Browsing: Craig

It has been suggested that McKenna would be open to speaking to Celtic given his boyhood allegiances.

“Growing up, we all have our affinities,” he said when asked about those. “I don’t think everyone has to go around and announce what they were, but of course it’s a really big football club.”

McKenna signed a new four-year contract in 2024 and was asked about his reported £5m release clause.

“In every manager’s contract, there are things,” he replied. “I don’t know what mine are and, if I did, I wouldn’t tell you anyway!

“I approach this job like I’ll be Ipswich manager forever. I know that’s not always going to be the case, but I’ll always do my best as long as I am here.”

Bellamy played for Celtic on loan from Newcastle United in 2005, but the former Wales striker is minded to complete the current World Cup campaign, a stance that would effectively rule out the 46-year-old from immediately taking the Celtic job.

Wales are currently third in their qualifying group behind leaders Belgium and second-placed North Macedonia.

Victories over Liechtenstein and North Macedonia in November would book their place in the qualification play-offs, but they are all but assured of making those, thanks to a successful Nations League campaign, even if they fail to finish as Group J runners-up.

Given his current stance, Bellamy, whose contract expires after Euro 2028, would not be available until after the play-offs at the earliest.

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The Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a deal to hire Craig Albernaz as manager, tabbing one of the game’s most well-respected young coaches to help engineer a turnaround after a disappointing 2025, sources told ESPN on Sunday.

Baltimore fired manager Brandon Hyde in mid-May after a 15-28 start and named Tony Mansolino interim manager for the remainder of the season, in which the Orioles went 75-87 and finished in last place in the American League East.

With a strong core of young hitters, the Orioles’ job was one of the most alluring during an offseason with more than a quarter of managerial jobs open. And Albernaz, who, in his previous coaching jobs, forged strong relationships with younger players and was leaned on for a baseball sense honed by years behind the plate, leaped to the top of the list in Baltimore.

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Albernaz, 42, was the associate manager for the Cleveland Guardians, who won the American League Central this year. Albernaz was a finalist for Cleveland’s managerial job in 2023 and joined the Guardians as bench coach when they instead hired Stephen Vogt.

During a nine-year catching career that topped out at Triple-A, Albernaz was long regarded as a potential future manager, and the Tampa Bay Rays — with whom he played eight seasons — hired him as a coach in 2015. Albernaz managed two years in the low minor leagues and eventually was hired before the 2020 season by the San Francisco Giants as a bullpen and catching coach.

Albernaz’s ability to connect with players was a hallmark of his time in San Francisco and Cleveland — and was part of the allure for an Orioles team filled with young talent. With star shortstop Gunnar Henderson, catcher Adley Rutschman, infielder Jordan Westburg, outfielder Colton Cowser, second baseman Jackson Holliday, outfielder Dylan Beavers, slugger Samuel Basallo and infielder Coby Mayo, Baltimore has one the highest-ceiling rosters in the major leagues.

The Orioles’ pitching suffered last season, though, and while left-hander Trevor Rogers ‘ breakout year and the return of right-hander Kyle Bradish from Tommy John surgery bode well for 2026, right-hander Grayson Rodriguez is coming off shoulder and elbow injuries and Baltimore’s pitching depth in the rotation and bullpen is limited.

Albernaz’s first major league managerial job will be in the gauntlet of the AL East division, featuring the current AL champion Toronto Blue Jays, a strong New York Yankees squad, the ascendant Boston Red Sox and a Tampa Bay Rays group that is competitive annually.

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The Orioles are finalizing a deal to hire Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz as manager, according to a report from ESPNâ€s Jeff Passan. The club has not confirmed the news.

Albernaz, 42, spent the last two seasons on Clevelandâ€s coaching staff.

Albernazâ€s coaching career began in 2015 in the Rays organization. Across five years, he handled various roles, including a managerial stint for High-A Bowling Green in 2018.

Before joining the Guardians after the ’23 season, Albernaz spent four years with the Giants as a bullpen/catching coach.

A former catcher, Albernaz spent nine seasons in the Minors after signing with the Rays as an undrafted free agent in 2006.

The Orioles dismissed longtime skipper Brandon Hyde in May, amid a slow start to a ‘25 season that began with lofty expectations. Baltimore closed the year with a 60-59 record under interim manager Tony Mansolino, ultimately finishing in last place in the AL East at 75-87.

Albernaz will try to guide the Orioles back to the postseason — after consecutive playoff trips in 2023 and ‘24 — behind a young core that includes shortstop Gunnar Henderson, catcher Adley Rutschman and second baseman Jackson Holliday.

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After being one of the most disappointing teams in MLB last season, the Baltimore Orioles are banking on Craig Albernaz to turn things around for them as their manager in 2026.

Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Orioles are “finalizing a deal” to make the Cleveland Guardians’ associate manager their new manager.

Coming off back-to-back playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024, including 101 wins in ’23, the Orioles seemed like they were on their way to being the envy of most MLB teams.

They had one of the best young rosters in the sport, headlined by Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman. Their farm system was ranked as the best in MLB entering 2024, led by No. 1 overall prospect Jackson Holliday.

Since the All-Star break during the 2024 season, though, the Orioles have fallen on hard times. They were 58-38 going into the break, tied with the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees for most wins in the AL.

In the 228 games since then, including all of 2025, the Orioles are 108-120. They fired Brandon Hyde, who was named AL Manager of the Year in 2023, after a 15-28 start last season.

Tony Mansolino did stabilize things with a 60-59 record as interim manager after Hyde’s dismissal, but there remain bigger concerns in Baltimore. Henderson still had a very good year in 2025, but it was his worst offensive season by weighted on-base average.

Rutschman’s performance has declined every year of his career since a breakout rookie campaign in 2022. He hit just .220/.307/.366 last season and was limited to 90 games due to multiple oblique injuries.

Holliday has not yet lived up to his potential as a former No. 1 overall pick and top prospect, but there’s still time for him to put it all together since he doesn’t turn 22 until Dec. 4.

Another issue is Orioles management continues to avoid spending big in free agency to supplement the young talent they have developed. They did add players last offseason, but no one who would be considered a difference-maker in the hyper-competitive AL East.

The first significant task for Albernaz will be getting Henderson, Holliday and Rutschman playing up to their full potential to give the Orioles a dominant trio that can hit in the middle of a lineup.

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If there’s anyone on the Toronto Maple Leafs who can come out on the good side of adversity, it’s William Nylander.

The 29-year-old has four points in his first three games, which, to some, is a good sign. However, his play hasn’t been up to the standard it usually is. Despite clipping at over a point per game, Nylander’s expected goals sit at 42.68 percent, the sixth-lowest among Maple Leafs, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

Aside from his empty-net goal in the club’s season-opening win against the Montreal Canadiens, Nylander hasn’t scored for Toronto yet. One of his three assists also came on an empty-netter in that game.

“We need him to obviously score goals, right? That’s what he does, but more to his game than that. It’s not just on all Willy. It’s just, like I said, our guys got to put the puck in the net,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said on Tuesday morning, ahead of their game against the Nashville Predators.

“So that’s the side of it that I’m looking at when I talked last night. But it’s not all on Willy, it’s on all our guys that we depend on the score goals.”

Following Toronto’s 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Monday, Berube admitted that he’d like more offense from his second line. Although he briefly mentioned John Tavares, the Maple Leafs’ coach preached for Nylander to shoot the puck more.

‘We Need More From Himâ€: Maple Leafs†Craig Berube Challenges William Nylander For Offense Following Defeat To Red Wings
The Toronto Maple Leafs fell 3-2 to the Detroit Red Wings on Monday afternoon at Scotiabank Arena, earning no points in the standings. Despite clawing back from a 2-0 deficit, Detroit’s Mason Appleton scored the game-winning goal with 45 seconds left in regulation time.

In three games, the forward has just three shots.

What has Tavares learned about Nylander when Berube pushes him?

“Well, I’ve always said, that’s why I think Willy does tremendously well in this market. I think, (Nylander), more than anyone, will look himself in the mirror, knows maybe that he can do more, he can play better,” Tavares said.

“He’s one of the best in the league. We’re very lucky to have him. We know what he’s capable of and his ability to respond, not only when he’s challenged from whether it’s anyone within our locker room, coaching staff, but just himself and the expectations he has for him, and the standards he set and how great he wants to be night to night, so he responds really well.”

What’s good about Berube and Nylander’s relationship is that the door’s always open for discussion. When Berube wants Nylander to play better, he’ll let him know. And vice versa when Nylander wants more playing time.

‘If You Stick With It, Good Things Will Come’: What Easton Cowan Will Remember About His NHL Debut With Maple Leafs
As Easton Cowan skated onto the ice ahead of his NHL debut, the crowd started cheering. Within all the noise, a song blared inside Scotiabank Arena: “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)”.

There’s always an open line of communication, which can be a positive thing between a coach and one of the NHL’s most skilled players.

“I mean, he always has good feedback to be honest with you. He sees things that maybe I don’t see that he talks about and where he’s at mentally and puck touches and stuff like that,” Berube added.

“These guys need to puck in their hands. They want to have the puck, and sometimes they’re not getting in enough, so they’re not feeling like they’re into the game. So those are the types of conversations we have most of the time, just different things like that. They’re good (conversations), though.

“I see his perspective where he’s coming from that maybe I don’t see. I’m not in his head, and what he’s feeling and what I’m feeling and what I’m seeing. So I think they’re good conversations. It’s really good feedback for me, and I just want him to hear me and what I think.”

With no lineup changes ahead of Tuesday night’s game against the Predators, Nylander will line up again alongside John Tavares and new linemate Matias Maccelli. There’s hope that, with a bit of rest following their Monday afternoon game, Toronto’s top players can return to the scoresheet in a big way.

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Wales’ World Cup qualifier at home to Belgium on Monday already had the feel of a big game. Now, it has the makings of a defining night.

That is because Wales’ fate is back in their own hands, thanks to Belgium’s goalless draw at home to North Macedonia on Friday.

If Craig Bellamy’s side win their three remaining games, they will qualify for next summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

That, though, is quite a big if.

The most imposing hurdle to clear is arguably their next one.

This might not be the Belgium that finished third at the 2018 World Cup or the team that topped the world rankings just three years ago, but they are still formidable opponents with the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku among their phalanx of attacking talent.

Not that Wales are intimidated, not with a head coach as single-minded – and optimistic – as Bellamy.

“I believe there’s always a special moment coming,” he said.

“Players have been in this situation so many times over the last 10 years, especially Cardiff nights. When we’ve managed to qualify, it’s been here. The crowd is used to this environment and these moments.

“You just have to embrace it. Embrace it and enjoy it. Tomorrow night we’re home, full stadium, just enjoy every second of it.”

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After recovering from a different first hour or so to come back and beat Greece 3-1 on Thursday, Scotland will make changes for what will be a different kind of test.

Lewis Ferguson and Ryan Christie are suspended and Aaron Hickey injured, meaning Billy Gilmour, Lyndon Dykes and Tony Ralston could be in line to start.

Clarke expects Belarus to sit deep at Hampden and make it difficult for Scotland, but said the onus was on his side.

“In my time here, we’ve done well against the so-called lesser teams and it’s very important you get the points off them,” he said.

“They’ll come here and be organised, they’ll be difficult to break down and until you break them down, it’ll be a long night.

“It’s up to us to approach the game properly, which we will. It’s up to us to create enough chances to get the crowd excited, which we hopefully will.”

Clarke also insisted he was not thinking beyond Sunday’s match, with a trip to Greece and a home match against the Danes following next month.

“All I ever try to emphasise is that if you want to qualify, these are the games you have to win,” he said. “If you drop points to the teams ranked below you, it makes qualification difficult.

“No room for complacency. At no point am I looking too far ahead.

“I’ve been in the game a long time and if you look too far ahead, sometimes you trip up – a little bit like [assistant coach] Steven Naismith did in training today when he joined in.”

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Celtic’s European Cup win in 1967 remains one of the most iconic nights in the club’s storied history, almost 60 years on.

The Scottish side’s 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon saw them become the first British club to win the European Cup and it was all done with a homegrown squad, the majoirty of whom were born within a ten-mile radius of Celtic Park.

Jim Craig was playing at right-back that evening, as he added European football’s biggest prize to his list of 14 domestic trophies won during his eight-year spell with the club.

“He had more run-ins with Jimmy Johnstone. Jock was once giving a team talk and, when he finished, he asked if there were any questions. Jimmy’s hand shot up, which was a surprise because Jinky had sat through the whole talk looking at his nails. Jimmy said, ‘How long’s the flight?’ He was terrified of flying and that was all he was interested in, not the team talk or any of the tactical stuff.”

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Bellamy was on something of a charm offensive when he faced the media before this fixture. There was to be a new and bigger English audience to see what the Welsh public had already witnessed: his evolution from a combustible, confrontational player to a controlled, deep-thinking coach.

This was the sternest examination so far of that new image.

He simmered on the Wembley touchline as he watched his team fold obligingly in the face of torrential English pressure.

Bellamy kept his cool on the surface but did he manage such calm in the changing room too?

“I quite enjoyed half-time,” he said.

“I was like, ‘now we see’. What are we going to do?

“When those moments happen, it shows who you are as a coach. You can come in balling and throwing stuff, but to who? It makes no sense. Me, I’m calm.

“This is a moment we need to relish. It’s not gone well for us, [so] how are we going to do something about it? Now we see who we are. I like those moments.”

Bellamy is clear about how he wants his team to play – pressing high, attacking whenever possible – but acknowledged that, on occasions like this against superior opposition, that will not always be possible.

“I look at England, their physical profile, the speed, the duels. Of course, it helps when you’ve got a lot of players playing in the Champions League, but that’s where you want our players to be,” he said.

“[For] the players, it’s ‘this is where we want to be’. But we also know, we have to be at the top of our game to be able to play against these types of nations.

“On Monday we have to be at the top of our game.”

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BOSTON — Craig Breslow isn’t sure how he and the rest of the Boston Red Sox’s front office will approach the offseason coming off their first appearance in the postseason since 2021.

But Boston’s chief baseball officer feels a lot better about the roster pieces he will be moving around this offseason as they look to continue this year’s momentum.

“We’ve talked a lot about how this window of contention is upon us,” Breslow said Monday during the front office’s season-ending news conference.

He said that ensuring the Red Sox stay in a position to compete will feature a holistic approach. He’s focused on fortifying their pitching staff and continuing to develop the young position players that made big impacts this season.

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Those younger contributors will become even more relevant as Boston attempts to hold onto right-handed starter Lucas Giolito this offseason. Giolito was 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts this season. He was left off the postseason roster after experiencing some late-season discomfort in his elbow.

The 31-year-old and the team have a mutual option to work out this offseason.

He joins veteran third baseman Alex Bregman and shortstop Trevor Story, who both have player options to ponder.

Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million deal in February that included the chance to become a free agent following both the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

Story signed a six-year, $140 million deal in March 2022 that included a player option following this season. If Story exercises his player option, the Red Sox will have the right to exercise the club option then and make the deal worth $160 million over seven seasons.

Breslow declined to say whether discussions are already ongoing with Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras.

“Obviously, Alex has the right as structured in his contract to opt out, and he’s going to do what’s best for his family,” Breslow said. “At the same time, I will not miss an opportunity to talk about his contributions on the field, in the clubhouse, to the coaching staff, to the front office. Every conversation we’ve had I think I’ve learned something about how his impact and influence have rubbed off on his teammates.”

What was also prevalent during this resurgence was the contributions of Boston’s young up-and-comers, including rookie outfielder Roman Anthony and infielder Marcelo Mayer, who both had their seasons cut short by injuries.

But manager Alex Cora said there is just as much optimism about what’s ahead for young pitchers like Connelly Early, who got a taste of meaningful postseason baseball.

“I think we took the steps in the right direction,” Cora said. “Last offseason, during the season, not only as far as what the front office did, but what we did on the field. It was a much better team than the last few years. But that thing that excites me going into the offseason is the pitching. … What we have in player development is real.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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