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The New South Wales Supreme Court found insufficient evidence following allegations that the batsman had exposed himself to a massage therapist during the 2015 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2017

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Chris Gayle prevailed in his defamation case against Fairfax Media, after a four-person jury in the New South Wales Supreme Court found that there was insufficient evidence to prove he exposed himself to a massage therapist in a Sydney dressing room during the 2015 World Cup.After deliberating for a little less than two hours, the jury concluded that Fairfax Media – which publishes , and the – had not justified its January 2016 report of the allegation on either the basis of truth or of qualified privilege, which weighs up the public interest value of published information and whether or not the media outlet acted reasonably.The massage therapist who made the allegation, Leanne Russell, testified in court last week that she cried uncontrollably after Gayle pulled down his towel to expose himself while saying “is this what you’re looking for?” during a training session at Drummoyne Oval. Both Gayle and his team-mate Dwayne Smith gave evidence denying that the episode took place.Russell had contacted the sports editor of the , Chloe Saltau, to tell her story after she saw the infamous interview of Gayle by the broadcaster Mel McLaughlin in January 2016. Russell also said that the incident with Gayle had followed another, when Smith had sent her a text message saying “sexy” while she had been giving him a massage.Speaking for Gayle, barrister Bruce McClintock said Russell had been “bitter” and “vengeful” in targeting Gayle. Russell, who now works as an executive assistant for the AFL, stated in her evidence that she had wanted to take a stand for women in sport. “I was sick of being treated that way,” Russell said in evidence. “I was someone who had forged my career in sport. I would never be as successful as I would be if I was a man.”Russell had made a verbal complaint at the time to the West Indies team manager Richie Richardson, who had then sent an email to the team requesting them to “please at all times, treat her in a respectable and professional way”. In his evidence, Gayle had insisted the incident “did not happen”.After the verdict was read out, Gayle spoke of his relief outside court. “I’m a good man,” he said. “I’m not guilty.”Following the verdict, Fairfax Media indicated concerns with the conduct of the case and that the company would be considering an appeal. “Fairfax Media is concerned with the conduct of the trial to the extent that on Friday it sought an order that the Jury be discharged and a new trial ordered,” a spokesperson said.”The Judge [Justice Lucy McCallum] accepted that the Jury had been misled in a way that prejudiced Fairfax, but declined to discharge the Jury. Fairfax believes that it did not get a fair trial. It is seriously considering its appeal rights.”

Gloucestershire’s website pronounced that Gareth Roderick was out for the season. With wickets falling at Bristol, it proved to be far from the case

ECB Reporters Network15-Sep-2017Not even a badly damaged finger could prevent Gareth Roderick from keeping Kent at bay on the final day of Gloucestershire’s Specsavers’ County Championship game in Bristol.The day began with Gloucestershire’s official website claiming Roderick would miss the remainder of the season after suffering a significant finger injury whilst keeping wicket on day three.However, when the host county found themselves in a spot of bother in mid-afternoon, Roderick reached for his pads, gloves and bat and duly held up Kent’s push for victory.By the time captain Phil Mustard declared, bringing the match to an earlier than scheduled end, Roderick was 78 not out, Gloucestershire were safe and Kent were left to wonder what might have been.It had been anything but a successful start to the day for Gloucestershire. Kent, desperate for early wickets, left an indelible mark on Gloucestershire’s top order, thanks to veteran all-rounder Darren Stevens. The 41-year-old sent back Chris Dent (41) with the very first ball of the day and then trapped captain Mustard lbw, three balls later. When James Bracey departed in the same manner, Gloucestershire were 91 for 3. With the news of Roderick’s likely no-show, that, effectively, was 91 for 4. Or so we thought.First innings batting hero Cameron Bancroft, and George Hankins, provided some respite and took the hosts to 146 before the latter edged Mitch Claydon to Sam Billings and though Bancroft and Jack Taylor survived to lunch and beyond, there was further trouble ahead.Bancroft departed for 72, at 186 for 5 and Taylor, who was dropped at second slip on 9, at 163 for 4, followed the Australian back to the pavilion a dozen runs later when Matt Coles had him caught behind by Billings for 27. It got worse, for Gloucestershire, before it improved, with Kieran Noema-Barnett, driving Stevens to mid off where sub fielder Imran Qayyun took a comfortable catch.From that juncture, the pressure fell on the shoulders of Roderick. With Josh Shaw providing solid support, the 26-year-old looked in precious little trouble or discomfort as Kent struggled for the break through.By the time Stevens helped himself to a fifth wicket in the innings, that of Shaw, for 2, Gloucestershire were just about home and dry at 249 for 8.Roderick passed his 50 off 76 balls, with eight fours, and continued to help himself before the players shook hands with 26 overs still remaining.

Celtic are thought to be interested in a move for Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops have been working hard behind the scenes ahead of Brendan Rodgers’ first season back as manager, with two new players already signed at Parkhead.

Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm has arrived from Valerenga and winger Marco Tilio from Melbourne City, with the pair both agreeing to five-year deals in Glasgow. More new faces could soon be on the way, especially after Celtic lost Jota, who has signed for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m.

An attacking player who could come in for the Portuguese winger is Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun, with a fee of just over £2m now agreed between the two clubs. Another South Korean player who could follow Yang to Glasgow is Busan I-Park midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu. The Hoops have been tracking the player for some time and even made an offer in the winter window, but it looks as if they could now get their man after making an improved bid.

Celtic also still have their eyes on the European market, and by the looks of things, Livakovic could be the latest player the Hoops make a move for.

Joseph took to Twitter on Friday evening to share a further transfer update from Parkhead, this time on a new goalkeeper. The club are thought to be eyeing Livakovic, who is into the final 12 months of his Dinamo Zagreb deal.

“Celtic are in the market for a goalkeeper this summer. It’s understood one target being monitored closely is Croatia & Dinamo Zagreb No1 Dominik Livakovic, who has a year left on his contract.

“Fiorentina’s interest has cooled recently. Villarreal & Fenerbahce are also keen.”

However, the Hoops may need to be quick if they are to sign the shot-stopper, with Fabrizio Romano since claiming that Fenerbahce are close to a move and have agreed on personal terms.

Who is Dominik Livakovic?

Livakovic, on £15,000-a-week, is 28 years of age and has been with Dinamo Zagreb since 2015. The Croatia international is valued at €12m by Transfermarkt and has made 283 appearances for Zagreb, keeping an impressive 131 clean sheets.

The club captain has won eight major honours during his time with Zagreb and he has also played in two World Cups, helping Croatia to the final against France back in 2018.

He also starred in a penalty shootout in Qatar last year against Brazil, where he was praised by some major figures in the game, including former Bayern Munich chief Oliver Kahn, who called him a “hero”.

"The man who stopped Brazil will always be a hero to me,

"Livakovic is worthy of praise. Such a goalkeeper must play at a top club. I have no doubt that this will be the case in the new season, but at the same time, he is not within the scope of our interests."

Should Livakovic move to Celtic Park, he would bring plenty of experience at the highest level to Rodgers' side, and at the age of 28, you’d like to think he has plenty of years left in the tank, so could be a long-term replacement for Joe Hart, who turned 36 in April.

Prices to watch Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi in action continue to soar, but Don Garber has explained why MLS will not change its ways.

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• Argentine superstar chasing American dream
• Made immediate impact on and off the pitch
• Teams charging more to see all-time great

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Elite level competition in the United States now has a new superstar on show, with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi deciding to go chasing the American dream in 2023. He has made an immediate impact in Florida on and off the field, with A-list guests and neutral supporters clamouring to catch a glimpse of the all-time great.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Inter Miami have raised their season card prices for 2024 – and have still sold out – while Columbus Crew have announced that single-ticket prices for Messi’s visit next season will start at nearly $400 and the New York Red Bulls have released a ticket package that does not include a meeting with rivals from the Sunshine State.

• WHAT GARBER SAID ABOUT MLS

  MLS commissioner Garber has no issue with the pricing plans being put in place, telling reporters when asked about why supporters are being asked to dig so deep in order to watch Messi take to the field: “In our business, the concept of selling mini-packs that have certain teams that a home fan might want to see and pricing those differently — that variable pricing is a part of pro sports. Every other league does it, so I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be appropriate for Major League Soccer to do that. As to whether or not fans are being priced out of experiencing a Lionel Messi game, I don’t believe that’s true. In the actual market where teams play, teams are selling tickets and those tickets are still reasonable. We can’t control what happens on the secondary market. And as you know, the secondary market pricing has been very high. I think it speaks to the unique experience of watching Lionel Messi live. But I know that our tickets are among the most affordable in all of professional sports, and I’m pretty proud of that.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Messi inspired Inter Miami to a historic Leagues Cup triumph within weeks of his arrival in the States and will be back to chase down more major honours in 2024 – with pre-season friendly dates against El Salvador and a Hong Kong Select XI already being lined up.

Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea will still feel like "they can win the signature of Lavia" as the race to land the Southampton midfielder is still "pretty open", claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Arsenal transfer news – what's the latest on Romeo Lavia

The summer window has kicked off in some style in Islington as the Gunners have already confirmed the £65m purchase of Chelsea's Kai Havertz, and the deal to bring Declan Rice to the Emirates is also nearing completion.

Alongside these established names, the club has been linked to Southampton's exciting young prospect and full Belgian international, Romeo Lavia.

According to a report from the Independent, Arsenal first turned their attention towards the £45m player after concluding that any deal to bring in Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo would be too difficult to achieve alongside their other targets.

However, the race has become a lot more complicated as Chelsea and Manchester United are said to be directly challenging the Gunners for his signature, with Liverpool 'monitoring' developments for now.

Where there is some doubt as to where Lavia would fit in at Arsenal, there is less about any potential move to the Red Devils.

At the moment, Erik ten Hag's choices in defensive midfield are the imperious Casemiro and the hard-working but under equipped Scott McTominay. If United could bring the 19-year-old to Old Trafford, he could make for the perfect understudy to the 30-year-old Brazilian, eventually stepping in to replace him a few seasons from now.

Chelsea on the other hand have just sold a huge portion of their midfield with N'Golo Kante moving to Saudi Arabia, Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City and the aforementioned Havertz to Arsenal deal, so a move for the Brussels-gem would make perfect sense, filling a current gap in the team and potentially staying with the club for the next decade.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about the race to sign Romeo Lavia?

Jones was confident that no club had the upper hand regarding the young Belgian at the moment and that all three teams will feel relatively good about their chances.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "I honestly think it's pretty open race at the moment. I wouldn't say that Arsenal are placed any better than Chelsea any better than Man United. I think that all of those clubs will feel that they can still win the signature of Lavia."

Do Arsenal need to sign Romeo Lavia?

The sides in this transfer saga could clearly use Lavia both now and in the future, but what about Mikel Arteta's side?

Well, it's a little more complicated; as things stand, the club have Thomas Partey and Mohammed Elneny in that defensive midfield position and will soon add Rice, the club's most expensive transfer ever.

From that, it looks hard to see where the "monster" – as dubbed by football writer Benjy Nurick – would fit into Arteta's immediate plans.

However, if the recent report from the Telegraph claiming that the club will cash in on Ghanaian international Partey is true, there could well be a way into the team for the ex-Manchester City wonderkid.

However, with Rice likely to take Partey's place as the clubs go to defensive midfielder anyway, Lavia would still be firmly behind a player only five years his senior.

While he would certainly be a fantastic rotation option, the player might view himself as something other than just a backup.

Whoever ends up landing the Southampton starlet will have an unbelievable prospect on their books, but it looks like some teams need his services more than others.

See who the fastest players are on EA Sports FC 24!

Everyone loves watching players get burnt for pace in football and with the launch of EA Sports FC 24, E-sports fans can enjoy doing that in the game. From known superstars to hidden gems, there are plenty of players packing some serious pace.

It is the first title since EA Sports' split with FIFA, but the game has retained all the players as well as the iconic Ultimate Team and classic Career Mode. The game releases in September giving fans plenty to play around under a new name and look to the game.

HereGOALbrings you a list of the quickest players in the game!

Getty ImagesKylian Mbappe | PSG | Pace 97

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French World Cup winning superstar, Kylian Mbappe, is the fastest player in the game. With a pace rating of 97, the 24-year-old forward can go past any player with ease and is difficult to deal with. He is also the best rated player in the game alongside Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne.

AdvertisementGettyKarim Adeyemi | Dortmund | Pace 96

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Dortmund youngster, Karim Adeyemi, is given a pace rating of 96 in the game. The striker is a menacing presence for the backline with his speed and goalscoring instincts.

Getty ImagesAlphonso Davies | Bayern Munich | Pace 96

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The Canadian international and Bayern Munich left-back is joint second for the pace rating in the game. With 96 pace, the fullback can run tirelessly on the flanks and create chances for his teammates.

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Vinicius Jr | Real Madrid | Pace 95

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Real Madrid and Brazilian winger, Vinicius Jr, is one of the most threatening players to come up against. With 95 pace rating and 90 dribbling, the 23-year-old is a specialist at beating players in 1v1 situations.

Giles Clarke, president of the England and Wales Cricket Board and chairman of the ICC’s Pakistan Task Force, has cautioned that bringing international cricket back to Pakistan will be an arduous process requiring “a lot of time and hard work”.Clarke arrived in Lahore on Saturday – his first visit to the country as head of the Pakistan Task Force – on a fact-finding mission to inspect security arrangements that can be put in place for visiting teams. During his visit, Clarke met with senior officials of the Punjab government, including the chief minister and the Home Secretary.Addressing a press conference at the National Cricket Academy at the Gaddafi Stadium, Clarke praised Punjab’s government for “significant investment” in safety and security arrangements for potential touring aides. He was quick to point out, however, that these observations were not to serve as a replacement for expert advice.”I have to receive a proper report from my experts,” Clarke said. “But speaking as a non-expert, I was deeply impressed by the size of the investment, and the passion of everyone I’ve met from the chief minister downwards, the desire and determination to see international cricket return to Lahore was absolutely there. It is a goal of the ICC that every Full Member plays international bilateral cricket in their own country. But for us to do that, we need everyone to be safe and secure.”Clarke referred to a bomb blast in a crowded park in Lahore last March that killed over 70 people. The PCB was in talks with the MCC at the time for the latter to send a cricket team to Lahore, but the terror attack put an end to that.”We don’t want to get it wrong,” Clarke said. “We all know one terrible incident can push things backwards again. What happened here in one of Lahore’s parks did make it impossible for us to send a team here last year. So we’re hoping to move forward, but this isn’t an easy road.”There’s a considerable amount of perception that needs to be changed [around Pakistan being an unsafe country] and information that needs to be shared. But I am most impressed by the efforts of the authorities to make Lahore a safe city.”Clarke, who has been on the Pakistan Task Force since it was set up in the aftermath of the Lahore terror attacks on the Sri Lanka team in March 2009, praised Zimbabwe for coming to Pakistan in 2015 to play two T20s and three ODIs, and said it was a “very well organised” tour. “We want to build on that and move forward in a sensible and measured fashion.” Even that tour, however, was the target of an attempted attack.Clarke didn’t comment on a recent statement by the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) that “an acceptable level of participant safety and security cannot be expected or guaranteed” in Pakistan, saying he hadn’t discussed that statement with FICA, or read it in full. “I was far more interested in coming here for myself before I opened that conversation,” he said.That statement had come on the back of the PCB announcing that the final of the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) would take place in Lahore, whether or not international players travelled to Pakistan. Clarke expressed strong support for the PCB’s endeavours to hold the final of “their own domestic competition” in Pakistan. “I completely understand that desire, and will support their efforts to do that.”

The Blues' interim boss has endured a nightmare start to life back at Stamford Bridge – but where does he rank against other disappointing coaches?

This was supposed to be a 'free hit' for Frank Lampard, a job that he couldn't turn down and couldn't be judged upon. However, after he oversaw another Chelsea defeat, this time to Arsenal on Tuesday, it's hard to argue that Lampard hasn't irrevocably harmed his managerial reputation in the short time he's been at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea were warned that he wasn't the man to get a tune out of this failing squad, and aside from a battling performance in their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid, his team's displays have been pretty shambolic since he took over.

With a difficult run of games to finish the season, Lampard now faces an uphill battle to avoid ending his interim spell in charge with a win percentage of zero. Should he fail to do that, he is destined to go down as one of the most ill-judged appointments in Premier League history.

Of course, it wouldn't be the first time that a club has made a poor coaching decision, far from it. Below, GOAL delves into the history books to rank the other miscued appointments of the Premier League era:

Getty Images13Steve Kean (Blackburn Rovers)

The fact that Steve Kean's next job after being sacked by Blackburn was in Brunei should tell you everything you need to know about his time at Ewood Park. Due to his close ties to Rovers' much-maligned owners, his spell in charge was marred by fan protests, and he didn't much help his cause with some shocking results.

Despite all the opposition, he somehow managed to last newly two years in the hot seat, even surviving Premier League relegation in 2012. Finally, later that year, he was let go in typically-shady circumstances, with the Scotsman claiming he had been "forced to resign".

Win percentage: 28.38%

AdvertisementGetty Images12John Carver (Newcastle)

No one is disputing John Carver's love for Newcastle. We're simply suggesting that he might not have been cut out for life as a Premier League manager. Carver was promoted from his post as assistant manager – initially on a caretaker basis before being handed the reins until the end of the season – after Alan Pardew left the club to take over at Crystal Palace.

Between March and May 2013, Carver oversaw a quite astonishing run of eight successive league defeats that was finally broken by a 1-1 draw with West Brom. Losing to already-relegated QPR then set up a date with destiny on the final day.

The Magpies did triumph in that crunch fixture, beating West Ham 2-0, but the writing was already on the wall and Carver – who once described himself as the "best coach in the Premier League" – was promptly sacked.

Win percentage: 20%

Getty Images11Bob Bradley (Swansea City)

Bob Bradley's woeful spell in charge of Swansea City did nothing to lessen the stigma of American coaches working in the Premier League. Bradley was the United States' cream of the crop, but it just didn't happen for the New Jersey native as he managed to win just two of his 11 Premier League games.

To make matters worse, he was lampooned in the British media for the heinous crime of being an American. He has stuck to coaching MLS sides ever since.

Win percentage: 18.18%

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Getty Images10Tony Adams (Portsmouth)

Before he created waves with his training methods at Granada, Tony Adams' had an ill-fated spell at Portsmouth. He had initially joined the club as Harry Redknapp's assistant, but after everyone's favourite wheeler dealer jumped ship to Tottenham, Adams was handed the top job.

He did not fare well despite possessing a squad that had won the FA Cup the previous season, guiding Pompey to just two wins in his 15 Premier League games in charge.

He left with a Portsmouth side containing Peter Crouch, Glen Johnson and David James sitting just one point above the drop zone. They did eventually stay up, but that was no thanks to Adams.

Win percentage: 13.3%

Chelsea's new manager Mauricio Pochettino is believed to be pushing hard for his board to secure a deal for the Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

How old is Manuel Ugarte?

The west London side have had a season which they will want to forget in a hurry having finished 12th in the table and on just 44 points.

Failing to even break the 50-point mark is an indication of how much work is needed behind the scenes at Cobham this summer and they have set the wheels into motion already.

Indeed, Pochettino has finally been announced as their new manager and the Argentine is likely to have some huge decisions to make on who will make his squad for the new campaign.

Under Todd Boehly's ownership, the Blues have developed a bloated squad which has proven difficult for Graham Potter and Frank Lampard to manage.

And it seems as if this summer will see a number of players allowed to move on as the Argentine looks to thin out his squad and put his time into the players he actually wants.

However, this is not to say Chelsea will not be looking to bring in some new players with the Uruguayan midfielder believed to be high on their radar.

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has provided an insight on just how much Pochettino is believed to be wanting the 22-year-old:

"Also for Chelsea, important to say that they are still pushing to sign Manuel Ugarte from Sporting. Chelsea and PSG there is a big fight between these two clubs.

"PSG are prepared to pay the €60m (£52m) release clause with different payment terms. Chelsea are offering the same."

"So the discussion is ongoing but Chelsea are really pushing for Ugarte and, from what I understand, Mauricio Pochettino is really pushing internally to sign him he considers him as a benefit player for their idea."

How much does Ugarte earn at Sporting?

Midfield is by no means an area which Chelsea are short in numbers considering they added the £106.8m Enzo Fernandez in the January window.

However, if the likes of Conor Gallagher are to move on over the summer, then perhaps this is an area which has to be addressed.

And it is not just Gallagher who has been linked with a potential exit, Romano has also claimed Manchester City have been granted permission to discuss a potential move for Mateo Kovacic.

Adding to all of this, the future of N'Golo Kante also remains up in the air with the Frenchman coming to the end of his contract in a matter of weeks.

Pochettino's time at Tottenham Hotspur showed the league what he could achieve with young players and this could be a promising indication for Boehly.

Although there is a lot of work to be done at Chelsea to reduce the size of their squad, it will surely be apparent to the owners that they need to provide their new manager with some players of his choice.

Adding the £18.8k-per-week Ugarte to Pochettino's options will be a promising start to his return to England, however, it will likely be just one of many additions he will be aiming for.

Tottenham Hotspur have Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou on their wanted list to take over as manager this summer, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Tottenham manager news?

Journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke has recently claimed he would like to see Ruben Amorim or Roberto De Zerbi take over at Tottenham, as they would be akin to the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino, however there are other options available for the board.

Spurs are set for talks with Feyenoord boss Arne Slot, according to De Telegraaf journalist Valentijn Driessen, although he clarifies the club will speak with three or four managers, also name-checking Julian Nagelsmann and Pochettino.

Postecoglou has been linked with a move to N17 as far back as March, and there could be a growing possibility he is tempted by a move to the capital, according to a new report.

As per Football Insider, Celtic are now fearful their manager has already to decided to join a Premier League club this summer, having impressed top-flight teams with his transformation of the Glasgow side over the past two seasons.

The Australian's in-depth knowledge of the Japanese and Asian markets has caught the eye of a number of English clubs, with Tottenham placing him on their wanted list, while there could also be competition for his signature from Leeds United.

The report also details the Scottish side are not well-protected from a potential raid, as the Spurs managerial target is still on the 12-month rolling contract he signed when he initially arrived at Celtic Park.

Should Tottenham appoint Ange Postecoglou?

There is no denying the Athens-born tactician has done a fantastic job in Glasgow, leading them to the Scottish Premiership title in his first season in charge, and he has now won another title after his side's victory at Hearts yesterday.

That said, success in Scotland does not automatically translate to the Premier League, considering it is a much weaker league, and there are probably better options available, despite the fact the Aussie has been lauded as "incredible" by members of the media.

De Zerbi would be an exciting appointment for Spurs, having done an incredible job in his first season in the Premier League, leading his Brighton side to the FA Cup semi-final, and they are well in contention to qualify for Europe.

Having been hailed as "sensational" by the media, Amorim could also be the young, progressive coach Tottenham need to rebuild their squad, given his success with Sporting CP, winning a league title and three cup competitions.