All posts by h716a5.icu

Leeds United dropped down to the Championship earlier this year after three seasons in the Premier League and are now tasked with bouncing back at the first attempt.

German head coach Daniel Farke was brought in to lead the charge, having won two league titles at this level with Norwich, and was backed with a number of signings during the summer transfer window.

The Whites brought in the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara, and Sam Byram, among others, to bolster their squad and splashed the cash to improve their attack with the signing of Joel Piroe from Swansea.

Appearances

11

Goals

Five

Chances created

Six

Pass accuracy

78%

Leeds reportedly paid more than £10m to sign the Dutch marksman from their Championship rivals and he has had a strong start to the campaign, as shown in the table above.

He has scored three more league goals than any of his teammates and his form comes off the back of an impressive return of 19 goals in 43 second division outings for the Swans during the 2022/23 season.

However, the window could have gone differently if the club had brought in one of the targets they reportedly had earlier in the summer – Sory Kaba.

Were Leeds interested in Sory Kaba?

Football League World reported that the Whites had been sending scouts to watch the FC Midtjylland number nine in action for Cardiff City on loan during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Telegraph's Mike McGrath claimed that fellow Championship side Watford were also keen on the centre-forward, who was available for a fee of £2m.

He eventually signed for Las Palmas in a deal that AS reported to be more than €2m (£1.7m), which suggests that the £2m price tag touted by McGrath was an accurate one.

Kaba attracted interest after a fairly prolific spell with Cardiff on loan last term as the towering striker produced eight goals and one assist in 17 Championship games for the Welsh outfit.

However, he only completed 54% of his attempted passes and made 0.6 key passes per game, with two 'big chances' created in total, as the Midtjylland loanee struggled to offer much in general play away from his goals.

His form for Cardiff came after a frustrating first half of the campaign with his parent club. Kaba scored four goals and provided five assists in 27 matches in all competitions, which included two goals in 16 league games in the Danish top-flight.

How many goals has Kaba scored for Las Palmas?

It has turned out that Leeds dodged a bullet with the 28-year-old flop as he has failed to score a single goal in seven league matches for the Spanish side this season and is now even worse than Georginio Rutter in front of goal.

His general play has been an issue for the attacker with Las Palmas this season as the goals have dried up, with zero for the club so far, and he has only made 0.6 key passes per outing and created zero 'big chances', as per Sofascore.

This shows that the experienced forward, who had scored 27 goals in 110 games in all competitions for Midtjylland, has offered very little in the way of creativity or build-up play for his team.

He has also struggled in front of goal with three 'big chances' missed and zero league goals from an xG of 1.13, which shows that the attacker has been wasteful with the opportunities that have fallen his way.

His poor form has earned him a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.50 and this is the 23rd-highest score within their squad, whilst it would also place him 23rd in the Leeds side.

How many goals has Rutter scored this season?

Rutter, on the other hand, has scored two goals in ten Championship games for Leeds as part of an attacking pairing with the aforementioned Piroe, who was signed from Swansea.

The French dynamo had failed to score in 11 Premier League matches for the club last season but has stepped up to offer a significant threat at the top end of the pitch in the second tier.

His goalscoring record is not prolific, yet, but his creativity has been outstanding from a number nine position. Rutter has created a whopping ten 'big chances' and made 2.6 key passes per game for his teammates this term, along with a pass completion rate of 69%.

The 21-year-old ace has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.18, which is the seventh-highest score within the squad, and this shows that he has stepped up to be a fantastic option for Farke.

Rutter's all-round play is far better than Kaba's in terms of the reliability in possession that he provides alongside his exceptional ability to split open the opposition's defence on a regular basis.

Should Leeds have signed Kaba?

Kaba's statistics for Cardiff last term and Las Palmas this season do not suggest that he would have been able to make the level of impact that the former Hoffenheim man has made on the pitch for Farke's side.

The Guinea international had a rich vein of scoring form with the Welsh team at Championship level but did not show enough in possession alongside his goals and those issues have resurfaced, without the goals to make up for it, in Spain.

Rutter may not be a prolific scorer, as shown by his two goals in ten league matches so far, but he is able to make up for his struggles in that area with his fantastic play on the ball in the build-up.

The 21-year-old maestro is an outstanding talent when it comes to creating chances on a regular basis and he has caught the eye alongside Piroe with a string of terrific displays for Leeds in the Championship.

Therefore, Farke and the club dodged a bullet by avoiding a deal to sign Kaba for £2m during the summer transfer window as his statistics suggest that it would have been a big blunder.

He is not a better option than Piroe or Rutter for one of the two central attacking positions in the manager's 4-2-3-1 system and fans should, therefore, be thankful that Leeds did not bring him in on a permanent basis.

Eight years after his last match in India whites, the wicketkeeper is back with a more mature and grounded outlook

Shashank Kishore in Bengaluru12-Jun-20182:07

Afghanistan’s rise is good for cricket – Karthik

Dinesh Karthik knows what it’s like to have had his hopes high, only for them to get dashed. In Chennai four years ago, Tamil Nadu had conceded a first-innings lead against Railways and were fighting to stay in contention for a Ranji Trophy knockouts berth when Karthik, then playing as a specialist batsman, was told of MS Dhoni’s sudden retirement from Test cricket.In Tamil Nadu’s next match, Karthik took the gloves, which meant that designated stumper U Sushil had to be left out. While the team management explained this decision as being down to “tactical calls” and “strategy”, the move is said to have caused a hint of friction in the Tamil Nadu camp. Some even termed it “opportunistic behaviour” from a senior player who was trying to earn a Test spot. As it turned out, Wriddhiman Saha would not only keep wicket in the following Test in Sydney, but make the spot his own for the next three years.There was another call-up in January this year when Karthik, preparing to play for Tamil Nadu in the domestic T20s, was summoned by the team management to South Africa as back-up for a back-up. Saha had pulled up injured after the first Test in Cape Town, and Parthiv Patel, the second wicketkeeper on tour, had a poor game with the gloves in Centurion.

I guess I did not perform well enough before. I wasn’t consistent enough. There was a highly competitive environment. MS Dhoni was breathing down my neck, causing a lot of stir in Test cricket at that point of time.Dinesh Karthik on his previous Test stint in 2010

The team management, however, persisted with Parthiv for the final game, leaving Karthik on the bench. He would then sit out of the subsequent ODI series and feature in one T20I before returning home. This was also around the time Karthik was discussed as a Kolkata Knight Riders’ captaincy candidate. Then over happened against Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy final, and life hasn’t been the same since.Karthik was on his way back from London after playing the charity game for hurricane relief at Lord’s when news of his Test comeback trickled in. Karthik’s initial thought at the time was not surprise but relief, because he had done well in limited-overs cricket and was in the middle of a purple patch.When he was asked on Tuesday, ahead of the Afghanistan’s inaugural Test in Bengaluru, if this was a second wind in his career, Karthik laughed it off. After all, this was going to be his sixth comeback to the Test team, in an international career that is now set to enter its 15th year.”I’ve been asked this question a lot of times. It feels good, but it’s hard for me to put it into phrases like ‘second wind’ and ‘comeback of sorts’ and all that. But I’ll say it feels good to be back in the Indian team in whites,” he said. “To be part of the Test team is something I’ve always dreamed of. I’m just thankful to the people who have stood by me over the years.”The dynamics of Indian cricket have changed in the time since Karthik last played a Test, in 2010. The batting stalwarts who he played with in that game in Bangladesh have all called it a day. Dhoni, the man who replaced Karthik in the Test squad and became India’s first-choice for close to a decade, is now happily retired from the format. Karthik admitted to being frustrated when he lost his Test spot.Dinesh Karthik attempts a catch in the presence of KL Rahul and M Vijay•AFP”I guess I did not perform well enough before. I wasn’t consistent enough. There was a highly competitive environment. MS Dhoni was breathing down my neck, causing a lot of stir in Test cricket at that point of time,” he said. “He has gone on to become probably one of the greatest Test cricket captains India has ever produced. So, it’s not that I lost out my place to some normal cricketer. He has been a special cricketer over a period of time and I respect him for that.”Just the fact that I couldn’t at that stage produce enough performances to hold on to my place [frustrates me]. I think I need to be honest with myself. I think I wasn’t as good then. I have another opportunity now and I guess I will try to do my best.”The frustration resulted in a massive dip. That Ranji season, he would make just 200 runs in nine innings. It was then that he felt the need to make peace with the challenges and “respect domestic cricket” to return to run-scoring ways. The love for the game though, had remained intact.”I’ve always enjoyed playing the sport, so motivation has never been a problem,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed playing the Ranji Trophy. It’s a totally different challenge. There are not many out there who come and watch you play; you play because you enjoy the sport, which I’ve always done subconsciously. I’ve enjoyed being part of Team Tamil Nadu. Credit to them as well, for having put up with me through the tough years.”As a senior player, they expect you to perform well. Along the way if I could help out young guys, great. That was my mentality. End of the day, it’s always been great to represent a team like that, for them to have put up with me and backed me… Today I’m really happy where I’m sitting.”The years with Tamil Nadu helped Karthik keep the faith, and have also meant that of India’s current Test side only Cheteshwar Pujara has played more first-class matches than Karthik (157).Now, two days away from his 24th Test, Karthik knows he’s a certainty in the XI. There are no false alarms this time. At 33, he’s more mature and far from the fidgety player he once was. Experience, he says, has changed his outlook on cricket and, as cliched as it may sound, he is simply focusing on the “process” rather than looking long-term and worrying about what he must to do keep Saha out.”That [looking too far ahead] puts a little bit of extra pressure than what is already there,” he said. “I’m trying to be consistent there, where even if I don’t get the opportunity, even if I don’t end up playing at the highest level, I want to be content with the fact that I’ve given it everything.”If I now go and try to think about how I can keep my place and keep someone else out, it becomes very subjective. You end up thinking ‘I need to score here, I need to do this, I need to do that.’ I don’t want to keep it that way. I just want to make the best of the opportunities I get.”Karthik may well go on to be part of the Test squad for the tour of England, a country where he’s had success as an opener. But, for now, he’s happy to be part of a historic occasion. Words of encouragement is all he had for his opponents, even when it was posed to him that their captain had talked up his spin attack as being better than India’s.”At the end of the day experience has a lot of value,” he said. “We saw that with CSK in the IPL. Experience pays. I’m sure in time they will be even better bowlers than when they start off. But the point is, the kind of improvement they have shown in white-ball cricket has been phenomenal. There is no reason why they cannot do that in Test cricket, but I would definitely say our spinners have a lot of experience – and experience is not something that can be easily bought. I’m sure their players will also vouch for that. So I wouldn’t harp too much on that.”With that statement alone, Karthik showed why he’s in his best phase of his career, a player who had matured and left the fidgety self who last played a Test more than eight years ago well behind.

The fact that Jonny Evans has been a regular feature in Erik ten Hag's Manchester United squad this season probably paints the perfect picture of the disarray that the Red Devils have found themselves in, losing four of their first seven Premier League games. Though decimated by injuries at times, United have still not been up to standard, leaving the door open for January reinforcements.

It looks likely to arguably be one of the most important transfer windows of Ten Hag's United tenure, especially if his side remains in crisis mode. With that said, reports suggest that the Red Devils have already made their first move for one particular target, who they could push on for come the winter window.

What's the latest Man Utd transfer news?

There's no hiding for Manchester United this season – they spent big in the summer. Ten Hag secured the majority of his transfer targets. Whether that be Mason Mount or Rasmus Hojlund, the Dutchman got what he desired. So, just how things have gone so horribly wrong so far this season is anyone's guess. But, the transfer market could hold the solutions to United's problems.

They have particularly struggled defensively this season, and have had their depth exposed in central defence, with Evans, at 35 years old, forced into the side at times. That depth could be solved by the potential arrival of Goncalo Inacio, however.

Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke has provided an Inacio transfer update, reporting that Manchester United have seemingly made their first move by scouting the defender in recent weeks, who has a £52m release clause.

Amid interest from the Premier League, Sporting Club have reportedly become resigned to losing the 22-year-old, providing both United and Liverpool, who are also interested in the Portugal international, with a major boost. If the two rivals go head-to-head for Inacio's signature, it will certainly spice things up in the January transfer window, that's for sure.

How good is Goncalo Inacio?

Starting all seven games in the Premeira Liga with Sporting CP sitting in top spot by a point, Inacio's importance in Portugal has far from decreased this season. Statistically speaking, too, Inacio has outperformed both Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, as well as Victor Lindelof, as per FBref.

Player

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Blocks

Interceptions

Goncalo Inacio

16

59

7

6

Raphael Varane

6

26

4

1

Lisandro Martinez

6

26

4

2

Victor Lindelof

4

12

4

1

It's the types of performances that he is putting in this season which has seen Inacio earn significant praise, including from analyst Raj Chohan, who labelled the player as a "dominator". With that said, Manchester United could be keen to get any deal wrapped up as smoothly as possible, especially with Liverpool potentially sniffing around, looking to add to their own defensive options. When the January window opens, Ten Hag will be well aware of just how important it is that United get things right.

Sussex supporters sitting in the deckchairs at Hove could bask in the Bank Holiday sunshine and the feeling of a first win under their new coach

Bruce Talbot at Hove07-May-20182:49

Durham’s remarkable turnaround

ScorecardIf Sussex supporters seemed reluctant to drag themselves away from the County Ground it was entirely understandable. Why bother trying to shoehorn yourself on to a crowded beach when you can sit in a deckchair on a blissful Bank Holiday afternoon, sup a pint and celebrate a victory that suggests Jason Gillespie is working his magic again?Apart from the addition of Ishant Sharma, who didn’t play in this game, the squad Gillespie inherited is the same that badly underachieved under his predecessor Mark Davis. There is certainly a more positive atmosphere in the dressing room, according to the players. Gillespie arrived with no pre-conceived ideas about some of the younger members of the squad and youngsters like Harry Finch and Ollie Robinson have responded to the freedom he has given them to play without being burdened by the consequences of failure.Here, Finch scored his maiden Championship hundred and Robinson took eight wickets although it was skipper Ben Brown, using all his experience of these relaid Hove pitches which are producing such riveting contests, who led his side to the first win of the Gillespie era just before tea.As Brown and Michael Burgess ticked off the runs Gillespie sat impassively at the back of the players’ balcony. But if he gave the impression of someone in control of his emotions during a tense chase there was no disguising his delight as he waited at the top of the steps to embrace his captain after a three-wicket victory had been secured.”That’s why I’m a fan of county cricket,” he said. “That was a fantastic four days and I’m so proud of the way the guys kept going against what was a very good Middlesex side, led by Browny who was magnificent.”It was a situation Brown revels in. More than the odd ball kept low while one delivery from James Harris which he tried to cut leapt off a length and flew past his face. But it was no minefield. He stayed leg side of the ball to take lbw out of play and improvised impishly at times as he and Burgess put together the match-winning stand of 87.And while Gillespie remained calm, Brown’s guttural roar of delight would have been heard on the crowded seafront when Robinson bunted James Harris down to long leg for the winning boundary. Sussex could probably do with another experienced top-six batsman but that is not such an issue when 10 of their team here has scored a first-class hundred, including nightwatchman Danny Briggs whose stand of 87 for the third wicket with Stiaan van Zyl at the start of the day seemed to have set up a comfortable run chase.Briggs hit Harris for three fours in an over and it was a surprise when he drove Ollie Rayner to short cover. There wasn’t much turn for Rayner’s offbreaks and it was the belated introduction of Australian Hilton Cartwright which gave Middlesex hope. Bowling stump to stump to a run-saving ring field, he removed van Zyl and Luke Wright with successive balls before Harris picked up Finch in the last over before lunch. Brown then took charge and although Burgess was pinned lbw by Dawid Malan, Sussex only needed 15 to win.A second defeat in three is hardly an ideal start to Middlesex’s bid for an immediate return to Division One but it’s worth bearing in mind that they were without six internationals here, for one reason or another. While praising a “fantastic” innings by Brown, captain Malan admitted his team had underperformed with the bat. They will be in the shake-up though.Brown says the challenge for Sussex is to try back this win up at Canterbury in their next game. They are by no means the finished article but the Gillespie effect already seems to be working.

Sunderland are set to be without one of their senior players for tonight's Championship game vs Sheffield Wednesday, according to a new update from the Stadium of Light.

How have Sunderland started the season?

So far, Tony Mowbray’s side have made an overall positive start to the new campaign where they have secured four wins, one draw and suffered just three defeats from their opening eight games, meaning that having taken 13 points from a possible 24, they find themselves sitting fifth in the table, via Sky Sports.

Looking at the northeast outfit’s injuries ahead of Friday evening’s fixture against Xisco Munoz’s side at the Hillsborough Stadium, due to kick-off at 8pm UK time, Dennis Cirkin remains on the sidelines and has not yet returned to training, whilst Pierre Ekwah has been missing since the 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers with a dead leg.

The Black Cats have also had a third player away from the action in the form of Bradley Dack who hasn’t featured since the recent international break due to sustaining a minor hamstring problem, and the boss has now delivered a definitive update on his fitness.

How long is Bradley Dack out for?

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Mowbray confirmed that Dack won't be available vs Sheffield Wednesday alongside Ekwah, with the second-tier fixture coming slightly too soon for the duo.

As quoted by The Sunderland Echo, he said: “I don’t think either of them are going to make it for tomorrow, though not because they’re miles away.

"It’s just that we’re trying to make sure they’re right so they don’t break down when they come back, that’s with Bradley specifically because we know that hamstring injuries are dangerous ones that can repeat.”

How much did Sunderland buy Bradley Dack for?

Over the summer, Sunderland didn’t have to pay a single penny for Dack because he joined on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Blackburn Rovers, and it’s fair to say that during the time he's had available so far, he's shown exactly why chiefs wanted to bring him to the club in the first place.

The Wasserman client has already posted two contributions (one goal and one assist) in his opening five appearances for the red and white stripes, highlighting the positive impact he can have in the final third, but there is another wonderful quality he possesses.

The Greenwich-born talent, who pockets £15k-per-week, is a versatile operator having been deployed in a remarkable nine different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the midfield and the frontline, though his ability to easily adapt to the coach's demands is an additional attribute that he will have to cope without.

Therefore, Mowbray not having the “excellent” Dack at his disposal once again, as hailed by journalist Josh Bunting, will be a huge blow to the boss who will be hoping that his prized asset can make a swift return to the pitch as soon as possible.

India needed 34 off 12. Dinesh Karthik almost single-handedly achieved that target with a stunning 29* off eight balls

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Mar-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAssociated PressWhen Dinesh Karthik came to the crease, India required 34 off 12 balls. Mustafizur Rahman had just delivered perhaps the over of the tournament. A profoundly deflated Vijay Shankar was batting at the other end. What unravelled was a scarcely believable finish that saw Bangladesh fritter away their chance at the title, and Karthik – phenomenally cool at the crease – seized ruthlessly on their string of mistakes.He punished Rubel Hossain in the penultimate over, as the bowler continually missed his yorkers. The first ball, a full toss, disappeared over Rubel’s head. Later in the over, overpitched balls would be smashed over cow corner and blasted past square leg. Twenty-two runs were hit off that over, but Karthik’s best moment came at the end of the next. India now needing five off the last ball, he drilled a wide half volley from Soumya Sarkar over the extra cover rope. An India-supporting Khettarama crowd, a phenomenon without precedence in the 21st century, was tipped into euphoria. His own team-mates flew out of the dressing room to greet him, engulfing him in a frenzied huddle.Bangladesh, who had already triumphed in two thrillers, doing so much to prove they had rid themselves of the many hang-ups their 2016 World T20 defeat to India had spawned, were almost inconsolably distraught at the end of this match, now having collected a second haunting loss at the same opponent’s hands. They had bowled so beautifully in defense of their 166 for 8 – a total that seemed perhaps 15 runs light. They had bowled four consecutive boundary-less overs in the middle, conceding only 16 during that spell, and consequently raising India’s required rate from 7.81 at the end of the ninth over to 10 at the close of the 13th. Rohit Sharma, who had helped set up the pursuit with 56 off 42, was dismissed soon after, and both Manish Pandey nor Shankar were chased into a corner by a proliferation of Bangladesh dot balls.But all through this tournament, India have found special performers even from among this second string of players. After Mustafizur had bowled a wicket maiden in his final over the tournament, Karthik was India’s human adrenaline shot, reviving an innings that had seemed doomed to a quiet death. His only stroke of fortune was that he had Sarkar to face in the last over, a result of Bangladesh’s refusal to give Mehidy Hasan a second over after his first had been hit for 17 in the Powerplay.Associated PressElsewhere in the game – though so much will be forgotten in that scintillating last-ball finish – there was a 77 off 50 balls from Sabbir Rahman that held the Bangladesh innings together, and outstanding spells from Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar, the former claiming 3 for 18, the latter 1 for 20.In fact, the two India spinners had combined to deck the opposition top order as early as the fourth over of the game. The openers had been watchful in Sundar’s first over, but the moment one attacked him a wicket resulted – Liton Das caught at square leg after having attempted a slog sweep. Next over, Chahal’s first, provided two more wickets. Tamim Iqbal advanced, but although he sent the ball high into the Colombo night, he could not clear the field – Shardul Thakur plucking the ball above his head at long-on and expertly keeping his balance to avoid contact with the boundary. Four balls later, Sarkar swept Chahal straight to square leg, and Bangladesh were 33 for 3.Sabbir was involved in rebuilding work with the seniors, putting on 35 in Mushifqur Rahim’s company, then 36 in Mahmudullah’s. Bangladesh would probably have got themselves to a better score had Sabbir not run Mahmudullah out in the 15th over – Mahmudullah marooned at the striker’s end after Sabbir had sprinted to the keeper without taking note of his partner’s reluctance. Sabbir then took it upon himself to club a few more leg-side boundaries, before being dismissed himself. Mehidy Hasan provided a final fillip, scoring 18 off the last over, bowled by Thakur.India appeared to have the measure of this chase early, as after only 13 balls they had already struck 30. But then Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina fell in successive overs, and the innings slowed down. Rohit, who had made 39 in the Powerplay, scored only 13 runs in the six subsequent overs, When he holed out to Nazmul Islam – the original keeper of the dance – Pandey and Shankar were brought together. It was their dithering partnership, which was worth only 35 off 28 balls, that left India requiring the kind of furious finish that Karthik provided.

Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards has heaped praise on a West Ham United star who has been proving "everyone" wrong lately.

What is the latest West Ham news?

David Moyes and his Hammers side travel to Anfield on Sunday with a lot of optimism; having started this new Premier League season with real aplomb.

Indeed, the east Londoners have tasted victory in three out of their opening five top flight matches; clinching impressive wins over high-flying Brighton, big-spenders Chelsea and league newcomers Luton Town.

It took European champions Man City to end West Ham's early-season unbeaten streak last weekend, as goals from Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland cancelled out James Ward-Prowse's opener at the London Stadium.

Moyes' men also opened their Europa League account with a 3-1 win over Serbian super league side Backa Topola in midweek, sealing the three points despite an early second-half scare.

There couldn't be any better time to take on Liverpool in Merseyside, but West Ham may tread with caution, as Jurgen Klopp's Reds are in a similar run of form.

West Ham player ratings 2023/2024

There have been a few standout performers for West Ham so far this term; namely the likes of Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez and Michail Antonio among others.

However, one player to have thoroughly impressed former Man City defender and popular Sky pundit Richards is none other than Ward-Prowse.

The former Southampton star, who made the move to West Ham from St. Mary's Stadium in mid-August, has got off to an absolute flyer in Claret and Blue.

Indeed, the 28-year-old was very unlucky to miss out on a place in England's squad during the most recent international break, with former Spurs defender Michael Dawson suggesting it was an unfair decision.

Ward-Prowse has bagged two goals and a further three assists in just four league games so far; standing out as their best-performing player per 90 according to WhoScored.

The Englishman also racked up another two assists in midweek against Topola; curling in whipped deliveries from corners for both Mohammed Kudus and Tomas Soucek to head home.

Now, Richards has told The Rest is Football Podcast that he has been vindicated in his long-time praise of the Ward-Prowse.

“I’ve banged on about Ward-Prowse now for so long and nobody was taking me seriously," said the Sky pundit, as transcribed by TBR.

"I was literally saying, he’s in a struggling team that don’t have a style of play and once he goes somewhere where he can express himself more, he’s got more than just taking free-kicks. He’s a comfortable footballer.

“When he’s played for England he’s not really took his chance so everyone sort of questions is he good enough for the highest level. But he is. He’s an amazing player. And he works hard, he can sit deep, also play further forward. I just love him. He’s been my signing of the season so far.”

How good is James Ward-Prowse?

This isn't the only high praise Ward-Prowse has received, with former Southampton manager Nathan Jones saying this last season:

"He’s been absolutely world-class for me. The way he reacted and the performances you’re seeing now, it’s really motivated and driven.”

“He’s vital, I like to get to know my captains and have a real relationship with them, a real personal relationship so they understand decisions we make."

The former Australia captain, however, said he was shocked by the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town, and that the penalties handed out by Cricket Australia were necessary

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2018The ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town is being seen as much more than just that. Australia’s team culture has come under the scanner, with suggestions that such a fall was inevitable in a win-at-all-costs side. Outgoing Australia coach Darren Lehmann even said New Zealand might be a good example to follow for on-field behaviour, and Cricket Australia ordered an independent review into the team culture.However, former Australia captain and a possible candidate for the role of coach, Ricky Ponting, believes the talk about the team culture is out of proportion.Ponting, currently in India as head coach of IPL franchise Delhi Daredevils, addressed the issue for the first time at a press conference on Thursday. Ponting expressed shock at the events in Cape Town, and said the reaction from Cricket Australia was befitting. However, he didn’t necessarily feel the team culture had deteriorated drastically.”The cultural issue for me is really an interesting thing because if we wind the clock back to just a couple of months, when Australia won the Ashes like they did, there was no talk about cultural problems or issues whatsoever,” Ponting said. “I honestly feel on this occasion the cultural stuff that’s been spoken about has probably been blown out of proportion to a certain degree.”Ponting, however, did not play down what a big disappointment the ball-tampering incident was for him and the rest of Australia. “As a past player and past captain, I was quite shocked to see what actually took place out on the field,” he said. “The pleasing thing for me is that now it seems the issue is starting to come to an end. We hear this morning that David Warner also accepted his sanction, means all three guys have accepted the sanctions before them.”Ponting said the country was jolted by what they saw. “Look, when I was back at home a week and half ago, if you think it was big news over here, it was astronomical how big the issue was in Australia, and rightly so,” he said. “As Australians, we like to play the game hard, we like to play the game fair. Our fans expect the Australian player to play that way. I think the reaction back in Australia was as big as it was because the Australian public felt the Australian players had not played the game in a fair way.”It seems it’s like coming to an end, it’s a good thing for the game’s sake, it’s a good thing for the player’s sake as well, that they can try and get away from it all now. As hard as that’s going to be for them, it’s also a good thing for cricket in Australia as well. Now that the Test series is over, the guys have got a few weeks to get away from it all and then start rebuilding what has sort of collapsed for them over the last couple of weeks.”When asked how he would have reacted to the incident if he had been in a position to act, Ponting said it would be unfair for him to say, but did acknowledge that Cricket Australia’s sanctions were pretty much necessary.”There’s a very big picture there for the world game’s sake, and Cricket Australia, I think, have reacted to what the world game pretty much demanded,” he said. “The world game and the Australian public demanded that these players were dealt with and treated in a certain way.”Now it would appear that 12-month bans would appear to be a very severe ban. If you go back to what the ICC sanction was: one-game ban for Smith and nothing for the other two. You can understand the gap is vast between what the ICC deemed fair [and what CA handed out]. I wouldn’t comment on what I would have done. It would be unfair.”

Celtic have seen a number of talented players pass through their academy system over the years and have several graduates in their current first-team set-up.

Callum McGregor is the club captain, having come through the youth sides at Parkhead, and is a regular starter in central midfield for Brendan Rodgers, whilst Anthony Ralston and Stephen Walsh have also emerged as squad options for the Scottish giants in recent years.

Celtic's most valuable former academy players:

Aaron Hickey

£21.5m

Kieran Tierney

£21.5m

Callum McGregor

£7.3m

Jack Hendry

£2.5m

Ben Doak

£2.5m

Their success with youth players is not a new thing for the Hoops, however, as they have been able to bring through talented prospects for many, many, years.

One young prodigy who the club ended up striking gold with was winger Aiden McGeady as he enjoyed a terrific time with the Bhoys after making the breakthrough at senior level.

Who gave McGeady his Celtic debut?

Former Celtic head coach Martin O'Neill handed the teenage forward his first-team bow towards the end of the 2003/04 campaign and placed his faith in the talented youngster.

The Northern Irish boss had clearly seen enough from the skillful whiz in training and in academy matches to suggest that he would be able to make the step up to playing professional football and was proven to be right.

McGeady scored one goal in four Scottish Premiership appearances at the end of that season as he burst onto the scene and showcased his potential to be a star for the club.

How many appearances did McGeady make for Celtic?

The Ireland international went on to play 223 matches for the Hoops in all competitions after the exciting wizard managed to establish himself as a first-team regular.

He scored nine goals and assisted eight across 49 Premiership games across the 2005/06 and 2006/07 campaigns, to go along with zero goal contributions in six Champions League clashes.

These statistics show that the Irish winger was a semi-regular contributor at the top end of the pitch throughout his first two full seasons as a senior option for the Scottish giants.

McGeady then caught the eye with a stunning return of seven goals and 17 assists in 36 Premiership outings during the 2007/08 term, which means that he was directly involved in a goal every 1.5 matches on average.

The assist machine also scored his first Champions League goal and registered two assists in eight appearances in Europe's premier cup competition that season.

His form, unfortunately, dipped during the following campaign as McGeady only contributed with three goals and six assists in 29 Premiership games, which may have been a concern at the time as there was no guarantee that he would be able to get back to his previous levels.

However, the academy graduate followed that up with an outstanding seven goals and 14 assists in 35 league matches throughout the 2009/10 season, which is an average of one goal involvement every 1.67 outings.

In total, McGeady produced 35 goals and 48 assists in all competitions for Celtic after coming through the academy system under O'Neill.

He showcased his ability to make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis as a match-winner and game-changer for the Scottish giants and the former Hoops boss deserves great credit for unearthing him.

Placing faith in an academy player to come into the senior team takes courage from a manager and in different circumstances McGeady may have ended up moving on after not being given an opportunity by a different head coach, which is why O'Neill deserves plaudits for his work with the Irish ace.

How much did Celtic sell McGeady for?

The Bhoys eventually opted to cash in on the talented maestro in the summer of 2010 for a club-record £9.5m fee to Russian outfit Spartak Moscow.

In fact, that transfer made him the most expensive sale in the history of Scottish football at the time, which is a record currently held by former Celtic stars Kieran Tierney and Jota – who both departed for reported fees of £25m to Arsenal and Al Ittihad respectively.

This shows that O'Neill hit the jackpot for Celtic with McGeady as he played a critical role in turning a player who cost the club £0, as he came through their academy system, into the most expensive player in the club's history in 2010.

Neil Lennon, who was the manager of the Hoops at the time of the sale, hailed McGeady as one of the game's "entertainers" and he was one of the greats in that respect, which is backed up by the fact that the talented magician has his own skill move 'the McGeady spin' named after him.

Where is McGeady now?

The 37-year-old winger currently plays for Ayr United in the second tier of Scottish football after enjoying a strong career in Russia and England before his return to Scotland.

McGeady racked up 13 goals and 28 assists in 93 games for Spartak and earned himself a transfer to Premier League side Everton in 2013.

His time with the Toffees did not go to plan, as he scored once in 43 matches, but the creative maestro ended up with Sunderland, where he was able to thrive.

The experienced forward produced 36 goals and 35 assists in 150 appearances for the Black Cats during his spell at the Stadium of Light before his move back to Scottish football with Hibernian in the summer of 2022.

McGeady, who also scored five goals in 92 games for Ireland at senior level, was never able to replicate his outstanding 17-assist league season for Celtic but did manage 14 assists for Sunderland during the 2020/21 League One campaign.

Overall, there is little doubt that the Hoops played a blinder with the Irish hotshot as they raked in a club-record fee and benefitted from his terrific performances on the pitch for a number of years after unearthing him from the academy set-up for £0.

Rodgers will now be hoping that the next McGeady is currently in the youth team and on the verge of being ready to make their first-team breakthrough over the years to come.

There were several changes to the squad that was beaten by Sri Lanka in February, notably the returns of fast bowler Taskin Ahmed and offspinner Mehidy Hasan

Mohammad Isam26-Feb-2018Shakib Al Hasan will be back to captain Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy, the T20I tri-series against India and Sri Lanka in Colombo. However, the BCB president Nazmul Hassan indicated that he might be available for only “one or two” matches as he continues to recover from a finger injury.There were several changes to the squad that was beaten by Sri Lanka in February, notably the return of fast bowler Taskin Ahmed and offspinner Mehidy Hasan. Those missing out were Zakir Hasan, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Mithun, Mahedi Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin.Chief selector Minhajul Abedin said the decision to try out youngsters was in line with preparing a strong group for the next World T20. “We are still not up to the mark in T20s. We want to prepare an 18-member pool for the 2020 World T20s, which is why we picked some of them in the home series [earlier this month] after they did well in the BPL.”Among the more debatable picks was Imrul Kayes, who averages 9.15 in 14 T20Is over eight years. Minhajul justified the selection by citing the importance of having an experienced batsman in conditions “where fast bowlers will be a dominating factor.””Imrul has been included as the third opener because we were considering batsmen who are good against fast bowling. He opens for us in Tests. India has a lot of good fast bowlers. We have gone for an experienced player because we had a bad series against Sri Lanka.”Minhajul also had to face a number of questions on Sabbir Rahman’s selection among others. Sabbir has had a wretched recent run, managing scores of 10, 2, 0, 1 and 1 in his last five international outings. “He has the most runs in T20s in the last year,” Minhajul said. “He has the experience. We have considered him because we are playing against two experienced sides away from home. I am hopeful because he was also picked in the PSL.”Minhajul also clarified that Taskin’s selection was largely Shakib’s call as he insisted on having an out-and-out fast bowler owing to conditions at R Premadasa Stadium.”The captain said that since we are playing in Premadasa where the ground is large and we need someone quick, we picked Taskin Ahmed who has the ability to bowl yorkers and bouncers,” he said. “Among all the fast bowlers in Bangladesh, Taskin is the fastest. The team management has a plan for him.”Meanwhile, Mashrafe Mortaza wasn’t considered despite a plea by the BCB to reconsider his T20 retirement. “I told him personally to play in the previous series but he didn’t show any interest,” Hassan said. “This time we sent him word and he must have heard it in the media. As far as I know, he has turned us down again.”Bangladesh squad Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Hider, Abu Jayed, Ariful Haque, Nazmul Islam, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan