Xabi Alonso coup shows Chelsea and BlueCo now see the value of aura

The Chelsea end was mostly empty by the time the players went to collect their losers’ medals. There was no grand ovation for the beaten team. The disconnect was evident afterdefeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup final, underlining how one of Xabi Alonso’s first challenges as Chelsea’s new manager will be to lift the mood and get players, fans and owners pulling in the same direction after a hugely disappointing season.

Many people are wondering why Alonso has agreedto take over on a four-year deal. Why, after running into player power and reluctance to build a project at Real Madrid, would you choose Chelsea? Just how big is the payoff?

Related:Xabi Alonso confirmed as Chelsea manager on four-year contract

The 44-year-old is the sixth permanent manager to work for Chelsea since the takeover by the BlueCo consortium in 2022. Alonso cannot plead ignorance if this move fails. The accusation that Chelsea are unmanageable could have put him off. Then again, there is an obvious appeal to the manager with the self-belief to ignore the pitfalls and instead focus on the positives. Alonso, bruised after his unhappy spell at Madrid, is ready to make the leap.

It is a coup for Chelsea, the most prestigious appointment these owners have made. They have had their eye on Alonso for four years. They watched his work at Bayer Leverkusen, saw howhe led them to the Bundesliga titleat the expense of Bayern Munich in 2024, and hoped to make him theirs one day.

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Now the dream is a reality. There was an easy rapport between Alonso and Chelsea’s leadership team when they met in London. One theory is that his appointment represents a shift in club policy. It is not just that, though. Alonso sought assurances but he has not made demands about power. In a break with previous appointments Alonso has taken the title of manager rather than head coach but that was Chelsea’s idea. It is because they see him as a leader with the potential to be more than a coach. Their ears pricked up when Alonso spoke about culture. Chelsea loved it when the former Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Madrid midfielder talked about wanting to sign and create mentality monsters.

Players will want to sign for Alonso. Perhaps Chelsea, who are set to miss out on Champions League qualification for the third time in four years, have slightly underestimated the power of the manager. It is time to get away from that infamous line from one director about there being no statistical link between managers and results. The problem with that theory is the unquantifiable impact made by the very best. Chelsea see it now: the value of aura. Their scepticism was quashed by the way Liam Rosenior was swallowed up by the demands of the role before his sacking last month.

There is a recognition that mistakes have been made during the past four years. Although there has never been an official policy to focus solely on signing young players, there is an acceptance that recruitment needs to be more flexible when it comes to age. Alonso is not alone in thinking Chelsea must sign some experienced players this summer.

Yet this does not have to be a drastic rebuild. What cannot be lost in the discussion is that the biggest reason for Chelsea’s season falling apart isEnzo Maresca walking awayon New Year’s Day. They had been moving in the right direction before that split. They were world champions. Alonso sees a squad that can be shaped in his image. It will take a few tweaks – a world-class goalkeeper, sharper wingers, consistency in central defence and more support for João Pedro up front – but Chelsea are not that far away from competing with the best sides.

How to make the leap? Chelsea know they need more stability. It starts with giving the manager the authority to build. It does not mean Chelsea have to rip up their model and start again. Contrary to speculation they are not handing complete control to the new man. What they have done, though, is look at Alonso’s stature and conclude that this is someone who must have a significant say in the club’s future. The only way to build a team of mentality monsters is to empower the manager.

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May 17, 2026

Xabi Alonso coup shows Chelsea and BlueCo now see the value of aura

The Chelsea end was mostly empty by the time the players went to collect their losers’ medals. There was no grand ovation for the beate...

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Titans' Carnell Tate and Nick Singleton at 2026 NFLPA Rookie Premiere

While things are quiet back in Nashville, as theTennessee Titansprepare to kick off offseason team activities (OTAs) this week, two of the newest members of the organization are out in Los Angeles taking part in the NFLPA’s Rookie Premiere.

2026 draft picks, wide receiver Carnell Tate and running back Nick Singleton, are taking part in the annual NFLPA event, joining 40 other members of the 2026 NFL Draft at the weekend-long event, which gives fans a look at the next generation of stars to enter the league.

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The two Titans appeared in a group photo taken by the NFLPA alongside their fellow draftees, including No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza Las Vegas Raiders), quarterback Ty Simpson (Los Angeles Rams), and linebacker Arvell Reese (New York Giants).

Tate and Singleton are the latest Titans to appear at the event in Los Angeles; quarterback Cam Ward and wide receiver Elic Ayomanor took part in the premiere following the 2025 NFL Draft.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire:Titans' Carnell Tate and Nick Singleton at 2026 NFLPA Rookie Premiere

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May 17, 2026

Titans' Carnell Tate and Nick Singleton at 2026 NFLPA Rookie Premiere

While things are quiet back in Nashville, as theTennessee Titansprepare to kick off offseason team activities (OTAs) this week, two of ...

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A medieval book in Rome has been hiding the oldest English poem

ROME (AP) — The researchers in Ireland looked at their computer screen, marveling at a medieval book tracked down in a Roman library. They flipped through its digitized pages and found their sought-after treasure: the oldest surviving English poem.

Italy Old English Poem

“We were extremely surprised. We were speechless. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we first saw that,” Elisabetta Magnanti, a visiting research fellow at Trinity College Dublin's school of English, told The Associated Press.

What's more, she said, the poem was within the main body of Latin text: "It was extraordinary.”

Composed in Old English by a Northumbrian agricultural worker in the 7th century, "Caedmon’s Hymn" appears within some copies of the “Ecclesiastical History of the English People,” written in Latin by a monk and saint known as theVenerable Bede. His history is one of the most widely reproduced texts from the Middle Ages, with almost 200 manuscripts, according to Magnanti's colleague Mark Faulkner, an associate professor of medieval literature at Trinity.

He considers Caedmon’s poem to be the start of English literature.

The manuscript he and Magnanti found is one of the oldest, dating from the 9th century. Two earlier copies contain the poem in Old English, but as afterthoughts — translated from Latin and scrawled into the margin by later scribes or appended but not within the text's main body, according to the researchers.

The discovery sheds light on the English language's wide diffusion, long before what was previously understood, Faulkner said in Rome, where the duo had traveled to view the text in person for the first time.

“Prior to the discovery of the Rome manuscript, the earliest one was from the early 12th century. So this is three centuries earlier than that. And so it attests to the importance that was already being attached to the English in the early 9th century,” Faulkner said.

And it's something of a miracle they uncovered it at all.

The book had a long and twisted provenance

Caedmon is said to have composed the poem while working at Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire, after guests at a feast began reciting poems, Faulkner said.

“Embarrassed that he didn’t know anything suitable, Caedmon left the feast and went to bed," he said. "A figure then appeared to him in his dreams telling him to sing about creation, which Caedmon miraculously did, producing the nine-line hymn."

Some 1,400 years later, this copy of his poem resurfaced in Rome’s main public library — but not before crossing the Atlantic Ocean at least twice and changing hands even more times.

Monks transcribed this copy of Bede's history in the scriptorium of the Benedictine abbey of Nonantola, one of the most important transcription centers during the Middle Ages, located near modern-day Modena in northern Italy, according to Valentina Longo, curator of medieval and modern manuscripts at Rome's National Central Library.

In the 17th century, as the abbey's importance declined, its vast collection of manuscripts was shifted to another abbey in Rome, then moved to the Vatican and finally on to a small church.

Along the way, some of the texts went missing, only to emerge in the early 19th century in the possession of famous international collectors, Longo said.

This copy of Bede's history went to renowned English antiquarian Thomas Phillipps. He fell on hard times, selling off bits and pieces of his collection, and Swiss bibliophile Martin Bodmer secured the book. From there, somehow, it arrived in New York City, in the trove of Austrian-born rare bookseller H.P. Kraus during the 20th century.

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Italy's culture ministry was scouring the world for the Nonantola abbey's missing manuscripts, snapping them up in auctions and from collectors around the world. It bought the copy of Bede's history from Kraus in 1972, Longo said, and since then the illustrious text has remained in Rome's library — but received scant notice.

Enter Magnanti, who had spent over four years studying Bede’s history and was compiling a catalog of extant copies.

“I knew that the book was listed in the library’s catalog, so I was almost certain that the book was, in fact, still here," she said. “I realized that, because of the very complex history of this book, no big scholar had really looked at it. So it had been virtually unstudied."

She emailed the library, which confirmed the book was in its stacks. Three months later, she received digital images of the entire manuscript.

The text of the poem (translated from old English)

Now we must praise the guardian of the heavenly kingdom,

the might of the creator and his intention,

the work of the father of glory, in that he of each wonder,

eternal lord, established the beginning.

He first created the earth for men,

heaven as a roof, the holy creator,

then the middle earth, the guardian of mankind,

the eternal lord, afterwards created

for men on earth, the almighty lord.

The library is making more rare books available

The library has digitized the entire Nonantolan collection and it is freely accessible through the website, Longo said.

It's part of a massive project by the library to make thousands of rare books and manuscripts available to researchers around the world, according to Andrea Cappa, the library's head of manuscripts and the rare books reading room.

“The discovery made by the experts of Trinity College is just one starting point, a single manuscript that might pave the way for countless other discoveries, in countless other fields, through international cooperation like this,” Cappa said.

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May 17, 2026

A medieval book in Rome has been hiding the oldest English poem

ROME (AP) — The researchers in Ireland looked at their computer screen, marveling at a medieval book tracked down in a Roman library. T...

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See how President Trump approval rating changed amid economic concerns

In an interview this past week, President DonaldTrump prioritized foreign policyover domestic economic concerns. When questioned about rising gas prices on May 12, the president said his focus was on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all,” Trump said.

With less than six months until the midterm elections,Donald Trump’s position on domestic affairs appears to be triggering disapproval among voters, according to anew CNN/SSRS poll, as concerns about rising costs as well as healthcare continue to weigh on Americans.

The survey, conducted April 30 to May 4, found 77% of Americans say Trump’s policies have increased the cost of living in their communities, while about two-thirds say those policies have worsened economic conditions nationwide. The results also show Trump’s approval on the economy at a low point and his healthcare disapproval at a record high.

The poll surveyed 1,499 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of ±2.8 percentage points.

More:Vegan, '6 genders', a 'real hit on Jesus.' Why is Trump going after Talarico?

Trump’s approval ratings

Trump’sdisapproval on healthcarehas reached 65%, the highest level for any president this century, with former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush hitting peaks of 63% in 2006 and 2014, respectively. according to a CNN analysis.

Overall, just35% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance, leaving him underwater in the latest survey. His approval rating has been net negative for roughly a year and has trended more negative in recent months.

According to polling averages as of May 15:

• New York Times: 38% approve, 59% disapprove

• Silver Bulletin: 38.5% approve, 58.3% disapprove

• RealClearPolitics Poll Average: 40.3% approve, 56.5% disapprove

Trump approval rating in New Jersey

According toCiviqs, last updated May 13, Trump's net approval in New Jersey stood at -33%.

New Jersey tilts unfavorable overall. About 65% of New Jersey residents polled currently disapprove of the president's performance.About 32% approve and another 3% did not choose either.

Education: Respondents across all education levels disapprove of Trump’s job performance, with postgraduate at 78%, college graduate at 67% and non-college graduate at 60%.

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Gender: Roughly two-thirds of women (70%) disapprove of Trump's performance. Men lean unfavorable toward Trump, with 59% disapproving and 37% approving.

Age: Roughly two-thirds of voters aged 18-34 (76%) disapprove of Trump's performance, followed by 68% of 35-49-year-olds, 59% of those 65 and older and 58% of 50-64-year-olds.

Party: Democrats were most unfavorable toward Trump, with 98% disapproving, followed by independents at 61% disapproval. Meanwhile, Republicans were the most favorable toward Trump, with 85% approving of Trump's job performance.

Race: Black or African-American voters had the highest unfavorable opinion of Trump, with 88% disapproving, followed by Hispanic/Latino and Other tied at 70% disapproval and white at 59% disapproval.According toCiviqs, last updated May 13, Trump's net approval in New Jersey stood at -33%.

New Jersey tilts unfavorable overall. About 65% of New Jersey residents polled currently disapprove of the president's performance.About 32% approve and another 3% did not choose either.

Education: Respondents across all education levels disapprove of Trump’s job performance, with postgraduate at 78%, college graduate at 67% and non-college graduate at 60%.

Gender: Roughly two-thirds of women (70%) disapprove of Trump's performance. Men lean unfavorable toward Trump, with 59% disapproving and 37% approving.

Age: Roughly two-thirds of voters aged 18-34 (76%) disapprove of Trump's performance, followed by 68% of 35-49-year-olds, 59% of those 65 and older and 58% of 50-64-year-olds.

Party: Democrats were most unfavorable toward Trump, with 98% disapproving, followed by independents at 61% disapproval. Meanwhile, Republicans were the most favorable toward Trump, with 85% approving of Trump's job performance.

Race: Black or African-American voters had the highest unfavorable opinion of Trump, with 88% disapproving, followed by Hispanic/Latino and Other tied at 70% disapproval and white at 59% disapproval.

USA TODAY’s Chris Ullery, Kinsey Crowley and Joey Garrison contributed to this report.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post:Trump disapproval rises across nation, in New Jersey, latest polls show

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May 17, 2026

See how President Trump approval rating changed amid economic concerns

In an interview this past week, President DonaldTrump prioritized foreign policyover domestic economic concerns. When questioned about ...

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Fans descend on Glasgow for title clincher

Thousands of fans are converging on Glasgow ahead of one of the most highly anticipated Scottish Premiership title deciders in recent history.

Either a draw or a win would give Hearts their first league title in 66 years - while Celtic require a win to retain the trophy for the fifth year in a row.

The match, which kicks off at 12:30, has been described by Hearts manager Derek McInnes as "box office" - and one which Celtic boss Martin O'Neill said the Hoops would be "going out all guns blazing to try to win".

Should Hearts take the title it will be the first time in more than 40 years that a team other than Celtic or Rangers has won the league.

The final day showdown was confirmed on Wednesday after Celtic defeated Motherwell with a controversial VAR-awarded penalty in the 99th minute.

Some 800 Hearts supporters will make the trip to Celtic Park after the club sold out its away day allocation.

Police Scotland said Glasgow city centre would be busier than usual on Saturday and urged people to plan their travel - especially on public transport - in advance.

Major roadworks are also being carried out on theM8 in West Lothian this weekendand drivers have been urged to allow extra time for their journeys.

Speaking on Friday, Martin O'Neill said he was "really looking forward" to the title clash.

"It's a big, big game naturally. We have to win it, Hearts don't," he said.

"So the advantage is with them in that aspect, but we're going out all guns blazing to try to win."

Meanwhile Derek McInnes said it had been a "brilliant campaign" for Hearts "regardless of what happens".

"With the records broken internally as a club, and what we've done this season, I think they'll always be regarded as a special team. But obviously if we want to elevate that, we have to go and win it.

"It's up to us to try and create our own history and our own legacy with a big performance."

Professional singer Colin Chisholm whohas been singing The Hearts Song ahead of matches at Tynecastlesaid he'll be watching the game at home with his wife, daughter and grandson.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast the 73-year-old said: "It's been incredible.

"Every Hearts fan I've spoken to feels the same - for two or three days after a game you feel hungover because it's up and down all the time, and Hearts are doing so well, so brilliantly."

He added Hearts had "every chance" of winning, but "win, lose or draw, there will be the biggest party in Edinburgh tonight just to welcome the boys home".

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Hearts will stage an open-top bus parade through Edinburgh on Sunday if they win, while Celtic has no organised celebration plan, somethingwhich has drawn criticism from Police Scotlandbecause of concern about possible disorder.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said the force had a comprehensive policing plan in place that would focus on "minimising disruption to local communities" and avoiding "widespread disorder".

Waddell said officers had been keen to explore options and encourage the clubs to establish an organised event or fanzone to allow supporters to "celebrate safely and reduce the impact on the local community".

He added: "Despite these welcome efforts, Celtic Football Club has again failed to bring forward any plan or take any responsibility for the wider conduct and safety of supporters outwith the stadium.

"Should Celtic win the title on Saturday, we have again had to plan for thousands of supporters gathering in the Trongate area of the city as in previous years."

As precautionary measures - including the removal of glass from bus stop shelters - were taken on Friday, the club urged supporters to avoid mass gatherings which have a "high impact" on the city.

Glasgow City Council chief executive Susanne Millar, however, rejected the police criticism of Celtic over the lack of celebration plans.

She said: "It has not been possible to design a meaningful celebration which could be safely and practically arranged on a day when Celtic could win the league and be presented with the trophy on the same day, at home.

"But that does not mean that Celtic have 'failed to bring forward any plan or take any responsibility for the wider conduct and safety of supporters outwith the stadium.'

"I simply do not recognise this description of the club's behaviour."

Celtic boss Martin O'Neill, who last won the title in 2004 during his first spell at the club, urged fans to celebrate "safely and responsibly" if the side are successful.

"We want all our fans to be safe and ensure that we are mindful of others and our wider community," he said.

"Our fans have such a great reputation for positively supporting the team and if we do achieve what we want at the weekend, we want that positive support to shine through again."

On Friday the Scottish Football Association revealedmatch referee John Beatonand his family spent the previous night at home under police surveillance after a "leak of personal details online".

The SFA blamed a "hysterical media narrative" following the controversial decision at the Fir Park match.

The statement concluded: "We urge tolerance and perspective to prevent any further, unthinkable escalation."

Later on Friday, Police Scotland said a 19-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with a data protection offence, following a complaint of personal information being shared online relating to a Scottish football official.

He is due to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court at a later date.

More on this story...

• Police criticise Celtic over failure to plan title party for fans

• Everybody wants Hearts to win - Celtic boss O'Neill

• Hearts ready to 'rip up script' in title showdown

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May 16, 2026

Fans descend on Glasgow for title clincher

Thousands of fans are converging on Glasgow ahead of one of the most highly anticipated Scottish Premiership title deciders in recent h...

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NASCAR Dover All-Star Race predictions 2026, expert picks for Cup Series race

TheNASCARAll-Star Race is in Doverfor the first time in the event's history on May 17.

The 2026 edition of the All-Star Race is more like a normal race weekend than ever. A 350-lap race will begin with all 36 entries in a field that will be narrowed over three stages. There is no All-Star Open, and the race takes place on a Sunday afternoon.

Dover is without a points race, but the 1-mile concrete oval is unique enough to create intrigue in a winner-take-all setting.

Here are The Tennessean's expert picks for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at Dover:

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NASCAR predictions for Dover All-Star Race: Here's who wins the All-Star Race

Mike Organ's pick: Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota

Three weeks is the longest Reddick has gone without a win this season. So he is due after winning at Kansas on April 19. He has eight top-5 finishes in 12 Cup races this season. I look forward to seeing his Academy of Country Music Awards design on his No. 45 Toyota for the race.

Nick Gray's pick: Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota

The star of 2026 so far wins the All-Star Race.

Tom Kreager's pick: Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford

It's that time of year where Ryan Blaney seems to heat up. He's had his share of tough luck. He won at Nashville a year ago and like Nashville Superspeedway, Dover has a concrete track.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean:NASCAR Dover All-Star Race predictions 2026, expert picks for Cup Series

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May 16, 2026

NASCAR Dover All-Star Race predictions 2026, expert picks for Cup Series race

TheNASCARAll-Star Race is in Doverfor the first time in the event's history on May 17. The 2026 edition of the All-Star Race ...

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Gaza mosques announce death of Hamas military leader after Israeli targeting claim

CAIRO, May 16 (Reuters) - Mosques in northern ‌Gaza on Saturday ‌announced that Hamas' military ​wing commander had died, a day after Israel's military said ‌that ⁠it had targeted the armed wing ⁠chief in airstrikes.

Witnesses said that ​mosques in ​Gaza ​City had announced ‌Izz al-Din al-Haddad's "martyrdom". There was no immediate comment from Hamas on the fate ‌of the ​militant group's ​military ​chief.

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Israel has ‌not said if he ​was ​killed in the air strikes.

(Reporting by ​Nidal ‌al-Mughrabi, Writing by ​Alexander Cornwell,Editing by ​Louise Heavens)

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May 16, 2026

Gaza mosques announce death of Hamas military leader after Israeli targeting claim

CAIRO, May 16 (Reuters) - Mosques in northern ‌Gaza on Saturday ‌announced that Hamas' military ​wing commander had died, a day aft...

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