Tag Futebol

While Stokes’ leadership style has attracted all the attention, Rohit has achieved better results with more obvious calls

Karthik Krishnaswamy29-Feb-20242:04

Harmison: Rohit’s captaincy applied pressure on England

Some choices feel obvious in hindsight, but are anything but that at the time of making. It wasn’t that long ago, for instance, that Kuldeep Yadav vs Washington Sundar felt like a legitimate debate. India were 1-0 down, having lost an un-loseable Test in Hyderabad, and were going into the second Test in Visakhapatnam with Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul ruled out, with 119 Test caps snatched away from an already depleted line-up.India were bringing in a debutant in Rahul’s place, but how would they replace the irreplaceable Jadeja? He wasn’t just one of their two main spinners but also their regular No. 6 and top-scorer in the first innings in Hyderabad. Would they bring in Kuldeep, a brilliant, wicket-taking wristspinner who wasn’t yet a proven quantity in Test cricket, or would they hedge their bets with Washington, an allrounder who could slot in at No. 6 but was a considerable downgrade on Jadeja as a bowler?When Jadeja returned for the third Test in Rajkot, it still felt legitimate to ask who would go out to accommodate him. Would it be Kuldeep, or would it be Axar Patel? At roughly the same time in 2023, when Australia were touring India, the same question had done the rounds, and Axar had won out thanks to his batting and style of fast, into-the-wicket fingerspin.Related

Rohit's batting shines spotlight on value of instinct and adaptability

India and Australia are still the top dogs in Test cricket

Wretched Patidar isn't just about his low scores, and India know it

Crafty Kuldeep undoes Bazball in 12-over spell for the ages

Ranchi win epitomises current era of India's Test team with promise for the next

Axar’s bowling returns had waned since then, but he was averaging over 50 with the bat in the same period. Kuldeep had outbowled Axar in Visakhapatnam, but it was only one Test and only his first Test since December 2022.India backed Kuldeep this time around, and left out Axar.India still had a way of shoehorning Washington or Axar into their line-up if they wished. They had two opportunities to play the extra spin-bowling allrounder at the expense of an inexperienced second fast bowler, but they ignored or resisted that option both times, picking Mukesh Kumar in Visakhapatnam and Akash Deep in Ranchi.In hindsight, it feels that India made the obvious choice each time. They weren’t anything like obvious when India made them.Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have built a culture where players feel empowered to express themselves•Getty ImagesThe choices did, however, follow a logic that was easy to discern if you’ve followed India for any length of time. Home or away, India tend to pick the attack that’s likeliest to take 20 wickets, even if it’s at the expense of their batting – even the exceptions to this rule, Axar and Shardul Thakur, lost their places when their wicket-taking returns declined. India followed this broad philosophy during the Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri regime, and they have stuck with it under Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid.Sometimes, the best decisions are the obvious ones, the ones that every reasonably informed viewer expects you to make.Those kinds of decisions, however, don’t make for a great story, or hours of commentary-box dissection.Which brings us, belatedly, to the thrust of this piece, which is that, for all the attention lavished on Bazball over the last month or so, Hitball, or Jammyball, or whatever else you may want to call it, has quietly gone about the business of winning Test matches.Last year, Pat Cummins found himself in the unusual position of having his tactical calls pilloried when he was in the process of retaining the Ashes. At various points during this series, particularly until India’s rousing show of strength on day three in Rajkot, Rohit has been subject to something similar.Hitball has outdone Bazball in this series•AFP/Getty ImagesIt can happen to any captain when they’re pitted against Ben Stokes, a man who seems unusually becalmed if he changes his field every second ball rather than every ball. That hyperactive style of on-field captaincy is always easier to observe, because its effects can’t help but be immediate. It’s much likelier for a wicket to look like a tactical masterstroke if the fielder catching the ball has only just been moved there, rather than if he’s stood there for an hour.And there’s a self-fuelling cycle of discourse at play. England’s players talk endlessly about playing under Stokes and Brendon McCullum, in large part because they’re endlessly asked about it in interviews and press conferences.None of this is to say Stokes isn’t an excellent, inventive captain, and that England haven’t built a culture where players feel cared for, and empowered to express themselves and enjoy the blessed fact that they play sport for a living. Win or lose, these are good things.It’s the fate of Bazball’s opposition captains, however, to be judged harshly unless they win.Take this example from Rajkot. On day two, Rohit brought Kuldeep on before R Ashwin, with a ball that was only six overs old, and Kuldeep took a hammering from Ben Duckett. When it happened, it was the easiest thing for any viewer to point to Ashwin’s brilliant record with the new ball, against left-handers, and against Duckett in particular, and wonder how Rohit made such an obvious blunder as delaying his introduction.

Sometimes, the best decisions are the obvious ones, the ones that every reasonably informed viewer expects you to make. Those kinds of decisions, however, don’t make for a great story, or hours of commentary-box dissection

It took until Kuldeep’s match-defining 12-over spell on the third morning for a simpler truth to dawn on the viewer, that Rohit, in bowling Kuldeep ahead of Ashwin, had merely brought on one brilliant bowler before bringing on another. He had made a perfectly sound choice, and sound choices come with no guarantee of working.And if it seemed that Kuldeep bowled better on day three than he did on day two, it was also the result of switching from one reasonable plan – attack the stumps against a batter happy to sweep – to another – force the batter to sweep from wide of off stump. Either plan could have worked; in that instance, one did and one did not.That Kuldeep’s change of line was so effective also had something to do with the field Rohit set. He stationed both a deep-backward square leg and a deep midwicket, asking Duckett either to take even more of a risk than he had already been taking to play the slog sweep, or to put away the shot.You could call it a brilliant plan, because it worked. You could also call it defensive captaincy, and it wouldn’t be an incorrect definition. It’s always been difficult to use the word defensive in a non-pejorative way, though, and it’s only become harder in the time of Bazball.Kuldeep Yadav and Rohit Sharma celebrate Ben Duckett’s wicket in the Ranchi Test•Getty ImagesRohit has also given us examples of aggressive captaincy through this series. Take Kuldeep’s dismissal of Zak Crawley in the second innings in Ranchi. Crawley was batting on 60 and going at a 65-plus strike rate, but Kuldeep bowled to him with no one in the covers. Crawley looked to punch through that gap, off the back foot, and was bowled, beaten by one that turned sharply into him.Was it really aggressive, though, or just a routine field setting on a pitch where the odd ball was turning sharply and liable to keep low as well? Ashwin and Shoaib Bashir, who turn the ball into the right-hander like Kuldeep, also bowled with 6-3 leg-side fields for much of this Test match, and having only three fielders on the off side generally means you leave either cover or backward point open. Neither Ashwin nor Bashir happened to pick up a wicket that seemed like a direct outcome of their field, but it was just as sound an option for them as it was for Kuldeep when he got Crawley out.This, in essence, is the issue with the bulk of captaincy discourse. Captaincy looks good when it works, and looks even better when it works in obvious ways. And given how many heads get together to come up with a team’s plans in this day and age, it’s not even clear that we’re praising or burying the right person when we praise or bury Rohit or Stokes.What has been clear, though, is that India have played relentlessly good cricket through this series, and made relentlessly aggressive selections. They have always played five bowlers, and picked the better bowler over the hedge-the-bets allrounder when they’ve had the choice. England, in their reluctance to play a fifth bowler, and in entrusting Joe Root with as heavy a bowling workload as they have, have not demonstrated the same sort of aggression.In that most basic way, then, Hitball, or Jammyball, or whatever else you may want to call it, has outdone Bazball by quite a margin.

The former Pakistan fast bowler, now Quetta Gladiators coach in the PSL, talks about coaching in T20 and the importance of long-format cricket for all players

Interview by Umar Farooq15-Feb-2022After his retirement from playing cricket late in 2020, former Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul changed hats seamlessly, taking up the bowling coach’s role with Quetta Gladiators in the PSL almost immediately after. Here, he talks about his coaching philosophy, particularly when it comes to fast bowlers and their nurture.How difficult was the transition from a cricketer to a coach?
It’s never easy when you have given your everything playing cricket since your childhood. There was passion involved and when you have done it for 20 straight years, it’s not easy to walk away just like that. There were brief [career] gaps due to my injuries and those were frustrating times but I always made a comeback and never let it go. Because it was about passion, it took time for me to absorb that I won’t be bowling anymore and it will not be the same when I retire. I wanted to continue playing in a few leagues but there were no takers and it came down to making a quick decision about my future before it was too late.I wanted to stay close to the game, be in the field, so I told myself: why not coaching? I gave myself a long, hard look, thought about my temperament and I realised I have always been generous about helping my colleagues when working in the nets – giving them tips, listening to others, chipping in with my knowledge. I wasn’t just bowling but learning a lot around the art of bowling.Related

Umar Gul appointed Afghanistan bowling coach

Shoaib Akhtar: 'You have to be mad to be a fast bowler' (2015)

Bharat Arun: 'I cannot tell a bowler what to do or not do' (2019)

'You need an environment that helps you go wild' (2016)

Shaheen Afridi rises to the top echelon of fast bowling

I was lucky enough to get a call from Quetta Gladiators to work as a coach only two months after I retired from cricket. Then I had a stint in the Kashmir Premier League and in the Lanka Premier League for Galle Gladiators. This season in PSL, Moin Khan [head coach] had his son’s wedding and I have been leading [Quetta] as head coach. That has been a productive experience, working broadly with everyone rather than just bowlers.You are a rarity as a Pakistani former player who has decided to go global with his coaching career, rather than just doing it as a one-off.
I think it is a role that requires a different kind of expertise [to playing]. It’s a different ball game and we ex-cricketers overestimate ourselves on the basis of the cricket we played and think that we can easily take up coaching as a career straightaway.

“Coaching is basically working with the psyche of a player. You have to go into his mind to figure out the problem”

It requires grooming, experience, and ideally if you come through working with a younger lot [of players] it’s easy for you to grow. It’s a difficult process but [worth it] if you want to go global and are not just looking for small gigs.My career panned out in an era where the gears shifted from the mid-2000s [type of cricket] to modern-day cricket in the last five-six years. So I didn’t have to take a break or learn to catch up with the times. I played my cricket with HBL at domestic level and played under so many big names. With such an extensive playing career you definitely learn a lot, especially when you come up under big coaches throughout. There were different philosophies from coaches and captains. I led HBL, so there was also leadership involved and there was a consistent learning curve from playing the highest level of international cricket.There is debate about whether or not it is necessary for a good coach to also have been a good cricketer. What’s your take?
You can learn the game theoretically and still become a good coach. Basically there is no right or wrong answer to this. It’s a combination of many things and not always about cricket but management of players.Cricket is evolving rapidly and it depends on how quickly you learn new things, and how you work with players. I am gaining tons of experience with Gladiators and I love to work with players in the field, so it isn’t really a problem for me to adapt.Gul on Naseem Shah: “In Test cricket in Pakistan you need a bowler who can consistently bowl 140-145kph because of the slow pitches”•Getty ImagesI’m not limiting myself to Quetta Gladiators only but looking for other opportunities to grow myself. I have made my mind up that this is my bread and butter. I have done my Level 2 coaching course and am waiting for PCB to open up the Level 3 course. If you want to do it right, you need to learn it right. With all the practical knowledge, you’ve got to have theoretical knowledge as well.How would you describe your coaching philosophy?
Your actual job starts when a player is down and going through a rough patch. Form, good or bad, is inevitable. You can easily lose your way with one patch of bad form and fade away like you never existed. That is cricket.Obviously a player playing at the highest level must have the skill sets and the hard work behind him, otherwise he wouldn’t have made it that far. A good coach is the one who basically picks up a player in bad form and encourages him and works with him to overcome the lean patch. It’s basically working with the psyche of the player. You have to go into his mind to figure out the problem. I have been through so many phases in my career and I know what a player expects from a coach and what a coach should be doing to lift up a player.With batters scoring more runs than ever in the shorter formats, there is always pressure on bowlers to keep evolving. How tough is that on bowlers?
In the past, longer formats were more focused and the conditions were more bowler-friendly, but with the passage of time, T20 cricket has taken over a lot of attention. There is public demand [for this kind of cricket] and over time, the changes are largely batting-friendly, and that’s understandable because ICC is basically looking to attract fans.

“I speak with bowlers not just about their bowling but how to analyse the batsman. You must look at his weakness, where he is making mistakes”

The pitches these days are much flatter, making it tough for fast bowlers. But at the same time it just takes one good ball to get rid of a batter. The balance is important and ICC should be finding a balance between the bat and the ball, and that basically comes with pitches. More runs are a public demand but as a professional, either as a batsman or bowler, you have to keep evolving, regardless of the conditions. If you want to be a great player you have to adapt to tough conditions.As a coach, how do you prepare a bowler to deal with power-hitting batters?
There is nothing better than a yorker. It is still the best ball a bowler can bowl in all three formats. It’s really tough for a batsman to hit from that length. Although batsmen have innovated so many shots, like paddle sweep, reverse sweep, scoop, for bowlers the yorker is still the best ball. If you have a strength, you must work hard on it so you have even better command of it.Other than that, you have to keep working on other varieties, like slower ones, knuckleballs, releasing from the back of the hand, slow bouncers – so there are varieties that can counter the batsmen but you have to have control to do that.Length balls in T20, bowled on the stumps, are very useful, but then you have to trust yourself and back yourself. The best bowlers in the world, like Rashid Khan, Imran Tahir, [Tabraiz] Shamsi these days, or in my time [Lasith] Malinga or me, what we used to bowl was stump to stump. Line and length needs to be accurate and you need to have self-confidence.Yorkers aren’t bowled consistently, though. Why is that?
I see bowlers hitting the yorker length in training quite often but then it depends how well a bowler manages to execute on the field. The Pakistani fast bowlers definitely have the skill but they are lacking the self-confidence to bowl three to four back-to-back yorkers. They have the fear in their mind that a batsman could go for a paddle sweep or a number of other shots. If you are going in thinking about how to survive, it won’t help. This sense of fear needs to be eradicated first if you want to be able to hit the right length.Gul with fellow Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir at a training session. “I have always been generous about helping my colleagues when working in the nets – giving them tips, listening to others, chipping in with my knowledge,” Gul says•Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty ImagesWhat’s your take on Quetta Gladiators bowler Mohammad Hasnain’s bowling action, which was recently declared illegal? Was it always flawed or do you think he just tried too hard to generate extra pace on Australian pitches in the BBL?
In franchise cricket we don’t have enough time to look at the technical side of a bowler’s action or to mend their action. It’s mostly about sharing cricket knowledge and preparing from game to game, working on the strategic side. I don’t think Hasnain exceeded his elbow flex trying to hit the hard length on Australian pitches but I am not really sure what went wrong. I haven’t seen his biomechanics report and videos yet and I don’t know which of his deliveries was the problem but I have spoken with him and backed him to remodel his action. I have encouraged him and asked him to accept it rather than be sceptical about it. He needs to be clear that he needs to remodel his action. I hope he will come out of this soon, as he is an asset.Another young Quetta fast bowler is Naseem Shah. What are your thoughts on his progress in his career so far?
I am surprised that he wasn’t picked in the 15-man Test squad [for the Australia series] and was selected among the reserves instead. In Test cricket in Pakistan you need a bowler who can consistently bowl 140-145kph because of the slow pitches. When the ball gets old, you need pace to reverse the ball to deceive the batsman. It was shocking that he isn’t there in the squad.He has improved dramatically in the last one year. He has pace, he is young, and his fitness is better as well. And he is maturing in his bowling.When I joined Quetta last year I spoke with him in detail. He used to bowl short a lot and I persuaded him to switch to good length instead. It will only come when he plays the longer format. He has everything in him but he needs to get more cricket under his belt.

“There is nothing better than a yorker. It is still the best ball a bowler can bowl in all three formats”

As a coach, I speak with bowlers not just about their bowling but how to analyse the batsman you are bowling at. You must look at the batsman’s weakness, where he is making mistakes, and that’s an ability every bowler should have, because that breaks down the mechanics of bowling easily.With Naseem I speak with him from time to time about how to read a batsman’s mind and his bat flow, and how to adjust line and length accordingly. He is responding well. He hasn’t played much white-ball cricket lately, but this PSL season he is playing consistently. One thing is for sure: the more you play, the more you get polished.How do you compare the scope of work for a coach in the shorter and longer formats? Does T20 give a coach enough time to make a difference?
If you want to develop a player, you need plenty of time with him to change his mindset and his game. You need time pre-series, when you are not playing games and there is enough time for development.It varies from player to player. Some are quick learners and some take time to absorb intel. It is a lengthy and gradual process where both coach and player need to understand each other, but in franchise cricket you hardly get two to three days of practice, and there are back-to-back matches. You cannot afford to tweak someone’s bowling techniques [during a tournament] because it can affect his performance mid-season, and there are chances of picking up injury. You can’t make a bowler learn the technical side of bowling mechanics.It will be a mistake by a coach if he tries to work on bowlers’ techniques [during T20 tournaments]. Franchise cricket is more about sharing intelligence with the help of data about players’ weaknesses and strengths. You get tangible analytics, so as a coach you have to sit with the bowler and talk it out and make a bowling plan.Gul gets a guard of honour in his last game, in the National T20 Cup in October 2020•AFP via Getty ImagesWhat if a player is out of form and you as a coach have to try to pull him out of it?
If someone is out of form, as a coach you help him regain his rhythm. You make him bat a little longer in nets to get his touch, or for a bowler you make him bowl longer spells to find confidence. Sometimes a player is overworked and all you have to do is to reduce his load and relax him for some time to regain his form and rhythm. Sometimes very small things make a difference and you just need to understand the problem. Players obviously need an answer and as the coach you have the eye and it needs to be good enough to provide the answer they are looking for.What is your assessment of Pakistan’s current fast-bowling crop?
We have a great line of fast bowlers in the country but the lack of first-class cricket is a problem. It is really important to have enough matches under your belt. It’s very rare that a bowler without real experience of first-class cricket comes and immediately starts excelling at the international level.To play the longer format helps you grow as a cricketer. It makes you learn the art of bowling. It helps your body endure and acquire greater command of your line and length. Your temperament comes with playing the longer format and it improves your skill set and also gives you a reality check about yourself as a bowler. If you can sustain playing in the longer format as a bowler, you can easily adapt to white-ball cricket with success.Unfortunately in the last five or six years, the selection of national players has arguably been driven by their performance in T20 – either in the PSL or the National T20 Cup. There is skill in white-ball cricket but your body needs to sharpen up. In first-class cricket you have to bowl 15-20 overs a day and stay in the field for six to seven hours, so that way your body gets used to coping with the pressure and load. Also when you bowl spells in different phases of the day, that enhances your bowling skills. Shaheen [Afridi] is exceptional, but it depends how quickly you learn.

“If you are going in thinking about how to survive, it won’t help. This sense of fear needs to be eradicated first if you want to be able to hit the right length”

Is it really important for a white-ball specialist to play first-class cricket?
It is. Even if you only want to play white-ball cricket, you still have to engage with the longer format, especially if you are young. I spoke to Mohammad Amir when he retired from red-ball cricket. I asked him to pick and choose, even if he wanted to focus on with white-ball cricket. It’s not necessary to play the entire season but a few games to keep your fitness and rhythm intact.T20 bowling also needs rhythm, and if it’s not there, you can’t have a good T20 game either. It looks like just a matter of four overs but for it, you still have to practise for 12 overs a day to keep your game alive. Otherwise it’s tough surviving bowling just four overs in the nets. The format appears to be easy but it sucks up a lot of your energy. I am saying it because I have played it and I know it.These days an elite player from Pakistan plays about 150 days of cricket overall in a year, including franchise cricket, internationals and domestic games. Do you have any thoughts on how to make sure players have long careers despite this workload?
That wholly depends on the player and how he looks at his workload. If I say somebody is tired and should rest, that is unfair because it’s the player himself that knows exactly about his workload. It’s a coach and trainer mutually planning for a player that helps the player manage his career effectively, but the player obviously has to be honest and careful.These days there are lots of scientific tools available – like, Australia and England players are constantly being monitored in terms of their workload and pressure. You have specialised gym training to maintain fitness, and no matter what age you are, you can still manage your game.

The Pirates’ playoff drought reached a decade this year. Pittsburgh finished the season 71-91 at the bottom of the NL Central, but the franchise does have one big piece of the puzzle figured out.

One of the best pitchers in baseball is on their roster in Paul Skenes. Although the Pirates’ putrid results have led to Skenes hearing his name in trade rumors, general manager Ben Cherington asserted any teams who ask for last year’s NL Rookie of the Year are quickly shot down.

"The question gets asked, and it's always respectful," Cherington said at the MLB general managers meetings via ESPN’s Jorge Castillo. "Teams have to ask the question. I suspect that won't end. But the answer's been consistent."

The 23-year-old righthander has finished each of his two MLB seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA. Skenes recorded a MLB-best 1.97 ERA this year, with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal the next closest at 2.21. Skenes had 216 strikeouts over 32 starts in 187 2/3 pitched on the year and is the clear favorite to receive the NL Cy Young Award.

Run support has lacked behind Skenes’s dominance as the Pirates scored just 583 runs as a unit this year, the lowest total in the MLB. Pittsburgh hopes to build around the dominant righty as they await the arrival of 19-year-old Konnor Griffin, MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 9 pick in the 2024 MLB draft. Bubba Chandler, another top prospect, made his debut this season when the Pirates called him up in August as the team hopes he can become a mainstay at the top of their rotation alongside Skenes.

Skenes remains under team control for four more seasons, which could net the Pirates a massive haul if he eventually becomes available on the trade market. For now, though, that’s not the case and Cherington aims to build around his elite ace.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday that he expects the team to be active at the trade deadline as the team looks to upgrade its rotation, bullpen and infield ahead of the second half of the season.

As the Yankees are expected to be buyers, one team potentially looking to sell at the deadline would make an excellent trade partner for New York. Multiple MLB insiders, including ESPN's Jeff Passan, MLB Network's Jon Morosi and MLB.com's Bryan Hoch have linked the Yankees with a potential swoop for a pair of Arizona Diamondbacks standouts.

Passan wrote Thursday that he considers third baseman Eugenio Suarez to be the "main target" for the organization and noted that the team could look to solve two of its needs by also attempting to trade for starting pitcher Zac Gallen, or even Merrill Kelly.

Those thoughts were echoed by Morosi on Thursday's episode of when he called Gallen a "really strong fit" with the Yankees. MLB.com's Bryan Hoch said all three D-Backs players would "make sense" for New York to pursue, too.

Suarez, 33, has a .883 OPS with 29 home runs (tied fourth in MLB) and 75 RBIs (tied for fifth in MLB). Gallen, 29, has struggled a bit this year with a 5.15 ERA, but has a great track record and has only had an ERA over 3.65 in one other season of his career. Kelly, 36, has a 3.41 ERA across 19 starts with 107 strikeouts in 111 innings.

All three are on expiring contracts, and with Arizona sitting at 46–47 in a crowded National League, they may look to recoup some value for the veterans at the deadline. And if they're selling, expect the Yankees to be among the teams looking to buy.

Southampton have found their feet again in the Championship and could now be drawing closer to securing a permanent replacement for Will Still.

Southampton look to enter hunt for promotion

Despite a rocky start to the campaign that saw Still relieved of his duties on the South Coast, Southampton have since bounced back under Tonda Eckert and have recorded four straight victories in the second-tier, placing them narrowly outside the playoff slots.

Ultimately, the 32-year-old is only in caretaker charge at the moment. Still, Taylor Harwood-Bellis is enjoying working under his tutelage and praised his attention to detail after Saints’ consecutive victories over Charlton Athletic and Leicester City.

He said via BBC Sport: “I think he (Eckert) has given us everything. The meetings are so detailed with what he wants. There is detail in there that you wouldn’t even think about when you’re on the pitch. That’s a big thing about Tonda, he wants to help you. Against Charlton, the goals we scored were walked through the day before.

“We knew there would be space on the break if we sat off a little bit deeper [against Leicester] and that happened. Obviously there are going to be bumps in the road, we know that. It’s not only going to be plain sailing, but it’s down to us to keep the level now.”

Several names have been mentioned in connection with the post, including former boss Russell Martin, who is available after an ill-fated spell with Rangers.

Either way, the search for a new boss is now seemingly coming to an end, and Southampton supporters may soon know the identity of the head coach tasked with leading the club forward at St Mary’s.

Southampton could appoint Tonda Eckert permanently

According to Football Insider, Eckert is in pole position to be appointed as Southampton’s permanent manager following his successful caretaker stint on the South Coast, and there is now a growing clamour from fans to see the 32-year-old remain on a full-time basis.

Now the clear favourite after guiding Saints to four league wins on the trot, the German is the leading candidate to land the role, even if several other managers have been identified as a long-term successor to Still.

Tonda Eckert in charge of Southampton

Will Still in charge of Southampton

Matches: 4

Matches: 16

Wins: 4

Wins: 4

Draws: 0

Draws: 6

Losses: 0

Losses: 6

Momentum is critical when it comes to influencing public opinion, and it appears that may have seeped into Sport Republic’s way of thinking as they look to map out a path to earning promotion after a rocky few months.

Labelled a “really great coach” by Caspar Jander, Eckert clearly retains the backing of his group and appears to have the trust of figures both inside and outside of the club to lead Saints into positive new beginnings following an acrimonious start to the season for all involved.

Aston Villa have now registered their interest in signing Everton’s James Garner, amid a new update on the midfielder’s future on Merseyside.

Villa are very much back on track in the Premier League, signing off before the international break with a 4-0 battering of AFC Bournemouth, courtesy of goals from Emi Buendia, Amadou Onana, Ross Barkley and Donyell Malen.

However, one of Unai Emery’s more recent signings was once again absent from the match-day squad entirely, namely Harvey Elliott, who has been frozen out after seemingly failing to impress his manager since arriving on an initial loan from Liverpool in the summer.

There have been widespread reports suggesting Emery didn’t actually want to sign Elliott in the first place, and would’ve preferred to have brought in Lucas Paqueta or Marco Asensio, casting the Englishman’s future into further doubt.

Villa will only be required to sign the attacking midfielder on a permanent basis if he makes ten appearances this season, but having fallen out of favour, it is currently difficult to see a way back.

Aston Villa register interest in signing James Garner

Emery clearly has serious reservations about Elliott, but it has now been revealed that Aston Villa want to bring in another new English midfielder, having made contact by registering their interest in signing Everton’s Garner, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Villans have joined Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest in the race for the central midfielder’s signature, with the latter club making an approach of their own, meaning there could be stiff competition.

The 24-year-old’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, so his future at Everton is now ‘up in the air’, although the Merseyside club do retain an option to trigger a one-year contract extension.

The Englishman, who scored his first Everton goal at Villa Park in the EFL Cup back in 2023, has been a key player for David Moyes’ side this season, starting all 11 Premier League matches and putting in a particularly impressive performance against Crystal Palace.

Hailed as “phenomenal” by Trevor Sinclair, the 18-time England U21 international has also displayed his versatility by slotting in at right-back and left-back this season, putting in a solid display against Villa in the 0-0 draw back in September, which earned a 7.9 SofaScore match rating, the highest of any player.

James Garner’s statistics against Aston Villa

Number completed

Tackles

4

Duels won

6 (6)

Big chances created

2

As such, Garner could be a shrewd signing for Aston Villa, who should look to capitalise on the midfielder’s contract situation and get a deal done this winter.

Aston Villa chasing another midfielder to partner Boubacar Kamara Aston Villa chiefs convinced £31m sensation would be Kamara's perfect midfield partner

The Villans are fighting with some of Europe’s heavyweights to secure his signature.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 15, 2025

رفع دوري السوبر ليج دعوى قضائية ضد الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، يويفا، حسب إعلان صادر عن شركة A22، المروجة لتلك البطولة التي حاولت إيجاد طريق لها على الساحة الرياضية في 2021، بمشاركة 12 فريقًا، ولكنها خطوة باءت بالفشل.

وذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية أن الشركة المروجة لدوري السوبر ليج، باشرت في 21 نوفمبر، الإجراءت الإلزامية لتسوية النزاعات بالطرق المناسبة، حسب قانون الإجراءات الإسباني، كخطوة تمهيدية لرفع دعوى قضائية ضد الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم.

وتهدف هذه الدعوى إلى المطالبة بتعويض عن الأضرار الناجمة عن إساءة الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم استغلال مركزه المهيمن كمشغل احتكاري في سوق مسابقات الأندية الأوروبية لكرة القدم.

وأوضحت أن هذه الدعوى ستُضاف إلى الدعوى التي سيرفعها ريال مدريد، والتي أعلن عنها فلورنتينو بيريز أمس الأحد في الجمعية العمومية، وسيتجاوز إجمالي قيمتهما 4.5 مليار يورو.

كانت الشركة المذكورة قد تقدمت في ديسمبر 2024 بطلب رسمي إلى يويفا للاعتراف بدوري السوبر ليج، وقد امتثل هذا الطلب تمامًا للمتطلبات التي نص عليها قرار محكمة العدل الأوروبية.

اقرأ أيضًا.. بيريز يشن هجومًا قويًا: التحكيم صنع برشلونة.. وما فعله تيباس “عار”

وعقب ذلك، دخلت الشركة نفسها في مفاوضات حسنة النية مع الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، لمدة سبعة أشهر (بين مارس وسبتمبر 2025) سعيًا للتوصل إلى حل شامل وتعاوني للنزاعات القائمة.

وخلال هذه المفاوضات، قدمت الشركة تنازلات كبيرة لسد الفجوة بين مقترحها لدوري السوبر ليج ومسابقات الأندية الحالية التابعة للاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم.

وقد ركزت مقترحاتها على ثلاثة مجالات أساسية: تحسين النظام، وتحديث الحوكمة، وتطبيق منصة البث، بهدف توفير أسعار معقولة وتقنيات متطورة للجماهير التي تشاهد المباريات من المنزل، ولكن لم يتم التوصل إلى اتفاق رغم ذلك.

وخلصت الشركة إلى أنه “بناءً على ذلك، فإن الإجراء المناسب الوحيد في الوقت الحالي هو المطالبة بتعويض عن الأضرار الناجمة عن استمرار سلوك الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم غير القانوني”.

The Metro Bank One-Day Cup returns this week, with Glamorgan defending the title they won at Trent Bridge in 2025. Here are the runners and riders in Group A:

Derbyshire

Captain: Brooke Guest
2024 Position: Fourth (Group A)
2024 Most Runs: Harry Came (281)
2024 Most Wickets: Zak Chappell (17)
Why they can win the competition: Although Wayne Madsen, Aneurin Donald and Pat Brown are playing in The Hundred, Derbyshire could go deep into the competition if players like Chappell and Australian opener Caleb Jewell fire. The return from injury of all-rounder Luis Reece adds quality and experience while Ben Aitchison brings a cutting edge to the seam attack.Player to watch: Martin Andersson has played some significant innings in the Rothesay County Championship since he made the switch from Middlesex and with Madsen and Donald missing, this is a chance for him to play a leading role with the bat in the white-ball game. An outstanding fielder, his seam bowling will provide Guest with another option.Young gun: Joe Hawkins impressed on his step up to the first team in the County Championship at Northampton and the 18-year-old off-spinning all-rounder is expected to get further chances to show his potential in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. A recent call-up to the England Under-19 squad is a measure of his progress and this competition provides a platform for him to build on that.Final thought: The Falcons were expected to be a contender in the Vitality Blast but after a disappointing tournament, they now have another opportunity to show they are a better one-day side than those results suggest. On their day, they have the players to mount a strong challenge and the disappointment in the T20 format could be a motivating factor over the next few weeks.

Essex

Captain: Tom Westley
2024 finish: Seventh (Group B)
2024 most runs: Robin Das (309)
2024 most wickets: Jamal Richards (15)Why they can win the competition: With only four players seconded to The Hundred – compared with six last year – Essex will in theory have a larger pool of players to pick from. However, their plans were disrupted when Indian pace bowler Khaleel Ahmed belatedly pulled out of his all-formats contract; Essex are busily trying to sign an overseas replacement for at least part of the competition.Player to watch: Robin Das top-scored last year, topped by an unbeaten century in a rare win at Trent Bridge. He has not built on that this season with only a couple of disappointing outings in both the Rothesay County Championship and Vitality Blast. If he finally rediscovers his form, it could reignite his career and lead to a memorable few weeks.Young gun: Though still only 20, Luc Benkenstein has been a mainstay of Essex’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup team since his 2021 debut. He made his mark the following year with 6-42 against Glamorgan, though barely bowled last season because of injury. Now a Blast regular, the leggie will boost the spin options as well as adding big-hitting cameos down the order.Final thought: Essex have won just seven of 24 One-Day Cup fixtures since they reached the semi-finals in 2021 – and four of 16 in the past two seasons – with some heavy defeats along the way. It is going to take a massive improvement in performance from essentially the same group of players, allied to some astute tactical acumen from captain Tom Westley, to turn around their white-ball fortunes after a torrid Blast campaign.Carlson raises the Metro Bank One-Day Cup for Glamorgan•Getty Images

Glamorgan

Captain: Kiran Carlson
2024 Position: Champions
2024 Most Runs: Colin Ingram (297)
2024 Most Wickets: Andy Gorvin & Dan Douthwaite (19)Why they can win the competition: As defending champions, the Metro Bank One-Day Cup has felt like a homecoming for Glamorgan, reaping their most success in recent years, winning in 2021 also. David Harrison will lead the team (Richard Dawson away with Welsh Fire) after he was interim head coach and assistant for their previous two success and can lean on a new exciting support staff including Ian Harvey who supported Dawson to success in this competition with Gloucestershire.Player to watch: Billy Root in a crucial stage in his career could have a more senior, important role to play. The 32-year-old in his final year contracted at Glamorgan has spent most of the season in the 2ndXI, often captaining, however came into his own with 296 runs in this tournament in 2024. With Mason Crane and Ben Kellaway selected in The Hundred, Root could be turned to with ball in hand also.Young gun: Jersey international Asa Tribe has shown significant signs of improvement from last year where he top scored with just 26 across six matches. A first red-ball century followed by an ever-present status in the Vitality Blast middle-order, Tribe’s influence on the Glamorgan side has come from nowhere. The 21-year-old with an ODI century on his record will look to play a big role at the top of the order this time around.Final thought: Glamorgan will be missing a key part of their team’s success in this competition of recent years – Colin Ingram. The 40-year-old South African taking up a first assistant coach role is still eligible but is expected to step back from playing for this competition. Despite the lack of a frontline spinner, Andy Gorvin and Dan Douthwaite were joint top wicket takers (with Ed Barnard) in 2024. Douthwaite will be missing early as a short-term injury replacement in The Hundred, but if they can replicate that success with the step up from younger squad members, there’s no reason why this side can’t go back-to-back.

Gloucestershire

Captain: Jack Taylor
2024 Position: Fifth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Miles Hammond (363)
2024 Most Wickets: Ajeet Singh Dale (13)Why they can win the competition: Less affected than most rivals by call-ups to The Hundred (only four), Gloucestershire proved themselves a one-day force by winning last season’s Vitality Blast. Despite making a nightmare start to that competition this summer, they reeled off four successive group wins at one stage, beating the likes of Hampshire and Essex.Player to watch: At the age of 32, Gloucestershire’s red-ball captain Cameron Bancroft boasts more than 3,000 runs in List A cricket at an average of over 40, with five hundreds, and will provide a wealth of experience at the top of the batting order. The Australia Test player has already produced innings of 163 and 176 in the Rothesay County Championship this season.Young gun: Seam bowler Aman Rao signed for Gloucestershire just before the start of the Vitality Blast and played in the first two group matches against Kent and Sussex. The 21-year-old Loughborough University student is sure to be given more opportunities in the Metro Bank One Day Cup and his height combined with an ability to swing the ball could see him make a significant impact.Final thought: With head coach Mark Alleyne involved in The Hundred, bowling coach Mark Thorburn takes charge for the second successive year and will be determined to make a better start that last season when the team lost their first two group matches before winning four of the next five and just failing to reach the knock-out stage.Fletcha Middleton in action for Hampshire•Getty Images

Hampshire

Captain: Nick Gubbins
2024 Position: Quarter-finals
2024 Most Runs: Ben Brown (286)
2024 Most Wickets: Brad Wheal (13)Why they can win the competition: Hampshire have been a force in 50-over cricket for a couple of generations, having only failed to qualify for the knockouts in one of the last six editions of the One-Day Cup. With largely the same set of players to pick from as 2024, Hampshire have experience at all ages. Scotland international Brandon McMullen’s arrival from August 13 knits the team together with bat and ball, while Indian sensation Tilak Varma will be around for the opening three fixtures.Player to watch: Eddie Jack might still only be 19, but he has certainly graduated from simply being a “young gun”. The tall and very quick fast bowler put Test players KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal in his back pocket when playing for England Lions earlier in the summer, where Andrew Flintoff became a big fan. Expect him to be in the top wicket-taking reckoning.Young gun: Given his first professional deal to play in the competition, Ben Mayes comes with a gigantic reputation in age-group cricket. The 17-year-old batter is on England’s long-term radar with Under 19s and Professional County Club Select XI recognition this summer. Come for the wristy hockey-influenced boundaries, stay for the big scores. Fast bowler Manny Lumsden is also worth keeping an eye on.Final thought: Three successive progressions from the group stages, three heartbreaks in the knock-outs – with the last two inflicted by Leicestershire. Could this be the year they take the final leap to silverware? Former captain Jimmy Adams – a winner in two List A finals and now a highly-regarded coach – will step up to lead the side, with Adi Birrell leading Southern Brave Men in The Hundred. It may well be a good audition to taking the top job full-time when it next becomes vacant.

Leicestershire

Captain: Peter Handscomb
2024 Position: Semi-finals
2024 Most Runs: Peter Handscomb (539)
2024 Most Wickets: Tom Scriven (18)Why they can win the competition: Winners in 2023 and semi-finalists last year, Leicestershire are a side brimming with confidence and no shortage of quality. Current man-of-the-moment Rehan Ahmed will be otherwise engaged, but overseas batting stars Peter Handscomb and Shan Masood and explosive opener Sol Budinger will compete for the spotlight in his absence. Why would they not fancy themselves for more 50-over glory?Player to watch: After a relatively modest contribution to the Foxes’ Vitality Blast campaign, Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood will be keen to make his mark in this competition, playing a format in which he has enjoyed considerable success, averaging 52.48 with 15 hundreds. That could make the left-hander a dangerous opponent.Young gun: Josh Hull may be unavailable due to The Hundred, but Leicestershire can replace him with another 6ft 7ins fast bowler in Alex Green, who may still be growing at just 18 years old. Genuinely quick, Green took four wickets in three appearances in the competition last season and has further underlined his potential for England Under-19s against their India equivalents this summer.Final thought: The 2023 Metro Bank One-Day Cup Final will be forever remembered for wicketkeeper-batter Harry Swindells producing the match of his life, making a career-best 117 not out to rescue his side from 89 for six and set up an unlikely Foxes victory. It is a little poignant then, on the eve of this year’s tournament, that the Leicester-born player has had to announce his retirement from cricket at the age of just 26 because of a persistent finger injury.

Nottinghamshire

Captain: Haseeb Hameed
2024 Position: Fourth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Ben Slater (398)
2024 Most Wickets: Rob Lord (11)Why they can win the competition: The Outlaws lacked consistency last year but with confidence high after a good season with the red ball they have enough quality – especially in the batting – to mount a challenge, even if call-ups to The Hundred will test the depth of their bowling resources, with the likes of Rob Lord and James Hayes hoping for the opportunity to impress.Player to watch: Opener Ben Slater is a batter opponents always hope to see the back of early, given an apparent penchant for List A cricket. His 68 appearances in the format have yielded more than 3,000 runs at a remarkable average of 52.75. A career-best 164 in a win over Surrey at Guildford last year took his List A centuries tally to eight.Young gun: The outstanding batter in Nottinghamshire’s Second XI this season with close to 700 runs, 18-year-old right-hander Sam Seecharan is highly thought of at Trent Bridge and after making his senior debut in the last of the Outlaws’ Vitality Blast fixtures is likely to be given a chance to shine in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign.Final thought: The One-Day Cup sees Notts stalwart Paul Franks take on the role of head coach, with Peter Moores joining up with Trent Rockets for The Hundred. Franks – 20 years a Nottinghamshire player – has been assistant head coach since 2017, helping the county win the Blast (twice), the One-Day Cup and promotion to Division One in the Rothesay County Championship in that time. This is his first opportunity to lead the county to a senior title in his own right.Josh Blake struck a maiden List A century last season•Getty Images

Surrey

Captain: Rory Burns
2024 Position: Eighth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Ryan Patel (363)
2024 Most Wickets: Cameron Steel (17)Why they can win the competition: It will be a tough ask given the absence of 15 leading players at The Hundred, but as in previous seasons Surrey will be approaching the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a positive vision of the competition giving precious first-team experience to a raft of youngsters. There is still a hard core of senior players, too.Player to watch: Cameron Steel will be looking at this year’s competition as the perfect opportunity to showcase his proven all-round talents as a middle-order stroke-maker and leg-spinner with a knack of taking important wickets. A comparative lack of game time in Surrey’s Rothesay County Championship side this summer will only add to that desire.Young gun: Ollie Sykes has already been blooded in all formats, including making 11 appearances to date in the Vitality Blast. But it was in last year’s One-Day Cup, when the big-hitting 20-year-old left-hander made his first three starts in the competition, that he initially gave notice of his huge promise with 87 not out against Essex at Chelmsford.Final thought: With no overseas player available, Surrey will be relying on the international experience of skipper Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Ben Foakes and fast bowler Matt Fisher – plus the know-how of Steel and Ryan Patel – to steer a predominantly youthful line-up in which the performances of the likes of Sykes, Josh Blake, James Taylor and Yousef Majid will be carefully monitored.

Worcestershire

Captain: Jake Libby
2024 Position: Quarter-final
2024 Most Runs: Jake Libby (526)
2024 Most Wickets: Jack Home (16)Why they can win: Worcestershire are blessed with the availability of many first-team regulars who are not affected by selection in The Hundred, meaning the majority of Alan Richardson’s first-choice eleven will be involved for the Rapids across the tournament. Skipper Jake Libby and mid-season signing Khurram Shahzad will look to show their quality and blend with some exciting youngsters to compete for silverware.Player to watch: Tom Taylor. Having registered the most wickets for Worcestershire so far this season, the right-arm seamer has been in stand-out form across all formats this summer for his side. The 30-year-old has made his name as a frugal opening bowler and will be looking to continue his consistent performances that have yielded him an impressive average of under 25 across both formats.Young gun: Henry Cullen. The exciting 22-year-old wicketkeeper featured during this year’s Vitality Blast having been on the radar for some time at Visit Worcestershire New Road. His eye-catching displays for the 2nd XI have forced an opening into the senior set-up, with this competition the perfect platform for the cultured and efficient young batter to show off his skills.Final thought: A promising end to the Vitality Blast campaign will offer supporters hope that the Rapids white-ball form can extend further into the summer, with the likes of Ethan Brookes central to any hopes of bettering last year’s encouraging quarter-final finish. Having lacked consistency throughout the summer, the exciting crop of youngsters will be looking to breakthrough and enjoy successful campaigns in a side more than capable of challenging deep into the tournament.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca sold a player who’s been “absolutely transformed” since leaving Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea take on Sunderland after Ajax demolition

The Blues are back in fantastic form with four straight wins in all competitions, despite missing a host of key players, and they’ll be going into tomorrow’s clash against Sunderland with renewed confidence.

Maresca’s side were given a rude wake-up call when they lost 3-1 to Brighton at home this time last month, but that dire showing at Stamford Bridge appears to have lit a fire under Chelsea’s players.

Despite missing both summer signing Liam Delap and star forward Cole Palmer, who remain out through injury, Chelsea have managed to cope very well without the pair — scoring 10 in their last three matches.

Goals from Marc Guiu, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Estevao and Tyrique George sealed an impressive win over Ajax in the Champions League last time out, with Maresca’s men also doing a solid job defensively considering they’re minus Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill.

Newly-promoted Sunderland, who’ve started the campaign very well, travel to London and present another tough test this weekend, but based off Chelsea’s recent run, the Black Cats could be in for a tough afternoon.

That being said, Maresca definitely isn’t underestimating them.

Chelsea’s squad, which lifted both the Conference League and Club World Cup earlier this year, is coming together, and once they have a more fully fit roster, the west Londoners will be firm favourites for a top four finish at the very least.

Marc Cucurella has been an ever-present at left-back and key cog in their system, leaving little room for ex-Chelsea left-back Diego Moreira, who was permanently sold to Strasbourg in 2024, to battle his way into the team.

Diego Moreira "transformed" after leaving Chelsea

Of course, given Chelsea’s connection with their sister club, there is always a chance for BlueCo to re-sign the Belgian.

However, Liam Rosenior appears to have worked wonders with Moreira since his Chelsea exit, and the tactician won’t be keen on losing his versatile defender who’s now become “one of the best” full-backs in Ligue 1.

Strasbourg are surprise contenders for the French title after a stunning start to 2025/2026, and they very nearly beat European champions PSG last week in a stunning 3-3 draw at the Parc des Princes.

They were two goals up at one point, and Moreira was at the heart of it all with a goal and an assist in the capital.

His performances have been nothing short of exceptional, and judging by his own admission last year, Moreira may not be clamoring to return to Chelsea any time soon.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras realizou na manhã desta segunda-feira (21), o último treino na Academia de Futebol antes da delegação viajar para Pereira, onde o clube enfrenta o Deportivo Pereira, pelas quartas da Libertadores, na próxima quarta-feira (23).

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeiras24 anos depois, Palmeiras encara um colombiano em mata-mata de LibertadoresPalmeiras21/08/2023PalmeirasApós nove rodadas, Palmeiras volta a ser o concorrente mais próximo do Botafogo pelo título do BrasileirãoPalmeiras21/08/2023PalmeirasCom Dudu e Menino em transição, Palmeiras se reapresenta de olho na LibertadoresPalmeiras20/08/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui

Com o atacante Dudu e o volante Gabriel Menino participando normalmente da atividade, Abel Ferreira comandou uma atividade técnica e tática, e deve contar com quase o elenco completo para iniciar a busca pela semifinal da Libertadores pelo quarto ano seguido.

Apenas Luís Guilherme, com um estiramento na coxa direita, e Endrick, suspenso, devem ficar em São Paulo.

Dudu que disputou somente os dois jogos contra o Atlético-MG neste mês, se recupera de uma lesão na panturrilha direita, enquanto Gabriel Menino sentiu um incômodo muscular na região da virilha, na vitória sobre o Cruzeiro e foi desfalque no último jogo, diante do Cuiabá.

continua após a publicidade

O zagueiro Luan, concedeu entrevista para a TV oficial do Verdão e pregou muito respeito ao Deportivo Pereira:

– Estamos falando de quartas de final de Libertadores e ninguém chega ali por acaso. Se eles estão ali é porque eles têm qualidade e fizeram por onde, construíram uma trajetória. Encaramos esse jogo com muito respeito. Vamos para a Colômbia tentar sacar um bom resultado e na próxima semana temos o jogo na nossa casa. Acredito que estará uma atmosfera linda de Libertadores e vamos para lá para fazer o nosso melhor – disse o camisa 13.

O Palmeiras viaja no avião de Leila Pereira para a Colômbia nesta tarde e faz o último treino já nesta terça-feira (22), em Pereira, antes do primeiro duelo das quartas de finais da Libertadores.

continua após a publicidade

+ 24 anos depois, Palmeiras encara um clube colombiano em mata-mata de Libertadores!

Deportivo Pereira e Palmeiras se enfrentam nesta quarta-feira (23), a partir das 21h30 (horário de Brasília), e o jogo terá transmissão da Rede Globo e dos Canais ESPN.