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Makes himself available for selection with T20 World Cup less than a year away

Deivarayan Muthu in Chennai13-Dec-2019

Dwayne Bravo at an event in Mumbai•Getty Images

Former West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo has officially come out of international retirement, making himself available for selection in the West Indies T20I side in the lead-up to their men’s T20 World Cup defence in Australia next year. Bravo, however, confirmed that he didn’t want to play any other format.”I would like to announce my return to international T20s for West Indies,” Bravo told ESPNcricinfo in Chennai. “Once selected I’ll be fully committed to represent the region again in T20 cricket, which I think is exciting for West Indies cricket and fans, with the young talents around.”Bravo had called time on his international career in October 2018, and turned his focus to playing franchise T20 cricket around the world. The 36-year old allrounder has now made a u-turn following drastic changes in the West Indies management. Ricky Skerritt has replaced Dave Cameron as the board president and former T20 World Cup-winning coach Phil Simmons is back in the mix. As part of the revamp, Kieron Pollard had been appointed captain of both the limited-overs teams ahead of the trip to India.ALSO READ: Bravo lives up to ‘champion’ status as Maratha Arabians win T10 titleBravo said that he was impressed by the clarity of thought and transparency in selection from the new management.”They understand and listen, they will have dialogues going back and forth, that’s the difference,” he said. “And that’s why it was so easy for me to make a decision to come back and represent West Indies again. I speak to the captain, coach, the president, director of cricket and chairman of selectors, and I’ve confirmed that I’ll be available for T20I selection.”Board president Skerritt and director of cricket Jimmy Adams both expressed their pleasure at Bravo’s decision.*”Bravo has the performance track record that should never have been lost from the West Indies cricket talent pool,” Skerritt said. “Bravo’s return reminds us what a negative impact politics and pettiness has had on our cricket. The possibility that Bravo, a former West Indies captain, can again be a fierce and formidable allrounder in his maroon colors, is a welcomed possibility.”Adams said: “I am pleased that Dwayne is making himself available for selection for T20 cricket. His considerable experience and proven ability will strengthen the pool of players from which Cricket West Indies will be able to choose their squads whilst also providing increased competition for places.”Bravo’s return to T20I cricket is another step from West Indies towards getting the band back together for their T20I World Cup defence in 2020. More recently, Pollard captained West Indies to their first ODI series victory in five years, against Afghanistan, and then his side challenged a full-strength India side in a three-match T20I series. Batsman Lendl Simmons came out of nowhere and made a match-winning half-century in Thiruvananthapuram to force the series into a decider in Mumbai. It is understood that both allrounder Andre Russell and offspinner Sunil Narine could have been in contention for selection for the India tour had they been fit enough.”If Russell is back, myself, and Narine is back… We don’t know what the Universe Boss is doing but you never know,” Bravo said. “He can also be available. We will love to have him around as he’s a father figure for all of us and we respect him. Having a Chris Gayle in the team is always special, but it’s up to him to make his decision. But, like I said, we’re looking forward to put the squad together. Whenever we put an XI on the field, it will be an XI that people will come to watch.”Dwayne Bravo dances in celebration•CPL T20/Getty Images

As one of the seniors in the West Indies set-up, along with captain Pollard, Bravo said his role would be to help ease the pressure on young talents who are finding their feet at the international level. Bravo echoed Pollard’s comments made on the eve of the series opener against India, hoping to create a nurturing environment.”We [seniors] just have to talk to them [the youngsters] and allow them to make their mistakes and allow them to figure out their game,” Bravo said. “Give them the opportunity and let them know that they belong to the system. What used to be the problem in the past is if a player played two-three games and they didn’t perform, he gets dropped.”In these format, you expect players to fail, especially when you’re a top-order player because your role and responsibility is to get the team off to a flier and that takes a lot of risks. You just have to give players opportunities and back them – whether they’re performing or not.”Pollard’s proactive captaincy had been one of the major talking points during the three-match T20I series against India. In Hyderabad, he had deployed twin midwickets against Virat Kohli and when he was leading Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL in the absence of Bravo, his in-your-face captaincy and aggressive approach worked for the franchise.”Yeah, he [Pollard] is definitely one who loves to win,” Bravo said. “The guys respect him a lot because of what he has achieved in cricket. Him and Phil [Simmons] have a very good captain-and-coach relationship and they’re going to lead the team in the direction where it should be. Just happy to do what I can to contribute to building something special.”I’m very close to everyone on this team and I know if I walk in, everyone will be happy. But for me, it’s not about me going back to try to be the person. It’s just me going back thankful for another opportunity to represent the team again and also help nurture these young talented players and give them my experience and knowledge. I will try to assist them in whatever way I can.”Bravo has been troubled by injuries in 2019, having been sidelined from part of the IPL (hamstring) and the entire CPL (broken finger). He, however, returned to action in the T10 league in the UAE and led Maratha Arabians to the title.”Champion is always a champion, know? It was good to win the T10 league with Maratha Arabians – it was my third season and second time as captain,” he said. “To win the trophy for the first time was a great achievement. It’s the end of the year now, so we look forward to 2020.”West Indies’ next T20I assignment is a three-match series against Ireland at home in January next year.

حقق فريق الهلال فوزًا هامًا على نظيره الاتفاق بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري السعودي للمحترفين.

والتقى الهلال مع الاتفاق، على أرضية استاد المملكة أرينا، في إطار مواجهات الجولة العاشرة ببطولة دوري روشن.

طالع..الهلال يدرس قرارًا حاسمًا تجاه نيمار بعد إصابته

وافتتح ألكيسندر ميتروفيتش التسجيل لصالح الهلال في الدقيقة الثانية من الوقت بدل الضائع من الشوط الأول، بينما جاء الهدف الثاني عن طريق مالكوم في الدقيقة 81.

وسجل فيكتور سانتوس، هدف الاتفاق في الدقيقة الرابعة من الوقت بدل الضائع للشوط الثاني، من ركلة جزاء، قبل أن يحزر محمد القحطاني هدف الهلال الثالث في الدقيقة السادسة من الوقت بدل الضائع.

وشهد اللقاء حصول عبدالله رديف لاعب الاتفاق على بطاقة حمراء ليطرد من اللقاء في الدقيقة الثامنة من الوقت بدل الضائع.

وررفع الهلال رصيده إلى 28 نقطة، في صدارة جدول ترتيب مسابقة الدوري السعودي للمحترفين، بينما تجمد رصيد لاتفاق عند 11 نقطة في المركز الحادي عشر.

Aston Villa's slide in form over recent weeks has allowed Tottenham Hotspur to drive into fourth place in the Premier League, taking the spot with a well-earned victory over Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Unai Emery's Villans are battling on two fronts and face a daunting task in winning against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, and while Spurs would never cheer their city rivals' success, there is an opportunity to create some space in their pursuit of Champions League qualification, should they win against Newcastle United on Saturday.

While Newcastle have been ravaged by injuries this season after remarkably clinching Champions League football last season, the Magpies retain a threat that has seen victories over both Manchester sides, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain this term.

Moreover, Spurs were trashed 6-1 at St. James' Park last season and while revenge will be on the cards, this ground seems to swallow teams up and it will be a battle to prevail.

But Ange Postecoglou will be confident in his side and might make three changes from last weekend's contest to ensure his side gets the job done.

1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario

It's a fabled place between the sticks for the Italian national team, but Guglielmo Vicario's performances since joining Tottenham last summer have enabled such success, with the 27-year-old making his Italy debut last month.

He's been superb this season and hasn't missed a minute in the Premier League. That seems unlikely to change against Newcastle, barring any late injury or illness.

2 RB – Pedro Porro

Pedro Porro scored his first Premier League goal of the season last weekend to provide his team with a two-goal lead before the hour mark.

He's so important for Tottenham and offers the ambit of qualities needed to succeed as a high-level full-back for an ambitious side.

Long may it continue (at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)…

3 CB – Cristian Romero

If you were to say Cristian Romero is a little overzealous at times, you might be right. Nonetheless, the Argentina international is a remarkable centre-half and is arguably one of the finest on English shores.

As per Sofascore, he has scored four goals across 26 top-flight matches this season, completing 92% of his passes, averaging 2.0 tackles, 3.1 clearances, 5.9 ball recoveries per game, and winning 69% of his duels.

If Alexander Isak is going to be snuffed, few are better equipped to deal with the Swedish sharpshooter than he.

4 CB – Micky van de Ven

Micky van de Ven scored a thunderous goal last time out to add another layer to his deep and dynamic skill set. Arriving from Wolfsburg for £43m last August, he's proved to be quite the revelation for a formerly withered backline.

The flux and fluidity of this elite defensive axis is lifting Tottenham to a new level. Should they remain partnered over the coming years, there is no telling the heights the club may reach.

5 LB – Destiny Udogie

Destiny Udogie has been on Tottenham's books since signing from Udinese for £15m in 2022 but remained at the Serie A side on loan for the 2022/23 campaign. This was a beneficial move.

Still only 21, the left-back is fast and ferocious and has a healthy mix of traits that serve him well at both ends of the field, and he shall prove a thorn in Eddie Howe's side tomorrow afternoon.

6 CM – Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

It's no secret that Yves Bissouma has been out of sorts for some time and after replacing his struggling peer after half-time last weekend, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg might be pushing for his first start since February 3rd, and just his seventh of the league campaign.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: Stats vs Nottingham Forest

Stat

Figure

Minutes played

45'

Touches

66

Accurate passes

52/59 (88%)

Long balls

3/3

Possession lost

7x

Shots taken

3

Duels won

2/4

Interceptions

2

Stats via Sofascore

The experienced Dane has been described as a "warrior" by pundit Alan Hutton and made good on such claims with his recent effort.

He ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and the top 10% for progressive passes, as per FBref, with such skills proving most effective against Nottingham Forest. The same again vs Newcastle?

7 CM – Rodrigo Bentancur

Provided with an 8/10 match rating by football.london's Alasdair Gold to stabilise the Spurs engine room against Forest, Rodrigo Bentancur will hope to have turned a corner after spending the past few months developing under Postecoglou, whilst recovering from a long-term injury.

Fluency and grit is something that Tottenham have lacked in central midfield of late and installing this industrious partnership might just bear fruit in testing conditions in England's North East.

8 RW – Dejan Kulusevski

Big call? Postecoglou has largely been brilliant with his substitutions and for this reason, he may make the bold call of placing the in-form Brennan Johnson back on the bench, allowing Dejan Kulusevski to return to the starting line-up after featuring from the bench across the past two matches.

9 AM – James Maddison

Still not quite there but James Maddison's importance is undisputed, with the England international creative and combative both in the attacking midfield role.

He was breathtaking for Spurs before suffering an ankle injury in November and while pre-injury levels have not quite been recovered, he can change a game just like that.

10 LW – Timo Werner

A few eyebrows were raised when Postecogolou welcomed ex-Chelsea man Timo Werner to the fold in January, but the German has repaid the faith thus far.

He's scored two goals and provided three assists from eight Premier League starts and most importantly has added an electric, energetic dimension to the Tottenham attack.

MatériaMais Notícias

“Bobeou? Gorneou!”: essa era uma frase dita por muitos botafoguenses em 2015 e 2016, fazendo alusão a um bordão de Renan Gorne, então camisa 9 do time sub-20. Neste domingo, o atacante estará no lado oposto do Botafogo: ele é do Remo, adversário do Glorioso pela 3ª rodada da Série B, em partida disputada no Estádio Raulino de Oliveira.

+ Campeões desde o sub-13, trio de ouro do Botafogo pode consolidar sucesso na base com a Copa do Brasil sub-20

Gorne é apenas uma das partes de um Remo marcado pela ofensividade. A equipe comandada por Paulo Bonamigo marcou 34 gols em 19 partidas na temporada 2021 – média de 1,7 tento por duelo – e não tem medo de ir para cima, como explica Mateus Miranda, setorista do Leão Azul:

– O Remo joga no 4-3-3 que varia para o 4-1-4-1. É um time que tem uma característica muito ofensivo, é um estilo de jogo propositivo, os dois laterais avançam ao mesmo tempo. É um time que faz gols em quase todos. Em 2021, o Remo chegou a fazer gols em 25 jogos seguidos, mas essa sequência foi quebrada no jogo de ida da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil contra o Atlético-MG – afirmou, em entrevista ao LANCE!.

RelacionadasBotafogoTúlio Maravilha dá ‘benção’ para Rafael Moura no Botafogo: ‘Vai fazer muito gol’Botafogo11/06/2021BotafogoBotafogo: Túlio quer jogo com Loco Abreu na volta do público no Nilton Santos para ‘morrer tranquilo’Botafogo11/06/2021BotafogoAo L!, Túlio Maravilha comemora estátua no Nilton Santos, estádio do Botafogo: ‘Sonho realizado’Botafogo11/06/2021

Se há destaque para o ataque, a parte defensiva já traz dores de cabeça. O Remo levou 19 gols na temporada – um por jogo disputado, se for calculado em média – e tem nas bolas alçadas pelo alto a principal preocupação diante dos adversários. A equipe, portanto, não é equilibrada.

– O principal ponto fraco do Remo é a defesa, principalmente as bolas aéreas. Na era Paulo Bonamigo, que assumiu na Série C do ano passado, o time sofreu muitos gols assim. Muitas bolas alçadas na área, seja com bola rolando ou na bola parada. O time tem dificuldade em se defender, correr para trás. O principal desafio dele é estabelecer o equilíbrio entre o aspecto ofensivo e defensivo da equipe – completou.

Assim como o Botafogo, o Remo iniciou a Série B com uma vitória e um empate nas duas primeiras rodadas disputadas. Os quatro pontos conquistados vieram de uma igualdade em 2 a 2 com o CRB e um triunfo por 1 a 0 sobre o Brasil de Pelotas. Na Copa do Brasil, a equipe foi eliminada pelo Atlético-MG na última quinta-feira, na terceira fase da competição.

– O Botafogo precisa ficar de olho no volante Lucas Siqueira. É um dos jogadores mais regulares do time e dá para dizer que é também um dos pontos de equilíbrio do Remo desde a temporada passada. Ele aparece muito dentro da área adversária, tanto que fez dois gols na abertura da Série B contra o CRB, e o Remo explora muito isso – alertou.

BOBEOU?
Será a primeira vez que Renan Gorne jogará contra o Botafogo, clube que o revelou. O atacante foi campeão brasileiro sub-20 em 2016 sendo o artilheiro da equipe comandada por Eduardo Barroca.

Havia certa esperança da torcida que o jogador tivesse sequência e oportunidades no time principal, mas Gorne acumulou empréstimos e não fez muita coisa na equipe profissional do Alvinegro. Ele assinou com o Remo no começo da temporada 2021.

No Leão Azul, acumulou altos e baixos, mas chega para a partida contra o Alvinegro em uma boa fase, tendo participações em gols nos últimos dois jogos da equipe na Série B. Na temporada, ele tem cinco gols – vice-artilheiro do Remo – e duas assistências em 18 partidas.

– O Renan Gorne começou a temporada como titular e fazendo gols no Paraense, mas teve uma queda de produção e chegou a perder a vaga para o Edson Cariús. Ele conseguiu recuperar essa posição e nessa Série B participou de dois dos três gols do Remo, com uma assistência e um gol. Apesar de hoje ser titular, nem sempre esteve nessa condição e ainda busca se afirmar na equipe e também com o torcedor do Remo – explicou Mateus.

وصلت بعثة منتخب مصر للناشئين مواليد 2008 بقيادة أحمد الكاس، منذ قليل إلى المغرب من أجل المشاركة في تصفيات شمال إفريقيا.

ومن المقرر أن تنطلق تصفيات شمال إفريقيا للناشئين تحت 17 سنة بدولة المغرب في الفترة من 11 إلى 23 نوفمبر المقبلين.

ويلتقي منتخب مصر مع المغرب، ثم يواجه الجزائر، ويخوض ثالث مبارياته أمام تونس، ثم يختتم التصفيات بمواجهة ليبيا.

طالع.. خاص | اتحاد الكرة يكشف تفاصيل أزمة التسنين في منتخب مصر 2008

ويترأس البعثة إيهاب الكومي عضو مجلس إدارة الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، ويضم الجهاز الفني لمنتخب مصر 2008 كلا من أحمد الكاس مديرا فنيا، ووليد مهدي مديرا للمنتخب، ومحمد إبراهيم مدربا عاما، ورامي عادل مدربا مساعدا، وأحمد فوزي مدربا للحراس، والدكتور علاء الجوهري مدربا للأحمال.

يذكر أن الآونة الأخيرة، شهدت أزمة في منتخب مصر مواليد 2008 مع مواليد 2009 أيضًا، في توزير بعض أعمار اللاعبين، قرر اتحاد الكرة إيقاف اللاعبين الذين ثبت ضدهم التوزير في إعمارهم.

Everton's bid for Premier League survival took yet another twist on Monday afternoon after the club found out they would be deducted another two points for their PSR breaches.

The commission found that the Toffees had breached the allowed £105m losses over three years, by £16.6m, with the club hit with a second deduction in a single season, taking their tally to eight points this campaign.

The club's financial situation has been a concern for several months now, with Sean Dyche's side suffering as a result of multiple off-the-field issues – which has undone the majority of their hard work.

Despite all the troubles, the Toffees still sit two points clear of the dreaded relegation zone with a game in hand, with their Premier League future still in their own hands.

After multiple points deductions, you would expect the club to operate in a normal manner given the punishments they've received.

However, Dyche's side may be forced to sell one or two key assets to prevent the club from any further potential PSR breaches, with outgoings expected to be the priority this summer.

That being said, here's a look at three players Everton may have to sell to ease any PSR worries this summer…

1 Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has had a difficult season for the Toffees this campaign despite his recent form in front of goal.

The former Sheffield United forward, who joined Everton back in the summer of 2016, has managed five goals in 27 appearances in the Premier League this campaign, with two of his five coming in his last two outings against Burnley and Newcastle United.

He's looked like a shadow of his former self in recent months, with the 27-year-old failing to replicate his form from the 2020/21 season where he found the net on 16 separate occasions.

Calvert-Lewin has also struggled with injuries during his time at Goodison Park, with the forward missing over 180 days of action since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

However, despite his injury problems and his lack of goals under Dyche in recent seasons, the club have slapped a £40m price tag on the striker's head should any club be interested in the forward.

The 27-year-old's contract expires in June next year, with the £40m ludicrous given his goalscoring and injury records coupled with his contract length.

Undoubtedly, the club should look to move the striker on, given the fact he's also earning around £100k-per-week, as per Capology. His wages alone would see the club save £5.2m next year, with any fee received for the striker a bonus, as the club will definitely make a profit on their £1.5m investment from eight years ago.

2 Amadou Onana

A player who has had numerous links away from Goodison Park since his arrival is talented young midfielder Amadou Onana.

The Belgian joined the Toffees from French side Lille for a fee in the region of £33m back in August 2022 as the club fended off keen interest from fellow Premier League side West Ham United for his signature.

However, nearly two years on from his arrival at Goodison Park, Onana has gone on to make 66 appearances for the club in all competitions, with the 22-year-old cementing himself as a first-team regular under Dyche.

In the Premier League this season, he's featured 24 times, with the Belgian a key figure as the club fight to maintain their ever-present top-flight status despite the various points deductions.

Onana's form for Everton hasn't gone unnoticed this campaign, with Football Insider confirming the youngster is "likely" to depart Goodison Park this summer, with the club keen to make a profit on the fee they paid for the midfielder.

The Toffees are set to demand between £50-60m to lure the youngster away from the club, with the likes of West Ham and Arsenal potentially set to reignite their interest after previous attempts to sign the Belgian.

3 Jarrad Branthwaite

The final player the club may have to sell to ease PSR worries is talented centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite. The 21-year-old has impressed at the club this season, earning a first call-up to the England senior squad under Gareth Southgate for the recent international friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.

After joining the Toffees for £1m from Carlisle United back in 2020, young Branthwaite has excelled under Dyche during his first campaign as a regular starter.

The "magnificent" talent, as described by Alan Shearer, has featured 28 times for Everton in the Premier League this season, scoring his second and third goals for the club in the encounters against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and Hove Albion.

It's no surprise that his brilliant form for the strugglers has caught the attention of some of the biggest clubs in England and Europe.

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United side have been the side most strongly linked with a move for the 20-year-old, with Everton demanding a fee of at least £75m to part ways with Branthwaite.

However, despite the rumoured interest, the youngster has pledged his future to the club, admitting that he's fully focused on his long-term future with the Toffees.

Speaking after the 1-0 victory over Burnley at the weekend, he said: “You have just got to block it all out. I think if you focus on the outside stuff, you get distracted from what you need to do on the pitch.

“For me now, until the end of the season, I am just focused on winning games for Everton Football Club.”

The club undoubtedly have to sell players this summer to comply with the Premier League's strict PSR and FFP rules to avoid any potential further punishments.

Out of the three, the club must try their best to keep hold of Onana and Branthwaite and prioritise a move for Calvert-Lewin, given the fact the 27-year-old only has one year left on his current deal at the club.

It will be an anxious summer for all Evertonians, with the club still yet to secure their Premier League status and potentially facing the prospect of losing their talented youngsters whilst playing in the Championship.

Related Everton were bled dry by the "worst signing of the Moshiri era" for 4 years

He only featured a handful of times for the Toffees.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Apr 7, 2024

Assistant coach believes he can have “massive impact” working in partnership with Mark Boucher

Firdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth14-Jan-2020

Enoch Nkwe is positive about the road ahead for South African cricket•Getty Images

South Africa’s assistant coach, Enoch Nkwe, who carried the title of team director until a month ago, has acknowledged that being moved sideways was difficult but provided reassurance that he is not the victim of a whitewash and has been able to hold his own.Nkwe took South Africa to India in September-October last year and was set to take the reins for the England series this summer. But, a major overhaul 10 days before the first Test saw Mark Boucher installed as head coach and Nkwe effectively demoted amid an outcry at perceived racial discrimination. Given South Africa’s history, it’s not difficult to understand why it was badly received in some quarters.Against the backdrop of financial and administrative crises, Thabang Moroe, a black African CEO, was suspended and replaced by Jacques Faul, who is white. Almost immediately, Graeme Smith was appointed director of cricket, Boucher was named coach, and Jacques Kallis was hired as a batting consultant. All three are white. Nkwe, the first black African national men’s head coach, was offered a lesser role. He accepted, despite how it looked.ALSO READ: ‘Wouldn’t be surprised if he takes over after Faf’ – Nkwe on Bavuma”It wasn’t an easy call to make but when I met with Jacques Faul and Bouch and Graeme, it was pretty clear and they were very realistic in terms of what has happened, and the type of support [they wanted]. They showed a lot of care,” Nkwe said. “I’m not going to beat around the bush — it’s been a challenge, especially when it all unfolded. But I believe I’m mature enough to deal with the situation. By the time we got to the [training] camp I felt very strong and confident I can make a massive impact in a different role.”Given the limited time the new backroom staff had between the end of the Mzansi Super League on December 16 and the start of the Test series on Boxing Day, they decided to hold an intense training camp in Pretoria. That’s where Nkwe and Boucher began to work together and Nkwe quickly realised that he would be treated as an equal.”Boucher has given me the platform to make a difference in the team, to contribute as much as possible; whether it’s in team routines or in training,” Nkwe said. “We’ve worked closely together. I’m enjoying the partnership. Yes, there’s different energies and different minds. But there hasn’t been a hierarchy. We all pull in the same direction. He’s very relaxed. As much as he’s intense when it comes to business time — just like any other coach — he cares a lot about the team.”The adjectives Nkwe uses to describe the new coaching staff extend specifically to Smith and transformation. The Smith/Faul administration has been accused of neglecting the need for change, especially after the Test team fielded only four players of colour in the first two matches. South Africa’s target for the national men’s team is six players of colour, including at least two black Africans, calculated on average over the course of a season. Though this number can be made up in future fixtures, at a politically sensitive time in cricket, the missed target sticks out.Nkwe addressed transformation directly and emphasised it remains a key part of South Africa’s game plan.”It’s not something that has been ignored,” Nkwe said. “We’ve also got to take care of the mental aspect of players. We are really working hard behind the scenes to build a strong pool of players to come through. We’ve looked at the high-performance system to make sure that we can produce and make sure we are a well transformed team in the future, a true rainbow nation. And there’s no doubt that’s going to happen in the very near future.”I have had a small chat with Graeme and he is fully behind it. People maybe might not see it but he really cares and he has put in a lot of processes and a lot of plans behind the scenes to make sure that in the near future, there are no questions on that topic.”No questions is unlikely, especially because of South Africa’s complex history and the recent crisis in cricket, which transpired alongside an agenda of Africanisation. Under Moroe, CSA was a transformed organisation with people of colour in senior positions. Nkwe was one of them, despite his promotion being seen as premature.Not only was Nkwe handed the toughest away tour around, in going to India, but he had had only one summer as a full-time franchise coach to his name before that. Though he won three out of four trophies on offer, it was still early days. Consider that Boucher was about to begin his fourth season as a franchise coach for the Titans, and had collected five trophies along the way, to gauge the extent of experience that a national promotion calls for. Still, Nkwe believes the India tour only adds to his knowledge.”I wanted the team to go and win,” he said. “Yes, there were a lot of questions around my experience. I knew it was going to be a massive task, and that could only do me good as a coach going into those conditions. The only thing I could take away from there was experience, and I know that if I’m still involved when we go back to India in four years’ time, I’ll do things differently. We’ll have good players in place to execute our skills better, compete better and look to win the series. I’m comfortable and happy that I went there to gain that sort of experience.”For now, Nkwe is focused on the next three years, which will take him and South Africa to the 2023 World Cup. The long-term plan is that he will take over from Boucher at the end of the tournament and though it is something Nkwe is aiming for, he wants to take the focus off himself and onto the bigger picture. “For me, it’s always been about the country. It’s never been about me. I am here to coach human beings, I am here to coach cricketers to get better.”

أعلن الاتحاد البولندي لكرة القدم، إصابة المهاجم روبرت ليفاندوفسكي نجم فريق برشلونة، وغيابه عن معسكر نوفمبر، لمباريات دوري الأمم الأوروبية.

منتخب بولندا يستعد لمواجهتي البرتغال وأسكتلندا، في الجولتين الخامسة والسادسة من بطولة دوري الأمم الأوروبية، لإطار المجموعة الأولى.

طالع أيضًا | “بحذاء مقاس 70”.. رافينها يسخر من تقنية الـ VAR بعد إلغاء هدف ليفاندوفسكي

وأعلن الاتحاد البولندي في بيان رسمي عبر موقعه الإلكتروني، أن روبرت ليفاندوفسكي أصيب في الظهر، خلال مباراة برشلونة وريال سوسيداد، التي خسرها النادي الكتالوني أمس.

مدة غياب اللاعب البولندي ستكون 10 أيام، حسب ما أكد منتخب بلاده، مما يعني أنه سيكون جاهزًا لمواجهة سيلتا فيجو في الدوري الإسباني بعد فترة التوقف.

ليفاندوفسكي هذا الموسم مع برشلونة شارك في 17 مباراة سجل خلالهم 19 هدفًا وصنع هدفين، ببطولتي الدوري الإسباني ودوري أبطال أوروبا.

Tottenham Hotspur know that their fate hinges on their ability to create a winning streak in the closing stage of the Premier League, with the fifth-placed side currently six points behind Aston Villa in the top four, albeit with two games in hand.

The London club's form has been disappointed chequered since a blistering start to life under Ange Postecoglou back in the early phase, though improvements have been made this season and this is the foundation of – hopefully – a prosperous new era.

Regardless of whether Spurs will clinch a spot in Europe's elite competition next year, there have indeed been tantalising glimpses of what is to come, with the £43m signing of defender Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg last summer proving to be one of the catalysts of the campaign forged – and the likely linchpin of the success yet to come.

Micky van de Ven's season in numbers

Van de Ven might only be 22 years old but he has enjoyed a barnstorming maiden year in England, with his performances leading respected journalist Henry Winter to describe him as one of "the buys of summer."

As per Sofascore, the Dutchman has completed 21 Premier League appearances so far, scoring twice, completing 95% of his passes, winning 61% of his duels and averaging 1.9 tackles, 2.7 clearances and 5.7 ball recoveries per outing.

He's the real deal and Tottenham will go from strength to strength with him and Cristian Romero holding down the fort in central defence.

But he's being let down this season, not covered effectively in his backline role. Indeed, Yves Bissouma is starting to present himself as a liability and he must be sold this summer.

Why Spurs must cash in on Yves Bissouma

Once described as a "monster" by journalist Aaron Stokes, Bissouma is losing his way at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, culpable for some poor performances over recent months.

There's no question that he's a highly talented player, ranking among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 14% for successful take-ons, the top 5% for tackles and the top 7% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

But statistics can be deceiving and the Mali international is not protecting the defence and charging the attack with the fluid fortitude needed.

He's not the highest earner in Tottenham's ranks but his £55k-per-week salary does surpass that of Van de Ven (£50k-per-week), and it might be prudent to relieve the wage bill of his signature, freeing up space to move for an improved star.

Yves Bissouma: Recent PL Match Ratings

Fixture

Score

Match Rating

Newcastle United (A)

4-0 loss

3/10

Nottingham Forest (H)

3-1 win

6/10

West Ham United (A)

1-1 draw

7/10

Luton Town (H)

2-1 win

5/10

Fulham (A)

3-0 loss

3/10

Sourced via football.london

As the table conveys, Bissouma has been on a downward spiral in recent fixtures, his early-campaign imperiousness long in the past, and is failing to hold his own in the engine room as Postecoglou's side fight for Champions League qualification.

This is reflected in his current market value of just £11m, as per Football Transfers, lower than the prices of peripheral midfield teammates such as Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and Tottenham might seek to cash in this summer.

While it's unlikely that Daniel Levy would recoup the same £35m figure that was parted with for Bissouma's signing from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022, when Nuno Espirito Santo was at the helm, there's every chance that Tottenham will move for a new specialist No. 6 in the months to come.

Should this happen, Bissouma will sink further into the fringe, and his valuation might diminish further. He must be sold to continue the revival under Postecoglou's leadership.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

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‘Rahul really brings in a good balance if he can keep and bat that well,’ the captain says

Shashank Kishore in Bengaluru20-Jan-2020The “Dhoni, Dhoni” chants reverberated around the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday. No, the former India captain wasn’t around; this was the crowd showing its displeasure towards KL Rahul for a missed stumping to reprieve Steven Smith. Without the benefit of replays, it would have been hard to tell that the ball had ricocheted off Smith’s pads to evade Rahul.Virat Kohli didn’t like what he heard and prompted the crowd to go “KL, KL” as he was shown on the big screen. Soon enough, the crowd changed their chants to “Rahul, Rahul”. This wasn’t the most significant moment of the game, of course, but it told you how much the India captain values Rahul’s presence and he compared the “sacrifice” with the one the other Rahul – Dravid – had made at the 2003 World Cup for the team’s balance.”If you look at the 2003 World Cup where Rahul started keeping, the balance became different because you could play an extra batter and guys at the top could really play positive cricket,” Kohli said at the post-match briefing after India had bounced back to win the three-match series 2-1 against Australia.ALSO READ: Has KL Rahul solved India’s middle-order muddle?Even though Kohli finished as the Player of the Series, Rahul played a massive hand, too: from doubling up as a wicketkeeper to marshalling the lower order to opening the batting – performing every role with an air of nonchalance while providing the much-required balance the team was after. “So, look, he is very open to playing anywhere because he is a proper batsman who can do you good in any format and at any position in the game,” Kohli said on Rahul performing multiple roles.Rishabh Pant’s concussion in the Mumbai ODI might have prompted India to experiment with Rahul as the wicketkeeper for a game or two, but Kohli said the team management was keen to extend that to the upcoming New Zealand series, too. Kohli was emphatic in his view that Rahul deserved a longer run with the gloves before he was judged, and having endured his fair share of being moved up and down in the batting order, and being in and out of the team, it was only fair he be given the extra opportunities in his new role. At the same time, Kohli didn’t want to be drawn into commenting on whether that would mean Pant, Sanju Samson and possibly Dhoni fall back in the pecking order.”That was a spicy question,” Kohli said jokingly, when asked about the wicketkeeping race. “Rahul really brings in a good balance if he can keep and bat that well in that position (No. 5). He has come into the slot and he has done well so we will have to persist with that a little bit and see where that takes us and not necessarily be confused about the other options we have.”KL Rahul shows his quickness behind the stumps•BCCI

The one significant advantage India get from playing Rahul as wicketkeeper is they can field an additional batsman in Manish Pandey, who is one of the best fielders in the squad as he showed in Rajkot, taking a screamer to dismiss David Warner. “So I think lack of clarity in terms of positions has really hurt us in the past. Now that we understand that this feels right, we will go ahead with that for a while and figure out if this is the right thing to do or not,” Kohli said. “You can chop and change immediately and create confusion among the group. I don’t see any reason why we should change this balance. It has done well for the team and we will continue with the same for a while.”Rahul kept his side of the bargain by scoring fluently in three outings, including a match-winning 80 off 52 balls in India’s must-win game in Rajkot, notwithstanding his yo-yoing batting position. In Mumbai, he batted at No. 3, was pushed to No. 5 in Rajkot and finally opened the batting in Shikhar Dhawan’s absence in Bengaluru. In Rajkot, he was mostly tidy behind the stumps and even quipped, “I hope I’ve kept our bowlers happy.” His tall frame hasn’t been an obvious hindrance yet to his wicketkeeping, but it is one thing keeping as a back-up, and another to do it regularly. What does help Rahul is strong fundamentals that helped him become a state regular as a wicketkeeper in age-group cricket, before he made batting his primary responsibility.In the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Rahul’s wicketkeeping skills were much lauded, especially under pressure in a tense final, in which he calmly gathered a flat throw from the deep in the final over to effect a crucial run-out that proved to be the turning point. Having also kept regularly in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the 50-over competition, prior to that, while also opening the batting, Rahul has shown he has what it takes, and Kohli is happy to back him for the moment.”He won’t go slam bang from ball one but he can do what he did in Rajkot just by playing good cricketing shots,” Kohli said of Rahul’s batting. “So I think solid game plan and understanding of his game is helping. He has reflected on what he needs to do in the last five-six months and he has come a long way. These are good signs for us. It gives a boost to the team because he keeps as well. It definitely allows us to play an extra batsman, which strengthens our batting massively. That is a very important factor as far as the team balance is concerned.”