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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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Bairstow out of the Hundred after opting for rest

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

Daren Sammy wants West Indies to assess the conditions before deciding on their batting approach•Getty Images

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.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFinançasQual é a camisa mais cara do Brasileirão 2024? Veja rankingFinanças16/04/2024Fora de CampoComentarista de arbitragem bate o martelo em possíveis pênaltis de Vasco x GrêmioFora de Campo15/04/2024Futebol NacionalPower Ranking #4: os melhores times do momento no futebol brasileiroFutebol Nacional15/04/2024

➡️ Placar comum! Com R$100 no Lance! Betting, você leva R$532 se Red Bull Bragantino x Vasco terminar 1 a 1

➡️ 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.

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoFutebol NacionalVasco

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has been forced to deal with a plethora of injuries since taking over from Ange Postecoglou, with the club’s bad luck in that regard continuing into this season.

Ex-chairman Daniel Levy got so frustrated with Spurs’ key player absences in 24/25 that he overhauled their medical department for the second year running last summer. Key sports science chiefs Adam Brett and Nick Davies were both shown the door before the start of this season, with Nick Stubbings following Frank from Brentford to join as medical lead.

The Lilywhites were minus Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario for large portions of last campaign, alongside many other key men, which undoubtedly played a role in Spurs’ finishing a lowly 17th in the Premier League table.

This season, they haven’t fared much better.

Soon after Frank was appointed to succeed Postecoglou, Spurs lost playmaker James Maddison to an ACL injury which will keep him out for most of 2025/2026, with the England international on an extensive list of absentees.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

22/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

The likes of Romero, Wilson Odobert, Randal Kolo Muani and Destiny Udogie were also sidelined for periods recently until making their respective comebacks, so Frank will be desperate for this torrid luck to cease as he attempts to guide Tottenham to major silverware and a top four finish.

Luckily for Spurs, electrifying winger and star summer signing Mohammed Kudus is likely to return against Man United this weekend after the Ghanaian confirmed his knock is getting better.

Tottenham hit by injury blow as "promising" youngster Elijah Upson withdraws from England duty

Speaking to Tottenham News, pundit and academy expert John Wenham, who oversees the Lilywhites Rose account on X, says that Tottenham’s injury woes even stretch down to youth level.

Young defender Elijah Upson, who captains Spurs’ Under-18s, was forced to withdraw from the England Under-17s World Cup squad after suffering his own injury, which comes as a crying shame considering the club could have had five youth players representing them for the Three Lions.

The 17-year-old was recently handed a call-up to Tottenham’s Under-21 squad as well, playing the full 90 minutes and shutting out West Brom in a 1-0 win just over a month ago.

The injury comes as more of a blow to Upson’s personal development, with the versatile centre-back/right-back looking to make Johan Lange – who now oversees the academy as one of his many co-director responsibilities – stand up and take notice.

MatériaMais Notícias

Tombense faz o seu último jogo contra o Mirassol pela 38ª e última rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro Série B, neste sábado (25), no Estádio Antônio Guimarães de Almeida, conhecido como Almeidão, em Tombos, Minas Gerais. O Gavião-Carcará precisa vencer a Ponte Preta e não perder para escapar do rebaixamento. O Leão precisa vencer e torcer por outros resultados para subir para a Série A. A partida será às 17h (horário de Brasília), com transmissão do Premiere.

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✅FICHA TÉCNICA
TOMBENSE X MIRASSOL
38ª RODADA — CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO SÉRIE B

Data: Sábado, 25 de novembro de 2023
Horário: 17 horas (Horário de Brasília)
Local: Almeidão, em Tombos, Minas Gerais
Onde assistir: Premiere

➡️ Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro-2023 clicando aqui

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

⚽PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

Tombense (Técnico: Moacir Júnior): Felipe Garcia; Kevin, Wesley, Augusto, João Pedro, Egídio; Bruno Matias, Matheus Frizzo, Keké; Fernandão e Guilherme Santos.

Mirassol (Técnico: Ricardo Catalá): Alex Muralha; Lucas Ramon, Thalisson, Luiz Otávio, Guilherme Biro; Neto Moura, Danielzinho, Fernandinho, Gabriel; Chico Kim e Zé Roberto.

Steven Smith is on track to be fit for Australia’s second Test against West Indies in Grenada after the compound dislocation he suffered against South Africa at Lord’s during the World Test Championship final.Smith has spent the last week in New York where he has had a net against a tennis ball and an “incredi-ball” (a soft cricket ball) and rejoined the squad in Barbados on Saturday evening following their three-day victory in the opening Test.He still needs to tick off a few protocols with the medical staff, with Tuesday’s training session in Grenada likely to be the key day, but head coach Andrew McDonald expected him to be ready to return at No. 4, which is likely to see Josh Inglis drop out of the XI.Related

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“It’s really about functionality around the finger rather than anything else,” McDonald said. “There’ll be no risk to long-term health of that finger. He’ll return and I think it’s likely he’ll play. Leading into the next game, he’ll have the main session two days out.”He’ll [also] train the day before [the match]. If that all goes well, then I’d expect Steve to resume at No. 4.”When Smith suffered the injury, dropping a catch offered by Temba Bavuma on the third day at Lord’s, he was told he would need to wear a splint for eight weeks. He won’t be able to field in the slips on his return and will need to patrol the outfield somewhere, which may need some management given the problems he has had with his elbow.While there is no question that Smith, if fit, will resume his role at No. 4 the problems at the top of Australia’s order have prompted the debate about whether he should resume the No. 3 job to allow Cameron Green to come in a position lower.”In terms of why we see him as No. 4, I think we’ve settled on that,” McDonald said. “We could slide him up higher if we wanted to. He’s been excellent at number three. But I think if you look at the last 12 months at No. 4 and his ability to stabilise that position, two down, arguably our greatest batter, we want to keep him at four and build around that rather than potentially risking too many moves in the order.”Knowing that Smith may only miss the first Test, McDonald was also keen not to create further uncertainty in the batting order which is why Travis Head has not moved from his No. 5 position despite being a senior player.Marnus Labuschagne could be released from the squad if Steven Smith is available•Getty Images

Should Smith be available for the remainder of the series, there is a possibility that Marnus Labuschagne, who was dropped for the first time in the format since 2019 ahead of the first Test, may be released from the squad in order to play some cricket, either for Glamorgan or in the Australia A series against Sri Lanka A in Darwin, which starts next month. The first four-day game of the ‘A’ series begins on July 13, which would run concurrently with the final Test in Jamacia.”If we do have a surfeit of batters then we’ll explore match opportunities for sure,” McDonald said. “I think we’ve done that with the fast bowlers over time. We’ve sent Scott Boland back from India. So if we feel as though we’re carrying too many, we’ll look for game time.”[But] it’s a long way for players to get here as well. If we release someone and then someone has to come in late, then it’s a big journey. So we’ve just got to balance that out.”However, McDonald indicated that Labuschagne was set to be part of the ODI squad that will face South Africa in the Top End during August.”He’s important in our one-day structure,” he said. “[With] Steve Smith’s recent retirement, Glenn Maxwell retiring as well. We don’t want to compromise one-day cricket in the build towards 2027.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Responsável pelo gol da vitória do São Paulo no jogo de ida contra o Flamengo, Calleri respondeu sobre algumas polêmicas que surgiram nas últimas semanas sobre sua questão psicológica.

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Apostando R$10, você pode garantir um retorno de R$22! É só São Paulo x Fortaleza acabar com mais de dois gols no placar!

Apostando R$10, você pode levar R$50 pra casa! Para isso acontecer, basta que Kennedy marque e o Fluminense saia vitorioso contra o Cruzeiro, na noite desta quarta-feira (20), às 21h30, no Maracanã.

Há alguns dias, uma entrevista com o argentino viralizou. O camisa 9 doSão Paulo, durante sua fala, relembrou um momento onde afirmou ter se sentido ‘sozinho’. No caso, no clássico mais recente contra o Santos, no qual o argentino marcou dois gols.

O gol 6️⃣0️⃣ de Calleri pelo Tricolor!#TocaNoCalleri#VamosSãoPaulo ????????

???? Rubens Chiri / saopaulofc
???? Gutierre Filmes pic.twitter.com/Oa631B6YMt

— São Paulo FC (@SaoPauloFC) September 18, 2023

– Chegar na minha casa e estar sozinho e me sentir sozinho, e não me importava a figura que havia sido há três horas. Não me importava o que os jornais falavam sobre o “Calleri fazer dois gols em clássico outra vez” – disse em entrevista ao canal do Youtube “Botines Sensibles”.

Duplique sua banca com Messi!. Na Lance! Betting, a odd é de 2.40 para o Inter Miami vencer e Messi ser o primeiro a marcar. Sua aposta de R$10 volta R$24!

Alguns torcedores, nas redes sociais, chegaram a associar o período de jejum de gols que o atleta estava enfrentando com esta questão, inclusive chegando a deduzir que teria algo a ver com um término recente de relacionamento que o jogador enfrentou. Após a vitória contra o Flamengo no domingo (17), Calleri rebateu estas polêmicas e destacou que está bem, que esta fala em questão foi algo somente daquele momento.

– Não estou passando um momento ruim. Dei a entrevista e falei que me sentia sozinho por outra causa, mas é que estava triste. Minha felicidade é jogar futebol. Obviamente quem tem problemas pessoais sérios precisa tratar e precisam de ajuda como todo jogador. Jogador sempre tem fase boa e fase ruim, mas é parte da vida. Muitas pessoas têm problemas e não estou isento disso. Estou feliz, bem, sou feliz de representar essa camisa e quero ser campeão – disse.

+ Já pensou em ser um gestor de futebol? Participe da nossa Masterclass com Felipe Ximenes e descubra oportunidades

Um dos maiores estrangeiros da história do São Paulo, Calleri marcou seu primeiro gol em uma Copa do Brasil nesta final. Ao ser indagado sobre o fato de alguns torcedores o considerar como ‘ídolo’, o camisa 9 rebateu e disse que ainda ‘precisa caprichar um pouco mais e tentar ganhar no domingo (24)’.

– Ídolo é muito forte, Rogério é ídolo. Precisa caprichar um pouco mais, ter os pés no chão e tentar ganhar domingo outra vez. Vou ter momentos bons, momentos não tão bons, mas eu sou um cara que deixo a vida por essa camisa. Pessoal pode me querer, tem gente nas redes sociais que não me quer, mas sou um cara que sempre deixa a vida e graças a essas pessoas que me apoiaram desde o primeiro momento eu pude fazer o gol da Copa do Brasil – completou.

Com o cabelo descolorido, Calleri encarou o novo visual como um sinal de sorte. Para a decisão que o aguarda no final de semana, deu a letra: vai manter o novo cabelo.

– Vou manter, agora não posso tirar. Queria mudar, muito jogador muda. Foi só isso – concluiu.

Angelo Mathews, now almost 38, will finish up after the first Test against Bangladesh in June

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-May-2025Angelo Mathews will retire from Test cricket after the first Test against Bangladesh in Galle, starting on June 17. He will remain available for white-ball selection “if and when my country needs me”, he said in an announcement on his social media handle.Mathews has not been picked in a white-ball Sri Lanka side in almost a year, but in any case, the forthcoming Test will mark the end of a Test career that will have stretched for 119 appearances. Mathews made his debut in the format in 2009, and has been more-or-less a fixture in the side since.Sri Lanka’s Test schedule is about to dry up, however, and Mathews, who turns 38 next week, would have likely had to have waited until May 2026 to play Tests again.

pic.twitter.com/nqsnpkpekD

— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) May 23, 2025