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Nottingham Forest chief Evangelos Marinakis is set for crunch talks with under-fire boss Ange Postecoglou over the tactician’s long-term future, coming after a dismal start to life for Nuno Espirito Santo’s replacement at the City Ground.

Ange Postecoglou's job under threat after 2-0 Newcastle defeat

Reports in the build up to their 2-0 loss to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park claimed that Postecoglou’s job could be under threat if Forest tasted defeat up north, and this could now be realised.

Second-half goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Nick Woltemade slapped Postecoglou with his fifth loss from seven games in charge, and the Australian remains winless after making the worst start of any Forest manager for 100 years.

Ange Postecoglou’s tenure at Nottingham Forest so far	Competition
Arsenal 3-0 Forest	Premier League
Swansea 3-2 Forest	Carabao Cup
Burnley 1-1 Forest	Premier League
Real Betis 2-2 Forest	Europa League
Forest 0-1 Sunderland	Premier League
Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland	Europa League
Newcastle 2-0 Forest	Premier League

The pressure is well and truly on Forest’s new manager after stepping into the shoes of fan favourite Nuno, who guided the Tricky Trees back to Europe for the first time since 1995 last season.

Since Nuno’s departure, Forest have been on a downward trajectory, with Postecoglou confirming that he’s set for crunch Marinakis talks over the international break.

It is believed that Marinakis already has potential replacements in mind for Postecoglou, who could become the shortest-reigning manager in Premier League history if Forest decide to take action immediately after Newcastle.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is emerging as a “prime candidate” to succeed the 60-year-old, according to TEAMtalk, but it is very debatable whether the Austrian would leave Selhurst Park midway through 2025/2026 for what appears to be a volatile project.

Glasner is out of contract at the end of this season, as is Fulham’s Marco Silva, and The Mail’s Tom Collomosse also reports that the latter is a long-term target for Forest.

However, any approach for Silva is apparently unlikely to happen before the conclusion of 2025/2026.

Marinakis pictured close to Benitez amid Nottingham Forest manager search

That being said, another coach who’s readily available now and wants a return to England is former Liverpool, Newcastle and Everton boss Rafael Benitez.

As reported by Collomosse, Marinakis was spotted in “close proximity” to Benitez during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over OIympiacos last week, and while the Spaniard was there in his role as a technical observer for UEFA, he’s apparently keen on coming back to Britain for work.

Rafa Benítez’s managerial career
Clubs	Tenure	Matches in charge	Titles/achievements
Real Valladolid	1995-96	25
Osasuna	1996	9
Extremadura	1997-99	92	Segunda promotion
Tenerife	2000-01	46	Segunda promotion
Valencia	2001-04	162	La Liga X2 UEFA Cup
Liverpool	2004-12	350	Champions League FA Cup UEFA Super Cup
Internazionale	2010	25	FIFA Club World Cup Supercoppa Italiana
Chelsea	2012-13	48	Europa League
Napoli	2013-15	112	Coppa Italia Supercoppa Italiana
Real Madrid	2015-16	25
Newcastle United	2016-19	146	EFL Championship
Dalian Professional	2019-21	38
Everton	2021-22	22
Celta de Vigo	2023-24	33
All statistics and information courtesy of Transfermarkt

Benitez also has good relations with the Marinakis family, so this could be one to watch, even if the Champions League-winning boss hasn’t worked in management since leaving Celta Vigo in 2024.

His last job in the Premier League was also his disastrous spell at Everton, though you can make a case that it was always doomed to fail given Benitez’s ties to Liverpool.

Benitez, after a glittering career at some of Europe’s top clubs, is regarded as a “world-class manager” by his peers, but he’d be taking on an almighty task to steer Forest back up the table amid the toxicity right now.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras treinou na tarde desta quarta-feira (13), na Academia de Futebol, e seguiu a preparação para o confronto com o Goiás, na sexta (15), às 21h30, no Allianz Parque, pela 23ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. A principal novidade do dia foram os retornos do lateral-esquerdo Piquerez e dos meio-campistas Raphael Veiga e Richard Ríos, que estavam servindo as seleções de Uruguai, Brasil e Colômbia, respectivamente.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasContra o Goiás, Palmeiras faz último jogo no Allianz Parque antes de duelo contra o BocaPalmeiras13/09/2023PalmeirasZerado nos últimos dois jogos, Palmeiras encontra rival de maior goleada em 2023Palmeiras13/09/2023PalmeirasLíder em estatística no Palmeiras e no Brasileirão, Endrick reencontra vítima do primeiro turnoPalmeiras13/09/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

A ausência sentida foi do zagueiro Gustavo Gómez, que representou a seleção do Paraguai, e deve retornar aos treinos com o restante do elenco na atividade desta quinta-feira (14), às 10h, na Academia de Futebol.

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

Em campo, Abel Ferreira orientou um trabalho técnico-tático de construção de jogadas e finalizações. Veiga participou sem restrições, enquanto Piquerez e Ríos realizaram um cronograma regenerativo com trabalhos na parte interna do centro de excelência e corrida ao redor do campo.

continua após a publicidade

De acordo com o portal ‘Nosso Palestra’, a ideia de Abel Ferreira é relacionar todos os quatro ‘selecionáveis’ para enfrentar o Esmeraldino.

As outras informações do treinamentos foram fornecidas pela assessoria de imprensa do clube.

+ Diante do Goiás, Palmeiras se despede do Allianz Parque antes do duelo contra o Boca

O provável Palmeiras para encarar o Goiás é: Weverton, Marcos Rocha, Gómez, Luan e Piquerez (Vanderlan); Zé Rafael, Gabriel Menino e Raphael Veiga (Jhon Jhon); Mayke, Artur e Rony.

O Palmeiras treina nesta quinta-feira (14), a partir das 10h (horário de Brasília) e encerra a sua preparação para o duelo diante do Goiás.

Tudo sobre

Palmeiras

Celtic have endured a frustrating few weeks on the pitch, which has included four goalless draws in all competitions for Brendan Rodgers and his players.

They were held to 0-0 draws in regulation time of both legs of their Champions League qualifying clash with Kairat, to a 0-0 draw in the Old Firm match, and a 0-0 draw in the most recent game against Hibernian.

As shown in the highlights above, Celtic missed a host of huge chances to open the scoring in front of their own fans at Parkhead, with Kelechi Iheanacho, in particular, wasteful in front of goal.

Scoring goals is not the only issue that the Hoops have had this season, though, because they have also failed to find a suitable alternative to captain Callum McGregor.

The 32-year-old defensive midfielder has started ten of his 11 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership champions, per Transfermarkt, and played 931 minutes.

This shows that Rodgers has not found an alternative to the skipper who can step in and allow the veteran midfielder to rest and recharge ahead of important matches.

Why Celtic need an alternative to Callum McGregor

The Hoops need to find a player who can be a viable option in the number six position because the wear and tear on McGregor’s legs was evident in the recent 1-1 draw with Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League.

Celtic’s captain had played almost an hour against a lower league outfit in the League Cup in the game before the trip to Serbia, having played 300 minutes in the three matches before that, per Sofascore.

Minutes

90

Pass accuracy

98%

Defensive ground duels won

2/6

Aerial duels won

0/1

Tackles won

1

Dribbled past

1x

Fouls committed

2

The result, as you can see in the table above, was that McGregor looked a little bit off the pace against the Serbian giants, losing five of his seven defensive duels on the ground and in the air.

His passing, as usual, was almost immaculate, completing 98% of his attempted passes, but he lacked the mobility and energy to win the majority of his physical duels, which is a cause for concern heading into the rest of the league phase in Europe.

The former Scotland international is a crucial player for the Hoops and keeping him fresh and ready to give his all in the Europa League matches could improve his performances and increase the team’s chances of picking up more points on the European stage.

Johnny Hayes described the left-footed maestro as a “priceless” and “irreplaceable” player earlier this season, but the Hoops are now looking at a star who could solve the McGregor conundrum.

Celtic eyeing surprise move for free agent

According to journalist Mark Hendry’s Substack report, Celtic are considering a surprise move to sign free agent central midfielder Pierre Ekwah, despite not being linked with any midfield signings since the window slammed shut.

The outlet claims that the Hoops have been offered the chance to sign the French midfield maestro after his contract with Saint-Etienne was ripped up at the end of the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

Celtic already took advantage of a similar situation when they signed Kelechi Iheanacho the day after the transfer window slammed shut, thanks to Sevilla ripping his deal up on deadline day.

Ekwah, like Iheanacho was before his move to Parkhead, is now free and available to sign for a new club. Mark Hendry’s report states that he has been offered to both Celtic and Rangers as an option.

The Scottish Premiership champions are now considering whether or not to take up the option to bring the left-footed star to Parkhead on a freebie, but they should push to get a deal done because he could be a dream alternative to McGregor.

Why Celtic should sign Pierre Ekwah

Celtic should be bringing Ekwah in on a free transfer because it is a low-risk move that could pay off big time in the long run, given that he is a player who has already proven himself in a major European league.

The 23-year-old star impressed in Ligue 1 with Saint-Etienne in the 2024/25 campaign on loan from Sunderland, but decided to move on from the French club after they were relegated to Ligue 2 and activated their obligation to sign him permanently.

Ekwah seemingly was not keen on playing in the second division in France, hence his exit at the start of September, and that is not a surprise when you consider how well he performed last season in spite of his club’s relegation.

Appearances

29

Pass accuracy

88%

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.6

Error led to goal

0

Duel success rate

57%

Duels won per game

5.0

Aerial duel success rate

71%

As you can see in the table above, the former West Ham United youngster won the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air, whilst remaining reliable and composed in possession with a pass accuracy of 88%.

Ekwah ranked within the top 11% of midfielders in Ligue 1 for duels won (145), the top 17% for tackles won (57), the top 3% for interceptions (47), and the top 8% for ball recoveries (157), per FotMob.

These statistics show that the left-footed star is a mobile defensive enforcer in the number six role. He can get around the pitch to dominate opposition players in duels, whilst being reliable with the ball at his feet on top of that.

The free agent midfielder, who was described as a “powerful” player by journalist and Sunderland fan Josh Bunting, could be the perfect alternative to McGregor to provide the skipper with some time off in domestic matches ahead of European ties.

Rodgers could play Ekwah from the start in league or cup matches before Europa League games, which Ekwah would be ineligible for, to make sure that McGregor is fully fit and raring to go in the big European matches.

At the age of 23, the French star is also nine years younger than the captain and could be the long-term successor to his place in the team, which is another reason why this free agent move could be a shrewd piece of business by the club.

Not Kenny: Celtic's "lightning quick" teen could replace Iheanacho

Celtic have a potential replacement for Kelechi Iheanacho in their academy, and it is not Johnny Kenny.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 30, 2025

Overall, Celtic must move quickly to beat Rangers to Ekwah’s signature because his arrival at Parkhead could solve the McGregor conundrum at the base of the midfield.

انتقد خورخي فالدانو، أسطورة نادي ريال مدريد، فينيسيوس جونيور لاعب الفريق الملكي الحالي، موضحًا أن الدولي البرازيلي قد فقد السيطرة على نفسه مرة أخرى خلال مواجهة الكلاسيكو ضد برشلونة.

فينيسيوس قدم مباراة رائعة وساعد ريال مدريد على تحقيق الفوز على برشلونة بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد يوم أمس الأحد، في قمة الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى على ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو.

لكن فينيسيوس أثار الجدل مرة أخرى، عقب اعتراضه على تبديله برودريجو قبل 20 دقيقة تقريبًا من نهاية اللقاء، حيث لم يصافح مدربه تشابي ألونسو وذهب إلى خارج أرضية الملعب مباشرًة.

كما دخل فينيسيوس في نقاش حاد مع نجم نادي برشلونة، لامين يامال، عقب نهاية المباراة وتحصل في النهاية على بطاقة صفراء.

اقرأ أيضًا .. لامين يامال ليس الوحيد.. موفيستار تكشف عن صدام جديد بين فينيسيوس وأحد لاعبي برشلونة في الكلاسيكو

وقال فالدانو عن فينيسيوس في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة ماركا: “فينيسيوس يفقد أعصابه. إنه خارج عن السيطرة، يبدو خارجًا عن السيطرة على نفسه تمامًا حتى أنه يذهب إلى غرفة الملابس ولا يبقى على مقاعد البدلاء”.

وأضاف فالدانو في حديثه عن فينيسيوس: ”لا أعلم إن كان أحد يتحدث مع فينيسيوس في غرفة ملابس ريال مدريد أم لا. هل يتحدثون إليه ويقنعونه أم يعيد فينيسيوس النظر في تصرفاته ويعود إلى مقاعد البدلاء بسلام؟ إنها طريقته في قول جملة لقد انفعلت، سامحوني”.

وأوضح المدير الرياضي السابق لريال مدريد: “ما يحدث هو أنه بمجرد انتهاء المباراة، يخرج فينيسيوس عن شعوره مجددًا، هذه المرة ضد لامين يامال، هناك عنصر من فقدان السيطرة يؤثر على فينيسيوس”.

واختتم فالدانو في حديثه عن فينيسيوس: “فينيسيوس كان يلعب بشكل جيد للغاية، قدم مباراة جيدة وشعر بالراحة من الناحية البدنية وبدا قويًا للغاية، ولم يفهم التغيير لأنه كان مقتنعًا بأنه يمتلك القدرة على تحويل المباراة إلى الأفضل”.

 

MatériaMais Notícias

Estão definidos os confrontos das quartas de final da Copa do Brasil: América-MG x Corinthians, São Paulo x Palmeiras, Bahia x Grêmio e Flamengo x Athletico.

+ Veja a tabela completa e atualizada da Copa do Brasil

COMO FICOU O CHAVEAMENTO: o vencedor de América-MG x Corinthians encara quem passar de São Paulo x Palmeiras. Já o vencedor de Bahia x Grêmio enfrenta quem avançar em Flamengo x Athletico.

+ Premiação da Copa do Brasil 2023

COMO FICOU O MANDO DE CAMPO?

AMÉRICA-MG x CORINTHIANS – jogo de ida no Independência; CORINTHIANS X AMÉRICA-MG – jogo de volta na Neo Química Arena
SÃO PAULO x PALMEIRAS – jogo de ida no Morumbi; PALMEIRAS x SÃO PAULO – jogo de volta no Allianz Parque
BAHIA X GRÊMIO – jogo de ida na Fonte Nova; GRÊMIO X BAHIA – jogo de volta na Arena do Grêmio
FLAMENGO X ATHLETICO – jogo de ida no Maracanã; ATHLETICO X FLAMENGO – jogo de volta na Arena da Baixada

Assim ficou o chaveamento da Copa do Brasil. Os times em amarelo detém o mando de campo na ida.

As datas base para os confrontos são 5 de 12 de julho. CBF ainda vai confirmar. #lanceSORTEIO pic.twitter.com/mLlYwidrLA

— Gui Xavier (@GuiVXavier) June 6, 2023

QUANDO SERÃO OS JOGOS DAS QUARTAS DE FINAL?

Os jogos de ida das quartas de final serão disputados no dia5 de julho, enquanto os de volta serão na semana seguinte,no dia 12.

It would be fair to say that Chelsea have had a good summer so far when it comes to transfers.

While they didn’t look great in the first Premier League game of the season, the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens are all incredibly talented.

Moreover, even though he’s young, Jorrel Hato has been talked about as one of the game’s next great defenders for years now, and at this point, the club look increasingly likely to sign Alejandro Garnacho.

Yet, while the Argentine is a promising player who has shown flashes of brilliance here and there, Chelsea are also being linked with another international, someone who would be a big upgrade.

Chelsea chase Garnacho upgrade

Chelsea’s interest in Garnacho is nothing new, as the club were reliably linked with him back in the January window.

Transfer Focus

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

However, the West Londoners have really stepped up their pursuit of the 21-year-old this summer, and as things stand, they appear to be in direct talks with Manchester United over a transfer.

However, while it’s been made clear Garnacho wants the move, the West Londoners have been linked with another international attacker, someone who would be a significant upgrade.

At least that is according to a recent report from Graeme Bailey, who has claimed that Chelsea are in the picture for Ademola Lookman.

The journalist has revealed that following the collapse of his move to Inter Milan, the Nigerian international’s representatives have been in talks with several clubs, including the Blues.

According to other reports from earlier this summer, an offer of around £43m could be enough to tempt Atalanta into selling this summer.

While that is a sizable sum of money, it may prove to be a bargain for someone of Lookman’s quality, especially as he would be an upgrade on Lookman.

How Lookman compares to Garnacho

So, while Garnacho is a talented player and someone who could go on to do great things in the game, Lookman would undoubtedly be the better signing for Chelsea this summer, and the first reason comes down to his versatility.

For example, while the United ace can play in a few positions, he is primarily a left-winger, with 110 appearances coming there, 33 off the right and 27 in attacking midfield.

In contrast, the Atalanta star is far more versatile and can play practically anywhere in the attack, with 100 appearances off the left, 83 as a second striker, 62 off the right, 38 up top and 16 in attacking midfield.

In other words, the Nigerian game-changer could be played wherever he is needed, which in turn gives the manager far more tactical options ahead of and during matches.

The second reason Lookman would be a massive upgrade on the Argentine is his output.

Since moving to the Serie A side in August 2022, the “world-class” attacker, as dubbed by the BBC’s John Bennett, has scored a brilliant 52 goals and provided 25 assists in 118 appearances, totalling 7538 minutes.

That means the former Everton flop has averaged a goal involvement every 1.53 games or every 97.89 minutes since the start of the 22/23 campaign, which is frankly outstanding.

Lookman vs Garnacho since 22/23
22/23	Lookman	Garnacho
Appearances	33	34
Minutes	1858′	1205′
Goals	15	5
Assists	8	5
Goal Involvements per Match	0.69	0.29
Minutes per Goal Involvement	80.78′	120.5′
23/24	Lookman	Garnacho
Appearances	45	50
Minutes	2809′	3574′
Goals	17	10
Assists	10	7
Goal Involvements per Match	0.60	0.34
Minutes per Goal Involvement	104.03′	210.23′
24/25	Lookman	Garnacho
Appearances	40	58
Minutes	2871′	3568′
Goals	20	11
Assists	7	10
Goal Involvements per Match	0.67	0.36
Minutes per Goal Involvement	106.33	169.90′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, the Madrid-born gem star has scored 26 goals and provided 22 assists in 142 appearances, totalling 8347 minutes, across the same period, which comes out to a great, but still less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.95 games, or every 173.89 minutes.

Finally, the Wandsworth-born dynamo proved that he can do it on the biggest stages when he scored a hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2024 Europa League final, so there he should be able to come right into Maresca’s side and be a difference-maker from the word go.

Ultimately, Garnacho is a talented player, but from practically every way you look at it, it’s clear Lookman would be a massive upgrade.

£50m ex-Atletico Madrid sensation has told friends he's joining Chelsea

Stamford Bridge officials have given the player has instruction during talks.

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 20, 2025

After confirming the arrival of Tyler Dibling, Everton have reportedly submitted an opening offer to sign a midfield star in a move driven by manager David Moyes.

Dibling "buzzing" to join Everton

At one stage, it looked as though Everton were set to miss out on Dibling amid reports that they were reluctant to match Southampton’s asking price. The Saints soon lowered their demand, however, and the Toffees agreed a deal worth around £42m. Adding yet another attacking talent to their ranks, there’s no denying that Everton’s frontline has been transformed this summer.

Speaking for the first time since putting pen to paper, Dibling told reporters: “I’m buzzing to sign. I felt the Club already, even before I was in the building, just from social media and from people telling me about the Club. I’ve never been so excited to play football and I’m just ready to get going.

“I think it’s the perfect match because of where the Club is right now. Obviously with the new stadium, the fans here are unreal and it has a family feel to it. I think it was the perfect fit and was a no-brainer to join.

Insider has "no doubt" Everton are "looking" at £55k-a-week defensive midfielder

Would he be an ideal addition for the Blues?

ByHenry Jackson Aug 25, 2025

“I think I’ve come to Everton at the perfect time and hopefully I can be here for many years. “[The Brighton win] gave me a feel for the Club. It looked unbelievable. I also played in the last Men’s game at Goodison. It was so loud. I was looking around and thinking, ‘This is quality’.”

Even after welcoming their eighth arrival of the summer, however, the Toffees still reportedly have unfinished business in the transfer window.

Everton submit opening Soucek offer

According to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, Everton submitted their opening offer to sign Tomas Soucek in a move driven by Moyes, only for West Ham United to turn that offer down. With less than one week left until the transfer window slams shut, it will now be interesting to see whether those in Merseyside return to launch an improved offer.

The Czech Republic midfielder was one of the most successful players to work under Moyes at West Ham and the veteran manager now wants him at the heart of his Everton side.

The move would certainly make sense too. The Toffees have been searching for an Abdoulaye Doucoure replacement all summer long and Soucek would certainly tick that box. With a knack for goals from midfield and a towering physical presence, the experienced West Ham man should be among Everton’s last remaining transfer priorities.

Dubbed “brilliant” by Moyes during the manager’s time at the London Stadium, Soucek could be one to watch as deadline day approaches.

The legspinner went through Victoria’s resistance in dramatic style late on the final day

AAP04-Nov-2024Lloyd Pope spun South Australia to their first Sheffield Shield victory over Victoria in nine years, claiming six wickets to seal victory with 16 minutes to spare.In a thrilling and somewhat controversial finish at Adelaide Oval, Pope took 6 for 74 to have Victoria all out for 207 in pursuit of an unlikely target of 346.Pope took four wickets in 13 minutes to win the match, after Victoria looked likely to claim a draw with four wickets in hand and 30 minutes left before stumps.Related

All-round Manenti gives South Australia chance of victory

Couch's historic hat-trick and Agar's guile dismantle Tasmania

The win marked South Australia’s first win over Victoria since 2015-16, with the two teams having played 18 games since then.But the finish was not without drama, with Victoria’s Campbell Kellaway given out at bat-pad among the flurry of late wickets. Kellaway appeared bewildered by the call, with replays suggesting the ball may have come flush off the pad and not hit his bat on the way to the fielder.From there it appeared inevitable that Pope would take South Australia to victory, before he wrapped up the match by trapping Cameron McClure lbw attempting to leave the ball.Pope’s figures made for just the third five-wicket haul of his Sheffield Shield career, and his first in four years after bursting on to the scene as a cult hero in the 2017 Under-19 World Cup.Pope had always looked the most threatening of South Australia’s bowlers on a deteriorating day-four wicket. The legspinner was the only bowler to threaten Victoria’s batters in the opening session, with Ashley Chandrasinghe and Kellaway well set.Henry Thornton eventually got the breakthrough in the middle session when he had Chandrasinghe caught at slip with a fast-rising ball. And while Thornton also removed Tom Rogers shortly after, it was always Pope who looked the most likely to take charge of the game.He had Peter Handscomb superbly caught by player-of-the-match Ben Manenti at first slip for 8, then drew Sam Harper’s back foot out of his crease to have him stumped for 5.And after Mitchell Perry chewed up 80 balls in a 25-over partnership with Kellaway, it was Pope who got the crucial wicket in the final hour.The 24-year-old spun a ball back from outside the left-hander’s off stump, bowling Perry for 9 as the No. 8 went back to cut. Kellaway’s wicket came in Pope’s next over, before he had Peter Siddle caught at slip to leave Victoria nine wickets down.And when No. 11 McClure offered no shot to a ball that went straight on, Pope had ensured South Australia would stay second on the ladder with a rare win over their old rivals.

Sri Lanka have not played a Test in Galle in over a year, while one of their main spinners has not played long-format cricket for many months. Could this be why Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers were inaccurate on day two of their Test against New Zealand?Spin bowling coach Craig Howard wasn’t exactly trying to absolve the Sri Lanka spinners, but did suggest they needed a bit of time to get back into the groove in Galle. Still, they could have done better than they did, he said.”If we’d bowled the way we’d have liked to, we’d be in a much better position,” Howard said. “If we were able to hold our line and length for longer, it would have been much more difficult for the New Zealand batters to rotate the strike the way they did, and we’d have limited the boundary balls as well. We pay heavy attention to controlling the run rate, and we didn’t do that today.”Related

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• Latham, Williamson fifties extend New Zealand's advantage

• Latham's sweeps show NZ will not get bogged down on turning tracks

On a Galle track taking plenty of turn, Sri Lanka’s primary spinners – Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya – took just a wicket apiece on Thursday. Jayasuriya gave away 99, in his 31 overs.”Prabath was fractionally off. He’s a very proud man,” Howard said. “You average 22 at Galle for a reason, so I’m sure he’ll come back, and I’m sure he’ll have a major impact on this Test.”Ramesh was more expensive than Jayasuriya, however, going at an economy rate of more than four in his 17 overs. Where Jayasuriya had played in two of Sri Lanka’s three Tests in England, Ramesh had been on the sidelines throughout.”Ramesh Mendis hasn’t played a red-ball game for probably a few months now,” Howard said. “He’s been on an England tour not playing, and the LPL (Lanka Premier League) prior to that. He was probably a fraction off from a length-and-line point of view.”The New Zealand batters’ shot-making did present a challenge, Howard said. But he had confidence that if Sri Lanka’s spinners bowled accurately, the match could turn in their favour.”Control of line and length is the first thing. If we do that there’s enough in this wicket. The game can speed up very quick in the back end. We could be on or two wickets away from having a first-innings lead. Ideally we can go through them in a hurry and end up with a lead, but if not have a small target to catch up.”

كشف مصدر بـ النادي الأهلي، عن أول قرار تجاه اللاعبين بعد التعادل خلال مباراة اليوم أمام إنبي، ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

وتعادل الأهلي مع إنبي، إيجابيا بهدف لمثله، في إطار مباريات الجولة السادسة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري.

طالع | أحمد حسن: الأهلي يفتقد الروح والشراسة.. وهناك شيء غير مفهوم!

ويحتل الأهلي المركز الخامس عشر في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 6 نقاط جمعها من الفوز بمواجهة وحيدة وهزيمة أمام بيراميدز والتعادل في 3 لقاءات.

وقال المصدر في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات: “العقوبات مستمرة على اللاعبين بعد التعادل مع إنبي بسبب سوء الأداء الفني”.

وأتم: “سيتم توقيع العقوبة من وليد صلاح الدين مدير الكرة على لاعبي الأهلي بخصم من راتبهم الشهري بسبب سوء الأداء”.

ومن المقرر أن يواصل الأهلي مبارياته في الدوري المصري بخوض لقاء قوي أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا، في إطار مواجهات الجولة السابعة من المسابقة المحلية.