Jan Mlakar
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Brighton striker #JanMlakar signs for Hajduk Split #BHAFC

July 2, 2021
The Slovenian striker has joined Hajduk Split on a permanent deal on undisclosed terms. Mlakar signed for the Seagulls from Maribor in January 2019, and he also spent time out on loan in the Championship with QPR and Wigan Athletic. He spent last term back on loan back at Maribor and was joint top scorer in the Slovenian top tier with 15 goals in 35 games. But his impact while in or Championship was minimal. BRIGHTON'S ROBERT SANCHEZ SIGNS IN TRAINING WITH SPAIN Albion technical director Dan Ashworth said: “After a good season with Maribor, and having made his national team debut, Jan now has the option of a permanent move to Hajduk Split. “It's a move which suits all parties, and we wish Jan all the best of luck for the future at both club and international level.” Mlakar never made a senior appearance for Albion.
Jordan Pickford
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #TheoWalcott heaps praises for England star #JordanPickford #EvertonFC #SaintsFC

July 1, 2021
SAINTS star Theo Walcott heaped praise on England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with the Three Lions yet to concede a goal at Euro 2020. Pickford again pulled off some remarkable saves during his side’s 2-0 Euro 2020 last 16 victory over Germany. And Walcott, who played 47 times for England at senior level, was full of praise for the Everton stopper. He told talkSPORT: “It’s all about clean sheets in tournament football. “I’ve been really pleased with Jordan and he had a lot of people on his back about being too involved in the game. “I think he’s taken a step back and started to handle the defence and not play the occasion. He’s leading on the field. “When you’ve got a goalkeeper behind you like that, it helps. We are very difficult to break down. “Jordan has always been a resilient young man and dealt with pressures and I’m sure now he’s grown his hair a little bit more he’s probably not hearing as much. “He’s brilliant. Always done very well for England and Everton. Having (Robin) Olsen, he’s a very experienced goalkeeper, it has probably done him some good.” While the win over Germany will live long in the memory, Pickford himself knows it must be put to the back of the minds of the players as they prepare to take on Ukraine in Rome for a place in the semi-finals. “We’ve got to enjoy the moment,” he said post-match. “But we’ve got to get prepared right, recover well and train well. Every team in this competition is a good side, so we’ve got to be on our A game and prepare well for Saturday. “We’ve had the opportunity to play four games at Wembley and the atmosphere of 45,000 fans today was amazing. “I think that just gives us the desire on Saturday, it is another opportunity to come back to Wembley. Come Saturday we will be prepared for what they put up against us.”
Caleb Watts
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- He’s going for gold! Saints youngster #CalebWatts to become an Olympian #SAINTSFC

June 30, 2021
SAINTS youngster Caleb Watts is set to become an Olympian this summer, after being confirmed in Australia’s squad for Tokyo 2020. The 19-year-old, who has represented his country at under-17 and under-23 level, is set to be part of the Olyroos group making their return to the Games for the first time since 2008. It caps what has been a breakthrough season for Watts, who made his Saints senior debut against Shrewsbury in the FA Cup back in January. Watts had the choice of either representing England or Australia when he was younger, having been born in England to an Australian father. Asked why he chose to represent the Aussies, the teenager told the Saints website: “There’s a lot of national pride associated with playing for Australia. Making my grandparents proud, making my dad proud, I feel a real affinity towards the country, probably more so than I do England. “I think that England team at the time looked quite difficult to get into, there was a lot of competition. “I also really liked what the (Australian) coach, when he came to visit, had to say.” Now selected as part of the Olympic line-up, Watts will be part of the 16-nation tournament held between July 21 and August 7. Australia have been drawn in Group E alongside Egypt, Spain and Argentina. Watts came off the bench three times for Saints in the Premier League last season, during games against Arsenal, Everton and Manchester City. And he believes being in and around Saints’ first-team every day helped him develop as a player. “It’s been a huge learning curve,” said the youngster when asked to reflect on his breakthrough campaign. “Seeing first-team players all the time. Seeing their habits. “Players like Prowsey, you can pick up so much knowledge and information from how they operate on a day-to-day basis. “My target was to just get around the first team as much as possible. I thought last season I had a pretty weak season just because of the injuries etc and I knew I was capable of more. “But if I’m honest I probably didn’t see me getting this much time in the first team, but because of injuries and how I’ve performed it’s allowed me to have quite a good year I feel.”
Ben White Leeds
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #BenWhite says When I was at Saints I didn’t have any confidence’ #BHAFC SAINTSFC

June 29, 2021
ENGLAND defender Ben White admitted he “didn’t have any confidence” coming through the youth ranks at Saints before reviving his career at Brighton. The 23-year-old grew up in the south, attending Queen Elizabeth's School in Wimborne, while also playing football for county side Poole and East Dorset. His path to the top was far from straightforward, released by Saints as a teenager and coming through lower league loan spells, before helping Leeds United clinch promotion from the Championship and now establishing himself as a key centre-back for Brighton. Now part of England’s Euro 2020 group, White could feature in Gareth Southgate’s squad when they take on Germany in the last 16 on Tuesday. But the centre-back admits he is a totally different person now than when he found himself struggling in the academy at Saints. “When I was at Southampton I didn’t have any confidence,” he told talkSPORT. “The way I play now is with a lot of confidence. It’s the complete opposite of what I used to be. “I think coming through Brighton the coaches and the people really believed in me. “I think you get that with playing and at Southampton I was on the sidelines a lot. But I went Brighton and went straight into the team and played. “It’s tough when you get released and you’re not wanted. Especially when you’re young, it’s hard to deal with. “You either sink or swim, but for me I obviously wanted it a lot and it was the only thing I wanted at the time, so I went for it.” The defender has this summer been linked with a big money move to Arsenal, but insists his only focus at present is on progressing with England. Speaking about that speculation, White added: “It’s nice, it’s happened quite a lot over the last two years, there’s been a lot of noise. “You don’t know what’s true and what’s not. So there’s no real point talking about it.”
Graham Potter Brighton
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #GrahamPotter releases Brighton defender #AlexCochrane to join Hearts on loan #BHAFC

June 29, 2021
The 21-year-old will link up with Scottish Premiership outfit, subject to international clearance. He spent last season on loan at Tony Bloom’s Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. Albion's pathway development manager David Weir, who oversees the club's loan programme, said: “Alex had a really positive spell in Belgium last season and showed how well he can adapt to a different culture and club. MOISES CAICEDO JOINS ECUADOR CELEBRATIONS AFTER INJURY SCARE “He will get to work closely with Robbie Neilson, who was a full-back himself during his playing career and will have plenty of knowledge he can pass on to Alex. “Myself and the loans team will be keeping a close eye on how Alex gets on over the next year and we wish him the best of luck.”
Ben White Leeds
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #BenWhite says he doesn’t discusses transfer ‘noise’ #BHAFC

June 28, 2021
Ben White says he doesn’t talk about transfer “noise” while on England duty. The Albion defender has been linked with Arsenal amid reports of a failed £40 million bid. There was suggestion on Thursday that a deal was close with the Gunners. However The Argus were told that was NOT the case – and that White has attracted interest from several clubs. It is a second successive summer of transfer speculation around the defender, who is with Gareth Southgate’s 26-man party at Euro 2020. White suggested it was nice to be wanted as he spoke to talkSPORT as a part of his England media commitments. He said: “It’s nice. It has happened quite a lot over the last two years, there’s been a lot of noise.” Asked whether he talks about it with other England players, he replied: “Not really. “You don’t know what’s true and what’s not. So there’s no real point talking about it.” Albion are in no rush to do business and have no particular need or desire to sell White.