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Man City might be laughing noisily at United’s decline but Pep & Co must learn from arrogant Reds or suffer same fate

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Man City might be laughing noisily at United's decline but Pep & Co must learn from arrogant Reds or suffer same fate

PEP GUARDIOLA was certain about Manchester City’s future when he was quizzed about it last week.

He said that everything was in place for the incredible success story under him to continue long after he was gone.

Man City must be prepared for Pep Guardiola's exit and not make the same mistakes as Man Utd

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Man City must be prepared for Pep Guardiola’s exit and not make the same mistakes as Man UtdCredit: Getty
The Red Devils have failed to recover ever since Sir Alex Ferguson left

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The Red Devils have failed to recover ever since Sir Alex Ferguson leftCredit: PA:Press Association

Because have no doubt about it, Guardiola could be gone at the end of this season.

Already he has stayed at the Etihad longer than people thought he might and there is nothing else to prove, nothing more to achieve.

But the belief that things will just continue when he goes could well be misplaced.

Let us not forget that it may be no small coincidence that director of football Txiki Begiristain, 60, has already stated that he is definitely on his way next summer.

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This is not even taking into account what punishment may come the Manchester club’s way due to the charges of 130 financial rule breaches that are on their doorstep.

Although I have my doubts anything will ever come of that.

There are haunting parallels for City supporters over what has happened down the road when an era came to an end.

There was a similar arrogance at Old Trafford that things would just continue because, well, they were Manchester United.

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Senior figures would scoff at the suggestion that with Sir Alex gone they might now do a Liverpool and take decades to regain their place on their perch.

Now, with already 11 years gone they remain further away than ever.

Sir Alex Ferguson phoned and tried to convince me to join Man Utd – but their transfer plan made me say no

That belief that it would just continue saw the Red Devils take their eye off the ball.

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When Sir Alex went in 2013, the United that was so dominant went with him.

Now, titles were won at City before Guardiola under Roberto Mancini in 2012 and two years later when Manuel Pellegrini was boss.

But the startling dominance that the club has achieved under this manager since 2016 sets him apart.

Have no doubt it is down to him, nobody else, just him.

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His energy to continue getting the best out of players is remarkable and continues unabated.

Not only does he, with Begiristain, source and buy great players he makes them better.

Txiki Begiristain's exit is already set to shake things up massively at City

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Txiki Begiristain’s exit is already set to shake things up massively at CityCredit: Getty
The future of star man Erling Haaland remains unclear

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The future of star man Erling Haaland remains unclearCredit: Alamy

His standards never drop. You just have to watch the Spaniard on the sidelines.

But that level of intensity can wear anyone down.

Even at Bayern Munich they claimed everyone was basically frazzled after his time there.

The man himself will need a rest and maybe the club and players too.

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You look at this team, much like United of old, and there are certain players that simply cannot be replaced like for like.

Star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, 33, is unlikely to still be at the club beyond this season.

The incredible Kyle Walker at 34 cannot continue rampaging up and down that wing.

FUTURE QUESTIONS

Erling Haaland is only 24 but there has been no secret about his desire to one day end up at Real Madrid.

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Guardiola has turned John Stones from an average centre-back into one of the best players in Europe but he is already 30.

There is still much more to come from Rodri who is 28 but how will this ACL injury impact him going forward?

In any case how can you guarantee that he and these City players will react in the same way to a new boss when 53-year-old Guardiola does go?

Down the road, when Sir Alex went it was like the tough head-master had gone and a young supply teacher was in.

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Remember that, at school, when everyone just took the mick. That’s what happened at United.

Everything had been achieved, the team was coming to an end and basically nobody could be bothered anymore, everyone was knackered with it all.

Fergie axe comes at the right time – and he knows it

By Phil Thomas

IT is over a decade since he left the dugout but Sir Alex Ferguson has lost none of his sense of timing.

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When to sell, when to buy, when to change and ultimately when to go, Fergie has always been in a class of his own.

Over the years there were countless decisions which had everyone scratching their head — but Sir Alex always knew the time was right.

Some were more obvious than others. Like the night Manchester United won the Treble on the back of his substitutions.

Others less so, like the summer of 1995 when terrace legends Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei  Kanchelskis were sold at the peak of their powers.

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The whole of football thought the manager had lost his marbles.

But Fergie knew better, as he chose that year to unleash his “you win nothing with kids” Double heroes.

Just as he knew best when it came to right-hand men.

Brian Kidd, Steve McClaren, Archie Knox and Co — an endless list of world-class coaches who all came and went.

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And, of course, the biggest decision of all. Calling time on 26 years in which he had gone from the brink of the bullet to English football’s greatest-ever gaffer.

The majority of people are convinced Ferguson stepped down because he knew United’s era of dominance was over.

Maybe not the nosedive to come but certainly that an almighty rebuild was just around the corner. Another mass overhaul, yet not one he was prepared to oversee.

Now another end has arrived. Not as dramatic or as out-of-nowhere, admittedly, but an end nonetheless.

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Next summer Fergie will leave his 12-year role as global ambassador. Many see it as the most ruthless swing of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting axe — and they are wrong.

For while he is trying to save every penny in making United great again —  how’s that going, Sir Jim? — Ferguson has not suddenly and callously been told he is surplus to requirements.

This decision was a two-way call. An amicable parting. Football’s own conscious uncoupling, in Chris  Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow lingo.

And not, incidentally, a departure which means we will no longer see Fergie at Old Trafford on a matchday.

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That  simply  will  not  happen.   He  will still be there rain, wind or shine . . .
Only now as a high-profile non-executive director, rather than a man with the ear — and the sway — behind the owners’ biggest decisions.

Like he was when urging United to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021.
Admittedly not his finest hour, rather an indication of the influence he still retained.

Back then, until just before  Ratcliffe and his Ineos team arrived, in fact, Ferguson had the owners’ ear. Almost a hotline to the Glazer family, you could say.

And those days are done.

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Not that Sir Alex is bereft at the thought. For a start, some of the staff sackings have enraged the Scot — long-serving photographer John Peters and kitman Alec Wylie, for example.

This is not a cosy-cosy relationship with Ratcliffe being severed.
If anything, it is closer to the opposite. And as Fergie the Red, in every sense The Boss — those who played under him still call him that  — knows, trousering £2million or so a year in such tight times is not a good look.

Fair enough, not an amount anyone would turn down in normal circumstances.

Yet when many in the steerage class are losing their livelihoods, it is not something that would have sat well with him.

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There is also the practical side of things as well.

At the end of December, Sir Alex will be 83 years old, albeit still a freakishly fit 83 years old.

Yet even though the grey matter remains oh-so-sharp and the mind clear as a bell, the bones grow creakier and even Superman had to put his feet up on occasion.

That does not mean you will not see shots of Fergie alongside Ratcliffe at various points — Sir Jim loves too much the associated glamour of being pictured with the greatest.

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But any idea of Sir Alex having an emperor’s thumbs-down power has gone for good — and quite frankly that is something which suits both sides.

The fans, meanwhile, had grown so used to success that it was basically expected.

Sir Alex was frustrated in the belief that people thought silverware just kept arriving without any work going into it.

He didn’t like how the atmosphere could dip because people just sat back and waited for the win rather than roared their team on.

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Last weekend when City beat Southampton 1-0, friends of mine described the spectacle as “boring”.

Another said that the team had “lost it’s fizz”. Have they too become complacent?

City could easily lose it’s fizz without Guardiola because there is no obvious candidate to take up the reins.

There are plenty of clubs snapping at their heels as well. Liverpool and Arsenal will not go away, Chelsea for all the apparent chaos at Stamford Bridge will always be there.

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Tottenham might have their day and just look at what Unai Emery is doing at Aston Villa.

As City’s less than noisy neighbours will tell you, nothing is a given.

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How many players can each team retain? RTM, auction purse, retention cost explained- The Week

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How many players can each team retain? RTM, auction purse, retention cost explained- The Week

With the deadline for submitting the list of players for retention for IPL 2025 ending today, all eyes are on who the 10 franchises will retain, and who will be allowed to leave.

There have been speculations like Lucknow Super Giants would not be retaining their skipper KL Rahul, or that Shubman Gill will be retained by Gujarat Titans after a pay cut. Whether these are true, or whether there will be surprises in store, will be known only later in the day once the teams submit their official lists.

ALSO READ: Will Lucknow Super Giants retain KL Rahul?

The IPL mega auction is expected to take place in November this year.

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Here’s a look at the IPL retention rules, Right-To-Match card option, team budgets and more.

What is player retention in IPL?

Franchises can use direct retentions and Right-To-Match cards to retain up to six players from their last squad for the upcoming seasons either before October 31 or at the IPL mega auction.

ALSO READ: Virat Kohli to return as RCB captain?

What is the Right-To-Match (RTM) card option?

It allows a franchise to buy back their players during the mega auction. If a franchise retains no players, then it will enter the mega auction with six RTM cards; if it retains six players, then it will have no RTM cards to use at the mega auction.

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ALSO READ: Rahul Dravid named Rajasthan Royals head coach

As per the revised process, after a franchise bids on a player and the previous team uses RTM to match the bid, the highest bidder is given a last chance to increase the bid before the player is awarded to the original franchise using the RTM. If the original team fails to match the increased bid, the player will be sold to the highest bidder.

How many players can each IPL team retain?

Each team can retain six players, of which a maximum of five can be Indian or overseas capped players, and a maximum of two can be uncapped Indian players. Any cricketer who has not yet made their debut for their national team across formats, is an ‘uncapped’ player.

Why is ex-India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni an ‘uncapped’ player?

Any former Indian cricketer who has not played for the country across formats for over five years and does not hold a central contract with the BCCI, will be considered an ‘uncapped’ player.

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This rule, which was scrapped after the 2021 season, has been revived for the upcoming season.

What’s the total budget or auction purse for each IPL team?

The auction purse has been increased to Rs 120 crore from the Rs 100 crore that the franchises had at their disposal at last year’s IPL auction to assemble a squad of up to 25 players. The total salary cap will now comprise the auction purse, incremental performance pay and match fees.

How much will it cost an IPL team to retain a player?

The costs for retaining capped players or the salary caps are as follows:

First retention: Rs 18 crore

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Second retention: Rs 14 crore

Third retention: Rs 11 crore

Fourth retention: Rs 18 crore

Fifth retention: Rs 14 crore

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The team will have to shell out Rs 4 crore for every uncapped Indian player retained.

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When a burly Skoda challenged the WRC’s big boys

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It would be all too easy for Armin Schwarz to pick the Toyota Celica GT-Four as his favourite car. After all, from a career that graced the World Rally Championship podium with four different manufacturers, it was in the Group A weapon that he claimed his only WRC victory in Catalunya in 1991.

Yet the machine the German selects instead never won a WRC event. Finishing third on the Safari Rally in 2001 may have been the second-generation Skoda Octavia’s best WRC result, but Schwarz enjoyed rallying it more regardless.

Schwarz, who joined Hyundai for 2002 to develop its MSD-built Accent WRC, believes the underpowered Octavia was underrated. Certainly, as the 61-year-old acknowledges, “the Octavia never was highly rated a potential winning car from all the other teams and drivers”. But in 2001, despite a persistent lack of torque, it did muster a few giant-killing results and on occasion challenged for podiums.

“It was close in Monte Carlo, but it happened in Safari,” says Schwarz, whose co-driver throughout his time at Skoda, Manfred Hiemer, died aged 62 in 2023. “It also would have been possible in Greece [where Schwarz finished seventh despite a largely trouble-free event, power the main complaint]; the tough rallies, the car was really good.”

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At Toyota, Schwarz had been cast in a supporting role to Carlos Sainz, its WRC champion in 1990. But when he joined Skoda in 1999 to drive the first iteration of the bulky Octavia, ending a hiatus that followed being abruptly dropped by Ford in 1997, Schwarz was the clear number one. Although it isn’t always reflected in the results, Schwarz reckons he reached a competitive peak from having regular seat time that he’d often lacked in stints with Toyota and Mitsubishi.

“I did all the development tests,” he says. “I was the first driver in the Octavia and so there was a lot of trust on my shoulder. It was for me a chance that I took in 2001 because I knew I can set-up the car like I need it and get all the support from the team.”

Schwarz only managed one podium in the Octavia, but has fond memories of the underdog challenger

Schwarz only managed one podium in the Octavia, but has fond memories of the underdog challenger

Photo by: Sutton Images

That counted for little initially as the car’s debut in Monte Carlo was an embarrassment due to problems with its engine management software. Schwarz suffered a clutch failure on his approach to the official start ramp in Casino Square, while team-mate Pavel Sibera didn’t make the start of the first stage proper either.

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A distant fifth on the Acropolis in 2000, suffering from a fever, was Schwarz’s only points score, although there were signs of progress. Bruno Thiry had placed fourth on the 1999 Rally GB, while Schwarz delivered the Czech marque’s first-ever fastest stage time on Rally Catalunya in 2000.

“It was really bad weather,” recalls Schwarz. “And I think bad weather, always the cars showed their behaviour. It was giving you a lot of trust in difficult conditions.”

“If it would not dry up on the last two stages on Sunday in Monte Carlo, still today I’m pretty confident we would be on the podium, not Francois” Armin Schwarz

It was a different story when the Evo2 edition arrived, which coincided with “developments in all the respects of the team” run by Javel Paneba. Following a few toe-in-the-water outings in 2000, Schwarz went toe-to-toe with Monte Carlo specialist Francois Delecour in a Ford Focus for the final spot on the podium in 2001’s season opener, the eventual 20.7s gap belying how close it had been for much of the final leg. Autosport noted that the performance “has to go down as one of the bravest drives of the year”.

And following his Safari heroics, setting the fastest time on the opening stage to give Skoda the lead of a WRC event for the first time and its first-ever podium, fifth on Rally GB ensured Skoda finished level on points with Hyundai – but ahead on countback.

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For Schwarz, one of the Octavia’s best traits was its handling resulting from its long wheelbase. “Compared to a Peugeot, a Citroen or a Subaru, it was a quite easy car to drive,” he observes.

This was especially important in the mixed conditions of the 2001 Monte. Schwarz believes on a fully dry rally, he would have faced an uphill task to reach the points, but his prospects were transformed when snow hit. Where rival manufacturers “have been very good on full snow, or full dry”, he recognised that the Octavia could work well in conditions where compromises were necessary.

Schwarz came close to beating Delecour to the rostrum on the snowy Monte Carlo

Schwarz came close to beating Delecour to the rostrum on the snowy Monte Carlo

Photo by: Ralph Hardwick

“If it would not dry up on the last two stages on Sunday in Monte Carlo, still today I’m pretty confident we would be on the podium, not Francois,” he states.

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Durability was its other key upside. Schwarz’s team-mate Thiry had cause to be especially grateful for this after the farcical events of Rally Argentina. A fire engine responding to a blaze started accidentally by a spectators’ barbeque overturned and crashed into the two parked Octavias in parc ferme, with Thiry still inside his car. Skoda director Jens Pohlmann was seriously injured, and both cars were withdrawn.

Third place on the Safari was the product of extensive testing, which Schwarz says reminded him of days with Toyota – the marque having long regarded Kenya as an important priority.

More favourite cars:

“You need to have a proper testing, a good development,” he explains. “Durability is the key for success in Kenya. So the strength what we had in 2001, the car was able maybe even to win.”

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Schwarz says his ploy of pushing from the 117-kilometre first stage with a time of 55m05.0s was a deliberate strategy to put rivals under pressure. “Because nobody expects to be that fast in Safari,” he says. And it worked a treat, despite a puncture on stage three that dropped him to sixth at the end of the first day.

“That was the key to speed everybody up and more or less almost everybody ran into a big problem,” Schwarz remembers. “We didn’t run into any big problem. We had a couple of smaller [problems], but we kept it very linear until the end.”

Third on the Safari was the pinnacle of Schwarz's tenure with Skoda

Third on the Safari was the pinnacle of Schwarz’s tenure with Skoda

Photo by: Sutton Images

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Tottenham vs Aston Villa: Get £40 in free bets and bonuses to spend with BetMGM

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Tottenham vs Aston Villa: Get £40 in free bets and bonuses to spend with BetMGM

A tasty top four battle kicks off a belting Super Sunday this week when Tottenham host Aston Villa.

Bookmakers BetMGM are offering brand new customers a sensational £40 in free bets when you register an account and stake a tenner on the Premier League showdown.

Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles here

How to claim..

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BetMGM £40 welcome bonus

  1. Visit the BetMGM website HERE*
  2. Select SPORTS OFFER on the website
  3. Register a new account – No Promo Code necessary
  4. Opt in for this promotion by depositing and placing at least £10 on football at odds of Evens or greater
  5. Once that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with £40 in free bets

Spurs vs Aston Villa: Get £40 in free bets — claim yours here*

Not got a BetMGM account? No problem!

This offer is just for you, and it’s incredibly easy to claim!

Simply register a new account, deposit and stake a minimum of £10 on football at odds of Evens (1/1) or greater.

This must be done within seven days of opening your account with the bookmaker.

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Once that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with £40 in free bets!

Spurs vs Aston Villa: Get £40 in free bets — claim yours here*


*New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.


Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

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  • Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
  • Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
  • Never chase their losses
  • Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
  • Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
  • Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk

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Jackline Juma: Kenya’s female manager making African football history

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Jackline Juma: Kenya's female manager making African football history


Jackline Juma is making history as the first woman to coach a men’s team in Kenya’s top flight – but is still having to cope with sexism on the touchline.

Leading FC Talanta into the new Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season, it did not take Juma long to realise that not everyone viewed her appointment as positive.

“There were some words uttered from the other bench like ‘We are not playing women’s football’,” Juma told BBC Sport Africa, discussing her second game in charge against Sofapaka.

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“And I was like ‘Oh, OK. But let 90 minutes decide’.”

Juma’s side ran out 1-0 winners to silence her critics.

“After the match, of course, we did not shake hands,” she said.

“Earning three points against a very experienced coach gave me the motivation that I need to keep going.”

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A Sofapaka official did not respond to a request for comment on the incident.

A 38-year-old mother of two, Juma began coaching over two decades ago and now holds the Confederation of African Football’s A license – the second-highest badge on offer on the continent.

She names Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti and Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta as her inspirations in the dugout, and aims to implement a dominant possession-based style.

While she has become a pioneer for other women to follow, at first she did not view her appointment in August through the prism of gender.

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“To me, I thought it’s normal,” she said.

“It wasn’t until they talked about it being history that I realised this is big.

“Gender should not be a barrier. I told myself they’ll judge me based on what I deliver, not because I’m a female coach.”



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Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025: England and Leicester hooker Amy Cokayne hints at retirement

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Women's Rugby World Cup 2025: England and Leicester hooker Amy Cokayne hints at retirement

Cokayne, who earned her first full-time Red Roses contract in 2019, will be 29 when the World Cup takes place in England in August and September next year.

A 2020-21 top-flight champion with Harlequins, the Provost Officer in the Royal Air Force has seen the sport become one requiring players to “commit your entire life to it”.

“We joke that we only get five weeks off a year and it’s all in one block,” she said.

“When I go on holiday, say, with my friends, I’ve got to do a running session four times a week and a gym session.

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“They ask ‘why do you do it? we’re on holiday.’ It’s those things that differ your life.

“I’m more than happy to do that at the minute – but whether I’ll be more than happy to do that when I’m in my mid-30s, I’m not so sure.”

Having won the top division of the inaugural WXV in New Zealand in 2023, Cokayne has just returned from repeating the triumph in Canada.

“It’s still really new and finding its feet but it was really good,” she said of the three-tier competition between national teams.

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“As players, the more fixtures we can get against the best teams in the world, the better.

“There was a lot of jetlag during the first week back, for sure. I was still very much living on Canada time, for a while.

“It was a bit of a shock when I came back to the dark cold of Leicester that we’ve had.”

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Motorsports

Bagnaia edges out Martin in second practice

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Francesco Bagnaia continued his fine form on Friday by topping the second practice session at MotoGP’s Malaysian Grand Prix.

The factory Ducati rider scored a psychological victory over points leader Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) by putting in a 1m57.679s lap at the end of the session, to which the Spaniard fell trying to respond.

Martin holds a 17-point lead in the championship, but Bagnaia’s Friday performance sets him up well to cut that gap over the weekend as he tries to snatch a third straight world championship. The Italian was quickest in both sessions on the opening day at Sepang, having also topped FP1 in the morning.

Martin led the way for much of the session and looked the favourite after setting the initial pace in the final push for times, but Bagnaia delivered when it really counted in the final minutes.

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Despite his fall at Turn 1 immediately after Bagnaia had set his time, Martin ended up second-fastest, meaning both can safely focus on qualifying after booking their spots in Q2.

Bagnaia’s team-mate Enea Bastianini was third-fastest as the GP24s looked rapid at Sepang, while his rival for third place in the championship, Marc Marquez, only just snuck into Q2 with the 10th-fastest time.

Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales’s late effort was enough to put him fourth-fastest, with Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez fifth-quickest.

Yamaha was able to celebrate both its riders making it through to Q2, despite Fabio Quartararo having lost an engine in the morning. The 2021 world champion was sixth-fastest, with team-mate Alex Rins eighth.

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Splitting the pair was Pramac Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli, whilst Jack Miller was sole KTM representative in the top 10 with ninth-fastest time.

The Austrian manufacturer’s rookie star Pedro Acosta will have to try to get into Q2 via the back door in Q1, as the Tech3 rider could only manage 11th-fastest behind Gresini’s Marc Marquez. Miller’s factory team-mate Brad Binder was always playing catch-up after a fall at the start of the session, and placed 14th.

Marco Bezzecchi was another to fall, dropping his VR46 at the final corner midway through the session. He wound up 12th-fastest for VR46, with Johann Zarco (LCR) the best of the Hondas in 13th.

Fabio di Giannantonio’s stand-in at VR46 Ducati, Andrea Iannone, was 1.939s off the ultimate pace in practice. He was ahead of only Miguel Oliveira’s substitute at Trackhouse Aprilia, Lorenzo Savadori in 21st place.

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Photos from Malaysian GP Practice

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