Faz Ali, Author at Charlie Alford

Ollie Robinson’s roar at Lord’s

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:5 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

England’s Test summer did not so much begin as detonate. Sixteen wickets, two rain breaks, one rampant seamer back from the sidelines, and a Lord’s crowd jolted awake before they had even settled into their seats — the kind of relentless cricket England at Lord’s so often produces. By stumps, New Zealand were 61 for 6 chasing England’s 140 all out, and Ollie Robinson had rewritten the script of his own career in a single breathless over. In truth, anyone who has witnessed England at Lord’s knows how quickly things can change. What unfolded on day one was not tidy, was…

Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool era begins

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:4 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

Liverpool’s search for Arne Slot’s successor is over, with the club moving quickly. Andoni Iraola is expected on Merseyside to sign his contract. This completes a process driven by sporting director Richard Hughes, accelerated by urgency following Slot’s departure. Hughes leads appointment Liverpool reached a verbal agreement with Iraola on Tuesday, clearing the final hurdle in that process which Slot’s dismissal set in motion. Iraola will arrive to complete formalities, with a club announcement expected shortly after. The 43‑year‑old Spaniard has been the leading candidate throughout. Hughes identified early as a strong fit for Liverpool’s preferred tactical style and vision. The…

UK Athletics fined after death of Paralympian

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:3 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

UK Athletics has been fined £350,000 after pleading guilty to corporate manslaughter over the 2017 death of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei. Hayayei was killed while training in London ahead of the World Para Athletics Championships. The case has exposed glaring lapses in event safety and prompted fresh scrutiny of how major sporting bodies manage risk for visiting athletes. Hayayei, a 36‑year‑old thrower from the United Arab Emirates, had competed at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, and was preparing at the Newham Leisure Centre when a metal throwing cage collapsed on him. Emergency services pronounced him dead at the scene. The tragedy…

Liverpool open talks with Andoni Iraola as hunt for new head coach begins

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:2 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

Liverpool have entered formal discussions with Andoni Iraola over the vacant head coach role after Arne Slot’s dismissal, with the process being driven by sporting director Richard Hughes. The move marks a rapid attempt by the club to stabilise a dressing room and a playing identity that has felt unsettled since Slot’s departure. Liverpool: Iraola front-runner Iraola’s name rose quickly to the top of Liverpool’s shortlist because of a direct connection to Hughes. The sporting director brought him to Bournemouth in 2023 and watched the team flourish under his methods. That existing relationship gives Liverpool a rare shortcut in recruitment familiarity…

Garcia vs Benn fight looks set for Las Vegas

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:29 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

The Benn vs Garcia world title fight is still being finalised for September in Las Vegas, with contracts and sanctioning yet to be agreed. Momentum is building towards a WBC title clash with Ryan Garcia. He named 12 September as his expected defence date in a TV appearance. The claim — yet to be confirmed by promoters and sanctioning bodies — has sparked a wave of media speculation. Addressing this, Conor Benn’s trainer, Tony Sims, told Sky Sports: What I’m being told is that negotiations are still going on for the fight, so the date or the venue hasn’t been done…

Littler reclaims Premier League Crown in thrilling final in London

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:29 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Luke Littler edged Luke Humphries 11-10 to win the Premier League title at the 02 in London, completing a tense, high quality final that went the distance. The result returned the trophy to Littler after a trilogy of finals between the two top ranked players and it underlined the narrow margins that separate the elite darts professionals. Littler-Humphries: too close to call The final was a study in momentum swings and clinical finishing under pressure. Humphries began with a blistering session, averaging well over 110 and producing a sequence of big checkouts that left him 6-3 ahead at the break. Littler…

Top seed Sinner exits French Open

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:29 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Jaanik Sinner, the world number one and heavy favourite at Roland Garos, was eliminated in the second round after suffering severe cramp while serving for the match. He led comfortably 6-3, 6-2, 5-1, then his body then gave out and Juan Manuel Cerundo fought back to win in five sets. The tables turn Sinner dominated the opening two sets and moved to 5-1 in the third, appearing own course for a routine finish. Then the match turned, flipping the script entirely. Sinner lost 15 consecutive points across the third set. He called for a medical timeout and received treatment mid game.…

Pep Guardiola leaves Manchester City after 10 special years

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:26 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Pep Guardiola’s final match at the Etihad felt like a punctuation mark rather than a spectacle. He chose a day that honoured staff, academy graduates, and long‑serving players rather than chasing one last headline. The tone was controlled, personal and unmistakably Guardiola: detail‑driven, human‑centred and low on theatrics. The farewell City fielded an experimental side and the result mattered less than the people on the pitch. That selection underlined a simple point: Guardiola treated the club as a project of stewardship, not a stage for self‑promotion. The final day was about the club’s story and the people who helped write it.…

Mexico steps in to host Iran after fears over erratic Trump

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:26 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

The United States declined to host Iran’s World Cup training camp; Iran will base itself in Tijuana, Mexico and commute to U.S. venues for its group matches. The 2026 World Cup was sold as a continental celebration across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Instead, geopolitics has forced a national team to set up camp outside the country where all its group matches will be played. Iran’s football federation moved its base from Arizona to Tijuana after U.S. authorities signalled, they did not want the squad to remain in the United States for the tournament, a decision that Mexico stepped in…

How Palmer and Foden lost Tuchel’s battle for the England number 10s

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:22 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Two years can feel like a lifetime in football, and none more so than for Cole Palmer and Phil Foden who were firmly at the top of the England pecking order after Euro 2024. They were winners of major individual awards, fixtures in Gareth Southgate’s big-game plans, and widely tipped to be central to England’s future. Fast forward to the present and both are conspicuously absent from Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad. The shift is stark, and it’s driven by one brutal truth: form matters more than pedigree under Tuchel. Palmer and Foden’s trajectories were once parallel. Both came through Manchester…

Stephen Bunting beats Luke Humphries to win Premier League Darts

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:22 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Stephen Bunting closed the Premier League darts stage in style in Sheffield, beating Luke Humphries 6-3. Meanwhile, Humphries’ run to the final means he will avoid a semi-final against Luke Littler at Finals Night in London. Bunting’s night was more than a single result. He averaged north of 106 and landed seven 180s across his matches, producing a high-quality display that lifted him to fifth in the final table. A finish that secures his place among the season’s top performers and underlines his consistency. His Sheffield run included a 161 checkout and a string of 100-plus finishes that swung momentum in…

Can Southampton rebuild after Spygate?

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:22 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Southampton held its hands up, admitting to spying charges after it was caught red-handed covertly filing opponents. For this clear violation of the rules, they have received more than a light slap on the wrist despite protesting the severity of the sanctions against it. The saga, known as Spygate, exposes colossal leadership failures under Tonda Eckert’s management, which cost the team its Championship play-offs. Middlesbrough will take their place. Golf course loiterer Recovering from the reputational damage will take more than a points deduction. It remains to be seen if Eckert will remain at the helm or lose his job, having…