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Liverpool’s transfer business throughout the summer was underwhelming, to say the least, as Arne Slot waited until the last minute to sign goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and winger Federico Chiesa just before the window shut.

It is clear that Slot signed Chiesa as a long-term heir to Mohamed Salah, who turned 32 in the summer, yet the former Juventus man has endured a tough time of it in the previous few years.

Federico Cheisa’s Juventus statistics

The winger was a key part of the Italian side which won Euro 2020, scoring twice during the tournament.

In the subsequent three years following the tournament, the Italian has missed 80 matches due to a succession of injury problems during his spell with Juventus.

Despite this, the 26-year-old has managed to score 18 times for the Old Lady, while also chipping in with 13 assists, showing that he can be effective when the winger is fit and healthy.

Unfortunately, these injuries have made consistency a problem, something which Salah has exuded during his time at Anfield.

Indeed, the Egyptian star has registered a stunning 303 goal contributions – 213 goals and 90 assists – across 351 matches for Liverpool, a figure which Slot will surely find difficult to replace once Salah does leave Merseyside.

Is Chiesa the answer? Judging by his recent record, perhaps not. Might the Dutchman have signed a far greater alternative this summer instead? As Pedro Neto was linked with a move to the club.

Liverpool missed out on dream Chiesa alternative this summer

At the start of the month, rumours were rife that Liverpool were keen on signing Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers before the window closed.

The winger was valued at £60m and this looked like a figure out of what Slot was willing to spend. Neto joined Chelsea instead a few weeks ago, and it looks like an opportunity missed by the club.

The Portuguese gem was hailed as a “pace monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, with this trait allowing him to regularly beat his opposition man with ease, creating chances galore for his teammates.

Indeed, last season in the Premier League, Neto may have only scored two goals in 20 matches for the Old Gold, but he managed to register nine assists, create seven big chances while averaging 1.9 key passes and 1.9 successful dribbles per game, indicating that his lack of goals wouldn’t have been a problem given his other skills.

When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Neto ranked in the top 1% for assists (0.61) and in the top 6% for progressive carries (5.78) per 90 over the previous 365 days.

Plenty of evidence to suggest the former Wolves star would have been a solid acquisition for Slot ahead of the current season, especially given his success in the Premier League already, unlike Chiesa.

With Neto also potentially better suited to filling Salah's shoes on the right flank, as a natural left-footer, will Slot regret not making a more concrete move for the winger? Only time will tell.

Liverpool hit gold on Klopp signing worth nearly 5x more than Chiesa

He’s had his detractors but he sure is the real deal…

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 28, 2024

Two superstars of Indian cricket will be going at it on Thursday

Alagappan Muthu06-Apr-20222:45

Who should make way for Nortje? Is Manish Pandey’s place under threat?

Big picture

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. It probably won’t be long before they are entrusted with the fortunes of Indian cricket. Their talent is apparent. Their allure is instant. And it is all because they make the game look easy.A Rahul back-foot punch is a masterpiece in minimalism. Look at it long enough and you start to wonder what all this fuss around batting is even about. Any of Pant’s shots – whether it is a drive, a slog, or even just him overbalancing at the crease – is a spectacle. Look at it long enough and everything else starts to feel a bit bleh. Including that one video of a kitten and an alligator becoming best friends.

Live in the USA

Watch the match LIVE on ESPN+ in English and in Hindi.

It’s a given that everyone will be at the DY Patil stadium just to watch Rahul and Pant go at it, but the outcome of Thursday’s game may hinge on the people around them. Lucknow Super Giants have batting depth like nobody’s business. But their death bowling is propped up on just one man’s shoulders – Avesh Khan. Delhi Capitals have a tantalising array of bowlers to choose from, but their middle order could do with a little more gravitas.

In the news

David Warner and Anrich Nortje will likely walk into the Capitals XI with the opener finally out of quarantine and the fast bowler having recovered well from a back injury.There is a chance the Super Giants might also be getting some reinforcement. Reports suggest Marcus Stoinis, the allrounder whom they acquired ahead of the February auction, could be available for selection.David Warner and Marcus Stoinis could well make their season debuts on Thursday•Getty Images

Likely XIs

Lucknow Super Giants: 1 KL Rahul (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Evin Lewis, 4 Marcus Stoinis, 5 Deepak Hooda, 6 Ayush Badoni, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Jason Holder, 9 Ankit Rajpoot, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Avesh KhanDelhi Capitals: 1 David Warner, 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Sarfaraz Khan/Yash Dhull/Mandeep Singh, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Lalit Yadav, 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

Strategy punt

• The T20 stats for Warner vs Ravi Bishnoi tells a compelling tale: four balls, five runs, two dismissals. As much as this season has been about fast bowlers having fun with the new ball, perhaps Super Giants might consider sneaking in an over from their legspinner, especially if the payout is the wicket of a T20 world champion.
• Capitals might also ponder starting with pace off given Axar Patel’s excellent T20 record against Rahul: 14 balls, 13 runs, three dismissals.

Stats that matter

• The average first-innings score at DY Patil stadium in this IPL has been 174, and while teams winning the toss have always chosen to bowl, they haven’t always won the match. The split is actually a very even 2-2.
• Deepak Hooda seems to finally be fulfilling his potential as a middle-order power-hitter. Check out his strike rate splits: 86 (first ten balls), 165 (11-20 balls), 180 (21-30 balls), 186 (30+ balls).
• Among players with a minimum of 750 runs in IPL powerplays, Prithvi Shaw’s strike rate of 147 is second only to Jos Buttler’s 150.
• Capitals are coming off a loss where Pant’s wicket took the game away from them. Super Giants will be mindful of that and might look to match him up with Bishnoi. Since IPL 2020, Pant is among the top five slowest-scoring batters against legspin (min. 50 runs scored) with a strike rate of just 105.

The USWNT veteran made her first appearance for club or country in six months after returning from injury

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• Lavelle returns to the field for Gotham after six-month layoff
• USWNT midfielder underwent ankle surgery in December
• lose to KC Current 2-1

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. women's national team midfielder Rose Lavelle played her first match in six months, as NJ/NY Gotham FC lost 2-1 loss to the Kansas City Current on Saturday. It marked her return to the pitch following a lengthy injury layoff.

  Lavelle, who underwent ankle surgery in December, played her first minutes since appearing in an international friendly on Dec. 3, 2024.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  "It was the first time I had to get surgery, which is a blessing, but I definitely was a little naïve to what that entailed," Lavelle said after Saturday's match. "So, it was definitely a lot harder than I anticipated."

  The 30-year-old added that her recovery timeline was what she expected, and that she's glad to be back on the pitch.

  "I'm healthy," Lavelle said. "I feel good, I feel really strong. I think it's more just it will be a little bit for my ankle to be at 100%, but the rest of me is feeling good."

  Five minutes into her return to the pitch, Lavelle nearly found the back of the net off a shot from just outside the penalty area, with it going just wide. The lone goal of the day was credited as an own-goal from the Current's Vanessa DiBernardo, but Lavelle was around the ball when it was forced into the net.

  "I think the profile of Rose Lavelle is probably the most rare to find when it's a player that can basically do everything at such a high level," Gotham manager Juan Carlos Amoros said. "And then on top of that she does the special things on the ball that create – why we all watch he sport.

  "Obviously, you want to see goals, but those actions that she produces and how she understands the game is something very different to everyone else and that's what makes her special."

• WHAT LAVELLE ADDED

  Speaking about her six-month absence, the USWNT veteran added: "Any time you spend time away from the game I always find some silver lining in it. I think I've found a lot of silver lining during this time away. I think [some] of that is learning how to be a good teammate when I can't be on the field with them, staying present, still having a voice and helping people where I can. Being out for so long really forced me to do that 10-fold."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LAVELLE?

  The return to the pitch on Friday when they take on Utah Royals.

Former Barcelona midfielder Thiago looks set to rejoin the club in January as part of Hansi Flick's coaching set-up.

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• Thiago played for club 2009-13
• Temporarily joined Barca staff post-retirement
• Set to return in January

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , the 33-year-old could become part of Flick's backroom team as soon as January after spending a short amount of time in a similar role over the summer following his retirement from playing. Thiago was reportedly hired initially to help Flick achieve a smooth transition (due to his command of German and English) — evidently, he impressed the 59-year-old German coach enough to be brought back into the fold.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The coaching duo previously worked together at Bayern Munich, where Thiago spent a large part of his career (2013-20) pulling the strings from central midfield. The Spaniard won a staggering seven consecutive Bundesliga titles during this period, and Flick was in charge for the final trophy-winning campaign before Thiago departed for Liverpool.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Thiago severed his ties with Barca in August after only a month in his new coaching role, reportedly desperate for a fresh challenge after hanging up his boots. However, he looks set to be back on the scene just months later. The final four years of the La Masia academy product's playing career at Liverpool were hampered by injury, and it appears the experienced international midfielder believes he still has something to offer the game.

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR THIAGO?

  Flick's team of assistant coaches at Barca currently consists of Marcus Sorg, Toni Tapalovic, and Heiko Westermann. It's unclear exactly where Thiago would slot in here; when he departed the club in the summer he was replaced by experienced youth coach Arnau Blanco and reports suggest Barcelona are happy with the work his replacement has been responsible for, so it doesn't look like Thiago's return would threaten his position.

The reason English viewers aren’t all that interested is not because the IPL is Indian

Andy Zaltzman25-Feb-2013Kevin Pietersen clobbered his first Twenty20 hundred yesterday, clinching the match for the Delhi Daredevils, and passing three figures with a characteristic six. It was a startling innings by a startling player, although startling things happen so often in the IPL that their startle capacity is less startling than you might expect of cricket so startlingly startling.Last week Pietersen, who is admirably open, passionate and forthright in his media utterances, bemoaned the lack of English interest in the IPL, and the sometimes negative publicity it receives in the press here, attributing some of these problems to “jealousy”. From the selected quotes reported, it is hard to know who is supposed to be being jealous of the IPL – ex-players in the media who missed out on its glamour and financial bounty, or supporters who feel it takes the sun-kissed multi-million-dollar glitz and glory away from the April skirmishes in the County Championship, or the prime minister, who secretly wishes he was an IPL dancing girl.However, the reason for any lack of English interest in the IPL is simple. It is not because the “I” stands for Indian. The same would be true if it was the Icelandic Premier League or the Idaho Premier League. More so, probably. Idaho has no business muscling in on cricket. They have snowmobiles and processed cheese. They should leave cricket well alone.Nor does this relative lack of interest have anything to do with the format of the cricket and England’s general national preference for the longer game. Nor does it reflect on the quality of play, which although variable (as in any league in any sport), is often spectacular and dramatic. Nor even is it because the rampant hype and commercial insistence of the IPL might grate with a sport-watching public unaccustomed to having branded excitement blasted into their faces with the relentless determination of a child who has just discovered the joys of banging an upside-down cereal bowl with a spoon.It is simply that, in an already saturated sports-watching market, the IPL does not, and I would argue cannot, offer enough for the English fan to actively support.As a sports fan, you cannot force an instant emotional attachment to and investment in a team with which you have no geographical or familial link, and which has little history or identity with which to entice you. A Mongolian football fan might support Barcelona, or a Tanzanian baseball nut could develop a passion for the New York Yankees, for what those clubs are, what they have achieved, and what they stand for, and be drawn into their historic rivalries that have evolved over 100 years or more; but an English cricket fan is, as yet, unlikely to find the same bond of attraction to the five-year-old Chennai Super Kings. Supporting sport requires more than guaranteed entertainment and being able to watch great players competing.Perhaps, in time, this will develop. The process was probably not helped by the franchise teams being largely disbanded and reconstituted before the 2011 season, so that any identity that had been built in the first three IPL seasons was fractured or destroyed.It is also not helped by the fact that the star players might represent three or four different T20 franchises, and a country if time allows, over the course of a year. What if I love the Barisal Burners but am non-committal about the Sydney Thunder, scared of the Matabeleland Tuskers, unable to forgive Somerset for a three-hour traffic jam I sat in on the M5 ten years ago, and absolutely viscerally hate the Royal Challengers Bangalore (how dare they challenge our Royals, in Jubilee year especially) (despite any lingering historical quibbles)? What am I supposed to think about Chris Gayle? Is he hero or villain?English cricket fans, even if sceptical or ambivalent about Twenty20, can admire the range of skills on display, appreciate how the format is expanding human comprehension of what mankind can and will do to small round things with flat bits of wood, and relish the high-pitched drama and tension of the endgames. They can simply enjoy seeing dancers jiggle their jiggly bits for no obvious reason, and be moved and uplifted by the sensation that unbridled commercialism is slowly destroying everything pure about sport and the world.But, without teams and identities for which English supporters can root, and thus the emotional commitment that makes supporting sport such an infinitely rewarding experience, the IPL will continue to struggle to find active support in England. Not that the IPL, or Pietersen, or any of its other players and protagonists, should give two shakes or Billy Bowden’s finger about that.I’d be interested to know your views on this, from English, Indian and other perspectives. I love cricket. I think I have probably made that abundantly clear in the three and a half years I have been writing this blog, and in the 30 years I have been boring my friends and, latterly, wife about it. I have tried watching the IPL, I have enjoyed some of it, but it just does not excite me. Am I normal, or should I see a shrink?● At the opposite end of the scoring-rate see-saw, a curious but increasingly intriguing Test match in Trinidad found itself donning its Wellington boots and staring forlornly at a dark and soggy ending. Not for the first time in its annoying history, The Weather intervened to spoil a potentially thrilling Test match denouement.Much of the cricket had been on the stodgy side of gloopy, and the seemingly endless behavioural idiosyncrasies of the DRS continued to irritate more than resolve, but another trademark jaunty Michael Clarke declaration had set the West Indies 215 to win in 61 overs. The stage was perfectly set for Chris Gayle. Or Dwayne Bravo. Or, at a stretch, Marlon Samuels.They were, regrettably for Test Match fans, otherwise engaged. A full-strength West Indies would not be world-conquering, but they might at least conquer the occasional Test match. Selectors, schedules and squabbles look set to conspire to ensure that the world waits an extremely long time to see a full-strength West Indies Test XI again.In the absence of proven hitters, Darren Sammy, the West Indies captain, after a largely ineffective match in which he had raised further questions about his suitability as prong four of a four-pronged bowling attack, promoted himself from 8 to 3 in an effort to kickstart the chase. Many things have been written about Sammy as a cricketer, but the words “reliable batsman” are not amongst them. At least, not unless preceded by the words “no one’s idea of a”. He is, however, a potent thwacker of a cricket ball, and knew that, on a pitch that had been a connoisseur of slow-scoring’s dream, a swift blast from him could potentially enable the eternally crafty and virtually impregnable Chanderpaul to shepherd the rest of his fragile team to victory.Sammy promptly clonked a rapid 30 before the gloom intervened. Victory was still distant, but had become possible, and it was refreshing to see both captains striving to concoct a positive result from a somnolent surface.● If Clarke’s declaration was enterprising, his team’s batting had lacked the positivity that had become its trademark in the early part of the millennium. The Baggy Greens plinked their runs at 2.39 per over – their slowest batting match since the Galle Test of 1999. In their 147 Tests since then, Australia had averaged 3.59 per over. Their first innings of 311 in 135 overs was their slowest score of 300 or more since 1989. During it, four different West Indies bowlers bowled more than 15 overs for less than two runs per over – the first time any team had done this against Australia since 1961. Watson’s 56 off 172 and Hussey’s 73 off 207 were respectively the second-slowest 50-plus and 70-plus scores by Australians in Tests this millennium.The pitch was awkward and the bowling admirably disciplined, but Australia plodding along at under 2.5 runs per over is further proof that the apocalypse is nigh ‒ alongside economic collapse in Europe, political upheavals around the world, the unstoppable rise of reality television, the branding of time-outs in the IPL, anything to do with Silvio Berlusconi, Vernon Philander’s Test bowling average, and the current state of the world cricket calendar.

Two-year deal with Cricket Ireland, inked earlier this month, terminated by mutual consent

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Apr-2022Luke Georgeson, the former New Zealand Under-19 player who signed a two-year central contract with Cricket Ireland (CI) earlier this month, has now withdrawn from the full-time agreement and will no longer be in contention for an Ireland call-up.In a statement on Friday, CI said that the contract had been terminated “by mutual consent”. “Georgeson has informed Cricket Ireland that he will be withdrawing from the full-time contract after reconsidering his future playing options,” the statement said. “Georgeson, 23, will remain in Belfast and play for club side CSNI this summer, but will no longer be in contention for an Irish call-up.”Georgeson, who had turned out for New Zealand in the 2018 U-19 World Cup, had a contract with Wellington in New Zealand’s recent domestic season, but chose to commit his future to Ireland after spending last summer playing for Northern Knights in the inter-provincial set-up.”The basis of this decision is that I have come to a clearer understanding that I still harbour ambitions of playing for New Zealand, and I underestimated how much I want to realise this dream until recent days,” Georgeson said. “I would like to take the opportunity to thank Cricket Ireland for their effort and commitment to me over the past year. I have been overwhelmed by the understanding and support shown by all those who have been a part of this decision. It is not one that has been made easily, and I am truly grateful for the support I have been shown throughout.”This, however, will not conclude my involvement in Irish cricket. I am passionate about cricket in Ireland and the NCU [Northern Cricket Union], and I will endeavour to stay involved and make a difference wherever I can. I appreciate everyone’s understanding about this decision.”Andrew White, chair of the national men’s selectors, who revealed that Georgeson had met him as well as other members of the Ireland senior team management, said, “We are obviously disappointed that Luke will no longer be making himself available for Ireland – he is a talented player and was a firm part of our plans going forward.”An Irish passport-holder, Georgeson batted in the middle order for the Knights last year, but opened for Wellington throughout the New Zealand summer. The CI statement added, “Following consultation between Cricket Ireland and Northern Knights’ selectors, the Knights will shortly select a replacement member to join their core squad of 12 to replace Georgeson, which will be announced in due course.”

Julen Lopetegui has had a very busy summer so far, as West Ham look to bolster their squad ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, with the goal of returning to European football for the 2025/26 season.

New signings include Max Kilman from Wolves, who has worked under Lopetegui before, talented Brazilian youngster Luis Guilherme, Championship POTY Crysencio Summerville from Leeds, and now veteran striker, Niclas Füllkrug from Dortmund.

But West Ham could yet move for another striker, as many people have reservations over the investment in Fullkrug, purely due to his age.

However, if the Hammers acquire another younger striker too, it could prove to be clever squad building.

West Ham's search for another attacker

According to reports from Calciomercato, West Ham are one of the interested teams in Roma striker, Tammy Abraham, having reportedly made an attempt for the English forward, offering Roma up to £25m.

However, AC Milan are another of the reported clubs to be interested, and Abraham is said to prefer a move to the San Siro, who could offer him Champions League football, and a very exciting project under new manager, Paulo Fonseca.

Abraham made 12 appearances for Roma last season, after returning from a long-term injury, scoring one goal, and providing one assist in 321 minutes played.

Abraham vs Fullkrug comparison

Fullkrug, the new West Ham signing, made 46 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund last season, scoring 16 goals, providing ten assists and totalling 3,605 minutes played.

The German striker has shown his nature as a prolific goalscorer, with those 16 goals for Dortmund, and two goals at Euro 2024 in limited minutes. But could Abraham prove to offer even more, and over a longer period of time given the age?

Using Abraham's metrics from the 2022/23 season, it provides a clearer indication of what his numbers can look like, playing 2,189 minutes compared to the 321 minutes he played in 2023/24, due to injury.

The once-described "goal machine" dubbed by Stephen Elliot, excels in most metrics ahead of Fullkrug, apart from output such as goal and assist numbers. Abraham produces a similar level of xG, at 0.44 per 90, to Fullkrug's 0.48 per 90.

Whilst the former Chelsea striker doesn't quite bring the same prolific nature as Fullkrug, he offers more in other departments, such as progressive carries, touches in the penalty area, shot volume (both shots and shots on target) and aerials won, using that 6 foot 3 frame of his.

Perhaps a mixture of the two, adding experience and goal-scoring prowess with Fullkrug, and a slightly different physical profile with Abraham, who is faster, more mobile, and able to carry the ball, could provide a good balance for the Hammers up top this coming season.

West Ham hit gold on star worth more than Fullkrug & Summerville combined

He’s been quite the sensation over the past several years…

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 5, 2024

Blast’s all-time leading scorer quits captaincy after seven seasons in charge

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2022Luke Wright, the leading run-scorer in T20 Blast history, has stepped down as Sussex’s T20 captain after seven seasons in the role.Sussex have been one of the leading T20 sides in the country under Wright’s leadership but have not managed to convert a strong win/loss record into a trophy, and lost to eventual champions Kent in last season’s semi-finals.They have lost several key players – most recently Chris Jordan and Phil Salt – in recent seasons, and Wright spoke out against the talent drain on the eve of Finals Day last year, saying: “It’s absolutely not impossible to keep your best players.””It’s something from the club’s point of view that we need to look at because we can’t be losing our best players all the time,” he added. “Our recruitment process has got to be really strong and it’s something that probably hasn’t been as good as it should be at this moment in time.”Sussex said in a statement that they were “naturally disappointed” that Wright had asked to step down as captain but that they “respect his decision after 104 T20 games in charge.”Related

• Sussex sign Pujara for English summer

• Rashid Khan returns to Sussex for 2022 Blast

• Rizwan signs Sussex contract for Championship, Blast

• Brown joins Sussex exodus after requesting early contract release

• Wright: 'We can't be losing our best players all the time'

“It has been a huge honour to captain Sussex, the club I love so much,” Wright said. “However, I feel it is the right time to step down. I will continue to give my all to help Sussex as I have over so many years.”Rob Andrew, their chief executive, said: “We respect Luke’s decision to step down as captain and we will work with him to move forward and focus on the future with his successor at the helm.”Luke has been a fantastic captain, leading the team to the knockout stages of the T20 Blast in five of his seven seasons as captain, including two Finals Day appearances in 2018 and 2021. The experience and knowledge he will be able to share with his successor will be invaluable.”Wright has been preparing for his career after cricket of late, completing a Masters of Sport Directorship at Manchester Metropolitan University this winter, but is under contract at Sussex until the end of the 2023 season.He was released by his Hundred team, Trent Rockets, after spending the inaugural season of the competition on the bench but is expected to be signed in April’s draft.Sussex have recruited a handful of new signings for this season’s Blast, with Rashid Khan due to be available throughout the group stages with Mohammad Rizwan and Josh Philippe splitting the second overseas spot. Steven Finn and Fynn Hudson-Prentice were also recruited at the end of last season.

The new CA chair has indicated the next head coach will be confirmed next month

Andrew McGlashan23-Feb-20222:06

McDonald: Touring Pakistan after decades an ‘exciting challenge for Australia’

The next head coach of the Australia men’s team is likely to be confirmed during the upcoming tour of Pakistan, but Andrew McDonald, who is taking interim charge for the trip and is the favourite for the long-term position, is confident the process of replacing Justin Langer will not take the focus away from the on-field ambitions.Lachlan Henderson, the new Cricket Australia chair, has said in recent days that the appointment of a new head coach will not be a drawn-out process and is likely to come to a conclusion in March. That raises the prospect of McDonald finding out midway through the tour whether he has the job or not, although he said he has yet to have conversations with CA on the matter.”Very happy with whatever timelines they want to work within. It won’t become a distraction,” McDonald said. “That will just be happening in the background, our focus is firmly on the first Test in Rawalpindi and the preparation here, so we are firmly focused on that as a coaching staff.Related

• Andrew McDonald appointed as full-time Australia men's coach

• Australia's tour of Pakistan 'a big moment for global cricket' – ACA chief

• McDonald 'never seems to get flustered' – Aaron Finch

• McDonald yet to look beyond interim role in Australia's future

• Challenge of the unknown for Labuschagne and Australia

“What happens outside of that with the process they run and how that looks is entirely up to the admin base to work through that and I’m sure they won’t be making that a distraction for us at all. The coaching stuff is well and truly in the background for us here.”When Langer resigned earlier this month CA chief executive Nick Hockley indicated the board would look for one replacement rather than splitting the roles between red and white ball, although speaking to ABC Radio, Henderson said it was a topic he would take more soundings on.”I’m open to advice on that [split coaching],’ he said. “I think it is a very time-consuming role for one individual and maybe a more distributed method of coaching is the way of the future. They’re the sort of things that are playing out at the moment. We are going for a single head coach to be installed in the near future.”How it plays out after that will depend a bit on that appointment, their availability and how that works across all forms of the game in what’s going to be a really busy 12 to 18 months. It may be that person is not available for every single tour around the world over the next 18 months.”George Bailey, the national selector, is of the view that the new head coach sitting out some series would not present a major challenge – it was used during the Langer era with McDonald leading limited-overs tours of India and New Zealand, while he was due to oversee the recent Sri Lanka T20Is before Langer’s departure.”Essentially, what you’re after is trying to find the very best person for the role, and you want to keep them in there as long as possible,” he said. “If that means that they don’t do absolutely every tour that’s fine.”I don’t think there’s an easy answer. I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all and I don’t necessarily think whichever structure is landed on by Cricket Australia will necessarily be the right one when you next have to make that appointment.”For now, McDonald is enthused by the challenge that lies ahead over the next few weeks in Pakistan as Australia tour the country for the first time in 24 years.”I’ll work through it once we see what the job looks like,” he said. “There’s been some speculation around split roles, whether it’s one coach and all that type of thing, that’ll all come out. The key thing for us is to focus on the cricket. We’ve got a big job in the next three days, then getting the preparation right when we land, so that’s where are our thoughts are firmly focused to give these players the best opportunity to succeed.”You can see the excitement within the group. It’s a little bit of the unknown as well and think that’s always exciting going somewhere people haven’t been before. We’ve got a creative element to what we can do as well on the back of Australian teams not being there for a period of time.”

Sir Alex Ferguson has been spotted in attendance at Wrexham's clash with Peterborough United in League One one Saturday.

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• Ferguson in attendance in Wales
• Wrexham welcome Peterborough
• Phil Parkinson's side eyeing promotion

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham welcome Peterborough to the StoK Cae Ras on Saturday afternoon as they aim to continue their promotion push. Posh, by comparison, are 19th, and Sir Alex Ferguson was spotted going into the stadium to watch the match.

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• THE EXPLANATION

  Fergie is attending the game to support his son, Darren, who manages Peterborough. They have not won any of their last four games but will be desperate to right their course as they attempt to derail Wrexham's promotion push. Perhaps the presence of the former Manchester United boss will serve as inspiration.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ferguson has been present at multiple games this season and is regularly spotted watching Manchester United. He was also recently pictured at Posh's home game against Barnsley, but has now followed them to Wales.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Peterborough's next fixture comes against Everton in the third round of the FA Cup. The game takes place at Goodison Park and it remains to be seen if Ferguson Sr. will be in attendance again.