JOHN O’SHEA is refusing to let his “incredible” ride with the Republic of Ireland cloud his judgment as acting boss.

O’Shea was a youth star for his country, winning 118 senior caps before his last game in 2018.

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The ex-Manchester United defender, 42, has stepped up his role as assistant to Stephen Kenny, who left in November after failing to qualify for Euro 2024.

O’Shea will officiate today’s friendly against Belgium and Tuesday’s match against Switzerland.

He said: “It is an incredible honor to represent Ireland under 15s and captain your country.

“It’s great to be a manager now and I’m very proud of it.

“When you get the players together to chat for the first time it sets the tone and I’ve kept it very simple in terms of the staff I’ve brought in.

“I will then look at those connections, but also at the lessons from the two games and how we are progressing.

“I just want to concentrate on the staff, myself and the players.”

O’Shea named Southampton defender Ryan Manning in his squad on Friday after recovering from injury.

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However, O’Shea is forced to battle with withdrawals Troy Parrott and Liam Scales.

Sammie Szmodics, the Championship‘s top scorer with 21 goals for Blackburn, is set to make his Republic of Ireland debut.

Lyon defender Jake O’Brien and Middlesbrough midfielder Finn Azaz could also receive their international bows from O’Shea.

For his heroic efforts to protect Princess Anne, Jim Beaton was awarded the George Cross.

But the more lasting souvenir of his brush with death fifty years ago today – when mad gunman Ian Ball tried to kidnap the Princess Royal – is a bullet fragment embedded in his hand.

Mr Beaton, 81, was an inspector in the Metropolitan Police and served as Anne’s bodyguard for five years.

Ball ambushed Anne as she and her then-husband, Captain Mark Phillips, were driven through The Mall late at night.

Mr Beaton was shot three times by Ball after his own gun jammed, but escaped with his life when he passed former boxer Ronnie Russell and hit the gunman on the head.

Mr Beaton was speaking today to mark the 50th anniversary of the kidnap attempt the BBC how Ball “shot me in the chest” and talked about the “bullet” still lodged in his right hand.

He added: “We got about three-quarters of the way down the Mall and this white car pulled up in front of us.

“This guy Ian Ball, the driver of the white car, was coming back towards the royal car.

‘I got out of my seat and came behind the car. And he went bang bang and he shot me in the chest. I tried to shoot him back with my gun.

“I missed the first shot and then the gun jammed.”

“Ball pointed his gun at Princess Anne and said, ‘Drop your gun or I’ll shoot her,’ or something to that effect.

‘He shot at the same time as my hand went up and the bullet landed in my hand. We kicked the back door open and there was Ian Ball and he shot me in the stomach.

‘I struggled out of the car, clearly in a daze… walked around the front of the car and lay down on the pavement.’

Ball had used his Ford Escort car to stop the limousine carrying the royal couple, along with Anne’s lady-in-waiting Rowena Brassey.

Driver Alex Callender was at the wheel when the car was overtaken by Ball opposite Clarence House.

When Ball told Anne he was going to kidnap her and ordered her to get out of the car, the princess is said to have replied, “Damn probably!”

As well as wounding Mr Beaton, Ball shot Mr Callender, passing police officer Michael Hills and journalist Brian McConnell, who had been following the pair before trying to intervene.

Passing former boxer Russell, who won the George Medal for his bravery, guided the princess to safety before punching the gunman twice in the head.

When support arrived in the form of Detective Peter Edmonds, Ball was eventually arrested.

A witness, named Miss Sammy Scott, told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘I saw Princess Anne and Mark huddled in the back of the car.

“They were on the other side of the shooter. Suddenly I saw a man fall in front of me. He had been shot. He was covered in blood. He was lying on the sidewalk.

“Another man, a detective, I think, came running. I said to him, “This man has been shot, why doesn’t he go to the hospital?”

‘The detective looked at me for a moment and then said: ‘I have that too.’ He opened his jacket and I saw blood pouring from his shoulder. Then he collapsed too.’

Fortunately, everyone who was injured recovered and was able to resume their careers.

Mr Beaton was visited by Princess Anne while he was in hospital.

He said: ‘When Princess Anne came to see me in hospital it was quite funny because the staff said, “Come on, you have to put something on, cover your chest and all the wounds and things like that”.

“We were just saying, you know, glad we’re all still alive and kicking, so to speak.”

PC Hills also received the George Medal.

When Anne spoke about the ordeal with chat show host Michael Parkinson in 1984, she said she had been “scrupulously polite” to her attacker because it would have been “foolish to be too rude at that moment.”

Mr Beaton has previously highlighted how the quality of royal protection has improved dramatically since Ball’s attack on Princess Anne.

He previously said: ‘I had nothing.

“There was no backup vehicle. The training was non-existent; but yeah, we thought nothing would happen. They are now very specialized, highly trained.’

Ball pleaded guilty to attempted murder and kidnapping and remains jailed at Broadmoor Hospital under the Mental Health Act.

The apology Ball made during his police questioning was revealed after the Mail on Sunday won a seven-month freedom of information battle. They wouldn’t be released until 2048.

The would-be kidnapper told police he thought Anne would be an easy target.

He said he learned of her movements by calling the Buckingham Palace press office.

He said: ‘I had thought about it for years… She would have been the easiest. I saw her driving with her husband.’

The records also showed that Ball showed no remorse for shooting three men.

He added: “They were in my way so I had to shoot them. Well, the police, that’s their job. They expect to be shot. I took the chance to get shot, so why wouldn’t they?’

Ball planned to take the princess to a property in central London that he had rented under an alias. He would demand a ransom of £3 million.

Detectives initially feared Ball was part of the IRA, but he told officers: ‘I have no friends. I’m a loner. I’ve thought and worked on it a lot.

“I can’t expect people like you to understand or accept that I did and planned it alone. Do you think I’m part of the IRA or something? If anyone else had been there, they would have helped me on the spot.”

He also told police: ‘I knew it [Beaton] would be armed. If his gun hadn’t jammed, I’d be dead.”

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY is eyeing a managerial role in the Premier League after almost a year away from the dugout.

The Dutchman has rejected several offers since leaving PSV in the summer.

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Van Nistelrooy led his former club to a second-place finish and a Dutch Cup win during his only season in charge.

Several clubs have tried to lure him back into management this season, including Dutch side Heerenveen.

However, the 47-year-old has now revealed he wants to coach in England or Spain.

He is quoted by The mirror explains: “I have had offers from several clubs, including in my own country, but I would like to work in England or Spain.

“I want to coach in a league where I have played because I speak the language fluently in those countries. I think I have gained a lot of experience. I have gone through the ranks.”

“I managed the younger youth teams at PSV Eindhoven, coached the under-21s and then became manager of the first team.

“I have managed many different players. I have helped young talented players to develop and grow, such as Gakpo, Madueke, (Johan) Bakayoko and Xavi Simons. I have been able to support them in their development.

“For me it is important that it is a well-organized club. I still want to work with young players, but ideally with a mix of experienced professionals.

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“I want to help them improve and bring a winning mentality. The latter is the most important thing. With my football style.”

Before becoming PSV manager, Van Nistelrooy worked with the club’s youth teams earlier in his coaching career and was also assistant manager of the Netherlands.

The former striker spent five years as a player in England after joining Manchester United in 2001.

He went on to score 150 goals in 219 appearances for the Red Devils, including 95 Premier League goals.

Van Nistelrooy also finished as top scorer during United’s title-winning 2002/03 season, one of four major trophies he won with the club.

The former private schoolboy accused of the brutal stabbing murder of a 21-year-old was an award-winning student and footballer whose good looks made him popular with girls.

At Queensland’s prestigious $6,860-a-year Ipswich Grammar, Haedyn Rawson won a reading prize, played football and Australian Rules – and in 2017 took a trip to London with his classmates, where he posed in front of the iconic gates of Buckingham Palace.

The 23-year-old, now a heavily tattooed construction worker, is accused of using a kitchen knife to stab Will Swinbourne on Hope Island on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

Police allege Rawson stabbed Mr Swinbourne following an alleged botched drug deal in a vehicle in the Gold Coast Radiology Clinic car park at 2.15pm on Monday.

Mr. Rawson had been drinking at the Boardwalk Tavern next to the clinic prior to an alleged planned meeting with Mr. Swinbourne, police say.

The pair are said to have met two days earlier through mutual friends at British DJ Fred Again’s concert the previous Saturday evening at The Spit on the Gold Coast.

On Monday afternoon, accounting student Will Swinbourne was found with life-threatening injuries in the parking lot on Santa Barbara Road on Hope Island, sparking a three-and-a-half-hour manhunt.

Police allege Mr Rawson fled on foot through a golf course on the nearby Sanctuary Cove estate, forcing the gated community into lockdown as officers combed through streets, waterways and golf courses.

He was eventually found in a cul-de-sac at around 6pm when police handcuffed him and dressed him in a blue forensic jumpsuit before taking him into custody in a police van.

Another 23-year-old man from Surfers Paradise who had been drinking with Rawson at the tavern was arrested at 4.45pm but was later released without charge.

Haedyn Patrick Zachary Rawson appeared in the Southport Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning charged with murder and has not entered a plea or applied for bail.

Most recently, Mr. Rawson worked as a construction foreman at a construction company not far from his home.

Mr Rawson lived on Redbank Plains, just a 20-minute drive from his old school Ipswich Grammar, reportedly with his parents.

He remains friends with his old classmates on social media, but images of him in recent years show an increase in visible tattoos on his arm and neck.

Tributes have been paid to Mr Swinbourne, who studied at Griffith University and whose girlfriend Kaysie Tooth shared a loving message on social media.

“I love you to the moon and back, in this life and the next and beyond,” she wrote alongside a photo of the couple sharing a kiss. “Forever looking at pictures of you, my love.”

Police describe the grim speed at which the fatal encounter allegedly occurred.

‘It happened very quickly. My understanding is that the victim has only just arrived and the incident has occurred,” Detective Inspector Mark Mooney claimed.

“We believe the altercation started in the car and … at some point he got out because he was found on the ground.”

Mr Swinbourne’s football team, Mudgeeraba Red Backs Rugby League Club, where he played for about 12 years, described him as a ‘very loyal kid, loyal to the club, loyal to his friends’.

Mr Rawson will return to court later this month.

DAVID RAYA showed exactly why Mikel Arteta was so keen to sign him as his penalty saves sent Arsenal into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

He was joined in his penalty heroics by Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, all of whom showed nerves of steel to convert their penalties.

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However, the Gunners had to dig deep to get there after losing the first leg 1-0 in Porto this evening to make for an uphill battle.

When Leandro Trossard put the Gunners ahead it looked like they would easily get a second and perhaps even more.

But it was not to be: Porto were brutal and fortified themselves into an impenetrable base.

But ultimately the Gunners showed composure when it mattered most and their fans will be eagerly awaiting the identity of their opponents in the last eight.

This is how the Arsenal players rated…

David Raya-10

Little to do initially other than watch a couple of long-range Porto players whiz past his post, but he looked composed on the ball and his distribution was as consistent as ever.

But what he did during the shoot-out was special. Two saves of the highest quality to send his team through to the quarter-finals.

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Ben White-7

His telepathy with Bukayo Saka wasn’t quite there in the first half, struggling to get into as many attacking positions as he has in recent weeks.

Improved after the break. Arteta’s Mr Reliable made a real change.

Willem Saliba-6

Perhaps the 22-year-old showed some nerves on such a big stage, guiding long balls into danger while having time to touch the ball twice before picking up an unnecessary yellow card in the 38^e minute.

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Gabriel – 7

Showed some much-needed resilience with his partner with a yellow card for most of the match. The only disappointment was his lack of effectiveness when attacking set pieces – a real strength of his game this season.

Jakub Kiwior-8

Another solid performance in a position that doesn’t come naturally to him.

Ironically, he now looks to be Arsenal’s first left-back. His positioning and coverage were fantastic, including a huge goal-saving tackle in his own penalty area.

Jorginho-7

There has been some steel and experience added to this midfield, as well as some composure in the first half as Arsenal became frustrated in and out of possession.

He looked tired as the game went on and Arteta was right to take him off when he did.

Declan Rice – 8

Lung pain to the end, galloping from box to box, but his chances to fire in for a scoring chance were few and far between given the nature of the game.

Seemed to enjoy dictating from deep at times in a leadership role when Arsenal needed it.

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Martin Odegaard-8

He looked even more excited than usual. His pressure was tireless, giving his side an early lead, before providing a beautifully weighted assist to set up Leandro Trossard on the tee.

Was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet in the second half after his adorable stud was sent off for a major foul in the build-up.

Bukayo Saka-7

Was kicked to pieces from the opening minute, but his blistering pace wreaked havoc on the right side and gained further joy by threatening the goal later in the match.

But ultimately he was very wasteful when the odds fell his way.

Kai Havertz-7

Did a lot of the dirty work up top and almost forced the goal to make it 2-0 but was adjudged to push Pepe in the back before Odegaard converted.

Leandro Trossard-7

He seemed to be slightly off the pace until his brilliant finish in the corner just before the break. Then faded again, but was instructed by Arteta to stay on the left.

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Subs

Gabriel Jesus (on for Jorginho 83′) – 7

Had a great chance shortly after coming on, but his effort from a tight angle was well saved by Porto keeper Diogo Costa. Made a great impression and looked lively.

Oleksandr Zinchenko (in for Jakub Kiwior 106′) – 5

Was brought in to bring calmness and a bit of maturity, but struggled to do both, as well as being clumsy on the ball in the wrong areas.

Eddie Nketiah (in for Leandro Trossard 106′) – 6

Saka received a deft pass into the penalty area that should have been completed late in stoppage time.

A FORGOTTEN Premier League cult hero was sent off for Liverpool Under-21s against Reading today.

Jay Spearing, who made 30 appearances for the Reds’ senior team between 2008 and 2013, now stars for the Under-21s.

He featured again today in their Premier League 2 clash with the Royals at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

However, with the score at 0–0 in the 89th minute, Spearing was sent off after he was adjudged to have handled the ball on the line.

The hosts were then awarded a penalty.

But goalkeeper Fabian Mrozek, 20, spared Spearing’s blushes by saving 20-year-old Jahmari Clarke’s effort from 12 yards to allow Liverpool to escape with a point.

When fans heard that Spearing had been ejected, they were in disbelief.

One fan said: “Should I laugh or cry . Don’t know.”

A second said: “Jay Spearing getting sent off playing for the academy, it’s inexplicably funny to me.”

A third said: “Hahaha, that’s amazing.”

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Another said: “Gotta teach the kids life lessons .”

Speaking about the match, U21 boss Barry Lewtas told the club media: “It was an exciting match. It was really competitive and we had to fight until the end.

“I’m really happy with the boys, how we stayed together all game, and especially late after we were down to ten men.

“Overall it was a really strong point for us and the camaraderie we showed and the way we dug in and stuck together was hugely pleasing. We’ll take the positives and move on to the next one one now.”

The point puts Liverpool sixth in the table, eight points behind leaders Tottenham.

They will take on Man City U21’s next match.

Spearing’s suspension means he will not return to action until the Liverpool legends’ match against Ajax on March 23.

In his career he most famously played for Bolton, Blackpool and Tranmere.

He returned to Liverpool in 2022 as coach for the Under-18s, but was also registered as an overage player with the Under-23s.

Spearing’s second professional debut for Liverpool came against Rochdale for the Liverpool U21s in 2022.

Spearing is not the only Prem cult hero to play in the development leagues, with Tom Huddlestone playing for Manchester United, for whom he scored a winner in a derby against Man City in February.

By Codie Bullen for Mailonline

Published: 8:16 PM EST, March 8, 2024 | Updated: 8:35 PM EST, March 8, 2024

MANCHESTER CITY hero Bacary Sagna revealed Pep Guardiola cut off the dressing room Wi-Fi upon his arrival in 2016.

Sagna only played one year under Guardiola, but it was more than enough to make him understand what a great manager he really is.

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The Catalan tactician laid down the law from day one at the Etihad, as he personally handled every detail regarding his new team.

The Barcelona legend imposed dire consequences on those who did not adhere to his fitness regime, as anyone found to be even slightly overweight would be immediately dropped from his squad.

The former Bayern Munich boss did not stop there, as he also wanted to ensure that his players were always fully focused on their task.

That’s why the 53-year-old knew he had to avoid any possible distractions, so he disconnected the Wi-Fi in the locker rooms.

At first, Sagna did not really support that initiative, because he felt like he was being treated like a “child”.

However, the Arsenal hero soon understood how important that kind of discipline was, as it led to all his players adopting the “right mentality”.

And that is why the former full-back is not surprised that City won the treble under Guardiola last season.

Sagna said Chris Wheatley at the Web Summit in Qatar: “Pep Guardiola is the reference for me as a coach, because you have to be very disciplined.

“You have to understand that it’s not just on the field, it’s a whole life you have to live. It’s not just today.

“It’s about the nutrition you consume throughout the week. For example, if you are 1 kg ahead of your weight, you are dropped from the team! You don’t train.

“He came to Man City and cut the Wi-Fi in the dressing room, so you become like a child.

“At first it’s disturbing because you think I’m not a kid… I’m 30 years old, I don’t have to go through all these routes.

“But then you understand why they won the treble last year, because everyone is quite disciplined and everyone has the right mentality.

“And if you don’t have the right mentality in the sport, maybe you can shine [for] a year [or] two years. But after a while you’re gone, because staying at a high level is very difficult for a long time.”

Warning: This story contains the name and image of a deceased Indigenous person.

A killer dog mauled a real estate agent just 18 months before fatally attacking a man who heroically defended the lives of a woman and child.

Colin Amatto, 40, died after rushing to help a 10-year-old girl and her mother who were bitten by a dog at a western Sydney home on the afternoon of January 24, 2019.

An inquest into his death found the proud Yuin man was ‘savagely mauled’ by a Staffordshire bull terrier called Boof, before another staff called Hope joined in the ‘attack of extreme cruelty’.

He had lived with the dogs for almost a year before the attack and they often slept with him, the court was told.

Mr Amatto suffered more than eighty wounds to his head, body and limbs during the violent and bloody mauling.

He only regained consciousness when his family made the heartbreaking decision to cut off his life support five weeks later.

The 40-year-old’s tragic death is being investigated as part of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding seven fatal dog attacks that occurred between 2019 and 2023.

Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes has been tasked with assessing the effectiveness of local councils and police’s response to fatal dog attacks to prevent further tragedies.

Just 18 months before Mr Amatto was beaten to death in his home, the inquest heard Boof had been seized by authorities for launching a ‘terrifying attack’ on a real estate agent.

Property manager Barry Grant had been visiting the property to speak to the owners – who were not at home – when he was attacked by the ‘very, very ferocious’ staff.

The inquest heard he spent four days in hospital and had to undergo surgery due to serious injuries he suffered to his arms, legs and torso during the ‘terrifying’ attack.

Boof was seized by Penrith Council pet animal officer Danielle Whitley while an investigation into the circumstances of the mauling was carried out by NSW Police.

“The safest thing to do was to seize the dog while the investigation took place,” she said.

However, Ms Whitley told the inquest she was unsure whether she was legally able to seize Boof because companion animal legislation protects a pet’s right to defend itself from intruders.

“I explained (to the police) that if (Mr Grant) committed an offense the council would take no further action against the dog or its owner,” she said.

In circumstances where it was found that a person had illegally entered a property without permission and a dog had defended itself or the property, Ms Whitley said she believed the council had no grounds to seize the animal.

Whether the force of the attack on Mr Grant – whose flesh was described as ‘torn from his body’ – should have been sufficient grounds for seizure is a question to be determined by the inquest.

Ms Whitley’s former supervisor, Penrith Council companion animal officer Amanda Burns, said she shared Ms Whitley’s doubts about whether Boof should have been taken.

‘It’s been confiscated. “Maybe it shouldn’t have been that way,” she said.

Ms Burns said the dog attack was ‘unclear and messy’ as it appeared Mr Grant had entered the back garden of the house when the owners were not home without their permission.

She contacted police and recommended that Boof be released from the pound because he had acted in defense of his property.

Despite the brutality of the attack, the pet officer said she did not think there was any restriction she could have placed on the staff before releasing him.

The dog fatally mauled Mr Amatto less than two years after he was returned to his owners.

The inquest found that police often turned to council pet officers for help with dog attacks.

“Police officers often don’t know how to investigate a dog attack or what steps to take, so they seek our advice,” Ms Whitley said.

“The council (often) investigates dog attacks rather than the police because we have the staff trained to deal with them.”

Ms Burns, who has worked for Penrith Council for more than a decade, estimates she investigates around 75 per cent of dog attacks in the Penrith area.

She said the process of sharing information and making decisions in collaboration with police was often difficult at the time Mr Grant was mauled.

Neither the police nor the council had access to each other’s files on dog attacks, so “it was difficult to understand what everyone was doing,” Ms Burns told the inquest.

The effectiveness of multi-agency decisions and the scope or limitations of legislation should be scrutinized during the investigation.

PEP GUARDIOLA named Phil Foden the “best player in the Premier League” after his Manchester derby heroics.

And one incredible statistic from the Man City hero with two goals put United to shame.

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Marcus Rashford’s thirty-yard strike stunned Etihad after eight minutes, but the Red Devils barely threatened Guardiola’s team after that.

Despite this, they were still leading at the break – thanks in large part to Erling Haaland’s “worst miss ever” – but then Foden took center stage.

The 23-year-old England striker curled a stunning shot past André Onana to level the score in the 56th minute.

United remained ready to suppress City, remaining at 1–1 when two of their key players were forced to leave, which their manager Erik ten Hag said cost them.

He shot them ahead with just ten minutes to go when he stormed clear of Casemiro after a one-two with Julian Alvarez.

Haaland then rounded off the scoring in stoppage time to secure Manchester derby bragging rights and the 3-1 victory.

United managed just three shots all match, one of which was on target, while Foden had done that alone THREE TIMES as much as.

After taking his tally to 18 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions this season, it was Foden who deservedly took home the Player of the Match award.

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And his boss Guardiola praised the academy’s abilities as he named him the best player in the Premier League this season.

He said: “Right now he is the best (in the league). To be world class you have to win matches. He wins games.

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“He used to score goals, but now he’s winning games. When you do this, you reach another level as a player.

“He will already be a legendary player because at his age, the games played, the minutes, the goals scored, the titles won and he comes from here and therefore the connection with the fans is incredible.

“He is the player of the season. With all due respect to the great players, no one has been as decisive for us this season as he has been.”

Teammate Kyle Walker added: “We call him ‘The Sniper’ because he loves to shoot. So when he comes in with his left foot you know he has the quality and composure to pick his spot.

“Phil has taken on more responsibility this season.

“We need important players like him who can win games for you.”

The modest match winner promised to simply “keep working hard” after his latest heroics.

Foden said: “My aim is to appear in the big games.

“That’s what I want to do and this season I think I’ve done that. I just have to keep working hard.”