All posts by h716a5.icu

An update has emerged on Celtic’s pursuit of Manchester City defender Ko Itakura…

What’s the talk?

According to Sky Sports, Celtic are unlikely to sign Manchester City centre-back Ko Itakura on loan this month despite tracking him over the summer.

The report does not give a reason for the prospective move falling through, but does mention that the Hoops watched him play at the Olympics for Japan.

Fans will be frustrated

Celtic fans will be frustrated with this worrying update from Sky Sports, as it now seems like the Japan international will not be arriving at Parkhead this summer. Although it does not completely rule out the possibility of him coming to Scotland, the signs are not promising at the moment and supporters could be gutted because he could be a shrewd addition to the squad.

The Cityzens man spent last season on loan to Groningen in the Eredivisie and put in some stout defensive performances. In 35 starts, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.12, making 4.2 clearances and 2.0 interceptions per game.

Former Dutch footballer Haans Kray lauded him as ‘incredibly fast’ and hailed his impact in the Netherlands. He said: “One of the very best central defenders in the Eredivisie. He can play football well, he can head well and he is incredibly fast. He’s such a good player but Manchester City don’t see anything in him.”

This shows that he has the ability to standout in the Eredivise as a centre-back, whilst not quite having the quality – in Pep Guardiola’s eyes – to make it in the Premier League for the champions. Although it is difficult to judge the difference between the Eredivisie and the Scottish Premiership, Celtic are reportedly closing in on the signing of Georgios Giakoumakis from VVV-Venlo – suggesting that the club believe the skills on show are transferable to their level.

Therefore, he could have been a solid signing for Celtic as he proved himself to be a reliable defender in the Netherlands and could have brought those qualities along with him to Parkhead. This is why fans will be fuming that it is now unlikely to happen.

AND in other news, 100% duels lost: Celtic disaster who made just 3 passes embarrassed Ange vs AZ…

Hugh Morris’s firefighting skills will be tested once again as he has been entrusted with the responsibility of resolving ongoing difficulties between Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores

Cricinfo staff02-Jan-2009
Enter the firefighter: Hugh Morris, England’s managing director, has issues to resolve this weekend © Getty Images
Hugh Morris has been entrusted with the responsibility of resolving ongoing difficulties between Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores, the captain and coach of England. Reports suggest that Morris, the managing director of England cricket, could effectively be forced to make a decision on the future of Moores over the weekend, possibly after a meeting with the pair.Differences between the pair were given a public airing late on Wednesday with news that Pietersen had asked for an urgent meeting with Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman. The focal point of the latest disagreement is said to be over Michael Vaughan and the West Indies tour: Pietersen was keen to have Vaughan on the trip, but Moores wasn’t.That, however, may only be one facet of it; talk of the uneasy nature of the pair’s relationship, since Moores took over 18 months ago but particularly since Pietersen’s elevation to captaincy last year, has never been far.Clarke, however, dampened notions of a rift, though he referred the matter to Morris. “All team matters are dealt with by Hugh Morris,” said Clarke. “There will be a full review of the tour of India, which was a difficult tour in view of what happened before it. I don’t believe all this stuff I’m reading about Michael Vaughan.”Despite Clarke’s words, speculation continues to mount over the future of Moores. The , among others, says that Morris will meet the pair this weekend and make a decision soon after. It is speculated that Pietersen could deliver an ultimatum, or already has, ratcheting up the pressure on Morris.In any case, the situation will not be an easy one for the former England and Glamorgan opening batsman. Moores is said to be one of Morris’s closest friends in the game. They know each other from as far back as 1981, when both played for England Schools U-19. Moores is also a graduate of the coaching structure Morris worked to introduce when he retired from playing and moved into administration at the ECB.This will be the second bout of firefighting Morris has had to resolve within the last month. He was the key man behind England’s return to India, after the Mumbai attacks had forced them to return home. His role in that episode has been widely acknowledged.

Tottenham Hotspur must stump up the cash if they want to sign Adama Traore before next week’s transfer deadline…

What’s the word?

Reports emerged earlier this week claiming that Spurs were in talks over a potential move for the Wolves winger, with Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claiming in the Guardian that the north Londoners were trying to sign him on an initial loan with an option to make the move permanent for £40m.

However, it has now been revealed that the Midlands side are only prepared to sanction his departure if the Lilywhites meet their full asking price upfront.

That’s according to talkSPORT’s transfer expert Alex Crook, who tweeted earlier this week:

“I’m also told #Wolves would be willing to cash in on Adam Traore if #THFC or anyone else matches their £40m valuation.”

The final piece?

It’s now on sporting director Fabio Paratici and manager Nuno Santo to convince chairman Daniel Levy into splashing that much on a player and if they manage to do so, they could well round off their summer activity quite nicely.

Traore has been a terror in the Premier League for the last few seasons and once again, Spurs witnessed first-hand the damage he can do.

The Spain international may not have scored at the weekend but he gave Japhet Tanganga all sorts of problems – a frequent occurrence when the explosive powerhouse lines up against the side.

“He has totally caused us mayhem in every game we played he takes two players out creates so much space and suits way Nuno wants to play,” claimed Spurs legend Graham Roberts on Twitter.

On Sunday, Traore was successful with nine of his ten dribbling attempts (90%), created four key chances and won a whopping 17 of 22 duels (77%), as per SofaScore, leaving Tanganga with a lower rating and a yellow card for his troubles.

Indeed, this has been a regular thing with many teams across the Premier League as someone of Traore’s build is hugely difficult to defend against. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp went as far as deeming him “unplayable” after one encounter.

Last season, no player in the entire top-flight managed as many dribbles per game (4.1) as the Spaniard, whilst he was fouled 2.3 times per match (third-highest in the division), which only reinforces the German’s view.

Also lauded as a “machine” by Rio Ferdinand, the £27m-rated winger would undoubtedly continue to thrive, particularly thanks to the familiarity with Nuno in the dugout.

After the arrivals of Cristian Romero and Byran Gil, and the news that Harry Kane will be staying in north London, Traore would surely be the icing on the cake in what should be regarded as a top, top summer for Spurs.

AND in other news, “I’m told”: Alasdair Gold drops huge Spurs transfer claim, fans will be buzzing…

Chris Gayle hasn’t given up hope of his side salvaging a draw at the ARG, despite a game in which he admitted the team had been flat

Andrew McGlashan in Antigua18-Feb-2009
Chris Gayle falls leg-before © PA Photos
Chris Gayle hasn’t given up hope of his side salvaging a draw at the ARG, despite a game in which he admitted the team had been flat. Set a massive 503 for victory, West Indies lost three wickets before the close to leave themselves a tough task on the final day. As is so often the case, hope rests on the shoulders of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan.”We know it is in England’s favour at this point in time but having said that, there are two experienced batsmen at the crease,” Gayle said. “The first session is very important and hopefully by the end of it those guys will still be at the crease.”I think the wicket is pretty good still. There is some uneven bounce and [Graeme] Swann has some rough to accompany him. [But I’m] confident the guys can do it, it is going to be difficult, no-one can say it will be easy but we have to have the self-belief that the guys can get the job done.”There has been a general lethargy around West Indies’ performance in this game, a hang-over from the rapid switch of venues which sapped their momentum following the innings victory at Sabina Park.”It’s not just me, everyone is a bit flat,” Gayle said. “I was a bit drained, a bit tired, but I keep talking to myself. I know this is Test cricket, it is what it is all about. We still have to go out and get job done. I tried to motivate myself, but I won’t lie, I was a bit drained.”You have to take the conditions into consideration, it was really hot and the England guys also toiled in the sun and suffered for it as well, it is tough to motivate ourselves and enjoy it at that same time. It’s an important day for us tomorrow.”However, Gayle was adamant that he was happy with the decision to play the match at the ARG. “It’s not about rescheduling the game, but it did disrupt the preparation. We had to put things in place as quickly as possible. It was a bit difficult to us,” he said.Another factor that will have come to the West Indies players’ attention in the last 24 hours is Allen Stanford’s fraud charges. Less than four months ago Gayle was holding the Stanford 20/20 for 20 trophy aloft and with it a cheque for US$20million which has changed the players’ lives for ever.”I don’t want to touch on that case now, a lot is happening” Gayle said. “We just want to focus on the cricket. What happened out there is not our concern right now. We just have to deal with what we can handle.” That starts with saving this Test and maintaining the 1-0 lead that provided such hope and expectation. This island could do with something to smile about at the moment.

Writing for football.london, reliable Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has dropped a behind-the-scenes reveal surrounding those within the club and Moussa Sissoko’s summer exit from north London.

The Lowdown: Spurs mass summer exodus…

In quite an eventful summer transfer window, there were absolutely no shortage of departures from Tottenham as new boss Nuno Espirito Santo and managing director Fabio Paratici undertook a major rebuild.

Indeed, Juan Foyth, Toby Alderweireld, Joe Hart, Danny Rose, Paulo Gazzaniga, Erik Lamela, Serge Aurier and Sissoko all left the club permanently in what you could deem to be a successful clear out (Transfermarkt).

However, Gold has revealed that those within Spurs were left unhappy over one gaffe surrounding the latter man’s move to Watford.

The Latest: Spurs chiefs left seething over Sissoko exit gaffe…

As per the reliable journalist, there were ‘shocked’ and a ‘few angry’ faces inside Spurs when it was announced that the Frenchman was in Xisco’s starting line up to face his old club at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Apparently, Tottenham’s football administration department assumed Sissoko was not registered in time to face Spurs due to the timing of the deadline – but Watford somehow managed to complete his registration in time to make him eligible for the encounter.

The 32-year-old’s inclusion, therefore, ‘annoyed a number of people’ within the club given it is quite rare that a seller would allow a transfer to go through in time to aid the buyer’s efforts against them.

The Verdict: Interesting claim…

While Sissoko’s contribution didn’t amount to much at the weekend, you can understand why Spurs chiefs weren’t happy with his allowed involvement at the time – especially considering how players can often hurt their old sides.

One interesting aspect of this story is how Watford managed to play the midfielder given new signings must be registered by 12pm on the last working day before a match for eligibility.

As explained by Gold, that deadline was midday last Friday, with The Hornets seemingly unable to officially sign Sissoko until much later that same afternoon.

In full credit to Watford, they somehow managed to get him registered before 12pm even though the full transfer had not been announced at that point.

In other news: Report lifts lid on Tottenham player’s summer exit U-turn, find out more here.

Manoj Tiwary, the Bengal batsman, has been named captain of the East Zone side for next month’s Deodhar Trophy while Saurabh Tiwary, the 19-year-old Jharkhand batsman, was appointed vice-captain

Cricinfo staff27-Feb-2009
Manoj Tiwary gets his first chance to led a senior side in a List A game © AFP
Manoj Tiwary, the Bengal batsman, has been named captain of the East Zone side for next month’s Deodhar Trophy with Saurabh Tiwary, the 19-year-old Jharkhand batsman, vice-captain. Laxmi Ratan Shukla, the former India allrounder, found a place in the 15-man squad but Shiv Sundar Das, who captained East in the Duleep Trophy, was left out.Tiwary doesn’t lead Bengal in the Ranji Trophy but he didn’t think captaincy would adversely affect his batting. “I’ve always enjoyed captaincy. I have led Under-19 sides and won’t be under any pressure,” he told Kolkata-based daily the . “In fact, if you check the statistics you will find that I have performed better whenever I have been the captain of the side.” The only captaincy experience Tiwary has with senior sides is when he led Bengal in the 2007 inter-state Twenty20 tournament.”I have been playing in the zonal side for the past few years and have observed a few things that I think should be addressed properly to enhance the team’s performance,” he said. “There are some aspects in which the East Zone sides have been found wanting in the past.”The squad will be coached by former Indian wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe, and have a conditioning camp in Cuttack from March 11.East are in Group B of the Deodhar Trophy, which is scheduled to start on March 13, and are clubbed with North and Central. After a round of league matches, the teams topping the two groups will face off in the final on March 18.Squad: Manoj Tiwary (capt), Saurabh Tiwary (vice-capt), Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ranadeb Bose, Ashok Dinda, Natraj Behara, Halhadar Das, Rakesh Mohanty, Preetamjit Das, Ishank Jaggi, Deepak Sharma, Dhiraj Goswami, Tushar Saha, and Rana Dutta

Deadline day came and went without any real drama for Southampton fans, although it has emerged that Everton made a late bid for Kyle Walker-Peters, but Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side were clearly not willing to let him leave St Mary’s.

What’s the word?

According to The Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath, Everton made a late move for the 24-year-old, who was also on his former club Tottenham Hotspur’s radar before their signing of Emerson Royal from Barcelona.

However, he suggested that Southampton were not willing to discuss any deal for the right-back, who has impressed at St Mary’s since joining on a permanent deal last summer.

Did Southampton avoid a disaster?

Walker-Peters quickly established himself as first-choice right-back when he originally joined Southampton on loan in January 2020, so it was no surprise to see his move made permanent when the season was over.

In total, the Englishman has made 48 appearances for the Saints, in which he has contributed one goal and four assists, something he will no doubt be looking to improve upon this season.

Whilst the £16.2m-rated defender lost his starting spot to 18-year-old Valentino Livramento in the first two Premier League matches of the season, the last two games have seen him feature at left-back, which emphasises his versatility and the fact that Hasenhuttl wants him in the starting side, regardless of Livramento’s impressive displays.

After last season saw Southampton’s lack of full-back depth cruelly exposed, with Ryan Bertrand and Walker-Peters both out for a period which left Hasenhuttl with very few options, it was crucial that the club brought in a number of players in those positions this summer.

Romain Perraud and Thierry Small arrived as left-back options, whilst Livramento joined from Chelsea as a right-back, which gives the Austrian manager far greater choice in those positions.

Therefore, it would have been a disastrous decision to let Walker-Peters join Everton on deadline day, as it would’ve given Southampton very little time to find a replacement and could’ve left them in the same worrying situation as last season. For a period, they only had one natural option at right-back other than Yan Valery, who has perhaps shown with recent performances that he should be nowhere near the starting XI.

[freshpress-quiz id=“594431”]

Southampton deserve credit for rebuffing the interest from Everton and you could definitely argue that they dodged a bullet by keeping him at St Mary’s rather than allowing him to join a Premier League rival.

In other news… Southampton can sign their next Walker-Peters in 21 y/o tipped to reach the “very top”

A concert to raise money for the Victorian bushfire victims is expected to force the Sheffield Shield final away from the MCG

Cricinfo staff19-Feb-2009
More than 200 people died in the fires earlier this month © Getty Images
A concert to raise money for the Victorian bushfire victims is expected to force the Sheffield Shield final away from the MCG. The Junction Oval is likely to stage the match, which the Bushrangers won hosting rights for with their victory over New South Wales, from March 13 to 17.”It’s Cricket Australia’s call to allocate the final,” Cricket Victoria’s chief executive Tony Dodemaide said in the Herald Sun. “We’ve certainly made it very clear that the MCG is our preference.”The appeal for victims of the bushfires, which killed more than 200 people this month, is due to be held on March 14 and the Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said the event was a priority. “Victoria have won the right to host the final on the dates March 13-17,” Young said. “We are now seeking to understand if there is another proposal for the MCG at that time.”We are going to need another day or two to understand the proposal. We are keen to do whatever we can to help the bushfires cause.”Any switch from the MCG will disrupt the Victorians, who have mastered the drop-in pitch there this season. With two matches remaining, the Bushrangers are on 40 points, 16 clear of their nearest rivals Tasmania.

Former Leeds United midfielder Carlton Palmer has backed Rodrigo to have a good season if Marcelo Bielsa’s side can maintain their standard from the previous campaign.

The Whites impressed last term following their promotion from the Championship, finishing in ninth, but individually, Rodrigo had his struggles.

The 30-year-old was far from proficient in front of goal in the early stages of his Leeds career, not coming to life until the end of the season.

However, having had time to adapt and now free from injury, The Athletic’s Phil Hay believes Rodrigo could end up being a star for the Yorkshire club by the end of this campaign. And Palmer shares a similar sentiment, suggesting that the Spaniard will deliver if the team plays well as a whole.

“People don’t realise how tough the Premier League is until you actually come and play in it and experience it week in, week out,” the ex-Leeds player told FFC when discussing Hay’s Rodrigo prediction. “It’s a tough league.

“A player like Rodrigo will depend on how Leeds United do. I think it’s going to be a difficult season for Leeds United in terms of the standard they set last season, people knowing the way they play, getting used to the way that Leeds United play. They’ve got to dig in.

“Players like Rodrigo, if Leeds are having a good season, I’m sure he’ll have a good season.”

The Whites have had a slow start to the campaign, taking two points from their first three games. From their point of view, hopefully Rodrigo can start firing soon to give that attack a boost and Patrick Bamford some respite.

Women’s cricket has been handed a further boost by being included in the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean next year

Jenny Roesler in Sydney20-Mar-2009Women’s cricket has been handed a further boost by being included in the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean next year. The ICC has taken a gamble on incorporating the women before, what is essentially a trial event in June 2009 in England.The women will be based in St Kitts for their group games – they are in Taunton for the England tournament – and then link up with the men for the semis and finals.The number of teams and their qualification route has not yet been decided upon. There is a chance it could be the current eight sides playing in this World Cup and in the June World Twenty20, but the make-up will be discussed at the ICC Women’s Committee meeting in Sydney on Friday and Saturday.The move will be welcomed by the women’s game, which will now have two chances to impress the rest of the world. The current World Cup has already attracted growing television audiences, which will have pleased the ICC.There is also a possibility that the junior women may have their own World Cup, but confirmation is a long way off yet. An ICC spokesperson told Cricinfo: “This concept […] has been discussed previously and is a strategic aim of the Women’s Committee for the future.”But it is not specifically on the agenda right now and no target timeline has been set. The focus has been on the ICC Women’s World Cup and ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2009, as well as securing access to ICC Women’s World Twenty20, 2010.”He also said that the ICC’s current priorities were to further strengthen regional senior and junior competition and events, many of which are new and evolving. Only then would another global women’s tournament – such as a girls’ Under-19 World Cup – be considered.The spokesperson concluded: “Bilateral under-age tours are an option open to all members who see more international cricket at this junior level as important to their current development plans for women’s cricket.”