Tag Futebol

Glasgow Rangers will need to add more players to their current squad if Philippe Clement aims to add to the League Cup trophy that the Gers won prior to Christmas.

With European knockout football to come from March, plus Scottish Cup and Premiership titles to chase, the Ibrox side could face fixture congestion during the second half of the season.

Judging by the injury crisis which engulfed the squad in the weeks prior to Christmas, Clement will be keen on making sure he has enough reinforcements across all areas of his first team squad to handle the games ahead.

With this in mind, a new name has been linked with a move to Glasgow, as Michy Batshuayi has emerged as a shock contender to join the club this month.

Rangers transfer news – Michy Batshuayi

Danilo is currently out injured and will miss the next few months, while Cyriel Dessers hasn’t exactly been in clinical form since joining in the summer and this could prompt Clement to add to his forward options.

Fabio Silva has already made the move north of the border, signing a short-term loan deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he will hope to hit the ground running at Ibrox.

One new striker won't be enough and according to the Scottish Sun, the Light Blues have been linked with a surprising move for Batshuayi, as the former Chelsea gem is in line to arrive on a short-term deal.

The 30-year-old has failed to agree a new deal with Turkish side Fenerbahçe, thus meaning he is on his way out of the club and this can play right into the hands of Rangers, who are ready to swoop.

Indeed, it appears as though the Gers are leading the chase for the Belgian gem and crucial talks are expected in the coming hours, as per the report.

Everton are also keen on securing the services of the player but the allure of European nights at Ibrox and the chance to win trophies looks like the trump card for the 49-year-old manager to entice Batshuayi to Scotland.

Although he may not have lived up to his prestigious talents, the striker could certainly be a big upgrade on Dessers during the second half of the season, no doubt about that.

Cyriel Dessers’ season in numbers

The Nigerian striker didn’t come cheap, costing former boss Michael Beale £4.5m from Serie A side Cremonese last summer, yet he has failed to live up to that lavish fee.

Dessers had played 30 games for the club prior to the winter break, but he scored just nine goals during that time period, hardly prolific by any stretch of the imagination.

The 29-year-old may rank second in the squad for shots on target per game (1.4) and third for goals (six) in the league, but the forward also ranks first for big chances missed (11) and it is clear this is where big improvements are required.

With the club chasing glory on three fronts in the second half of the season, they simply cannot afford to be wasting chances in the final third and more often than not, Dessers misses key opportunities.

One key example was against Celtic in the Old Firm derby at the end of 2023. The striker effectively pressed the Celtic defence and had the perfect opportunity to score as he was one-on-one with Joe Hart.

Dessers eventually took too many touches, and he couldn’t even get a shot away at goal, thus ruining the big chance he created.

Adding Batshuayi to his squad could give Clement the licence to drop Dessers to the bench and therefore improve the quality of his attacking options in the process.

Clement must now ditch Rangers star who won just 3 duels vs Celtic

Rangers face Kilmarnock this afternoon in their final clash before the winter break

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 2, 2024 Michy Batshuayi’s career statistics

The 6 foot 1 machine started his career at Standard Liege in his homeland, scoring 44 goals in 120 matches before sealing a move to French giants Marseille in 2014, and it looked as though he could follow in the footsteps of his compatriot Romelu Lukaku.

Another goal-laden spell followed in Ligue 1 and 17 goals in the French top flight during the 2015/16 campaign meant he was on the move yet again, this time to Chelsea.

In what should have been a move that elevated him to being a better player, the striker couldn’t quite secure consistent football in the starting XI for the Blues.

120

44

78

33

77

25

53

28

42

14

33

8

23

3

14

9

He did score the goal which secured them the Premier League title in his maiden season, yet Batshuayi managed just 23 goals before joining Borussia Dortmund on loan for the second half of the 2017/18 season.

Journalist Josh Bunting praised him following his debut for the German side, describing him as "absolutely deadly in front of goal.”

Since 2018, his career has been of the nomadic variety, playing for no less than six clubs, and his current spell at Fenerbahçe has been his longest since leaving Chelsea.

Batshuayi's season by numbers

The former Dortmund gem may have only featured for 867 minutes this season, but he has scored eight goals during that time. Dessers, on the other hand, has taken 1,834 minutes to score just nine goals, clearly demonstrating who has made the better use of their time on the pitch.

Batshuayi has also missed fewer big chances (four vs 11) than Dessers, along with losing possession less often (3.2 vs 8.2) and having a better goal conversion rate (21% vs 12%) and these stats suggest that the Belgian could be an upgrade on the current Rangers forward.

The 30-year-old would arrive in Glasgow fresh for a new challenge and considering his lack of action this season so far, he could peak during the second half of 2023/24, just when Clement would need him most.

Making a move for the Fenerbahçe machine is a no-brainer for the Ibrox side, especially with his stature within the game and if he hits the ground running, he could add plenty of goals to what is, at times, a lacklustre attack.

The next couple of days will be crucial, and the onus is now on the former AS Monaco coach to entice Batshuayi to Scotland.

Manchester United’s UEFA Champions League dream looks all but over, after being held to a 3-3 draw in Istanbul. It was a must-win game for Erik ten Hag and he will be scratching his head as to how his team didn’t walk away with a vital three points.

The Red Devils took a two-goal lead twice in the game, but as shown already this season in Europe, if they concede one, the floodgates open, players seem to panic, and the basics of the game are discarded.

To score three goals in all three of their European away games this season and only collect one point is ridiculous, which could lead to Ten Hag re-thinking which personnel deserves their spot in the starting XI.

Victor Lindelof’s stats vs Galatasaray

The player under the spotlight for the wrong reasons is Sweden’s Victor Lindelof. The defender’s performance on Wednesday evening earned him a 6/10 rating by the Manchester Evening News, with the occasion and hostile atmosphere swallowing him up.

According to Sofascore, Lindelof alarmingly had ten fewer touches than Andre Onana, with the goalkeeper used more in the build-up than the centre half. He gave the ball away eight times, despite playing mainly safe passes throughout the ninety minutes.

Furthermore, the defender was dribbled past in the first half which led to a goal-scoring opportunity for the hosts. A positive for the Sweden international is that he won all five of his aerial duels, although Mauro Icardi and Dries Mertens didn’t contest with much urgency.

Although impossible to display by statistics, Lindelof’s lack of physicality, athleticism and aggressiveness makes him far too easy to play against.

Andre Onana drew attention away from how poor 6/10 Man Utd man was v Gala

This 6/10 man let Manchester United down alongside Andre Onana in the side’s 3-3 draw with Galatasaray.

ByAdam Scully Nov 30, 2023

He is often caught out of position by entering ground duels that he is not going to win, which leaves gaps in dangerous areas for the opponent to exploit as he lacks recovery speed to retreat in time. This was clear to see against Galatasaray, with the number two having a 0% ground duel win rate.

The player who could replace Victor Lindelof

When on the field, Raphael Varane is typically extremely reliable, however, his availability has been a huge issue, with the French defender prone to injuries. Since joining United in 2021, Varane has endured eight different injuries, with the latest occurring towards the end of August.

Ten Hag looks to be carefully managing the fitness of the 30-year-old, yet he may be forced into starting him more frequently than he would probably like to at this stage.

2023/24

Unknown

27 days

2022/23

Foot

24 days

2022/23

Leg

23 days

2022/23

Ankle sprain

5 days

2021/22

Muscular problems

18 days

2021/22

Covid

8 days

2021/22

Abdominal problems

4 days

2021/22

Hamstring

50 days

2021/22

Groin

15 days

Data via Transfermarkt.

Unfortunately, Varane hasn’t played enough minutes in the Premier League to have a scout report on FBref this season, but we can still compare his Champions League report to Lindelof’s.

It is instantly obvious that Varane is a much more dominant defender, losing 0% of his challenges and making 1.41 tackles per game, whereas the 29-year-old is yet to make a successful tackle in four appearances. The former Real Madrid player is also superior at reading the game and being proactive out of possession, making 1.06 interceptions per game, compared to Lindelof’s 0.3.

Furthermore, from an in-possession perspective, there isn’t a massive upside to starting Lindelof over Varane either, with the Swede boasting sub-par statistics in touches and carries according to FBref.

Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand, has also previously labelled Varane a ‘calming influence’ and his experience of playing in enormous matches may just have got United over the line yesterday. Lindelof, on the other hand, had been labelled a "liability" on too many occasions.

Overall, if it wasn’t for Varane’s lack of reliability he would be starting, but this piece further highlights the need for centre-back reinforcement in the transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur waved goodbye to Harry Kane in the summer. "Please don't go", the stadium seemed to cry. The Spurs faithful ululating as their record goalscorer and arguably greatest ever player rode east toward Germany.

The allure of silverware was too great to resist for a 30-year-old striker considered among the finest of his generation but never winning more than individual accolades for club or country.

It was the end of an era that should have been so much more. Promised so much more. The halcyon days of Mauricio Pochettino's guidance took Spurs within an inch of the ultimate vanquishing of a long trophy drought in the 2019 Champions League final, losing 2-0 to Liverpool.

Further, several late-stage entries in the League Cup and some tremendous Premier League campaigns have ultimately bore no fruits, and Kane's decision was perhaps apt at this stage of his career.

Ange Postecoglou's start to life in Tottenham took a big blow when the England international opted to move to Bayern Munich in August, but Heung-min Son has performed admirably in the centre-forward position this season, scoring eight goals from nine league matches up front.

The South Korean star is not the long-term solution, but he's been sensational and been crucial to his side's resurgence since the summer, with unfortunate luck halting Spurs' table-topping position a week before the November international break.

In the long run, Postecoglou would be delighted to replicate the club's past feat in bringing a homegrown talent in Kane to the fore, and he might be able to achieve just that given the prolific exploits of Will Lankshear in Wayne Burnett's development squad.

Will Lankshear's youth statistics

Tottenham signed Lankshear from Sheffield United for around £2m last summer, with Levy and co perhaps being a little more generous than need be with the payment to blow Brentford's chances of sealing his signature out of the water.

Intriguingly, Kane was released by Arsenal's academy when a youngster before nurturing his skills throughout his formative years with Tottenham, and so too was Lankshear given the chop at Hale End Academy in 2021.

Perhaps the stars are aligning for a fortuitous replication, and if Lankshear's displays in the Premier League 2 are anything to go by, then he certainly boasts the cutting edge in front of goal to grow into a first-class striker, emulating Kane in soaring into the ascendancy with Spurs.

This season, the 18-year-old has clinched six goals and an assist from just seven matches in the league, corroborating Spurs expert John Wenham's claims that he is a "phenomenal" prospect and a "complete out-and-out finisher."

He's also been brilliant in the EFL Trophy with the U21s this term, posting two goals and an assist from only two starting appearances against League One & Two opposition, as per Sofascore.

He's been in fine fettle this year, with the strides taken after a promising maiden year only improving his chances of reaching the top, having scored five goals and supplied two assists from 13 fixtures during the 2021/22 campaign, including six direct contributions from only five appearances in the U18 Premier League.

Lankshear's decision to join Tottenham looks to have been perfect for the development of his skills and pursuit of a place in the Premier League, having also been dubbed an "absolute unit" by Wenham.

He will be confident that he can take the next step in the coming year, though he is certainly not without competition for an elusive place among the seniors…

Alejo Veliz's career so far

While Lankshear is one of the most exciting talents of his age bracket, perhaps even the most exciting attacking talent within Tottenham's ranks, he's certainly not the only exciting prodigy pushing for a place in Postecoglou's senior squad.

Jamie Donley and Dane Scarlett are a few talents on the club's books who will be confident of wedging their way into the first-team reckoning over the coming years, but Lankshear will also have to compete with a player of Alejo Veliz's ilk.

The imposing Argentinan talisman was signed from his homeland this summer, joining for a reported £13m from Rosario Central. While he has yet to make his mark at the club, making three substitute appearances in the English top-flight, he would not have been expected to cement a prominent role in the starting 11 straight away.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Aerial duels

Passing

Finishing

Headed attempts

Long shots

*Sourced via WhoScored

Last season, the 20-year-old plundered 11 goals and one assist from 23 matches in the Liga Profesional and has been hailed in the past for having the makings of a "complete" centre-forward by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Dominant in the air, the 6 foot 1 starlet ranks among the top 16% of forwards across divisions similar to the Argentina Liga Profesional over the past year for goals, the top 1% for clearances and the top 12% for aerial wins per 90, as per FBref.

His former coach, Adrian Dezotti, has been effusive in Veliz's qualities, saying: “Alejo is really intelligent but also very cunning, mischievous. He has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, a lot of street smarts. He’s a strategist, a quick thinker."

While such a talent might find himself competing with Lankshear for game time under Postecoglou's wing, the emergence of the pair could actually be a fruitful thing for both, with Veliz's aerial prowess and the former Sheffield United lad's innate finishing skills possibly combining to forge a deadly partnership in the future.

And given that Lankshear is also only 18-years-old, he has several years yet to hone his craft and continue his development to cement a spot in the team with regularity, and based on the current trajectory, he may well be the next thing at Tottenham.

Liverpool will be looking to strengthen the ranks in 2024 and could unearth an exciting new attacking talent to bolster the existing options at Jurgen Klopp's disposal.

After suffering a calamitous 2022/23 campaign that locked the door on a seventh successive Champions League campaign unde Klopp's stewardship, the Merseyside outfit wiped away the sapped midfield and brought in a wealth of new additions.

And despite a testing week at present that has resulted in a Premier League draw away to newly-promoted Luton Town and a chastening defeat against French side Toulouse in the Europa League, Klopp will be convinced that his side can return to winning ways soon.

That being said, more work is needed on the transfer front in 2024 to restore Anfield to its former vigour, and while the priority will likely be on signing a defensive midfielder and left-sided defender, the Reds boss will be eager to fortify his frontline and given the target's youthful years, could be the perfect option.

Liverpool transfer news – Assane Diao

According to Spanish sources, Liverpool are set to rival Chelsea for the signature of Real Betis winger Assane Diao, who has emerged as one of LaLiga's top talents this season.

The Reds have been impressive in the Premier League this season but still need to improve to sustain a title challenge against the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal, with Tottenham Hotspur also in the mix under Ange Postecoglou's guidance.

In the 18-year-old Diao, Klopp could unearth a destructive new force still malleable enough to be sculpted to his own creation, though the German manager will have to meet the player's €30m (£26m) release clause, with Betis eager to agree to a new deal that raises that amount to €40m (£35m).

Assane Diao's style of play

Despite his youthful years, Diao has burst onto the major scene emphatically this season and has already scored four goals across all competitions for the Spanish side despite only playing ten times.

The two-cap Spain U21 international started his career as a midfielder but quickly proved his attacking skills were not to be sniffed at, and having joined Real Betis from fellow Spanish side Cadiz in 2021, has undergone a positional transformation to left wing, which is proving to propel him into first-team contention.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Aerial duels

Ball retention

Dribbling

Finishing

Long shots

*Sourced via WhoScored

While WhoScored has listed Diao's ability to hold onto the ball as a weakness, it is important to remember that he is literally at the start of the embryonic stage of his professional career, and given that he has impressed through his innate striking ability and elegance and effectiveness in dribbling the ball into the danger areas, this is hardly a cause for concern.

Remarked to be having an "incredible time" with his football right now by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Diao has scored twice from only six starting appearances in LaLiga, completing 80% of his passes, succeeding with 54% of his regular dribbling runs and winning 56% of his duels.

As per FBref, the Senegalese-born starlet ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 24% for successful take-ons, the top 19% for tackles, the top 11% for interceptions, the top 1% for blocks and the top 6% for aerial wins per 90.

Not only are his prodigious roots tantalising a career of prolific success, but he is also dazzling with his application and work rate, as is evidenced by his eye-catching defensive metrics.

Such qualities are similar to Merseyside-born Premier League star, Antony Gordon, who joined Newcastle United from Everton in a £45m transfer earlier this year.

How Assane Diao compares to Anthony Gordon

Gordon is listed as a similar player to Diao, as per FBref, and it's clear to see why, with the 22-year-old blessed with electric pace himself and a real ball of fire in his craft.

Unbeknownst to many, Gordon actually joined the Goodison Park side from their Anfield rivals as a youngster after being released from Liverpool's youth academy as a young teenager.

Speaking about his past affiliation with the Reds earlier this year, Gordon said: "It was another chance for me to grow. But that was hard. It affected me mentally and dented my confidence. I had to pick myself up and go again. When I got to Everton, I never looked back.”

Whether Liverpool rue the decision is questionable – under Klopp, they have revelled in an illustrious period steeped in offensive fluency – but nonetheless could have made good use of Gordon's ability had he remained on the books.

That can be rectified through the acquisition of Diao, who indeed offers skills to mirror Gordon's, with the Magpies menace ranking among the top 4% for tackles and the top 12% for blocks per 90.

The £60k-per-week wideman has been crucial for Eddie Howe's side this term and has posted four goals and two assists from ten matches in the Premier League, creating five big chances, completing 85% of his passes and succeeding with 58% of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.

Always considered a talented prospect but perhaps criticised for a lack of end product, Gordon is now starting to demonstrate his potential on Tyneside and is a perfect example of allowing players to nurture their core qualities and bloom into formidable forces at their own pace.

Season

Apps

Goals

Assists

G/A rate

23/24

10

4

2

0.60

22/23

32

4

0

0.12

21/22

35

4

2

0.17

20/21

3

0

0

n/a

19/20

11

0

1

0.09

*Statistics sourced via Transfermarkt

Whether Klopp opts to spend the money on Diao with other areas of the pitch requiring work remains to be seen at this point, but it could be a good move to make given that Betis ace would be happy with playing second fiddle to the likes of Luis Diaz at this stage.

With his alacritous motions and innate faculty for finding the back of the net, Diao would be a player worth investing in, and he could grow into one of the Premier League's finest forwards in the future.

Fast bowler seeks sustained run of match fitness ahead of England’s five-match ODI series in Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2018Mark Wood hopes that a new lengthened run-up could be the secret to a sustained run of match fitness, as he prepares for the start of England’s five-match ODI series in Sri Lanka on Wednesday.Wood’s ability to generate sharp pace from a short and explosive run-up has been a key reason why he has been considered a point-of-difference bowler in recent seasons, but it has also contributed to a spate of injuries, not least in his troublesome left heel, on which he has undergone numerous bouts of surgery.And now, with the World Cup looming next year, and his fitness restored after another interrupted summer, Wood hopes that a longer, smoother run-up could lead to a longer and smoother run in the England team.”It’s something I’ve worked on in the second half of the season in England and brought it here,” Wood told . “It’s a trial, something I can go back to if I want to do the step-back run-up.”I spoke to Kevin Shine, the head bowling coach, and Chris Silverwood, who’s out here, and said that off my short run-up I felt I was having to force it all the time. That meant I was putting more stress on than I needed to, having to ramp it up to get my top speed.”So pushed my run-up back, so that it felt like I could cruise into it a little more and look for more rhythm, rather than trying to be at the top end all the time, and putting more stress on my body.”Wood hasn’t had much of a chance to put any stress on his body just yet, however. England have faced monsoonal conditions since their arrival in Sri Lanka, and their planned two days of practice in Colombo was reduced to a single contest against a Board XI. It did at least give the bowlers an inkling of how the pitches might behave come the start of the series.”We’ve had a lot of rain so far. Some days are red hot, sweaty humid conditions, and quite nice to bowl in and there are some days when it’s rained a lot and it’s coming from the ground up. It’s different conditions to deal with.”The pitch didn’t feel as subcontinental like as you might think,” he added. “It’s subtropical here in Sri Lanka, not like India or the UAE. It’s more humid and a lot greener than you might expect. The one-day wickets have had a bit of tennis-ball bounce and have swung a bit for England for three or four overs, so we have to use that to our advantage.”Thanks to their plethora of allrounders, England’s one-day squad is packed with seam-bowling options, which means that Wood envisages being used in short, sharp bursts to conserve energy and mix up the modes of attack.”It is ridiculously hot, so coming from a seam bowling point of view, it’ll be two or three overs, smash it as hard as you can, then get off. The spinners are the ones who are going to attack here, but that new ball is key for us. If we can get wickets up front when it’s doing a bit, that’ll be brilliant, but if not, we’ll sit in, try to dot up and make it hard, then let the spinners attack from the other end.”Reverse swing is a traditional factor in Asian conditions, but Wood said that England may need to adapt their methods to obtain the contrast between the rough and smooth sides of the ball to unlock that particular weapon.”Being quick through air will be key with reverse swing, but this ground at Dambulla looks lush and green, so I’m not sure how much reverse there’ll be. But the Sri Lankans tend to wet one side of the ball, and keep it smooth. They know better than anyone in their own conditions, so maybe we can take a leaf out of their book.”

Glamorgan’s batting has troubled them all season and Josh Poysden’s career-best ensured there would be no let up

ECB Reporters Network09-Jun-2018
ScorecardA career-best five for 29 from Warwickshire leg-spinner Josh Poysden continued Glamorgan’s batting struggles on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match at Edgbaston.The Welsh county chose to bat, aiming to at least double their haul of just three batting points collected from the first four games.But they added just one more as, on a slow pitch, they were bowled out for 220 after Poysden, playing his first championship game of the season, dismantled the lower order.Poysden said: “It has been a really frustrating time for me, not being in the team at the start of this year and for most of last year. I didn’t play as much as I wanted to, especially in the championship last year, and with us getting relegated it hurt not to be able to contribute.”But I went away in the winter and worked hard with Stuart MacGill again and then, after I came back, have worked hard with the coaches here at Edgbaston.”Australia Test star Usman Khawaja made just four on his debut and, though David Lloyd, Owen Morgan and Chris Cooke all got decent starts, no-one built the big innings required.The total looks well under par, although Glamorgan fought back well in the last session, removing both Warwickshire openers to leave the home side on 24 for 2 at the close.After Chris Cooke, captaining Glamorgan for the first time, won the toss, young openers Nick Selman and Jack Murphy added 44 in 14 overs. They were parted by Henry Brookes when Murphy was adjudged lbw by Indian umpire Yeshwant Barde, officiating in the first match of his exchange trip.Connor Brown then edged Chris Wright behind and Selman (30, 74 balls, four fours) bat-padded Jeetan Patel to short leg.Khawaja’s uncomfortable, 47-minute stay was ended by a Keith Barker inswinger and Barker should have immediately also dismissed Cooke, who was dropped on nought by Dominic Sibley at second slip. The captain survived to add 57 in 15 overs with Morgan before misreading Poysden’s first ball and falling lbw.Poysden struck again in each of his first two overs after tea when Morgan was lbw and Andrew Salter clipped to short mid-wicket.Lloyd, having batted forcefully to pass 2,000 first-class runs in his 50th match, then departed deeply unimpressed with the decision that he had edged a ball from Patel on to pad before Tim Ambrose reached forward to catch it.Ruaidhri Smith became the fifth lbw casualty when he missed a sweep at Poysden who bowled Lukas Carey first ball to complete his five-for.Glamorgan hit back hard when the home side replied as Carey rattled Will Rhodes’ stumps with the first ball of the innings and Timm Van der Gugten castled Sibley with the 56th.Both sides are depleted in the seam-bowling department with Warwickshire’s Olly Stone and Ryan Sidebottom ruled out by side strains and Glamorgan missing captain Michael Hogan and Marchant de Lange due to hamstring injuries.

Fleming also put forward the name of Daniel Vettori – who also works in the T20 format – but made clear he remained impressed by Mike Hesson’s achievements

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2018Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming would be keen to work with the national T20 side if there was a push to restructure the coaching set-up to reduce Mike Hesson’s workload.Fleming, who coaches in the IPL and Big Bash League, also put forward the name of Daniel Vettori – another who now works in the T20 format – but made clear he remained impressed by Hesson’s achievements. However, he believes that the packed international schedule will eventually lead to more specialised coach appointments.Simon Doull, the former New Zealand paceman, recently suggested that Hesson – and captain Kane Williamson – should move aside from the T20 international game, while England coach Trevor Bayliss said he would not have a problem if the coaching roles in his team were split.”It’s based on my passion and love for New Zealand cricket,” Fleming told . “I’ve got a very good relationship with Craig McMillan [the current batting coach] and spend a lot of time talking to him about where the game is going and what he sees. So I enjoy passing on that knowledge and it comes back to wanting the New Zealand team to be strong.”I enjoy going away and having a strong New Zealand team performing well around the world, it helps my job and I enjoy getting the New Zealand players in the sides that I’ve got.”At some stage, who knows and I think Daniel would be the same. I’d love to help, but I certainly appreciate and admire the work Mike has done.”At the conclusion of the England series in early April, Hesson will be able to have some downtime as New Zealand do not play again until a series against Pakistan in October, but Fleming still thinks that being in charge of all three formats could become too great a task for one man.”You’ve got to think for a modern day coach these days, to be spending 250-300 days away, or involved in the job, travelling and hotels and being away from the family, that’s unsustainable,” he said.”So Simon [Doull] makes some good points there about looking after your coaches and maybe T20 is one form of the game where there’s an opportunity for the head coach to have some time off.”Whether you develop a Craig McMillan or another young coach coming forward, or you get an old dog in and maybe Vettori or myself come in to spend a bit of time there?”It’s whether it keeps Mike Hesson fresh, it’s whether it falls into line with what Mike wants. But I think it’s worth discussing going forward as the schedule gets more cluttered. What I’ve heard from NZ Cricket and Mike right now is that the balance is pretty good, so he’s pretty happy to continue what he’s doing. But it needs to be explored.”New Zealand’s T20 form took a dive after a strong start earlier in the season. Pakistan came from 1-0 down to take the three-match series in January, when New Zealand conceded their No. 1 ranking, then they managed just a single victory – against England in Wellington – during the T20 tri-series. The next World T20 will take place in Australia in 2020.”If you’re bouncing from each form, sometimes you can miss the subtleties of the game that are developing behind closed doors, because you’re so focused on a Test or one-day series,” Fleming said. “We’ve got to make sure we’re relevant in all forms and have got the selectors, coaches and personnel looking at the right things.”

The return of former players to decision-making roles and the revamp of the domestic structure spell better days ahead for Zimbabwe

Martin Williamson28-Dec-2009For the last five years the end-of-year report on Zimbabwe has grown gloomier and gloomier. Twelve months ago Steve Price wrote that just keeping the game alive against the backdrop of political chaos represented a major achievement.And yet, a year on there are finally signs that a corner might have been turned. There’s a long way to go, especially on the field, where half a decade of neglect cannot be turned around in a few months, but there are glimmers of hope.The changes have largely been made possible by the improvement in the country’s political fortunes. Zimbabwe, so long an international pariah, has started to rebuild, although the situation remains fragile, and if Robert Mugabe has one of his notorious mood swings then the dark days of 2007 and 2008 could return in weeks.But for now, Zimbabwe Cricket, berated by many, including me, for years, deserves credit for a number of initiatives, the main one being a complete revamping of a tattered and discredited domestic structure. The old system has been swept away and heavily politicised provinces replaced with five new self-contained franchises. Time will tell how independent they are, but it’s a start and the early signs are promising.That change was allied to a decision to embrace the country’s players, including those who had been at the heart of the battle with the board, and many returned as either players or coaches. Perhaps the biggest sign of returning normality was the sight of overseas cricketers such as Chris Silverwood and Steve Tikolo turning out for the franchises.Internationally there was little to write home about. With fixtures hard to come by, the year was spent playing Bangladesh and Kenya. The results highlighted Zimbabwe’s status as being too good for Associates and way short of being able to mix it with the big boys. Only four of 14 ODIs against Bangladesh were won, while only one of 10 against Kenya was lost. The three ODIs against Full Members resulted in comprehensive defeats.Until the on-field results improve, talk of Zimbabwe returning to Test cricket is premature. Unfortunately they were a notable absentee from the ICC World Twenty20 – a competition in which they bloodied Australia’s noses in 2007 – because of political tensions between England, the hosts, and the Mugabe regime.Another reason was that Peter Chingoka, ZC’s chairman, who has been in situ for almost two decades, was banned from the European Union as well as Australia and New Zealand. That caused a few dicey situations as the ICC sought a balance between backing one of its own and not risking a major standoff over someone increasingly hard to support. Common sense prevailed and Chingoka appeared to become increasingly marginalised even in his own country, handing over day-to-day control to chief executive Ozias Bvute, who embarked on a largely successful media charm offensive.The ICC commissioned a fact-finding report from Julian Hunte, the head of the West Indies Cricket Board. The irony of someone whose own board remains a bigger shambles than the one he was supposed to be advising on caused more than a few wry smiles. The end result was the common-sense move to include a Zimbabwe side in the ICC Intercontinental Cup, as well as a number of other supportive moves from Full Members. Sadly, that generosity did not seem to spill over to neighbours South Africa, who insisted on being paid almost $100,000 to host two ODIs against the Zimbabweans in November.New kid on the block
Twenty-year-old fast bowler Kyle Jarvis, who represented Zimbabwe at the Under-19 World Cup in 2008, was brought straight into the national side and showed enough promise to suggest he could be a feature of the team for some time. Quick if raw, he should benefit from guidance from bowling coach Heath Streak.Tatenda Taibu had a turbulent year•Bangladesh Cricket BoardFading star
It’s hard not to feel for Tatenda Taibu, who was left keeping Zimbabwe’s head above water, often almost single-handed, during the dark days. His talent as a keeper-batsman is not in doubt, but his fortunes off the field have sent his career into reverse. Too often he was missing from the side because of off-field rows. He refused to play in Kenya because his kit had been left in Bangladesh, and was then slapped with a 10-match ban after admitting he lied to a Harare court when accused of assaulting a ZC employee.High point
Returning from a three-year self-imposed exile, Charles Coventry smashed an unbeaten 194 against Bangladesh in August, equalling the world record for the highest score in an ODI. His previous best in any format had been 106. Perhaps it underlined Zimbabwe’s weaknesses that despite his innings boosting his side to a post-300 total they were easily beaten.Low point
The final ODI of the year, against South Africa, was almost like watching the Zimbabwe team in the dark days of two or three years ago. South Africa eased to 331 for 5 without ever breaking sweat and then Zimbabwe all but waved the white flag as they were bowled out for 119 in under 35 overs. If anyone who matters had been watching – and the banks of empty stands suggested few were – it would have reminded them how far Zimbabwe have to go.What 2010 holds
A real watershed, both on and off the field. David Coultart, a minister in the power-sharing government, is likely to turn his attention to cricket, but whatever happens, it has to be hoped it won’t deflect too much from the advances made in 2009. With experience back on the playing and coaching side, the national team needs to start producing more consistent performances to back the goodwill the international community has for it.

Glasgow Rangers secured just their second Europa League victory of the season as they overcame Sparta Prague 2-1 at Ibrox on Thursday evening.

The turnaround under Philippe Clement has been incredible, with the Belgian winning five of his opening six matches in charge of the Light Blues, conceding just three goals in the process.

Everything seems to be clicking at exactly the right time and with another two European ties to come along with a League Cup final before Christmas, the 49-year-old will be aiming for success before 2024.

The positive start is an indication of the direction Clement wants to take the team, and by asserting his tactical ideologies onto the senior squad already, a campaign that looked set to be disastrous could well be salvaged.

The Belgian is having to work with a team that he inherited from Michael Beale and, despite offering a clean slate to everyone in the squad, there could be some activity in the upcoming January transfer window.

A few players may be shipped out, while it looks as though the former Club Brugge boss is already identifying potential targets in order to bolster his team ahead of the second half of the season.

Rangers January transfer news

Heading towards the winter window, the rumour mill begins to circle and, according to 90min, Rangers have shown interest in Everton defender Ben Godfrey.

They will face some competition, however, as Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are also seemingly keen on securing a move for the centre-back.

Under Sean Dyche this season, Godfrey has dropped way down the pecking order and has featured for a grand total of just one minute in the league, signifying that his future lies away from Goodison Park.

With this in mind, Clement could potentially make a swoop for the player and, with his contract expiring in 2025, Everton may not stand in his way should a club come in for him in the winter.

The Gers signed just one centre-back in the summer transfer window – Leon Balogun – and he only signed a one-year deal, with Michael Beale missing out on a few targets in the position.

Godfrey could be an ideal acquisition for the club as Clement could restore his confidence by giving him regular game time north of the border, while his talents would allow him to thrive in Scotland.

It wouldn’t be the first time that the Light Blues have signed a player from England who had a bright future, yet their form had taken a dip, as Todd Cantwell has become an integral player in the Ibrox side.

Godfrey could have a similar sort of impact to that of Cantwell and this could give the Gers a monumental boost heading into the final few months of the season.

Todd Cantwell’s statistics since he joined Rangers

Once touted as a player who was worth £40m just over two years ago during his spell with Norwich City, Cantwell’s form was underwhelming during the first half of the 2022/23 season.

This was a talent who had starred in two promotion campaigns and had scored six Premier League goals, yet he had made only ten starts for the East Anglian side before the transfer window opened in January.

Beale came to the rescue and secured his signature for just £1.5m, and it is beginning to look like one of the best pieces of business the club has done in years.

The Englishman registered 11 goal contributions – six goals and five assists – across just 20 games for the Glasgow side in the second half of last season and gave them some added attacking dynamism.

While he began the current season slowly, not helped by Beale’s tactics and an injury picked up against Celtic, Cantwell scored his first goal of the season against Sparta Prague in midweek, and it looks as though he is shining under the Belgian.

If the playmaker can displace Sam Lammers and return to his favoured number ten role, the next few months could be profitable for the former Norwich starlet.

Godfrey is an ex-teammate of Cantwell’s and his return to prominence could give the current Everton defender something to think about regarding his next career move, as he could become a key player at Rangers.

Ben Godfrey’s career statistics

The 25-year-old made 78 appearances for Norwich before signing for the Toffees in a £20m deal in October 2020 and he made a solid impression during his maiden season on Merseyside.

Godfrey made 36 appearances across all competitions and he ranked sixth out of the whole squad for accurate passes per game in the Premier League (33.3), along with ranking in the top five for clearances (3.5) and interceptions (1.1) per game, showcasing his growing talent and maturity, while it looked like Everton had a wonderful talent who could become a mainstay in their defence over the years.

79

0

78

5

51

1

15

1

He was even dubbed as a “revelation” by former professional boxer and Everton supporter Tony Bellew, yet just when things were looking rosy at the club, his appearances became less frequent.

Indeed, over the subsequent two seasons, Godfrey made 27 and then just 15 appearances under a succession of managers, with the low point coming during the current term.

His one start came during the EFL Cup clash against Doncaster Rovers as Dyche prefers the likes of James Tarkowski, Michael Keane and Jarrad Branthwaite to play at the heart of the defence.

This opens the door for Rangers, who could rescue the 6 foot gem from what has been a year to forget and give him a platform to showcase his talents.

It has worked extraordinarily well for Cantwell since joining the Gers from Norwich and Godfrey could follow in his footsteps, putting a poor spell behind him in England in order to shine north of the border while challenging for domestic trophies.

Clement still has plenty of time to work out potential transfer targets, but he will be keen on bringing another one or two fresh faces to the club if he aims to end Celtic’s recent domestic hegemony.

It is an exciting time to be a supporter of the Light Blues, especially with the 49-year-old bringing the feel-good factor back to Ibrox and if he can sign someone like Godfrey in the coming months, it will do his reputation no harm at all.

James Vince, Rory Burns and Joe Denly feature prominently in England’s thoughts ahead of selection meeting

George Dobell12-Sep-2018Trevor Bayliss has admitted Keaton Jennings faces a “nervous” wait to see whether he will be included in England’s squad for the tour of Sri Lanka.Jennings averaged just 18.11 in the five-Test series against India and, while Bayliss suggested his decent form on the tour to India a couple of years ago may count in his favour, he declined to confirm that it would be enough to ensure him another tour.With Alastair Cook having retired, England are searching for at least one new top-order batsman and Bayliss confirmed that James Vince, Joe Denly and Rory Burns are all vying for a spot in the squad. Whether Jennings is retained will decide whether England have one or two spots available for them.Ed Smith, the national selector, has previously expressed some confidence in Jennings despite the run of low scores. Pointing out that batting in the top order was treacherously tough during the India series, Smith noted Jennings’ impressive “demeanour” and method and appeared to offer his tour hopes some encouragement.In Jennings’ favour is the fact he made a century on Test debut in Mumbai in December 2016 and followed it with an innings of 54 in Chennai. England expect to encounter similar spinning pitches in Sri Lanka. Those scores are, however, his only half-centuries in a 12-Test career and, in going 10 Tests in succession without passing fifty, he has set a grim new record for an England opening batsman.”We have a selection meeting in a week’s time and I am sure it will be discussed,” Bayliss said. “I’m sure he will be a bit nervous about which way it will go. His history will be in his favour: he scored runs in India on spinning wickets.”But he is a big boy and he knows runs on the board count as well. All of those points will have to be discussed and I can’t say at this stage or another whether he will go or not.”If Jennings is not retained, it could mean a recall for Vince. Although he averages a modest 24.90 after 13 Tests, he averages 30.54 from the No. 3 position. As a result, Bayliss rated him England’s “best No. 3” excluding Joe Root over the last few years. And, having gone back to county cricket and scored heavily in recent months – Vince is the second highest run-scorer in Division One this season behind Burns and is averaging 42.66 – Bayliss said he “had done what we asked of him since he was out of the team”.”If you take Joe out of the equation, Vince has probably been our best No. 3 over the last few years,” Bayliss said. “I gave him the challenge when we dropped him to go back and score plenty of runs. Averaging 40 in county cricket is not good enough. You have got to average 50 or 60 and, take out this last game, he was close to that and made some big hundreds so he has done what we asked of him. Whether he makes the cut or not we will find out in a week.”While Bayliss admitted he had not seen much of Denly, he has had good reports from the team of scouts the England management now employ and confirmed he was being considered for a place in the squad.”I have not seen him in the last couple of years,” Bayliss said. “He has made some runs this year and apparently he is a decent player of spin. He can play the short ball but so can a few others. Vince for example. And obviously Burns is making a lot of runs at The Oval.”I am sure all three guys will get a hearing and there might be more than one spot in the touring party.”Burns is, by a distance, the leading run-scorer in the Championship season. He is approaching the 1,200 run mark – nobody else has made 1,000 – and, while there is a suggestion he has made most of his runs on the flat Oval surfaces, three of his four centuries have come at New Road, Nottingham and Southampton. He also made 90 in Chelmsford and, at the time of writing, averages 95 away from home this season.England expect to announce the limited-overs squad on Monday or Tuesday and the Test squad on the 23rd or 24th. Bayliss returns to Sydney for a brief holiday on Thursday, so will take part in the selection meeting via conference call.