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An update has emerged involving Rangers and their attempts to add a defender to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad…

What’s the talk?

According to the Edinburgh News, the Gers are confident of being able to complete a pre-contract deal to sign John Souttar.

The report claims that they have tabled their offer as they look to compete with English Championship duo Blackburn and Sheffield United, with a decision set to be made by the Hearts defender in the coming days.

Indeed, Sky Sports published a fresh update on the rumour this morning, claiming that the Gers are set to sign the 25-year-old on a pre-contract deal.

Imagine him & Bassey

Firstly, Van Bronckhorst will be over the moon with this news, as Rangers seem poised to win the race for Souttar. This would mean that he will join in the summer when his contract with Hearts expires, arriving on a free transfer.

The move would come at the perfect time for the Gers as Connor Goldson’s deal at Ibrox is up at the end of the season. There has been no reported movement on the latter’s situation, which means that he is poised to depart for nothing in July, leaving Rangers without their first-choice centre-back.

Goldson has been partnering Calvin Bassey since Van Bronckhorst arrived, and the Dutchman can form a perfect pairing at the back by bringing in Souttar and playing him next to the former Leicester defender.

Former Hearts boss Craig Levein was previously full of praise for the 6 foot 1 Scotland colossus, saying: “I’ve known him since he was 12 years old and he’s just got better and better. When he came here from Dundee Utd, we just needed to give him time. He’s grown into the player that I hoped he would be and for me he’s the best centre back in Scotland.

“Just for the fact that he can do wonderful things. His passing of the ball Saturday was fantastic, but he is also now capable physically of competing with any centre forward. His pace is very, very good and he’s strong, focused and aggressive.”

Whilst Bassey is a naturally left-footed defender with the technical ability to bring the ball out from the back, having also played at left-back; Souttar is a right-footed player who is strong in aerial duels and likes to be aggressive in the challenge. The Hearts defender has won 71% of his duels this season, winning 3.2 aerial battles and making 4.4 clearances per game.

This suggests that they could complement each other well, with Souttar able to push up on strikers and compete physically whilst allowing Bassey to drop off and cover in behind and then be the one to progress the play in possession. Therefore, Van Bronckhorst could seal a perfect partnership by clinching this pre-contract deal.

AND in other news, Van Broncnkhorst could finally axe Rangers liability by signing this “aggressive” 6 ft 3 beast…

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is considering a triple swoop in the January transfer window. What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Iranian media outlet Tasnum News Agency, who claim that Mehdi Ghaedi, Mehdi Abdi and Armin Sohrabian have all caught the eye of the 56-year-old Celtic manager, who is reported to have sent scouts to watch the trio in action for their various clubs in recent weeks ahead of a potential swoop in the upcoming winter market.

Fans will be buzzing

Considering the success Postecoglou has already enjoyed with his signings from lesser-known leagues at Celtic, the news that the Bhoys boss once again looks to be scouring unfamiliar markets for January deals is sure to have left fans of the club buzzing.

Indeed, the 56-year-old himself admitted he would be doing exactly this, stating after Celtic’s 3-0 win over Dundee United on Saturday: “It would be silly of me not to use the experience I have and the knowledge I have.

“That’s why we got Kyogo [Furuhashi] here. I was 100% certain he would do well. And it’s not just Kyogo. If you look at all the big leagues around the world, you’ll see Asian players. Not just from Japan but from Korea, from Australia, from Iran. There are some very good footballers on that side of the world. But if people don’t want to look there, I’m happy to be the only one.”

As Postecoglou suggests, the summer signings of Kyogo from Vissel Kobe and Liel Abada from Maccabi Petah Tikva – who cost Celtic a combined fee of just £8m – have proven to be extremely intelligent pieces of business, with the former having scored 14 goals and registered five assists over his 23 appearances for the Hoops, while the latter has bagged seven goals and six assists over his own 26 appearances in the green and white of Celtic.

And, with TNA describing 23-year-old winger Ghayedi as a “wonderkid” who won the Persian Gulf Pro League’s young player of the year award last season, dubbing 23-year-old centre-forward Abdi an exciting “prospect” in the Iranian league and claiming that 26-year-old centre-back Sohrabian is the “leader” of Gol Gohar, should Postecoglou indeed go on to land the trio this winter, Celtic fans could well be worshipping three more previously unknown heroes in a few months’ time.

In other news: Ange must brutally axe “scary” £19k-p/w Celtic beast dubbed “one of the best” vs Betis

A promising development has emerged on Rangers centre-back Nikola Katic regarding his plans upon the end of his current loan spell…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Scotland, the defender sees his long-term future at Ibrox and is not looking to seal a permanent move away from the club.

The report claims that he will remain on loan at Croatian side Hajduk Split before returning to Glasgow next summer to fight for his place in the team at his parent club.

Fans will be delighted

Rangers fans will surely be delighted with this claim as it suggests that Katic is up for the challenge of winning his place back in the side next season.

It could be a timely decision from the defender as Giovanni van Bronckhorst has a difficult situation looming in the summer. Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun are both out of contract, which could leave two sizeable holes in the squad to fill if they both decide to part ways with the club.

Katic already has experience of playing at the top level in Scotland. He made 59 appearances and scored six goals for the club in his first two years at Ibrox before suffering a cruciate ligament injury. Therefore, he may not need a period of adaptation to adjust to Scottish football, as he already knows the drill in the Premiership.

His former Gers boss Steven Gerrard previously hailed the defender’s mentality, saying: “The kid is a winner and a warrior. We know what he gives. Anyone his age, after giving the penalty away, might have gone into their shell. It might have affected their performance.

“But if you knock Niko Katic down, he’s gonna get back up and come again. That’s the man, that’s the player.”

This highlights his willingness to work hard for the team and come back from adversity, which means that he could have a good chance of returning next summer and establishing himself in the firs team.

Katic has the prior experience and the mindset required to make an impact next season, but what is his current form like?

He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.97 for Hajduk Split this term across nine league outings. The centre-back has won 64% of his duels and made 4.1 clearances per game, showing that he has been consistently delivering solid performances for the club.

Therefore, Rangers fans will surely be delighted to hear that Katic sees his long-term future at Ibrox, as it appears as though he has the potential to come back and become an important player for the Light Blues if Van Bronckhorst is willing to give him a chance to shine.

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst can finally axe the new “Alex Rae” from Rangers by signing £4m “conductor” in January…

The England batsman Jonathan Trott has denied allegations from Michael Vaughan that he partied with South Africa after they won a Test in 2008. In his new autobiography, , Vaughan has accused the Cape Town-born Trott of celebrating with South Africa’s players after England lost at Edgbaston last summer.”It was a sad day for English cricket that on my last day against South Africa I saw Jonathan Trott celebrating with South Africa, when the week before he had been our 12th man at Headingley,” wrote Vaughan. “I was going into the press conference and I saw him patting them on the back. It hit home what English cricket has become like.”In response, Trott has said that he was talking to the spinner and his old friend Paul Harris shortly after the Test. “Warwickshire finished a game at Leicester and myself, Neil Carter and Allan Donald raced back to Edgbaston because the Test looked like being a close finish,” he said. “We were standing between the changing rooms when both teams were on the field at the end. I’ve known Paul Harris since I was 16 and we played together at Warwickshire. I just said something like, ‘Cheers, well done on your victory.'”That was it. There was no high-fives or anything like that. I knew I wouldn’t be seeing Paul again that summer because he wasn’t in the one-day squad so I wanted to wish him well. In fact, I’ve not seen him since.”But Michael Vaughan walked past at the same time to go to his press conference. It was a misunderstanding, an unfortunate situation. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”I respect Michael. I would never behave like that against the team I was trying to play for at the time – and now have the chance to play for. Allan Donald went into the South African changing room but I didn’t go anywhere near. In the previous match, I was on 12th-man duty at Headingley and was upset when England lost that match. I was also upset they lost at Edgbaston.”Back in August, Trott was the toast of English cricket after securing the Ashes with a brilliant debut century, at the culmination of a crazy week in which his credentials as an international cricketer were questioned before they had even been tested. Though he triumphed over the critics in unequivocal fashion, Trott has again become the victim of criticism ahead of England’s tour to South Africa, one on which he will be under the spotlight given his roots.Trott, who made his name playing for Warwickshire, has insisted that his commitment to the England cause is complete. “My commitment to England is 100%. I’ve spent seven years working hard to be able to wear the Three Lions and in that time my allegiance has never wavered. It’s unfortunate this has come out a few days before we leave on tour.”

West Ham United are set to launch a bid for Adam Hlozek this winter transfer window as they look to finally end their long search for a new striker…

What’s the word?

That’s according to trustworthy Irons insider ExWHUemployee, who delivered a fresh update on their pursuit of the Sparta Prague forward to his ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast this week.

“We have held an interest in the Czech Sparta Prague forward Adam Hlozek for some time, as previously reported by Ex. However, this has ramped up significantly in recent weeks.

“With Kretinsky now on board and being Chairman of Sparta Prague, we are very much set to place a concrete offer for his services this January.”

It remains to be seen how much the 19-year-old sensation would command, with Transfermarkt currently valuing him at just £15.3m.

Two years and counting

By the time January swings around, it will have been two years since manager David Moyes sanctioned the departure of Sebastien Haller to Ajax. Surprisingly, in that time, he is still yet to be replaced, meaning the Scot only has one senior centre-forward in Michail Antonio.

And the 31-year-old has dealt with numerous injuries over the last few seasons, so if that trend continues, it’ll leave the Hammers light up top. The likes of winger Jarrod Bowen and outcast Andriy Yarmolenko have had to cover for him whenever absent.

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Hlozek’s versatility in being able to play wide or upfront, as well as his undoubted potential as a teenager, makes him a very solid candidate to provide that perfect foil to the Irons talisman.

Despite his age, he has already racked up over 100 appearances for the Czech giants, whilst last season alone, he provided 15 goals and 11 assists in just 19 league appearances, that form that has continued into the current campaign as he’s delivered four goals and seven assists, per Transfermarkt.

The young dynamo has been dubbed an “extraordinary talent” by his agent Pavel Paska, who also has Tomas Soucek on his books.

All in all, fans around the London Stadium could be hugely excited by this latest claim from one of the most reliable sources when it comes to West Ham.

The fact that the club are prepared to launch a concrete offer for such a hugely promising talent is massively encouraging and it should have supporters buzzing that a major problem could soon be fixed, as early as next month.

AND in other news, Forget Antonio: West Ham disaster who lost ball every 2.5 touches badly failed Moyes…

Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni shared a serene 148-run stand to help India win a battle of attrition on a sluggish track at the Feroz Shah Kotla

The Bulletin by Sriram Veera31-Oct-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outYuvraj Singh’s half-century boosted India during a tense period in their chase•AFPYuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni shared a serene 148-run stand to help India win a battle of attrition on a sluggish track at the Feroz Shah Kotla and take a 2-1 lead in the seven-ODI series. Australia would perhaps rue the fact that they settled for 229 when they batted after winning an important toss.”A total of 220 should be a good score on this pitch,” Ponting had said and Australia’s approach while batting reflected his mindset. Their bowlers did pick up three quick top-order wickets to leave India wobbling at 53 for 3 but Yuvraj and Dhoni batted with the knowledge that sufficient time spent at the crease would ensure a risk-free victory. The pitch was slow and not conducive to stroke making but it did not spin treacherously, despite the visibly dramatic wear and tear.The game was evenly balanced mid way during the chase with India in consolidation mode at 101 for 3, but Yuvraj and Dhoni slowly and surely pulled India ahead. They batted with restraint while settling in on this track because, as Michael Hussey proved earlier during an unbeaten 81, batting got easier with more time spent on it.They scored largely in singles and twos before Yuvraj attacked in the 34th over with 94 needed in 17 overs. He flicked for six and hit an extra-cover drive off Moises Henriques before he repeated the sequence next over with a bludgeoned six over long-on and a square-driven boundary against Adam Voges. The momentum shifted permanently after that and Yuvraj played several exquisite drives. He fell 29 runs short of the target but Dhoni struck a couple of boundaries to ward off any hiccups.Australia had tried their best to apply the squeeze in the middle overs of the chase with the spin-seam combo of Nathan Hauritz and Doug Bollinger. The fast-improving Hauritz slowed his pace and punctuated his offbreaks with the one that went on with the arm. Dhoni chose to play Hauritz off the back foot while Yuvraj pressed forward. Bollinger, who replaced Ben Hilfenhaus, bowled a nagging line and length to strangle the batsmen. Peter Siddle, too, was economical and Australia’s bowling, in the absence of Brett Lee and a quality spinner, was as tight as Ponting could hope for but perhaps they had erred in their conservative estimate of a total on this sluggish track.Once Australia decided not to play specialist opener Shaun Marsh, and possessing a thin middle-order inexperienced in such conditions, they were going to depend heavily on Ponting, Hussey and Shane Watson to reach a competitive total. Their approach seemed to indicate wariness that a collapse was never too far away on a demanding surface. Ponting, who opened only for the second time in his 327-ODI career in Tim Paine’s absence, and Watson didn’t try anything fancy during a sedate but solid start before Hussey took charge of seeing Australia through to the finish.Hussey’s innings was tailored to the situation. He played numerous little dabs and nudges, cut and swept whenever he could, and never got ahead of himself at any stage. He did play a reverse sweep against Yuvraj but it wasn’t a shot of flamboyance but one that exploited the gap in the field. He only hit three more boundaries – the first was a result of a misfield, the second came in the 48th over when he finally heaved one across the line and the highlight was the last, when he charged out to clatter Ashish Nehra over long-on in the 50th over.Before Hussey played his characteristic innings, Ponting and Watson played uncharacteristic ones to give the innings a steady start. With swing out of the question, the Indian seamers tried to win lbw decisions by bowling as straight as possible and the spinners slowed their pace and kept to an off and middle stump line. Ponting began cautiously, taking care to get his bat in front of the pads, and dealt in singles. Watson also batted in a similar vein and just when he was beginning to cut loose, he fell to Yuvraj after he was beaten by flight and turn and dragged his back foot out of the crease. Hussey came to Australia’s rescue with an assured knock but it wasn’t enough to stop India from going ahead in the series.

Shane Watson has already started thinking about being more alert at the beginning of an innings after his promising debut as a Test opener was ended by a first-ball dismissal on the second day. Watson, a surprise replacement for Phillip Hughes at the top of the order, breezed to a confident 62 on the first afternoon of the rain-interrupted third Test before falling lbw to Graham Onions when stuck on the crease the following morning.”It wasn’t a special delivery, I stuffed up more than anything,” Watson said after the third day was abandoned due to rain. “I didn’t sleep much that night. I went through in my head way too much what the next morning could bring. It wasn’t part of the plan to get out first ball. It gave me something to learn from and hopefully it won’t happen again.”Watson, a 28-year-old whose previous hope of getting in the side relied on his all-round status, now has dreams of being Simon Katich’s long-term partner. He has been shuffled around the order during nine Tests and until now has been a bits-and-pieces player rather than a specialist in either discipline. An unfortunate injury record hasn’t helped his bid for continuity – the last setback was a thigh injury during the World Twenty20 – but he feels comfortable re-angling his outlook in a bid for a permanent position.”My career has never gone to plan so I’ve got no idea what will happen in the next three or four years,” he said. “I had no idea what would happen in the previous ones. At the moment I love the challenge of opening and now that I have the technique to open the batting, there is no doubt I’ve got the mental and technical aspects to consistently do well. I just have to consistently perform and form a partnership with Simon Katich.”Following Hughes’ struggles in the first two matches of the series, Watson walked out looking like a Test batsman, driving and pulling strongly while bringing up his second career half-century, but there is much more work to be done before he can qualify as a long-term option in the position. He credited Greg Chappell, the Centre of Excellence coach, for helping to reshape his approach since a failed attempt at the top of the order for Queensland, his previous state.He simplified his style, cutting out the more mechanical movements, and now keeps his mind clear. “The development of my technique meant I could take it on more comfortably than I did previously,” he said. “The opening stint I had 18 months ago was very poor. To be able to develop my game, especially technically, meant I had the best chance to combat the new ball and the English bowlers.”Watson didn’t bowl on Friday when England reached 116 for 2 in 36 overs in their reply to Australia’s 263, but he remains a useful option, particularly if Mitchell Johnson’s struggles continue. He hasn’t spoken to Ponting about his role, although he would be comfortable delivering between 12 and 15 overs a day.

MatériaMais Notícias

Nesta quinta-feira, o Avaí apresentou oficialmente seu terceiro uniforme. A nova camisa é toda azul, com detalhes em tom celeste, tendo como inspiração a história que levou a fundação do clube. Além do novo estilo da numeração, o escudo da camisa é o mesmo que foi bordado no primeiro uniforme utilizado pelo Avaí, puxando ainda mais para o lado retrô. O esperado é que o time estreie as peças no próximo domingo, contra a Chapecoense, às 19h deste domingo.

O tecido tem texturas distintas e fios foscos e brilhantes. Nas mangas, há uma representação do movimento das águas que simboliza o remo, já que o Avaí tem uma relação com o clube de remo Riachuelo, que antecedeu a criação da equipe azurra por Amadeu Horn, em 1923.

– O clube foi fundado em 1923 e a partir do ano seguinte foi adotado este escudo. É uma peça que faz parte do resgate histórico que fazemos, com todos os uniformes com referência na criação da clube e o laço que há com o remo. Nesta e outras camisas há grafismos que remetem ao mar – destacou o gerente de marketing Thiago Pravatto.

Inicialmente, a divulgação do novo uniforme seria feita pelo clube nesta sexta-feira, via redes sociais. Entretanto, imagens da camisa vazaram na internet e o lançamento precisou ser adiantado.

A partir deste sábado, as peças serão vendidas nas lojas oficiais do clube. O valor das camisas masculinas é de R$229,90. As versões feminina e juvenil são encontradas por R$ 199,90. O uniforme infantil, com camisa, calção e meias, custa R$ 219,90.

O AZUL FAZ PARTE DO MEU CORPO.
A cor do sangue que corre em nossas veias.

O 3º uniforme do Time da Raça chegou! #VaipracimadelesLeão pic.twitter.com/y3kUEyzcat

— Avaí Futebol Clube (@AvaiFC) 24 de agosto de 2017

Aston Villa chiefs look set to stick with manager Dean Smith for the time being, according to reliable reporter Ashley Preece.

As to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Villa fell to a fifth consecutive defeat on Friday night against Southampton, which led to multiple supporters calling for him to be sacked amid a mood of toxicity. The club even reportedly made initial contact with former AS Roma manager Paulo Fonseca prior to the latest defeat, but it seems as if Smith will be handed more time in the Midlands.

Preece shared a story on Birmingham Live on Saturday, claiming that the 50-year-old will be given at least the Brighton game following the international break to salvage his Villa career.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful relayed Preece’s claim on Twitter, which led to a number of Villa supporters hitting out at the club’s NSWE ownership and Christian Purslow for their reported decision, with one fan labelling it ‘horrendous’.

“NSWE out”

Credit: @avfcdom2

“Oh dear god”

Credit: @LawsAVFC

“Pathetically run club, what a joke”

Credit: @benharris42

“Love Smith, but that’s a horrendous call.”

Credit: @RossMatthewman7

“Purslow out”

Credit: @avfcjoe_

“This is harming us game by game, we need change and bringing in a new manager over the international break would’ve been the ideal thing to do”

Credit: @Cameron_Avfc

In other news: ‘How?’, ‘God help us’ – Some Villa fans ‘baffled’ by confirmed player news. 

Gary Kirsten has denied he is on the “very short shortlist” of candidates for the England coach’s job

Cricinfo staff02-Apr-2009

Gary Kirsten has denied he is on the “very short shortlist” of candidates for the England coach’s job. Kirsten has been linked to the role in the British papers but he told he has not been contacted by the ECB.”I am not a candidate,” he said in Wellington where he is preparing the side for the third Test. Kirsten’s two-year contract with India began in March 2008 and Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI’s chief administrative officer, said “His contract is till March 2010”. N Srinivasan, the BCCI’s secretary, refused to comment on the reports and dismissed them as “speculation by the UK media”.Andy Flower, who is currently the stand-in coach after the sacking of Peter Moores in January, remained the favourite to be appointed as England’s new director of cricket, the and the reported.The reports claimed that a four-man ECB panel would interview the candidates on the shortlist at a secret location in the UK. Mickey Arthur, the South Africa coach, was also linked to the process though he said that he remained committed to his national contract till 2011.”We have had a robust and transparent process,” Hugh Morris, managing director of England cricket, told reporters in St Lucia yesterday. “We are pleased with those who have applied. Our interview process will begin when we get home at the weekend with a view to appointing the permanent post before the West Indies series.”Significantly, Morris said that he was impressed with the way Flower managed his role after he took over in diffcult circumstances, following the removal of Moores and Kevin Pietersen as captain. “He has taken the challenges on board, gained the respect of players and management team and done really well,” he said.