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England’s rookie opener cites influence of “destructive” senior batter

Matt Roller18-Jun-2022Jason Roy will win his 100th ODI cap in Amstelveen on Sunday and there is no clearer embodiment of his influence on a generation of English white-ball batters than his opening partner in this series.Phil Salt, who hit his first international hundred in the first of three ODIs between England and the Netherlands on Friday, was 18 when Roy broke into the England side seven years ago and has clearly taken after him in his approach. “He’s very much in the Jason Roy mould,” Jos Buttler said after Friday’s game, with a grin of approval.Roy’s ODI average has hovered around 40 but it is his strike rate (107.08 across his career and second only to his regular opening partner Jonny Bairstow) that sets him apart. Eoin Morgan has always valued Roy’s selflessness and his willingness to attack in the powerplay, taking risks against two new balls in order to get England off to fast starts; three key innings in a row when returning to the side in the 2019 World Cup underlined his worth.Salt’s own attacking intent was evident on Friday as he raced to 38 off 29 balls inside the powerplay, despite Roy’s early dismissal (bowled through the gate by his cousin, Shane Snater). Salt was given a life on 40 when Snater shelled a chance at deep point, but never looked back from there.Related

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He punched the air and kissed the England badge on his helmet when he reached three figures and eventually fell for 122 off 93 after an innings which showed his dominance down the ground, particularly with an early punch past the bowler straight out of Roy’s playbook.”J-Roy has definitely been an influence,” Salt said. “I’m lucky to have people like that around who are willing to give up their time and have those chats and want to see you do well. I love chatting the game through with J-Roy because he’s so clear and so destructive in what he does.”Morgy has been very clear with how he expects people to play if they want to be in an England shirt and that’s something that I’ve bought into from day one of being around this team. It’s pretty self-explanatory what you need to do if you want to play for England. He sets the goalposts very clearly.”Salt’s inclusion in this squad was a significant vote of confidence from the new England hierarchy: he was the only player from No. 1-8 on Friday without some kind of central contract (Liam Livingstone has an incremental deal) and was picked ahead of James Vince, Sam Billings, Tom Banton and any number of other young batters.He has shown his versatility in his fledgling England career, hitting a 22-ball 50 from No. 6 on his T20I debut, and hopes that his performances can help him become an obvious choice as the ‘spare’ batter in a full-strength squad, as well as the first reserve in case Roy or Bairstow is unavailable.”I’ve only had three ODIs before this, against Pakistan, and there were some players who played well in that series who missed out,” he said. “So to be on this trip, I’m very grateful for that. Hopefully I can keep performing and proving them [the interim selectors] right.”Every time you put on an England shirt is an honour so I want to keep doing that. It’s as simple as knowing that when I get the opportunity, I’ve got to perform and I’ve got to do well: that’s how it’s going to work if you want to have a long England career. If I can keep doing stuff like that and keep putting my name in the hat, hopefully I will give the selectors a headache.”Roy’s own place has come under threat at various points in his ODI career, most obviously in 2017 when he was dropped during the Champions Trophy, but he has generally responded emphatically. He has had a few quiet months, taking a break from the game after his mysterious ban for an undisclosed misdemeanour which has still not come to light.He will not be concerned about the prospect of Salt overtaking him in the pecking order just yet: he has a huge bank of work behind him and is a senior player in England’s group, and this series, squeezed into a week between two Tests, is typical of the schedule over the next nine months (they are set to tour five different countries over the winter). It will be impossible – in some cases, logistically as well as realistically – for multi-format players like Bairstow to play every game, so strength in depth will be key.Roy’s greatest legacy is that there will come a time when the generation of young English openers that he inspired are so good that he is no longer needed. But for now, that moment lies somewhere in the middle-distance.

Australia were halfway towards their target to launch a home World Cup campaign with a win before Yadav turned it around

Andrew McGlashan in Sydney21-Feb-20202:47

Spinners can always turn the game for us – Kaur

Alyssa Healy was back in the runs, Australia were halfway towards their target with a run-a-ball needed and eight wickets in hand to launch a home World Cup campaign a long time in the making. Then it all changed.The ball after bringing up her fifty with a six, Healy chipped a flighted leg-break back to Poonam Yadav who held her nerve following a big full toss. From there, Australia’s innings unraveled as she caused havoc with her googly. Yadav, the leading wicket-taker in T20Is over the last two years, picked up three more in her next 11 deliveries and was only denied a hat-trick when wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia made her one mistake on an evening where she was otherwise outstanding behind the stumps.The Law that denied Yadav a fifth wicket

Over 17.3: Poonam Yadav to Gardner, 1 no ball, what was that? Grubber, bounces twice, sneaks through the legs and rattles the timber. Gardner hangs on and chats to the umpire. Since it bounced twice before reaching the crease, it is a no-ball

Law 21.7: Ball bouncing more than once, rolling along the ground or pitching off the pitch: The umpire shall call and signal No ball if a ball which he/she considers to have been delivered, without having previously touched bat or person of the striker…bounces more than once or rolls along the ground before it reaches the popping crease

The fact Australia were all but out of the chase come the last over showed how complete the shift to India had been. In the moment it is easy to overstate the importance of something, but this had the feel of a very significant start to the tournament.With victory in front of a record-breaking crowd for a standalone women’s game in Australia of 13,432 – a healthy proportion cheering for the side in blue – India secured a sizeable step towards making the semi-finals. Conversely, if Australia are going to win a World Cup where there is so much expectation they are going to have to take a much harder route than many envisaged just a few weeks ago. They can’t afford another slip-up now.Not that the result itself should be considered a huge shock. Australia were favourites – rightly so – but only a couple of weeks ago India dusted them up in the tri-series (only to lose a final they probably should have won) and have now beaten them in the last three global events: the match at the 2017 World Cup is famous for Harmanpreet Kaur’s 171, the match at the 2018 T20 World Cup was less significant as it didn’t impact progression for either team – this one feels much closer to the former for impact, although they could yet have to do it again if they want to claim the title.

“She [Poonam Yadav] bowled the first over pretty regulation as a legspinner then slowed it up immensely after that. We probably didn’t adapt well enough.”Alyssa Healy

Yadav had not played in the tri-series earlier this month as she nursed an injured finger on her left hand that remained bandage as she smiled her way through the post-match press conference alongside Kaur. “It is painful, but when I play the match I forget it,” Yadav said. “Bowling-wise I was confident I could bowl at any time.”During her time sidelined, fitness has been her focus which has included a gluten-free diet that hasn’t exactly been to her tastes. “I am surviving on rice which I don’t like at all. [They] scold me saying, “no, you are not allowed to eat gluten.” They take it off my plate, but I understand that they are doing this for the sake of the team.”Poonam Yadav celebrates•Getty ImagesHer absence meant Australia had not seen her recently – last facing her in the group match at the 2018 tournament where she claimed 2 for 28 – and when the injury was referenced to Healy she admitted being unaware, saying she thought the tri-series non-selection may have been tactical. As it’s turned out, maybe it was a useful coincidence for India.”We prepared really well,” Healy said. “She bowled the first over pretty regulation as a legspinner then slowed it up immensely after that. We probably didn’t adapt well enough. We don’t get legspinners coming down at 60kph very often and she’s incredibly skillful.”While Yadav, who was held back until the 10th over, bowled beautifully after the early full toss, the Australians produced some poor batting and were unable to read her wrong ‘un – Rachael Haynes missed by a long way and Ellyse Perry, who slipped down to No. 6 in a curious reshuffle of the batting order, played a loose stroke across the line. Looped up at around 60kph, dipping late on the batters (and even being called no-ball for bouncing twice at one point which denied her a five-wicket haul), it preyed on their eagerness to put bat to ball on a surface that was sluggish and probably aided spinners more than the hosts would have liked.”We went out thinking it was a flat wicket and played some shots we shouldn’t have,” Healy said. “Most of the wickets that fell today were batters playing across the line in both innings, so for us we’ll have a look at that and say we didn’t adapt.””Poonam did a great job for us, credit goes to our bowlers – they trusted themselves and won the game for us,” Kaur said. “She is a very good T20 bowler, she always bowls for the team and it’s not easy to play, she is a little slower in the air. When you have to hit her, you have to show patience and very good skill.”Yadav praised the role played by Narendra Hirwani, the former India legspinner, who is on the team’s coaching staff. “Mentally he helps us a lot. He talks about understanding the bounce. He talks about we all have variations, but when to use them how to use the bounce and the right areas to pitch.”As it is for Australia, this is just one game for India, but given their victory was also fashioned after a top-order collapse, which was repaired by a career-best 49 from Deepti Sharma in the much-criticised middle-order, it was a win that made a statement. The next couple of weeks will show if they live up to it.

Nearly three decades after the original release of Adam Sandler's classic golf comedy , movie-goers are celebrating the long-awaited release of the sequel. Even if they do have to stream it from their couch.

Baltimore Orioles catcher Alex Jackson found a different way to honor the release of in his team's 18-0 rout of the Colorado Rockies Saturday night.

Alright, maybe he didn't exactly have the movie in mind, but the timing of this move was uncanny.

As the O's put up run after run, Jackson pinch hit for Tyler O'Neill in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Rockies waved the white flag by that point, putting in position player Kyle Farmer to pitch the eighth.

Jackson saw a 47-mph meatball which came to the plate so slow he had to step into it, à la Gilmore's signature and uncanny golf swing. The ball sailed 401 feet to center field for Baltimore's 18th and final run of the night.

Baltimore's offensive explosion made them the only team in the modern era to have a dozen or more players get an at-bat in a game and have every one of them record a hit and score a run, per OptaSTATS. The O's had 18 hits total Saturday, with three homers including Jackson's Gilmore swing.

If he hasn't already, Jackson should head home and throw on . He definitely has a case to make the cast for the next film.

Wrexham spent big in the summer of 2025, but former Red Dragons boss Dean Saunders has told GOAL why Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac will likely make more funds available in the January transfer window. The ambitious Welsh outfit are looking competitive in the Championship, with collective sights locked on winning promotion to the Premier League.

• Record-breaking rise: Three successive promotions

  Hollywood co-owners have never shied away from that ultimate goal, with Mac stating that dream in public while Wrexham were climbing out of the lower leagues. Three successive promotions have lifted them out of the National League and into the second tier of English football.

  Just one more step up the ladder is required in order to rub shoulders with the elite. Reynolds and Mac have helped to fund a meteoric rise, while opening up a window to the world with the award-winning ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series.

  Life in the Championship was never going to be easy, with a record-shattering outlay of more than £30 million ($40m) required in order to get Phil Parkinson’s squad ready for the most testing of divisions.

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  Spend to compete: How Wrexham have fared in the Championship

  Assessing the Red Dragons’ efforts so far, Saunders – speaking in association with – told GOAL: "They have not won that many games, they have had nine draws, which is remarkable. They have drawn loads but that’s alright, it’s a marathon not a sprint – as long as you keep picking points up.

  "The loss at Hull gives the manager a chance to go and – maybe there were cracks they were getting away with – he can go in and say it and go ‘right, that run has come to an end, onto the next run’.

  "They spent £10m on Nathan Broadhead. Josh Windass and Kieffer Moore can get goals in the Championship, they can play at that level. It’s about getting success at that level. That’s why there are five leagues – players try and climb up the leagues and they stop at the point where they can’t beat the full-backs. In League One, they used to beat the League Two full-backs but now in League One they are finding it hard to make an impact in the game, so they get left out.

  "The Championship is another level. You have got players coming down from the Premier League and players who can do a job at that level, and you have also got Championship players who turn up Sat-Tues, Sat-Tues and know what to do and how to prepare in the Championship, because it’s week in, week out.

  "You have got to be careful what players you sign. Some Premier League players will be like ‘what is this, we are playing again on Tuesday, Millwall away when it’s raining and it’s a scrap?’ You have got to get players who are prepared to put their foot forward."

• Spend again! Reynolds & Mac finding transfer funds

  Quizzed on whether it will take another £30m to get Wrexham over the line and into the top-flight, Saunders added – with another window of opportunity set to swing open in the new year: "What can you say to the owners of Wrexham? They have put enough money in, they have enough sponsorship money.

  "I never thought they would pay £10m for a footballer, Wrexham. I never paid a penny for a player! My biggest earner was probably Andy Mangan on £1,500-a-week – that was the wage I could go to. Some of them now are on 30 times that.

  "They are doing great. If we had asked at the start of the season where do you think Wrexham will finish? You wouldn’t know how to answer it – they might do alright because of the momentum, they might struggle at this level. They are about touching distance from the play-offs. I’m sure they will add some players in January. These lads are determined to get to the Premier League."

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  Where will Wrexham finish in the 2025-26 campaign?

  Reynolds and Mac always knew that they could not complete Wrexham’s ascent by themselves, with huge sums of money required in order to reach the top of the pyramid. They have sold minority stakes and will continue to speak with any potential investors.

  For now the Red Dragons sit 14th in the Championship table, with a nine-game unbeaten run brought to a close last time out at Hull City, but are only four points adrift of the play-off places and a shot at earning the ultimate promotion.

Xabi Alonso has insisted that he's unfazed by reports of friction between him and Vinicius Junior as pressure ramps up on the Real Madrid manager amid the team's three-match winless run. The streak started with a loss at Liverpool in the Champions League, followed by back-to-back draws in La Liga against Rayo Vallecano and Elche, which allowed Barcelona to cut the gap at the top of La Liga to just one point.

• Vini Jr's fallout with Alonso

  Vinicius Junior has had problems with new manager Alonso over his game time since the start of the season. It all escalated during El Clásico, when the 25-year-old was seen ranting after being taken off by the boss in the second half of the match. He subsequently issued a public apology for his behaviour but raised more eyebrows by neglecting to mention his manager in his statement.

  The Selecao star's current contract runs out in 2027 and he has yet to reach an agreement with Madrid to extend his stay. According to , Vinicius Jr. has informed Los Blancos he will not renew his current deal "while his relationship with head coach Alonso remains so strained".

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  Alonso unperturbed by mutiny

  Addressing Vinicius Jr's supposed mutiny and managing big egos in the Madrid dressing room, Alonso said: "It’s just as important as the footballing philosophy, the tactical and physical work, managing personalities… and it’s a process with different phases that you have to know how to navigate. At Real Madrid, it’s fundamental. I didn’t realise it had been six months, but it’s turning out to be exactly what I expected. A very demanding job with good moments and moments where you need that concentration and connection. We’re in one where we have to show a reaction. I’m enjoying the whole package, everything it entails. I said it on the first day and I’ll say it again."

  When asked to comment on the topic of players getting managers sacked, Alonso added: "It’s demanding, but I’m certainly not the first manager to have to deal with these situations. I think a lot about what Carlo [Ancelotti], [Jose] Mourinho, or [Manuel] Pellegrini, the managers I’ve had, would have done in their time. These aren’t new situations; we have to know how to deal with them, we have the necessary standards and self-criticism. We know where we want to go… and putting all of this together, I’m enjoying it. 

  "We have to have a lot of respect for the players and the teams and how they prepare. I don’t want to and I’m not going to talk about that. I know what a dressing room is, I know the moments you have to go through, and you have to deal with the external noise. It shouldn’t make us lose focus on what’s important for us. We have to know how to get through these moments; we know the consequences of bad results, but they shouldn’t derail us from the path we want to take."

• Does Alonso have Madrid's backing?

  Asked if he has got the club's backing in this situation, Alonso said: "I’m guessing it is not the first time you’ve asked that question. We know the moment we’re in, in La Liga and the Champions League. I’m not focused on that, I’m focused on the players, on what we can control, and what happens at Valdebebas.

  "Not of support, because it’s not necessary, but we have the usual day-to-day communication with the president, I spoke this morning with him, and I also speak with Jose Angel [Sanchez, general manager] every day or two, the usual."

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  Nadal's advice for Vinicius Jr

  Die-hard Real Madrid fan and tennis legend Rafael Nadal has sided with Alonso in the tussle, telling: "I think it can be resolved through dialogue, with everyone on the same page. I believe Vini needs to understand who is in charge and respect that authority, and also the club, given what it means to be a Real Madrid player. But I think he's doing his best, and those things that come out of him, which sometimes aren't well-received, can be corrected through dialogue and an awareness that things can be improved. The first person who needs to want to explore that path of improvement has to be him. When I hear him speak in interviews, saying that he wants to improve in every aspect, I think he needs to find strong allies, and I'm convinced that Real Madrid will have the right people, and he will be there to advise him. 

  "The basic principle is wanting to do it. And Real Madrid has in Vinicius an asset that they can't devalue and that they have to protect, regardless of any performances that might not be to everyone's liking. As a player, he's a club asset; it's a situation that Real Madrid, being the immense club it is, knows how to manage, and I think they've done it well. The proof is that Vinicius' performance is now better than it was before. Football has a problem that is also a great strength; ultimately, many stories are written every week, and that magnifies things, but footballers are people, and that's how things are resolved, as human beings, by talking, understanding each other, and trying to project an image – one that is truly genuine – of unity, respect, and everyone pulling in the same direction."

Karun Nair left out of the 15-man squad while Pant remains injured

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-20253:28

What does the squad for the WI Tests tell us?

Ravindra Jadeja has been named the vice-captain of the India Test squad for the two West Indies matches next month – it’s his first time in the position, though he has been vice-captain in ODIs and T20Is in the past.Shubman Gill will lead in his second Test series after debuting in the position in England earlier this year, but the injured Rishabh Pant, who was the vice-captain on the tour of England, hasn’t recovered sufficiently to make the squad. Pant, who had fractured his foot while batting in the fourth Test in England, is currently recovering at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. Dhruv Jurel and N Jagadeesan are the two specialist wicketkeepers in the squad, with Jurel expected to be the first choice to stand behind the stumps.Jasprit Bumrah is also part of the squad, although there is only three day’s gap between the Asia Cup final, on September 28 in Dubai, and the start of the first Test against West Indies from October 2 in Ahmedabad.ESPNcricinfo LtdFrom the expanded squad that toured England, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh and Shardul Thakur have missed out, along with Pant. Abhimanyu, Akash Deep and Kamboj have been included in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup, which will be played against Vidarbha from October 1 in Nagpur. Of them, Akash Deep had reported to the CoE recently to recover from a niggle he had picked up in England, which kept him out of the Duleep Trophy and recent India A matches.Coming in are Axar Patel, Devdutt Padikkal and Jagadeesan, who had been flown in for the final Test after Pant picked up his injury.On the exclusion of Nair, who had scored 205 runs in eight innings in England with a best of 57, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said at a press conference in Dubai while announcing the squad: “We expected more from Karun. Padikkal offers a little bit more at this point. Wish we could give everyone 15-20 Tests, unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. Padikkal was in the Test squad in Australia, played against England in Dharamsala, got a fifty there. He’s shown some decent form. Frankly, we expected a bit more from Karun.”Related

Agarkar: We don't want a repeat of New Zealand Test series

Iyer to lead India A in one-dayers against Australia A

BCCI okays Iyer's request for break from red-ball cricket

Pant to miss home Tests against West Indies

Meanwhile, one of Nair’s likely replacements, Sarfaraz Khan, is currently recovering from an injury.The rest of the squad wears a familiar look, and with spin expected to play a bigger part at home than pace, India have named Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Axar as the three spin-bowling allrounders, as well as Kuldeep Yadav. Nitish Kumar Reddy is the fast-bowling allrounder, with Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna the frontline quicks.On Bumrah’s availability – it had been confirmed before the five-Test tour of England that he would play only three Tests to manage his workload – Agarkar said, “This team has been picked for both the Tests, so he’s available for both Tests. We’ve had a fair break after England. He didn’t play the fifth Test [at The Oval] either. So there’s been a five-week break. Even this tournament [Asia Cup] has been fairly spaced out till the last week. So no, he’s ready and keen to play both Test matches.”India’s two Tests against West Indies, starting on October 2 in Ahmedabad and October 10 in Delhi, is their second of six series in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle. Their cycle began with the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series in England, where India drew the five-Test series 2-2.Having earned 28 out of the maximum of 60 available points for five Tests, India are third in the WTC points table, with 46.67 percentage points. Australia and Sri Lanka are above them with 100 and 66.67 percentage points respectively. West Indies have zero percentage points, having lost three Tests to Australia in June-July.India’s squad for West Indies TestsShubman Gill (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-capt), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, N Jagadeesan (wk)

Rangers could finally be closing in on a new manager and the 49ers have now reportedly set a new timeline in their pursuit of Shanghai Port boss Kevin Muscat.

Rohl drops out of Rangers manager race

It’s been a chaotic international break for those at Ibrox. They’ve watched on as the likes of Kevin Thelwell and the rest of the board have attempted to replace Russell Martin, who they made the shortest-serving manager in the club’s history after sacking him just 123 days in.

It looked as though it could be Steven Gerrard – he was certainly their leading candidate – before the Liverpool legend handed them the most frustrating rejection. And he’s not been the only one to withdraw from contention. As reported by Ben Jacobs, former Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has also dropped out of the race to become the next Rangers manager.

It’s the second time that the 36-year-old has been up for the Ibrox job and the second time that the 49ers will be looking elsewhere. Whether they’ll regret not pushing for his signature will be the big question in the coming weeks.

Rohl’s decision has very much left the door wide open for other candidates. The likes of Graham Potter and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have been mentioned in the last week, for example, and may yet receive their chance.

That said, the current favourite to take the job remains Muscat and with the Gers set to return to action this weekend, the Gers have reportedly taken a key step towards his arrival.

Rangers set Muscat timeline

According to Football Insider, the 49ers now want to strike an agreement with Muscat in the next 48 hours. There is reportedly growing confidence at Rangers that the 52-year-old will be the next man to take the reins and talks are advancing, even though it will mean convincing him to take a pay cut.

However, it remains to be seen just when Muscat will take charge. As things stand, he’s still got four Chinese Super League games to play at Shanghai Port, who sit top of the tree and two points clear.

"Brilliant" former assistant to Hansi Flick wants to be Rangers manager – report

He’s eager to get going…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 15, 2025

On course to win silverware and end an era in style, the Rangers manager candidate may not be keen to take the reins until the current Chinese season ends in mid-November.

If that does prove to be the case, then Rangers will have to appoint an interim until Muscat is available next month, with Neil McCann thought to be the likely option. Given where they find themselves in the Scottish Premiership – 11 points behind shock leaders Hearts – more disruption is the last thing that the Gers need.

Nonetheless, Muscat remains the favourite and most likely to take the job now that Rohl has removed himself from contention. After failing to get the job ahead of Philippe Clement in 2023, the former Rangers player could now finally get his chance to step into the Ibrox dugout.

Celtic are on the lookout for a new manager this week after Brendan Rodgers officially resigned from his role with the Scottish Premiership champions on Monday night.

Martin O’Neill will take interim charge of the Hoops and will be in the dugout for their league clash with Falkirk at Parkhead on Wednesday night.

Football Insider have already reported that the club are planning to make contact with out-of-work former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou about a potential return to the club.

However, the Hoops are now reportedly looking at another potential replacement for Brendan Rodgers who could be their next version of Postecoglou.

Celtic eyeing move for Championship manager

Following Rodgers’ resignation on Monday night, the board will be compiling a list of possible managers before finalising a shortlist and deciding who they want as their next head coach.

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According to The Scotsman, Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is one of the people on the club’s list of potential targets to replace Rodgers in the coming days and weeks.

The report claims that the Hoops are considering a swoop to bring the Tractor Boys head coach to Parkhead, and that he is one of the early names under consideration at this moment in time.

It states that he has fans inside the boardroom at Celtic, hence the interest in his services, but it remains to be seen whether or not he would be interested in taking the job.

Why Kieran McKenna would be Celtic's next Ange Postecoglou

The Northern Irish coach, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation, would be Postecoglou 2.0 for Celtic because he is another excellent coach whose teams play beautiful football.

Gary Neville described Postecoglou’s style of play as “breathtaking” in the Premier League, whilst Hoops supporters saw how exciting it was to watch as their team won five trophies in two seasons with him in charge, per Transfermarkt.

McKenna has earned similar praise for the way that his Ipswich team has played in recent years. Former Barnsley boss Danny Wilson claimed that the Tractor Boys play “sublime football” under the ex-Manchester United coach.

The goal in the clip above provides a taste of the kind of football McKenna’s team can play, with brilliant combination play and movement off the ball to create chances whilst playing through the opposition.

25/26 Championship (11)

16

TBC

24/25 Premier League (38)

22

19th

23/24 Championship (46)

96

2nd

22/23 Championship (46)

98

2nd

21/22 League One(23)

41

11th

As you can see in the table above, the Celtic target took Ipswich from midtable in the Championship all the way to the Premier League, and they are now in the Championship again with an opportunity to get promoted back to the top-flight.

He has improved the Tractor Boys, clearly, during his time there and has been incredibly unlucky not to win two league titles, with 98 and 96 points somehow not being enough for a single title over two seasons.

In the view of his former skipper, Sam Morsy, McKenna’s “one of the best managers around”.

Like Postecoglou, he has a demonstrable style of play that could be exciting for Celtic supporters to watch week-in-week-out, and it is one that has proven to be successful, given the incredible points returns in his two promotion-winning seasons.

Of course, the concern may be that he has not won a league title or done anything of note in a top-flight, but that was also true of Rodgers, who had been sacked by Liverpool, when they first appointed him.

Sutton demands Celtic appoint title winning manager who "hates losing"

Celtic’s managerial hunt is underway.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 28, 2025

Therefore, McKenna could be an interesting appointment for the Scottish giants and one that could get fans excited at Parkhead because of his lovely style of play, as Postecoglou did during his time at the club.

The Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Guardians are set to begin a three-game series between two division-leading teams. The Guardians, who have been one of the most surprising teams in 2024, hold a 5.0 game lead in the AL Central while the Mariners have a commanding 9.0 game lead on the AL West.

In this article, I'm going to dive into everything you need to know to bet on today's series opener.

Mariners vs. Guardians Odds, Run Line, and Total

Run Line:

• Mariners -1.5 (+168)
• Guardians +1.5 (-205)

Moneyline:

• Mariners +106
• Guardians -124

Total:

• 8.5 (Over -104/Under -115)

Mariners vs. Guardians Probable Pitchers

• Seattle: Bryce Miller (5-5, 3.48 ERA)
• Cleveland: Triston McKenzie (3-3, 4.10 ERA)

Mariners vs. Guardians How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, June 18
• Time: 6:40 p.m. EST
• Venue: Progressive Field
• How to watch (TV): ROOTNW, Bally Sports Great Lakes
• Mariners record: 43-31
• Guardians record: 44-25

Mariners vs. Guardians Key Players to Watch

Seattle Mariners

Cal Raleigh: The Mariners' catcher may not have a great batting average at .202, but the guy knows how to hit dingers. He leads the team in both home runs (12) and RBIs (43), while ranking third in WAR (1.5). He may be the most underrated part of the Mariners success this season.

Cleveland Guardians

Jose Ramirez: The Guardians' third baseman leads the team in virtually every single stat including batting average (.269), home runs (18), RBIs (62), on base percentage (.330), and hits (71). You're going to want to pay attention when he steps into the batters box.

Mariners vs. Guardians Prediction and Pick

I believe regression is coming for the Mariners this season. Their offensive numbers haven't been good enough to support their record. For example, they're just 25th in the Majors in OPS this season at .667. The Guardians have been batting at a far more sustainable rate, clocking in at .717 which ranks 12th.

The starting pitching matchup in this game is largely a wash, but Cleveland has a significant advantage when it comes to the bullpen.

The Guardians have the best bullpen in the Majors, especially of late, sporting a bullpen ERA of 1.94 over the last 30 days. The Mariners' bullpen sits 16th in that time frame at 4.06, so even if Cleveland gets down early, they'll never be out of it.

I'll back the Guardians to get the job done at home.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Barcelona também tem interesse na contratação do volante Gabriel Moscardo, do Corinthians. A equipe catalã entrará na disputa com o Chelsea, da Inglaterra, pela contratação do jogador. A informação foi publicada inicialmente pelo ‘Diario Sport’, da Espanha, e confirmada pelo Lance!. 

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Conforme antecipado pela reportagem no último dia 5 de setembro, a diretoria corintiana definiu em 30 milhões de euros (R$ 159,7 mi, na cotação atual) o valor para liberar o meio-campista, que está com a seleção brasileira pré-olímpica para a disputa de dois amistosos contra o Marrocos. O valor da multa rescisória do atleta para o exterior é de 100 milhões de euros. 

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Mesmo com o Barça na jogada, a tendência é que Moscardo seja negociado com o Chelsea ainda nesta temporada. A boa relação entre a direção do clube inglês e o estafe do jogador é fundamental para isso.

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Na semana passada, os Blues fizeram uma proposta de 21 milhões de euros (R$) pelo atleta. O valor poderia chegar a 25 milhões de euros (R$) em caso de premiações por desempenho, mas, mesmo assim, a investida foi recusada pela direção corintiana. De toda forma, os londrinos não desistiram e seguem conversando com os representantes do jogador e pretendem enviar uma nova oferta em breve. 

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A intenção do Chelsea em sair na frente pela contratação de Gabriel Moscardo tem a ver justamente com a concorrência que a equipe sabia que teria em relação a esse jogador, que é monitorado desde cedo por diversos clubes da Europa, inclusive o Barcelona. 

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+ Veja tabela e confira os jogos do Timão no Brasileirão

No elenco profissional corintiano há pouco mais de dois meses somente, o camisa 44 é tido como joia pelo Corinthians desde as categorias inferiores, quando já era observado por equipes importantes do exterior, como Arsenal e Manchester City. Após a ascensão meteórica à equipe principal, as sondagens e monitoramentos pelo volante aumentaram.

A ideia no Timão é negociar o jogador ainda neste ano, para ajudar no fechamento das contas, recebendo a maior parte possível do pagamento à vista. O clube alvinegro tem 80% dos direitos econômicos do atleta, que é dono do percentual restante.