SPORTS AGENDA: Leeds Rhinos coach Rohan Smith is entertained by Jesse Marsch after Grand Final loss

Leeds Rhinos coach Rohan Smith quickly found a shoulder to cry on after the Super League club’s Grand Final defeat to St Helens.

The Australian went to the Leeds United training ground on Friday, where he was entertained by Premier League manager Jesse Marsch.

Smith, who also filmed for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup, caught up with Marsch’s session before speaking extensively with the likeable American.

Jota’s strong build game

Defenders may soon struggle to knock Liverpool’s Diogo Jota off the ball, as the Portuguese searches for TWO gyms on his new path.

The striker has camped in the old home of former Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti and is looking to add an extension, complete with dressing room, pool, steam room, hot tub, cinema room, snug and two training rooms.

Like the ex-Toffees boss, Jota, 25, is believed to be renting the £2million luxury five-bed pillow. There are no objections to the plans of his neighbours, including former Liverpool players Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler.

Everton’s Haaland heartache

Former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson put the shoe in his beloved Everton after the Manchester derby and recalled seeing a video of an 18-year-old Erling Haaland on a visit to Finch Farm – the training ground of the Toffees – in 2018 but was told by then CEO Robert Elstone that he was overpriced at £7million.

Agenda understands that Everton was told at one point that £5million would be enough to praise the striker – who hit a hat-trick for Manchester City against United yesterday – of Norwegian club Molde.

The move was not approved as the fee was deemed too high for a player alleged to have joined the Under 23s.

EFL president hosts dinner for Tory MPs

EFL chairman Rick Parry will host a dinner for Tory MPs at the Conservative Party conference this week. It is likely that the prospect of an independent football regulator will be one of the talking points in Birmingham.

The EFL hopes a regulator would order the Premier League to pay significantly more to those further up the pyramid than the current offer. Insiders have revealed that they are also trying to get the PFA on board with their case.

The EFL has not yet received any proposals from the Premier League regarding redistribution.

Hope for the Olympics of cricket

Cricket’s hopes of an unlikely place in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics hinge on the two-hour meeting each shortlisted sport has with organizers.

It will undoubtedly be a slick presentation, with a lot of money behind the campaign. However, the feeling is that cricket’s plans are going to be messed up pretty quickly if baseball (also vying for a seat) makes an agreement with the Major League so that their top stars can compete in the Games.

The desperation of England’s sponsorship

Rugby league is a sport that is often stunted by those in charge and it seems that the idiots running it continue to hurt its progress. With just two weeks until the start of the World Cup, host nation England have yet to attract additional shorts sponsors to Ronseal, offering the opportunity for £40,000 via third parties and a frenetic ring-around.

The situation is all the more embarrassing because they took even longer than expected to find commercial partners because the tournament was delayed by a year. Insiders say announcements are expected this week.

Meanwhile, bungling RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer had to offer a fawning apology last week after he was caught mocking the Fiji squad. Incredibly, a video of Rimmer making a blunt comment remained on the sport’s website 48 hours after the story appeared in national media.

Bolton’s Ryder Cup Bid

Bolton’s bid to host a Ryder Cup precedes a major government inquiry this week. Developers Peel L&P were stunned when their ambitious £250 million plans to turn historic Hulton Park, currently closed to the public, into a championship golf course, were rejected by councilors in the city amid opposition from NIMBY.

Revised plans will be the subject of a two-day hearing this week and if the council’s decision is overturned, it would bolster the goal of hosting the sport’s biggest tournament. Bolton remains one of only two English venues shortlisted by UK Sport and Ryder Cup Europe to host the 2031 version of golf’s biggest rivalry.

The revised plans include an academy that officials say will serve as a center of excellence for young golfers in the Northwest.

British Cycling’s new appointment

British Cycling has appointed their first Director of External Affairs. With a view to increasing their influence, they are announcing today that Caroline Julian, former director of policy and public affairs, will be the first person to take on the role.

Julian will be tasked with leading relations with the Ministry of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and other government departments. The enthusiastic cyclist previously worked at the think tank ResPublica.

Plymouth Argyle in honor of legend Jack Leslie

A statue will be unveiled on Friday honoring a footballer who should have been the first black man to play for England.

After a crowdfunding campaign that has surpassed the £100,000 goal, Plymouth Argyle legend Jack Leslie is being honored outside Home Park.

Leslie was chosen for England in 1925, but subsequently did not make the selection – with the story that FA board members withdrew the invitation when they realized the color of his skin.

Manchester United’s U-turn press conference

Mo Farah, Eilish McColgan and Brigid Kosgei were not the only participants in this year’s London Marathon.

Many of those in attendance reporting on the event were shocked to learn that organizers had scrapped the traditional bacon sandwiches and pastries for the press pack.

Meanwhile, those beating Manchester United were left furious when they booked Tuesday flights to Cyprus for this week’s Europa League match on Thursday, but were told by the club that they had received permission from UEFA to hold their pre-match press conference in Manchester – on Tuesday.

United’s position is that they had little choice given the late arrival of their flight, adding that no guarantees were given that the event would take place in Cyprus.

Fighting at Wrexham

Wrexham’s Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney may have hoped that the episode of their Disney+ series about hooligans in the National League club would have deterred fans from getting into trouble.

That didn’t seem to be the case before and after the Welsh side’s win over Oldham on Saturday. The clubs have histories and images of street fights far away from the stadium, involving dozens of fans from every side, were posted on social media.

LA concerned about bid for Salt Lake City 2030 Winter Games

The Organizing Committee of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics is increasingly concerned about the prospect of the 2030 Winter Games ending in Salt Lake City. The other two cities in the fray, Sapporo and Vancouver, have seen their odds diminish in recent weeks.

Sapporo’s hopes have been severely tarnished by a escalating Tokyo 2020 Olympic corruption scandal, while Vancouver has seen its odds increase due to strong local opposition and the fact that Toronto is likely to bid for the 2036 Olympics.

LA28 officials are concerned that if Salt Lake City secures the 2030 Winter Games, the difficult task of meeting LA’s sponsorship goals in the recession-stricken US market will become nearly impossible, as their Utah rival will simultaneously fish from the same pond. . time.