Trent Alexander-Arnold was overheard after England's penalty shootout win over Switzerland suggesting a team-mate didn't want to take a spot-kick.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Alexander-Arnold discusses shootoutEngland player may have refused penaltyVictory means Euro 2024 semi-finalsWHAT HAPPENED?
The Liverpool player, who came off the bench towards the end of extra-time of the 1-1 draw, was filmed speaking with his two brothers in the stands after the game. It was during the exchange that he seemed to suggest an England team-mate didn't want to take a penalty in the shootout. There is no clue as to who it may have been, whether they were even still on the pitch by the end of extra-time, or if that person did actually ended up going to the spot anyway.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
England scored five times from the spot to knock out the Swiss. Alexander-Arnold got the fifth to win it 5-3 after earlier conversions from Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Ivan Toney. Jordan Pickford saved Switzerland's opening attempt from Manuel Akanji. Declan Rice, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Eberechi Eze, Luke Shaw and Jordan Pickford were the available players who didn't take one. Phil Foden had gone off in the last few minutes of extra-time, replaced by Alexander-Arnold.
WHAT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD SAID
Despite the conversation being mostly drowned out by the noise still inside the stadium, Alexander-Arnold could clearly be heard saying: "He didn't want to take one."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
DID YOU KNOW?
It was the first time England have ever scored five penalties out of five in a penalty shootout at a European Championship or World Cup. It was also their first Euros shootout victory since beating Spain 4-2 from the spot (when not all five penalties were needed) way back in the 1996 quarter-final. Losses in between came against Germany (1996), Portugal (2004) and Italy (2012, 2021).
Leeds United have been dealt a "massive problem" after it emerged that their "technically gifted" star will miss the upcoming clash with current Championship leaders Leicester City after picking up yet another injury.
Leeds chasing down promotion
Relegated from the Premier League last season, Leeds are eyeing an immediate return to the top flight, but are being pushed all the way in what is one of the highest quality chasing packs in second tier history.
Daniel Farke's side have lost just six times all season and boast the best joint-best defensive record in the competition, but remain in a close-fought battle to ensure that they manage to occupy an automatic promotion spot come May, and now face a Leicester City side that have swept all before them so far this season.
In second place, Leeds are likely to be looking down rather than up as it stands. They sit nine points behind Friday's opponents with 13 games of the season left to play, but sit level with Ipswich (3rd) and just two points ahead of Southampton (4th) in what is shaping up to be a tightly-fought end to the season.
Average salary at all 24 Championship clubs (lowest to highest)
Football FanCast breaks down how much each Championship club spends on player wages each year.
ByLuke Randall Feb 19, 2024
A win over Leicester would allow them some breathing room, but defeat could see them slip out of the automatic promotion spots over the weekend, and could leave them looking at the prospect of the play-off lottery, with one of the four leading sides in England's second tier guaranteed to still be in it come the beginning of next season.
Team
Wins
Losses
Goals scored per game
Goals conceded per game
Points
Leicester City
25
5
2.09
0.79
78
Leeds United
21
6
1.85
0.79
69
Ipswich Town
20
4
1.97
1.33
69
Southampton
20
6
1.94
1.21
67
Bamford out of Leicester clash
The Elland Road outfit have seen their preparation for the top-of-the-table clash with the Foxes disrupted through injury, and it star man Patrick Bamford who is set to be forced to sit out the home match against the league leaders.
Bamford was once considered one of the shining talents of English football, but has seen his recent career ruined by injury. The 30-year-old has managed just six Championship starts so far this season, and only made his first on New Year's Day.
In the games since though, he has found form with four goals and an assist to help Leeds in their long winning run, leading to rumours Bamford is one of several Leeds stars in line for a new contract.
Patrick Bamford in action for Leeds United.
Now former Rangers and Tottenham defender Alan Hutton has had his say, with the BBC pundit backing Bamford to come back stronger despite yet another setback but ruing his seemingly injury-prone nature.
“It’s been a massive problem for him,” Hutton told Football Insider.
“Injuries have been a huge issue for Bamford through the years and it’s not ideal for him considering his form. But there’s nothing he can do about it. He can’t tell when he’s going to get injured and it’s just a real shame for him. We all know he can be an outstanding football player and has been recently."
“He’s technically gifted and I think he will come back as strong. But as soon as he hits form, he seems to get injured."
It is not all bad news for Bamford, and fortunately the injury doesn't seem too serious this time around, with Leeds boss Farke revealing that the striker will 'definitely' be fit for the FA Cup fifth-round clash with Chelsea in a week.
Meg Lanning had “full confidence” in Jess Jonassen when she handed the ball over to the left-arm spinner at the back-end of India’s chase. Jonassen took 5 for 12 to trigger a collapse that saw seven wickets go down for 29 runs – she dismissed Harmanpreet Kaur the over after Megan Schutt had sent back Smriti Mandhana and put India’s chase of 156 in a tailspin after they had reached 115 for 3 in the 15th over.”She’s been in fine form bowling for a long time now. For a spinner to be able to bowl the last three overs from one end in a T20 chase is a very good effort. You don’t see that often, but I had full confidence she would be able to get the job done,” Lanning said. “She is very calm and has really good skills and she can bowl at any point in the innings. It’s nice to see her really confident now. She is an important part of the team. Hopefully she can continue her form going forward.”All five of Jonassen’s wickets came in her second spell, in the last six overs of India’s innings, during which they lost a wicket in every over but the 19th. Until then, Mandhana and Kaur had set India up nicely with a 50-run stand.”We talk a lot about trying to stay in the game. T20 cricket can turn very quickly. We knew if we could get a wicket, break that partnership quickly, we could potentially get a bit of momentum back. Mandhana batted brilliantly; sort of hard to slow it down, but once we got that wicket, we were able to turn the screws and put them under pressure, so it’s a good lesson in staying in the game and making sure you just stick it out and hope it will turn your way,” Lanning said.In their previous meeting, Jonassen had opened the bowling and bowled just one over for 11. Sixteen-year-old Shafali Verma had been particularly severe on spinners that day, and Lanning explained that was one of the reasons Australia had to turn to pace in the final.”In the first game, Verma was taking on the spinners a fair bit, so we went to pace a little bit. The wicket today was a bit up and down, so we used a bit more pace,” Lanning said. “In that round [league-stage] game against India, I could have perhaps brought [Jonassen] on a little bit early, and that’s what I looked at in review [of that match]. It’s certainly not a game plan; it’s just a gut feeling but she’s shown she can do the job at any point in the match.”This come-from-behind win has significance beyond just a series title. It comes shortly after the Saturday match during which India had made easy work of a stiff target of 174 and put Australia on the verge of being knocked out from the series. More importantly, it comes less than two weeks before the T20 World Cup, which will start later this month. Lanning acknowledged that winning a tough series like this one was perfect ahead of the big tournament.”It’s been a brilliant series for us,” she said. “We have been put to the test every game we have played [by the] two world-class sides, who are going to do very well in the World Cup coming up. Both with the bat and ball, we feel like we have improved over the tournament.”We still feel probably there are a few areas to do that again. I will take this tournament any day getting into the World Cup, to be put under the pump and having to respond to that is a really good thing for this team and we will take a lot of confidence out of the win today.”
New year, new PSL, new venue. Same old Lahore Qalandars. An unbalanced squad, curiously playing without a specialist spinner, began their fifth PSL campaign with a crushing five-wicket defeat at the hands of Multan Sultans. Shan Masood’s side had the composure to see off an early storm from Qalandars’ big hitting openers, fully cognizant that once Fakhar Zaman and Chris Lynn were removed, there was little meat on the bare bones the rest of the batting side comprised.From 59 for 1 in 5.2 overs, Qalandars tumbled top 138 for 8 in their allotted 20, well below par in front of a Lahore crowd that was watching their home franchise for the very first time. They soon realised they hadn’t been missing much when the bowlers failed to trouble Multan too much in the run chase, Shan Masood’s composed 29-ball 38 anchoring his side towards the perfect in an edition where Multan brim with optimism.Qalandars’ ineptitude should not detract from the glimpses of brilliance that Multan showed in this game. The experienced spin duo of Imran Tahir and Shahid Afridi had combined figures of 8-0-45-2, while Moeen Ali chipped in with a couple of wickets in addition to a brief cameo. Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Irfan were effective at the start and the death, while two wickets from an ever-improving Mohammad Ilyas make him one of the bowlers to watch as this PSL season takes shape.Multan were less convincing in the chase than they might have liked, with unforced errors giving Qalandars a peek back into the game on a couple of occasions. Moeen’s run out buoyed Qalandars, who were looking to Shaheen Afridi to provide them with an explosive start. His perfect yorker to castle James Vince was the ball of the day, but Rilee Rossouw did perfectly what Multan had bought him to do: guide the chase steadily and without dram, and even though Zeeshan Ashraf fell thanks to another run-out, the asking rate kept dipping. There was even time to dust off the old classic: a few lusty blows from Shahid Afridi who knocked off the winning runs.Turning pointWith Fakhar and Lynn at the top of an order where there wasn’t much big-hitting to follow, how the opening partnership pans out will be pivotal to Qalandars’ chances. Today, it looked like that necessary gamble was paying off when the pair found their range early, with Sohail Tanvir spanked for 18 in his second over, and the 50-partnership brought up in the fifth.And on came Moeen for the last powerplay over, Lynn poised, as if at the trapdoor like a dragon waiting to breathe fire. Moeen got singed first ball when a full toss was dispatched over long-on. But the next pull, he pulled his line back and took the pace off it. Lynn stepped back in his crease and tried to loft it over mid-off. His timing failed him, and Shan Masood took the catch. Two balls later, Zaman danced down the wicket and heaved Moeen into the onside. The ball nearly went up into orbit, but when it came down, it was still within the confines of the boundary, and Khushdil Shah at cow corner made no mistake with the catch. Multan were into Qalandars’ middle order, and in truth, there wasn’t much there to worry them.Multan’s two 40-year oldsDane Vilas smashed a couple of boundaries off Shahid Afridi, but that aside, there was little looseness from him, and, bowling alongside Tahir, he ended his spell at just a shade over a run a ball.Tahir, if it’s possible, was even more effective. He was thrust in during the business end of the powerplay when Lynn was giving the Lahore crowd a taste of his immense power-hitting ability and found himself roughed up in that first over. But thereon in, he was tight, squeezing Qalandars for runs and forcing them into low-percentage shots. Mohammad Hafeez fell to him this way, before Dane Vilas, who looked Qalandars’ best hope of a rearguard, dragging a flatter one onto his stumps. If anything, those figures of 4-0-21-2 were a little too harsh on him.Lahore’s beleaguered captainIt may sound like clutching at straws, but Qalandars may take some encouragement from their skipper Sohail Akhtar holding the innings together as wickets fell in clumps during the middle overs, serving as useful foil to Dane Vilas and Mohammad Hafeez, none of whom kicked on in the way Qalandarsneeded them to. It was up to Akhtar himself to provide the big finish, and he did indeed tonk Tanvir for a pair of sixes in the final over to give Qalandars something to bowl at.Where the teams standMultan’s convincing win takes them top of the table on net run rate, while Qalandars find themselves at the bottom.
Aston Villa have made some exciting signings under Unai Emery and reporter Dean Jones has had his say on a known target who he believes could be a "sensational" addition in the West Midlands.
Aston Villa's high-profile transfer strategy…
Last summer, the Villans made an impact in the market by recruiting high-profile players ahead of the 2023/24 campaign commencing, with Youri Tielemans, Nicolo Zaniolo, Clement Lenglet, Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres arriving at Villa Park.
On the face of it, their transfer strategy has worked and Emery's men are nicely positioned for a tilt at finishing in the top four at the bare minimum. However, they could go one step further and challenge for the Premier League title, form permitting.
Premier League Table: Latest EPL standings for 2024/25 season
Stay up to date with the English Premier League standings after matchday 33.
ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025
Despite a quiet first half of the window for the Villans, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Crvena Zvezda full-back Kosta Nedeljkovic is close to joining the club and will subsequently return to his current employers on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
Galatasaray winger Wilfried Zaha has been linked with a shock move back to England this month and Aston Villa have reportedly made contact over a swoop for the Ivory Coast international in a potential signing that would produce more fanfare than Nedeljkovic due to his age and experience.
Now, journalist Jones has signalled his belief that an alternative target linked with the Villans would be a "sensational" piece of business by Emery, as per reports.
Dean Jones drops verdict on Aston Villa target Paulo Dybala
In the last few weeks, Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Roma attacker Paulo Dybala, according to reports in Italy via Birmingham Live. The report states that the Argentina international has a release clause worth around €13 million (£11.2m), though it does expire today and contact is believed to have been made between both parties.
Similar players to Paulo Dybala (FBRef)
Player
Club
James Maddison
Tottenham Hotspur
Cole Palmer
Chelsea
Oihan Sancet
Athletic Club
Chris Fuhrich
Stuttgart
Phil Foden
Manchester City
Speaking to GiveMeSport, reporter Jones thinks that he would be an astute piece of business as the Villans continue on their upward trajectory, as he told the outlet:
"A deal for Dybala really would be sensational and obviously there will always be part of any Villa fan that would like that to happen but Emery and the recruitment team have to be very careful that if they are to pursue something like that it is for the right reasons and he fits with the philosophy and character of the side.
Roma's Paulo Dybala
"He’s an unbelievable player but you would need something like that to be happening for the right reasons and his injury record definitely has to be considered. He misses so many games."
Labelled "unplayable" by Massimiliano Allegri, Dybala has contributed on the goal front for Roma this campaign, netting six times and laying on a further six assists (Dybala statistics – Transfermarkt).
Aston Villa have lofty ambitions and a fully fit and firing Dybala could help Emery's men move a little closer to realising their aspirations in 2023/24.
da premier bet： Tottenham are now said to be preparing a "shock" late January bid to sign one "very underrated" midfielder after falling short in a move for Kalvin Phillips.
Spurs linked with new midfield signing before 1st February
da dobrowin： Following the arrivals of both Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin, a fair few reports have suggested that manager Ange Postecoglou is also keen on signing a new central midfielder.
All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024
With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.
ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024
The Australian has little faith in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg given he's started just five Premier League games this season, and the former Southampton man would have arguably had fewer chances if it wasn't for injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma have all been ahead of Hojbjerg in the pecking order, leading to repeated suggestions that he could well leave Spurs in favour of more game time.
If the 28-year-old does depart for pastures new after nearly four years in north London, Postecoglou wants a new midfield running man to replace him.
One man who's been heavily linked in this regard is Chelsea star Conor Gallagher, despite the 23-year-old now becoming a key player for arch-rivals Chelsea.
tottenham-conor-gallagher-dream-xi-jan-opinion
As we fast approach January deadline day, members of the media like journalist Darren Lewis have refused to rule out a Spurs move for the "very underrated" ace.
"I’m not sold on the idea that it would be impossible for him to come to Spurs and here’s why," said Lewis to the Last Word on Spurs podcast this week.
" I didn’t think Chelsea would sell Mason Mount to a rival, and they sold him to Man Utd for £60m. He was a poster boy for the academy, I just think as far as Gallagher is concerned there is that problem with PSR with Chelsea. I think he would be an excellent fit for Spurs, and working for a manager like Postecoglou who puts his arm around a player, I think Gallagher could really settle down."
Tottenham preparing "last-gasp" Gallagher bid
Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey have shared an update on the saga, claiming Tottenham are now readying a "last-gasp" and "shock" bid for Gallagher.
Talks have apparently been held between Spurs and Chelsea already, and while he is expected to cost a marquee fee, that hasn't stopped the Lilywhites from taking their chances.
All confirmed Tottenham deals for January
Transfer
Timo Werner
Arrival
Radu Dragusin
Arrival
Eric Dier
Exit
Djed Spence
Exit
Ashley Phillips
Exit
Ivan Perisic
Exit
Japhet Tanganga
Exit
Sergio Reguilon
Exit
This comes after "failing to sign [Kalvin] Phillips" from Man City, who's now put pen to paper on a loan move across London at West Ham.
Starting 20 league matches this season, Gallagher is currently their best-performing player by average match rating per 90 according to WhoScored, and is level with Cole Palmer in terms of Chelsea's highest number of assists.
AC Milan have agreed a loan deal with Bayer Leverkusen for Victor Boniface, with only personal terms left to be agreed.
Milan and Leverkusen agree Boniface transfer fee Loan deal with €30m option to buy attacker Vlahovic and Hojlund transfer didn't materialise Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to Fabrizio Romano, the deal to bring Boniface to Leverkusen included an option to buy set at €30 million (£25m/$35m). Milan and Leverkusen have started exchanging formal documents while Boniface’s agent is in Italy to agree personal terms with the Italian club.
AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Boniface was signed by Leverkusen from Belgian side Union SG for €22m (£19m/$26m). In his first season, he scored 21 goals and provided 10 assists, playing a key role in Leverkusen’s unbeaten Bundesliga title win and their run to the Europa League final. His 2024-25 campaign, however, was cut short by recurring injuries, preventing him from helping Xabi Alonso defend the title. In January, he came close to joining Al-Nassr, but the move fell through as the Saudi club chose to sign Jhon Duran instead. His move to Italy will see Leverkusen lose another key figure from Alonso’s title winning side, with Florian Wirtz joining Liverpool, Jonathan Tah moving to Bayern and Granit Xhaka signing for Sunderland, leaving new manager Erik ten Hag facing a complete rebuild.
MILAN'S STRIKER PURSUIT
With Santiago Gimenez committing his future to Milan, Luka Jovic leaving as a free agent, and Tammy Abraham returning to Roma after his loan, Milan were left with only one striker in their squad. Massimiliano Allegri tried to reunite with his former player Dusan Vlahovic, who is in the final year of his Juventus contract, but the Serbian is expected to stay in Turin. Milan also made an attempt to sign Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund on loan with an option to buy, but he could be on the way to Napoli instead.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BONIFACE AND MILAN?
For Milan and Allegri, signing Boniface strengthens their attack and adds support for Gimenez. For the striker himself, a move to Italy offers the chance to revive his career after spending much of the 2024-25 season sidelined with injuries.
Mumbai allrounder Shivam Dube has earned himself a maiden India call-up, figuring in the squad for the three-T20I series against Bangladesh at home in November. Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson has got a recall, having played his only previous international game – a T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare – back in July 2015.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Regular captain Virat Kohli has been rested for the T20I series, and MS Dhoni continues to be absent. Rohit Sharma will lead the team in the T20Is.ALSO READ: We are moving on’ – India’s chief selector MSK Prasad on MS DhoniThe three games will be played from November 3 to 10 in Delhi, Rajkot and Nagpur. The T20I squad also saw the return of Shardul Thakur and Yuzvendra Chahal. Thakur returned to the international fold after a year and replaced Navdeep Saini. Prasad confirmed both Saini and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who also missed the South Africa T20Is, weren’t available because of fitness issues.Kohli is, however, a part of the squad for the two Tests – Indore (November 14 to 18) and Kolkata (November 22 to 26) – and will lead a side featuring the first-choice 15 from the recent series against South Africa at home. Shahbaz Nadeem, who replaced an injured Kuldeep Yadav for the final match of that series for his Test debut, was left out with the left-arm wristspinner fit for action again.”The selection committee and all of us, Virat [Kohli], we were all convinced with Nadeem and with his performances in domestic cricket,” chief selector MSK Prasad said after announcing the squads in Mumbai. “So we had drafted him into the squad when Kuldeep Yadav had an injury on his shoulder. With the opportunities that we have given to Nadeem, he has really excelled. But the fact remains that we have to go back to Kuldeep, he is our premier bowler in the squad.”Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya didn’t feature in either squad following their respective surgeries in the UK earlier this month for back injuries.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Pandya’s absence, in particular, opened the doors for Dube’s inclusion in the shortest format, Prasad said. “You can see, earlier we had Hardik Pandya, then we also tried Vijay Shankar. All of us in unison, along with captain Rohit, felt that [given] the role that he has to deliver, Shivam Dube fits in much better. Because he really bats aggressively, extremely well. His performances in the India A series in West Indies and also against South Africa A in the ODIs was phenomenal. I think he has gone up by leaps and bounds with regards to his skillset and we were very, very much convinced about it.”Pant has been the heir to Dhoni, who hasn’t featured in any international fixture since India’s exit from the 50-over World Cup earlier this year. Prasad clarified Samson was also picked as a back-up wicketkeeper and it’s possible both Pant and Samson will be seen in the playing XI in Kohli’s absence as Prasad said Samson will “definitely play at the top”.”[Samson] comes in as a batsman who can keep wicket. Samson was there in the Indian T20 team 4-5 years ago. His problem was inconsistency. In the last one year or so, he has had a fantastic IPL followed by a good domestic and India A series against South Africa. And he had a wonderful Vijay Hazare as well. He is more consistent now and that is the reason we thought of drafting him in the squad.”We’re looking at younger options after the World Cup, so you can understand our thought process. We definitely had a chat with Dhoni and he also endorses our view of backing youngsters,” Prasad said of 22-year-old Pant and 24-year-old Samson.Samson finished the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy with an average of 58.57 and strike rate of 125 largely on the back of an unbeaten 212 off 129 balls he smashed against Goa.Ravindra Jadeja missed out because the selectors deemed that he offers the same skills as Krunal Pandya in the format. Prasad didn’t rule out a return, however. “At some point, both of them [Jadeja and Krunal] will play together and we will see how each of them progresses.”On the Test front, Shubman Gill, who was a back-up opener for the South Africa Test series, retained his spot and will only feature in India’s Test plans for now.”He’s an exceptionally talented cricketer but you can only pick 15 right?” And it’s only a three-match [T20I] series. Going forward he will definitely be one of our key players in all formats,” Prasad said.T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Shivam Dube, Shardul ThakurTest squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk)
Chief executive Nick Hockley said the planning for the Ashes would start very soon
Daniel Brettig03-Feb-2021
Justin Langer is now set for a long break before being back with the Australia squad•Getty Images
Any issues between Australia’s coach Justin Langer and his players need to be sorted out in-house as Cricket Australia reviews the performance of the Test team in the gap between now and next summer’s Ashes series against England, according to the acting chief executive Nick Hockley.Hockley acknowledged reports of discord following the end of the India series and, while not questioning their veracity, insisted that questions around the uncompromising team environment overseen by Langer had to be addressed between the individuals concerned.Langer, who has described the suggestions of discontent as a “wake-up call” after a draining series defeat to an Indian side led expertly by Ajinkya Rahane, remains upset by the manner in which they emerged, in a significant departure from his belief in face-to-face honesty. However, there is acknowledgement that change and a clearing of the air will be required, albeit now without the forum of an overseas Test tour to South Africa in which to do so. CA’s board meets on Friday for the first time since the series concluded.”We’re in a high-performance business, a high-performance organisation, we’re continually reviewing. Some of the commentary I’ve seen around JL in the media, it’s a matter for within the team and the squad,” Hockley said. “All I’ll really say is JL’s leadership, his passion, he wears his heart on his sleeve but he’s a great leader. What he’s done for team culture, what he provides to the organisation more broadly, not just on the field but off the field, I think he’s been very, very clear what he stands for. That’s to make the Australians proud of the team.”Related
Nick Hockley named permanent Cricket Australia chief executive after interim role for a year
Cricket South Africa rejected formal Australia offer to host Test series
New Zealand qualify for WTC final after Australia-South Africa postponement
Team rumblings are a 'wake-up call' which Langer won't ignore
While CA is yet to make a determination over who is the next long-term chief executive, Hockley said that attention would turn quickly to how best to prepare the Test team for next summer’s Ashes series, with qualification for the World Test Championship final in mid-year now out of the their hands.”The team dynamic is something for the team, the captain and coach to work through. We’ll be looking at performance in the round and we’ve got the Ashes coming up. It will come up very, very quickly. That’s going to be a massive focus for us. I spoke to JL last night. He’s extremely disappointed not to be going to South Africa. It’s about now using the time to plan for the next period and start to think and plan about our Ashes campaign, which is hugely, hugely important.”Justin’s got our full support. We will monitor performance. The last series, as with every series, we’ll look to debrief and see how we can get better.”One of the seemingly innocuous but now highly significant errors made by the Test team over the period was to be docked vital points due to maintaining a slow over rate during the second Test against India at the MCG. The points lost would have made all the difference in the narrow margin between Australia now in third on the table, and New Zealand in second and guaranteed to make the WTC final regardless of the result of the imminent Test series between India and England.”I haven’t discussed it specifically. None of us could have foreseen how this was going to transpire,” Hockley said. “The fines and rules around the ICC around slow over rates are there for a reason. It could be a costly and a timely reminder. We all need to know the rules going in. We couldn’t have foreseen this change but the fact we’re not able to compete for a place in the final in South Africa and make it our own destiny adds to the disappointment of not being able to tour.”It is not yet clear how many members of the squad for the postponed South Africa tour will now make themselves available for the Sheffield Shield rounds set to commence later this month following the end of the BBL, with numerous players likely to require some degree of rest or medical attention rather than hanging on until the end of the Tests meant to have been played on the other side of the Indian Ocean.
How to define Tottenham Hotspur's infuriating defeat against arch-rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon? How to define Ange Postecoglou's first campaign at the helm after replacing Antonio Conte at the struggling London club last summer?
Tottenham's narrative is complex and multi-layered, with more depth required than a perfunctory glance at the slide from the fantastic early-season, table-topping form and subsequent inconsistency that has left Champions League qualification dangling by a thread in the final phase of the campaign.
Without question, there is much scope for growth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but there is also a vast stretch of land between the current crop and the coveted location at the forefront of domestic and continental football.
Tottenham players
Maybe Tottenham will fail in their bid for a place among Europe's elite next year, maybe that's okay. Of course, there's still every chance that Spurs will prevail against Chelsea, against Liverpool, against Manchester City, it's just a tough run to close the campaign.
One of the chief reasons behind the dip in form, or rather the failure to emulate that early-stage brilliance, has been the struggles of James Maddison, who was so influential in his creative performances early on, transferring from relegated Leicester City for a £40m fee last summer.
James Maddison's season in numbers
What better way to start off your journey at a new club than by earning the Premier League's Player of the Month award for August? Thus Maddison had set the tone under Postecoglou, emphatic in lifting the north London side after a terrible 2022/23 campaign that culminated in the sale of Harry Kane.
But an ankle injury suffered against Chelsea in November has kept the 27-year-old away from his finest football ever since, slashing a detrimental blow through the verve that had left Lilywhites supporters giddy.
As per FBref, the Three Lions star ranks among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 6% for passes attempted and the top 1% for progressive passes and shot-creating actions per 90 – evidence, surely, of an elite-level playmaker.
James Maddison looks dejected for Tottenham
But there's no denying that Maddison has failed to reclaim that blistering pre-injury form that had left the Premier League in a frenzy, with his 3/10 match rating – by football.london – in Spurs' recent loss against the Gunners emblematic of the bitter lapse that sent Spurs' season into a spin.
Spurs 2-3 Arsenal: Player ratings & match recap
Arsenal took on Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
ByMatt Dawson Apr 28, 2024
While Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson and co have strengths in their wide play, Gareth Bale would have been the ultimate partner for Maddison to fire himself back into his finest form, even more so than had Kane remained at the outfit last summer.
Why Spurs signed Gareth Bale
After a promising start to life on the professional scene with Southampton, scoring five goals and supplying 12 assists across 45 matches as a teenage full-back in the Championship, Bale captured the attention of Premier League heavy-hitters Manchester United and Tottenham, with the latter winning the race and signing the 17-year-old for an initial £5m in May 2007.
Former Tottenham star Gareth Bale
Incredibly, Bale proved to have something of a penchant for disaster and failed to win any of his opening 24 matches for Spurs, though he put this ill-fortuned reputation behind him and forged a pathway to the top of the game, shifting to a forward-placed role after his supreme athletic ability and blooming deadliness in front of goal become clear.
Across 237 appearances over two spells with Tottenham, the Wales phenomenon posted 72 goals and 57 assists and established himself as one of the finest forwards in Europe, with his final campaign during his first spell – in 2012/13 – securing a return of 26 goals and 14 assists from 41 matches in all competitions.
21/22
20
11
2
12/13
33
21
8
11/12
36
10
13
10/11
30
7
2
09/10
23
3
5
08/09
16
0
0
07/08
8
2
1
The 34-year-old, now retired, improved with each passing campaign and won the PFA Player of the Year during that last, pre-Spain season in London.
Hailed as "unbelievable" and a "super talent" by Andre Villas-Boas back in 2013, the 111-cap international indeed went from strength to strength at Tottenham and dazzled, through his incredible Champions League performances against reigning champions Inter Milan in 2010/11, his ridiculous rate of prolific form, his frightening pace and power.
Bale has etched his name into Tottenham's halls eternally and while he left when a certain Spanish club came calling, he is remembered as a modern legend down at N17, where he cut his teeth and became one of the standout stars of his generation.
Why Spurs sold Gareth Bale
Tottenham sold Bale to Real Madrid in 2013 for a world-record £85m fee, eclipsing the previous record that saw Los Blancos bring Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish capital from Manchester United in 2009, making a jaw-dropping 750% profit on the one-time outlay that Daniel Levy granted to bring the teenage talent to the side.
It was a staggering transfer but not without full merit, with the Welshman proving his worth as one of Europe's best with his performances at Tottenham and fully deserving a shot at Real, one of the most prestigious and illustrious outfits in the world.
Gareth Bale for Real Madrid.
Reports suggested that Manchester United were hellbent on signing Bale after that initial failure to land their man, way back when, though Spurs supporters' pains were spared when he headed overseas, a move that proved auspicious for him.
Having retired at a relatively early age, Bale can rest with a stunning trophy cabinet at Real Madrid that saw him plunder five Champions League titles, three La Liga trophies and one Copa del Rey, among a host of other honours.
European football expert Zach Lowy outlined the facets that have left this wonderful star a true sensation of his time, saying: "Gareth Bale took Wales to the Euros semifinals, took Real Madrid from zero Champions Leagues in 11 years to five Champions Leagues in 8 years, and has just taken Wales to their first World Cup in 64 years. Legend of the game."
While Tottenham's erstwhile maverick didn't enjoy his trophy-laden days at the club, he is truly one of the greatest to play the game, and would be the standout among the current crop, enhancing the games of his peers considerably.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?