Dave Canales was an expensive purchase, but owner David Tepper ain’t got time for hand-wringing in Charlotte. It’s an 0-2 start that has this conversation percolating around the Panthers, who benched 2023 No. 1 draft pick Bryce Young after tallying 12 punts and 13 points in the first two games of the 2024 regular season.Would Tepper pull the plug? Hell yes, he would. Check his records.Last season, Tepper fired Frank Reich and a chunk of the offensive coaching staff (Josh McCown, Duce Staley) after Carolina started 1-10.Canales could be forgiven for wondering what he’s walked into, but we credit Young for hammering the accountability track “every snap hit my hands, I didn’t do enough with it.” If Tepper thinks he can pull the plug on Young and Canales, we wish him luck finding a replacement(s) worth their weight in Monopoly bucks. Carolina has 27 losses since the start of the 2022 season. Here are five other coaches who should be concerned entering October: Matt Eberflus, Bears (1-1 this season, 11-25 with Bears) Matt Eberflus source: Getty Images Maybe now or never doesn’t paint an accurate picture in Chicago, but it’s dang close. Eberflus is drawing the ire of Bears’ fans once more after saying he wouldn’t make personnel changes to protect franchise QB Caleb Williams (nine sacks in two games). The defense has been good, sometimes great. Eberflus has failed to develop a winning offense; the in-game decision-making and clock management are wobbly, and if he can’t meet expectations this season, GM Ryan Poles knows there’s only one right answer for 2025. Sean Payton, Broncos (0-2 this season, 8-11 with Broncos)Now that he ditched inherited QB Russell Wilson—at a cost of more than $85 million against the salary cap the next two seasons—Payton is under increased pressure to show a path toward the playoffs. That’s not happening through the first two games of the Bo Nix experiment. What might buy him time is the reputation established as a Super Bowl winner in New Orleans. The Saints won the division and double-digit games four consecutive seasons (2017-2020) before the bottom fell out. Doug Pederson, Jaguars (0-2 this season, 18-18 with Jaguars) source: AP A slippery slope is where Pederson finds himself three games into the 2024 season. Where does Jacksonville turn if the losses keep piling up?Jacksonville isn’t known as one of the spendiest franchises on the NFL block. But Pederson could be the next coach to go if progress isn’t made quickly this month or next. Jacksonville skidded to the finish line last season (1-5) to cough up a playoff spot, and the Texans, Colts, Bears and Packers are among the next five opponents after this week’s game at Buffalo.
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While it might be this summer s U21s European Championships that have stolen most of the midweek headlines, we are treated to a host of Thursday fixtures from across the footballing globe.
On that note, for those of you looking to stick on a Thursday flutter, we have found a pair of helpful tips which can offer a great return for your midweek flutter.
12:35 Tianjin Jinmen Tiger vs Qingdao Hainiu
Marking their return from the international break with a thumping display as they punched their FA Cup Round of 16 ticket, Shandong have continued to shine on either side of June’s fortnight break. Eventually breezing their way to a stellar 6-1 romp away at Dongguan Guanlian last week, Thursday’s hosts are riding what has been a remarkable wave of momentum
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Walid Regragui is targeting a history-making victory over Spain as he insisted his Morocco team have put any negativity behind them.
Morocco have been one of the surprise packages of the World Cup in Qatar, with the Atlas Lions shocking Belgium on their way to winning Group F, which also included 2018 runners-up Croatia.
Regragui has done an impressive job since taking over in August, with an own goal against Canada in the group stage the only time his side have conceded during his tenure.
Morocco last reached the knockout stage of a World Cup in 1986, when they lost to West Germany.
They will have to beat a European heavyweight in the form of Spain to make the last eight for the first time in their history.
The countries met in the group stage of…
Liverpool selected their youngest-ever side for the EFL Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa on Tuesday.
The average age of the starting line-up at Villa Park was 19 years and 182 days, with Pedro Chirivella the oldest member of the team at 22.
Liverpool are playing two matches within the space of 24 hours, with manager Jurgen Klopp and the club s senior players in Qatar for the Club World Cup.
6 Liverpool have won each of their last six visits to Aston Villa in all competitions, all coming in the Premier League between December 2011 and November this season. Fearless.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
Klopp s side play a semi-final against Mexican side Monterrey on Wednesday, with the team for the fixture against Villa coming under the eye of Liverpo…
Didier Deschamps insisted he and his future are not the most important thing as he vowed to make France even happier after Sunday s World Cup final against Argentina.
The reigning world champions produced another ruthless performance to down Morocco 2-0 after goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani in Wednesday s semi-final clash at Al Bayt Stadium.
Argentina await as France bid to become just the third side to retain their global crown, with the Lusail Stadium showpiece signalling a likely end for Albiceleste captain Lionel Messi and potentially also for Bleus coach Deschamps.
Zinedine Zidane has long been suggested as the successor to Deschamps, whose contract expires after the tournament, but the focus remains for now on success in Qatar.
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With Arsenal making the trip across London on Monday night when they meet Crystal Palace, we certainly have a stacked schedule on our hands.
With the likes of AC Milan also opening the new Serie A campaign, we have found a pair of intriguing tips that are worth keeping an eye out for.
19:45 Bologna vs AC Milan
While AC Milan might have gained a string of plaudits last season as they reached the Champions League semi-finals, Monday’s guests failed to find much domestic stability on either side of the World Cup’s winter break. However, eventually clinching what was a crucial top-four ticket, the Rossoneri will be hoping to open the 2023/24 campaign with an early statement here.
Signing off their pre-season preparations earlier in the month as they la…
Sergio Aguero needed Lionel Messi to tell him why he was being continually overlooked for Ballon d Or honours.
Despite scoring a record 260 goals for Manchester City, Argentine striker Aguero has never come close to winning the trophy that Messi has carried off six times.
Being repeatedly overlooked began to trouble Aguero, but when Messi spelled out what he was lacking, it all made sense.
Now at Barcelona, Aguero looks back on his City career and appreciates why his feats fell short of making him a major contender for a prize Messi has won more than anyone else.
Many times I thought about what was missing, Aguero told Spanish newspaper El Pais. And one day I asked Leo. He told me that to have a chance to win the Ballon d Or I had to win the Champions…
Harry Kane would be a perfect fit for Bayern Munich and is approaching his last chance to join a true European giant, according to Dietmar Hamann.
Tottenham s latest European exit has turned the focus towards head coach Antonio Conte and striker Kane, both of whom face uncertain futures.
Unlike Conte, Kane has a contract with Spurs that runs beyond the end of this season, and that could complicate his prospects of a move away from London.
Manchester United are reported to have Kane on their shopping list, while Bayern are known to be long-time admirers of the England captain.
Hamann, who played in the Premier League for Newcastle United, Liverpool and Manchester City, sees why Bayern, another of his former clubs, would be keen if there was a chance of tak…
Mohamed Salah is relishing the prospect of facing Real Madrid after they were confirmed as Liverpool s opponents in the Champions League final.
After Liverpool s dramatic second-leg win over Villarreal carried the Reds through to the May 28 trophy match in Paris, Madrid s taste for the epic was exhibited on Wednesday, scoring two goals in injury time and a third in extra time to eliminate Manchester City.
The 29-year-old Salah reacted on Twitter after Madrid s win, affirming that he and Liverpool have a score to settle .
He has now gone further to suggest everyone at Liverpool wanted to face Los Blancos more than their fierce Premier League rivals at the Stade de France.
If you ask everybody [at Liverpool], everyone wanted that game, Salah told Sky Spor…
Diego Costa was hailed by Diego Simeone as a fighter who still has a future in football as the striker s Atletico Madrid career came to an end on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old former Spain international has been a fringe member of the Atletico side this season, making just seven LaLiga appearances and scoring twice.
He was due to reach the end of his contract at the end of the campaign but that has been effectively ripped up, allowing Costa to find a new club.
Costa asked to leave Atletico, citing personal reasons, and has been linked with a return to the Premier League, having previously played in England with Chelsea.
Speaking at a news conference, Simeone appeared to indicate the often fiery forward would be leaving Spain.
The club have been abl…
Manchester City are reportedly keeping a close eye on Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic as a potential replacement for Ilkay Gundogan.
Kovacic, 28, has been a regular starter since arriving from Real Madrid in a £40million transfer back in 2019, but significant upheaval has seen him fighting for his spot in Chelsea s best XI.
With nine substitute appearances among his 23 Premier League outings this season, Kovacic s future at Stamford Bridge is up in the air as he prepares to enter the final year of his current contract.
While City are said to be serious about their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, it may not stop them making a move for Kovacic, who they purportedly believe could slide in seamlessly in Gundogan s place.
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