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Middlesbrough have made a manager with “an impressive CV” a top target to replace Rob Edwards, and it would be a “significant coup” if they can get a deal done.

Edwards confirmed as Wolves boss as Middlesbrough receive £3m

Wolves confirmed the appointment of Rob Edwards as their new head coach on a three-and-a-half year deal on Wednesday.

The 42-year-old left the Riverside and agreed a contract until 2029 with Wanderers after they sacked Vitor Pereira earlier this month. It is reported Boro will receive around £3million in compensation after Edwards only joined them in June on a three-year contract.

Edwards, who managed Luton in the Premier League, begins a fourth spell at Wolves after making 111 appearances as a player as well as enjoying time as a coach and interim boss. He will be joined by assistant head coach Harry Watling after the pair worked together at Middlesbrough, with the rest of his backroom staff to be confirmed in the near future.

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi said: “I know Rob very well and I have seen his growth in different jobs. He’s a very good person, he knows the club very well, he knows the city, the fans and he is very talented.

“When he was a youth coach here, he showed his tactical awareness, but after he took first-team jobs he started to grow his own identity, character and leadership.

“We need to refresh the whole club with a new coach’s philosophy, bringing his own identity and ideas, and we can build on that. We are at a new chapter for the club and Rob will be a key piece of that.”

For Boro, it is now about finding a swift replacement as they aim to continue their Championship promotion push without Edwards.

Middlesbrough make Steven Gerrard a top manager target

As reported by Rousing the Kop and journalist Graeme Bailey, Steven Gerrard is among the top targets for Middlesbrough to replace Edwards.

Steve Gibson is a long-term admirer of the former Rangers and Aston Villa boss, who is out of work after leaving Al-Ettifaq in January.

Gerrard almost returned to Ibrox last month and is open to a return to the dugout, with a move to the Riverside something that could appeal to him.

Gerrard has never managed in the Championship, with his most successful period as a manager coming in Scotland, winning the league title with Rangers.

Club

Games

Points per game

Rangers

192

2.15

Aston Villa

40

1.18

Al-Ettifaq

55

1.33

The 45-year-old primarily plays an attacking 4-3-3 system and is closing in on 300 games as a manager. Could that benchmark come at the Riverside?

Ben Foakes comes in for resting Jos Buttler, coach mulls bowling options

George Dobell10-Feb-2021Chris Silverwood believes there will be no “weakening” of the England team even if he decides to make several changes to it ahead of the second Test against India.England won the first Test of the series by 227 runs but, with only three full days between games, the team management have suggested they will use a rest and rotation policy to keep players – especially bowlers – as fit and fresh as possible.One change is certain. With Jos Buttler, who has enjoyed an impressive few weeks in Sri Lanka and India, given a couple of weeks to rest at home, Ben Foakes will take the gloves for the first time in two years.Related

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It is also possible England will recall Stuart Broad in the place of James Anderson and Olly Stone in the place of Jofra Archer. There might also be discussion over recalling Moeen Ali in place of Dom Bess, who experienced a match of great highs and lows.While leaving out a player as celebrated as Anderson might appear controversial, Silverwood insists he will not be afraid to make such a decision with a view to ensuring his players remain at their best for the entire series and the many challenges that lie beyond it.”I’m not reluctant to change a winning team if it’s the best thing to do for the players and the team and the longevity of it,” Silverwood said. “You run the risk of the result being different, but you could play the same team and the result would be different because we know India will come back hard.”It is hard to leave a player like Anderson out; he is a class act. But Stuart Broad didn’t play in the last game and we’ve many bowlers here who we could play at any given point.”But no, I’m not reluctant to change the team because I think it’s the best thing for us to do over a long period.”I don’t see it as weakening; I see it as an opportunity for people to come in and show what they can do.”England utilised the rotation policy in Sri Lanka. Anderson and Broad both played one Test each and, at the end of the trip, Sam Curran and Mark Wood, who had played in both Tests, were sent home for a rest. They were replaced by Ben Stokes and Archer, who had been rested for the Sri Lankan leg of the trip.While such policies might have been controversial a decade ago, there appears to be a growing appreciation of England’s schedule and the tough physical conditions in which many of these games are played. They are due to play 17 Tests this year with a T20 World Cup and limited-overs tours to Bangladesh and Pakistan to consider, too.While Buttler’s keeping has been excellent on this tour, Foakes should prove an able deputy. He was player of the series when England won in Sri Lanka at the end of 2018 and, as well as being considered the best gloveman in England, has a higher Test (41.50) and first-class (38.78) batting average than Buttler (34.53 and 33.38 respectively).Broad (who conceded 1.33 runs per over and claimed his three wickets at a cost of 11.33 apiece) and Anderson (1.48 and six at 7.66 respectively) were both successful in Sri Lanka, with both having accepted the advantages of rest and rotation as they seek to extend their careers. Mitchell Starc, by comparison, played throughout Australia’s recent series against India and saw his figures deteriorate.Still, while rotating them worked in Sri Lanka and looks set to be tried again here, Silverwood has not ruled out combining them as some stage. With the third Test of the series being played with a pink ball and under lights, that could provide the opportunity.”Has it crossed my mind? Yes: they are both class acts,” Silverwood said. “There is potential to do that.”Things are working at the moment and we do have to look after our players, but I just feel very lucky I have an abundance of talent that means we can do this.”James Anderson helped seal England’s first-Test win against India•BCCISilverwood also agreed that, such is Anderson’s dedication to his fitness, he could play on into his 40s.”Could he play into his 40s? It’s his choice,” Silverwood said. “He is in the best shape of his life. He has worked extremely hard on his fitness and is in great shape and bowling beautifully. As long as he is fit and strong and healthy and wants to play he throws his hat in the ring.”We have a very good science and medical team. I feel very lucky to have the staff I have working in that department. But Jimmy is a shining light. He is the best form of his life from a physical point of view and that is reflected in his bowling.”

Monaco manager Adi Hutter revealed that Balogun has suffered a painful shoulder injury, leaving his spot in the U.S. squad uncertain

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Folarin Balogun exited Rennes win with injuryScored in the first half in 2-1 victoryWas named in Mauricio Pochettino's first U.S. rosterWHAT HAPPENED?

Balogun's game ended early on Saturday when the striker exited the contest in the second half with an apparent shoulder injury. He was pictured with his arm in a sling after the game.

The setback comes after a strong run of form for the USMNT striker in which he had found the net in three straight Ligue 1 games – while also offering key contributions in the Champions League.

AdvertisementWHAT HUTTER SAID

In a postgame press conference, Monaco manager Adi Hutter said Balogun may be facing a spell on the sidelines: "He has injured his shoulder and it was very painful. We will await the verdict of the tests."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Balogun's injury would seem to shake up the USMNT picture for the upcoming window. It could present opportunities for either Josh Sargent or Ricardo Pepi to get a look at the wide-open central striking role for Pochettino.

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR BALOGUN AND THE USMNT?

The extent of the forward's injury remains unclear. For Pochettino and the USMNT, though, the issues are mounting. Gio Reyna has suffered a setback in a muscle problem, while Tyler Adams will also miss the upcoming fixtures with Panama and Mexico.

The same qualities that brought Jayasuriya criticism when he was a selector have contributed to his success when he was interim coach

Madushka Balasuriya07-Oct-2024Confidence, data-driven insight, and a little bit of luck. These are the core tenets of Sanath Jayasuriya’s coaching philosophy, which have worked well enough for him to be handed the reins of Sri Lanka’s men’s national team, following roughly three months in the role in an interim capacity.Those three months, while not being a runaway success, included a home ODI series win against India, a home Test series win against New Zealand and an impressive Test win in England – yes, they lost the series 2-1, but it was a crucial victory from the WTC point of view. The only real blip was Jayasuriya’s first assignment, a T20I series defeat to reigning world champions India.”What I have always said is that it’s all about confidence and trust. I created that around the team and that’s very important,” Jayasuriya said on Monday, as he faced the media following the announcement of his full-time appointment. “And I think there was a little bit of luck also. You may do a lot of work, but you need that luck sometimes.Related

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“At the same time, the players are determined to do well. They know what they went through over the last couple of years. They were really down and I asked the people to support the Sri Lanka cricketers. They are a good bunch of cricketers and they are talented. Only thing I gave was confidence, and I am there with them. They can talk to me and discuss anything.”That, in a nutshell, is Jayasuriya the coach. Arm around the shoulder, almost parent-like in the handling of his players. While during his time as chief selector, this was one of the criticisms directed at him – that he was at times too comfortable with his players, seen giving them advice and instructions in the lead up to, or even during, matches – now it’s seen as a strength.Jayasuriya has always been all action, with emotions firmly worn on his sleeves. Even during his short stint as interim coach, it was not uncommon to see him standing on the boundary line at the edge of the dugout, no attempt whatsoever at hiding his many emotions.”Yeah, he himself gets nervous sometimes, but he doesn’t let that happen to us,” Angelo Mathews had said recently during Sri Lanka’s second Test against New Zealand.And most times at the highest levels of team sport, it’s not so much about the actual coaching as it is your ability to get the message across effectively to the players. Sri Lanka have had 14 head coaches across their history (not including interim appointments) including some on multiple occasions, but Jayasuriya is only the fourth from Sri Lanka.

“In practice, we try and find different ways to do them [training sessions]. I want to make them interesting. Even before we start training, we’ve done little changes to create a nice atmosphere. So there are little things I do but it goes a long way”Sanath Jayasuriya

While foreign coaches bring a mountain of experience, their communication often relies on a translator, with several anecdotes abound about players over the years having tuned out during team briefings as a result of this language barrier. This, allied with Jayasuriya’s standing as a player , has provided him with a unique authority over the dressing room.”It’s easy for me to communicate first and foremost,” he said. “Any issues they have they can speak with me freely, and it’s easy to sort out. They have the confidence to do that. They also know what sort of cricket I played, so they know the value I bring.”But I have a responsibility as a local coach, I don’t have favourites. I will always play the team that is best for Sri Lanka cricket. I know that after me, it’s unlikely that a local coach will get this role. So there’s a responsibility I have on that end as well.”As for insights into Jayasuriya’s coaching acumen, there is yet to be any real information forthcoming, aside from the results. This is largely down to his role as a man-manager first and foremost, with tactical insights derived from the data gathered by SLC’s centralised hub for advanced cricket analytics – their “brain centre”.”The players also know what sort of cricket I played, so they know the value I bring”•Getty Images”In practice, we try and find different ways to do them [training sessions],” he said. “I want to make them interesting. Even before we start training, we’ve done little changes to create a nice atmosphere. So there are little things I do but it goes a long way.”The basics are very important. And that they enjoy, and that they are focusing [on]. But like I always say, focus maximum and when you finish, switch off. I don’t need to put them under pressure when they are not playing and the game is finished.”A very key area at the moment is the analysing department. That’s why Sri Lanka Cricket has invested a lot of money to the ‘brain centre’. We got some support from India too recently to educate our analysis department. It was very successful. And every tour we get data on the opposition, we go through it and discuss every detail. We then discuss our plans 48 hours before the match, so it’s easy for us to go out and execute our plan.”But while it’s been a satisfying honeymoon period, there are much sterner tests to come. For Jayasuriya, though, as a player, administrator, and now coach, a challenge is something to take head-on.”I think this is [something I] never expected, but I am very happy to achieve this and get this opportunity,” he said. “It’s a challenging job, I know that, it’s not a very easy job. But I want to take on that challenge and move forward with the team.”

Alan Gardner is joined by Andrew Miller and Vish Ehantharajah to look back on England’s series-sealing win in Nottingham

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jul-2024England wrapped up a series victory over West Indies by taking 10 wickets inside a session on the fourth day at Trent Bridge. Shoaib Bashir led the way with his first five-wicket haul at home, while there were solid contributions from all quarters. In this week’s podcast, Alan Gardner heard from Andrew Miller and Vithushan Ehantharajah about the strange contrast in Bashir’s record for England and at county level, an encouraging return to form for Ollie Pope and whether we are seeing the first signs of a more refined approach to Bazball.