SoccerVibes

Author: Naandiyak Solomon

  • Arch Manning, the quarterback for Texas, admits to having a celebrity crush.

    Arch Manning, the quarterback for Texas, admits to having a celebrity crush.

    With Longhorns starting quarterback Quinn Ewers declaring for the 2025 NFL draft, Arch Manning’s Texas career is about to take a significant turn.

    Although Manning has played in a number of games over the last two seasons, he acknowledged that the transition from high school football to college football was difficult, at least in the weight room.

    The workouts were no joke,” Manning told GQ. “It was hard! On one of my visits, a player told me to make sure I run a lot and lift before I get to town.

    I took that to heart, so I was pretty prepared, but they are not easy. I think the intensity, and how often [we did them] was the toughest part.

    In the summer, we’ll get out there at 6:30 at night, and then you’re back the next morning at 6:30 for another workout. There’s not much time for recovery, but you gotta get the most out of it.”

    As he prepares for his first season as a starting quarterback in the collegiate ranks, Manning signed a lucrative deal with Red Bull. “I really like this partnership,” Manning said.

    “Everyone at Red Bull has been super nice to me and my family and I can’t wait to get it going. Plus, I like a Red Bull in the morning. We got early meetings — need a little energy.”

    The future Longhorns starting quarterback also sat down with Red Bull for an interview where he was asked to name the “Great of All Time” in a number of categories.

    For the film section he named “Wolf of Wall Street” while dropping Margot Robbie’s name, hinting at his celebrity crush.

    During the 2024 college football season, Manning completed 67.8% of his passes for 939 yards with nine touchdowns and just two interceptions while running for 108 yards and four scores.

     

     

  • Ipswich Town salaries: Find out who makes the most money at the Tractor Boys and all the information you require regarding Ipswich’s salary structure.

    Ipswich Town salaries: Find out who makes the most money at the Tractor Boys and all the information you require regarding Ipswich’s salary structure.

    How much does every Ipswich Town player earn annually and who receives the most into their account?

    After finishing second in the Championship at the end of the 2023–24 season, Ipswich Town achieved a historic comeback to the Premier League after 22 long years.

    At Portman Road Stadium, Kieran McKenna has restored hope, and the Ipswich Town supporters are once again ecstatic.

    But as the Tractor Boys linger in the drop zone, that happiness might not last long. Due to the fact that Ipswich has the lowest yearly payroll in the Premier League, it is undeniable that they lack the financial resources of other teams in England.

    However, they do have guys with a lot of potential. Despite having very little experience in the top division, players like Liam Delap, Omari Hutchinson, and Leif Davis have made an impression this season.

    Which Portman Road employee makes the most money this season? Furthermore, who is at the other extreme of the spectrum? GOAL investigated the data from Capology and discovered! * Salaries are paid annually and are gross.

    Arijanet Muric, a former Manchester City player and Kosovo international, is Ipswich Town’s best-paid goalkeeper and one of the team’s highest earners.

    The lowest-paid goalie is Cieran Slicker, while Christian Walton, a 29-year-old Englishman, comes in second.

    With a salary of more than £2 million, Axel Tuanzebe, a Manchester United academy product, is the highest paid defender at Ipswich Town.

    The fact that Tuanzebe is higher on this list than Leif Davis or Dara O’Shea, however, won’t sit well with fans. The third-highest paid defender is Ben Johnson.

    The lowest-paid defenders are those like Conor Townsend, Harry Clarke, Cameron Burgess, and Luke Woolfenden, who all make less than a million pounds.

    Kalvin Phillips, who is currently on loan from Manchester City, is the club’s highest-paid midfield player and earns an incredible £7.8 million.

    The second-highest paid midfielders are Jens Cajuste and Samy Morsy, the club captain. Jack Taylor and Massimo Luongo are the joint-lowest paid midfielders.

    George Hirst is making more money than any other Ipswich Town forward, despite the fact that one might have expected Sammie Szmodics, Liam Delap, or club-record acquisition Omari Hutchinson to be the highest-paid attacker at the club.

    In actuality, Hutchinson and Nathan Broadhead have the lowest salary among attacking players.

    Delap is ranked fifth on this list, while Szmodics, Chiedozie Ogbene, and Jack Clarke are tied for second place as high-aid attackers.

    Slicker, the backup goalie, earns £156,000. He is the lowest paid player at Ipswich.

    Both Hutchinson and Broadhead are the second-lowest paid players, and many supporters will undoubtedly wonder why the latter should receive such a small pay considering his contributions this season.

    Burgess and Woolfenden complete the list of the top five lowest-paid players.

    But what does that mean for the overall picture? In which area of the pitch are Ipswich Town spending the most money, and how much do they spend annually on salaries for the first team?

    The Tractor Boys are allocating the highest portion of their budget to the midfield position, spending £13m on the wages of their midfielders annually.

     

     

  • Nottingham Forest complete signing of Manchester City winger on loan deal

    Nottingham Forest complete signing of Manchester City winger on loan deal

    Joel Ndala, a highly regarded winger, will join Manchester City on loan after the two teams have confirmed their deal.

    Along with other young players, the 18-year-old made his senior debut for the team when he traveled to the United States for a preseason tour with Pep Guardiola’s first team last summer.

    But because of the intense competition in the current season and the team the Catalan manager had at his disposal, it was decided to loan the winger to PSV Eindhoven, who had a conditional commitment to purchase under the terms of the contract.

    Despite the fact that the season is just a few months old, Manchester City and the Dutch team have decided to immediately end Ndala’s time in the Netherlands and move him to English football.

    Without hesitation, Nottingham Forest made sure they would be first in line for the player, and they have already finalized an agreement that will keep the Manchester City Academy graduate with the team for the rest of the season.

     

  • ‘Absolutely’ interested in signing an extension, Cowboys player Brandon Aubrey shows what a new contract might entail.

    ‘Absolutely’ interested in signing an extension, Cowboys player Brandon Aubrey shows what a new contract might entail.

    Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey has spent the last two seasons exceeding everyone’s wildest expectations for him after he was signed out of the USFL back in 2023.

     

    Since joining the NFL in 2023, Aubrey has led the league in field goals (76), field goals from 50 yards or deeper (24), and field goals from 60 yards or deeper (three).

    In 2023, Aubrey led the league in field goals with 36, including an NFL record 35 consecutive to begin his career.

    In 2024, he was named to the NFL’s second-team All-Pro kicker and was a Pro Bowler, with 40 made field goals, including an NFL single-season record 14 from 50 yards or deeper.

    In Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens, Aubrey’s 65-yard made field goal was the longest in NFL history and the longest in Cowboys history.

    Yeah, absolutely,” Aubrey said, via The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, on Tuesday when asked if he’d want to get a contract extension done this offseason.

    “I’m eligible for an extension so it’s up to my agent to go up to the Cowboys and see if there’s any interest in signing it there early.

    If an extension comes, then an extension comes. If not, I’m still making 10 times what I was making working code (prior to football), so I’m pretty happy.”

    What could Aubrey, who turns 30 on March 14, ask for? According to OverThe.

    Cap.com, Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs, who is on a four-year, $25.6 million extension with $15 million in fully guaranteed money, is the highest paid kicking position in the league in terms of both contract value ($25.6 million) and average salary ($6.4 million).

    Aubrey, who is from Plano, Texas (a Dallas suburb), will likely look for a similar commitment in terms of contract length to remain locked into living near his family.

    In terms of money, he should expect to reset the market after hiring Dak Prescott’s agent, Todd France, last offseason.

    The four-year, $240 million extension France negotiated for Prescott last offseason made him the highest-paid player in the entire NFL on an average per year basis ($60 million). A four-year, $26 million extension might do the trick for Aubrey and France.

    The 2025 season will bring a huge change for Aubrey’s kicking process with John “Bones” Fassel, Dallas’ special teams coordinator the past five seasons, now in the same role with the Tennessee Titans after Mike McCarthy parted ways with the Cowboys this offseason.

    Fassel was also the one who first noticed Aubrey when he was with the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL.

    He’s a good friend, a mentor,” Aubrey said. “He’s someone who discovered me and started my NFL career off right.

    I came into training camp battling for position, and they could’ve strung that decision out for a long time, but they made it nice and quick for me. It gave me a lot of confidence and built me up. He gave me every opportunity to succeed.”

    The way it works best for me is as a separate kicking coach,” Aubrey stated.

    “I know other coaches may take a more hands-on approach, but I’m not sure how it works outside of Dallas.

    However, I’ve been working with a coach for the past five or six years. He understands me just as well as I do.

    When the Cowboys kicker inquired about Aubrey’s new special teams coordinator, Nick Sorensen, at the Pro Bowl, players who had already worked with him gave him high marks.

    Brian Schottenheimer, the new head coach of Dallas, is a two-time All-Pro kicker who may surprise many who are skeptical of the hiring decision.

    “He knows football and has a sharp mind,” Aubrey remarked of Schottenheimer.

    “Obviously, you can’t assess someone at a profession unless they get the opportunity to do it, as he has been in it all his life and has never had the chance to be a head coach.

    I believe he’s going to surprise a lot of people, so we should give him a chance and let him go.”

     

  • Monchi of Aston Villa Attacks Saudi Pro League Following Duran’s Transfer to Al-Nassr

    Monchi of Aston Villa Attacks Saudi Pro League Following Duran’s Transfer to Al-Nassr

    Following Jhon Duran’s January 31 transfer to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, Sporting Director Monchi has harshly criticized the Saudi Pro League. Duran’s income will be quadrupled under the arrangement in comparison to his prior compensation at the Birmingham club.

    Monchi voiced skepticism about the Premier League’s financial might in comparison to its Saudi counterparts, implying that the latter’s financial influence had drawn players away from Europe’s elite leagues.

    He is still doubtful that the Saudi Pro League’s financial appeal can be matched by its competitive standards.

    “The economic potential of Arab football isn’t even in the Premier League; it’s a significant rival as it attracts signings,” Monchi said in an interview with Radioestaido Noche on Onda Cero.

    Suarez, who managed Duran at FC in Colombia, called the criticism “stupid” and underlined that no one would reject a €100 million contract.

    He remarked, “When he was first trained at Envigado, they talked about financial stability rather than glory.

    Getting financial support is the first step toward these young athletes’ success. He went on to say, “Jhon will be financially independent enough to pursue grandiose aspirations by the time he gets 26.

    In addition to receiving recognition for his lifetime of hard work, he will be able to develop as a player in Saudi Arabia by growing up with greats like Sadio Mané and Cristiano Ronaldo.

     

  • Alabama Football Recruiting 2025: Class Predictions and the Top Remaining Recruits

    Alabama Football Recruiting 2025: Class Predictions and the Top Remaining Recruits

    In his first season as head coach, Kalen DeBoer was unable to guide Alabama to the College Football Playoffs.

    The Crimson Tide fell to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl after being 9-3 in the regular season.

    But since coming to Tuscaloosa, DeBoer has had great success in the recruiting process. According to 247Sports Composite, the Tide’s 2025 class is ranked fourth in the country, after only Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas. With Wednesday being National Signing Day, Alabama’s recruiting class for 2025 is all but guaranteed.

    During the early signing period in December, the Crimson Tide received national letters of intent from 21 athletes, 18 of whom were enrolled on campus. It should be a quiet day for the Tide.

    The most notable Class of 2025 recruit who didn’t sign in December also hasn’t committed to school. He has some ties to Alabama as well, although it no longer seems likely he’ll be joining the Crimson Tide.

    Ty Haywood, a 5-star offensive tackle from Texas, committed last July 14. On January 13, he made the decision to decommit, and four days later, he visited Michigan.

    Nothing is certain for Haywood right now because his commitment is still open. There aren’t many other 5-star or 4-star recruits who haven’t already signed with a program.

    And the others who remain available are not likely to end up choosing Alabama.

    Alabama should have a quiet day, and that’s not a bold prediction; in fact, it’s unlikely that any of the nation’s top programs will make much big news.

    If Michigan adds a late addition to its 2025 class—which has been trending in that direction since the 5-star offensive lineman decommitted from Alabama—it would be surprising for him to choose a program other than the Wolverines at this point.

    Alabama might not add any new players, or if it does, it won’t be too highly regarded, but that will be okay given how successful DeBoer has already assembled this class.

     

  • The historic Week 18 matchup is set up by the Detroit Lions’ victory on Monday Night Football.

    The historic Week 18 matchup is set up by the Detroit Lions’ victory on Monday Night Football.

    CNN — In a rematch of the 2023 NFC Championship game, the Detroit Lions, an offensive powerhouse, continued to cruise by defeating the San Francisco 49ers 40-34 on Monday.

    The Lions’ victory puts them back atop the NFC standings going into the last week of the regular season, but Detroit’s matchup on Monday night was anything from easy.

    With touchdowns on their first three possessions of the game, the 49ers got off to a fast start and led 21–13 at the half by eight points.

    The game was tied at 21 when the Lions opened the second half with a touchdown drive and two-point conversion, but the Niners quickly responded with another touchdown to take the lead again.

    The tide shifted decisively in Detroit’s favor after two interceptions by Lions safety Kirby Joseph, and the team’s potent offense continued to rack up points as they won their 14th game of the year. With nine interceptions this season, Joseph is currently ahead of the next closest player in the NFL.

    In addition to throwing three touchdown passes to set a new career best of 33 this season, Lions quarterback Jared Goff recorded his sixth 300-yard passing performance of the year.

    With a season-high 117 rushing yards, Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs put the game out of the Lions’ grasp with a 30-yard touchdown run that demonstrated his lightning-fast pace.

    The Lions may have scored an NFL-best 533 points on the season, but the team’s injury-plagued defense has been abused in recent games.

    Over the last five games, Detroit’s opponents have scored 30 points per game on average. On Monday, San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy passed for a career-high 377 yards, and the 49ers’ offense easily moved the ball up and down the field, outscoring Detroit in the process.

    The Minnesota Vikings represent the other elephant in the room. Detroit still hasn’t secured their division even though they have already won more games in a season than any other Lions club.

    The Vikings have a record of 14-2. The two teams will play each other in Week 18, with the winner receiving homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, a bye week, and the NFC North title.

    The team that loses Sunday’s game will be the fifth seed in the NFC and will have to travel to begin the playoffs.

    The loser will also create dubious history by becoming the NFL’s first-ever 14-win wild card squad.

    Jake Bates’ field goal with 15 seconds left in October gave the Lions their first setback of the season, and recent history favored them.

    The NFL revealed on Sunday that the crucial Week 18 match will take place in primetime, much to the pleasure of football enthusiasts.

     

  • Week 14 Power Rankings: Bucks on the verge of the Top 10; Rockets jump to No. 3

    Week 14 Power Rankings: Bucks on the verge of the Top 10; Rockets jump to No. 3

    The clubs that have most exceeded expectations are the Houston Rockets (18th), Memphis Grizzlies (17th), and LA Clippers (20th), according to the Week 1 Power Rankings, which were released the day before opening night.

    The biggest letdowns, meanwhile, have been the New Orleans Pelicans (12th), Phoenix Suns (6th), and Philadelphia 76ers (8th).

    Two of those three underperforming teams have been hampered by injuries, and the season is yet halfway through! Although it is unlikely that a team will replicate the Miami Heat’s 2016–17 comeback (11–30 in their first 41 games, 30–11 in their final 41), we can anticipate additional surprises and letdowns over the course of the next three months.

  • FA Youth Cup Report: Leeds United vs Manchester City

    FA Youth Cup Report: Leeds United vs Manchester City

    After losing to a formidable Manchester City Under-18 team in the FA Youth Cup’s Fifth Round, Leeds United’s Under-18 team was eliminated.

    The defending champions got off to a fast start on a windy York night, taking the lead after four minutes as forward Matthew Warhurst was in a good position to head in Ryan McAidoo’s low cross.

    In search of a fast reaction, Alfie Cresswell created space in the middle of the pitch and found Rhys Chadwick, who then found Freddie Lane.

    The winger saw a dangerous cross cannon behind for a corner kick. A partially cleared ball landed in Lane’s direction from the ensuing set piece.

    The left-back then fizzed a pass into Lane inside the area after defender Coban Bird’s fantastic weaving move, but Rhys Thomas’s strong recovery block helped the visitors clear.

    Oliver Pickles’ exquisite, threaded pass nearly let striker Oliver Boast through, but City’s goalie Whatmuff, another Oliver, came running out to recover. Rob Etherington’s young team was starting to look threatening on the break.

    The course of the match shifted soon before the 20th minute when the Whites were reduced to 10 after full-back Will Firth received two consecutive yellow cards.

     

    Reigan Heskey increased Oliver Reiss’ team’s advantage with a powerful shot that arrowed into the top corner from the ensuing free kick.

    But the Whites weren’t discouraged by the score, as they drew one back just before halftime when Boast completed an incredible attacking play! Chadwick on the right slid a risky pass across the face of goal, which the striker scooped in after Josh McDonald did a fantastic job at first, twisting and turning his way to the outside of the area.

    The Whites came out of the second half unaltered, striving hard to build on the lifeline that Boast had given them.

    Leeds got off to a strong start, with Cresswell flicking a header just over before a taunting Chadwick delivery looped in.

    The ball bounced painfully past the upright, but the captain had risen highest to meet the cross and flicked an attempt towards the far post.

    When McAidoo took advantage of a sloppy clearing to score his team’s fourth goal of the night, City added another just before the hour mark.

    The visitors’ next player to enter the game was Finlay Gorman, who fired into the corner from beyond Kenyon’s dive. Despite the score, the youthful Whites were nevertheless eager to start winning.

    The visitors were able to clear their lines thanks to a brilliant recovery by Kian Noble after substitute Harvey Vincent surged down the right side and crossed in search of Jacob Render.

    Moving forward In the last moments, Luca Fletcher also scored, guaranteeing City’s place in the quarterfinals as they defended their crown.

     

  • Watford 4-2 Ipswich Town Under-21

    In the last group-stage match, Watford Under-21s lost 4-2 on the road against Ipswich Town, ending their Premier League Cup campaign.

    Tudor Mendel gave the home team an early lead, but Zak Fraser-Grante’s goal in the eleventh minute brought the score back to even.

    The Hornets need to win to advance to the knockout stages. But Steven Turner quickly handed Ipswich back the lead in the first half, and Tommy Taylor’s goal in the second half gave them a two-goal lead.

    The home team quickly regained their two-goal advantage after Mendel finished his brace on the break to eliminate Watford from the competition, but the Hornets persisted and cut the gap in half when Nickson Okosun scored on the rebound.

    In this Premier League Cup match, the home team got the lead thanks to a goal by Mendel past Alfie Marriott after nine minutes. However, the lead was short-lived.

    Less than two minutes later, Fraser-Grante scored the equalizer with a clean finish after Raul Vancea had done well to first retrieve control and then feed the ball forward to him on the counter.

    In the even time that followed, the Hornets were putting together some good movements, with Zavier Massiah-Edwards coming closest after some beautiful play opened up a shot.

    Ipswich quickly restored their lead thanks to Turner’s assured finish, and Watford was grateful to Marriott for limiting the deficit to one when the goalie produced a brilliant one-on-one save.

    After the half, the Hornets fought valiantly to find a different route through, but captain Taylor gave the home team the crucial next goal.

    Watford persisted in their battle as Jonathan Lawson had a terrific chance denied by Charlie Binns, and shortly after, after some excellent build-up play, the goalkeeper was forced to make another save from the same opponent.

    Binns was only able to parry the effort into the path of replacement Okosun, who made no mistakes on the rebound, fortunately for the Golden Boys.

    Watford needed more goals since they could only advance with a win. Mendel scored his second goal with fewer than five minutes left, but Ipswich capitalized and restored the two-goal deficit on the break.