“It was not an easy decision to make,” according to Johnathan Atkeison, CEO of USA Cricket
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2024USA Cricket has announced the departure of Stuart Law as the head coach of the men’s national team. While the reason behind his departure has not been made public, Johnathan Atkeison, CEO of USA Cricket, said “it was not an easy decision to make”.The announcement came in the middle of USA’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 campaign, a day before their game against Nepal in Dallas.Law’s tenure, which started in April, lasted just over seven months despite the team beating Bangladesh in a T20I series and then advancing into the Super-Eights stage of the T20 World Cup for the first time in their history.USA beat Canada and more significantly, Pakistan, to progress in the tournament they co-hosted with the West Indies.”Given Stuart’s contribution to the program, this was not an easy decision to make,” Atkeison said in a press release. “Unfortunately, we felt that a change was necessary for the next phase of competitive preparation.Venu Pisike, Chair of USA Cricket added, “We thank Stuart for his contributions to USA Cricket during his tenure. We wish him nothing but success in his future endeavors.”USA are currently placed second on the Cricket World Cup League 2 points table with six wins in nine games, and are looking to qualify for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
da realbet： Looking to add to their Ibrox arrivals after confirming Max Aarons, the 49ers and Glasgow Rangers are reportedly ready to win the race to sign a player who has been dubbed the ‘Brazilian Paul Pogba’.
Aarons "delighted" to join Rangers
da poker： Getting to work straight away after completing their takeover of the club and hiring Russell Martin, the 49ers have already secured both Aarons and young Scotland talent Lyall Cameron. Aarons particularly stands out as an impressive coup on loan from Bournemouth given the experience that he built up in the Premier League.
After arriving at Ibrox, the defender told the club’s website: “I am delighted to be here, as you can see it’s a huge club and you realise that when you walk through the doors, I can’t wait to get going.
“I’ve got a lot of experience now in different leagues and I have played a lot of games. I think I can bring that experience, I can bring a new energy, and I think Rangers fans can be excited – I am really looking forward to it.”
A Bassey repeat at Ibrox: Rangers agree deal to sign a new "sensation"
Rangers have reportedly agreed a deal to sign a star who could be a repeat of Calvin Bassey.
ByDan Emery Jun 30, 2025
Martin, equally delighted, then said: “Max is a player who I have always kept a keen eye on since he was emerging through the youth ranks while I was coming to the end of my time at Norwich as a player.
“He is a wonderfully talented player who is hungry to develop, improve and help deliver success for his side. We are pleased to bring him on board for this season, and I believe he will be a fantastic addition to the squad.”
The Scottish giants will be hoping that Aarons’ arrival is the first of many amid links to the likes of Conor Coady and an impressive midfielder who has reportedly been handpicked by the 49ers.
49ers now ready to battle for Metinho
According to The Scottish Sun, the 49ers are now ready to win the race to sign Metinho ahead of Champions League side Basel this summer. The American owners reportedly handpicked the Troyes midfielder as someone they wanted to invest in before arriving at Ibrox and now have the perfect opportunity to do so.
Earning high praise from scout Kai Watson, who described the midfielder as a “strong passer of the ball”, Metinho has also been dubbed the ‘Brazilian Paul Pogba” in the past – highlighting the talent that Rangers could be signing.
Fending off interest from Basel won’t be easy, however, after the 22-year-old spent last season on loan in Switzerland, but the 49ers will be hoping that their newest project will be enough to build a strong case. After Aarons, Metinho would certainly only continue a promising start to Rangers’ summer window.
Manchester United forward Antony's future remains uncertain but a move back to Real Betis looks unlikely currently.
Antony not wanted at Man UtdReal Betis can't afford to keep wingerInterest from Saudi Pro LeagueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Brazilian winger starred at Betis last season after moving on loan but a return to the Spanish club now looks unlikely as they cannot afford to sign him on a permanent basis, according to Sky Sports. Antony is now considering his options ahead of the start of the 2025-26 season but has received interest from two top Saudi Pro League clubs.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Manchester United are currently trying to offload unwanted players and have managed to send out Marcus Rashford to Barcelona. Antony is now currently part of the club's 'bomb squad' that also includes fellow outcasts Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia. All four players have been deemed surplus to requirements at Old Trafford and are currently training away from the squad at Carrington and only after 5pm.
DID YOU KNOW?
Antony has also been linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen, who are currently managed by former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman has been full of praise for Antony but admitted that: "We're not interested in him at the moment, but we'll see what happens in the future."
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?
Antony is not part of Manchester United's pre-season tour squad and will hope he can secure a move away from Old Trafford in time for the start of the new campaign. The Saudi Pro League may be an option, but it's not clear yet if Antony is willing to head to the Middle East.
The battle for supremacy in Group C of the T20 World Cup heats up
Sreshth Shah07-Jun-20241:03
Is Kane Williamson’s lack of match practice a worry for NZ?
Match detailsNew Zealand vs Afghanistan June 7, Providence, 7:30pm localBig picture: NZ face a tricky startSince 2015, no team has been more successful in making it to the knockout stages of a World Cup than New Zealand. They’ve made the semi-finals in each of the six white-ball events since – including three finals – and yet, the trophy cabinet is empty. But if they don’t hit the ground running right away in a group that also includes co-hosts West Indies, their current campaign could very well end early.They take the field for the first time on Friday and a challenge awaits them straightaway. Guyana has been the most spinner-friendly venue of T20 World Cup 2024 and Afghanistan are arguably the strongest spin-bowling outfit in the world. When you take into account New Zealand’s less-than-ideal prep with no official warm-up games played, one wonders if they will turn up undercooked against a unit that has Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi and potentially Noor Ahmad.However, one of the reasons why New Zealand did not play a warm-up was because many of them were at the IPL, and those franchise regulars like Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner and Trent Boult could make a difference. They are also boosted by the return of Finn Allen and Devon Conway from injury, and their various right-left batting options gives them various batting strategies.New Zealand have a few spin weapons of their own too. The West Indies is Santner’s favourite place to bowl in, where he averages 16.83 with an economy of 5.50 in T20s. Across the last two T20 World Cups, no bowler has had a higher average release point (2.27m) than Santner. This uniqueness and his ability to vary his release speed and angle will keep all teams on their toes this World Cup.The left-arm spin of Ravindra and the offspin of Phillips gives them flexibility, allowing them to field a strong side without Ish Sodhi in the XI. Factor in the swing of Boult, the pace of Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, and a string of other seam options, and New Zealand are still very much a threat. For Afghanistan’s batting, that remains the biggest challenge on Friday. They’ll look at the settled opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran to put up a strong platform in pursuit of a second win in two games.Form guideNew Zealand LWWLL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first) Afghanistan WWWLWIn the spotlight – Williamson, Conway and FarooqiKane Williamson and Devon Conway are two of New Zealand’s top-three batters with next-to-zero game time recently. Conway missed the IPL with a finger injury that needed surgery while Williamson got only two games for Gujarat Titans. Neither have played a T20I game since January, but their experience is irreplaceable, especially if conditions are once again tricky for batting. Conway is proficient in scoring against all kinds of spin, however, Williamson could get bogged down by those who turn their stock ball away him, striking at only 106 since the T20 World Cup 2022.1:37
McClenaghan floored by Afghanistan bowling attack
Fazalhaq Farooqi showed against Uganda in Afghanistan’s first game that it’s not all about spinners in their team. In Providence, where this game will be played as well, he found significant deviation off the pitch and swung the ball nearly 2.5 degrees in the powerplay, more than twice that of the other bowlers. His 5 for 9 against Uganda was the fourth-best bowling figures in T20 World Cups, and Afghanistan will look for breakthroughs from him early so that the spinners could apply the squeeze sooner.Related
Jimmy Neesham: 'I've embraced walking towards pressure in big moments'
Williamson: 'Afghanistan have one of the better bowling attacks in the T20 World Cup'
New Zealand battle rain and jetlag ahead of crunch World Cup opener
Team news: NZ assessing combinationsThere are no injury concerns on either side. Afghanistan are likely to field the same XI while New Zealand will be considering their spin vs seam balance. Their resources are plenty: even if they keep out Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Tim Southee and Sodhi, they still have eight bowling and eight batting options.New Zealand (probable): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Finn Allen (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Mark Chapman/Rachin Ravindra, 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 James Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Lockie FergusonAfghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Najibullah Zadran, 4 Mohammad Nabi, 5 Gulbadin Naib, 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Karim Janat, 9 Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi.Pitch and conditions: Spin and rain on the radarThe pitch in Guyana has been sluggish, making chasing the preferred way to go. Since 2022, teams chasing have won 19 of the 27 games and two of the three games in this World Cup. The average first-innings winning score is around 184, however, chances of a shortened game are high with some rain forecast through the evening in Providence.Stats that matter Spinners have an economy of 5.28 in Guyana at this World Cup and have taken 17 wickets, averaging 17.82 apiece. No other venue has seen more than seven wickets to spinners. Boult has only three T20I wickets in 13 innings across 26 powerplay overs since 2022, averaging a surprising 67.33 in the phase. In matches between Full Members since the last T20 World Cup, Afghanistan’s spinners have the best average (19.45) and economy (6.72).Quotes”I think we saw in the 50-over World Cup we’re able to compete with any side in the world. And that’s our philosophy here. So, every game that we play, we expect to put ourselves in a winning position. Or fight to win every single game. So tomorrow that’s no different.” “We’ve been predominantly training in the day and there are some large differences between day and night in terms of conditions. But from the couple of matches that have been played, it looks like a reasonable wicket, a good wicket, a fair wicket at the same time. Bit there for the bowlers but equally decent for the batters.”
da cassino online： Leeds United will be in the big time again next season, following their 100-point Championship title success, and they are now a small fish in a big pond in respect to the transfer market.
da marjack bet： Whilst the Whites may splash the cash to bolster their squad in an attempt to avoid an instant relegation from the Premier League, they will not be able to compete for transfers with the top teams in the division, as they did in the second tier.
The biggest trending transfer story in the Premier League at the moment perfectly illustrates that, as the champions are lining up a move for a European superstar.
Liverpool are working to finalise a deal to sign Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz for a reported fee of €150m (£125m), with Fabrizio Romano adding that the Germany international ‘only wants’ the Reds.
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder delivered 16 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for the German side during the 2024/25 campaign, and could be about to strut his stuff in the Premier League with Arne Slot’s team next term.
A new attacking midfielder could also be on the agenda for Leeds heading into the summer window, but they are not going to compete for a signing like Wirtz, after Brenden Aaronson’s struggles in the Championship.
Why Leeds need a new attacking midfielder
The USA international was Daniel Farke’s go-to option in the number ten position throughout the season in the second tier, but did not do enough to suggest that he will fare any better than the last time he was in the Premier League with the Whites.
Aaronson only produced one goal and three assists in 36 matches in the top-flight during the 2022/23 campaign, as Leeds were relegated, and his fairly average form in front of goal in the Championship does not suggest that things will be different this time.
The American attacker racked up 11.43 xG worth of chances in 46 appearances in the second tier, but only found the back of the net nine times, which shows that he underperformed as a finisher.
Aaronson’s form against the top teams in the Championship also left a lot to be desired and illustrates why he is not ready to make the step up to the Premier League.
Form against the Championship top six
Brenden Aaronson vs
Goals
Assists
Bristol City (A)
0
0
Burnley (H)
0
0
Sunderland (A)
0
0
Sheffield United (H)
0
0
Coventry (H)
0
0
Coventry (A)
0
0
Burnley (A)
0
0
Sunderland (H)
0
0
Sheffield United (A)
0
0
Bristol City (H)
0
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old dud did not deliver a single goal or assist in ten matches against the other teams inside the top six by the end of the regular season.
These statistics, and his overall underperformance in front of goal, suggest that Leeds need more quality in that position ahead of the Premier League campaign, which is why they should swoop for one of their reported transfer targets – Gabriel Sara.
Leeds United's interest in Gabriel Sara
Journalist Graeme Bailey revealed earlier this month that the Galatasaray attacking midfielder is an option for Leeds United heading into the summer transfer window.
The left-footed wizard left Norwich City, after two years in England, to sign for the Turkish giants last summer, and the Whites are now looking at a possible deal to bring him back to the country.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Speaking to LeedsUnitedNews, Bailey said: “He’s [Sara] on the radar. Leeds have looked at him. You know, they knew all about him at Norwich, etc. He was fantastic. He’s not going to be cheap. We know that. But he’s an option out there.”
Sara is reportedly valued at €40m (£33m) by Galatasaray, amid interest from Aston Villa as well, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Whites would be willing to pay that much money for the Brazilian dynamo.
AZ Alkmaar's Sven Mijnans in action with Galatasaray'sGabrielSara
Farke, however, must push the 49ers to strike a big-money transfer agreement for the Super Lig star, because he could be the German manager’s own version of Florian Wirtz at Elland Road.
Why Gabriel Sara could be Leeds United's Florian Wirtz
Whilst Sara would not come in as a bona fide European superstar like the German sensation, or as a £100m+ addition, he could be the club’s own mini-version of Wirtz.
Bayer Leverkusen's FlorianWirtz
Like the Leverkusen wizard, the former Norwich City star is a versatile attacking midfielder, who can play in central midfield or off the left flank, and has the ability to contribute with goals and assists on a regular basis.
During his time in the Championship with the Canaries last season, Sara proved that he can deliver Wirtz-esque numbers in the final third from a central or attacking midfield role.
As you can see in the graphic above, the Brazilian star would come in as a massive upgrade on Aaronson when you consider their respective returns at the top end of the pitch, particularly their goals-to-xG ratios.
Sara, who was hailed as “outstanding” by former boss David Wagner, proved that he can score wonderful goals and make a big impact at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis, just as Wirtz has done for Leverkusen.
The 25-year-old star’s performances for Norwich earned him a move to Turkish giants Galatasaray, and he has helped them to win the league in his first year at the club.
24/25 Super Lig
Gabriel Sara
Appearances
30
Goals
2
Big chances created
12
Key passes per game
2.3
xA
7.62
Assists
8
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, his goalscoring form has dropped off for Galatasaray, but he has retained his exceptional creative qualities, creating 12 ‘big chances’ this season.
Now, if Leeds can get him back to his goalscoring best to go along with his creative skills, then they could have their answer to Florian Wirtz by signing an attacking midfielder with the potential to hit double digits for goals and assists respectively, as Sara did for the Canaries in the 2023/24 campaign.
It is now down to Farke and the 49ers to convince the impressive star to make the switch to Elland Road to bolster their squad in the summer window.
Leeds considering swoop for "incredible" striker who'd be their new Wood
Leeds are reportedly considering a move for a star who could be Daniel Farke’s own Chris Wood.
Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is in the market for a potential new manager this summer, with Ange Postecoglou likely to leave after a disappointing season.
Ange Postecoglou facing Spurs exit regardless of Europa League
News sources across the British media, including Mirror journalist John Cross and The Telegraph’s Matt Law, have heard from their sources that Spurs could part company with Postecoglou, even if they win the Europa League.
Tottenham now "ready to sell" £50m-plus star and replace him with 24 y/o
Spurs are hatching a plan to reshape the squad.
1
By
Emilio Galantini
Apr 23, 2025
It would be quite a feat for the Australian to clinch Tottenham’s first piece of silverware in 17 years amid a campaign blighted by injuries, protests from supporters and potentially their worst ever Premier League season to date.
Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures
Date
Liverpool (away)
April 27th
West Ham (away)
May 3rd
Crystal Palace (home)
May 10th
Aston Villa (away)
May 18th
Brighton (home)
May 25th
The Lilywhites face this year’s fairy-tale overachievers Bodo/Glimt in the Europa semi-finals, a side nobody expected to get this far, and Postecoglou’s men are the overwhelming favourites to reach this year’s final in Bilbao.
However, even in the event that Postecoglou keeps good on his promise by winning a major trophy during his second season in charge, something he confidently predicted right at the start of 2024/2025, Spurs’ torrid domestic form and lack of backing from fans could mean he still parts company.
Levy has the likes of Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and Brentford’s Thomas Frank on Spurs’ managerial shortlist to replace Postecoglou, according to reports,
Further abroad, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has previously shared news of Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi attracting admirers from within Spurs, but it will be very hard for Levy to prise the Nerazzurri boss away from Italy.
Inter Milan coachSimoneInzaghi
The dissatisfaction around N17 right now after this tepid campaign has caused tensions in the stands to reach boiling point, so Levy and ENIC are under real pressure to get this next appointment right, make smart investments into the squad and turn Tottenham’s fortunes around.
Tottenham now eyeing Burnley manager Scott Parker
As per The Mail and journalist Mike Keegan, a new name is now on Tottenham’s growing list of linked head coaches – Burnley boss Scott Parker.
The former Lilywhites and England midfielder amassed 63 appearances for Spurs during his playing days, and has since gone on to enjoy some successful stints during his managerial career – guiding both Fulham and Burnley to Premier League promotion.
Bar a failed stint at Jupiler Pro League side Club Brugge, the 44-year-old has showcased some promise in his early career as a tactician, and it is believed Tottenham are fans of Parker as a manager.
He’s also attracted praise from his peers, with Man City boss Pep Guardiola branding him one of English football’s new “innovative” coaches back in 2021, while former Tottenham left-back Ryan Sessegnon called Parker a “top coach” when he was linked with the hot seat four years ago.
“He’s a top guy, top man and a top coach. He’s just an all-round great guy,” explained Sessegnon.
“He obviously has a philosophy of play and sticks to it and all the players are buying into that. Recently, it hasn’t been so good for them in terms of results, but I think the performances and effort is still there.”
While the other batsmen struggled to score runs or played reckless shots, West Indies’ No. 6 rescued them with a near-spotless 98 not out
Alagappan Muthu in Hyderabad12-Oct-20181:27
Batting Chase higher is a big ask – Law
West Indies captain Jason Holder had spoken at length about how they need to be patient, but also recognise scoring opportunities. That they should do all they can – without being reckless – to put the pressure back on India. There couldn’t have been a better opportunity to do so than the first day in Hyderabad, after winning the toss and getting to bat on a flat track with the opposition reduced to only four frontline bowlers. Fast-forward to around tea and he was walking in to bat at No. 8 with the score 182 for 6.Holder had mounted a stout-hearted defence of his team in the pre-match press conference, highlighting that they were still a developing side and even those from the past – with greats such as Brian Lara in the side – couldn’t consistently win in India. That is certainly true. The last time they were on the right side of a result here was in 1994.But it is hard to remember a more poorly equipped top order. Even someone of the quality of Kraigg Brathwaite currently averages 8.66 from three innings. Only one West Indian batting in the top four has ever fared worse on a tour of two or more matches to India – Deryck Murray back in 1974.Shimron Hetmyer is fourth on that list, so clearly it is an area that needs a lot of work, but for now it can be put in the back of the mind, and that’s only because of Roston Chase. He bats at No. 6, which looks two spots too low, but it is understandable because he’ll be required to do a lot of bowling on the pitches West Indies often play on. Back home, the tracks have become slow and low and here in India, the more spinning options a team has, the better its chances.Chase’s entire career is built around spin. It kicked off when he made an unbeaten 137 against India in Jamaica in 2016, facing and besting the threat of R Ashwin. It gained momentum when he showed himself the equal of Yasir Shah and were it not for one stroke of bad luck he would have had two backs-to-the-wall, match-saving hundreds. Nevertheless, the quality of his batting – the footwork and shot selection especially – was refreshingly normal on a day when his team-mates either showed a total lack of interest in scoring runs or went after the bowling rather recklessly.He walked in with West Indies 92 for 4. He sent the 16th ball he faced for a six. His ability to read length quickly coupled with a wristy style of play allowed him to feed his innings with singles. There was never a point where he was stuck at one end with India able to build pressure against him. In fact, for the first 50 balls he faced, he was perfect. tweeted there were no false shots. There could not have been too many even after that considering he finished the day with a control percentage of 94%.Jason Holder shares a laugh with Roston Chase•Associated PressThere’s a simple reason for that. Of the 174 deliveries that Chase faced, 136 were from spin bowlers and since his debut in July 2016, he averages 52.75 against them. That puts him among the world’s top 10 players. If you’d like to take out all the subcontinent batsmen from the list, only Joe Root and David Warner have fared better.The West Indies coach Stuart Law said Chase was “lucky he was a natural player of spin”.”I think he understands spin. They’ve faced a lot of spin back in the Caribbean in domestic cricket. Also he’s got long levers. He’s got long reach. He takes half a stride and he’s almost down the length of the pitch so he uses that to his advantage. He’s a clean striker of the ball. He plays good cricket shots. And, apart from that, we try and get the dirtiest, dustiest pitches to bat in the nets so we do learn to bat against spin quicker.”You don’t have to talk to him too much either. He’s a deep thinker. At practice, you mention one thing and he just goes about it his way and you can see him thinking about it – he doesn’t talk initially – but if he agrees with you, he’ll come back and say yeah that’s pretty good and if he doesn’t, he’ll come back and say it’s not working for him. He’s working out how to play the game which is better, you learn quicker and you get success quicker if you’re actually learning the game rather than people telling you the game. You try and give him – hopefully you try and give him everything that’s going to be thrown at him. Discuss how I’d go about it and he works it into his game.”To become a complete player – the kind that can take West Indies’ batting forward for the next five or 10 years – Chase will have to do better when conditions favour fast bowling. So far, he’s only faced them in England and New Zealand and he’s struggled to score runs there.He had a tough time against Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami here in India too, when they managed to produce reverse-swing. At the pre-match press conference Chase spoke about that threat rather like a man who didn’t appreciate being the only one that had to make runs against 140kph deliveries that kept tailing into middle stump. The message was clear. He wanted his own bowlers to be just as menacing. Perhaps, they might be, now that they have a good total on the board on a pitch that will get difficult to bat on as the match progresses.
da pinnacle： O Santos volta a atuar pela Copa Sul-Americana nesta terça-feira (2). O adversário da vez é o Newell’s Old Boys, líder do Grupo E. Para conseguir os pontos e tomar a primeira posição da chave, o Peixe terá que driblar a ausência de Soteldo, camisa 10 e um dos principais destaques do Alvinegro Praiano.
+Guia Santos: veja a análise dos adversários, onde assistir e tudo sobre o Peixe na Sul-Americana
Sem poder contar com o venezuelano por conta de uma lesão muscular moderada na posterior da coxa esquerda, Daniel Ruiz é o favorito para assumir o espaço.
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da fazobetai： +Joia de 15 anos estreia pelo Barcelona: lembre 28 jogadores que começaram cedo no profissional
Pelo Brasileirão, o colombiano ficou com a responsabilidade de substituir Soteldo, pois o jogador não pôde atuar na 2ª rodada por conta de uma suspensão.
Na briga pela vaga, Ângelo também visa espaço, mas Odair Hellmann deve ir com Daniel Ruiz para manter formação tática semelhante com a dos últimos jogos. Correndo por fora, Lucas Braga está disponível para ser utilizado pelo treinador Odair Hellmann. Todavia, por retornar agora de lesão, o ponta deve começar no banco.
Com base nessas informações, Odair Hellmann deve armar o Santos da seguinte forma: João Paulo; Nathan (Inocêncio), Messias, Bauermann e Lucas Pires; Rodrigo Fernández, Dodi e Lucas Lima; Daniel Ruiz (Ângelo), Mendoza e Marcos Leonardo.
da jogodeouro： While Barry Ferguson remains in charge of Rangers for now, he’s highly unlikely to keep the job beyond the summer.
da stake casino： Last time out, the Gers were dumped out of the Europa League, battling to a goalless draw with Athletic Club Bilbao at Ibrox, before being beaten 2-0 at San Mamés last Thursday.
So, to conclude the campaign, the Light Blues have very little to play for, but have all five post-split Premiership fixtures to fulfill, starting with Saturday’s trip to St Mirren, all but mathematically guaranteed to finish second, 15 points adrift champions-elect Celtic and 13 points clear of Hibs.
Thus, attention has already started to turn towards plans for the summer, so could “one of the best managers” in football history be occupying the Ibrox dugout by the time their season commences with a Champions League qualifier in late-July?
The latest on Rangers' 49ers takeover
As reported by Sahil Jaidka of Sky Sports News on Wednesday, Rangers have confirmed they are in “productive conversations” with an American-based consortium who are planning to take over the club, thereby “injecting additional capital”.
Back in March, Lawrie Anne Brown and Sahil Jaidka also reported that Paraag Marathe, who is president of the investment arm of 49ers Enterprises, is the person spearheading this takeover, ‘aiming to acquire’ 51% of the shares at a minimum.
Ewan Paton of the National notes that, after posting losses of £17.2m last year, an unsustainably high figure, investment is badly needed.
Meantime, Michael Grant of The Times believes that the fact Kevin Thelwell has recently been appointed as head of football operations, arriving from Everton, suggests the 49ers have already started making behind-the-scenes decisions.
Speaking on the Scottish Football Show, Rangers supporter Findlay Marks expects the new owners will want to make a ‘statement appointment’ when it comes to the manager, so are they going to go after one of the most successful managers of all-time?
Rangers' first choice managerial target
According to a report from TEAMTalk late last week, José Mourinho is amongst the front-runners to become the new Rangers manager, with the piece claiming he ‘would be interested’ in taking over.
Well, last month, ahead of Fenerbahçe’s Europa League tie at Ibrox, Mourinho more than intimated that he’d be open to managing one of Glasgow’s big two in the future, adding the Premiership “is a league of passion. Passion in football is everything”.
His current club Fenerbahçe were dumped out of the Europa League by Rangers on penalties, and are staring down the barrel of a trophyless season, ousted in the Türkiye Kupası quarter-finals while currently second in the Süper Lig, five points adrift of Galatasaray with only six games remaining.
The Yellow Canaries appointed Mourinho in a desperate attempt to win their first title since 2014, but appear set to fall just short once again, having been runners-up six times in the last decade.
Nevertheless, fair to say, the 62-year-old has a pretty impressive CV, as the table below outlines.
José Mourinho’s managerial career
Clubs
Matches
Win %
Trophies
Benfica
11
54.55%
Zero
União de Leiria
23
52.17%
Zero
Porto
127
71.65%
6
Chelsea
185
67.03%
6
Internazionale
108
62.04%
5
Real Madrid
178
71.91%
3
Chelsea
136
58.82%
2
Manchester United
144
58.33%
3
Tottenham Hotspur
86
51.16%
Zero
Roma
138
49.28%
1
Fenerbahçe
50
62%
Zero
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt
The trophies speak for themselves: two Champions Leagues, league titles in four different countries and, after getting his hands on the Conference League in charge of Roma, he got a tattoo to commemorate the fact he’d won all three major UEFA competitions.
While he was at Tottenham, Son Heung-min described him as “one of the best managers in the world”, while Oisín Doherty of Breaking the Lines believes he was the ‘most dominant manager in world football’ for over a decade.
Manager Focus
Of course, as outlined by Barney Ronay of the Guardian, some of Mourinho’s tactics are outdated, meaning he is past his best, but he would certainly represent a major coup for Rangers and would be box office for all of us who love Scottish football.
He would represent the perfect upgrade on Ferguson, no doubt about that.
Dream XI Mourinho could build at Rangers: No Tavernier & £8.5m star signs
Mourinho could build a solid starting XI should he take the Rangers job
Manchester United avoided defeat in all competitions through March. In fact, Ruben Amorim’s side are currently riding a seven-match unbeaten run.
There’s so much work to do. However, signs are appearing, sprouting like spring shoots. Maybe the Red Devils have a future under the wing of their Portuguese boss; maybe these interminable years of strife are going to be consigned to the history books, something to look back on with pride at leaps taken since INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe arrived at Old Trafford.
Chances of seasonal success through the Premier League are negligible. 13th, United’s hopes of salvation lie on the continental front, with Athletic Bilbao awaiting next month in the Europa League quarter-finals.
Amorim must make do with the resources available for the remainder of the campaign, but the wider picture portrays the need for drastic action. A host of players needed to be shipped on, but Rasmus Hojlund is surely one of the most pressing cases.
Rasmus Hojlund's nightmare season
Manchester United have been put through the wringer this season, but there’s surely only one way the club can go henceforth. It really has been the nadir for the prestigious outfit, one of the biggest on the globe.
INEOS must be ruthless, and while he’s still young, Hojlund isn’t cutting it and should be sold this summer to make room for a new and exciting number nine.
Reports suggest that the Denmark international is among the most likely names to depart this summer, with Italian side Napoli named. United might have paid Atalanta £72m for this raw centre-forward, but losses need to be cut.
Hojlund finally broke his duck in the Premier League before the international break, slotting home against Leicester City, but that’s only his third league goal of the term – and across 24 matches at that.
Matches (starts)
30 (25)
24 (17)
Goals
10
3
Assists
2
0
Touches*
22.8
17.5
Shots (on target)*
1.3 (0.7)
0.8 (0.4)
Big chances missed
13
3
Pass completion
77%
79%
Key passes*
0.9
0.5
Dribbles*
0.6
0.3
Ball recoveries*
2.0
1.1
Duels won*
2.8 (38%)
2.1 (29%)
Profligacy is one thing, but Hojlund’s dearth of missed chances actually underpins the deeper fissures splitting United’s core. He’s bereft of service, unable to fashion openings for himself, incapable of leading confidently at the bow of Amorim’s ship.
In fairness, the likes of Erling Haaland would have struggled to meet expectations in United’s team this season, but Hojlund still hasn’t pulled his weight. Journalist Sam Pilger branded him “anonymous,” stating his “confidence is on the floor.”
United want to replace him this summer.
Man United lining up Hojlund upgrade
According to Manchester United’s former chief scout Mick Brown – speaking to Football Insider – INEOS are prepared to launch a statement move for Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres this summer and are even considered favourites to complete a deal.
That’s in spite of interest from rival suitors such as Arsenal and Liverpool, chiefly because Amorim turned the Sweden striker into a free-scoring machine before moving to England and is the driving force behind the potential deal.
Gyokeres wouldn’t come cheap, but the Devils wouldn’t need to fork out for his full £83m release clause, with the Liga Portugal champions fielding enquiries worth £63m.
Were Hojlund to be sold this summer, things could come together at the Theatre of Dreams.
What Viktor Gyokeres would bring to Man Utd
There’s a reason why Gyokeres is one of the most coveted players in world football. In fact, journalist Mark Ogden has described the 26-year-old as “the hottest striker in Europe.”
Born in Sweden, reared at Brighton, but made under the watchful wing of Amorim. Coventry City’s goalscorer came close (but not close enough) to securing qualification to the Premier League in 2022/23, earning a £20m move to Lisbon.
Scorer of 83 goals, placer of 25 assists, winner of the 23/24 Liga Portugal title – all across 91 appearances. Not bad at all for a Seagulls reject. Is it any wonder he’s been hailed as a “powerhouse” in front of goal by analyst Ben Mattinson?
He’s not restricted his output to any one front this term, notably firing a hat-trick past Manchester City in the Champions League several months back – with Amorim still at the helm.
As per FBref, Gyokeres ranks among the top 4% of strikers across Europe’s top-five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 6% for pass completion and shot-creating actions and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90.
He does, after all, boast 40 goals from 41 matches this season. It seems inconceivable that he wouldn’t prove to be an upgrade on Hojlund, whose lack of presence at number nine, his reduced ball-carrying output and ball-striking quality, does make a telling comment on where he should fit into INEOS’s market strategy this summer.
Hojlund might not be the most wasteful forward in front of goal when observing the statistical analysis, but Gyokeres is far more predatory, combining movement, pace and potency to supercharge Sporting’s project.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokeres
He takes 4.2 shots per Liga Portugal match this season, missing just 17 big chances despite having scored 28 goals. Gyokeres is everything that Man United need up top and more.
Amorim knows him, loves him. Gyokeres hailed the gaffer back in November, saying: “We’ve done amazing things together.” Why not some more?
Man Utd gem who left for £0 would be even better than Dorgu under Amorim
Man Utd might wish they had this player at their disposal