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Following an impressive showing in the IPL and domestic cricket, a call-up for the T20I series against New Zealand has put fast bowler Mohammed Siraj closer to realising his India dream

Arun Venugopal23-Oct-20171:10

Mohammed Siraj: Fast lane to team India

BioMohammed Siraj’s rise over the last year has been as fascinating as it has been swift. The son of an autorickshaw driver in Hyderabad, Siraj got hooked to the game while in class seven after he was part of the team that won an inter-school tournament. From then on, he would frequently skip classes to play tennis-ball cricket. His pace and an ability to take wickets in clumps meant he acquired a cult status in his mohalla in the Banjara Hills locality.It wasn’t until 2015 that Siraj took to playing with the cricket ball, upon a friend’s insistence. He took took a slew of five-fors in his first few club matches and soon found himself in Hyderabad’s Under-23 side, and then in the senior team. While he played only one game in his first season in the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy, he grabbed eyeballs the very next year with 41 wickets at an average of 18.92 as Hyderabad made the quarter-finals. He was subsequently picked in the Irani Trophy to play for the Rest of India.Earlier this year, aged only 22, Siraj made the jump to the big leagues when Sunrisers Hyderabad acquired him for a whopping INR 2.6 crore. During the 2016-17 domestic season, Siraj admitted to being taken in by the lavish lifestyle – the air travel and five-star accommodation – a professional cricketer’s life offered. Midway through the IPL, Siraj was doing promotional events and obliging requests for selfies, even if somewhat awkwardly. Such initiation is certain to come in handy once he links up with the Indian side for the T20Is against New Zealand.StrengthsSturdy and athletic, Siraj has a deceptive run-up, which initially suggests that a left-arm bowler is steaming in. He is, however, a right-armer and by his own admission is a natural at getting the ball to swing into the right-hander. It was only since 2016 that he started expanding his repertoire. He has always been able to bowl a pretty quick bouncer though, something that had impressed his captain David Warner and team mentor VVS Laxman in the Sunrisers set-up.FormSiraj picked up 10 wickets from six games in the IPL, including a four-for against Gujarat Lions. He took that form into the India A tour of South Africa, where he took a match haul of 5 for 103 in the only unofficial Test he played. He also claimed five wickets from three limited-overs matches against South Africa A and Afghanistan A. Siraj took 2 for 74 in the only Duleep Trophy game he played last month, and in the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A, he bowled the obstinate Jeet Raval for 34 and broke Will Young’s stumps for a duck as well. He also finished with two wickets in the two List A matches against New Zealand A.

Arsenal have once again been implicated in a transfer saga, and if their form from this window is anything to go by, the others involved should start worrying.

How much would Mohammed Kudus cost?

The latest on their pursuit of Mohammed Kudus comes courtesy of journalist Ben Jacobs, who took to Caught Offside to claim: "Kudus is under contract at Ajax until 2025 and is keen to leave. He has already rejected a one-year extension back in April.

“The Arsenal interest is genuine as well, although they won’t move prior to outgoings. They made contact a couple of weeks ago. Brighton are also in the race. Kudus is going to cost about £40m."

With Chelsea thought to be sniffing around the Ajax star too, that reported price tag could cull that list of suitors and leave the free-spending Gunners to secure this deal alone.

Given they saw off Real Madrid to tie down Kai Havertz and thwarted Manchester City to sign Declan Rice, the theme seems to be that if they want a player this summer, they will get him.

How good is Mohammed Kudus?

Whilst Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are near-irreplaceable in their wide roles, Leandro Trossard proved what an injection of some fresh ideas can bring to a squad that is already on top.

Joining in January, the Belgian would record eight goal contributions in his first 11 league games for the Emirates outfit, helping prolong their title charge before the eventual collapse.

It could be argued that the failure to secure that honour came down to a lack of depth, which is something that has been rectified massively this summer. However, on the wing they still remain unimproved after such a fine window, leaving the three names mentioned as the only options before having to resort to Reiss Nelson.

Saka's potential absence would hurt in particular, given just how influential he has grown to be within this squad. Despite being just 21 years old, last season saw him enjoy one of his finest, building upon an 11-goal haul from the year before to score 15 and assist a further 11 in all competitions.

He finished as the club's joint-top scorer and featured in every single league match to emphasise his importance.

However, that reliance did understandably lead to a drop-off, as the England international endured a nine-game period where he would score just once at the back end of the campaign. For moments like this, when the youngster is in desperate need of rest, Kudus would provide the perfect alternative.

The Ghanaian trickster is too famed for his wicked left foot, preferring to cut inside from the right flank to devastating effect.

Last term saw him perfect such a movement, resulting in 18 goals and seven assists for the 22-year-old across all competitions. This came years after journalist Ives Galarcep had outlined him as being "outstanding" even then.

FBref helps further these similarities, as when compared against other wingers in the eight leagues most similar to the Eredivisie, Kudus ranks in the top 6% for total shots per 90, the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90 and the top 4% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.

He too poses a consistent offensive threat, capable of beating his man and troubling the keeper with ease.

Former Gunners favourite Kevin Campbell sought to supplement that notion too, claiming: "I remember watching him for Ajax and I was very impressed with him.

"He actually plays a bit like Saka at times, where he welcomes the contact and shifts away from it. He can play attacking midfield, up front or on the right, for £40m he’s great value for money."

For a price that is certainly affordable for a club of such stature and a play style that closely matches their star asset, it marks a no-brainer for Arteta to take a punt and finally give Saka a rest without fear of a dramatic dip in quality.

Paul Coughlin (right) played a key role with bat and ball•Getty Images

Durham captain Paul Coughlin led the bottom club to their first win of the NatWest T20 Blast North Group campaign at the expense of Leicestershire in a match shortened by rain to seven overs a side in Leicester.A stunning innings of 63 not out from 21 balls from opener Luke Ronchi should have put the Foxes in an impregnable position after acting captain Colin Ackermann won the toss and chose to bat first on a good pitch.The New Zealander hit 10 fours and two sixes, reaching his 50 off just 16 deliveries, equalling the third fastest half-century in domestic T20 cricket, behind only Marcus Trescothick (13 deliveries) for Somerset and Gerard Brophy(14) for Yorkshire.But the sixth over of the Foxes innings, bowled by young seamer Barry McCarthy, yielded only one run as Tom Wells swung and missed, opening the door for the visitors.Durham quickly lost two wickets in their reply, but Coughlin (38 not out off 18 balls) and the experienced Paul Collingwood (34 of 18) added 76 runs for the third wicket, hit from just 33 balls. Both were dropped, Coughlin askier by Gavin Griffiths at point, and Collingwood a chest-high caught and bowled chance to Cameron Delport.Although Collingwood and Jack Burnham were run out off successive deliveries in the final over, Coughlin sliced the penultimate delivery to the third man boundary to complete a remarkable win.It meant a third home defeat in a row for Leicestershire, whose four-match away winning run to start the campaign is now a distant memory.

David Moyes appears to have made Amadou Onana one of his top targets to replace Arsenal-bound Declan Rice, but there could be a better alternative out there for West Ham United at a cheaper price.

Who should West Ham sign to replace Rice?

Money is not an issue for West Ham this summer given they are about to land £105m through the sale of Rice to Arsenal, a deal that is close to being officially announced.

That is not to say the Hammers want to overpay for any player, but it seems unlikely Everton will budge on their reported £55m valuation of Onana, who impressed in his debut Premier League campaign.

Not only that, Chelsea are also supposedly eyeing up the Belgium international should they be unable to land their own top target in Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo.

West Ham should not worry too much about the prospect of missing out on Onana, though, as The Sun claims the Europa Conference League winners are also interested in signing Scott McTominay from Manchester United.

Would Scott McTominay be a good signing for West Ham?

McTominay featured 24 times for United in the Premier League last season, but the imminent arrival of Mason Mount from Chelsea will push the Scotsman further down the midfield pecking order.

The 26-year-old has been praised and criticised in equal measure across his six seasons as a United regular, but there is no doubt he is good enough for a side outside of the top six.

Indeed, on the basis of his performances over the past 12 months, FBref's player comparison model ranks Onana as the player second-most like McTominay from midfielders in the English top flight.

The pair have an identical return of 0.17 goals per shots on target, while also attempting an identical number of passes (33.5 per 90), with Onana ever so slightly ahead in terms of passing accuracy (83.3% v 82.2%).

While Onana also has a slightly better figure in terms of tackles won per 90 (1.56 v 1.47), McTominay ranks better when it comes to aerial challenges won (2.64 v 2.17) and ball recoveries (6.05 v 5.43).

Described in December 2020 as a "physical monster" by then-United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and someone who "can do everything", it would not be harsh to suggest McTominay's Old Trafford career has not quite taken off in the way many may have hoped.

But valued at a slightly smaller fee than Onana at £50m, according to the Daily Star, and with the midfielder recently adding more goals to his game, it may be a move worth pursuing for Moyes to kick-start to post-Rice era.

Rose Lavelle feels it is “poetic” that USWNT legends Megan Rapinoe and Ali Krieger will face off in the NWSL final before heading into retirement.

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OL Reign set to face Gotham FCTwo icons preparing to bow outOne more medal to compete forWHAT HAPPENED?

Two greats of the American game are preparing to bring their respective careers to a close, with one more game left to take in before the most illustrious of boots are hung up for good. There will be major silverware on the line in that contest, with OL Reign having set up a NWSL championship clash with Gotham FC in 2023.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Neither Rapinoe nor Krieger, for all that they have achieved in that game, have ever savoured NWSL glory – giving them added incentive to bow out in style. Both have enjoyed considerable success at international level, earning over 300 caps between them while becoming two-time World Cup winners, but domestic honours are now dominating their thoughts.

WHAT THEY SAID

Current USWNT star Lavelle, who is a club colleague of Rapinoe with the Reign, is among those intrigued to see how an epic battle for last-game supremacy plays out. She has said: “It seems a bit poetic that the championship game is ending with Krieger and Pinoe’s last game. I think it’s really special to be able to get (Rapinoe) there. But not just her, I think like Jess (Fishlock), Lu (Barnes), Laura (Harvey). I think they’ve been the backbone of this club and have made this club into what it is, so I think it’s really special to finally get to this moment and be able to be on this stage.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Rapinoe is now 38 years of age, while Krieger is 39. The 2023 NWSL final will take place at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on Saturday, with there set to be plenty of emotion on show regardless of the end result in California.

Neymar is reportedly already planning his departure from Al-Hilal, with the Brazilian intending to return to Santos ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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Left PSG for new challenge in the Middle EastConfusion over his lucrative dealPlans to head home before major tournamentWHAT HAPPENED?

The 31-year-old forward only took on another new challenge in his distinguished career when heading to Saudi Arabia backin August. There had been talk of the South American superstar agreeing a four-year deal in the Middle East, but that is supposedly not the case.

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Reports of a two-year contract are said to be closer to the mark, with Neymar not intending to stick around at Al-Hilal for long. According to Brazilian journalist , the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain playmaker will return to his roots at Santos in 2025.

WHAT THEY SAID

Quintino has said on his social media channels: “During conversations with friends of Neymar Senior and Neymar Junior, I received the information that they did not sign a four-year contract with the Saudis but rather a two-year contract so he can return (to Santos) a year before the World Cup. Neymar approached Santos and asked to return. I have friends in common with Neymar, whom I will not name, but he has a very strong desire to return to Santos.”

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Neymar – who is now Brazil's all-time leading scorer – has only taken in three appearances for Al-Hilal so far and is still waiting on his first goal for the club. He has never shied away from the fact that he intends to head back to Santos at some stage, with the plan seemingly being to make that switch a year out from the World Cup finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

Chelsea are expected to have another busy transfer window, as Mauricio Pochettino prepares for his first summer in charge of the Blues.

After spending a figure over £500m in the two transfer windows last season, things failed to click at Stamford Bridge, leaving the Argentinian with a clean-up operation ahead of the next campaign.

The latest drop of transfer news suggests that Chelsea could consider a move for two Premier League aces, with one in particular that could benefit Pochettino’s midfield.

What’s the latest on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea?

As reported by 90min on Thursday, Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo is a wanted man in west London.

The report suggests that Chelsea could consider a ‘double swoop’ for the services of Declan Rice and Caicedo.

A separate report from The Telegraph states that the Seagulls will demand a price that could exceed the £70m mark for the Ecuadorian this summer.

What could Moises Caicedo bring to Chelsea?

Lauded as a “monster” by sports scientist Dr Rajpal Brar, the 21-year-old is a player wanted by a host of clubs after an impeccable season on the south coast.

The Brighton ace won an average of 58% of his total duels this season, averaging a monstrous 5.9 per game and asserting himself as one of the league’s best defensive midfielders, via Sofascore.

His presence could be crucial to Chelsea’s midfield, which requires some structure from Pochettino to fully utilise the talents of British record signing Enzo Fernandez, who joined the club in January for £106.8m.

While the talent of Fernandez is undoubted, the Blues are yet to see his full potential, which could be unlocked by having a partner such as Caicedo, who is an engine in midfield.

As per FBref, the two are extremely similar in their capabilities, however, Enzo prevails as a slightly better ball-player than the 21-year-old, averaging a huge 9.25 progressive passes per 90 to Caicedo's 6.28.

A pattern is followed in the Brighton gem’s favour in terms of defensive attributes, averaging more interceptions & tackles per 90 than the Argentinian and a significantly better outlet of aerial protection, with 1.06 aerials won to Enzo’s 0.47 per 90.

Chelsea picked up the ex-Benfica ace for good reason, with the midfielder forming a deadly partnership in Portugal with former teammate Florentino Luiz, lauded as the Eagles’ “anchor”.

Pochettino could therefore get the best out of the 22-year-old by signing Caicedo, who could act as a dominant defensive partner for the World Cup winner in a similar system to how he played at the Amex beside the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Billy Gilmour.

But with Arsenal chasing the Ecuadorian in a saga ongoing from January, Chelsea will have to act fast in their efforts to capture the youngster’s signature.

Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta has ended his 11-year stay at Stamford Bridge, leaving new Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino with a big decision to make

There was another significant juncture in Chelsea's extraordinary period of upheaval last week, as Cesar Azpilicueta bid farewell to the club after 11 trophy-laden years of loyal service. His departure immediately adds to Mauricio Pochettino's in-tray, with the new head coach now facing a big decision over who should take the armband.

Indeed, the Argentine needs to form a new on-field leadership team altogether, as Jorginho's move to Arsenal in January means the club has lost both its captain and vice-captain in the space of six months. Mateo Kovacic, another player to have worn the armband recently, has also moved on.

Chelsea's unprecedented overhaul of the first-team squad this summer means the options to replace Azpilicueta as skipper are limited, but a few names in particular stand out as candidates…

Getty Images6Enzo Fernandez

In his brief time at Chelsea, Enzo Fernandez has demonstrated his leadership credentials in his attempts to dictate play from the middle of the park amid relative chaos around him. Indeed, he aspires to be a leader on the pitch, saying in April: "I always dream to be a leader because when I started, I always wanted to be an example."

His authority was noted by interim manager Frank Lampard, but his thoughts are perhaps an accurate reflection of where the midfielder will sit in Pochettino's thinking: "Enzo is becoming a leader," he said. "But he's 22, I think it's quite difficult for us to talk about that, he'll have to find his way."

The language barrier is also an issue, with Lampard revealing in May that Enzo "doesn't speak English much at all". Consequently, this feels like an opportunity that will come too soon for the club's record signing.

AdvertisementGetty5Ben Chilwell

A name that will likely be mentioned in despatches in discussions over the club's next club captain and leadership team is Ben Chilwell. Despite only signing in 2020, the 26-year-old suddenly finds himself among the club's longest-serving players.

A Premier League and Champions League-winner as well as an England international, he has a wealth of experience at the highest level and knows what it means to represent Chelsea through thick and thin, while his disarming, warm character means he is popular among the squad and the fanbase.

His injury record should be a concern, however, as Pochettino will want his captain to be ever-present. Some will also argue that he is perhaps nice for the job.

Getty4Kepa Arrizabalaga

The notion of Kepa Arrizabalaga even being in contention for the captaincy would have been laughable less than a year ago, but the goalkeeper has battled back to prominence at Stamford Bridge.

Kepa enjoyed a quietly solid campaign after reclaiming his place between the sticks from now ex-Chelsea stopper Edouard Mendy, and Lampard even handed him the armband for the home game against Brighton at the backend of last season – although that ended in another disappointing defeat.

He is an outsider for the role, but it has been reported that Pochettino is willing to stick with the Spaniard as his No.1 next season rather than spend on a replacement. That makes him a contender for the captaincy as a vocal presence at the back and one of the longest-serving first-team regulars, despite his shortcomings.

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Getty Images3Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling still hasn't even been at Chelsea for a year, but his experience and winning mentality mean he will feature prominently in Pochettino's thoughts as he ponders his decision.

Sterling has emerged as a natural-born leader, captaining both Manchester City and England in the past and earning the respect of his peers with his exploits both on and off the pitch. His trophy-laden time at the Etihad Stadium means he is comfortably the most decorated player in the Chelsea squad.

It's a role the player relishes at international level, saying after captaining the Three Lions last year: "It's a great privilege and never in my wildest imagination as a young player coming through did I ever think I would captain England one day, it comes with maturity the manager sees in you, the passion and love I have for the country.

"I always have this thing where I remember me coming through as a young player and it's nice when senior players put their arms around you, it's a new environment and all we can do is make sure the new ones feel as comfortable as possible."

The main thing that will count against Sterling is his brief time at Stamford Bridge to date, but don't be surprised to see him in his manager's new leadership team.

West Ham United have six fixtures of the 2022/23 Premier League season remaining as they look to pick up as many points as possible to avoid suffering relegation at the end of the term.

The Irons suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday night at the London Stadium so will be hoping to change their fortunes and get back to winning ways to create sufficient distance between themselves and the drop zone.

The E20 outfit also have an added bonus in the sense that they still have a game in hand on the majority of their fellow relegation-battling opponents that are around them in the table and that are also competing for survival, so David Moyes needs to use this to his advantage, and with that being said, here's how we think their final few matches will pan out.

West Ham fixtures

• 29 April: Crystal Palace (a)

• 3 May: Man City (a)

• 7 May: Man United (h)

• 14 May: Brentford (a)

• 21 May: Leeds (h)

• 28 May: Leicester (a)

Crystal Palace v West Ham

Following the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last night, the Irons will no doubt be wanting to get back to positive form when they make the trip to Selhurst Park to take on Roy Hodgson’s side on Saturday, with three points for the visitors vital in the race to avoid the drop to the Championship.

Moyes has to make sure that his outfit turn up full of confidence and self-belief that they can take at least a point out of the game, which is exactly what they might have to settle for in front of the away crowd with the Eagles boss having made an instant positive impact back in the dugout in SE25.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 West Ham

Man City v West Ham

The Premier League fixtures aren’t showing any signs of slowing down for West Ham, whose next away game after Crystal Palace is against Manchester City.

The Sky Blues have firmly put themselves in control of the title race following their 4-1 thrashing of league leaders Arsenal but they still have two games in hand, meaning that they will be crowned champions should they win all of their remaining games during the run-in.

From an Irons perspective, this match is likely to be considered one that’s pretty impossible to gain a positive result from and it will definitely be the most difficult task Moyes and his side come up against before the end of the season.

Prediction: Man City 3-1 West Ham

West Ham v Man United

On balance, Man City should be the hardest game left to play, but West Ham also won’t be faced with an easy task when they welcome Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United for their next fixture back at the London Stadium.

The Old Trafford outfit will be desperate to secure a place in the top four and qualify for the Champions League, but with the Irons crowd sure to make themselves heard, Moyes will believe he can take something from his former side having previously studied their strengths and weaknesses.

Prediction: West Ham 2-2 Man United

Brentford v West Ham

Following what is likely to be an entertaining home encounter versus Man United, West Ham hit the road once again, this time travelling to the Community Stadium to take on Brentford who are enjoying a remarkable season and are expected to nail down a top-ten finish.

Back in December’s reverse fixture, the Bees secured a 2-0 victory at the London Stadium, so Moyes will be hoping that he can turn the tables and gain revenge by securing all three points this time around which they are more than capable of doing.

Prediction: Brentford 1-2 West Ham

West Ham v Leeds

West Ham’s final home game and the penultimate fixture of the 2022/23 season sees them face Leeds United who are also hoping to escape relegation, therefore making them one of their biggest rivals.

The Whites, however, will be lacking in confidence having won just one of their last six top-flight games, so should this poor run of results continue between now and when they face the E20 side, a victory should seem comfortable.

Prediction: West Ham 2-0 Leeds

Leicester v West Ham

West Ham’s concluding match of the campaign sees them make the journey to Dean Smith’s Leicester who, once again, are another team giving their all to escape relegation and maintain their Premier League status.

The Foxes picked up a 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture at the London Stadium back in November, and whilst Moyes will want to replicate that result at the King Power, the hosts will be fighting for their lives in what is set to be a definitive day at the bottom of the table.

Prediction: Leicester 1-1 West Ham

• Predicted run-in points: 9/18

• Predicted total points: 43

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be targeting Xabi Alonso as their next potential manager and Jamie Redknapp has hailed the 42-year-old amid the reports.

Are Spurs eyeing Xabi Alonso as their next manager?

The north London club's season is currently petering out on a whimper at the moment following a stretch of four league games without a single victory.

Indeed, their last four games in the Premier League have only provided Spurs with one win as their defence has seen 14 goals conceded in those matches.

Amid their struggles in the Premier League, a managerial merry-go-round has been going on in the background with Ryan Mason having been handed the responsibility following the departure of both Antonio Conte and Cristian Stellini.

But it seems as if Daniel Levy is still targeting a different permanent manager ahead of the summer with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann being linked with the club.

The search appears to have expanded to other young up-and-coming managers with the Bayer Leverkusen boss, Alonso, also believed to be on their radar.

Indeed, Dutch reports suggest the former Liverpool midfielder is, in fact, the leading candidate for the job in north London amid links to Feyenoord's Arne Slot.

And speaking to the media, Sky Sports pundit Redknapp has hailed the Spaniard and suggested he could be an excellent fit for the Lilywhites:

"Since he's gone there transformation in that team has been astronomical. So he obviously knows what he's doing and such a classy guy, classy player.

"See, I'm not surprised one bit that Tottenham are in for him but there'll be a lot of other clubs as well."

Would Alonso be a good fit for Spurs?

The 42-year-old has now been at the helm of the Bundesliga side for 31 games across all competitions in which he has overseen 17 victories (via Transfermarkt).

There have certainly been some frustrating defeats along the way including to the likes of Augsburg in the German top flight.

However, Leverkusen have now put together a run of 14 games across all competitions without defeat – including 10 wins.

Alonso has been described as an "exciting" prospect by journalist Manuel Veth and his 4-3-3 formation has produced a return of 65 goals from his 31 games at the helm.

But there will be major question marks asked over his side's ability to defend having also conceded 40 times in those games.

And that is something which is certainly an issue in north London with Tottenham holding the sixth-worst defensive record in the Premier League – despite sitting up in sixth spot.

Alonso's playing career can leave no questions, but given Leverkusen look set to lose out on Champions League football under Spaniard to the likes of Union Berlin and potentially Freiburg, he may need to do more to earn the Spurs job.

Tottenham also look set to miss out on the Champions League spots this season, but could Alonso be the man to change that for next season?