Teen sensation Estevao Willian admits that he "will have difficulties" when adjusting to life in England on the back of a transfer to Chelsea.
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The 18-year-old wonderkid will complete a move to Stamford Bridge after representing Palmeiras at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. A deal worth at initial £29 million ($39m), which could end up costing as much as £57m ($77m), has been put in place.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea are hoping to be the ones to benefit from Estevao’s undoubted potential, with the youngster fondly known as ‘Messinho’ in his native Brazil. He is eager to open a new challenge in the Premier League.
Watch every game of the FIFA Club World Cup live on DAZNStream now
WHAT ESTEVAO SAID
Estevao told : "It means everything. It's a dream come true for me. I've always dreamed of playing in Europe alongside the best. Playing in important competitions, such as the Champions League and the Premier League. It's a dream come true. It will be very important for my life.
"It's a dream of mine and my family's. It will be an incredible opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world. And I hope to get there and adapt as quickly as possible. I want to play. It's the thing I love doing most, what I enjoy most."
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DID YOU KNOW?
While being excited about what lies ahead, Estevao is eager to point out that he will face many challenges. He added when asked what he is expecting from his time in England: "Madness. It will be my first time. And I'm going to stay. A film plays in my head, from where I came from to where I'm going.
"Of course, I know I will have difficulties, but I will be with my family, who are the pillar of my life. It will be an important step for me and my family. I hope it will be the best possible way. London, Chelsea… it couldn't be better."
Gurbaz and Ibrahim added a 154-run opening stand, while Farooqi claimed a five-for, as Afghanistan started their World Cup campaign with a bang
Mohammad Isam04-Jun-2024Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran struck fifties in the second-highest opening stand in T20 World Cup history and Fazalhaq Farooqi took his maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is as Afghanistan crushed debutants Uganda by 125 runs in their Group C game of the T20 World Cup in Guyana. Afghanistan’s 183 for 5 was too much for Uganda, who were bowled out for 58 runs in 16 overs.Farooqi’s five-for apart, Naveen-ul-Haq and captain Rashid Khan picked up two wickets each as Afghanistan ruined Uganda’s introduction to cricket’s biggest event. Uganda would, however, take heart from their comeback with the ball. Afghanistan lost 5 for 31 in the last six overs of their innings to finish well below 200. Uganda captain Brian Masaba, who bowls spin, and fast bowler Cosmas Kyewuta took two wickets each.Before the collapse, Gurbaz and Ibrahim had blasted 18 boundaries in the first 14 overs. Gurbaz made his 76 off 45 balls with four sixes and as many fours, while Ibrahim struck nine fours and a six in his 46-ball 70.
The Gurbaz-Ibrahim show
Gurbaz got things going when he lofted left-arm spinner Alpesh Ramjani to the stand beyond the long-off boundary off the second ball of the innings. Ibrahim struck Kyewuta through mid-on for his first boundary before wicketkeeper Simon Ssesazi dropped him on 16 off Ramjani.He capitalised on the chance, hitting Dinesh Nakrani for four successive boundaries in the sixth over as Afghanistan ended the powerplay on 66 for 0. Gurbaz took his sixes tally to four when he struck Henry Ssenyondo for two maximums in consecutive overs. He brought up his eighth T20I fifty in the ninth over, before Ibrahim brought up their century stand in the following over.Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran added 154 for the opening wicket•ICC via Getty Images
Ibrahim also reached his seventh fifty in T20Is before launching into Bilal Hassan for his first six, a proper slog over midwicket. It was a tough 14th over for Hassan, who conceded five wides and then was hit for a four off a no-ball. He ended up giving away 25 runs in the over, after which Afghanistan lost their way.
Masaba leads Uganda’s recovery
Ibrahim fell in the 15th over to end his 154-run stand with Gurbaz, when he missed a tossed-up ball from Masaba. Ramjani then had Gurbaz hole out to deep square leg in the following over.Masaba removed Najibullah Zadran in the 17th over, Nakrani taking the catch at the deep square leg boundary, before Kyewuta picked up his two wickets. He had Gulbadin Naib caught at long-on for four, and then in the final over, Azmatullah Omarzai skied one to short third.It was a fine comeback from Uganda after they conceded at 10.85 in the first 14 overs. They didn’t give away a single boundary in the last six overs of the innings, the first such instance in the T20 World Cup.
Pace blows away Uganda’s top half
Farooqi and Naveen took two wickets each in the powerplay as Uganda slipped to 18 for 5. Farooqi removed Ronak Patel and Roger Mukasa off consecutive deliveries in the first over. Both deliveries were fast and swung in, leaving the two batters with little time to bring down their bat. Riazat Ali Shah kept out the yorker on the hat-trick ball but there was no respite for Uganda.Mujeeb Ur Rahman had Ssesazi caught at short fine leg, before Naveen had Nakrani bowled off his inside edge in the fifth over. One ball later, Ramjani edged Naveen to Naib at first slip. It was Uganda’s first appearance at a World Cup, and Afghanistan underlined the gulf between the two sides.
Farooqi has five in the bag
Riazat and Robinson Obuya kept Afghanistan at bay for 7.3 overs as they added 29 runs for the sixth wicket. But the former’s 34-ball vigil ended when Farooqi, back into the attack for his third over, cleaned him up. He had captain Masaba caught behind off the next ball before Obuya, Uganda’s top scorer on the day with 14 runs, was also caught behind in the same over to hand Farooqi his five-for. Rashid took the two remaining wickets, trapping Hassan lbw and bowling Ssenyondo next ball.
The new system will have the TV umpire and Hawk-Eye operators in the same room, with more split screens, better frame rates and a less rigid process
Nagraj Gollapudi19-Mar-2024To increase the accuracy and speed of decision-making, IPL 2024 will have the Smart Replay System.ESPNcricinfo has learned that under the Smart Replay System, the TV umpire will receive inputs directly from two Hawk-Eye operators who will be sitting in the same room as the umpire and provide him with images captured by Hawk-Eye’s eight hi-speed cameras across the ground. The TV broadcast director, who used to be a conduit between the third umpire and the Hawk-Eye operators until now, will no longer be involved under the new system.It is understood that the Smart Replay System will allow the TV umpire to refer to more visuals than they previously had access to, including split-screen images. Take the example of a relay catch taken mid-air by the first fielder on the boundary rope. In the past, the broadcaster was unable to provide a split screen of the fielder’s feet and hands at the precise moment when the ball was caught. Under the new system, a split screen can show the umpire when the ball was caught, or released, alongside synchronised footage of the feet.Related
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Similarly, a split screen can now show, in case of an overthrow that goes for four, whether the batters had crossed or not when the fielder released the ball (think 2019 World Cup final for an example of a specific use case). Previously the TV umpire did not get such clear visuals, primarily because the broadcaster couldn’t marry the two images.There are eight Hawk-Eye cameras at any match: two on each side of the ground on the straight boundaries and two on each side square of the wicket. Until IPL 2023, Hawk-Eye cameras were mainly used for ball tracking and UltraEdge. So, outside of checks for lbws and edges, the broadcaster largely used footage from their own cameras for any on-field referral. That included referrals for stumpings, run-outs, catches and overthrows.In the case of a stumping referral, under the Smart Review System, the TV umpire can ask the Hawk-Eye operators to show him the split screen. In case there is a visible gap when the ball passed bat, he will not ask for the UltraEdge (to see if it was a caught behind) and instead directly proceed to check the side-on replay for the stumping. If the TV umpire doesn’t see a clear gap between bat and ball, only then he will refer to UltraEdge.For stumpings, the new system will show the TV umpire tri-vision – essentially footage from side-on cameras as well as from front-on in a single frame. The front-on camera angle is important because it gives an accurate picture of bails being removed. Previously the broadcaster would show the side-on angle from each side along with footage from Stump Cam. But Stump Cam records the action at a low speed of approximately 50 frames per second, as opposed to the Hawk-Eye cameras which record at approximately 300 frames per second, meaning there will now be more accurate footage for the umpires to base their decision on.The Smart Review System is also likely to provide more clarity in the case of a catch taken inches off the turf. Such referrals have in the past sparked debate over the TV umpire’s decision, with the video evidence upon which that decision was based seemingly not conclusive. Under the old system, the TV umpire would ask the TV director to provide him with the best angle available to provide clarity on whether the ball bounced before the fielder pouched it or if the fingers were under the ball. Even the zoomed-in visuals did not always provide conclusive evidence.Now, under the Smart Review System, Hawk-Eye will show a single frame straightaway with images from front-on and side-on angles. The TV umpire can then choose to zoom in from a particular angle.It is understood that the conversations between the TV umpire and the Hawk-Eye operator are likely to be aired live, allowing the viewer to understand the thought process behind decisions better.Speed of play is critical in T20 cricket, and the Smart Review System aims to hop over unnecessary steps to arrive at the right decision in the smallest amount of time. One good example is lbw reviews. The protocol so far involves the TV umpire being provided initially with Spin Vision, which comes from a camera that is positioned in front of the wickets outside the boundary on each side of the pitch. If the ball is close to the bat, the TV umpire would then ask to check UltraEdge. Once satisfied there was no bat involved, he would then proceed to check ball tracking. Under the Smart Review System, if the Hawk-Eye operator spots that the ball had pitched outside leg, he will tell the TV umpire immediately and they will then prioritise ball tracking.The ECB has previously trialled a similar referral system in the Hundred.The BCCI conducted a two-day workshop on the new system in Mumbai on Sunday and Monday for select umpires. It is learned that about 15 umpires, comprising both Indian and overseas umpires, will work with the Smart Replay System during IPL 2024 which starts on March 22.
Celtic have the chance to win the domestic treble for the second time in the last three seasons when they face Aberdeen in the final of the SFA Cup.
Brendan Rodgers clinched his second Scottish Premiership title in as many seasons last weekend when his side swept Dundee United away with a 5-0 win.
The Hoops will want to continue their dominance for seasons to come, and have already swooped to make one high-profile signing in the form of Kieran Tierney.
Why Kieran Tierney is an impressive signing
The Scotland international will officially join Celtic on a free transfer when his contract at Arsenal expires at the end of June, returning to the club after six years in England.
As you can see in the graphic above, the academy graduate enjoyed a phenomenal first spell in Glasgow, winning five league titles and making 170 first-team appearances.
At the time of writing (01/05/2025), Transfermarkt currently values Tierney at £8.5m, which is a drop from the £25m he was sold for, but that still means that the club are signing an £8.5m-rated asset for £0. He is an impressive addition for the Hoops because he is a proven Premiership star and a valuable asset.
Celtic do, however, have numerous valuable assets at the club, in what is a very talented squad, and one of those who is worth even more than Tierney is Daizen Maeda.
Celtic have hit the jackpot with Daizen Maeda
The Hoops swooped to sign the Japan international, who was described as a “snip” by pundit Chris Sutton, for a fee of just £1.6m, in the summer of 2022 from Yokohama F. Marinos.
Maeda, who was recently hailed as “brilliant” by Rodgers, has soared in value over the past three years in Glasgow, and is currently enjoying his best season at the club.
The 27-year-old forward has plundered 33 goals and provided 11 assists in 47 appearances in all competitions, which is a tally of 44 goal contributions that beats his return of 14 and 18 in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, respectively.
March 2025-present
£9.3m
December 2024
£6.8m
October 2024
£6.3m
May 2024
£5.9m
December 2023
£5.5m
June 2023
£5.1m
December 2022
£4.2m
June 2022
£2.9m
As you can see in the table above, Maeda’s value has skyrocketed as a result of his improved output at the top end of the pitch in the current season, going from £5.9m last summer to £9.3m at the time of writing.
His current market valuation of £9.3m also means that his value has soared by 481% from the £1.6m that Celtic paid for his services back in 2022, and that he is now worth even more than Tierney, who was once sold for £25m.
Daizen Maeda
This shows that the Scottish giants have hit the jackpot with Maeda because he has provided sensational performances on the pitch this term, and the Japan international is now an incredibly valuable asset who is worth even more than a big summer signing.
Worth less than Nawrocki: Celtic must axe flop who "wants to be at the club"
Celtic must ruthlessly bin this player who is now worth even less than Maik Nawrocki.
Essex 421 for 6 (Elgar 120, Critchley 103*, Cox 67) vs KentNothing changes with any great speed at Chelmsford. Plans are currently afoot for a grand renovation of the pavilion and its surrounding concourse – the only corner of this postage-stamp ground with any wriggle-room for expansion – though rather like this week’s announcement that the ground’s Hayes Close and River Ends have been renamed in honour of its most storied Test performers, Graham Gooch and Sir Alastair Cook, there’s been no pretence of an upgrade in signage in the interim. Indeed, the interactive “Graham Napier Sixes Trail”, with its 16 plaques to commemorate each of Napier’s swings for the bleachers in his famous T20 onslaught against Sussex in 2008, remains Chelmsford’s most visible tribute to any former player, Graham or otherwise.Until, that is, Dean Elgar rocked up with a note-perfect tribute to Cook, whose studiously anonymous retirement last summer had precluded any official attempts to send him off in style. As if to make amends, Elgar filled his boots – in every sense – with no fuss and little flourish. Just 176 balls of nuggetty application across the best part of two sessions, as Essex’s latest left-handed ex-Test opener shifted through his gears with the same unshowy elitism that his English forebear had habitually brought to bear.And, just as had been the case in Essex’s opening-week victory at Trent Bridge, Elgar’s sidekick throughout an innings-defining third-wicket stand of 159 was an up-and-coming England prospect with the same weight and range of stroke as the recently departed Dan Lawrence. Between them, Elgar and Jordan Cox set about convincing an impressive first-day crowd of 2,226 that nothing whatsoever has changed about Essex’s red-ball batting prowess. A scoreline of 421 for 6, capped by an unbeaten century from Matt Critchley, amply backed up that pretence.It wasn’t all plain sailing for Essex after Tom Westley had won a handy toss on the first genuinely shirt-sleeves day of the season. In keeping with the uneven challenge that this month’s two-round experiment with the Kookaburra ball has created, Kent’s seamers caused havoc for precisely 21 balls. In that time, Westley himself was caught behind for 5 off George Garrett, after Feroz Khushi – whose use of an improperly sized bat at Trent Bridge still threatens his side’s top-of-the-table status – chose not to use it at all this week in being bowled by Wes Agar while shouldering arms first-ball.That double-whammy brought Cox out to face his former team-mates at an awkward 10 for 2 – and given his pointed pre-season remarks about Kent’s lack of red-ball ambition, the stage was set for him to be served a large dollop of schadenfreude. Instead, Cox’s opening gambit was a volley of extraordinarily poised drives down the ground – three fours and a three as Garrett strained for swing – and as he marched to 15 from his first six balls, it was as if all threat off the pitch or through the air had been dragged away with him.Jordan Cox made a free-flowing fifty against his former team-mates•Andrew Miller/ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Cox’s confidence on the front foot was ample excuse for Elgar to step up his own intent with a series of compact drives of his own, but it was the introduction of Matt Parkinson’s legspin that kicked Essex’s innings into overdrive. Cox greeted his first-ball full-toss with a dismissive slap through the covers – the first of three fours in a 13-run first over – and he was scarcely allowed to settle thereafter in leaking 25 runs in his first three.Having romped to his fifty from 61 balls, a chance came and went for Cox when Agar at fine leg fumbled a top-edged pull off Nathan Gilchrist, but he had added only seven more runs when Garrett pushed a touch fuller to pin him on the knee-roll for 67. It was hardly the harbinger of a Kent fightback, however. Critchley emerged with a platform of 169 for 3 but just as importantly the Kookaburra entering its dead-zone in the 39th over, and Essex duly punched along at a rate of 4.5 an over, with scarcely a need to over-reach themselves.Elgar’s departure came as something of a surprise when, on 120, he popped a tame catch to short midwicket off Parkinson and dropped his bat in frustration at his own missed opportunity, but that merely unleashed the long levers of “Tall” Paul Walter, who bombed the long-off boundary with a four and two increasingly weighty sixes before scuffing a third attempt to give Parkinson his second wicket.Michael Pepper, too, peppered the boundary, including with a full-faced lift for six over the cover rope, only to pick out deep third with an attempted ramp, one short of his fifty. Critchley, however, made no such error in carrying Essex past the second new ball and through to the close, with the promise of plenty more where these first-day offerings had come from.The only truly duff note for Essex had come before play, when Sam Cook – their Kookaburra-proofed seamer whose ten-wicket haul had routed Nottinghamshire in the first round – was ruled out of contention. Not, it should be said, in protest at the wrong Cook getting the honour of an End named after him, but as a precaution after feeling a thigh strain.
Last Sunday, the Hoops were beaten by the side bottom of the Scottish Premiership for the first time since November 2005, shockingly defeated 1-0 by struggling St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.
Liam Scales
Considering Rangers also lost a day earlier, Hibs claiming a 2-0 win at Ibrox, it mattered very little, and Celtic could be crowned champions as soon as this weekend.
If Brendan Rodgers’ team beat Kilmarnock on Saturday, and then their fierce rivals are defeated at Pittodrie a day later, a record-equalling 55th top division title will be rubber-stamped.
As the Hoops target victory over Derek McInnes’ Killie, Rodgers must drop his club-record signing and unleash a fit again star instead.
Arne Engels mixed first season at Celtic
Last summer, after selling Matt O’Riley to Brighton for a reported £25m fee, Celtic broke their club record to replace him, with Arne Engels arriving on deadline day from Augsburg at the cost of £11m.
Most expensive SPFL signings (timeless)
Upon his arrival, Rodgers labeled the Belgian a “young player of real quality”, while Graeme McGarry of the Herland claims the 21-year-old has ‘huge potential’.
To date, Engels has scored ten goals and registered 12 assists across all competitions, with 32 of his 45 appearances coming from the start, underlining that he has been a mainstay.
However, in more recent times, Joe Donnelly of the Glasgow Times notes that Engels has regularly ‘failed to make a significant impact’ in many Celtic matches, scoring only once in his last 12 appearances, hooked after 66 minutes in Perth last Sunday.
Thus, Rodgers must, now, ruthlessly ditch the Belgium international from the starting line-up due to his recent lack of impact at the top end of the pitch, and his dull display last time out.
The Celtic star who should replace Arne Engels
Back in February, Paulo Bernardo suffered an ankle injury during a Scottish Cup tie against Raith Rovers that saw him sidelined for five weeks, heartbreakingly missing out on the two-legged Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo.
Since then, the Portuguese U21 international has seen just 28 minutes of action, coming off the bench during the 3-0 rout of Hearts a fortnight ago, before remaining an unused substitute against St Johnstone last time out.
Bernardo himself said “I can play football again, so I’m really excited”, describing the injury he suffered as “bad” but stating he will do his best and give his all during the remainder of the campaign.
Bernardo initially joined Celtic on loan from Benfica, before making the move permanent for a reported £3.5m fee last summer.
So far, he’s scored just seven goals and registered only seven assists in 70 outings in hoops, but let’s take a deeper dive into his statistics when compared to Engels.
Appearances
37
45
Minutes
1,544
2,800
Goals
3
10
Assists
4
12
Chances created
30
64
Big chances created
5
14
Passing accuracy %
87.95%
84.64%
Through-balls
2
12
Ball recoveries
74
109
Touches per 90
79
72
The table shows that, throughout the season, Engels’ statistics are better, albeit he has played around 1,300 minutes more across all competitions, which certainly skews the data.
Brendan Rodgers, Arne Engels
Bernardo meantime, boasts a higher pass completion percentage, more ball recoveries per 90 minutes, and registers marginally more touches per game.
Thus, the Portuguese midfielder definitely deserves a shot against Kilmarnock, building up his match-sharpness ahead of a Scottish Cup semi-final against the side who have just beaten Celtic, namely St Johnstone, at Hampden on Easter Sunday.
Rarely-seen Celtic flop is fast becoming their new James McCarthy
The rarely-seen Celtic flop could end up becoming the new James McCarthy at Parkhead.
Wade Gilbert, an authority on coaching who has worked with the All Blacks and Melbourne Storm, talks about what Cricket Australia need to do in the wake of the tampering scandal
Interview by Daniel Brettig29-May-2018You’ve just spent time with Cricket Australia, the coaching set-up and Justin Langer. A couple of months after Newlands, how do you think they are placed in terms of getting back on track?
They have good people, particularly with Justin in place. They have a leadership I’ve spent time around. The coaches and Cricket Australia’s leadership understand the significance of what happened and they are viewing it as an opportunity to reshape their identity a little bit and regain the trust of the cricket world and Australians in particular, so I’m really optimistic. I had some good time with Justin. We talked about his vision for the team. I’m excited to see what comes next.In the experience you’ve had with different sporting organisations, can you think of similar scenarios in sport where an organisation has faced a fairly cataclysmic cultural event it has had to come out of?
It was a very dramatic event. All sports seem to go through scandals at some point or another. Melbourne Storm with the salary cap, British and US cycling with doping and the Tour de France, and now in the United States we are going through some major scandals with gymnastics and swimming, sexual abuse scandals and things like that.Unfortunately it’s not all that unusual to have turmoil and scandal, but I think what happens is that you never really achieve the culture you want. The best organisations understand that it’s constant diligence, constantly trying to shape those environments towards what you want, but you never really get it. The moment you think, “Oh, we’ve got our culture now”, you’re in trouble. It’s about every day.[In South Africa], it wasn’t some sudden moment that caught everyone off guard. It’s “Yeah, in hindsight there were signs, we saw cracks, there were things starting to happen.” There’s the analogy of noticing a piece of trash outside your building, and you could pick it up but it’s just a small piece of trash, not the end of the world. But the little things we walk past every day that in the moment we don’t think are that big a deal – it’s all the little things that add up. That’s exactly what happened here, from what I can gather.”Smith and Warner have a tremendous amount of impact and wisdom and capital. That’s important for Cricket Australia. They’ll have opportunities to prove they deserve to be a part of that experience again”•AFP/Getty ImagesThere is some recent history around the culture of the Australian team – players suspended in India in 2013 and the effects that had. Does that speak to how this is a constant battle to stay ahead of these sorts of issues?
Definitely. In North America a few teams like the New England Patriots, the San Antonio Spurs, teams that are constantly competitive, they are constantly innovating, trying new things, replacing players. It’s an opportunity for CA, the team and the leadership to reset and be reminded that we have to be more diligent with helping our players and our organisation understand the significance of our position in Australian society, not take it for granted, and have more discipline.Langer is known for trying to take lessons from as far afield as possible, trying to learn as broadly as he can about how to build a team. Did you get that sense in talking with him?
He’s a great learner. He’s very open, very thoughtful, very serious about his craft, but also has tremendous perspective on life and tries to empower people around him to take ownership of that experience as well. He has a strong personality, a nice mix of strength and caring. That’s something I see with other great coaches I’ve been around. They are not too far at either extreme – they can be very strong and have very strong leadership and cultural conviction. There’s no doubt when they walk into a room who is in charge – but at the same time, he can step back and let others lead.Meditation is an important part of his life. Family is very important. So cricket matters, winning is important, but it’s more about winning the right way and honouring traditions and what cricket means to Australians. He understands that because he lived it. He had to battle to earn the privilege of being in that squad. I think he’s going to spend a lot of time trying to help the current team and the next generation really appreciate the significance of the honour they have – playing for Australia.Is there a bit of a balancing act for the coach and the team in terms of recognising the importance of their role and the honour of playing for Australia but also adjusting how they play on the field given the reputation they have developed among opposing teams?
They are going to have to re-earn trust. It’s going to be one moment at a time, one press conference at a time, one training session at a time, one match at a time, one ball at a time. It’s going to be hard and it’s going to take time. I think Justin understands that – it’s not a switch, like repainting a house or a room and now you’ve got a new colour. It’s all the little things, the little details, little moments, little behaviours, and that’s going to take time.There are expectations of the Australian team’s behaviour but also that they win.
I’ve spent time with the All Blacks, Olympic teams and other elite groups. Everybody wants to win, so it’s got to be bigger than winning. What I’ve seen among fans is that – I don’t want to say they’re okay with losing – if their team doesn’t win but their team fights with honour, they will understand.”We talked about why people in Australia care so much about cricket – because it’s part of the identity of what it means to be Australian”•Getty ImagesThere are some epic, phenomenal matches that you remember, but you don’t win. Fans appreciate that. Yes, that’s got to translate into wins at some point, but Australians aren’t going to abandon the team. It’s how we go about trying to win – that’s what’s more important and that’s what people are going to notice.At one of the coaching breakfasts you spoke at on this trip, you mentioned a book by Linda Swindling called . Did that concept get discussed?
We talked about why people in Australia care so much about cricket – because it’s part of the identity of what it means to be Australian. Playing cricket as a little kid on the beach – everyone has that image and those memories. Helping the players reconnect with that idea, of becoming your hero, and thinking back to when you first started to play and why, who you dreamed of emulating, because there’s a kid out there right now in that same moment and same kind of experience.It’s good that there was uproar about South Africa, because people cared so much.Do you have any thoughts about the reintegration of Steven Smith or David Warner, given what happened in South Africa?
That was talked about, for sure, and I think they will be given an opportunity to redeem themselves. They have a tremendous amount of impact and wisdom and capital. In a sense, that’s important for Cricket Australia. So I don’t think they’re just going to be discarded and forgotten. They’ll have opportunities, if they want to, to prove that they deserve to be a part of that experience again.Justin’s reaching out to all the players. He’s having those conversations, and what I like about him is, he’s not afraid to have an uncomfortable conversation with somebody. He understands that coaches build people. It’s all about relationships. You can argue that the sandpaper issue would not have happened if you had the right kinds of relationships in that team. Somebody in that room should have been courageous enough and have had the right kinds of relationships with the other guys to say, “No, that’s not going to happen, that’s not who we are or what we do.”The story of Richmond winning last year’s AFL premiership was a part of discussion in Brisbane also. Some lessons there for Australian cricket?
[Tim Livingstone, Richmond coaching manager] shared with Justin and CA some good examples of the types of things they do and how they navigated their crises.Every club that I’ve been around the last couple of weeks, we’ve shared the same message and had similar conversations. All around culture, people, relationships and the little things you do on a daily basis across your organisation that help strengthen relationships and trust. If you’re doing those things, you’re going to be fine. You’ll have good days and bad days and losses, but you’re just going to have a better environment. People are going to be more resilient. They’ll come back after a bad loss.Another part of your work is ensuring that coaches have their own support network around them, even as they go about supporting their players. Did you go through that with Justin?
We talked about that too. He’s going to be tested, he’s going to be frustrated at times. I think he will be fine, but we talked about how he’s going to need a board of advisors, just like corporations have a board of directors, people around him who we might call truth-tellers or energy-givers. Not just cricket people, people who will fill his tank and keep him honest and grounded. We did a little activity related to that and he’s identified people he needs to keep close to him who will keep him grounded, energised and fuelled.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou was gifted a rare bit of breathing room after Spurs’ statement performance in the Europa League, but there remains the possibility that he won’t be at the helm next season.
Tottenham in Europa League semi-finals after Eintracht Frankfurt win
A penalty from striker Dominic Solanke, who cooly slotted home beyond the Spurs-linked Kaua Santos in Eintracht Frankfurt’s goal, ended up being enough for Postecoglou’s side to edge into the Europa semi-finals after a hard-fought battle.
Tottenham: Lange personally holds talks over signing £50m player for Spurs
The technical director has a plan.
ByEmilio Galantini Apr 17, 2025
Postecoglou earned rare praise after his Lilywhites side put in the dogged, mature display which they’ve sorely lacked all season – shutting Eintracht out with some truly exceptional defending and putting bodies on the line to preserve Tottenham’s slender one-goal advantage.
Nottingham Forest (home)
April 21st
Liverpool (away)
April 27th
West Ham (away)
May 3rd
Crystal Palace (home)
May 10th
Aston Villa (away)
May 18th
The atmosphere was hostile right from the off, but while the home crowd did their utmost to unnerve Postecoglou’s side in Germany, Spurs kept their cool and booked their place in the next round, where they will face off against unlikely semi-finalists Bodø/Glimt, who knocked out Serie A side Lazio on penalties.
There is a very strong chance that the north Londoners will put Bodø/Glimt’s fairy tale Europa League journey to an end and become European finalists for the first time since 2019, but even that might not be enough to save Postecoglou.
The Tottenham boss has been under mounting pressure after an historic low Premier League season, where they’ve tasted defeat on 17 separate occasions and currently lie 15th in the table.
Reports in the build up to their quarter-final second leg claimed that Postecoglou could be sacked by Tottenham regardless of their Europa League campaign (The Mirror), and Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is believed to be among the contenders to replace him.
Tottenham have reached out to the representatives of Glasner to express their interest recently, according to media sources in Germany, but face competition from RB Leipzig for the £4.5 million-per-year Palace boss.
John Wenham makes Oliver Glasner claim after Tottenham contact
Speaking to Tottenham News, pundit John Wenham stated his belief that Glasner would be an “exciting” appointment for Tottenham, above other linked candidates like Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva and Brentford’s Thomas Frank.
“He has an aura about him, the way he charges around on the touchline, I quite like him,” said Wenham.
“He was flying with Palace last season. I know they made a slow start this season, but they lost some key players. However, since then, he has rebuilt well.
“He has led Palace to an FA Cup semi-final, and he is far more exciting than most names that have been linked. Therefore, he is someone I would be happy for Tottenham to appoint. I think with better players he would excel, and I find him more exciting than Marco Silva or Thomas Frank, to be honest.”
The ex-Eintracht boss also guided his former club to Europa League glory in 2022, and is one of the only trophy-winning coaches rumoured to be on Spurs’ managerial shortlist.
His “outstanding record” has also been lauded by Palace chairman Steve Parish, that being said, if Postecoglou ends up winning Tottenham their first piece of silverware since 2008, the club will still have a majorly tough decision to make.
The project involved erecting a fresh stadium in five months, with drop-in pitches transported from Florida by land to New York
Nagraj Gollapudi15-May-2024
The Eisenhower Park project involved erecting a fresh stadium in five months on what in January was just normal park land•Getty Images
Eisenhower Park in New York, the first modular stadium in international cricket, is ready for the T20 World Cup. The 34,000-seater venue, about 25 miles east of New York City, was formally launched on Wednesday by Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man and a World Cup ambassador.The ICC will conduct test events at the new venue in the days leading up to the World Cup, which begins on June 1 and will be played in the West Indies and the USA. New York will host eight of the 16 matches in the USA with Dallas and Texas hosting four each. The first match at Eisenhower Park, located in Nassau County, will be played on June 3 between South Africa and Sri Lanka.Eisenhower Park will also host a warm-up match on June 1, which ESPNcricinfo has learned will feature Bangladesh and India. During the main tournament, India will play three games in New York including the marquee contest against Pakistan on June 9.Related
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The project at Eisenhower Park, one of the most ambitious ever undertaken by the ICC, involved erecting a fresh stadium in five months on what in January was just normal park land. A significant part of the challenge involved preparing drop-in pitches in Florida and transporting them by land to New York before installing them both in the main square as well as the practice areas.Four drop-in pitches were put in place in the main square to go with six others for training a short distance from the ground. The pitches have been prepared by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions, which is headed by Damian Hough, the head curator at Adelaide Oval. The outfield, meanwhile, was built by LandTek Group, a USA-based turf-making business that has prepared playing surfaces for baseball teams New York Yankees and New York Mets, and soccer (football) club Inter Miami.Usain Bolt brings out his trademark pose at Eisenhower Park•ICC/Getty Images
“We’ve turned what was park land and an informal cricket ground into what you’ll agree looks like a world-class cricket stadium that you might find anywhere,” Chris Tetley, ICC’s head of events, said in a media interaction on Tuesday.While the Bangladesh vs India warm-up game will be the first featuring two international teams at Eisenhower Park, Tetley said “community cricket events” would be staged in the last two weeks of May to understand the operational demands and the management of the resources including testing the infrastructure. “There will be proper cricket played there before the first match of the event,” he said.Tickets still up for grabs for India vs PakistanTetley said that fans could still avail of “limited opportunities” to buy tickets to all eight matches of the T20 World Cup in New York, including the India vs Pakistan match.”There are still limited opportunities for people to buy tickets to any of the matches,” he said. “A few tickets and hospitality to all games have been made available, and will be made available as we get the odd returns back from allocations that have had to be withheld.”So much as I’d like it to be a sellout, right now, not quite. So the last few tickets are available for those that get online quickly.”
da supremo： O Palmeiras encara o Cerro Porteño nesta noite em Assunção, no Paraguai, em jogo válido pela quarta rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores 2023.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasCom Luan e Gómez, zaga do Palmeiras ficou a poucos minutos de entrar para a história antes mesmo de Abel Ferreira chegarPalmeiras24/05/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras vai ao Paraguai em busca de mais uma marca histórica como visitante na LibertadoresPalmeiras24/05/2023PalmeirasLuan exalta defesa do Palmeiras, elogia Naves e projeta duelo com o Cerro: ‘Teremos de ser inteligentes’Palmeiras23/05/2023
da esoccer bet： + Veja tabela e classificação da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui
Empilhando recordes nas últimas participações que fez pela competição continental, o Verdão de Abel Ferreira pode conquistar mais algumas marcas importantes hoje em ‘La Nueva Olla’.
Confira o que estará em jogo hoje no duelo entre Gustavo Gómez e Diego Churín:
Vitória de número 50 como visitante em Libertadores:
Se bater o Ciclón hoje, o Palmeiras completará 50 vitórias como visitante na história da Libertadores (sem considerar os triunfos em campo neutro, como nas finais de 2020 e 2021). O retrospecto atual é de 112 jogos, 49 vitórias, 22 empates, 41 derrotas, 176 gols marcados e 141 gols sofridos.
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Invencibilidade diante do Cerro Porteño como visitante:
Time que mais vezes enfrentou o Verdão na Libertadores, o Cerro Porteño jamais venceu o atual campeão Brasileiro no Paraguai. Em seis jogos, foram três vitórias para o Palmeiras e três empates.
Maior invencibilidade da Série A
Independente da competição ou mando de campo, o Palmeiras é o time da Série A do Brasileirão que carrega a maior invencibilidade no ano. Já são treze jogos sem saber o que é derrota para uma equipe que perdeu apenas duas vezes em 2023. Em segundo vem o rival São Paulo, que está há 10 jogos sem perder.
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Abel Ferreira Scolari
Caso vença o Cerro Porteño, Abel Ferreira vai igualar Luiz Felipe Scolari como técnico com o maior número de vitórias na história da Libertadores comandando o Palmeiras: 23 triunfos para cada!
A bola rola para Cerro Porteño x Palmeiras a partir das 19h (horário de Brasília) e o jogo terá transmissão dos Canais ESPN e Star +.