In south-west Germany, close to the border of France, lies the small town of Elversberg.
It has no railway station and a population of just 13,000, but on Saturday it will enjoy a moment of history as its football team plays in the Bundesliga for the first time.
The club have enjoyed a meteoric rise, having gone from the regional leagues in Germany to the top flight in just a few years.
And their coach Vincent Wagner has not played down the enormity of the task ahead for his side.
"For the team to avoid relegation in the top flight would be like a journey to Mars," he said.

#vincent

Michael Olise has picked up right where he left off this summer, scoring a cool-as-you-like goal in Bayern Munich's league opener against VfB Stuttgart and having an even slicker finish cancelled by a narrow offside ruling in review.
The Frenchman, who was the subject of some summer transfer rumors, is one of Vincent Kompany's key men in a formidable and multi-faceted attack — and he's well on his way to a third Bundesliga season with outstanding production. But it's too early for talks of an extension, according to Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen in comments captured by Sky Germany journalist Kerry Hau (via iMiaSanMia).
"We're not currently in [contract] talks," Dreesen noted after the match — a runaway 5-1 winner after Olise's second-half goal restored a Bayern lead that had only just slipped away. "He's under contract until 2029, so there's no reason to rush into anything."
Okay…but maybe there is a little bit of a reason?
Olise is 24, turning 25 this season, and flying just about as high as any footballer in the world today after two explosive, breakout seasons at Bayern Munich and a sensational World Cup with France. His value has skyrocketed beyond the €60M fee that brought him to Germany from Crystal Palace and consequently, so too has he outgrown his initial contract. All the biggest clubs in the world should be after him, and any club that can't fit him in at right wing can probably find a place for him in the center, where he may even prefer playing.

#World #contract #right #goal

Bayern Munich start their latest ****** le defence as overwhelming odds-on favourites to win the Bundesliga again - so what would consistute success this season?
The German side are as short as 1-7 odds with bookmakers after winning 13 of the past 14 ****** les - and are chasing a hat-trick of successes.
They host Stuttgart on Friday (19:30 BST) in a game you can watch live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
Vincent Kompany's side already have a win against rivals Borussia Dortmund under their belt after winning the German Super Cup 2-1 last weekend.
England captain Harry Kane will be looking to win his fourth Bundesliga Golden Boot in four seasons... and perhaps even more.

#winning #munich #sport

The NBA GOAT debate is a constant part of the online discourse, and Stephen Jackson claims the latest development disqualifies LeBron James from the conversation.
LeBron James' fans have been suggesting he is the NBA GOAT ever since the championship win in 2016. His incredible longevity, along with the statistical dominance he has achieved, have led many to agree.
However, to a lot of fans, especially older ones, Michael Jordan is still very much the greatest ever. There is a sizeable population which believes Kobe Bryant also deserves that **** le.
James has the fewest number of rings between these three legends. He joined the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason to help change that. And Stephen Jackson says it has affected his legacy.
Photo credit should read VINCENT LAFORET/AFP via Getty Images

#GOAT #lebron #ever

Bayern Munich has decided that Maycon Cardozo and Tim Binder are better served continuing their development in Bavaria rather than heading out on loan.
According to Sky Germany's journalist Kerry Hau, both teenagers attracted several interesting loan offers, but Bayern Munich decided to keep them in the squad. The plan is for Cardozo and Binder to continue training regularly with Vincent Kompany's senior team, after making strong impressions during preseason.
That is a significant vote of confidence in two players who have emerged as intriguing prospects at the Bayern campus.
Cardozo, 17, has already made history at Bayern Munich. He became the first player from the club's World Squad program to appear for the senior team when he made his Bundesliga debut last season. He has continued progressing through the youth ranks, while also gaining experience with Bayern Munich II.
Binder, 19, has also caught attention with his pace, dribbling ability, and attacking intent. Bayern Munich specifically highlighted his performance during the preseason friendly against Wehen Wiesbaden.

#cardozo #squad #senior

Bayern Munich will be looking to capture a Champions League ******* le in 2026/27 and now we know just how difficult the first part of that journey will me.
The league phase opponents were drawn for the Bavarians and there are some exciting match-ups on the slate for Vincent Kompany's crew. Let's take a look at how the drawing played out:
Arsenal (H)
Atlético Madrid (A)
Real Betis (H)

#arsenal #betis

Jax Taylor has accused his ex-wife, Brittany Cartwright, of trying to hurt his work opportunities. The claim, shared by the reality star, was linked to a message about an event for children with autism. Jax said he has tried to keep their issues private for nearly a year. Now he claims that he is compelled to speak out about it publicly.
Jax said he promoted an event for children with autism because he wanted to support the cause. The next day, he shared a screenshot of an alleged DM from Brittany to the event organizer. Brittany allegedly asked if Jax had any involvement and said she had information to share. Jax later deleted the screenshot.
In the caption that accompanied the screenshot, Jax criticized Brittany. "This is just another example of her contacting every company, brand or opportunity I get," he wrote. He accused her of trying to "sabotage" his ability to work and move forward. Jax also claimed he has lost "several jobs" because of similar situations.
His lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, also addressed the accusation in a statement to TMZ. "Why she feels she's entitled to sabotage his employment opportunities" remains "puzzling and hard to believe," Kaplan said. He also questioned how those actions could benefit their child.
Jax Taylor said he had been silent and trying to resolve the conflict on a private level. "I've stayed quiet for close to a year and tried handling things privately but it just doesn't stop," he wrote. He admitted that he has made mistakes and said he does not expect anyone to forget them. He only wants to work, support causes he cares about and move forward, he added.

#brittany #screenshot

Jamal Musiala is closing in on a return to action for Bayern Munich but will not be available for the Bundesliga season opener against VfB Stuttgart on Friday, coach Vincent Kompany said.
The 23-year-old collapsed due to absence seizures in two pre-season friendlies and is sitting out the start to the campaign while his medication is adjusted.
"Basically Jamal is doing relatively well," Kompany told a news conference on Thursday, adding that Musiala was set to take full part in Bayern's final training session. "But he will not yet be in the squad."
Musiala is still getting used "to the increase in medication." A decision on a match comeback would be made "hand in hand with the experts," Kompany said.
Winger Lennart Karl will be back in the Bayern squad for the first time since his muscle injury before the World Cup, having missed the 2-1 win against Borussia Dortmund in the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup last Saturday alongside Musiala.

#kompany #jamal #munich

The 2026/27 Bundesliga season kicks off on Friday night, with reigning champions Bayern Munich hosting VfB Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena at 20:30 CEST.
Ahead of the game, it has been reported that Jamal Musiala will not be available for Bayern, with the German champions taking a cautious approach with the 23-year-old following two recent collapses caused by absence seizures linked to a neurological dysfunction.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany provided a positive update on Musiala on Friday, but confirmed that the Germany international will not be involved against Stuttgart.
"Basically, Jamal's doing pretty well. He'll take part in team training today. He won't be in the squad tomorrow. He's getting used to the increased dosage of medication. He will return to the squad at some point and we'll make the decision in close consultation with the experts. He's doing well," said Kompany.
Kompany also confirmed that 18-year-old Lennart Karl will return to the squad after recovering from the injury he picked up just before Germany's World Cup campaign.

#kompany

German national team coach Jürgen Klopp has already spoken with several Bundesliga coaches, including Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany:
During his first few weeks in charge, Jürgen Klopp held long conversations with Bundesliga coaches, including Vincent Kompany, Niko Kovač and Sebastian Hoeneß. Klopp wants to work with them closely and stay in regular contact. He has also spoken to the coaches of Germany's youth teams and made it clear to them that they're part of the process and are very important to him. Klopp attaches a lot of importance to attending games regularly in stadiums. After last week's Super Cup, he will also attend Friday's Bundesliga opener at Allianz Arena.
Klopp is trying as best he can to get a read on his talent pool and taking in feedback from some of the most important managers in Germany's top tier. Sure, you can say that is what he is supposed to do, but it is reassuring that he — so far — is able to juggle managing the here and now, while also working to establish new initiatives for the future.
Juventus is still trying to sort out its desire to bring in a new attacker:
Juventus are unimpressed with Randal Kolo Muani's performances since his return to the club and are now looking at Atlético Madrid striker Alexander Sørloth, Gazzetta dello Sport reports. The Norway international is being favoured over Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee because it is felt that his characteristics would be a better fit. Nicolas González could be used as part of a deal to bring the costs down, especially as the 28-year-old wants to continue with Atleti following the expiration of his loan.

#wants

ATLANTA (AP) — Players who leave the NFL to return to college won't be allowed to come back to the league this season.
NFL executive Troy Vincent reiterated the longstanding policy at the league's meetings Wednesday, saying players who go back to college will be ineligible to play in 2026. Vincent said any player who does that would instead become a free agent for the 2027 season.
The comments came one day after the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences banned players who were on NFL rosters from being able to play at their schools. Atlantic Coast and Big 12 conference leaders were also discussing the topic this week.
At least two players who signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents this offseason were hoping to return to college and play at No. 11 LSU.
Tight end Dae'Quan Wright originally signed with Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi following the draft. He was waived by the Eagles on Aug. 10 and claimed by Cleveland the following day. He spent about two weeks with the Browns without playing in an exhibition game before being waived on Monday. He cleared waivers Tuesday and now wants to go to LSU to play for his former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin.

#return

Per a press release from Benfica, the Portuguese power confirmed previous reports of what it was going to pay for João Palhinha.
The total package consisted of €14 million of a base transfer fee, plus €5 million in potential bonuses for Bayern Munich as had been reported earlier this week:
Midfielder João Palhinha, 31, has joined the Sport Lisboa e Benfica professional soccer team. The Portuguese international is transferring from Bayern Munich to the Glorioso, signing a contract valid through June 30, 2030. The agreement to acquire the player's full rights was finalized for 14 million euros, to which may be added up to a maximum of five million euros, payable based on predefined objectives. The contract includes a buyout clause in the amount of 50 million euros.
Palhinha's move was a long time coming and solved one of the existing roster overflow issues for the Bavarians as the midfielder was not in the plans for head coach Vincent Kompany. There was never a strategy for how to use Palhinha upon his arrival in Bavaria. Now, the 31-year-old will get a chance to revive his career in a comfortable setting.
Sign up for a user account and get:

#palhinha #contract #sport

Not to everyone's delight, Elversberg are active in the transfer market ahead of their first-ever top-flight season. The smallest town to be represented in Bundesliga is backed by investor Frank Holzer, who is the head of pharmaceutical company Ursapharm, which didn't go well with the traditional ethos of German football.
After missing out on a promotion the previous season with a narrow defeat to Heidenheim in the playoff, Elversberg faced a similar scare in the final month of the 2. Bundesliga campaign. A defeat to eventually relegated Fortuna Düsseldorf made them wait until the final matchday of the season to write history.
The club from a town of 13,000 inhabitants has only made the jump to the second division in 2023. Despite the promising 2024/25 campaign, few predicted them to be around the top once again since their long-serving coach Horst Steffen was poached by Werder Bremen, while top scorers Fisnik Asllani and Muhammed Damar returned to their parent club Hoffenheim.
And, in the middle of the season, 12-goal hero Younes Ebnoutalib joined Eintracht Frankfurt. To their credit, Vincent Wagner's side maintained their momentum after the departure of the Moroccan attacker with David Mokwa proving to be the perfect replacement.
Their form at the Ursapharm-Arena an der Kaiserlinde was a big factor as Hertha and Schalke were the only teams to return home with three points. In the end, Elversberg followed the latter to win automatic promotion to Bundesliga.

#elversberg #PROMOTION #final #campaign

Esmerlyn Valdez finally found one. After 24 games without a home run, Valdez turned on a 90 mph fastball from Robbie Ray on Monday night and sent it 413 feet into the left-center-field seats at Petco Park. The ball left his bat at 111.6 mph, giving Pittsburgh its first run in 22 innings and ending the longest power drought of Valdez's young major-league career. It was the kind of swing that made him look like one of baseball's most terrifying rookies earlier this summer. It was also a reminder of why the Pirates cannot let the month that came before scare them away.
Valdez's first exposure to the majors looked almost unfair. Then pitchers adjusted, the strikeouts piled up, and the home runs vanished. That is not evidence that Pittsburgh was fooled by a hot start. It is the part of a rookie season where the league hands back the test with different questions. Now Valdez gets to answer them.
Jul 20, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez (55) hits a two-run home run during the third inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Pittsburgh desperately needed somebody to do something Monday. The Pirates had gone 22 consecutive innings without scoring, matching their longest drought of the season, before Valdez stepped to the plate in the sixth inning. His slump-breaking homer did more than remove a zero from the scoreboard. It provided the first sign in weeks of the devastating power that defined his arrival.
Rafael Flores followed with an RBI double later in the inning, and Nick Gonzales eventually delivered the winning hit in the 12th as Pittsburgh escaped with a 3-2 victory. The game mattered for a team clinging to distant postseason hopes, but Valdez's swing may have mattered more for what Pittsburgh needs to learn over the final month. The Pirates already know Valdez can punish a mistake. They need to find out what happens after the league stops making as many of them. Monday's homer was his 15th despite having only 205 at-bats this season.

#pirates #first #season

Vincent Retort, vice president of global reliability and quality at Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE), disposed of 12,566 shares of common stock on August 19 and August 20, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.
Metric
Value
Shares sold
12,566

#lumentum

Sacha Boey's future at Bayern Munich appears to be becoming clearer, and it does not seem to involve a significant role in Vincent Kompany's plans for the upcoming season.
After featuring in several of Bayern Munich's preseason friendlies, Boey was left out of the squad for the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup against Borussia Dortmund. The decision has increased speculation that the club is now actively pushing the 25-year-old toward an exit.
Max Eberl addressed the situation after Bayern Munich's victory, explaining that the club had already been transparent with Boey and the other players whose futures remain uncertain.
"We communicated clearly with the three guys (Boey, Palhinha, Zaragoza) from the start – and when you have a game like this, you take the players you're planning to use throughout the season," Eberl told Bild (via iMiaSanMia).
That explanation suggests the decision was not simply about Boey's recent performances, but rather about Bayern Munich's broader planning for the season. Boey has struggled to establish himself as a consistent starter since arriving at Bayern Munich, and the club now appears prepared to move on if the right opportunity emerges.

#boey #season #club #decision

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane was voted 2026 German footballer of the year by an ***** ociation of sports journalists on Sunday, finishing ahead of teammate Michael Olise.
The England captain won the award after a stellar year, winning the Bundesliga and German Cup while Bayern also reached the Champions League semi-finals.
Kane scored 61 goals for the club last season in all competitions.
Bayern boss Vincent Kompany was named coach of the year, while their women's captain Giulia Gwinn won the award for best female player.
The 695 members of the German sports journalists ***** ociation vote on the award, with Bundesliga players or German footballers playing abroad eligible for the honour.

#bayern #year #bundesliga

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Denis Bouanga scored late in the second half and Los Angeles FC escaped with a 1-1 draw after trailing the Portland Timbers for 75 minutes on Saturday night.
David Da Costa took a pass from Kristoffer Velde in the 4th minute and scored his third goal this season to give Portland a 1-0 lead that it carried into the 79th minute.
That's when Bouanga used ***** ists from Jude Terry and Aaron Long to knot the score with his 11th goal of the season.
Portland forward Vincent Janssen, who entered in the 69th minute, picked up yellow cards in the 89th and third minute of stoppage time to leave the Timbers down a man.
But, James Pantemis finished off a 10-save night for Portland (8-9-4) — including his final one on a shot by Bouanga in the final minute of stoppage time — to keep it tied.

#scored #Third #goal

The 2-1 scoreline might suggest a closely fought Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, but Bayern Munich's performance told a different story.
Vincent Kompany's side controlled the match for long stretches and dictated the tempo, particularly during a dominant first half that saw Bayern Munich take a 2-0 lead. Nathaniel Brown and Michael Olise provided the goals, with Olise also setting up Brown for the opener.
Bayern Munich's control was reflected in the numbers, with the reigning Bundesliga champions enjoying the majority of possession and producing considerably more accurate passing than Borussia Dortmund. Their ability to consistently keep the ball, move Borussia Dortmund around and establish territory in the final third was a major reason they were able to build their advantage.
BVB improved after halftime and Fabio Silva pulled one back in the 75th minute, but Bayern Munich remained composed under pressure.
Ultimately, the statistics backed up what the eye test showed — Bayern Munich was the better side and deserved their first trophy of the season.

#first

Bayern Munich began the new season with silverware after beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 to retain the German Super Cup at Signal Iduna Park.
Vincent Kompany's side made the stronger start and took the lead in the 28th minute. Michael Olise combined with Nathaniel Brown, who fired a low finish beyond Gregor Kobel to score his first competitive goal for the club.
Dortmund thought they had responded when Ramy Bensebaini found the net from a set-piece, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
Bayern then doubled their advantage shortly before the interval. Jobe Bellingham lost possession in midfield, allowing Olise to race into the penalty area before calmly slotting the ball into the far corner despite being under pressure.
Dortmund pushed for a way back after the restart and Manuel Neuer was forced into action to keep out a powerful effort from Konstantinos Karetsas.

#bayern #goal #iduna

Bayern Munich had to fight tooth and nail to overcome a surprisingly feisty Borussia Dortmund side, which the Bavarians managed with a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Nathaniel Brown and Michael Olise. Despite nearly losing the match, Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany said he was pleased with the team's performance.
"I'm very happy with the win. Michael Olise and Harry Kane trained 3 times with us and were able to play 90 minutes," Kompany said after the match (as captured by X account iMiaSanMia). "Back in my time, you go back from vacation with 3-4 extra kilograms. Now the guys have their private trainers and come back very fit. Nene and Saibari will give us a big extra this season. We still have Lenny, Jamal and Serge Gnabry to come back.
"Regardless of the result today, it was a statement of energy, fighting for every ball, every situation. Some people maybe think we'll have a drop because we won everything last year. But that won't be the case, we won't rest and will try to win everything."
The Rekordmeister is off the mark for 2026/27 with a trophy. Bayern's Bundesliga opener against Stuttgart will be next weekend.
Sign up for a user account and get:

#bayern #match #every

Ideal way to kick off the season!
Bayern picked up right where they left off last season by winning the first trophy of the campaign, the German Super Cup, against rivals Dortmund.
And yet, the Bavarians were far from being in steamroller mode. They did manage to produce a very convincing first half, during which they scored twice, led by an already twice-decisive Olise: first with an ****** ist for Brown, who beat Kobel with a left-footed side-foot finish, then by getting on the scoresheet himself after a Bellingham turnover and a solo run capped with an outside-of-the-foot strike.
The French maestro carried Bayern and set the tone before the match became much more complicated in the second half. Vincent Kompany's men had already had an early warning with a Bensebaini goal disallowed at the end of the first half.
In the end, Dortmund had to wait until the 72nd minute, when substitute Fabio Silva managed to pull one back against a Bayern side that had become very passive. It was not enough, however, to stop the Bavarians from winning the 11th Super Cup in their history, despite a tense finish marked by Bensebaini's sending-off and a Beier shot (90+4) that sent a shiver through the entire stadium.

#super #dortmund #left #twice

Manuel Neuer has already been impressed by Bayern Munich's latest addition, Ismael Saibari.
The Bayern Munich captain admitted that Saibari's injury limited his initial involvement, but the squad has now had the opportunity to work with him in training. Neuer also pointed out that Bayern Munich already had a close look at the midfielder when the clubs faced each other during Saibari's time at PSV.
"He was a bit injured and now we've had our first training sessions together. Of course, we'd already seen him at PSV when we played against them. He also played for the Moroccan national team at the World Cup. He's already shown some really good performances there. We're looking forward to the future with him and we know he's a great addition to the team," Neuer told Sky Germany journalist Kerry Hau (as captured by iMiaSanMia).
Saibari brings versatility, athleticism and an ability to contribute in the attacking third, giving Vincent Kompany another intriguing option as Bayern Munich looks to build on last season.
The Bayern Munich squad has now had its first opportunity to see Saibari up close.

#bayern #already

Ahead of tomorrow night's Supercup clash with Borussia Dortmund, Vincent Kompany has confirmed that Jamal Musiala won't feature.
"Every decision was made based on the best possible information. We know how to handle it. He'll be training individually this week.
"I spoke to Jamal and he said I can speak about that. He made a slight change to his treatment, which caused some side effects.
"It's perfectly normal to make changes to a treatment plan. Now we want to get things back to how it was before," he said at his press conference.
After adding that Serge Gnabry and Lennart Karl will also be unavailable, Kompany discussed the challenge of facing Dortmund.

#dortmund #kompany #jamal #musiala

According to a report from Portuguese outlet SIC Notícias (as captured by iMiaSanMia_GER), Bayern Munich and Benfica have reached an agreement for the transfer of defensive midfielder João Palhinha:
Bayern and Benfica have reached an agreement for the transfer of João Palhinha. Benfica will pay 15 million € + an additional 5 million € upon achieving certain targets. The move is expected to be completed shortly.
Benfica re-emerged on to the scene as a serious contender for Palhinha in recent days and could be very close to bringing the Portuguese 31-year-old back to his homeland.
While Aston Villa and Newcastle United were also rumored to be interested, but that has cooled — allegedly — because of Bayern Munich's asking price.
Palhinha's Bayern Munich career has obviously not gone according to plan. Signed from Fulham in 2024 for a significant fee, the Portuguese midfielder struggled to establish himself as a regular under Vincent Kompany and made just 25 appearances before spending last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur.

#munich #reached

Germany's biggest clubs Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern Munich will kickstart their season on Saturday with the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup showdown at Signal Iduna Park (Westfalenstadion).
Once a regular fixture at this time of the year, this will be the first head-to-head meeting in the competition since 2021. Back in the days of COVID restrictions limiting attendances, the all-time top-scorer Robert Lewandowski scored a brace at his former homeground to seal a 3-1 victory for Julian Nagelsmann's side.
Bayern won the trophy for the 11th time last year with a narrow win away at Stuttgart on the occasion of the first final under the name of "Franz Beckenbauer Supercup". As for the hosts, four of their six trophies were achieved after wins over FC Bayern.
However, the Black and Yellows are unable to taste victory in this fixture since the arrival of Vincent Kompany. Both Bundesliga fixtures ended in stalemates in his first season before Bayern did the double over their biggest rivals for the first time since 2021/22.
The Rekordmeister ended their pre-season in excellent form, although Jamal Musiala's health scare dominated headlines. Meanwhile, Niko Kovac's men beat Premier League holders ***** nal before a comeback draw at home against AS Roma.

#bayern #season #supercup #fixture

Okay…was that really necessary?
When Bayern Munich first announced an additional preseason friendly, the logic made sense. Bayern's heavy international complement had a busy summer and arrived late to season preparations after the Men's World Cup; head coach Vincent Kompany wanted more time for players who could not appear in the Asia tour.
However the way the scheduled ended up, Bayern handed itself some early match congestion before the season even began. Tuesday's match at FC Heidenheim comes just three days on the heel of the previous contest, an intense Telekom Cup bout against RB Leipzig. And it is now just four days to the next match, the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup against Borussia Dortmund.
The Leipzig match already had all the makings of a preview of in-season intensity — without any of the stakes. The Supercup, likewise, is an official in season competition — but not one with the weight of the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, or Champions League. These two matches together were a good way to ease into the season. So why add a third in between them?
Against Heidenheim, Bayern's big stars played…well, some of them, and not a lot. Harry Kane and Michael Olise had just 30 minutes; the likes of Luis Díaz, Ismael Saibari, and Jamal Musiala already played at the weekend. Kane's spoken already on his uncertainty of being ready for a full 90' at the Supercup, so his cameo Tuesday appears to have done little other than reduce his recovery time.

#supercup #already #bayern #leipzig

Patrice Evra has nothing but praise for Vincent Kompany, and he believes the Bayern Munich manager deserves far more recognition for what he has accomplished.
Evra pointed to Kompany's journey from being relegated with Burnley to taking charge of one of the biggest clubs in world football as proof of his character and managerial ability.
"And what he's done with Bayern, after getting relegated with Burnley? Bayern are not crazy. Like myself, I'm not crazy. I could see Kompany was always a manager. I see the way when he was talking at City on the pitch or whatever. So he has had it for a long time and he can deal with ego.
"You saw some clip when he was at Burnley, when a player wasn't doing what he wanted, he was going crazy. They respected him because he's someone who achieved a lot of things and he won a lot of things. So he doesn't get the credit he deserves," Evra told Stake.
Kompany faced plenty of skepticism when Bayern Munich appointed him, particularly after Burnley's relegation. However, he quickly silenced many of his critics and established himself as a coach capable of handling the pressure, expectations and egos that come with managing Bayern Munich.

#manager #relegated

It appears the Pittsburgh Steelers will break training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, this week without resolving their biggest piece of unfinished business from the offseason.
Top cornerback Joey Porter Jr. remains unsigned to a contract beyond 2026, even after deals for all of his key 2023 NFL Draft classmates have been completed.
Defensive lineman Keeanu Benton was the latest to sign Aug. 14, inking a four-year extension worth up to $72 million. Linebacker Nick Herbig got four years and $100 million in early June. And tight end Darnell Washington followed soon thereafter with another four-year deal with $42 million.
Required Reading: Steelers signing DT Keeanu Benton to historic extension: Contract details

#steelers #pittsburgh

The clock is ticking loudly at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp at St. Vincent College, and second-year running back Kaleb Johnson may already be running out of time.
Selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Iowa, Johnson was once viewed as a potential future fixture in Pittsburgh's backfield. However, as training camp practice number 13 wrapped up on Sunday, the 23-year-old found himself buried on the depth chart, not just behind proven starters Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, but behind journeymen and practice-squad regulars.
In Pittsburgh's preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, Johnson saw minimal work, logging just two carries for three yards. Instead, backup snaps went to NFL veteran Travis Homer and second-year back Lew Nichols.
Steelers reporter Christopher Carter shared his hopes that the low volume was merely part of an early-preseason rotation on his "Locked on Steelers" podcast. However, he added that his hopes had quickly faded during team periods in Latrobe.
"Kaleb Johnson really didn't see any action. He saw I think what two, five snaps overall. He get two carries for three yards. He was out there after Travis Homer and after Lew Nichols," noted Carter.

#homer #carter