends, I tell you. Charlie Kirk gets paid for his support of the Conservative agenda. But compassion is a muscle. Fail to exercise it for others, and you cannot expect it to be exercised for you. If he offered no tears for the slain, why should the public be compelled to offer them for him? This is not schadenfreude. It is a reckoning. It is the exposure of a brutal dissonance at the core of American politics: leaders who protect the idea of rights while sacrificing the reality of lives. Leaders who worship an amendment more than they grieve for the children whose bodies become its sacrament. Leaders who declare that freedom requires blood, and then recoil when their own blood is drawn. Let me be clear: the shooting of Charlie Kirk was a crime. It was not noble resistance. It was not an answer. Political violence corrodes democracy; it breeds escalation, not resolution. This event will make an unstable nation, more unstable. More fearful. It may even help lead the nation to martial law. It shouldn’t but sometimes when you are dealing with zealots, they may decide martyrs are necessary… But understanding the irony is not the same as endorsing the act. Recognizing the karmic symmetry does not mean cheering it. What it means is this: when cruelty is normalized, when violence is rationalized, when deaths are rendered acceptable by ideology, eventually the logic boomerangs. That is the lesson here, the harsh and unsentimental truth. You cannot unleash a culture of violence, bless it as liberty, and then feign shock when it arrives at your own doorstep. The Second Amendment, as interpreted by Kirk and his allies, does not discriminate. It devours indiscriminately. That is the justice of it. Not divine, not poetic — merely inevitable. REFERENCES: 2025. “Charlie Kirk: Trump Ally Shot at Campus Event in Utah.” BBC News. 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c206zm81z4gt Mordowanec, Nick. 2023. “Charlie Kirk Says Gun Deaths ‘Unfortunately’ Worth It to Keep 2nd Amendment.” Newsweek. April 6, 2023. https://www.newsweek.com/charlie-kirk-says-gun-deaths-worth-it-2nd-amendment-1793113 Edwards, David. 2023. “Charlie Kirk on Mass Shooting Victims: ‘We Cannot Allow Them to Emotionally Hijack the Narrative.’” Raw Story. April 10, 2023. https://www.rawstory.com/charlie-kirk-louisville-shooting/

What does 'go for' mean? Are you advocating for the US to invade sovereign nations and militarily take out their governements via kinetic warfare?

If I see it, I will post it. I can only work with what I find.

EXCL: Chelsea set sights on U23 attacking trio after missing out on Xavi Simons Chelsea will make an attacking midfielder a priority for upcoming transfer windows. https://thedailybriefing.io/p/excl-Chelsea-set-sights-on-u23-attacking Chelsea are set to make an attacking midfielder a priority in the transfer market in the coming year after missing out on Xavi Simons in the summer. The Blues had a busy summer bringing in exciting talents such as Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Jorrel Hato and Alejandro Garnacho, but their recruitment team continues to be busy assessing future targets. Sources with a close understanding of Chelsea's plans have informed CaughtOffside that the west London giants will now focus on Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers as one of their top targets for January or next summer, as well as two other top young talents aged 23 and under… Chelsea's interest in signing Rogers is no secret, with the England international having been on their radar during the summer, while other top clubs have also been impressed by his form for Villa. Chelsea exploring Morgan Rogers and other transfer targets Sources have also informed CaughtOffside that Juventus' Kenan Yildiz is on Chelsea's radar, along with Lyon's Malick Fofana. Although Tottenham ended up winning the race for Xavi Simons, Chelsea were also really keen on bringing him in as well as Garnacho late on in the window. In the end, only Garnacho was possible, but CFC will set aside funds for at least one more top attacking midfield player in the months ahead. Rogers is well liked by Chelsea's recruitment team, but Yildiz and Fofana are two other names to watch if a deal proves too expensive or complicated to get done. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Villa are understandably keen to hold on to Rogers, but could also be in a strong position to invite a bidding war as other clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City could get involved. Chelsea missed out on Xavi Simons and Ethan Nwaneri Chelsea also notably had a genuine and concrete interest in Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri during the summer. In the end, Nwaneri ended up signing a new contract with the Gunners, but Charles Watts has previously told us about the Blues' interest. "Arsenal were always quite calm about Nwaneri’s situation, but with just a year remaining of his old deal it was an issue that needed resolving," Watts said of Chelsea's interest in Nwaneri. "Chelsea were interested, just as they were before Nwaneri signed his first professional contract with the club in March, 2024." He added: "While there may have been strong interest, Nwaneri’s preference was always to stay at Arsenal and the club were always confident he would stay."

Chelsea charged with 74 alleged breaches of FA regulations over 13-year period https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6618970/2025/09/11/Chelsea-charges-agents-fa/ The Football Association (FA) has charged Chelsea with 74 alleged breaches of its regulations between 2009 and 2022. The charges centre on a period of time when the club was under the ownership of Roman Abramovich and “primarily relate to events that occurred between the 2010-11 to 2015-16 playing seasons”, the FA said. Abramovich was disqualified as a director of Chelsea by the Premier League in March 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine the previous month. That came after the UK government froze the Russian billionaire’s assets due to his “close ties with the Kremlin”. In May of that year, Chelsea’s current ownership of the investor consortium BlueCo led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital bought the club. The alleged breaches are in relation to the governing body’s agent regulations, regulations on working with intermediaries, and third party investment in players regulations. An FA statement on Thursday read: “The Football Association has today charged Chelsea FC with breaches of Regulations J1 and C2 of the FA Football Agents Regulations, Regulations A2 and A3 of the FA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries, and Regulations A1 and B3 of the FA Third Party Investment in Player Regulations. “In total, 74 charges have been brought against Chelsea FC. “The conduct that is the subject of the charges range from 2009 to 2022 and primarily relates to events that occurred between the 2010-11 to 2015-16 playing seasons.” The club have until September 19 to respond with scope for that deadline to be extended given the extent of the charges. Chelsea insist the charges relate to the Abramovich era only. The FA refused to clarify when asked to do so by The Athletic. The club said on Thursday that they were “pleased” that the issue “self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion”. “During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the (current) ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules,” the statement continued. “Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including The FA.” Chelsea said they had “demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club’s files and historical data”. The club added: “We will continue working collaboratively with the FA to conclude this matter as swiftly as possible. We wish to place on record our gratitude to the FA for their engagement with the club on this complex case, the focus of which has been on matters that took place over a decade ago.”

adidas x BSTN Celebrate Oktoberfest with a Mediterranean Twist The limited-edition München sneaker pack blends Bavarian tradition with Italian flair – just in time for Munich’s biggest festival. https://hypebeast.com/2025/9/adidas-bstn-oktoberfest-sneaker-pack-info Summary: adidas and BSTN have collaborated on an Oktoberfest sneaker pack. Two festive colourways – inspired by traditional lederhosen – are available. The collaboration releases September 13 exclusively at BSTN Munich and online. Munich’s Oktoberfest is just around the corner, and to celebrate, German sneaker boutique BSTN has teamed up with adidas on a limited-edition footwear collaboration featuring two unique colourways. But this two-part München sneaker release comes with a Mediterranean twist. In recent years, the growing popularity of the world-famous Volksfest among Italian tourists has become a lighthearted running joke among Munich locals. So much so, that the festival’s second weekend is now affectionately known as “Italian Weekend.” Leaning into this cross-cultural connection, adidas and BSTN have crafted a design that blends the spirit of Oktoberfest with a playful Italian flair. Each sneaker features ‘Salute’ (Italian for “cheers”) branding on the silhouette, along with “Brindiamo” (“let’s raise a glass”) boldly displayed on the collaboration’s custom crest – a warm nod to the festive atmosphere of family, community, and celebration that defines Oktoberfest. Still paying homage to traditional Bavarian attire however, the two colourways – “Dark Brown / Dark Green” and “Taupe / Sage Green” – echo the classic design elements of lederhosen ( the knee-length leather breeches typically worn at the festival). And, the subtle embroidery on each heel adds an extra layer of detail, drawing further inspiration from Wiesn culture. The adidas x BSTN München ‘Oktoberfest’ collection launches on September 13, available at the BSTN flagship store in Munich and online on the brands website.

1 shot only 200 metres away, shooter was up in a building sure sounds like a professional hit to me he was 31 years old

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c206zm81z4gt Conservative activist Charlie Kirk has died after being been shot at a campus event in Utah, says President Trump Kirk - an influential ally of the president - was known for holding open-air debates on campuses across the country "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead," writes Trump. "No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie" A suspect was taken into custody but later released - the university says the shot was fired from around 200 yards away One video shows Kirk being asked about mass shootings before the shot was fired There was shock in the White House when the news broke, reports Bernd Debusmann Jr Kirk was close to both the president and his family - in January he flew to Greenland with Donald Trump Jr

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Pat Nevin backs Chelsea's transfer strategy and says it's better than Liverpool's Nevin hasn't always been behind the new owners https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/pat-nevin-backs-chelseas-transfer Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin has not always been supportive of the new ownership group and he has often been quite critical. But in recent months, his tone is changing. Nevin has come out with a huge opinion this week on Chelsea’s transfer strategy and has made some big calls on our business being better than Liverpool’s this summer. Nevin believes his former club enjoyed a more successful transfer window than Liverpool, despite the Reds' record-breaking summer spree. Liverpool dominated headlines by smashing the British transfer record twice in succession. Liverpool ultimately spent £446million this summer. Whilst Chelsea invested £284m in new players but ended up in the positive net spend due to some incredible player sales. Nevin argues that Chelsea's more measured recruitment strategy - targeting young talent with strong resale value - is the smarter long-term play, and one that could yield greater rewards than Liverpool's high-risk, high-reward spending. "Isak is someone I can see Chelsea potentially going for, but if you're spending £125m, you're not making a profit if you sell in four years," Nevin said. "Isak would do the job for you, but Chelsea don't look at it that way. "This is Chelsea's method. They won't buy players without a potential resale value. It's happened with plenty of clubs in the past where they've spent big on a player, and when it doesn't work out, there's no resale. Chelsea don't like that. That's not the model." Nevin, who spent five years as a player at Stamford Bridge, went on to suggest that Liverpool might have overpaid for their marquee summer signings - particularly when compared to the players Chelsea secured in the same positions. "The club have brought Joao Pedro in for half the price of Isak. Is Isak really twice the player that Joao Pedro is? I don't think so," the former Scotland international said. "He's a fabulous player, he's probably better than Joao Pedro at the moment, but if you're looking at smart money, then Chelsea have got the better deal. "Chelsea would have made back that Joao Pedro money from the sales they've made this summer and from the Club World Cup as well. The model looks alright to me. Don't get me wrong, Chelsea have spent a lot of money, but they've recouped that money as well. "Chelsea are right amongst the top when it comes to spending over the past few years, but they would say they've been sensible. They're back in the Champions League, they've won the Club World Cup, so actually, you can see the model is working. "Some of the players they've brought in are great value," Nevin, who also played for Everton, added. "Estevao might be the best value of the lot. He's only a kid, but he looks like a brilliant footballer. If he's this good now, you can only imagine how good he'll be if he keeps on improving. "So, the way Chelsea look at it is, do we go for this talented 18-year-old or go out and sign Florian Wirtz for £100m+? You'll only know in three or four years who was right, but I think it's a close call from what I've seen." We all have our opinion on a lot of what Nevin has said above. He’s made some big claims here. I completely get where he’s coming from and what he’s trying to say here, but I don’t agree with it all personally. I think Chelsea have done some smart business for sure, but my gripe has always been that it’s lacked balance and it still does really. But I also see the vision now and see it coming together. I don’t think you can say it’s been proven to work yet though, I think we have to see where we are at the end of the season first and see how we end it and what we achieve to truly judge the strategy. We will also need to see where Liverpool are to be able to compare the windows. But Chelsea’s selling has been incredible this summer and they are very much able to spin a profit on players who don’t make it here. But that comes with criticism and a down side as well - the human aspect of it all. I think we have a strong squad but still ignored two critical areas for me. I like the fact we have moved on to signing more proven players like Joao Pedro, which is what I’ve been asking for. But there are still some big question marks and I’m not getting carried away with anything just yet. I do rate what Nevin has said here though and in general I like his views, but he’s much braver than me to put all that on paper at this stage of the season! Let’s see how things go!

nil 2 Noni

England are missing around £1 billion total buy cost worth of players with these 10 Jude Bellingham Bukayo Saka Cole Palmer Phil Foden Trent Alexander-Arnold Ethan Nwaneri Levi Colwill Kobbie Mainoo Jarrad Branthwaite Adam Wharton

Trump Reportedly Gave Israel Greenlight to Blow Up Ceasefire Talks Israeli sources report that the U.S. signed off on the attack after inviting leaders to Qatar to discuss Trump’s Gaza ceasefire proposal. https://newrepublic.com/post/200186/israel-gaza-ceasefire-talks-hamas-qatar-trump President Trump greenlit Israel’s Tuesday bombing of Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, according to Israeli sources speaking with the media after the shocking attack. The Israeli Defense Forces said they were targeting a meeting of Hamas leadership, who were gathered in Qatar to discuss a ceasefire proposal put forward by the Trump administration. “The members of the leadership who were attacked led the terrorist organization’s activities for years, and are directly responsible for carrying out the October 7 massacre and waging the war against the State of Israel,” the IDF stated. Israeli sources told multiple outlets—including CNN and Israel’s Channel 12 that the United States had prior knowledge of the planned attack. The attack comes just months after Trump toured Qatar, hailed the country as a close ally, and accepted that $400 million private jet from Qatari leadership. Qatar, which has served as a primary mediator in hostage and ceasefire talks and hosts a major U.S. airbase, has condemned the strike as “criminal” and “cowardly.” “This criminal attack constitutes a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari. “The State of Qatar affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and its continued tampering with regional security, as well as any action targeting its security and sovereignty. Investigations are underway at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they become available.” Qatar has already confirmed it is suspending its mediation between Israel and Hamas after the bombing. Israel’s attack may very well prolong Israel’s genocide of Palestinians and Hamas’s detainment of the remaining Israeli hostages. Israel seems to care less about the latter with each passing day. Aside from that, this episode shows that (1) deference to Israel’s violence is still the Trump administration’s policy, and (2) no amount of groveling and gift-giving to Trump can stop you from getting backstabbed.

Chelsea Football Club has released the following update regarding Dario Essugo… https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/injury-update-dario-essugo Midfielder Dario Essugo has undergone successful surgery today on his thigh. The 20-year-old sustained the injury whilst on international duty for Portugal's Under-21s. Medical assessments confirmed surgery would be the required course of action and Dario will now begin his recovery at Cobham, supported by the club's medical department.

Chelsea striker Liam Delap expected to return to training in November, no surgery required after hamstring injury https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6587974/2025/09/09/liam-delap-injury-update-Chelsea/ By David Ornstein and Simon Johnson Sept. 9, 2025 Chelsea striker Liam Delap is expected to begin training again in November, with his anticipated return to play coming shortly after ahead of the busy festive fixture schedule. No surgery is required on the hamstring injury Delap sustained against Fulham and his lay-off is estimated at approximately 10 weeks from the time of the injury. Delap pulled up during the first half of Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Fulham on August 30 and was replaced by Tyrique George. After the game, head coach Enzo Maresca said he feared Delap would be out for up to eight weeks. The England Under-21 international’s injury caused Chelsea to recall Marc Guiu from his proposed season-long loan at Sunderland. That came after the club had informed Bayern Munich they would not be sanctioning the proposed loan of Nicolas Jackson to the German club, before a deal was ultimately struck on deadline day which includes a conditional obligation for the Bundesliga champions to make the move permanent. Delap is set to miss the beginning of Chelsea’s Champions League league phase campaign, which includes a trip to Bayern Munich on September 17, while Maresca’s side also play Premier League champions Liverpool on October 4 and travel to Tottenham Hotspur on November 1. Delap joined Chelsea for £30million from Ipswich Town at the start of summer. He featured in six games for his new side at the Club World Cup, scoring once, and had started two of Chelsea’s opening three Premier League games. As well as Delap, Chelsea also recruited Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion ahead of the Club World Cup. The Brazilian has so far featured as a No 10, a No 9 and on the left under Maresca. Chelsea return to action following the international break against Brentford on Saturday. ‘A blow for the player and Chelsea’ Analysis by Chelsea correspondent Simon Johnson Losing Delap for such a long period of time is a blow for the player and Chelsea. Delap may have been outshone by fellow new forward recruit Joao Pedro so far as the 5-1 goal ratio indicates. But the striker, bought from Ipswich Town for £30million in June, was providing the team with some much needed physicality and showing his importance. The schedule is now becoming much more intense with the start of the Champions League next week and head coach Enzo Maresca would have hoped to share the workload between both of his options. Chelsea have recalled Marc Guiu from his loan at Sunderland to fill the void after deciding not to stand in the way of Nicolas Jackson’s departure to Bayern Munich before the deadline. As The Athletic explained last week, Guiu is a player who is highly regarded by Maresca and club personnel. It is a great opportunity for him of course, but he does not have as many games at the highest level as Delap has managed. With Chelsea facing Tottenham Hotspur on November 1, that means Delap is surely going to miss a minimum of 11 fixtures and even after he is fit to feature again, will surely need a few weeks to get back to being 100 per cent. Delap has ambitions of making the England squad for the 2026 World Cup, but there is now a very strong possibility that he will not get a chance to impress head coach Thomas Tuchel until the March international break next year.

Ange Postecoglou appointed Nottingham Forest head coach after Nuno exit https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6425702/2025/09/09/ange-postecoglou-nottingham-forest-manager/ Ange Postecoglou has been appointed Nottingham Forest head coach after Nuno Espirito Santo was relieved of his duties. Postecoglou will be in the dugout for Forest’s visit to Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday, with the Australian set to be joined by several of his former Tottenham Hotspur coaching staff. The 60-year-old emerged as a leading contender to replace Nuno at the City Ground, having parted company with Spurs in June — weeks after winning the Europa League title with the north London club. “We are bringing a coach to the club who has a proven and consistent record of winning trophies,” Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis said upon the appointment. “His experience of coaching teams at the highest level, along with his desire to build something special with us at Forest, makes him a fantastic person to help us on our journey and achieve consistently all our ambitions. “After gaining promotion to the Premier League, then building consistently season after season to secure European football, we now must take the right step to compete with the very best and challenge for trophies. Ange has the credentials and the track-record to do this, and we are excited he is joining us on our ambitious journey.” Postecoglou has been out of management since leaving Tottenham. He had contact from Al Ahli who considered him a candidate for a managerial change but it was not pursued, while he was contacted by Brentford, who appointed Keith Andrews, about replacing Thomas Frank this summer. Postecoglou’s dismissal came after leading the north London club to a first major trophy in 17 years with victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final. However, the club finished 17th in the top flight, and their total of 22 losses was the most of any team not to be relegated in a 38-game Premier League season. Postecoglou guided Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years in May (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) Postecoglou spent two decades managing in Australia across multiple clubs and the nation’s youth sides, before coaching the Australia international side between 2013 and 2017. He went on to coach Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos, with whom he won the J-League title in 2019, and winning five domestic trophies — including the Scottish league title in each season — across two seasons at Celtic. He guided Spurs to a fifth-place finish in his first season in charge in 2023-24, but the following campaign saw a notable drop in domestic form despite winning the Europa League title. What You Should Read Next Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest exit feels unnecessary, potentially damaging and all just pretty sad For a little while, on the surface at least, Nottingham Forest seemed like it was a relatively serene place to be. Not now Nottingham Forest owner Marinakis had recently praised Postecoglou, who has Greek heritage and previously managed Panachaiki in the nation’s lower divisions. “What I want to say about Ange is that he has spoken about Greece many times, he is proud to be Greek and in the great success he had with Tottenham by winning the Europa League, he spoke about Greece,” Marinakis said of Postecoglou when presenting the head coach with an award in Greece in July, as cited by Neos Kosmos. “A man who not only does not hide his origin but is also proud of it. What he achieved, he did with a team that has not won any titles, it has had a very difficult time in recent years. In this huge success that the whole world saw, he promoted Greece.” Nuno had led the club to a seventh-place finish last season, and qualified for the Europa League following Crystal Palace’s demotion to the Conference League — the first time Forest will play in Europe for 30 years. The Athletic reported on August 23 that a major fallout had occurred between Nuno and Forest’s new global head of football Edu , with their relationship in a potentially irreparable state. What You Should Read Next Revealed: Nuno’s row with Edu at the heart of his Nottingham Forest unhappiness A row between Nuno and Edu at Nottingham Forest has sparked recent discontent over the state of the club's squad The internal conflict had been ongoing for months, and in that time Nuno was outspoken in the media about his relationship with Forest owner Marinakis, saying ahead of his side’s match against Crystal Palace it had “changed” and that they were “not as close”. This was followed by Marinakis saying Nuno was the right person for the job a week later. Nuno had also spoken about his disappointment with the club’s summer transfer business, saying he was “very worried” about his squad on the eve of the new campaign. The club moved quickly in subsequent weeks to complete a club-record deal for Omari Hutchinson from Ipswich Town, while also signing James McAtee, Arnaud Kalimuendo and Douglas Luiz among their 13 summer incomings. Forest have picked up four points in their opening three Premier League matches, with Nuno’s final game in charge the 3-0 home defeat to West Ham United prior to the international break. Additional reporting from Guillermo Rai Will Forest get the dogmatic or pragmatic Postecoglou? Analysis by The Athletic’s Duncan Alexander The question for Nottingham Forest is which Ange Postecoglou are they going to get? Will it be the early Tottenham-era Ange, the high-line enthusiast who won the Premier League manager of the month award in his first three months at the club, who saw his team score two or more goals in each of his first seven games in charge and who made the best start after 10 games (winning eight, with two draws) of any manager in the competition’s history. Could it be the mid-era Ange, who saw a squad increasingly susceptible to injury, particularly in defence, and who recorded more defeats (22) than any other non-relegated side had ever done before in a 20-team season. The resulting 17th-place finish was Tottenham’s lowest since they were relegated from the English top-flight in 1977. Or are Forest banking on getting the (very) late-era Ange, the man who saw the opportunity of once again winning a trophy in his second season, and did so by getting Spurs to repeatedly shut up shop in the latter stages of the 2024-25 Europa League. His side had three shots in the final against Manchester United and scored with the only one that was directed on target. It was light years from his initial approach in 2023 but it showed a level of pragmatism and nous that Forest — now in the Europa League themselves — could certainly benefit from.