Browsing: Enters

James Harden certainly has his detractors, but there are few players in NBA history more effective than the Los Angeles Clippers star at putting points on the board. He reached a major milestone there on Saturday.

In the third quarter of a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 36-year-old Harden passed Carmelo Anthony for 10th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 28,290 points. LeBron James (first) and Kevin Durant (eighth) are the only active players ahead of him.

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Fittingly, given his style of play, Harden did it with a free throw.

Harden finished the game with 34 points on 10-of-18 shooting, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 turnovers. That big night wasn’t enough to lift the struggling Clippers to a win, as the Timberwolves took the game 109-106.

LA’s record now sits at 6-18, second-worst in the Western Conference. Between the scandal around Kawhi Leonard and the dysfunction from the Chris Paul situation, it’s hard to think of a worse start for a team that entered this season planning to contend.

Harden has scored in droves ever since his trade to the Houston Rockets, who turned him into an analytics monster via a focus on generating 3-pointers and free throw shots. It’s an unwatchable style of play for many fans, and one that was emulated by many around the league, but it also turned him into an MVP and perennial All-Star

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Fittingly, Harden is already second on the all-time 3-pointer list (behind only Stephen Curry) and fifth on the all-time free throw list (Karl Malone, James, Moses Malone, Kobe Bryant). He’s also 13th on the assist list — and fourth on the turnover list.

When trying to explain James Harden, you could do worse than just reeling off where he ranks in the above stats.

Where could Harden end up on the list? Since leaving the Rockets, he’s averaged 21.0 points per game and 68.5 games in four full seasons. If he were to average that pace for another three seasons, that would work out to 4,321 points, enough to get him past Michael Jordan for fifth place and within striking distance of Bryant for fourth.

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All-time NBA scoring list

2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 38,387

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A new power move in Hollywood could send major shockwaves through the wrestling industry—because Netflix is now in exclusive talks to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TNT, TBS, Max, and yes, AEWâ€s entire television home.

According to TheWrap, Netflix has offered $30 a share for Warner Bros. Discoveryâ€s studio and streaming assets, beating out rival suitors Paramount and Comcast. The proposal also includes a massive $5 billion breakup fee, mirroring terms in Paramountâ€s previous bid and signaling just how serious Netflix is about locking this down.

“Netflix may be considering a bid,†Puck News originally reported. But now, thatâ€s no longer speculation—itâ€s a deal in motion.

If the acquisition goes through, it could drastically alter AEWâ€s standing in the media landscape. The wrestling promotion has been on TNT and TBS since its 2019 launch and currently partners with Max for streaming. With Netflix now entering the world of weekly live wrestling by streaming WWE RAW every Monday starting in 2025, AEW could find itself needing to adapt or renegotiate terms to fit within the platformâ€s growing focus on premium live sports entertainment.

While TheWrap notes the makeup of the bid hasnâ€t been fully disclosed, earlier versions were a blend of cash and stock. Regardless, itâ€s a bold shift from just months ago, when Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters was downplaying large media mergers, saying they didnâ€t have an “amazing track record.†Now, Netflix is poised to take control of legacy brands like HBO, CNN, DC Studios, and the Harry Potter franchise—if regulators allow it.

Thatâ€s the other wrinkle. According to sources, Netflix could face tough antitrust scrutiny, especially from the Department of Justice and California Attorney General Robert Bonta, who previously opposed consolidation involving WBD.

The dealâ€s $5 billion breakup fee was reportedly added “to reassure WBD amid expected regulatory hurdles.â€

Meanwhile, Paramount isnâ€t going quietly. They claimed the bidding process was rigged, sending a letter to WBDâ€s board accusing them of “abandoning the semblance and reality of a fair transaction process.†Paramount had reportedly submitted its third bid just before the news broke, but insiders suggest Netflixâ€s more aggressive terms pushed it over the edge.

With all signs pointing to Netflix as the frontrunner, the implications for AEW—and other live sports and entertainment properties on WBDâ€s platforms—could be enormous.

If Netflix doesnâ€t see AEWâ€s wrestling as a fit, Tony Khan could be forced to shop AEW to a new network, or restructure its entire broadcast strategy.

Do you think Netflix will keep AEW programming after a WBD takeover? Should Tony Khan already be looking for a backup plan? Drop your thoughts in the comments—we want to hear where you think this is going.

December 4, 2025 11:26 pm

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November 27, 2025 | Paul Stimpson

The Jack Petchey Foundation Table Tennis Programme is embarking on its 15th year!

The partnership between the Jack Petchey Foundation (JPF) and Table Tennis England is one of London and Essexâ€s most successful youth-sport collaborations, extending opportunities for young people aged 11 to 19 to learn, compete and thrive through table tennis.

Over the last 14 years, the programme has provided more than 100,000 young people with the chance to pick up a bat, get active, connect with others and reach their potential through the sport.

The aim for the next two years of our partnership programme aligns closely with the Jack Petchey Foundationâ€s new strategy, maximising reach to new areas and ensuring that all young people, whatever their background or circumstance, have access to inclusive activities and opportunities to achieve their potential.

Peta Cubberley, Partnerships Manager at JPF said: “As a sport, table tennis embraces our values of inclusivity and accessibility, and whether young people play for fun or in competitions, the game promotes physical activity, skills development and fair play. Our long-standing relationship with Table Tennis England continues Sir Jack Petcheyâ€s generous support and vision for table tennis in schools and youth clubs.â€

Johnathon Driscoll, London Area Manager, Table Tennis England, said: “The Jack Petchey Foundation Table Tennis Programme can make a real difference to young peopleâ€s lives. By providing opportunities where theyâ€re needed most, we can help young people build confidence, feel part of something positive, and discover their potential — both on and off the table tennis court.â€

A two-year approach for lasting change

This two-year programme creates more time for schools and youth organisations to embed activity and measure impact.

• Year 1 (2025/26): Expands access through the Table Donation Scheme — more than 250 new tables and equipment packages for schools and youth clubs running the Jack Petchey Achievement Award Scheme will be distributed, with priority given to those in areas of greatest need. This will run alongside the ever-popular Jack Petchey London and Essex Schools Competitions.
• Year 2 (2026/27): A further 255 table and equipment packages for schools and youth clubs will be distributed, alongside running the London and Essex Schools†competitions. In addition, Table Tennis England will deliver teacher and youth-leader training, development competitions and a dedicated Girls†Festival to further embed table tennis into everyday school life.

This year we will focus on:

• Communities ranked IMD 1-4 (the most deprived quartiles)
• SEND schools and inclusive settings
• Organisations actively promoting girls†participation

Working with partners, local councils and disability organisations, the programme will extend opportunities to the young people who benefit most from accessible, low-cost activity.

Building on last year’s success

In the 14th year of the programme, we reached thousands of young people across London and Essex.

Highlights included:

• 237 tables donated to schools and youth clubs (76% to first-time recipients)
• 1,215 young people competed across county qualifiers and finals
• 120 girls engaged through the Girls†Programme and Festival
• Development Competitions gave students their first table tennis competition experience
• 88% of participants reporting increased confidence and self-belief
• Net Promoter Score +62, showing exceptional enjoyment and recommendation

Table tennis’ impact in schools

Table tennis is simple to start, social by nature and inclusive for all abilities – a sport that breaks down barriers and brings people together.

Feedback from teachers and players routinely highlight the impact the tables have in the playground and in PE lessons.

For example, the PE lead at an Essex academy said: “Weâ€ve noticed a real change in how students mix – table tennis has broken down barriers between year groups and created new friendships across the school.â€

While another teacher at a London Secondary School said: “Lunchtimes have become a real attraction – students have a welcoming space to unwind, meet friends and play together. The sense of fun and connection is incredible.â€

It offers young people a safe, positive space to be active, learn new skills and build resilience both on and off the table. For example, a Year 9 participant said: “Playing in the Jack Petchey competition made me feel part of something bigger – Iâ€ve made friends from other schools and want to keep improving.

Looking ahead

As the new academic period begins, Table Tennis England and the Jack Petchey Foundation remain committed to nurturing young peopleâ€s potential. We will continue to use table tennis to inspire confidence, leadership and connection in line with Sir Jackâ€s belief that “every young person has the ability to achieve if given the opportunityâ€.

Together, we will continue to build on 15 years of success and keep opening doors through table tennis.

Get involved

Table Donation Scheme

Schools and youth organisations signed up to the Jack Petchey Achievement Award Scheme can now apply for the Table Donation Scheme.

Competitions

For competition details and further information on the programme, please click here.

Not part of the Achievement Award Scheme? Please contact the Jack Petchey Foundation directly for information on how to join.

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NEW YORK — Power-hitting Japanese corner infielder Munetaka Murakami is entering Major League Baseballâ€s posting system and will be available to teams to sign as a free agent from Saturday through Dec. 22.

Murakami, who turns 26 on Feb. 2, was the Central Leagueâ€s MVP in 2021 and â€22 with the Yakult Swallows and is a four-time All-Star.

He batted .273 with 22 homers and 47 RBIs this season, limited to 56 games by an oblique injury. He struck out 64 times.

Murakami hit 56 homers in 2022 to break Sadaharu Ohâ€s record for a Japanese-born player in Nippon Professional Baseball while becoming the youngest player to earn Japanâ€s Triple Crown. He topped 30 homers in four straight years before an injury-interrupted season in 2023.

He has a .270 career average with 246 homers, 647 RBIs and 977 strikeouts in 892 games over eight Central League seasons, all with the Swallows.

After playing primarily at first base in 2019 and 2020, he has spent most of his time since at third.

At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Murakami hit a ninth-inning walk-off double off Giovanny Gallegos that scored Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida to give Japan a 6-5 semifinal win over Mexico. The following day in the championship game, Murakami hit a tying home run off Merrill Kelly in the second inning and Japan went on to beat the United States 3-2.

Under the agreement between MLB and NPB, the posting fee will be 20% of the first $25 million of a major league contract, including earned bonuses and options. The percentage drops to 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% of any amount over $50 million. There would be a supplemental fee of 15% of any earned bonuses, salary escalators and exercised options.

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As “zero” and low torque putter options started flooding into the marketplace, one major player stood quiet and watched the growing trend.

But on Tuesday, Scotty Cameron unveiled its new OC — short for Onset Center — putters, finally entering the low torque putter space. The OC neck design is being released as an option on two head shapes in the Studio Style and Phantom lineups: the Fastback OC and Phantom 11R OC.

“In the last few years, we’ve seen a growing number of golfers who want to minimize the feel of face rotation in the stroke via putter setup,” said Scotty Cameron’s Senior Director of Putter R&D, Austie Rollinson, in a release. “And as a designer, what excites me most about OC is that it gives golfers options. We now have an entirely new configuration for golfers who want to feel a square, straight-back-and-through path.

“We designed our OC models to minimize face rotation while maintaining responsiveness and feedback.”

Keep reading below for more on the Scotty Cameron OC models and my thoughts on this long-anticipated release.

What are Scotty Cameron OC putters?

It should surprise no one that Scotty Cameron was one of the last major putter makers to enter the low torque putter market, doing so more than a year after competitors like Bettinardi, Toulon Golf and Odyssey.

Scotty Cameron’s new OC putter offerings

Jack Hirsh/GOLF

“The way the Cameron brand operates, they don’t really want to rush into something,” Andrew Thomas, Cameron’s Senior Marketing Manager, told GOLF. “They want to be deliberate and methodical about how they approach a specific technology in putters.

“I think Scotty himself wanted to kind of keep an eye on this and see, is this going to be a fad? Is this really something? And as we’ve seen over the last year or so, it’s really something.”

For Cameron, the new OC models aren’t a new putter family, but rather extensions of tow flow and neck offerings to their existing Studio Style and Phantom lines.

As Rollinson began taking Tour player feedback on low torque designs, Rollinson kept hearing that gaming a low torque — commonly referred to as “zero torque” — putter often meant sacrificing feel. Because of that, Cameron’s OC designs put a clear priority on feel and maintaining a traditional setup.

Both the Fastback OC and Phantom 11R OC putters differ from their base models with a center-shafted design that places the shaft axis directly through the CG of the head. But they are also 15 g heavier with slightly stiffer shafts designed to match the weight increase without dulling the feel.

Scotty Cameron OC lineup hosel placements

Jack Hirsh/GOLF

To keep a more traditional look and setup position, the putters have just one degree of shaft lean, allowing them to use conventional grips.

Unlike other low-torque options on the market, the Onset Center putters do not have the shaft go directly into the head, meaning the lie and shaft lean — thus loft — can be adjusted. Cameron says any adjustments would have no impact on the putter’s low torque properties.

The putters feature Cameron’s new chain-link milling pattern, a key feature of all recent Cameron releases, and the Fastback model sports the new Studio Carbon Steel insert, a material that Cameron says is one of the softest he has ever used.

The Phantom 11R shape also denotes more rounded edges than the current Phantom 11 putters, similar to Cameron Young’s Phantom 9.5R putter.

Who are Scotty Cameron OC putters for?

Thomas was adamant that the new OC options and low torque putters in general are not a silver bullet and not for every golfer out there.

But for players who have a more natural square-to-square stroke, the new OC putter options will complement that nicely.

With the heavier headweights, chain-link milling and SCS insert on the fastback option, the Cameron low torque models are certainly positioned for players who like a softer feel.

Chain Link Face Milling Insert on the new Fastback OC

Jack Hirsh/GOLF

The new Scotty Cameron Phantom 11r OC

Jack Hirsh/GOLF

My thoughts!

It was only a matter of time before Scotty entered the low torque chat, and the entry is exactly what we were expecting.

Going forward, it’s likely you will start to see plenty of OEMs distance themselves from the “zero torque” terminology, as Cameron is here, because these putters aren’t actually zero torque. It’s nice to see an OEM acknowledge this right at the launch of a new product. Cameron has specifically stated that they understand that as soon as human hands are on the putter, there is going to be a certain amount of torque introduced.

The statement here with OC is that it’s that these two models are now the lowest torque offerings from Scotty Cameron with the greatest ability to keep the putter head square through delivery.

In terms of feel, these putters definitely live up to the Scotty Cameron name. I haven’t decided whether I’m fully on the low torque train yet, but I have been toying around with the Fastback OC. I’ve found that to have a very similar feel to my Studio Style Catalina, which has been my gamer.

Price, specs and availability

Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback OC Custom Putter

As an extension of the popular Studio Style Fastback design, the Studio Style Fastback OC is a low–torque model featuring the same ring–weighted, high–alignment, multi–material design of the other Fastback models, but with Scotty’s tour–validated OC technology package. Featuring onset center shaft placement behind the putter face’s leading edge, the straight shaft is precisely positioned in line with the putter head’s CG location and leans 1° forward. This allows for low–torque performance and face alignment that stays square to the path.

STUDIO CARBON STEEL (SCS) FACE INSERT
The Studio Style Fastback OC includes a chain–link milled Studio Carbon Steel (SCS) insert for soft sound and feel, treated with an electroless nickel plating for enhanced durability with aerospace–inspired vibration damping for tuned sound, feel and performance.

CUSTOM BLACK SHAFT

Custom made for the new OC putters, each model includes a special black KBS x Scotty Cameron shaft with optimal flex, unimpeded alignment and precise feel.

CUSTOM MATADOR GRIP
With a debossed chain–link texture built–in, each new OC putter includes a custom 11–inch mid–size Matador grip in black with racy red and cool gray accents.

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: Titleist

Scotty Cameron 2025 Phantom 11R OC Custom Putter

Inspired by prototype models made for tour players, the Phantom 11R OC—“R” for “round” and “OC” for “onset center”—is a new Phantom mallet with rounded corners in a revolutionary low torque package. With a straight shaft installed directly in line with the model’s CG, the Phantom 11R OC is designed with a heavier head to provide high stability while maintaining very low torque through the stroke.

CHAIN–LINK FACE MILLING TECHNOLOGY
The texture of chain–link face milling technology reduces the putter face’s touch points with the ball to soften sound and improve roll characteristics while preserving feel and optimizing feedback.

CUSTOM BLACK SHAFT
Custom made for the new OC putters, each model includes a special black KBS x Scotty Cameron shaft with optimal flex, unimpeded alignment and precise feel.

CUSTOM MATADOR GRIP
With a debossed chain–link texture built–in, each new OC putter includes a custom 11–inch mid–size Matador grip in black with racy red and cool gray accents.

View Product

ALSO AVAILABLE AT: Titleist

Scotty Cameron OC putters will be available in golf shops starting on November 14. Both models will cost $549.

The putters will be available in 33″, 34″ and 35″ lengths with stock loft of 3.5˚ and lie of 70˚. The loft and lie can be adjusted by ± 2˚.

Want to find the best putter for your game?Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

Midfielder Barry Bannan has been a stalwart in the Wednesday side since his arrival back in 2015 and signed a new deal in August despite the departures of many of his team-mates, following multiple delayed payments of player and staff wages.

“We’ve known for a while that this could be the route that it was going to go down. Obviously it’s a sad day for the club first and foremost, you don’t really want to be going into administration,” the 35-year-old told BBC Radio Sheffield.

“As a group of players, it’s made our task a lot harder this season as well so it was hard news to take but this needed to happen, we couldn’t keep going on the way it was going on.

“The task becomes bigger but I think for the club going forward, it’s probably the right thing that’s happened.”

Bannan has made 460 appearances for the club in his decade-long spell and he understands the fans’ frustrations, but emphasised the importance of the atmosphere at Hillsborough.

“We totally got what they were doing, we were never against it as players and staff, we just wanted to play games,” he added.

“I said that when the fans came on to the pitch the other week, that was the only bit of joy we’re getting as a group of players and staff was playing three o’clock on a Saturday.

“We got what they were doing but now we need them more than ever, we’ve needed them all season at home and unfortunately we’ve not really had that atmosphere.

“But now the fans have got what they wanted, this is where we really need them to come and get behind us and be that extra man.”

Bannan’s message was echoed in a statement by the players issued on official club channels.

“After what has been a period of division and a feeling of ‘disconnect’ between the club, the players and the fans, we now hope this is the time we can all come back together under the badge and enjoy our football again,” the statement read., external

“So we ask you, starting tomorrow against Oxford, please come back to Hillsborough and cheer the team on. Let’s make the ground a place for teams to fear as we do everything we can to get the points we are going to so desperately need.

“Think back to the comeback against Peterborough, wins against Arsenal and Newcastle. That was you in the stands as much as us on the pitch!

“We won’t give up, and we ask you not to give up on us. Together we are stronger. Together we can fight.”

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Frosh Kelvin Cheruiyotâ€s training mates in Kenya included Oklahoma Stateâ€s Denis Kipngetich and Brian Musau but the Pre-Nats winner is an XC contender kitted in Gator colors. (SHAWN PRICE)

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI, October 17 — With thunderstorms a strong possibility for Saturday, organizers moved the Pre-Nationals race to Friday, and the No. 2-ranked Oklahoma State men opted to race at home instead. That left the door open for unranked Georgia to steal the win from No. 19 Missouri and No. 24 Mississippi under sunny skies on the Gans Creek XC Course.

With three in the top 20 led by 9th-place Ryan Olreeâ€s 23:21.5, the Bulldogs totaled 119 points to convincingly better the host schoolâ€s 164 and Ole Missâ€s 178. No. 22-ranked Arkansas, not running its best, finished 8th with 270 points.

More telling than the team race was an individual battle among several athletes who may loom large on the nationals stage. Razorbacks Brian Masai and Timothy Chesondin pushed the pace early, but as Chesondin led past 5K in 14:09.7, Florida frosh Kelvin Cheruiyot moved into striking range, as did Wichita Stateâ€s Elkana Kipruto, the three breaking away from the main pack.

The strongest kick belonged to Cheruiyot, a 13:47.7 performer on the track (at altitude). He put away Kipruto on the final stretch as Chesondin lost ground to both. The Kenyan frosh clocked 22:44.6, more than 17 seconds faster than his collegiate debut in placing 16th on the same course last month. Kipruto ran 22:45.6 and Chesondin 22:49.7. Nearly 20 seconds back was 4th-placer Kidus Misgina of Mississippi in 23:08.8. Masai finished 6th in 23:11.6.

PRE-NATIONALS MENâ€S RESULTS

Teams: 1. Georgia 119; 2. Missouri 164; 3. Ole Miss 178; 4. Texas 183; 5. Loyola (ill.) 192; 6. Minnesota 257; 7. Wichita State 265; 8. Arkansas 270; 9. Purdue 291; 10. Florida 293.

Individuals (8K): 1. ***Kelvin Cheruiyot’ (Fl-Ken) 22:44.6; 2. **Elkana Kipruto’ (Wich-Ken) 22:45.6; 3. *Timothy Chesondin’ (Ar-Ken) 22:49.7; 4. *Kidus Misgina (Ms) 23:08.8; 5. Chandler Gibbens (Saucony) 23:10.5; 6. *Brian Masai’ (Ar-Ken) 23:11.6; 7. -Jacob White (Wy) 23:12.2; 8. Cody Larson (SDSt) 23:17.9; 9. *Ryan Olree (Ga) 23:21.5; 10. William Sinclair (Loyola) 23:22.6;

11. Toby Gillen’ (Ms-Aus) 23:23.4; 12. Drew Rogers (Mo) 23:24.7; 13. **Collins Kiprop Kipngok’ (Ky-Ken) 23:24.9; 14. ***Elijah Limo’ (Mo-Ken) 23:25.8; 15. Will Aitken (Ga) 23:28.3; 16. *Edward Bird’ (Ky-GB) 23:29.7; 17. Owen Smith (MtSt) 23:32.3; 18. Adrian Diaz-Lopez’ (Wich-Spa) 23:35.7; 19. *Conner Rutherford (Ga) 23:37.3; 20. Mathis Chavand’ (Wy-Fra) 23:43.6;

21. *Sam Ells (MtSt) 23:44.8; 22. ***Aidan Torres (Tx) 23:46.2; 23. *Isaac Hirshman-Chandler’ (FlSt-GB) 23:46.4; 24. Seth Babbel (IdSt) 23:46.4; 25. Ben Shearer (Ar) 23:47.5.

Jeff Hollobaugh is a writer and stat geek who has been associated with T&FN in various capacities since 1987. He is the author of How To Race The Mile. He lives in Michigan where he can often be found announcing track meets in bad weather.

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LONDON — Thomas Tuchel justified Jude Bellingham‘s omission from this England squad in part by claiming a need to identify an alternative should injury strike the Real Madrid star in the future.

Thursday’s authoritative 3-0 victory over Wales at Wembley was further evidence that he might have found not just another option but a genuine competitor for Bellingham’s No. 10 spot.

Morgan Rogers impressed in last month’s 5-0 win over Serbia to the extent that he was entrusted to continue the job. It took him, and England, just three minutes to pick up where they left off in Belgrade, smartly converting Marc Guéhi‘s cutback to open the scoring.

– When can England qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
– Why has Bellingham, officially England’s best player, been dropped?
– 2026 World Cup: Who has qualified, and how the rest can make it

Rogers was denied an assist eight minutes later by the faintest touch from Guéhi on his cross, which Ollie Watkins converted. Later, Bukayo Saka curled in a sublime effort in the 20th minute.

For a manager who had tasked this group of players with the responsibility of proving themselves capable without the creative talents of Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, Tuchel was understandably delighted with the collective response.

It is the fastest England has scored three goals in a match since November 1987. And all without their all-time record goalscorer Harry Kane, responsible for 74 out of the 128 international goals across all 24 players called up this time.

“I did not feel any interruption in our flow, the workload and the way we pressed,” said Tuchel.

“The team is pushing itself and they are buying into the idea. They love the idea of going after opponents. At the moment it is very intense, very demanding but very effective.

“They do it at a high, high level. I am very delighted with the last two matches. We are absolutely on the right way. At the side, it feels like we show very good behavior like a club team. This is what we want to do, the feeling we want to create. The competition is on. The guys who play want to keep the shirt.”

There was a somewhat inevitable dip as the second half wore on, with the contest long since over, but Rogers was once again continuing to be crucial for England. Willing to drop in and help the press while dynamic enough to aid transitions or probe for openings, Rogers is a compelling choice.

“Morgan does excellent, like the whole team,” said Tuchel. “He is very humble, very physical, he has the ability to score and assist. He had a fantastic season and a well-deserved vote for the best young player of last season in the Premier League.

“That’s what he shows. We trust this team. Why not trust this team, who had such a good last camp? They showed again today that one-and-a-half training sessions are enough to adapt and be ready.”

Rogers celebrated his goal with the “Cold Palmer” celebration, an inadvertent reminder of another rival in that No. 10 position.

Morgan Rogers uses Cole Palmer’s celebration, but will he eventually take his starting role for England? (Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Cole Palmer is absent due to a groin problem and has conceded that Rogers first came up with the celebration Palmer has trademarked in the public consciousness when the pair played together in Manchester City’s academy.

The Chelsea playmaker will have watched somewhere as Rogers scored his first England goal, on a night where Rogers may have moved ahead of Palmer in the pecking order on the pitch too.

Of course, Bellingham’s talent is such that his return to full fitness and anything like his regular level for Real Madrid will ensure he not only earns a recall next month but probably a starting berth.

But Tuchel has pointedly referred to the excellent team spirit in camp and a benchmark of performance being set, which was emphatically underlined here to the extent that the onus is on Bellingham to respond over the next few weeks.

Tuchel made four changes to the team that beat Serbia and all of them were enforced — Reece James, Tino Livramento, Kane and Noni Madueke are injured — but the intensity and purpose in England’s play remained.

The combination overwhelmed Wales, and it could have been much worse. Watkins almost inconceivably missed from a yard out and Tuchel was right to suggest England could have been 5-0 up by halftime.

Wales improved in the second half to the extent Jordan Pickford was forced into two good saves, the first from David Brooks with his feet and the second flying to his left to repel Chris Mepham‘s header.

But they were thoroughly second best, often penned in as England pushed so far forward that their last line of defense was routinely only 40 yards or so from Wales’ goal.

Like Rogers, Elliot Anderson is excelling under Tuchel. Playing as a No. 6, he ended with 74 out of 79 completed passes and 92 touches in total, a figure only surpassed by England’s center backs Guéhi and John Stones, despite Anderson being substituted on 69 minutes. The 22-year-old anchored England’s European Championship success at Under-21 level this summer, and he continues to advance his case as a solution to England’s longstanding problem in the number six position.

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Of course, it remains to be seen whether he can dictate the tempo as effectively against elite — or even more expansive — opposition than Wales, but he is rapidly adding to the body of evidence that suggests he deserves the right to try.

These Wembley occasions can often be a little subdued and Tuchel was not shy in pointing out what he believed was a disparity between England’s performance and the noise levels inside the stadium.

“The stadium was silent. We didn’t get any energy back from the stands. We did everything to win,” he said.

“What more can you give in 20 minutes? We didn’t let them escape. If you hear just Wales fans for half an hour, it’s sad because the team deserved more support today.

“I’m 100% sure that we have fantastic support at the tournament. We will have top support in Latvia [on Tuesday]. We had excellent support in Serbia. But today we were 3-0, after 23 minutes, we had ball-win after ball-win after ball-win, and I felt like ‘why is the roof still on the stadium? What’s going [on]?’

“That’s just it, it is nothing big. It could also have helped us in the second half to regain energy and to regain rhythm. It was not like this today. No problem. We will do everything again to be infectious. There is no problem. Like I said, I really mean it. I’m sure we will get everyone going. It is on us. But today I was a little underwhelmed.”

Tuchel will hope the England fans respond. Those players currently on the periphery may need to do the same.

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Sep 12, 2025, 05:45 PM ETPORTLAND, Ore. — Paul Allen’s estate has formally reached an agreement to sell the Portland…

There’s a wide divide in finances between Major League Baseball’s big-market and small-market teams.As for the win column? Not so…