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Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil looks like he is building a squad filled with young talent ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

New arrivals include Pedro Lima (18), Rodrigo Gomes (20) and Tommy Doyle (22), while striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has joined on loan from Celta Vigo, is the eldest at just 24, showing which direction O’Neil wishes to take his side in.

The Old Gold are clearly not stopping there, as the club appear to be eyeing a move for a South American talent ahead of the new season…

Wolves showing interest in South American winger

According to the Express, the Molineux side are keeping tabs on Gabriel Aguayo, who currently plays for Cerro Porteno in the Paraguayan top flight.

With Wolves 'exploring' the terms of a deal, it's said he could be available for as little as £3m, which would make him a very tempting signing this summer as O’Neil aims to build his pool of youth starlets.

The report claims that MLS sides are also showing plenty of interest, as Nashville SC and D.C. United appear keen to sign him on a temporary deal before making a move permanent in a few months.

Tommy Doyle

Manchester City

Pedro Lima

Sport Recife

Rodrigo Gomes

SC Braga

Jorgen Strand Larsen

Celta Vigo (loan)

If Wolves delay their approach, they could miss out on a player who registered more assists than Rayan Ait-Nouri last season…

Why Gabriel Aguayo could be an ideal Neto replacement

Despite his qualities, Ait-Nouri registered just two assists in 38 games for the Old Gold last term, while Aguayo has managed to grab four assists in just 18 matches during the current campaign, showing his attacking qualities.

Despite his tender years, the Paraguayan winger could be a perfect long-term heir to Pedro Neto, as his future is unclear at the club.

Liverpool were linked with a move for the winger back in March, while Arsenal have shown plenty of desire about their willingness to bring the Portuguese gem to the Emirates this summer.

Having scored 14 goals and grabbed 24 assists across 135 games for the club, so his departure would be felt, but perhaps securing a big profit on the winger could be the perfect scenario.

This could leave plenty of room to sign Aguayo, who is showing a lot of promise back in Paraguay. The 19-year-old has made just 18 senior appearances but has already registered five goal contributions – one goal and five assists – for Cerro Porteno.

The youngster gained invaluable experience in the Copa Libertadores recently, making four appearances from the bench. Although averaging just 25 minutes each game, Aguayo registered 0.5 key passes per game, succeeding with 0.8 dribbles per game – a success rate of 75% – and recovering one ball per game. That ability to go past a player is certainly reminiscent of Neto.

Playing at the highest level in South America – albeit briefly – will give the youngster plenty of confidence that he can succeed should he make a move to Europe.

Wolves could be the ideal club for the Paraguay gem to join, allowing him the chance to play with much better players. It may be a gamble, but for £3m, surely it is a smart one to take.

He's a wonderkid: Wolves could sign their answer to Amadou Onana

Gary O’Neil could sign a teenage sensation in the next few weeks…

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 22, 2024

Leeds United have opened preliminary talks over signing a replacement for their £13 million player, as his Elland Road exit potentially beckons.

Players who could still quit Leeds after mass exodus

There has been somewhat of a mass exodus out of West Yorkshire since the Championship high-flyers ultimately failed to secure promotion back to the Premier League last season.

Bye Bye: £40k-p/w man on verge of leaving Leeds United with medical booked

Daniel Farke is already eyeing up a replacement.

ByBen Browning Jul 19, 2024

Daniel Farke's side lost 1-0 to Southampton at Wembley in the play-off final in May, ending their hopes of an immediate climb back up to the top flight, with many Leeds players opting against the possibility of playing second-tier football next season.

Left-back Rasmus Kristensen is the latest man to wave goodbye to Leeds, at least temporarily, with the Danish ace joining Eintracht Frankfurt on loan for the 2024/25 season.

Kristensen joins a succession of other players, including English sensation Archie Gray, Luis Sinisterra, Glen Kamara, Marc Roca and other big names in sealing moves away from the club.

Leeds United exits so far

Player

Fee

Archie Gray

£35m

Luis Sinisterra

£20m

Glen Kamara

£8.5m

Marc Roca

£3.8m

Charlie Cresswell

£3.8m

Diego Llorente

£2.7m

Rasmus Kristensen

Loan

Sam Greenwood

Loan

Jack Harrison

Loan

Darko Gyabi

Loan

Robin Koch

Free

Jamie Shackleton

Free

Luke Ayling

Free

Fees courtesy of Transfermarkt

As Leeds look to balance the books, trim the squad and make signings of their own, as Farke aims for another promotion push and to bounce back strongly after play-off final heartache, it is believed a few more players could follow the aforementioned out.

One of them is versatile and attack-minded left-back Junior Firpo, who registered eight Championship assists in 29 league appearances under Farke last season and proved himself an effective asset at times.

Reports in Spain have recently claimed that Firpo has agreed personal terms with Real Betis, and a return to his former club in La Liga is well and truly on the cards. Indeed, Firpo is even willing to take a pay cut so he can join Betis from Leeds, so the player's willingness appears evident.

Leeds open preliminary talks over signing Junior Firpo replacement

Football Insider has an update on Leeds' plans for if, or when, Firpo seals a move back to Spain.

The outlet states that Leeds have opened preliminary talks with a host of targets to replace Firpo, with Betis now opening club-to-club negotiations to seal a deal for the 27-year-old.

They add that Firpo is highly regarded by the Whites, who are reluctant to sell but will entertain the idea if they can source an adequate successor. The £60,000-per-week ace cost around £13 million to sign from Barcelona in 2021, but his days in England could now be numbered.

Called "immense" for his form at times by Leeds YouTuber Conor McGilligan, Firpo has gone on to make 84 appearances in all competitions for the club, registering 12 assists in that time.

The Dominican Republic international, who will soon represent his country at the Olympic Games in Paris, is currently preparing to take on Egypt in their opening Group C game – which will kick off in four days.

Country’s leading run-scorer hits 121 as Worcestershire face heavy defeat

ECB Reporters' Network04-Jun-2021David Bedingham propelled Durham into a position of strength with his third century of the season on day two of the LV=Insurance County Championship encounter with Worcestershire at New Road.The competition’s leading run-scorer hit a chanceless 121 to take his tally for the summer to 787 at an average of 71.54.Bedingham and Michael Jones shared a fifth-wicket stand of 171 to help Durham to 381 all out and a first innings lead of 250.Worcestershire rallied after a disappointing first session, in claiming six wickets for 76 to secure maximum batting points with Josh Tongue returning 4 for 73 from 25 overs.But there is still sufficient encouragement in the pitch for the bowlers and Matty Potts picked up two wickets as Worcestershire limped to 99 for 3 by the close despite an unbeaten Jake Libby half-century.”We said the first hour would be key and we played and missed a bit but you need a bit of luck in a big partnership,” Bedingham said at the close. “We got through it, and the magic spray did the trick after I got hit in the ribs by Tongue, who bowled well the whole day.”It has been a feast-or-famine campaign for Bedingham who has scored three hundreds and two fifties but in eight other knocks in the Championship has a highest score of 33.He was in fine fettle today as Durham built effectively on their overnight 140 for 4, greeting the introduction of Dillon Pennington into the attack with three boundaries in his first over and hitting legspinner Brett D’Oliveira for two straight sixes – the second of which completed an 84-ball fifty.Jones went to a 116-ball half-century and Durham batted through the morning session without losing a wicket and adding 102 runs.Related

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Abbott's Surrey spell ended with badly damaged hamstring

It was a different proposition for batting once the second new ball had been taken and Leach made the breakthrough when Jones edged through to keeper Ben Cox.Bedingham brought up his century – from 154 balls with two sixes and 11 fours – when he turned Dillon Pennington off his legs for two, but Jack Burnham on nine had no answer to a lifting delivery from Pennington and the nick was taken head-high by Cox.Ned Eckersley edged a Leach away swinger to Cox after making eight and Brydon Carse had only a single to his name when he cut Pennington to Ed Barnard at point.Tongue brought Bedingham’s fine knock to an end on 121 when he was lbw working the ball to leg. He batted for 183 balls and hit two sixes and 13 fours. Barnard wrapped the innings up when Ben Raine, after a quickfire 16, holed out to deep backward square.Potts quickly made a breakthrough with Daryl Mitchell falling to a superb one-handed reflex catch in the gully region by Carse.Libby looked in good form and greeted the introduction of Raine with three boundaries in an over. Tom Fell also looked composed at the crease and the second wicket pair added 67 in fluent fashion in just 15 overs.But Potts returned to the attack and had Fell leg before for 21 and Gareth Roderick completed a pair when shouldering arms and being bowled by Chris Rushworth.

Women’s support staff and cricket’s inclusion in 2028 Olympics will also come up for discussion

Annesha Ghosh08-Apr-2021India Women’s future tours program and the appointment of their support staff are two of the 14 items on the agenda at a special meeting of the BCCI Apex Council, scheduled for April 16.Just under 11 months out from the rescheduled 2022 ODI World Cup in New Zealand, which will be followed by the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham – where women’s cricket will make its maiden appearance courtesy an eight-team T20 competition – there remains little clarity on India’s list of fixtures. While a rare one-off Test during a tour of England, mostly likely in June 2021, and a proposed tour of Australia before the World Cup have been lined up, the BCCI is yet to announce any other international series involving India.Other key items on the agenda

The upcoming men’s T20 World Cup in India

The 2021-2022 domestic season

Organisation of the Bihar Cricket Association’s Bihar Cricket League

Formation of a working group with regards to state T20 leagues

Affiliation of the Differently Abled Cricket Association

ESPNcricinfo understands that a potential bilateral assignment against Sri Lanka, which has come up for discussion between the two boards intermittently since July-August last year, is well on the backburner as SLC, instead, is hoping to finalise discussions with the PCB about hosting Pakistan after May.Most of the Indian players in the national set-up are expected to be part of the fourth edition of the Women’s T20 Challenge that is likely to run in its traditional window – during the playoffs week of the IPL in May. It remains uncertain, though, if the tournament would be expanded to four teams and, therefore, seven matches instead of three teams playing four matches, which has been the case since its inception in 2018. Several top-flight players could also be involved in the Hundred in July-August, as opener Smriti Mandhana confirmed last month, pending clearances from the BCCI.Related

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A timeline of the series that India Women missed out on

In terms of the support staff, it has been learnt that incumbent head coach WV Raman, whose two-year contract expired in December 2020 but was extended until the home series against South Africa that ended last month, is likely to be retained. The BCCI is expected to put out an advertisement inviting applications for the position, as well as for the roles of bowling and fielding coaches, currently held by Narendra Hirwani and Abhay Sharma respectively.The BCCI’s stand on cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will also be discussed at the meeting. In October 2020, the ICC had sent a questionnaire to its member countries asking them to assess “the potential financial support” they might receive should the sport return to the Olympic program for the first time in 128 years. Two months later, following a BCCI meeting, it was learnt that the Indian board was open to the idea of cricket featuring in the 2028 Olympics, but it wanted clarity on a few key issues.

GOAL USA writers analyze Pochettino's first squad selection, and what will define success this window

And so it begins. Mauricio Pochettino has announced his first USMNT squad. And on first glance, the new boss hasn't shaken things up much. Most of the familiar faces are here. The injured Gio Reyna is the most notable absentee. But otherwise, this is a squad similar to the those that Gregg Berhalter assembled during his last few windows.

The squad is headlined – no surprise – by Christian Pulisic, with Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Antonee Robinson all returning to the squad after missing out in September. Former U.S. No. 1 goalkeeper Zack Steffen returns for the first time since 2022, and Gianluca Busio has a chance to make his first appearance since 2023.

But for all of the recognizable names, there remains some debate as to how exactly it will all come together. And there seem to be one or two players that perhaps haven't done enough over the first few weeks of the season to warrant inclusion.

Beyond that, how will this team play? What will be considered a success in this window? Can Pochettino show that he is worth all of the hype? Is it time for hope?

Those questions will continue in the days, weeks, and months to come as the men's national team gears up for the 2026 World Cup. But for now, GOAL US writers react to Pochettino's first squad in a USMNT edition of… The Rondo.

• Who was the biggest snub?

  Tom Hindle: Not quite sure there is one – even if you factor in the injuries here. Pochettino, for all of the talk, has played it reasonably safe. All of the big names are present, while the fringe guys have more or less stayed in the squad. At a , you could make a case for Gaga Slonina's inclusion. There's also maybe a shout for Benjamin Cremaschi or Kevin Paredes here. Otherwise, there's not much to be angry about, which is admittedly refreshing.

  Jacob Schneider: There’s no real snub, with injuries being the cause for any real notable absences. With winger depth being so light, perhaps it would have been nice to see Alex Zendejas in the mix, or defensively, Richard Ledezma included. However, this feels like a strong group.

  Alex Labidou: This list feels about right, with no real head-scratchers. Clutching at straws a bit, this list feels incredibly safe and almost vanilla. Where's the random Alfredo Morales-type of call-up? Jurgen Klinsmann's first squad, for example, had a ton of surprises, not all for the best.

  Jokes aside, it's better to be safe than send the wrong message with these call ups and it will be interesting to see how things develop over the next few months in the build up to the World Cup.

  Ryan Tolmich: Because of the injury situation, there really weren't any snubs. With stars such as Sergino Dest, Chris Richards, Gio Reyna and Tyler Adams out injured, spots were opened up for players that were on the fringes of this squad. If there was one, it's probably Tanner Tessmann. He was fantastic at the Olympics this summer and made a big move to Lyon as a result. The midfielder could have been in this squad, but you can't complain too much about Pochettino going with his former Gianluca Busio instead. Overall, it's a fair squad, but one limited a bit by injuries.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Who's the biggest surprise pick?

  TH: Zack Steffen, even if it is good to see him back in the setup. The Rapids keeper hasn't been in the U.S. squad for two years now, and after a good season between the sticks, it's only appropriate that he gets rewarded. At his opening press conference, Pochettino talked quite a bit about utilizing MLS talent. Steffen in as a goalie would seem to be the embodiment of that – even if he doesn't sniff the field.

  JS: Biggest surprise is definitely Steffen. He had a phenomenal Leagues Cup, but the underlying numbers from his MLS performances this season are not particularly something to boast about. It’s not entirely his fault, as the Rapids defense absolutely has its flaws, but there is a hierarchy in the goalkeeping tiers right now and I’m not so sure he warrants a return
  AL: Steffen's inclusion did come as a surprise, not because of his talent, but due to his apparent exile from the program since losing the No. 1 goalkeeper spot. Given the USMNT's well-documented struggles in goal, it was puzzling that he wasn't called up once he regained form with the Rapids, hinting at potential internal issues. With a new manager at the helm, there's a clean slate, and it's great to see Steffen, whom former U.S. goalkeeper legend Tim Howard continues to praise, getting another opportunity.

  RT: Probably Miles Robinson? There's a depth issue at centerback, particularly with Richards and Cameron Carter-Vickers nursing injuries. Realistically, there aren't many other experienced centerbacks in the pool, so Robinson does fit there. Still, could Pochettino have looked elsewhere? Could he have taken a shot on a younger option? Maybe but, overall, this is nitpicking, isn't it?

• Imago
  

  Who are you most excited to watch?

  TH: Malik Tillman, Malik Tillman, and more Malik Tillman. The attacking midfielder has been excellent for PSV this season – and was good last year, too. In 14 caps, he hasn't quite had his moment for the USMNT. Here's to hoping that a new manager can figure out how to best use him – and perhaps unlock a secret weapon for this side. Also, that Christian Pulisic fella is OK at this sport.

  JS: Most excited to see what Poch can do with Tillman, for sure. Without a healthy Reyna, you should be looking at him and Brenden Aaronson competing for the starting no. 10 role. Simply based on form, one would think Tillman gets the nod ahead of the Leeds United man.
  AL: It would be easy to say that it will be fascinating to see Pulisic under Pochettino, but that's an obvious one. So instead, let's look at what is going to happen at goal and defense. Richards' absence due to injury means there could be an entirely new centerback pairing when the U.S. lines up against Panama on Oct. 10. Tim Ream is probably a safe bet, considering Pochettino has seen him in action in the Premiership, but who plays alongside him? Will Auston Trusty be given this opportunity?

  The same goes for goal. Matt Turner has been the No. 1 since the 2022 World Cup, but his form and playing time for the past year have not warranted security in that position. Could Pochettino elect to go with Patrick Schulte or Steffen? It will be fun to see what he decides.

  RT: It has to be Aidan Morris. Last camp, he looked like one of very few players really energized by wearing the USMNT shirt, and that's something that brings life to a group. He's been a regular at Middlesbrough, which has launched him up the depth chart. But even so, it's all about sustained USMNT performances. Another strong camp from Morris will have him challenging for a starting spot. His energy, tenacity and work-rate are key for any team, and they'll be key again this camp.

• Getty
  

  Who made it, but should have been left off?

  TH: Yunus Musah is having a pretty poor season, although it's a big ask to get into that Milan midfield. If he hadn't already impressed for the national team, it would be pretty difficult to make a case for him. But for the sake of contrarianism and probably being wrong, Johnny Cardoso is a pretty puzzling one. No coach has been able to figure exactly what the Real Betis midfielder can be. Maybe Pochettino reckons he can turn him into a more workmanlike destroyer that some people figured he could be, but he hasn't showed much to suggest he's actually that guy.

  JS: Steffen likely should not be in the squad. Among others, not sure Trusty is at the USMNT level at the moment. However, injuries to Carter-Vickers and Richards are likely the reason for his inclusion.

  AL: Musah comes to mind, as he has seen limited playing time for both club and country. Aside from one standout assist for Milan this season, his overall form hasn’t been strong. While it may seem nitpicky and Pochettino likely wants to assess the midfielder in person, Musah will need to elevate his performances to secure future call-ups.

  RT: As has been said, no real complaints. At the end of the day, you're nitpicking when it comes to the final spots on a friendly roster. Just about everyone here has a reason for being here, whether that's providing veteran leadership or filling an injury gap. The call-ups make sense.

Perhaps, after a fortnight or so when the topic of pitches has dominated the conversation, it was to be expected that an England player might eventually pass comment.Until this point, all the debate about the surfaces in India had been carried out in the media. The England team – and the England team management – have made no negative comment. Indeed, they’re reiterated the party line: the wickets have been challenging and they have been out-played on them by a fine India side.But, after a media conference in which the question was asked, then asked again and then asked in fancy dress, someone finally broke ranks. Jack Leach had a view. And yes, he was suggesting better wickets were required.The only issue – well, an issue for those hoping for a controversy to stoke more eye-catching headlines – was that Leach was talking about pitches in England. Echoing the comments of his captain, Joe Root, who called for “serious improvements” in the standard of county wickets after the third Test, Leach suggested that, if the county game was going to better prepare players for the spin challenge expected in Asia, it could start by preparing ‘better’ wickets.”My thoughts are that the wickets in county cricket in general need to be good surfaces to start with,” Leach said. “Then, if they can break up and bring spin into the game later on, I think that’s a good thing for producing spinners.”They can bowl in the first innings on good wickets. And then, in the second innings when things are starting to happen, they [learn to deal with] the pressure of being the guy who needs to try and bowl the opposition out. That’s the ideal, I think.”If the spinner is playing in a four-man attack with three seamers and a spinner, then I think the role of the spinner becomes more important. But if there’s four or five seamers [in the side], or a couple of batters that also bowl seam, then I think your overs [as a spinner] can really go down; especially on some of the county wickets I’ve played on in the last couple of years.”Leach built his reputation, in part at least, by bowling on wickets at Taunton which were rarely described as ‘good’. While they might provide pretty decent preparation for playing on surfaces such as those seen in Chennai and Ahmedabad in recent days – and they certainly helped Leach catch the selectors’ eyes – they are not the sort of pitches either he or Root have in mind.Dom Bess chats to spin consultant Jeetan Patel•Getty Images

Instead, they mean the sort of surface on which a spinner might be used in the first innings to offer control and variation – Root had suggested the sort of surface where teams routinely score 400 or 500 – and the sort of surface on which they may play an increasing role in the second as the wicket wears. In short, both Leach and Root are calling for surfaces which are better for batting, limit the influence of seamers armed with a Dukes ball and better replicate the conditions traditionally seen at Test level around the world. All of which seems reasonable enough.But quite how these comments are received around the county game remains to be seen. Certainly groundstaff, who might feel a little criticised here, could be forgiven for reacting with a rueful smile. As if their jobs, given the volume of cricket played in England each summer, is not already hard, asking them to prepare Test-quality batting surfaces in the early weeks of the county season is probably unreasonable. If England really want to improve their county surfaces, they will almost certainly have to improve their domestic schedule, and avoid playing the bulk of the season when seamers predominate.In 2021, eight of the 14 rounds of County Championship cricket are scheduled to take place before the end of May (four take place before the end of April) with four more rounds (and the Bob Willis Trophy final) taking place in autumnal September. That leaves just two rounds – eight days of cricket, in other words – scheduled to take place in July or August when surfaces might be expected to provide most assistance to spin bowlers.This was an issue hinted at by England’s newly-appointed spin-bowling coach, Jeetan Patel. But while Patel was happy to allude to the problem, he is also a realist. Just as he found a way to flourish in county cricket, he is adamant young spinners can “upskill” to the point they “can still contribute in April and September.” Related

• Bess and Leach have their work cut out for them in India

• Dom Bess and Jack Leach, a tale of two spinners

• Dom Bess will be 'more than ready' for fourth Test

“There’s probably 20 or 30 options,” Patel said when asked how the development of England’s young spinners could be improved. “You could send spin groups away [on overseas camps], you could play [first-class cricket] in the middle of the year or the end of it.”Ultimately, we want to be playing on the best wickets possible, whether that’s one that does a little bit on day one, flattens out days two and three, and then spins on day four – that’s the ultimate. That would be the ideal and if you spoke to any player or coach in this group here, that’s what they would ask for because that is very close to Test cricket.”We want to build Test cricketers, that’s part of my job, and that’s what I want to see: how is a spinner going to affect a game on days one, two and three but also be a match-winner on day four.”But for me it’s [important to] upskill those [county spinners] so they can still contribute in April and September. That’s the thing we forget: there is an opportunity to contribute as a spinner, whether it’s going at two an over, taking two wickets in the first innings or three in the third or fourth. There are opportunities for spinners in England. At county level, the pitches are either over-prepared or under-prepared. So within that is an opportunity for spinners to succeed.”There’s so many good seamers flying around, as well. And at the end of the day the counties want to win games. Let’s not be too quick to say ‘we have to play a spinner in every XI’ because if we tour New Zealand, then there may not be an opportunity for a spinner to play in a Test match there. We also have to be prepared to pick teams that are going to win games.”Whatever wicket England encounter in Ahmedabad this week, it seems the answer to long-term improvement may lie much closer to home.

On 76* opener has the chance to do something truly monumental

Andrew Fidel Fernando16-Jan-2021Some players wear expectations of greatness lightly. Eight years and 37 Tests into his career, it is fair to say that Lahiru Thirimanne has not.In his early years, Thirimanne appeared as he still appears now – mature, measured, responsible, astute, always with that determined look upon his face. Here was a serious young player. That determined scowl rarely leaving his face, “serious” in every sense of the word, in a side whose other young players were free-flowing and fearless (read: flippant).When Thirimanne bent that knee and sent the ball scorching through cover, as he did on several occasions during his breakout 91 at the SCG eight years ago, the comparisons were hard to resist. The new Kumar Sangakkara?Angelo Mathews, who was a young captain back then, certainly couldn’t escape being drawn in a few months later: “Thirimanne has the potential to bat at number three in the long term,” Mathews said in 2013. “He has the composure, he’s very calm and he makes good decisions. He’s showed a lot of maturity and he’s got a long future. I’m sure he can be the next Sangakkara.”At the time, Sangakkara was in the midst of the most extraordinary run of his career, unlocking audacious new strokes in limited-overs cricket, while maintaining his Test-match excellence, but even then, this almost seemed a reasonable expectation. Thirimanne left the ball well when it was swinging, clipped the ball nicely through the legside, seemed unperturbed by the short ball, drove elegantly, and though he did seem to nick off to the ball angled across him – which young left-hander doesn’t?Until the end of 2015, Thirimanne even began to make good on some of that early promise, if just in limited-overs cricket. He led Sri Lanka to victory with 101 in the 2014 Asia Cup final. Not long after that, he was his team’s top-scorer in the World T20 semi-final against West Indies – a tournament Sri Lanka went on to win. He’d get it right in the longest format, eventually, right? I mean, the guy didn’t smile. Clearly his temperament is to play Tests.But close to seven years later, what do we have? A Test average of 23.57, even counting his ongoing 76 not out in Galle. Now in his 72nd Test innings, Thirimanne has made only 1532 runs, his only century having come against Bangladesh on arguably the flattest pitch Sri Lanka have played on in the past 10 years. Good looking 20-odds ended by a rash stroke, momentum sapping knocks such as his 17 off 58 at Lord’s in 2016, or his 2 off 59 against New Zealand at the P Sara three years later, and overall, a pattern of not only failure to deliver on his early promise, but of failure full stop. Before this Test, no top-order batsman in Test history had played more than 50 innings and averaged fewer than he had.(Kusal Mendis, who has copped more flak in recent weeks for his series of noughts, has at least produced some great innings. His 176 against Australia was Sri Lanka’s finest in the last decade apart from Kusal Perera’s 153*. He’s also batted out an entire day at the Basin Reserve for a match-saving 141* alongside Angelo Mathews, and later also produced an effervescent 84* to seal a game at Port Elizabeth.)And yet, Thirimanne has continued to be picked in Sri Lanka’s Test squads, frequently falling out of favour after several low scores, but often making a return to squads depleted by injury, or whenever new selectors are installed. The belief seems to be that Thirimanne had been unfairly shafted by the previous lot who kept moving him around the top order. “We’ll get Thiri right, though, you’ll see.” And so he comes in, plays a few of his attractive-but-brief innings. Then he gets dropped again, and not seen for several months until a new lot comes in, or the team is in a serious slide. Other talented batsmen – Roshen Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, and more recently, Pathum Nissanka – must wonder what they have to do to gain this kind of goodwill with Sri Lanka’s cricket establishment.His knock in Galle has given Sri Lanka hope of making England bat again, if not quite achieving a strong position just yet. He was dropped in the 50s, but has otherwise been solid. For much of this innings he was batting in the slipstream of the more aggressive Perera, though Thirimanne did have pressure heaped upon him when Kusal Mendis arrived at the crease. In this innings, as in general, Thirimanne has just been there… mostly inoffensive, occasionally useful, decent without being extraordinary, and most of all, hinting that he is capable of more without ever taking the game by its collar.If he goes on to hit his second Test hundred on Sunday, on a difficult pitch, against a decent attack, he will still not have vindicated his selection all these years, so great are the debts he’s racked up. Even in a modest Sri Lanka team, an average of less than 25 is not justifiable over the span of innings he has had the chance to play.But there remains the possibility of his doing something truly monumental – leading Sri Lanka to a position of strength when they had given up a lead of 286. And because even at the age of 31 he continues to be picked on looks and potential, Sri Lankan cricket almost has no choice but to hope this innings will kickstart the phase of his career that sees him live up to even some of those early expectations.

An “amazing” manager with a £10m+ release clause was Nottingham Forest’s top target to replace Ange Postecoglou prior to a deal for Sean Dyche being agreed, it has been revealed.

Forest slammed for "ridiculous" Ange decision as Dyche joins

After replacing Nuno back in September, Ange lasted just 39 days as Forest manager, with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards both agreeing it was “ridiculous” not to give the Australian more time, despite making a very poor start to life at the City Ground.

The 3-0 defeat against Chelsea was the final straw for Evangelos Marinakis, with the owner sacking the 60-year-old just 18 minutes after full-time, having been seen leaving his seat in the second-half and not returning.

In truth, the scoreline didn’t reflect the balance of the game, with the Tricky Trees recording an xG of 2.35, compared to 1.67 from the visitors, but they were unable to take their chances, and goalkeeper Matz Sels struggled at the opposite end of the pitch.

With the Ange era coming to an end before it really started, Marinakis has wasted no time bringing in a replacement, as Dyche was already in the building by Tuesday morning.

However, according to a report from Football Insider, Nottingham Forest originally identified Fulham manager Marco Silva as the top target for the role.

Forest would have had to fork out over £10m to lure Silva to the City Ground, which may have been the main stumbling block, while Dyche was available without any compensation being required.

"Amazing" Silva could've been ideal Ange replacement

Having been at Fulham since July 2021, the 48-year-old is currently the third-longest serving Premier League manager, and it would be fair to say he’s done a great job, stabilising the Cottagers as a Premier League club after winning the Championship title in 2021-22.

Nottingham Forest contact "incredible" PL title-winning boss to replace Ange

The Tricky Trees have approached a proven top-level manager following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou.

ByDominic Lund Oct 19, 2025

The Portuguese manager, who prefers to implement a 4-2-3-1 system, has also been praised by former player Tosin Adarabioyo, who described him as “amazing” a little under a year ago.

As such, Silva could’ve been an ideal successor to Postecoglou, but there are signs that Dyche could be the right man for the job, not least due to his experience in relegation battles, leading Everton to safety in dramatic fashion on the final day of the 2022-23 campaign.

MatériaMais Notícias

da esoccer bet： O São Caetano teve um grande feito dentro das quatro linhas em 2021: a equipe foi semifinalista da Copa Paulista. Apesar de não ter chegado na decisão da competição e garantido vaga em um campeonato nacional em 2022, esse momento marca uma fase de reformulação importante no clube.

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da betano casino： Após anos ruins, crises financeiras e políticas, o clube se reestruturou e voltou a trilhar o rumo das vitórias. Poucos atletas acompanharam de perto essa reviravolta do clube do ABC Paulista, uma vez que o elenco que disputou a competição foi, quase que por inteiro, remontado.

O atacante Nikolas é um desses jogadores que está presente no clube desde o início da temporada. O atleta, que teve um bom rendimento no Paulistão, segue em recuperação de lesão no joelho esquerdo, perto de retornar aos trabalhos com bola. O jogador comentou sobre esse momento.

Como tem sido a sua evolução na recuperação? Sente muitas dores?

A recuperação tem sido difícil. Todo pós-operatório não costuma ser fácil. Mas tem sido um momento de bastante resiliência da minha parte. Sinto bastantes dores, mas que servem de esperança para voltar ao campo e fazer o que eu amo.

Como tem lidado com o aspecto emocional nesse período? A saudade de trabalhar no campo, com bola.

Tento manter a cabeça tranquila, controlar a ansiedade ao máximo. Não pular etapas em prol de uma recuperação perfeita. Com toda certeza o meu maior desejo é voltar a atuar. Desde o dia que operei, não vejo a hora de retornar ao campo.

Esse período de recuperação tem trazido aprendizados a você?

– Sem dúvidas. É um período de bastante aprendizado. Tenho evoluído com tudo isso que estou passando. Daqui pra frente sei o quanto é cada vez mais necessário cuidar da minha condição física e focar ainda mais no meu trabalho.

There is a two-day match in Canberra next weekend but Ben Stokes indicated Test squad members were unlikely to feature

Matt Roller23-Nov-20252:13

Stokes defends attacking approach after batting collapse

England are unlikely to send any of the players involved in their eight-wicket thrashing in Perth to Canberra for next week’s pink-ball tour match, a decision which former captain Michael Vaughan has described as “amateurish”.The speed of Australia’s win in a chaotic first Ashes Test has left England with 11 days before the start of the second, day-night Test in Brisbane on December 4. There is a two-day, pink-ball match scheduled between a Prime Minister’s XI and an England XI on November 29, but England Lions have long been scheduled to fulfil that fixture rather than the main touring party.Related

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Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, said after the first Test that England would consider sending some players to Canberra. “I haven’t even thought about it just yet, to be honest, because I planned on us being a little bit longer than two days,” he told the BBC’s . “We’ll let the dust settle tonight and then we’ll have a good think about it tomorrow.”But Ben Stokes, their captain, suggested that England will stick to their guns and head straight to Brisbane on November 26 to prepare for the second Test at the Gabba. “That’s how it was done a long time ago,” he replied, when asked if his side should look to play another competitive match in the aftermath of their heavy defeat.”We prepare incredibly well,” Stokes said. “We work incredibly hard every single day that we get the opportunity to work on our game, and that’s what we’ll keep on doing because we believe and we trust in our process.England folded twice in Perth but it’s currently unlikely any of the batters will play in Canberra•Getty Images

“If the results don’t go the way in our favour, that’s not going to differ from that (sic) because, hand on heart, we know that we put every little bit or ounce of ourselves into our training, and we know and believe that this is the best way for this team to operate.”Alastair Cook, England’s leading run-scorer in their most recent series win in Australia in 2010-11, urged them to reconsider. “In this situation, I would want to go and play in the pink-ball game against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, not just leave it to the Lions players,” he wrote in his column.”It can be an uncomfortable decision as you are opening yourself up to failing again, but putting yourself under pressure can have long-term benefits. However much you practise in the nets, you cannot replicate the feeling of time in the middle.”Vaughan, the top-scorer in the 2002-03 Ashes, went even harder, suggesting that England should go into the tour match at full strength – including fielding the fast bowlers that played in Perth. “It’s amateurish if they don’t go and play now,” he said. “What harm is playing two days of cricket with a pink ball under lights?”They’ve played two days of cricket. They’ve been out in the field for, what, 70 [67.3] overs? Look, they’re professional cricketers. I can’t be so old-school to suggest that by playing cricket, you might get a little bit better… My method would be, you’ve got a pink-ball, two-day game: you go and grab it, go and take it. Play those two days, and make sure that you’re giving yourself the best chance.”It’s not being old-school to suggest that a pink ball is different to a red ball. Playing under the lights is different. Australia have won pretty much every pink-ball game in Australia: they’ve lost once. I’m not too old-school to suggest that they should play in that game… I’d like to know why they wouldn’t.”England released three unused members of their Test squad – Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks and Matthew Potts – to play for the Lions in their ongoing tour match against a Cricket Australia XI at Lilac Hill from the second day of the first Test, and may take a similar approach for the PM’s XI fixture.The PM’s XI will be captained by Peter Handscomb and features three other players with Test match experience in top-order batters Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney, and veteran seamer Peter Siddle.