Reports now suggest Tottenham are displaying "signals" that chairman Daniel Levy and co will make an imminent bid to sign a new transfer target.
Spurs not finished after Dragusin and Werner signings
The north Londoners have moved quickly in this January window, which is very different compared to previous years.
All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024
With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.
ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024
Spurs have a reputation, especially in the winter, for moving to sign their desired fresh faces much later in the window – but 2024 is breaking the mould in that respect.
Levy and co have already put pen to paper on deals for defender Radu Dragusin, who joined in a £25 million move from Genoa, and forward Timo Werner on a six-month loan from RB Leipzig.
Both men arrived at N17 before January 12, with manager Ange Postecoglou surely thrilled by Tottenham's real haste in getting him exactly who he requires.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou.
Dragusin's signing comes as a very welcome boost for Spurs, especially after they were forced to deploy both Emerson Royal and Ben Davies as makeshift centre-backs on more than one occasion.
Attention now turns to signing a midfielder. Indeed, it is reliably believed that Postecoglou is keen on Chelsea star Conor Gallagher as he chases a new number eight and running man.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's future also remains up in the air, following a season of barely any Premier League starts.
The Dane has been relegated to more of a squad player, making plenty of top flight appearances, but the vast majority are coming off the substitute's bench.
With both Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr currently at the Africa Cup of Nations, Postecoglou's lack of midfield options behind his traditional starters have been laid bare.
This is something Spurs are looking to rectify with their widely reported interest in Gallagher, but he isn't the only Premier League midfielder on their radar.
Tottenham could make Joao Gomes bid "very soon"
According to South American news outlet Fla Web, Wolves starlet Joao Gomes is very much a player attracting their attention.
Wolves' Joao Gomes.
The Brazilian, who's started 17 top flight matches as a mainstay under Gary O'Neil, has admirers in north London. It is believed Tottenham are signaling they "will make an investment" in Gomes "very soon", presumably meaning they are set to bid for him.
Signed by Wolves for around £15 million, the Old Gold are looking to double their own investment in Gomes, and apparently won't sell for a penny less than around £30 million.
He's certainly an interesting new target for Spurs, with members of the press like Ryan Taylor hailing him as an "absolute gem" of Wolves' ranks.
Na noite da última terça-feira o Bahia levou um susto ao sair atrás do Campinense, mas contou com o talento de Rossi para virar o placar e fazer do seu triunfo uma goleada histórica na Copa do Brasil por 7 a 1.
+ Maracanã vai se chamar Estádio Edson Arantes do Nascimento? Veja estádios que já mudaram de nome
Na coletiva de imprensa, o aliviado técnico Dado Cavalcanti exaltou o desempenho do seu atacante, que só não fez chover em Campina Grande.
‘Rossi vem passando por um momento de muita confiança. Vem arriscando jogadas e vem sendo decisivo. Isso é bom, contribui com nossa equipe, não só com os gols, mas contagia nosso time dentro de campo. E dentro de campo faz aquelas atuações sempre com muita energia, muita vibração. Isso é positivo demais para contagiar todo o elenco’, afirmou.
Dado também fez questão de exaltar a atuação de gala do seu time, que construiu uma vitória sólida em cima do adversário.
+ 26 fatos que o novo mapa de patrocinadores dos clubes brasileiros mostra
‘Não é qualquer time que faz sete gols em um jogo, independente do adversário, das circunstâncias. Lembrando também que nós tomamos um gol. Então tivemos também o mérito de termos a tranquilidade de não perder a cabeça no momento de dificuldade. Viramos o jogo e tivemos o controle total da partida. Isso, sem sombra de dúvidas, me deixa muito feliz’, concluiu.
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Ahead of the summer, Celtic have decisions to make on a number of players coming to the end of their contracts. One of those is Rocco Vata, the talented youngster who had looked set to leave Parkhead amid interest from Italy, only for the Hoops to open negotiations over a new deal. Celtic have made progress towards an agreement with the 18-year-old and an extension is now thought to be close.
The outlook is comparatively bleak when it comes to the future of midfielder David Turnbull, though. Speaking last month, Brendan Rodgers said he "won't lose sleep" over his refusal to pen fresh terms after unsuccessful talks last summer.
Celtic contracts expiring in 2024
Player
Age
Joe Hart
36
Scott Bain
32
Rocco Vata
18
David Turnbull
24
Intriguingly, there could be some upheaval in the goalkeeping ranks in Glasgow, with both Joe Hart and Scott Bain into their final six months. And it seems Rodgers is already adamant about what he wants to do with the former.
Celtic to bid farewell to Hart
According to Football Insider, Celtic will replace Hart as their first-choice goalkeeper ahead of next season. The Scottish Premiership leaders are "actively seeking" a new number one in their preparations for the summer transfer window.
Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart.
Rodgers is apparently happy to keep Hart between the sticks for the remainder of the current campaign, but he's "eager" to replace him straight away, with the position marked out as the "top priority" for the off-season.
Champions League exposes Hart as Kelleher eyed
It's slightly surprising that Hart's exit is already considered an inevitability given the extent of his involvement this season. He's played 29 games so far, starting all but one match across all competitions – he was suspended for the league game against Motherwell at the end of September after picking up a red card versus Livingston.
There hasn't even been rotation for the cup games, with Hart donning the armband against Highland League side Buckie Thistle last weekend, but that would appear to reflect Rodgers' doubts about the strength of his backup options rather than any overwhelming confidence in Hart.
Indeed, while he's kept 11 clean sheets this term, he struggled in the group stages of the Champions League. Celtic conceded a joint-competition high of 15 goals, and while that isn't automatically a knock on the 'keeper – sometimes there's nothing they can do – Hart only faced a post-shot xG total of 13.3, which gave him the fifth-poorest shot-stopping record in the tournament. Rodgers will want somebody who can truly hold their own against the toughest opponents.
Celtic could land dream O'Riley replacement in £3m Bernardo rival
Speculation is rife regarding the future of Parkhead’s new talisman…
ByRobbie Walls Jan 25, 2024
Who could Celtic go out and get, then? Well, one possible name is Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher. It was reported this week that they're considering a move for the Irishman, who wants to leave Anfield, but they're banking on Liverpool first lowering their £20m demands. As much as Rodgers may view him as a solution to his problems, there's a feeling that no suitor will even come close to that valuation.
O Rio de Janeiro é preto e branco. Na tarde deste sábado, o Botafogo derrotou o Fluminense por 2 a 0 no Estádio Nilton Santos e conquistou o Campeonato Carioca Feminino. Káren e Vivian marcaram para o Alvinegro e carimbaram presença na súmula do título.
Este é o segundo título estadual do Botafogo. Em 2014, quando o clube ainda tinha parceria com o Marinha, o Alvinegro conquistou o primeiro. Esta é a primeira conquista desde o processo de reconstrução do futebol feminino profissional do clube, em 2019.
JOGO TRUNCADO O começo da partida foi de muita inspiração e pouca técnica. O Botafogo tinha a posse de bola e tentava explorar o ataque por meio de bolas longas; o Fluminense respondia com uma defesa em bloco baixo e contra-ataques. As duas equipes, porém, pouco criaram e partida foi marcada por fisicalidade e passes errados.
CLIMA ESQUENTA A reta final do primeiro tempo foi marcada por entradas duras. Uma confusão após uma falta de Maria Luiza, do Fluminense, em Kélen foi instaurada, mas os ânimos logo foram acalmados pela equipe de arbitragem. O Tricolor, vale ressaltar, levou dois cartões amarelos em um espaço de três minutos.
DO CÉU AO INFERNO O Botafogo acordou nos últimos minutos da primeira etapa. Em uma rápida troca de passes, Vivian e Brenda criaram uma trama no campo ofensivo, e a atacante arriscou de fora da área. Luana, goleira do Fluminense, contudo, estragou a felicidade do Alvinegro com uma defesa espetacular.
A arqueira, porém, iria do céu ao inferno. No escanteio seguinte, Luana saiu de forma errada do gol e a bola sobrou para Káren, que teve apenas o trabalho de empurrar para o fundo das redes e sair para o abraço. Botafogo em vantagem no intervalo.
RAINHA DOS CLÁSSICOS! O Fluminense voltou melhor do intervalo, pressionando e obrigando a goleira Rubi a trabalhar. Foi do Botafogo, todavia, a alegria da bola na rede. Em uma falta de longa distância, Vivian surpreendeu Luana e finalizou de cobertura, acertando o ângulo. A camisa 10 saiu para o abraço, justificando o apelido de “Rainha dos clássicos”, por sempre marcar contra os times rivais.
COMEMORA, FOGÃO! Com o 2 a 0 no placar, o Botafogo controlou a partida e os espaços do gramado. Com as melhores chances criadas, o time ainda teve oportunidade de fazer o terceiro gol, mas parou na defesa do Fluminense. No fim, pouco importou: ao som do apito final, a festa tomou conta do Estádio Nilton Santos.
FICHA TÉCNICA BOTAFOGO X FLUMINENSE
Data/Hora: 20/03/2021, às 15h Local: Nilton Santos, Rio de Janeiro (RJ) Árbitra: Beatriz Oliveira Dantas Assistentes: Beatriz Geraldini de Sousa e Jéssica Marciely Laurentino Brasil Guimarães Cartões amarelos: Brenda (BOT); Lena, Maria Luiza e Andressa Ferreira (FLU) Cartões vermelhos: –
Gols: Káren (1-0, 50’/1ºT), Vivian (2-0, 16’/2ºT)
BOTAFOGO: Rubi; Mylena, Carol Carioca (Amanda 41’/2ºT), Káren, Chaiane; Cris, Kélen, Vivian; Kamilla (Juliana 32’/1ºT), Karol Lins (Gaby Louvain 41’/2ºT), Brenda (Emily 51’/2ºT). Técnico: Gláucio Carvalho.
No one has scored as many runs in the last three ICC tournaments, and with a strong IPL behind him, Dhawan is ready to keep his intensity going
ESPNcricinfo staff15-May-2019
Shikhar Dhawan became the fastest to 1000 runs in ICC tournaments•AFP
Over the last three ICC tournaments, no one has scored more runs than Shikhar Dhawan’s 1113 in 18 innings. Two of those tournaments, the Champions Trophy 2013 and 2017, took place in the UK, where the upcoming World Cup will also be held. With the form and confidence from one of his best IPL seasons to date, the opening batsman is confident about repeating his success in the country.”People tell me about my record in ICC events, but frankly speaking, the intent has always been the same. It’s not that the effort is less than 100% ever,” Dhawan told . “The focus as always is on the process. I am confident that I will have another good ICC tournament.”Dhawan, also the quickest to 1000 runs ICC ODI tournament history, is part of arguably the most dominant ODI opening pair in recent years, with Rohit Sharma, a partnership of a stature similar to what he used to share with David Warner at Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. Ahead of the 2019 season, though, Dhawan was traded to Delhi Capitals where, as a senior player, he was expected to play more of a lead role than a complementary one. Like most challenges he’s had in limited-overs cricket, Dhawan came through, finishing fourth on the run-scorers’ list.The presence of Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly in the Capitals’ leadership as he navigated this new, more aggressive, role helped. “Both Ricky and Dada were successful international captains because they had the ability to create champions. Obviously their experience helps.” Dhawan said. “They told me that there is no problem with my technique.” [My passion is still the same as it was when I started]. I have shut out negativity, primarily because I am a happy-go-lucky person.”Before I made my Test debut, I had played nearly nine years of first-class cricket. Had I not been passionate and hungry, I couldn’t have performed for India after nine years of domestic cricket. Now I have played six years of international cricket. It has been a great journey.”
Catch all the buzz from around the World Cup in one place
ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jun-2019
Getty Images
July 3
The Lord’s pavilion will be filled with 250 local schoolchildren for Friday’s World Cup match-up between Pakistan and Bangladesh, after MCC was forced to take unprecedented measures to protect its “global reputation” amid a poor application for tickets among members.With only days to go until the venue’s final group-stage fixture, only 50% of the pavilion’s tickets had been sold, causing MCC’s chief executive Guy Lavender to send an email to the club’s membership database, imploring them to put in an appearance.Writing to members on Tuesday, Lavender invoked the scenes at the final of the Women’s World Cup in 2017, when England’s thrilling victory over India was watched by a packed house around three-quarters of the ground, but only a smattering of members in the pavilion, and warned that a repeat would not be good for the club.At the time of writing, with Wednesday’s key clash between England and New Zealand at Chester-le-Street still to be played, the Lord’s contest had a chance to be one of the most eagerly fought in the competition – with Pakistan potentially needing to beat Bangladesh to push England out of the semi-final spots.”The latest tournament standings mean the outcome could prove crucial to England’s prospects of reaching the semi-finals,” Lavender wrote. “From this perspective, Friday’s match may yet prove to be one of the most decisive of the tournament. Unfortunately, and notwithstanding the context of the match, the Pavilion remains heavily undersubscribed.”Members may recall the ICC Women’s World Cup final in 2017, when unfavourable comparisons were made between the number of members in the Pavilion and full stands in the rest of the ground. This is damaging to MCC’s global reputation and the committee is determined to avoid a repetition of these images on Friday.”The World Cup is the first tournament for which MCC members have had to pay for their tickets, in spite of membership, with Friday’s match costing an additional £45. In spite of this, the previous three matches at Lord’s had all been well attended, including Australia’s two victories over England and New Zealand last week.However, as of Wednesday, the take-up has not been sufficient to fill the pavilion, which means that 250 children from local state schools in Westminster are set to be given a very special day out “under the strict supervision of their teachers and our community staff”.ESPNcricinfo understands that that the pupils will be required to wear their school uniforms (or a “uniform equivalent”, in the case of one school), but that ties will not be obligatory.”It is hoped [this] will both improve the appearance of the pavilion and provide the youngsters with a memorable and formative experience,” Lavender added.How ‘negative’ news fuelled Saifuddin’s India fiftyMohammad Saifuddin has said that he was charged up to beat India after a recent newspaper report alleged that he had used an injury to not play in a World Cup match. Saifuddin and Mosaddek Hossain both missed the Australia game in Nottingham on June 20, but featured in the following game against Afghanistan, with the team management confirming that they both had picked injuries from the preceding game, against West Indies.Saifuddin’s half-century at Edgbaston kept Bangladesh in the hunt till the end but they came up short as India bowled them out with two overs to spare. Saifuddin explained he wanted to win against India to prove that he wasn’t the type to shirk from a big game.”A few days ago, there was a negative news that I used an injury as an excuse to get out of a match against a big team,” Saifuddin said. “So, I was thinking that I would become a hero by winning a match against a big team. When I took the field against India, from the first ball to the last, I was determined to win the match, so that I could prove the allegations against my name were wrong. Unfortunately that did not happen.”Saifuddin said that he thumped his chest after reaching fifty, as a retort to the news. “For us players, we have nothing to do but give our answers on the field of play. That is what we try to do,” he said.
July 2
West Indies and Sri Lanka were both fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during their World Cup 2019 match in Durham on July 1. The two captains – Jason Holder and Dimuth Karunaratne – were slapped with a hefty 40 % fine each, while the rest of the players on both sides earned 20 % cuts.As per Article 2.22 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct, players are fined 10 % of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.Both sides were ruled to be two overs short of their targets after allowances were made for natural stoppages in play. If either West Indies or Sri Lanka commit another minor over-rate breach in an ODI within 12 months of this offence with Holder or Karunaratne as captain, it will be deemed a second offence and they will face a suspension.Sri Lanka won a thrilling game by 23 runs, though it had no bearing on the qualifications race for the semi-finals, with both teams already out of the running.Fabian Allen gets a bit of camera attention•Getty Images
‘I want the camera to be on me’ – Fabian AllenFabian Allen took a sharp catch off his own bowling to send back Kusal Mendis and then smashed 51 in 32 balls to make a good impression in the game against Sri Lanka. “Once I go on the field I want the camera to be on me,” he said later. Allen certainly got his wish on Monday.Happy to have made his family proud with his all-round performance – though in a losing cause – Allen said, “I will do all sorts of stuff to make the camera is on me. I will slide around in the field, cheer on everyone. People are going to love me. I am fan person so they are going to love me.”Allen and Nicholas Pooran got together on 199 for 6 in West Indies’ chase of Sri Lanka’s 338 for 6, and proceeded to add 83 runs in quick time, Allen scoring the majority of the runs. The stand ended when a mix-up resulted in Allen being run out, tilting the game decisively in Sri Lanka’s favour.”It was a good innings but unfortunate to get out at the end there. That cost us the game,” Allen said. “I wanted to give Pooran the support, give him a bit more of the strike but the run out was a disappointing moment.”Warner confirms birth of his third childDavid Warner confirmed the birth of his third child, Isla Rose, over social media on Monday.Warner said last week that his wife Candice would give birth following the match against New Zealand with him rejoining Australia’s World Cup squad ahead of the final group game against South Africa at Old Trafford on Saturday.”We welcomed our newest family member Isla Rose Warner at 10:30pm late last night,” he tweeted. “candywarner1 was absolutely amazing. Mum and Bub doing very well and her big sisters are over the moon.”Warner has previously spoken about the importance of his family during his year-long ban from international cricket. “I just love being a father. I’ve got a great, supportive wife, a great family base at home as well. We’ve got great support around us, the guys here have been fantastic, they’ve really got around me at this important time for my family.”
June 29
ICC sees red as planes fly political messages above HeadingleyAn aeroplane appeared above Headingley during the Afghanistan v Pakistan with a message saying “Justice for Balochistan”. Not long after, there was another: “Help end disappearances in Pakistan”.A big World Cup match, with the international media in attendance, it certainly got the attention it expected, but the ICC isn’t too pleased about it.Planes carry political messages during the Afghanistan-Pakistan game•Getty Images
“We work with local police forces around the country to prevent this type of incident occurring and were assured that given Headingley is under the flight path for the Leeds Bradford Airport it would not be an issue,” an ICC statement read. “We do not condone any sort of political messages at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and will work with West Yorkshire police to deal with and understand why this has happened and to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”As well as the banners, there have been chants in favour of Khalistan at the grounds during Pakistan’s last two games in Edgbaston and Leeds. Khalistan was a political movement for secession in India’s Punjab, at its peak in the 1980s.Pradeep down with chicken pox, Rajitha called upNuwan Pradeep has been ruled out of the remainder of the World Cup after being diagnosed with chicken pox, and the ICC has approved Kasun Rajitha as his replacement following a request from the Sri Lanka team.Pradeep, the 32-year-old fast bowler, played three of Sri Lanka’s games at the World Cup, starring in the 34-run (DLS method) over Afghanistan, but has been out of the XI since the win against England on June 21. He had earlier missed a couple of games after picking up a hand injury while training on June 9.Rajitha, the 26-year-old medium pacer, is quite inexperienced at the ODI level, having played just six games to date, picking up five wickets in them.Sri Lanka have two more group-stage games to go, against West Indies (Chester-le-Street, July 1) and India (Leeds, July 6), and are still in the race for the semi-finals.— Ash Barty (@ashbar96) June 25, 2019
Lara recovering well after being hospitalised with ‘pain in the chest’News of Brian Lara being taken to hospital in Mumbai, where he is as part of the Star Sports team of experts for the World Cup, came out on Tuesday afternoon and, understandably, there was a fair bit of concern.Lara, however, confirmed in the evening that he was fine and put down the “pain in the chest” to going a little extra in the hotel gym.”I know everyone’s very concerned about what’s happening,” he said in a statement released by Cricket West Indies. “I think I just extended myself a bit too much in the gym this morning and I was feeling a bit of pain in my chest. I just felt that it was best to see a doctor and I was taken to the hospital. The pain continued, so obviously a lot of tests have been done.”The message was recorded when Lara was watching the England v Australia game on TV – “hopefully Australia can restrict England and beat them, not a big fan of England” – and he said more than once that he didn’t want to be disturbed, even referring to “breach of privacy”.”Just ease off the messages, my phone is going non-stop, so I’m going to switch it off. I don’t want to switch it off because I’d like to speak to my family. Just letting everyone know that I’m fine and I’m recovering and I’ll be back in my hotel room tomorrow,” he said. “And a couple of the tests have come back already, the doctors are happy there’s nothing major. Thanks again for your concern.”Mahmudullah sustains grade 1 tear in right calfMahmudullah has reportedly sustained a grade 1 tear in his right calf muscle. The injury occurred while he was batting against Afghanistan in Southampton on Monday – he hobbled between the wickets for most of the duration of his 38-ball 27.Mahmudullah did not field during Afghanistan’s innings, and underwent scans on his calf. “The scan results showed a Grade-1 tear on Riyad’s right calf,” Khaled Mahmud, Bangladesh’s manager, told . “At the moment, that is all I can say as I have not spoken to the physio [Thihan Chandramohan] yet. I can tell you more about the recovery period in the morning after speaking to the physio.”Typically, grade 1 tears take seven to ten days to heal. If this is the case with Mahmudullah’s calf, he may not miss too many games; Bangladesh’s next match, against India at Edgbaston, is on July 2, and their final round-robin match, against Pakistan at Lord’s, is on July 5.
June 24
Tendulkar unhappy with Dhoni’s lack of ‘positive intent’MS Dhoni’s 28 in 52 balls against Afghanistan, perhaps the most glaring go-slow in a poor Indian batting effort overall, hasn’t gone down well with Sachin Tendulkar, who said that Dhoni, especially, should have shown more intent against the spinners. The combined figures of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rahmat Shah read 34-0-119-5.Speaking to after the game, Tendulkar said, “MS Dhoni is a senior player and should show positive intent. Afghanistan’s bowling is good but you can’t score only 119 runs in 34 overs. He did not show any positive intent against Afghanistan.”India stopped at 224 for 8, and Afghanistan then got to within two shots of pulling off the shock of the World Cup before being bowled out for 213 with one ball left in their chase.Virat Kohli (67 in 63 balls) and Kedar Jadhav (52 in 68) were the only Indian batsmen to get a measure of the pitch, and the wiles of the Afghanistan spin pack, but the others struggled. Dhoni, in particular, just couldn’t get going, hitting just three fours in his innings before being stumped off Rashid.”MS Dhoni has the ability to hit but yesterday his strike rotation was not good. He faced too many dot balls and this hampered a strong finish for India,” Tendulkar said. “The intent could have been much better by the middle-order batsmen.”I believe MS Dhoni needs to up his ante when it comes to strike rotation in the next matches.”How Wahab Riaz battled illness to do the job for PakistanWahab Riaz, Pakistan’s most experienced bowler, battled illness on the eve of his team’s crucial group encounter against South Africa before turning up to deliver an emphatic end-overs performance. His wickets left the South Africans without any chance of qualifying for the final four of the World Cup.Wahab struggled with sinus problems for more than a decade before being operated on for the same in April 2018. He told ESPNcricinfo that he found himself stricken with hay fever on the night before the match, which left him without much sleep. “body (my body was breaking),” he said as he described his condition before the game.Wahab informed the physio, took a few pills to deal with the fever and the bodyache, and let the team management know of the situation. The adrenalin rush of being part of a must-win game, though, saw him through, but by the time it ended, he was exhausted, as he had eaten very little during the day. It is routine for Wahab: “Whenever I’m bowling second, I don’t eat much.” But on a day when he took to the field with depleted energy, he dipped into reserves and pride to make up.There was no question of missing the match. “To be very honest, I was determined and the whole team was determined. We knew how important this game was for us, we just wanted to do well in this game,” he said. “We knew this was just time to deliver now. There were no ifs and buts, there was nothing to lose after this and everybody chipped in.”Kallis asks South Africa to learn from EnglandJacques Kallis wants South Africa to follow England’s ODI blueprint to overcome the disappointment of their 2019 World Cup campaign. They haven’t lost five games in any of the earlier editions. He also felt they were “too defensive” this time around. While advocating the need for changes, he also advised against a complete revamp.”You don’t need to make wholesale changes, England are still captained by Eoin Morgan, as they were four years ago,” he wrote in his column for the ICC. “Some will demand everything is changed but a total clean out is just not the way ahead, we need to be more considered and thoughtful.”He wasn’t specifically happy with their brand of cricket. On ESPNcricinfo Match Day, Albie Morkel, the former South Africa allrounder, too felt South Africa’s brand of cricket was outdated.”The first thing that needs to be looked at is the brand of cricket South Africa are playing and all the players will want to be part of that conversation,” Kallis said. “There will need to be some honest conversations and they will need to trust each other. However, you cannot keep chopping and changing a team and I don’t think they will.””South Africa have some great young players in their 20s (Kagiso Rabada, 24, Lungi Ngidi, 23, Andile Phehlukwayo,23, and Aiden Markram, 24) and they can be the foundation for the future. England are proof how quickly things can change in four years, so long as you have the right approach.”
June 23
Kohli fined for excessive appealing, New Zealand fined for overrate “Excessive appealing and charging aggressively towards the umpire” has cost Virat Kohli 25 percent of his match fees. The incident occurred in Southampton on Saturday when Kohli advanced towards umpire Aleem Dar in appeal of an lbw decision against Rahmat Shah in the 29th over of Afghanistan’s chase.This was in breach of Article 2.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel that relates to “excessive appealing.” This means Kohli now has two demerit points against his name, having received one during the Centurion Test against South Africa in January last year.There was no need for a separate hearing as Kohli admitted to the sanction proposed by on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Richard Kettleborough and fourth official Michael Gough. Two more demerit points for Kohli within the next seven months could result in a ban for either one Test, two ODIs or two T20Is, whichever comes first.Too slow, New Zealand. Too slowLong after the emotions in Manchester had settled down (or maybe not) New Zealand were fined for their slow over rate in a heart-stopping game against West Indies. Match referee David Boon found the side to be one over short and Kane Williamson accepted the sanction. If New Zealand were to commit another minor over rate offence with Williamson in the side, then as captain he will likely face a one-match suspension. For now, he has been fined 20% of his match fees and his team-mates 10% of theirs.
June 22
Khawaja lauds the ‘special trait’ of PontingMany of the Australian squad have made no secret of the thrill of having former captain Ricky Ponting as part of their backroom staff for the World Cup and Usman Khawaja has been the latest to praise his presence in the dressing room.”I talk to Ricky all the time. He is an absolute legend,” Khawaja said. “For someone who has scored so many runs in all forms of the game, he is the most humble person I have ever met. His humility is outstanding. He is like another one of the lads up there. He makes everyone feel like you are mates really.”I have played a lot of golf with him while we have been here, trained, talked a lot about cricket, too. I think he is great to have around. I think that is why the boys love having him – someone with the experience and knowledge but, at the same time, he can still be a mate. It’s a special trait to have.”On a personal level, Khawaja’s World Cup campaign has seen him moved up and down the order having lost his opening role, where he had enjoyed a prolific run, with the return of David Warner. His best innings of the tournament, 89 off 72 balls against Bangladesh, came when he returned to the No. 3 spot.”Everyone is communicating, everyone is talking and no one, myself, Smithy, Maxi, no-one really has any issue batting anywhere,” he said. “Where the game situation is for us is what we will play. Whether that is against India where we needed 10 an over or a first innings like [Bangladesh] where we are setting a total, we are just playing a game situation. First and foremost it’s what the team needs. We are all really happy with that.”
June 21
‘I don’t play for my captain or my cricket board’ – RashidFor Afghanistan, the World Cup hasn’t quite gone the way they would have wanted – five losses in five games so far. For their star legspinner Rashid Khan, it has been especially bad. He has picked up just three wickets, and in the last game, against England, conceded 110 runs from nine wicketless overs, the most expensive spell in World Cup history and second on the list of most expensive ODI spells.Off the field, there was the controversy around Mohammad Shahzad’s exit from the World Cup, and since then, a war of words has broken out between Phil Simmons, the coach, and Dawlat Ahmadzai, their former chief selector.”I don’t think we prepared that well for a tournament like this,” Rashid said in an interview with . “It is a big stage, there will be ups and downs, but we have learnt a lot so far. We should have won at least one or two games; we had the opportunity to do so, but we lacked experience. Hopefully, we will get that with time.”Controversies for Afghanistan, incidentally, stated well before the World Cup when Asghar Afghan was removed as captain and Gulbadin Naib named in his place. At the time, Rashid had expressed his disgust at the decision.”I am clear about my role in the team. When the captain was changed, yes we made our anger public. I did not do that to support our previous captain or anybody else. I did it for Afghanistan cricket,” Rashid said. “If someone is trying to spoil my Afghanistan cricket, then it does not matter who it is… cricket is the only thing that brings a smile on people’s faces. I wanted to say that it was not the right time to take such a big decision – just before the World Cup.”When I am on the field, I don’t think I play for my captain or for my cricket board. I play only for Afghanistan. No one is important than my country.”Downcast West Indies have ‘frank discussions’, go clay-pigeon shootingThree losses in a row at the World Cup can hurt. With West Indies, it’s a tournament that started well but has since turned rather pear-shaped, and they chose to take out their frustration at clay pigeons, getting the team together and going shooting instead of training.”We had a team event. We wanted to get the guys together, just have a team event, a team bonding session. And I think it went really well,” Jason Holder, the captain, said the day before the game against New Zealand. “I think we still have a possible chance to qualify for the semi-finals, but we’ve just got to take it game by game. This encounter with New Zealand is very important. We all know what’s at stake and we just have to come and bring our A game. It’s as simple as that.”Holder also revealed that there had been some “frank discussions” within the team after the seven-wicket loss to Bangladesh.”I think it’s a situation where you’ve had to be tough. We’ve had a few frank discussions within the dressing room to find ways in which we can improve on,” he said. “I think all teams would get themselves in that situation at some point. But, yeah, we’ve had some pretty good discussions over the last couple of days. And tomorrow is just a day to deliver.”De Grandhomme’s impact similar to McCullum’s – HessonThe former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has lauded the dynamic that Colin de Grandhomme brings to the team, likening it to the impact Brendon McCullum had on the side four years ago.While Kane Williamson understandably gained much of the focus after the victory against South Africa, de Grandhomme’s 60 off 47 balls was crucial in keeping New Zealand in the game while the captain was finding the fielders. It was just his second ODI half-century in 23 innings, but Hesson said he showed why he is such a valued member of the New Zealand unit.”Kane won’t win New Zealand this tournament on his own. To go all the way you also need a player who is capable of snatching victory from nowhere in big games,” Hesson wrote in his column for . “That’s the beauty of de Grandhomme and what he offers this Black Caps team. When you’re in all sorts of trouble, with a 20 percent chance of winning, he is one player who can turn a game on its head.”In 2015 we had Brendon McCullum who played on instinct and so often got us off to a flyer. This, combined with the craft players in the rest of order, gave us that excellent balance and de Grandhomme can do something similar just from a different place in the order.”He’s going to get out poorly and people will absolutely hammer him, but in our set-up if you play Colin you know exactly what you’re going to get, and you either take it or leave it. This was a great reason why you ‘take it’.”Hesson also praised de Grandhomme’s role with the ball as he took 1 for 33 off his 10 overs as South Africa were rarely able to cut loose.”The way Kane used him, that slower pace was perfect on that surface. Colin clearly doesn’t bowl 140kmh, but he was able to get the most movement of anyone at Edgbaston…He’s often got what I call OSP (optimal swinging pace) and he was the only one who really swung the ball all day. It was one of those days where his pace was perfect for the conditions.”
June 20
Australia looking forward to England’s extra paceGlenn Maxwell has suggested that the extra pace in England’s attack could work in Australia’s favour when the two sides meet at Lord’s next week.England are likely to include both Jofra Archer and Mark Wood in their XI with the pair among the quickest bowlers on show at the tournament. But Maxwell said that Australia’s batsmen can often find it easier against the quicker bowlers, rather than having to manufacture pace onto the ball against medium pacers as was the case at stages against Bangladesh.”I think they’ll be more excited at that than someone bowling 120, that sort of pace probably suits out batting line-up a bit more with more pace on the ball, something we are a bit more used to,” he said. “It’s a challenge that we are up for, we certainly get enough practise in the nets for sure against our bowling attack so the guys are pretty used to that.”Australia have only beaten England four times in 16 ODIs since the last World Cup, but Maxwell said that the squad was eagerly awaiting the challenge.”It’s been a pretty long tournament so far but we have a few days to refresh and get ourselves up for England and what better place to get amped for than England at Lord’s and we are all looking forward to that.”
June 18
Hashmatullah bounces back … for the sake of his mumHashmatullah Shahidi will never forget Old Trafford and Old Trafford can never forget Hashmatullah.Hit flush on the side of his helmet by a Mark Wood short ball when on 24, Afghanistan’s top-scorer ignored his broken helmet and the doctor’s advice to walk off the field. He stood his ground he says, for his team and his family.When the ICC doctor and the team physio attended to him, Hashmatullah said he knew what he had to do. “They told me ‘let’s go’ and I said ‘no. I can’t leave my team at the moment because my team needed me’ and so I carry on.”Hashmatullah said one of the reasons he had got up quickly after being stuck such a fierce blow – the impact made a sound that left the first slip Joe Root visibly distressed – was that he knew his mother and his family back home would be watching.”My mom is always thinking of me and I lost my father last year and I didn’t want her to hurt. I carry on and I get up early because of my mom.”His elder brother was also in the capacity Manchester crowd and saw Hashmatullah survive five balls at top pace from Wood, fending one that fell short of short leg.”You can see [Jofra] Archer and Mark Wood, they were too quick for me,” he laughed, “Mark Wood was consistently bowling too quick for me and I said ‘okay, I’m not going out’. He took a short leg, he keep [bowling] bouncers to me and I said ‘okay, I will never give up’.”Off the sixth ball from Wood after having his helmet shattered, Hashmatullah smacked him over long on for a six. “I will not give up and I try and hit a six.” The crowd roared.Afghan management plays down restaurant altercation The Afghanistan team manager has played down an incident that saw the police called to a restaurant in Manchester late on Monday night.Naweed Sajem insists nobody in the squad was spoken to by police, despite reports of an altercation involving a player at around 11pm, the night before Afghanistan’s match against England at Old Trafford.Greater Manchester Police confirmed that “shortly after 11.15pm, police were called to reports of an altercation at a premises on Liverpool Road in Manchester.” They said “no one was injured and no arrests have been made” but confirmed that “enquiries are ongoing”.Gulbadin Naib, the Afghanistan captain, denied any knowledge of the incident and threatened to walk out of a press conference if questioned about it further.One eye-witness claims there was a minor disagreement between Mohammad Nabi and a member of the public, who had suggested the players may be eating too much the night before a game. Another claims players were irritated by a particularly persistent supporter looking to video them as they ate. Neither allege any physical altercation.Older World Cup Central entries are here and here
It's been no secret this transfer window that Derby County have been chasing the services of Michael Smith, the Rams rumour mill dominated by constant conversation over whether or not the Sheffield Wednesday talisman will finally relocate to Paul Warne's side.
With that move looking rather dead in the water now, the Rams have been forced to look elsewhere to bolster their attacking spots – the League One automatic promotion candidates in even more need of added reinforcements up top now owing to Tyreece John-Jules' serious injury knock.
Warne hasn't gone majorly left-field when looking at other targets away from Smith, however, with the former Rotherham United boss still going after a Wednesday player in this potential incoming.
Derby going after League One promotion winner
According to the Sheffield Star, Derby are now looking at a second Owls striker in the form of Lee Gregory on a loan deal until the end of the season. It's stated talks have already taken place between the respective parties.
The report does further state that both Smith and Gregory wouldn't come to Pride Park hand-in-hand though, with the third tier side facing similar hurdles this time around to land Gregory that kept tripping the Owls up in their pursuit of Smith – financial restraints getting in their way yet again.
If Wednesday could pull off a dramatic deal for Gregory, this last-gasp transfer could well prove to be the perfect Smith alternative with the 35-year-old attacker also previously prolific in League One.
How Gregory fits into the Derby team
With Warne having to play Nathaniel Mendez-Laing in a number ten spot last match against Cheltenham Town to make up for John-Jules' absence, signing a new striker recruit in Gregory could see the Rams manager go back-to-basics with a switch to a 4-4-2 formation to slot the current Owls man in alongside James Collins.
The deal would even see Gregory return to Pride Park after a short but sweet loan stint back in 2021, bagging three goals in 11 games.
Collins and Gregory could well combine to devastating effect in a strike partnership together if the 35-year-old returns to Derby, Gregory always hitting double figures whenever he's played a full season in the third tier with five strikes from 11 games in the lottery of the League One playoffs also showcasing his deadly knack of scoring when it matters.
Michael Smith's numbers in League One (including playoffs)
Season
Games played
Goals
Assists
2022/23
38
11
5
2021/22
38
17
6
2016/17
40
18
6
2015/16
44
20
4
Stats by Transfermarkt
It's why former Millwall teammate Tom Bradshaw described the potent centre-forward as "instrumental" to his own development as a clinical goalscorer, the Lions striker at the time modelling his own game on Gregory's craft.
The 35-year-old even netted Wednesday's first goal of their somewhat topsy-turvy Championship campaign to date, the EFL veteran almost effortless in his approach to finding the back of the net.
Not being able to secure a deal for Smith would have stung, especially with Warne's close connection to the ex-Millers man, but any annoyance over that transfer falling flat would be swept to one side if the Rams could land this alternative target before the close of the window tomorrow.
Mesmo com a iminente saída de Tchê Tchê para o Atlético-MG, o técnico Hernán Crespo tem várias opções para montar o meio-campo da equipe para a temporada. Tanto que o jogador foi titular apenas uma vez nos quatro jogos do Tricolor sob o comando do argentino.
Último título do Campeonato Paulista do São Paulo completa 16 anos: veja onde estão os principais jogadores da campanha
Crespo vem preferindo montar o meio com Luan de primeiro volante, Daniel Alves e Gabriel Sara fazendo a armação da equipe. Além disso, o meio ganha o apoio dos alas Igor Vinicius e Reinaldo, o que dá sustentação para o setor.
CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA DO CAMPEONATO PAULISTA DE 2021
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Além dos titulares, o São Paulo foi ao mercado para reforçar o time no setor. Chegaram para a posição o volante William, que pode atuar tanto de primeiro como segundo volante, além de Benítez, já acertado mas não anunciado. Ele pode atuar tanto como segundo homem no meio, quanto um armador, o legítimo camisa dez.
Fora os dois reforços, há ainda outras opções como Rodrigo Nestor, titular em dois dos quatro jogos na temporada, Igor Gomes, Hernanes e Liziero, que se recupera de uma entorse no tornozelo, mas já no estágio final de recuperação.
Negociação de Tchê Tchê está avançada O São Paulo deve se despedir do volante Tchê Tchê nos próximos dias. O jogador já tem praticamente tudo acertado com o Atlético-MG, em empréstimo até maio de 2022. A negociação é vista como boa para todos os lados.
Para o Tricolor, o negócio vem em boa hora devido a uma economia na folha salarial já que o Galo deve arcar com o vencimento total do volante, que gira em torno dos R$ 500 mil mensais. De acordo com o ‘UOL’, o clube do Morumbi planeja economizar cerca de R$ 6 milhões com a saída do jogador.