"You will fill me with strength in times of difficulty, and I will always remember what you always told us: always happy and moving forward. Everything I do in this life will always be for the brightest star I have in the sky. As someone once told me, 'When the going gets tough, only the tough get there,' you were always a fighter, and you taught me that from the very beginning. That is the greatest act of love I can do for you: to show you that I can handle anything and that I will never give up."
There have been a number of stunning managerial changes in recent weeks -- from Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid to Ruben Amorim at Manchester United -- and the cutthroat nature of a career in football management will not be lost on Gary Rowett. The 51-year-old former Derby County, Birmingham City and Leicester City defender was sacked as head coach of Championship side Oxford United just two days before Christmas. The call on Dec. 23 came just over a year after the one that appointed him.
From the Premier League's elite to the soggy pitches of Sunday league, injuries are part and parcel of football - but which top-flight teams have been worst affected this season? With help from injury expert Ben Dinnery, of premierinjuries.com, external, BBC Sport examines which sides have been hit the hardest, the impact injuries can have on under-fire managers - and whether things are always as bad as they seem.
With just four teams remaining in the Subway Women's League Cup, the semi-finals see four of the best Women's Super League sides battle it out. With seven-time winners Arsenal hosting Manchester United, this juicy tie sees two rivals face off against each other, with Alessia Russo facing her old side. United have never reached the final of this competition and Marc Skinner will be keen to change that record against Renee Slegers side.
SportsBoom has revealed that Manchester City and Manchester United are both closely monitoring Mateus Fernandes, the highly rated 21-year-old midfielder currently emerging as one of West Ham United's few bright sparks in a difficult season. The Hammers are locked in a tense relegation battle, and Fernandes' contract reportedly contains a relegation release clause, a detail that has alerted multiple elite clubs.
Liverpool are reportedly making Adam Wharton a top transfer target and are confident they will be able to convince him to join. The highly-rated young England international has been a key performer for Palace in recent times, firmly establishing himself as one of the top talents in the country. Wharton is also on the radar of Chelsea and Manchester United, as we've recently reported, but it seems Liverpool may be leading the race.
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
They are very compact, they defend strongly and counter very well. We have to be careful in our defensive midfield. They have technically gifted midfielders and dangerous players upfront. We'll have to be aware,
Vinicius has been having a lacklustre season, and some fans viewed him as one of the reasons why coach Xabi Alonso was replaced last week. Vinicius had spats with Alonso, a former Madrid and Spain great as a player, who was replaced as a coach following a tumultuous eight-month stint. Vinicius was reportedly the main player not backing Alonso in the locker room.
