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West Bromwich Albion have been heavily linked with extremely active in the January transfer window, in an effort to claw back victories in the Championship, score more goals and ultimately get promoted back to the Premier League next season.

What’s the story?

Valerien Ismael has confirmed that he met with the West Bromwich Albion transfer committee this week, and has spoken out about the plans for January:

“We expect something to happen,” the Baggies boss said. “We are working behind the scenes and have a plan in place. We are ready and expect incomings and outgoings.

“We have spoken a lot. We had a meeting this week and know exactly what we can do, so it’s a good feeling.

“It’s maybe the chance to bring another fresh player with another mentality. We need to find the right balance between what we can do and what is available on the market and who is able to play straight away to help us.”

What next for West Brom?

There has been a lot of rumours surrounding the signing of a striker for the Baggies, which is an area of the team that could be causing the side to fall behind in the league table, with Fulham at the top scoring 21 more goals already this season and second place Bournemouth seven goals ahead of Albion’s 30 goal tally.

Thus, to hear that Albion will be active in the winter market will surely leave supporters buzzing.

It’s very clear that West Brom are in a position where the January transfer window could either make or break their chances of promotion back to the Premier League this season, and clearly, Ismael is aware of that too, with a lack of goals scored compared to their competitors for the top of the table, a striker seems to be the prime target.

The pressure seems to have slightly eased off the West Brom manager, who had sacking rumours circulating before the two wins that the Baggies have picked up in succession over the last fortnight, but he will need to do more to make sure the side is in good shape going into the second half of the season.

Fans will surely be grateful for the reassurance for their club’s manager after the side seems to be on the other side of a bad run of form, but will still be expecting big things from the transfer window, especially in the attacking third of the squad where current players have been goal shy so far with loanee striker, Jordan Hugill only scoring one goal so far this season.

In other news: Valerien Ismael faces Dwight Gayle transfer blow

The review of Brendon McCullum’s lbw was a vital moment; one that Ross Taylor believed left the Test “evenly placed” at stumps on the first day

Cricinfo staff24-Nov-2009
Ross Taylor’s 94 was the top score for New Zealand on the opening day•Getty Images

When Simon Taufel gave Brendon McCullum lbw off the penultimate ball in Dunedin, Pakistan appeared to have separated New Zealand’s last reliable batsmen and won the day. McCullum, however, asked for a review and Taufel changed his decision after replays showed the ball hitting pad just outside off stump. It was a vital moment; one that Ross Taylor believed left the Test “evenly placed” at stumps on the first day.”The last decision going our way helped us immensely,” Taylor said. “The partnership between Daniel [Vettori] and Brendon [McCullum] has probably put us back in the match. Being 200 for 6 at the end of the day’s play would have favoured Pakistan, but 270 for 6, I think it’s pretty even.”Taylor’s fighting 94 propped up New Zealand after the loss of two early wickets before a mini-collapse, during which they lost three wickets for 19 runs. McCullum and Vettori then added 65 for the seventh wicket to help the hosts recover before the scare in the final over.Earlier in the day Pakistan had also referred a close lbw shout against Taylor, which was ruled in the batsman’s favour when he was on 54. After two reviews went New Zealand’s way on the first day of the new system’s implementation, Taylor was happy with it.”I have seen it [the first referral] since I have been out, it was a little bit closer than I thought,” he said. “When I first got hit I thought it was high and might have even hit outside the line. As it worked out, the umpire made the right decision and I suppose I am happy for that. With the referrals system, last year, we had a few that did not go in our favour and today we had a couple go our way, so it is good at the moment.”Taylor began his innings after New Zealand were reduced to 27 for 2 in the sixth over and survived a testing period against the seamers. He got hit on the body thrice by Mohammad Aamer, kept getting beaten outside off by Mohammad Asif, and scored only 6 off his first 44 balls. However, he settled in and forged a 117-run partnership with Martin Guptill. Taylor didn’t make it to 100, though, edging Saeed Ajmal to first slip on 94.”Obviously the goal as a batsman is to get to three figures. To be very close in the end, but not close enough is disappointing,” Taylor said. “But I can’t really complain too much. The shot I played in the end wasn’t a poor shot. You are going to play and miss on that wicket occasionally, and you just hope you don’t nick it.”It has been a struggle over the last month and a half. [I have] been working hard on my game with various people over the last week or so. It is always good when you put in the hard work and get some reward.”Taylor had words for encouragement for Martin Guptill who batted well in his company to stabilise the innings. Guptill too failed to capitalise on his start, perishing for 60 by top-edging a pull off Aamer.”Yeah, I thought he batted very well,” Taylor said. “He has had a few starts over his career, so it is good for him to go on and get past 50. But I’m sure he will also be disappointed with getting out for 60, doing all the hard work. Hopefully we can both kick on in the second innings.”The pitch will play a crucial role over the course of this Test and Taylor said that the bounce would be unpredictable. “There are some bare patches and a lot of grass. So some get through and some don’t. Not all balls carried through to Kamran Akmal, so obviously that’s going to play a part over the next four days. Hopefully we can learn from that and hopefully maybe just bowl a little straighter for a consistent period.”

ينتظر الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم شكوى رسمية من نادي فاركو بشأن اعتراضه على عودة محمد صبحي للزمالك، خلال الانتقالات الصيفية الجارية.

وكان الزمالك قد أعلن عن عودة محمد صبحي لصفوف الفريق بعد تواجده في الموسم الماضي مع فاركو وتألق معه بشكل لافت للنظر.

وكان فاركو قد استعار محمد صبحي من صفوف الزمالك في الموسم الماضي مع وجود بند بأحقية الشراء، كما أنه يرى أحقيته في ضم اللاعب بناء على العقد المبرم.

طالع | “بطولات” ينشر العقد الثلاثي بين الزمالك وفاركو ومحمد صبحي.. وشكوى منتظرة ضد الأبيض

وعلم “بطولات”، أن لوائح شئون اللاعبين ستكون في صالح الزمالك بعدما أدلى اللاعب برغبته في العودة إلى القلعة البيضاء حتى لو هذا مخالف لما جاء في العقد الموقع بين الأطراف الثلاثة فيما يتعلق بأحقية فاركو في تفعيل بند الشراء في الوقت القانوني.

إلا أن الأزمة الحقيقية ستكون في حالة توقيع اللاعب أيضًا على عقود بيع لفاركو وهو الأمر الذي سيضع اللاعب في مشكلة قانونية حيث سيكون وقع لناديين وهنا سيكون معرض لتوقيع عقوبة عليه.

A number of Manchester United fans have been left buzzing over some managerial news on Zinedine Zidane.

Writing in his latest piece for The Times, Duncan Castles has revealed that the Red Devils are ‘stepping up’ their bid to try and lure the Frenchman to Old Trafford, in the hope that he will take over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

They are ‘working to persuade’ Zizou join, but he himself is ‘unsure’ of the proposal at this moment in time. However, the Red Devils hierarchy are ‘hopeful’ that his close relationships with Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane can help to convince him to join.

Solskjaer is now under pressure as his team sit outside of the Champions League qualification spots in sixth place, after 5-0 and 2-0 defeats at home to rivals Liverpool and Manchester City respectively in the last month.

There is a worry that he is not getting the best out of the star players in the squad, whereas Zidane of course has worked with the likes of Ronaldo and Varane before at Real Madrid, winning a very impressive three Champions League titles in a row at the Bernabeu.

He is certainly a star name who knows how to win, and he would surely get the United supporters bouncing again.

Man Utd fans on Zidane manager news

These Red Devils fans buzzed as the Zidane news was shared on Twitter, with one supporter hailing it as ‘one last Woodward masterclass’ from the club’s departing executive vice-chairman:

“Yessssssss!”

Credit: @jahmikes7

“God I hope this is true”

Credit: @UtdA5h

“ZIZOUUUUUUUU”

Credit: @mackutdd

“Get in”

Credit: @haddin7

“One last Woodward masterclass”

Credit: @Pinkmanhart

“DUNCANNN”

Credit: @mufcLT

In other news, find out what Mauricio Pochettino update has had these United fans talking

Sri Lanka and New Zealand still have a few experiments to complete and players to evaluate in their last chance before the Champions Trophy

Jamie Alter in Colombo07-Sep-2009

With only 15 days until the Champions Trophy you’d think the teams’ preparations would be ready for the final polish. But Sri Lanka and New Zealand still have a few experiments to complete and players to evaluate in their last chance before the bigger competition.A four-game tournament is hardly ideal preparation but it’s all these teams have. Some sections of the local and foreign media are querying the value of this series, which was originally scheduled to be a five-match series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka but expanded to include India and contracted to four games. Though the format has raised the odd eyebrow of players from both sides, Sri Lanka and New Zealand see it as a big opportunity to test themselves, especially against India, who have been in electric form in ODIs over the past year.Both Sri Lanka and New Zealand are reliant on explosive openers and two men behind, with a worrying degree of rawness in the middle- and lower-orders. Both also carry a mixture of inexperienced batsmen and those whose potential remains unfulfilled due to a flawed approach at the crease.Sanath Jayasuriya’s lack of form is a serious concern. “We’d like to keep Sanath out of form, but we know that a player of his class can strike at any time,” was Daniel Vettori’s assessment.Thilan Samaraweera and Thilina Kandamby, two solid but unspectacular players, are in the squad to bolster the middle order. For Samaraweera, who revived his Test career 18 months ago, it’s another chance to improve a sorry ODI resume. If Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are brushed aside early, there is just too much pressure on a wobbly lower-middle order. Everyone has to put their hands up.Muttiah Muralitharan’s groin injury is being monitored and he is in doubt for the first match, putting pressure on Ajantha Mendis. Mendis poses a tough proposition, but New Zealand have taken confidence from the amount of time they’ve faced him recently. “If we can negate his ability to tear through batting line-ups that will set us up to be a bit more aggressive later on,” Brendon McCullum said. “So far everything has been going well and hopefully we can gain that momentum again.”New Zealand appear to have less to worry about than Sri Lanka and can claim an edge over them thanks to the upset 2-0 Twenty20 win. But despite progressing smoothly from Tests to Twenty20s, Vettori’s outfit is still trying to ease a massively influential player back into the side and get a couple of batsmen into form. Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder have been short of runs recently but gained some momentum in the Twenty20s, and the lack of runs from Martin Guptill and Jacob Oram and the inexperience of Grant Elliott and Neil Broom shows.Shane Bond faces a big test after reasonable outings in the Twenty20s. Nathan McCullum is a part of this squad but not in the Champions Trophy, so his role remains uncertain with Jeetan Patel attempting to seal the second spinner’s spot. New Zealand’s 15-man squad includes names that don’t evoke thoughts of class or assured temperament, so if they reach the final they should considered it a success.Sangakkara addressed Sri Lanka’s concerns on the eve of the tournament but was confident of a change in limited-overs fortunes when the teams stepped into the 50-over format. “You can read into a loss and come up with a number of theories but it’s best to just deal with it and move on. The reality is that New Zealand outplayed us,” he said. “It was unfortunate that we lost the first game after having such a strong start from Dilshan. In the second game, we were second best all throughout. One-day cricket is a different ball game. There are more overs and you have more time. You have to raise your standards. I’m confident of our abilities.”New Zealand have won five of 14 matches this year; at the end of 2008 they were tested by Bangladesh in similar conditions. They last played an ODI in March, losing to India 3-1, and need to prove their ability in the 50-over format. Sri Lanka’s recent ODI form has been patchy; they have lost their last two home series against India, and have been convincing enough against the weak Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. They won the first three games of a five-match series against Pakistan but went on to lose the next two.If the rankings are any guide, then second-placed India will arrive here confident of reaching the finals. New Zealand and Sri Lanka, at Nos 4 and 7 in the ICC’s ODI rankings, will have to prove that rankings don’t count for much. The first step comes tomorrow.

Julian Hunte has said that the Indian cricket board shot down a proposal mooted by the ICC to organise Test cricket around the four-year Test championship cycle

Ajay S Shankar28-Aug-2009Julian Hunte, the West Indies board president, has said that the Indian cricket board shot down a proposal mooted by the ICC to organise Test cricket around the four-year Test championship cycle.Hunte’s revelation – the first official disclosure by an ICC board member following reports that the Test championship plan had faded – came in his report at the annual general meeting of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) this month.”Initially, the ICC attempted to change the structure of the FTP beginning from 2012 in which international cricket would have more content and would play more as a Super League with a 4-year structure resulting in a World Cricket Championship [but this] failed when the BCCI rejected that proposal,” Hunte said. “This meant a return to the old practice of full members agreeing to a schedule of tours, which in effect places the power in the hands of the four biggest commercially valued members.”Hunte does not mention who those four are, but it is common knowledge that the boards of India, England, Australia and South Africa enjoy a dominating presence in the ICC boardroom. India earns a bulk of its revenue from TV rights and hence is not keen on a championship model that would lead to the setting up of a common broadcast cash pot. It has, consequently, successfully pushed for the existing model, where members arrive at bilateral agreements with the danger of those at the bottom of the table being marginalised.The post-2012 FTP is currently being finalised by the ICC, and Hunte said that the WICB “will seek to ensure that it is not disadvantaged” in the new schedule.Hunte also claimed, in a section of the report that deals with IPL, that some ICC full members remain suspicious of the motives of private promoters in the game, and concluded by saying that world cricket is at the crossroads and much depends on decisions that will be taken by the ICC.Hunte’s report deals extensively with the WICB’s dispute with its players that forced West Indies to name a second-string squad for the series against Bangladesh and the forthcoming Champions Trophy. But those comments are on expected and previously stated lines and Hunte blames the players for choosing not to represent the team and showing the “highest form of disregard and disdain for West Indies cricket”. What is surprising, though, is that the document, which is essentially a report on West Indies cricket, contains significant comments on the FTP and IPL.He lists a set of concerns related to the rise of Twenty20 cricket while also admitting that players have “embraced” the BCCI’s IPL with its auctions and high-profile owners.”The emergence of private promoters in cricket has been much debated and some Full Member countries retain their inherent suspicion of the real objectives of such promoters. The ICC has drawn the line in relation to other leagues such the as ICL, which are not recognised by their home boards. Conversely, decision-making at the ICC affecting the IPL is often seemingly under the influence of some Full Members. The WICB remains convinced that Full Members should in some way benefit financially from the IPL and expect to see a general tightening up with respect to the issuance of Non-Objection Certificates. With many challenges to be faced and overcome, the future of world cricket is now at the crossroads and much depends on the decisions which will have to be taken by ICC in the near future.”Hunte’s concerns about the IPL are not surprising given that one of the roadblocks in the dispute between the West Indies board and players is the question of participation in the IPL. Many of the West Indies players, including Chris Gayle, had wanted to be part of this year’s IPL but were forced to fly to England midway to take part in a Test series that they claimed was arranged without obtaining prior consent from their association.The IPL – which comes under the BCCI – has since clarified that players who have retired and even those not on central contracts with their national boards need to get a two-year NOC from their boards to be eligible for the IPL. The Champions League Twenty20, of which the BCCI is a founding partner, has also invited Trinidad and Tobago, the West Indies’ domestic toppers in the format, to participate in the tournament starting October 8 with total prize money of $6 million and a guaranteed fee of $500,000, apart from an unspecified payment for the respective national boards.

MatériaMais Notícias

Um grupo de conselheiros do São Paulo se arma para ir ao Conselho Deliberativo do clube pedir explicações sobre o caso de desvio de ingressos dos shows da banda irlandesa U2, que se apresentará no Morumbi em outubro. Os conselheiros, em sua maioria oposicionistas à gestão do presidente Carlos Augusto de Barros e Silva, querem saber se a instituição foi lesada financeiramente e, em caso positivo, responsabilização pela contratação do ex-gerente de marketing Alan Cimerman, suspeito de chefiar o suposto esquema de corrupção.

Cimerman foi demitido por justa causa diante das suspeitas. O São Paulo levou o caso à polícia Ele é acusado de repassar ingressos de cortesia para serem comercializados por uma empresa sem que o dinheiro entrasse nos cofres do São Paulo. Ele nega as acusações.

O profissional chegou ao clube em outubro de 2015 rodeado de polêmica. Cimerman respondia a processos judiciais por conta de falta de pagamento de sua empresa a fornecedores na organização de eventos para a Copa do Mundo de 2014. Ao todo, 14 empresas acionaram a Justiça alegando direito de receber da Team Spirit, de Cimerman.

Conselheiros sempre criticaram a contratação do profissional, bancada pelo ex-diretor de marketing Vinicius Pinotti, atualmente diretor executivo de futebol. Também citam José Francisco Manssur, ex-vice de comunicação e marketing do clube, no cargo no momento da chegada de Cimerman. Questionam também a anuência do presidente Leco, que ainda não se manifestou sobre o assunto publicamente.

A ideia mais amadurecida entre os conselheiros é um pedido de reunião extraordinária, como aconteceu na última segunda-feira. Na ocasião, Leco e Pinotti foram sabatinados pelos conselheiros sobre o momento do futebol do time. A oposição espera apuração do caso para definir a ação ser tomada.

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The Athletic’s Phil Hay has delivered an update on where things stand with Leeds United’s proposed stadium expansion plan.

What’s the story?

During a Q&A for The Athletic, Hay responded to a fan’s query about whether the Whites might put off providing further details of the club’s stadium redevelopment until they had secured another season of Premier League football this year.

He said: “Most likely, partly because planning and so on is still at a very early stage. There’s a definite commitment to expanding to 55,000-plus by redeveloping the north, west and south stands but it’s a major project and it won’t happen in a flash. The last time Angus Kinnear spoke about it, he indicated that the process would begin in earnest at the end of this season — not the actual building work but the process itself.

“Realistically, expansion has to be done. The waiting list for season tickets is massive (more than 20,000) and Leeds think that with a stadium twice the size, they can bump their annual revenue over £250m. They’re doing very well on one commercial front this season — shirt sales will be not far off 300,000.”

Exciting times for Leeds

Having sealed their return to the riches of the Premier League last year, the Whites are well set up under Marcelo Bielsa to remain a top-flight team for the seasons to come.

It was only a couple of decades ago that Leeds were dining at the top table in the Champions League, and with a club that has the massive history that the Whites do, it’s no surprise that they are desperate for a bigger stadium.

Redeveloping Elland Road so that it can accommodate the more than 20,000 fans who are currently on the waiting list, would prove to be a bumper deal for Andrea Radrizzani in terms of increasing the club’s income.

At its current capacity of 37,792, Leeds have the 11th biggest stadium in the Premier League, behind the likes of Everton and Aston Villa.

However, the proposed increase at Elland Road to something around 55,000 would see them hover around the top-five, with champions Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium currently seating 55,017.

Not only would a bigger Elland Road mean more fans be allowed in to watch their team play, but it would also be a statement of ambition that Leeds mean business and are intent on bridging the gap to the Premier League’s elite.

Meanwhile, Leeds are eyeing a move for this star Bielsa loves…

MatériaMais Notícias

O Grêmio enfrenta o Atlético-PR nesta quinta-feira, às 21h45 pelas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil. Apesar da larga vantagem que o Tricolor Gaúcho conseguiu no jogo de ida, quando venceu por 4 a 0, o meia Douglas não deu a equipe como classificada e criticou um jornalista, no Twitter, por já dar a classificação como certa.

― Grêmio pega o Cruzeiro na semifinal da Copa do Brasil ―tuitou o jornalista João Batista Filho, da Rádio Bandeirantes do Rio Grande do Sul.

Irritado com a confirmação do repórter, Douglas rebateu:

― O jogo de hoje foi cancelado? Não escreve besteira, apaga essa m**da!

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يرى إريك تين هاج المدير الفني لفريق مانشستر يونايتد، أن اللاعب كريستيانو رونالدو يستطيع أن يكتسب المزيد من اللياقة البدنية بمرور الوقت.

وخاض مانشستر يونايتد أول مباراة له في الموسم الجديد من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، حيث خسر أمام برايتون بهدفين مقابل هدف. أهداف مباراة مانشستر يونايتد وبرايتون

وبدأ رونالدو اللقاء على دكة البدلاء، قبل أن يدفع به تين هاج في الدقيقة 53، بدلًا من فريد.

وعانى رونالدو من قلة الجلسات التحضيرية قبل الموسم الجديد بسبب غيابه عن معسكر الشياطين الحمر، نتيجة رغبته في الرحيل ولكنه لم يجد أي نادِ حتى الآن.

وقال تين هاج في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “كل هذا يستغرق وقتًا، لا يمكنك فرض الأمر”.

وأضاف: “لقد خاض أسبوعًا واحدًا في التدريب، أكثر قليلاً الآن، عليه أن يفعل المزيد ليحافظ على لياقته وهذه المباراة ستساعده، سيكون أفضل الأسبوع المقبل”.

يُذكر أن مانشستر يونايتد سيواجه برينتفورد يوم السبت المقبل، في الجولة الثانية من الدوري الإنجليزي.