Former Tottenham captain came off the bench for his debut and played a key role in winning a penalty

Son laments missed opportunity for winning start Will take gradual approach to building match fitnessLAFC face New England Revolution next in MLSGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

Son Heung-min made his highly anticipated Major League Soccer debut for Los Angeles Football Club in a road match against Chicago Fire that ended in an engaging 2-2 draw. Following the match, Son expressed  frustration with the result, stating that the team had created sufficient opportunities to secure three points.

“Obviously, it's a bit disappointed, not getting three points," he told Apple TV. "But generally, I think everybody put a lot of effort and happy to make the debut and I hope the goals are coming soon… we tied this game, but as I said before, we should have won this game. I'm a little bit disappointed." 

Overall, Son was pleased to get his LAFC tenure underway, saying, "I'm happy I made the debut, and I hope that the goals are coming soon."

AdvertisementWHAT SON HEUNG-MIN SAID

The former Tottenham captain came off the bench for his debut with the score tied 1-1 and played a key role in winning a penalty that saw LAFC equalise after going 2-1 down. 

“I'm getting ready and it was, decent 30 minutes on my leg, in my leg. So, yeah, getting ready for next week. We’ll see how I progress with the training session and with the players. And yeah, we'll see how about next week I can start the game and make big impact."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The 33-year-old signed for the MLS this summer after spending the last decade with Premier League side Tottenham, winning the Europa League in his final season with the club.

Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

Following their 2-2 draw, LAFC sit fifth on the Western Conference, well behind Conference leaders San Diego FC. They face the New England Revolution away from home on Aug. 16 followed by a road trip to FC Dallas on Aug. 23.

Was the wicketkeeper-batter’s bold approach in the WTC final appropriate?

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Jun-20211:02

Virat Kohli – ‘We don’t want Rishabh Pant to lose his positivity or optimism’

Just before he entered the Indian dressing room on Wednesday afternoon, Rishabh Pant punched the thick wooden door hard with his bare-knuckled right fist.Pant had just got out attempting to slog Trent Boult, getting a top-edge that flew high to backward point. Henry Nicholls, running backwards, took the catch of the final to silence the Indian fans in the crowd at the Rose Bowl. The magnificent catch, one of the turning points of the final, didn’t get as much attention as the shot that Pant played. The question still being asked is: was Pant’s bold approach appropriate?Related

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Pant himself was angry. As he charged Boult and the ball flew towards Nicholls, he would have known he had made a mistake. However, ever since he had arrived at the crease early in the first session after Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara fell in quick succession, Pant had been walking the high wire. Yet, it was only those outside who had their hearts in their mouths. For the stockily built Pant, who India’s bowling coach Bharat Arun describes as a “pocket dynamo”, his various advances towards the bowler were calculated acts of blunting the opposition attack.Pant’s plan and instinct was to play every ball. At times it backfired. Off the ninth ball he faced, Kyle Jamieson pitched a delivery on length with a scrambled seam. Jamieson had induced edges and lbws with similar deliveries and lengths, which was on the fullish side. Pant attempted a push to the off side away from his body. The outside edge flew straight to second slip where Tim Southee made a mess of an easy catch. Pant was on 5. India were 82 for 4.The Indian fans celebrated the drop. Southee banged the turf. Jamieson walked away, doing well to hide any emotions towards his senior team-mate, who had now dropped not one but two catches in the match. Dale Steyn, one of ESPNcricinfo’s experts for this Test, tweeted wondering whether Southee had dropped the WTC mace.Pant seemed unmoved. As Jamieson tested Ajinkya Rahane with short stuff, at the other end Pant was doing mock drills: ducking, swaying, hooking, pulling, ramping.Then it was Southee’s turn with the ball again. A delivery before the first hour into the morning, Southee swung one into Pant, who lunged forward toward the off stump. If you freeze the replay at that point, you can see Pant’s front toe, the right one, pointing towards cover – as if he was going to drive it square on the off side; instead with a loose left leg and meaty wrists, he flicked the ball to the right of mid-on for a boundary. Even Rahane was caught by surprise as he had to quickly move out of the way.When Neil Wagner replaced Southee, Pant charged him the third ball of the over, to slap a firm four. Next ball, he quickly moved into position to perfectly defend it under his eyeline, and exchanged a cool stare with the left-arm quick. Both men would engage in fencing duel.Rishabh Pant played his shots, as only he does•Getty ImagesPant jumped out of his crease again for a streaky outside edge against an away swinging delivery that flew to the right of gully for four. Wagner had a curious smirk. Next delivery, slightly fuller, again an away swinger, Pant charged and this time missed. Rahane walked up to Pant. From afar, Pant seemed to indicate to his vice-captain that if he stayed in the crease, there was a greater danger of the ball taking the outside edge.Next over Rahane was gone. India just ahead by just 77 runs, with 25 minutes to lunch. What would Pant do now? He jumped once again and went for an almighty heave against Wagner and missed completely. Wagner scratched his chin with an expression that said: ‘What the hell?’ Was it rash? Crazy? Pant might tell you: it was not an act of defiance. It was his instrument of defence.Immediately into the second session, Wagner went round the stumps to unleash his main weapon – the short ball. Six men were in position on the leg side: short leg, backward short leg, midwicket, deep square leg and two fine legs. Every time Wagner banged in short Pant pulled him – both on the front foot and the back foot. And he was pulling these balls into the ground.One particular stroke showed how well Pant had understood the pitch and the bowler’s plan: he reverse swatted Wagner for a single to third man with such disdain as if he was shooing a fly.Rishabh Pant swats one away•PA Photos/Getty ImagesPitted against the meditative batting of Kane Williamson and Kohli in the first innings, it is easy to be critical of Pant’s bating on Wednesday. Anarchic it might have seemed from outside, but Pant actually used his natural game to play to the situation. He was doing exactly what Kohli professed after the defeat: taking risks but in a calculated fashion. And he had to take risks. Both he and Ravindra Jadeja had battled hard to survive the first hour after lunch. Then Jadeja succumbed to sustained pressure. India’s tail rarely wags. Pant did not have too many options, because otherwise there was every danger that India would end up with a far lesser lead. Recent evidence suggests the same. In the WTC, India have been bowled out 19 times. Only on four of those 19 occasions has the team batted more than 10 overs and added more than 50 runs after losing the seventh wicket.Kohli himself was cautious about making too much of Pant’s final shot on Wednesday. The Indian captain backed Pant, saying he was an “expressive” batter and India didn’t want him to “lose his positivity or his optimism in changing the situation for the team”, because that is his USP. “It’s up to him to understand whether it was an error of judgement and rectify it moving forward because he has a long career with the Indian team, and certainly someone who could be a match maker for India on consistently many occasions in the future,” Kohli said at the post-match media briefing.This is not the first time Pant has played one stroke too many. It will not be the last time. The frustration from outside is because he himself raised the bar with his heroics in Australia, followed by the home series against England where he dug his heels in initially and then seized the momentum. He nearly did the same in Southampton, albeit in a different manner. Without his innings India potentially might have lost the battle well before lunch.

“Live life on your terms, make space for those extra calories, make time for your family, make time to do absolutely nothing”

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Dec-2024

R Ashwin with his wife and children at his 100th Test match, earlier this year in Dharamsala•AFP/Getty Images

“It has been a blurry two days for me. I have been thinking about what I can say.. Do I put this down as a tribute to my all time favorite cricketer ? Maybe I’ll just take the partner angle? Or maybe a love letter from a fan girl? I guess this is a little bit of all of it.”When I saw Ashwins PC, I thought of small and big moments. Many many memories over the last 13-14 years. The big wins , the MOS awards, the quiet silence in our room after an intense game, the sound of the shower running for much longer than usual on some evenings post play , the scratch of pencil over paper as he scribbled thoughts down, the constant streaming of footage videos when he is making a game plan, the calm of meditative breathing before leaving for each game, certain songs playing on repeat while he unwinds.. The times we weeped in joy – after the CT final, after the MCG win, after the Sydney draw, The Gabba win, after making a comeback in T20s…the times we sat in silence and the times when we had our hearts broken.Related

R Ashwin: the unlikely superstar who is never quiet

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“Dear Ashwin, from not knowing how to put a kit bag together to following you to stadiums all over the world, rooting for you, watching you and learning from you, it has been an absolute pleasure. The world you introduced me to gave me the privilege to watch and enjoy a sport that I love from close quarters. It also showed me how much passion, hardwork and discipline is needed to keep your head above water. And sometimes even that is not enough. I remember us talking about why you, R Ashwin, had to do all of this and a lot more to even stay relevant in the scheme of things. How awards, the best of stats, the POMs, the accolades, the records didn’t matter if you didn’t sharpen your skill sets constantly and did not put in the work. Sometimes, nothing is enough. As you end your wonderful international run, I only want to tell you that it’s all good.It is all going to be good.It is time to set the burden of being you down. Live life on your terms, make space for those extra calories, make time for your family, make time to do absolutely nothing, share memes all day, create a new bowling variation, bug our kids out of their minds. Just do it all.”

Tottenham Hotspur have now held direct talks to appoint an “outstanding” manager, with Ange Postecoglou heading for the exit door, according to a report.

Ange could be set to leave despite Europa League triumph

One year ago, INEOS arguably made the mistake of keeping Erik ten Hag in the Manchester United job after the Dutchman led them to victory in the FA Cup, and it appears as though Daniel Levy doesn’t want to make the same error this summer.

Indeed, widespread reports are now suggesting that Levy is set to sack Postecoglou, despite the historic Europa League triumph against Manchester United last month, which puts captain Son Heung-min among some esteemed company.

It may be a divisive decision to sack the manager responsible for leading Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years, but appointing a top-quality replacement could go some way to getting the fans back on side, and contact has now been made with a coach who could be in that category.

According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna on X, Tottenham have now made “direct contact” with Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who spoke about his project and potential targets for the summer transfer window.

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Several candidates are said to be under consideration as potential replacements for Ange, but Frank is believed to be “high” on the list, and Spurs have now made their first move to appoint the Danish manager.

In another report from France, it is detailed that Ange’s future remains very much up in the air, with talks to discuss his position as manager due to take place at some point in the next week.

Frank could be "outstanding" Ange replacement

Deciding whether to sack the 59-year-old will no doubt be a difficult decision for Levy, given that Tottenham’s torrid Premier League form cannot be ignored, finishing 17th as a result of collecting just 38 points across the entire 2024-25 campaign.

However, the former Celtic boss has suggested his side’s first experience of success will make them more eager to make sure they’re in the same position again, saying: “I also wanted us to think about what’s next, you know — don’t settle for this. We’ve got a taste of it now. My players have got a taste for it. The club’s got a taste for it. Well, let’s make sure we’re back here again.”

Should Levy decide to sack Ange, there are signs Frank could be a fantastic replacement, having been lauded as an “outstanding” manager by Troy Deeney, while leading Brentford to a very respectable 10th-placed finish last season.

Having transformed the Bees from a Championship club into a solid Premier League side, the 51-year-old, who utilises a 4-3-3 formation, has earned the opportunity to prove himself at the top level, showing a knack for turning attacking talents into some of the biggest stars in their division.

Said Benrahma, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay all thrived under his guidance, with only Watkins able to replicate that form elsewhere, while current forwards Yoane Wissa (19) and Bryan Mbeumo (20) combined for nearly 40 top flight goals this season.

Celtic recently made another addition to their squad with the signing of versatile central defender Hayato Inamura from Japanese side Albirex Niigata.

The 23-year-old star, who can play as either a centre-back or as a left-back, has joined the Scottish giants on a four year deal ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Celtic supporters should not be expecting him to play week-in-week-out in the Scottish Premiership next season, though, as it has been revealed that the defender is a signing for the future.

When asked if he would be part of the first-team squad, Brendan Rodgers said: “No, he won’t be. He’s a part of the investment of the club.”

The head coach added that the Hoops will “see where he’s at as a young player and then it’s whether he stays with the squad or whether he has to go out on loan” during pre-season.

This means that fellow left-footed central defender Auston Trusty may be safe for now, after he endured a difficult first season at Parkhead last term.

Why Auston Trusty is in a difficult position at Celtic

Despite the fact that left-footed defender Liam Scales earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, Celtic decided to pay a reported fee of £5m to sign left-sided centre-back Trusty from Sheffield United last summer.

£5m was a healthy sum of money to spend on a player who plays in the same position as a star who was named the best in his position in the division the previous season, which suggests that the club felt he would come in as an upgrade on Scales.

Unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case as Trusty endured a frustrating first season in Glasgow, and ended the campaign as second-choice behind the Ireland international.

The American dud was an unused substitute in six of the last eight games, including the SFA Cup final, and that was because Scales significantly outperformed him.

Start

22

21

Clean sheets

10

14

Dribbled past per game

0.5x

0.2x

Clearances per game

4.0

4.8

Ground duel success rate

63%

68%

Aerial duel success rate

65%

74%

Error led to shot

4

1

Error led to goal

1

0

As you can see in the table above, the Irishman was far more effective for Celtic in the Premiership than Trusty, with fewer errors and a higher success rate in duels, helping the team to keep more clean sheets in the process.

The £5m signing, who was criticised against Aberdeen in his most recent appearance, is in a difficult position at Parkhead, and it is one that could get even worse for him.

Celtic eyeing new left-sided defender

According to CelticWay, the Scottish Premiership champions are ‘considering’ a bid to sign Familicao central defender Justin De Haas this summer.

The report claims that the Hoops are weighing up an approach for the Dutch centre-back to bolster their ranks after Maik Nawrocki clinched a loan move to German outfit Hannover.

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It states that Celtic scouts have assessed De Haas during the summer transfer window, and the club are now plotting a potential swoop to bring him to Parkhead.

The 25-year-old defender, who is said to be attracting interest from several clubs across Europe, is valued at around £3m by the Portuguese club, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are prepared to pay that asking price.

Celtic should now press ahead with a deal to bring the left-footed defender to Parkhead in the coming weeks because he could send Trusty packing this summer.

Why this is bad news for Auston Trusty

This report of the club’s interest in De Haas is bad news for the USA international because it could mean that the former Sheffield United man is surplus to requirements in Glasgow, just 12 months on from his arrival.

As aforementioned, Trusty has already fallen behind Scales in the pecking order in the left-sided centre-back position because of his poor performances in the Premiership last term.

It then seems unlikely that Celtic would pay £3m to bring in another left-footed defender, who is 25 and in the prime years of his career, to be a third-choice option in that position, which is why this could spell danger for Trusty, as he may have to find a new club.

Whilst there is no reported suggestion yet that the American flop is likely to move on from Parkhead, the signing of De Haas could leave him with little game time behind two other players in his position, especially given that Rodgers has made it clear that he wants to play left-footers on the left and right-footers on the right at centre-back.

Appearances

29

22

Goals

2

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.0

2.3

Dribbled past per game

0.3x

0.5x

Clearances per game

5.4

4.0

Error led to shot

0

4

Error led to goal

1

1

Penalties committed

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the £3m-rated colossus outperformed Trusty at league level last season, whilst playing in the Portuguese top-flight, by making more defensive interventions and fewer big errors at the back.

The 6 foot 4 giant, who has previously been described as “aerially dominant” by RangersJournal writer Kai Watson, could come in as another upgrade on the American dud, on top of Scales already being one.

This is why Trusty could be sent packing this summer because the arrival of a second left-footed centre-back who is even better than him could limit his game time next season and force the defender to consider his long-term future at Parkhead.

Of course, Rodgers could go against his preference and use a left-footed player as a back-up option to Cameron Carter-Vickers in the right centre-back role, but that would not be ideal for the left-footed Trusty either.

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Celtic could forget all about Mathias Kvistgaarden by signing this striker this summer.

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Therefore, this latest development will not come as good news for the former Arsenal centre-back, who could find himself on the chopping block this summer.

Only 31 overs were possible in which Nyamhuri picked up his maiden Test wicket

Himanshu Agrawal29-Dec-2024Rain had the final say on the fourth day in Bulawayo as only 31 overs were possible with the first of two Tests between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan headed to a draw. Zimbabwe managed to end the mammoth 364-run third-wicket partnership between Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi – both of whom batted the entire third day – with the former falling on 234. He added just three runs to his overnight score before left-arm quick Newman Nyamhuri, on debut, managed to have him caught at gully.Shahidi was still batting on 179 while Afsar Zazai was in sights of his maiden Test half-century, finishing unbeaten on 46 as the pair added an unbroken 87 for the fourth wicket.Rahmat fell in the second over of the day, when he drove at one far away from his body and edged it to Ben Curran after adding just three to his overnight tally. Nyamhuri bowled it from around the stumps and floated it wide; Rahmat could not resist. That ended what is the eighth-highest third-wicket partnership in men’s Tests.Both Nyamhuri and Blessing Muzarabani got seam movement – and at times even extra bounce – but Shahidi and new batter Afsar Zazai remained watchful. Each time the line was wide, neither batter shied away from lofting or slashing at the ball. Shahidi reached 150 in the 131st over, when he clipped Nyamhuri wide of fine leg. Largely, both quicks kept it tight.The first boundary of the day came only in the 137th over. Trevor Gwandu angled one across to Shahidi, who played a lovely drive to bisect cover and mid-off. Thereafter, it was Zazai who kept finding the boundary, while Shahidi looked much calmer at the other end.Three overs later, Zazai hit his first boundary through midwicket when Sean Williams pitched one short. In the 141st over, Zazai threw his bat at a full and wide one outside off from Gwandu, only for the ball to fly for four over gully. After two overs, Zazai cut Gwandu for another boundary just after his partnership with Shahidi had crossed fifty.Zazai picked up his only six by pulling Williams over square leg. Sensing he was picking up pace, Zimbabwe slowed things down through Muzarabani, Brandon Mavuta and Brian Bennett. Afghanistan managed only 14 runs from the next seven overs, and that ended the morning session.Shahidi drove the second delivery after lunch for four to deep extra cover, but only two overs were possible in the afternoon. Seeing ominous grey clouds form, the umpires stopped play at 12:53pm sensing a heavy downpour, which arrived soon.The rain eased an hour later with the ground staff starting to peel the covers off. But that effort proved futile with another downpour starting. That spell of rain was relentless and stumps were called at 4:35pm.

كشف مورينا راموريبولي، المدير الفني لمنتخب بوتسوانا، عن اختياراته للأفضل في القارة الإفريقية لعام 2025، مشيرًا إلى أن الموسم شهد تألقًا لافتًا لعدد من الأسماء في المنتخبات والأندية الكبرى.

وأكد راموريبولي في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات، أن المنافسة كانت قوية بين لاعبين ومدربين قدموا مستويات مميزة في البطولات القارية والدولية، مشيدًا بتطور الكرة الإفريقية في السنوات الأخيرة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. بول بوت مدرب أوغندا يكشف عبر “بطولات” اختياراته لـ الأفضل في إفريقيا 2025 اختيارات مورينا راموريبولي مدرب بوتسوانا للأفضل في إفريقيا 2025

أفضل نادٍ في إفريقيا: بيراميدز (مصر)

قال: “فريق منظم ومتطور، ونجح في فرض نفسه على الساحة القارية خلال وقت قصير”.

أفضل منتخب: جنوب إفريقيا

أوضح: “يمتلك مشروعًا طويل المدى ويقدم كرة جماعية مميزة انعكست في نتائجه الأخيرة”.

أفضل لاعب صاعد: تايلون سميث (جنوب إفريقيا)

علق: “مدافع عصري يجيد التمرير الطويل والقصير، ويتعامل بثقة مع الالتحامات، مستقبل كبير ينتظره”.

أفضل مدرب: محمد وهبي (مدرب منتخب المغرب تحت 20 عامًا)

قال: “قاد منتخب المغرب الشاب إلى كأس العالم، وحقق الفوز على منتخبات قوية بفضل فكر تدريبي متطور”.

أفضل مهاجم: فيستون مايلي

أوضح: “مهاجم شرس وعدواني سجل أهدافًا حاسمة قادت فريقه للتتويج بدوري أبطال إفريقيا”.

أفضل حارس مرمى: رونوين ويليامز

أكد: “قدم أداءً رائعًا مع ناديه ومنتخب بلاده، ويتميز بقدرته على اللعب من الخلف وتوزيع الكرات بدقة”.

أفضل لاعب في إفريقيا: أشرف حكيمي

اختتم قائلاً: “نجم عالمي يجمع بين القوة الدفاعية والفاعلية الهجومية، عنصر أساسي في نجاح فريقه ومنتخب بلاده”.

Bayern Munich have struck a €75 million (£65.6m/$88.1m) deal with Liverpool to sign Luis Diaz, who is reportedly set to undergo a medical within 24 hours. The Colombian winger has been granted permission to leave the Reds’ pre-season tour in Tokyo and join Harry Kane’s side as Die Rekordmeister prepare for a fresh Bundesliga title charge.

• Diaz set to leave Liverpool for Bayern in €75m transfer deal
• Set to undergo medical with Bayern over next 24 hours
• Liverpool eye Isak after signing Ekitike earlier this summer

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool have accepted Bayern’s €75m offer for Diaz, as per The Athletic, after having previously rejected a lower bid earlier this summer from the Bundesliga champions. The Colombian, currently in Tokyo with Liverpool’s pre-season squad, has been granted permission to leave and complete his medical with Der Rekordmeister and become Bayern’s latest high-profile signing under Kompany.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Diaz’s departure is part of a wider shake-up at Liverpool under Arne Slot this summer. The Merseyside club have already brought in Hugo Ekitike and are chasing Alexander Isak as a possible addition. With Darwin Nunez also potentially on the move, Liverpool’s attack could boast a very different look in 2025/26 as they prepare their Premier League title defence.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Diaz made a total of 148 appearances for Liverpool after arriving from Porto in the summer of 2022 before playing a key role in the Reds' domestic cup double that season. During his time with the Merseyside club, he scored 41 goals and provided 23 assists.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR DIAZ?

  The 28-year-old Colombian is expected to complete his medical and sign a long-term deal with Bayern Munich within the next 48 hours. Liverpool will turn their focus to finalising a move for Isak as they rebuild their frontline. More changes could follow as the transfer window progresses.

The triple century was scored with speed and vitality, supreme fitness, and outstanding concentration

Daniel Brettig in Adelaide30-Nov-2019How remarkable was David Warner’s 335 not out, the highest Test score at Adelaide Oval, and the second-highest score ever by an Australian in Test cricket?It was an innings big enough to take him past the iconic 334s of Sir Donald Bradman, whose name adorns the pavilion into which he walked at its end, and Mark Taylor, who applauded warmly from a radio commentary box at the achievement of his fellow left-handed opening batsman.It was scored with speed and vitality, supreme fitness, and outstanding concentration in conditions that, while not unpleasant for batting, were no picnic. Unpredictable enough that a batsman as well set as Marnus Labuschagne, on 162, was clean bowled between bat and pad, and helpful enough for Australia’s pacemen that Pakistan would slide to 6 for 96 by the close.Most remarkable, though, is the fact that this innings took place at all.ALSO READ: David Warner becomes seventh Australian in triple-ton clubOne of Justin Langer’s first – of innumerable – meetings after his appointment as Australian coach in May last year had a simple, vital premise: to hear all that he could hear about the Newlands scandal, and to ponder how Warner might be readmitted to the Australian team.Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft were not central subjects of this discussion, for there was little doubt that they would return to the fold once eligible. Warner, as has been the case so often in his career, was the wildcard, after he had been isolated by Cricket Australia as the figure on whom most blame was publicly placed. Fair or not, this focus had made the journey back so much harder, and the public attacks on Warner so much more intense.With time, and perspective, views of Warner have cooled from that pitch of desperation and assumption. Whatever the rights and wrongs of Cape Town, he had so often acquiesced to the Australian team’s demands in the past; he had always batted for team first; he was still one of the most gifted opening batsmen Australia have ever had. So he started on the road to selection and acceptance, keeping quiet when Smith and Bancroft made far more noise in exile, and wearing the fact that, in contrast to the other two, he was banned for life from any leadership role.It was around March 2019 that Warner began seriously preparing for his international return, having observed a summer in which it was patently obvious that Australian cricket was not so chock full of quality batsmen that it could discard him.ESPNcricinfo LtdHe was to arrive via an IPL in which he hammered the world’s best T20 bowlers and looked very much like his old self, only hungrier and leaner. Quite a return to major cricket, this was also something of a false dawn: Warner was unable to dominate the World Cup, though he scored plenty of runs at a more sedate tempo, and he was unable to have any impact at all on the Ashes, repeatedly confounded by Stuart Broad even as Smith turned in the finest series of his career.Worries and questions swirled, not exactly about Warner’s place in the Australian team, but about where his story might go next. Sponsors and broadcasters who had rushed back to Smith still kept their distance; the selection chairman Trevor Hohns openly queried how he might fare when asked questions from around the wicket by other international bowlers; journalists still wondered whether Warner might be received by more boos than cheers on home soil.Adelaide, as it happens, provided the first flash of promise for Warner this summer, as he hustled his way to a first-up century in a T20I against Sri Lanka. The confidence derived from this innings gradually built into a powerful wave of poise and performance as he recalled the sort of dominance he had previously enjoyed on home shores. It was building, steadily, towards something, somewhere. Unfortunately for Pakistan, Warner found the return visit to Adelaide Oval to be to his liking.Moment of history: David Warner brings up his triple century•Getty Images and Cricket AustraliaLike most innings of this magnitude, Warner’s had a background (how he got there) and a foreground (how he did it). The foreground at Adelaide Oval was the way in which he called, ran, backed up and bullied Pakistan’s fielders, unrelentingly. Daring them to run him out, and ultimately defeating their will to do so. Having seen off the early attempts of Mohammad Abbas and Shaheen Afridi to threaten him in similar areas to Broad, Warner grew progressively more confident and pugilistic in his pursuit of boundaries, yet he still scored only 162 of 335 runs by reaching or clearing the rope. Instead, he was all fitness and engine, batting as ironman race.And what could be more fitting than that, given the long and productive relationship with his wife Candice, a former ironwoman. The moment Warner started preparing for an innings of this kind dates back to the very first year of their union. In 2013, not too long after they got together, Warner was hitting balls with his longtime mentor Trent Woodhill.Tired and ready for a break after an hour, Warner and Woodhill started packing up, only to be asked by Candice why the session had been so short. No-one taught Warner more about the value of physical stamina and the diligence required to achieve it than Candice did, and there was every indication that, even in the darkest moments of 2018, this quality helped to keep Langer convinced that he should return to the national team.”I love the way he plays his cricket,” Langer had said back in May 2018. “The way he runs between the wickets, the way he fields, the way he bats – they’re things that for the less-trained eye, you might not respect as much. Has he got areas to get better at? Yep … we’ve all got areas we can get better at.”So it was entirely fitting that Candice would be in the crowd of 33,943 at Adelaide Oval to witness Warner march off towards the Sir Donald Bradman Pavilion with a higher Test score than its namesake, and with every indication that he could have batted long enough to double his 335 not out had Australia not been pressing for victory against an uncertain weather forecast.Warner was fresh enough, in fact, to walk straight back out after a ten-minute changeover with team-mates to take the first catch of Pakistan’s innings, ahead of a passage that underlined that this pitch was far from placid. He had played a remarkable innings all right, remarkable for its existence as much as for its conception.

da bwin： It may not come as a surprise to learn that Leeds United were the most creative team in the Championship last season.

da imperador bet： The 2024/25 winners, who gained promotion back to the Premier League with over 100 points, were a standout side across all areas of the game, particularly when it came to their creative numbers.

According to FBref, they topped the metric for the most key passes overall, with 562, and the most key passes per 90 minutes, averaging an impressive 12.2. Daniel Farke turned his side into a creative force, channelling the innovation of club legends like Pablo Hernandez.

It seems the Elland Road side are about to become even more deadly in the final third, if recent transfer reports are anything to go by.

Leeds enter race to sign attacking midfielder

It has already been a busy transfer window for the Whites. They have signed defender Jakob Bijol from Udinese and striker Lukas Nmecha from Wolfsburg on a free transfer. Next, it seems, Farke’s side will move onto attacking midfield.

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That is according to a recent report from talkSPORT. Journalist Alex Crook has reported that Leeds are one of two sides who ‘hold an interest’ in signing young Anderlecht midfielder Mario Stroeykens this summer.

It will not be a straightforward deal to do for the Yorkshire outfit. West Ham United are also one of the teams showing a keen interest in the Belgian, as he fits their transfer policy of ‘targeting young up-and-coming players’.

Whichever side manages to sign the 20-year-old, the fee is already made clear; Stroeykens is valued at £17m by the Belgian giants.

Why Stroeykens would be a good signing

If Leeds do manage to sign the young attacking midfielder this summer, he would join an exciting crop of talent in the final third and add to the creativity already at Farke’s disposal. He has made an impressive start to his Anderlecht career.

Despite being just 20 years of age, Stroeykens has already notched up 132 appearances for Anderlecht, whose academy he graduated from. In that time, he’s managed to score 16 goals and register 15 assists, playing mainly as a number 10, but also on both flanks and as a striker.

The attacking midfielder, who was born in Zellik just outside of Brussels, impressed in the 2024/25 campaign. In 39 appearances, he bagged five goals and created seven chances, which included nine goal involvements in 13 league games to start the season. As football scout Antonio Mango said, he has an “elite profile” which is on show with those numbers

How Leeds would love for Stroeykens to have the same impact on the club as Hernandez had. A club legend, the Spaniard donned that famous White shirt for five seasons, helping the club return to the Premier League with promotion in 2019/20.

Altogether, Hernandez made 175 appearances for the Elland Road club, finding the back of the net 36 times and grabbing 41 assists.

In four Championship seasons, he assisted eight goals once, nine goals twice and an incredible 12 goals in 2018/19. As the numbers show, he was a creative genius, described as a “wizard” by Leeds’ official account on X.

Some of the underlying numbers on FBref behind Stroeykens’ good form last season are impressive. Indeed, they certainly suggest he has the talent to replicate what Hernandez did at Elland Road.

For example, compared to midfielders in the 14 leagues most similar to the Belgian top flight, he averaged 1.53 key passes and 0.77 goal-creating actions, which rank him in the top 16% and 1% respectively. Those numbers show just how creative he is, and the fact that he is constantly involved in his side’s goals, even if indirectly.

Stroeykens key stats from 2024/25 season vs. midfielders

Stat (per 90)

Stroeykens number

Percentile

Key passes

1.53

84th

Progressive passes

6.61

83rd

Expected assists

0.2xA

94th

Shot-creating actions

4.01

92nd

Goal-creating actions

0.77

99th

Take-ons completed

1.12

90th

Stats from FBref

They are certainly encouraging numbers from the 20-year-old. He would have a lot to do if he wants to become as good as Hernadez was at Leeds, but there is no doubt that the talent and data to back it up are already in place for Stroeykens.

For just £17m, this could be a bargain for Farke, and someone who will further increase the creativity and attacking threat of his side, which is much needed in the Premier League.

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Posts 1 ByDan Emery Jun 25, 2025