'Humble & popular but no plan B' - The inside story of Rooney at Plymouth

Former England and Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has left Championship side Plymouth Argyle after seven months in charge, with the club bottom of the table and four points from safety.

It brings the 39-year-old's fourth managerial role to an end, after challenging spells in the second tier with Birmingham City and Derby County, as well as in the United States with DC United.

So where did it go wrong for the legendary striker at Plymouth? What was he like to deal with? And how did the players feel about him? BBC Sport delves into some key themes.

The style of play: 'He tried to be
progressive, but it didn't work'

Rooney appeared to come from the Pep Guardiola school of tactics.

A goalkeeper who could initiate attacks, full-backs who would invert into midfield and playing through the thirds.

And this style of play, in home games, often entertained - there was a 3-2 win over high-flying Sunderland and two 3-3 draws, with five stoppage-time goals scored at Home Park to gain six crucial points.

However, the last-gasp heroics were papering over the cracks of what were often patchy performances.

While Argyle's 48.6% possession average ranks them a respectable 16th in the Championship, they are bottom for expected goals (19.39) and above only Portsmouth for shots on target (78) - with a league-worst xG against (44.03) and shots on target faced (141).

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CFP Quarterfinals Preview: The Factors That Could Decide Each Matchup

 he quarterfinals begin with the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve and continue with the Peach, Rose, and Sugar bowls on New Year’s Day.

After a week-and-a-half off, the College Football Playoff will resume Dec. 31 with the first quarterfinal matchup, followed by the three remaining games New Year’s Day. The first round of the first 12-team CFP saw nothing but lopsided contests, but that’s been the norm in the history of the CFP. Entering the 2024 quarterfinals, the average margin of victory in a CFP game is 18.7 points. The top eight seeds remain in this year’s edition, so we’ll see if that leads to more competitive games.

Here’s a look at each of the four contests.

One team’s Fiesta Bowl perfection will end in this game as Penn State is 7-0 all-time in the bowl, while Boise is 3-0. This will be the first-ever meeting between the programs, and it could allow PSU, in part, to rewrite its narrative of not winning big games. The Nittany Lions have lost 15 of their last 16 versus AP Top 10 teams, while Coach James Franklin’s 5-14 record versus Top 15 teams is the worst by any head coach in FBS history (min. 15 games). He’s hoping his explosive offense and stout defense help improve that mark as Penn State thrives with both connecting on big plays and preventing them. The defense has allowed just 4.4 yards per play, the fewe fifth-st in FBS, while the offense ranks eighth with 6.6 yards per play.

Boise is led by Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty, whose chase of college football history is a subplot. Jeanty is 132 rushing yards shy of breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season record of 2,628 yards set in 1988. With Jeanty leading the way, and with an offense that has the lowest turnover percentage in the nation, the Broncos are as good as anyone on that side of the ball. However, they weren’t quite as potent as the season went on. After averaging 43.6 points over their first 10 games, Boise State averaged just 24 over its last three. The team will also have to defy history in this game as 10.5-point underdogs; double-digit dogs are 0-9 in CFP history.

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2024 NFL playoff picture: Who’s clinched and who is still fighting to reach the postseason after Week 17

With just one week remaining in the NFL regular season, the playoff picture is becoming ever clearer.

Week 17 saw three more teams clinch their postseason spots, and two fall out of contention. Five teams will have to suffer nail-biting final games, including one which really should have had it all wrapped up by now.

Here is everything you need to know heading into the final weekend.

Who’s definitely in?

So far, 12 teams across the two conferences have secured a playoff berth.

Leading the way are reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs, and the only team to have beaten them this season, the Buffalo Bills, who both clinched all

It was a very merry Christmas for the Chiefs, who secured the AFC No. 1 seed last Wednesday with a 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Last week also saw the Los Angeles Chargers claim the AFC’s sixth playoff spot with a 40-7 rout of the New England Patriots.  was at the center of the action, throwing three touchdown passes to join Peyton Mannin Justin Herbertg and Russell Wilson as the only NFL players in history to record 3,000-plus passing yards and 20-plus TD passes in each of their first five seasons.

In the NFC, wins for both the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings set up a must-see Week 18 clash with the winner claiming the No. 1 seed, a playoff bye and the NFC North crown, and the loser receiving the No. 5 seed.

Elsewhere in the conference, the Washington Commanders clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2020 thanks to some overtime heroics from Jayden Daniels in a 30-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons – quite possibly the most impactful game of the week with regards to the playoff spots.

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Tennessee holds off Auburn for No. 1 spot in the USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll

A light holiday week schedule in men’s college basketball resulted in few changes in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll.

Top-ranked Tennessee and No. 2 Auburn continue to monopolize the first-place votes. The Volunteers again were picked first by 20 of the 31 panelists, with the remaining 11 first-place votes going to the Tigers. The next seven positions also remain unchanged, with Iowa State, Duke and Florida rounding out the top five. There is just one minor alteration of the top 10 as Oklahoma nudges ahead of Kentucky at the No. 10 spot, but the SEC still has six of the top 12 teams in the poll.

TOP 25:Complete USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll

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A couple of notable outcomes during the week produced some shuffling farther down the rankings. UCLA moves up three places to No. 18 thanks to a win against Gonzaga, knocking the Zags down four positions to No. 19. Mississippi takes a seven-position hit falling to No. 23 after a loss to Memphis, which joins he poll at No. 25.

No. 24 Maryland also moves in this week, as San Diego State and St. John’s fall out.

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TOP SPORTS NEWS

Field Gulls

WNBA's Global Expansion

Caitlin Clark, a standout rookie in the WNBA, is central to plans aiming to elevate the league’s global presence. The Indiana Fever are considering playing overseas, inspired by Clark's successful pre-season tour in Italy and Croatia. Despite a near-death experience during the trip, Clark has continued to shine, leading the Fever to the playoffs.

TalkSport

Passing of Greg Gumbel

The sports broadcasting community mourns the loss of Greg Gumbel, who passed away at age 78 after battling cancer. Gumbel was renowned for his extensive career covering NFL games and March Madness for CBS. Colleagues and fans remember him as a groundbreaking broadcaster and a respected figure in the industry.

The Sun

Lamar Jackson's Inspiration<script type='text/javascript' src='//pl25400350.profitablecpmrate.com/fe/a4/50/fea450da5789a76c8d075fe8569ee6f9.js'></script>

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has found inspiration in WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Initially indifferent to women's basketball, Jackson now admires their athleticism and achievements, which have helped him improve his own shooting form. Jackson is currently having an MVP-caliber season, leading the Ravens into the playoffs.

TalkSport

Upcoming Sporting Events in 2025

The year 2025 promises a thrilling lineup of sporting events, including Thomas Tuchel's debut with England, the Lionesses' defense of their European Championship title, and Andy Murray coaching Novak Djokovic. Cricket fans can look forward to England's women's Ashes series and World Cup, while Lewis Hamilton's switch to Ferrari adds excitement to Formula 1. Additionally, the Tour de France and the anticipated Fury vs. Joshua boxing match are set to captivate audiences. 

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1. Major Leagues:

   • EAnglishA Premier League: Known for its competitive nature and global fanbase, clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City are among the most popular.
   • La Liga: Spain's top division featuring powerhouse teams like FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
   • Bundesliga: Germany’s top league with clubs like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, known for great fan engagement.
   • Serie A: Italy's premier league has historic teams such as Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan.

2. International Competitions:

   • FIFA World Cup: This pinnacle event occurs every four years, with the last tournament in 2018 in Russia and the next scheduled for 2022 in Qatar.
   • UEFA European Championship: National teams from Europe compete every four years, with Italy winning the latest tournament in 2021.
   • Copa América: South America’s oldest international tournament, recently held in Brazil in 2021.

3. Women's Football:

   • The popularity of women's football has been rising dramatically, with the FIFA Women’s World Cup being a significant event, held every four years. The last tournament took place in 2019 in France, with the United States winning.

4. Player Transfers and Contracts: High-profile transfers, player endorsements, and contract renewals often dominate news, with players like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar frequently making headlines.

5. Football Politics: Issues like governance (FIFA, UEFA), player rights, and the impact of global events (like the COVID-19 pandemic) on schedules and fan engagement are crucial ongoing discussions in the sport.

6. Emerging Trends: Technologies like VAR (Video Assistant Referee), analytics in player performance, and the growth of esports related to football highlight the sport's evolution.

For the latest developments and updates in the world of football, consider checking sports news websites, official league pages, or social media accounts of your favorite teams and players. If you have any specific questions or topics related to football that you're interested in, feel free to ask!

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