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The Pakistan Cricket Board has allotted more than Rs 500 million to upgrade the facilities at the three Champions Trophy venues

03-Aug-2008
Rs 240 million will be spent on upgrading the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium alone © Cricinfo Ltd
The Pakistan Cricket Board has allotted more than Rs 500 million to upgrade the facilities at the three Champions Trophy venues – Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore – ahead of September’s Champions Trophy, despite security fears over the tournament.”We are putting our best foot forward,” Mansur Sohail, PCB’s media chief, told the . “Whether its security arrangements or upgrading the facilities, nothing is being left to chance. We are confident of delivering a successful Champions Trophy to the cricket world and all possible steps are being taken to ensure it.”In 2006, Pakistan won the bid to host the Champions Trophy and decided to upgrade and expand the facilities at three of its major cricketing centres for the tournament last year.While the National Stadium in Karachi didn’t need any major changes, a lot of construction and renovation work had to be carried out at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.A total of Rs 240 million will be spent at Rawalpindi alone. Though a Test venue, it hasn’t staged an international match since December 2006. At the Gaddafi Stadium, the board will spend Rs 210 million. “The Gaddafi Stadium’s seating capacity will be raised by 6500 for the Champions Trophy,” Mansur said.The PCB had given six months to the contractors to finish work at the two venues and is now expecting the facilities to be fully ready at least ten days before the start of the tournament, which runs between September 12 and 28.

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left fuming at a referee decision in their 0-0 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion in a friendly on Saturday evening.

Ianis Hagi thought that he had scored late on in the second half, only for the referee to bring the play back for an alleged foul on Yves Bissouma.

Steven Gerrard’s men more than held their own against the Premier League outfit, as new signing John Lundstram hit the crossbar as the Gers threatened to go ahead on more than one occasion in the first half (The Daily Mail).

Even though it was just a pre-season friendly, it would have been a very good result if the Ibrox faithful managed to beat the Seagulls, but in the end, they had to settle for a draw.

Nonetheless, a lot of RFC supporters were not happy at all with the decision to chalk Hagi’s goal off.

Rangers fans on disallowed goal

These Rangers fans slammed the decision to disallow Hagi’s goal on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was a ‘terrible decision’:

“That’s the worst dive I’ve ever seen”

Credit: @666lucifxr

“Terrible decision by the ref! Goal all day”

Credit: @mjh1977

“Never a foul, we got robbed”

Credit: @Justin83517287

“That’s poor”Credit: @JamieGirdwood”Scottish officials are embarrassing”Credit: @EverySaturdayWe”No way is that a foul”Credit: @RangersCentral3In other news, find out what big claim has been dropped on this ‘top-quality’ Ger here!

Having missed the majority of last season through injury, the EFL insider reckons that Charlton would be a good move for Dujon Sterling to get his career back on track.

The Chelsea youngster was a regular for Coventry in League One in 2018-2019, although the right-back’s previous two seasons have halted his development.

12 months later, Sterling spent the campaign with Wigan, featuring just eight times, before failing to play a single first-team match last season – with his only game-time coming for Chelsea Under-23s.

However, Sterling is now back fit, and according to Football.London, has impressed Thomas Tuchel and has been promoted to gain valuable experience by training with Chelsea’s first-team in pre-season.

Sterling will be hoping to continue catching the German’s eye ahead of the new Premier League season, but a third EFL loan spell could be the most likely next step for the 21-year-old as he continues his development.

Charlton already have two experienced right-backs in Adam Matthews and Chris Gunter, but the EFL spy exclusively told Football FanCast that a move to The Valley could get Sterling’s career on track:

“Dujon Sterling of Chelsea would also fit the bill after a bad injury, and he still needs game time before moving on again.

“He needs to hit the ground running with this move after he was hammered a bit over the last season. He’s attack-minded and will excite fans.”

MatériaMais Notícias

A polêmica do ‘caso Victor Ramos’, que movimentou o noticiário esportivo no final de 2016, ganhou um novo episódio nesta segunda-feira. Segundo o clube gaúcho, o Tribunal Arbitral do Esporte (TAS), que tem sede em Lausanne, na Suíça, atendeu ao pedido da diretoria do clube e marcou o julgamento para o dia 4 de abril.

Coincidentemente, a data é a mesma do aniversário de 108 anos do Internacional e tem a aprovação da diretoria colorada, já que é antes do início do Brasileirão, seja da Série A ou B.

Dependendo do resultado, o time gaúcho pode se salvar do rebaixamento e empurrar o Leão para a segundona. Se o Vitória for punido no TAS, uma outra confusão entra em campo: o Estatuto do Torcedor prevê que o regulamento de uma competição seja registrada com até 60 dias de antecedência.

A principal competição de clubes do Brasil começa no dia 13/5.O Colorado já tentou recorrer à CBF e ao STJD, em vão. O Tribunal, aliás, sequer aceitou o pedido do Inter para o julgamento do Vitória.

O clube gaúcho tenta provar no Tribunal a suposta escalação irregular do zagueiro Victor Ramos, ex-Vitória, durante jogos do Campeonato Brasileiro da última temporada. Com este processo, a intenção é conseguir uma vitória jurídica visando a anulação do rebaixamento colorado à Série B.

RELEMBRE

​A denúncia por parte do Internacional está relacionada à transferência de Victor Ramos, ex-jogador do Palmeiras, para o Vitória. Na ocasião, o atleta estava emprestado ao Verdão pelo Monterrey, do México, e, quando acertou com o Rubro-Negro, procedimentos da negociação não seguiram as recomendações do TMS, sigla que remete ao Sistema de Mercado de Transferências.

O Internacional ainda alegou a que o registro do jogador foi feito de forma irregular, porque o empréstimo de Victor Ramos do Monterrey para o Vitória aconteceu como se fosse transferência nacional, já que o Certificado de Transferência Internacional (ITC, sigla em inglês) estava ainda no Brasil, uma vez que, na ocasião, o defensor defendia o Palmeiras.

O time gaúcho, que brigava com o Vitória contra o rebaixamento, trouxe o caso à tona, mesmo com o assunto tendo sido “enterrado” no começo do ano passado, quando o Bahia também questionou a condição de jogo de Victor Ramos.

O Colorado juntou um documento no STJD alegando má fé do Leão. O Inter também pediu a perda de pontos da equipe baiana no Brasileiro. A procuradoria do STJD ouviu as partes envolvidas, inclusive a CBF, e concluiu que não havia irregularidade. O caso chegou ao conhecimento da Fifa, que também deu aval ao Vitória para continuar escalando Victor Ramos.

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Glasgow Celtic have been dealt a huge blow to their chances of bringing Kaoru Mitoma to Parkhead this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Tokyo Sports (via Sport Witness), who claim that Brighton & Hove Albion are in the process of finalising a deal for the Kawasaki Frontale winger ahead of a move to the American Express Community Stadium this summer.

A source close to the player told Tokyo Sports: “I heard that it was decided to go to the Premier League.”

The report then goes on to mention Celtic’s interest in the 24-year-old, with new manager Ange Postecoglou believed to be a fan of Mitoma’s following his own time in Japan while in charge of Yokohama F. Marinos.

However, with Brighton all but confirming the transfer of the Japan U23 this summer, the Celtic boss will now have to turn his attention elsewhere in the summer transfer market.

Ange will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Mitoma has been for Kawasaki Frontale in recent seasons, the fact that Celtic look to have missed out on the signing of the winger is sure to have left Postecoglou gutted.

Indeed, in the 2020 J1 League, the 24-year-old scored a whopping 13 goals, registered 12 assists and created 13 big chances over his 30 appearances, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots and making 1.5 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £1.62m-rated man earn a rather extraordinary seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.29, ranking him as not only the fourth-best performer for Kawasaki Frontale but the ninth-best player in the league as a whole – playing a key role in his team setting a record points tally, as well as securing the earliest title win in the league’s history.

The man Juco James dubbed a “creative” player has continued his fine form over his 20 J1 League appearances this season, scoring eight goals, providing three assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.17.

As such, it would very much appear as if the signing of Mitoma would have been a considerable coup for Celtic this summer, with the Japanese youngster seeming to have the talent to provide the Bhoys with a real shot of retaining their Scottish Premiership crown next season.

However, with a deal for the 24-year-old now appearing dead in the water, Postecoglou must find another target this summer who could help relight the fire at Parkhead next season.

In other news: Celtic set to offer deal to “unbelievable” gem compared to Messi, fans will be buzzing

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will have to fork out more than $500 000 in refunds if the murky weather that has hovered over Jamaica for the last three days completely ruins the first of this weekend’s back-to-back Cable & Wireless One-Day

Haydn Gill25-May-2002The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will have to fork out more than $500 000 in refunds if the murky weather that has hovered over Jamaica for the last three days completely ruins the first of this weekend’s back-to-back Cable & Wireless One-Day Internationals between West Indies and India.With no significant rain between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. yesterday, during which there was a big mop-up operation at Sabina Park, there was increasing optimism of getting a match, even if it meant having some alterations.The general consensus, however, is that any overnight or early morning rain will prevent any possibility of play.In the event that less than 10 overs are possible, most of the almost 11 000 fans who have purchased tickets will be refunded, WICB marketing manager for events and promotions, Darren Millien, confirmed.Since 1999 the WICB has taken out refund insurance for instances like this where there is a threat of rain and patrons will be refunded the full value of the ticket that was purchased, Millien said.It translates to a 100 per cent refund in the event of 10 overs or less, 50 per cent in the event of 15 overs or less. As long as there are more than 25 overs, the refund policy wouldn’t kick-in, but anything less than that there is either going to be a partial or total refund of the face value of the ticket.Millien also revealed that a capacity Sabina brings in gate receipts of just under US$300 000, and at least 80 per cent of the ground had been sold out by yesterday afternoon.The popular Mound, which accommodates 1 200 spectators who each pay US$55 entry fee, was completely sold out, while the big George Headley Stand had accounted for all but 200 of its 5 700 seats which are available at US$40 each.Even if the WICB has to refund patrons, it will not lose out completely on revenue because of the refund insurance policy.Insurance never really puts you back to the original position. In other words, you are not 100 per cent indemnified, but we do recover some of the monies that would have been lost by way of gate receipts in the event of rain, Millien added.There were suggestions in some quarters to put back the weekend’s double-header to tomorrow and Monday, but logistical problems, among other things, quickly dismissed the thought.When we did a cost benefit, the costs were adding up to ridiculous amounts. We decided that we were going to have to take our chances with Saturday and Sunday, proceed as planned and hope that the weather co-operates, Millien said.The WICB marketing manager was speaking late yesterday evening before International Cricket Council match referee Mike Proctor, along with umpires David Shepherd, Russel Tiffin, Eddie Nicholls and Billy Doctrove inspected the ground, which had improved significantly over 24 hours.It still remained somewhat wet under footing and the cause was not helped by a lack of sunshine on a highly overcast day that was to be extended for the increased 16-member ground staff, headed by Charlie Joseph.What we intend to do tonight (last night) is work whole night again like what we did last (Thursday) night until tomorrow (this) morning, Joseph said.We are hoping that we still get the breeze. If we get rain, we have some house tents to put on.The torrential rain, caused by a cold front which extends to beyond Cuba in the north, has already prompted officials to use the pitch that was used for the fifth Test which ended on Wednesday.The decision was influenced by the fact that the steady, heavy rain since the Test ended, made it impossible to begin early preparations of the strip that was intended to be used for the limited-overs matches.Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) chief executive officer Brian Breese disclosed that another option being considered is to bring in the boundaries in the area of the practice pitches in the eastern section of the ground. They have been under the covers since Wednesday.We’ve made significant progress on the pitches. They have now decided that they are going to play on the Test pitch. That has been rolled. The outfield has been cut and I think we’re in shape to start a match, maybe not on time, but certainly we should get a match in tomorrow (today), Breese said.The JCA chief executive was also hoping to have the services of a helicopter to assist with the drying process, but that did not materialise by late evening.

Michael Ball insists that Everton need to appoint a manager who is in it for the long haul amid their chaotic hunt for a new boss.

The Toffees have yet to appoint a replacement for Carlo Ancelotti, who has left to join Real Madrid.

They have been linked with a number of new managers, notably the former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez.

However, a report from talkSPORT earlier this week suggested that talks had quietened down amid a serious backlash from fans.

Duncan Ferguson remains Ball’s preferred choice to take the role at Goodison Park but he is insistent that whomever it may be that takes the reins, they need to ensure that they can stay with the club for the next five years.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Ball said: “We need a manager who is going to be at the football club for the next three, four, five years minimum, to improve us year on year.

“We know it’s not going to be a quick fix in every summer window, so I feel Duncan or a young manager who is going to be here for the future of Everton football club is the one that Moshiri needs to start looking at.”

In addition to Benitez, Everton have also been linked with a potential move to appoint the former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Les Reed told Football FanCast that Daniel Levy would not be scared to appoint Scott Parker as the next Tottenham manager.

The Spurs chairman is reportedly a fan of the Fulham boss, and has been watching his progress at Craven Cottage over recent months.

Parker might have two relegations on his CV but has produced some impressive work in west London despite his failure to guide the Cottagers to Premier League safety this season.

At one stage, his Fulham side looked good to avoid the drop, but two points from their previous 10 matches saw them made an immediate return to the Championship.

Those two points came at Old Trafford and the Emirates, whilst Fulham’s last league victory came at Anfield, proof that Parker can rub it with the best.

High-profile names like Mauricio Pochettino and Antonio Conte appear ahead of Parker in the pecking order to replace Jose Mourinho, but Reed exclusively told Football FanCast that Fulham’s struggle this season won’t put off Levy:

“I could see Daniel putting faith in Scott Parker.

“Daniel is brave, so I could see him not worrying about Fulham, but looking at how did Fulham play? They got off to a bad start, what changes did he make? He changed the entire back four. I think he would look at that and say ‘he’s not afraid of making decisions’.

“All of those things will be really positive because he was a popular player, popular coach and did really well, which is why Daniel was comfortable with Ryan Mason holding the reins.”

Birmingham City are interested in a deal to bring Kyle Lafferty to St. Andrew’s this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football League World, who claim that Lee Bowyer’s side are just one of a number of Championship clubs considering a move for the centre-forward in the upcoming transfer window.

The 33-year-old looks set to become available on a free transfer at the end of the month, following the expiry of his contract with Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock.

Big mistake

Despite the fact that Lafferty turned in a number of impressive performances for Tommy Wright’s side last season, scoring eight goals, providing two assists and averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.66 over his nine Premiership appearances, there are a number of reasons why Bowyer should avoid a move for the former Rangers striker this summer.

Firstly, Lafferty has not scored 10 or more league goals since the 2017/18 campaign with Heart of Midlothian, in which he managed 12 strikes over 35 appearances.

In fact, he has only actually achieved this feat on two other occasions in his career – scoring 11 goals over 31 appearances for Gers in 2010/11 and 11 goals in 34 Serie B fixtures for Palermo in 2013/14.

As such, despite the fact that the Northern Ireland international is very much an out and out forward, his return of goals over the course of his career has been somewhat disappointing.

Secondly, with Lafferty taking home a considerable wage of £3k-per-week at Kilmarnock, following his decent run of form, the 33-year-old is likely to demand a significant increase to this figure if he were to sign for a Championship club, particularly if the number of clubs interested in his services reported by Football League World is accurate.

Indeed, the BBC recently reported that the striker wanted wages “four times higher” than he was currently taking home at Rugby Park in order to stay on at the club next season.

Finally, with the £360k-rated man – whom Phil Parkinson previously dubbed a “danger” – very much heading into the twilight of his career, there would appear to be very little resale value in signing the forward, as well as the fact his abilities as a footballer will already be on the decline.

As such, it would seem highly advisable for Bowyer to turn his attention away from Lafferty this summer in order to concentrate his efforts on bringing in talent with a considerably brighter future than the veteran striker.

In other news: BCFC dealt transfer blow over “frightening” 22 G/A dynamo that’ll leave Bowyer gutted

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo divulgou nesta terça-feira a numeração oficial que será utilizada na disputa da Florida Cup, nos EUA. Os números devem ser mantidos para o restante da temporada. O meia peruano Cueva foi confirmado com a camisa 10, vaga desde a saída do meia Paulo Henrique Ganso no meio do ano passado. Recém-contratados, Sidão usará o número 12, Neilton o 7, Cícero o 8 e Wellington Nem a 21. O Tricolor estreia no torneio na quinta-feira, contra o River Plate (ARG), às 22h (horário de Brasília).

Promovidos recentemente de Cotia, os garotos também estão com a numeração definida na Florida Cup: Foguete (13), Junior Tavares (16), Thiago Couto (24), Araruna (28) e Shaylon (30). O volante Wellington, que em 2016 usou o número 37, usará a camisa 6, que era de Carlinhos, de saída do clube. Já Lucas Fernandes trocou a 29 pela 20, que pertencia a Jean Carlos, cedido ao Goiás.

Vale lembrar que o goleiro Renan Ribeiro, lesionado, não disputará a competição, mas seguirá com o número 22. Por fim, o zagueiro Lyanco e o atacante David Neres também não reforçam o Tricolor nos Estados Unidos pois estão com a Seleção Brasileira Sub-20 no Sul-Americano da categoria. Em 2016, a dupla utilizou os números 19 e 14, respectivamente, e deve manter este ano.

O São Paulo ainda pretende anunciar um centroavante, típico camisa 9 para o restante da temporada. Há esperança pelo argentino Calleri, que foi artilheiro do time no ano passado vestindo a camisa 12. O grupo de investidores que bancou a saída do jogador do Boca Juniors (ARG) no início do ano passado, no entanto, não quer que o atacante do West Ham (ING) retorne ao Brasil agora.

Confira abaixo a numeração do São Paulo para a Florida Cup:

1-Denis
2-Bruno
3-Rodrigo Caio
4-Lucão
5-Lugano
6-Wellington
7-Neilton
8-Cícero
9-Chavez
10-Cueva
11-Wesley
12-Sidão
13-Foguete
15-João Schmidt
16-Junior Tavares
17-Gilberto
18-Buffarini
20-Lucas Fernandes
21-Wellington Nem
23-Thiago Mendes
24-Thiago Couto
26-Douglas
27-Maicon
28-Araruna
30-Shaylon
31-Luiz Araújo
33-Breno

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