All posts by h716a5.icu

Leeds United were seemingly extremely close to the signing of Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven last summer before a deal fell through at the final hurdle.

What happened between Leeds and Cody Gakpo?

Then-director of football Victor Orta even flew to the Netherlands to conclude a deal for the 24-year-old attacker, with former manager Jesse Marsch later expressing his frustration as the deal was, in his words, 99.9% done.

He would go on to enjoy a superb start to the season with the Dutch giants, notching a remarkable nine goals and 12 assists in just 14 Eredivisie games, leading to a phenomenal 8.50 average rating from WhoScored for his performances.

His form at the World Cup in Qatar, where he managed another three goals in five appearances for the Netherlands, would only serve to increase his reputation further, and it seemed clear at this point that Leeds had missed out on a gem, and they'd have no chance of returning for him in the January transfer window.

In the end, the Netherlands international would make a move to the Premier League, joining international teammate Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool in a £35m deal, with the exciting young forward only adding to Leeds' pain when he grabbed a goal and an assist in the 6-1 demolition at Elland Road earlier this year.

Would Gakpo have been better than Bamford?

Although Leeds' defensive issues are perhaps the main reason they find themselves in the relegation places once again with only two games left to play, as no Premier League side has conceded more this season, fingers will surely have to be pointed at Patrick Bamford after his recent misses in front of goal.

The one-time England international spurned a glorious chance to win the game in the draw against Leicester City, while his tame penalty prevented Leeds from going 2-0 up against Newcastle United last weekend.

Bamford has just four goals and two assists in 27 Premier League appearances this season, which is 5.77 fewer than expected, which shows just how unreliable he has been in front of goal. He has looked every bit like a shadow of himself, having pocketed a whopping 17 goals during the Whites' first season back in the big time.

Gakpo, meanwhile, has overperformed by 0.4 on his expected goals ratio (xG) to hit six goals in just 19 appearances for Liverpool, which suggests that he would have been a big success as a regular in Leeds' team throughout the season.

The former PSV dynamo, who was described as "constantly threatening" by De Telegraaf journalist Valentijn Driessen during his time in the Eredivisie, has featured as a striker for Jurgen Klopp's side and for the Netherlands, which suggests that he could have replaced Bamford as the starting striker in Elland Road.

If Leeds do succumb to relegation this season, then fans will no doubt be wondering why Orta couldn't get the deal for Gakpo over the line, as the statistics show that he could have been a far better option for the Yorkshire outfit in attack.

It'll surely serve as one of his most disappointing blunders throughout his controversial tenure at Elland Road.

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has dismissed former Dolphins coach Lance Klusner’s complaint over his sacking from the franchise in February this year

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Aug-2016The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has dismissed former Dolphins coach Lance Klusener’s referral over his sacking from the franchise in February, when the season’s fixtures had not been completed.The CCMA is an independent dispute resolution body, not a court of law. It looks at, among other things, unfair dismissals.Klusener had sought arbitration after his contract was not renewed, but the CCMA has now ruled in the favour of Dolphins.”In the Award, the CCMA found that Klusener had failed to discharge the onus of proving a legitimate expectation of renewal of the contract existed at the time of the non-renewal,” a Dolphins release said.Dolphins went trophy-less in the 2015-16 season, finishing fifth out of six teams in both the first-class and the one-day cricket, although they reached the final of the 20-over competition.”When the team failed to match the expectations of the franchise and for that matter the public and fans, any expectation Klusener may have had of renewal, would have diminished,” the release added.Rajesh Behari, acting CEO of Dolphins, welcomed CCMA’s move and looked ahead to the upcoming season.”It is relief to have this matter now resolved, and we can focus all our energies on the upcoming season,” he said. “The squad is energised and enthusiastic, and we are encouraged by the pre-season preparations. The conclusion of the CCMA matter involving Lance Klusener now clears the way for everyone at KwaZulu-Natal Cricket to commit all our energies into the new season.”Grant Morgan had been announced as Dolphins’ new full-time coach in May.

The second day in Galle brought 21 wickets as Sri Lanka tightened their grip on the series. Rangana Herath claimed a hat-trick and Australia were bowled out for 106, their lowest ever total against Sri Lanka

The Report by Brydon Coverdale05-Aug-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe second day in Galle finished as it started: with Steven Smith at the crease facing Dilruwan Perera. Australia would take that result if it meant a captain’s innings, a double-century to drag his side back into the series. The reality was a world away from that, for in between Perera had taken five wickets and scored a half-century, Rangana Herath had claimed a hat-trick, 21 wickets had tumbled, and Australia had collapsed to their lowest ever Test total against Sri Lanka.This was the day on which Sri Lanka made certain that they would lift the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy for the first time. It was not yet struck in 1999, the only other occasion on which they beat Australia in a series. Indeed, that was the only other occasion on which they beat Australia in a Test. In the first 33 years of Test cricket between the two countries, Sri Lanka won just a single game. They will now do so twice in a fortnight.Australia were set 413 for victory, which would be the third-highest successful chase in Test history. Gettable, perhaps, for an in-form batting unit on a pitch to their liking, if everything fell their way. But this Australian outfit was demolished in the first innings for 106, on a turning surface against a quality spin attack. Australia have as much chance of winning this Test as they do of winning Olympic gold in baseball. And no, baseball is no longer on the Olympic roster.By stumps, Australia were already 25 for 3 in their chase. Joe Burns had driven a catch to cover off Herath in the first over. Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon had poked a catch to silly point off Perera. And next ball, Usman Khawaja had watched an arm ball from Perera crash into his stumps. Dazed and confused, Khawaja offered no shot. His dismissal was emblematic of the day: Australia had no clue whether each ball from a Sri Lanka spinner would turn or not.And so at the close of play, Smith walked off on 1, with David Warner on 22, and a Sri Lankan victory inside three days appeared all but certain. The afternoon consisted largely of Sri Lanka’s batsmen frustrating Australia, growing their lead and humiliating their visitors further. Herath and Perera, who tormented Australia with the ball at either end of the day, scored nearly as many runs between them as Australia did in the first innings.The story of this day was the first session, in which Australia lost eight wickets for 52 runs. The cricket felt like it was played in fast-forward and at times the action was so comical that the Benny Hill theme would have been appropriate. The pitch was turning, but it was far from a poor surface. But it was as if Australia’s batsmen had never seen spinners before. They simply wondered at this mysterious slow form of bowling.Sri Lanka’s spinners attacked the stumps and built persistent pressure. Herath turned some and skidded others on. So did Perera. Lakshan Sandakan didn’t, but that was only because all the work was done already. Such was the annihilation that he came on only to collect the final wicket, and finished with 1 for 0 from two deliveries.Resuming at 54 for 2, Australia failed to survive even 20 overs of the day’s play. Australia’s 106 was their lowest total ever against Sri Lanka, and their lowest total in Asia for nearly 12 years, since they were skittled on a Mumbai dustbowl for 93 back in 2004. Herath finished with 4 for 35 and Perera with 4 for 29.Khawaja fell in the third over of the day when he missed an arm ball from Perera and was bowled for 11 – at least he played at this one – and Smith departed next over when he played back and tried to cut a slider from Herath. He too was bowled. So much for the “play straight” mantra Australia had tried to instil on this tour.Then came Herath’s hat-trick: Adam Voges drove on the up to cover, Peter Nevill was trapped lbw by another slider, and Mitchell Starc completed the trio when he leaned forward and was hit on the pad first ball. Starc was given not out but Angelo Mathews asked for a review, out of nothing but hope. He was as surprised as anyone that the not-out decision was overturned.Only one other Sri Lankan had ever taken a Test hat-trick: Nuwan Zoysa, who achieved the feat against Zimbabwe in Harare in 1999-2000. Herath’s wickets left Australia at 80 for 7 and in serious danger of failing to reach triple figures. In fact, they still needed two runs to avoid the follow-on, which appeared by no means a certainty.They did scrape past that mark but soon Lyon was caught in close off Perera and Josh Hazlewood edged to slip off the same bowler. Mitchell Marsh, at the other end while so much carnage was unfolding around him, slammed a couple of sixes to push the score past 100, but was caught at long-off when he tried for another off Sandakan’s second ball.Sri Lanka lost three wickets of their own before lunch – 11 wickets fell in the session – but already their lead was healthy. Perhaps their only concern at the moment is the consistent failure of their openers, for again Kaushal Silva and Dimuth Karunaratne failed to reach double figures. Karunaratne was the first of six wickets for Mitchell Starc, who deserves commendation for his hard work, gaining rewards through reverse swing, speed and persistence.Starc finished with match figures of 11 for 94, the finest by any Australian in Sri Lanka, and second only to Mohammad Asif for visiting fast bowlers in the country. Not since Geoff Dymock claimed 12 against India in Kanpur in 1979 had an Australian fast bowler been so successful in a Test match in Asia.But where Sri Lanka’s spinners were important, Australia’s were impotent. Out of desperation, Lyon resorted to bowling legbreaks as Sri Lanka’s innings wore on, and Jon Holland was treated with the disdain Sri Lanka’s batsmen might dish up to a bowler Holland. Eventually Australia bowled the Sri Lankans out for 237. The figure was almost irrelevant, though a complete Sri Lankan capitulation might almost have made a game of it.Instead, Kusal Perera contributed 35, Mathews scored a brisk 47, Dilruwan Perera compiled 64, Herath chipped in with 26, and Dhananjaya de Silva managed 34. It was enough to set Australia 400 plus. It was enough, after Australia’s morning collapse, to decide the series.

Celtic have already secured the Scottish Premiership title for the 2023/24 campaign and can complete a domestic treble if they beat Inverness in the cup final at the start of next month.

Despite their dominance of football in Scotland, Ange Postecoglou could use the upcoming summer transfer window to increase the quality and depth of his squad.

The Hoops were knocked out of the Champions League in the group phase and the boss may want to build a roster that is capable of competing domestically and in Europe next term.

Blick recently reported that Celtic are one of a number of teams interested in a deal to sign FC Luzern central midfielder Ardon Jashari this summer and the youngster is a player who has the potential to be a future star for the club.

Who is Ardon Jashari?

The 20-year-old gem is a Switzerland international who could form a dream partnership with current Hoops midfielder Reo Hatate in the years to come.

Jashari, who could cost up to €8m (£7m), has shown promise with his impressive performances in the Swiss top-flight and could be a joy to watch at Parkhead next term.

The left-footed maestro has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.95 in the Super League across 32 appearances and made 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game.

He has proven himself to be a reliable performer who can win the ball back for his side on a consistent basis, whilst his 59% success rate in duels also shows that the battler is a dominant player in the middle of the park.

Hatate, meanwhile, has only made 1.5 tackles and interceptions per match in the Premiership and is not as defensive-minded as Jashari.

However, the Japan international is able to impact games at the top end of the pitch.

He has scored five goals and assisted a further eight across 30 appearances, whilst the Luzern star has only been directly involved in four goals this term, and this shows that the Japan magician regularly makes important contributions in the final third.

This also indicates that the Swiss enforcer, who was once hailed as an "orchestrator" by scout Jacek Kulig, could perfectly complement the 25-year-old machine as his defensive presence in midfield could allow the Celtic ace to thrive going forward.

Jashari could be the anchor of Postecoglou's midfield and sweep up ahead of the back line in order to provide the likes of Hatate and Matt O'Riley with the freedom they need to punish opposition teams with their quality on the ball.

At the ages of 20 and 25 respectively, the pair could also be Celtic's dream midfield pairing for many years to come and grow and develop whilst dominating games at Parkhead, which is why the club must swoop for the Luzern prospect this summer.

The IPL governing council has discussed the possibility of staging a mini-IPL in September

Nagraj Gollapudi in Dharamsala23-Jun-2016The IPL governing council has discussed the possibility of staging a mini-IPL in September, but no firm decision came out of their meeting held in Dharamsala on Thursday. Further deliberation is likely at the BCCI working committee meeting on Friday, when a final decision is expected.The BCCI has been trying to fill a window in the early part of September when India are not scheduled to play any cricket.Speculation about a mini-IPL has been alive since the Champions League T20 was scrapped last year. Two senior BCCI officials confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the topic was discussed at the governing council meeting today, which was addressed by IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla. BCCI president Anurag Thakur and BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke were in attendance.It is understood that the truncated IPL would last approximately three weeks, but could feature all eight franchises.BCCI sources indicated that the USA and Dubai were in the running to host the event, but reiterated that the idea is still in its conceptual stage.

Sunderland have secured a place in the Championship play-offs with a chance of returning to the Premier League next season, however, Tony Mowbray could be heading for a disaster in the transfer market already.

What's the latest on Jack Clarke's future at Sunderland?

According to TEAMtalk, Sunderland are currently working on a new deal for Jack Clarke, amid interest from Premier League clubs following his fantastic form in the second tier this season.

As per the report, Crystal Palace and Brentford have expressed an interest in snapping up the young winger's signature this summer but the Black Cats are attempting to convince him to stay by putting together a new deal to secure his future at the Stadium of Light.

Why do Sunderland need to keep Jack Clarke?

Sunderland could be set for back-to-back promotions if they can win the Championship play-offs in the coming weeks, which would be a monumental achievement for the Wearside club.

Mowbray's managerial expertise combined with a squad full of promising talent has put the Black Cats in a fantastic position to achieve their dreams of returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2017, and should they prove victorious, it will be important to keep together as much of the squad as possible.

Whilst it may be tempting for the club to cash in on some of their hottest prospects this summer in order to raise precious funds, it could be incredibly detrimental to their chances of either retaining their Premier League status or competing again for promotion next season if unsuccessful.

As a result, there is no doubt that the Sunderland hierarchy must do everything they can to hold on to Clarke ahead of next season, even if a big fee is forthcoming, as the Black Cats talisman has been a key contributor throughout their impressive campaign.

Over 45 Championship appearances, the £15k-per-week star has scored nine goals, registered a whopping 11 assists and created seven big chances, as well as averaging 1.4 shots on goal, 1.7 key passes, two successful dribbles and 5.9 duels won per game, proving that he is an incredible attacking threat.

In fact, the 22-year-old has the highest number of assists in the entire second tier this season, which is a testament to his unrivalled involvement in securing Sunderland a huge opportunity to return to the top flight.

As a result, losing him this summer, irrespective of the division Mowbary and co find themselves in, would be somewhat of a disaster.

Indeed, despite struggling to make an impact at his former club, Tottenham Hotspur, Clarke is finally firmly in the spotlight with huge praise from journalist Josh Bunting for his form this season:

"Clarke unplayable and that’s the games I love – with him just driving at the opposition defence, he’s a handful with his balance."

With that being said, if Sunderland can secure promotion to the Premier League it will put the club in a greater position to retain Clarke's services.

Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action to face off against Crystal Palace this afternoon, and interim manager Ryan Mason will be quite aware that anything other than victory will close the door on an unlikely route to Champions League qualification.

The north London outfit appeared to have rectified their recent woes after remarkably restoring parity through Richarlison in the 93rd minute at Anfield, having been 3-0 down to Liverpool after 15 minutes, only to squander their comeback to Diogo Jota's exquisite finish after a mistake from Lucas Moura.

The Lilywhites have not won in four league outings and must string together a pleasing run of results if European football is to be on the cards next season, especially given the seventh-placed team are currently one point behind Brighton & Hove Albion, who have two games in hand.

Despite the defeat to the Reds last time out, there were encouraging signs, and Mason will look to channel that energy into dispatching resurgent Palace.

Here's what Football FanCast is predicting…

How will Tottenham line up against Crystal Palace?

Mason might only make two alterations despite the club's recent misfortunes.

In goal, Fraser Forster will retain his place after Hugo Lloris was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign due to a hip injury.

Ben Davies could be set to start once again after a gallant performance against Liverpool as he won 11 of his 15 contested duels; Cristian Romero and Eric Dier will be expected to retain their roles in the back three.

Pedro Porro and Ivan Perisic will occupy the flanks, hoping to utilise their creativity to bypass Roy Hodgson's sturdy defence, while £14.5m midfield starlet Pape Sarr – who dazzled at the San Siro – could make just his third league start of the term after Oliver Skipp's head injury in the previous fixture.

In the offensive third, the £110k-per-week Dejan Kulusevski, praised as a "ridiculous" talent by journalist Nizaar Kinsella, could be confined to the bench after failing to inspire confidence across recent weeks, while £60m summer signing Richarlison could earn a shot from the start after finally breaking his Premier League duck last week.

Harry Kane, who has impressively scored 25 goals from 34 matches in the top flight this term, will undoubtedly lead the line once again, with a revitalised Son Heung-min possibly combining with the England skipper to wreak havoc on this Eagles defence.

Predicted Spurs XI (3-4-3): Forster; Romero, Dier, Davies; Porro, Sarr, Hojbjerg, Perisic; Son, Richarlison; Kane

Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly turned down the chance to become Blues boss for a third time, according to a new report.

How is Mourinho faring at Roma?

The Portuguese is one of the greatest managers in Chelsea's history, arriving in 2004 and winning three Premier League titles across two different spells. He is arguably one of the best and most charismatic bosses in European football history, too, proving to be a born winner and excelling in various countries, from Spain to Italy.

Mourinho is currently in charge at Roma, winning the UEFA Europa Conference League in its inaugural season last year, and now guiding his side to the semi-finals of the Europa League this term. Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen stand between him and a place in another European final, as he continues to impress in his managerial career.

Chelsea have been working hard on nailing down a new permanent boss, but it looks as though they have finally got their man in Mauricio Pochettino. Things could have potentially been different, however, as per a new update.

Was Mourinho in the running for Chelsea job?

According to Corriere dello Sport [via Sport Witness], the Blues contacted Mourinho about coming back for a third stint as manager, but he rejected them to stay put at Roma. A Blues official allegedly called the boss to include him on a shortlist with Pochettino and Julian Nagelsmann.

Dubbed “one of the best coaches on the planet” by Tammy Abraham, Mourinho is said to be committed to the Serie A side moving forward and seemingly never entertained the idea of going back to Stamford Bridge.

While there is simply no doubting the 60-year-old's standing as a manager, returning for a third time could have felt like overkill, even though it wouldn't have been under the ownership of Roman Abramovich. There is a feeling that he has done as much as he can in west London, and considering he may not quite be at the level he once was, he could even have been an appointment that backfired.

In Pochettino, Chelsea are bringing in a younger, fresher option – one who will play more attacking football than Mourinho, too – and he looks like someone who could galvanise the whole club and get the most out of some struggling attacking players, from Raheem Sterling to Mykhailo Mudryk.

Rather than risk tarnishing his legacy, Mourinho is wise to stay at Roma and remain loved by many Chelsea fans, even if he has ended up rubbing a few up the wrong way the more the years have passed, considering he has gone on to manage Manchester United and Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino would jump at the chance to take over in N17 'in a heartbeat', says journalist Ryan Taylor.

What's the latest news involving Mauricio Pochettino?

Spurs now will be working under their third manager of the season with Cristian Stellini leaving the club on the back of their abysmal display on Sunday.

Ryan Mason has been appointed on a temporary basis as his successor until the end of the season, with the Spurs hierarchy hoping to convince former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann to take the reins this summer.

Pochettino had been linked extensively with the vacancy at Hotspur Way; however, Football Insider have now reported that he is in 'advanced talks' to become the new manager of Chelsea and an agreement is said to be fast approaching.

Former Tottenham manager Pochettino has been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end of 2021/22, though he could now be set for a return to Premier League management with Spurs' London rivals.

According to The Daily Mail, Spurs haven't formally approached the 51-year-old over a return despite some players and supporters clamouring for him to be given a chance of a second spell in charge.

Daily Express journalist Taylor believes that Pochettino would jump at the chance to become Tottenham's new manager.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Taylor stated:

"On the flip side, say you brought Pochettino back in when Conte was sacked; he's got 10 games to work with his squad to decide what he wants for next season. There are positives to it if you can convince him and I think Pochettino would go back to Tottenham in a heartbeat, honestly."

Who else could get the Tottenham Hotspur job?

In recent times, several other candidates have been linked with the Tottenham job, such as Burnley's Vincent Kompany, Feyenoord manager Arne Slot and Spanish coach Luis Enrique.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has also been considered, as per Alasdair Gold. At the same time, talkSPORT earmarked Brighton & Hove Albion man Roberto De Zerbi as a contender earlier this month.

Nevertheless, it still isn't clear who the next man to take over at Spurs will be, which they will need to resolve soon to halt their implosion on the field.

Having seen their hopes of finishing in the top-four take a massive dent in their humiliating 6-1 defeat to Newcastle last weekend, it may be time for Daniel Levy and company to act to try and make sure their 2022/23 campaign retains an element of respectability.

There has been a clamouring for the Argentine to be reinstated in north London but it seems as if the fans could be set for more misery with the man club legend, Graham Roberts, hailed a "genius" seemingly close to joining Chelsea.

Insider ExWHUEmployee has revealed that West Ham United have a "virtually fully fit squad" to play in the east London club's match tonight.

What's the latest West Ham team news?

There's every reason for the Hammers to come into the Premier League clash against Liverpool with a renewed sense of confidence.

After all, they are currently on a five-match unbeaten streak, which includes their Europa Conference League quarter-final triumph over Gent.

Last time out in the league, they also thumped Bournemouth 4-0 and picked up a 2-2 draw after coming from behind against high-flying Arsenal.

With that being the case, David Moyes and co should have no reason to fear Liverpool, especially as they have a near-fully fit squad to choose from – missing only the injured Gianluca Scamacca​​​​​​.

Indeed, Ex revealed as much in a post shared on The West Ham Way Patreon page. However, seeing as that win against the Cherries came only three days ago, Moyes may want to rest Michail Antonio who might be fatigued.

The insider explained: "West Ham have yet another reported virtually fully fit squad to choose from going into the big game against Liverpool.

"Following a very impressive performance against Bournemouth the manager is left with the choice of sticking with the same team or alternating one or two players.

"Key players like Antonio who struggle to play two games in one week were able to be subbed off again early against Bournemouth, giving him more of a chance of remaining within the team.

"The only confirmed absentee is Gianluca Scamacca who has been ruled out for the season with his knee operation. Another forward, Divine Mubama, played in yesterday‘s amazing under-18s victory so is unlikely to be used today."

Will Antonio start against Liverpool?

On paper, it would make a lot of sense to start Antonio against Liverpool. After all, the Englishman has three goals in his last two games.

However, this means he will have started twice in the space of three days, and it might not be in him to start yet another match just three days later – even though he hasn't played a full 90 minutes in that period.

Seeing as the £85k-per-week forward hasn't always been a regular in the team this term – starting just 16 of his 28 league appearances – the 33-year-old might struggle to be at his best against Liverpool.

Of course, Scamacca is injured, but Moyes could turn to Danny Ings instead. The Englishman has been benched in place of Antonio in recent weeks but could now be asked to step up.

It is certainly a big call to make with Ings not in quite so good form, having failed to score in his last six league outings for the Irons, but it remains to be seen how Moyes lines up ahead of the Reds' visit.