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A guide to what is expected from Thursday’s hearing, which could decide the fate of the board and its state associations, which are yet to fully comply with the Lodha Committee’s recommendations

Nagraj Gollapudi16-Jan-2019

A view of the BCCI headquarters at Wankhede Stadium•PTI

Why is this hearing significant?This hearing has the potential to end the bizarre situation where the BCCI has not carried out the Supreme Court’s orders on reforms. On July 18, 2016, the court approved the reforms recommended by the RM Lodha Committee and directed that they be implemented by all state associations; it subsequently amended certain reforms at the request of several state associations. To date, though, not a single member association of the BCCI, nor the parent body itself, has implemented the recommendations in toto.The CoA has now recommended that the BCCI conduct elections within 90 days from the court’s ruling and has requested, in its status report, that the court approve a timeline for elections.Why has the BCCI failed to hold elections?To conduct the elections, the states and the BCCI first need to comply with the new constitution, which was registered last August. That means they have to agree unconditionally to all reforms. Not one of the 34 state associations of the BCCI was fully compliant at the time when the CoA submitted its status report on October 27 last year. The CoA identified seven states as being “non-compliant”, while the rest fell under the “partially compliant” and “substantially compliant” categories.ALSO READ: CoA asks Supreme Court to suspend voting rights of non-compliant statesWhat are the contentious reforms?Although the state associations have set the ball rolling, many have dragged their feet on key reforms such as the cooling-off period, disqualification criteria, and selection panels. The most significant reform that BCCI members want the court to re-examine is the nine-year tenure limit set for office bearers in the new constitution. The members have suggested that as per the original order of the court in 2016, the office bearers’ tenure at BCCI and state associations was distinct, giving office-bearers a potential cumulative life of 18 years. However, under the new constitution, that limit has been reset to a cumulative nine years – whether at state level or at the BCCI or both.What can the court do to enforce its order?Follow the CoA’s recommendation of barring errant state associations from their voting rights in the BCCI elections and also withholding their funding.Diana Edulji and Vinod Rai emerge from a CoA meeting•Getty Images

Anything else the BCCI members want to pursue?Several BCCI members want the CoA’s reign to be brought to end. But that will only happen if they conduct elections. Nonetheless, the members want to make the court aware of the deep divisions and distrust within the two-member CoA comprising Vinod Rai, the former Comptroller & Auditor General of India, and Diana Edulji, the former India women captain. Their motive? Some members feel that would allow them to regain control of the BCCI despite being forced to implement reforms unconditionally.The issues that have split the CoA
The Rahul Johri sexual-harrassment allegations
The hiring of the India women coach
The Hardik Pandya-KL Rahul chat show controversyHow does the divide in CoA really matter?It matters because the CoA’s squabbles have now spilled over to the cricket arena and are in danger of affecting India’s World Cup preparations. Take the controversial TV-show comments of Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul: Rai and Edulji agree the players ought to be penalised, but have differed strongly on how to go about it. Both players have now been suspended and are out of the ongoing ODI series in Australia and are set to miss the limited-overs tour of New Zealand as well. The BCCI’s legal team recommended that the players be suspended pending an inquiry with the Ombudsman being the final adjudicator. Both Rai and Edulji want the court to give directions on the appointment of an Ombudsman, a position the BCCI has not filled since late 2016.Any other matter of interest?The court is also likely to hear a petition, filed by whistleblower Aditya Verma, to make public the findings of the ad-hoc committee that handled the sexual misconduct allegations against BCCI CEO Rahul Johri. The CoA will submit the findings in a sealed envelope but Verma has petitioned the court to ask the CoA to make the findings public.And, finally, who is conducting the hearing?At least three chief justices have presided over the case stretching back five years. On Thursday the bench will comprise Justices SA Bobde and AM Sapre.

Celtic opted to bring Brendan Rodgers back for a second stint at Parkead over the summer to replace Ange Postecoglou in the dugout in Glasgow.

The Northern Irish tactician was afforded the opportunity to bolster his squad with nine new faces throughout the summer transfer window as Maik Nawrocki, Odin Thiago Holm, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Nat Phillips, Luis Palma, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, Marco Tilio, and Hyun-jun Yang were all snapped up.

Despite three central defenders being brought in, Liam Scales, who was on loan with Aberdeen last season, has emerged as a key figure at the back alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers.

His current performances for the Hoops suggest that Postecoglou struck gold when he swooped to sign the Irish talent from Shamrock Rovers in 2021.

How much was Liam Scales worth at Shamrock Rovers?

At the time of his move from Ireland, Transfermarkt valued the left-footed defender at €100k (£87k) after spending just over two years with Rovers.

Scales racked up 51 appearances in all competitions and contributed with five goals and seven assists for the Irish side, as a versatile gem who featured at centre-back, left-back, and left-midfield.

His form in his home country convinced Celtic and Postecoglou to swoop for him and, on current form, that has turned out to be a fantastic piece of business.

How much is Liam Scales worth now?

At the time of writing (22/11/2023), Transfermarkt value Scales at €650k (£567k) and this is a staggering 550% increase on the initial €100k that he was valued at in 2021, which shows that the towering ace has progressed considerably over the past two years.

Last season, the 25-year-old battler played 31 Scottish Premiership matches for Aberdeen on loan and caught the eye with an average Sofascore rating of 7.01.

He made 2.9 tackles and interceptions, along with 5.1 clearances, per game to help his side at the back. Although, the Irish defender also made two errors that led to shots for the opposition and conceded three penalties, which suggests that he was liable to make a mistake on occasion.

Scales returned to Celtic over the summer and has risen to prominence under Rodgers. He has started 11 Premiership matches so far this season and averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.59.

The left-footed colossus has made 2.6 tackles and interceptions along with 7.2 ball recoveries per outing for the Scottish giants, and is yet to make a single error or give away any penalties, in those 11 games.

He has come out on top in 63% of his duels and this shows that the Hoops titan, who Rodgers lauded as the "perfect example" for players fighting for their place, has been able to dominate opposition players with his physical strength.

Scales has also completed 89% of his attempted passes and averaged 115 touches of the ball per game. This shows that he has been reliable in possession and rarely given the ball away, which helps his side to build up attacks from the back without creating counter opportunities.

Overall, it is clear to see that Postecoglou struck gold with the Irish talent as his market value has skyrocketed over the last two years and he now looks set to be a key player for Rodgers for years to come, if the enforcer can maintain current form.

Tottenham are hoping to persuade a "high-energy" young player to join them, and it is believed they think he has "huge" potential after making him a top target.

Postecoglou's problems at Spurs

The north Londoners had been flying before a succession of killer injury blows threw them off course, with both James Maddison and Micky van de Ven now ruled out till early 2024.

Ange Postecoglou, before successive Premier League defeats to Chelsea and Wolves, made the best-ever start of any new manager in the division's history – with on-lookers praising the Australian and his bold, high-pressing style.

Van de Ven and Maddison's absences were arguably huge aspects of both losses, as the former's electric pace is a key asset in Postecoglou's high defensive line. The latter, meanwhile, has provided real creativity in midfield since his £40m move from Leicester City.

Both are sore misses for Spurs, with the club now looking to January for some much-needed alternatives. While Maddison and van de Ven will return next year, you could argue their lack of involvement has exposed a real lack of depth behind Postecoglou's traditional starting eleven.

As a result, Spurs want to sign a left-sided centre-back in the winter window and have their eyes on a new midfielder. Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, two key cogs in Postecoglou's midfield, are also set for Africa Cup of Nations duty once the new year comes around.

It is also believed the Spurs manager has his eyes on a new forward, amid doubts surrounding both Richarlison and summer signing Brennan Johnson.

Spurs hoping to tempt Iling-Junior

One option who has been repeatedly linked in the last week is Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior, with the former Chelsea starlet attracting serious interest from Postecoglou and co.

Football Insider has an update on this, saying that Tottenham hope to persuade the 20-year-old to make a move back to England – in what they say would be a "shock" move. It's added that they think Iling-Junior has "huge potential", as quoted by a source speaking to the outlet and is a "top target".

This also comes after injury blows to Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon, with Postecoglou keen to shore up his wide attacking options as well as other areas of the squad. Iling-Junior has been scarcely used by Massimiliano Allegri so far this season, but the Englishman is still believed to be a real favourite of Juve's fanbase.

The winger has impressed in flashes over his cameos these last 12 months, earning favour from Juve supporters as a result. Journalist Michele Neri explained this to TNT Sports, while also likening the player to AC Milan star Rafael Leao.

“Iling Junior is a very quick player, who loves to take on opposing full-backs and attack the vertical spaces, in a very direct way,” Neri explained to TNT Sports.

“He is a left winger who can also play as a right winger if needed. He has a great sense for dribbling and a speed from a standing start that other Juventus players do not have.

“In these qualities you can absolutely see shades of Rafael Leao when the AC Milan superstar was a bit younger. The fans went crazy for him after the Benfica game where he played 20 minutes and really shone, providing an assist to Milik."

Fellow reporter Antonio Mango also revered Iling Junior's "high energy".

The teenage midfielder has been fast-tracked into the senior squad at the VELTINS-Arena having been likened to Paul Pogba

Germany fans haven't had much to cheer about in recent years, with a last-16 defeat to England at Euro 2020 sanwiched between two embarrassing group-stage exits at successive World Cups. And as legends like Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer approach the latter stages of their career, it may be necessary for the German Football Federation (DFB) to bring the next generation of talent through early, if for no other reason than to provide a much-needed shot of energy that lifts the mood of one of the great footballing nations.

Assan Ouedraogo certainly looks like a player capable of having such an impact, after breaking into the Schalke first team at the tender age of 17. Several of the world's biggest clubs have already taken notice, with Ouedraogo set to have his pick of suitors when the transfer window opens this summer given the bargain €20 million (£17m/$22m) buyout clause in his contract.

Schalke has been a stepping stone for a number of top European players down the years, from Jens Lehmann and Mesut Ozil to Joel Matip and Leroy Sane, and Ouedraogo could go onto follow in their footsteps if he continues on his current trajectory.

The gifted German teenager has already made his mark at the VELTiNS-Arena, but still has so much potential left to unlock…

• Getty
  

  Where it all began

  Ouedraogo was born to Burkinabe parents in the German city of Mulheim, and has always had football in his blood. He is the son of former Charleroi and Koln midfielder Alassane Ouedraogo, who won 33 caps for Burkina Faso and played across multiple levels of the German football pyramid, including the Bundesliga.

  Local side TuS Union 09 gave Ouedraogo the chance to start learning his trade, and at just eight years old he was drafted into Schalke's renowned Knappenschmiede academy. He then spent the next decade working towards a first-team breakthrough, and took a giant step towards that goal in the 2021-22 season, recording seven goals and eight assists in 15 appearances for Schalke's U17s to help them win the league title.

  Ouedraogo became a key player for the U19s the following campaign, recording seven goal contributions in the Bundesliga West, and was rewarded with a spot in Germany's U17 squad for the 2023 European Championship, where he would go on to announce himself as one of the brightest talents on the continent.

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• The big break

  Germany stormed to their first U17 European Championship title in 14 years last summer, and Ouedraogo played in five of their six matches, providing one goal and one assist. His solitary goal came in their thrilling 5-3 semi-final victory over Poland, as he left his marker with a clever piece of movement before leaping to head home at the back post, showing off his impressive ability in the air.

  The final was a far more cagey affair as Germany and France played out a goalless draw after normal and extra-time, but Ouedraogo stayed on for the entire match, and had the courage to put himself forward to take his team's fifth penalty in the subsequent shootout. As fate would have it, France missed their final two penalties to leave Ouedraogo with the responsibility of winning the cup for his country, and he obliged in the coolest possible fashion, side footing the ball into the corner of the net after wrong-footing the goalkeeping.

  It was a remarkable piece of execution from a special young player, and it convinced Schalke that he was ready for the step up to senior level. The German giants were relegated from the Bundesliga after a nightmare 2022-23 season, and head coach Thomas Reis decided to throw Ouedraogo in at the deep end for their first game back in the second tier.

  At just 17 years and 80 days old, Ouedraogo became Schalke's youngest-ever player when lining up against Hamburg on July 28, and marked the occasion with a goal. The ball was knocked down to the teenager just inside the box, and he produced a brilliant low finish after casually side-stepping his marker – as if he were just taking part in a practice game.

  He also broke Julian Draxler's record as the youngest scorer in Schalke's history, before going on to bag an assist, and although they went on to lose the game 5-3, he made a lasting impression on Hamburg boss Fritz Walter. “With Assan you have a real gem. Hats off! Good boy. A really good player," he said.

• How it's going

  Ouedraogo featured in Schalke's next 10 league games, and earned widespread praise despite the team only managing to pick up three victories, with Karel Geraerts eventually drafted in to replace Reis in the dugout in October. Schalke legend Olaf Thon was among those blown away by the youngster's ability, as he beamed: "He has everything: game intelligence, speed, teamwork, goal threat and he can play the final pass."

  Unfortunately, his momentum was disrupted due to a hamstring injury, and although he was still called up to Germany's U17 World Cup squad, Ouedraogo only made two appearances during his country's run to another major trophy. His tournament was cut short when he tore ligaments in his ankle, which kept him out of action for the next four months, and Schalke have sorely missed his presence while plummeting to 14th in the 2.Bundesliga table.

  It's been a long road back to full fitness for Ouedraogo, but he has dealt with the first serious setback in his fledgling career like a true professional, and finally returned to action in Schalke's league outing against Paderborn on March 17. He looked sharp in his 19-minute cameo, and earned a place back in Geraerts' starting XI for a friendly clash with FC Gütersloh three days later.

  Schalke ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a stunning long-range strike from Ouedraogo, leaving his manager delighted. “I’m really happy that he’s fit again,” Geraerts said after the game. “He scored a fantastic goal. It’s exactly why we rate him so highly – he has the ability to beat his man one-on-one and then finish like that.”

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• Getty
  

  Biggest strengths

  Ouedraogo stands at an imposing height of 6’3 (191cm), which has helped him easily adjust to the physical demands of senior football at one of Germany's biggest clubs. But he's also surprisingly nimble for such a tall player, and an accomplished ball carrier who has no trouble operating in tight spaces.

  Schalke began relying on Ouedraogo to break through the lines in the first half of the season, and he's very difficult to stop once in full flow because of his explosive pace and close ball control. He also wreaks havoc when receiving the ball on the half-turn and has a very direct style of play, with a mature head on his shoulders belying his tender age.

  As previously mentioned, he is also a huge threat from corners, and has proven he can be deadly with either foot when he gets into shooting range. There is every chance Ouedraogo can become a great goal-scorer as well as a masterful all-round midfielder, and it won't be long before he earns his first cap for Germany if he continues on his current trajectory.

Arsenal are reportedly eyeing further reinforcements for the remainder of the season, as the January transfer window fast approaches.

Mikel Arteta’s side have enjoyed a strong start to the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, however the issue of squad depth seems to be a recurring theme early into the calendar.

Last term, the Gunners missed out on their first league title since 2004, setting a new top-flight record by being the side to have led the table for the longest without winning the title.

The north Londoners struggled on the home straight as the repercussions of the busy schedule snuck in, and injury struck with little depth available to replace some dominant figures in the favoured XI.

In the summer, it was imperative that Arteta and Edu sought out additional reinforcements to cover the cracks in the ambitious young squad, however as injury continue to strike frequently this season, more signings could be on the cards over the winter.

Reports have already linked a host of players with a potential move to the Emirates in January, with talent deployable in areas all over the pitch suspected to be on Arteta’s wishlist.

Arsenal transfer targets

Despite capturing the signature of Gabriel Jesus only last summer, two forwards have been linked to Arsenal in the form of Brentford’s Ivan Toney and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

A report from the Mirror claimed that the Bees will expect bids no lower than £100m for Toney, who is said to be admired by the Gunners for his goal-scoring proficiency in the Premier League.

On the subject of forwards valued at nine figures by their employers, Arsenal have also been linked to Feyenoord talisman Santiago Gimenez, who according to 90min is also admired by Chelsea, Real Madrid and Spurs.

The Mexican is said to be valued at €100m (£86m) by the Eredivisie outfit, which is a fair value considering that the 22-year-old has scored 13 goals in ten league appearances so far this season.

In deeper areas of the pitch, the Gunners are said to hold an interest in Liverpool target Andre Trindade, who turned down a move to Anfield in the summer.

The Brazilian, who has a release clause of £34m at Fluminense is said to be a defensive midfielder that is admired by the north Londoners.

Another defensive player that Arteta is reportedly eyeing is Fiorentina starlet Michael Kayode, who has made a breakthrough in Serie A this season.

As reported in Italy by Calciomercato, Arsenal had sent scouts to watch the right-back in action, and were ‘above all’ interested in acquiring his signature.

Unfortunately, the 19-year-old recently penned a new deal with the Serie A outfit to extend his stay to 2028, however, the report failed to rule out the Gunners’ continued interest, adding that they may require patience to sign the defender.

A move in the summer seems more viable at this point in the player’s progression, but there’s no denying that Kayode could be a statement signing one day for the Premier League side.

Michael Kayode’s playing style

Deployed primarily at right back, the Italian has the versatility to also play in an inverted right wing-back role and as a winger due to his strengths in advancing upfield.

The defender has been described by Football Transfers as a 'very fast' and 'physically strong' player, who possesses notable upper body strength to allow him to fend off threats and challenge the opposition when called upon.

Football Transfers also described the teenager as having an 'excellent' ability in the air, with his attributes aligning to see him dubbed one of the “main heroes” for his country at the recent U19’s European Championships by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

For his versatility and proficiency in progressive play, the teenager could be a worthy coup for Arteta’s side, with his style of play showing traceable values to those preferred by the manager in his full-backs.

The stats that show Michael Kayode could be a good signing for Arsenal

At the U19 European Championship, Kayode showcased just how well utilised he is on the right side of defence, particularly through his ability to roam.

In five appearances, the Fiorentina starlet averaged 1.2 key passes and 1.6 successful dribbles per game, as well as creating three big chances in the tournament to reinforce his strength in the final third, via Sofascore.

For Arsenal, the teen could be the perfect talent to add to the ranks for such reasons, with Arteta’s full-backs – such as Ben White – constantly playing a part in getting forward, exploiting the opportunity to overlap the wingers to cause a further threat.

This term, the youngster has made six appearances in the Italian top flight in what is acting as his breakthrough campaign, showing he is ready to translate his skills at senior level.

Kayode has already claimed an assist for his efforts in the league this season, with his defensive ability also shining through as he ranks in the top 5% of full-backs in Serie A for his average of 1.91 tackles won per 90, via FBref.

It’s been an encouraging start to life at senior level for the 19-year-old, who was once lauded as “terrific” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, but how does he compare to those currently on show at Arsenal?

How Michael Kayode compares to Ben White

White is Arteta’s firm first-choice right-back, however, the Englishman was initially signed to play as a central defender.

The 26-year-old has excelled in the manager's demands of playing with inverted full-backs, offering strengths in the art of defending and the ability and skill set to thrive as a support system in the final third.

The issue for Arteta is that White is the only identifiable right back at the club with the ability to assume such a role, with the likes of Cedric Soares fairly one-dimensional in his approach to play.

Ben White

Michael Kayode

84.9%

79.3%

5.35

3.24

1.54

2.10

0.41

1.14

0.93

0.76

1.13

3.05

0.72

1.14

This is where the acquisition of Kayode could bolster Arsenal’s depth at the back, giving the manager options rather than compromising his tactics due to his rotational options not being able to fulfil the usual tasks.

As highlighted in the table above, the two full-backs boast similar strengths to their playing styles, suggesting that the young Italian could be the eventual heir to White at Arsenal or even surpass the Englishman – the younger man notably standing out for his superior tackles and interceptions per 90, as well as progressive carries and successful take-ons.

If the 19-year-old continues to progress throughout the season at Fiorentina, who knows just how prominent he could be at the Emirates if he eventually arrives, with his trajectory displaying signs that he could one day oust White from his starting berth.

Record-breaking transfers, relegation battles and a whole host of managerial sackings – Farhad Moshiri’s tenure as Everton owner was chaotic.

The Iranian businessman’s arrival on Merseyside was welcomed with much optimism due to his well-documented wealth. That money, however, has not been spent well to say the least, with just over £600m worth of transfers seemingly going to waste in recent years.

Moshiri’s spell of eight turbulent years came to an end when he was replaced by the Friedkin Group in December 2024.

Here, we take a closer look at some of the worst Everton signings under Moshiri’s ownership.

10

Salomon Rondon

Now, this was a move that had flop written all over it, and the only reason it isn’t higher on this list is that there was no fee involved.

The only reason Rondon joined the club in August 2021 is due to Rafael Benitez, whom he had played under at Newcastle United and Chinese Super League outfit Dalian Pro.

In all, the Venezuelan striker made 31 appearances for the Merseysiders, scoring just three goals and providing a single assist. Those are atrocious numbers, and when it was clear that he wasn’t at the required level, he agreed to terminate his contract with the club six months early.

Poor decisions were rife during the short-lived Benitez era, and Rondon’s signing was chief among them. Granted, the Spanish boss will have been hamstrung by Financial Fair Play constraints at the time, but this only serves to point the finger at Moshiri once more, as his catalogue of previous expensive mistakes is clearly continuing to hurt the club to this day.

9

Theo Walcott

Now, there is no denying that Theo Walcott had a rather excellent career in the Premier League; you can’t spend 12 years at a club like Arsenal and not have something special about you.

However, when he finally left north London and joined Everton, he was undeniably past his best, and his record for the Toffees shows that.

In total, the former Gunner made 85 appearances for the Toffees, in which he scored 11 goals and notched nine assists, giving him a goal involvement on average every 4.25 games. Were he signed on a free, those kinds of numbers could be seen as good enough, but he wasn’t free. In fact, he cost the club a whopping £20m when they signed him in the summer of 2018.

Ultimately, Walcott wasn’t an atrocious signing for the club, but you would generally want to get more out of an experienced attacker who costs £20m, so he has to make this list. Whoever sanctioned this has a lot of explaining to do.

8

Moise Kean

Moise Kean was destined for Everton greatness when the club signed him from Juventus for an initial fee of £29m in August 2019, but after just 39 appearances for the club and three seasons on loan, he was sold back to the Old Lady.

Admittedly, the fact that Everton were able to sell the player for £25m – practically erasing the cost of signing him in the first place – is rather impressive, but it doesn’t make that transfer any less of a failure.

In his 39 appearances, the young Italian scored just four goals and provided two assists, which is well below what was expected of him. He also picked up a straight red during his time with the Toffees.

In all, he failed to live up to the hype, and the four years he spent at the club were a waste of time for all involved.

7

Fabian Delph

Now, this might seem a little bit harsh to some; after all, Fabian Delph was a Premier League winner at Manchester City and could well have been a difference-maker at Everton had it not been for injuries that weren’t his fault – but that is the problem: he was always injured.

Delph signed for the Toffees in July 2019 for a reported fee of £8.5m, which for someone of his experience, seemed like a reasonable deal, especially as he signed a three-year contract at the club.

However, injury problems quickly arose, and before he had even seen his first Christmas as an Everton player, he had already missed 25 games for club and country through a myriad of injuries. In total, Delph would miss 63 games through injury as an Everton player and make just 41 appearances across three campaigns.

This signing was only made worse by the fact that it was well-known just how injury-prone he was before Everton signed him, but they did it anyway.

6

Jean-Philippe Gbamin

Gbamin joined the club in the summer of 2019 for a reported £25m from German outfit Mainz.

Hopes were high when the midfielder first arrived on Merseyside, with Everton having reportedly shrugged off interest from the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham to land the Ivory Coast international.

Sadly for both Everton and Gbamin, the midfielder’s time in England has been constantly plagued by injury, with the player’s agent recently describing his Everton spell as ‘a nightmare’.

Racking up only six Premier League appearances to date, Gbamin’s body has prevented him from making the impact he would have desired.

Recent loan moves to CSKA Moscow and Trabzonspor have not changed the midfielder’s fortunes, as he remains without a club after leaving Goodison Park in the summer.

5

4

Yannick Bolasie

One of the first signings of the Moshiri era, Bolasie’s flair and unpredictability during his time at Crystal Palace got a lot of Everton fans excited ahead of his move.

Joining for around £25m, the winger had an impressive start to life on Merseyside, contributing to five goals in his first 13 games. Bolasie then, however, would sustain a cruciate ligament rupture just four months after arriving at Goodison Park – an injury that would ultimately derail his Everton career.

Bolasie would only go on to make a further 16 appearances for Everton the next season and then headed out on a number of loans to clubs such as Aston Villa and Sporting CP, later leaving the club on a free transfer in 2021.

3

Davy Klaassen

Regarded as one of the most talented players in the Netherlands at the time of the move, Klaassen joined Everton for £23.6m from Dutch giants Ajax in the summer of 2017.

However, the midfielder, could not replicate the form that he had shown back in his homeland, ultimately failing to make an impact on Merseyside.

Seemingly struggling with the pace of the English game, the Dutchman only went on to make seven league appearances in his one season at the club.

He later left the Toffees to join Werder Bremen in a deal that saw Everton lose £13m on the player in the space of a year.

2

Cenk Tosun

Following the departure of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United, the Toffees were in dire need of a goalscorer back in 2017. This led to them signing Turkish striker Cenk Tosun in a deal just shy of £30m.

After notching six goal contributions during the Champions League group stage earlier that season, Everton fans will have been hopeful that Tosun could fill the void left by Lukaku.

With four goals in his first seven games, the striker started well under the stewardship of Sam Allardyce. However, that is as good as it got for Tosun, as following the departure of Big Sam, the Turkiye international struggled for goals and game time under his successor, Marco Silva.

Scoring four league goals over the next two seasons, Tosun fell down the pecking order at Goodison Park – heading out on two loan moves at Crystal Palace and Besiktas in search of minutes.

Tosun eventually left Everton to join Besiktas permanently on a free transfer in 2022, meaning the Toffees did not recoup a single penny of the £28m they paid for the striker.

1

Sandro Ramirez

First hailed as an astute piece of business, the La Masia graduate joined the Toffees back in 2017 for what was an apparent bargain £5.25m fee.

The Spaniard’s performances on Merseyside soon changed those opinions, as the striker struggled to resemble anything like a top-flight striker – scoring only one goal in 16 disappointing appearances for the club.

Sandro would head out on numerous loan moves to clubs such as Sevilla and Real Sociedad, before leaving Everton permanently in 2020 to join SD Huesca on a free transfer.

CSA will be the majority shareholder and SuperSport a part-owner of a flagship T20 tournament that will take place in South Africa in November and December 2018

Firdose Moonda08-Jun-2018

AFP

A flagship T20 tournament will take place in South Africa in November and December this year, but not as the T20 Global League. Instead, a yet-to-be-named competition will take place, of which CSA will be the majority shareholder and satellite television company SuperSport a part-owner. Details such as the number of teams, matches and allowances for overseas players are yet to be ironed out.The new league will replace the stillborn T20 Global League, which was due to be played last year, was postponed three weeks before the scheduled start, and caused considerable uncertainty in South African cricket. Chiefly, the T20 Global League accounted for the departure of CSA’s former CEO Haroon Lorgat, who parted ways with the organisation in September 2017 after fallouts with the board over the details of the running of the league, among other things.The original tournament was Lorgat’s brainchild and was launched in June last year in London, with seven foreign owners for the eight teams including three IPL owners and two from PSL. None of those stakeholders will be involved in the new competition, which is essentially a South African product.Thabang Moroe, CSA’s acting CEO, who will remain in place for at least the next two months, told ESPNcricinfo that the eight previous franchise owners have been refunded their deposits of USD 250,000 even though CSA had initially sought to engage them about staying involved. Two owners, however, have denied receiving a refund.The only outside involvement in the new tournament will come from SuperSport, who will be the official broadcast partner of the league. CSA did not have a broadcast partner when it tried to launch the T20 Global League. When the T20 Global League was conceptualised, SuperSport believed it already had the rights to all cricket played in South Africa. However, their deal excluded what CSA defined as “new business”, and the board sought a broadcaster abroad. At the same time, they were engaged in discussions with SuperSport, which is understood to have offered CSA much less than Lorgat wanted.Sources have since revealed that SuperSport was also interested in owning a team in the league and eventually put together a proposal with other businesspersons to buy the league from CSA. Now, SuperSport have confirmed the involvement they desired and will contribute capital, together with CSA, to fund the new league. Moroe called the deal “the biggest in the history of South African domestic cricket, which will ensure the welfare of the game in South Africa.”No other financial details have been released at this stage, including whether there will be a player draft or auction, as there was for the T20 Global League. When the tournament was postponed, South African players were paid out 60% of their contract value and foreign players 50%. In total, the player payout amounted to around R80 million (USD 6.08 million), which made up less than half of CSA’s total loss of USD 14.1 million.There is no indication of whether the new tournament could be similarly lucrative for players this year, but CSA is committed to involving some international stars, which will doubtless increase their wage bill. The specifics around how many foreign players will be included, and other logistical details, will be discussed in the coming weeks.Most importantly, the numbers of teams and fixtures will be of interest. The T20 Global League was due to have eight teams and 57 matches, over 44 days but the new tournament is expected to be played over a smaller window, because of South Africa’s other commitments.South Africa will tour Australia for three ODIs and two T20Is between October 31 and November 17, and then host Pakistan for a full home series from December 26, which leaves a five-week window for the new tournament to be played. The T20 Global League was due to conclude on December 16, a public holiday in South Africa which marks the start of the festive season. If the new tournament takes the same format, that reduces the window to four weeks.The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), that helped negotiate the player payouts from the failed T20 Global League and has been pushing for a tournament in the country welcomed the news as long overdue.”We believe that it is critical for South Africa, as one of the world’s leading cricket countries, to have its own world class T20 competition and that this is as attractive to players as some of the existing T20 leagues in other countries. Players and their performances will be at the heart of the success of the competition,” Tony Irish, the SACA CEO, said in a release.SACA said it has not been privy to any discussions between CSA and SuperSport but hope to engage with the parties as the tournament date draws closer. SACA is also in the process of finalising its MoU with CSA which should conclude by the end of the month.

Michael Vaughan has suggested Stuart Broad feels he is beyond criticism after his comments at the end of the first day’s play in Leeds

George Dobell02-Jun-2018Michael Vaughan has suggested Stuart Broad feels he is beyond criticism after his comments at the end of the first day’s play in Leeds.Vaughan, the former England captain who has moved into the media, suggested in the run-up to the Test that England should consider dropping Broad (or, to a lesser extent, James Anderson) in order to “ruffle some feathers”.But Broad hit back after his good performance on the first day of the Leeds Test, saying that Vaughan “doesn’t know what the changing room is like” and didn’t have much insight.”I think it was a bit of a wild guess,” Broad said, before suggesting Vaughan was motivated by self-publicity. “It’s [about] personal columns and radio shows that need ‘likes’ and airtime, isn’t it?”Broad also confirmed that he had phoned Vaughan to register his “disappointment” at the comments. But Vaughan, responding on BBC’s Test Match Special programme, defended his views and suggested Broad had spoken prematurely.”You have to be careful when you choose a time to come out and attack like Stuart did last night,” Vaughan said. “England are still 72 runs behind Pakistan. They haven’t won this Test match yet.”The comments last night were geared as though they had won the game. He’s a senior member of the team and I don’t think it was the right time to plan that attack.”With the way the England team have played for a long period of time, they have had a great first day. To come out speaking like that after one good day after having only four or five good days in their past eight or nine Tests.”You have to be careful in sport that comments can come back to bite you but, on the other hand, it is entertaining. And that is what we want in sport. My only concern is that they are speaking like that after one good day.”I got the sense last night it was ‘you can’t criticise me. I’m Stuart Broad and I’ve been in the team for a long time.'”Nick Compton, who came in for a lot of criticism from Vaughan during his spell as an England player, also spoke out on Twitter saying: “About time someone shut that t&@t up.” He later removed the Tweet.”The reasons why I said they should consider [dropping Broad] is that I felt the England Test team needed to ruffle a feather or two,” Vaughan continued. “It has been very comfortable for a long period of time and one of the options might have been to break up the senior bowling pair.”If the criticism over the last few days has geed them up to go out there and prove us wrong, great.”I think the Test team for too long has been a lovely place. Lovely and comfortable. They win games and series when the ball swings around, but they don’t do it on a consistent basis.”So, you have to look at every aspect of the team to think about how you can trigger them into a more consistent performance.”

A quiet break from cricket, after two high-quality Tests that were in the spotlight for several wrong reasons, has given the South Africa opener time to think about his faltering batting

Firdose Moonda19-Mar-2018The two things Dean Elgar has enjoyed most about the last seven days is the silence and the chance to reflect on two highly competitive games of cricket, away from the sideshows that have surrounded them.”There’s been so much noise that people have actually forgotten there is such a great Test series happening between two strong and competitive teams. The backroom noise is hindering what has been quite an exciting Test series,” Elgar said, as South Africa resumed training after a week’s break ahead of the third Test against Australia at Newlands.The match starts on Thursday, which has effectively meant a 10-day period for the teams to get away from each other, and on the evidence of the first two Tests, they needed that. Everything from the stairwell saga to the send-offs has been laced with aggression and intensity. Those close to the Australian camp have gone as far as to say the temperature of this series has been hotter than recent Ashes’ contests and the South Africans, usually a passionate but not overly petulant lot, have also turned on the heat.Elgar, one of the pricklier characters in the squad, admitted he has also got involved. “There’s been a lot of niggle. It comes from both sides. It’s what you expect when you are playing against quality opposition. The intensity should be there. That’s what makes the format exciting,” he said. “I’ve been on the receiving end of it and I have also been one to give it out a bit, in all the right measurements.”The “right measurements”, as Elgar put it, have been debated throughout this series and, so far, no one can provide a recipe as to what those might be. Steven Smith has, on several occasions, insisted there is a line his team does not cross while Faf du Plessis has endorsed chirping as good for the game but said he would not advocate swearing. And then there’s the physical side of things. From David Warner needing to be physically restrained in the episode with Quinton de Kock, to the shoulder brush between Kagiso Rabada and Steven Smith, Elgar is right when he said this series is less about cricket and more about contact.A tweet on Vernon Philander’s account went as far as to suggest simulation could even come into the picture, but the message was deleted a few ours after it was posted and Philander claimed his account was hacked. And so the silence Elgar was enjoying might have been broken in the middle of the break, when it suddenly emerged that there may be a new flashpoint.Though very little has been made of the post on Philander’s account and the subsequent backtracking from it, that could change. Cameron Bancroft has already suggested Australia will use the tweet to try and unnerve the seamer on his home ground; the same venue where he played a major part in bowling them out for 47 in his debut Test series in 2011.AFP

Elgar suspects it will take more than that to get under Philander’s skin. “He’ll take it in his stride like Vern does. He is quite a relaxed human being but on the field he is as competitive as anyone else,” Elgar said. “He is going to expect that they are going to come out and say something to him on the field, and I am sure he is going to be prepared for that.”Philander might have other things to think about than what the Australians have to say. Should South Africa be without Kagiso Rabada – whose appeal hearing against a Level 2 charge extended to over six hours today – Philander will lead an attack that will likely include the retiring Morne Morkel and the inexperience of Lungi Ngidi. South Africa will have to find a way to take wickets without their leading bowler.Though the players have tried not to become preoccupied with the Rabada proceedings, they understand losing him would be a big deal. “As players, we are just trying to isolate ourselves away from that situation. We know we don’t have any influence over what has happened or what can happen. It would be nice to put it behind us,” Elgar said. “Having KG [Rabada] in our side is massive for us. It’s massive for the game, massive for the format, because KG is an extremely special cricketer. But we do know there are rules. We respect that. If he is good to go for the third Test, it will be awesome for us and awesome of the game.”In the meanwhile, Elgar would like to concentrate on his own game and on finding the form that had him finish as the third-highest run-scorer in Test cricket last year. Elgar’s 2017 included 1128 runs from 12 Tests at 53.71 with five centuries, but he has only managed 285 runs from five Tests this year at 31.66.He accepted that “it was always going to be difficult to follow-up on what was a very good year”, but would like to start contributing more, especially because of his returns so far. He was dismissed in single-figures in both innings in the first Test and the second innings of the second Test; his only score in double-figures so far this series was a stubborn 57 in Port Elizabeth. “I feel that I am batting nicely. I am getting through all the tough parts and then I am letting myself down with silly, stupid, uncharacteristic kind of dismissals,” Elgar said. “I know it’s not what the team requires, our team requires me to try bat out a day.”His half-century, which took five hours and six minutes to score, used up most of a day and helped lay a platform for South Africa to take a match-winning first-innings lead in Port Elizabeth. But on either side of that knock, Elgar has twice been caught and bowled by Nathan Lyon and desperately wants to change his record against the spinner.”I have handled him quite [badly],” Elgar said. “Like I said, silly dismissals that are uncharacteristic of me. In the past I have handled him quite well. He has developed his game massively in the last two years, and I will just be mindful of that and still trust my defence against him.”And hope for some more peace and quiet before the series resumes.

The sheer amount of content around Premier League clubs these days is incredible. It makes being a fan easier than ever – you can find out pretty much everything you want to know.

Wolves are no exception. There’s a world of content to traverse but we can appreciate it’s not always easy to know what directions to head in. So here at Football Fancast, we’ve put together a cheat sheet of who to follow for all your gold and black needs.

From news outlets, to journalists, to fan social media channels, to podcasts, we literally cover it all, so you never have to miss out on anything and everything involving Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Wolves News Now

This one just feels like a must. News Now collects headlines from around the world on various topics – and is just fantastic for football. Pick your league, pick your club, and get all the latest news published about it.

You can even just pick from the most-read stories of the day. If you’re just after the absolute latest news, this is your go-to when it comes to Wolves.

Liam Keen (Express and Star & Twitter)

As with virtually all clubs, the local journalists are the one who know exactly what’s going on. Liam Keen is the go-to when it comes to Wolves, and he writes for the local Express and Star.

And if you want the most up-to-date news from Keen, you can head to his Twitter (or X, or whatever it’s called by the time you read this). Here you’ll find interviews and the Tier 1 news that you’re almost certainly after.

Nathan Judah (Twitter)

Of course, Keen isn’t the Express and Star’s only Wolves journo. Nathan Judah is also as clued-in to Wolves as it gets – his Twitter is well worth a follow, too, if you want reliable news about the club.

He also offers the fans chances to get involved with questions and provides live updates during games, so if you’re looking for someone to keep you up to date on all that goes on at Wolves then he’s your man.

Express and Star Wolves Podcast

It’s also worth mentioning that Keen and Judah host the Wolves Podcast for the Express and Star. Again, it’s a good one to follow if you’re after the ins and outs at the club.

Quite often during a transfer window there will be updates and inside information dropped that you wouldn’t hear about if you’re not tuning in to the weekly episodes.

As mentioned above, the episodes tend to come out weekly, but may be more frequent during a transfer window.

Talking Wolves (Twitter & Youtube)

The last few years has seen fan content explode into the world of football and it’s no different at Wolves. Talking Wolves started in 2018 and has since become the premier fan channel for the club, amassing 45,000 followers on their Twitter.

But it’s underselling it to focus just on the Twitter account. Talking Wolves has been featured on BBC Sport, 5Live, Sky Sports, Channel 4… the list goes on. They even have their own merch, if you’re into some niche Molineux gear.

They also have a Youtube channel, which has anything from reaction to matchdays, transfer rumours, fan interviews and a whole lot more, so be sure to check them out.

Dave Azzopardi (Twitter)

Dave Azzopardi is one of the three fans who started Talking Wolves and can be found on their YouTube podcast regularly. If it’s a fan voice that you’re after, then Azzopardi is well worth a recommendation.

He knows his stuff – enough that he’s an assistant researcher for Football Manager on Wolves. We think that’s pretty decent.

His Twitter can be found here.

Wolves Fancast

Talking Wolves is far from the only place to get your Wolves content, of course. Wolves Fancast is also worth highlighting – a site that offers plenty of content, no matter how you like to get your Wolves info.

The team here is sizeable, too, offering a wide range of opinions on the club. And again, there’s a blog, a podcast, and video content for whatever you’re into.

And, their Twitter is well worth a follow if you like your feed being covered in everything Wolves.

Express and Star Wolves

The Express and Star is the place to find clued-in Wolves news that you can trust. They have a direct line into the club and publish daily news.

With so much content out there about every club, finding trustworthy stuff isn’t all that simple. The Express and Star falls into that category, though, and should be your go-to if that’s what you’re chasing.

The Athletic reporter for Wolves, Steve Madeley (Twitter)

The Athletic can be polarising as it’s a subscription service, first and foremost. But they do generally provide great content on all clubs, even if it won’t be as regular as a local paper.

Their Wolves page will help you find the biggest news stories and analysis going right now – but don’t expect something as in-depth as the Express and Star.

The Athletic correspondent for Wolves is Steve Madeley, who offers plenty of news, reaction and updates at the club, with the inside knowledge from sources around the game on his Twitter too.

Molineux Mix

Here’s something a little more old school when it comes to fan content – a proper internet forum. Molineux Mix allows fans to create threads and discuss various topics of their choosing.

This was the way for fans to discuss clubs online in the pre-Twitter days. So if that’s your thing and you don’t want the craziness of modern-day internet discourse, here’s what you’re looking for.

And, quite often there are even little insider comments on transfer news and other bits, though, be careful who you believe as sometimes they end up coming to nothing.