Yes or No? Was Moeen's hat-trick the first…
Moeen Ali created a bit of history with his feat at The Oval. Can you figure out which of these facts are correct?
ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jul-2017
Moeen Ali created a bit of history with his feat at The Oval. Can you figure out which of these facts are correct?
ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jul-2017
da bet7： Leeds United want to sign an international forward in the summer who has been likened to former Newcastle United and Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic, according to a new report.
Leeds latest transfer news
da fezbet： Despite a recent drop-off in form, Leeds United are still well in the race for a return to the Premier League, two seasons after they dropped out of the division.
With just eight games to play, Daniel Farke’s side lead the Championship table, ahead of second-placed Sheffield United only on goal difference and two points clear of Burnley in third.
Whether that’s in the Premier League or the Championship, the Whites seem to already be preparing for next season, with a number of transfer targets reportedly already on their radar.
Among those are Southampton striker Cameron Archer, who was a target for the club in January, while, according to reports from Africa Foot, the Yorkshire club are also keen on signing Almeria forward Ibrahima Kone in the summer.
The most talked-about of Leeds’ potential summer transfers, however, is the proposed return of Kalvin Phillips. A recent report from TEAMtalk revealed that Leeds already have a verbal agreement with Phillips, who is currently on loan at Ipswich Town from Manchester City, to return to Elland Road if Farke’s side secures promotion back to the Premier League.
49ers break through and agree deal with £20m star to join Leeds this summer
Promotion needs to happen first.
5 ByCharlie Smith Mar 13, 2025
Phillips himself is also said to be keen on returning to his boyhood club and is pushing for a move, which he hopes will be able to help him revive his stalling career.
Leeds want new 23 y/o forward likened to Mitrovic
Another player reportedly on Leeds and the 49ers Enterprises radar ahead of the summer is Dynamo Kyiv striker Vladyslav Vanat. The 23-year-old, who has been capped 10 times by Ukraine, has scored 16 goals in 34 appearances this term, helping put Kyiv in pole position to land the Ukrainian Premier League title.
According to TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey, Leeds are one of a number of clubs, alongside West Ham United and Fulham, who are now keeping tabs ahead of a potential swoop in a few months’ time.
Vanat has been described by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig as a “complete forward” who boasts excellent “pace, finishing, shot power, movement, link-up play, ambidexterity”.
According to Football Transfers, Vanat has a similar style of play to former Fulham star Mitrovic, who now plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Hilal.
Leeds know all too well about the Serbian striker’s talents, with him having netted five goals and produced three assists in nine games against the Whites during his career, including twice in a thrilling Premier League game in September 2020, which Leeds won 4-3, and by the looks of things, a move for Vanat could be one to watch.
أعلن اتحاد الكرة المصري، إجراء تعديل على طاقم تحكيم مباراة الزمالك ومودرن سبورت والتي تجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري.
وتقام مباراة الزمالك ومودرن سبورت على أرضية استاد هيئة قناة السويس، في الجولة الثالثة من بطولة الدوري المصري.
طالع | موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة الزمالك ومودرن سبورت اليوم في الدوري المصري
ويتواجد الزمالك في المركز السادس برصيد 4 نقاط، بينما يحتل مودرن سبورت المركز السابع برصيد نقطة واحدة بعد مرور جولتين.
وقررت لجنة الحكام بالاتحاد إجراء تغيير اضطراري على طاقم إدارة المباراة بين الزمالك ومودرن سبورت، بتعيين أحمد حسام طه مساعدا للحكم بدلاً من عمر فتحي الذي توفي والده مساء أمس.
وفي هذا الظرف تقدم الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم ولجنة الحكام بخالص العزاء للكابتن عمر فتحي سائلين المولى عز وجل أن يتغمد والده بواسع رحمته ويلهمه وأسرته الصبر الجميل وإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون.
da pixbet： The one thing you can be guaranteed of when watching Tottenham Hotspur is goals.
da realbet： Ange Postecoglou has created one of the most entertaining sides in Europe, let alone in England, and while those goals include the ones they conceded, the North Londoners still score more than they let in.
In fact, while their defensive numbers are mediocre at best, the Lilywhites are the joint second-top scorers in the Premier League despite being down in 12th.
Moreover, the goals come from all over the team, although a former player, who’s been compared to the incredible Alexander Isak, is currently outscoring some of their biggest stars.
Tottenham's top scorers
Topping the list for Spurs is Brennan Johnson, who, despite enduring a slow start to the season and a recent injury problem, has managed to rack up a reasonable tally of 14 goals in 35 games.
That means the Welsh international puts the ball in the back of the net on average every 2.5 appearances.
Just behind the former Nottingham Forest ace is the North Londoners’ record signing, Dominic Solanke.
After going through his own slow start to the campaign, the £65m man has now scored 11 goals in 29 appearances, which comes out to one every 2.63 games, and with his return imminent, we expect that average to come down.
Coming in as the club’s joint-third top scorers so far are Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min and James Maddison, who all have ten goals to their names, reaching that figure in 42, 36 and 34 games, respectively.
Spurs’ top scorers in 24/25
Player
Games
Goals
Goals per Game
Johnson
35
14
0.40
Solanke
29
11
0.37
Kulusevski
42
10
0.23
Son
36
10
0.27
Maddison
34
10
0.29
All Stats via Transfermarkt
While things haven’t gone their way this season, it’s impressive for five players to have reached double digits for goals when the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City have just one, three and two, respectively.
With that said, we imagine Spurs would love to have one of their old forwards back in the team this term, a forward who’s outscoring everyone in the squad and has been compared to Isak.
Where Are They Now
The former Spurs star compared to Isak
So, when it comes to former Spurs players who could be outscoring the entire club this season and winning comparisons to players like Isak, it could only be one man: Harry Kane.
The comparison itself stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Swede is the second most similar forward to the Englishman.
The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty goals plus assists, goals per shot, expected assists, key passes, shot-creating actions, shots blocked, interceptions and more, all per 90.
Kane & Isak
Statistics per 90
Kane
Isak
Non-Penalty G+As
0.99
1.00
Goals per Shot
0.16
0.26
Expected Assists
0.22
0.14
Key Passes
1.35
1.60
Shot-Creating Actions
3.33
3.42
Shots Blocked
0.10
0.09
Interceptions
0.10
0.09
Successful Take-On %
45.5%
45.9%
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season
On top of being incredibly similar to arguably the most exciting striker in the Premier League, the former Lilywhites ace has been in sensational goalscoring form this season – as he always is.
In just 33 appearances, totalling 2575 minutes, the “world-class” centre-forward, as dubbed by Harry Maguire, has scored 29 goals and provided ten assists – more than anyone in Postecoglou’s squad.
That means he’s averaging a goal every 1.13 games or a goal involvement every 66.02 minutes.
Ultimately, Spurs had to sell Kane in the summer of 2023, but we can’t help but imagine how ridiculous his goal tally would be under a manager like Ange.
Cost £8.5m, now worth 111% more: Spurs struck gold on "uber-complete" star
The incredible talent could be a Spurs star for the next decade or more.
1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 4, 2025
Coach Gary Stead expects Southee to play New Zealand’s “first or second game” of the World Cup
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Sep-2023
Kane Williamson was continuing his rehab with the New Zealand team in England recently•Getty Images
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson plans “to have some involvement in the warm-up games” ahead of the World Cup, as he gradually makes his way back from a six-month lay-off.Williamson is returning to action after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the opening game of the IPL in March. He was continuing his rehab with the New Zealand team in England recently and said he was “progressing well”, though some amount of pain continues to linger.”It’s [about] working through those warm-up games to get as much out of it as I can – personally and as a team – without sort of bothering too much,” Williamson said on Wednesday before the team’s departure for India. “There is a strong desire to basically be involved in those as much as I can; we’ve got two of them before our first competition game. And basically it’s just wanting to progress [with] what I am doing now – the running, the fielding, and also time in the middle with the bat.”The load is going to keep increasing, so there is a little bit of an unknown. But it has felt pretty good really in the last few weeks, [I’m] hoping it continues to feel like that. But we’re definitely looking to touch on more stuff, [and] introducing myself into the game mode, which is something which we haven’t had the opportunity to do.”Related
Williamson to miss New Zealand's World Cup opener against England
Southee to join NZ World Cup squad as he continues recovery
Pak vs NZ World Cup warm-up game to be played behind closed doors
Williamson highlighted that he still felt certain difficulties as he races against time to be fit to play England in the World Cup opening game in Ahmedabad on October 5. But before that, New Zealand face Pakistan on September 29, and South Africa on October 2 in their two warm-up fixtures.”Not so much the sprinting; more the slowing actually,” Williamson said of the challenges in recovery. “From sprinting to braking, and a little bit of change of direction. But it’s all been part of the plan, introducing it towards the end of the recovery. Having said that, there’s still obviously time to go with the overall part of it, and keep trying to bank on good days because the rule’s pretty much helpful in terms of just moving forward with it.”The injury has also forced Williamson to consider his fielding position and he has all but ruled out fielding at slip.”We will definitely consider some of that,” he said. “Where I field is usually at mid-off, which will probably remain the case. Probably slightly better suited to it than square of the wicket. Potentially some slip, but I won’t be standing there if we don’t require one.”Tim Southee dislocated and fractured his thumb against England•Getty Images
Southee will be ‘ready around first or second game’ – SteadFast bowler Tim Southee, who dislocated and fractured his thumb during the fourth ODI against England nearly two weeks ago, is on track to play in the early stages of the World Cup.Southee had surgery on returning home and New Zealand head coach Gary Stead was content with his “quick recovery”. Stead said Southee will not leave for India with the rest of the squad on Wednesday, and will instead join the team on Saturday.”Tim’s seen a hand specialist yesterday, and the key thing for him is really making sure the wound heals. We’re still really hopeful that he’ll be available early on in the tournament for selection,” Stead said. “He’s had five pins put in his thumb… He’s comfortable, and he’ll be ready somewhere around that first or second game.”So, it’s all gone really well. He’s had a check in with the surgeon and a hand therapist. They think there might be a little bit of pain still, but he’s a tough and resilient character. So we are fortunate to have him with our squad still.”New Zealand have brought in fast bowler Kyle Jamieson as cover and since he hasn’t been officially added to the squad of 15, he will not be available to take part in any of the warm-up matches.”Tim hasn’t been ruled out of the tournament,” Stead said. “The rules state that you can only get 15 players in your squad, so we’ve kept Kyle there as cover right now. And that’s really just to make sure that if another bowler goes down right before the first game – or if Tim doesn’t heal as quickly. If there’s some sort of setback, then we have someone there as a ready replacement.”New Zealand have already had Michael Bracewell ruled out of the World Cup with an Achilles injury, while Mitchell Santner had jarred his knee while fielding during the second ODI against England on September 10. But scans revealed no serious damage, and he is expected to be fit for New Zealand’s World Cup opener.
Essex squeezed past defending champions Hampshire to reach the Vitality T20 Blast final via a rain-affected chase at Edgbaston. Simon Harmer, who hit the winning runs when Essex lifted the title in 2019, again applied the this time around as he drilled Nathan Ellis into the stands at long-on to complete a five-wicket victory.Having restricted Hampshire to 170 for 7 from 20 overs, Essex were then handed a revised target of 115 from 12 overs, following an extended delay for rain shortly after the start of their innings. Although Hampshire made quick inroads after the resumption to reduce Essex to 50 for 4 after 6.2, the arrival of Australia allrounder Daniel Sams brought a vital injection of power as he and Matt Critchley added 45 in 22 balls.Sams could not finish the job, well held on the boundary by Ross Whiteley, but despite Liam Dawson only conceding seven off the penultimate over to leave 13 needed from the last, Ellis – the hero in Hampshire’s dramatic victory a year ago – was hit for two sixes in three balls to end hopes of a defence.Hampshire’s innings had been a stop-start affair, held together by Joe Weatherley’s 63 off 39 balls. Spinners Critchley and Harmer picked up combined figures of 3 for 55 from their eight overs but a spirited finish from Weatherley and Benny Howell helped get Hampshire up to a par score.The rain delay took eight overs out of the Essex innings and seemed to tip the balance back towards the chasing side, with the requirement now 96 off 55 and the ball skidding around on a greasy outfield. They threatened to squander the advantage by losing 3 for 3 in the space of six ball, but Sams smashed three sixes in an innings of 29 from 17 to put them back on course for only a second Blast final appearance.Essex come out on top of DLS equation
Essex have based much of their approach to this year’s Blast on attacking come what may, so losing a wicket from the third ball of the innings would have been priced in. Adam Rossington’s flip off the hip went fine but Weatherley’s good day continued as he raced around the rope for a tumbling catch. But Essex’s start was scratchy as the clouds began to roll in, with Dan Lawrence dropped off a steepler by Dawson shortly before a heavy downpour took the players off for an hour with the score 19 for 1.The revised target left Essex needing to go at just above ten an over, and that had come down to 68 off 40 when James Fuller struck twice in the space of three balls: Michael Pepper caught at deep third off a wild hack and Lawrence edging a pull to the keeper. When Paul Walter was palpably lbw to John Turner in the next over, Essex were four down with the required rate climbing.”With wickets in hand and a smaller total, you would back yourself to get there,” Harmer said. “But in saying that when you lose wickets it’s tough to start again. You got to have your foot on the accelerator from ball one. So the way that guys like Critch and Dan Sams played, coming in there and striking from ball one was huge for us in the context of that chase.”Weatherley, meanwhile, described Hampshire as “bitterly disappointed” with the outcome. “With Duckworth-Lewis, it only takes is a couple of guys to hit a couple of sixes,” he said. “We still took wickets, if we hadn’t have done it would have looked a lot easier. It certainly feels unfair when they’ve got nine wickets in hand to get ten an over.”Hampshire start well, then stutter
Aaron Beard’s only over, the first of the Hampshire innings, went for 14 as both Ben McDermott and James Vince opened their accounts by whipping leg-side deliveries to the fence. McDermott then picked off Sams’ first two balls, the second via a domineering stride down the pitch before launching over long-off. An edged four wide of the keeper and two more off Sam Cook – one scooped over the head of short fine leg – took McDermott to 29 off 11 but he fell to his next delivery, pulling Cook straight to deep square leg.Hampshire at that point were 39 for 1 after three overs but Vince departed in the next over, chipping Shane Snater to mid-off, and Essex got a hold on the scoring to make it 55 for 2 at the end of the powerplay. The spinners then kept Hampshire in check, with Tom Prest, Dawson and Fuller all falling for middling scores and only five boundaries coming between the seventh and 16th overs.Weatherley, Howell add finishing touch
With wickets falling regularly, Weatherley had to take a circumspect approach, although he did hit one sweetly struck six down the ground off Harmer. Whiteley’s miscue off Walter left Hampshire 130 for 6 after 17, but the arrival of Howell added much-needed impetus at the death, as the seventh-wicket pair mirrored McDermott’s opening burst by lashing another 40 runs to the total. A wide full toss from Sams saw Weatherley bring up his fifty from from 34 balls, and the Hampshire No. 4 then spoiled an otherwise-decent penultimate over from Cook by going deep in his crease to slog-sweep a slower ball for six.Howell then helped plunder 14 off Sams’ closer, including a towering six over long-on the ball after being dropped by Snater, and although he was dismissed off the final delivery his 22 off 11 had given Hampshire something to bowl at. Thanks to the rain, however, and Sams late blows, it would not be quite enough.
Warwickshire 453 for 4 declared (Hain 165*, Yates 128, Mousley 94) beat Kent 158 (Bell-Drummond 40, Hasan 3-36) and 281 (Evison 99, Compton 88, Rushworth 3-58, Woakes 3-59) by an innings and 14 runsWarwickshire overcame a superb Kent rearguard action to claim a thrilling LV=Insurance County Championship victory with six overs to spare in the final-day gloom at Edgbaston.The home side won by an innings and 14 runs when Joey Evison edged Hasan Ali behind to fall heartbreakingly for 99 having taken his side so close to salvaging an unlikely draw.When the visitors, having followed on 295 behind, declined to 99 for 7 in their second innings, an ignominious defeat beckoned. But opener Ben Compton (88) and 21-year-old all-rounder Evison added 100 in 25 overs to hoover up much of the afternoon session. Then, after Compton fell in the first over after over tea, Evison and Surrey loanee Conor McKerr added 74 in 27 overs.Kent were within touching distance of a great escape when, with the light fading fast, Oliver Hannon-Dalby returned to have McKerr brilliantly caught by Will Rhodes at fourth slip and then Hasan sealed the win with a luscious outswinger to the heroic Evison.Warwickshire deserved the win, having dominated the match, and their vibrant start to the season hints at a potential title challenge to follow their dismal 2022 campaign. For Kent, the final-day fighting spirit offered some consolation but the thrashing came as a major jolt after their opening-round victory over Northamptonshire.They are at least likely to be boosted by the return from injury of seamer Grant Stewart when they face Essex at Canterbury next week. Whether Matt Quinn recovers in time from a groin injury sustained in this match remains to be seen.Kent resumed on the final morning 27 for 1, needing to bat out the day, but plummeted to 51 for 5 in the first 12 overs. Warwickshire’s seamers continued where they left off the previous day when they took 11 wickets in 52 overs.Compton applied himself assiduously but saw a string of partners perish. Nightwatchman Quinn had his off stump flattened by a Chris Woakes inswinger before four wickets fell to smart work by the slips.Rob Yates took two superb low catches to remove Daniel Bell-Drummond and Jack Leaning, Rhodes made no mistake to oust Joe Denly and Jordan Cox, having defied for just over an hour for 29, edged to Sam Hain. When skipper Sam Billings decided too late to leave a ball from Hannon-Dalby and deflected it on to his middle stump, it was 99 for 7.Compton and Evison dug in deep, the former enhancing his remarkable first-class batting average of 58, but were parted in the first over after tea when Compton edged Chris Rushworth and Yates took yet another excellent slip catch, this time fast and high and particularly impressive as he saw the ball very late with wicketkeeper Michael Burgess standing up to the stumps.That left Kent’s last two wickets with 36 overs to survive, and they came gallantly close to achieving it before the depth and quality of Warwickshire’s refurbished seam attack had the final say.
India are going to announce their 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy on Saturday
Nagraj Gollapudi18-Jan-2025
Jasprit Bumrah did not bowl on the final day of the Sydney Test•Getty Images
Jasprit Bumrah could make it to India’s Champions Trophy squad subject to him being fit in time for the tournament that begins on February 19.ESPNcricinfo has learned the injury that prevented Bumrah from bowling on the fifth day of the Sydney Test is stress related. Though the first round of tests did not reveal a stress fracture in the back, it is understood the discomfort Bumrah suffered was related to his workload in the five Tests in Australia. He bowled 151.2 overs in nine innings, taking 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Accordingly, on advice from medical experts, the BCCI decided to allow Bumrah rest for at least five weeks (the Sydney Test finished on January 5) after which he will undergo another scan to determine if he can return to action.Related
India's Champions Trophy squad: Will Bumrah be ready in time?
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If Bumrah is cleared of injury, his match fitness is likely to be tested in the final ODI of the home series against England on February 12. The deadline to submit the final Champions Trophy squad to the ICC is February 11.As it stands, Bumrah is likely to be named in India’s 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy that will be announced on Saturday, with an asterisk against his name, implying his inclusion is subject to fitness.India play three ODIs against England on February 6, 9 and 12 – their first ODIs since the tour of Sri Lanka in August last year – before the Champions Trophy begins on February 19. India are in Group A in the Champions Trophy and begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, after which they play Pakistan on February 23, and New Zealand on March 2. India play all their matches in Dubai because their government refused to let the team travel to Pakistan.
Messi has undoubtedly raised the profile of MLS, but his decision to skip ASG could have lasting reverberations for the league
AUSTIN, Texas – Lionel Messi means the world to Jesus Rodriguez.
For the 22-year-old, who has Cerebral Palsy and developmental disabilities, the Argentine star is a light – a beacon of hope in an otherwise challenging life. Whether it's weaving through multiple defenders or beating goalkeepers with pinpoint precision on free kicks, Messi doesn’t let obstacles stand in his way, and that inspires Rodriguez to keep fighting. So much so that his mother, Tanya Jasso, wanted to find a way for her son to finally see Messi.
She originally tried last season and was ready to take her son, husband, and Jesus’ stepfather, Javier Partida, to see Messi in Columbus, Ohio, for the 2024 MLS All-Star Game. But in the 2024 Copa America Final, Messi injured his ankle. The plan was scrapped. Then, in March, Jasso got the exciting news that the 2025 MLS All-Star would be held in Austin.
For the family who lives in Alamo, New Mexico, the Texas capital was within driving distance. They wanted to give Jesus the experience of a lifetime, saving money and then spending thousands of dollars to get tickets in the VIP section 7, row 3, behind the MLS All-Star bench. Everything was in motion, and when Jesus heard the news, he was brimming with excitement.
Then Wednesday happened.
Messi and Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba had been no-shows for MLS All-Star training sessions earlier in the week, and on the morning of the All-Star Game, the league confirmed what had increasingly appeared inevitable – neither would play, both removed from the final MLS roster.
Jasso said that she and her family were devastated when they heard the news. Jesus sat motionless with his head drooping toward the concrete sidewalk, and Jasso was furious about the timing and the manner in which both MLS and Messi handled the situation.
“I’m very sad because I did everything I could so my son could come see Messi, especially since he has a disability,” Jasso told GOAL Wednesday before the All-Star Game. “I feel heartbroken for him. It’s always been his dream to meet Messi, but he’s not going to be here. I made a lot of sacrifices… We drove 10 hours from Alamo, New Mexico, to get here, and we’re very tired.”
Jasso was perplexed as to why MLS waited until the day of the game – at 11:15 a.m. Central Time, to be exact – to reveal that the face of their league would not be playing in its midseason showcase.
“I think they should be more honest and give fans a heads-up so we don’t go through so much for nothing,” she said. “I feel sad because [Messi] should think about his fans – and right now, he’s not. I believe Messi is partly to blame, as is the league, because he should’ve made an effort to be here.”
Jasso wasn’t alone in feeling let down by MLS and its Argentine superstar. Social media was flush with fans who said the league should have done more to hold Messi accountable, and some who cynically suggested the league was aware of Messi’s status ahead of the game, intentionally promoted his participation, and withheld the information to build buzz for the game.
Austin’s leading newspaper, , ripped Messi and MLS to shreds for the way the situation was handled, with Eric Goodman writing, “Messi’s decision not to show up for one night in Austin is a huge middle finger to MLS and its fans.”
Despite the very public angst, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, in his All-Star Game midseason address, declined to confirm whether the players would face discipline, saying only that the league should have been more proactive in determining Messi and Alba’s availability. In several unprompted moments, Garber appeared to gush over Messi’s positive impact on the league – noting his sizable social media presence and the credibility he brings to MLS.
Sports commissioners essentially work for team owners, which means occasionally having to tow the line. But considering the circumstances, Garber’s responses – and in some cases, lack thereof – seemed tone deaf. Failing to be firm and resolute could both set a precedent and have consequences, signaling to MLS fans that their role in All-Star voting effectively doesn’t matter.
On Friday, two days after the All-Star Game, MLS finally announced a decision, suspending both Messi and Alba for Inter Miami’s match against FC Cincinnati on Saturday. Garber praised Messi's overall contributions, but said the league had to follow its policies.
“The most important thing is I know Leo Messi loves this league, and MLS is an entirely different league because of the years he’s been here helping to show the world what MLS is and what it’s capable of being,” Garber told the Athletic. “Nobody has done more for Major League Soccer than Lionel Messi. Not just what he’s done off the field, but what he’s done on the field. Every game is a must-see match. I fully understand and respect and admire his commitment to Inter Miami.
"His decision is not one that I really can argue with whatsoever and I understand it. But unfortunately we have a longstanding policy relating to player participation in the All-Star Game and we had to enforce that policy. It was a very, very difficult decision, but one I hope both [Messi] and everyone else can understand and respect. He has shown up for his club, for his teammates, for our league time and time again and I respect his decision.”
Garber added that MLS plans to re-evaluate the policy.
“We are going to take a very hard look at the rule moving forward," he said. "It is important to all of our players and all of our fans that we have a policy that reflects and involves the realities of our league and its players going forward. I am committed to working with all of our players and to start working with Leo Messi to adapt this rule so it makes sense going forward.”
Calling MLS rules for sanctioning players who skip its All-Star game "draconian," Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas on Friday said that Messi was "extremely upset' by the suspension. Mas claimed it was the club's decision to let both Messi and Alba skip the ASG, keeping their long-term health and fitness in mind amid a congested schedule, and that the players' were upset by the league's actions.
"I believe it’s a bad rule, but it’s a rule nonetheless," he said. "And it’s a bad rule because I think it puts the players in an untenable position to have to choose between participating in an All-Star festivity, which is an exhibition match, or choosing a regular-season game that I think matters. And I admire both Lionel and Jordi for always thinking of club first.”
Messi is the first MLS starter in the past 30 years to skip an All-Star game for non-injury reasons – the first being Zlatan Ibrahimovic. In most other major U.S. sports – the NBA, MLB, NHL and NFL, leagues that represent the best of the best in their respective games – it would generally be unthinkable for a player equal to Messi’s stature to skip its marquee match for reasons other than injury.
So how did MLS get to this point with the face of the league?
GOAL spoke to MLS All-Stars, former executives, and insiders to assess the fallout from Messi’s no-show and what it signals about the league’s present and future.
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Former fast bowler on West Indies’ failure to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, and its potential impact on players, fans, and the sport in the Caribbean
Raunak Kapoor02-Jul-20233:10
Ian Bishop: ‘The warning signs have been there since 2018’
As someone who grew up watching an era of West Indies cricket that you did, then going on to play for them with pride, and having since followed them in recent years, what are your emotions on the team not making it to a World Cup?
It is a difficult day, and difficult to sum up. To not have West Indies as part of the World Cup is, to me, unimaginable. I can echo the sentiments of many fans and West Indian supporters, of whom there are still many.Coming at the back of the 2021 T20 World Cup disappointment, and then not making it into the main round of the 2022 T20 World Cup, it is a stifling reality of where the [West Indies] cricket is at the moment. Not just being with the Associate nations, but that some of those nations are beating you quite convincingly. So there’s a lot of work to be done almost immediately, because the talent level, which I know there is, deserves better representation, or certainly a bigger need to express itself.Related
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Holder urges WI to 'come together as a region' after World Cup setback
Hope: 'We can't just wake up one morning and be a great team'
The results from the recent ICC events you speak of, do they give you the feeling that something like this was on the cards? That this was always a possibility? And does that make you feel like this slide could have been arrested sooner?
Yes, it has been a gradual decline. I’ve always said this pre-dates this group of players. We haven’t played consistently good ODI cricket against the top nations for perhaps a decade now. The T20 team, after having been two-time champions, they have slid. So like big corporations who were at one time at the peak of their powers, and then through, I suppose, a lack of vision or whatever you want to call it, they disappeared off the business scene, [and that is what has happened] for West Indies cricket, two-time world champions, who popularised the field for ODI cricket.I know there has been some introspection that has been taking place in the Caribbean. But what this does is, it says that we are at a few seconds to 12, and we need all hands on board to get the representation back to where it needs to be.Dejected West Indies players leave the field after their loss against Scotland•ICC via Getty ImagesWill all hands be able to come together to face the big challenge that faces West Indies cricket at the moment? The Shimron Hetmyer situation is one that no one seems to have benefitted from. And it’s not as much about Hetmyer alone as it is about the feeling among fans. Are the West Indian players motivated enough to play for West Indies?
I think some guys are. Obviously you are going to have a few guys [who are not]. And the cricketing landscape is very difficult right now with all the franchise tournaments coming into play. So there’s always going to be that draw and pull of your resources. And so that is a challenge that is set forth, it is not an easy one. I don’t have all the answers. You need to be more specific, as I have said before, with talent identification, procurement and development. Because that is a challenge of the landscape.I still see young talents coming through, like Jayden Seales, Alick Athanaze is another, a kid named [Kevin] Wickham just to name a few. But how you expedite their development and keep hold of them is the challenge. And again I will say there have been efforts to make better pitches, better infrastructure, but it just really tells us that these things need to be hastened.When you talk to young West Indies players and cricket fans, do you sense that there is a deep understanding or appreciation of what the West Indies and their cricketing history is, which I’m sure was so deeply motivating for you? The emotions that brought this multi-national cricket team to play together, do you believe those are still there with the next set of players and young fans?
I think it is a different time. What motivated Sir Vivian Richards and Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes and Clive Lloyd, globalisation has sort of dissipated that. So the motivations are now different, and I accept that. If it is more financial and economic, then we have to ride with that time and provide experiences and platforms where the players gravitate towards that.I wouldn’t say that the pull that was evident for the players of the ’60s and ’70s should be the same in the 2000s. So we have to identify what the myriad desires are and they will be different for each player and just work with those desires, because there is still, as I speak to players, a desire to play for West Indies, but there are not as many of that calibre as there may have been in times past.
“I still see young talents coming through, like Jayden Seales, Alick Athanaze is another, a kid named [Kevin] Wickham just to name a few. But how you expedite their development and keep hold of them is the challenge”Ian Bishop
It’s not an easy job, administration in West Indies cricket. Are there any specific suggestions you would want to give to the people managing the game in the Caribbean to now try and build a path forward?
There are many things and again I am not going to pretend to sit here and say that I have all the answers. It is always going to be a challenge with so many disparate nations and constituents trying to evolve their own base. But what we have witnessed and have been witnessing over the last decade, or two decades, is that the fractionising of these goals is not working. Other teams have got better. The Associates have got so much better, and they don’t fear, certainly, teams like West Indies anymore.So how do we come together and create better coaching, coaching tutors? How do we create an even more professional franchise system in the Caribbean, whether T20 or red-ball cricket, and have everyone pulling in the same direction? That is something I cannot answer. But we need to, because I do not see going it alone, as some people say in the Caribbean for Trinidad or Jamaica to go alone, [will work]. To me, that is not a relevant idea.We have changed captains and coaches. We now have to give support and time to the incumbents and make sure we give them the support staff. Zimbabwe, in this tournament for example, have done it with minimal playing resources, so why can’t West Indies if they concentrate on their pool?So in Shai Hope and Daren Sammy, both relatively new in their roles, do you believe backing them is the right thing to do, because there would be reactions to this result?
Well, you have to because it is systemic. It’s not just about the incumbents right now. We have changed it from Phil Simmons, Ottis Gibson, coach X, captain X, and while the results have not been this desperate, we saw a gradual decline. So once you have identified those guys and put them in place, give them as much support but you are holding them accountable. And just to be fair again, this slide has not just begun. This has taken decades and a couple of generations to get to this point. So all of us, who have had past associations with West Indies cricket, have to introspect and ask ourselves, “What could we have done better and what can we do now?”Can Daren Sammy revive West Indies cricket?•Getty ImagesIs there a feeling that perhaps it had to get worse before it got better, and maybe this is a rude wake-up call for players, or everyone else in West Indies cricket, to miss out on a World Cup? Could that trigger the right reactions?
Being away from the tournament now, you would hope that is the case, but I do not believe it had to get to this point for it to rectify. West Indies barely qualified out of the 2018 qualifiers. So that was a warning sign then, and there were four years in between to try to rectify that and it hasn’t happened. So more synergy in the infrastructure and the structure is required.I think once you have identified who the right people are, you have to give them at least a medium term, a length of time to allow them to make an impact. Short-term changes don’t help in any shape or form, but there is still hope there for me. I still keep hoping. I see some of the talent on the ground. I know their desire to do well. It is all now about how we procure that. I don’t think it is rocket science.Is there anything you would like to say to the past players of West Indies, the greats who I am sure will all have plenty to say at this point? Do they have a role in helping this team that is hurting right now?
We all have a role to help in whatever sphere or activity, including myself. In whatever impact we can have talking to current players, developing young players. I won’t pretend to be able to articulate how past players who have helped to build this house feel right now. I know fans are angry, they are coming at me as if I run the show. But I accept their feelings.And I just hope that we can build from here. They say it’s only cricket. But cricket has a significant impact on Caribbean identity around the world. So it is as serious as that. It is not education, it is not healthcare, but it has a role, and we really need to have an impact to get it right.Finally the fans, is there something you would like to say to put into perspective the emotions of the fans, given at this point they would be hurting from this result and at the same time, the concern that the absence from a World Cup might affect the popularity of the ODI format, if not T20I and Test cricket, in the West Indies?
The Test team in the Caribbean has sort of been holding its own, particularly at home, so that should give hope. But I understand from a fans’ point of view, whether they are West Indian fans in the Caribbean or beyond the borders in India, Pakistan, England, Australia. I understand the sentiments. They are hurt. All I can do is promise that in my little sphere of impact I will do my best and I am sure there are some good people working on the inside who are trying to find the right way to rectify this, so if I may be able to speak on behalf of them, we try to give the players all they need to succeed.Not everyone will get to the promised land, but those who want to get there, hopefully they can resurrect and continue bringing West Indies cricket back to a place of excellence and relevance.You remain optimistic that that day could come in the near future?
Yes. We’ll never dominate like we did in the ’80s and the first half of the ’90s. I think other teams around the world are too good. We have serious economic challenges in the Caribbean, which the authorities around the world have to look at. But I still think when I look at, for example, where Zimbabwe were, and the troubles they have gone through, and how well they have played in this tournament, I think we have enough there to do even better next time around, if there is synergy.