**Football Daily: The Ongoing Struggles of the Premier League's Winless Teams** Season previews can be quite amusing. Reflecting on the summer, filled with optimism, those early predictions now seem to mock their authors. Back in August, Oliver Glasner was hailed as a master tactician, having successfully fortified Crystal Palace’s defense while allowing talents like Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise to shine. Adam Wharton was compared to Paul Scholes—not just for his striking looks but also for his tackling prowess. There were even calls for Gareth Southgate to give Wharton a chance during the summer Euros. Jean-Philippe Mateta was touted as a prolific scorer, showcasing his skills at the Big Sports Day. What could possibly go wrong? While I share your skepticism regarding Inter Miami’s ‘qualification’ for FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup, I wonder if you noticed that RB Salzburg, with just one appearance in the Champions League's last 16 over the past five years, also managed to qualify. In a previous edition, it was mentioned that the MLS Supporters’ Shield is awarded to the ‘best team in the regular season.’ However, that’s not entirely accurate. The Shield goes to the team with the most points during the regular season. This distinction matters because the MLS operates on a wildly unbalanced schedule. For instance, Inter Miami faces weaker teams like Chicago and New England twice while not playing against ten other teams in the league at all. This makes it challenging to determine who the best team truly is. Credit where it’s due—Inter Miami is indeed impressive, but the MLS scheduling is perplexing, almost as baffling as Gianni Infantino himself. I can’t be the only one who read the nostalgic piece from Noble Francis and longed for simpler times. Sure, we had our share of annoying chatter back then, but it seemed less tainted by the relentless commercialism we see today. The mention of Ronaldo being persuaded to play after suffering a fit was particularly concerning, though given it was a FIFA event, one might assume everything was above board. This is just a glimpse of our daily football newsletter, Football Daily. For the complete version, be sure to check out our subscription page.

**Football Daily | Jürgen Klopp’s New Role: A Heartbreak for Football Purists** Oh, Jürgen, say it isn’t true. Last January, Liverpool’s then-manager Jürgen Klopp stunned the football world with a video announcement revealing his plans to leave Anfield at the end of the season. He cited “running out of energy” as his reason, so in some ways, the news of his new position as head of global soccer at Red Bull isn’t entirely unexpected. However, the revelation that this beloved, seemingly down-to-earth, albeit occasionally irritable German has opted for a corporate role feels like a significant letdown. Just two years ago, Klopp expressed his understanding of the criticism surrounding the Red Bull brand, aligning himself with traditionalists and appearing to genuinely appreciate football culture and fandom. In other news, I appreciate the heartfelt tribute to Johan Neeskens featured in yesterday’s Football Daily. It brought a tear to my eye. As a child, I wished my name was Johan—not because of Cruyff, mind you! – Gerben van Sark. I was taken aback to learn that Ryan Mason is in talks for the Anderlecht managerial position. Doesn’t he realize that a more suitable temporary role could be just around the corner in Tottenham? – Dedric Helgert. For some inexplicable reason, my irony-meter always goes haywire when I read Football Daily. I couldn’t help but notice the uproar surrounding Manchester United’s ‘executive summit’ led by Jim Ratcliffe, which was reportedly a regular event for the club’s executives. Is this the same Jim Ratcliffe who, shortly after joining, sent an email to non-playing staff offering them a week to decide whether to resign or return to the office? Shouldn’t it be Ratcliffe and his underperforming executives facing scrutiny for not adhering to their own standards? – Steve Malone. This is just a glimpse of our daily football email, Football Daily. For the complete version, please visit our sign-up page and follow the instructions.