All posts by h716a5.icu

The man who revived the art of legspin bowling passed away in Lahore from a cardiac arrest

Osman Samiuddin06-Sep-2019Abdul Qadir, the man who revived the art of legspin bowling in the 1970s and 1980s, has passed away in Lahore from a cardiac arrest.Qadir, an integral part of Pakistan’s most successful sides in the 1980s and a valuable mentor to Shane Warne and Mushtaq Ahmed, among others, was 63, nine days short of his next birthday.Qadir worked with Pakistan cricket in several capacities after his playing career was over and ran a private academy just outside Gaddafi Stadium. “PCB is shocked at the news of ‘maestro’ Abdul Qadir’s passing and has offered its deepest condolences to his family and friends,” the PCB tweeted.”We are devastated with the news of Abdul Qadir’s passing and on behalf of the PCB, I want to express my deepest condolences to his family and friends,” chairman Ehsan Mani said. “The PCB, like every Pakistani, is proud of his services to cricket and Pakistan. His contributions and achievements were not only limited on-field, but he ensured he transferred the art of leg-spin to the up-and-coming cricketers.”Apart from being a maestro with the ball, Abdul Qadir was a larger-than-life figure who was adored, loved and respected across the globe due to his excellent understanding and knowledge of the game, and strong cricket ethics and discipline. Today, global cricket has become poorer with his passing. He will be missed but will never be forgotten.”Qadir’s numbers have since been dwarfed by a number of modern spin greats but his impact on the genre is impossible to ignore. At the time he burst on to the international scene, late in 1977 against England, legspin was all but a forgotten art. But a six-for in only his second Test placed it right back on the map.That England were the opponents was significant, because it was through England that his legend burned brightest. So taken were the English by the exotic appeal of Qadir and what he bowled, Imran Khan advised him to keep a goatee for the 1982 tour to the country, to reinforce the image of him as some kind of strange mystic from the east.They proved to be profitable opponents as well. In 1987, he took 40 wickets in four Tests against England; ten wickets first in the final Test at The Oval in a draw that sealed a first-ever series win for Pakistan in England, and then 30 wickets in three Tests against the same opponents in Pakistan later in the year. Questionable umpiring took some of the sheen off his feats in the series win in Pakistan, but 82 wickets in 16 Tests was unquestionably good.England weren’t the only side to come up against Qadir at this finest, though. Some of Qadir’s best days came in Pakistan’s epic battles with West Indies through the mid-80s. In the two drawn series, in Pakistan in 1986-87 and then 1987-88, Qadir was decisive; his 6 for 16 in Faisalabad saw West Indies bowled out for just 53 and this, a line-up that included Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Richie Richardson and Larry Gomes.In the six Tests across those two series, Qadir loomed large, taking 32 wickets, batting out a final over to secure a draw and punching a spectator after some umpiring decisions went against Pakistan.If there was a blot, it was India, whom he could never quite convince of his genius. Across a clutch of series – he played as many as 16 Tests against them, in days when the two played regularly – but only took 27 wickets. The worst moment was to be dropped for the Bangalore Test in March 1987, a Test Pakistan famously won off the back of two spinners who weren’t Qadir – Iqbal Qasim and Tauseef Ahmed. So ineffective had Qadir been that even his captain Imran was convinced – by Javed Miandad – to drop Qadir; there existed no bigger patron and supporter of Qadir than Imran.That mattered little, though, balanced against what he brought to the game and such was the case on other occasions. In Australia in 1983-84, for example, he only picked up 12 expensive Test wickets but few who saw him bowl forgot him.Indeed, two pioneering aspects of Qadir’s bowling were starkly evident on that tour. The first was the googly; some days he’d say he had six different ones and some days he said he had two but they were all hugely effective and equally indecipherable. And he wasn’t afraid to bowl them, not hiding them but using them as often as possible.The second was his ODI bowling. In a Benson & Hedges tri-series campaign in which Pakistan won only one of ten games against West Indies and Australia, Qadir took 15 wickets in eight games at just 18 apiece. He used that googly plenty in ODIs – just as legspinners have learnt again now how useful it can be – and in two World Cups, in 1983 and 1987, he was instrumental in Pakistan’s run to the semi-finals.One of his finest moments in that 1987 World Cup came with the bat – also against West Indies. An impish but brave hitter, Qadir somehow hit the 14 runs needed in the last over to steal a win, off no less a bowler than Courtney Walsh.Also Qadir, however, was loss in an ODI in Hyderabad, which prevented Pakistan from winning the ODI series 6-0. In attempting an impossible – and ultimately unnecessary – second run, Qadir ran himself out, leaving the scores tied and India winners by virtue of having lost fewer wickets. Had he not taken that single, Pakistan would have won on a tie-breaker of having scored more runs than India after 25 overs.He didn’t fade away once he had left the game, elbowed out ironically by Mushtaq, the man he mentored and whose action was a living, breathing tribute to Qadir – the curved run-up, the bounce in each step, a high whirl of both arms and mystery unleashed.His 1994 meeting with Shane Warne reminded a newer generation of how important a figure he was, though he was a regular and generous mentor. Imran Tahir was a protégé and despite not always seeing eye to eye with Shahid Afridi, he did help him rediscover his wrong ‘un not long before Afridi helped Pakistan to the World T20 title.That was also around the time Qadir was the PCB’s chief selector, a stint that didn’t last long and wasn’t without controversy. But through his academy, he continued to spread the word of the art he helped keep alive.

In 2021, Leeds snapped up 18-year-old defender Leo Hjelde from Scottish Premiership giants Celtic for an undisclosed fee. Hjelde hadn't made a first-team appearance for the Hoops but the Whites' scouts had been impressed by how he'd performed during a loan spell at Ross County.

Things ultimately didn't work out for Hjelde at Elland Road as he made just eight first-team appearances in all competitions, and he was ultimately sold to Championship rivals Sunderland in last month's transfer window. Undeterred, though, Leeds are now going after another youngster impressing in a loan stint north of the border.

Leeds keen on Wales

According to The Daily Record, Leeds are interested in signing Bobby Wales from Kilmarnock. Wales has been spending the 2023/24 season at third-tier Alloa, and his exploits have "caught the eye" of recruitment teams in England.

It's said that Leeds are one of a "string" of sides who have sent scouts to watch the striker in action recently, with Stoke and promotion rivals Ipswich also named as admirers.

Wales has exploded in Alloa spell

Wales made 10 first-team appearances at Kilmarnock last season, all of them in the Premiership. His debut came as a late substitute in a game against St Johnstone in October, and he went on to earn seven more outings off the bench either side of a couple of starts against Hearts and Motherwell in December. In addition to becoming one of the 15 youngest players in the club's history, he was also one of the 10 youngest to feature in the Scottish top-flight in 2022/23.

Rank

Player

Club

Age

1

Dylan Smith

Ross County

16/2/6

2

Lennon Miller

Motherwell

16/4/3

3

Bailey Rice

Rangers

16/4/14

4

Lucas Ross

Motherwell

16/4/17

5

Alfie Bavidge

Aberdeen

16/9/24

6

Rory MacLeod

Dundee United

16/10/25

7

Bobby Wales

Kilmarnock

17/4/6

8

Dylan Reid

St Mirren

17/7/9

9

Rocco Vata

Celtic

17/8/10

10

David Watson

Kilmarnock

18/0/20

This season, Kilmarnock decided to loan him out to ensure he could start senior games more regularly, and he's made himself a key player at Alloa with a 94.1% starting rate over the past 17 games. He's scored seven goals so far, all of them in a devastating hot streak over the past eight games. All of a sudden, only five players are above him in the division's scoring charts.

Leeds United poach Liverpool man as part of Elland Road restructure

The Yorkshire side are gearing up for a Premier League return.

ByBen Browning Feb 23, 2024

It's still very early days for the 18-year-old, but he's already developing into an impressive athlete with a 6 foot 2 frame and, capped nine times by Scotland at under-19 level, he's won international recognition too. With his contract due to expire in just over 12 months' time, it's no surprise that Daniel Farke and the 49ers are seemingly looking into the possibility of repeating the Hjelde transfer ahead of the summer window.

Birmingham have been slammed for their “ludicrous” attempts to drag Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Wrexham into a “ridiculous” U.S. game request.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Blues put request to the EFLIdea was quickly knocked backDragons distanced from sagaWHAT HAPPENED?

It has been claimed that the Blues – who have American owners on board and NFL legend Tom Brady as an investor in the club – sounded out the EFL regarding the possibility of hosting a League One meeting with Wrexham in the United States.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

That request is said to have been knocked back, with Hollywood co-owners in North Wales quick to distance themselves from any role in the discussions. Said concept was always likely to be a non-starter, with Birmingham attracting criticism for the manner in which they are trying to tweak an established system.

WHAT PALMER SAID

Former England international Carlton Palmer, who is a West Midlands native, has told of a bizarre sequence of events: “I mean, this is ludicrous really. I find this beyond belief that the American owners of Birmingham City [are] requesting to play their League One match versus Wrexham in the USA next season. It’s just absolutely ludicrous. You know, they’ve bought an English Football League club and that’s where the league’s played.

"It’s a non-starter. It was never going to happen. I mean, you’ve never heard Wrexham and their owners, they’ve never come out and mentioned anything like that. It’s never going to happen, and it’s just a non-starter. It’s absolute nonsense. You know, if you’re looking at this, and you’re a Birmingham City fan, you’d be thinking, ‘Right, are these people really serious, who have come into the football club? Are they really serious, or is this just something for them to promote what they’re doing in the USA or whatever?’ It just really is nonsensical and was never going to happen from day one. Ridiculous request.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT?

There will be plenty of eyes on Birmingham’s meetings with Wrexham in the 2024-25 campaign, given the celebrity faces in their respective boardrooms, and the first of those clashes is pencilled in for September 14 at St Andrew’s. A return date at SToK Racecourse is due to take place on January 25, although both games may yet be moved for television coverage.

Australia on brink of Ashes retention after remarkable half-century draws sting out of England attack

The Report by Andrew Miller07-Sep-2019England 301 (Burns 81, Root 71, Hazlewood 4-57) and 18 for 2 need another 365 runs to beat Australia 497 for 8 (Smith 211, Labuschagne 67) and 186 for 6 dec (Smith 82)

It’s been suspected all summer long, but at last we have definitive proof. Steven Smith is playing a different game to the rest of the combatants in this Ashes series. How else do you explain the events of the fourth day at Old Trafford, a day on which his ninth consecutive Ashes half-century carried Australia to the brink of what will surely be their first successful defence of the Ashes in England since 2001.Hot on the heels of his 211 in the first innings, and into the teeth of a frenzied bowling onslaught from Stuart Broad and a reinvigorated Jofra Archer, Smith made light of Australia’s pre-tea scoreline of 44 for 4 to josh and flinch, and poke and swat his way to a bafflingly indomitable 82 from 92 balls.It was Smith’s lowest score of the series maybe, but incredibly, for the fourth time in five dismissals this summer, his departure was more or less self-inflicted. With a lead of 345 already in the bag and Australia straining for a late-evening declaration having bowled England out for 301 in their first innings, Smith’s inside-out carve picked out Ben Stokes at deep extra cover to complete a match aggregate of 293 runs – a tally which accounted for more than three-quarters of England’s eventual target of 383.Steve Smith reacts after slipping on the crease•AFPSteadfast in adversity then cocksure once on top, Smith had to ride his luck against Broad in particular, who was magnificent, but backed his peerless judgement on an afternoon when the rest of Australia’s top five managed a top score of 12 between them. That included the hapless David Warner, to whom Broad delivered the first pair of his Test career, while bagging him for the sixth time this series, and for the seventh single-figure score out of eight in a grim campaign.And then, as if to confirm just how other-worldly Smith’s efforts really had been, in steamed Pat Cummins with the shadows looming at the start of a nervy mini-session for England’s top order. Four balls into his evening’s work, he had torn out the spine of England’s intended rearguard, inducing a third-ball leading edge to have Rory Burns caught in the covers for a duck, before serving up an absolute snorter that pinged the top of Joe Root’s off stump for a golden duck – the perfect line, the perfect pace, and – unlike the one that zagged into Root’s pads in the first innings – the perfect jag off the seam to beat the outside edge of his crestfallen bat.The rocks of England’s first-innings reply had been shattered, and though Jason Roy in his current form would have been Cummins’ dream pick for a hat-trick target, he endured to the close alongside Joe Denly to carry what remains of England’s fight into the fifth day. For let’s be realistic – for all that England hunted down 359 to complete the miracle of Headingley, this Old Trafford pitch is a different beast entirely, offering stump-threatening skid and late movement to those who pitch it up, not least the lesser-spotted Mitchell Starc, whose three wickets in the morning session had been a harbinger of the dramas to come.Starc had been Australia’s weak link at the start of England’s innings, bowling just 11 expensive overs on the third day as Cummins and Josh Hazlewood showed the way for their side with their devotion to sharp pace on a good length. But with England resuming 98 runs shy of saving the follow-on, and charged with extending their innings as deep into the day as possible, it was Starc’s swing that tore the stuffing out of their morning’s efforts. Jonny Bairstow was bowled on the drive by a hooping inswinger (for the 32nd time in his career) before that man Stokes succumbed for the first time since the Headingley first innings, expertly extracted by a curler on off stump that he couldn’t help but nudge to slip.For the remainder of England’s innings, it was hard to know whether to stick or twist – to reduce the deficit quickly before the wickets ran out, or to stick to the original gameplan of eating as much time out of the game as possible. In the event, it turned into a curious tribute to that Headingley run-chase, as the tail rallied around Jos Buttler to tick off the runs required for a small psychological win – the avoidance of a follow-on that Australia almost certainly would not have enforced anyway. They duly managed it, with Jack Leach once again resolute at No.11, but when Buttler missed a slog to be bowled for 41, the remaining deficit of 196 was still pretty daunting.When England emerged for Australia’s second innings, however, with Stokes – tellingly – giving the team-talk as they huddled before the first ball, it was clear that the spirit of Headingley was still infusing their self-belief. Six balls later, there could be no doubt at all. In spite of his flatlining form, Warner remains one of the most deadly second-innings batsmen in the game, especially when presented with the chance to build on a lead. Half an hour of his devil-may-care thumping could have cooked England’s goose by the tea-break. Instead he was thumped on the knee-roll by a pumped-up Broad, and sent on his way for his third duck in a row, a massively motivating scalp for the team and a partisan crowd.Six overs later, Broad repeated the dose to extract Marcus Harris in identical fashion – round the wicket, swinging in, pinned in front of middle and leg, and when Broad scuttled his second ball to Smith, who jammed his bat down late to dig it off his stumps, battle had been well and truly joined. Not least by Archer, who might well have been piqued by the reaction to his first-innings display, but was undoubtedly riled by the sledging he had received during a brief innings in which he had almost run himself out first ball.Suddenly his pace leapt back up by that missing 5mph, and the crowd revved up in response, as Marnus Labuschagne became the third lbw of the innings – again round the wicket, again clipping leg, and cheekily waved goodbye by Broad as he turned to offer some chat to the England huddle after unsuccessfully reviewing. Travis Head then had his middle stump dynamited on the same angle, as he too paid the price for engaging Archer in verbals in the course of an over that peaked at 93mph.But throughout it all, Smith batted with the abandon of a man who had already been batting for 319 balls on this surface. At times, he seemed so carefree he seemed liable to pop his own bubble, but such is Smith’s talent, that even when he seems not to be fully focused, he retains the wherewithal to avoid errors against the genuinely threatening deliveries, and to keep the score ticking ever upwards.Even so, Broad continued to hound him like few bowlers have managed since that Archer duel at Lord’s, and on 28, he came excruciatingly close to playing on as he dug out a yorker – the first ball of a new spell – and watched it trundle millimetres past his leg stump. And then, on 48, came the moment of near-genius that all but dislodged a genius. As Smith stooped to reverse-sweep the leaky spin of Leach, Stokes at slip saw him inverting his stance and sprinted to gully, where he dived to his right and all but clung onto a stunning catch in both hands. But the ball wriggled out and the moment was lost. So too, the last chance for England to dictate any remaining terms in the innings.By the close, the die was cast. England limped to 18 for 2 at stumps – an outstanding deficit of 365 that Stokes, Bairstow, Roy and Buttler would find a challenging ask in white-ball cricket, let alone red. Consecutive miracles is asking too much of any Ashes campaign. Especially when it’s the opposition’s star player who is batting like a God.

France defender William Saliba was left behind at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund by the team's bus after Les Bleus' 1-1 draw against Poland.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Saliba selected for doping testCould not leave with France co-starsStar left 90 minutes after team busWHAT HAPPENED?

The centre-back was selected to take a doping test after his team's Euro 2024 clash in Dortmund on Tuesday, reports. However, the test took longer than expected and he could not board the team bus when it left the stadium at 9pm. Instead, Saliba finally departed around 10.30pm in a van accompanied by members of the French team's staff.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

France ended the group stage with a frustrating draw against Poland. As Austria beat the Netherlands 3-2 in the group's other match, Ralf Rangnick's team went top of the pool while France finished second and the Dutch came in third.

DID YOU KNOW?

Saliba and his France team-mates welcomed family members to their training camp in Bad Lippspringe on Tuesday evening after the match and they will then start preparing for the Euro 2024 round of 16.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR FRANCE?

Didier Deschamps' team will find out who they will come up against in the next round of the competition on Wednesday. They will face the runners-up of Group E, which consists of Belgium, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Sunderland have gained a reputation this season for being a club unafraid to give young talents the platform to grow and develop, seen in the likes of Jobe Bellingham establishing himself as a key first team presence at just 18 years of age.

With Dan Neil and Anthony Patterson also representing the Black Cats' eagerness to bed in academy talents into the first-team fold and keep them there, the Wearside outfit did unfortunately drop a clanger when it comes to one former youth prospect, however.

Going on to star in his new surroundings after departing Sunderland at U15 level, the fading Championship promotion hopefuls will view this transfer mishap with the same disdain that saw them offload Jordan Henderson far too cheaply all the way back in 2011.

James McConnell's move to Liverpool

Sunderland are now left with a tale of what could have been regarding their ex-homegrown talent James McConnell, the teenager poached by the might of Liverpool whilst the midfield sensation was just getting to grips with his development at the Stadium of Light.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Leaving the Black Cats for free, it's a move that Sunderland will no doubt rue accepting now when acknowledging how McConnell has gone on leaps and bounds since pulling on a Reds strip for the first time.

At youth level for Jurgen Klopp's side, the wide-eyed 19-year-old has accumulated an impressive 11 goals from 56 appearances which has even seen the outgoing German manager bump the ex-Sunderland youngster up to the first-team ranks this season.

Season

Games played

Goals

Assists

2023/24

8

0

1

2022/23

18

6

3

2021/22

20

3

3

2020/21

10

2

0

It's a transfer that Sunderland must toss and turn about when reliving sanctioning the deal in 2019, with McConnell's worth now coming in at hefty €5m (£4m) – according to Football Observatory – compared to the £0 the Black Cats allowed him to leave for.

McConnell shining on the biggest stage at Wembley this weekend could well see the 19-year-old now stick it out in Klopp's first team for the rest of the season, with the breakout star aiming to mirror Henderson's rise to fame with the Reds when looking from a Sunderland perspective.

James McConnell's performance vs Chelsea

Onto seven first-team appearances now under the popular German boss this campaign, with one of those run-outs resulting in an assist being tallied up against Norwich City, McConnell showed signs of immense coolness for his age coming on during the League Cup final this weekend.

The teenager helped the Reds to grind out a 1-0 win at Wembley to pick up the first trophy of Klopp's farewell tour, with the youthful Liverpool number 53 notching up three key passes and two ground duels won against Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea.

Amassing 47 touches in total too from just 33 minutes, bettering Nicolas Jackson's 31-touch total with the Senegalese striker on the pitch for 90 minutes, McConnell could well have a bright future in the senior fold at Liverpool.

It's no shock to see Klopp describe the 19-year-old star as "special" in the past when looking at this stellar individual display, waxing lyrical about McConnell just this pre-season.

This calm cameo against Chelsea could see McConnell get the nod to start against Southampton this mid-week in the FA Cup, with the central midfielder wanting to emulate Henderson's career arc when further making waves for Liverpool.

Henderson would go on to make a staggering 492 appearances for the Reds, the now 33-year-old a bargain buy for just £20m with McConnell potentially proving to be a similarly savvy purchase for the Premier League giants in time.

Whereas, Sunderland will just aim to get their Championship season back on track sooner rather than later with their current crop of young stars.

Germany national team legend Thomas Muller has hinted at a potential retirement from Die Mannschaft following their heartbreaking loss to Spain.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Muller hints at Germany retirementSays there is a 'high probability' after Spain lossWon the 2014 World Cup with Die MannschaftWHAT HAPPENED?

In what was possibly one of the best matches to grace Euro 2024, Spain edged past Germany in extra time with a 119th-minute Mikel Merino winner. The Bayern Munich star has now revealed that he might have played his final game for the German national team.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MULLER SAID

Speaking to Sky Sports Germany, Muller said: "There is a high probability that this was my last international match."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

It was expected coming into the tournament, that this was likely to be Muller's last European Championship and with his participation in the 2026 World Cup being highly unlikely, he may have made the call to end his international career. If he does retire, he will do so with a World Cup to his name but without a European Championship.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR MULLER?

On Instagram, Muller posted an emotional message but did not hint towards it being his last match with Die Mannschaft. In the caption, he wrote: "I am proud to be a part of this team and above all proud to be a German. Thanks to everyone who cheered with us and were great hosts. Let's take this feeling into our daily lives right now in current times."

With Liverpool's attempts to fill the vacancy in their dugout ongoing, it appears that the Premier League side are set to begin talks with targets imminently.

Liverpool's managerial manhunt

As soon as Jürgen Klopp announced his decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, the rumours began swirling as to who would replace the German in the Anfield dugout.

Liverpool "following" elite new winger amid Luis Diaz links to Barcelona

What a signing this could be for the Reds.

ByHenry Jackson Mar 5, 2024

The obvious front-runner for much of this period has been Xabi Alonso. The current Leverkusen boss played 143 times for Liverpool during his playing career and has earned plaudits during his time in Germany. Currently ten points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, it may prove tricky to tempt to Spaniard to move back to Merseyside.

Rumours linking Ange Postecoglou with a move to Anfield have been put to bed in recent days as well as Lens boss Franck Haise who had also been touted to fill the vacancy. With the search for Klopp's successor continuing, it has been reported that FSG have settled on a shortlist with talks set to begin soon.

Two young managers set for Anfield interviews

As first reported by Football Insider, both Ruben Amorim and Julian Nagelsmann are on Liverpool's manager shortlist. Sources have told the outlet that the pair are both "set for interviews" with the club in the coming weeks as the club look to replace Klopp this summer.

The outlet states that the pair have joined Alonso on the list however, it is suggested that Liverpool's attention is now turning away from the Spaniard as he appears more drawn to offers from elsewhere.

Amorim is currently in the dugout at Sporting CP, who sit one point clear at the top of the Portuegese Primeira Liga. His Sporting side's stats have seen them score two goals per game and only lose twice all season, whilst still competing in the Europa League. The 39-year-old fits a similar mould to that of Alonso and would be a strong successor to Klopp's high energy, attacking style of play.

Nagelsmann will be a familiar name to English fans with the current German national team manager previously linked with a move to Spurs before Ange Postecoglou took over this summer. A compatriot of Klopp, Nagelsmann's style of play has often been likened to that of the Liverpool boss with both favouring a high pressing, attacking tactical profile.

Still in the infancy of his management career, his development has been closely followed by many in the game with Klopp himself tipping him for big things back in 2017.

Seven years on and Nagelsmann has made waves as one of the most impressive young managers working today. First with Hoffenheim then RB Leipzig, the 36-year-old has a knack for getting the most out of young sides and delivering success.

Regardless of whether it is Amorim or Nagelsmann who ends up in the dugout at Anfield, it is clear that Klopp's legacy would be in safe hands.

Board pledges £20 million over two years and announces 40 new domestic contracts

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2019The England & Wales Cricket Board has pledged a funding boost for women’s cricket of £20 million over two years, and plans to invest £50 million in the next five years, in a bid to make cricket into a gender-balanced sport.The challenge of transforming women’s and girls’ cricket was one of six priorities within the ECB’s ‘Inspiring Generations’ strategy for 2020-2024, and part of the new remit is a commitment to the funding of 40 full-time professional, domestic contracts, in addition to the existing central contracts for England Women’s elite players.A ten-point action plan was unveiled by Clare Connor, the ECB’s managing director for women’s cricket, at an event in London, with a focus on five key objectives:Participation: To increase the number of women and girls playing cricket recreationally
Pathway: To develop aspiring female cricketers (U11-17) as players and people
Performance: To drive the performance of England women’s cricket through a new semi-professional, eight region structure
Profile: To elevate the profile of women’s cricket through The Hundred, the England Women’s team and the elite game
People: To increase the representation of women across the cricket workforce”Cricket has been an integral part of my life, as a player and in my role of Managing Director of Women’s Cricket. I have never been more excited by the opportunity in front of us right now,” said Connor.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Recent initiatives have given women and girls more opportunities to play, such as All Stars Cricket for 5-8-year-olds, the South Asian female activators programme, and the Kia Super League for our most talented domestic cricketers. But to truly transform women’s and girls’ cricket, we must now move from targeted standalone programmes to addressing the whole pathway as one.”We have an amazing opportunity to make cricket the sport we want it to be – a sport that is modern, innovative and inclusive. I have been so heartened by the level of enthusiasm, commitment and support for this plan from everyone involved in cricket.”Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, added: “During the development of Inspiring Generations, and extensive conversations and research across the game, the strong appetite to transform cricket’s relationship with women and girls was abundantly clear.”There is tremendous energy across the cricket network to pursue the game’s largest growth opportunity and to increase the number of women and girls playing, watching and volunteering at every level of the game.”This plan, formed in collaboration with the whole cricket network, and supported by our commercial and media partners, represents a crucial step in achieving our ambition of making cricket a gender-balanced sport.”The plan was produced following two years of consultation with all 38 Counties and Cricket Wales, and detailed analysis of thousands of survey responses from the recreational and elite game.To test some of the recommendations for the recreational game, ECB has run pilot programmes with over 600 cricket clubs to better understand the essential criteria in creating the most sustainable women’s and girls’ clubs.”This action plan is a really exciting next step in the continued growth of women’s cricket,” said Heather Knight, England Women’s captain. “We need more young girls to be inspired to play and those young girls need to be able to see a clear pathway above them that encourages them to continue pursuing the game.”As England players we’re fortunate enough to meet lots of young girls who love the game and it means so much to us to see how much they love cricket. Much of this plan is about normalising the game for women and girls and I’m excited to see how this increased opportunity takes the game forward.”

Weston McKennie has a new Premier League suitor, with Everton the latest side from England to “survey” the United States international.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Turned down chance to join VillansInto final year of Bianconeri contractSaudi Pro League sides show interestWHAT HAPPENED?

The USMNT star has entered the final year of his contract at Serie A giants Juventus. No fresh terms have been agreed in Turin, with the Bianconeri now open to a sale. McKennie has been linked with clubs around the world.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Aston Villa appeared set to agree a deal at one stage, in a part-exchange package involving Douglas Luiz, but McKennie turned down the chance to join the Champions League-bound Villans. Borussia Dortmund have also been credited with interest, while the 25-year-old has been urged to consider a move to MLS.

DID YOU KNOW?

are now reporting that Everton are keen on the former Leeds United loanee. They are said to be casting an eye over the versatile American, along with clubs from the Saudi Pro League – who would be able to put a lucrative contract offer on the table.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT?

McKennie is, however, in rush to make a decision on his future – having only recently finished Copa America duty with his country – and is yet to receive an approach that meets his “wishes”. Juve remain eager to sanction a sale that will free up space and funds in their squad.