Grainger was appointed as Wales boss in March 2021, becoming the country’s first ever full-time manager solely dedicated to just the women’s senior team.

She signed a new four-year deal in January 2023 after reaching the World Cup play-off final.

“I was approached by Norway and things happened very quickly,” added Grainger.

“It wasn’t expected for me, it was a surprise and sometimes the timing of how things are is not always perfect.

“I don’t think there ever would have been a perfect time for me to leave Wales, I certainly didn’t plan to leave at the time that I did and also at the speed that I did as well.

“But I felt like the opportunity that had been put in front of me was the right one for me to take.

“I knew the players were upset, I knew they would be upset with me leaving at that time as well.

“I do believe in the journey, I do believe in the team, that’s still what I believe in.

“I still follow the team closely, I’m still very close to the team but it was a decision that I had to make and my only hope was that the players would understand.

“Everyone in football gets opportunities at different times, them as players when they move to different clubs.

“It didn’t mean that what I said about believing in the journey and believing in the team wasn’t true, it was just something that I felt was the right thing to do for me.”

CHELSEA travel to Anfield to take on league leaders Liverpool on Sunday in the biggest game of this weekend’s Premier League action.

And although the Blues may be going into the game as underdogs, they could shock their Merseyside opponents with their high-risk tactics.

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Enzo Maresca has already whipped his side into shape since coming through the door in SW6 this summer.

And he can really lay down a marker on Sunday by luring Liverpool into the ultimate game of chicken with his favoured “tension-ball” tactics.

While Liverpool’s high press tactics under Arne Slot could either play right into Chelsea‘s hands or expose the Blues’ plans.

Inverted full-backs

Maresca has completely changed the way Chelsea play since arriving from Leicester and one his biggest tactical tweaks is playing with an inverted full-back.

In the current system it tends to be Malo Gusto who drifts away from his traditional full-back position and into midfield to offer more numbers in the middle of the park.

That decision is ultimately to allow the Blues to have an overload in midfield – meaning they should almost always outnumber their opponents in central areas.

Gusto playing more central allows him to play alongside Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo to create a box-like four in midfield.

That would allow Chelsea one more central player than Liverpool, with Slot usually opting for a three of Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai.

However, it can also expose Chelsea on the wings, with Gusto leaving his flank and leaving Maresca’s side with gaps in wide areas.

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Ultimate game of chicken

That swings-and-roundabouts approach of leaving yourself vulnerable in wide areas to win the midfield battle is exactly what could create a game of chicken at Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool always aim to press high and did so with a four-man press during their thrashing of Man Utd earlier in the season.

That intense press is where the game of chicken begins, with Liverpool hoping to gamble on Chelsea being unable to play out from the back without Gusto as an extra option in defence.

If Chelsea can bypass that press then they will be able make use of their midfield overload and get the better of Liverpool.

If they can’t do that, then they’ll likely run themselves into all kinds of trouble against one of the best pressing teams in the league.

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Tension-ball

Chelsea’s overloading plans aren’t just for playing out of the back, Maresca wants it to happen all over the pitch.

The Italian regularly talks about having “tension” across the pitch as a way to help his players “jump” into space.

In short, that means he wants his technically gifted players to invite pressure onto themselves so that they can ping the ball away to players in space in other parts of the overload.

Maresca wants his players to effectively drag the opposition out of position and then occupy those spaces themselves, moving fast to take advantage of the spaces they’re vacating.

It’s a high-risk high-reward way of playing and one that will certainly be tested to its limits against a very strong Liverpool team.

In fact, Chelsea fans can expect multiple moments on Sunday where they will want to watch through their fingers as their side plays with fire in the midfield.

However, if they can get it right – as they have done on most occasions this season – they could well spring a surprise on Slot’s men.

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Allowing fans to drink alcohol will be trialled at two Women’s Championship clubs this season, says Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) chief executive Nikki Doucet.

The newly launched WPLL, which governs the Women’s Super League and second-tier Championship, is discussing measures with their key stakeholders as part of a pilot that could lead to wider adoption across the women’s game.

Discussions by the WPLL are at an early stage and the trial clubs have yet to be chosen but it is part of wider measures to capitalise on the growth of the sport.

Laws have been in place since 1985 banning the drinking of alcohol in view of the pitch in men’s football, but the ban in the women’s game has, until now, been self-imposed by football’s authorities.

Speaking at the Leaders Week London event, Doucet said: “We are going to test it in a couple of teams in the Championship this season and we will see what we will learn from that.

“I think the behaviour of our fan base is different. It is about giving our fans choices while maintaining safety and being responsible.”

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Friday’s official PFL: Battle of the Giants (DAZN/ESPN+) fighter weigh-ins at the host hotel in Saudi Arabia, which kick off at 2 a.m. ET (11 a.m. PT).

Among those weighing in are former UFC champion Francis Ngannou (17-3) and reigning PFL season winner Renan Ferreira (13-3), who meet in the main event for the heavyweight superfights title. The same happens between incoming Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg (27-2) and reigning PFL winner Larissa Pacheco (23-4), who fight for the women’s 145-pound superfights belt.

Plus, Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen (15-0) has his title on the line in a rematch against Fabian Edwards (13-3) and former Bellator featherweight champ A.J. McKee (22-1) continues his surge at lightweight against Paul Hughes (12-1).

The full PFL: Battle of the Giants weigh-in results include:

MAIN CARD (DAZN pay-per-view, 4 p.m. ET)

• Francis Ngannou () vs. Renan Ferreira () – for heavyweight superfights title
• Cris Cyborg () vs. Larissa Pacheco () – for women’s featherweight superfights title
• Champ Johnny Eblen () vs. Fabian Edwards () – for Bellator middleweight title
• Husein Kadimagomaev () vs. Zafar Mohsen ()
• A.J. McKee () vs. Paul Hughes ()

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 1:30 p.m. ET)

• Marcos Breno () vs. Raufeon Stots ()
• Dedrek Sanders () vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov ()
• Nacho Campos () vs. Ibragim Ibragimov ()
• Taha Bendaoud () vs. Tariq Ismail ()

A BRITISH athlete aged 57 has died after suffering a cardiac arrest while taking part in a triathlon in Spain.

Another man from Mexico also died during the Torremolinos-Andalucia Triathlon Championship Finals in the Costa del Sol.

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The Brit died while he was running with local media reporting his cardiac arrest.

The Mexican man, who died during the swim, was 79, according to local media.

They died within minutes of each other, Spanish outlet Malaga Hoy reports, just after 4pm.

Emergency services were called to the scene with paramedics attempting CPR on the Brit in a bid to save his life.

The man from Mexico had suffered a heart attack only moments earlier, just a kilometre away.

Both men were reportedly competing in the veteran category with a 750 metre stretch for swimming, 20 kilometres of cycling and five kilometres for running.

A statement from World Triathlon read: “It is with deep sadness that we inform you that two competitors (one from Mexico, one from Britain) have died at the World Triathlon Torremolinos-Andalucia AG Sprint Distance World Championships.”

The organisation said it was in contact with their loved ones to “provide all the necessary support in these difficult and sad times.”

A triathlon is an intense endurance sport involving running, swimming and cycling.

Torremolinos hosts the World Series for triathlon competing in October each year.

Over 5,500 athletes come from more than 80 different countries to take part.

Some 20,000 people were expected to flock to the city for this year’s competition.