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Glasgow Rangers resumed their dominance of the Scottish game during Dick Advocaat’s first two seasons in charge.

The Ibrox side won five out of six trophies domestically while defeating strong European sides such as Parma and PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

His third season in charge, however, proved to be a disaster and the Dutchman made one of his biggest blunders during his spell at the Light Blues, signing Tore Andre Flo.

Advocaat made huge Rangers blunder on Flo

November 2000, Rangers are struggling in the league as Celtic appear to be revigorated under new manager Martin O’Neil. Advocaat, therefore, splashes out £12m to bring Flo to Scotland from Chelsea and the transfer is still the club’s biggest ever outlay for a player.

Initial impressions were good, with the Norwegian scoring against Celtic on his debut in a 5-1 rout and he went on to score another 12 goals that season, despite Rangers ending a season trophyless for the first time since 1998.

Season 2001/2002 saw Flo hit new heights in Scotland, scoring a remarkable 25 goals in all competitions as the Ibrox side won a cup double under new manager Alex McLeish.

On the back of an excellent season, much was made of Flo spearheading the Rangers attack ahead of the new campaign, but McLeish surprisingly sold him to Sunderland for a fee of £6.75m, with the club suffering a massive loss just two and half years since buying the striker.

Sunderland manager Peter Reid expressed his delight in signing Flo, going on to say he had “excellent finishing skills” and despite scoring on his debut against Manchester United, it didn’t quite work out for the player back in the Premier League.

Overall, Flo played just 72 times for the Light Blues and scored 38 goals, which works out at £315k per strike.

For a club record fee of £12m, the Ibrox faithful certainly expected a lot more from Flo during his spell in Glasgow. Advocaat made some impressive signings as Gers boss but splashing out on the Norwegian at a time of struggle was arguably his biggest mistake.

Members of the national media have erupted over some major West Ham United news with club legend Mark Noble set to become new sporting director.

The Lowdown: Hammers confirm Noble return…

The Hammers shared some big news on Thursday with the announcement of Noble’s imminent return to the club, but not on the pitch or in the dressing room.

Noble, who recently retired from the professional game after 18 full seasons with his boyhood team, will take up the role of sporting director on January 2 next year.

The former midfield star will work in tandem with manager David Moyes and the West Ham board of directors, where he will have a major say in player recruitment, academy development and other aspects of running the Premier League side.

The Latest: Media erupt over ‘unusual’ appointment…

Following this major off-field news, members of the media have been quick to voice their diverse range of opinions – with some praising West Ham but others calling Noble’s appointment ‘unusual’.

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They explained:

“Mark Noble appointed West Ham’s sporting director. Exciting appointment.” – Sami Mokbel, Daily Mail (via Twitter).

“Having no Mark Noble around the dressing room has been a bit of an issue at West Ham this season. So his appointment as Sporting Director makes perfect sense.”  – Ian Darke, BT Sport and ESPN commentator (via Twitter).

“So is Mark Noble now David Moyes’ superior? Maybe their relationship is strong enough but it’s…unusual.” – Daniel Zeqiri, The Telegraph (via Twitter).

The Verdict: Great move…

We believe the 35-year-old’s return to east London comes as a great move, mainly given his standing among the fanbase and knowledge of all things West Ham.

His popularity at the club and in the stands along with a strong relationship with Moyes’ squad already gives him a head start on the role, and it’s likely the former club captain has his fair share of insight on academy matters too.

You’d be hard pressed to find a man who knows the ins-and-outs of West Ham more than Noble given he spent nearly 20 years at Rush Green and make 550 senior appearances.

Tottenham Hotspur return to action with a lunchtime cracker as they go head-to-head with arch-rivals Arsenal in the north London derby.

Both teams find themselves at the top of the Premier League standings with the Gunners holding a one-point advantage in first place, so we’re surely in for an exciting encounter indeed.

Antonio Conte has plenty of decisions to make in terms of team selection, particularly as the bulk of his squad have just returned from international duty.

Unlike more recent campaigns, Arsenal pose a far greater threat this term and the Italian must be wary of the firepower available at Mikel Arteta’s disposal.

The likes of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli could have a field day if Spurs’ backline aren’t on their ‘A game’ this afternoon.

A whopping 77% of Tottenham’s play comes from their own third or the heart of the pitch, which is a worry as Arsenal are the opposite, playing 77% of their game in the middle and in the opposition’s third, this means that Conte is likely to set-up in a counter-attack manner.

This could leave Emerson Royal exposed at right wing-back as his display against a much weaker outfit in Sporting CP a few weeks ago was pretty shocking.

‘ Same old story with his attacking bluntness and at the back he was beaten in the air with Kane for Paulinho’s header and then Gomes skipped past with a nutmeg far too easily,’ wrote football.london reporter Alasdair Gold in his post-match column.

The Brazilian has been something of a liability for Spurs at times this season, particularly in defence, where he gives up one foul per game, which is tied for the second-most within the squad. He also makes the seventh fewest interceptions, via WhoScored.

Signed in a £26m deal from FC Barcelona last summer, the 23-year-old’s time in north London has certainly divided opinion.

“He’s obviously not loved by a lot of Spurs fans,” recently claimed The Sun journalist Tom Barclay to GIVEMESPORT, whilst The Times revealed in January that Conte wasn’t convinced by his options in the role and wanted an upgrade – they went onto sign Djed Spence in the summer.

BBC Match of the Day presenter Craig Mitch also stated that Emerson “will cost this team massively this season” earlier in the month, with BT Sport pundit Peter Crouch lambasting his defending in that aforementioned Champions League defeat as “very poor” (via the Express).

As such, Conte must make the brutal decision to axe the Brazil international from his starting XI for the north London derby today. The liability’s presence on the pitch could well cost them against the Gunners in what is arguably their biggest games of the season so far.

AND in other news, Spurs dealt injury worry ahead of Arsenal…

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a ‘surprise’ stadium development amid their reported talks with Google over the naming rights, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs stadium naming rights hunt…

Back in 2019, chairman Daniel Levy confirmed the club’s interest in securing a mega-money naming rights deal after Spurs moved to their state of the art £1 billion stadium.

There have been past suggestions that the Premier League side are holding out for a £25 million-per-year agreement as club chiefs lead by Levy hold negotiations with blue chip companies like Amazon and Nike.

In their efforts to find a buyer for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium naming rights, Levy and co turned to chief commercial officer Todd Kline – who came to north London in early 2021 with a stellar reputation in the world of sport’s finance.

The ex-NFL executive is rumoured to have orchestrated an 18-year naming rights deal for the Miami Dolphins stadium, worth a reported £180m, with Levy looking to take full advantage of his expertise and land his own mega-money financial windfall at Tottenham.

Now, the Lilywhites are in ‘meaningful talks’ with big name brand Google, and reports suggest they are also planning a ‘surprise’ stadium upgrade amid these discussions.

The Latest: Spurs plan ‘surprise’ stadium upgrade…

Amid these reports of Google and a potential breakthrough, it has now been reported that Spurs are planning a ‘surprise’ stadium development in the form of a pitch upgrade.

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Football Insider claim Tottenham are ‘already’ seeking to improve their retractable pitch which has set them back £20-30 million since it’s build.

The pitch, designed to slide back and reveal an artificial field for NFL use, apparently cost ‘two to three per cent’ of the total Spurs stadium investment.

SCX, a mechanical engineering specialist firm who helped to install the pitch, apparently expressed they are ‘surprised’ as Spurs seek improvements to the cutting edge technology.

The report also moots this could ‘dramatically’ raise costs.

The Verdict: Shock?

Spurs’ apparent willingness to upgrade an already state-of-the-art retractable pitch could hint at some financial confidence on the club’s part, and potentially positive talks over the naming rights.

The multi-million pound ground is arguably one of the best in European football and stands out as Tottenham’s most viable financial asset.

The ground-breaking stadium could be central to Spurs’ success over years to come but Levy will want to seal a lucrative naming rights deal soon to warrant these kinds of stadium technological investments.

Southampton’s academy has been prolific in its production of quality talent over its time, with some of the Premier League’s greatest having graced the south coast before going on to dominate English football.

Whilst the likes of Alan Shearer, Matt Le Tissier and Gareth Bale were never expected to reach the heights they did, another unassuming name coming through now will have hopes of following in their footsteps.

Dynel Simeu was signed from Chelsea’s youth system, outlining another effort by the club to poach young talent before their value skyrockets beyond their catchment.

The Cameroon-born 20-year-old was regarded as one of the more highly rated youngsters in the Blues’ academy yet still made the decision to return “home”.

It is a testament to the pathway the Saints have in place for graduates to progress into the first team. James Ward-Prowse stands as glittering proof as their captain and midfield maestro.

This season has seen the defender sent out on loan to get his first taste of senior football, with a view that upon his return he could start to challenge the starting centre-backs.

He has already featured seven times for Tranmere Rovers in League Two this campaign, notching his first goal too in a 3-0 win over Crewe Alexandra.

Standing at 6 foot 2, his hulking frame instantly outlines him as someone with all the physical traits to succeed at the back.

Not only this, but former Carlisle United manager Keith Millen is confident in his technical abilities too.

He claimed: “When I saw him at Southampton he played on the left; he’s predominantly right-footed but is one of these centre-halves who’s comfortable on the left as well.”

Millen also gave his character a glowing recommendation, as he continued: “Since then I’ve met him twice, really like him as a lad. He’s very humble, wants to learn, just wants to get better”.

He could be seen as direct competition for Mohammed Salisu, who possesses a similarly massive frame but focuses more on the defensive side of things.

This season the Ghanaian is averaging 2.8 tackles and 5.0 clearances per game, which is where Simeu should aspire to be with his defending.

This year on loan will stand him in good stead to soon start challenging the 23-year-old for his place

He can go right to the very top if he maintains his steady incline and remains grounded.

Crystal Palace may regret their decision to sell Freddie Woodman to Newcastle United in 2013, as he has now established himself as one of the best English goalkeepers outside of the Premier League.

The 25-year-old was a product of the academy at Selhurst Park but made the switch to the Magpies nearly 10 years ago, with the Toon no doubt paying a minimal fee for what would have been a 16-year-old at the time.

He progressed through Newcastle’s academy, enjoying loan spells at the likes of Hartlepool, Crawley Town and Kilmarnock before he began to knock on the first-team door at the Toon.

During his time with Kilmarnock, the young ‘keeper earned the praise of his former manager Lee Clark, who said: “I’d been watching Freddie and I’d known him from a young age. I knew he was an outstanding young keeper and had all the attributes.”

Despite some superb performances on loan with Swansea City in the second tier, with whom he reached the Championship playoff final in 2021 having kept an incredible 20 clean sheets, Woodman wasn’t deemed good enough to feature in the Premier League for Newcastle.

He was sold to Preston North End this summer and has picked up where he had left off in the Championship with the Swans, keeping 10 clean sheets in his first 17 league appearances for Ryan Lowe’s side.

This comfortably sees him leading the race for the Golden Glove in that division, and should he continue his fine form with the Lilywhites, it would not be a surprise to see him earn a move back to the Premier League in the near future.

While Palace boast two top goalkeepers in Vicente Guaita and Sam Johnstone, the Spaniard is now 35, so Woodman could have been an excellent long-term replacement had he remained with the Eagles nearly a decade ago.

It is impossible to say whether the shot-stopper would have enjoyed the same career path had he remained at Selhurst Park, but there is little doubt that the former England under-21 man has a lot of talent and could easily feature again in the top flight.

Therefore, Palace may well be having nightmares over their decision to let the 25-year-old leave.

Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte could have a vital say in the long-term future of club legend Harry Kane, according to insider Dean Jones.

THE LOWDOWN: STEADY SPURS

11 points from their first five games saw Spurs get off to a solid start under £250k-per-week coach Conte, though with consecutive losses, that progress is in danger of coming to a halt.

But despite another loss in their last game, the side still sit in third place and well in the fight for Champions League qualification.

England captain Kane has been a massive figure yet again for the side – and would lead the race for the Golden Boot with his emphatic return of 10 goals in 12 games if it wasn’t for a goalscoring onslaught from Premier League newbie Erling Haaland.

THE LATEST: THE CONTE EFFECT

Amid claims that Kane could depart the club at the end of the season, insider Jones believes that if Conte was to sign a contract extension at the club, he could convince the England great to stay.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said:

“I think it’d be a massive factor in Kane staying, I think he’ll be looking for consistency, he’ll be looking to be convinced that Tottenham will remain on this path.

“They’re not playing amazing football at the moment, but they are playing football that’s leading to positive results, and this is ultimately what he’s been waiting for the whole time he’s been at Tottenham.”

THE VERDICT: KNOCK-ON EFFECT

Given Conte’s phenomenal record in acquiring major trophies, Kane may well fancy biding his time as long as the Italian coach is there.

The 29-year-old may feel that this is his closest bet to winning silverware at Spurs and would be foolish to call time on his stay while the club look as though they are on the up.

So we agree that Conte agreeing an extension could well have a knock-on effect on Kane, who is approaching crunch time in his bid to win a major trophy.

Rumoured Wolves managerial candidate Vitor Pereira is still unsure about taking the Wanderers job, according to a new update.

The Lowdown: Pereira linked with Wolves job

Wanderers’ search for a new manager is still ongoing, as they look to find the right replacement for Bruno Lage and kick their season into gear.

Pereira is one name who has been thrown into the hat recently, with Wolves thought to see the Corinthians boss as a strong option to lead the team forward and the 54 year-old allegedly telling his club he will leave in November when the Brazilian season ends.

Indeed, his current contract in Brazil expires at the end of this year, so a move to England could well appeal.

The Latest: New update emerges

According to Lance [via Sport Witness], Corinthians are definitely ‘pessimistic’ about Pereira staying put at the club, with their chances of retaining his services described as ‘remote’.

That being said, it is also claimed that he ‘has not received offers’ from any clubs and he will only consider ‘competitive teams’ who are ‘sportingly interesting’.

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The Verdict: Exciting option for Wanderers

There certainly appears to be a good chance for Wolves to get Pereira if they can entice him to the club, with his time at Corinthians looking all but certain to come to an end.

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He would be a strong manager to come in and turn Wanderers’ fortunes around, considering he won two Primeira Liga titles during his time at Porto and also won the Greek Super League with Olympiakos.

The key now could be whether or not another club comes in for Pereira and represent a better option than Wolves, but the lure of the Premier League could be great for him.

Things are improving, he says, but wants the club to be “kept under review to make sure this really is the start of something important and meaningful”

Matt Roller12-Jan-2022

After seeing signs of positive change at Yorkshire CCC since Lord Patel took over as chair, Azeem Rafiq has called upon the ECB to reinstate the club’s right to host international cricket at Headingley.Lord Patel, who replaced Roger Hutton as chair in November, told the on Wednesday that he was “working hell-for-leather” to meet the ECB’s set of criteria before an early-spring deadline, and Rafiq wrote in a newspaper column that he hoped Headingley was able to host internationals in 2022.Rafiq said that the idea that young children in Yorkshire would be “denied the high-level cricket that could inspire them” was “the last thing I want” and that instead of helping to solve the problems in the English game, the club’s suspension from hosting internationals “could end up adding to them”.Related

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“It has been a whirlwind since I appeared in front of MPs almost two months ago, and what Yorkshire and Lord Patel have done to bring change is definitely a step in the right direction,” Rafiq wrote in the . “That is why I believe the time is right to say they should be given back the international cricket so vital to their very survival. The people of Yorkshire should be able to watch England in Test and white-ball games at Headingley this summer.”It just seems outside the county everyone wants to throw the book at Yorkshire and my concern is some want to do that in order to make themselves look better or deflect attention away from their issues. I don’t agree with that because it will not drive change.”The ECB stripped Yorkshire of their right to host international fixtures and major matches in early November until they have “clearly demonstrated that it can meet the standards expected of an international venue, ECB member and first-class county” after describing their handling of Rafiq’s allegations of institutional racism as “wholly unacceptable”.There has since been a mass overhaul of personnel at the club, with 16 staff losing their jobs and Darren Gough hired as director of cricket. The search for a permanent head coach is ongoing, and the club has received more than 80 applicants covering the various vacancies on their coaching staff.Lord Patel has called an emergency general meeting in February in order to vote on changes to the club’s rules•AFP/Getty Images

Headingley is due to stage two men’s internationals next summer, England’s Test against New Zealand from June 23 and their ODI against South Africa on July 24. The fixtures are still listed on Yorkshire’s website, though tickets are unavailable at the moment.”I am not saying everything is now hunky-dory at my old county and we can all move on,” Rafiq wrote. “Yorkshire must be kept under review to make sure this really is the start of something important and meaningful. Everything is not fine yet, not by a long way.”At first in all this I believed international cricket should be taken away from them. But they have done enough to warrant getting it back, for now at least. I want to see England playing at Headingley this summer. I may even pop down to watch myself.”The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee is due to publish its own report into racism in cricket on Friday, following the conclusion of a series of parliamentary hearings last year, with the ECB’s own investigation yet to be completed.Lord Patel has called an emergency general meeting in February in order to vote on changes to the club’s rules, and has opened applications for six new non-executive directors. He has also proposed that two representatives of the Yorkshire membership sit of the board of director.Meanwhile, Yorkshire are expected to keep their place in Division One of the County Championship, though they could face a points penalty for the 2022 season. County fixtures are due to be published in the next two weeks.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is keen on bringing in Nicolas Jackson from his former club Villarreal, according to a fresh transfer report.

The Lowdown: Jackson shines for Villarreal

The 50-year-old has left the Yellow Submarine to take charge at Villa Park, with the Spaniard tasked with picking up the pieces left by his predecessor Steven Gerrard.

While there is a decent squad in the Midlands, it still seems likely that the new boss will want to bring in fresh faces who could suit his style of play.

It looks as though he plans to go straight back to his former club in that respect, following a recent report.

The Latest: Emery wants Jackson at Villa

According to Mundo Deportivo [via Sport Witness], Emery has ‘instructed his new club to move quickly and try to sign’ Jackson.

The 21-year-old’s current Villarreal deal expires at the end of this season, so they could be keen to earn some kind of fee for him in the January transfer window. He is thought to have a £27m release clause.

The Verdict: Exciting option

The fact that Emery knows Jackson inside-out as a player can only bode well, in terms of being an expert on his qualities, and the 21-year-old’s numbers certainly speak for themselves.

The Senegalese winger has two goals and two assists to his name in La Liga this season and he could be a fresh new option in a central attacking role, with Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings not setting the world alight so far in 2022/23.

At 21, Jackson is still very much a work in progress, so he should be viewed as an exciting prospective long-term addition who could mature into a formidable prospect under his former manager if Emery brings him to Villa Park.