All posts by n8rngtd.top

“I’ve got to keep embracing the responsibility and when the time comes to shine, I’ll do so”

Firdose Moonda19-Mar-2023A career-defining century by a cricket captain should be enough to win a game of cricket, according to Shai Hope. And he wasn’t talking about himself.”Temba Bavuma – an innings like that deserves to be a victorious innings but it just so happened that we came out on top at the end. I must give him credit for the way he controlled the innings. He played the situation well and he really deserved to win the game but there can only be one winner,” Hope said after West Indies successfully defended 335 runs – their highest score against South Africa – in East London.Bavuma slammed a career-best 144, exactly a week after his Test best of 172 last and less than two months after he hit a series-winning 109 in South Africa’s World Cup Super League victory over England in Bloemfontein. He is a player transformed from the one who struggled to score runs during South Africa’s season-opening white-ball tour of India, where he made 11 runs in four innings, and the leader who oversaw their T20I World Cup campaign, which ended in defeat to the Netherlands. Bavuma attributes the change to the simple truth of having more fun.”I’m enjoying my cricket at this point in time,” Bavuma said. “My mind is just a lot clearer as to what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to do that; feeding off the confidence that I am getting from the players as well as the new coaches.”After his 172 in the Wanderers Test, Bavuma said he felt more backed by red-ball coach Shukri Conrad than he had since he was under the wing of his domestic coach at the Lions, Enoch Nkwe (who also served as South Africa’s interim coach for a trip to India in 2019) and that’s despite being captain in two formats in the interim. In May 2021, Bavuma was put in charge of South Africa’s white-ball sides, albeit with only six ODI and eight T20I caps to his name. While 50-over cricket is clearly his forte, the shortest format proved to be tricky, particularly from a strike-rate perspective and since being relieved of that role, and put in charge of the Test team while keeping the 50-over gig, Bavuma has flourished.His recent innings have shown us a batter who is strong on the sweep and the slog, who has opened up scoring areas both in front of and behind square and who is able to rotate strike well. While it may look like a revelation to those looking in from the outside, for Bavuma, it’s merely a demonstration of “what was always there,” that is now coming through.”It’s just a confidence thing. Confidence is a big thing for any sportsman,” he said. “I am just trying to carry on the form and the momentum I got in the England series. I am hitting the ball quite nicely. I am managing to find gaps, which is a big thing for me as a stroke player. I can only hope that lasts.”Despite his best efforts on Saturday evening, South Africa fell 48 runs short of beating West Indies, a side who are after a new start of their own. After losing 16 of the 20 ODIs they played last year, West Indies are all-but-certain to miss out on automatic qualification to the 2023 World Cup, and need to start winning. Victory in South Africa – their first on the road against a team other then Netherlands and Ireland since they beat Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2018 – “means a lot,” as Hope put it.Temba Bavuma – “My mind is just a lot clearer as to what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to do that”•Gallo Images

“It’s something we speak about in the meetings. We are just trying to win more cricket games. We didn’t have a successful 2022 and we are trying everything to turn it around,” he said.It also marks a successful start for new leadership. Hope is now in charge of the ODI team, with 105 matches under his belt, and a lot on his plate. Though he did not open the batting in this match – as he has done since 2019 – he batted from the 10th over, kept wicket and captained and described the fixture as a “tiring game for me.”So how will he manage the many roles he has to play in what is a big ODI year for West Indies? “I am definitely going to take it on full speed. It’s about giving my all to the team,” Hope said. “I am getting support from all ends. I have got support from guys off the field and on the field. I’ve got to keep embracing the responsibility and when the time comes to shine, I’ll do so.”And he intends to apply that in all formats. As the ODI series opener played out, shortly after West Indies’ batting let them down in the Test series, there was some talk about whether players like Hope and former captain Nicholas Pooran should be considered for the red-ball team as well. On the evidence of the East London ODI, West Indies could do worse, but there’s also some interesting context to Hope’s exclusion.Like his opposite number Bavuma, Hope only has two Test centuries to his name – and they came in the same match. Hope has not played Test cricket since December 2021. Asked if the longest format is something he’d like to get back to, Hope indicated that hope will win out.”Something that I always preach in the camp: control what you can control. I can’t control what the selectors do, I can’t control things behind the scenes, all I can control is the way I prep, the way I play and the performance I put in on the field,” he said. “If the chance and the opportunity arises, I will take it with both hands.”

GOAL selected the 50 best footballing talents from around the world born on or after January 1, 2000 – but how are they getting on now?

Since NXGN's launch in 2016, GOAL has profiled the 50 best footballing wonderkids on the planet on an annual basis. Some of those recognised for their talent as teenagers are now household names, but others have not yet realised their potential.

So, after the NXGN 2025 list was revealed, check out where the stars of 2019 are now:

• 50Christian Fruchtl (Bayern Munich)

  2019: A modern goalkeeper with great feet, Fruchtl had yet to make his senior debut, but was considered a top prospect, having impressed Manuel Neuer & Co. after being invited to train with Bayern's first team during their winter break in Qatar in 2016.

  2020: Fruchtl established himself as Bayern's reserve-team goalkeeper in 2019-20, playing 27 games in the third tier of German football.

  2021: The shot-stopper joined FC Nurnberg in the second division for the 2020-21 season, but did not make a first-team appearance.

  2022: Fruchtl finally made his first-team debut for Bayern on the final day of the 2021-22 campaign, but that also proved to be his only appearance for the club as he was sold to Austria Vienna ahead of the following campaign.

  2023: The goalkeeper was installed as first-choice in the Austrian capital, and there were rumours that Bayern could utilise their buy-back clause at some stage as they prepared for life after Neuer.

  2024: Fruchtl continued to impress in Vienna, as he kept 13 clean sheets in 29 Austrian Bundesliga games, which in turn led to him securing a move to Serie A with Lecce.

  2025: The switch to Italy hasn't worked out for Fruchtl as yet, as he is still waiting to make his first league appearance for his new club.

Advertisement

• 49Takefusa Kubo (FC Tokyo)

  2019: Having been signed by Barcelona as a 10-year-old, the outrageously gifted attacker was forced to return to his native Japan in 2016 because of irregularities related to the Catalan club's recruitment of overseas players aged under 18. However, he was excelling in his homeland with FC Tokyo, and widely expected to return to La Masia sooner rather than later, only for Real Madrid to swoop in and sign him in the summer of 2019.

  2020: Kubo was one of the young stars of the Spanish season after being loaned to Mallorca, directly contributing to nine goals as they fought against relegation. His form persuaded Villarreal to take him on loan for the following season.

  2021: The forward failed to force his way into Unai Emery's team, and had his loan spell cut short in January 2021, with Madrid instead sending him on loan to Getafe for the remainder of the season, though he struggled to make much of an impact.

  2022: Mallorca's promotion back to La Liga allowed them to make their move and bring Kubo back to the club on loan in 2021-22, and the Japan international's form having improved a little as a result.

  2023: Kubo left Real Madrid to join Real Sociedad for an initial €6.5m in the summer of 2022, and he was back to his best in San Sebastian, as he made 18 direct goal contributions for a team that qualified for the Champions League.

  2024: The Japan international continued to impress for La Real in 2023-24, and he was linked with elite clubs around Europe.

  2025: Kubo hasn't quite hit the same heights so far this season in San Sebastian, leading to him being left out of the line up on a number of occasions.

• 48Yari Verschaeren (Anderlecht)

  2019: Regarded as the latest top talent to roll off the production line at Anderlecht, Verschaeren had already appeared in the Europa League for the Belgian outfit.

  2020: After making his Belgium debut in September 2019, Verschaeren made 21 league appearances over the course of the 2019-20 campaign.

  2021: A three-month absence with an ankle injury, coupled with an early finish to the season due to Covid-19, meant that Verscharen made just 16 league appearances in 2020-21, though he still managed to score five times.

  2022: An established starter, Verschaeren set personal bests for goals and assists in a single season under Vincent Kompany.

  2023: Verschaeren's attacking output regressed in 2022-23, but that was in part due to him playing slightly deeper, and he was earning Luka Modric comparisons before he tore his ACL in April 2023.

  2024: The midfielder returned to action in January, but a further hamstring injury meant his impact on the campaign was limited.

  2025: Now a veteran of over 200 Anderlecht appearances, Verschaeren has worn the captain's armband at times through the 2024-25 campaign.

• 47Juan Miranda (Barcelona)

  2019: The versatile left-back had humbly played down his impressive Champions League debut against Tottenham in November by saying that "everything's easier when you've got Lionel Messi by your side", but Barca were growing increasingly confident that they had unearthed Jordi Alba's eventual successor.

  2020: Miranda was sent to Schalke on a two-year loan deal, but made just 11 Bundesliga appearances during his first season in Germany, leading to Barca cutting his stay short after 12 months. He was then sent to Real Betis on loan for 2020-21.

  2021: The defender did enough in Seville to persuade Betis to make the deal permanent in the summer of 2021.

  2022: Miranda was in and out of the Betis team in 2021-22 as he struggled to hold down a place in Manuel Pellegrini's line-up, though he did score the winning goal in the penalty shootout in the final of the Copa del Rey

  2023: The full-back managed to force his way back into the team in 2023, making over 30 appearances over the course of the campaign.

  2024: After being in and out of the team to begin the season, Miranda managed to eventually lock down a starting spot in the second half of the campaign. He then went on to play an important role in Spain's gold-medal run at the Olympics.

  2025: Miranda joined Bologna ahead of the 2024-25 season, and he has predominantly been a starter for the Italian side.

Once a five-Test series during the heyday of the Australia-West Indies rivalry, the last two Tests for the Frank Worrell Trophy only lasted six and a half days, further highlighting the growing disparity between cricket’s haves and have nots

Daniel Brettig in Kingston14-Jun-2015Jarring as it was to hear him stumble over his words at the presentation, maybe Brendon Julian was onto something. This did not feel like a contest for the Frank Worrell Trophy, lasting as it did for six and a half days and taking in a pair of fearful hidings dished out by one of cricket’s haves to its most widely mourned have not.Signs of the Caribbean’s retreat from Test cricket were everywhere these past two weeks, from the grand old ground Sabina Park being completely devoid of life a mere two days before the match began, to the stumps for the series not even having a fresh logo. They had been prepared for the preceding series, and instead of being emblazoned with the name Australia, England’s lettering was crossed out with a marker pen.The Australians performed well in conditions unfamiliar to them, but everywhere were taken aback by how utterly alien the experience was when compared to the tightly-wound corporate machines that run cricket matches down under – and will do again when they arrive in England. The series winner’s novelty cheque for the series was US $2000, the kind of figure numerous members of the touring team would no doubt have spent on watches.Of course all these disparities off the field were little more stark than that revealed in the middle, where Australia’s rich supply of cricketing resources utterly overwhelmed a West Indian team that could call on only a quartet of plucky individual performances across the two matches. Devendra Bishoo and Marlon Samuels both contributed in the first Test but were absent from the second, leaving far too much for Jerome Taylor and Jason Holder to do, for all their obvious effort and skill.A look down the Australian series aggregates demonstrates their domination in ways not seen perhaps since the drubbing inflicted upon Pakistan in the UAE as far back as 2002. Not a single Australian full-time bowler claimed their wickets at a rate more expensive than 20 runs apiece. For the Man of the Series Josh Hazlewood (12 wickets at 8.83) and his NSW offsider Mitchell Starc (10 at 16.00) it was tantamount to a turkey shoot. One can only wonder at what a fully-fit Ryan Harris might have achieved against such porous opposition.If the batting statistics make for slightly less lopsided reading, there is still the fact that in Steven Smith and Adam Voges, Australia possessed the only two centurions for the series. Their respective averages of 141.50 and 167.00 were near enough to 100 runs ahead of Holder, the only West Indian to make his runs at better than 50. And while the likes of David Warner, Shane Watson and Michael Clarke could not go beyond starts, none had a shocking series of the kind produced by Darren Bravo. Vaunted beforehand as the man to step up in Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s stead, he was totally outwitted and outfought by Australia’s formidable attack, finishing with 49 runs in four innings.The duel between the captains was telling, too. Clarke is now an old hand at this game, but it was still striking to see his nimble work when lined up against some of the leaden decision-making produced by Denesh Ramdin, who seemed always to find a way to spurn an opportunity. Many bemoaned Kemar Roach’s no-ball allowing Clarke to evade a dismissal early on day one, but under Ramdin the West Indians proceeded to drop their bundles in frustration for the next hour even though the ball continued to swerve. Taylor may never know why he got only six overs that morning, when his figures read 6-6-0-2.Opportunities lost tell a story of fragile confidence, but it is disturbing to think that the West Indies could fall in such a heap only weeks after they had registered a stirring victory over England. That result suggested the new coach Phil Simmons had his team on the right path, though it now looks as though it said more for how much England had allowed themselves to slide despite resources every bit as rich as Australia’s. Certainly Alastair Cook’s men will observe the scorecards from the Caribbean with some trepidation as yet another Ashes series creeps closer.But the underlying truth of this series, both on the field and in the stands, is that the West Indies need all the help they can get if they are to return to a position of competitiveness as a Test match nation. The local caravan has moved on to the Caribbean Premier League, which will be played to packed houses and healthy television audiences over the next month, while the region’s most talented senior players are IPL-tied and deeply cynical about the WICB. Simmons’ efforts to mediate may grow more urgent as a result of this drubbing.All at Cricket Australia are increasingly twitchy about the fact that next summer’s showpiece Boxing Day and New Year’s Test matches are due to be played against the West Indies. It will be a most painful return to the scene of past glories for support staff such as Simmons, Richie Richardson and Curtly Ambrose, and more pointedly an event where history and nostalgia will be expected to draw crowds to grounds and television sets when the cricket itself now looks incapable of doing so.Clarke struck a note of some yearning for earlier days when he was asked about the state of the West Indies team and cricket in the region. “I’ve always loved playing against West Indies. My favourite player is Brian Lara, so I’ve always had a soft spot for the West Indies,” he said of a place where he made his first international tour in 2003. “They’ve certainly got some fight in them, they’ve certainly got talent. I just think they need to be patient. Phil Simmons is a lovely guy and fantastic coach, so I’ve got a lot of confidence West Indies will continue to get better. I’m all for growing the game all around the world, so I hope cricket in any format can continue to improve.”Notably, the next ICC annual conference is due to be held in Barbados later this month. While the BCCI continue to quibble over the money lost when the West Indies squad pulled out of an India tour last year, it is beholden upon all the decision-makers assembling at the home of Sir Frank Worrell himself to work on ways to heal the fractures that have helped West Indies decline to this point. The region’s best players need better incentives to play in the maroon cap, and its islands deserve better administration to regrow and develop future generations.None of those administrators were present in Jamaica, but even from their offices, boardrooms, homes and airport lounges around the world they will be able to see what happened here. The game deserves better than lopsided days like this one, when the Caribbean legacy is mangled more badly even than Worrell’s name had been.

Tottenham Hotspur have a “brilliant” academy talent who is going “under the radar” right now, with his performances away from the Spurs first team now attracting praise.

Tottenham draw with Roma as Postecoglou prepares Fulham

Spurs were held by Serie A strugglers Roma in the Europa League on Thursday evening, bringing them right back down to earth after their imperious 4-0 win over Man City last weekend.

Tottenham could sign £200k-per-week forward in major U-turn after Ange call

Spurs appear to have had a change of heart.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 27, 2024

The Lilywhites were holding a 2-1 lead for the vast majority of the 90 minutes – courtesy of first-half strikes from Son Heung-min (penalty) and Brennan Johnson – but Spurs couldn’t press home their advantage in the second half.

Veteran defender Mats Hummels made Ange Postecoglou pay for Tottenham’s wasteful finishing in the final third, notching Roma’s equaliser in added time and robbing the home side of all three points.

“Yeah frustration with the way the game ended,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Roma.

“Yeah we should have killed it off a lot earlier. We should have killed it off in the first half with the chances we had. At 2-1 you’re always keeping the opposition in the game and they’re throwing men forward, so disappointing we weren’t able to see the game out. Ultimately we’re still in a decent position.

“It is what it is. We’ve been in this situation for quite a while. We are fairly thin in terms of squad depth at the moment. We had four kids on the bench tonight so we couldn’t even fill the quota. It is what it is, we’ve been dealing with this for quite a while and I still think we certainly had enough of the game and enough clear cut chances to win the game.”

Mikey Moore has been praised for his Europa League performances at Spurs this season, with striker Will Lankshear also getting an opportunity as these youngsters take advantage of Postecoglou’s thin squad.

Pundit hails Tottenham youngster George Abbott going "under the radar"

Unfortunately, 19-year-old midfielder George Abbott hasn’t had a chance to strut his stuff in the Europa League.

Abbott is currently out on loan at Notts County, but the N17 academy gem is impressing on-lookers in England’s lower tier. Pundit John Wenham, speaking to Tottenham News, says that Spurs youngster Abbott is going “under the radar” with his performances on a temporary spell at County.

“It is brilliant to see how well Abbott is doing,” Wenham said.

“He kind of goes under the radar because he is surrounded by players who get all the goals and assists. However, he is a really reliable player, and I’m pleased he is doing well in Nottingham.

“He seems to start every game and always tends to play the full 90 minutes. Therefore, for Abbott, it is just about continuing to impress. If he does that, I imagine he will be lined up for a Championship loan next season.”

Roberto Martinez has explained why Cristiano Ronaldo is still being picked by Portugal at 40 years of age, with CR7’s greatest attribute highlighted.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• All-time great showing no sign of slowing down
• Boasts record-setting hauls of caps and goals
• Intends to grace another World Cup next summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Having made his senior international debut in 2003, Ronaldo continues to be selected by his country some 22 years later. Unsurprisingly, a number of records have been broken over the course of a quite stunning career.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo has 217 caps to his name and 135 goals, making him the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football. There is the promise of more appearances and strikes to come, with CR7 showing no sign of slowing down.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  He remains a talismanic presence for Portugal and Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, with it his intention to reach 1,000 career goals before giving any thought to retirement. With that target in mind, the plan is to grace the 2026 World Cup finals.

• Getty
  

  WHAT ROBERTO MARTINEZ SAID

  Portugal boss Martinez has told the of why he continues to call upon the evergreen five-time Ballon d’Or winner: “When I talk about a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, I also evaluate him on the basis of these three key aspects. His talent is indisputable; he is one of the best in the history of football. His experience is also unique: the only player to play in six European Championships and to have more than 200 international matches.

  “But what stands out the most is his commitment. His passion for representing Portugal is contagious and motivates the entire team. He is not in the team today for what he has been, but for what he continues to be: the top scorer with 17 goals in the 21 games we have played in two years.”

The ECB have found a scapegoat for the World Cup debacle but whether sacking individuals will fix the broken system within English cricket remains doubtful

George Dobell08-Apr-20151:12

‘Vaughan has already held talks with ECB over new role’

Maybe he had spent too long away from international cricket, maybe he was never cut out for leadership but not for a moment did Paul Downton suggest he was the man to drag England cricket into a bright future.Barely a year after his appointment as managing director, Downton shuffles off the stage, replacing his blazer for an anorak and swapping the prospect of several weeks in the Caribbean for a retirement scratching his head and wondering about that odd chapter in his life when, briefly, he managed England cricket.Forget his bravery as a batsman against the West Indies fast bowlers of the 1980s. Forget his reliability as a wicketkeeper. Forget his decision to reappoint Peter Moores, retain Andy Flower and sack Ashley Giles. Downton will be remembered, almost exclusively, for his decision to sack Kevin Pietersen and his clumsy handling of the affair.It was a decision that reeked of agendas and vengeance. While Downton justified it by saying he had never seen such a “disengaged” and “disconnected” performance of that of Pietersen in Sydney, those who watched the Ashes tour rather more closely saw a senior player attempting to help younger players and fit into an environment where he felt increasingly uncomfortable. The sense remains that Downton had decided, or been ordered, to dispense with Pietersen before he even started.The irony is that, just as he made Pietersen the scapegoat for the Ashes debacle, so he has been made the scapegoat for the World Cup failure. Now he is the one “disconnected” and “disengaged”. But whether sacking individuals will fix the broken system within English cricket remains doubtful.To see Downton mingle with the England squad at the airport before this tour was to see the uncle nobody really remembers on the fringes of a family wedding. He has been irrelevant for some time. A decent, well-meaning man, no doubt, but utterly out of his depth in the world of modern, international cricket.The decision to make his position redundant is no surprise; the decision to create a slightly altered one more so. The ECB are keen to cut their administrative costs and could well have done without this role altogether. Instead it seems they could be persuaded to create another extra position below the new Director of England Cricket role with a responsibility to manage the other aspects of Downton’s role – women’s cricket, disability and age-group cricket – that could otherwise be overlooked.Michael Vaughan is the favourite for the new role. ESPNcricinfo understands that he has already met incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves and new chief executive Tom Harrison and, while he is far from popular with several current players and has a role with ISM – the sports management agency – that would have to end, he understands the demands of modern international cricket and has the courage to make a difference. Andrew Strauss and Ashley Giles might be considered other possible contenders – Nasser Hussain has ruled himself out – but Vaughan is in pole-position.The cynical might suggest that is because the role will be public facing and designed to divert attention from the real ECB management. They might suggest, too, that this is another attempt to move on from the Giles Clarke era at the ECB. And while Strauss is seen as being too close to some of those still within the side – not least Alastair Cook, who has lost a pillar of support with Downton’s departure – Vaughan appears to revel in the spotlight.But this new role will tread on the toes of the head coach and blur the lines of responsibility for the new CEO, Tom Harrison. English cricket requires many things: a new middle-manager is not one of the most obvious.Downton may be the first of several redundancies. The position of the chief selector, James Whitaker, appears especially precarious while a reorganisation of the management at Loughborough is imminent. It could be that Andy Flower, in something of a nebulous role at present and apparently heading for the exit only days ago, is given more responsibility under the rebranded Director of England Cricket.Vaughan’s appointment would also leave Moores in an uncomfortable position. Vaughan has been heavily critical of the coach in the media and made no secret of his struggles working with him during the period in which he was England coach. It is hard to see that relationship proving sustainable.The bookies immediately reduced the odd of Pietersen making a return to an England side from 25-1 to 2-1. And it is true that this decision clears one significant hurdle for Pietersen. Peter Moores has, ESPNcricinfo understands, already made it clear to Harrison that he could, if necessary, work with Pietersen again and while Alastair Cook remains resistant, he is no longer involved in the limited-overs sides. Pietersen will have to score some runs in domestic cricket first, but his involvement in the World T20 this time next year is far from impossible. It seems little is in English cricket at present.

Before Jurgen Klopp arrived, Liverpool supporters just wanted to see their team be competitive in the fight for Champions League qualification, year in, year out.

This is a proud and prestigious football club, one of the biggest worldwide, but it was a fallen giant despite the anomaly of that 2013/14 season, supercharged by the once-in-a-lifetime Luis Suarez.

Only, he wasn’t actually an unrepeatable kind of forward, for Mohamed Salah would arrive three years beyond the Uruguayan’s sale, and has forged a legacy for the ages.

Mohamed Salah has surpassed Luis Suarez

Salah might be the greatest Liverpool forward of the Premier League era. Sure, Suarez took a rather average team, fused together with the very spirit of Steven Gerrard and posted 31 goals and 13 assists across 33 top-flight fixtures.

Again, Robbie Fowler is a division great, while Fernando Torres’ time on Merseyside was unforgettable, almost indefinable in the connection he forged with the city. Michael Owen literally won the Ballon d’Or in 2001 while rising to prominence with the Anfield side.

No one compares to Salah though, whose unceasing brilliance over what will be eight years this summer has etched his name into eternal Premier League folklore. Journalist David Lynch has called him an “all-time great”, praise that echoes across the country.

Salah needs just 11 Premier League goals to surpass Thierry Henry and insinuate himself among the top seven goalscorers in the league’s history. The 32-year-old requires merely 20 strikes to overtake Sergio Aguero in the top five. The big-boy league.

Liverpool have been treated to a wondrous talent, one who spearheaded trophy-laden success throughout the Klopp era and might just have a definitive say in a similar fight under Arne Slot’s wing this season.

It all could have been so different though. In that weird, bleak hinterland between Suarez’s exit and Klopp’s advent, Liverpool wanted to replace their all-powerful number nine with a new attacking talisman – and settled on Lazar Markovic.

Lazar Markovic was supposed to be Liverpool's superstar

Farewell, Suarez. At least that £75m transfer fee can be put toward a thrilling rebuild that will set Liverpool up for an age at the highest echelon of English football, right?

Right?

It was a disaster of a window, though not without its (in hindsight) silver linings. How funny that Divock Origi, a £10m signing from Lille who was tasked with replacing Suarez in the aggregate, would score the win-settling goal in the Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur, five years later, despite never really establishing himself as a high-scoring star.

For Markovic, no such luck. The young winger arrived from SL Benfica for a pretty hefty £20m fee, with correspondent James Pearce looking back at the transfer flop and saying: “He was rated as one of the most exciting young talents in Europe.”

His Liverpool career probably reached its apotheosis when he played a rather simple, Busquets-esque pass into Phil Coutinho’s vicinity against Southampton in 2015, who thus proceeded to dispatch one of the most awe-inspiring ranged strikes in the Reds’ Premier League history.

That, sadly, is the tale of the tape. Or rather, a fleeting bright moment bespeaking high footballing merit that sits alongside a sweep of struggle.

Markovic’s poignant failure is one of sadness, but it’s not unusual. Many a highly-touted prospect has been hurtled to the wayside upon stepping into the rigours of big-time football.

He featured 34 times for Liverpool throughout the 2014/15 season, posting three goals and one assist. His growth was stunted, however, and the now-30-year-old was loaned out to Fenerbahce the following campaign. Klopp arrived during this time and probably took one perfunctory glance at the Serbian’s file before eliminating him from contention.

Avram Grant, formerly of Chelsea and Markovic’s manager during his first stint at Partizan, even said this: “I can say that apart from Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Markovic is one of the best talents I’ve ever seen at 19 years of age.”

This gushing praise fell flat, sort of like a drunk in the rain.

Journalist Andy Brassel said that Liverpool’s young acquisition was a player of “rare talent”, but unfortunately it was so recherché that Markovic was unable to find it within himself. He toiled.

Throughout his maiden year, Markovic featured often, but that was all she wrote. One year after his arrival, he was discarded and thrown out on a series of loan moves that culminated in a permanent move to Fulham on a free transfer.

For a player who was of such ‘rare’ quality, indeed likened to Messi and Ronaldo, arguably the two greatest footballers in history, he quite heavily fell from a promising position and failed to pick himself back up.

Perhaps, in a way, this was the ‘OG’ Salah. A talented and electric forward with a growing sense of style and skill, capable of shouldering that Atlas burden that Suarez balanced on his back with such preternatural poise.

Supposed to be, in any case. Liverpool are hardly complaining now, not with one of the greatest forwards in modern history flourishing for their team.

Forget Diaz: Liverpool may have unearthed their very own Vinicius Jr

Liverpool appear to have themselves a serious talent that could dislodge Luis Diaz.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 14, 2024

The 18-year old’s talent was first spotted by a friend of her father while she was playing backyard cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2023South Africa allrounder Madison Landsman claimed the first hat-trick of the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, in Benoni in their Group D clash against Scotland. Landsman, who bowls legspin, finished with 4 for 16 as Scotland were skittled for 68 in their chase of 113.With Scotland 43 for 5 at the ten-over mark, Landsman was brought into the attack. Her first two overs went for seven singles and a wide, with Nayma Sheikh and Maryam Faisal struggling to put her pace-less bowling away. In Landsman’s third over – the 15th of the innings – Faisal tried to pull a shortish ball only to top edge it to the wicketkeeper Karabo Meso.Niamh Muir then slapped a length ball outside off straight into the lap of captain Oluhle Siyo at cover, who took it on the second go. Landsman then bowled another slow half-tracker around off stump for the hat-trick ball. Orla Montgomery shuffled across her crease and tried to help it past short fine leg but missed it completely to set off wild celebrations from the South Africans.Landsman then had No. 11 Maisie Maceira caught behind on the last ball of her fourth over to complete a 44-run win. A report on says the 18-year old’s talent was first spotted by a friend of her father while she was playing backyard cricket at Springs in Gauteng. He was the coach of the boys’ team in her primary school and invited her to the Under-11 trials. She impressed and took massive strides in the sport playing school cricket.In 2019, when Landsman was just 14 years old, she was selected to represent Eastern Gauteng Ladies Provincial Cricket Team and in 2020 was part of the Women’s Super League, the annual T20 domestic tournament organised by Cricket South Africa. In 2021, she was selected to the South African Under-19 Girls Schools team for the National Cricket Week tournament in Paarl. Two and a half weeks before that tournament, Landsman tested positive for Covid-19, and although it hampered her training, she recovered well in time to inch closer to the dream of representing South Africa, albeit at the Under-19 level.Landsman, a key component of the middle order, didn’t have a great run into this World Cup, aggregating just 19 runs across four innings in a bilateral series against India. But come the opening match of the tournament, also against India, she smashed a quickfire 32 off just 17 balls walking in at No. 5 to help South Africa to a competitive total. She also dismissed Soumya Tiwari to return figures of 1 for 20 in 2.3 overs.She began the game against Scotland by being dismissed for a duck, but she sure did make amends for it later.

A preview of the prospects of Jammu & Kashmir, Baroda and Gujarat ahead of the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2014

Jammu & Kashmir



By Nagraj GollapudiAs ever, Parvez Rasool will play a key role for J&K•BCCIWhere they finished last season
For the first time J&K made the knockouts, having qualified from the weaker Group C with four outright victories from eight matches. In the quarter-finals, they lost to Punjab.Big Picture
In our teens, the pretense, the desire, the ambition is to play alongside, and against, the men. An exciting phase, no doubt, but boys quickly find that the degrees of separation can be overwhelming if they are not up to the mark. This season J&K are the boys among men. They will find out whether their amazing run last year, culminating in their maiden entry into the Ranji knockouts, was a one-off or a first step towards progression into the big league.The challenge is immense. In the wake of the devastating floods in September, which also wrecked the state’s cricketing infrastructure, J&K have been forced to play all their eight matches away from home. Last year the home advantage was crucial as J&K won three out of the four home matches. This time they are slotted in Group A, effectively the group of death, where virtually every opponent will fancy making the quarter-finals stage.With such a hard task at hand, J&K will need everyone to contribute. In the last two years at least they have always relied upon the trio of allrounders in Parvez Rasool, Samiullah Beigh and Ram Dayal – the core strength and stability of the team. But J&K need more players, especially in the top and middle order, to stand strong and share the workload.In Sunil Joshi, their new coach, J&K have found the right taskmaster. Joshi, the former Karnataka and India left-arm spinner, is known for his hard-as-nails approach towards work ethic. Joshi is a soft-spoken man, but extremely positive and tough. Having spent just a month with the team, Joshi has already laid out a road map, starting with a 12-day conditioning, fitness and skills camp in Nagpur, which players confessed was strenuous. If they want to play among men, though, J&K must grow up fast.Player to watch

Umar Nazir: Tall and well-built, Nazir, a 21-year-old from Pulwama, can generate a lot of pace. He can move ball both ways, with his stock ball being the outswinger. He showed promise in his previous first-class match, only his third – the Ranji quarter-finals last year where he picked up a four-wicket haul in the first-innings, rattling the Punjab middle order.Mehjoor Ali: Tall like Nazir at 6’2″, Mehjoor’s strength is also raw pace. He has a high-arm action, hits the deck hard, and is able to make the ball bounce from awkward lengths, something the Delhi pair of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir found hard to tackle recently in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.Teamspeak
“Our challenge going to be playing bigger teams. Performing against the big teams will add value not only to J&K cricket, but also highlight a player’s talent. We are here to play well. We are here to compete.” Sunil Joshi, newly installed J&K coach, declares the team’s intent at the outset of the new season.

Baroda



By Rachna ShettyDeepak Hooda has had an impressive year with the bat and ball in the Under-19 World Cup and Vijay Hazare Trophy•ICCWhere they finished last season
Mid-table in Group B with three wins and four losses in eight games.Big Picture
Like last season, Baroda will once again start their Ranji Trophy campaign against Bengal. They will, however, hope the similarities end there, because results like last season could leave them stranded towards the bottom of the table, in a group that is probably one of the toughest they have played in recent times.Coach Tushar Arothe has said that one of the first things the team will need to do is find the right home surfaces early on. Arothe hopes that more balanced pitches will help the Baroda batsmen find their groove early, unlike last season in which regular collapses in their initial home games brought the track under scrutiny.A large share of the batting responsibilities will once again rest on the shoulders of openers Saurabh Wakaskar and Aditya Waghmode, who has been named captain.Baroda’s bowling is expected to be led by Munaf Patel, and they have strengthened their spin reserves by recalling left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh, who made his first-class debut for Baroda at the age of 14. Swapnil’s last first-class match was in 2011. Irfan Pathan, who played three games as a batsman last season, is still regaining his fitness and could be a part of the side as the tournament progresses.Player to watch

India Under-19 allrounder Deepak Hooda is an exciting prospect for Baroda this season. He was impressive during the Under-19 World Cup in February this year, finishing second on the list of run-scorers and wicket-takers in the Indian side. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he topped both the runs and the wickets tables for Baroda with 202 runs and 10 wickets in four games.Teamspeak
“We found out our drawbacks from last season. The first games we played on a turning track, which wasn’t very good because the batsmen needed confidence. For Bengal, we have prepared a good track.” Coach Tushar Arothe

Gujarat



By Vishal DikshitWhere they finished last season
Fourth in Group A, behind Karnataka, Punjab and Mumbai. Were fourth in Group A in 2012-13 as well.Big PictureGujarat narrowly missed out on qualifying for the knockouts in the last two seasons. The season before that, 2011-12, they had finished last in Group B of the Elite league. The team has taken massive strides since then without experienced players like Niraj Patel, Bhavik Thaker and Siddharth Trivedi. Parthiv Patel, the Gujarat captain, calls it the “transition phase.”They are driven more by youngsters now, such as Akshar Patel, Manpreet Juneja, Smit Patel, among others. Akshar’s match-winning 64 in the Deodhar Trophy semi-final and regular wickets against Sri Lanka in the ODIs emphasised that his performance in the IPL was not a flash in the pan. Their other promising youngsters are pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Rush Kalaria, opener Priyank Panchal, and Smit, who would want to carry his strong run from Vijay Hazare Trophy to Ranji Trophy.They have bolstered their spin department with Ramesh Powar after losing Rakesh Dhurv to Vidarbha, and their batting will be led by veterans Parthiv and Venugopal Rao, just like last season. Their weakness would be their pace attack which lacks the experience their batsmen possess.Gujarat’s next aim would be to at least make the knockouts this season. They are in the relatively easier Group B.Player to Watch
Twenty-nine wickets in seven matches in last season’s Ranji Trophy, 17 in this year’s IPL, ODI debut in June, and the leading wicket-taker against Sri Lanka in ODIs. Akshar Patel, who called himself a batting allrounder recently, will be Gujarat’s trump card. However, if he is selected for the ODI tri-series in Australia in January, Gujarat will have to make do without him for their last four matches in January and February.Teamspeak
“For me, the past two seasons were about transition. We were rebuilding the team, giving chance to youngsters while phasing out senior players who had failed to deliver. The transition is over now. It is time to deliver.” Vijay Patel, the Gujarat coach.

The issue is thought to be a virus or bug rather than food poisoning, as half of England’s playing squad in Pakistan falls ill

Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Nov-2022England and Pakistan officials are in discussions about a possible 24-hour delay to the first Test in Pakistan, after 13 to 14 members of the England squad – including half the 16-man playing pool – were struck down by illness on Wednesday.The issue is thought to be a virus or bug rather than food poisoning, with England taking particular care over what they eat with the help of a chef, Omar Meziane, who has travelled with the team for this tour. However, on Tuesday, some players reported feeling unwell and were told to stay in their rooms to limit the risk of spreading the virus.Ben Stokes, England captain, and James Anderson are understood to be two of those affected. Jack Leach, who lives with Crohn’s disease and takes immunosuppressant medication, which weakens his immune system, is suffering from symptoms but is said to be fine. Joe Root had symptoms on Tuesday but recovered well enough to train on Wednesday. Likewise, Mark Wood, who was already set to miss the first Test through injury, has shown signs of improvement after missing training on Tuesday and being confined to his room.Related

• Morning decision for Rawalpindi Test as sickness bug disrupts England plans

• McCullum: 'We'll be pushing for results'

• Anderson feels the rare thrill of the unknown

• England in Pakistan: A history of controversy

An ECB spokesperson confirmed that the illnesses were not Covid-19 related, with players experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea. There is a hope the virus passes in 24 hours, though with the first of the three-match series due to begin in Rawalpindi on Thursday, England’s chances of getting off to a strong start have been severely hampered.Root, speaking to the media on Wednesday, acknowledged that discussions were underway about a rearranged start to the match, with officials from the two boards – PCB chairman Ramiz Raja, and the ECB’s Rob Key and Neil Snowball – meeting to consider all options. A final decision is expected to rest with the England team doctors, who are due to assess the players by 8am local time, two hours before the scheduled start of play.With the hours of play already cramped by the fast-setting winter sun, a delayed start to Thursday’s play has already been ruled out. The playing conditions for the World Test Championship require all matches to be staged across a five-day window, therefore ICC dispension will be required if the game is to be rearranged as a four-day Test. However, an ECB spokesperson confirmed that play would not have got underway in the current circumstances.”It is unfortunate we are in this situation, but we don’t think it is food-related,” Root said. “I don’t think there is any correlation between the two and in fact the chef is ill as well, so I don’t think it is the food.”The thing is we have been trying to bring a chef away with us for a couple of years now. This is the first opportunity we have had to do it. Look at all the other international sporting teams around, even Premier League and Championship teams have their own chef, so we think from a nutrition and performance side of things, we are trying to do everything we can to optimise ourselves and be in the right position to perform.”Joe Root talks to media ahead of the First Test in Rawalpindi•Getty Images

Apart from Root, only Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook of the players named in the starting XI, and Keaton Jennings trained at the ground on Wednesday in a session that was anyway optional before the bug spread. The team named by Stokes on Tuesday, with a debut for Liam Livingstone and a return to the fold for opener Ben Duckett, may now have a very different look.”There’s going to have to be Marcus Trescothick, Rob Key and Brendon McCullum as the new top three for tomorrow,” Root joked. “As far as I’m aware there are a few guys not feeling 100 percent but – I didn’t feel great yesterday but I woke up better today – so hopefully it’s just a 24-hour virus and I don’t think it’s food poisoning or Covid or anything like that.”I think it’s just one of those things that we’ve unfortunately picked up as a group – we’ve tried to do absolutely everything, we’ve prepared really well for this game and sometimes life throws things at you but we’ll do everything we can to be right tomorrow and be right and ready to go.”Asked if he believed everyone will be fit for selection come Thursday morning, Root said: “It’s hard to say, I’ve not seen anyone this morning, we’ve literally got straight on the bus so the guys will do everything we can to be right in that aspect, so time will tell really.”The outbreak has taken place at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, where both England and Pakistan have been staying along with members of the UK media. England have taken over a wing of the second floor and an executive lounge on the sixth floor, which is operating as their team room. They have not been restricted in their movements around the hotel, beyond being able to leave the heavily-guarded 14-acre complex.