Ryan Reynolds has admitted that football is "a hard sport" and that he and McElhenney "don't make football decisions" at Wrexham.
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Manchester United have tabled an offer which would double the salary of one of Barcelona’s talents, according to a fresh report, and the Red Devils have already received a reply.
Man Utd and INEOS target youth
Since the arrival of INEOS at Old Trafford, Manchester United have made a point of targeting younger players in a bid to rejuvenate their squad.
Ruben Amorim’s side signed Ayden Heaven from Premier League rivals Arsenal in January, as well as shelling out to sign Patrick Dorgu from Lecce in a deal worth up to £30m in their only major business of the transfer window.
Club move to sign £350k-p/w Man Utd star who INEOS will let go immediately
It would be a massive call with no way to replace him at Old Trafford.
ByBen Browning Feb 10, 2025
Meanwhile, they are also already exploring a move to sign Sporting CP teenager Geovany Quenda, with The Athletic reporting that a deal is expected to cost in excess of £30m this summer and the Red Devils already doing the groundwork to ensure that they land their man.
It is part of a new plan to spot talent before they explode into stars, with Sunderland’s Chris Rigg and Southampton’s Tyler Dibling also among those of interest to the Red Devils.
Now, it has emerged that they made a massive offer to lure a young star out of Barcelona, even offering to double his salary in the process.
Man Utd table bid for Barcelona talent Lopez
That comes as a report in Spain claims that both Manchester United and Aston Villa were ready to shell out up to €70m (£58m) to sign Barcelona talent Fermin Lopez in the January transfer window.
The Spanish international, who was a part of Spain’s Olympic winning side over the summer, has struggled for game time at Camp Nou since the arrival of Hansi Flick. He has made 15 appearances in La Liga but has started just five times.
Appearances
25
Starts
9
Goals
5
Assists
5
Minutes per goal involvement
104
Despite this, he renewed his contract in Catalonia in October, penning a new deal through until 2029 worth £64,000 a week. But just months on from that, both Premier League clubs showed strong interest, and were reportedly “willing to invest around 70 million euros [£58m] to secure his services”.
It is added that they were also offering “financial proposals that practically double his current salary at the Barcelona club”, making a move financially attractive.
Lopez quickly shut down any interest, the report adds. It is claimed that the youngster “did not hesitate to reject both offers”, telling his entourage that “his only objective was to establish himself in the Barcelona first team.”
Lopez’s love of Barcelona is nothing new; in a 2023 interview, he revealed his desire to spend his career at Camp Nou, telling the media: “I want to stay at Barça forever. Man, I would like to be in the first team, to continue here. I hope I can always be here, but hey, you never know. It is the best club in the world and every year the best come. You never know.”
However, as has often been shown, Barcelona are not always able to make it work financially, and with their continued financial struggles, a deal for Fermin down the line could prove too good to turn down, especially given his limited game time under Hansi Flick.
He was granted strict conditional bail on the drug charge and has had to surrender his passport
AAP15-Sep-2023
Stuart MacGill in 2018•AFP
Former Australian Test bowler Stuart MacGill has been charged over the supply of a commercial quantity of cocaine that led to his purported kidnapping.Six men have been charged over the alleged kidnapping, which took place on Sydney’s lower north shore in April 2021.Police launched an investigation into an alleged drug supply operation after the incident was reported to officers and on Friday they confirmed MacGill, 52, was arrested on Tuesday at Chatswood.He has been charged with one count of knowingly taking part in the supply of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.MacGill told police after the alleged kidnapping that he was repeatedly punched in the head during the incident, causing him to become concussed.He said he was forced into a car at Cremorne on Sydney’s north shore and taken to Bringelly, south of Sydney.Three assailants allegedly tried to extort money from him before dropping him at Belmore about an hour later.At a previous hearing for two of the alleged kidnappers, a judge said there was “some question” of whether MacGill got into the car willingly.MacGill has denied any involvement in the abduction, telling Nine’s A Current Affair in 2021 that he had done nothing wrong.The ex-spinner was granted strict conditional bail on the drug charge and has had to surrender his passport.He is due to appear at Manly Local Court on October 26.
Scottish boss Russell Martin has plenty of things to deal with early on in his tenure as Glasgow Rangers’ new head coach ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The former Southampton manager has to build a squad that can challenge for the Scottish Premiership title, and has already had Lyall Cameron added to his midfield options.
However, Martin will also have to deal with the prospect of some of his best players moving on from Ibrox if teams come in with big-money offers for them during the summer transfer window.
Fiorentina and Marseille are reportedly keen on Nicolas Raskin, who is valued at £20m by the 49ers, and up to six English teams are said to be eyeing up Mohamed Diomande ahead of a possible swoop for his services.
The Light Blues are no stranger to cashing in on their top talents over the years, though, as players have moved on from Glasgow to pursue other options in Europe many times in recent seasons.
One deal that the Scottish giants hit the jackpot with, though, was the sale of Joe Aribo to then-Premier League side Southampton in the summer of 2022.
Why Rangers hit the jackpot with Joe Aribo
The Nigeria international was a terrific player for Rangers during his time at Ibrox, having spent three years at the club after joining from Charlton in the summer of 2019.
Aribo racked up 26 goals and 25 assists in 149 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues in those three seasons, and his final goal contribution was a goal in the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt.
The left-footed star’s form for Rangers attracted attention from down south and he sealed a move to then-Premier League outfit Southampton in the summer of 2022.
A reported fee of £10m was agreed between the two clubs for the attacking midfielder, who was reportedly being eyed up by other teams in the English top-flight, and that has turned out to be a brilliant deal for the Gers.
July 2022
Reported £10m deal
November 2022
£12.8m
June 2023
£9.4m
October 2023
£6.8m
December 2023
£5.1m
May 2024
£4.2m
December 2024 – present
£5.1m
As you can see in the table above, Aribo’s value has plummeted down to just £5.1m, as per Transfermarkt, in the three years since the midfield star decided to move on from Ibrox.
The 28-year-old, who has scored nine goals and provided one assist in 109 games for Southampton, has not kicked on during his spell in England, which suggests that the Gers hit gold with the deal they got for him in 2022.
Rangers could repeat that masterclass this summer amid speculation that another one of their forwards could leave the club in the coming weeks.
Rangers striker set to move on from Ibrox
According to Soccernet.ng, Cyriel Dessers is poised to complete a permanent exit from Rangers before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Nigeria international is ‘set’ to sign for Greek giants AEK Athens, after he ‘set sights’ on a move away from Ibrox ahead of next season.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Soccernet.ng adds that the striker has already verbally agreed to sign for the Greek team and has mapped out a £30k-per-week contract to sign if the transfer goes through this summer.
The outlet reveals that the two teams still need to come to an agreement on a transfer fee for the player before a deal can be finalised, and it does not mention how much money it would take to get it done.
However, The Scottish Sun recently reported that the Gers are holding out for a fee of around £5m for the striker, who they paid £4.5m to Cremonese for in 2023.
If the Light Blues can agree a £5m deal to sell Dessers to AEK Athens, who Soccernet.ng claims is set to join them, then it could be an Aribo repeat.
Why Dessers could be an Aribo repeat
The 30-year-old number nine could follow in Aribo’s footsteps as another star performer who could decrease in value after leaving the Scottish giants.
His value has already dropped from £4.2m at the time of his Ibrox arrival to £3.4m at the time of writing (19/06/2025), as per Transfermarkt, which immediately suggests that a fee of £5m would be a great deal for Rangers.
That is in spite of a very respectable goalscoring return of 51 strikes in 109 matches for the Light Blues in all competitions over the past two seasons.
His value at AEK Athens, should a transfer go through this summer, could fall even further on Transfermarkt, despite a potential fee of £5m, because he may not have the chance to score as many goals.
The Greek side finished fourth in the Super League and only scored 48 goals, whilst Rangers finished second in the Premiership and scored 80 goals.
Appearances
47
46
Goals
21
18
Shots
110
103
Shots on target
52
51
Big chances missed
29
31
Assists
6
4
As you can see in the table above, the Nigerian striker missed a staggering 60 ‘big chances’ in the Premiership, Europa League, and Champions League combined in his first two seasons at Ibrox.
Dessers, who journalist Josh Bunting claimed is “awkward” to play against due to his physicality, scored a decent number of goals for Rangers because he was in a team that was constantly creating chances for him, as evidenced by how many huge opportunities he spurned.
Therefore, he may struggle to have the same impact in an AEK Athens team that did not create or score anywhere near as much as Rangers did in the 2024/25 campaign, which could expose his wasteful finishing in a side that does not create loads of ‘big chances’.
This means that Dessers’ output in front of goal could diminish as a result of signing for the Greek side, which is why his value could also plummet as a result of the move, particularly now that the striker is also in his 30s and heading into his latter years.
He's Vaclav Cerny 2.0: Rangers are now set to sign "unplayable" star
Rangers are reportedly set to complete a deal for a star who could be Vaclav Cerny 2.0.
ByDan Emery Jun 16, 2025
Selling the experienced forward to Athens for £5m, if a deal can be agreed at that price, could be an Aribo repeat for Rangers as another player whose value could plummet after leaving.
MatériaMais Notícias
da prosport bet： A principal dúvida na escalação do Cruzeiro foi solucionada. Leonardo Jardim, que testou tanto Arroyo, quanto Sinisterra durante a semana, optou por escalar Arroyo como titular nesta quarta-feira (10) contra o Corinthians.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalDuplas são trunfos de Corinthians e Cruzeiro para decisão; veja os númerosFutebol Nacional10/12/2025Futebol NacionalGil vê equilíbrio entre Cruzeiro e Corinthians e admite coração dividido: ‘Amigos dos dois lados’Futebol Nacional10/12/2025Futebol NacionalCorinthians e Cruzeiro chegam embalados por campanhas ‘iguais’ na Copa do BrasilFutebol Nacional10/12/2025
da betway： O equatoriano vinha substituindo Wanderson, que se lesionou contra o Palmeiras, já se recuperou, mas não está apto para o jogo da semifinal por estar suspenso. Entretanto, Arroyo sentiu dores musculares contra o Ceará e ficou fora contra o Botafogo.
Com a ausência, Sinisterra ganhou uma oportunidade, tanto contra o Vozão, quanto contra o Glorioso, e agradou o técnico Leonardo Jardim.
Nos dois treinos que teve nesta semana, o comandante celeste chegou a testar as duas opções e tomou a decisão nesta quarta-feira, antes do duelo pela semifinal da Copa do Brasil.
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➡️Tudo sobre o Cabuloso agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Cruzeiro
Sendo assim, a escalação do Cruzeiro contra o Corinthians vem com: Cássio: William, Fabrício Bruno, Villalba, Kaiki; Lucas Silva, Lucas Romero; Christian, Matheus Pereira, Kaio Jorge e Arroyo.
Enquanto isso, Dorival Júnior escalou o Timão com: Hugo Souza; Matheuzinho, André Ramalho, Gustavo Henrique, Matheus Bidu; José Martinez, Maycon, André Carrillo, Bidon; Memphis e Yuri Alberto
continua após a publicidadeVeja mais sobre Cruzeiro x Corinthians
FICHA TÉCNICA
CRUZEIRO X CORINTHIANS
COPA DO BRASIL – SEMIFINAL
📆 Data e horário: quarta-feira (10/12), às 21h30 (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Mineirão, em Belo Horizonte;
👁️ Onde assistir: Globo (TV aberta), Premiere (pay-per-view), Sportv (TV fechada e streaming) e Amazon Prime (streaming)
🟨 Arbitragem: Anderson Daronco (RS);
🚩 Assistentes: Rafael da Silva Alves (RS) e Maira Mastella Moreira (RS)
🖥️ VAR: Rodrigo D’ Alonso Ferreira (SC);
⚽ ESCALAÇÕES
CRUZEIRO: William, Fabrício Bruno, Villalba, Kaiki; Lucas Silva, Lucas Romero; Christian, Matheus Pereira, Kaio Jorge e Arroyo.
CORINTHIANS: Hugo Souza; Matheuzinho, André Ramalho, Gustavo Henrique, Matheus Bidu; José Martinez, Maycon, André Carrillo, Bidon; Memphis e Yuri Alberto
Tudo sobre
Copa do BrasilCruzeiroFutebol Nacional
MatériaMais Notícias
da realsbet： O goleiro Weverton foi um dos nomes da virada histórica do Palmeiras sobre o Botafogo na última quarta-feira (1), no Engenhão, no jogo que colocou definitivamente o Palmeiras na briga pelo título do Brasileirão 2023.
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da jogodeouro： + Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
Após ser criticado pela torcida pelos três gols sofridos no primeiro tempo, principalmente o do ex-palmeirense Tchê Tchê, o goleiro respondeu com maestria na segunda etapa, quando pegou o pênalti de Tiquinho Soares e que com o gol de Endrick segundos depois, colocou fogo na partida.
Weverton não pegava uma penalidade no tempo normal há exatos quatro anos. Foi na vitória alviverde diante do Ceará, no Allianz Parque, pelo Brasileirão de 2019.
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Muito criticado pela torcida por não conseguir pegar penalidades, o goleiro falou recentemente em entrevista ao Bola da Vez, da ESPN, que uma hora ele ia conseguir brilhar nos penais, tanto que brilhou também diante do Boca Juniors, na semi da Libertadores, ao pegar o pênalti de Cavani, na batida que abriu a série.
Após perder vaga na Seleção Brasileira e não fazer uma temporada tão brilhante com a camisa do Palmeiras, talvez essa penalidade defendida pelo goleiro faça com que ele retome a confiança para esta reta final de Brasileirão.
continua após a publicidade
➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras
Weverton é um jogador muito importante e decisivo para o Verdão conseguir os seus objetivos finais nesta reta final de 2023.
O goleiro está pendurado com dois amarelos, e caso sofra algum cartão nos próximos jogos, terá que dar lugar ao ser reserva imediato, Marcelo Lomba.
أعلن الاتحاد الدولي للتاريخ والإحصاء، عن قائمة اللاعبين المرشحين للحصول على جائزة أفضل صانع ألعاب في العالم، لعام 2025.
واعتاد الاتحاد الدولي للتاريخ والإحصاء، إجراء تصويت سنويًا لمنح الجوائز في مختلف الفئات، بناءً على الأداء من يناير إلى ديسمبر، وليس بناءً على الموسم.
وتتألف لجنة التحكيم الدولية من أعضاء الاتحاد الدولي لتاريخ وإحصاءات كرة القدم (صحفيين رياضيين وخبراء كرة قدم) من 120 دولة من جميع قارات العالم.
وتشمل الجوائز كل من: أفضل هدافي العالم، تصنيف الأندية العالمية، أفضل الدوريات العالمية، وسيتم الإعلان عنها بعد 15 يناير 2026.
اقرأ أيضًا | بعد ابتسامة خجولة.. ميسي يكشف اللاعب الأعظم في تاريخ كرة القدم
وبالنسبة للفئات الأخرى، فهناك أفضل حارس مرمى في العالم، أفضل حكم في العالم، أفضل لاعب شاب في العالم، أفضل لاعب في العالم، أفضل صانع ألعاب في العالم، أفضل مدرب أندية في العالم، أفضل مدرب وطني في العالم (للسيدات والرجال).
سيعلن الاتحاد الدولي للتاريخ والإحصاء يوميًا عن المرشحين لعام 2025 من الفئات المختلفة للتصويت، وسيتم نشر النتائج بعد 10 ديسمبر 2025.
وفيما يخص المرشحين لجائزة أفضل صانع ألعاب، فقد ضمت العديد من النجوم على رأسهم النجم الأرجنتيني ليونيل ميسي، قائد إنتر ميامي والأرجنتين.
ولم تشهد قائمة المرشحين النجم المصري محمد صلاح، لاعب ليفربول، رغم تألقه مع كتيبة آرني سلوت خلال موسم 2024/25. المرشحون لجائزة أفضل صانع ألعاب في العالم 2025
أردا جولر: تركيا، ريال مدريد.
برونو فرنانديز: البرتغال، مانشستر يونايتد.
كول بالمر: إنجلترا، تشيلسي.
فلوريان فيرتز: ألمانيا – باير ليفركوزن / ليفربول.
جود بيلينجهام: إنجلترا، ريال مدريد.
كيفن دي بروين: بلجيكا، مانشستر سيتي / نابولي.
لامين يامال: إسبانيا، برشلونة.
مارتن أوديجارد: النرويج، آرسنال.
بيدري: إسبانيا، برشلونة.
فيتينها: البرتغال، باريس سان جيرمان.
ليونيل ميسي: الأرجنتين، إنتر ميامي.
جيمس رودريجيز: كولومبيا، ليون.
ريو هاتاتي: اليابان، سلتيك.
محمد قدوس: غانا – وست هام / توتنهام.
مالك تيلمان: الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، آيندهوفن / باير ليفركوزن.
The face of J&K cricket opens up on administrative issues, young talent, cricket through strife and a standout Ranji season
Interview by Shashank Kishore20-Feb-2020Tell us about the system you came through?
For fifty years, J&K cricket stalled. Our facilities remained the same. There were just two big venues, two turf wickets. Even today, one venue, Srinagar, remains out of bound for three months during the monsoons and three months during the winter because of snow. So half the year, it’s inaccessible. How can you produce players when you aren’t able to provide wickets, basic infrastructure? There is no indoor facility yet. This has been the story for the last many years. The selection system was dysfunctional. Ahead of the season, the players used to only get 10 days to prepare. Camps used to be called hastily, players would be informed through newspaper ads. Now, who reads newspapers, English ones, in interior Kashmir? There was no concept of district trials or tournaments. So essentially, whoever turned up formed part of the probables and they used to pick teams from that. How could expect results in a system like this?How has the court-appointed committee helped grow the game in Jammu & Kashmir?
Since 2018, we’ve had professionals run the show. Irfan Pathan came in as player-mentor. Someone with international experience like him went door to door, district to district, remote ones even, where there was only violence. He conducted trials, open nets, spent days looking for players. He, along with coach Milap Mewada, conducted pre-season camps, trained and lived with the team for two months. It was through one such camp that we we found Rasikh Salam in Kulgam district in 2019. He had been coming to trials for three years, but kept getting rejected.Irfan saw him bowl and immediately asked the JKCA to bring him into the system. Imagine, Mumbai Indians, a championship winning team, noticed something and picked him and let him train at world-class facilities, while our own administrators turned a blind eye because he wasn’t “talented”. Rasikh is now in Mumbai, I think the franchise is taking care of him while he serves out the two-year ban. Here, there was no concept of “looking after” players until two years ago, but that has changed. Take the example of Abdul Samad. He is from Kalakote. Imagine, he’s being picked in the IPL from a place where there’s no cricket ground, forget a turf wicket. Two years ago, there was Manzoor Dar, who was with Kings XI Punjab. So there is talent. And administrators have to change their process of finding it if they have to grow the game. That is slowly starting to happen now with professionals coming in. The message is clear: ‘If you perform, where you come from doesn’t matter.’ You will be backed, you will get opportunities. The administrators aren’t cricketers, but they’ve got a vision, and have let people who know the game run the show. That is the biggest difference.
“We didn’t even know if we will play the season. Phones were blocked, I couldn’t even contact my neighbour. Some boys were stuck without electricity, some were stuck in interior areas. All along, even though there was so much political turmoil, you could still see kids playing cricket in the gullies and open grounds. That passion can’t be taken away. That passion we’ve shown as a team as well.”PARVEZ RASOOL
Do you see players from small centres now having more confidence now?
This year, for the first time, we had a player from Kishtwar district, It’s a hilly area. Henan Nazir got picked for our Under-23 team from here. He scored back-to-back hundreds there and then we got him to the Ranji squad. He was nerveless, and scored 66 on debut against Assam, Abid Mushtaq comes from Doda district. Earlier, people used to come from just two centres, whether they performed or not. Aquib Nabi is from Baramulla, Umar Nazir is from Pulwana, I am from Anantnag. Now, the environment is such they know where they come from doesn’t matter. That is a great sign. And all these guys are game-ready, because they’re now playing a lot more. I haven’t had a bigger selection headache than I’ve had this year, because these boys are all match-tuned. It’s been hard to leave out people. That is the kind of transformation we’re talking about. I’m not by any means saying things are back to being at their best or that things are wonderful and everything’s rosy, but yes, there has been a massive change in confidence and attitude of players and administrators.What has pleased you the most this season?
The boys have reached the knockouts despite the challenges which everyone’s well aware of. We didn’t even know if we will play the season. The political climate was such that there was uncertainty. Their mental resilience is unbelievable. Phones were blocked, I couldn’t even contact my neighbour. Some boys were stuck without electricity, some were stuck in interior areas. Our CEO contacted news channels, local TV, newspapers. He sent police vehicles to bring us to Jammu. All along, even though there was so much political turmoil and a tense atmosphere, you could still see kids playing cricket in the gullies and open grounds. That passion can’t be taken away. That passion we’ve shown as a team as well. To get here is a message in how to make the most of what you have. Credit to our CEO Bukhari saab, and of course our coaching staff. They’ve instilled incredible amount of confidence and self-belief.Has the team ever been intimidated this season?
Irfan’s played a big role in taking the fear out over the last couple of years. He says ‘Why look at other teams? You’ve won six games to get here, others should be looking at you.’ That is the line of thinking now. We have a combination of some wonderful young players and a few seniors. The average age is 23-24, the youngsters are hungry, they have that spark.How have you carried the pressure of being the face of J&K cricket for the last decade or so?
I don’t look at it as pressure. It’s a proud moment for me that as a senior, who has played at a higher level, I’m in a position to give back to the state. I want to bring that experience and share it with the youngsters. It’s not like I had something more than what these youngsters have in terms of ability. It’s just that my father was a district cricketer, who played local tournaments. So I had that backing from my family, which some of these guys don’t have. That is the difference. You have to give them that belief, back them and show some patience. They will make mistakes, but as a senior, I try to tell them that is how you learn. I tell the boys, if nobody notices you, make them chase you. Win games single-handedly. This group has a chance to make history in the years to come.Parvez Rasool in India colours•Getty ImagesHow have you channeled the disappointment of not playing for India a lot more?
I was hurt. In my debut tour to Zimbabwe in 2015, 14 of the 15 players in the squad got a game. I didn’t. It was tough, but it wasn’t like I was meant to be a passenger. I got there because I took wickets and runs prior to that in the Ranji Trophy. I didn’t lose my confidence, but it made me more determined to contribute. Again, I had a good follow-up season, got a game on the tour of Bangladesh on a flat wicket, where I dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim and Animal Haque. In 2016-17, I scored 629 runs and 38 wickets, and then got one game against England, where I dismissed Eoin Morgan. So yes, there’s a sense I didn’t get the chances I would’ve liked, but if I get bogged down, I can’t set an example for the players here. I can’t tell them to forget about selection and play freely if I personally feel low or disappointed. How I look at it is, it’s nice to be the first player from Jammu & Kashmir to represent India. If I can use that tag to make a difference, that will make me happier. Bishan Bedi often said ‘control the controllables’. It’s really as simple as that.What is the best compliment someone gave you?
What I am today is because of Bishan Bedi. If I am an off-spinner today with 250-plus wickets, it’s because of him. I remember, when he first became coach and walked in to our Ranji nets and watched me bowl, he casually remarked to one of our selectors about how clean my action was and how I was getting the ball to turn and dip on the batsmen. Our selector laughed it off saying ‘Sir, he is a batsmen, he can’t bowl.’ Bishan sir told him, ‘How is this possible? Just watch, if there’s anyone from here who can play for India in a few years, it’s him. This boy is the best off-spinner in your state’. That much confidence he had in me, I didn’t have so much confidence in myself at the time. I hadn’t played Ranji Trophy, others felt he was mad. But a season later, the same guys told him, how right he was. That backing helped me a lot.Despite the challenges, was cricket a natural transition for you?
I was lucky because my father was a district-level cricket. I come from Bajwara, the nearest turf wicket was in Srinagar, 50 kilometres away. I used to take two buses to get there to train. We used to stand in the sun all day. Sometimes at trials, you had just six balls to bowl or bat. You had to show your spark there. No one gave you refreshments or water. No one recognised people from smaller districts. But if you said you were from Srinagar or Jammu, you were looked at differently. So I grew up thinking I’m competing with 1000s of others with my same skillsets, even if I may be better than them. My father’s backing was key to pursuing the game. My elder brother has also played domestic cricket, so that influence rubbed off on me.
“There’s a sense I didn’t get the chances I would’ve liked [with India], but if I get bogged down, I can’t set an example for the players here. I can’t tell them to forget about selection and play freely if I personally feel low or disappointed.”PARVEZ RASOOL
What is the legacy you want to leave when you finish?
Personally, I want to give back to the area I come from. It’s easy saying I want to make a difference to J&K cricket, but I want to start from where I come from. Two years back, from my own pocket and with some contributions from my close friends, we built two turf wickets, purchased rollers and other ground equipment by investing 8-10 lakhs, only because I had to develop the same ground where I grew up. We pooled in money and have started conducting tournaments. We formed a small association – Bijbehara Cricket Association in the area, which I head. I talk and train with the kids when I am around at home. This is the first turf wicket there. I want to give them a facility to train. Last year, 12-13 year-olds played a tournament for the first time. We conduct senior and junior matches regularly. At the nets, the kids don’t often get the concept of running between the wickets. They all hit the ball hard. How do you channelise that? By conducting matches. T20 matches are an overkill, they don’t have temperament to play 40-50 overs, so we conducted matches with two new balls and proper one-day rules so that they learn and develop game sense. These are small steps, which I hope will make a big difference some time in the future.
He is set to remain with the team until December 2026, a period which includes the ODI World Cup in India and the T20 World Cup in England
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2024Ben Sawyer has been reappointed head coach of the New Zealand women’s team for two years.Sawyer, who oversaw New Zealand’s first-ever T20 World Cup win earlier this year – they beat South Africa in the final – will remain at the helm until December 2026. This period includes the women’s ODI World Cup in India in late 2025 and the women’s T20 World Cup in England in mid 2026.”I’m stoked Ben’s re-signed with us,” white-ball captain Sophie Devine said. “The work he’s done with the White Ferns group and for women’s cricket in New Zealand has been huge.Related
Ben Sawyer charged with New Zealand's rebuilding process as new head coach
“The team is in a great spot right now, so I think locking him in for another two years and having that consistency will be big for us.”Sawyer, who has worked as an assistant coach with the Australia women’s team in the past, was first appointed New Zealand head coach on a two-year contract in June 2022, which ran through till the end of the India tour in October 2024. His reappointment follows an extensive review process, according to a NZC press release.New Zealand did not start their year well, winning just one in 13 T20Is heading into the T20 World Cup, but they turned things around in the UAE.”We’re so pleased to have Ben sign on for another two years,” Liz Green, NZC head of women’s high performance, said. “He’s unlocked a lot of belief and trust in this group and to have him stay now is massive, both for the current squad, and the long-term planning for the White Ferns. The consistency and stability is important.”Ben’s played a big part in progressing the White Ferns and helping build the women’s pathway. There was a huge amount of growth during that tournament, a result of what Ben and the coaches have been building over the last two years.”New Zealand will next take on Australia in a three-match ODI series that gets underway on December 19 in Wellington. The squad for the series will be announced later this week.NZC also said that the T20 World Cup trophy will be on display at the upcoming matches, “giving fans the chance to see it up close and capture photos”.
A three-time league champion has now reportedly held talks with Rangers about becoming their next permanent boss this summer.
Rangers manager latest as 49ers eye new Ibrox boss
it has been confirmed that Barry Ferguson won’t continue in charge of the Gers, having only come in as interim boss midway through the campaign, taking his side into the Europa League quarter-finals but ultimately not doing enough to get the job on a full-time basis.
Instead, Rangers and prospective new owners the 49ers Enterprises now looking for the perfect manager to come in and guide the Scottish Premiership giants to future success, with club CEO Patrick Stewart recently providing an update on the search, saying:
“The review is progressing well. We have got a lot of insights into things that are going well and not well at Auchenhowie. I would really compliment the staff and how open and honest they’ve been. And they provided really valuable feedback to myself and also the consultants we’ve got on supporting with it. And we’re beginning to get some real tangible insights that are flowing into real recommendations that we’re starting to action.”
Steven Gerrard has constantly stood out as a leading choice for Rangers, having won the league title with them back in 2020/21, while Real Madrid assistant manager Davide Ancelotti has also been linked with the job.
Former Italy international Gennaro Gattuso is another rumoured contender, and now a new name has been thrown into the mix.
3-4-3 manager holds talks with Rangers
According to a significant update from BBC Sport, former Feyenoord manager Brian Priske has held discussions with Rangers about being their next boss.
The 48-year-old departed the Dutch club in February, being sacked after a disappointing run of results, but it looks like he is on the Gers’ list.
Priske is certainly a more proven option than the likes of Gerrard and Ancelotti, considering he has won an impressive three league titles in his managerial career to date.
Two of those came in his time in charge of Czech giants Sparta Prague, while another was during his stint at Danish outfit Midtjylland. He has also won one Czech Cup and Danish Super Cup apiece, so he knows how to deliver trophies.
Priske favours a 3-4-3 formation, getting the most out of his wing-backs, but he is also versatile in his tactics, switching to a 4-3-3 system at times with Feyenoord.
Feyenoord
33
1.85
Sparta Prague
96
2.19
Royal Antwerp
49
1.53
FC Midtjylland
68
1.88
Stewart and those high up at Rangers have a massive decision to make this summer, and it is vital that they make the right appointment, following the doomed reign of Philippe Clement.
Rangers can forget about Gerrard & Ancelotti by hiring "one of the best"
Rangers are considering a few names to be the new manager at Ibrox
ByRoss Kilvington May 23, 2025
The Gers need to hit the ground running next season, not allowing Celtic to pull away in the title race, and in Priske, they may have an experienced option who could back himself to win plenty of silverware at Ibrox.