All posts by h716a5.icu

Newcastle United did what they needed to do last Saturday. But more excitingly, they did it emphatically, putting Leicester City away with a 4-0 victory at St. James’ Park.

It’s been difficult to work the Tynesiders out this season, flashy in instances, drab in others. Sometimes, the midfield is slick and stylish, once or twice or thrice it has appeared rusty and lacking in its usual togetherness.

Eddie Howe will be well aware that Brentford will present a difficult challenge in the Carabao Cup quarter-final tie, for Thomas Frank’s side blew Newcastle away at the Gtech less than two weeks ago, but this time, the location has changed and the Toon are riding the thrill of a comprehensive win.

Some exciting things have been achieved over the past few years, but the elusive and interminable wait for silverware rages on and on and on.

A win on Wednesday evening would lift spirits and then some, putting United in touching distance of the Carabao Cup final. They lost at Wembley against Manchester United two seasons ago, but Howe knows that his squad have what it takes and will be desperate to end the black and white’s trophy hoodoo.

Newcastle team news

Firstly, let’s get the frustrating bits out of the way: Callum Wilson and Nick Pope won’t be playing before the new year after their recent setbacks, and long-term absentee Jamal Lascelles remains a distance away from returning.

Defensive duo Sven Botman and Emil Krafth, however, can see the light as they approach the final stages of their rehabilitation but don’t expect either to be involved before Christmas.

Howe has said, however, that his side have a “clean bill of health” following on from the Foxes win at the weekend, and will be sure to field a strong line-up.

A few changes may be afoot, but the shrewd tactician should consider allowing Joelinton to reprise his role in the middle of the park, especially with Sean Longstaff set to miss out against the Bees due to a one-match suspension.

Joelinton's importance to Newcastle

Joelinton’s accumulation of yellow cards actually means that he will miss out next weekend against Ipswich Town, but is free to play against Brentford. All the more reason for Howe to unleash him from the outset.

The hulking Brazilian has spent most of his time in the centre of the park this season but Howe has moved him into a roaming wide role on occasion, something that he achieved to a resounding effect during the victory over Nottingham Forest last month, scoring and impressing after winning ten duels and making three tackles, as per Sofascore.

His goal showcased his power and pace and the value that can be found in unleashing him from a wide role, though of course, he will need a fitting midfield trio behind him to propel him forward.

And that’s where Joe Willock comes in. The technical player has been in and out of the starting line-up this season but must be handed a berth against Brentford as he forges quite the partnership with Joelinton when they hit the same wavelength.

Howe must unleash Joe Willock

Longstaff’s absence means that the elegant Sandro Tonali is likely to keep his place in the middle of the park. Willock’s ball-carrying expertise can be the perfect counterpoint on the other side of Bruno Guimaraes.

It could prove to be the recipe to defeat the disciplined and dynamic west Londoners, especially after Joelinton was branded with a 5/10 match rating by the Shields Gazette during the defeat earlier this month, singled out for ball-watching before conceding the third.

Though he will win duels wherever he is placed on the field, Joelinton’s defensive work and all-round energy could be a sure-fire way to nullify Bryan Mbeumo, who will be eager to put pressure on left-back Lewis Hall after scoring ten goals from 16 Premier League games this term.

Minutes played

60′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

36

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

22/24 (92%)

Key passes

1

Dribbles (completed)

2 (1)

Tackles + interceptions

2

Total duels (won)

12 (4)

If that means Anthony Gordon must be moved to the righthand side, so be it. The Three Lions winger is skilled across a range of roles and will be confident in his ability to supplement Alexander Isak on the right.

Willock, however, could be the key, progressing the ball forward and maintaining a degree of fluency in the Magpies team. As per FBref, the 25-year-old ranks among the top 3% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 16% for shot-creating actions and tackles per 90.

His playing style has even seen him likened by FBref’s player-comparing model to Elliot Anderson, the homegrown star who was sold to Nottingham Forest for £35m in the summer.

He won Forest’s Player of the Month for August and has left Gary Neville claiming on Sky Sports that the Tricky Trees have hit the jackpot with the signing, and if Willock can get a run of games that highlight his own creativity and progressive qualities, he might prove to be an even better version of the young midfielder. He just needs minutes.

Stretching the industrious Brentford engine room in this way is the perfect method to prevent them from enforcing their intense high-pressing style and overwhelming their opponents.

Given that the pair have combined to defeat Brentford (at the Gtech) before, there’s a real sense that this could be a winning combination that would send Newcastle into the penultimate stage of the Carabao Cup and get the hungry fanbase dreaming of holding that trophy aloft in the new year.

Let’s hope that Howe lines them up near each other this evening. Willock is perhaps the best ball carrier at Newcastle and his ability to drive forward is enhanced through Joelinton’s work and energy off the ball.

St. James’ Park was back to its best last time out, and don’t be surprised if Newcastle have hit the beginnings of a purple patch that could turn the campaign toward brighter fortunes in the months to come.

Jumping into the semi-finals is crucial for a feel-good run of form to start, however, and Willock and Joelinton might just be key.

Newcastle have struck gold on "star man" who should be worth £60m plus

Newcastle have found another emerging star at St James’ Park.

ByBen Gray Dec 17, 2024

Tyler Adams “was in London” to complete a transfer to Chelsea, but “one thing” cost him a move to join current USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino.

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Severed ties with Leeds in 2023All set to sign with BluesEnded up heading to BournemouthFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In the summer of 2023, the United States international was preparing to sever ties with Leeds on the back of their relegation out of the Premier League. Having proven himself in the English top-flight, a switch to Stamford Bridge was speculated on.

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Pochettino wanted to bring in a player that he is now working with at international level, but saw unfortunate injury problems scupper those plans. Adams was all set to sign, but ended up leaving London and heading to the south coast at Bournemouth in a £23 million ($30m) deal.

WHAT TYLER ADAMS SAID

Adams has told of how close he came to joining the Blues: “I was very close. I was in London ready for the move to happen but some things fell through one way (or the other). A lot of people have to sign off on certain things for a transfer to happen and one thing fell through so they went with other options. So I ended up at Bournemouth, which I couldn't be more happy about now.”

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Adams is now playing under Pochettino and believes the Argentine tactician is the right man to lead the U.S. towards a home World Cup in 2026. He added: “I think that he is going to bring a level of respect and belief in our team. Obviously, his resume speaks for itself and he's been able to establish so much success at different clubs.

“Now being able to work with the national team and the talent pool we have, I think he's going to bring a winning culture and a winning mentality. I'm really excited about that. The way that he speaks about the game and what he views for our game in the future are also positive. As a fairly young team, it's important that we start to work towards those beliefs and create that culture.”

Innings of 89 off 97 during century stand for last wicket leaves Gloucestershire needing 368 to win

ECB Reporters Network07-May-2022Aneurin Donald marked his return from two years of injury hell with a tubthumping 89 as Hampshire and Gloucestershire’s topsy-turvy LV= Insurance County Championship clash set up an exciting final day. Welshman Donald hadn’t played since September 2019 due to two serious knee injuries but dug Hampshire out of trouble with a 101-run final-wicket stand with James Fuller.Gloucestershire were set 368 to win, and makeshift opener George Scott moved to an unbeaten career-best 70 to help his side to 111 for 2 at the close, with 257 still to win and all three results possible.”I’m a little bit gutted to miss out on three figures,” Donald said. “It is nice to get some runs in an important knock especially in our batting group. It is key to score runs when we really need it and I like to think I’ve done that today.”I’ve always been about attacking. Sometimes I’m not exactly sure what I’m thinking out there and I have to rein myself back in and let the coaches shout at me half the time to carry on.”After seeing Stokey’s the other day I got inspired. The boys have been shouting at me for running one down to third man when I was on three sixes in a row but I was just playing the situation.”Donald’s motto is “no other way but forward”, and he has needed it during batches of operation, recovery and rehabilitation for two separate ACL injuries in the last two years. It was equally applicable to the approach he needed when he arrived at the crease with his side 65 for 7.Hampshire’s malaise from the previous evening continued when James Vince nicked behind off Ryan Higgins four balls into the day before Nick Gubbins followed suit. Higgins and Mohammad Amir were the catalyst for Gloucestershire’s early carnage – both ended the innings with three-fors.Ben Brown under edged Dom Goodman to the keeper, Liam Dawson slogged to deep square and Keith Barker tamely chipped across the line to mid on to leave Hampshire 103 for 9, and the lead 266.The extra half an hour was taken, which sparked Donald into life. The former Glamorgan batter had to wait 962 days between facing first-team deliveries before a disappointing six-ball 1 in the first innings. He wasn’t prepared to waste his long-awaited opportunity a second time.Donald first injured his knee during a post-season inter-club five-a-side football match in 2019. After a lonely recovery in lockdown, he flirted with the idea of featuring in 2020 but avoided the risk, instead he prepared for a 2021 comeback. Everything appeared on course for that but he felt his knee go again during an innocuous piece of fielding during a pre-season friendly; another frustratingly lengthy lay-off was necessary as he returned to square one.His knee might have twice failed him but his ability remained. He made 71 off 28 balls bullying Solent University students, followed by 109 off 73 and 143 off 117 in the Second XI Championship; and the devastation he rained down on the Ageas Bowl prior to lunch proved he was still capable at the highest domestic level.A trio of fours off Higgins warmed him up before three successive sixes off his legs, the first of which brought up his fifty, sent him into overdrive and turn the game once again back towards Hampshire. In total, 56 runs came in the additional half-hour, with the usually aggressive Fuller allowing Donald to obliterate the bowling – albeit with two lives on 30 and 68.Post lunch was a more sedate affair, both batters unusually low in the order due to Hampshire’s use of nightwatchmen. The stand ended when Donald skied a Jared Warner bouncer. But his and Fuller’s efforts meant Hampshire set Gloucestershire what would be their second-highest successful fourth-innings chase.Scott, who is deputising at the top of the order for the injured Chris Dent, and Marcus Harris appeared in little danger either side of tea, with the sun coming out to further assist the free-flowing Scott and tenacious Harris. Mohammad Abbas broke the 54-run stand by castling Harris with one which kept low and James Bracey was then pinned going back to Dawson.But Scott continued to chip away, passing fifty for the second time in first-class cricket and moving past his previous best of 55.

Everything you need to know about German defender Antonio Rudiger's salary at Real Madrid

Germany international Antonio Rudiger has been a stalwart in Real Madrid's defence ever since his arrival at the club from Chelsea in 2021 after winning the Champions League with the Premier League giants.

He repeated the same feat the following season, this time with Los Blancos and Rudiger's reliable presence at the back makes him one of the most integral members of the squad in the Spanish capital.

Thanks to his consistency and intimidating stature at the heart of the defense, he has been rewarded with a hefty salary by Florentino Pérez.

But exactly how much does he earn playing for the Whites?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

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Antonio Rudiger's wages at Real Madrid in numbers

Under his current contract, Rudiger earns about £236,449 ($305,568) on a weekly basis.

Meanwhile, his annual salary scales over £12 million ($15m), making him the highest-paid defender at the club after David Alaba.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Antonio Rudiger

German

  £236,449

$305,568

£12,295,366

$18,889,504

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTop earners at Real Madrid

Although Rudiger earns a substantial salary at Real Madrid, he fails to make it into the top five earners at the club.

The highest earner at Real Madrid is former PSG star Kylian Mbappe, followed by David Alaba, who is a somewhat surprising entrant in second place.

Following the Austrian on the list are Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Jr., who earn identical wages, while Fede Valverde rounds off the list at number five.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Kylian Mbappe

French

£498,248

$629,355

£25,908,917

$32,726,459

David Alaba

Austrian

£356,659

455,608

£18,546,242 

$ 23,691,627

Jude Bellingham

English

£330,187

$ 421,792

£17,169,698

$ 21,933,182

Vinicius Jr.

Brazilian

£330,187

$ 421,792

£17,169,698

$ 21,933,182

Fede Valverde

Uruguayan

£264,244

$337,555

£ 13,740,704 

$17,552,863

Top earners in La Liga

When it comes to the top five earners in the league, Barcelona's veteran striker Robert Lewandowski tops the list.

Meanwhile, three Real Madrid players in Mbappe, Alaba, and Bellingham also make the top five.

The only Atlético Madrid player to make the cut is Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual  wages GBP

Annual wages USD

Robert Lewandowski

Polish

£528,330

$ 674,908

£27,473,166

$35,095,197

Kylian Mbappe

French

£498,248

$629,355

£25,908,917

$32,726,459

David Alaba

Austrian

£356,659

£455,608

£18,546,242

$23,691,627

Jan Oblak

Slovenian

£330,187

$421,792

£17,169,698

$21,933,182

Jude Bellingham

English

£330,187

$421,792

£17,169,698

$21,933,182

Getty ImagesHighest paid players in the world

Although it may seem like players in La Liga earn incredible wages, their salaries don't even come close when compared to the top earners worldwide.

Currently, all the players in the top five highest earners globally play in the Saudi Pro League.

Ranking first and second on the list are former Real Madrid attackers Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, respectively, while Riyad Mahrez takes the third spot. Finally, rounding off the top five are Senegalese internationals Sadio Mané and Kalidou Koulibaly

Player

Club

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual wages USD

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al Nassr

£3,224,935

$4,166,513

£167,696,622

$215,658,680

Karim Benzema

Al Ittihad

£1,612,468

$2,083,257

£83,848,311

$108,329,340

Riyad Mahrez

Al Ahli

£841,708

$1,087,460

£43,768,818

$56,547,915

Sadio Mane

Al Nassr

£644,987

$833,033

£33,539,324

$43,331,736

Kalidou Koulibaly

Al Hilal

£559,526

$722,890

£29,095,364

$37,590,281

It’s been quite the ride for those of a Liverpool persuasion. Over the past decade, the Reds have gone from being a Premier League laughing stock to one of the most imperious outfits on the continent.

Jurgen Klopp conquered English football and handed the Anfield side their sixth Champions League title too. He willed Liverpool into an incredible, attractive unit and left the squad in perfect shape for someone like Arne Slot to come in and take the reins.

Now, with Manchester City in a spin and Arsenal and Chelsea not quite so impressive, Liverpool are the early favourites to win Europe’s top competition in 2024/25 and are four points clear at the Premier League summit having played a game less than second-placed Chelsea.

Life is good, but it could be better yet in the months and years to come. It’s crucial to understand that the Merseysiders are technically in their first iteration, their nascent stage. Slot inherited a wonderfully talented crop, but he’s still pumping his teachings into the club.

Let’s put the brakes on a moment and remember the last time Liverpool were in their early stage as an elite-level outfit. Way back in 2017/18, they had broken free of mediocrity and were back in the Champions League, and oh how fun Klopp’s side were.

When Klopp's Liverpool were pure… fun

It was the year that Liverpool suffered heartbreak at the final stage of Europe’s elite club competition, and perhaps it felt like a once-in-a-generation opportunity missed, but Klopp’s lads rebounded to win the thing one year later.

That 2017/18 season, however, was one of excitement and incredible moments, Klopp having birthed an iconic team but not yet fashioned it into something sustainable. Albeit, he came within a whisker.

Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino were playing their first term as a trio, and though they went on to achieve great things over a number of years, there was a remarkable period with Philippe Coutinho nestled in behind.

The Brazilian playmaker had been at Liverpool since January 2013, when he left Inter Milan in a bargain deal worth £8.5m, and for a while stood as the lonely bright spark in a grey pre-Klopp world.

With 54 goals and 45 assists across 201 outings for the Redmen, he was a real talent, indeed a beacon of hope, but Coutinho saved his finest football for those final few months.

Having handed in a transfer request in August 2017 as Barcelona lurked, seen it rejected by Klopp and his crew, and then played with a feverish intensity that lifted Liverpool into standing as one of the finest attacking teams on the continent.

Matches (starts)

14 (13)

Goals

7

Assists

6

Pass accuracy

79%

Key passes*

2.9

Dribbles*

2.8

Tackles*

1.2

Total duels won*

5.6

When Coutinho left, it felt pretty devastating, but La Blaugrana forked out an English-record-breaking £142m to bring the magician over to Catalonia, where he never hit the same giddy heights.

Liverpool then had the resources to mould Klopp’s project into something capable of not just dazzling in moments, but offering tangible routes toward illustrious prosperity with a consistency that fans could scarcely have dreamt of only months earlier.

Klopp described Coutinho as a “genius of a player” during the early stage of his tenure, but he didn’t prove to be indispensable and was actually the perfect sale for an outfit on the rise.

Why selling Coutinho was an incredible success

You could grind it down to a simple sentence: the stunning financial gain filled Liverpool’s coffers to the brim.

With Michael Edwards and Klopp not yet divorced and fractious toward each other, Liverpool were able to identify and swoop for targets deemed capable of taking the club to the highest level of European football.

Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk was signed in a deal worth £75m, a world record for a defender, in January 2018, and Roma goalkeeper Alisson Becker arrived the following summer for £67m, in the wake of the Champions League final defeat against Real Madrid that ended Loris Karius’ Anfield career.

Smart recruitment has been central throughout Liverpool’s successes of the past decade, but it’s clear that without Coutinho’s sale for such a staggering sum, the same heights wouldn’t have been reached, for the Reds would have been forced to settle for lesser parts in one area or another.

Just imagine a world where Van Dijk stands in Chelsea blue, playing for the Londoners after Liverpool were unable to act upon their vested interest.

How about you picture a Champions League landscape with Alisson Becker between the Santiago Bernebeu sticks, for he rejected Real Madrid in favour of Klopp’s Liverpool.

Neither of these dreadful eventualities proved to be anything more than paper talk. Talk about a watershed moment. The very framework of Liverpool’s prosperity over the past eight years is built on Coutinho’s sale, arguably the most important piece of transfer business conducted since Klopp’s arrival way back when.

Liverpool could count on Coutinho, now 32, for a moment of magic, but found something better in the players welcomed with the funds collected from his sale.

And for Coutinho, surely a sense of regret. Despite winning the Champions League with Bayern Munich and two La Liga titles with Barcelona, he’s indeed failed to ever reach the stunning level that he displayed under Klopp’s wing, having now been on Aston Villa’s books for the past several seasons.

That said, the Brazilian has spent the past few years out on loan, with Al Duhail in Dubai and now Vasco de Gama in his homeland, now valued at just £5m, as per Transfermarkt.

It would seem that Liverpool hit the jackpot at the perfect time with this one, not least because his dramatic fall in market value has left him worth less than Slot’s firing player Wataru Endo, who is 31 years old and valued at £11m.

The fact that even an ageing Endo – who looks set to depart in January – is worth more than Liverpool’s record-breaking sale is a testament to his decline, with the playmaker perhaps wondering what might have been had he never left Anfield behind.

Sold for 1823% more: Liverpool struck gold on Klopp's "outstanding talent"

Liverpool made a great profit selling him

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 12, 2024

Keith Barker hits back with four wickets as Hampshire find late new-ball breakthroughs

Cameron Ponsonby21-Apr-2022Daniel Bell-Drummond’s 12th first-class century dominated day one, but a late collapse and a four-wicket haul from Keith Barker would see Hampshire finish the day slightly on top with the score at 271 for 7.It is easy to forget that Bell-Drummond is still only 28. His professional debut in cricket came over a decade ago and he was just a teenager when England’s new managing director Rob Key dubbed him as a player with the potential to play 100 Tests. And even ten years on, he is still England U19’s all-time leading run-scorer.Key’s prediction seemed particularly astute when Bell-Drummond, aged 21, scored a 92-ball century against Australia in 2015 and followed it up in 2016 with a first-class season where he averaged 68.07. Glory awaited.But then the runs dried up. Whereas he scored nine first-class centuries in the first five years of his career, the following six would add just three more (including today), as his red-ball runs were replaced with white. His form with the bat mirrored the wider pattern of the domestic game, where England’s short-format batting stocks are growing deeper than ever, while anyone with a pulse and Ed Smith’s phone number got a go at the Test team’s batting order. It is a recognition of Bell-Drummond’s lack of form in 2017 (avg 24.39) and 2018 (19.00) that even from the highs of the previous years the call never came.Nevertheless, given the clear potential Bell-Drummond had shown in the first half of his career, and the subsequent England selection policy of backing the potential of youth, you could be excused for wondering whether Bell-Drummond ever felt hard done by that the punt on potential that others have since received was never an opportunity afforded to him a few years earlier.”No, not at all”, Bell-Drummond said at the close of play. “I think if I was good enough then, I should be good enough now. I probably haven’t been as consistent as I’d have liked since 2016, so not at all. If anything, I see it as the opposite. Obviously, everyone loves a cap but I want to make sure I’m good enough if I get to that level. I think times are changing as well, Alastair Cook was playing then and a few runs were being scored. It’s been in the media about the wickets – obviously, we’ve had some really good ones here this year, but I think it’s a really different time. I don’t have any regrets.”It would be too much to describe this innings as a redemption for Bell-Drummond but it will hopefully be a new beginning for a player who only last year had found himself out of the Kent side. And lessons too can be taken from the success of Bell-Drummond’s team-mate Ben Compton, who today scored 27 in his first innings in a Kent shirt that hasn’t finished with him reaching three figures.Compton, a late entrant to the first-class game, has been celebrated as an example of where determination and commitment to a goal can take you. His reward would appear to be the potential of a long professional career now ahead of him. And yet the newbie Compton and the veteran Bell-Drummond are, of course, the same age.”I definitely do take admiration from Compton and how he’s started,” Bell-Drummond said. “It’s been unbelievable, to be honest. Maybe he expected it, but I don’t think we thought we’d signed this calibre of player. But he’s an awesome player and he’ll go from strength to strength.Related

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Ben Compton's Kent breakthrough offers hope to late developers

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“But it just shows his ambitions and how strong he is mentally. I take a lot from that. That’s the main thing I’ve learnt. In terms of my career, I just try to take each day as it comes. I know how good I can be, but I just really want to be more consistent. I’ve done really well in white-ball cricket, so now it’s just about adding the red-ball side to it.”Both sets of skills were on show today as Bell-Drummond played the seam of Kyle Abbott, Mohammad Abbas and Keith Barker with patience while targeting the short leg-side boundary when facing the leg spin of Mason Crane.And for as long as Bell-Drummond was at the crease, the day looked set to be a dominant occasion for Kent, whose only brief wobbles with the bat were right at the start of the day when Zak Crawley edged behind off the bowling of Abbas and then, 100 runs later, when Compton and Tawanda Muyeye fell in quick succession.The double breakthrough had sparked some life into Hampshire, with captain James Vince bellowing “150 for 5!” across the ground in both hope and expectation as the hosts stood at 113 for 3.But Bell-Drummond and Jordan Cox, who made 51, would take Kent past 200 and beyond, and it was only in the last hour of the day that Hampshire looked like taking any sheen off their efforts, with Kent sitting pretty at that stage on 239 for 3.But when Bell-Drummond was given lbw off the bowling of Abbott for 149, Kent proceeded to collapse. It is the nature of the four-day game that while good things take a long time to arrive with the bat, bad things can happen very quickly. And in the final hour Kent would lose four wickets for just 26 runs as Barker struck twice with the second new ball to add to his earlier wickets of Muyeye and Compton.”They bowled well with the second new ball so the game’s still in the balance,” Bell-Drummond said. “Obviously we’d have liked to have gone in three-, four- or five-down at the end of the day but we’re still pretty content and for the most part it was a good day.”

Mason Greenwood's England future hangs on the balance as the Marseille star has been told that the "ball is in his court" over representing Jamaica.

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Greenwood is likely to switch allegianceJamaican federation yet to receive documentsMcClaren confident of Man Utd reunionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Football Association’s (FA) chief executive, Mark Bullingham, recently confirmed that Greenwood had expressed his intention to change allegiance to Jamaica, where he would link up with former England manager Steve McClaren. However, the Jamaican Football Federation (JFF) has yet to receive the necessary paperwork to complete the switch, raising doubts over whether Greenwood will follow through with his decision, reports.

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The JFF had been hopeful that Greenwood’s eligibility would be settled before the nation's 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June and the forward was also seen as a potential key player for their CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign. However, due to delays in documentation, his involvement in these competitions is no longer guaranteed.

WHAT MCCLAREN SAID

Despite the uncertainty, Jamaica manager McClaren remains optimistic that Greenwood is fully committed to representing the Caribbean nation.

"We are in contact all the time, with him and his family,” he said. "I am very confident he only wants to play for Jamaica. It is up to him when he moves forward with that. The ball is in his court."

DID YOU KNOW?

McClaren, who previously worked at Manchester United as an assistant coach, took charge of Jamaica’s national team last year. Under his leadership, the JFF has actively pursued dual-nationality players to strengthen the squad, with Greenwood viewed as a major addition.

Glasgow Rangers are building momentum at precisely the right time following a relatively straightforward 3-0 win over Ross County over the weekend.

With a Europa League tie at Ibrox against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday, followed by the League Cup final against Celtic days later, Philippe Clement will be pleased with how his side performed in the Highlands.

These two matches could define the season, yet Clement is already looking ahead to January…

Rangers have Championship star high on their list

It is no secret that the Light Blues need to add another player or two to the squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.

According to Glasgow World, the Gers are believed to be on the hunt for an attacking player this winter, with Leeds United youngster Joe Gelhardt reportedly high on the list of transfer targets.

He has failed to impress Daniel Farke this season, slipping down the pecking order and this could see him move away from Elland Road next month.

Further reports from Football Insider suggest he wants to sign for the club with rumours that Rangers are ‘plotting’ their move for the young attacker.

His contract expires in 2027, which suggests Leeds might be looking for a sizeable fee in order to let him depart. Could a loan deal be worked out between the two clubs?

Rangers have enjoyed previous success with regard to signing players from the Championship. Gelhardt could potentially be another Todd Cantwell-type figure at Ibrox.

Todd Cantwell 2.0 for Rangers

Of course, we all know how Cantwell’s spell at the club ended, but for a time, he was an exciting player who looked like he could be a star player for the Ibrox side over the next few years.

The Englishman fell out of favour at Norwich City, leading Michael Beale to sign him in 2023. Six goals and five assists during his first five months indicated that he could turn out to be a fine signing.

Despite registering 15 goal contributions last term, it was clear Clement wasn’t his biggest fan, leading to his sale in the summer to Blackburn Rovers.

Gelhardt could hopefully have a similar sort of impact should he move to Scotland next month. The £14k-per-week starlet burst onto the scene during the 2021/22 season, scoring twice and grabbing two assists in the Premier League for Leeds.

Goals

6

7

Assists

4

5

Big chances created

5

7

Key passes per 90

1.3

1.7

Successful dribbles per 90

1.5

1.2

Jamie Carragher lavished praise on the youngster after a goal against Norwich in 2022, saying: “And he’s a special, special talent. He’ll be remembered now for this big goal, but I can assure you, he is a lad we will be talking about a lot in a few years’ time, he really is.”

Unfortunately, he hasn’t quite lived up to his potential. Since his maiden campaign, Gelhardt has netted just four goals, with three coming in the Championship during a loan spell with Sunderland.

Perhaps a change of scenery could do him the world of good? Cantwell shone after moving to Ibrox and if the club can even secure a short-term deal for the 22-year-old, he could be an ideal signing.

Better than Igamane: Rangers star who didn't even score was the real hero

The Glasgow Rangers titan was a monster in the Premiership clash with Ross County.

2 ByDan Emery Dec 8, 2024

Manchester City cannot be expelled by the Premier League, but they could be voted out of the division if found guilty of multiple FFP breaches.

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Verdict yet to be delivered in long-running casePotential punishments being speculated onCity not expected to be kicked out of the top tierFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The reigning champions of England remain locked in a Financial Fair Play battle that sees as many as 130 charges hanging over the Etihad Stadium. City have maintained their innocence throughout, but are still waiting on a verdict at the end of an independent hearing.

AdvertisementGetty Images THE BIGGER PICTURE

Various punishments have been speculated on, ranging from hefty points deductions to transfer embargoes. Premier League rules dictate that no club can be cast out of the top tier, but an expulsion poll could be conducted if that recommendation were to be put forward to a special meeting of shareholders.

DID YOU KNOW?

If that were to be the case, then 75 per cent of those given a vote would need to back the decision to drop City into the EFL ranks in order for the proposal to be pushed through. Such events remain purely speculative for now.

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GettyWHAT FOOTBALL GOVERNANCE SPECIALIST SAID

Aaryaman Banjeri, head of football governance at Lane Clark & Peacock, has told : "The issue of whether Manchester City might be expelled from the Premier League is a complex one. Rule B6 of the Premier League’s Handbook stipulates that, in order to trigger the expulsion of one of its members, clubs would have to vote as part of a Special Resolution.

"This would require 15 clubs to vote in favour of expulsion. It will be instructive to see whether the Independent Commission is held to this requirement, or whether this might be worked around, so that the Commission can itself impose such a sanction."

Bangladesh’s head coach also wants the batters to put together substantial partnerships

Mohammad Isam05-Mar-2022Bangladesh’s trend of dropping catches continued as they missed three straightforward chances in the second T20I against Afghanistan. Both Hazaratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani were reprieved on their way to a 99-run second-wicket partnership in Afghanistan’s chase of 116. Nasum Ahmed dropped Zazai off his own bowling in the first over when the opener was on 0. Mohammad Naim and Afif Hossain then dropped Usman Ghani at the leg-side boundary when he was on 39 and 41.Bangladesh’s head coach Russell Domingo noted that Bangladesh have been dropping catches for the last 12 months.”Dropping nine catches in five games is unheard of,” Domingo said. “It is unbelievable when you think about it. If we knew what [the problem] was, we probably wouldn’t be doing it. Whether it is concentration, confidence or dealing with pressure, I am not 100% sure. We just have to make sure we try to improve. We make too many mistakes in the field that have cost us. It cost us in the World Cup, here, Test matches. Just too many dropped catches. You can do all the drills in practice but the players have to catch the balls in the games. That is the bottom line.”Domingo bemoaned another tricky pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium where he said openers from both sides struggled to hit the spinners in the early exchanges.”I don’t think the pitches were easy to bat on today,” he said. “It wasn’t a 115 pitch, but it wasn’t also a 160 pitch. If we got 135 we were in the game. At 99 for 4 with four overs to go, we were looking at 135. There’s obviously some areas of concern in batting, but it wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on today. Both their openers could have been out in the first two overs. The ball spins, grips, one bounces and one stays low. We know that it is tough to bat in Mirpur.”Bangladesh also struggled to put partnerships together, which Domingo said was another area where they needed improvement.”Even in the first game, every time we get a partnership going, we just lose a wicket,” Domingo said. Partnerships of 20-30 won’t win you games. You need 70-run partnerships. The boys made some poor decisions at crucial times in the games. Riyad (Mahmudullah) gets out after getting a good partnership with Mushfiq (Mushfiqur Rahim). Those are mistakes you can’t make against big teams.Domingo defended their selection of Mohammad Naim, after they dropped Yasir Ali, who had made his debut in the previous game, to make way for Mushfiqur Rahim who was returning from a finger injury. Naim managed only 13 off 19 balls on Saturday, but Domingo said that they still rate him highly.Five games ago everyone was saying Litton should be dropped,” he said. “Now everyone is saying Litton is the best player in the world. Sometimes players go through slumps in form. Coaches and selectors have to support those players. It is an important part of coaching and building a team. Naim was the right guy to play today. He is our highest-rated T20I batsman, if the media don’t know that. He deserves his spot.”