Running a successful football club in a country at war is no easy feat, never mind one with the history and prestige of Shakhtar.

Over the past 20 years the club’s model has been to buy promising young Brazilian talents, develop them and then sell them to Europe’s top clubs for profit.

Fernandinho, Douglas Costa, Willian and Fred are just a few who used Shakhtar as a stepping stone to Europe’s elite.

Shakhtar have always blended South American flair with homegrown talents from their academy – the £89 million sale of Mykhailo Mudryk to Chelsea in 2023 showed that can be a profitable avenue as well.

However, Fifa’s decision in 2022 to allow both foreign and homegrown players to leave Ukrainian clubs for free because of the war left Shakhtar in a difficult position.

“It was a big problem because we lost top talents. We lost 14 players and coaching staff,” said Palkin. “So we started to build a new Ukrainian team.”

Thanks to the relationship they had built up with clubs and players in Brazil, Shakhtar have gradually returned to their model.

Turan has 12 Brazilians in his squad, with more expected to arrive in the summer. Even with the uncertainty of war, Brazilians jump at the chance to join them.

“We are not selling them comfort, because everybody understands the war, it’s not comfort. We are selling them their career pathway,” Palkin said.

“We lost our home, but we didn’t lose our identity. We follow our procedures, we follow our model, what we are building.”

The presenters have spoken out after the I’m A Celebrity South Africa final when Ant appeared to be confronted by Jimmy Bullard

Ant McPartlin has revealed what really happened with Jimmy Bullard in the car park after the dramatic I’m A Celebrity… South Africa final, in which the presenter seemingly backed Adam Thomas in his row with the former footballer.

Ant and his long-standing friend and co-host Dec Donelly have said they had “quite the night” as they broke their silence on the chaos that unfolded out during the live final of the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here spin-off show last Friday (April 24).

Waterloo Road star Adam won the ITV reality show, in which former campmates compete in trials and challenges to be crowned the show’s ultimate ‘legend’. But the win was overshadowed by the drama which unfolded, as he was accused of being “abusive, aggressive and intimidating” by Jimmy following their spat while in the South African savanna.

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Days before the final, viewers saw explosive scenes in the last week of the pre-recorded series as Adam almost lost his place in camp after the former footballer Jimmy quit a trial, Adam forfeiting his time on the show, where he was a late arrival alongside former football manager Harry Redknapp.

As they worked in pairs, it meant that Adam would also lose his place on the show, leading to Adam hitting out at Jimmy. The former Emmerdale star stormed over to the sportsman and, during a heated exchange, said: “Taking the f****** piss, are you taking the f****** piss?” He added: “I’m in there getting covered in f****** ants!” Jimmy responded by telling him to “calm down” and described his outburst as “pathetic”.

Adam ended up making it to the final of the series, alongside Harry, Sir Mo Farah, and Craig Charles. But as all the campmates reunited for the first time during the final, Jimmy discussed their explosive row on the show, claiming Adam dropped “c-bombs” which were not aired, and asked hosts Ant and Dec for their opinion as they had “front row seats”. But Ant disagreed that the exchange was intimidating and said: “No, it wasn’t, I was there!”

Following the final, pictures emerged of Ant appearing to be confronted by Jimmy as he left the studio. But the presenter has now set the record straight. The pair said they didn’t find out until “quite late on” that Jimmy would be attending the final, but he had a “bee in his bonnet” and wanted to tell his side of the story.

But as viewers of the live final saw, things became chaotic after David Haye joined in the conversation to accuse the ITV show of editing footage to make Manchester-born Adam look like a “victim” and, after defending the actor, Gemma Collins, who followed Sinitta, who shouted to the audience that they “weren’t there” and it “was abusive and aggressive”, walked off set.

After what unfolded on live TV, Ant said on the new episode of the podcast, Hanging Out with Ant and Dec: “I went up to David Haye and he went, ‘How brilliant was that? Wasn’t that great?’ I went, ‘Well… It was certainly talk about TV, I wouldn’t call it great’, but anyway we had a laugh and we were cool.

“Then I’ve walked off and seen Jimmy Bullard and I just shook his hand and I was like, ‘Look after yourself’ and he was like, ‘Yeah, yeah cheers, cheers, cheers!’ So there was no confrontation. He was shouting at me, I wasn’t shouting at him. I wasn’t flanked by two security guards as it said in the paper. One of them was carrying my bag to the car in Beyoncé style.

Ant then clarified once again there was no argument in the car park. Dec then said: “I saw David Haye and he said ‘What about that then, hope you get some good ratings for that one!’ and I was like, ‘Thanks for that David!’” Ant added: “See, he doesn’t care! That’s what he does, he’s a boxer!”

It comes after Dec said: “It was quite the night!” Ant replied: “Oh my God… it had a flashback of Jimmy Springer over it… There were walk-outs, there were people goading each other. It was a weird night of TV!”

Ant later said of Adam’s winning moment: “I just thought it was a shame that the crowning moment of I’m A Celebrity.. South Africa couldn’t have been more celebratory!

If you’ve woken up on the wrong side of the bed, and have a few minutes to spare, you should keep reading.

Whether you’ve recently fallen out with a friend or are still reeling from a frustrating interaction with your manager earlier in the week, attempting to shake off a bad mood isn’t easy.

Not everyone has an hour to dedicate to the mindful art of crochet, watch their favourite film, or channel their bad energy into some junk journaling.

But, there is one quick method therapists recommend that, despite sounding ‘ridiculous’ when you first hear it, could be the thing that helps you shake off the funk you’ve been stuck in.

And it all starts with your feet.

What is the ‘toe challenge’?

Shared with Metro by psychotherapist Stefan Walters, the ‘toe challenge’ is pretty straight forward.

All you’ll need to begin is a pen or pencil. Place it on the floor and then, using only your toes, lift the object into the air.

And that’s it. Yes, really.

Stefan emphasises that while it might sound ‘silly,’ it’s rooted in psychology. The challenge is about how achieving a weirdly specific small goal can result in a ‘mood payoff’, prompting a sense of accomplishment.

‘When we’re feeling down, we can get into big picture thinking and feel like there’s no hope, no future,’ he says.

‘And, just bringing it to the mundane, something as ridiculous as the toe challenge, it’s very grounding – it can shift that perspective.’

‘It’s a small way for us to find glimmers’

It’s these accomplishments, Stefan explains, that are examples of ‘glimmers.’

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Described by Stefan as the ‘opposite of triggers,’ they’re easiest to think of as little things that boost our endorphins and give us a positive feeling.

Originally coined by clinician and author Deb Dana in her book, ‘The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy’, Deb defines glimmers as ‘micro-moments that begin to shape our system in very gentle ways.’

Whilethe experts aren’t saying that a glimmer is going to solve serious mental health issues, they certainly can lift your mood.

He continues: ‘The toe challenge is just an easy way for us to create a glimmer ourselves, by doing something that gives us a sense of achievement or reward.’

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Other small glimmer tasks could be things like rolling up a piece of paper and seeing if you can shoot it into the bin, or peel an orange by removing the entire peel in just one piece.

Alternatives to the ‘toe challenge’

While little movements of achievement can boost the mood, there are other ways to turn that frown upside too.

Less about accomplishing a minor task, these hacks can help you recentre the body and mind.

1. The orange hack. Sniffing specific scents, particularly orange or lavender, has been shown in studies to reduce anxiety and improve mood almost instantly.
2. The 30-second physiological sigh. Instead of trying to ‘think’ your way out of a bad mood, you can use a specific breathing pattern to reset your nervous system. Inhale deeply through your nose, follow it with a second short ‘sharp’ inhale to fully expand the lungs, then exhale slowly through the mouth. This signals to the brain that the body is safe, lowering heart rate and reducing the physical feeling of being under threat. 
3. The ‘mock commute‘. For those working from home, a ‘bad day’ often stems from a lack of transition.
4. Creating a simulated commute, a 10-minute walk or a specific ritual before and after work, provides a mental ‘buffer’ that protects personal time from work-related stress.

Good news from Metro to help turn your bad day around

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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Specsavers East Kilbride, which is locally owned and run, was awarded the Total Care Award at the annual Specsavers Awards for Excellence ceremony, having been selected above every other store across the UK.

The team at a South Lanarkshire opticians is celebrating after being presented with a top industry award recognising the highest standards in customer care.

Specsavers East Kilbride, which is locally owned and run, was awarded the Total Care Award at the annual Specsavers Awards for Excellence ceremony, having been selected above every other store across the UK.

The Total Care Award is presented to teams that show exceptional passion for delivering fantastic service to customers, as well as an outstanding experience for colleagues across optics and audiology.

The annual awards recognise the achievements and professionalism of Specsavers stores across the UK and Ireland.

“We’re over the moon to have been awarded the Total Care Award this year,” said Marianne Keys, store partner at Specsavers East Kilbride.

“As a team, we’re always striving to be the best we possibly can be, and being recognised by the wider business with this prestigious award is down to the amazing job the team does every day.

“It’s a testament to their skill, hard work and ongoing dedication to excellence and customer care. Winning this award is recognition of the dedication, care and pride our team brings to work every day, as well as our commitment to delivering the very best for both our colleagues and our customers.”

To book an appointment or speak to a member of the team at Specsavers East Kilbride, visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/eastkilbride or call 01355 260 505.

READ MORE: Wishaw golf tournament in East Kilbride schoolgirl’s memory returns next month

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THIS has been an amazing week for our home.

But before I get on to York City’s promotion, I want to start this column a little differently.

Can I be honest?

One of the things you learn quickly in this job is that you can’t please everyone.

When I was elected to represent York Outer, I said I’d give it my all. It made the front page of The York Press, but for me it was a commitment to the place I’m proud to call home.

Since then, I believe I have done exactly that. There’s more to come.

I’ve secured funding for Haxby Station, worked closely with the Town Council to save the Post Office, and helped secure flood alleviation investment across York, including Fulford. I worked to introduce the Number 15 bus service for Bishopthorpe and Woodthorpe, and much more besides.

I’ve welcomed brilliant people from York to Parliament and introduced them to the Prime Minister and Chancellor, including representatives from the York City Football Club Foundation and Ladies, Piglets Adventure Farm and Menfulness. I’m always speaking up for constituents, tabling issues and attending debates.

This is the bread and butter of the job. It’s what I’m here to do.

What I’ve found harder to reconcile is that, for a small but vocal number of people, nothing I do will ever be the right thing.

I’m sometimes criticised when I visit local organisations or businesses, dismissed as “another photo op”. In reality, those visits are about listening, building relationships and being there when people need help.

In just the last month, those visits included Lakeside Primary Academy, the Wilberforce Trust, Goddard’s, an anti social behaviour community event at Derwenthorpe, the newly reopened Haxby Post Office, the Easter Egg Trail, Osbaldwick Primary School, Enterprise Car Club, a World Down Syndrome Day coffee morning, Askham Bryan College for lambing season, and York City Rowing Club. And yes, there’s even a video of me and Askham Bryan students bottle feeding the lambs!

I take a very public approach to the role, yet strangely, I’ve effectively been accused of being too visible.

I suppose that is a 180 from my predecessor!

Alongside what people see, my office and team run a day in, day out operation helping residents with complex issues, from NHS appointments to housing problems and immigration cases. Since being elected, we’ve handled more than 10,000 pieces of casework.

I worry sometimes that we’re losing nuance in politics, and our ability to see politicians as human beings. One of my friends, Joe Morris, the MP for Hexham, was recently criticised for ordering a starter as a main course in a local pub, a totally reasonable thing to do. We say we want MPs to be normal and then criticise them for being exactly that.

But now I want to turn to the thing we’ve all been talking about: York City’s promotion.

What happened at the weekend was one of the greatest promotion achievements in English football. To amass 108 points and still need to go through that drama to get promoted is extraordinary.

Like many others, I was one of the 4,500 supporters at the stadium screening, sharing the journey from devastation to absolute euphoria. Those moments are why football matters, and why this promotion will do the world of good for our city.

Here’s another example of clashing expectations. I’m a York City fan. I try to get to as many home games as I can, and the occasional away match when possible. Like many parents, I juggle that with family life, and missing time with my three year old and ten month old on a Saturday isn’t easy. I can’t wait for them to come to their first game.

This season has been an absolute rollercoaster, especially after last year’s heartbreak against Oldham. I was there at Boreham Wood at the end of the 24 game unbeaten run, stood in Barnsley for the heartbreak of the last-minute cup defeat, and have spent countless Saturdays at the LNER Community Stadium. To be back in the EFL is simply amazing for both our club, and city.

More recently, when I supported efforts to organise an open top bus trophy parade, a couple of people commented online that I wasn’t focused on “the right things”. I disagree. This is the club’s first promotion in a decade, and hopefully it won’t be the last either. Meanwhile, I’m of course continuing to crack on with everything else besides.

I have to admit, though, I’m really disappointed by the decision not to hold an open top bus trophy parade this week. I’m doing everything I can to help ensure a proper celebration takes place in the city, including speaking with City Cruises about options such as an open top boat parade.

These celebrations are not about politics. They’re about bringing our city together. They allow families, lifelong supporters and the wider community to share a moment of collective joy, and they can also provide a real boost to hospitality.

Finally, once again, congratulations to everyone connected to the club. This promotion reflects the hard work of Stuart Maynard, Ollie Pearce, the squad, the backroom staff, Julie Anne and Matt Uggla, and, above all, the fans, volunteers and supporters who have stuck with the club through thick and thin over the past decade.

Bring on 25 June, when the League Two fixtures come out!

The Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA) is pushing hard for change in the game, requesting governing body the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association (WPBSA) call an EGM, with a date of the crunch meeting to be announced imminently.

The PSPA was set up as an independent players union in August last year, with John Higgins as its chairman and featuring a string of big names on the players’ board.

They now have more than 50 per cent of the professional tour signed up and have set out a number of changes they want to see enacted in snooker.

Progress has been slow in terms of actually making those changes, but the PSPA has made a significant move by requesting the WPBSA call an Extraordinary General Meeting, a request which is to be granted imminently.

WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson told Metro: ‘WPBSA and I welcome any open players meetings we can possibly have with our players and with any player representatives.

‘I welcome the EGM. I welcome the formalness and the importance of an EGM. So I look forward to seeing as many members there as possible.’

Are you snooker loopy?

You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro.

In my new newsletter, The Table, I’ll be analysing the biggest talking points, breaking down frames and crowning the week’s winners and losers every Monday.

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The World Championship is here, so there’s no better time to sign up.

The PSPA has already made clear a number of issues they want to address, telling Metro earlier this year that tournament scheduling, healthcare cover for players, the ranking system, WPBSA funding, disciplinary processes and commercial opportunities for players are all being brought to the table for discussion.

A meeting between the PSPA and WPBSA was held at the Scottish Open in Edinburgh in December, which both sides described as positive and constructive as a number of possible changes were discussed.

The players’ union is now looking to push forward towards those changes actually coming into place, which is why they have requested the EGM.

There is some frustration on the PSPA side at the pace of organising meetings with the governing body, although the WPBSA rejects the suggestion that delays have come from their end.

The PSPA now wields significant power as an association representing the majority of the professional tour and will expect to agree some changes which they feel benefit their members.

Some areas will be easier to reach an agreement or a compromise on than others, but change is certainly afoot, with the WPBSA already in the process of amending their policy on healthcare cover for players and reviewing the ranking system.

Currently, private healthcare cover is provided for players in the top 64 of the rankings only, but the PSPA is keen to extend that to the whole tour.

The ranking system has long been a point of discussion, with the current money-list being challenged and the PSPA keen to switch to a points-based system, which they believe would be fairer and a more accurate reflection of players’ achievements.

There will be debate and discussion on all the issues and hope that changes can be agreed upon, with collaboration still the aim.

The PSPA insist the EGM has not been called with the goal of making any sort of coup by removing members of the WPBSA board.

Focus will turn to the meeting after the World Championship, as PSPA chairman John Higgins and players board members Mark Allen and Shaun Murphy are all still in the event.

Murphy and Higgins meet in one semi-final while Allen takes on Wu Yize in the other, both starting on Thursday.

Higgins has not said a great deal publicly on the PSPA since it came into being, when asked about progress ahead of the World Championship, he said: ‘It’s been a little bit quiet because there’s more going on behind the scenes, but it’s going to ramp up soon I’m sure.’

MORE: John Higgins makes up for ‘heartbreaking’ Crucible experience with Neil Robertson win

MORE: Wu Yize like ‘playing against a PlayStation’ as he books first Crucible semi-final

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The school dates back 1,400 years but will close this year due ‘unsustainable pressure’

One of England’s oldest schools is due to close at the end of the academic year. Thetford Grammar School in Norfolk dates back 1,400 years and traces its origins back to the court of King Sigbert of the East Angles in the 7th century.

Parents at the day and boarding school were told about the closure in a letter from Chair Jay Liu on Monday, April 27. He announced that with a “heavy heart” and “clear focus on securing the very best future of our pupils” that the independent school would close.

He said that the school has faced “significant and increasing challenges” in recent years. He shared that he believes Labour’s VAT charge on private school fees is a reason.

Mr Liu said: “Since January 2025, the imposition of VAT on school fees, alongside the removal of Business Rates relief, increased employer pension contributions, rises in the minimum wage, and continued increases in utility and operating costs, have collectively placed unsustainable pressure on many independent schools, including Thetford Grammar School.”

Mr Liu added that after “careful review” the school’s board decided that the financial strain is no longer viable for Thetford Grammar to continue operating independently.

He continued: “This has been an extremely difficult decision. Throughout this process, our overriding priority has been the continued education, wellbeing and future opportunities of our pupils.”

Head of Thetford Grammar School, Amanda Faye, shared her “heartfelt thanks” to all parents, alumni, members of the Thetford Community, and other independent schools who have reached out over the “last horrendous 48 hours”.

Mrs Faye added: “It is now my duty to ensure that each of my 180 students finds a place that suits their needs to continue their education, and that my 67 staff find employment. It is a duty I intend to do with care and compassion as my tenure over one of the oldest schools in the country comes to an end.”

Since the announcement, neighbouring schools have shared their thoughts and reached out to those who will be affected. A spokesperson for King’s Ely wrote: “We are extremely saddened by news that another UK independent school steeped in history – this time just across the border in Norfolk – will close its doors at the end of the Summer term.” King’s Ely has said that limited places are available for September.

MP Terry Jermy for South West Norfolk has recognised the news will be “unsettling” for staff and parents, but “most of all the students”.

Reacting to the announcement, he added: “Thetford Grammar School has been struggling financially for many years and losing significant sums of money. Income dropped sharply with falling pupil numbers in 2013 and never recovered. With around 200 pupils and a capacity of more than 300, not filling the spaces became fatal.”

MP Jermy continued: “Given these clear challenges, the educational charity that had existed for many years sold the school to private ownership in 2017. Had the school not been bought out by the Chinese investment company, it would have likely closed then. Following the sale, it has been operating as a private business, and accounts published on Companies House document the continuing financial losses long before the 2024 General Election.

“It may be politically convenient to blame Labour’s VAT policy on private schools for the closure, but the reality is the school would have likely closed regardless.”

The MP said he was “disappointed” the school did not reach out to him about their challenges and whether or not additional support or alternative arrangements could have been put in place remains to be seen.

King Charles’s speech to the US Congress – only the second such address by a British monarch – demonstrates how much both the US and the UK have changed in the last three decades.

The first speech was in May 1991 during his mother, Queen Elizabeth II’s, third state visit to the US. The underlying purpose of both speeches was the same: to stress the enduring links between Britain and the US. But the circumstances in which they were delivered were very different.

The late queen’s speech came in the wake of joint action by US and British forces, along with other allies, to eject Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi troops from Kuwait. She referenced this in her speech as a concrete example of the strength of the Anglo-American alliance.

In 2026, the UK has pointedly refused to join the US-Israeli attack on Iran, angering President Donald Trump. Charles’s speech adroitly inverted the moral of this apparent diplomatic rift, suggesting that tensions in the past had always been overcome. Referring to the revolution of 1776 he noted: “Ours is a partnership born out of dispute, but no less strong for it”, because ultimately “our nations are in fact instinctively like-minded”.

A speech like this, voiced by the monarch, can serve at least two useful purposes. The first is to portray things that are, at heart, profoundly political, as being somehow above politics. The second is to place the transitory difficulties of day-to-day diplomacy within the much longer-term perspective of a dynasty that traces its lineage back to the Norman Conquest.

These two elements featured in how both Elizabeth II and Charles’s speeches depicted the Anglo-American alliance. The latter was the basis of a joke by the king, who referred to the actions of the Founding Fathers “250 years ago, or, as we say in the United Kingdom, just the other day”.

Charles’s speech was beautifully crafted and delivered with a degree of warmth and conviction that was always beyond the range of his mother’s public oratory. That, in itself, was almost an implicit reproach to the president’s own rambling, undisciplined public pronouncements.

And in more than one way the address was pitched over the head of Trump. The lack of any immediate pushback from the president suggests that the subtlety of some of the messaging eluded him. But in a more significant sense, it was an appeal to causes that still resonate with much of the American political class if not with the Trump administration itself.

Charles stressed the value of Nato and the importance of “the defence of Ukraine and her most courageous people”. He made a sly reference to his proud association with the Royal Navy – an institution that has been the subject of some disparagement by Trump in recent weeks.

He emphasised the importance of protecting the environment, although couched in a Trumpian language of profit and loss: “We ignore at our peril the fact that these natural systems – in other words, Nature’s own economy – provide the foundation for our prosperity and our national security.”

Perhaps his most pointed remarks – and those that generated the loudest applause from some (although not all) in the hall – were directed at the US itself. He described Congress as “this citadel of democracy created to represent the voice of all American people”. He mentioned the role of Magna Carta in laying the foundation for the constitutional principle that “executive power is subject to checks and balances”. Trump’s opponents clearly enjoyed that.

Saving the special relationship

State visits by British monarchs to the US have been relatively rare, and state visits to London by US presidents are even rarer. Trump is unique in having made two. This in itself is a mark of the desperate attempts by British governments, both Tory and Labour, to find ways of managing relations with his administration. This desperation was also apparent in Keir Starmer’s reckless decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to Washington.

The king’s speech pushed in interesting ways at the boundaries of what a British monarch might be expected to have said in Trump’s America. Yet some of the sentiments in his mother’s 1991 address to Congress – considered uncontroversial at the time – could no longer be expressed without the risk of offending the current administration.

Queen Elizabeth noted: “Some people believe that power grows from the barrel of a gun. So it can, but history shows us that it never grows well nor for very long. Force, in the end, is sterile.”

That may be a lesson Trump will have to learn the hard way. But for the moment, he and his immediate circle seem to have an unwavering belief in the primacy of kinetic force, and have little interest in the objective Charles described of stemming “the beating of ploughshares into swords”.

The queen also commended “the rich ethnic diversity of both our societies”. Charles spoke instead about interfaith understanding. This is not quite the same thing – but is certainly more compatible with the Trump administration’s disturbingly relaxed approach to the rise of white-supremacist politics.

Perhaps the saddest feature of a comparison of the two speeches is the queen’s proud boast in 1991 that “Britain is at the heart of a growing movement towards greater cohesion within Europe, and within the European Community in particular”. If the US has changed since 1991, so has Britain. It would be nice to think that one day the monarch might give an equally generous speech about shared history and values in front of the UK’s European neighbours.