All posts by h716a5.icu

Sussex’s hopes of a semi-final place in the Clydesdale Bank 40 suffered a blow when their Group A clash with Glamorgan at Hove was washed out

25-Aug-2010
Sussex’s hopes of a semi-final place in the Clydesdale Bank 40 suffered a blow when their Group A clash with Glamorgan at Hove was washed out.Umpires Peter Willey and Nigel Cowley abandoned the match without a ball bowled after an afternoon of heavy rain and with no prospect of conditions improving.The Sharks stay second, a point behind leaders Somerset, but will have to win their final game and hope results in other groups go their way if they are to sneak into the last four as the best runner-up. Both teams took one point from this washout.

Everton are once again on the hunt for a new permanent manager with Duncan Ferguson having to hold the fort on a temporary basis in his latest caretaker role after the sacking of Rafa Benitez.

Before even officially being appointed at Goodison Park, protests began from Toffees fans against the former Liverpool manager.

With just seven wins, four draws and 11 defeats in the 22 games he had in charge of Everton across all competitions with the latest being a disheartening 2-1 defeat against Dean Smith’s relegation battling Norwich City at Carrow Road, it’s safe to say that Benitez’s second spell of managing in Merseyside did not go too well, thus leaving Ferguson to pick up the pieces and steady the ship.

While Farhad Moshiri is on the lookout for a new permanent manager for his side, there has, unsurprisingly, been a significant number of names linked with the position.

One name that has been mentioned with the role that a lot of Premier League followers will be familiar with is AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho.

Despite having success managing in England in the past, mostly with Chelsea where he won three Premier League titles and one FA Cup across two spells in charge of the west London club as well as winning the Europa League with Manchester United, things haven’t always been smooth-sailing for the 58-year-old.

Having admitted to being “arrogant” during his early days of managing in England, there have been occasions where claims have emerged suggesting that he had lost the dressing room during his time at Tottenham and United.

Given the drama that Mourinho has been involved in during his previous spells at clubs in the Premier League, like having rocky relationships at United with the likes of Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw, he could end up being another version of Benitez; somebody who arrives with previous experience of managing in the Premier League and at top clubs, but ultimately dragging Everton towards the relegation zone and falling out with players, as the Spaniard did with Lucas Digne.

Also, in a recent poll run by Football FanCast, it seems as though 77% of voters think that Mourinho would not be a good appointment for Everton, further suggesting that the Toffees should be looking elsewhere for their new permanent manager instead of risking a potential disaster at the helm.

In other news: Moshiri must appoint “perfect” 46 y/o as next EFC manager, he’s miles better than Rafa – opinion

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for West Ham goalkeeper Darren Randolph.

That’s according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, and, as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Villa have already made their first marquee addition with Philippe Coutinho joining on loan, with attentions now turning to full-backs, a midfielder and a back-up goalkeeper.

Everton’s Lucas Digne looks like he could be brought in to challenge Matt Targett at left-back, with Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett revealing personal terms will be completed ‘swiftly’ after a fee was agreed for the France international.

Crook then claimed on Monday lunchtime that Randolph is another pending arrival at Villa Park.

The 50-cap Republic of Ireland international may arrive on loan until the end of the season to provide cover for Emiliano Martinez. Randolph, 34, is yet to make an appearance for the Hammers this season and is out of contract in 18 months.

Villa fans react

@villareport shared the news regarding Randolph on Twitter. This is what these supporters had to say in reply, with many seeing it as a shrewd move.

“Great move”

Credit: @Guirkav

“Didn’t see this happening but not surprised”

Credit: @Emi1Martinez

“Quality back up keeper. And more than willing to be sat on the bench”

Credit: @jackMalin

“Very tidy”

Credit: @JayK0165

“Very good business delighted for him. Was so good for Ireland over the years”

Credit: @DaveHin55518309

“SUIIII”

Credit: @VillaWatch1

In other news: ‘This is a shock’ – Many Villa fans ‘buzzing’ as club confirm ‘big’ news. 

X-rays have confirmed that Graeme Smith does not need surgery for his fractured finger

Cricinfo staff19-Mar-2010X-rays have confirmed that Graeme Smith does not need surgery for his fractured finger, and the South Africa captain is confident of recovering in time for the World Twenty20 starting at the end of next month.Smith has had plenty of finger injuries over the past few years, and the latest one has ruled him out of the remainder of the IPL. He broke the middle finger of his right hand while taking a catch in Rajasthan Royals’ match against Delhi Daredevils earlier this week. “Just left the doc, good news don’t need surgery, 4 weeks in a splint,” he said on his Twitter page on Thursday.South Africa’s team manager Mohammed Moosajee confirmed Smith was expected to be back at full fitness in four weeks. “Graeme will have a further X-ray on Tuesday to make sure his recovery is on track,” he said.This is the second finger injury Smith has picked up in little more than a month. He had hurt his little finger on the left hand during the build-up to the Eden Gardens Test in February, which kept him out of the one-dayers against India.

Eoin Morgan and Ajmal Shahzad have retained their places in England’s Test squad for the first match of the four-Test series at Trent Bridge next week

Cricinfo staff25-Jul-2010Eoin Morgan and Ajmal Shahzad have retained their places in England’s Test squad for the first match of the four-Test series at Trent Bridge next week, but there is no place for Ravi Bopara, who has scored back-to-back hundreds for Essex in the County Championship, or Yorkshire’s Tim Bresnan.Middlesex seamer Steven Finn returns to the England squad following a successful Test series against Bangladesh, while Shahzad has been given a chance to build on his Test debut from the same series, having overcome an ankle problem that limited him to four overs in his most recent England outing, the third ODI against Bangladesh at Edgbaston two weeks ago.National Selector, Geoff Miller, said: “We have picked a very strong squad for the first Test against a Pakistan side that will be high on confidence following their recent win against Australia.”We’ve been encouraged by the form shown by a number of England players involved in County Championship matches this week and those that are coming back from injury or rest, such as Kevin Pietersen, have been working very hard ahead of the first Test next week.”Shahzad’s selection ahead of Bresnan is an acknowledgment of the role that swing bowling is likely to play in the coming series, especially at Trent Bridge where the ball habitually moves through the air, and against a Pakistan attack that includes the precocious 18-year-old Mohammad Aamer who, along with Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul, devastated Australia’s batting line-up in the recent second Test at Headingley.While Bresnan’s stamina and discipline earned him admirers in tough conditions in Bangladesh earlier in the year, and augur well for a role on unforgiving surfaces such as Adelaide on the fast-approaching Ashes tour, Shahzad’s ability to reverse-swing the ball, which he showcased to excellent effect at Old Trafford on debut, has earned him a chance to press for a permanent role as England’s first-change quick bowler.The attack will be led by the mercurial James Anderson – another man who can swing the ball to devastating effect, when the conditions are right – and Stuart Broad, whose confidence is high after a career-best haul of 8 for 52 against Warwickshire in the County Championship this week.Morgan, meanwhile, has been given another opportunity to state his Test credentials, after indifferent scores of 44 and 37 in his first two outings against Bangladesh. With Paul Collingwood slotting back into the squad after being rested for the last two Tests, Morgan had looked likely to make way, until Ian Bell suffered the broken foot at Bristol that has ruled him out of the full four-Test series.”Bell’s untimely foot injury during the NatWest Series was obviously a disappointing blow but he is now focused on his rehabilitation and should make a full recovery in due course. Ian’s absence provides other batsmen with the chance to impress against a world class Pakistan bowling attack.”England squad Andrew Strauss (capt), James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior (wk), Ajmal Shahzad, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott

Tottenham Hotspur look set to be handed the opportunity to bring Isco to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sunday Mirror (via The Express), who claim that Real Madrid look set to offer Antonio Conte’s Spurs side the opportunity to sign the attacking midfielder on a cut-price deal this month, as the 29-year-old does not appear to feature in Carlo Ancelotti’s long-term plans at Real Madrid.

The report goes on to state that Tottenham are interested in a move for the Spain international in the current transfer window, as well as claiming that the former Malaga man would be available for as little as £5m.

Isco can finally replace Eriksen

While Isco may not feature in Ancelotti’s first-team plans at the Santiago Bernabeu, it is undeniable that the 29-year-old is a player who could nevertheless bring a serious amount of creativity to the Tottenham Hotspur midfield.

Indeed, while it is true that he has not been a regular part of Los Blancos’ starting lineup this season, the £8.1m-rated man has still managed to impress over his eight LaLiga outings, scoring one goal and creating one big chance for his teammates, as well as making an average of 0.5 key passes and taking 0.9 shots per game – despite featuring for an average of just 24 minutes per fixture.

These returns have seen the 38-capped international who Andres Iniesta dubbed an “incredible talent” average a SofaScore match rating of 6.96, ranking him as Ancelotti’s 14th-best performer in the top flight of Spanish football.

However, should Spurs indeed go on to make a move for Isco this month, Conte will undoubtedly be hoping that he can help the midfielder rediscover his form from Madrid’s 2016/17 LaLiga campaign, in which the £211k-per-week man scored a whopping ten goals, registered eight assists and created six big chances for his teammates, in addition to earning a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.17.

Furthermore, Dele Alli’s declining level of performance has also resulted in Tottenham lacking a truly creative attacking midfielder since the departure of Christian Eriksen back in January 2020 – a player who scored 69 goals and provided 90 assists over his 305 appearances for Spurs.

As such, as long as Conte believes that he can get the midfielder’s 2016/17 form back out of the player who Mauricio Pochettino dubbed “one of the best,” it would very much appear as if his £5m signing would not only be something of a steal for Tottenham this January, but also one who could finally replace the club’s former Danish dynamo.

In other news: “In talks…”: Fabrizio Romano drops teasing Spurs update that will leave fans buzzing

As reported by Sky Sports journalist Marc Behrenbeck, relayed by Sky Austria, an update has come to light involving Tottenham Hotspur and Austria international Florian Grillitsch.

The Lowdown: Pochettino keen…

Back in the summer of 2019, former Lilywhites boss and fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino actually had his eye on the Hoffenheim ace who has gone on to become a mainstay in the Bundesliga.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-updates-5/” title=”Spurs latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Indeed, according to Sky Sports, the Argentine was eager to bring Grillitsch to north London during his last year in charge of the club as he searched for an heir to Mousa Dembele in his midfield.

Now, as per the same reliable source, it appears Tottenham are back in contention again.

The Latest: Spurs re-join race…

According to Sky reporter Behrenback, as relayed by SSA, Spurs have joined Roma and another former boss, Jose Mourinho, in the race to sign Grillitsch on a free transfer next summer.

His contract is set to expire in 2022 as things stand with the tough-tackling midfielder seemingly having no shortage of suitors for a transfer at the end of 2021/2022.

The Verdict: Get it d0ne?

The 26-year-old, who can play as a central defender or in a defensive or central midfield role (WhoScored), could come as an absolute bargain who may well fill many gaping holes in manager Antonio Conte’s team.

For free, this certainly seems like a move worth considering, especially since Grillitsch has averaged an impressive rate of 2.5 tackles per 90 in the German top flight so far this season (WhoScored).

Compared to Tottenham’s squad, only Emerson Royal has managed more, and Conte could certainly benefit from another combative presence in his team ahead of his first full season in 2022/2023.

Lauded as ‘extraordinary’ by Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, we strongly advise Tottenham to beat Mourinho to his signature.

In other news: Paratici backed by Levy as he tries to seal Spurs agreement for ‘sensational’ ace, find out more here.

Nasir Jamshed has said he wants to boost his reputation on the tour of South Africa, the first time he’ll be playing outside Asia

Umar Farooq20-Jan-2013Nasir Jamshed has said he wants to boost his reputation on the tour of South Africa, the first time he’ll be playing outside Asia.Jamshed made his international debut in early 2008, in the home ODI series against Zimbabwe. He had a relatively tidy stint between 2008 and 2009, playing mostly against Asian teams in Asia, before missing out due to fitness issues. After two-and-a-half years he returned to international cricket last year, scored 602 runs at 66.88 with three hundreds and three fifties. He played 22 ODIs and 11 T20Is, all in Asia; his grade-cricket career too was confined to the subcontinent. His limited-overs credentials, though, ultimately won him a Test call-up for the tour of South Africa.Jamshed, who struck back-to-back centuries in the ODI series against India, is currently Pakistan’s best batsman in terms of form and consistency. He is keen on becoming a complete batsman who can adjust to any conditions around the world. “I don’t want to be tagged as an Asian-oriented batsman,” Jamshed told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s the line between an average and a world-class player,” he added, claiming success around the world was key.”I admit I haven’t played outside Asia and the tour to South Africa without doubt will be my first real test and I am prepared for it.”Jamshed, 23, who, so far, has played against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and Australia, said he is yet to face a “tough” bowler in international cricket. In South Africa, though, he is expecting tougher competition. “I haven’ played out of Asia; similarly I am yet to face tough bowlers, so it would be a unique experience for me to bat against South Africa’s world-class bowlers in their own backyard.”Pakistan have toured South Africa on four occasions since 1995. The pitches in South Africa have always tested Pakistan’s batsmen. Among the openers, Taufeeq Umar and Saeed Anwar managed to score centuries, with the current vice-captain Mohammad Hafeez averging 16.5 in six innings played in 2007. “I never been to South Africa at any stage of my career but the pitches there are always challenging,” Jamshed said. “I don’t know what happened in past but every day is a new day and things do improve with time. It obviously will be tough but we are well prepared for it and I have my plans as an opener.”I know they have done some homework on me and I am not worried at all but I have to think ahead of them and give them nothing. There is no need to rush. If they want to bowl hard, I have all the strokes and patience required for Test cricket. I have also worked so hard on my defence, making it more solid.”Pakistan’s Test squad left for South Africa on Sunday morning from Lahore.

Plays of the day from the third day of the second Test between South Africa and England at Durban

Andrew McGlashan in Durban28-Dec-2009Pietersen cut short
Whatever Kevin Pietersen said beforehand, making an impression in this match, on his former home ground, would have left him with immense satisfaction. He looked primed for the challenge, too, as he concentrated hard at the start of the innings to just about stop himself trying for one of those hairy singles. But it was a pristine straight drive off Jacques Kallis’s first ball of the day that made everyone sit up and take notice. Pietersen stood tall and drilled the delivery past mid-on, the type of shot he plays with regularity when at the top of his game and when he was dropped by Kallis at slip it appeared set for him. Alas, it was a false dawn as he tried to sweep a full ball from Paul Harris and was lbw. It had promised so much.Aleem’s hat trick
The weather has already played a part in this game, but the third day was perfect with clear blue skies. However, there was a strong wind blowing, which was gusting across the ground and causing a few problems. At one point it caught Aleem Dar’s wide-brimmed hat and the umpire had to chase it through midwicket before finally grabbing hold two-thirds of the way towards the boundary. The crowd gave him a hearty cheer and Dar got into the spirit by acknowledging the applause before trying to firmly fix his hat back on.Bowled ‘im…oh, it’s the wind
As well as troubling Dar, the gusts also meant the bails had trouble staying in their grooves and on one occasion struck with precision-like timing that would have done a Swiss-watchmaker proud. As Makhaya Ntini slanted a delivery across Alastair Cook, the left hander shoulder arms and the ball sailed through to the keeper. However, at the exact moment the ball flew past the stumps the bail fell out of its groove. It caused momentary excitement in the crowd and Cook may have thought he’d made a horrid misjudgement. It was all a false alarm.Cook’s reprieve
There may be one England player who’s now a big fan of the Umpire Decision Review System. On 64, Alastair Cook – who earlier confirmed to Pietersen that he was indeed plumb to Harris – prodded forward to JP Duminy and was given out caught at short leg. It was clear Cook wasn’t happy and made the ‘T’ sign which brought Steve Davis into action. The third umpire had a long look and the pictures did suggest that ball had missed bat and glove, coming straight off the pad. Was it conclusive enough? Yes, Cook was saved and went on to reach a gusty hundred. “It’s great, this new system,” he might have said.Bell’s statement
Sadly for Ian Bell his leave against Paul Harris in the first innings at Centurion will be played forever more on blooper videos. It will live with him, but all he can do is try and show what he is capable of. The pressure is certainly on, but he looked far more comfortable as he came to the crease on this occasion – although that may have had something to do with a score that read 297 for 4. After a couple of leaves against Harris (brave boy) he made his intent clear with two steps down the track and a six over long. It’s a shot that will replayed, but still not as much as that leave.And down she goes
It was a tough day for South Africa with just four wickets to show for their efforts, but they could easily have had an extra scalp to take with them which would have made tomorrow morning appear slightly less daunting. Kallis, still not at 100% after his injury, came back for a late spell and forced Matt Prior to defend a ball into his thigh pad that bounced out to Hashim Amla at short leg. Amla is normally very safe under the helmet, but could only palm the chance to ground. It was one of those days.

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side head into Thursday evening’s fixture against Real Betis knowing that they can finish no higher or lower than their current third-place standing in Group G – something which will ultimately see the Bhoys drop into the UEFA Europa Conference League when European football starts up again in 2022.

As such, the 56-year-old manager knows that, with a number of extremely important fixtures ahead of the Hoops in the coming weeks, he can field a rotated side against the Spanish club, affording a number of his lesser-seen squad members some valuable first-team minutes against very decent opposition.

So, how many changes will the Greek-Australian boss make to the side which started the 3-0 win over Dundee United last weekend? Here’s how we think Celtic could line up against Real Betis, along with the latest team and injury news…

With Ange Postecoglou recently confirming that all four of Jota, Anthony Ralston, Giorgos Giakoumakis and James Forrest will miss the Real Betis fixture due to injury, we predict that the 56-year-old will make six changes to the team that started the game at Tannadice on Sunday.

The first of these changes comes between the Celtic sticks, with Joe Hart making way for 18-year-old Tobi Oluwayemi, who Celtic B coach Darren O’Dea dubbed a “really good” talent, as the youngster has highly impressed for the reserve side so far this season.

In the back four, 19-year-old left-back Adam Montgomery makes a return to the starting XI side after being left out of the club’s last two Europa League fixtures, while the “immense” Osaze Urhoghide is handed his Celtic debut alongside Carl Stafelt at centre-back.

In the middle of the park, James McCarthy replaces Tom Rogic in the central midfield three, while, in attack, Albian Ajeti is handed just his sixth start of the season up top, and Liel Abada returns on the right-wing in place of the injured James Forrest.

In other news: Sky Sports journalist drops 7-word Jota update that’ll leave Celtic fans fuming