Lionel Messi has sat out four successive games for Inter Miami, but the Argentine superstar may figure in MLS again before the 2023 season is over.
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Napoli coach Rudi Garcia says Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has found his confidence again and is back to his best for the Serie A champions.
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Liverpool lead the race to secure a surprise swoop for Fulham full-back Kenny Tete this summer, who could be viewed as an interesting replacement for James Milner, who has departed Anfield upon the expiry of his contract.
What's the latest on Liverpool's pursuit of Kenny Tete?
That's according to recent reports, with the Dutch defender's future at Craven Cottage up in the air after failing to agree a contract extension with Marco Silva's side.
Tete has just one year left on his current deal and could be available for as little as £10.5m, with Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke now in the driving seat despite further intrigue from two anonymous Premier League outfits and one LaLiga side.
The Cottagers made an emphatic return to the top flight this term and cast aside the 'yo-yo' tag as they recorded a tenth-placed finish, with Tete playing a starring role.
Should Liverpool sign Kenny Tete?
With Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson mere weeks away from his 33rd birthday, it is likely that he will be utilised more sparingly next season, maintaining his leadership skills and galvanising the troops, but no longer taking centre stage on the Anfield grass, having started just 23 times in the league.
It could be that the England veteran slowly transitions into the role that Milner played during his twilight phase on Merseyside, a dependable and dynamic utility option.
While primarily a midfielder, the loss of the 37-year-old Milner has left the right-back position depleted, with 12 of the 61-cap former England international's 41 outings for the Reds this term coming in the defensive position.
And while Trent Alexander-Arnold is the undisputed powerhouse in the right-back position at Anfield, Tete's prospective acquisition could pay dividends by bolstering the fold with a perfect alternative.
Hailed as a "great asset" for Fulham by chairman Tony Khan upon signing for the club in 2020, the 27-year-old made 31 appearances in the top-flight this season and scored one goal and supplied five assists, recording a laudable average Sofascore rating of 7.09 and completing 1.7 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game.
As per FBref, the £50k-per-week ace ranks among the top 15% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of assists, the top 9% for rate of tackles, the top 3% for interceptions and the top 6% for blocks per 90.
The "sensational" defender – as dubbed by presenter Jack Collins – would clearly be a marked improvement on the ageing Milner, who recorded an average rating of 6.68 this term and boasted just 0.8 tackles, 0.4 interceptions and 0.4 clearances per game in the Premier League, branded as "no longer the answer" by talkSPORT's Ade Oladipo in the early phases of the campaign.
For such a paltry fee, Tete would be a wonderful addition to the Reds' team, and could etch his name into the considerable list of shrewd acquisitions to have served as pillars for Klopp's dynasty on Merseyside.
David Masters proved there is life in the old dog yet with seven wickets to strengthen Essex’s hold at the top of Division Two
Vithushan Ehantharajah at Chelmsford31-Aug-2016
ScorecardDavid Masters picked up five wickets in 32 balls before lunch•NurPhoto/Getty ImagesThere is an air of expectancy around Chelmsford these days. Not only are they top of Division Two, eyes set on the sole promotion spot, but their team possesses the perfect blend of youth and experience. Their Championship performances have eclipsed those in recent seasons and, as a bonus to winning games, they are doing so in style. For an Essex fan, it makes uncomfortable viewing.For the last few years they have had to temper expectations. Previous dawns have been false. Any calm a precursor to an unforeseen yet expected storm. At least in their eyes. In 2013, when Ben Foakes, now of Surrey, helped save Essex’s blushes against Kent with a composed 86 – his highest score at the time – one fan shouted up to the player’s balcony as a wide-eyed Foakes, knowing only of Essex, was being interviewed: “Well played Foakesy, but you’ll leave like the rest of ’em!” Twice in this match you got the feeling some felt more comfortable in that default state of self-mocking .The first was a period after lunch, when Ben Cox led a Worcestershire charge, ably supported by George Rhodes, which saw boundaries flashed through the off side at will, as 94 was put on at over four an over. “This would be so Essex,” grumbled one fan sat in the sun-soaked stand opposite the Pavilion.Those five words came to mind when Nick Browne pressed forward and left a delivery from Joe Leach, who got one to move into the left-hander enough to strike his pad in front of the stumps. Off he went with the scoreboard gleaming 1 for 1. But as the dominant passages that engulfed those two blips indicated, even the most pessimistic fan would have left with a smile. Who knows, they may have joined the gaggle of well-oiled punters screeching “There’s only one David Masters” as Chelmsford closed up for the evening.Masters’ undying love
David Masters: “I’m getting a bit older now and can’t play as many games, so when I am playing I’m generally fresh. They’ve looked after me well this year and I’ve played when they’ve needed me to play and hopefully I don’t disappoint. I still love it. My body takes a bit more of a battering now and it takes me a bit more time to recover. I still love playing, I love bowling and I enjoyed today.”
Matt Mason, Worcestershire assistant coach: “I think our captain Daryl Mitchell summed it up in the dressing room just then when he said it was a very, very disappointing day. He’s not very happy with us as you can imagine. We probably lacked a bit of application with the bat, particularly early on with some soft dismissals in there. And that last session was probably the poorest we have had as a bowling unit this year, so not an ideal day.”
After a sedate start, with Daryl Mitchell and Brett D’Oliveira reaching 35 for none, it was David Masters who produced a remarkable spell which saw him take five wickets in the space of 32 balls, for the concession of just two runs.The first three fell in the 13th over, Masters’ second running from Hayes Close, as Ryan ten Doeschate asked the 38-year-old to try his luck from the less favourable end. D’Oliveira gave ten Doeschate a catch at bat-pad, Tom Fell overbalanced to the off side and was struck in front before Joe Clarke misjudged the line badly enough to be bowled past his outside edge, despite the ball moving in. Worcestershire skipper Mitchell was then given out lbw for the fourth before Ross Whiteley was bowled through the gate to hand Masters his first Championship five-wicket haul since 2014.It was from 48 for 5 where Rhodes and Cox’s resistance began, but both raised half-centuries. Cox in particular looked in fine touch, bringing up his with 11 fours, compared to Rhodes, who took the steady approach to raise a second fifty of the season, off 107 balls. But one drive too many from Cox saw him caught at cover to give Jamie Porter his 50th Championship wicket of the season. Further help from Leach allowed Worcestershire to breach 200, before he and West Indies quick Miguel Cummins, on Worcestershire debut, gave Masters his sixth and seventh wicket of the innings, respectively.The wicket of Browne was as good as it got for Worcestershire’s bowlers, who toiled till close and were jeered off by a partisan group who had made full use of the hospitality bar to the left of the Pavilion. Tom Westley’s unbeaten innings of 58 provided them with some late entertainment, as he registered a 10th score of fifty or more with some gorgeous shots through midwicket, a pair of straight drives taking him to 51 from 74 deliveries. The knock also made him the first Essex batsman to pass 1000 Championship runs this season (the first time he has achieved the feat).It feels like most of those runs have come with England captain Alastair Cook watching on from the other end, something which will undoubtedly work in his favour when Cook sits down with selectors to determine the make-up of the Test squad to tour this winter. Cook himself looked in good order, unbeaten on 43. However, he should not have made it past 12 when Leach, the pick of the visiting bowlers, drew him into a poke outside off stump. The chance, presented to Rhodes at third slip, was put down.
Virat Kohli has suggested India are likely to stick to a five-bowler combination for the second Test in Jamaica, despite the “bounce and carry” that its green-tinged pitch promises
Karthik Krishnaswamy in Kingston29-Jul-2016Each of the last 15 Test matches at Sabina Park has ended with one team victorious and the other defeated. The pitch for the second Test between West Indies and India, which starts on Saturday, promises yet another decisive result, and Virat Kohli has welcomed it. India, he said, were “excited” to be playing at a “result-oriented ground”.”We’re not focusing on the opposition too much,” he said. “We are happy that the wicket is going to have some bounce and carry. There was decent enough bounce in Antigua for us to exploit whatever help was there. Jamaica is going to be even better, it’s a result-oriented ground, we all know that. We’re quite excited about it.”We’ve got good pace, the bowlers are bowling good areas. We’d just like to focus on that and believe that our batsmen are good enough to tackle any pace and bounce that West Indies’ bowlers have. The plan is to go out there and play with the determination and focus that we showed in the first game.”Ahead of the first Test in Antigua, Kohli had spoken about India’s horses-for-courses approach, and picking the best possible bowling attack that could take 20 wickets in the given conditions. Considering the tinge of green on the Sabina Park pitch, India may have been tempted into thinking they may not need a five-bowler combination, such as the one they picked in Antigua, and instead play an extra batsman at No. 6. But Kohli indicated India would stick to the same approach that won them the Antigua Test by an innings and 92 runs. He also suggested India would need two spinners, and felt slow bowlers would come into the game in the second innings.”Honestly there’s not much room to change when you’ve won the first game, knowing that the fast bowlers have done the job,” he said. “There’s good bounce in this wicket. The last time we played a Test here, in 2011, [Amit Mishra] and Harbhajan [Singh] both got good turn and bounce. So the spinner can’t be left out of the game.”There is a second innings as well, we need to understand that. It’s not overcast conditions and a green pitch where you will compromise on one spinner. You know that when the wicket dries up it will start turning and there is good bounce so the spinners will come into play. Like they did in the last game also, spinners can play a massive role. I think the roles will switch pretty drastically with each innings, that’s what I feel, for all bowlers, and for that we have to have all bases covered for us to have enough options to take 10 wickets in the second innings also.”We need to have a good balance of spinners and fast bowlers for us to get a result. And that’s what we had in the first game. As I said, when you win there’s not that much room for change unless the conditions are drastically different, which they are not. There’s pace and bounce here, and I think this will help the spinners in the second innings as well.”Kohli was confident India’s lower order could perform just as well as they had done in Antigua, where R Ashwin, batting as high as No. 6 for the first time in his career, scored a hundred, with Wriddhiman Saha and Amit Mishra making more-than-useful contributions at No. 7 and No. 8 as well.”It’s no different to any other place we will play at,” Kohli said. “Obviously we need to be wary of the conditions a bit more because it is a ground that is result-oriented. It’s obviously going to take more application than we showed at Antigua already. It’s going to take more responsibility and more concentration by the batsmen to get the job done.”Ashwin came good at six, Saha played well, Mishi got runs. That just deepens our batting line-up and gives us the same bowling options that are required to take 20 wickets. It’s an exciting ground to play at because you know there is going to be a result. The match is going to be hard-fought and any session can change the game. Which is very exciting for us as Indian Test cricketers.”India will make one forced change to their XI, with M Vijay yet to recover fully from a bruised thumb he suffered during his first-day dismissal in Antigua. KL Rahul, who has already scored two hundreds in five Test matches, is set to replace him at the top of the order.”Well, [Rahul has] been in a very good zone,” Kohli said. “He scored runs in the practice games, he scored in [the ODI series in] Zimbabwe, we all know that. He had a great IPL season. I think that was the turnaround for confidence as far as he’s concerned. Last year, he had a good tour to Sri Lanka, got a hundred there. Again, didn’t play against South Africa [at home].”It’s more a case of a guy waiting for an opportunity. You can see that with him. You can sense it. He wants to play. He’s batting really well, he wants to make it count. He wants to get big runs. I’m confident of his abilities. He’s pretty compact, he’s a solid opener, and he’s a great fielder as well. Gives you that wicketkeeping option as well, in case something happens to Saha.”He’s, all in all, a great package for the team and it’s great to see that he’s going to get a Test match. Obviously, unfortunately Vijay has to miss out because of injury. Not good for him. He’s someone who has always done well for the team, always takes pride in playing for the country. He was not really happy with getting hit in the first innings, which is not in his control.”KL is excited. KL is ready. KL is batting really well and that’s obviously a very good thing for the team.”
Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad have been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Cook has been awarded a CBE, having previously received an MBE five years ago, while Broad has been made an MBE
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2016Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad have been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Cook has been awarded a CBE, having previously received an MBE five years ago, while Broad has been made an MBE.Cook became the first England batsman to reach 10,000 Test runs – and the youngest of all time – during the Chester-le-Street Test against Sri Lanka. Broad is currently the No. 3 ranked bowler in the world having held the top spot earlier this year.”Receiving this kind of honour means a great deal to me and it’s also a hugely proud moment for me and my family,” Cook said. “I also see this as recognition for my team-mates, my coaches and family and friends who have all helped me in my England career over the last ten years – and, of course, the England fans who have always given me such fantastic support at home and abroad.”Broad said: “It’s an honour and a privilege to be recognised in this way. I’m obviously delighted and very proud. It is a lovely moment for my family too. My parents will be delighted after guiding me into cricket and instilling me with a love of the game from an early age.”Cricket has been a constant part of my life ever since and I would like to dedicate this honour to all the people that have supported me at different stages of my career. They’ve all helped me fulfil my dream of playing cricket for my country. “Colin Graves, the ECB chairman, paid tribute to both players saying that Cook had become a “true great of the game” and Broad was “one of England’s finest ever fast bowlers”.”It’s great to see our England players win national recognition and this is a tremendous honour for both players,” Graves said. “Alastair’s cricketing achievements now place him among the true greats of the game and he can be very proud of what he has given to the England team over the past decade – both as a world-class opening batsman and a highly successful England captain. His dedication and determination to succeed are an object lesson to any young cricketer and today’s news is a fitting honour for one of this country’s finest sportsmen.”Stuart is rightly renowned as one of England’s finest ever fast bowlers and his new-ball partnership with James Anderson has been an integral part of the England Test side’s recent successes. Today’s award also caps off a wonderful for year for Stuart in which he produced career-defining spells of fast bowling at Trent Bridge and Johannesburg which will live long in the memory of all England fans. Our congratulations to Stuart on an honour which will mean a huge amount to him and his family.”
Journalist Jacques Talbot has claimed that Newcastle United have "no reason" to consider a change in manager despite "god tier" Julian Nagelsmann becoming available.
What's the latest on Julian Nagelsmann and Newcastle?
Last week it was announced that Bayern Munich would be sacking their 35-year-old manager and replacing him with German coach Thomas Tuchel.
As per Bild (via Mirror) Nagelsmann was left 'completely surprised' by the decision but it hasn't taken long to see him linked with a move to the Premier League already.
Indeed, with Tottenham Hotspur sacking Antonio Conte, Spurs are now looking to hire a new manager and the former Bayern boss has been tipped as a main candidate
While talking about Nagelsmann's possible move to England on his YouTube channel, Talbot praised the German but said he wouldn't want him to replace Eddie Howe at Newcastle even if he is now on the market.
He said (35:00): “I know Nagelsmann's a better manager, on paper. I totally get it, he's like god tier manager.
"But there's no reason to change, there's no reason change, we have something, a good relationship with Howe. It’d rupture the dressing room and stuff.
"So I might be biased. But I see Eddie Howe at Newcastle for a very long time. A very long time.”
Would Newcastle want to replace Eddie Howe?
To be fair to Talbot, Howe certainly has managed some pretty impressive feats since taking over the Magpies last season. Indeed, he already led them to their first cup final since 1999 (although they lost), and he currently has them pushing for a spot in the Champions League, two points behind fourth-placed Spurs with two games in hand.
What's more, the Englishman has an impressive record of 1.77 points per game. To put that in perspective, his predecessor Steve Bruce managed 1.15.
However, Nagelsmann is one of the most exciting young managers in world football. He leaves Bayern having picked up 2.31 points per game, whilst having also won the league and the super cup – which shows just how brutal the sacking was.
With that in mind, it's easy to see why Nagelsmann is rated so highly by so many but Howe certainly hasn't done anything yet to warrant seeing his position come under pressure.
Still, if Newcastle fail to make the top for and the 35-year-old German remains a free agent in the summer, perhaps the board will be brutal and take the opportunity to hire the "god tier" alternative.
West Ham supporters have been handed a big update on the future of manager David Moyes by talkSPORT presenter Jim White.
The Lowdown: Moyes pressure mounts…
Despite a 2-0 win over AEK Larnaca in the Europa Conference League Last 16 on Thursday, the pressure is still well and truly on Moyes with supporters very much still dissatisfied.
The Premier League strugglers spent £172 million since last summer and Moyes has arguably failed to get the very best out of his squad, even if the Scotsman has also had to deal with injuries.
West Ham have won just once in their last five league games as members of the fanbase grow worried over their top flight status.
The Latest: White shares big Moyes update…
Speaking to talkSPORT, via their live feed [March 9], there is now a feeling at West Ham that Moyes could carry on even if they’re relegated.
White explained:
“I’ve been speaking to someone of authority at West Ham.
“The feeling there, what is dominating their thoughts at this stage of the season is Premier League survival and winning the Europa Conference League. Those are their targets.
“There is also the feeling that even if West Ham go down, David Moyes would carry on.”
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The Verdict: Bizarre…
The former Everton boss has undoubtedly built up plenty of credit in the bank, guiding West Ham to two successive campaigns in Europe and a famous Europa League semi-final run last year.
However, given the state of their standings, there is a very real argument that Moyes has taken the east Londoners as far as they can go now.
Perhaps a fresh face with new ideas is the best solution to really get the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca firing, yet according to this update, the board appear set to keep faith in their current boss.
Time will tell whether this is the right decision but it may be an unpopular one with some West Ham supporters.
Graham Ford’s things to do list
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan10-Jun-2007
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Enter low-profile, stay low-profile
When Ford’s name was first linked to India’s coaching job one board
administrator said in half-jest: “Who is this Ford? Next you’ll say Ferrari,
Mercedes and Toyota.” Ford must take full advantage of his relative
anonymity and try, as much as he possibly can, to stay low-key. After the
tumultuous Chappell era, when the focus often shifted from the players to
the coach, Indian cricket is in need of a backroom worker, someone who
can push rather than pull. Taking a cue from Wright, India’s first
foreign coach who was remarkably inconspicuous for most of his tenure,
might be a good way to start.Getting the best out of the seniors
Some have termed them Dad’s army: watch them play and it’s more like the
Geriatrics Club of India. The team comprises men who are
staring at retirement but Ford’s best option is to get the maximum out of
them. India’s first-class system isn’t exactly brimming with exceptionally
talented youngsters and those like Suresh Raina who’ve been given a
chance have stood exposed. Ford’s biggest challenge will be the senior batsmen, something that Chappell, despite his good record coaching some of the younger players, couldn’t achieve for a sustained period of time. Ford is said to possess a
“technical eye” and comes with a hard-nosed reputation, factors that could go a long way in extracting the best out of great batsmen in their twilight years.Balancing complacency and insecurity
Wright’s final year as coach saw a number of established names take their
spots for granted and make the cut despite some woeful performances.
Chappell’s tenure was characterised by a rash of insecurity, with players
unsure of when the axe would fall – what began as ‘Perform or Perish’ ended
up, as with Mohammad Kaif in Kuala Lumpur, ‘Perform
Perish’. Ford, captain Rahul Dravid and chief selector
Dilip Vengsarkar need to find a balance – gauging how long a rope can be
afforded to each individual.Basics please
Whether he adopts rolling camps or conducts sessions at the army paratroop
centre, Ford must device a method to sort out the basics. He must get the
batsmen to run better between wickets; hammer it into them that taking the
shortest route helps and stressing the importance of grounding
their bats; he must get India to stop a few more runs on the field and
somehow put in place an efficient slip cordon that holds more than a
sieve; he must also unearth a couple of good close-in catchers. It would
help if he has a word with his countryman, Adrian Le Roux, the former
trainer who some Indian players still swear by. Andrew Leipus, the former
physio who’s always ready to help, could also be another useful sounding
board.
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Taking a load off Dravid
Dravid’s job was, no doubt, made harder by a domineering coach and it’s
important that Ford plays facilitator rather than doer. He needs to play a
big role in the internal dynamics of man management and the daily media
stress test that the team is put through. Wright did that wonderfully,
despite having his differences with Ganguly; Chappell struggled and his
dominant personality didn’t endear itself to many of the players.Earning the players’ trust
“Now that we’ve experienced Chappell, we’re ready for anyone”. This
statement, from a member of the team, reflects the loss of trust in the
coach who was tactless in his off-the-record briefings to the media.
Ford will no doubt face frustrations but coaching through the media is
fraught with danger, especially when you’re riling your own players.
Earning the confidence of the players – the same players largely responsible
for his appointment – will be vital.No immediate revolution
No one doubts Indian cricket needs a drastic overhaul but trying to instigate
an immediate revolution could lead to further trouble. Chappell tried to
create order from chaos but plunged into it well before
he’d proven his coaching credentials. Ford comes in with a fine record as
coach but he needs to establish himself as the right man for the job. His
personality doesn’t suggest he will spark off any major change in the
overall functioning of Indian cricket but if he chooses to do so, he must
wait for the right time before striking.
تحدثت صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية عن النجم المصري محمد صلاح ومستقبله مع ليفربول، خاصة في ظل تألقه هذا الموسم، وكانت آخر لحظات توهجه أمس الأول ضد توتنهام.
وواجه ليفربول خصمه توتنهام، في ملعب الأخير في الجولة السابعة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، حيث فاز الريدز بستة أهداف مقابل ثلاثة.
وتمكن محمد صلاح من تسجيل هدفين وصناعة مثليهما، ليحقق عددًا من الأرقام القياسية، أبرزها كونه أصبح الهداف الرابع في قائمة هدافي ليفربول عبر العصور.
وقالت صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية في تقريرها: “ربما كان إنجاز محمد صلاح التهديفي الجديد بمثابة خبر جديد بالنسبة للبعض، ولكن ليس بالنسبة للنجم المصري، حيث أدرك كل شيء عن أهمية تجاوز بيلي ليدل الأسطوري في قائمة هدافي ليفربول على مر العصور ليحتل المركز الرابع بـ 229 هدفًا”.
وأضافت: “يعيش صلاح من أجل تحطيم الأرقام القياسية، وفي حين أن حصيلة إيان راش البالغة 346 هدفًا في صدارة القائمة ستكون بعيدة المنال بالنسبة له، إلا أنه سيضع صاحب المركز الثالث جوردون هودجسون في مرمى بصره (كهدف قريب)”.
وواصلت: “سجل هودجسون 241 هدفًا مع ليفربول، وكان هداف النادي حتى حل روجر هانت محله في الستينيات، وهذا مهم لأن محمد صلاح يريد كتابة اسمه بحبر لا يزول في الأنفيلد”.
وتابعت: “هو لا يريد الرحيل في الصيف المقبل حيث يشعر أنه لديه الكثير مما يريد تحقيقه في ليفربول، يرغب في البقاء ومحاولة تجاوز حصيلة هانت البالغة 285 هدفًا وتعزيز مكانته في مجموعة أساطير النادي”.
وأردفت: “كل هذا يعزز موقف ليفربول في محادثات تجديد عقد محمد صلاح الذي سينتهي في يونيو المقبل، ولا يمكن كذلك التقليل من حجم غرور محمد صلاح حيث يحب اللعب في بطولتي الدوري الإنجليزي ودوري أبطال أوروبا”.
وأوضحت: “إنه يعلم أنه لن يكون تحت الأضواء العالمية بقدر ما هو عليه الآن إذا غادر، وبالتأكيد ليس في الدوري السعودي، كما أنه يتوق إلى جائزة الكرة الذهبية ويشعر أنه لديه فرصة أخيرة لتحقيقها هذا الموسم إذا كان يستطيع مساعدة ليفربول على الفوز إما بالدوري الإنجليزي أو دوري أبطال أوروبا، أو كليهما”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. أنفيلد ووتش: تصريحات أبو تريكة ستطرب آذان جماهير ليفربول بشأن مستقبل محمد صلاح
واسترسلت: “لا توجد بطولات كبرى الصيف المقبل، مثل كأس العالم، ويشعر أن لحظته قد تأتي أخيرًا بعد أن أصبح أول لاعب في الدوري الإنجليزي يسجل 10 أهداف ويساهم بـ 10 تمريرات حاسمة قبل عيد الميلاد، لقد نجح بذكاء في إقناع الجماهير بالوقوف إلى جانبه من خلال تصريحه علنًا عن الجمود في المحادثات”.
واستكملت: “ورغم الجمود، يتحدث ليفربول بهدوء مع وكيله رامي عباس خلف الكواليس، مع العلم أن المشكلة بالنسبة لـ محمد صلاح أنهم لا يعرضون عليه ما يشعر أنه يستحقه، سواء من حيث المدة أو المال، حيث لا يقدم النادي صفقات لأكثر من عام واحد للاعبين في سن صلاح، الذي سيبلغ 33 عامًا في يونيو، سيرغبون في تقديم حوافز كبيرة لأي صفقة جديدة لتعويضهم إذا أصيب صلاح أو عانى من فقدان لياقته”.
واعترفت: “من الصعب الجدال مع مجموعة فينواي الرياضية (المالكة لـ ليفربول) حيث سبق لهم اتخاذ جميع القرارات الكبرى تقريبا بشكل صحيح بشأن اللاعبين في السنوات السبع أو الثمانية الماضية”.
وأشارت: “غادر جورجينيو فينالدوم وساديو ماني في صيفين متتاليين لأنهما شعرا أن النادي لم يعرض عليهما ما شعرا أنهما يستحقانه، لكن كلاهما شهدا هبوطًا حادًا في حياتهما المهنية بعيدًا عن أنفيلد”.
واختتمت: “لن يقدم المُلاك لـ صلاح سوى ما يشعر أنه مناسب من حيث هيكل الرواتب، وسيكون أمرًا ساذجًا من جانب الجماهير أن يعتقدوا أنهم سيقدمون كل شيء من أجل لاعب واحد، خاصة إذا كان هذا اللاعب راغبًا في تحطيم المزيد من الأرقام القياسية”.