Tim David signs £50,000 Southern Brave deal as teams finalise retentions

Matt Roller16-Feb-2022

Joe Clarke and Tom Banton have not been retained•PA Photos/Getty Images

Tom Banton, Joe Clarke, Liam Dawson and Laurie Evans are among the English players set to be available in the Hundred draft on March 30 after failing to agree retentions with their respective teams, ESPNcricinfo understands.Tim David, who was signed by Mumbai Indians for INR 8.25 crore (£810,000 approx.) at last weekend’s IPL auction, has been retained for just £50,000 by Southern Brave, while Andre Russell and Kagiso Rabada are among the biggest overseas names set to be available in the draft.Men’s teams have been negotiating with players and their representatives since December 1 and had the option to retain up to 10 players who held contracts at any stage for the inaugural season in 2021. The retention window closes on Wednesday and signings will be confirmed officially by the ECB next week.Men’s wages have increased by 25% across each salary band, but coaches and general managers struggled to fit every player they wanted to retain into their draft grid, which sees a maximum of two players paid the same wage in any given squad.Related

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Many of the players who have been released were offered contracts by teams but turned them down. Some are looking for a new team after a lack of opportunities last season, while others will hope to earn a higher salary, taking advantage of the uncertainty around overseas players’ availability and the resulting demand for domestic players.Each team will be allowed to use one right-to-match (RTM) card at the draft, which can be used to re-sign a player from their 2021 squad, so long as they can match the salary for which another team has tried to sign them. Picks will be made in reverse order of finishing position, with London Spirit picking first and Southern Brave last.The availability of overseas players has been a major stumbling block, with continued uncertainty over the Future Tours Programme. India’s tour to West Indies, Afghanistan’s to Ireland, Pakistan’s to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh’s to Zimbabwe are all due to overlap in part while South Africa’s Test series in England is due to start halfway through. The Hundred runs from August 3 to September 3 with the women’s competition starting on August 11.Australia are also due to play a limited-overs series against Zimbabwe at the end of August – though they may well field a weakened side – while the Caribbean Premier League and the Asia Cup could clash with the knockout stages. As a result, most teams have released several overseas players. Teams are allowed three overseas players in both their squad and their playing XI.Changes to England’s central contracts list have opened up free spots for some teams, with Mark Wood, Jonny Bairstow, Zak Crawley and Dawid Malan among the players who will be allocated centrally by the ECB rather than paid directly through the draft mechanism. The four players on white-ball-only contracts – Moeen Ali, Eoin Morgan, Adil Rashid and Jason Roy – will still be paid through the draft and have all been retained.Southern BraveThe defending champions have retained most of the squad that took them to the title last year. Tymal Mills, Jake Lintott, George Garton and Alex Davies have all earned pay rises while Chris Jordan rejected the promise of a lucrative offer in the draft from elsewhere in order to stay put.James Vince will continue as captain but Liam Dawson, Danny Briggs and Delray Rawlins have all been released. With Jofra Archer unlikely to play much Test cricket this summer as the ECB manage his return from a long-term elbow injury, he could be available for most of the season.David only played twice in 2021, scoring 15 off 6 balls and running Liam Livingstone out in the final, but has been retained on the cheap after his remarkable form around the world. Marcus Stoinis, who missed the inaugural season, has also been retained and while Quinton de Kock has been released, multiple sources suggested Brave, who have the last first-round pick, will use their RTM card if another team tries to sign him ahead of them in the first round of the draft.Tim David won the Hundred with Southern Brave•Getty Images

Birmingham PhoenixPhoenix topped the group-stage table in 2021, thanks in no small part to their decision to pick Liam Livingstone in the first round of the inaugural draft in 2019. He has been retained for next season, along with the core of last season’s squad which included Moeen Ali, Will Smeed and Benny Howell.Shaheen Shah Afridi was unavailable in 2021 and may be again this season but could be retained if Phoenix look to secure him for future seasons, while Tom Helm, Adam Hose and Dillon Pennington have been released. Tom Abell’s future is unclear but he has attracted interest from other teams and was disappointed to be left out of the side for last season’s final.Trent RocketsLewis Gregory struggled with the bat and had his bowling contributions limited by a back injury last season but has been retained and is likely to continue as captain. The majority of Rockets’ Nottinghamshire core – including Alex Hales, Steven Mullaney, Tom Moores and Matthew Carter – have been retained, while Rashid Khan will be retained as an overseas player despite uncertainty over his availability.Luke Wood has been retained and Marchant de Lange will return as an overseas player, but Timm van der Gugten, Luke Wright, D’Arcy Short and Ben Cox are all expected to leave. Multiple sources suggested that Rockets will aim to sign Joe Clarke early on in the draft if he is available but he could be taken before their first pick.Oval InvinciblesThey missed out on the knockout stages by a single point last year and the feeling among players and staff was that they had underperformed given the strength of their squad. As a result, the majority have been retained and the main focus at the draft will be securing cheaper overseas players who are available for the full season. Sunil Narine could be released but would likely be bought back in the draft if he is.Will Jacks was initially expected to re-enter the draft but now looks set to be retained, while Laurie Evans – who was offered an improved deal after impressing in the Big Bash – is due to be released. Jordan Cox, a wildcard last season, has been retained after starring in the Blast for Kent while Tom Curran, Saqib Mahmood and Reece Topley are all staying put.Laurie Evans will be back in the draft•Getty Images

Northern SuperchargersJames Foster was appointed as coach only last week and has been at the PSL as Peshawar Zalmi’s head coach. As a result, general manager Andy Dawson and head of cricket Marcus North have been handling retentions over the winter and were involved in last-minute talks this week.Harry Brook, Adil Rashid, Matthew Potts and Callum Parkinson have all been retained but several others including Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Ben Raine and Matthew Fisher are likely to be available in the draft. Olly Stone, who missed last season with a stress fracture, is set to be released while Jordan Thompson, Adam Lyth and David Willey were still weighing up their options as the deadline approached.Hassan Cheema, who has joined as analyst, has built ultra-attacking batting line-ups at Islamabad United and Team Abu Dhabi and may look to replicate that formula at Superchargers. Faf du Plessis, who was ruled out of the first season due to concussion symptoms, could return as captain.Manchester OriginalsJoe Clarke is set to return to the draft and seems likely to earn a top-bracket deal with several teams interested in signing him. Phil Salt, their other explosive young top-order batter, is expected to stay put while Jos Buttler is likely to be available for the whole season, barring a Test recall.Jamie Overton and Wayne Madsen both missed last season through injury but have been retained. Matt Parkinson was surprisingly linked with a move away early in the retention window but has signed a new deal while Steven Finn and Sam Hain have both been released.Matt Parkinson is staying at Emirates Old Trafford•Getty Images

Welsh FireBen Duckett captained the side for most of last season after Jonny Bairstow’s Test recall and has been convinced to stay put, with Jake Ball, David Payne, Leus du Plooy, Ryan Higgins and Matt Critchley also set to be retained.Bairstow moves into the centrally-contracted category again, freeing up a top-bracket spot for the draft, while Tom Banton, Ian Cockbain, Luke Fletcher, Graeme White and Matt Milnes have been released. Fire are expected to start from scratch with their overseas signings and will have the second pick in the draft.London SpiritSpirit finished rock bottom in the first season and have unsurprisingly had a clear-out of their squad as a result. Eoin Morgan stays on as captain while Brad Wheal, Blake Cullen, Adam Rossington and Mason Crane are all retained but the majority of their team-mates – including Chris Wood, Luis Reece and Joe Denly – have been released.Shane Warne raised the possibility of recruiting both Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green while commentating for Fox during the Ashes but Andre Russell is likely to be their first pick of the draft if he puts his name forward.

David Beckham has revealed the fun request that he receives from Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets on a regular basis at Inter Miami.

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• Ex-England captain is Herons co-owner
• Star signings want to see him in action
• Becks fast approaching 50th birthday

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United legend Beckham is co-owner of the Herons, with his presence helping to lure a collection of former Barcelona superstars to the United States. He is hoping to see them deliver MLS Cup glory in South Florida.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Beckham tries to be as hands-on as possible in his current role, his duties do not extend to lacing up a pair of boots – much to the disappointment of those that would like to see the ex-England captain showcase his talent in training.

• WHAT DAVID BECKHAM SAID

  Beckham has told : “Do you know what, they’re always on at me, Leo, Luis, Jordi [Alba], Sergio. They will turn around and say, ‘Come on, come on, join in!’” Said requests continue to be knocked back, with head coach Javier Mascherano being left to work without any unnecessary distractions.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Beckham is not convinced that he could handle the demands of training any more, adding ahead of his 50th birthday on May 2: “The funny thing was, the other day I was kicking a ball around for Adidas, doing some filming for my new Predator boots. I was doing some free kicks, pinging some long passes and I got overly excited. I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but I grew up in an era where I didn’t really do much warming up or stretching. So, it wasn’t unusual just taking some balls on the halfway line and pinging them into the goal or on to the crossbar.

  “I got to the fifth, six and seventh – on the eighth one, I pinged it, and I was like, ‘Oh sh*t, my quad!’ The guy filming asked if I could do a couple more. I was like, ‘No, I think we got it!’”

Jurgen Klopp has revealed exactly when he plans to return to Anfield to watch Liverpool, even though he fears he will prove a "jinx".

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Liverpool leading the leagueSlot's side look destined to win titleKlopp set to make Reds returnFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Klopp has confirmed that he will return to Anfield before the end of the season, in what would be his first time back at the club since his exit at the end of last summer. The legendary German boss spent nine years in charge, winning the league and the Champions League during his time in the dugout.

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Klopp has admitted that he has feared being seen as a "jinx" to Arne Slot's side and as a result he has claimed he is only willing to watch the Reds at Anfield once they have confirmed their status as Premier League champions. Of course, when Klopp won the title, he did so in front of an empty stadium due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

WHAT KLOPP SAID

Klopp was speaking at a charity event in South Korea and confirmed he would attend the final game of the season against Crystal Palace.

He said: "Yes, the plan is [to be in Liverpool] but not on the bus. I will be there with the people, the people I saw when we were on the bus. That's the idea to be honest, but we will see. I think I will be there for the last game… I didn't want to go earlier to be honest because I didn't want to jinx it all the time.

"If I'm in the stadium for the first time and they lose: 'oh f*ck sake'. So I go there when it's decided."

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Liverpool play Southampton this weekend as they bid to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 16 points.

Blast’s all-time leading scorer quits captaincy after seven seasons in charge

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2022Luke Wright, the leading run-scorer in T20 Blast history, has stepped down as Sussex’s T20 captain after seven seasons in the role.Sussex have been one of the leading T20 sides in the country under Wright’s leadership but have not managed to convert a strong win/loss record into a trophy, and lost to eventual champions Kent in last season’s semi-finals.They have lost several key players – most recently Chris Jordan and Phil Salt – in recent seasons, and Wright spoke out against the talent drain on the eve of Finals Day last year, saying: “It’s absolutely not impossible to keep your best players.””It’s something from the club’s point of view that we need to look at because we can’t be losing our best players all the time,” he added. “Our recruitment process has got to be really strong and it’s something that probably hasn’t been as good as it should be at this moment in time.”Sussex said in a statement that they were “naturally disappointed” that Wright had asked to step down as captain but that they “respect his decision after 104 T20 games in charge.”Related

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Wright: 'We can't be losing our best players all the time'

“It has been a huge honour to captain Sussex, the club I love so much,” Wright said. “However, I feel it is the right time to step down. I will continue to give my all to help Sussex as I have over so many years.”Rob Andrew, their chief executive, said: “We respect Luke’s decision to step down as captain and we will work with him to move forward and focus on the future with his successor at the helm.”Luke has been a fantastic captain, leading the team to the knockout stages of the T20 Blast in five of his seven seasons as captain, including two Finals Day appearances in 2018 and 2021. The experience and knowledge he will be able to share with his successor will be invaluable.”Wright has been preparing for his career after cricket of late, completing a Masters of Sport Directorship at Manchester Metropolitan University this winter, but is under contract at Sussex until the end of the 2023 season.He was released by his Hundred team, Trent Rockets, after spending the inaugural season of the competition on the bench but is expected to be signed in April’s draft.Sussex have recruited a handful of new signings for this season’s Blast, with Rashid Khan due to be available throughout the group stages with Mohammad Rizwan and Josh Philippe splitting the second overseas spot. Steven Finn and Fynn Hudson-Prentice were also recruited at the end of last season.

Here’s something no one has been able to say for a while: Manchester City are struggling for goals.

Right now, the Sky Blues are the joint-sixth highest scorers in the Premier League with 22 from 13 games, meaning they’ve bagged fewer goals than Brentford and the same number as Wolverhampton Wanderers, a current member of the bottom three.

As noted by Opta’s The Analyst, of Man City’s starting lineup deployed at Anfield on Sunday, only Erling Braut Haaland had scored a Premier League goal this season, a fact that remained true following their lacklustre display on Merseyside, and even the usually unstoppable Norwegian has only netted twice in his last eight league outings.

Of course, the Citizens’ current decline has been largely attributed to Rodri’s injury, leaving them exposed at the back and vulnerable to counter-attacks, but they’re also struggling to score goals too.

Thus, despite already boasting one free-scoring, often unplayable Nordic centre-forward, could the four-in-a-row Premier League champions make a move for another?

Manchester City looking at Viktor Gyokeres move

According to a report by Florian Plettenberg of Sky Deutschland on social media, Manchester City have “intensified their efforts” to sign Sporting Clube de Portugal striker Viktor Gyökeres.

The Sweden international has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in the last month or so, which isn’t too surprising considering Rúben Amorim, his now former Sporting boss has just arrived at Old Trafford.

When pressed on the matter, Gyökeres himself said: “We’re sad to see him (Amorim) go….. follow him to Manchester? I don’t know, I’m here and I like it here. I don’t think about it.”

However, could he indeed follow Amorim to Manchester, but end up donning a sky blue shirt, rather than a red one?

Analyst Ben Mattinson described Gyökeres as a “ball-striking monster”, with reference to this thunderous free-kick he scored during the Taça da Liga quarter-final against Nacional in late October.

That was one of 24 goals Gyökeres has scored already this season, including five in five Champions League appearances, most notably bagging a hat-trick during Manchester City’s 4-1 thrashing at Estádio José Alvalade last month.

He was also the top-scorer in this season’s UEFA Nations League with nine, including four when Azerbaijan visited Stockholm in November, a haul that meant he pipped a certain Haaland to the golden boot.

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Expand Collapse Where Gyökeres would fit in at Manchester City

Overall, since joining Sporting from Coventry City 18 months ago, Gyökeres has scored 67 goals in 71 appearances for the Lions, the key figure, certainly on the playing side, as they won last season’s Primeira Liga title at a canter.

Given that the Swede will celebrate his 27th birthday next June, next summer feels the right time for him to make a big-money move, having made very little impact at the highest level before exploding onto the scene in Lisbon last season.

On the face of it, this proposed move makes little sense at all, considering Man City already have the great Haaland leading the line.

However, Gyökeres should be viewed as more of a replacement for Julián Álvarez, who was sold to Atlético Madrid for a whopping £81.5m last summer, without being replaced; İlkay Gündoğan’s, so far, underwhelming return notwithstanding.

It was viewed that Álvarez’s departure would have little impact because he didn’t play much anyway, but this was a complete myth because, contrary to popular belief, only seven outfielders accumulated more than his 3,481 minutes, while only Rodri, Phil Foden, Ederson and Kyle Walker saw more Premier League action than the Argentine forward.

So far this season, Savinho, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Jérémy Doku and an ageing Kevin De Bruyne, persistently hampered by injury, have scored a combined seven goals across all competitions, with Grealish specifically approaching an entire year since he last scored a club goal against Crystal Palace; 353 days and counting.

So, as bonkers as it may be to say, Gyökeres could be just the man the Sky Blues need to bolster their attacking firepower, consequently replacing Alvarez in the process.

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Posts ByDan Emery Dec 3, 2024

Well, as should be expected by this point, Tottenham Hotspur followed up their sensational win away to Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday with a dismal draw against Roma in the Europa League last night.

Ange Postecoglou has done very well in his year and a half at the club, helping to turn them into one of the most exciting teams in Europe, but he hasn’t been able to quash the inconsistent streak that seems ever-present within the club.

However, the North Londoners had enough chances to win the game last night, so it would be unfair to pin the draw on anyone other than the players.

Europa League

AS Roma (H)

2-2 (D)

Premier League

Man City (A)

4-0 (W)

Premier League

Ipswich (H)

2-1 (L)

Europa League

Galatasaray (A)

3-2 (L)

Premier League

Aston Villa (H)

4-1 (W)

In particular, there was one regular starter who was notably poor on the night and should probably be dropped for Sunday’s clash with Fulham.

Spurs' poor performers

So, before we get to the offender in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other disappointing displays from last night, starting with club-record signing Dominic Solanke.

Now, it’s true that the former Bournemouth ace didn’t make a mistake that cost his team a goal. However, he missed more than his fair share of chances that could have taken them out of sight of the Giallorossi, somehow failing to score once from an expected goals figure of 1.13, which saw Spurs writer Alasdair Gold award him a 6/10 match rating.

Likewise, while Son Heung-min scored the penalty in the first half, he was painfully ineffective for most of the game, either taking weak and inaccurate shots when he shouldn’t have or failing to pass to his teammates when he should have, resulting in a 6/10 from Gold.

In the midfield, Rodrigo Bentancur looked tired early on in the second half, and while he put in some decent tackles here and there, he failed to assert himself in the middle of the park, once again leading to a 6/10 rating from the football.london journalist.

However, while all three of the above were underwhelming against the Serie A giants, one of their teammates managed to put in a display that was even worse.

The Spurs starter Postecoglou should drop

So, while the likes of Radu Dragusin and even Brennan Johnson struggled at points last night, the starter who put in arguably the worst performance of all and should, therefore, be dropped was Pedro Porro.

Yes, the Lilywhites’ talented full-back, who is usually so effective for the club in attack and, at the very least, reliable in defence, was neither last night.

The Spaniard’s best moment came when he hit the woodwork from a free-kick in the second half but as Gold highlights, he ‘almost gifted Dovbyk a late equaliser’ and was ‘nowhere near Angelino’s cross for the leveller,’ which was unsurprisingly enough to warrant a paltry 5/10 match rating.

While that could be construed as harsh, it is an opinion backed up by the Spaniard’s statistics on the night.

For example, in his 95 minutes of action, the former Sporting CP ace was dribbled past twice, made an error that led to a shot, lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost the ball a staggering 23 times, misplaced 66% of his crosses, failed in 100% of his dribbles and maintained a passing accuracy of just 73%.

Minutes

95′

Dribbled Past

2

Errors Leading to a Shot

1

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Lost Possession

23

Crosses (Accurate)

3 (1)

Dribbles (Successful)

1 (0)

Passing Accuracy

44/60 (73%)

Shots on Target

2

Tackles

6

Now, while he did manage to take two shots on target and make several tackles during the game, his mistakes were too numerous to ignore.

As such, the manager should seriously consider dropping him for Fulham, especially when he can call upon Djed Spence, who needs game time badly, or even Archie Gray, whom Gold awarded a 7/10 for his display in the unfamiliar position of left-back last night.

Ultimately, nobody will dispute the sensational innate talent that Porro possesses, but last night was a particularly dire display from the full-back, and with players lining up behind him, Postecoglou should drop him to the bench on Sunday.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2024

Joe Root insists he has not put a timeframe on his future as England’s Test captain, but recognises the importance of getting a result on the upcoming tour of the Caribbean – a venue where England have won just one series since 1968.Root was a notable survivor of the cull within England’s ranks in the wake of their desperate display in this winter’s Ashes. The team’s senior management, Ashley Giles, Chris Silverwood and Graham Thorpe, all paid for the 4-0 defeat with their jobs, while eight of the players who featured on the tour have also been sidelined, including two of England’s all-time greats in James Anderson and Stuart Broad.However, Andrew Strauss, the team’s interim director of cricket, chose to back the man who singlehandedly carried England’s batting through a stellar year in 2021, even though he is already into his fifth year in the job and recently overtook his predecessor Alastair Cook as the most-capped man in the role.”Clearly it was a disappointing tour and we massively underperformed,” Root told reporters on the eve of England’s departure for the Caribbean. “Off the back of it we have to use this opportunity for a fresh start. As Straussy’s mentioned, [it’s] a bit of a reset, and a real chance to take things forward. I’m very grateful that I’ve got the opportunity to do that as captain.”Joe Root says he embraces the move back up to No.3•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Despite his excellent recent returns at No.4, from where he made 1708 runs at 66.00 in 2021, Root will be tasked with an extra level of responsibility against West Indies when he steps up to No.3. It is a position that he has previously been reluctant to embrace, notably when Trevor Bayliss was England’s head coach, but given that England lost a wicket inside the first ten overs in eight of their ten innings in the Ashes, he recognises that his team are in need of a more authoritative figure near the top of the order.”I’ve expressed in the past that I prefer batting at four but I’m ready to take on three now,” Root said. “I feel I’m very comfortable in the way I’ve been playing and performing over the last year or so, and I think it’s the right fit for this team. To go and bat slightly higher up and, if we do lose an early wicket, support the openers, show a bit of leadership and responsibility and take the game on. Hopefully lay a bit of a platform to bat around.”The numbers back up Root’s reticence – No.3 is the only top-six position in which he averages less than 40 (38.66), although he did make his career-best 254 in that role, against Pakistan in 2016. But, he added, after taking stock of England’s shortcomings in the Ashes, he recognised that there was more that even he could give to the team.”I think, naturally, as you come back from a tour, you reflect and you look at how things could [have gone] differently,” he said. “I think that’s the best way I can help us become a better team.”It’s the first time it’s sat comfortably with me,” he added. “It’s the first time I’ve been really excited and not slightly apprehensive about it. I am coming into it having had a really strong year, with a lot more clarity about how I’m going to score my runs. I’m not saying that guarantees success, I’ll have to work really hard to transfer those performances to No.3. But I feel excited about it, I’m very motivated and I feel ready for it now. I’m a lot more experienced, with more cricket under my belt. I feel it’s the right fit for this team.”Related

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Root fell short of his own recent standards during the Ashes, making 322 runs at 32.20 with a best of 89 in the first Test in Brisbane. But, despite overseeing his second 4-0 series loss in Australia – making him the first England captain to lose twice Down Under in more than 100 years – he said he had no doubts about carrying on in the role once it had been made clear that the job was still his.”No, I didn’t waver,” Root said. “I’m very passionate about trying to take this team forward. I’m grateful I’ve got that opportunity, I really am. But it’s now very exciting, with that squad being announced, for us to be on the eve of that tour, to get out there and to really try and put all of the thoughts and all of the ideas and good feelings about it into action, and really put the wheels in motion and enjoy everything about it as well. It’s a really exciting opportunity.”I’ve not put a time limit on it, not at all,” he said of his captaincy shelf-life “I’m very passionate about trying to help take this team forward. I’m excited about what’s right ahead of us.”Of course, the last couple of years in particular have been very difficult for a number of different reasons. Not just on field in the last year or so, but off the field as well. But again, this is a great opportunity to move things on again, and I’m really looking forward to that.”England’s recent record in the Caribbean does not augur well for an immediate upturn in fortunes, however. Since their 3-0 victory in 2004, England have toured three times and emerged with two series losses and a 1-1 draw, including their most recent trip in 2019 when Jason Holder inspired West Indies to a famous win in the first Test in Barbados.Nevertheless, Root says the team’s sights are set on victory in the coming month. “I think it’s important we get a win,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity. I know we need to turn things around and start putting in some great performances.”I’m very passionate, I want England to win, I’m as big a fan as anyone watching. I’m just fortunate to be in this position to affect the games, I know that responsibility and I’m very motivated to come away with what would be a brilliant achievement, having won there once since the 1960s.”There’s some very talented players amongst that squad and they’re the ones in the shirt right now. And they’ve got to take that chance. Collectively we’ve got a chance to do something very special. Historically, it’s been a very difficult place for England to go and win, but what a chance it is for us right now.”

Manchester United have made some key additions over the last couple of years to try and push the club back towards the summit of the Premier League.

The supporters have been starved of success on the field for many years, often finishing outside the top four and settling for numerous woeful showings under former boss Erik ten Hag.

However, the Dutchman was ultimately given his marching orders a couple of weeks ago after another dismal start to the campaign, with Ruben Amorim brought in to try and fix the mess left by the 54-year-old.

The recruitment will allow Amorim to work with former players such as Manuel Ugarte after their time together at Sporting CP, whilst giving young talents like Amad Diallo the chance to consistently reach the levels they’ve shown glimpses of.

He won’t be able to work with multiple players who have departed Old Trafford in recent times, however, including one player who left his boyhood club during the recent transfer window.

Scott McTominay’s life after Manchester United

Midfielder Scott McTominay came through the Manchester United academy, going on to have a very successful career in the first-team at his boyhood club.

The now-Scotland international went on to make 255 appearances over a seven-year period after his debut back in January 2017.

However, the 27-year-old would leave this summer, swapping Manchester for Naples and joining Serie A side Napoli in a £25m deal – a move which allowed Ugarte to move to the North West.

It’s certainly safe to say that McTominay was massively underrated during his time at Old Trafford, scoring 29 times, including a long-range screamer against local rivals Manchester City in March 2020, securing the victory for the Red Devils.

The hierarchy’s decision to offload the talent already appears to be a huge mistake given his early season form under former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte in Italy.

The midfielder has notched three goals and one assist in his opening ten outings, carrying on the record that saw him become a consistent goalscoring midfielder for United.

However, despite the transfer, there’s another talent who also departed the club in recent times before going on to enjoy major success away from Manchester.

The player who United must regret selling

After joining the club as a 17-year-old from Spanish giants Real Madrid, left-back Alvaro Fernandez was immediately placed into the youth setup at Carrington, allowing him to develop his game before making his mark on the first team.

He was given his first taste of senior football during the 2022/23 season, joining Championship side Preston North End on a season-long loan – making 42 appearances and registering six assists – winning their Young Player of the Season award.

The Spaniard would subsequently have two loan spells at Granada and Benfica during the previous campaign, before joining the latter on a permanent basis during the summer.

Fernandez moved for just £5m with a 50% sell-on clause in the deal, but crucially with a buy-back option should they ever want to re-sign the rising star.

His move to Portugal this campaign has been a roaring success, featuring 17 times in all competitions throughout 2024/25, registering a staggering two goals and two assists in his last five outings.

The 21-year-old “monster”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a marauding full-back, who loves to get forward, able to have an impact at both ends, as demonstrated by his tallies – making him the perfect fit for Amorim’s three-back system which has a huge impetus on the wing-backs.

When delving into his stats from the current season, his underlying figures are just as impressive – making him the perfect option for the 39-year-old had the Red Devils kept hold of the youngster.

Fernandez has averaged 6.9 progressive passes, along with 2.9 progressive carries, but has still caught the eye defensively – averaging 2.4 tackles won per 90 – having all the tools to be a world-class talent for many years to come.

Games played

10

Goals & assists

3

Pass accuracy

81%

Progressive passes

6.9

Progressive carries

2.9

Successful take-ons

1.1

Tackles won

2.4

Interceptions

1.2

Aerials won

1.1

It’s all well and good the club having a buy-back option with his departure from the summer, but it could’ve been totally avoided by keeping hold of the Spain U21 international.

With a shortage of natural wing-backs at Old Trafford – particularly on the left flank, amid the absence of both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia – the sale of Fernandez may represent a bigger mistake than that of McTominay.

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Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

As it is, United are already well stocked in the midfield ranks, with the likes of Ugarte, Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes all on board, with it having been an opportune time to sell McTominay with just a year remaining on his contract.

As for young Fernandez, his talents are there for all to see, with Amorim potentially wishing that the hierarchy decided to keep the one-time Madrid man in Manchester.

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شهدت مدرجات استاد القاهرة الدولي، مساء الأربعاء، تواجد الثنائي محمود عبد الرازق شيكابالا وحمزة المثلوثي، لدعم فريق الزمالك خلال مواجهة ستيلينبوش الجنوب إفريقي، في إياب ربع نهائي بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية. 

ورغم غيابه عن اللقاء بداعي الإصابة، حرص قائد الزمالك شيكابالا على الحضور ومساندة زملائه من المدرجات، في خطوة تعكس روح القائد والدعم المعنوي الكبير للفريق في مباراة مصيرية.

مرتضى منصور: الزمالك مخطوف.. “وزيزو شاف المرار” وشيكابالا السبب

كما شهدت المباراة ظهور التونسي حمزة المثلوثي في استاد القاهرة، بعد فترة من الغياب، ليشكل حضوره دفعة معنوية إضافية للفريق الأبيض، الذي يسعى لحجز بطاقة التأهل إلى نصف نهائي البطولة.

وكان لقاء الذهاب في كيب تاون قد انتهى بالتعادل السلبي، ليصبح الزمالك مطالبًا بالفوز على أرضه من أجل العبور إلى المربع الذهبي.

وتأتي هذه المباراة في ظل أجواء مشحونة داخل القلعة البيضاء، خاصة بعد استبعاد أحمد سيد زيزو من اللقاء، عقب تأكد توقيعه للنادي الأهلي، حسبما كشفت مصادر خاصة.

ويأمل عشاق الزمالك أن يكون الدعم المعنوي من قادة الفريق دافعًا لتحقيق الفوز ومواصلة المشوار في البطولة القارية من أجل حصدها للمرة الثانية تواليًا.

Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Real Madrid has seemingly come at a costly price, with Ibrahima Konate set to be out until 2025 alongside another absentee in a double blow for Arne Slot.

Liverpool injury news

Whilst some title rivals may be quick to mention Liverpool’s lack of injury struggles now that the quality of their opponents has become a worthless argument, the Reds are far from without their concerns. At various points in the current campaign, Slot has already been without Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott. Now, the Dutchman’s set to miss key man Konate for up to six weeks.

Now likely turning towards either the experienced Joe Gomez or the younger Jarell Quansah, Liverpool must hope to escape a hectic festive period unscathed and with their Premier League lead intact. But it’s not just that Frenchman that Slot will be without.

According to The Belfast Telegraph, Conor Bradley is also set to be sidelined for up to six weeks after suffering an injury in his excellent display against Kylian Mabppe and Real Madrid.

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The Northern Irishman acts as the perfect cover for Alexander-Arnold – as highlighted against Real Madrid – but could now miss the next nine Liverpool games. His injury creates quite the dilemma for Slot too.

In usual circumstances, Gomez would be the man to provide cover for Alexander-Arnold in Bradley’s absence, but he’s now needed to provide cover in central defence amid Konate’s injury and potentially even at left-back until Tsimikas returns from his own injury. So, just who would step in if Alexander-Arnold also suffered an ill-timed knock remains to be seen.

Games that "outstanding" Bradley could miss for Liverpool

Liverpool’s injuries have piled up at the busiest time of the year in the Premier League. During December, alone, the Reds are set to play eight more games after already squaring off against Manchester City. It’s a period in which squad depth is key and squad depth that Liverpool currently have sidelined rather than sitting on the Anfield bench this month.

Newcastle United vs Liverpool

04/12/2024

Premier League

Everton vs Liverpool

07/12/2024

Premier League

Girona vs Liverpool

10/12/2024

Champions League

Liverpool vs Fulham

14/12/2024

Premier League

Southampton vs Liverpool

18/12/2024

Carabao Cup

Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool

22/12/2024

Premier League

Liverpool vs Leicester City

26/12/2024

Premier League

West Ham United vs Liverpool

29/12/2024

Premier League

Liverpool vs Manchester United

05/01/2024

Premier League

A cup quarter-final and games against two of the Premier League’s top six, Liverpool will undoubtedly miss the backup that Bradley provides for Alexander-Arnold amid so many fixtures.

Praised for his “outstanding attitude” by former manager Jurgen Klopp last season, Bradley must now fight back to full fitness alongside Konate if he wants to play a large part in a crucial second-half in the Premier League campaign.