All posts by h716a5.icu

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left buzzing as some early team news has emerged ahead of their Old Firm clash next month.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match at home to Dundee United this afternoon, Giovanni van Bronckhorst has now revealed that any players that are set to represent their countries at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in January will be available for their game away at Celtic on the 2nd before being released.

The likes of Leon Balogun, Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo could well be called up to the Nigeria squad for the tournament, which kicks off a week later on the 9th.

All three have made at least 18 appearances in total over all competitions so far this season for the Ibrox faithful, and so are all important members of the squad.

Thus, having them available for potentially their biggest game of the season against their bitter rivals, given their positions in the Scottish Premiership table, would be a big boost to their chances of winning.

Rangers fans on team news

These Teddy Bears supporters buzzed as the team news was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it is ‘brilliant’:

“Superb news especially with the way Aribo and Bassey are playing right now.”

Credit: @NYCRFC

“There’s some brilliant news for your Friday afternoon”

Credit: @OhItsSteely

“Superb news!”

Credit: @sayersy1872

“Smashing news”

Credit: @swigalot

“Huge news”

Credit: @rossco2586

“Absolutely fantastic words from the man himself”

Credit: @rossco72_

In other news, find out which loanee is now set to return to RFC here!

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has dropped a promising injury update concerning Kyogo Furuhashi.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by The Scottish Sun, the Bhoys boss revealed that, despite being brought off due to a knock after just 15 minutes of Sunday’s fixture against St. Johnstone, the 26-year-old centre-forward’s injury does not look to be anything serious.

Speaking about the hamstring strain suffered by the Japan international, Postecoglou briefly said: “He will be fine.”

Celtic fans will be buzzing

Considering just how important a part of the Celtic side Kyogo has become since his £4.6m move to Glasgow earlier this year, the news that the centre-forward does not look as if he will be ruled out for any real length of time is sure to have left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 14 Premiership appearances this term, the £1.8m-rated forward has already bagged eight goals, registered two assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.1 key passes and taking 2.1 shots per game.

These returns have seen the £18k-per-week man average a SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Postecoglou’s 11th-best player in the top flight of Scottish football – of those who remain in the 56-year-old’s first-team squad.

The 26-year-old hitman has also scored a further eight goals and provided three assists over 12 fixtures in the Europa League, Europa League qualifying and the League Cup, taking his total to 16 goals and five assists in 26 appearances for the club.

As such, it is clear for all to see that it is undoubtedly a case of the sooner Kyogo recovers the better for Celtic, meaning Postecoglou’s latest update regarding the striker’s injury is certainly fantastic news for everyone involved with the Hoops.

In other news: Game-changer: Huge Celtic injury update emerges that will leave Postecoglou buzzing

These are the ten references Lalit Modi made to the show cause notice (slapped by the board on him on April 26), and for which he has requested documentary proof from the BCCI that would enable him to shore up his defence

Cricinfo staff11-May-2010Lalit Modi has requested the BCCI for documentary proof relating to the charges levelled against him•AFPLalit Modi: Page 1, Para 2- I have been charged that IPLcontracts have been executed by me without the authority of thegoverning council, but no copies of the agreements have been provided.N Srinivasan: Page 1, para 2A reading of the show cause noticewould establish that the Governing Council of the IPL authorized thesigning of an agreement with the successful franchise ‘Emerging Media(IPL) Limited’ and not ‘Jaipur IPL Cricket (Pvt) Limited’. This isclear from page 5 of the show cause notice. Similarly, the agreementsand cancellation documents referred from para 3 till para 8 on pages17, 18 and 19 of the show cause notice were without approval of theGoverning Council. This fact is mentioned in para 9 of the show causenotice at page 20.Modi: Page 1, Para 3- I have been charged with tarnishing BCCI’simage through my statements in the media and alleged misdeeds, butit’s not substantiated with proof.Srinivasan: These communications received by the BCCI Presidentfrom Senior officers, Committee members and others expressing theirconcern about tarnishing the image of the BCCI and the game of cricketwere all oral communications. I am sure that even you would have beenconcerned at the adverse image suffered by the BCCI and the game ofcricket on account of the media reports which had appeared at the timeof issuance of the show cause notice.Modi: Page 2 Para 2- If any written record of consultationexists, please provide me with the same.Srinivasan: The consultation referred to in the paragraph withthe BCCI President was oral. There is no written record of theconsultation.Modi: Page 2, Para 1- The show cause states I have proxy stakein 3 IPL franchisees, but there are no copies of such reports.Srinivasan The reports which suggest that you have proxy stakesin the three franchisees of the IPL had all appeared in the media,particularly in the electronic media. I am sure you have also seensuch reports. The BCCI does not maintain a record of these mediareports.Modi: Page 5 Para 4- your notice refers to the ‘register ofmembers of Jaipur IPL cricket Pvt Ltd. Please supply me with a copy of thesame.Srinivasan: The Register of members of the Jaipur IPL Pvt.Limited will be supplied.Modi: Page 6 Para 5- you stated that details have been gatheredfrom documents apparently submitted by the Franchisee subsequent tothe agreement. Kindly provide me with copies of such document.Srinivasan: Details which have been gathered from documentssubmitted by the franchise subsequent to the agreement will besupplied.Modi: Page 11- Show cause states that subtle messages were sentto corporate entities that they were unwelcome to bid. But no names orcopies of messages have been provided.Srinivasan: It was brought to the notice of the BCCI by areliable source that such messages were given to him. Since thiscommunication was privileged and confidential, the name of the personis being held up. This information was provided orally.Modi: Page 15- It has been stated the Kochi contract had to besigned under a directive of the BCCI president. But, no copies of thewritten directive exist.Srinivasan: President BCCI on hearing that there was a delay inexecuting the contract with the Kochi franchise, orally informed you,Ms. Akhila Kaushik and Shri Sundar Raman that this was completelyunfair and he wanted the contract to be signed and executed forthwith.This communication was given to you orally on telephone.Modi: Page 27- You have stated that MOU with LCM dealt withrights already committed to Nimbus with who BCCI has an ongoingcontract. Provide me the agreement between BCCI-Nimbus.Srinivasan: The copy of the agreement between Nimbus and BCCIwill be supplied.Modi: Page 27, Para 2- you have referred to objection raised byNimbus, supple (sic) me with copy of the same and the BCCI reply.Srinivasan: Copies of the letter written by Nimbus will be supplied.

As well as sitting in eighth place in the Premier League table and beating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford in their previous match, Wolves have been rather busy in terms of transfer business this month by recalling Dion Sanderson and Ryan Giles from their loan deals, as well as signing midfielder Hayao Kawabe, showing that things are going quite well for Bruno Lage and his side at the moment.

However, one factor at Wolves that could be cause for concern at the moment is the current situation regarding winger Adama Traore.

With his contract set to expire in the summer of 2023, there have been previous reports suggesting that efforts from the Old Gold to get him to sign a new deal have been unsuccessful.

Now that recent transfer links have emerged suggesting that fellow Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur could make a move for him, this has thrown his immediate future at Molineux into question.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Pete O’Rourke had this to say about Traore’s current situation at the Midlands club and what the future could hold for him, which some fans may not be happy to hear.

He said: “He’s refusing to sign a new deal at Wolves, so that might force them to sell Traore this summer.

“They might need that money to strengthen the squad elsewhere.”

Since joining the Midlands club back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Championship club Middlesbrough in a deal worth a reported fee of £18m, the Spaniard has gone on to make 151 appearances in a Wolves shirt across all competitions, scoring 10 goals and providing 18 assists along the way.

Now that O’Rourke has claimed that Traore has no intention of signing a new deal at Molineux, it could be worth them cashing in on him either in the current January window if Spurs are willing to offer a suitable fee for his services, or even in the next summer window if Lage doesn’t want to lose one of his attacking players midway through the season.

Either way, it’s not worth keeping hold of a player that doesn’t want to be at the club and making extra efforts to change his mind.

In other news: Forget Saiss: Lage could save Shi millions by unleashing Wolves’ 22 y/o “Rolls Royce” – opinion

Mexico beat Costa Rica by three wickets with more than 14 overs to spare in the opening game of the Americas Division Four tournament in Mexico City on Sunday

Tony Munro15-Jun-2010
ScorecardMexico beat Costa Rica by three wickets with more than 14 overs to spare in the opening game of the Americas Division Four tournament in Mexico City on Monday.This was despite the efforts of Man-of-the-Match, Ben Smith, who hit 104 from 127 balls to provide the base for Costa Rica’s 186 from 46.5 overs. Smith struck two sixes and 12 boundaries in his stay which lasted for all but the first four balls of the Costa Rican innings. Smith entered in the first over when Barry Ashworth was bowled, and flourished while all around him succumbed to Tushar Gupta (5 for 32) and Tarun Sharma (2 for 28 from 10 overs).At one stage, Costa Rica were 13 for 4 and then 41 for 5 before Richard Illingworth and Sam Arthur survived long enough with Smith to enable 34 for the sixth wicket and 47 for the seventh wicket to be added. Garth Tweedale (10) and David Crisp (11) were the only batsmen apart from Smith to reach double figures, however their contributions and 36 wides were enough for Costa Rica to reach 186 from 46.5 overs.Mexico began their run chase in an attacking mindset, notching 59 in nine overs before losing James Garrity who was bowled after hitting 34 in 30 balls including five fours. When Tarundeep Singh was caught by Ashworth for a solid 33, Mexico were 91 for 3 after 17 overs – on target in terms of run-rate but in need of a partnership of substance.That came from Tarun Sharma (45 from 58 balls including a six and four boundaries) who put on 51 with Theodore Wucherpfennig (14). Cameos from Hugh van Belle (14 from 13 balls) and Roger Sherman (23 from 21 balls) allowed Mexico to ease home with 14.5 overs to spare. Tim Baker was Costa Rica’s main wicket-taker, removing Mexico’s first three in returning 3 for 43.On Tuesday, Falkland Islands play their first match against Costa Rica.

An exciting update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Tottenham forward Steven Bergwijn…

What’s the talk?

According to 90min journalist Graeme Bailey, the Magpies are keen on a deal to sign the Netherlands international this month if an opportunity presents itself. The attacker is not happy with his situation in north London and the Toon could swoop in to rescue his season.

He tweeted: “Newcastle United interested in Steven Bergwijn – if he is available. Ajax have also keen on potential loan – player would like more playing time, but it remains to be seen if Antonio Conte will let him out in January.”

This comes amid rumours of a move for Chris Wood, who the Toon are believed to be close to signing.

Newcastle’s next Kluivert

Eddie Howe could land his own Patrick Kluivert for Newcastle by signing another Dutch beast in the January transfer window.

Kluivert, a Champions League winner with Ajax, scored 13 goals in 37 games for the Magpies and found the back of the net five times in six UEFA Cup outings. He scored 122 goals in 257 matches for Barcelona and 40 in 79 caps for the Netherlands, highlighting the immense career he enjoyed, including a fine spell on Tyneside.

Bergwijn could come in and have a similar impact at St James’ Park if he is able to find his best form. He has produced just five goals and 10 assists in 64 games for Tottenham, but his form for PSV in the Netherlands was exceptional as he scored 31 goals and provided 41 assists in 149 matches in Eindhoven.

In the 2019/20 campaign, he managed 14 goals and 12 assists in the Eredivisie as he showed that he can score and create goals on a regular basis. If Howe can get him to reproduce that form with a move to Newcastle, he could then have a Kluivert of his own at St James’ Park and be able to call upon a player who is capable of winning vital points for the Magpies in the second half of the current campaign.

If Bergwijn is available on a loan deal, then it could be perfect for the Magpies as they would not be burdened by the prospect of paying his wages in the long-term if he flops or if they are relegated to the Championship. This means that it could be an ideal move for Newcastle which makes a lot of sense for all parties involved, and that is why Howe must work hard to ensure that the move gets over the line before the end of the month.

AND in other news, NUFC keen on signing “unstoppable” monster who “has everything”, Howe has found a beast…

In an email, a copy of which is with Cricinfo, Sunil Gavaskar said teams would have the choice of retaining up to seven players, but all the players would still be part of the auction

Nagraj Gollapudi and Tariq Engineer09-Jul-2010IPL governing council member and former Indian captain, Sunil Gavaskar, has suggested a new formula for player retention which envisages the eight original franchises retaining seven of their existing players provided the franchises are willing to bid up to $2 million for them though the player auction.According to Gavaskar, the teams would be able to nominate the players they wish to retain but all the players would be part of the auction, with a cap of $2 million per player. If the price of a player at the auction reached the $2 million limit, the player’s original franchise would have first right of refusal, provided it was one of the bidders.The BCCI empowered a three-man panel comprising Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi to make recommendations on the structure of the league. Gavaskar said the panel agreed that player retention will hurt Pune and Kochi, the two new franchises, but felt the council should abide by an earlier decision that teams could keep four Indian and three overseas players.The spending limit at the auction would be $8 million, which means the franchises would have to think carefully about players they want to retain. In addition, the total number of players in a squad would be capped at 25, with a restriction on matches a single player can play in order to reduce the risk of burnout. “Since a player could only play 14 matches plus the knockouts, a franchise could play five overseas players in four matches, but not in the knockout stage,” Gavaskar said in an email which was sent to the eight captains of the original franchises. The email was not sent to franchise officials or team owners.The details of IPL 2011 have been shrouded in mystery since the suspension of chairman Lalit Modi in April. The franchise owners had met with BCCI president Shashank Manohar and interim IPL chairman Chirayu Amin on June 24 to exchange their views on next year’s event, after which Pataudi, Shastri and Gavaskar had one-one-meetings with the franchise owners about player retention, salary caps and squad sizes. At the meeting, eight of the franchises voiced their opposition to player retention, while Mumbai and Chennai were in favour of keeping players.Gavaskar said these proposals were put to the full council at a meeting on June 25, but no decision was taken. The issue will now be brought up again at the next council meeting in August.

Suspended IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has objected to the presence of Chirayu Amin on the BCCI’s three-man disciplinary committee

Cricinfo staff07-Jul-2010Suspended IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has objected to the presence of Chirayu Amin on the BCCI’s three-man disciplinary committee that will probe the charges against him. This isn’t the first time Modi has demanded a change in the panel – he had asked BCCI president Shashank Manohar to recuse himself from the committee, which Manohar duly did.Amin, who was already a member of the disciplinary committee, was appointed the interim chairman of the IPL following Modi’s suspension in April. At a special general body meeting held this past Saturday, the board voted unanimously to refer Modi’s case to the committee.Following the decision, Modi’s lawyers sent a legal notice to the BCCI, claiming that Amin may have a grudge against their client, and should therefore be replaced on the panel. “It was Modi who had disclosed publicly that Amin was an investor who formed a part of the Pune consortium that made an unsuccessful bid for the two franchises this year,” quotes the notice as saying.According to Modi, Amin was part of a consortium led by Pune-based construction company City Corporation that took part in the auction for the two new teams.However, Manohar disputed Modi’s version of events at the time, saying Amin’s intention was to invest in the consortium only in the event of a successful bid, and that it was Modi who had urged the consortium to contact Amin in the first place. Had City Corporation been successful, Amin would have invested through Glycodin, one of his companies.The other two members of the disciplinary committee are politicians Arun Jaitley, also a lawyer and BCCI vice-president, and Jyotiraditya Scindia, president of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association, who replaced Manohar.Modi has been charged with financial irregularities relating to the bidding process for IPL franchises, the sale of mid-over ads and the sale of theatrical rights. He was also charged with colluding to set up a rebel league in England. Modi has denied all the charges and repeatedly accused Manohar and Srinivasan of harbouring personal grudges against him.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their transfer pursuit of Borussia Monchengladbach’s Alassane Plea.

What’s the talk?

According to French outlet L’Equipe, the Magpies are keen on a deal to sign the attacker to bolster their squad this month.

The report claims that Newcastle have asked Allan Saint-Maximin, who was a teammate of Plea’s at Nice in Ligue 1, for information on the attacker.

Buzzing

Fans will surely be buzzing with this news as it suggests that Eddie Howe is seriously interested in a deal to sign a player who could be a terrific addition to the team.

Although he has not had the best of seasons this term, with three goals in 11 Bundesliga starts, Plea has previously shown how deadly he can be in front of goal at the top level.

He managed 11 goals and four assists domestically and in Europe combined for Gladbach last season, having produced ten strikes and 11 assists in the 2019/20 campaign. The forward also provided 12 goals and four assists in his debut year with the German side, coming off the back of 27 Ligue 1 strikes in his final two seasons for Nice.

Swiss manager Lucien Favre once claimed the gem has “enormous potential” and Plea’s teammate Christoph Kramer said that he “scores out of nothing”.

Dieter Hecking previously praised his ability to find the back of the net, saying: “It’s great that we have a forward who can score goals.

“It’s a bit surprising that he’s already scored two headers. You couldn’t see that from training. Of course it’s quality when he sees situations. I’m very happy with the way he’s progressing.”

His goalscoring prowess is highlighted by his impressive record for Nice and Gladbach over the years and shows why fans will be delighted with this news. He is a goalscorer and has proven that in France and Germany, suggesting that he could come in at St. James’ Park and be able to find the back of the net in the Premier League.

This could, therefore, increase the club’s chances of staving off relegation as his goals could win crucial points for Howe’s side and allow them to crawl out of the bottom three. Therefore, PIF must ensure that they are able to get a deal over the line for Plea to bolster the ex-Bournemouth coach’s squad.

AND in other news, NUFC could finally replace Lascelles with “flawless” £24k-p/w gem, “nothing fazes him”…

Sri Lanka’s attempt to compile a massive first-innings score and pressurize India were put on hold as the entire second day in Galle was washed out due to intermittent showers

Cricinfo staff19-Jul-2010Sri Lanka’s attempt to compile a massive first-innings score and pressurise India was put on hold as the entire second day in Galle was washed out due to intermittent showers. Overnight rain had ensured there was no play possible before lunch, and the conditions deteriorated further with bad light and sporadic downpours. There was a period when the covers came off after a dose of sunshine, but an inspection scheduled for 2.30pm never happened as the rain refused to relent.The hosts had reached a dominant position at the end of the first day, finishing on 256 for 2, with centuries from captain Kumar Sangakkara and opener Tharanga Paranavitana, who is still batting. With Mahela Jayawardene giving Paranavitana company, and Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews and Prasanna Jayawardene to follow, things look bleak for the Indian team. Spectators who had flocked to the Galle International Stadium on the first day in the hope of watching Muttiah Muralitharan bowl in his final Test were made to wait longer. Play is scheduled to resume at 9.30am on Tuesday, weather permitting.