"It's not about the money." Only it is. Specifically Michele Kang's money. But also the lack of it elsewhere + how women's football wants more of it. But it’s far easier to have a self-evident villain than reckon w/ a complicated system. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/730...

It’s about the money: Michele Kang, Alexia Putellas and multi-club ownership’s hypocritical paradox (Gift Article)

European women’s football still relies predominantly on the beneficence of men’s football. Kang puts her money where her mouth is

nytimes.com

Man City finished 4th in the WSL last season. They had no manager, no silverware, seemingly no plan. One year later they are WSL champs for the first time in a decade. This was their plan. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/725...

How these three leaders turned Manchester City into Women’s Super League champions (Gift Article)

Managing director Charlotte O’Neill, sporting director Therese Sjogran and manager Andree Jeglertz have been crucial to City's title triumph

nytimes.com

Manchester City strongly pursuing Katie McCabe + Beth Mead ahead of contract expirations w/ Arsenal this summer. No deals agreed + nothing guaranteed. City confident in pursuit. Chelsea also interested in McCabe. @charpur.bsky.social @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/723...

Manchester City pursuing deals for Arsenal’s Katie McCabe, Beth Mead

McCabe has also attracted interest from Chelsea, with both players' on contracts which expire this summer.

nytimes.com

Piece on Man Utd Women ▪️"Defy the odds" slogan for 2026 ▪️Suggestion of external investment shot down at March meeting ▪️Screenshot of depleted bench vs WSL rival sent to higher up ▪️Coaching criticisms ▪️"The players deserve better" @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

Where do Man United Women go from here? There are financial and footballing issues to address

Investment is one topic of internal discussion, while The Athletic has been told of concerns around some elements of coaching

nytimes.com

"Three times a week I was calling my psychologist. He’d be like, ‘Are we down in the bottom?’. I’d say, ‘Yeah… we’re down in the bottom’.” Beata Olsson on journey to Liverpool, being LFC's early season lifeline, losing her starting spot under Taylor + regaining it. www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

Liverpool top scorer Beata Olsson on calls to her psychologist and whirlwind WSL season

The Sweden international's early impact was disrupted by injury. She talks to Megan Feringa about that setback and her career so far

nytimes.com

“Yesterday I had a water bottle w/ the PKs for Chelsea [on it]. Today I had a water bottle full of blood + muntjac deer. That's a sick transition in, like, 24 hours.” A day at the zoo with Phallon Tullis-Joyce. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

Twenty-four hours in the life of Phallon Tullis-Joyce: From League Cup final to feeding Komodo dragons

Man Utd's USWNT goalkeeper discusses her love of conservation and how it intersects with football - all while it's dinner time at the zoo

nytimes.com

Admission is the first step to recovery. Which is good news for Marc Skinner and Man Utd’s 1/19 record against Chelsea. Of course, words are only so powerful, like an 80th minute goalkeeper timeout when you're already 2-0 down. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

For Manchester United, the riddle remains: how do you beat Chelsea in a cup final?

Marc Skinner's side succumbed to familiar failings in the League Cup final as Chelsea, inspired by Lauren James, lifted the trophy yet again

nytimes.com

WSL clubs are increasingly investing in young talent from abroad. Sources say WSL academy players are not ready. But why? “It’s easy to say, they aren’t ready, but no one has come down from the top of the club to check on them.” @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

As the Women’s Super League continues to grow, academy players risk being left behind

Until recently, WSL clubs' academies were lower priorities as teams raced to capitalise on increased attention after the 2022 Euros

nytimes.com

Man Utd to wear third black kit, not red, for UWCL tie vs Atletico Madrid tonight due to colour clash. MU say AM brought only their orange GK kit, not pre-approved yellow one. However AM say MU approved the orange kit + confirmed w Uefa. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Man Utd, Atletico and a kit mix-up that means the WSL side have to wear their third strip at home

Match officials decided hours before kick-off that the orange goalkeeper kit the Spanish side brought would clash with United's red shirt.

nytimes.com

on vinicius, jim ratcliffe and bad immigrants www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Vinícius, Mourinho and treating racism as reputational risk rather than a lived reality | Jonathan Liew

The Brazilian has seen this before, football has seen this before, and yet why does it feel like nothing ever changes?

theguardian.com

Family-friendly isn’t an identity. Being too afraid to alienate anyone that you fail to connect meaningfully w anyone won’t grow attendances. Piece w Aston Villa’s Maggie Murphy on growing attendances + club identity in age of impatience. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

Women’s football clubs must go beyond ‘family friendly’ – ‘Figuring out our identity is crucial’

The challenges of growing regular matchgoers are common across the WSL — but Villa's managing director has a distinct plan for the club

nytimes.com

Apparently there is a lack of women in important positions in football. Thank goodness we have the unimpeachable feminist icon that is Gianni Infantino to enlighten us on a system he has definitely not abetted. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s call for more women in power is ironic and disappointing

When you have the power like Gianni Infantino, perhaps a finger should be pointed at oneself.

nytimes.com

"A masterpiece torn apart.” Inside CFCW crisis: Green's exit, club's “disgraceful” email to staff + ops, leadership interference from men's side, recruitment failings, staff division + more @reallycerys.bsky.social @charpur.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

Chelsea Women in crisis: A critical exit, player confusion and the role of the men’s sporting directors

The departure of Paul Green as head of women's football is a major moment for the club, who have endured an unusually difficult season

nytimes.com

Wrote a piece on the window. Specifically its "quiet" + how people seem upset by this, despite multiple club records broken, the WSL's increasingly disproportionate financial heft + another USWNT player discovering what a Tesco club card is. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

Who won the WSL transfer deadline day? A better question: Does it matter?

The league's winter transfer window was quiet this year. That's not necessarily a bad thing

nytimes.com

Excl: Everton have parted ways with head coach Brian Sorensen and assistant coach Stephen Nilgen. Comes after Everton's 2-1 win over Aston Villa with Everton 4pts off bottom. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...

I wrote a column about the age of theft www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Copyrighted art, mobile phones, Greenland: welcome to our age of shameless theft | Jonathan Liew

The human impulse to steal has been accelerated by AI, inequality and our political leaders – with profound consequences, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew

theguardian.com

Kerolin is very good. But head coach Andrée Jeglertz (after agreeing she is very good) focused on where she can be even better. Which is the key (+ for rivals, the fear) of this Man City side: an insatiable appetite + a demand to quench it. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

This Manchester City side is a beast – Chelsea were just its latest prey

Kerolin tore Chelsea apart at the Etihad on Sunday, and made it look easy. The WSL title race is looking more like a procession...

nytimes.com

Great interview by @adamleventhal.bsky.social w/ Helena Costa on a life spent breaking thru glass ceilings, now as men's football's only female sporting director. "For me, it's natural. But it’s also a responsibility. It has to work. Otherwise, it won’t open doors.” www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

Meet Helena Costa, the only female sporting director in the men’s game

She made headlines around the world when appointed to manage Clermont Foot in France but now she is leading the way in a different role

nytimes.com

Manchester City lead Chelsea in the WSL by six points. They have won all 11 games since defeat on the opening day to their title rivals. The perennial champions are their only rivals. @meganferinga.bsky.social on a top-four race split in two. bit.ly/4aVF4W3

“When we’re in the Champions League.” An ambition that’d be filed under delusional if Wrexham weren’t so deft at these kinds of grand plans. Next up: Wrexham Women in Europe. The first big step - owning their own ground - has been taken. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/685...

Wrexham Women have Champions League ambitions. Owning their own stadium is the first step

Wrexham Women played their first match at their new home on Sunday. A first step in an ambitious project

nytimes.com

A farcical League Cup draw: the latest example of why a blind obsession for women’s sports’ growth at all costs is abandoning the very audience and soul that built it. But hey, at least we can all eat footlongs. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...

Excl: Hannah Forshaw to step down as Everton Women CEO at end of 2025/26 season, despite starting in Sept. Exit is mutual + amicable. Review ongoing on what leadership will look like for future. Details below @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...

Everton Women CEO Hannah Forshaw to step down at end of season

Hannah Forshaw only officially began work at the club in September but will exit at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.

nytimes.com

Tottenham Hotspur Women have completed the signing of Norway international Signe Gaupset for a club-record fee of £378,000. More from @meganferinga.bsky.social ⤵️ 🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/682...

Fantastic piece. Full of background detail. By @meganferinga.bsky.social who is always excellent on Spurs Women. www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

After last season's tears, Tottenham are enjoying a WSL revival

nytimes.com

5th in WSL. Level on pts w Arsenal. 2nd from bottom last season. Inside Tottenham's revival: ▪️Last season's toil ▪️Ex-Arsenal chief Venkatesham appt ▪️Martin Ho's 4-day recruitment ▪️Casey Stoney’s phone call ▪️Koga Hail Mary ▪️Ho's reset @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

Tottenham vs Arsenal: How last season’s tears were followed by Spurs’ WSL revival

In what has historically been a lopsided rivalry, Arsenal face a very different Spurs side in Sunday's WSL north London derby

nytimes.com

Wout van Aert is one of cycling’s superstars; his win over Montmartre one of the year’s top moments. We spoke about post-injury doubts, managing his own demanding nature, and his big offseason adventure in the USA. www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

Wout van Aert interview: Dropping Tadej Pogacar, recovering from injury and what cycling can learn from the NBA

The Belgian star on a season of recovery and redemption: 'I just wanted to show that I’m still there, that I can be among the best riders'

nytimes.com

Choose your avatar. #TeamHannah. #TeamMary. Community Note: There’s only one right answer. But maybe this can also be sad, a reminder of how easily we exalt humans to heroes + how precipitous the inevitable crash down is. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

The saga of Mary Earps and Hannah Hampton proves our heroes are human

An extract of Mary Earps’ new autobiography was published at the weekend and there's a temptation to reach for the big, obvious take

nytimes.com

Jarrad Branthwaite is set to undergo surgery on Tuesday after suffering what Everton described as a “complication” in his return from a hamstring injury. More from @paddyboyland.bsky.social and @meganferinga.bsky.social ⤵️

Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite to undergo surgery after hamstring injury rehab ‘complication’

Everton are now likely to be without the defender, a key player and one of their highest earners, for an extended period of time.

nytimes.com

Jess Park is very good at football. Apparently the only way to stop her is by kicking a football into her face, That’s after coming off the bench + scoring two goals. Given the freedom to invert, to carry the ball, to roam, Park is thriving. Man Utd are better for it. www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...

Jess Park’s sparkling cameo proves she is already integral to Manchester United

The brace against Everton from the bench was emblematic of Park’s transformation into one of the league’s most valuable attacking threats

nytimes.com

“You don’t have a period but that’s fine. You’re an athlete.” A caveat accompanying countless medical results, despite inevitable danger, lines being drawn between sacrifices periods + sporting success. A piece for my sister + those challenging the system. www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...

In women’s sports, athletes losing their periods was long considered normal. Not anymore

A byproduct of wider issues, periods continue to be missed, ignored or misunderstood in elite sports

nytimes.com