Everton boss Dyche is the only current Premier League manager with a direct link to Clough, having been an apprentice and young professional on the books at Forest between 1987 and 1990.

When Dyche reflects on time spent around a man who is often regarded as the greatest manager England never had, he speaks of recognising “genius” in the way Clough dealt with players, approached matches and set sides up tactically.

“When I became a manager I started reflecting back,” said Dyche. “As a person and footballer I learned so much during that period of my life.

“When the boss spoke, you were listening. He had this amazing thing that when he told you that you did well, you just felt 10ft tall and couldn’t fit through the door, but if he told you that you didn’t, you could go under the door with a top hat on.”

Clough did more than just try to mould Dyche as a footballer of the future, with a list of odd jobs also handed out to emerging players.

Running a bath for Clough was a regular occurrence – with Dyche admitting he stressed about never knowing how hot to make it – while tending to the garden at the manager’s house was also part of “silly, mad stuff” he would get up to.

Not that it always went to plan for Dyche, who was almost always referred to as “young ginger” by Clough.

“He once asked me to get rid of five bags of leaves, green leaves,” Dyche said. “When I was a kid, I’m from Kettering, I used to love a fire in the woods and I know green leaves are not going to burn very well.

“I’m at the bottom of his garden and he says ‘young ginger, get rid of these leaves for me darling, I’ll help you start a fire and you can get rid of them for me’.

“He starts it off and goes back up, and he used to make us food – more food than you could imagine – so I’m putting these leaves on and thinking it isn’t going to work. Then the wind starts blowing towards the kitchen and I’m going, ‘oh no’.

“He comes out and says ‘young ginger, get that smoke out my kitchen or I’m going to throw you on the fire’.

“I’m now putting one leaf on at a time and I have five bags, and I’m thinking this is going to be a long afternoon. And I hear him again and I say, ‘but boss I can’t help it, they are green leaves’. Then he went ‘you are right, well done’ and just went back in.

“One minute I’m shaking, then I’m thinking he is all right now.

“As a character, he most certainly broke the mould.”

Jake Paul is willing to let Dana White off the hook – with one condition.

Ever since Paul made the transition from YouTube influencer to professional boxer, he has argued for better fighter pay in both boxing and MMA, the latter of which has drawn the attention and ire of UFC CEO White. Paul and White have engaged in a public war of words over the topic, with the feud becoming increasingly personal.

On his BS podcast, Paul laid out the conditions under which he would back off from the conversation, with his withdrawal contingent on White increasing pay for the lesser known fighters on the UFC roster.

“The only thing I’ve really asked for is for the minimum fighter pay which is $12,500 to be changed to $50,000,” Paul said. “So that if fighters who have to work multiple jobs, if they fight once a year even, they would still be able to live off of that and if it was twice a year, they’d make a hundred grand, which is great.

“But now, if they’re fighting once a year, it’s $12,500, or twice a year would be $25,000. So that’s been my only ask to Dana to change, and that would only cost the UFC $20 million annually. So it seems like you made three, four billion dollars, why not just give a little bit more to the fighters? It’s only $20 million. That’s been my biggest thing. Make that change and I’ll shut the f*ck up.”

White’s name came up when guest Steve-O claimed that he and White actually watched Paul’s August 2023 bout against former UFC star Nate Diaz together. That story would contradict White’s claim that he “stopped paying attention” to Paul’s fighting career after “The Problem Child” lost to Tommy Fury seven months prior to the Diaz fight.

In Paul’s eyes, the only reason there’s beef between them at all is because White doesn’t want to hear what he has to say when it comes to boosting fighter compensation.

“I could talk about all the intricate details about this shit all day long, but it’s definitely when I started talking about this, that’s when Dana White was like, ‘Jake Paul does steroids. Jake Paul’s fights are rigged. Jake Paul this, Jake Paul that,’” Paul said. “So he’s the one that started all the personal rumors. ‘Jake Paul doesn’t sell. Jake Paul won’t fight Anderson Silva.’

“He’s been the biggest voice of oppression to me because I’m the only one, literally in the whole entire fight business, who can talk back to him. There’s probably four people who can, but I’m the only one who has the balls to do it.”

Longtime MMA veteran Josh Barnett discussed his issues with Paul’s plan on X.

Just goes to show that you can be given a mic but that doesn’t mean you know what you’re talking about.

There is ZERO problems with “minimum pay” in the UFC.

-Contract structure and clauses? You’ve got an argument there.

-Pay and Incentives for main event and those whose IP is used to promote the fight? 100%

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-Pay for the lower and mid tier fighters? Nope. As themselves, they usually cost the UFC more than they bring in.

Centre Joel Embiid has signed a contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 30-year-old Cameroon-born player’s new contract is for the maximum three years and worth $193m (£145m), according to US reports.

The 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player has been at the Sixers since the 2014 NBA Draft – and now wants to help them win a first title since 1983.

“I started a Sixer and want to be right here for the rest of my career,” Embiid said. “I had no idea when I was drafted as a 20-year-old kid from Cameroon how lucky I was to be in Philadelphia.

“Through all the ups and downs, this city and the fans have been everything and I am so grateful for how they’ve embraced me.

“Philadelphia is home and it’s time to bring this community an NBA championship.”

Embiid moved to the US as a 16-year-old and went to the University of Kansas.

He averaged 34.7 points, 11 rebounds and 5.6 assists last season.

“Joel has cemented himself as one of the greatest Sixers of all time and is well on his way to being one of the best players to ever play the game,” 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said.

Embiid was diagnosed with the facial condition Bell’s palsy earlier this year.

Ask Luke Riley, and he’ll admit, “It’s been a bit of a mad camp.”

For months, Riley (9-0) has prepared for the biggest fight of his life, though the circumstances changed drastically due to elements outside his control.

“I felt a bit stuck, just a bit lost,” Riley said recently to MMA Junkie. “But I stayed in the gym. Obviously it kept me a bit sane getting there.”

Riley, 25, is the next generation of Next Generation MMA in Liverpool, England, the home of UFC stars Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann.

To have a Dana White’s Contender Series fight scheduled for Sept. 24 was elating. To have it then canceled due to visa issues was a bitter pill to swallow.

From age nine, preparing for fights has taken priority – over school, over work, over everything.

“When people were studying for exams, I was in Thailand hitting the pads,” Riley laughed. “I’d come back and the teachers would be like, ‘Luke, what the f*ck? Where have you been?’ I’d like, ‘I’ve just in Thailand. I’ve just been fighting in Thailand.’ They’d say, ‘Oh, you can’t do that, Luke.’ My mom was on my side. They knew fighting came first. It wasn’t school and then fighting, for me. It was fighting and then school.

“Fighting is No. 1, and it always has been. … I know people say there’s a lot more to life, but this moment in my life from since I’ve very first started fighting, it’s been a promise; it’s the first thing that comes first, before anything in my life.”

Riley is confident the issue will be resolved before the UFC circles back, so waiting on the shelf was an option – but it was not a remedy. Riley elected to compete again and will headline Cage Warriors 178 vs. Alexandre Junior (6-2) on Saturday in Manchester, England (UFC Fight Pass).

“I spoke to Graham (Boylan) and basically said I need to get back in the cage,” Riley said. “He got me on the Manchester show and then obviously the title fight. … I’m very happy, mate. … It’s not like I’m done forever. When it comes back around, it’ll all be sorted out. That’s why I’m happy.”

Despite his age, Riley’s level-headedness is beyond his years, majorly due to the influences he’s surrounded himself with professionally.

“Paddy is one of my best mates,” Riley said. “We have a lot in common in life. We’re just two normal lads, mate. Obviously, where he is now in his career, it’s inspiring. Sh*t, it’s more than that. He’s like an older brother, someone to look up to. I love to be in the gym with him.”

Being “Paddy’s guy” comes with a lot of attention. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s an extra angle of the fight game many youngsters don’t have to deal with. Riley, however, takes it all in stride. Seeing how Pimblett embraced it all made it easier for Riley to do the same.

“Obviously, all the Paddy haters are going to jump on whoever he’s going to mention,” Riley said. “He recently turned all the haters back around to fans again. I think that’s how fickle the MMA fans are. It’s just one of them, mate. You can’t stress over people on Twitter or Instagram or you’re not much of a fighter, are you? … He’s on a much larger scale than me. But even the likes of him, who has never lost, he’s still got haters. I’ve got to take it in stride and not bother me and just carry on going, mate. Back on.”

Like Pimblett, the confidence oozes from Riley, who dreams big and sounds so convincing he’s going to do everything to make them reality.

Even with knowledge the UFC is already interested, Riley aims to exceed the wildest expectations. Perhaps there’s a way he can convince the promotion to sign him, even knowing his travel abilities will be limited (at least for now).

“A lot of built-up f*cking… I don’t even know what the word would be. It’s not even anger. It’s built-up emotion,” Riley said. “I’m just looking to put a statement on, mate, basically. I want to make a statement to the UFC. I feel like I’m on the radar already. But after the performance I’m going to put on, they’re going to be like, ‘F*cking hell. Let’s sign this kid. I don’t know what we were thinking putting him on the Contender. This Luke, we need to sign him ASAP.’ That’s the type of performance I’m looking to put on.”

Whether it’s tomorrow, next month, or next year, Riley is confident he’ll live out his UFC dream one day. He’s in this to be the best and with an unblemished record, no one has thrown him off that path.

“Today, I could step in the octagon against anyone in the 145-pound division and win,” Riley said. “Mate, I’m willing to f*cking fight anyone. I believe I would beat anyone. I wouldn’t be in this sport to be f*cking having a 9-5.

“… If I was older and I was 35 instead of 25, I’d be honest. You’d see in interviews me saying, ‘He needs to hurry up.’ … There’s only one person you’re racing and that’s yourself. I’m a young kid, so I’ve got a lot of time. So no stress. Let’s see what happens after this one after I knock this kid out.”

Anthony Joshua said he is “still in the battlefield” and quashed any suggestion of nearing the end of his career as the Briton weighed in heaviest for Saturday’s world-title challenge against Daniel Dubois

Two-time unified heavyweight champion Joshua, 34, takes on Dubois, 27, for the IBF belt at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Joshua tipped the scales at 18st during an elaborate weigh-in at Trafalgar Square, with Dubois at a career-heavy 17st 10lb.

“I look at myself as a gladiator and I’m going to step into the arena tomorrow to perform for the people,” Joshua said.

“I started late in boxing but it shows you can achieve anything. I’m not a warrior in the garden yet, I’m still on the battlefield.”

The central London landmark was cordoned off for arguably Britain’s most extravagant fight week location ever.

Double decker buses and black cabs provided the backdrop, with Nelson’s Column towering behind a stage placed between the two iconic fountains.

Greenwich-born Dubois – just as he was at Thursday’s news conference – kept his words to a minimum.

“I’m ready to fight,” he repeated three times.

The world title fight will be broadcast live from 19:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.