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Celtic are back in pre-season training with the new campaign on the horizon and could be set to add a fresh face to their camp imminently, according to reports.

Brendan Rodgers looks for Celtic to make more additions

The Bhoys are back in action this Friday against Queens Park and Brendan Rodgers has already hinted Celtic are set to make further signings after the arrivals of Kieran Tierney, Ross Doohan, Callum Osmand and Benjamin Nygren.

He stated: “We’re not needing a major overhaul of the squad, but freshness is so important. Some of these guys have been here a long time. It’s so important, even in a winning squad, that you refresh that and reset the competition in the squad.

“We’ve done some really good business up until now. I see us doing more to get us set up for hopefully what will be a really exciting season.”

While not a direct first-team arrival, Cork City winger Cathal O’Sullivan could be next in line to join Celtic, and they will have the added bonus of being able to witness him live in the flesh when both sides meet in a friendly at Páirc Uí Chaoimh next Tuesday.

Former Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski has also been linked with a move to Parkhead, potentially adding more SPFL pedigree to their forward line following 44 goals in 98 outings for the Dons before his move to the North East.

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Planning ahead for the defence of their Scottish Premiership title and featuring in the UEFA Champions League playoff round will be of immediate concern for the Hoops, so it will come as no surprise that they are closing in on yet another signing.

Celtic-bound Hayato Inamura spotted ahead of medical

According to Sky Sports, Albirex Niigata defender Hayato Inamura has travelled for his Celtic medical and was spotted boarding a plane to London on Wednesday before conducting the formalities needed to ratify his move to Glasgow.

His club have already announced his departure, and a fee in the region of £250,000 is said to have been agreed between both sides ahead of the transfer becoming official.

Primarily a centre-back, Inamura can also feature on the left of a back three or at left-back if needed, which could offer cover now that Greg Taylor has left the Scottish champions to join Greek Super League outfit PAOK.

Beginning his professional journey at Albirex Niigata, the Tokyo-born man has registered a goal and two assists across 36 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Celtic have been in the hunt for a defender this window and Inamura could prove to be a bargain if he manages to replicate his exploits in the J League once he settles in at Parkhead.

One of the top priorities for Celtic in the summer transfer window might be finding a winger to replace Jota until the Portuguese star returns from his long-term injury.

The Hoops swooped to sign the exciting forward from Rennes during the January window, re-signing him 18 months on from his move to Al Ittihad, and he made a fast start to life back in Glasgow.

Jota racked up four goals and two assists in 11 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, despite starting just seven of those matches, after returning to the club at the start of the year.

Unfortunately, though, he suffered a knee injury against Dundee United that is now set to keep him out of action for the start of next season, and possibly into next year.

It was stated at the start of May that Jota had suffered a cruciate ligament injury that is going to see him sit on the sidelines for between six and nine months.

Celtic may look to go out and sign another winger before the end of the summer transfer window because Brendan Rodgers could be without the forward’s talents for half of next term.

Why Jota's injury is a big blow for Celtic

As aforementioned, Jota made a fast start to his second spell at Parkhead and showed that he can still make a big impact at the top end of the pitch at Premiership level, 18 months on from his first exit from Glasgow.

The 26-year-old whiz did not play a competitive match under Rodgers during his first spell, as he left in the same summer that the manager returned, but the attacker quashed any concerns that the style would not suit him as well as Ange Postecoglou’s did.

As you can see in the table above, Jota immediately became one of the top attacking wide players in the Premiership after his return to Parkhead, ranking highly among his positional peers in a host of key metrics as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

That form would not have come as a big surprise to many in Glasgow, though, as the winger had produced 21 goals and 21 assists in his two seasons in the Scottish top-flight under Postecoglou’s management in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.

Jota, as shown in the highlights above, found the back of the net 15 times in all competitions for the Scottish giants in his second season under the Australian boss, which led to his move to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023.

His form across his two spells at Celtic so far illustrates why it is such a blow to lose the forward to a long-term injury heading into the 2025/26 campaign, because Rodgers’ side will not benefit from the goals and assists that he can provide for several months.

This is why the club may look at their options in the summer transfer window to potentially bring in a new player to compete for a spot out wide, to ensure that the manager is not left short at the top end of the pitch before Jota returns.

However, Celtic could save themselves millions by unearthing a surprise replacement for the Portuguese wizard in the form of Marco Tilio, who has been out on loan in his home country this season.

Why Marco Tilio could be a surprise Jota replacement

The 23-year-old winger signed for the Hoops from Melbourne City in the summer of 2023, but arrived at Parkhead with an injury that meant that he started his career at the club on the back foot.

Tilio only made two appearances in the Premiership as a substitute after coming back from his injury, before being sent out on loan to Melbourne for the second half of the season.

The left-footed star did not fare much better in that initial loan spell back in Australia, though, as he missed a further 13 matches through injury, and managed just one goal in four league appearances.

Tilio then re-joined Melbourne City on loan for the 2024/25 campaign and was absent for 12 games during the first half of the season with a hamstring injury, which left the forward in a difficult situation after 18 months of constant injury problems.

However, the Hoops loanee, who was once described as a “phenomenal” talent by A-League striker Bruce Djite, has not suffered a single injury since returning to action in January, and has caught the eye with his impressive performances.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once compared Tilio to Manchester City superstar Phil Foden, describing them as “similar” players, and the left-footed playmaker is finally starting to live up to that hype with his form in the A-League for Melbourne City during the 2024/25 campaign.

Whilst he may not be on the same level, quality-wise, as the Premier League star, the Celtic loanee is similar in the sense that he is also a left-footed and diminutive playmaker who can play on either flank or centrally in the attack.

As you can see in the table above, Tilio was on fire in Australia in the second half of this season with an eye-catching haul of 14 goals and ‘big chances created’ combined in just 19 appearances.

These statistics show that the potential is there for him to provide quality in front of goal on a regular basis when fit and available to play, whilst playing on the left or the right flank, like Jota.

Interestingly, he also won possession back in the final third 1.4 times per game in the final third, which suggests that he would be brilliant for the way that Rodgers wants his team to counter press and win possession back off the opposition in their defensive third.

Daizen Maeda, for example, only won the ball back in the final third 0.4 times per game in the Premiership this term, which speaks to the kind of pressing quality that Tilio could offer.

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The dream starting XI that Brendan Rodgers could build for Celtic next season.

2

By
Dan Emery

May 31, 2025

Overall, Celtic could save themselves millions by utilising the Australia international as a short-term replacement for Jota until he returns from injury, as he would not cost a penny to bring into the squad and his form out on loan suggests that the potential is there for him to be an exciting option for the Hoops moving forward.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now set to say goodbye to Rayan Ait-Nouri as Manchester City are reportedly closing in £33.7m deal to sign the player.

The Algerian defender has been with Wolves since 2020, but after five seasons at Molineux, now is the time to cash in.

This follows on from Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha, bringing in £62.5m for Vitor Pereira to use this summer.

Cunha will be missed, no doubt about that, but Ait-Nouri has been one of the best players for Wolves in the Premier League over the previous few years.

Rayan Ait-Nouri's record at Wolves

Last season, the defender enjoyed his most productive season with regards to attacking output since he joined Wolves.

Across 41 matches, Ait-Nouri scored five times while registering seven assists for the club. He also created eight big chances in the Premier League for the Old Gold, while averaging 1.3 key passes and succeeding with 1.7 dribbles per game last term.

The onus for Pereira now is to find a player who can be signed cheaply that will go on to replicate the success that Ait-Nouri has at the club.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2024/25

41

5

7

2023/24

38

3

4

2022/23

27

2

1

2021/22

27

1

6

2020/21

27

1

2

He will have money to spend. That’s a certainty. Could he sign a player from his homeland this summer who might be an even bigger talent than Ait-Nouri?

Wolves eyeing move for Roger Fernandes

Journalist Graeme Bailey stated recently that Wolves are keeping tabs on Braga’s Roger Fernandes ahead of making a potential swoop.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

“I think the Portuguese league will be somewhere that they explore; it wouldn’t surprise me if they do look towards that league again,” said Bailey.

“I’ve heard Roger Fernandes’ name linked to Wolves in recent weeks as well, wouldn’t surprise me if he was on the agenda.”

Despite typically operating as a right-winger, Fernandes can also play either left-back or left wing-back, positions that Ait-Nouri made his own at Wolves.

Quite how highly-rated the 19-year-old is evident by the fact that he even made his debut aged just 15 years and eight months for Braga back in August 2021 – a record in Portugal’s top-flight. Ait-Nouri, by contrast, was 17 when he made his first senior bow for Angers in August 2018.

Last season, meanwhile, Fernandes made 48 appearances across all competitions for the Portuguese side, scoring five goals and chipping in with seven assists.

For context, Ait-Nouri’s final season in France saw him register just three assists in 17 games in Ligue 1, before joining Wolves at the age of 19.

Fernandes shone at both ends of the pitch. Not only did he create six big chances while averaging 1.3 key passes per game, but the youngster also won over 50% of his contested duels while averaging 1.5 tackles per match for Braga.

Last summer, talent scout Jacek Kulig praised the teenager, describing him as “Braga’s biggest jewel” and “one of the most exciting U19s in Portugal.”

It would certainly be a significant coup should Pereira land the winger this summer, especially given his high ceiling for development.

Wolves might only have to pay a fee of around £25m to secure his services. With the club raising nearly £90m by selling Cunha and Ait-Nouri, it could prove to be a wonderful bargain this summer.

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A £45,000-a-week star has said yes to signing for Leeds United following promotion to the Premier League, according to a transfer update.

Leeds looking to lift Championship title at Plymouth

It has been a memorable season for the Whites, with Daniel Farke’s side setting numerous club records and achieving their goal of winning promotion to the Premier League.

Leeds can still get to 100 points and lift the Championship title with a win at Plymouth Argyle on the last day of the season, something which Farke wants to do.

“The main job is done, we are promoted to the PL. We had a fantastic final home game. The connection between the club and the supporters. Icing on the cake is silverware for the bus tour. It’s pretty useful as you can drink something out of [silverware]. Both teams would deserve to win the league.”

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Attention after the last game of the season at Home Park will then be on the summer transfer window. Decisions will have to be made on the likes of Junior Firpo, Sam Byram and Josuha Guilavogui, all of whom are out of contract in the summer.

Meanwhile, calls will also be required on loanees Manor Solomon, Joe Rothwell. When asked if decisions were already made on those players, Farke said: “No not yet. Until everything is settled and done, we won’t speak about individuals about the future. It will happen pretty fast, right now we have clarity. But no rush because we have the whole of May and June to speak but we will do things relatively quick.

“Middle of next week we will make some decisions then we will speak to agents and move forward. We’ve had a few meeting already [re strategic planning]. Many structural and personal changes in the past. It’s important we sit down together and have clarity over budget.

“Scouts and data analysts doing a very good job. Right now we will prepare for next season with Robbie and Alex – they are in different roles now and we have to make sure the processes are right. A bit more time needed to discuss these processes. Next week we will need a few meetings. I’m optimistic.”

Now, there has been another transfer update on Solomon signing for Leeds on a permanent basis from Tottenham.

Leeds confident of signing Solomon who says yes to Elland Road move

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham are open to selling Solomon this summer, and the player himself has said yes to signing for Leeds.

A permanent transfer ‘is expected to go through in the coming weeks’, with the 49ers Enterprises confident of a transfer and the winger and his fiancé, Dana Voshina, very happy in Leeds.

The 25-year-old, on £45,000-a-week, has been a standout performer for Leeds in the pressure moments of the season, as can be seen from his form during the run-in.

Manor Solomon’s recent Leeds performances

WhoScored rating

Leeds United 4-0 Bristol City

8.75/10

Leeds United 6-0 Stoke City

8.84/10

Oxford United 0-1 Leeds United

7.45/10

Leeds United 2-1 Preston North End

8.67/10

Middlesbrough 0-1 Leeds United

7.3/10

Nine goals and 12 assists in 38 Championship games from the left hand side has been Solomon’s contribution, striking up a brilliant relationship with Firpo. Now, it looks as if the Israel international, once dubbed a “pocket rocket”, could be here to stay.

New Zealand went through the 2024 edition without a fifty, and a top partnership of 34

Sampath Bandarupalli17-Jun-20244 – Maiden overs from Lockie Ferguson against Papua New Guinea. He is the second to bowl four maidens in a men’s T20I after Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar in 2021 against Panama. Before Ferguson, no one had bowled more than two maidens in a men’s T20 World Cup match.Outside of internationals, Akshay Karnewar is the only other man to do it: for Vidarbha vs Manipur, only a week before Saad’s effort, in an Indian domestic T20 at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.4 – Maidens in PNG’s innings overall. It was the first instance of a team bowling as many as four maidens in an innings at a men’s T20 World Cup match. There have been six instances of three maidens at the showpiece event previously, four of which came in 2024.Getty Images81 – Dot balls played out by PNG’s batters – the second-highest in a men’s T20 World Cup game. The highest is 89 dots by Uganda against New Zealand on Saturday.78 – PNG’s total against New Zealand was their second-lowest in men’s T20Is, behind the 77 all out they made against Uganda earlier in the tournament. Three of PNG’s four lowest totals in this format have come in this World Cup.34 – Partnership runs between Devon Conway and Kane Williamson for the third wicket. It was the highest partnership for New Zealand in this T20 World Cup. It was also the lowest “highest partnership” for any team in an edition of the men’s T20 World Cup where they played four or more matches. The next is 35 for Uganda, across four games in 2024.40 – Glenn Phillips’ score against West Indies was the highest for New Zealand in this tournament. They are only the fourth team to play four or more matches at a men’s T20 World Cup without an individual 50-plus score.Ireland played five matches in the 2009 edition without an individual fifty, while the highest score for Uganda in 2024 was 33. No New Zealand batter hit a fifty in the five matches they played in the 2010 edition, played in the West Indies. England don’t have a fifty in this year’s World Cup as yet, but they have the Super Eight to set that right.

Australia allrounder keen to don London Spirit colours after pulling out of last year’s competition

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Aug-2022On Thursday evening, playing against Oval Invincibles at the Kia Oval, Glenn Maxwell will finally add London Spirit to the list of teams he has graced on the lucrative short-form circuit.It has been a long time coming, or perhaps not long at all if you’re on Maxwell’s “tick follows tock” schedule of franchise tournament into international duty and back into franchise tournament again, where time moves that little bit quicker. He was one of the most sought-after names ahead of the original draft at the end of the 2019 summer, then one of the many overseas withdrawals for the inaugural season in 2021.But as the £100,000-man sits on the pavilion benches at Lord’s, looking out on the historic ground he will call home for four games before returning to Australia for their white-ball series with Zimbabwe, he appreciates where he is in this moment. “I’m not sure you get a better venue for an interview, do you? This is as good as it gets.”Related

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Amid the excitement of his first taste of the Hundred, there is a tinge of sadness that the man who brought him here is no longer around. Prior to the draft three years ago, Shane Warne had been buttering up Maxwell – not that the 33-year-old needed much convincing to spend a few weeks of the summer in the capital.”When the draft happened, I wasn’t sure who I was going to go to, but as soon as I was picked up to London I was basically on the phone to Warnie pretty much nonstop,” Maxwell says. “Trying to work out the team and all that sort of stuff. Different combinations.”Warne, who died suddenly in March, had a rough time as Spirit head coach last summer, ruled out of a chunk of games after contracting Covid-19 at the start. Nevertheless, his enthusiasm remained undimmed. Warne had spent the winter planning on springing a surprise on the rest after finishing bottom in the regular season, with Maxwell central to his plans to make amends.”He said it was an amazing tournament to be a part of and all he was talking about after last year was ‘oh next year we’re going to get it right, it’s fine, you’ll be coming over’. The excitement in his voice, he spoke really passionately about it and, yeah, he loves this team.”He loved being able to almost brag about coaching the team playing at Lord’s, which was always quite funny. Being in the heart of London suited his lifestyle, he absolutely loved it here.”Much like Rajasthan Royals in this year’s IPL, then Hampshire in the Vitality Blast, the legendary Australian will be in Spirit’s thoughts as they go through their second campaign under new head coach Trevor Bayliss. Maxwell also hopes Warne will be able to have family representation at the odd game: “I got to see Jackson [Warne’s oldest child] the other day. It’s nice to see him over here and hopefully he can get to a game and see the boys play. I know he [Shane] would have loved to have been here.”Perhaps the surprising element to all this is the emotional attachment to a team he hasn’t even played for. Most of that is Warne, of course: the pair were thick as thieves, with plenty in common beyond being avid St Kilda supporters. But part of being Glenn Maxwell is knowing you need to be Glenn Maxwell when a tournament of this billing comes calling.

“I’ve got a long nine months on the road so it’s about getting my body right. Being able to be injury free for all that time is going to be key. Especially the wrong side of 30, you have to do all the right things”

There is little doubt the Hundred needs Maxwell more than he needs it, particularly with high-profile England Test players such as Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow resting from season two. But the challenge of a new environment, conditions and an altogether different format is exactly what he’s after as he begins his step-up in preparations for the home Twenty20 World Cup awaiting him in October. In turn, the competition, even for those four rounds, should benefit.”I think me personally, I’m trying to get my own preparation done for the World Cup. That’s my whole game at the moment, is gearing towards that T20 World Cup. I’ll use these conditions and the quality of teams and players in all those teams to hopefully get myself prepared. I know I’m only here for a short period of time but I’m going to be training with a goal in mind to be ready for that T20 World Cup.”I still think this is an exciting new tournament that I wanted to be involved in anyway. Even if there wasn’t a World Cup I’m still going to approach the game as I do every other game. It’s more the off-field stuff, I’m starting to prepare longer down the road.”A best-ever Big Bash League season, with 468 runs at an average of 42.54 for Melbourne Stars, was followed by a middling IPL with Royal Challengers Bangalore (301 across 13 innings and just one half-century), though his wedding during the early stages of the competition puts that in perspective. Then came a tour of Sri Lanka where, following ODI and T20I series, he came agonisingly close to a first Test cap since September 2017.And yet it is what lies ahead that Maxwell regards as a tougher period. Hence why the Hundred will be the start of his tuning up with a packed home summer on the horizon.”I’ve got a long nine months on the road so it’s about getting my body right. Being able to be injury free for all that time is going to be key. Especially the wrong side of 30, you have to do all the right things around your training and it’s certainly one of the things I’ve been working really hard at, to keep that consistency of training going and consistency of gym work to make sure I do stay injury free. And I know that’ll help in the back end of my career as well.”The card for all short-format cricketers is only growing, with the lucrative new UAE T20 league and South Africa’s own big-money offering, which are due to sandwich the BBL. As a contracted player with Cricket Australia – for the time being – organising his calendar is that little bit easier given they are his primary employer. But he has sympathy for those now spoilt for choice but having to sort their own path during what is both an exciting time for T20 cricketers but more precarious for those with irons in the fire elsewhere.”For the domestic player, there are so many opportunities all over the place,” he says. “Trying to organise your own schedule and pick and choose what you do left right and centre, that’ll be a nightmare. I’m probably going to be retiring at the right time in a few years – there are going to be T20 tournaments everywhere.”Maxwell is gearing his preparation towards Australia’s T20 World Cup defence•AFP/Getty ImagesThese next weeks in England should set him right. The lack of Covid-19 restrictions make it the best touring destination at the moment, a far cry from when Maxwell was last here at the end of the 2020 summer when he had and his Australia team-mates were kept to the bio-secure confines of the Ageas Bowl and Emirates Old Trafford for their white-ball tour. When he arrived for this stint, he grabbed a beer and dinner with Bayliss, something he did not take for granted. “I remember a couple of years ago, you’d be silly to think ‘oh it’s an amazing effort to get to the pub and just have a drink and a meal.’ But it just felt like you were normal again.”As for getting down to business, he is armed with some ideas on the Hundred, fuelled by his own observations and what he has learned from conversations with other cricketers. All underpinned by a pretty crucial love for someone in his line of work – mathematics.”Well, one of the things that they did say [to look out for] was the countdown,” he says of runs required and balls remaining ticking down in the chase – a quirk that caught some off-guard.”I think that’s a good way of trying to do it because saying you need 12 an over and saying you need two a ball, it’s the same thing. But sometimes it can sort of mess with the batter’s head a little bit and they said they struggled with that last year and it’s something that you’ve gotta get used to. But that’s why maths is something that you have to learn.”Marnus [Labuschange] isn’t that good at maths and, as a cricket nuffie, it has to be one of those things that you just know. I used to work on my maths just by net run rates watching Australia play England in a one-dayer, and I’d be working it out on the screen before it came up anywhere. And that’s how you get better, that’s how you work on things, but to be able to look at the scoreboard and just go okay, I need this, saves you so much stress and time. Marnus is there like trying to carry the one…”Interestingly, one prospect he is unsure of is bowling 10 deliveries straight. Last season, captains left the same bowler on around 10% of the time, with spinners bowling 69% of the 10-ball sets. As an off spinner with street smarts and a quick turnaround, Maxwell is an ideal candidate for that tactic.”I prefer to get five and just get out of the way. Whenever I bowl an over, even in the Big Bash, I bowl my sixth ball and I run. I’m like, I’ve got away with that. So I’m not sure about bowling 10 balls in a row. I think, unless you get the match-up right and we can keep them on strike, as a standard offspinner with not too many tricks it’s going to be hard to get away with 10 balls in a row. If you can get five and then come back on another five balls later that might work but I just think you need that break as a standard spinner.”Perhaps at some point over these first four games his skipper Eoin Morgan will be able to convince him otherwise, especially as Spirit used the 10-ball option more than any other team. One thing is for sure, Maxwell’s presence in the Hundred will enhance both its intrigue and cache.

Afghanistan’s coach, Lance Klusener, talks about the approach he takes with the side

Interview by Deivarayan Muthu25-Mar-2020After working with Zimbabwe, South Africa, and then in stints in the IPL (Mumbai Indians), BPL (Rajshahi Kings) and with Brampton Wolves (Global T20 Canada), Lance Klusener took charge of Afghanistan as head coach last September. Speaking from his home in Durban, the former South Africa allrounder tells us about the road forward, looks ahead to the T20 World Cup, and talks about his approach to coaching.Afghanistan haven’t lost a T20I series since 2017, and a few months ago they toppled a full-strength West Indies side. How do you rate their progress in the year of the T20 World Cup?
It’s [T20 cricket] the focus for us. We are trying to play as much T20 as possible – there’s an Asia Cup, a World Cup, and another T20 World Cup after that. We have a very good attack that includes guys who are playing [domestic T20 leagues] around the world. Our challenge is to score enough runs. Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi, Qais Ahmad – is this the best T20I spin attack going around?
Yeah, clearly – just with the variations. It is still a young team but they’re getting a lot of experience playing around the world. So that’s good for us. With Afghanistan not playing too much domestic cricket, it’s a good sign.

“At the end of the day, only the player can do it. I can’t pull him out of bed and make him do all the work. That’s my challenge to the Afghanistan players”

Mohammad Shahzad is still suspended, but teenager Rahmanullah Gurbaz has fit into the set-up nicely and seems to have a variety of shots in his repertoire.
Gurbaz has had a lot on his shoulders and he has been brilliant. Stepping into the shoes of somebody like Shahzad, he has kept wicket and has responded brilliantly. There are not many players out there that work harder than him. So he’s got a bright future and the talent is there, and going forward he’s somebody with the potential to light up the white-ball scene.ALSO READ: Rahmanullah Gurbaz is dreaming of bigger thingsWe just need to be careful that we don’t get too ahead of ourselves. [He needs to] keep the feet on the ground and continue sticking to the basics and win games for Afghanistan. I still think he needs to do that more consistently. He needs to bat deeper and be not out at the end, not just light up the Powerplays. We need to grow his game a lot, but there are ingredients out there for something special for sure.The batting line-up is packed with talent, but recently HD Ackerman, the batting coach, said that they need to pace the innings better and work on the running between the wickets. Do you agree?
We want to be a bit more energetic [between the wickets]. We are among the best in terms of boundary-hitting percentage, but if you look at the stats, our dot-ball percentage is high. So that’s something we have chatted about and we’re making an effort to get better at that. At that level it’s about small changes that can make a big difference.We need to play more cricket and against the top-ranked sides, but the fixtures are set so very far apart. Afghanistan have only themselves to blame because they’ve developed into a good team way too quickly for the fixtures to accommodate them. We will get there, so exciting times ahead.”Gurbaz needs to do win games more consistently. He needs to bat deeper and be not out at the end, not just light up the Powerplays”•Getty ImagesAfghanistan don’t have a designated white-ball finisher yet. Have you identified somebody for the role that you owned during your playing career for South Africa?
We will play differently with a different game plan. Yes, we don’t have an out and out finisher, but we have power upfront. Given the opportunity and platform, there’s no reason why a guy like Najib [Zadran], [Mohammad] Nabi, Rashid [Khan] can’t step up and do that. We need to give them the platform, and that’s the challenge. It’s about learning to chase targets down.How has Naveen-ul-Haq’s recent rise and Shapoor Zadran’s return helped balance an attack that is usually packed with spin?
Yeah, the competition between the seamers is there. Shapoor put up his hand and he has a lot going for him. I always look at an all-round package that can contribute in all departments with fielding and bowling too. He bowls from a nice height and he has got about 80 white-ball appearances for Afghanistan. It’s nice to have that experience, but the youngsters are pushing hard – and he knows that too – and hopefully he can get the job done when it counts.ALSO READ: Naveen-ul-Haq hopes to start a pace-bowling revolution in AfghanistanHow vital was the 2-1 series victory over the T20 World Cup defending champions West Indies recently?
It just shows you how much talent is there. If we can just be a little more consistent and be a bit better at small things… A guy like Naveen [ul-Haq] has wonderful talent. We just need to keep our feet on the ground. He has played just six [five] T20Is and his numbers are flattering so far. He has some good variations and decent pace, but same as Gurbaz, time will tell. It’s about playing against strong oppositions. With respect to Ireland and Zimbabwe, for Afghanistan’s growth we need to play against bowlers that are consistently bowling at 140. Manning up to pace like that is going to be the real challenge for the batsmen; we don’t get much opportunity to play against such oppositions.

My job is to get the best out of national players. I won’t be remembered for scouting in the leagues. I will be remembered for the games that I help Afghanistan win

Were you able to address their concerns in the camp you had in Dubai earlier this year?
Yeah, we tried to create match simulations and tried to face what we might get in T20 cricket. But then again, you can’t beat game time. We need to try to get as many games as we can before those big comps [Asia Cup and T20 World Cup].You’ve worked with international sides and have also worked in different capacities in T20 leagues. How do you think you have evolved as a coach?
The most important thing is reading what you’ve got in front of you and understanding every team is different – different strengths and weaknesses. You get four or five years when you can develop a team, so you have to work with what you have got and develop that as best as you can.It has been nice working with the best talent in the world and that’s what excites me as a coach. You have to be realistic with what you can achieve and how you go about it.Franchise T20 coaching can be difficult – you get players who come in and go, and you might sometimes have to change [your coaching style] to accommodate the players that come and go. It can be challenging, but if the communication is decent and if you have mature players – sometimes the coach needs to move that around, with players leaving a comp or even being injured.You were big on game time as a player and used to hit several hundred balls at practice sessions. Have you managed to incorporate that kind of training into the Afghanistan set-up too?
Yes, we do. You can only get so much done and always remember that a lot of that quality work is done on our own. You can’t just wait for coaches and associations to organise camps and spoon-feed you. Many players go away and bowl at targets when they’re necessarily in international set-ups. It’s part of the learning and we challenge the boys to also go away and do the hard work on their own.”The most important thing is reading what you’ve got in front of you and understanding every team is different, with different strengths and weaknesses”•Getty ImagesDolphins’ Khaya Zondo singled you out as a key figure in his resurgence after he was dropped. How important is man-management and communication with players?
At the end of the day, only the player can do it. Maybe he can benefit from my knowledge and my experience, but at the end of the day I can’t pull him out of the bed and make him do all the work. A guy like Khaya, he took it on board and he did what he needed to do. That has to come from within. The passion is always there and it’s available and if you want to achieve something better, you need to be open to change. That’s my challenge to the Afghanistan players. You can average 25 or 30, but maybe you can average 40-plus if you learn a new shot or have a different approach.Have you had time to watch domestic cricket and the Shpageeza League and scout new talent?
That talent is there. There are scouts and selectors who are hands-on, and they’ll feed the best players to the national team. We have quite a few camps and stuff, and that gives us the opportunity to look at those players. However, my job is to get the best out of national players. I won’t be remembered for scouting these leagues. I will be remembered for the games that I help Afghanistan win.ALSO READ: ‘I wanted to be there at the end. That was my drug’Gulbadin Naib captained Afghanistan in the 50-over World Cup, Rashid Khan took over from him before passing the reins to Asghar Afghan again. Have the switches in captaincy affected the team’s plans?
Now, it’s [Afghan as captain] set in stone for the T20 World Cup. It’s never healthy for any environment for too much change in leadership positions because it takes time for everyone to figure out how a captain functions. And what one captain requires from you with respect to another can be different. So it’s important that there’s consistency there. It wasn’t great to see changes in leadership positions prior to the [2019] World Cup. They didn’t win a game there.Afghanistan A recently travelled to Bangladesh. Has there been talk about getting more A games into the schedule?
It’s important, but ultimately the real benefits are going to come when Afghanistan has a solid domestic league – a league where the boys learn their cricket. You look around at the best teams in the world right now – Australia, India, England – and look at their domestic structures. How good it is there that reflects directly in their national team. What Afghanistan has achieved and the talent that’s there from a limited domestic scene is phenomenal. The challenge to grow the game on the domestic scene is always going to be there.It’s not just about learning to defend or attack, those guys can all do that. It’s about reading the game and knowing when to defend or attack. That’s the difference.

The Colorado Rapids are expected to appoint Tottenham Hotspur assistant Matt Wells as their next head coach, according to a report from The Athletic. Wells, 37, would be stepping into his first senior managerial role and would become one of the youngest head coaches in MLS when he arrives ahead of the 2026 season.

• AFP
  

  A diverse coaching background

  Wells is currently part of Thomas Frank’s staff at Spurs and previously worked under Ange Postecoglou, where he took on significant responsibility during training sessions and match preparation.

  Before returning to North London, Wells served as an assistant to Scott Parker at Fulham, Bournemouth and Club Brugge – a stretch that included promotions and European experience. He also began his coaching career in Tottenham’s academy, where he coached the club’s Under-18 side.

  reports that Colorado has been encouraged by Wells’ background and potential, believing he fits the club’s desire for a cohesive approach between coaching and recruitment as it looks to elevate a young core.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Why the Rapids targeted him

  The Rapids interviewed a wide range of candidates, both domestically and abroad, before settling on Wells, according to the report. The club places an emphasis on alignment between the head coach and roster construction, and Wells has been involved in early offseason planning.

  The squad includes several foundational pieces, led by U.S. international Paxten Aaronson, along with goalkeeper Zack Steffen, Rob Holding, Cole Bassett, Sam Vines, and Reggie Cannon.

  Brazilian forward Rafael Navarro – who has 27 goals and 10 assists over the last two seasons – could still depart this winter after Colorado rejected a significant bid from Fluminense in the summer. A move would open a Designated Player slot for the club.

• How this impacts Spurs…

  Colorado and Arsenal share ownership through Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, yet the Rapids appear set to appoint an assistant from Tottenham, one of Arsenal’s rivals. The club previously interviewed former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere during a past coaching search.

  If Wells departs, it would mark the first notable change to Thomas Frank’s coaching staff since his arrival at Spurs. Wells is the only assistant from Postecoglou’s staff who remained in place and is viewed internally as a sharp tactical mind with inventive training methods.

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• What comes next?

  According to , Wells has long been seen as a young coach ready for his own project. A move to MLS would offer that opportunity, while signaling Colorado’s continued push toward a modern, aligned football identity under a first-time head coach.

Coach Sammy doesn’t want to “let the pitch play on our minds” while his Bangladesh counterpart felt it looked like a “normal Mirpur wicket”

Mohammad Isam17-Oct-2025

Going by the reactions of both Phil Simmons and Darren Sammy, how exactly will the pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium play?The Bangladesh and West Indies coaches wore curious smiles when they were asked about the pitch ahead of the first ODI. West Indies coach Sammy said he had “never seen anything like it before,” while his Bangladesh counterpart called it a “normal Mirpur wicket.”A sneak peek of the pitch, captured by one journalist, revealed a black surface – typical for this venue. Sammy said the West Indies players would have to assess the conditions before deciding on how they are going to approach batting here.Related

Bangladesh, West Indies prepare to do battle with puzzles to solve

“I’m not sure if we can replicate it; we’ve never seen anything like that before,” Sammy said. “I don’t know how to describe it. However, we will not let the pitch play on our minds. Wherever we go, the mantra remains the same: you still have to assess the conditions that you are faced with. And then once you’ve assessed it, you’ve got to decide what skill set is required to be successful, and then you back yourself in your delivery. And that’s where you add something to your game: ADD (Assess, Decide, Deliver).”Simmons suggested the pitch would bring some turn into the contest. “It looks like a normal Mirpur wicket,” he said. “So, it usually has some sort of turn in it, which is good.”Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons felt the lack of form of the top order had forced Mehidy Hasan Miraz to curb his attacking style•Randy Brooks

West Indies have brought a group of young batters into the ODI setup for this tour of Bangladesh. Only captain Shai Hope and Roston Chase have played in these conditions previously. Hope said he was sharing his knowledge with the rest of the group.”I am trying to share as much experience as I can,” Hope said. “When you play in foreign conditions, it’s very important as an experienced player or as a senior player in the team to share all the knowledge that you possibly can. In this situation, we all have a desire to do well for the West Indies, and it’s very important as a cricketer, especially as a batter, to come into these conditions and perform well.”So all the little learning that I would have gained from my previous trip – it’s about having those conversations with the remaining batters and trying to get the best out of each and every one of us.”At least West Indies have played in India recently. The home side, on the other hand, have a lot to worry about, especially with their batting line-up. There are only one or two automatic picks, as the likes of Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, and Jaker Ali have all struggled for form recently. The promising opener Tanzid Hasan even lost his place in the ODI side during the series against Afghanistan last week.Because of the lack of form of the top order, Bangladesh coach Simmons felt captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz has had to curb his strokeplay to ensure wickets are conserved. “Because of the start we’ve had, that’s the way he’s had to play – especially the one with him and Towhid Hridoy in that partnership [in the first ODI against Afghanistan].” he said. “He had to build it back. And that’s been the pace that we have to look at. In that situation, he had to play like that, but I’m sure in a different situation, he will play accordingly.”

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O próximo desafio do Vasco no Brasileirão é um conhecido que trouxe apreensão aos torcedores no final da última temporada. Foi justamente contra o Bragantino, que o Cruz-Maltino garantiu a permanência na 38ª rodada da competição. O que mudou no clube de lá para cá? Relembre a seguir.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

Logo após a permanência na Série A do Brasileirão, o Vasco demitiu Paulo Bracks. Em seguida, o Cruz-Maltino contratou Alexandre Mattos para a a função de diretor de futebol.

Ao todo, Alexandre Mattos trouxe nove reforços para o Vasco. São eles: João Victor, Rojas, David, Keiller, Victor Luís, Sforza, Galdames, Adson e Clayton. Além disso, o Cruz-Maltino sofreu desfalques importantes para o restante da temporada, como os casos de Paulinho e Jair.

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O Vasco se classificou para a terceira fase da Copa do Brasil, ao passar do Água Santa, algo que não acontecia há dois anos seguidos. No Campeonato Carioca, o Cruz-Maltino caiu na semifinal para o Nova Iguaçu.

Com a eliminação no estadual, o Vasco demitiu Alexandre Mattos e está até os dias atuais sem um diretor executivo. Uma comitiva trata dos assuntos relacionados ao futebol e acertou a chegada de Hugo Moura. Josh Wander também veio ao Brasil para acompanhar de perto os trabalhos da SAF vascaína.

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Escalação do Vasco contra o Bragantino na 38ª rodada do Brasileirão em 2023: Léo Jardim; Paulo Henrique, Maicon, Medel e Lucas Piton; Jair, Praxedes, Marlon Gomes e Payet; Gabriel Pec e Vegetti.

Provável escalação do Vasco contra o Bragantino na 2ª rodada do Brasileirão: Léo Jardim; Paulo Henrique, Maicon, Léo e Lucas Piton; Mateus Carvalho, Sforza e Galdames; Rossi, David e Vegetti.

O Vasco estreou com o pé direito no Brasileirão ao vencer o Grêmio, por 2 a 1, em São Januário. Na segunda rodada, o Cruz-Maltino enfrenta o Bragantino, às 19h desta quarta-feira (17), no Estádio Nabizão.

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