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The ‘trailblazing’ black coaches leading Orlando Pride to success

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The 'trailblazing' black coaches leading Orlando Pride to success

Thomas was appointed to Hines’ staff last year and has vast experience of coaching across all age groups in America, as well as analysis work with US Soccer.

She is vice-chair for US Soccer’s ‘Black Coaches Community’ and leads on an initiative called ‘Moms Who Coach.’

Thomas says if you work long enough in women’s sport “you either become an activist for women or you quit” but seeing inequality in football has encouraged her passion to drive change.

Her inspiration stemmed from a run-in with former England manager Hope Powell – the first black female coach Thomas had seen while playing football.

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“I was playing in the youth teams for Sweden and we played against England. Hope Powell was the coach. That was the first time I saw anyone who looked like me,” Thomas told BBC Sport.

“I had dreadlocks at the time and so did she. I thought ‘wow, she looks like me and she is doing this. I am going to do that.’

“That was the seed planted in me. I didn’t say anything to her but the ability to see someone that looked like me, in that position, inspired me.”

Thomas has never met and spoken to Powell but she remains a key influence on her life.

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“I think about it often. I am very aware each time I walk into a stadium, that there are no other black women coaching. It’s not lost on me,” she added.

“I hope my visibility will create an opportunity and a sense of ‘I can do that’ too. I chose a long time ago to not view it as a burden but a privilege.

“If I fail, unfortunately it could impact those after me. That is unfortunate but it’s my reality. I just decide to take on that attitude and think ‘it’s not just for me, but for those who come after me.’”

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Celtic: Brendan Rodgers unsure if Aberdeen can challenge for title

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Celtic: Brendan Rodgers unsure if Aberdeen can challenge for title

This week Celtic were fined nearly £17,000 by Uefa after some supporters used pyrotechnics at their recent Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund.

The club were also hit with a suspended ban on selling tickets to away fans for one European game, should there be more breaches of the rules by supporters in the next two seasons.

Rodgers urged fans not to land the club in more trouble, stressing pyrotechnics are not necessary for supporters to generate a good atmosphere.

“If you do keep doing it, you’re showing that you don’t really care,” Rodgers said.

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“You don’t really care for the team. You don’t care for the support and you don’t care for your club because the club ultimately are getting fined as well.

“So if you keep doing it, you’re clearly showing that you’re actually not really worried about your own club, you’re worried about yourself. So it doesn’t need it.”

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Joey Essex postpones boxing debut as fight with KSI’s brother collapses… but TV ‘villain’ still in talks with Misfits

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Joey Essex postpones boxing debut as fight with KSI's brother collapses... but TV 'villain' still in talks with Misfits

JOEY ESSEX has had his boxing debut postponed – but talks for the TV star to fight are still ongoing.

The Only Way is Essex legend was in line to feature on Misfits Boxing’s “super card” in Qatar with KSI’s brother Deji his scheduled opponent.

Joey Essex is still in talks for a boxing fight

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Joey Essex is still in talks for a boxing fightCredit: Rex

But Deji, 27, was announced on the November 28 card noticeably without an opponent.

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It leaves Essex’s boxing debut up in the air but Misfits head honcho Mams Taylor revealed the door is still wide open.

Taylor told SunSport: “Well, let’s see how this plays out.

“But, Joey and I have had conversations and I think he’d be great on Misfits.

“He’s naturally such a villain, like a lovable rogue and we need characters like him and I’m confident Joey will will appear on Misfits sooner or later.”

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Misfits Boxing was launched in 2022 by YouTuber-turned-prizefighter KSI and his music mogul manager Mams Taylor.

And it has become a home to celebrity-style crossover bouts with stars of the boxing, MMA and social media world involved in big fights.

Taylor expects reality TV’s Essex, 34, to join their roster – just not yet against 2-4 Deji.

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He said: “Deji was just a bit too experienced for your first fight and although I think it would have made a great story it just didn’t materialise in the end.

“But yeah, I look forward to having Joey on in the future. I think rather than fight Deji for his first fight, I think he’ll want to get some experience in there, see how it plays out.

“And then I think that’d be a big fight in the future. Maybe he’ll get a couple of wins under his belt, build the story and and I think it could happen.”

Essex’s uncle Tony Sims is an esteemed coach who formerly trained Anthony Joshua and often has his celeb nephew in his Romford gym.

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Joey Essex gives fans a rare glimpse of his luxury £190k Lamborghini

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MMA

UFC Vegas 99 Results: Hernandez vs. Pereira

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UFC Vegas 99 Results: Hernandez vs. Pereira

MMA Fighting has UFC Vegas 99 results for the Hernandez vs. Pereira fight card, a live blog of the main event, and more from UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

In the main event, surging middleweights Anthony Hernandez and Michel Pereira square off. Hernandez has won five straight fights, while Pereira has reeled off eight straight wins.

Rob Font and Kyler Phillips compete in a bantamweight contest in the co-main event. Font has lost four of his past five fights, while Phillips has won three straight.

Check out the UFC Vegas 99 results below.

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Main Card (ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET)

Anthony Hernandez vs. Michel Pereira

Rob Font vs. Kyler Phillips

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Charles Johnson vs. Sumudaerji

Darren Elkins vs. Daniel Pineda

Preliminary Card (ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET)

Matheus Nicolau vs. Asu Almabayev

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Brad Katona vs. Jean Matsumoto

Joselyne Edwards vs. Tamires Vidal

Jessica Penne vs. Elise Reed

Melissa Martinez vs. Alice Ardelean

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Austen Lane vs. Robelis Despaigne

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What We Learned on Friday | 2024 #AustralianGP

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World Triathlon Para Championships: Britons Dave Ellis and Luke Pollard seal triple crown success

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Great Britain’s Dave Ellis and guide Luke Pollard claimed the Para-triathlon triple crown by taking gold at the World Triathlon Para Championships in Spain.

The pair, who won gold at the Paralympic Games and European Championships earlier this year, were victorious in the men’s PTV1 in Torremolinos as Ellis won his seventh world title.

Ellis, 38, and the 33-year-old Pollard were second after the swim, but took the lead midway through the bike session and finished almost a minute clear of France’s Thibaut Rigaudeau and his guide after breaking away during the run.

There was a major upset in the PTS3 category as Great Britain’s Henry Urand claimed the world title by 50 seconds on his World Championship debut.

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The 22-year-old was more than 10 minutes off the lead after the 750m swim, but just 48 seconds behind Paralympic silver medalist and then-leader Max Gelhaar as he came off the bike.

Urand took the lead in the run and remained in control to claim an impressive success, with Paralympic gold medalist Daniel Molina in second place.

The British medal rush didn’t end there, as Claire Cashmore and Lauren Steadman added a silver and bronze respectively to Great Britain’s haul in the women’s PTS5 race.

Cashmore finished more than a minute behind America’s Grace Norman, with Steadman in third – in what was a repeat of the podium from the Paris Paralympics.

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Football

Premier League: Jhon Duran and Ryan Gravenberch among surprise packages so far this season

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Premier League: Jhon Duran and Ryan Gravenberch among surprise packages so far this season


Liverpool were close to signing a defensive midfielder in the summer, only for Martin Zubimendi to reject a move from Real Sociedad – but now it looks like they did not need him anyway.

Ryan Gravenberch, 22, only started 12 games in Jurgen Klopp’s last season at Anfield, but the all-action Netherlands midfielder has looked a different player this season and thrived under Dutch boss Arne Slot.

Gravenberch has been instrumental to the Reds’ start to the campaign that has included six wins in seven matches in the Premier League, as well as victories in both their Champions League games.

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Did you know? Ryan Gravenberch is the only player in the Premier League this season to play 300 or more passes (476), make 100 or more carries (123), win possession 40 or more times (42) and win 40 or more duels (41).



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