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Mikel Arteta has built a truly world-class squad at Arsenal over the last few years.

From front to back, the likes of William Saliba, Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze would comfortably get into any side in the Premier League.

Yet, even though he’s not been at his very best this season, Bukayo Saka still stands as the club’s most important player.

The Hale Ender is their talisman, someone capable of winning games on his own, so fans should be delighted by reports linking Arsenal to someone even better than Saka.

Arsenal target a better player than Saka

Arsenal have already been linked with several truly brilliant players ahead of the winter window.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Juventus’ Kenan Yıldız has been touted for a £88m move to the Emirates, as has Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.

However, while both of these wingers are sensational talents and would undoubtedly improve the Gunners’ squad, neither one is better than Saka.

Vinícius Júnior, on the other hand, just might be.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are now interested in the Madrid superstar.

The report has revealed that with talks over a new deal at the Bernabéu going poorly, the Gunners are now ‘pursuing the Brazilian.’

A potential price is not mentioned, but with Transfermarkt valuing the winger at €150m – about £132m – it would likely require a new British record transfer fee.

With that said, if Arsenal have the chance to sign Vini Jr, they should take it, not least because he’s one of the few attackers in the world better than Saka.

How Vini compares to Saka

Now, the first thing to make clear is that Saka is a genuinely world-class footballer, and not only that, but he has the chance to become a legend at Arsenal.

However, what is equally true is that Vini Jr might just be a marginally better player, but one who could form a devastating partnership with him on the opposite flank.

With that out of the way, which international superstar comes out on top when we look at their output this season?

Well, so far this year, the Gunners’ number seven has scored six goals in 15 appearances, totalling 1053 minutes, coming out to an average of a goal every 2.5 games, or every 175.5 minutes.

For his efforts, the former Flamengo gem has scored five goals and provided four assists in 17 appearances, totalling 1172 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.88 games, or every 130.22 minutes.

Which game-changing wideman comes out on top when taking a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers?

Well, perhaps a little surprisingly, the Brazilian dynamo doesn’t just come out better in most metrics, but practically every single relevant one.

For example, these include metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots on target, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Saka is an exceptional player, but as Ronaldo once pointed out, Vini Jr is arguably “the best player in the world”, and therefore, if Arsenal have even the slightest chance to sign him, they should go all out to do so.

Trossard upgrade: Arsenal hold talks to sign "one of the world's best wingers"

Despite his brilliant form, Arsenal could soon sign an upgrade on Leandro Trossard.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 25, 2025

Pep Guardiola made ten changes for Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen, Nico González the only man to keep his place and, well, this certainly did not pay off.

Manchester City were beaten in a home group stage tie for the first time since defeat to Olympique Lyonnais in September 2018, with Leverkusen leaving the Etihad comfortable 2-0 winners.

Nico O’Reilly, Jérémy Doku and Phil Foden were all introduced at half time, with Rayan Cherki and Erling Braut Håland thrown on soon after, but they still rarely threatened die Werkself’s goal.

Thus, the Sky Blues’ top eight spot in the Champions League is now somewhat under threat, traveling to Real Madrid in a fortnight, before rounding out the league phase against Bodø/Glimt in the Arctic Circle and then Galatasaray at home in late January.

After the match, Guardiola bemoaned his lack of squad depth, so could it spark him to go into the January transfer market, potentially set to make a move to sign the “best winger in the country”?

Manchester City targeting attacking reinforcements

In January this year, Manchester City splashed around £180m, recruiting Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, Juma Bah, the aforementioned Nico González and Omar Marmoush, thereby spending more than the other 19 Premier League clubs combined.

Well, according to reports in Spain, similar heavy investment is forecast this winter, with the Citizens having made Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo a ‘priority target’.

They add that Man City are among those ‘considering’ making a January move for the Ghanaian attacker, alongside Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and others.

Well, earlier this month, it was reported that Semenyo’s contract contains a £65m release clause that becomes active on 1 January, meaning the winger could have his pick of clubs, and Bournemouth would be powerless to prevent him departing.

So, could the 25-year-old soon swap Dorset for East Manchester?

How Antoine Semenyo would improve Manchester City

So far this season, former England international Chris Waddle has asserted that Semenyo is the “best winger in the country”, while Anantaajith Raghuraman of The Athletic took it a step further, arguing that he is ‘the best player in the Premier League right now’.

These are certainly not outrageous claims, considering the Ghanaian international has scored six goals and registered three assists already in this campaign.

More broadly, the Bournemouth attacker has been one of the stars across the whole league so far, as the table below highlights.

Goals

6

4th

Assists

3

5th

Shot on target %

57.1%

2nd*

Non-pen goals – xG

+2

7th

Big chances missed

5

6th

Goal-creating actions

7

3rd

Attempted take-ons

50

6th

Successful dribbles

21

6th

Average rating

7.21

20th

As the table documents, Semenyo has been one of the most outstanding players in the Premier League this season.

Only Håland, Igor Thiago and Danny Welbeck have scored more goals while, of all players who’ve mustered ten or more shots on target, Håland is the only one to boast a higher shots on target percentage, underlining his newfound clinical nature.

Lifting some of the burden on Håland would be a key benefit of signing Semenyo in January.

In the league thus far, the Norwegian already has 14 goals to his name, but the only other player to have netted more than once for the Citizens is Maxime Estève, who scored two own goals when Burnley visited the Etihad in September.

Players such as Foden, Cherki, Doku, Savinho and others have shown glimpses of brilliance, but nothing on a consistent basis on par with what Semenyo has been producing by the South Coast.

Thus, alongside Håland, he could form an unstoppable partnership that could bring the glory days back to the Etihad, as they seek to chase down Premier League leaders Arsenal once again.

4/10 Man City duo who "offer nothing" must now never start together again

This pair struggled in Man City’s 2-0 home loss to Leverkusen

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 26, 2025

The allrounder begins his county stint with an eye on returning as a batter for the World Test Championship final – but it’s not simple

Andrew McGlashan17-Apr-20252:15

Marnus in or out? Finch and Clarke pick their WTC final XIs

More than six months after Cameron Green last took the field, in an ODI at Chester-le-Street where he sent down a bouncer barrage as Harry Brook stamped an early mark as England captain, he will return to the field on Friday for Gloucestershire when they face Kent following the back surgery which ruled him out of the 2024-25 home season.In a deal funded by a mystery benefactor, Green is available for five County Championship matches over the next six weeks – where he will be captained by Western Australia team-mate Cameron Bancroft – leading into Australia’s World Test Championship final clash with South Africa at Lord’s which is followed by three Tests in the West Indies.Barring any setbacks on his return, Green is expected to be involved in both those squads but beyond that there are some tricky decisions for Australia’s selectors to make about how he slots back into the XI give his bowling will remain on ice until shortly before the Ashes at the end of the year.Related

• Hazlewood's successful return likely to leave Boland unlucky for WTC final

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• Green nears return ahead of WTC final selection race

• WTC final may not be Konstas' route back to Test side

While the selectors may not be overly concerned about the volume of runs scored by Green in the next few weeks – the philanthropic Gloucestershire member would no doubt like a return on his investment – after a lengthy period out of the game, he will need to show some sort of form given the squeeze for batting places. The selectors will name the squads partway through Green’s county stay but if he looked especially rusty, it could question the merit of bringing him straight back, although his known qualities will stand him in good stead.The last time Green played Test cricket was against New Zealand early in 2024. He batted at No. 4 and made a masterful, match-winning 174 not out in Wellington where many other batters struggled. Things have changed since then, however, with Steven Smith returning to the middle order and producing his best returns for a number of years while Beau Webster has made a promising start at No. 6 having replaced Mitchell Marsh in the allrounder’s role.Cameron Green was settling in at No. 4 before injury struck•Getty ImagesIf Green was bowling, it would probably have meant a pat on the back for Webster for a job well done but his bustling medium pace could be important in ensuring Australia’s frontline quicks have support. Webster will also be playing county cricket from early May for Warwickshire.Therefore, if Green does come straight back into the side at Lord’s, he may have to find a spot at the top of the order – either opening or, more likely, at No. 3 – which throws open the question about whether that is an ideal spot for him. Green was in contention to fill David Warner’s opening position before the brief experiment with Smith but has only batted higher than No. 4 once in his first-class career.It could come down to whether Marnus Labuschagne has done enough to keep his place after a challenging season, which extended a two-year run where he has averaged 28.62 in Tests. He is due to join Glamorgan in May, meaning he, too, will have some cricket before the WTC final.George Bailey, the chair of selectors, has left the door ajar for a more one-off style selection for the final and it’s not beyond the realms that Labuschagne is asked to open rather than there being a recall for Sam Konstas, creating a spot for Green at No. 3 and the rest of the order runs from there. The other, less likely, route is that the four frontline bowlers (three quicks plus Nathan Lyon) are considered enough for the title shootout and Green still replaces Webster.Marnus Labuschagne is also a key part of the selection debate•Getty ImagesEven if the selectors do take an isolated view of the final at Lord’s, other decisions are only kicked down the road a couple of weeks to Barbados when the West Indies series starts. With Konstas having been left out in Sri Lanka when Travis Head opened in a horses-for-courses approach, there will likely be much thought given to enabling him to resume his Test career where there will be far less need than to do anything but bat normally.Before too long, perhaps the end of next season’s Ashes, Australia will be on the search for another new opener if Usman Khawaja decides his time is done. In an ideal world, Konstas has started to bed himself in by then. Australia’s revolving door of openers post-Warner has not hampered their success but, excluding the tactical move with Head, it has not been ideal.Green and Konstas are also not the only names to factor into the immediate batting order debate. Josh Inglis is quickly becoming hard to ignore after making a century on Test debut in Galle, albeit having been selected for his specific skills against spin.Inglis is currently at the IPL for the Ricky Ponting-coached Punjab Kings where he has just played his first game having been warming the bench. Konstas was keen for a county deal but nothing, as yet, has been forthcoming. In terms of red-ball cricket, therefore, Green has a head start but there remain some big calls to make before June.

أعلن اتحاد كرة السلة عن عقوبات المباراة التي أقيمت بين فريقي الأهلي والاتحاد في إياب نهائي دوري المرتبط لكرة السلة، بعد الأحداث التي شهدتها المواجهة.

وكان النادي الأهلي قد توج بـ دوري المرتبط لكرة السلة مساء الإثنين بعد انسحاب فريق الاتحاد السكندري من مباراة إياب النهائي.

طالع|مالك طه يعتذر لـ جماهير الأهلي والاتحاد بعد أزمة نهائي دوري المرتبط

حكم المباراة انتظر لمدة 20 دقيقة ولكن لاعبو الاتحاد لم يدخلوا ملعب المباراة بل غادرت حافلة نادي الاتحاد، احتجاجا على إخلاء المدرجات من الجماهير. عقوبات مباراة الاتحاد والأهلي في إياب نهائي دوري مرتبط السلة

بناءً على أحداث مباراة الاتحاد والأهلي في إياب نهائي دوري المرتبط – رجال، التي أُقيمت يوم الاثنين الموافق 24 نوفمبر الجاري، وبالرجوع إلى تقريري حكام ومراقب المباراتين، توصي لجنة المسابقات بتوقيع العقوبات التالية على ناديي الاتحاد والأهلي. أولًا: عقوبات نادي الاتحاد

– إيقاف اللاعب مالك طه حتى نهاية الموسم وتغريمه 15000 جنيه.

– إيقاف اللاعب فاروق محمد مباراتين وتغريمه 5000 جنيه.

– إيقاف الإداري جابر بيكهام مباراتين وتغريمه 1000 جنيه.

– تغريم جمهور نادي الاتحاد مبلغ 100000 جنيه لما بدر منه من سباب وإلقاء زجاجات المياه على لاعبي النادي الأهلي عقب نهاية مباراة المرتبط.

– تغريم نادي الاتحاد مبلغ 100000 جنيه نظير انسحاب فريق الرجال من المباراة.

– نقل 3 مباريات لنادي الاتحاد خارج ملعبه في بطولات اتحاد السلة، وإقامتها دون جمهور. ثانيًا: عقوبات نادي الأهلي

– إيقاف كلًا من اللاعب عمر حاتم، واللاعب أسعد هنداوي، واللاعب آسر أحمد لمدة مباراتين للاشتباك مع لاعب نادي الاتحاد، مع تغريم كل لاعب 5000 جنيه.

– تغريم جمهور النادي الأهلي مبلغ 50000 جنيه لما بدر منه من سباب على لاعبي نادي الاتحاد عقب نهاية مباراة المرتبط.

– إيقاف المدرب إبراهيم الجمال مباراتين وتغريمه 5000 جنيه لما بدر منه تجاه المقصورة. ثالثًا: عقوبات أخرى

– اعتماد نتيجة المباراة بفوز النادي الأهلي 20–0 بالانسحاب لعدم تواجد 5 لاعبين من فريق الاتحاد على أرض الملعب، وفقًا لقرار الحكام بانسحاب الفريق.

– إخطار شركة تذكرتي بعدم السماح لجماهير الاتحاد والأهلي الحاضرين في المباراة بدخول أي مباراة لمدة 3 أشهر من تاريخ اللقاء.

– تحمل كل نادٍ قيمة التلفيات داخل الصالة بناءً على تقرير مدير الصالة.

The allrounder was preferred ahead of Shoaib Bashir as England’s only spinner for the day-night Test

Vithushan Ehantharajah02-Dec-20252:10

England hedging their bets on Will Jacks is ‘worrying’

Allrounder Will Jacks will make his first Test appearance in three years after leapfrogging Shoaib Bashir as England’s spinner for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane.Jacks, a left-field pick for the tour of Australia, will replace fast bowler Mark Wood, who was ruled out through injury. It will be the Surrey allrounder’s third Test cap, having earned his first two in Pakistan in 2022, taking 6 for 161 on debut in the first Test in Rawalpindi.The 27-year-old was one of multiple spinners on both those occasions but now finds himself not just thrust into an Ashes with England 1-0 down, but as their primary spinner in the day-night Test, which begins on Thursday.Jacks has played just five first-class matches in the last two seasons, and took just five wickets in three County Championship appearances in 2025 at an average of 38.80. Should he pick up a wicket in the upcoming Test, it will be only his 50th in first-class cricket since debuting in 2018.Related

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He has been used intermittently as a spinner in limited-overs cricket, with 50 caps across ODIs and T20Is with just nine wickets. It helped his case for selection on the tour that he had spent the summer working with head coach Brendon McCullum upon his return to the limited-overs set-up in May. Jacks was subsequently awarded a two-year central contract in October.”It’s something I’m really looking forward to,” told the ECB’s in-house media. “To be on an Ashes tour in the first place is something I wouldn’t have been expecting a few months ago. But it’s been amazing to be here, be around this team… to be in the XI is a dream come true, to play an Ashes series away from home.”Personally, I’ll just be looking to add a little bit to the team in each three facets of the game. I know I can effect the game in a positive way like that, and I’ll just be doing my best to support whenever the team needs me.”Obviously I play a lot of white ball cricket under lights and hopefully that will suit me and the conditions won’t feel too foreign to me. Mostly, I’m just looking forward to getting out there and trying to do my best.”Will Jacks was included in England’s side for the second Test•PA Images/GettyThough primarily a tactical decision to opt for Jacks given he is a far superior batter to Bashir, it marks a significant moment in the latter’s career. Since becoming Ben Stokes’ No.1 spinner from the start of the 2024 summer, debuting in India earlier that year, this is the first time Bashir has been left out.The 21-year-old missed the last two Tests against India this summer with a broken finger on his left hand, though he did take the final wicket in a thrilling victory at Lord’s having suffered the injury in the same game. That bravery further enamoured him to Stokes, who has been Bashir’s biggest advocate since spotting him two years ago on social media bowling to Alastair Cook on first-class debut for Somerset against Essex.He has since gone on to earn 19 caps, taking 68 wickets at 39.00 but is now without a county after his deal with Somerset expired at the end of the season, though he is on a central contract. After making England’s 12-man squad for the first Test at Perth, Bashir now finds himself lower down in the pecking order.Ironically, part of the attraction to Bashir is his high release point and the over-spin he imparts on the ball – characteristics England deem vital in Australia based on Nathan Lyon’s success. That Lyon boasts an impressive record across his 13 day-night Tests – 43 dismissals at 25.62 – has prompted England into changing their all-pace tactic from the first Test.”Talking about the tactical element of a day-night game, you do try to look at Australia,” Stokes said. “They play a lot of day-night cricket here, how they use their spinner as an attacking option, or more to give the bowlers an easier rotation and to get through the overs quicker to have more time with the new ball under lights. There’s both those elements we will consider with how a spinner is to be used in a day/night game.”England XI: 1 ⁠Zak Crawley, 2 ⁠Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 ⁠Harry Brook, 6 ⁠Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Will Jacks, 9 Gus Atkinson, 10 ⁠Brydon Carse, 11 Jofra Archer

Former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker has been forced to defend himself from ridicule following the release of a video online that shows him holidaying in Mexico. The clip in question sees the ex-England international walking down the street with a woman, with many – including far-right activist Tommy Robinson – jumping to the wrong conclusion.

• What Robinson said on social media

  Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was among the first to share the video of Lineker on social media. It had been taken by a fellow holidaymaker in Mexico and shows the 65-year-old former Three Lions striker out and about with a female companion who was unidentified at that point.

  Robinson, who has been quick to question some of Lineker’s behaviour in the past – especially his views on political matters – reposted the video in question on his accounts and asked: “What are you up to here @GaryLineker?” He was insinuating that Lineker was enjoying the company of somebody who he should not have been.

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• How Lineker responded

  The passer-by who filmed the original clip posed a similar question to the ex-BBC Sport host before advising him to “enjoy his holiday”. Lineker has been left bemused by the entire saga, which he has been forced to explain.

  Responding to Robinson, who he has once again accused of stirring up unnecessary “hatred”, Lineker said: “If you must know, I was going to a chemist with my daughter-in-law, to get some medicine for her unwell husband….my son. Hatred is a dreadful weakness.”

  Lineker went on to share a post suggesting that Robinson had “thrown his followers under the bus by inciting them to recirculate libellous claims”.

• Lineker has clashed with Robinson supporters

  The son that Lineker is referring to is 31-year-old Harry. He got married to partner Bella at a luxurious ceremony in the summer of 2025 that took place on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza. He has seemingly been feeling under the weather while taking in another trip to the sunshine.

  His brother, George, also felt the need to respond to Robinson and efforts to spread idle gossip. He said in a social media post of his own, which included a laughing emoji: “It’s his daughter-in-law you f*cking idiot.”

  This is not the first time that Lineker has clashed with outspoken Robinson and his supporters. He has previously admitted to being “elbowed in the back” by a “little old lady” who was on her way to one of Yaxley-Lennon’s rallies.

  He has also been told, in a face-to-face confrontation, that he “hated Britain” after speaking out on matters that he believes in. Lineker has said of those that he clashes with: “It’s the same lot every time. It’s the same people.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Lineker left BBC role in May 2025

  Lineker confirmed back in May that he would be leaving his role with the BBC – which included 25 years in the Match of the Day hotseat. He had faced criticism for sharing a social media post that included a rat illustration, which has been used to represent Jewish people in antisemitic propaganda.

  Lineker said in a statement: "Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember – both on the pitch and in the studio. I care deeply about the game, and about the work I've done with the BBC over many years. As I've said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic – it goes against everything I stand for. However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”

  Lineker walked away from his presenting post on Match of the Day when the 2024-25 Premier League campaign came to a close. The man who earned 80 caps for England in his playing days, scoring 48 goals, is still a host of ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast alongside fellow former Three Lions stars Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.

West Indies gave a better account of themselves with the bat than in Ahmedabad, but India remained in control of the Delhi Test

Sidharth Monga11-Oct-20252:57

Chopra: Gill destined for greatness

West Indies gave a better account of themselves with the bat than in Ahmedabad, but India still remained in control of the Delhi Test after Shubman Gill scored his 10th Test hundred and declared midway through the day at 518 for 5. In response, West Indies put on their first half-century stand of the series – a contrast to at least 57 for every wicket for India in this Test, Alick Athanaze posted their highest individual score of 41 and they went 43 overs with the loss of four wickets. It was an improvement after they failed to bat 50 overs in either of their innings in Ahmedabad, but they still needed 179 to avoid the follow-on.The day began on a sour note for India when the voracious Yashasvi Jaiswal was run-out after he had added just two to his overnight 173. He was quite demonstrative in letting his partner, Gill, know it was his call and that he should be looking at him and not the ball. However, Jaiswal had hit the ball to mid-off a little too well, and Gill had been quick to turn his back. Jaiswal, though, kept going, and left himself no opportunity to recover.The ever-calm Gill took it in his stride, and – at least for the spectators – more than made up for the run-out with sumptuous strokeplay to bring up his fifth century in just seven Tests as captain. For company he had 40s from Nitish Kumar Reddy, promoted so he can play some role in home Tests, and Dhruv Jurel, whose dismissal brought about the declaration.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

For most part, Gill hardly played a shot in anger. When the seamers produced a mildly testing spell in the morning, Gill prospered with short-arm cuts and defensive pushes for boundaries into the leg side, often after stepping out of the crease. He brought up his half-century with slight abandon, a lovely flick through midwicket. When Justin Greaves tried to mix cutters, he picked one even as he stepped out and then lofted him for a six.Reddy, who bowled just four overs in the first match and didn’t get to bat, was sent in at No. 5 so that India can give him time in the middle and give him every opportunity to develop into an allrounder when he is next needed overseas. It wasn’t the smoothest of innings, with an early edge falling short, but featured two sixes against the turn before a third attempt ended it on 43 off 54.Jurel was a more reliable ally, once again showing good judgement of length against spin. He preferred to press forward in preparation to face the ball, but was quick to rock back every time the spinners dropped short.Gill strolled through to his hundred before flicking into a higher gear, scoring 27 off 19 after reaching the landmark. In trying to match Gill’s pace, Jurel tried to manufacture a pull and was bowled off Roston Chase, the first man other than Jomel Warrican to take a wicket.Gill pulled the plug on the innings with that dismissal. Unbeaten, he now averaged 43.47 in Tests and 84.81 as captain. No India captain has scored more hundreds in a year than Gill’s five after he took over practically in the second half of 2025.1:08

Warrican: Need to be ‘extremely disciplined’ bowling here on first two days

Averaging 20 over the last 40 innings, the West Indies opening wicket failed to change that number either way, although this time they were unlucky. John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul had looked comfortable against pace. Campbell welcomed Ravindra Jadeja’s spin with a paddle-swept boundary, but the next sweep, nailed off the middle of the bat, hit the short leg’s helmet and lodged itself in the fielder’s arms. B Sai Sudharsan, the fielder, stayed off the field for the rest of the day, but had brought about a breakthrough.Chanderpaul and Athanaze then put together West Indies’ most assured phase with the bat, using their feet, sweeping, lofting down the ground, and then Chanderpaul was beaten in the air by a quick Jadeja delivery, which he steered for a sharp catch at first slip.Athanaze then hit Kuldeep Yadav’s first ball of a new spell straight to midwicket, having got too close to the pitch of the ball on this slog-sweep. Captain Roston Chase tamely flicked one back to Jadeja. In the stands, Viv Richards and Brian Lara were seen gesturing he should have defended it with the turn and not flicked against it.Shai Hope and Tevin Imlach saw West Indies through to stumps without further damage but they still had a mountain to climb.

Nehra was not the first member of a coaching unit to get in the match officials’ bad books

ESPNcricinfo staff08-May-2025Ashish NehraGT vs MI, IPL 2025After rain at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Indians (MI) had the win in the pocket if there was no further play. It was getting close to cut-off time, and GT were understandably agitated, willing the groundstaff to dry things up quickly and get at least one more over in. Nehra, the GT coach, wasn’t only going to will them on. He was there, speaking to the groundstaff and the match officials animatedly to get the covers off quick. ESPNcricinfo understands that the demerit point and fine (25% of his match fee) he was slapped with was for his conduct at that tense juncture in the game. Happily, for Nehra, GT got a win out of it in the end.The tension of the Super Over got too much for Munaf Patel to handle•Getty ImagesMunaf PatelDC vs RR, IPL 2025Nehra wasn’t the first from the coaching staff to get pulled up for crossing a line during a match in IPL 2025, his former India team-mate Munaf beat him to it. This was during the Super Over in the game between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), when Munaf collected a demerit point and coughed up a 25% match fee fine, the same as Nehra. While the IPL didn’t specify what Munaf’s offence was, he was spotted arguing with a match official when he was not allowed to send a reserve player into the middle to pass on a message. Like with Nehra, Munaf’s team won that Super Over.MI’s batting coach Kieron Pollard added a responsibility to his job profile in IPL 2024, that of DRS coach•Mumbai IndiansKieron PollardMI vs PBKS, IPL 2024Pollard, the MI batting coach, and Tim David were pulled up and fined 20% of their match fees during the match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in New Chandigarh. Sitting in the dugout, they were found suggesting batter Suryakumar Yadav to review a wide call.The review was allowed and MI got the decision in their favour. But later, the IPL sought footage from the broadcaster to check for the sequence of events leading up to the review, and found that Pollard and David had asked Suryakumar to take the review. As per the IPL playing conditions, the two batters can consult with each other before taking a review but cannot receive help from the outside.Not a scene we’re used to seeing: Pravin Amre, the DC assistant coach, out on the field speaking with the umpire•BCCIPravin AmreDC vs RR, IPL 2022Three seasons ago, before Munaf had joined the DC back room, there was Pravin Amre there, as an assistant coach. And he was banned for a game for his part in the chaotic events in the final over of the game, when he was spotted walking into the playing area and speaking to on-field umpires Nitin Menon and Nikhil Patwardhan.It all blew up after the third delivery of the final over of DC’s chase of 222. RR bowler Obed McCoy bowled a high full toss, which Rovman Powell pulled for six. But DC felt it should have been called a no-ball for height. Powell and non-striker Kuldeep Yadav asked the umpires about it, and Rishabh Pant, the DC captain, and others joined in, gesticulating from the dugout. Pant then appeared to ask Amre to go and speak to the umpire, which he did. Both Pant and Amre were slapped with 100% match fee fines, but Amre had to also serve the ban. What’s worse, DC lost the game by 15 runs.

Who will replace Brendan Rodgers as Celtic manager?

Well, most supporters would like to see Ange Postecoglou return, having won five trophies during his two seasons in Glasgow, very much still, almost inarguably, the most popular Celtic boss of modern times.

However, according to widespread reports, the Aussie is highly unlikely to return to the club at this time, seeking time away from football following his ill-fated 39 days in charge of Nottingham Forest, failing to win any of his eight matches in the East Midlands.

Other names, including Kieran McKenna, Craig Bellamy, Kjetil Knutsen and Nicky Hayen, appear to be high up on the board’s wish list, but getting them out of their current positions will not be easy, so should Celtic target a “box office” title-winning coach currently out of work, who could repeat Postecoglou’s success?

What made Ange Postecoglou a success at Celtic

Given that Celtic had been a total mess the season before, when Postecoglou was appointed manager in the summer of 2021, most, including all Rangers supporters, were laughing.

Well, they weren’t laughing for long because, after losing his first three Premiership away games, the Australian then oversaw a 38-match unbeaten streak in the league, winning 32 of these matches, departing having picked up two league titles, two League Cups and a Scottish Cup.

His charisma and personality completely won over a then-divided fan base, very much playing the role of a cult leader, while his now infamous Ange-ball high intensity, high-possession, relentless style of play was like nothing seen in Scottish football before or since.

Also, Postecoglou’s knowledge of lesser-known markers, specifically the Japanese league, helped him sign Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda and Kyōgo Furuhashi, while, in a cosmopolitan squad, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Jota, Matt O’Riley, Aaron Mooy, Giorgos Giakoumakis, Alistair Johnston and others from all across the globe thrived.

All of this culminated in creating, arguably, the most thrilling and unstoppable Celtic side anyone has enjoyed watching for a very long time, ending the 2022/23 season with 99 points, having scored 114 goals, the most the club have managed in a single league campaign since 1916.

However, it was Postecoglou’s cult of personality that instantaneously enamoured him with supporters from day one, which was crucial considering his lack of prior name recognition, so should Celtic now seek to appoint a coach who possesses similar characteristics?

Celtic's next Ange Postecoglou

According to a report by Sky Sports, seven names are under consideration for the vacant Celtic job, including the aforementioned Bellamy, Knutsen, McKenna and Hayen.

Manager Focus

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They also state that Damien Duff is ‘being assessed’, noting that he has ‘strong ties with principal shareholder Dermot Desmond’.

The Irishman began his coaching career as youth manager at Shamrock Rovers before joining Celtic, briefly working with the B team before serving as Neil Lennon’s assistant when he replaced Rodgers in February 2019.

After Lennon was sacked, he had a short stint on the Republic of Ireland’s coaching staff, before joining Shelbourne, where he truly made a name for himself.

In just over three seasons in charge of Shels, overseeing 151 games, Duff enjoyed unparalleled success, as the table below documents.

When Duff was appointed Shelbourne manager, they were a newly-promoted club, leading them to a first ​​​​​​​FAI Cup Final for 11 years at the end of his first season, ultimately beaten 4-0 by Derry City at the Aviva.

Nevertheless, this would prove to be the start of something special because, last year, the Reds were crowned League of Ireland champions for the first time in 18 years, pipping serial champions Shamrock Rovers on the final day by two points.

As a player, Duff won two Premier League titles with Chelsea and was part of the Fulham side that reached the Europa League Final, as well as accumulating 100 international caps, only six Irishmen have more.

Nevertheless, considering the Reds were 25/1 rank-outsiders before the season began, Duff described this as both the greatest achievement and the “pinnacle” of his career, adding that it was like something out of a Hollywood script.

Despite being a beloved figure among the Tolka Park faithful, Duff resigned as manager in June, following a sequence of five wins from 20 league matches, stepping away just days before the start of their Champions League qualifying campaign.

Still very popular in Drumcondra, Shelbourne technical director Luke Byrn described Duff as “box office”, while Miguel Delaney of the Independent asserted that his personality is ‘intensely captivating’ and ‘compelling’ to listen to, comparing him to José Mourinho, who was of course his manager at Stamford Bridge.

Meantime, Samuel Hutchinson of Total Football Analysis documents how Duff favours a style revolving around high possession and high intensity, very similar to that of Postecoglou.

Thus, Duff has both the personality and playing style to replicate Postecoglou’s success in Glasgow.

Of course, his lack of elite-level coaching experience is a concern, but he has worked at Celtic before and, possibly most crucially of all, is available.

Postecoglou himself was not first-choice, the Celtic board spending months attempting to woo Eddie Howe before that fell through, so Duff could ultimately prove to be the right man at the right time.

O'Neill 2.0: Celtic chasing "one of the best coaches" as Ange alternative

Rather than Ange Postecoglou, should Celtic appoint “one of the best coaches” in the EFL who would repeat Martin O’Neill’s success from 2 decades ago?

By
Ben Gray

Oct 31, 2025