Slot shuns Spurs, WSL news and Vinicius Jr latest (2023)

Ed Hunter: Until ENIC and Levy go, Spurs will achieve nothing, the only thing which interests ENIC and Levy is money.

Peter Blow: Should Spurs be considering Michael Carrick? Former player. Doing wonders at Boro.

fqiren: Surely Graham Potter is worth a shot for the Spurs job? Doubt any European manager will be interested in them, especially if they are not going to play in Europe next season.

Simon Stone

BBC Sport

Slot's decision to remain at Feyenoord is a worrying development for Tottenham fans, some of whom are starting to fear the kind of protracted search for a manager that ended with Nuno Espirito Santo's ill-fated appointment in 2021.

The Portugueselasted four months,losing five of his last seven Premier League matches.

That summer, Tottenham went through a list of potential candidates, with Conte, Gennaro Gattuso and Paulo Fonseca all considered.

Beloved former boss Mauricio Pochettino was too, and at least on that occasion Tottenham did make an inquiry before discovering how expensive it would be to prise the Argentine out of Paris St-Germain.

This time around, they did not even try. Pochettino looks set to be in the opposition dug-out when Tottenham next play Chelsea.

Former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann was heavily linked with the Tottenham job following Conte's exit but the club made it known they would not be approaching the German - and have doubled down on that stance in the aftermath of fresh claims of contact last weekend.

As for Slot, while it would be easy to feel Tottenham's finances alone should have been enough to encourage the 44-year-old to move to London, Feyenoord have the attraction of a guaranteed a place in the Champions League group stage.

Simon Stone

BBC Sport

It is now more than eight weeks since Tottenham sacked Antonio Conte in an effort to save their season.

It is fair to say the move did not have the desired effect.

Champions League qualification hopes evaporated a while back and Spurs now go into their final Premier League game of the season at Leeds with only an outside chance of making the Europa Conference League qualifiers.

They need to get a better result than Aston Villa, who are at home to Brighton, or else they will miss out on European football for the first time since 2009-10.

Conte's departure did not halt the slide. The Italian's assistant Cristian Stellini lasted just four games, axed after an atrocious 6-1 defeat at Newcastle, which chairman Daniel Levy described as "wholly unacceptable".

Ryan Mason was put in charge for the rest of the season but Tottenham have taken 12 points from 12 games since they beat Chelsea on 26 February.

They have no director of football following Fabio Paratici's exit because of his 30 month ban for false accounting while sporting director and managing director of Juventus.

And now they have been snubbed by Arne Slot, who has decided he wants to remain in the Netherlands after guiding Feyenoord to their first Eredivisie title since 2017.

So, what happens now?

Full story.

Every supporter has one final day of the season that stands out above all others in their memory, so we asked our Premier League fan community to share theirs.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Stuart Matthews,Proud Seagulls

It wasn't the final day, but Sunday's final home game against Southampton stands out. We are sorry to see them drop out of the Premier League but that win on Sunday put us in Europe for the first time. History in the making. If you had told me at the beginning of the season this would happen, I would not have believed you. It's not Champions League but who cares? The Albion are in Europe!

Chelsea: Ross Mooring, Chelsea Fancast

Winning the league on the final day in your own stadium or securing Champions League football without spending any money on new transfers?The 8-0 thrashing of Wigan in 2010 to become champions and the first Premier League team to score 100 goals in a season would not have happened without defeating Liverpool 2-1 in 2003 first, a result that ensured a Champions League spot and paved the way for Roman Abramovich's takeover of the club just two months later.

Crystal Palace: Jay Crame,The Eagles Beak

It has to be May 2001, when survival went to the final day. Palace headed to Edgeley Park to take on Stockport County. Alan Smith had been sacked with two games left to play, with caretaker Steve Kember handed the reins. Victory was needed and they got it thanks to a dramatic winner from Dougie Freedman with just three minutes left to play to ensure survival.

Everton: Briony Bragg, This Fan Girl

On 10 May 1998, not even a win would propel Everton from the relegation zone, they needed Bolton (who sat a point above) to lose to Chelsea. When Chelsea went 2-0 up, a draw saw Everton safe. At full-time, Goodison celebrated at its joyous best.

Have a look at the other most memorable final Premier League days here

Sunday's game was paused in the second half as incensed Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr reported Valencia fans to the referee for racial abuse.

Real have reported the abuse to the Spanish prosecutor's office as a hate crime.

On Tuesday, the Spanish Football Federation announced Valencia had been sanctioned with a partial stadium closure for five matches following the incident and fined 45,000 euros (£39,000).

The club called the decision to partially close their stadium "disproportionate, unjust and unprecedented" and said they intend to appeal against that part of the sanction.

Spanish police have also detained three people in connection with the abuse directed at the Brazilian at Mestalla Stadium on Sunday.

Vinicius' was sent off late in the 1-0 defeat but his red card has been rescinded, meaning he will not have to serve a suspension. However he is injured and will miss Real's home game against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday.

The player has been the target of racist abuse multiple times this season.

La Liga pressident Javier Tebas has defended his organisation after fierce criticism following racist abuse aimed at Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr.

“I think that neither Spain nor the Spanish league areracist. I’m not saying there are not episodes of racism. But in general,neither the Spanish league, nor its players nor its fans are racist," he told the BBC

Vinicius has been the target of racist abuse multiple times this season and the latest incident has seen him receive support from the footballing world with players and fans.

Tebas said the league have registered nine complaints about racist abuse directed specifically towards Vinicius but La Liga's handling of the latest incident has received widespread condemnation.

Under Spanish law, La Liga can currently only identify and report cases but not impose sanctions.

Tebas said a formal request was made to the Spanish government that two laws are amended to give it authority to impose sanctions such as the total or partial closure of stadiums, bans for supporters and financial penalties.

“Since 2020, and 2021 with Vinicius’s case personally,we have been registering complaints in Spain’s anti-hate crime prosecutor andSpain’s courts for racist crimes against him, because of what people have beenshouting at him in some stadiums. We have done that on nine occasions," added Te.bas

"That iswhat I want Vinicius to know: that we will keep trying to make sure nobody inany stadium shouts racist insults.”

England boss Gareth Southgate hopes there is "significant change" after Valencia were sanctioned for the racist abuse of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr.

La Liga president Javier Tebas says they could reduce the amount of racist incidents in Spain in six or seven months if they had the "necessary powers".

The Spanish league has requested more power to punish incidents of racism.

That came after Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was the target of racist abuse at Valencia on Sunday.

"We will keep trying to make sure nobody in any stadium shouts racist insults," Tebas told the BBC..

"Eliminating this problem 100% will neverbe possible. The same way that totally eliminating robberies and other crimesis impossible, but we would reduce it a great deal and, if we were given thenecessary powers, in six or seven months we could say that we don’t have racism. “

Players from Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano joined together prior to kick-off in the La Liga fixture to hold a sign which read "Racists [get] out of football".

It was Real's first match since their Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr was racially abused at Valencia on Sunday,

A banner displayed in the stands also read: "We are all Vinicius. Enough is enough".

Vinicius, whose red card against Valencia has been rescinded, was applauded as he took to the pitch before the match.

He watched from the stands, where he sat beside Real president Florentino Perez.

Vinicius rose to his feet to acknowledge the show of support and later posted a picture of him waving to fans on Instagram, accompanied by the message: "I love them! Thank you, thank you and thank you".

Fellow Brazilian Rodrygo scored an 89th-minute winner for third-placed Real.

They had seen Karim Benzema's opener cancelled out by Raul de Tomas - and Rodrygo celebrated his goal by making a black power salute.

Real Madrid's players and fans showed support for Vinicius Jr as they beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 at the Bernabeu.

The win was the club's first match since their Brazilian forward was racially abused at Valencia on Sunday.

Vinicius missed the match through injury and Real's players took to the pitch in his number 20 shirt, while the captains of both teams wore armbands carrying anti-racism messages.

Supporters chanted the 22-year-old's name in the 20th minute in solidarity.

• More on this story here

La Liga president Javier Tebas says he did not mean to "attack" Vinicius Jr on social media after the Real Madrid player was racially abused by opposition fans at Valencia on Sunday.

Vinicius and Tebas were involved in Twitter row after the forward said the Spanish league "belongs to racists".

Tebas' and La Liga's handling of the incident has been widely condemned.

"I didn't mean to attack Vinicius, but if people understood it that way I have to apologise," Tebas told ESPN Brazil.

"That was not my intention, far from it. I was trying to clarify a situation and explain it."

Writing on social media after the match, Vinicius said that "the championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to racists" and "in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists".

Tebas said Vinicius twice did not turn up for a meeting to discuss what it "can do in cases of racism".

• More on this story here

(And we'll be hearing more soon from an interview Tebas has given to the BBC)

Every supporter has one final day of the season that stands out above all others in their memory, so we asked our Premier League fan community to share theirs.

Arsenal: Charlene Smith, AFTV

Arsenal's most memorable final day of the season was 15 May 2004 when our victory against Leicester City meant we went an entire season undefeated and confirmed our invincible season; 38 games played, 26 wins and 12 draws. The season was made more special as we lifted the Premier League trophy at White Hart Lane.

Aston Villa: Richard Sutherland,The Villa Park Podcast

After looking all but consigned to relegation in 2020, Villa stepped on to the field to face West Ham knowing their destiny was in their own hands. Jack Grealish's goal in the 84th minute all but sealed survival and despite a West Ham equaliser, Villa survived, cementing this day as one of the most memorable in their history.

Bournemouth: Tom Jordan, Back of the Net

On 2 May 2015 we lifted the Championship title and found ourselves suddenly among English football's elite. Two goals from Matt Ritchie and a Harry Arter strike saw the Cherries secure a 3-0 win at Charlton, confirming us as champions and getting the media talking in anticipation of our Premier League arrival.

Brentford: Ian Westbrook, Beesotted

There is only one candidate for Brentford - Trottagate!

In League One in 2013, we were given a 94th-minute penalty against Doncaster with the match goalless, needing victory to go up automatically. Rovers required a draw.

Marcello Trotta snatched the ball from regular penalty taker Kevin O'Connor, stepped up and hit the bar. To compound the misery, Rovers raced up the other end and scored themselves.

Read about other memorable final days here

SMS Message: Jesse Marsch for Spurs manager. Passionate. Exciting. Attacking. His style leaks goals, but we do that anyway. from Andrew

Jesse Marsch for Spurs manager. Passionate. Exciting. Attacking. His style leaks goals, but we do that anyway.

SMS Message: Why doesn't Daniel Levy just do it. Saves a salary and keeps him happy. Failing that Frank Lampard is available? from David

Why doesn't Daniel Levy just do it. Saves a salary and keeps him happy. Failing that Frank Lampard is available?

Manchester City quintet John Stones, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips are included in Gareth Southgate's England squad but will join up with the squad late because of their participation in the Champions League final against Inter Milan on 10 June.

The same also applies to West Ham captain Declan Rice, with the Hammers facing Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on 7 June.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tyrone Mings and Lewis Dunk have been recalled to Southgate's England Euro 2024 qualifiers squad.

Chelsea trio Reece James, Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell miss out through injury, while there is no place for Arsenal's Ben White, Everton's Conor Coady or AC Milan's Fikayo Tomori.

Tottenham defender Eric Dier misses out on England call-up for next month's Euro 2024 qualifiers as he has had groin surgery but is expected to be ready for pre-season.

Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope is also not included as he needs an operation on a hand injury, with Crystal Palace's Sam Johnstone recalled for the first time since March 2022 as his replacement.

Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling has been left out of the England squad for next month's Euro 2024 qualifiers by mutual decision after talks with boss Gareth Southgate.

Explaining the reasons behind his decision to leave out Sterling, Southgate said: "He is not happy with his condition physically, carrying a hamstring problem. He wasn't really in consideration.

"He doesn't think he is operating at the level he needs."

• More on the England squad here

Right, more Spurs and Premier League news to come, but we're just going to recap on the England squad announced yesterday afternoon, with Eberechi Eze called up for the first time for next month's Euro 2024 qualifiers.

The Crystal Palace midfielder is included after scoring six goals in his last eight Premier League matches.

"We've liked him for a long time," said England boss Gareth Southgate in his press conference.

"He has finished the season very strongly, he can play in a couple of positions across that front line. He has high quality and bursts of speed to go past players with those dribbling skills."

Leeds United will face Manchester United in a pre-season friendly in Oslo.

The match will take place on Wednesday 12 July at 16:00 BST at the Ullevaal Stadium, in the first meeting between the two sides to be played in Norway.

Speaking about the announcement, Leeds United executive director Paul Bell said: “We are really pleased to have secured this fixture against Manchester United, especially for the Leeds United fans in Norway.

“The Leeds United Supporters Club of Scandinavia has over 8,000 members, many of whom regularly travel over to England to see Leeds United play at home and away, so everyone is looking forward to the experience of playing in Oslo.”

Dave Head: I keep seeing that Spurs are only 12 days away from reaching the 72 days it took to appoint Nuno, but that's nothing compared to the 9 months it took us to replace Hoddle.

John Williams: The spurs job should be one of the most attractive in world football. Just goes to show the mess we are in and the reputation of our owners that we are getting turned down left right and centre.