All posts by h716a5.icu

Chris Gayle has dismissed suggestions that matches in the current one-day series against England and the tour which follows will be affected by the ongoing dispute

Cricinfo staff26-Mar-2009Chris Gayle has dismissed suggestions that matches in the current one-day series against England will be affected by the ongoing dispute between players and the West Indies board, and also insisted the tour of England which follows will go ahead.”There wasn’t any threat made to boycott any games to my knowledge,” he said. “They are making a bit of progress [in talks between the board and the Players’ Association], which is good. If the games weren’t supposed to be going on I’d be at home cocking up my legs now, but I’m here to play cricket so the games will definitely be going on.”We have to come to an understanding with each other between the team, the players and the board and I think there is some sort of communication going on. Things are looking pretty good, I’m sure everyone will benefit from the outcome and the cricket will definitely go on rather than go into a dispute again.”Earlier today Cricinfo reported that up to five players could refuse to tour England, but Gayle denied that was the case. “The tour of England would definitely go ahead,” he said. “I will be there, and once all the other players are fit and selected, they also will be there. . .right now, things are looking good.”

Richard Hadlee, the former New Zealand allrounder, has signed up with the American Premier League (APL) as an executive consultant

Cricinfo staff24-Apr-2009Richard Hadlee, the former New Zealand allrounder, has signed up with the American Premier League (APL) as an executive consultant.The APL, as exclusively revealed by Cricinfo, is a six-team Twenty20 tournament that is to be held in October on a converted baseball field in Staten Island, New York City. Hadlee has been contracted for four events to run until 2011.”As an ambassador and executive consultant of the APL, I am delighted to be involved with this event,” Hadlee said. “The APL… brings a different format of the game to the USA – namely Twenty20 – with top-class players from around the world participating. This should be the best possible way in which to sell cricket to America’s sport-loving people.”The tournament is promoted by Jay Mir, the president and CEO of American Sports And Entertainment Group Inc, who wants to raise six sides using the IPL’s model of franchises and auctions. Several Pakistan players have been linked with the league, including former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, fast bowler Mohammad Asif, and batsmen Imran Nazir and Imran Farhat who are currently with the ICL.The APL is yet to receive a stamp of approval from the ICC, who have advised their Member countries not to allow players to participate in the event.Hadlee hoped the APL gets official sanction soon and said the league was keen to work with the USACA. “It would be shrewd if the USACA allowed the APL to help champion their cause and further cricket’s appeal there [in the USA].”

Graham Ford, the Kent coach, says he will stay on with the county despite their relegation from Division One of the County Championship

Cricinfo staff29-Sep-2008
Robert Key ended 2008 empty-handed, but Graham Ford isn’t about to jump ship © Getty Images
Graham Ford, the Kent coach, says he will stay with the county despite their relegation from Division One of the County Championship. The decision means Ford looks to be out of the reckoning to succeed John Bracewell as New Zealand coach, a position he was interviewed for.”I’m firmly with Kent,” he told BBC Radio Kent. “I’ve had opportunities to go before and one certainly doesn’t want to run away when things haven’t gone at their best. There’s a lot of resolve and determination in the dressing room and it’s a fantastic group of guys to work with. I know they’ll be giving 120% to get back to first division status.”Kent had a better run in the limited-overs competitions, but came up short three times. They lost a close Twenty20 final against Middlesex, were beaten in the FP Trophy final by Essex, and again lost to Essex in the deciding Pro40 match.”Possibly over the last few years we focused a lot more of our preparations on one-day cricket and even our summer signings have been one-day cricket orientated,” Ford said. “So we’re really going to have to look at that and make sure that we get our four-day cricket back up to where it should be.”In 2007 Ford, who has previously coached South Africa, was set to take over as India’s coach, but he opted to stay on with Kent. He had also declined an offer to coach Sri Lanka in 2003.New Zealand Cricket is yet to announce a replacement for Bracewell, who will return to Gloucestershire as head coach in 2009. South Africa coach Mickey Arthur, Australian Matthew Mott, former New Zealand offspinner Dipak Patel and former Warwickshire opener Andy Moles are other names doing the rounds.

The summer transfer window might have closed for English clubs, but there’s still a handful of European sides who are able to conduct some business over the next few days.

What’s the story?

One of the leagues still able to buy and sell is the Turkish Super Lig, and recent reports claimed that Fenerbahce were interested in securing the services of Liverpool striker Divock Origi.

The Belgium international has been linked with a move away from Anfield in recent months, but PA Media sports reporter Carl Markham has revealed that the 26-year-old is set to stay put on Merseyside for now.

He tweeted: “Contrary to reports in Turkey @LFC have had no approaches – from anyone – for Divock Origi”.

Jurgen Klopp will be gutted

Although losing Origi without being able to bring in a replacement would have left Reds manager Jurgen Klopp short of options in the final third of the pitch, he may still be gutted that a sale could not be secured.

The 19-time English champions were working with a limited budget over the summer and were only able to bring former RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate as a result.

Several fringe players such as Xherdan Shaqiri, Harry Wilson and Marko Grujic departed Liverpool, duly raising substantial funds for the club, but director of football Michael Edwards was either unable or unwilling to bring in further reinforcements with the money those sales generated.

However, selling the £10.8m-rated Origi may have topped up the club’s coffers enough for Klopp to secure his top targets in January, while Diogo Jota and Takumi Minamino provided cover and competition for the famed front three.

Instead, Origi faces another few months warming the Liverpool bench as the club’s hierarchy watch his market value plummet even further, a situation that both parties would surely rather have avoided. A return of one goal in all competitions last season illustrated just how much his stock has fallen since his glorious 2019.

It remains to be seen whether the former Lille hitman eventually departs over the remaining months of 2021, but Klopp will certainly be looking for a solution to the Belgian’s prolonged Anfield struggle.

In other news… Edwards can redeem himself at Liverpool with January move for “devastating” maestro 

Andy Flower, England’s interim coach, has given a stark assessment of Steve Harmison’s position in the team and said he is currently not up to standard

Cricinfo staff04-Mar-2009
Andy Flower: ‘I don’t think by any means that Steve’s finished’ © Getty Images
Andy Flower, England’s interim coach, has given a stark assessment of Steve Harmison’s position in the team and said he is currently not up to standard.England travelled to Trinidad ahead of the final Test on Friday 1-0 down in the series after the high-scoring draw in Barbados, but Flower made clear there is unlikely to be a swift return for Harmison.Harmison was dropped for the Test at the Kensington Oval after two lacklustre performances in the series, and question marks are now being raised as to whether to can rekindle the required pace and hostility to lead the attack.”At the moment he hasn’t, otherwise he would have done it,” Flower said. “But I don’t think by any means that Steve’s finished. He’s still got a hell of a lot to offer. Fast bowling is long, hard workand at the age of 30 it is only going to get harder work, so it is up to Steve really. He’s got to put in the performances which make the selectors pick him time and time again. I’ve only known Steve a little while and we are still getting to know each other better now.”In his Sunday newspaper column, Harmison said he would seek talks with captain Andrew Strauss to learn what he has to do to win back his place. Flower, though, added that it was down to him to show that he still wants to put in the hard work required to succeed at the top level.”If hard work is just a base that you start with, that’s what he’s doing at the moment, but for you to be a successful international cricketer you have to be very hungry,” Flower said. “Only he knows how hungry he is to carry on the hard yakka of a fast bowler’s life. I think he still wants to do it: he’s proud of his career and proud to play for England.”England’s attack desperately lacks a cutting edge with Harmison a shadow of the bowler who blew West Indies away in 2004 and also without the injured Andrew Flintoff. Somehow they have to conjure up 20 wickets at Port of Spain if they are to level the series and retain the WisdenTrophy.”We hope that the Trinidad pitch does a bit and makes for more interesting cricket, let alone provide the chance for one of the sides to win,” Flower said. “Even though the pitches are flat, however, we also have to be looking at that subject of 20 wickets as well.”It seems unlikely that Ryan Sidebottom will retain his place after he struggled in Barbados, claiming 1 for 146 off 35 overs. Sidebottom’s selection was a surprise because a few days before the match Flower had spoken about his “chronic” Achilles problem and the ankle washurting again afterwards. Given all Sidebottom’s injury issues in the last six months his long-term future must now be in doubt.Once certain change for the final Test is the return of Matt Prior behind the stumps after he flew back to the Caribbean following paternity leave. His replacement, Tim Ambrose, hit an unbeaten 76 in the fourth Test and kept tidily, but will now move aside with Prior a contender to bat at No. 6 so England can play five bowlers.

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have gone wild over news involving their club and Marseille defensive ace Boubacar Kamara.

Since central defensive mainstay Angelo Ogbonna ruptured his ACL in the 3-2 victory over Liverpool, manager David Moyes and West Ham have been linked to signing a new presence at the back.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-developments-2/” title=”West Ham developments” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Links to James Tarkowski, for example, have emerged in recent weeks with the Burnley defender set to leave on a free deal at the end of this season.

West Ham could save money in cut price moves like this given targets can sign pre-contracts in January ahead of free summer moves next year.

Now, as explained by ExWHUemployee, it appears West Ham are eyeing another defensive star out of contract in 2022 as news emerges on Kamara.

The Ligue 1 man, who can play both as a centre-half and in midfield, is apparently on Moyes’ radar alongside usual suspect Duje Caleta-Car as the club insider shares news on his West Ham Way Podcast.

West Ham fans excited…

Both men are attracting West Ham’s admiration, but the player supporters are most excited about appears to be Kamara.

According to WhoScored, the 21-year-old averaged more tackles per 90 last season (2.5) than any of Moyes’ current crop – standing out as a real presence defensively.

Given his young age, he comes with real sell-on value also and is rated at a meagre £25.2 million by Transfermarkt.

Taking all this into account, it’s understandable why supporters are ecstatic to see his name mentioned – with one calling Kamara a would-be ‘great signing’.

Find all of their best Twitter verdicts down below:

“KAMARA AT LE BOWL”

Credit: @whugdz

“Kamara would be a great signing”

Credit: @WillBailham

“Pleaaaase!

Kamara in this squad boosts us so much!”

Credit: @WhufcSloth

“Bouba Kamara is a no brainer, but he’ll have alot of suitors with his contract up in the summer. Caleta-Car would be a good signing (pings etc). Hes getting game time recently so dunno if Marseille will sell now in January. We can aim for better than Tarkowski (on the ball etc)”

Credit: @MahfuzCOYI16

“BRING IN KAMARA”

Credit: @jeevansinghp

“Kamara now.”

Credit: @Benjamiiin20

“KAMARAAAAAAAAA”

Credit: @jackcoyi1

“siuuuuu”

Credit: @_danieluker

In other news: ‘Steal’, ‘Oh yes’, ‘Top of my wish list’…West Ham fans rave as Newman eyes brand new target, find out more here.

Arsenal have received a timely boost ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup clash…

What’s the latest?

The Gunners kickstart their first domestic cup campaign of the season with a trip to the Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion in the second round later this evening.

Mikel Arteta’s squad have lost back-to-back league matches, so a different competition could be a welcome sight and the Spaniard has been given a major boost ahead of kick-off.

Arsenal will be able to welcome back striker Alexandre Lacazette to the side after the 30-year-old returned to first-team training this week. He had missed both their opening two matches, against Brentford and Chelsea, due to testing positive for Covid-19.

Timely boost

The north London giants couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start this season as they sit 19th in the Premier League standings and with defending champions Manchester City at the weekend, it could get even worse.

This evening’s encounter with the Championship outfit could instil some extra morale and confidence into the side, heading into that fixture, and their chances of getting a result are boosted with the return of the talismanic Frenchman.

In his absence, the Gunners have struggled to find the net. Indeed, they are yet to score this term after suffering back-to-back 2-0 defeats. Across both of those matches, Arteta’s squad have registered only seven shots on target.

Lacazette found the net 13 times in 31 appearances in the Premier League last season, whilst he also averaged 1.5 shots per game, which is slightly below his career average of 2.1, via WhoScored, but that shows that he’s a constant threat up front.

Not one Arsenal player has managed more than an average of two shots per game thus far, further highlighting the need for the former Lyon man in attack.

Arteta really needs to pick up a result against the Baggies, otherwise, there could well be pressure mounting on his position in the dugout, particularly after such a disastrous start.

He will surely be buzzing with the news that Lacazette is available for selection.

AND in other news, “Huge chances”: Fabrizio Romano drops Arsenal transfer claim, fans will be delighted…

Ehsan Mani has advised the PCB to surrender its right to host the 2009 Champions Trophy and ask the ICC for an event in the future as compensation

Cricinfo staff10-Sep-2008
Ehsan Mani: “I am of the view that even now, during the meetings underway in Dubai, the PCB should surrender the hosting rights of the Champions Trophy ” © International Cricket Council
Ehsan Mani, the former ICC president, has advised the Pakistan Cricket Board to surrender its right to host the Champions Trophy, scheduled for October 2009, and ask the ICC for an event in the future as compensation.Pakistan was supposed to host the Champions Trophy in September 2008 but the tournament was postponed after five countries said they would not send their teams because of security concerns in the country. Sri Lanka was the designated back-up option but the ICC chose to postpone the tournament, rather than shift it to another location, after the Pakistan board and the BCCI stood firm against a change in venue.”Since it was known earlier that some teams were not comfortable about touring Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, the PCB should have taken the initiative by asking the ICC to shift it to an alternate venue, instead of postponing it, to avoid the financial loses,” Mani told . “If the tournament was shifted, the ICC could have earned approximately $50 million and every participating team would have had their share of $3.75 million each.”In my view, the PCB should have withdrawn from hosting the Champions Trophy and should have demanded any future ICC event like the 2012 Champions Trophy or the Twenty20 World Cup in 2013 as compensation since ICC hasn’t allocated those events.”The staging of the Champions Trophy in 2009 will be discussed during meetings between the Chief Executives Committee and the ICC board on September 10 and 11. Mani was of the view that Pakistan could still give up the hosting rights during the meeting in Dubai.”I am of the view that even now, during the meetings underway in Dubai, the PCB should surrender the hosting rights of the Champions Trophy and ask the ICC to hold it next year in Dubai, or anywhere else they want to, in lieu of any future ICC event when things become normal in Pakistan.”

Former professional footballer Dean Windass is looking forward to watching Dele Alli play for Tottenham again this season.

Alli wasn’t a part of Tottenham’s side much in the first half of last season, featuring for just 74 minutes in the Premier League prior to the new year. The attacking midfielder suffered an injury that saw him miss four league matches at the end of January and beginning of February, but upon his return featured more regularly under Jose Mourinho and Ryan Mason, who took caretaker charge following Mourinho’s departure.

Under new Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo, Alli has featured throughout pre-season and got on the scoresheet against both Colchester United and MK Dons, before being named in the starting XI as Spurs beat Man City on the opening day of the Premier League season.

And Windass is looking forward to watching Alli play for Tottenham again this season and says that the midfielder will want Harry Kane to stay, exclusively telling Football FanCast: “I think it would be a great signing again for Tottenham, as you say he’s got back fit and you go away and prove people wrong, you go and prove Jose Mourinho wrong.

“He’ll want Harry Kane to stay obviously because them two was like glue weren’t they together really. So, if Harry Kane stays and Dele is just in behind then that could work for sure. So, no it will be interesting and I’m looking forward to watching him play.”

Noel Whelan has backed Todd Cantwell to renew his ‘telepathic’ partnership with Emiliano Buendia if he signs for Aston Villa. 

The former Leeds United striker gave Football Insider his verdict on the Villans’ latest target.

The lowdown

The latest from an Aston Villa source is that talks between the Midlands outfit and Norwich City are ongoing.

They’re ‘pushing hard’ to recruit the 23-year-old following Jack Grealish’s move to Manchester City.

Villa have already done business with the newly-promoted Canaries this summer, paying a club record £34.56million to sign Buendia.

Cantwell missed 10 games through injury last season but was still able to contribute six goals and six assists for Daniel Farke’s side.

He was called up to the England squad for the group stages of the Under-21 European Championships in March, featuring in a 2-1 win over Croatia on Matchday Three.

The latest

Whelan showered Cantwell with praise and suggested that evidence of his on-field understanding with Buendia would be clear to see ‘from day one’.

“We know he’s a very young talented player,” he said. “You’re bringing that partnership back together again with Buendia as well.

“The two know each other very well so that that communication and telepathic play between the two of them will come straight into play. You’ll see that from day one.

“A highly-rated young player that other teams have been looking at.”

The pundit did warn however that it would take a ‘substantial’ fee to persuade Norwich to part with a player who may be central to their survival hopes.

According to Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth, they may even demand upwards of £50million.

“If Norwich don’t want to sell and feel like they’ve given Villa too many good players, they could say no. They need to give themselves a chance to stay in the Premier League as well,” Whelan continued.

“It’d be very hard to turn down an offer from Aston Villa which I’m sure will be big and quite substantial.”

The verdict

Cantwell is an immensely talented player. He even demonstrated that in a Norwich side that amassed only 21 points and finished bottom of the Premier League table in 2019/20.

Villa may have spent in the region of £95million this summer, but after Grealish’s exit they’ve actually made a profit up to this point. They may be able to meet Norwich’s demands, then, but will they deem them fair?

If he’s their chosen successor then perhaps money is no object. But after bolstering their ranks with Bailey, Buendia and Ings, there could be wisdom in returning to the table for Cantwell next summer, when his contract will be into its final 12 months without the club option for a further year.

In other news, there’s an update on the future of this goal-shy Villa star.