All posts by h716a5.icu

Ireland have announced an ODI against West Indies against in September next year and have also confirmed the schedule for the tri-series in May involving New Zealand and Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2016Ireland have announced an ODI against West Indies against in September next year and have also confirmed the schedule for the tri-series in May involving New Zealand and Bangladesh.West Indies will play their match on September 13 ahead of the one-day series against England later that month. It will be the first time they have met since Ireland beat West Indies by four wickets in Nelson during the 2015 World Cup.It will also bring Phil Simmons, the former Ireland coach who is now in charge of West Indies, back to face his former charges.”I’m really looking forward to bringing the West Indies team to Ireland,” said Simmons. “I had eight great years there as coach and made some lasting friendships as well as winning trophies. It should be a tough contest and Irish conditions will be ideal in helping our preparations for England.”The tri-series in May will be part of the preparation for New Zealand and Bangladesh ahead of the Champions Trophy.Ireland take on Bangladesh in the first game on May 12 before facing New Zealand two days later.New Zealand and Bangladesh go head-to-head on May 17, with Ireland playing Bangladesh for a second time on May 19.Ireland’s final game is against New Zealand on May 21, with the last game in the series between New Zealand and Bangladesh taking place on May 24.Ireland will begin their 2017 season with a two-match series against England with matches at Lord’s and Bristol.

Insider ExWHUEmployee has revealed that West Ham United have not made a decision on David Moyes' future amid links to Marco Silva.

What's the latest on West Ham and Moyes?

It's been a season of inconsistency for the Irons as they look set to finish down towards the bottom of the Premier League table having placed seventh in the previous campaign.

And while they could still tase European success as they have made it to the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, it's no shock that Moyes' future is in doubt.

Indeed, according to the Daily Mail, the Scottish manager is looking increasingly likely" to leave West Ham this summer as the board weigh up replacements.

However, in an update shared on The West Ham Way Podcast, Ex stated that no decision had been made yet although Fulham boss Silva is one of a few names being considered.

He said (11:55): “Paulo Sousa is also interested in the job. Brendan Rodgers is interested in the job now. And apparently, Marco Silva is the latest name to be linked.

"At this point, I don't think a decision has been made. I think it'll be dependent on the Conference League and discussions in the summer.

"But they are some names that are being floated around as potential replacements."

Would Marco Silva join West Ham?

The 45-year-old Fulham coach has done very well of late as he looks to have guided his team to a top-ten finish in the Premier League directly after taking them up from the Championship.

West Ham, on the other hand, will finish much further down the table as they currently sit 15th with just three games to go. So you can see why Silva may look like an interesting alternative to Moyes.

Of course, he isn't the only candidate with Ex noting interest in former Leicester City boss Rodgers and current Salernitana coach Sousa.

However, judging from her recent article in The Sun, Ange Postecoglou may well be the favourite for vice-chairman Karen Brady.

Indeed, after the Celtic manager secured another league title for his side, she urged readers to "raise a glass to" his success, while saying of his career as a whole: "Postecoglou’s feats around the world suggest he would make an impact this side of Hadrian’s Wall."

All in all, it sounds as though there are a number of notable names who could be seen as good Moyes replacements but the writing is not on the wall for the current boss just yet.

A timeline of events in the episode involving Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum and several alleged wrongdoings

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jun-20162010January: Cairns declares intent to sue Lalit Modi over accusatory tweet
The then IPL commissioner Lalit Modi tweets that the IPL decided to withdraw Cairns’ name from the auction list because of his alleged involvement in fixing. In his response, a statement issued by his solicitor Andrew Fitch-Holland, Cairns says: “The allegation made by Lalit Modi that I have been involved in match-fixing is scandalous and wholly untrue. For him to circulate such a falsehood around the world is outrageous. Mr Modi’s allegation has caused me huge personal distress and professional damage. I cannot allow these slurs to ruin my future and I have instructed my solicitors, Collyer Bristow LLP, to bring proceedings for defamation against Mr Modi.”2011February: McCullum reports alleged approaches by Cairns
Brendon McCullum tells John Rhodes, a representative of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, about the allegedly corrupt approaches Chris Cairns made to him in 2008. New Zealand’s then captain Daniel Vettori is present at the Rhodes’ meeting, for moral support according to McCullum. McCullum decides to speak out only after Rhodes addressed the team ahead of their World Cup 2011 opener, telling them “if we had been or were approached about match-fixing and we did not report it, then we were, in the eyes of the ICC, just as guilty as the person who approached us”. McCullum did not report the alleged approaches by his one-time hero earlier because “it’s not easy ‘ratting’ on someone I regarded as a mate”.2012March: Cairns wins libel case against Modi
Chris Cairns wins his libel case in London against Lalit Modi and is awarded damages of £90,000 ($142,000). Judge David Bean of the High Court finds that Modi had “singularly failed to provide any reliable evidence” that Cairns was involved in fixing of any kind.2014May: McCullum report on Cairns leaked
The carries parts of the statements made by Brendon McCullum on Chris Cairns to the ICC’s anti-corruption investigators. According to the newspaper, McCullum told investigators that he was first approached during IPL 2008, and he turned down offers of up to $180,000 to underperform. New Zealand Cricket releases a statement confirming that McCullum is not under investigation himself, and says: “New Zealand Cricket is dismayed that Brendon McCullum’s testimony to the International Cricket Council has been leaked to the media.”July: Vincent confesses to being a ‘cheat’
“My name is Lou Vincent and I am a cheat. I have abused my position as a professional sportsman on a number of occasions by choosing to accept money in fixing.” Thus begins a tell-all confession from the former New Zealand batsman, who, hours after releasing this statement, is banned for life by the ECB; Vincent had confessed to 11 offences punishable by a life ban under ECB anti-corruption regulations. He is banned from “all forms of cricket” and prevented from “playing, coaching or participating in any form of cricket which is recognised or sanctioned by ECB, the ICC or any other National Cricket Federation”.2015October 5: Perjury case opens against Cairns
A case opens at Southwark Crown Court against Chris Cairns, who is accused by the Crown Prosecution Service of lying under oath during the 2012 libel case involving Lalit Modi. Also standing trial is Cairns’ former legal counsel Andrew Fitch-Holland, who is accused of perverting the course of justice in the 2012 case.October 12: Vincent testifies against Cairns
Lou Vincent is the first of the witnesses to be called for the prosecution. He claims he was acting under “direct orders” from Cairns when he agreed to fix matches in the now-defunct Indian Cricket League in 2008.October 15: McCullum testifies against Cairns
McCullum gives evidence in the perjury case. He claims he was asked three times by Cairns to get involved in spot-fixing. He admits he did not report the approach until three years later because “he didn’t want it to be true”.October 21: ACSU official questioned on McCullum’s statements
John Rhodes, the Australasian head of the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU), takes the stand in the perjury case; it was to this official that Brendon McCullum had made his initial statement on Cairns in 2011. Rhodes says McCullum’s initial statement omitted any explicit mention of “match-fixing”, but the “inference was clear”. However, he says, his job as a field officer was simply to collect information and it was up to his superiors to investigate his findings. He admits to having lost the diary where he had made notes on McCullum’s report.November: Cairns found not guilty of perjury
The nine-week perjury trial ends. Justice Sweeney, the presiding judge, says the evidence of two of the three “key” witnesses – Lou Vincent, his ex-wife Eleanor Riley and Brendon McCullum – would have to be accepted as true for the perjury charge to be upheld. The jury delivers a not-guilty verdict after 10 hours and 17 minutes of deliberation.2016June: McCullum hits out at ACSU’s handling of his report on Cairns
During his MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture, Brendon McCullum condemns the casual manner in which his first interview with John Rhodes was conducted. He says of Rhodes: “[He] took notes – he did not record our conversation. He said he would get what I said down on paper and that it would probably end up at the bottom of the file with nothing eventuating. Looking back on this, I am very surprised by what I perceive to be a very casual approach to gathering evidence. I was reporting two approaches by a former international star of the game. I was not asked to elaborate on anything I said and I signed a statement that was essentially nothing more than a skeleton outline.” He also condemns the severity of the punishment dished out to Lou Vincent, pointing out that Vincent had spoken out on fixing and co-operated with the authorities on the matter. In its response to McCullum’s statements, the ICC denies the origin of the leaked statement came from within the governing body and stresses that it has “put strong measures” in place to prevent the recurrence of such an incident.

Glasgow Rangers will be without the services of Alfredo Morelos next season as Michael Beale confirmed that the striker is leaving the club after six years.

This leaves the club with only Antonio Colak, Fashion Sakala and Kemar Roofe as the centre-forward options at the club as it stands heading into next season.

The Englishman will surely be eying a few players in the summer transfer window, especially with Roofe’s injury issues and Sakala’s poor finishing skills.

The Zambian has netted just eight times across 37 appearances this season and although the player shows plenty of enthusiasm, his lack of cutting-edge is a major worry heading into 2023/24.

Beale must wish he could rewind the clock in order to utilise a player who was signed by Dick Advocaat in 1999 and has since entered cult hero status at the Ibrox side; Michael Mols.

What did Michael Mols achieve at Rangers?

Beale plays an attacking style of football which would have allowed the Dutchman to thrive, linking up well with two wingers and an attacking midfielder while he could also hold the ball up to great effect and bring others into play.

The £4m signing from the Eredivisie during Advocaat’s second season in charge of the Light Blues had the potential to transform their dominance in Scotland to the continent.

He enjoyed a wonderful start to life at the club, scoring four goals before a horrific injury suffered against Bayern Munich in the Champions League proved to be a career changer for the striker.

When he came back after a couple of seasons of stop-start progress in 2002/03, he was a different player. Mols couldn’t rely on his blistering pace anymore, therefore he turned into a more intelligent striker, someone that Beale could do with next season.

The Dutchman didn’t lose his finishing touch, scoring 13 league goals that term as Rangers eventually won the treble, while adding in another 11 during his final campaign for the club in 2003/04.

That initial tally happens to be better than Sakala's seasonal record in Glasgow, with the club's current striker having not scored more than 12 in a single campaign yet.

Mols' ability to confuse defenders with his famous turn, giving him an extra yard of space to unleash a shot terrorised countless players during his time in Scotland and although the injury changed his nature, he didn’t lose the most important skill – finishing.

Prime Mols in this current Rangers side would be a massive danger, with Todd Cantwell on the right and Ryan Kent on the left threading him plenty of passes from which he could cause serious chaos from.

Advocaat struck gold signing the attacker, and his cult hero status in Glasgow was well-earned.

Fans online have slammed Jordan Pickford following his supposed “smug” comments after saving a penalty in the recent Everton draw.The Toffees travelled away from home to take on Leicester City in the Premier League with both teams struggling down at the bottom of the table.Indeed, the two sides may well end up playing football in the Championship next season if they can’t turn around their fortunes soon.In the end, they were able to at least claim a point each as the game at the King Power Stadium ended in a 2-2 draw.Everton took the lead thanks to Dominic Calvert-Lewin but Caglar Soyuncu levelled things shortly after and before half time Jamie Vardy had put the Foxes 2-1 up.A second-half goal from Alex Iwobi was enough to see things end all square at 2-2 but shortly before the break, James Maddison had a huge chance to make it 3-1.After Michael Keane had been penalised for a handball, the Leicester midfielder was gifted the opportunity to score from 12 yards.However, Maddison failed to beat England international teammate Pickford who guessed the right way by standing straight down the middle to block the penalty.

What did Jordan Pickford say?

As per BBC Sport, the goalkeeper’s water bottle had a graphic attached to it showing how Maddison tends to go down the middle with 60 per cent of his efforts, so Pickford should “stay centre”.

After the game, the Everton man gave a confident interview with Sky Sports and he certainly seemed to be revelling in the role he played in helping his side pick up a point.

The £125k-per-week shot-stopper explained how he knew not to dive, saying: “I did my homework. I called it this morning where I would go. He is a good player and he would’ve expected me to move, but I double-bluffed him and got one up on him.

“Madders needs to learn his lesson. Don’t play poker.

“It was a big moment and I’m happy to save it – it’s what I’m there for.”

Despite his heroics in this incident, Pickford wasn’t able to help Everton get all three points and this means Sean Dyche and co are still in danger of being relegated.

With just four games left to play, they sit second last in the division, one point from safety. With that in mind, fans online didn’t seem to appreciate the confidence exuding from the goalkeeper.

Here are some of the stronger reactions online…

His words really seemed to rub some people the wrong way…

Liverpool are preparing to table a contract offer for Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Ndicka to Liverpool?

The Frenchman will be out of contract at the Deutsche Bank Park at the end of the season, and having rejected several fresh terms to extend his stay, is set to become a free agent on the market – alerting Jurgen Klopp and FSG who are reportedly open to offers for both Joel Matip and Nat Phillips.

The Daily Mirror have name-checked the Reds, alongside Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, as three of the main potential suitors in the race to sign the 23-year-old, and they have already taken their initial interest one step further.

Transfer expert and journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Merseyside outfit have "asked" to be given updates on the 6 foot 3 colossus’ situation by his representatives as they consider whether to make an approach during the upcoming window, and it appears that they have already made their decision.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool and Spurs are expected to go “head-to-head” to try and win the services of Ndicka later in the summer. The Anfield and N17 outfit’s are “both set to make contract proposals” for the centre-back upon the conclusion of the current campaign as they believe he “fits the ideal profile”. The Eintracht star predominantly operates as a left-sided central defender and it’s stated that this is a position that the Reds are “eager to improve”, with his physical attributes making him a “powerhouse” at both ends of the pitch.

Should Liverpool take a chance on Ndicka?

Liverpool knowing that Ndicka would be available on a free transfer makes this a move that is relatively risk-free with them having to pay nothing, and having been hailed a “towering” titan by journalist Jacque Talbot, the hierarchy should 100% bring him on board.

The left-footed ace currently averages 4.9 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per league game, via WhoScored, whilst recording 15 tackles won from 21 players challenged this season, so is a rock at the heart of the defensive backline.

The Europa League winner and Champions League participant has also proven that he can be a poacher at the opposite end of the field having posted 21 goal contributions (11 goals and ten assists) in 177 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt, so this is a deal that the club shouldn’t even have to think twice about wrapping up should the opportunity present itself.

Under the ownership of controversial tycoon Fahrad Moshiri, Everton has developed a notoriously unwanted reputation as one of the country's worst-run clubs.

This is mainly attributed to their managerial merry-go-round and a series of inexplicably poor transfers that have left the club in monstrous debt and having ever lacked a strong spine on the pitch.

However, one signing that at the time was deemed a masterstroke was the unbelievable coup of James Rodriguez in the summer of 2020 from Real Madrid. The 31-year-old began his career in England in electric form, but the honeymoon quickly soured in yet another transfer flop for the Toffees.

Where is James Rodriguez now?

The 90-cap international rose to worldwide fame and stardom thanks to his ridiculous 2014 World Cup campaign. The imperious playmaker was in unstoppable form in Brazil and registered eight goal contributions in five matches, and received the Golden Boot as the tournament's top goalscorer.

The attacker narrowly missed out on the Golden Ball award as he came second to Lionel Messi, but even Argentine legend Diego Maradona argued that the Colombian was more deserving of the title than his counterpart.

This earnt the midfielder a £63m move to Real Madrid, where he was tipped to continue his exponential rise as one of the globe’s most elite technicians.

But, his time in Spain was blighted by injury and inconsistency, and in his final season at Los Blancos, he only managed 14 appearances in all competitions and was deemed surplus to requirements.

Nevertheless, the then 29-year-old still remained a joyous prospect, just a player enveloped and overwhelmed by the humongous expectation of the Santiago Bernabeu faithful. So when Everton secured his services it sent shockwaves across the blue sections of Merseyside and a chance for the gift to revive his stuttering career.

Rodriguez began his debut season in England in formidable fashion, recording six goal contributions in his first six outings.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin heaped praise on the new signing in his early in the North West and said:

“He’s a top, top player. He’s a different level, he dictates games.”

But, the artist failed to appear in 15 of Everton’s Premier League matches and cut a frustrated, unmotivated, and anonymous figure by the end of the season.

Upon Carlo Ancelotti’s departure from the Toffees, Rafa Benitez was appointed as the new manager, but the Spaniard failed to develop any kind of rapport with Rodriguez, who swiftly left for Qatar.

A stint at Olympiacos then followed, but the former Monaco prodigy had his contract terminated with the Greek giant, to leave one of the world’s most revered forces in grave danger of slowly petering into irrelevancy. Irrespective of his quality, perhaps Everton let him go at just the perfect time.

Arsenal are among the main contenders to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer, according to a recent report from CalcioMercato.

What's the latest news involving Dusan Vlahovic?

Vlahovic looks like he could be on his way to the Premier League this summer, with a number of top clubs said to be interested in the striker, including Arsenal, and the player himself would "definitely" be keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium.

There is set to be competition for the Serbian's signature, however, with Manchester United also being named as potential suitors, while Chelsea could look to sign him in a swap deal, with Christian Pulisic going in the opposite direction.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke has recently talked up the forward, describing him as a "proven striker", who would be a "big-name signing" for the Gunners, and it appears as though they will be near the front of the queue this summer.

According to a report from CalcioMercato (via Sport Witness), Arsenal are still among the main contenders for the Juventus star, and there is a growing possibility that he will be available this summer.

The 23-year-old's recent performances mean that he is no longer untouchable at the Allianz Stadium, and the Serie A club could look to cash-in this summer, although they want at least €90m (£80m) to sanction his departure.

Not only will the Gunners have to fend off interest from other Premier League clubs, but Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are all said to be in the race for the marksman's signature this summer.

Should Arsenal sign Dusan Vlahovic?

As referenced in the report, the Belgrade-born attacker has not been at his best recently, and he is now without a goal in his last eight Serie A games, however this is his first real dip in form since bursting onto the scene with Fiorentina.

The Serbia international scored a remarkable 24 league goals during spells with Fiorentina and Juventus last season, the second-highest amount in the Italian top flight.

Hailed as an "absolute beast" by sections of the media, the former Fiorentina man is a proven goal-scorer, and Arsenal may need competition for Gabriel Jesus next season, considering Folarin Balogun's future is in major doubt.

Vlahovic's recent form is cause for some concern, but his previous exploits indicate it will only be a temporary dip in form, and the Gunners should continue to monitor his performances between now and the end of the season.

Glasgow Rangers look like they are already preparing for life without Ryan Kent as they have recently scouted winger Luis Palma.

Kent’s contract expires at the end of the season and with nothing confirmed regarding an extension, the Englishman could well leave the Ibrox side for free, which would represent a major blow for Michael Beale.

It was revealed last week that the Light Blues were keen on Palma, and they had sent scouts to oversee his performance for Aris against Olympiacos and the club have monitored him all season.

According to the Daily Record, he could cost £4.5m and the Glasgow side are facing competition from Anderlecht for his signature in what could be an interesting few weeks ahead.

Beale will need to strengthen his attacking options, and although he will surely be backed in the transfer window, the 42-year-old won’t have vast sums to work with and therefore will have to be smart with his decisions.

Could Rangers sign Luis Palma?

With regular European football and a chance to win trophies on a regular basis, the Gers have everything in place to entice the winger to Scotland, and he is within their budget.

The Honduran has been in wonderful form this term for Aris, scoring ten goals and registering six assists, while his positional versatility could also give him an advantage, being able to operate across the front three if required.

The winger could create a rater menacing attacking duo with striker Antonio Colak, who could thrive with Palma setting him up on a regular basis.

The Croatian hitman has settled fairly well at Rangers, scoring 17 goals, yet he has often looked like an isolated figure, leading the line on his own.

Under Beale, this has become less and less of a problem, however with Kent not exactly enjoying his best season – scoring just three times – and seven-goal Fashion Sakala either hit or miss, a player in the mould of Palma could work wonders for him.

Palma delivers 0.9 crosses per game along with averaging 1.3 key passes and Colak could be on the receiving end of these, waiting in the penalty box and utilising his excellent finishing skills.

The 23-year-old does play slightly deeper according to his heatmap from this season via Sofascore, looking to play passes inside which could suggest that dribbling is not his strong suit, which is evidenced by completing just 43% of his attempted take-ons this term.

This may not be a bad thing, with Colak performing best when able to link up well with someone, and even he could drop deeper to take the ball and try and make things happen, making him less isolated in the process.

Signing Palma may cost Rangers a significant amount, yet it could be a fantastic investment for the future.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has claimed that Adama Traore went over too easily when looking for a penalty for Wolves in their most recent match.

What's the latest on Wolves and VAR?

Julen Lopetugui's men travelled away from home to take on Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this weekend but had to settle for just a point after a fiercely-contested match.

Indeed, Steve Cooper and co took a first-half lead thanks to Brennan Johnson, but Wolves then managed to pull themselves level thanks to Daniel Podence.

That was enough to see the game end 1-1 but perhaps things would have been different had referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot when Traore went to ground in the box.

When speaking about the challenge from Forest defender centre-back Felipe, Sutton told BBC radio show 606 that he agreed with the call made by the officials.

He explained (18:26): "I thought he went over easily there. I've seen that a lot, and what he does is he decelerates, and the Forest defender was Felipe I think, and there's contact, there's not enough contact. He's looking for a penalty. It's simulation.

Sutton added (18:58): "Why doesn’t Traore, with all his pace and his strength and his ability, not try and finish it anyway. He is looking for contact.

"And you know, the referee didn't didn't award a penalty, obviously, but he didn't go and check it on the monitor, it wasn't enough to overturn it. So, I'm totally with the referee on that."

Did Adama Traore deserve a penalty for Wolves?

As you can see in the Sky Sports highlights of the incident, there is a bit of a tug from Felipe on Traore, and you have seen those kinds of challenges punished before.

However, the £55k-p/w Wolves winger could probably stay on his feet and get the shot away if he really wanted to. In the end, it was a marginal decision and with referee Kavanagh not giving it live, it was never likely to be overturned by VAR.

No doubt, some Wolves fans will be frustrated by the decision but seeing as Podence seemed to spit at Johnson but still managed to avoid a red card, perhaps they can count themselves lucky on that front.

The draw leaves Lopetgui and co 13th in the league on 28 points, one place and one point above Forest who have a game in hand.