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Jim Ross (photo credit Wade Keller © PWTorch)

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

The following report originally published 20 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com.

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW REPORT
OCTOBER 17, 2005
SACRAMENTO, CALIF.
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, EDITOR

-The show opened with a lengthy recap of last week’s show-closing angle with Jim Ross being fired by Linda McMahon. Then the Raw opening aired.

-Vince McMahon stepped out without any introduction from any announcers and stood on the stage with a mic. He reminisced about how proud his wife made him in the way she fired Jim Ross. He said Linda would address the J.R. situation later live from their World headquarters in Connecticut. He said there is a nasty rumor going around that a certain individual is on his way to the arena. He said that person alleges to be J.R.’s best friend – “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. WWE.com had teased that all day. “Don’t be surprised if I kick Stone Cold’s beer swilling, pick-up driving ass. I don’t want to, but I might.” He said he isn’t there to appease the fans or “good ol’ J.R.” He said J.R. has made some contributions to WWE. The fans began an “asshole” chant (it’s noteworthy that there is no “J.R.” chant so far). Vince said they put together a video compilations of some of Ross’s better contributions. This sure appears to be a major endorsement and push of J.R. as a personality to lead Raw on USA in the future, rather than a true last chapter of his career as a lead announcer on TV. The clips showed J.R. kissing Vince’s ass, having beer poured on his bloodied face, being stomped into the mat, and kicked between the legs by Linda.

Vince then introduced the “new permanent announcer for Raw.” Out walked Coach in a cowboy hat. McMahon referred to him as “Good ol’ Coach.” The crowd booed. Coach then said, “Thank you to Mr. McMahon.” He said J.R. was a father figure to him, “although a fat Texas father figure.” He said all of that was about to change. He was going to pick up the slack J.R. left behind. He said that as of now, he was “the new voice of the people.” He then put on his headset.

-They went backstage where Kurt Angle met McMahon and said he had to talk to him. He said before he fired J.R. last week, he was about to announce a new no. 1 contender. He wanted to know if he deserves that slot after beating Cena last week. Vince said he is on his way to talk to Eric Bischoff about the Raw main event. Hurricane then showed up and asked him “what’s up w’dat?” regarding Ross being fired. McMahon ordered Angle to attack him. Angle did so, throwing him into the equipment chests and then dragged him through the crowd to the ring. Coach then called the attack solo. He reiterated he is the new voice of Raw. Hurricane made a comeback. Coach’s call of it already accentuated the value of Ross, which at this point may have been intentional since they left Jerry Lawler off commentary. Conspicuously, there was no reference to Lawler yet. Angle applied the Anklelock with viciousness. Four referees pried him off of Hurricane.

-Coach plugged that Mick Foley would be on Carlito’s Cabana later.

-A vignette aired advertising the pending return of Kane, with him saying, “I’mmmm baaaack!” Of course, maniacal laughter followed.

[Commercial Break]

-Coach introduced Lawler. He apologized for taking so long to bring him out.

-Backstage, McMahon told Eric Bischoff he expected to give the audience something they’ve never had and empower them with choices. He wanted him to present a main event that is “absolutely compelling.” Bischoff said he is glad he asked, in full ass-kiss mode. He said at Taboo Tuesday, there would be a three-way match featuring John Cena defending against Kurt Angle and a third man the fans decide. He announced Shawn Michaels vs. Carlito as a match where the winner would be one candidate. He said Big Show vs. Edge would face off for a spot on the ballot. He also booked an 18 man battle royal, with the winner also being listed as a candidate for a title match Taboo Tuesday. Lawler said it looks like Bischoff hit a homerun with his line-up, at least as far as Vince McMahon was concerned.

1 — EDGE (w/Lita) vs. BIG SHOW

When Coach said, “Big Show is so big.” Lawler mocked him for that being the type of analysis he’ll provide in Ross’s absence. Show tossed Edge over the top rope and they cut to a break at 1:10.

[Commercial Break]

Edge worked over Show’s chokeslam arm. He grasped at his shoulder right away as if he might have popped something. Lita then hung from his arm. Show grabbed her by the hair. Edge hit Show with a forearm from behind. Show came back, but Edge used a low blow to regain control a minute later. He then hit a spear, but Coach yelled “Gore! Gore! Gore!” Lawler corrected him, saying it was a “Spear! Spear! Spear!” They’re trying to play up Coach’s incompetence, setting up J.R.’s big comeback or set the bar so low J.R.’s eventual replacement will seem like a gift. Edge grabbed his briefcase. JBL’s introduction then played. That distracted Edge just as he was about to hit Edge with the briefcase. Show then surprised Edge with a chokeslam for the win. Show favored his right arm after the match, and appeared to be in pain.

-Coach plugged Mick Foley on Carlito’s Cabana again.

-A video aired of the ticket sales launch for WrestleMania 22. They aired clips of WWE fans who had spent between 24 and 48 hours camping out for tickets. One fan said he saved up his money to get a $500 ticket to Chicago just to stand in line to get a ticket. They showed fan celebrating getting tickets.

-Edge complained about the JBL music playing. Bischoff asked what he’s going to do about it. Edge told him to tune into Smackdown to find out what he’s going to do.

-Carlito’s Cabana: Carlito introduced Foley. Foley said it was an honor to be in the same ring with him. Foley said he was there to talk about the travesty that happened last week. He said J.R. may not be cool, but he is the best announcer in WWE history. He said he was disappointed in Linda, whom he felt was a voice of reason within the McMahon family. Linda said that they have been flooded with emails. She said many were concerned with J.R.’s condition because he is scheduled for colon surgery tomorrow. She said there were accusations that her kick to his groin added to his problems. She said that is not true and a lawsuit would be unsuccessful. She said everyone is praying for his health and wished him the best for his years of service with the company. She then told Foley, “Have a nice day.” The fans chanted, “That’s not cool.”

Carlito said, “Let’s face it, J.R.’s gone. He’s not just a fat, out of shape loser. Just like you.” He said that is why he brought him to the Cabana. He said, and we quote: “You must be the least coolest person Carlito’s ever seen. How does it feel to be so uncool.” Foley said, “You got me! I’m here to make a shocking confession. You see, I, Mick Foley, the hardcore legend, am not cool. I’m not even sure I want to be cool.” He asked him to hear him out before spitting on him for not wanting to be cool. He said even though he doesn’t have cool friends or travel to cool places, “with the exception of Sacramento, California” (cheap pop), he said after fans talk to him, they inevitable say, “Mick Foley, he’s cool.” He said on the other hand, Carlito dresses cool, has a cool accent, cool hair, but despite all that, after fans talk to him, they inevitable say, “Carlito is a horse’s ass.”

He asked Carlito not how he feels, but what is he going to do about it. Carlito smiled and then grabbed an apple. Foley told him to go ahead and spit an apple in his face. He said it wouldn’t be the first time he was spit on. He said he shouldn’t worried about produce (i.e. an apple; get it?), what he should worry about is whether he can produce inside the ring later against Shawn Michaels. He said when it’s all said and done, HBK would beat him like a government mule. “And that would be cool,” he concluded. “Have a nice day!” Coach said Foley always wears out his welcome. Lawler said Coach shouldn’t talk about people wearing out their welcome.

-The showed the outside of the arena and Coach said rumors persist that Steve Austin was going to make a surprise appearance.

[Commercial Break]

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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2 — SHAWN MICHAELS vs. CARLITO

Carlito attacked Michaels on the rampway during his intro. Coach said, with absolutely no semblance of context or authority, “Viewers, settle in, this one will be a classic!” He said he is trying to wean people off of J.R.’s style, you can’t expect people to go cold turkey. Coach said fans should embrace he and Carlito as a youth movement. Lawler sarcastically said the fans would be doing what he says. Carlito dominated early, clotheslining Michaels over the top rope. Coach said that in his “25 years in the business,” he’s never seen a talent such as Carlito be so aggressive.

Lawler called him out on that outrageous exaggeration. Michaels showed the first sign of life at 5:00 by rolling through on a Carlito bodyblock off the top rope for a near fall. Michaels threw chops at Carlito, then applied a sleeper. Carlito came back with an Abdominal Stretch at 7:00. Michaels came back with a suplex, but both men ended up spilling to the floor. Coach then tried to create drama by saying, “They’re down, they’re down, they’re down!” It sounded as convincing and authentic as when those kids read scripts of pundit arguments on “The Daily Show.” Coach is absolutely terrible, and it’s not just him being terrible on purpose for effect; he just is the wrong person to be doing play-by-play. It’s greatly affecting the quality of the entire show.

[Commercial Break]

Michaels eventually made a full-fledged comeback at 13:30. He played to the crowd well as he climbed to the top rope and hit an elbow. He then signalled for the Sweet Chin Music. Carlito ducked the telegraphed finisher and rolled up Michaels and used the ropes for leverage to score a very near fall, albeit clumsy looking. Carlito nearly whipped Michaels into the ref, but Michaels stopped short. Carlito then shoved Michaels into the ref, then retrieved a chair. Carlito swung the chair, but Michaels ducked. Carlito tried again, but Michaels kicked the chair into his face. The ref returned to the ring and counted to three.

WINNER: Michaels at 15:51.

STAR RATING: **3/4 — Above-average, but bland and one dimensional for several stretches of time. One of Michaels’s worst singles matches in a while.

-As Michaels returned to the stage, Ric Flair walked out to his music. He looked serious, but gave Michaels a handshake first.

[Commercial Break – 10:13 p.m.]

-Ric Flair was standing mid-ring. He said Triple H has told the fans that he (Flair) is the greatest wrestler in history and worships the ground he (Flair) walks on. He said that signal of respect shows he has a soft spot, but after what he did two weeks ago, “he has now lit a fire under my ass.” He said he has a desire right now to achieve at a level he hasn’t achieved at for 15 years.

“God I’m feeling good,” said Flair. “I, for 20 years, carried that brass ring we talked about in my back pocket. I owned it. No one could take it from me. I knew day in and day out I was the best wrestler alive today. And you knew it. Nobody walked out of that arena without saying god, Ric Flair put on a show tonight. He did it all.’ Well, Triple, now you’ve got that ring. You are considered the man. God, I question that call.” He said he knows he’s 20 years older, but then he dropped an elbow on the sports coat he shed a minute earlier. He said he wanted to get everyone up to speed on him. He said he was in a plane crash which killed a pilot and paralyzed two other wrestlers. He said doctors said he’d never wrestle again.

He said six months later he was in the ring wearing gold. He said in 1981, he got off an Eastern airlines jet in Richmond, Va., it was raining so hard, lightning hit his umbrella and killed the guy standing three feet from him dead. “You think I’m afraid of you, Triple H? God!” He pulled off his bandage and said every day he has to look at his cut. He punched away it and said he got the stitches out just a few minutes ago. He began bleeding heavily. He rubbed the blood all over his face and shirt. He said he has taken two of his sledge hammer shots.

He called him out to the ring. “Come out here to see what Nature Boy has for you,” he said. Then he rubbed the flowing blood on his face like aftershave. “God, I want you bad! Where are you?” he said. Triple H walked out with a mic in hand. When Flair made a move toward him with a baseball bat, Hunter bolted to the back. Flair chased after him. He said he wouldn’t stop until he found him. He asked why he would run from him.

[Commercial Break]

-They again teased the arrival of Steve Austin.

-Maria was going to interview Carlito. He yanked the mic out of her hand and in a rage said he didn’t win his match because of Mick Foley. He challenged him to a match at Taboo Tuesday. “I don’t care if you’re retired.” Maria was flown into Sacramento for that?

3 — MICKEY JAMES & TRISH STRATUS & ASHLEY vs. VICTORIA & TORRIE WILSON &

Coach plugged that after Raw, USA would show exclusive footage of Rock’s new movie, “Doom.”

-They showed Steve Austin driving into the arena in his pick-up truck. He crashed into a few things as he drove right up to ringside. Austin entered the ring and stood on the top rope, saluting the fans from each corner. They cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

-Austin said he came to the arena because he has something important to discuss. He said he has been with WWE for ten years and he gave the place his blood, sweat, and tears. He said there have been some good times and some bad times. “I ain’t never backed down from anybody in this sum-bitch company. I fought everybody in this company. I can honestly say through all the times I’ve been here, only one person has been my friend. That is Jim Ross. He has been like a father to me, and a brother to me. I sat there in my house and watched him get treated like a dog. It was completely unacceptable. It was complete… you know what I’m saying.” He said he has to address one man – Vince McMahon. He called him to the ring and said they had business to take care of. He said he had 48 beers so he could stay there all night long. Stephanie McMahon walked out instead.

She said, “What’s the matter? Steve. You look disappointed to see me.” He said he doesn’t understand what’s wrong with the McMahon family. He said they seem obsessed with balls and grapefruits. He said last week she even claimed to have the biggest balls in the company. “Am I about to slam a transvestite?” he asked. He said her breath stinks. She said he won’t lay a hand on her because then it would be his fault if J.R. stays fired. Austin swigged a beer and said, “Let me understand this. You fired J.R. why?” He said because he gave each of the family members Stunners. Steph began talking over Austin and asked, “Where is J.R.?” Austin asked if it was J.R.’s fault. “You’re not making a lick of damn sense to me,” Austin said. “He had nothing to do with what happened to you and your little family.” He said, “Since you’re in the ring, what if I just put you over my knee, pull your little dress up, and I have to be careful because I don’t want your balls to fall out.” That got a big crowd pop, and Austin even cracked himself up. He asked the crowd for a “hell yeah.”

Coach stood up and said, “Hell, no. Don’t you even think of attacking a defenseless woman. Don’t you get it, Steve. J.R. isn’t coming back. Nobody wants J.R. here and nobody wants you here.” He told Austin to get in his truck and drive away like the scolded dog he is. Austin cleaned out both of his ears with his finger, then said, “I don’t remember talking to you, you kiss ass son of a bitch.” He said after he’s done kicking Vince’s ass, he was going to kick his ass anyway, so he might as well do it now. As he was about to leave the ring, Steph asked him to wait a second. Austin mocked her tone of voice. He said he’d do whatever he wants. “I’ve got a proposition for you, but not the kind you want to hear,” she said. Austin said, “I don’t think I’ve got a 20 on me.” She said she had a proposal to get J.R. back. Austin said he was listening.

Steph said he gave her a hell of an idea. She said if he faces Coach at Taboo Tuesday and he wins, he’d win J.R.’s job back. She said J.R. would be rehired if he could win. Austin said since she’s a McMahon, he doesn’t trust her. He wanted to get it straight, and then repeated her proposal. Steph said, “As a McMahon, and as your boss, I guarantee it.” Austin said, “I can drink to that. Give me a damn beer.” He then told Coach he had ass whippin’ coming. Lawler gloated. As Austin celebrated, Steph said from the stage, “Oh, one more thing. If you lose to Jonathan Coachman at Taboo Tuesday, then you’re fired.” Austin said, “Oh, Stephanie. I fully understand if I lose, I’m fired. It won’t be the first time I’m fired. Here’s to ya’.” He gave her the finger, then called for more beers.

Austin walked up to Coach at the broadcasting desk. Austin said he could have the first shot. He said, “You know what bothers me, when I talk to a sum-bitch like you and you disrespect me.” He mocked his sunglasses, flipped them off, then asked if that made him mad. He asked if he was okay. He ripped his shirt open and knocked off his hat. Coach got wide-eyed in a cartoonish way. Austin asked if he was going to do something. Coach said, “Not tonight.” Austin said he was giving him a free shot. Austin poured a beer into Coach’s hat, then put it over his head. He told him he’d see it in two weeks and “a war machine is rolling into town named Stone Cold Steve Austin.”

[Commercial Break]

-With a bunch of wrestlers standing in the ring, Bischoff stepped out and announced that voting for Taboo Tuesday begins next week on Raw. He said fans could vote on stips for Triple H vs. Ric Flair. He also said they’d be able to vote on Carlito vs. Mick Foley. He said there would also be a “Fulfill Your Fantasy Diva Battle Royal.” John Cena walked to this music, adjusted Bischoff’s collar, waved his hand in his face, and then joined Coach and Lawler at the announcers’ desk. He said he is doing his homework and scouting the battle royal. Bischoff went back to announcing a surprise entrant in the battle royal, the seven foot Kane. Carlito took a big bite out of his apple as Kane entered the ring. The entire riing of wrestlers backed off to one side of the ring. Carlito went to spit at Kane, but Kane grabbed him by his throat to chokeslam him. Carlito showed what happens when a wrestler attempts a chokeslam without help. On the second chokeslam, Carlito leaped into the air so Kane got good height on it. They cut to a break.

[Commercial Break – 10:58 p.m.]

It came down to Chris Masters vs. Kane after just a couple minutes. Kane blocked the Master Lock and then backdropped Masters for the win. Cena stood up and looked at Kane. Kane shot back a look in his direction. Kane then signalled he wanted the belt. Nice finish to the show to add a refreshed Kane into the mix headed into Taboo Tuesday. I suspect Shawn Michaels will run away with the voting, but Kane isn’t a bad third wildcard to include in voting. Other in the battle royal were Edge, Kerwin White, Trevor Murdoch, Lance Cade, Rob Conway, Viscera, Rosey, Shelton Benjamin (take him off the milk carton), Gene Snitsky, Tyson Tomko, Eugene, Heart Throbs, Tajiri, and Val Venis.

WINNER: Kane in 6:00.

STAR RATING: 1/2* – Not a memorable battle royal.

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Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim thinks it is important Sir Jim Ratcliffe went public with his long-term thoughts – but says nothing is certain about tomorrow in football, let alone three years.

In an interview with The Times last week, Ratcliffe said it could take Amorim three years to make a significant impact at Old Trafford.

Coming in a period when Amorim’s future has been under scrutiny following an extended sequence of disappointing results, the comments helped quell some of the immediate pressure.

But, speaking before the 100th meeting with old rivals Liverpool at Anfield, the United boss stressed that the future is hard to predict in football.

“It is really good to hear it but he tells me all the time, sometimes with a message after games – but you know, I know and Jim knows, that football is not like that,” he said.

“The most important thing is the next game. Even with owners, you cannot control the next day in football.”

Chief executive Omar Berrada has admitted it has taken far longer for Amorim to adapt to the Premier League following his move from Sporting last November than anyone imagined.

United have won 10 times in 34 Premier League matches under the 40-year-old. They are yet to win two league games in a row and have not ended a round of league games this season higher than ninth.

The dire statistics are stretching belief in the manager among the United fanbase heading into a sequence of matches their club has been awful in for the past two seasons.

Amorim said he does not feel the uncertainty internally at the club’s Carrington training ground and is adamant nothing can match the pressure he puts on his players – and in some senses, he would prefer Ratcliffe not to be trying to bring a sense of calm because he fears the impact it could have on the team.

“It’s not just a thing that people talk about, I feel it every day,” he said. “It’s really good to hear it because it helps our fans to understand the leadership know it is going to take a while.

“But at the same moment, I don’t like it because it gives a feeling that we have time to work things out. I don’t want that feeling in our club.

“The pressure I put on the team or on myself is so much bigger [than that from outside]. In football, especially in big clubs, you need to prove yourself every weekend.”

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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.

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Jim Craig on his part in the Lisbon Lions success

Celtic’s Lisbon Lion Jim Craig

“We had our moments but he respected me as a player,” Craig recalls to FourFourTwo when asked about manager Jock Stein’s influence during the run. “I only wanted to know one question before a game: how fast was the opposition winger? If they were quicker than me I’d pull Bobby Murdoch closer. If I was quicker then I could catch him, but Jock would never tell me.

“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.”

Celtic captain Billy McNeill lifts the European Cup, 1967 (Image credit: Alamy)

When the final came around, Craig got off to an unfortunate start, giving away an early penalty that meant his side went into the dressing room a goal down at half-time.

“It happened in the seventh minute. Jock was great, he said, ‘Forget about it, just take care of the guy in the second half’. I had a chance to look at it afterwards and told him I thought it was an indirect free-kick [to Celtic, for simulation] and he agreed.

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“The player, Renato Cappellini, was running across my path, and I didn’t want to foul him. I held my body maybe a little bit too close to him without doing anything else. However, after that I set up Gemmell’s goal for the equaliser, so I reckon I more than made up for it!”

Less than a fortnight after winning the European Cup, Craig would then play in the Alfredo Di Stefano testimonial, winning 1-0 against Real Madrid. What does he remember about that night?

“Jinky decided that he was going to show them what he could do,” Craig says. “He had a wonderful game and his touch was tremendous. Every time he took on an opponent, he beat them. Eventually, the crowd were cheering his name instead of Di Stefano’s. Any time Jinky touched the ball they would shout, ‘Ole!’ I felt sorry for the left-back – he got battered that night.

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Celtic players celebrate with the European Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Following the game, I made a beeline for Paco Gento and shook his hand. There were 120,000 fans present for a friendly. Real were playing a team that had just won the European Cup, so they were up for it. We were defending our image, so we were equally up for it.”

Celtic would reach another European Cup final in 1970, only to lose 2-1 to Feyenoord, but Craig insists that was another special team. “The team never knew it was beaten. We’d just won five league titles in a row back home, so it was a glorious era for us all. We were on top of the world and could take on anybody on our day.”

Sadly, only Craig, Willie Wallace and Bobby Lennox from that famous side are still with us, but Craig is keen to keep his team-mates’ legacy alive and credits former Hoops boss Martin O’Neill for reigniting interest in the Lisbon Lions when he arrived at the club in 2000.

“He was very good at that and very kind at bringing us back into the fold again,” Craig adds. “We are ambassadors for the club still. I spend my time going to functions as people want to know about Lisbon and I have the stories for them. It’s nice to be known after all these years.”

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What if correlation didimply causation? The “best season†of Ineosâ€s ownership of Nice correlated with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co being forcibly distanced from the club due to Uefa regulations. “They have been so much better without our interference,†admitted Ratcliffe last season, as Niceachieved their highest league finish since 2017. With Nice and Manchester United no longer competing in the same European competition, Ineos regained operational control of the French club at the start of the summer and have only corroborated Ratcliffeâ€s previous assertion.

Already out of the Champions League at the first hurdle having been outplayed by Benfica in the qualifiers at the start of August, Nice have lost three of their first six games in Ligue 1 as well as losing their Europa League opener against Roma last Wednesday. “We canâ€t say that weâ€re swimming in joy and confidence,†said the clubâ€s manager, Franck Haise, before their 1-1 draw against newly promoted Paris FC on Sunday.

Nice are swimming in troubled waters. Injuries have contributed to their sub-standard start. Although, when you are reliant on 41-year-old Dante and the eternally injured Tanguy Ndombélé to make up the numbers, the problem is also in squad building. This is where Niceâ€s main issue currently lies. Sporting director Florian Maurice described the summer transfer window as “unpleasantâ€. From an accountancy perspective, the picture is rosy; they made €108m from player sales, the third-highest figure in Ligue 1. But there was not been significant reinvestment and the signings they did make are not paying off.

A third of Niceâ€s budget was spent on Isak Jansson, who looks ill-suited to the demands of Ligue 1, and was not exactly prolific at Rapid Vienna either; Yehvann Diouf looks a shadow of the goalkeeper he was at Reims last season; Kevin Carlos is yet to score his first goal; and Salis Abdul Samed, who is trying to get his career back on track following an injury-hit spell at Sunderland last time around, is short of confidence.

“We expect more,†said Haise last week. “That goes for other players too; it isnâ€t just the signings.†But the new arrivals are failing to fill the voids, the largest of which was created by the departures of Evann Guessand and Gaëtan Laborde, Niceâ€s top two goalscorers last season. Between the ineffective Jansson, the struggling Carlos and Terem Moffi, whose prolific form for Lorient back in 2022 now looks to have been a flash in the pan, it is difficult to see where the goals are coming from.

Isak Jansson has not exactly lit up Nice this season. Photograph: Manon Cruz/Reuters

In search of solutions in the transfer window, Maurice turned to Manchester United but did not receive any help. “We envisaged things like asking them to sign a player and then loaning us back, but their priority was selling,†said Niceâ€s sporting director. Nice have been treated with a level of ambivalence that would make BlueCo-owned Strasbourg green with envy. “I donâ€t think that [the link between Chelsea and Strasbourg] is Manchester Unitedâ€s model,†said Maurice. Between Nice and Strasbourg, the realities of multi-club ownership are starkly different.

It wasnâ€t just movement of players that Nice sought over the summer – it was clarity. There has been a lack of communication from the owners about their continued commitment to the club, amid reports that the investment bank Lazard has been tasked with finding a buyer. The silence has been a source of frustration, as Haise admitted earlier this season. “Lots of us are waiting for the owners to speak,†said the manager, who conceded that he was “annoyed†by Ratcliffeâ€s disparaging comments about the club last season. Ratcliffe made a rare appearance at the Allianz Riviera on Wednesday to watch Nice lose 2-1 to Roma in the Europa League, although he was not sitting alongside Maurice and CEO Fabrice Bocquet in the stands.

Ratcliffeâ€s controversial assertion that Niceâ€s standard of football is “not high enough for me to get excited†perhaps now has relevance, unlike last season, when the comment was originally made. The untouchable Haise is cobbling together the elements as best as he can, although he says he is “no magician†and “can understand the concerns†of the fans.

Their concerns are certainly warranted. Nice are 12th in the 18-team league after games against Toulouse, Auxerre, Le Havre, Nantes, Brest and Paris FC. “It is insufficient,†said Haise on Sunday. “Two wins, one draw and three losses against teams that donâ€t often play at the top of the table. We expect better, but it is our reality. We have to up our level. We know that the level of opponents will also increase.â€

In their next four games they play Monaco, Lyon, Lille and PSG, all of whom are in the top six. For a club that is questioning its long-term fate, there are plenty of issues to address in the short term, but it may be decisions made in the recent past, by Ineos and the wider management at Nice, that leave their ambitions for European qualification for next season already in peril.

Quick GuideLigue 1 resultsShow

Nice 1-1 Paris FC

Angers 0-2 Brest

Lille 0-1 Lyon

Metz 0-0 Le Havre

Rennes 0-0 Lens

Lorient 3-1 Monaco

Toulouse 2-2 Nantes

PSG 2-0 Auxerre

Strasbourg 1-2 Marseille

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Talking points

After defeat in Le Classique,PSG returned to winning ways and regained top spot in Ligue 1 thanks to a comfortable 2-0 win over Auxerre. However, it was yet another victory that came at a cost, with Vitinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia withdrawn before half-time. Both are now doubts to face Barcelona on Wednesday. Injuries are seemingly contagious at Le Campusthis season – no doubt symptomatic of an extended season and curtailed pre-season. Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz and Marquinhos are also on the sidelines. A second-string PSG side can suffice in Ligue 1; it may be a different story in Barcelona.

Adi Hütter has expressed “dissatisfaction†after every Monaco performance this season. The Austrian concedes that his annoyance is “paradoxical†given that, going into this weekendâ€s action, his team were top of Ligue 1. “It is not good enough,†he said after a 5-2 win over Metz last week. There was neither the performance nor the result on Saturday, when they lost 3-1 to Lorient. Thilo Kehrer was harshly sent off in the first half, hobbling a team that was already struggling with injuries. Every first-team midfielder (Lamine Camara, Denis Zakaria, Aleksandr Golovin, Aladji Bamba and Paul Pogba) is currently unavailable due to injury or lack of fitness. But the poor performances preceded those absences, and the concern before they face Manchester City on Wednesday is justified.

This is an article by Get French Football News

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Jim Harbaugh, Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers are rolling.

The team improved to 3-0 with a game-winning field goal against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. It marks the first time they’ve started a season 3-0 in 23 years.

Fans hyped both Los Angeles’ thrilling win plus the undefeated start on social media after the game.

The Chargers started their season off with a bang, taking down the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil. From there, they took down another divisional opponent in the Las Vegas Raiders. Now, Los Angeles is in firm control of the AFC West and is looking to win the division for the first time since 2009.

The common denominator in all of the Chargers’ wins has been elite play from Herbert. The quarterback has thrown for a league-best 860 yards and six touchdowns, the second-most in the NFL.

Herbert, now in his sixth season, is hoping to cross the threshold of becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and he’s off to a fantastic start. If he can continue this kind of play while leading the Chargers to more wins, he could very well be in the MVP conversation.

After the 3-0 start, things won’t get much more difficult next week as the Chargers face the New York Giants, but they’ll get a big test the following week against the Washington Commanders.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris suffered a scary injury against the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

In the second quarter of the game, Harris was lined up in the backfield and hit the ground immediately after he started running once the ball was snapped. He was then carried off the field.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh later confirmed that Harris is dealing with an Achilles injury and had imaging done on Sunday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Harris joined the Chargers this offseason having recorded four consecutive seasons with 1,000 or more rushing yards, and he was hoping for more of the same this year. Unfortunately for him, his season hasn’t gone well so far as he’s logged just 33 rushing yards on nine carries through the first two games.

He was putting together a strong performance on Sunday before he exited, picking up 28 yards on six carries. Now, rather than trying to make a big impact on offense, Harris will just be hoping to avoid a serious injury.

Harris, who has yet to miss a game in his NFL career, dealt with some injury troubles over the summer. The running back suffered a “superficial” eye injury during a fireworks “mishap” at a 4th of July event a few months ago. That injury forced him to miss more than a month of action, but he ultimately was on the field to start the year in Week 1.

While there is no diagnosis yet, Sunday’s injury appears to be serious, which means Harris might have to miss the first game of his career.

If Harris has to miss time, Los Angeles will continue leaning on rookie running back Omarion Hampton, who has seen the most action in the backfield so far this season. Through two games, Hampton has logged 23 carries for 72 yards. The Chargers also have Hassan Haskins as an option behind Hampton.

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