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A lot of hard work lies ahead of the negotiating parties representing New Zealand Cricket and the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association when they resume their discussions in Wellington tomorrow.New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Martin Snedden said there was clearly a key philosophical difference between the two sides that will be focused on over the next few days.Snedden said he was quite pleased that the Players’ Association (NZCPA) had made their background paper and response to NZC’s offer available to the public through the cricket web site cricinfo.com.”They are entitled to do what they have done,” he said.Snedden explained NZC’s position.”My philosophy is that when we are deciding to allocate resources we have to strike a balance in the interests of all players in New Zealand.”The Players’ Association are a little bit different. They expect NZC to look after the international and first-class players first without taking into account the other obligations NZC has.”It is an important difference,” Snedden said.”We have a long way to go. They have put a fairly positive spin on their response to our offer,” he said.NZC was going into the discussions keen to strike some key agreements and was prepared to work hard to do that, he said.With the players having withdrawn their services for the month of October only, Snedden said he would expect that if the issues were not resolved this week, and that is also the aim of the Players’ Committee according to their press statement today, it would be business as usual on November 1.

Pre-season warm-ups for the six first-class associations and the end-of-year match programme for the New Zealand Academy which were due to start next week have been cancelled

Lynn McConnell01-Oct-2002Pre-season warm-ups for the six first-class associations and the end-of-year match programme for the New Zealand Academy which were due to start next week have been cancelled.New Zealand’s cricketers came off contract to New Zealand Cricket (NZC) yesterday and have said in a united voice that they are not available for the preparation programme at the High Performance Centre at Lincoln University.Six days of cricket had been made available for the associations, allowing them to take advantage of the generally settled spring conditions in Canterbury while also having some meaningful match play.Last year the programme was beneficial in having all-rounder Chris Cairns gain some valuable build-up work before he returned to play on the New Zealand tour of Australia while the injured Daniel Vettori also used the end-of-year programme at the HPC to get himself back into fitness.Central Districts, Wellington and Northern Districts were the first in line for the programme which was scheduled to start on Sunday at Lincoln University.Otago, Auckland and Canterbury were to start their programme on October 20.The games were once again to have been part of Cairns’ rehabilitation from more knee surgery after he broke down on the first day of the first Test against England while there was the added factor in former All Black Jeff Wilson using these games as part of his build-up to playing first-class cricket again.NZC chief executive Martin Snedden, who is in Colombo for an International Cricket Council meeting at the moment said the players’ association had informed NZC that until a new contract was in place they were not prepared to attend.The next meetings between the two sides are scheduled for next week.Snedden commented: “There are some difficult issues involved in the negotiation process but I am confident both parties can work to reach a resolution.”The spokesman for the Players’ Association, Heath Mills had no comment on the negotiations and said it would be inappropriate to discuss them. He had no comment on whether there was any chance the warm-up programme at the HPC could be resurrected if an early agreement was reached.

All rounder Kabir Ali’s superb start to the season has earned him the first Hewett Recruitment Player of the Month Award.A string of consistent performances with both bat and ball have seen Kabir take the award for April/May ahead of Aussie Andy Bichel and David Leatherdale.The 21-year-old has been in outstanding form since spending the winter working hard on his game in Perth, Australia. He is the leading wicket taker in the country with 33 at an average of 18.84 and has contributed well with the bat averaging 32.66 in first class cricket. Kabir’s form in limited overs cricket has been just as impressive where he is again top of the wicket taking charts with 27 victims at a staggering average of just 9.4.The Hewett Recruitment Player of the Month Award’s are judged by members of the media who cover both the County’s four day and one day matches. The leading player in the match receives five points, second three and third one point with the monthly winner being the player with the highest total.There will be five monthly awards for April/May, June, July, August and September with the overall winner being presented with the Hewett Recruitment Player of the Year Award at the end of the season.

Steve Cooper has emerged as an ‘ideal candidate’ for the manager’s role at Crystal Palace, according to Wales Online.

Cooper has ‘long been fancied’ for the position after it was announced in the final week of the 2020/21 season that Roy Hodgson’s time at Selhurst Park would come to an end.

Palace are now keen to ‘go in a different direction’, a feature of which will be a greater emphasis on youth.

And Cooper has an impressive track record when it comes to overseeing talent, having led England to the Under-17 World Cup four years ago.

The Welshman has led Swansea City to the Championship play-offs in back-to-back seasons.

They were beaten by Brentford on both occasions, first in the 2019/20 semifinals and most recently in the Wembley showpiece.

Palace had been on the verge of appointing former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Nuno Espirito Santo before the deal broke down over Nuno’s backroom staff demands.

Twitter fan feed CPFC Transfers HQ relayed the Cooper report, and here’s how fans reacted.

Crystal Palace fans urge club not to appoint Steve Cooper

“Really hope not, just as I’ve renewed my season ticket, typical”

Credit: @dalboy12

“How uninspiring an appointment that would be. He looks as old as Roy and didn’t exactly set the championship alight with Swansea.”

Credit: @7superstar

“Send us down with him, cheap option”

Credit: @MarkDre44138040

“Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse…”

Credit: @420Burnard

“No, don’t want him”

Credit: @DeanHil29635442

“Why are we such a boring club?”

Credit: @cpfcjj89

In other news, fans reacted to this pre-season announcement. 

West Ham have been urged to sign James Tarkowski this summer amid recent reports…

What’s the word?

According to former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell, the Burnley centre-back’s future is “probably set in stone” and also claimed that he “would be a stabilising force back there for West Ham.”

It comes less than a week after the Irons were initially linked with reigniting their interest in the 28-year-old, who is said to be “very keen” on joining the London Stadium set up this off-season, as per Football Insider.

Hammers boss David Moyes had a £30m bid knocked back for Tarkowski last summer but with the two-time England international out of contract in 2022, the East London side are expected to return for the former Brentford star.

Get it done

Whilst the addition of a new striker should be their top priority, the West Ham hierarchy mustn’t turn their nose up at the chance to bolster multiple positions this window.

It has also been reported that Moyes wants a top-level centre-back before next season, one that he can build the defence around, via Football Insider.

Tarkowski absolutely fits the bill as a vastly experienced and consistent performer in the big time. Valued at just £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the 6 foot 1 colossus has made over 150 appearances in the Premier League since joining the Clarets in February 2016.

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This season, he displayed his solid attributes once again, rating out as Sean Dyche’s highest-rated player (7.02) with 25 or more starts, as per WhoScored ratings. That eclipses all of the Hammers’ current central defensive options, with Angelo Ogbonna sitting top on 6.73.

The Burnley beast is also clear for aerials won (4.6) and tackles (1.8) per game during the 2020/21 campaign, only further suggesting that his ability at the back is better than what Moyes has at his disposal and provides further reasoning to why he might be the very man to build around.

He has kept a fair few elite strikers quiet this campaign too, ranging from Arsenal duo Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino.

Described as “exceptional” and as a “big presence” by his former peers in an interview with The Athletic, Tarkowski has been lauded for his ability in both boxes. “He made us better in both boxes because of his desire to attack the ball,” claimed ex-Bees boss Mark Warburton.

There won’t be many better candidates out there this summer. The 28-year-old is a proven Premier League talent that has picked up caps on the international stage.

Whatever the price, GSB must sanction a move for him this summer.

AND in other news, ExWHUemployee drops encouraging transfer update…

Sussex beat Essex by one run in a dramatic finish at Chelmsford after the home side had made encouraging early progress towards their target of 244 for victory.Stephen Peters, who was promoted to open, continued his splendid recent run of form, hitting 66 with eight boundaries. He put on 58 with Darren Robinson for the first wicket before adding 89 with Stuart Law in a partnership that appeared to tilt the balance in favour of the batting side.When Law was run out for 40 Essex were 147-2 but then a mini-collapse saw four quick wickets fall for the addition of 15 runs before Paul Grayson steadied the ship. With careful shot selection he added valuable runs in tandem with Ashley Cowan, the pair putting on 48 in six overs to edge their side ever nearer the target.Requiring 15 runs from the last two overs with four wickets remaining, Cowan, having scored 22, edged a catch behind off James Kirtley. New batsman Ricky Anderson fell in the same over and with nine runs wanted from the last over of the day, Kirtley played a captain’s role, limiting Essex to seven runs while capturing two wickets.Mark Ilott arrived to face the final two deliveries but a bye was all that could be gleaned, leaving Sussex victors by one run and the unfortunate Grayson stranded on 48 not out.Sussex, who elected to bat, reached 243-6 with Richard Montgomerie forming the cornerstone of the innings.The 29-year-old hit a personal competition-best of 91 off 116 deliveries. His innings included ten fours and he was only dismissed in the 39th over having seen 194 runs posted on the scoreboard.Umer Rashid then batted briskly late in the innings for 28 off 22 deliveries to set Essex a challenging target but the home side were left to reflect a costly concession of 25 runs in wides during their opponent’s innings.

Jack Grealish has once again told friends he would be keen on joining Manchester City from Aston Villa this summer, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: City’s interest

Pep Guardiola’s side have been linked with a move for the Villa captain for a number of months.

The Daily Mail claimed back in March that City were the frontrunners to sign the 25-year-old this summer, with the attacking midfielder reportedly excited at a possible Etihad switch.

He allegedly told his friends in April over his interest in a move to the blue side of Manchester, and it appears as if he has reiterated his stance again.

The Latest: Source shares Grealish update

Football Insider shared a story on the Villa captain on Thursday morning, claiming Grealish has told friends he remains very interested in a move north.

A source informed the site that the England international has had his head turned due to the strength of City’s interest.

His future won’t be resolved until after this summer’s European Championships, with the report adding City’s Champions League final defeat to Chelsea last month won’t stop them in their bid to sign Grealish.

The Verdict: Villa in trouble?

Should Football Insider’s latest story prove accurate in regards to Grealish having his head turned, then Villa may well be in trouble.

The creative star wants to play Champions League football regularly, something Villa cannot offer him at this moment in time.

Guardiola’s side can give Grealish that opportunity, and should he have his heart set on an exit, it feels hard to begrudge him that move, now approaching the prime of his career.

Villa would need to make sure they are getting the best deal financially for Grealish, should they sell, and an impressive Euros under Gareth Southgate over the coming weeks could drive up his price tag to astronomical levels.

In other news: Many AVFC fans react as club close in on second summer signing, find out more here. 

Raheem Sterling has seen his first-team chances limited recently, especially in the bigger games and Paul Stewart, who jumped from the Third to the First Division when he joined Man City in 1987, exclusively spoke to Football FanCast about the possibility of Sterling leaving this summer.

Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez were both trusted to start against PSG as Sterling was handed just eight minutes over both legs, which has led to reports suggesting there has been a bust-up between Pep Guardiola and the winger.

It has been a less than fruitful season for Sterling at Man City as the England international has managed to score just 10 goals in the Premier League, despite having an xG of 11.7 for the campaign.

Speaking on how Sterling could have to leave the club if he has fallen out with Guardiola but how he offers so much to City, Stewart exclusively told FFC:

“What even are these reports because I’ve heard them myself and you have to wonder if they are just rumours or not. I’m of the opinion that they’ve had a falling out over something, but Raheem just offers so much at City.

“It’s a tough one because if it isn’t true, then I can see him still having a future at City. The one thing I know about Pep though, if he has fallen out with somebody then the door is open for them to leave. So if there has been a fall-out then I think Raheem will be leaving.”

The £300,000 per week winger was signed for £49 million when he left Liverpool to join Man City in 2015 and since then he has won an impressive 11 trophies which includes three Premier League titles.

Man City have already won their second league title in three seasons and they are set to play in their first-ever Champions League final when they face Chelsea at the end of the month.

Everton’s hopes of securing European football next season took a huge boost on Sunday afternoon.

The Toffees were excellent as they swept aside West Ham 1-0 at the London Stadium.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin popped up with yet another goal before the defensive work from Carlo Ancelotti’s men won them the game.

Ben Godfrey was in excellent form as the Everton defence combined well to deny their opposition a single shot on target.

The vast majority of Ancelotti’s team performed admirably but there were a few shaky outings that will have left the manager with something to think about.

Richarlison completed five dribbles but was accused of running down blind alleys on a regular basis while Gylfi Sigurdsson wasn’t at the races either.

The Iceland international was strong defensively, winning three out of his four duels, but from an offensive point of view he was completely anonymous.

Writing at full-time, Liverpool Echo journalist Phil Kirkbride commented: “Eerily similar performance to the one he served up at Arsenal recently. Had his eye in from set-pieces, in the first-half, but influence in possession lessened after the break.”

It’s hard to argue against that sentiment when you consider the efforts he displayed in east London.

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Although he was keen to track back, whenever he got forward he never really looked like having a strong influence over the contest.

With James Rodriguez still missing, he’ll need to step things up if he wants to remain in the team.

After all, Ancelotti has now shown that he’s ready to tinker after moving to a three-man defence against the Irons on Sunday.

During the course of the match, Sigurdsson had fewer touches of the football (28) than goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (33). On top of that, the attacking midfielder completed just 13 passes all match.

Furthermore, he failed to attempt a single dribble and managed only the one shot on target.

This was an afternoon to forget for the 31-year-old, a player who has struggled for consistency towards the closing stages of the season. Sigurdsson has contributed to 17 goals in all competitions this term but only two of those involvements have come in his last eight outings.

The forward’s performances have waned in the last few months which after an arduous performance is certainly forgivable.

That being said, with Everton targeting a winger ahead of the summer transfer window, he needs to show more to merit his place in the side.

AND in other news, Move over Gordon: Everton have a future star in never-seen 15 y/o, he’s a big “threat”…

MatériaMais Notícias

Antes do treino desta quarta-feira no Ninho do Urubu, os jogadores do Flamengo fizeram um minuto de silêncio pela Chapecoense. O Rubro-Negro, assim como outros clubes, já havia manifestado apoio ao time catarinense pelas redes sociais e chegou a cancelar as atividades de ontem.