Lancashire have been warned to expect losses of up to £3million for 2011 before the club’s finances begin to recover
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Nov-2011Lancashire have been warned to expect losses of up to £3million for 2011 before the club’s finances begin to recover with the completion of rebuilding work and the benefit of hosting an Ashes Test in 2013.Last week the club announced losses of £2.1million for 2010 and David Hodgkiss, the club treasurer, said there will be one more tough set of results before a healthy turnaround is expected following Old Trafford’s success of securing international cricket until at least 2016.”In 2013 the picture changes significantly,” Hodgkiss told the . “We forecast the club will be heavily into profit with a turnover in excess of £20m. And we will remain in profit until at least 2016, at which stage we will be a very profitable business.”It has been a tough few years for the club which missed out on the 2009 Ashes and was then caught up in a costly legal battle over their redevelopment which they finally won earlier this year.The ongoing work at Old Trafford meant all Lancashire’s home County Championship matches were played at outgrounds in 2011 with Aigburth, Blackpool and Southport staging games. Lancashire’s four-day relocation to Liverpool is cited as one of the key reasons behind their Championship success as the pitches were far more conducive to results than has often been the case at Old Trafford.Championship cricket will make a partial return to Old Trafford in 2012 with four matches due to be held at the county headquarters with the other four remaining at outgrounds due to the impact of the building work that will continue throughout the season. New media and player facilitates are being constructed while work will also start on renovating the pavilion.However, all Lancashire’s home CB40 and Friends Life t20 matches will be staged at Old Trafford while the ground will host two England matches; a one-day international against Australia and a Twenty20 against South Africa.
The Feroz Shah Kotla ground in New Delhi has been reinstated as an international venue with effect from January 1
ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-2010The Feroz Shah Kotla ground in New Delhi has been reinstated as an international venue with effect from January 1, the ICC has said. This means it is formally cleared to host the four World Cup matches scheduled at the ground next year.The decision follows an inspection by Andy Atkinson, the ICC’s pitch consultant, who observed the pitch first-hand during a Ranji match between Delhi and Gujarat over the past week.The venue was suspended as an international ground following the abandonment of an ODI between India and Sri Lanka in December 2009, and has been under a process of repair monitored by the ICC. Dave Richardson, the ICC’s general manager, said it was pleased with the remedial work carried out and felt the playing surfaces were now back to the standard expected for international matches.The DDCA, to protect the pitch, has decided minimise cricket at the venue ahead of the World Cup, including shifting the next two scheduled Ranji matches out of the Kotla. “We want to keep the wicket in good shape, so [we thought] why not move the Ranji games to other grounds that are available,” Venkat Sundaram, the chairman of the BCCI’s grounds and wickets committee, told Cricinfo. “There are 12 days of cricket scheduled for this track before the World Cup and they can lead to a lot of wear and tear on the wicket, with players running onto it with spikes. “He also said the onset of winter meant the grass won’t grow very quickly, so it would be better to let the turf settle rather than have a lot of cricket on it before the World Cup.The last international played at the Kotla, on December 27 2009, was abandoned after 23.3 overs after the match officials decided the pitch was of “extremely variable bounce and too dangerous for further play”. The immediate fallout of the fiasco was the sacking of the BCCI’s grounds and wickets committee, followed by the resignation of their Delhi counterparts.
It isn’t only the crowds that Kevin Pietersen is having to battle in South Africa, but also his own form after a four-month injury lay-off follow Achilles surgery
Cricinfo staff30-Nov-2009It isn’t only the crowds that Kevin Pietersen is having to battle in South Africa, but also his own form after a four-month injury lay-off following Achilles surgery. His innings during the one-day series have been unconvincing, but given the career he has already had, expectations were always going to be high as soon as he returned to the England side.His soft chip to midwicket at Port Elizabeth ended a six-ball 3 in which he had already been dropped at long leg off a top-edged hook. At Centurion Park he made 29 off 19 balls in the second Twenty20, his comeback match, but managed just 4 in the one-day international on the same ground. His top score of 45 came in Cape Town but, although there was the odd glimpse of his usual style, he looked like a player feeling his way back.The camp, though, remain unconcerned about Pietersen’s results. Before the fourth ODI, Paul Collingwood said it was only to be expected that he would struggle for a while after such a long time out and now the coach, Andy Flower, has said he it was always going to be a challenge for Pietersen.”I wouldn’t be too worried. I think he’s going to take a little while to get back in form,” Flower told reporters after England arrived in Durban. “Being out for four months – when he’s used to playing all the time – I think is a challenge he’s going to have to overcome.”He’s a high achiever, an outstanding sportsman – and he will be very impatient to get back into his dominant ways again. I think we should be patient with him, because it’s not easy just to walk back in and dominate straight away.”Given Pietersen’s record of performing best when the pressure is on, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him emerge from his early problems during the final one-day international at Durban – his old home ground for Natal and where he first encountered England during the 1999-2000 tour and made his intentions known about switching allegiance.”He tends to want to do it his way,” Flower said. “That’s part of his strength, his make-up – what makes him a different and very powerful player for us. He will score heavy runs on this tour, and maybe Friday is the day. It could be his day.”
Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham is hoping to find an exit from the club this summer, according to website Football Insider.
What’s the story?
Ntcham was signed by Brendan Rodgers back in the summer of 2017 and the Frenchman has enjoyed two successful seasons at Celtic, winning six trophies and improving as a player along the way.
Football Insider though reckon he has told friends he wants to exit Glasgow this summer and move elsewhere, currently hopeful that his wish will come true during the transfer window.
The outlet report that Celtic believe a fee of around £7m is a realistic valuation for his services, which would see the club make a profit on his move from Manchester City, which the website states was for £4.5m.
Leigh Griffiths is ready and raring to go for Celtic next season. One fan discusses what we can expect from him in the video below…
Celtic dilemma
Obviously Celtic won’t want players around who don’t want to play for the club next season, especially as Neil Lennon embarks on a new managerial era.
Lennon will need everyone pulling in the same direction to maintain the standards of success set under Brendan Rodgers and if Ntcham sees his future elsewhere they must do a deal for him.
The problem is though that the French U21 international does have unique qualities compared to the rest of the Hoops midfield and although he hasn’t been one of the first names on the teamsheet over the last 12 months, he has still made 85 appearances in two seasons.
The reported £7m isn’t a massive return when you consider Celtic will surely have to reinvest most of that on signing a new midfielder who replaces the kind of driving ability and composure Ntcham brings to the middle of the park.
Players such as Nir Bitton and Eboue Kouassi simply don’t have the kind of quality that the Frenchman brings to the team and a replacement must be sought, ideally before doing the deal that would ensure Ntcham’s exit.
If they don’t do that, Celtic will be weaker in midfield next season when most observers recognise they need to strengthen further to make progress under their new manager.
Leeds United fans on Twitter are buzzing after it was reported that Kiko Casilla may be on his way out of Elland Road after just six months at the club.
The keeper was brought in from Real Madrid in January, and he arrived with high expectations having been a Spain international and a Champions League winner.
But after just 19 games and a handful of clangers, it seems that he could be set to return to Spain this summer, per Alan Nixon.
The stopper’s worst performance came in the Whites’ playoff semi-final second leg against Derby County, where his showing arguably cost Leeds a place in the Premier League.
The 32-year-old was the Yorkshire club’s only January signing. He was brought in to try and push Leeds to the next level, but he hasn’t had the desired effect.
He is one of the Whites’ highest earners so they may have a hard time finding a potential suitor as his stock has dropped dramatically during his time in England.
Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…
As reported by Wales Online, Liverpool have made an enquiry over the availability of Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.
The Philippine international shot-stopper starred for the Bluebirds last term, appearing in all 38 of their Premier League games whilst keeping an impressive ten clean sheets – he certainly didn’t deserve to suffer relegation to the Championship.
You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…
Etheridge’s fine performances have also alerted the attention of Aston Villa, who saw an £8m bid rebuffed for his services.
Jurgen Klopp clearly has his eye on the goalkeeping market in case he needs to find a replacement for Simon Mignolet, who has said that he isn’t sure what the future holds for him after losing his place to Alisson Becker.
The 29-year-old would be a fine signing for the Champions League winners as a No.2, and would also be a shrewd signing with Loris Karius set to leave permanently next summer – he will be staying at Besiktas on loan next term, where the Turkish side have an obligation to buy him.
Let’s see what the writers of Football FanCast have had to say about Etheridge potentially joining Liverpool…
Matt Dawson
“It’s clear no goalkeeper is going to replace Alisson at Liverpool but as far as back-up goes it would be a shrewd signing. He’d add to their home grown quota and he’s proven he’s an able shot stopper. It’s unlikely he’d play very often so it’s the perfect low risk signing.”
Luke Glanville
“Etheridge is undoubtedly too good to drop down to the Sky Bet Championship with Cardiff City and is now proven at Premier League level. Liverpool need a better back-up to Alisson than Mignolet even if he decides to stay. The thought of the Belgian having to step in if the Brazilian gets injured mid-way through next season would be enough to give Reds nightmares. It’s a match made in heaven.”
Charles Jones
“I think they would be making a good move. If Karius and Mignolet leave as they are expected to there may not be a better option as a back-up keeper than Etheridge. He was mightily impressive for Cardiff this season and even though he won’t challenge Alisson for a starting spot he would be a brilliant back-up.”
أكد دييجو سيميوني، المدير الفني لفريق أتلتيكو مدريد الإسباني، أن الروخي بلانكوس سيحاولون إيذاء برشلونة في المباراة القوية التي ستجمع الفريقين غدًا السبت بمنافسات الليجا على ملعب “واندا ميتروبوليتانو”.
ونشرت صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية تصريحات المدرب خلال المؤتمر الصحفي الخاص بالمباراة.
وعن إصابات كورونا، قال سيميوني: “لم يحن دوري للتعليق على البروتوكولات، نحن جزء من المجتمع وهناك إمكانية لإصابتنا بكورونا، ونأمل أن يتعافى لويس سواريز وتوريرا في أقرب وقت ممكن، نحن في لحظة في العالم يمكن أن تحدث فيها هذه الأشياء”.
وأضاف بشأن مواجهة برشلونة: “كل مباراة هي فرصة، سنحاول أن نأخذها إلى النقطة التي يمكننا من خلالها أن نؤذيهم، برشلونة فريق يتم تجديده مع لاعبين شباب وآخرين يتمتعون بخبرة كبيرة ومستوى استثنائي، ستكون مباراة صعبة ومعقدة كالمعتاد”.
وأردف: “سمة برشلونة هي نفسها دائمًا، هناك دائمًا فروق دقيقة اعتمادًا على المدرب الذي يقود الفريق، يمكن للمدربين أن يساهموا بأشياء، لكن السمة تحدد من قبل لاعبي كرة القدم الذين كانوا في النادي لسنوات عديدة، العمود الفقري للفريق، تير شتيجين، بيكيه، ميسي”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. كومان يعلق على غياب سواريز عن مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد
وانتقل سيميوني للحديث عن لاعبيه، متابعًا: “كوكي لاعب مهم للغاية بسبب قدرته التكتيكية، لأنه يفهم ما يمكن أن يقدمه للفريق، من الحجر الصحي جاء بسرعة أكبر وهذا يتكرر في الفرق وهذا قاده إلى المنتخب الوطني هو لا يزال مهمًا للغاية بالنسبة لنا”.
وعن دييجو كوستا، استطرد: “لديه فرصة للبدء أساسيًا، لقد عاد إلى المجموعة في هذه الدورات التدريبية الثلاث الأخيرة، إنه بخير، إنه هنا للعب”.
وبشأن كاراسكو، عقّب: “إنه في مستوى جيد مثل العديد من اللاعبين الآخرين، لقد غاب عن الملاعب لبضعة أسابيع لكنه اجتمع مع المجموعة هذا الأسبوع بأكمله، هناك منافسة جيدة في هذا المركز بوجود ساؤول وليمار وكذلك كاراسكو”.
Strikers always have supporters resting in the palm of their hands. An insultingly mediocre display can be salvaged with a late salvo; notching a winning goal deep into injury-time can double a 4/10 performance with the swipe of a boot or a deft flick of the head.
The position’s enchantment lies within its distinctiveness. There is no position so fundamental to the success of a team yet so intrinsically challenging to master, but that also leaves strikers at an advantage over their teammates.
Goals are revered, celebrated and replayed more than any other action on the football field. Become a virtuoso at centre-forward and you’re almost guaranteed to enjoy perennial popularity and stardom amongst your supporters.
But, as with everything in life, there are exceptions to the rule, and as Manchester United prepare to travel to Goodison Park tomorrow afternoon there’s no escaping the feeling that Romelu Lukaku falls into that category.
Lukaku will return to the club where he fully kick-started his career and showcased his credentials to thrive at one of Europe’s top clubs, leaving Chelsea fans pondering what might have been over another lost talent.
The Belgium international remains the club’s all-time top Premier League goalscorer with 87, leaving Goodison Park favourites Tim Cahil and Duncan Ferguson in his wake. That he managed to race to this tally in the space of just four seasons is perhaps the most startling aspect of this fine individual achievement, with his goal per game ratio standing at marginally more than 1 in 2.
But yet Lukaku returns to the club this weekend as something of a divisive figure, an enigma who never quite managed to fully satisfy the supporters. That in itself is antithetical to the quintessential reputation of a renowned goal-machine.
When Roberto Martinez welcomed the precocious talisman to the club on a permanent deal in summer 2014, he spoke with a conviction that suggested Everton’s deal was a genuine coup, per BBC.
“We know that Romelu is still a young man and the potential that he has is quite unique, and we are desperate to see him enjoying his football and to watch him grow as footballer in the years to come.”
The towering centre-forward could hardly grow any more physically but technically and mentally he blossomed into a devastating striker, scoring goals of a stunning variety from poacher’s tap-ins to thumping headers, while the occasional sumptuous long-range effort was thrown into the mix.
But yet, he is not the unanimously popular figure he should be on the terraces at Goodison, and that is the most “unique” thing about Lukaku. Martinez was unquestionably alluding to the uniqueness of his centre-forward prowess for a player still firmly embedded in the formative stages of his development, but almost five years later it’s clear that he is unique for all the wrong reasons.
If you stand on the terraces at Old Trafford or walk into any of Manchester’s finest watering holes when United are playing you’re bound to hear familiar complaints when Lukaku is in possession: “He plays like he’s wearing jeans,” “he’s put on too much weight,” “get this waste of space out of my club!”
Soccer Football – FA Cup Fourth Round – Arsenal v Manchester United – Emirates Stadium, London, Britain – January 25, 2019 Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku in action with Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny REUTERS/Hannah McKay
This the lexicon field which defines a player with 113 Premier League goals and 42 assists in 249 appearances. Imagine what he could do if he swapped those jeans for shorts…
And the most pertinent point to acknowledge here before Everton clash with United is that complaints from the Red Devils have often been echoed by the Toffees faithful. Unlike an overwhelming majority of prolific centre-forwards, his natural habit to consistently find the net wasn’t enough to bridge an unbreakable bond between players and fans.
On paper, Lukaku is and should be regarded as an Everton legend of the Premier League era, but memories of a rigid style and squandered opportunities bizarrely deprive him of the acclaim – amongst some fans at least – which his incredible goal scoring record merits.
Martinez was right about Lukaku for all the wrong reasons: his uniqueness lies within the paradox of his legacy at Everton.
West Ham United midfielder Jack Wilshere made a welcome return for the club’s u-23 side on Sunday afternoon as they beat the Leicester City u-23’s 1-0 at the London Stadium thanks to a penalty-kick by Dan Kemp.
Frustratingly, Wilshere’s first season at the Hammers have been plagued with injury for the majority of the campaign but his return to full training in the past two weeks could be a major boost for the first-team, who has struggled in recent matches.
The former Arsenal man started the club’s first four matches of the season before undergoing surgery on his left ankle in September. He then made a swift return in December with a five minute stint from the bench in West Ham’s 3-0 win over Newcastle United at St James’s Park but that was unfortunately the last time he featured in the claret and blue colours.
The east London club has had an up and down season so far and have been struggling in the midfield in their recent matches.
A return to Manuel Pellegrini’s squad for Wilshere could be just what West Ham need at this stage of the season to give their fans some reason to be optimistic about for next season.
The Hammers failed to control the game in the midfield against Everton last weekend and were completely dominated in the centre of the pitch, without managing to create any worthy goal scoring opportunities.
The introduction of Wilshere as an attacking midfielder could help the team in that aspect and give them good front-foot-ball to benefit the strikers in the team. Manuel Lanzini certainly isn’t up to speed yet and, with some good performances between now and the end of the season, the England man can salvage something from his first campaign in claret and blue.
How nice would that be, Hammers? A fully fit Wilshere is a great signing, a half-fit one is a complete blunder.
If Wilshere is fit enough to feature in some these matches, then Pellegrini could be a bit more confident heading into the encounters with the hopes of his team maybe securing a famous result, or at least put in a spirited performance.
West Ham fans, what do you make of Jack Wilshere? A waste of time or not? Join the discussion by commenting below…
Liverpool are looking to repeat their success with Andrew Robertson and Georginjo Wijnaldum by plotting move for £10 million-rated Norwich City star.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are keen on recruiting Norwich City defender Ben Godfrey this summer, with a club source revealing that Liverpool recruitment chief Michael Edwards has been keeping close tabs on the defender sending scouts on regular trips to Carrow Road this season.
The versatile player, who is valued at £3.15 million (by Transfermarkt), possesses all the characteristics of an accomplished modern defender and can operate in defensive midfield as well as central defence and left-back and has become a stalwart presence in the starting line-up since making his first league appearance in December.
It is likely that Norwich City will be incredibly keen on keeping the player as they look almost certain to make the jump into the Premier League at the end of the season, but their resolve will certainly be tested come summer with Premier League clubs circling.
We can understand why Liverpool are so keen on the player having already seen a number of their low-profile signings excel at the top level. Particularly Andrew Robertson, so FSG could pull off another masterstroke by bringing the Norwich City man to Anfield.
The flying Scotsman made his start at Dundee United before being recruited by Hull City, where he enjoyed an incredibly impressive three years – at least, in a personal sense – before being recruited by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to fill a gaping void at left-back.
Indeed, Robertson is the perfect example of why Premier League sides do not have to spend big to find a gem, and if Godfrey is anything close to hit touted quality, they have a star for the future.
Liverpool fans, would you prefer to see your club make big money signings, or take a punt on more potential hidden gems? Let us know in the comments