OTTAWA — All season, Ottawa Senators fans have been discussing it: what’s more important, a top-six forward or a top-four defenceman?
The answer is clear: a top-four defenceman.
The Senators’ future on the right side of defence is muddied today and into the future, while much of Ottawa’s young forward group is signed into the next decade, with the notable exceptions of captain Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson.
Sure, the puck could find the back of the net more often, but the Senators as a collective have the 10th-best shooting percentage in the league. An issue has been that their defence is incomplete.
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In an ideal world, the Senators need to upgrade in both areas, but this season has been anything but ideal for Sens Nation.
Ottawa’s top four defence corps is settled, outside of pending unrestricted free agent Nick Jensen, who has played better of late but overall has struggled. It’s evident that Jensen is not the solution. He has been on the ice for 53 goals against at five-on-five: that’s the 13th-most of any player to play over 800 minutes this season, and third-most goals per 60 at 3.54 in the league. An addition to the right side of the top four could conceivably mean the Senators have one of the best defences in the league, led by Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Artem Zub and (insert trade-deadline acquisition).
Also, the narrative that Ottawa struggles to score is deceptive. The Senators are 11th in goals and have the eighth-best power play, while sitting 23rd in goals allowed per game.
Plus, what may have been Ottawa’s biggest question mark offensively, Dylan Cozens, has found his game.
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It’s naïve to think that Ottawa’s forward group is of championship calibre. But a top-six elite forward won’t fix finding a partner for Chabot. Most of the time in the NHL, you defend your way out of problems, not outscore them. General manager Steve Staios will eventually need to find a scoring winger, but presumably not before Friday’s trade deadline.
Ottawa’s centres Cozens, Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto are all signed until 2030, while only Sanderson is signed to Ottawa’s blueline past 2028. The defence needs reinforcements.
We all know the reason the Senators’ season has been underwhelming. Every Senator goaltender this season has faltered, most notably Linus Ullmark with his .884 save percentage. Yet, on Tuesday in Edmonton, the Senators’ defence let Ullmark down.
We understand the Senators are six points out of a playoff spot, but Moneypuck.com gives them 39 per cent odds of making the playoffs. They’ve got points in eight of their last nine, and in games Ullmark has started and finished, he is 7-0-3 in his last 10 (he was pulled against Toronto on Dec. 27). They are clawing close enough to a playoff spot.
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If Ullmark’s run of play continues, that gives more reason to believe in the roster, if you’re Senators management.
32 Thoughts: The Podcast
Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.
The Senators should go all in, a bold deadline to bolster this season but, importantly, into the next few.
You have to capitalize on your window with Tkachuk signed, and with Sanderson and Stutzle on bargain contracts, making barely over $8 million a season. In theory, the next few seasons should be when the Senators become a contender.
Meanwhile, Staios clearly recognizes the need for a right-shot defenceman because his first two first-round selections as GM were grabbing just that in Carter Yakemchuk and Logan Hensler.
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The underrated plot point is that Zub is an unrestricted free agent in 2027, when he will be 31. Zub has created one of the best defensive partnerships in Senators’ history with Sanderson — in the same stratosphere as Erik Karlsson-Marc Methot or Zdeno Chara-Chris Phillips. It puts the Senators’ hierarchy in a precarious position, as youngsters Yakemchuk and Hensler aren’t likely to be impact contributors in the near term. Ottawa’s lack of draft capital, prospects and impending free agency to Zub means they have to plan to fill the right side of the defence for 2027-28.
All of these point to Ottawa needing a right-shot defenceman for the Sanderson-Stutzle-Tkachuk era of Senators hockey.
The Sens could trade one but not both of their prospects for the ready-to-win-now version of what you’d hope Yakemchuk and Hensler would someday become.
Elite right-shot defencemen are hard to acquire but not impossible. On Nick Kypreos’ Trade Board, there are plenty of right-shot defencemen with term.
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There’s MacKenzie Weegar, who is paid until he’s 38 but is an Ottawa native and a really good NHL defenceman. Imagine a top four of Sanderson-Zub and Chabot-Weegar? Pretty good now and into next season.
Also on Kypreos’ board are the likes of Tyler Myers, Justin Faulk, Dougie Hamilton, Rasmus Ristolainen and Braeden Schneider — all with team control until at the very least the end of next season.
None are perfect solutions, but some would be clear upgrades for this Senators franchise.
Priority No. 1 for Staios at the deadline must be to propel Ottawa into a playoff spot, in tandem with elevating the Senators’ lineup for 2026-27 and beyond.
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It would also insulate Yakemchuk’s future next season, meaning he wouldn’t be thrust too soon into a top-four role.
We acknowledge the Senators need to be prudent in not trading picks away needlessly for short-term gain, as former GM Pierre Dorion did, trading a first-rounder each for Alex DeBrincat and Jakob Chychrun, who combined for two-and-a-half seasons in Canada’s capital.
At the same time, the Senators aren’t as far away as they were then. They are ready to win now, not trying to expedite a rebuild with short-sighted, short-term swings at the wrong time, as Staios’ predecessor did.
Let’s be clear, any move must have term. Ottawa isn’t a free-agent destination, and without a first-round pick this season and just two elite prospects at their disposal. Staios has one shot at this.
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Something in the way of a smart, calculated gamble is in order.
The Nigeria Women Football League has handed two-match bans to two players after a violent incident following a Premiership match in Ado Ekiti.
The punishment relates to events after the Matchday 15 game between Ekiti Queens and Pacesetter Queens on April 15, 2026, at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium. Ekiti Queens won the match 2-0, but the game ended on a bad note after a clash between Teslimot Balogun of Pacesetter Queens and Busari Suliyat of Ekiti Queens.
Reports say the incident happened immediately after the final whistle, with both players involved in violent and unsporting behaviour.
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After reviewing the referee’s report, the match commissioner’s findings, and video evidence, the NWFL ruled that the actions of both players damaged the image of the game.
As a result, both players have been suspended for two matches, starting from Matchday 16.
NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, said the league will not tolerate violence. She warned that future cases could attract tougher punishment, including longer or indefinite bans.
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She added that discipline is important to protect the integrity of the league and ensure the safety of players and officials.
Eddie Hearn has revealed that Conor Benn shot down the idea of fights with two reigning world champions before their promotional split.
Benn twice fought Chris Eubank Jr at middleweight during 2025, avenging his first career defeat in their November rematch before announcing a planned return to the welterweight division.
‘The Destroyer’ then made the surprising move from career-long promoter Hearn to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing – albeit for a one-fight deal – and marked this partnership with decision win against Regis Prograis this past weekend.
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Underwhelmed by the performance of his former fighter, Hearn told Boxing Now that he believes Benn to be more effective at super-welterweight or even middleweight. The promoter then revealed that he had presented the opportunity to face IBF welterweight champion Lewis Crocker, or compete against the IBF’s 154 champion, Josh Kelly.
“He knows his level. I wanted him to fight Lewis Crocker. We went for lunch and I said, ‘mate, you could fight Lewis Crocker, that is a great fight. That is a very tough fight but, if you win that fight, you are a world champion’.
“[He said], ‘I don’t want to fight Lewis Crocker, I don’t like Billy Nelson [Crocker’s previous trainer]’, I said ‘What the f**k has that got to do with it? Just fight him’. Then, we talked about Josh Kelly, [he said], ‘Nah, f**k Josh Kelly’.”
“I actually think that he is right [to do that] because he is only going to make a few million to fight those guys and Zuffa just sp**ked their load giving him 15 [million] to fight a bloke who couldn’t even stand up!”
For several years now, the No. 1 golf equipment story I have been obsessed with is Cobra’s 3D printing. Dig deep and you’ll find their process is the culmination of a decade’s-worth of work by a team who was challenged to think outside the box. Not only did this year find something new, they charged down a path of innovation that could be the greatest stride in golf equipment I will ever cover in my career.
The Fully Equipped team dove in on this story and spent two days with the Cobra team to discuss how they’ve gotten the project to where it currently sits, the trials they went through, the problem-solving they needed, special programs they use, and a glimpse into the future of what 3D printing means for the consumer customer. Here are my 3 biggest takeaways from our feature piece.
The very first question I asked when we sat down to begin discussing the project was, “Who will raise their hand and take credit for being in a board room years ago and proposing such a wild idea?” Turns out that, as Director of R&D Doug Roberts pointed out, that man was Ryan Roach. Roach leads the Innovation Team at Cobra Golf and his job, in a nutshell, is to dream. There’s some pressure attached to those dreams, of course; in actuality it’s Roach’s job to justify his dreams. And that’s exactly what Roach saw in 3D printing: A dream.
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The man who raised his hand: Cobra Innovation Team Lead – Ryan Roach.
John Sodaro / GOLF
In theory, the idea was simple. Create the ability to make a 1-of-1 golf club for anybody who wants to order. Even 10 years ago, this was possible; it just cost a significant amount of money. You’d have to build the tooling for a set of irons, test those irons, make changes, invest in more tooling, create a new set, and repeat until you had the clubs you wanted. A single set made for a tour pro for example could cost tens of thousands of dollars. That may be worth it when you’re playing for millions on the PGA Tour, but not when you’re trying to win $5 off your buddies on the weekends. So the dream added an asterisk. Create the ability to make a 1 of 1 golf club for anybody who wants to order *and* at an accessible price point.
Chatting with Ryan Roach with a table full of prototypes, projects, and problems in front of us.
John Sodaro / GOLF
Their first hurdle? Nobody knew how to do it and nobody knew where to start — until Roach brought the idea of 3D printing forward. It had been used in other industries, and the technology was rapidly improving, but the idea of bringing the technology to golf was unheard of. From what we’ve been told, those discussions alone were almost enough to stop the project from happening. Become an industry leader would take resources, people, and most terrifying of all: time.
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The second hurdle? Tour adoption. This concept wasn’t going to work if it didn’t work in the hands of the best players. This mean that the made-from-powdered-metal, stainless steel, lattice filled irons would have to perform, feel, and sound just like the forged options that players have been using for years. Any sacrifice in any category would halt the project.
Thankfully Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Matti Schmid, Lexi Thompson, and others have all settled in very nicely to their new 3DP irons, all of which are personal builds.
Lexi Thompson’s custom 3DP irons based off of her faithful S2 Forged irons
John Sodaro / GOLF
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Finding the digital speed to keep up with the analog speed
One of the most interesting things that came up during our interviews for the feature was their use of nTop. nTop is a computational design software that is a significant reason for the entire project’s success. Why it’s so interesting is because, in a weird turn of chance for the year 2026, the analog side of the 3D printing process was outrunning the digital side. Once a design was sent to the printer, it could be done in days, depending on the urgency. The issue was that the experimentation to actually design the clubs, particularly the internal lattice, was tedious and time consuming.
Bryce Hobbs talks about mass property research in our Cobra 3DP feature
John Sodaro / GOLF
Cobra’s Bryce Hobbs, R&D Team Leader, speaks in the feature about their research into mass properties. Mass properties are essentially the determination of how the weight in the head is going to be distributed depending on the performance outcome they are trying to achieve. If we take a look at the retail line of 3DP.MB, 3DP Tour, and 3DP.x you can see mass properties shift. The MB has its weight more central in the blade for better control and a higher overall center of gravity. The 3DP Tour uses over 100 grams of tungsten that’s set out towards the perimeter of the blade with a wider sole for increased forgiveness, and a lower, deeper CG placement. The 3DP.x takes that even further to spread the mass out towards the perimeter and create Cobra’s most forgiving 3DP platform design. And that’s all decided by how the internal lattice is constructed.
I’m not incredibly versed in computational design programs, but from what I got out of it was that nTop allowed them to speed up their digital design process by 10x; specifically in the way they design the internal lattice structures. The reason the internal lattice structure is so crucial to the irons is that it controls the performance characteristics of that design. Depending on the characteristics desired by the designer and the eventual player, tungsten weight needs to be moved around inside the head. With nTop, they’re able to prototype, design, and test different internal structures, shapes, and even materials with no delay in their overall manufacturing process. The digital design process can support the timelines of the analog manufacturing times, helping to speed up the overall process but also taking steps to learn faster. This is where the genius of the club design and the 3D printing engine really starts to hit home, and gives us a glimpse into what the future may actually look like in pursuit of the *accessible* 1-of-1 dream.
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A look at Ben’s computer with the nTop software active
John Sodaro / GOLF
What ACTUALLY comes next?
It’s hard to know exactly what comes next, but we’ve now been given plenty of hints as to what is possible. It’s just a matter of what the Cobra team decides to do in the space, and how quickly they want to do it. Let’s recap what we know, and what we can infer for the future based off the available facts.
1. Tour pros are getting custom 1-of-1 irons.
For Cobra’s Tour staff and select others, there is nothing off limits. They can choose every aspect of their iron build that they want down to the head weight. CG placement, top-line thickness, sole shape, offset, speed, even the material the iron is made out? Everything is in play for those at the highest level of the game. They even converted longtime Cobra S2 Forged player Lexi Thompson into a new set of 3DP irons. How’d they do it? They printed her a set that visually retains the crazy offset those irons had and the interesting blade shape and sole, with an internal structure that gave her more speed and more forgiveness on off-center strikes. Mind you, Cobra’s S2 Forged came out 15 years ago. This is a pretty big deal.
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So you’d have to imagine that in pursuit of an *accessible* 1-of-1 irons program, that would all be up for grabs with the consumer in some way. I have no idea, they were very careful about not leaking that info. But I’m just telling you what we know is currently possible.
Ben Lemery talks about the team at Cobra being just on the cusp of getting to that light at the end of the tunnel
John Sodaro / GOLF
2.) The lattice is the key.
I would encourage you to watch the nTop portion of the feature over again and really pay attention to what Ben says. The lattice is the key to this entire thing. By being able to structurally achieved different mass properties, they can give players options that nobody else can. You love your MBs but you want that CG pushed a little bit lower? No problem. Massive performance change, zero visual change. Do you love the 3DP Tour but wish it had a bit less offset and spun a bit more? No sweat. Massive performance change, zero visual change. All by adapting the way the lattice is built and the weight inside the head is manipulated. And it’s all at the finger tips of Ben and his co-workers. It’s hard to even fully wrap a thought process around understanding the potential that that unlocks.
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3.) Cobra WANTS us to be the beneficiaries of their dream
You hear it at the end from Caitlin Farley. Doug Roberts mentions the excitement they had for 3DP Tour to hit retail for the first time. Ryan Roach mentions his confidence in the project several times. Bryce Hobbs and Ben Lemery are both focused on the “light” at the end of the tunnel. That’s their dream. 1 of 1 sets for consumers. Cobra wants this. This project isn’t meant to stay a Tour-only thing. It’s meant to give every single player an accessible chance at creating whatever set of irons they need to shoot the best scores. The levels of this are hard to comprehend. If they can scan and print Lexi’s S2 Forged irons with 2026 performance inside, what’s to stop them from scanning any other iron?
Let’s all embrace this philosophy and maybe we’ll get our own customs sooner than we think.
John Sodaro / GOLF
Everything is on the table. We don’t know when. We still don’t quite know exactly how. And we don’t even know if they’ll stop at irons. What we do know is that this continues to be the coolest story in golf equipment innovation, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have a front-row seat to follow along and see the eventual impact it’s going to leave on our industry. Everything we know right now is truly the lead up, the Part 1 of this entire story. Part 2 has seemingly just started, and the introduction is already astonishing.
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It’s like watching a sequel for a great movie and the first 60 seconds of the sequel have already made you forget the original. We’re watching that sequel in real time.
Sep 7, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tennessee Volunteers helmets before the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack for the Dukes Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler publishes the most thorough draft publication in the world every April, and after doing that recently, he has a follow-up mock draft freshly released. For the Minnesota Vikings in Round 1, he rolled with Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy.
Minnesota may need cornerback help, and McCoy’s rising stock is putting him firmly in the first-round conversation.
McCoy’s draft profile has soared in the last couple of weeks, so much so that many wonder if he’ll even be available at Pick No. 18
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One Draft Analyst Sees a Clear Fit in Minnesota
The draft is seven days away. Fasten your seatbelts.
Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) celebrates with a deflated gator after defeating the Florida Gators, with Oct 12, 2024 marking the rivalry game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. McCoy played a key role in the Volunteers’ victory and embraced the moment following the final whistle. Mandatory Credit: Angelina Alcantar-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images.
Brugler: McCoy to MIN
In Round 1, Brugler tabbed McCoy for Minnesota, who would be the Vikings’ first Round 1 cornerback in six years (Jeff Gladney, 2020, TCU).
He explained the pick, “McCoy is a tough player to project in a mock draft — some teams are comfortable with his 2025 knee injury, while others won’t consider him in the first round. I don’t know how the Vikings feel, but adding his level of talent to a Brian Flores defense would be fun to watch.”
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As it stands, the Vikings have Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, and James Pierre lined up for CB duty in 2026, but no one would be too upset if the club invested in a potential young stud like McCoy.
Why? Well, Minnesota hasn’t successfully drafted a cornerback of any kind since 2015 or 2016 (Trae Waynes & Mackensie Alexander).
The Full Haul per Brugler
Because Brugler is about as thorough as it gets, he completed a full seven-round mock. Here’s the Vikings’ full haul, according to him:
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Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee) | R1
Lee Hunter (DT, Texas Tech) | R2
A.J. Haulcy (S, LSU) | R3
Sam Hecht (C, Kansas State) | R3
Jeff Caldwell (WR, Cincinnati) | R5
Mason Reiger (EDGE, Wisconsin) | R6
J.C. Davis (OT, Illinois) | R7
Seth McGowan (RB, Kentucky) | R7
Josh Cuevas (TE, Alabama) | R7
Fans would be especially elated by Hunter in Round 2 and Hecht with the Sam Darnold compensatory draft pick.
Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter (2) gestures toward the sideline during second-quarter action against the West Virginia Mountaineers, with Nov 29, 2025 marking the game at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia. Hunter remained active in communication as the Red Raiders managed defensive adjustments on the field. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images.
SI.com‘s Will Ragatz on Hunter: “When it comes to big-bodied run stuffers at defensive tackle, I like the idea of Hunter at 49 a lot more than Kayden McDonald at 18. He had 31.5 tackles for loss over the past three seasons at UCF and Texas Tech.”
“Hunter didn’t test very well athletically and isn’t much of a pass rusher, but he could be just what the Vikings need as a powerful nose tackle in the middle of their defense.”
McCoy’s Scouting Report
McCoy’s draft stock is rapidly rising, potentially putting him out of Minnesota’s reach by the time their selection is made. Widely regarded as the second-best cornerback in this year’s class, he trails only Mansoor Delane from LSU, who is projected as a 1st-Round pick.
Still only 20 years old, McCoy is returning from a torn ACL sustained in 2025 while at Tennessee. When healthy, he typically lines up as an outside cornerback, handling boundary responsibilities.
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McCoy is 6’1″ and 190 pounds with 4.37 speed. He’s known for his ball skills, timing, fluidity, and press-man technique. He must improve his tackling and run support. The ACL tear in January 2025 also isn’t ideal.
Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) reacts after securing a fumble during second-quarter play, with Nov 30, 2024 marking the game at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. McCoy showed quick awareness on the turnover, helping the Volunteers shift momentum during the in-state matchup. Mandatory Credit: Stephanie Amador-The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared him to Tyson Campbell and noted, “McCoy is a toolsy outside corner with CB1 flashes, but an ACL tear robbed him of a much-needed third season. Hips and feet are smooth, allowing for quality lateral transitions and efficient gathers to match hard-breaking curls. He’s athletic in his recoveries but average acceleration leaves him chasing too often on go routes.”
“More focused, physical press disruption should make the rep easier to control. He’s opportunistic with strong ball skills at the catch point. His route squeeze and zone awareness should improve with more reps. We should expect McCoy’s athletic traits and instincts to help him make up for lost time once he gets into camp.”
RB Neglected for the Most Part
In Brugler’s mock, the Vikings didn’t nab a running back until Round 7, hopping into bed with McGowan of Kentucky, who will be a 25-year-old rookie and offers an RB2-RB3 skill set. Most fans expect — and want — a more serious young running back.
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Before Round 7, men like Jadarian Price (Notre Dame), Jonah Coleman (Washington), Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas), Emmett Johnson (Nebraska), and Nick Singleton (Penn State) will be available to Minnesota. First-rounder Jeremiyah Love, also from Notre Dame, will be long gone before Minnesota is summoned to pick.
Here’s to hoping that the Vikings land a tailback before Round 7. It’s time.
TaylorMade is at the top of the list when it comes down to limited- or special-edition clubs and their new Shadowfall family continues to build on that notion. Let’s take a look at what makes the Shadowfall family unique and what pieces you may be able to snag for your own bag.
Drivers and Fairways
All three of TaylorMade’s Qi4D driver models are available in the new Shadowfall collection. Whether you’re an LS, CORE, or Max user, all the benefits of the fast, forgiving, and fittable lineup are now cloaked in a high-gloss, blacked-out look. If you were disappointed by the matte crown of the stock lineup, you’ll be thrilled by the high-gloss black finish of the new Shadowfall options. Personally, I’m on team gloss here; and these look gorgeous. The Qi4D Core fairway is also available in the new Shadowfall collection with the same high-gloss black finish. It throws me back to vibes that feel very similar to if an old M2 fairway wood was blacked out. The family of Qi4D Shadowfall drivers are available for $699.99. The LS and Core models are available in multiple lofts both left and right-handed, and the Max is available in a right-handed configuration. The Shadowfall Qi4D Core Fairway is available at retail for $399.99 in 3W, 5W or 7W offerings. All the metal woods include a special edition headcover.
P790 Irons and MG5 Wedges
TaylorMade’s infamous P790 irons get the Shadowfall treatment with a lustrous deep black finish that’s unlike anything they’ve ever produced before. Last year we were treated to the ‘Battleworn’ and lots of players loved because of its anti-glare properties and striking looks, and the new Shadowfall finish seems to take that even deeper. If ‘Battleworn’ was Captain America in the second Avengers movie, ‘Shadowfall’ is Tom Hardy’s Venom. The Shadowfall P790 irons are available for $1499.99 as a right-handed 4-PW set complete with a Nippon Modus 105 Luxury Black shaft and black Golf Pride Z Grip Plus 2 grips.
The MG5 wedges feature an anti-glare matte charcoal finish that lets the user focus on their shotmaking with no distractions. Combined with the RAW face, they produce an extremely attractive visual behind the ball and inspire confidence in any golfer looking for a new set of wedges that’s sure to draw some eyes. MG5 Charcoal wedges will retail for $199.99 and are available in both right- and left-hand options in multiple lofts.
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Soft Goods
The Shadowfall collection from TaylorMade includes a few soft goods items as well for players who want to rep their favorite OEM subtly. A t-shirt, hoodie, hat, towel and their Signature Bag in a 4-way and 5-way top are up for grabs in the new collection. Each with a different blacked-out theme with subtle logo placement. As a personal side note: the TaylorMade hoodies are some of my favorites. I have a couple and they’re among the most comfortable I own.
But after inconsistent results since Enzo Maresca’s departure and the hiring of Liam Rosenior, fans have underlined “an erosion of trust” with the owners and the project, but Eghbali maintains the club’s approach will evolve in the coming months, instead targeting some “ready-made” players, despite a committed approach to signing younger, unproven talent in recent years.
“The view was to recruit and build elite players that can, frankly, be together and have that stability in the squad. We’re still in the 40th, 50th minute of that process,” Eghbali said at the CAA’s World Congress of Sports conference in Los Angeles on Thursday.
“But the view is to keep, sign and retain and compensate and extend some of the world’s best players, and ultimately the view was you need, eight, 10, 12, 15 elite players to win and win sustainably, year after year.
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“I think we’ve done a few things right, a lot of things right. We’ve got to be better on a few things, to add more ready-made players at this part of the project, to take it to the next level, to be consistent over time.”
Eghbali also admitted regret at the mid-season departure of Maresca, adding: “Our policy has been no in-season [head coach] changes.
“You certainly review and hold not only the manager, but the management team, the sporting team, accountable, but typically in the summers, not in season.
Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali in the stands at Stamford Bridge (PA)
“It’s not a change we wanted to make [Enzo Maresca leaving]. It’s a change that had a bit of a negative impact in the season, when you’re changing systems and personnel, and it’s one we’ve got to fight our way out of.
“We still have six matches in the Premier League, and an FA Cup semi-final coming up. So, hopefully the story of this season hasn’t been written yet, and you’ve got a lot to fight for. In my perspective, when you get punched in the face, you’ve got to fight back, you’ve got to stand up and fight. And it’s going to hopefully show a lot about the character of this squad.”
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The Blues reported a pre-tax losses of £262.4m for the last financial year, a Premier League record, with around £1.5bn spent on transfer fees since the new ownership group took charge in 2022.
And now the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) has said there is a “lack of confidence” in the owners.
Chelsea were beaten comprehensively by Manchester City on Sunday (PA Wire)
“These concerns are not driven by short-term results, and they will not be resolved by them. They relate to the underlying direction of the club, and they will persist regardless of fluctuations on the pitch,” said the CST.
“At the heart of supporter concern is a simple point: the current model has demanded a huge amount of faith from the fanbase, while giving too little clarity in return. Supporters have watched relentless upheaval. Players, managers, staff, and structures have changed at pace. This has been presented as part of a long-term plan.
“Yet four years on, there is still no sufficiently clear or convincing explanation of how that plan delivers sustained success while preserving a recognisable Chelsea identity. The vision remains unclear, its execution inconsistent, and its leadership insufficiently accountable.”
Ryder Cup star Jon Rahm was calm about the future of LIV Golf amid speculation the series’ Saudi backers could be about to pull funding.
The breakaway competition launched in 2021 and sent shockwaves through the sport, positioning itself as a rival to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
However, speculation has mounted this week that the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) is set to end its backing, which is reported to be approaching 5 billion US dollars (£3.7bn) since the series was launched.
Spanish star Rahm, who is reported to have earned £64million since joining the series in 2023, was interviewed after the first round of the ongoing LIV event in Mexico City.
“Until the people in charge told me if the rumours were valid or not, it didn’t make sense for me to think about it or to waste time thinking about it,” he said, in quotes reported by Sky Sports.
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“As everything suddenly came out, so quickly, I wasn’t too worried about that, because normally, before the rumours come out, we know something.
“There’s always someone in the league who knows something. It was so fast that I didn’t really worry about it.”
The Telegraph has reported that players and staff have been told that the PIF funding is only guaranteed until the end of the current season, and that outside investment would be needed to keep going beyond then.
LIV Golf chief executive Scott O’Neil was bullish about the league’s future in an interview on Thursday.
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“If we keep the trajectory going the way we are and the revenue growth going, this is going to be a really good business for a really long time,” he said.
On Thursday it was announced that the PIF had sold a 70 per cent stake in Al Hilal, one of four Saudi Pro League clubs it owns.
David Payne’s modest stable has a proven flair for developing Group 1 runners, with hopes high that the two-year-old Persian Wonder will follow suit.
The budding star contests Saturday’s Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, targeting his breakthrough top-tier success after promising runs, notably a solid second to Southend in the Baillieu (1400m) at Rosehill a month ago.
From South African origins, Payne has amassed over 100 Group 1 wins internationally, polishing Australian champions including Criterion, Ace High and Montefilia.
His operation continues to exceed its scale, operating on a tight budget and small team.
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While the trainer modestly points to luck, his expertise in picking yearlings is unquestionable.
“I have been in the game a long time and I’ve been lucky with buying horses,” Payne said.
“But you’ve got to find the horse first. We buy maybe ten at the sales, other stables might buy 250. But we always find one, and we’ve got a couple there at the moment.”
Alongside Bangkok Hottie, fresh from a Wednesday win at Warwick Farm and set for a spell before the spring Princess Series, Persian Wonder stands as a future stable standout.
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A challenging wide gate at Randwick adds difficulty, but with his affinity for rearward positions, Payne will stick to settling him back.
On his previous run closer to the front under James McDonald, he fell short of winning, yet Payne valued the experience.
“It was a good run. I thought he might have been a bit too handy, but it’s good that James taught him to get out of the gates,” he said.
“It’s a tough race on Saturday so we’ll ride him quiet and see what happens.
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“We have been aiming him at this for a while, so we’ll see if he’s good enough.”
McDonald stays with Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Campione D’italia, bringing Chad Schofield back for Persian Wonder after his striking fourth placing in the Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) on March 14.
Visit betting sites to find the top racing odds for the Champagne Stakes.
Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya has come under scrutiny following the team’s dismal start to the IPL 2026 season. With just one win in five matches, MI languishes second from the bottom of the points table. On Thursday, the five-time champions were brushed aside at home by Shreyas Iyer‘s Punjab Kings (PBKS), marking their fourth defeat of the campaign. MI’s lone victory this season came against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium on March 29.
Speaking on Cricbuzz, former India batter Manoj Tiwary criticised Hardik’s captaincy against PBKS, arguing that the all-rounder’s leadership has been below par since he took charge of the franchise.
“From where will ownership come? One has to look at oneself as well. You need to see how you have been playing. According to me, just because you are not having success this year doesn’t mean the mistakes happened only this year. You need to look at the root cause as well. From 2015-2023, Rohit Sharma helped the Mumbai Indians win several trophies,” said Tiwary.
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Tiwary also urged Hardik to relinquish the captaincy and return it to Rohit Sharma, noting that the veteran batter led the franchise to five titles between 2013 and 2023.
“In 2023, there was no trophy. In 2024, there was no trophy, and the chances of the same happening are high this year too. I think the captaincy is weak. I don’t want to be harsh. But Hardik is not leading the team the way it should be. It’s very important to be proactive as a captain. I think that if a solution is needed, Hardik should step back from the captaincy and hand the responsibility back to Rohit. When you removed Rohit, you did an injustice,” he added.
Beyond the leadership change, Tiwary slammed Hardik’s tactical choices during the defeat to PBKS, specifically his decision to promote himself up the order ahead of Sherfane Rutherford. Furthermore, he questioned the move to open the bowling with Deepak Chahar despite the pacer’s recent struggles.
“Hardik shouldn’t have promoted himself against the Punjab Kings. He scored 14 runs off 12 balls. Sherfane Rutherford just got five balls. If Rutherford had played as many balls, he would have hit 3-4 sixes. Hardik Pandya thought he could do it. Yes, he could have done it. You should have pushed Rutherford up. And secondly, there is no point in giving Jasprit Bumrah the second over when you are not giving him the first. Deepak Chahar just isn’t able to swing the ball,” he said.
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