Philip Buckingham

England

Football News Reporter at The Athletic

Football news reporter for @TheAthleticFC. Views are my own. Email: [email protected]

Articles

Mykhailo Mudryk’s doping charge explained: Can Chelsea sack him if found guilty and could he appeal?

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Dan Sheldon |Philip Buckingham

After provisionally suspending Mykhailo Mudryk in December for a failed drugs test, the English Football Association (FA) has now charged the Chelsea winger for violating its anti-doping regulations. This means Mudryk, who has not played a competitive game of football since the end of November, could now face a maximum penalty of a four-year suspension.
Ruben Selles a strong contender for Sheffield United job, Chris Wilder set to leave

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Philip Buckingham |Matt Slater |Dan Sheldon |Jacob Tanswell

Ruben Selles is a strong contender to take over at Sheffield United with Chris Wilder expected to leave the club. Wilder guided United to the verge of promotion before the play-off final defeat to Sunderland in May, which they led 1-0 until the 76th minute but lost 2-1 following Tom Watson’s goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Donald Trump's travel ban undermines Gianni Infantino's World Cup vision

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Philip Buckingham

Gianni Infantino could scarcely have been more emphatic when taking to the stage at the FIFA Congress in Asuncion, Paraguay, last month. A meeting had been held with the White House Task Force in the preceding days, and assurances had seemingly been given that hardening immigration policies would not carry a price for the looming Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup. "The world is welcome in America," said Infantino, FIFA's long-serving president.
Will the younger Bellingham brother stay in England or head to Germany?

4 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Philip Buckingham

In the hours after Sunderland's dramatic victory in the Championship play-off final, Jobe Bellingham took to social media to deliver a succinct verdict. "Job finished," the 19-year-old wrote on Instagram, the caption beneath a photo dump documenting the biggest day of his fledgling career. It was an ambiguous assessment. Two words to mark the end of Sunderland's arduous journey back to the Premier League or the full stop to Bellingham's time on Wearside?
Sunderland have been remodelled and revived

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Philip Buckingham

Regis Le Bris is a quiet, understated figurehead but an hour and a half after guiding Sunderland to Premier League promotion he found the words to unwittingly capture the beauty of a journey that had ended at Wembley. "To create this connection, this memory, for the fans and for us, we needed to live the tough moments," said Sunderland's head coach.
Sheffield United 1 Sunderland 2

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Philip Buckingham |Tim Spiers

Tommy Watson said he's looking forward to meeting Sunderland "in the big time" after scoring the goal that won the Championship play-off final in his final game for the North East club before joining Brighton & Hove Albion. In a remarkable turnaround, Sunderland trailed until the 76th minute before Eliezer Mayenda equalised after Tyrese Campbell had put Sheffield United ahead in the 25th minute.
Liverpool 30, Arsenal 29, Ipswich 10

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Philip Buckingham

Liverpool's coronation finally arrives tomorrow evening as they get the opportunity to reclaim the Premier League trophy they have spent the past five years chasing. The ticker tape and the medals, all to commemorate a 20th English title being added to Anfield's champions wall.
A club rebooted, renewed and one game from a Premier League return

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Michael Walker |Philip Buckingham

It was heading towards midnight as a packed Tyne & Wear Metro train pulled away from the station at the Stadium of Light. The smiling faces crammed in were soon staring at mobile phone footage of the moment they had all just witnessed live: the stooping header from Dan Ballard in the last seconds of extra-time in the Championship play-off semi-final against Coventry City that takes Sunderland to Wembley on Saturday.
Gary Lineker, the culture wars and why his BBC exit became a sad inevitability

1 month ago | bvmsports.com | Philip Buckingham

The proposed separation had once felt fitting. Forty summers after Gary Lineker had become a national goalscoring hero with England at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, the 2026 finals in the same country - as well as the U.S. and Canada - were to be his farewell to the BBC.
Gary Lineker, the culture wars and why his BBC exit became a sad inevitability

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Philip Buckingham

The proposed separation had once felt fitting. Forty summers after Gary Lineker had become a national goalscoring hero with England at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, the 2026 finals in the same country - as well as co-hosts the U.S. and Canada - were to be his farewell to the BBC.