All posts by h716a5.icu

Quashes previous reports that said he had quit because of health concerns

Shashank Kishore13-Feb-2020J Arunkumar, the former Karnataka captain, has hit out at “baseless allegations” of ill-health being touted as the reason for him stepping down as Puducherry coach midway through the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy league phase.An official from Cricket Association of Pondicherry (CAP) told on Wednesday that Arunkumar “hadn’t been keeping well and make frequent visits to hospital during the course of the season”. At the time of writing, ESPNcricinfo was still waiting for a comment from officials at Puducherry.Arunkumar said the allegations of ill-health were simply rumours, and that it was the “constant interference” from an official which created a “toxic team environment” which led to him resigning.

Thank u people for the concern & wishes. I’m hale & hearty & contrary to reports, I HAVEN'T resigned as head coach of the Pondicherry team due to my health. I quit due to constant interference from an official, which made the dressing room environment toxic to say the least.

— J Arun Kumar (@arunonline1975) February 13, 2020

It was suffocating to work in a system with constant interference in all matters related to the team. That said, I wish the boys the very best. They are a wonderful bunch.

— J Arun Kumar (@arunonline1975) February 13, 2020

Puducherry won five out of their seven matches under Arunkumar this Ranji Trophy, in addition to having previously topped the Plate Group in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and qualifying for the quarter-finals. This had also earned them a promotion to Group C next year.”There has to be a solid reason for someone to resign in these circumstances even though the team is on a winning spree,” Arunkumar told ESPNcricinfo. “Ill-health is just an excuse. I’m perfectly fine. I couldn’t work in an environment where I wasn’t given the space, team or an environment that allowed me to bring the best out of their players.”ESPNcricinfo understands the decision to make five changes to the Puducherry squad soon after their drawn fixture against Chandigarh on January 30 didn’t go down to well with Arunkumar, who quit after that game. He said, “I was neither given the team I wanted or allowed to instill confidence in a young group that was always afraid of failure.”Arunkumar, a former Karnataka batsman who scored 7208 first-class runs, had previously coached the state to a back-to-back double-treble, winning the Ranji Trophy, the Irani Cup and the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2013-14 and 2014-15.Apart from Karnataka, the side with which he won the Ranji Trophy as a player in 1995-96, Arunkumar has also had coaching stints with Hyderabad, the 2018 TNPL champions Siechem Madurai Panthers and IPL side Kings XI Punjab.CS Suresh Kumar, the former Tamil Nadu batsman, stepped in to coach Puducherry in an interim capacity in the wake of Arunkumar’s resignation, and was in charge during their previous league stage match, against Manipur. Suresh Kumar had been in charge of Puducherry’s Under-23 side until this development.

Tomorrow, Manchester United will look to win their fifth Premier League game in a row as they welcome Fulham to Old Trafford.

In the reverse fixture, Bruno Fernandes scored a last-minute goal to hand the Red Devils all three points in a narrow 1-0 victory.

Last weekend against Luton Town, Erik ten Hag's team started brilliantly, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring two goals within the first seven minutes as they picked up a 2-1 win.

However, the boss will be gutted to hear the news that his star striker is set to be unavailable. But who could enter the starting XI in place of the Dane?

Rasmus Hojlund's injury

After moving to Man United in the summer for a large £72m fee, Hojlund has finally started to find his feet in England after struggling domestically to begin with, failing to score in his first 14 Premier League games.

The 21-year-old's first goal arrived on Boxing Day against Aston Villa, scoring the winner in a 3-2 win, and since then, he's become the most in-form player in England. The former Atalanta star now holds the record as the youngest-ever player to score in six consecutive Premier League games, while also being United's joint-top scorer with seven goals.

However, it was announced earlier today that Hojlund is set to miss two or three weeks with an injury. Luckily, Ten Hag has confirmed that it is only a minor injury that shouldn't extend past the predicted spell on the sidelines.

With Anthony Martial inevitably sidelined himself, it is expected that Marcus Rashford will lead the line in Hojlund's absence. However, there is one player who could fill the void alongside the academy graduate.

Scott McTominay must be unleashed vs Fulham

27-year-old midfielder Scott McTominay has scored some incredibly vital goals this season, notably against Brentford and Aston Villa, which have earned his side a further four points.

The Scotland international has been deployed as a defensive midfielder in the past, but Ten Hag has used him as a box-crashing eight this season, which has seen him score seven goals in the Premier League, the same as Hojlund.

This weekend, the former Ajax boss could look to field the number 39 in the ten role behind Rashford, with Fernandes moving out to the right and Alejandro Garnacho moving to his preferred left-wing position. On paper, this would look like a 4-2-3-1, but in game, it could mirror a 4-4-2, with McTominay very much playing as a centre forward.

Football analyst Ben Mattinson has also been in favour of this idea previously, stating:

"Unsure whether this ship has sailed but he’s a top player who for a while has been misused as a DM when he’s best as a box-crashing 8 and could even do a job as a ST/SS."

Scott McTominay

7

Rasmus Hojlund

7

Alejandro Garnacho

5

Marcus Rashford

5

Bruno Fernandes

3

Fulham will inevitably deploy a low block with the aim of frustrating the hosts, and therefore McTominay is arguably the best Hojlund clone in terms of being a handful in the box and mirroring his movement.

Considering the Scot "loves a goal," as per Rio Ferdinand, he would provide much more in the final third than Antony, who is the other likely replacement for Hojlund – the Brazilian hasn't scored all season in the league, meaning that McTominay should be given the nod.

The injury to Hojlund could potentially be season-defining, and it has come at the worst possible time given United's momentum. McTominay has big shoes to fill, but he should relish the task.

Arne Slot has decided to leave both of his big new signings, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, on the bench for Liverpool's massive Merseyside clash against Everton. Wirtz has started all six games for the Reds this season, while Isak made a 60-minute debut for the Premier League champions in the Champions League earlier this week. Hugo Ekitike starts up top for Slot's side at Anfield instead.

Wirtz and Isak dropped for Everton clash

Liverpool are set to host their Merseyside rivals, Everton, at Anfield on Saturday afternoon, and Slot has shuffled the pack for the clash by leaving both Wirtz and Isak on the bench for the clash. While, criticism has been floating around the decision to bench the two biggest signings of the summer, Liverpool fans have labelled Slot's changes as 'clever' as the two stars will avoid the 'boxing match' against the Toffees.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLiverpool fans praise Slot's 'clever' selection

On X, Liverpool fan @CissiLeitet wrote: "I like this, start with physicality, cause the derby can get rough. Then have Wirtz and Isak to come on when Everton tire and there is more space. Clever selection imo."

@_AzeemP added: "First half is gonna be rough so we need people familiarized with the intensity of the derby, then Wirtz, Frimpong and Isak can kill them off in the 2nd half."

@ChinedumEmeana criticized: "After fighting hard to sign Isak and paying a record fee for Wirtz, they're now benched. If it were Chelsea, Carragher would be foaming in the mouth spewing inanities."

@LFCCommenter_ said: "Just shows the levels Grav and Dom have been playing at this season. Undroppable.  Everton gonna come out way physical, no sense in subjecting Wirtz to a 90’ boxing match. Much of it won’t be good football. Isak and Wirtz 60’ sub gonna hit like crack against those tired Blues."

Liverpool broke British transfer record twice for Wirtz & Isak

Liverpool broke the British transfer record twice over the course of the 2025 summer, as they first signed Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of £116 million ($156m). However, they then broke their own record weeks later when they struck a deal on deadline day to sign Isak from Newcastle United for £125 million ($169.3m).

Getty Images SportWirtz and Isak set to come off the bench?

Wirtz will very likely be coming off the bench in the second half for Liverpool against Everton; however, Isak's appearance off the bench isn't guaranteed. The Swede's lack of pre-season has meant that Slot has been utilising the striker cautiously, and he recently played 60 minutes against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. As such, he may only be used if necessary in the match.

Test captain happy with Australia’s consistency and ruthlessness, but wants to keep trying to improve

Andrew McGlashan in Sydney06-Jan-2020Tim Paine admitted it was hard not to think about the mouth-watering prospect of the Test series against India later this year, after a dominant home season that saw them trample all over Pakistan and New Zealand with five vast victories.The 279-run victory at the SCG, wrapped up deep into the fourth day to mean none of the five matches needed a fifth day, capped a perfect Test summer for the home side and meant a full house of World Test Championship points to put them second behind runaway leaders India, who will arrive in November for four Tests.Before then, Australia’s Test side have a tricky assignment in Bangladesh for two Tests in June and a one-off match against Afghanistan early next summer, but facing off against India over four matches – two seasons after India’s famous win in Australia – is a massive target.ALSO READ: Stats – One win in 26 years, New Zealand’s woes in AustraliaWhile playing down any element of revenge for what happened last season, when Virat Kohli led a 2-1 success, Paine is looking forward to facing India will a full complement of first-choice batsmen and with the benefit of the experience the side has had over the last 12 months.”We are certainly a different side from what they played against last year and there’s more at stake with Test Championship points,” Paine said. “If we can continue our upward trend from the last 12 months, then you are looking at two of the best sides, so it will be an awesome series. They showed last year they have a pace battery that can be every bit as threatening as ours so it will be one to watch.”If we go to Bangladesh and play well and get some wins over there, then you come back to Australia to play India, which is quite a mouth-watering series for players and the fans. It’s hard not to be looking at that. We’ve got some people who’re employed in Cricket Australia who are already looking ahead at that series.

We think we’ve got a lot of bases covered and a lot of flexibility. I think, at the moment, we’re in a really good place. But we’ve got a lot of improvement in itTim Paine

“But for the main playing group, your goal is Bangladesh and you certainly can’t take it lightly. We went there before and won a Test and lost a Test. And all the reports from the guys who went there is that it’s a really, really challenging place to play particularly the time of the year we’re going to be there.”Paine had started this summer “expecting” to win all five Tests but said that the margins of victory did not reflect how hard his team were pushed. One of the most pleasing aspects for him was learning from the previous series against India and especially the Ashes in England, where they could not always hold their nerve at vital moments.”Think at times in England when the big moments came up we tried too hard and let the emotion of the game take over us executing our skills,” he said. “It’s about doing your role, and the teams that can do that win the big moments. There were periods of the Test series against India and England that we should have capitalised on, but through wanting it too much or putting too much pressure on ourselves we let opportunities slip.”So confidence, learning and having some experienced Test players back as certainly helped.”While the India challenge looms large, there will be some interesting selection decisions to be made for the tour of Bangladesh including how many of the quick bowlers they take, the extra spin options and the potential need for an allrounder. Paine, who will move into some commentary of the Big Bash before resuming the back-end of the Sheffield Shield season with Tasmania in February, wants his team to keep striving for improvement.”The moment we don’t think we can improve, we are going to be in trouble,” he said. “We certainly all as individual players can get better. If we can all do that, two, three, five per cent, then we’ve going to be a better cricket team again. We’ve got lots of upside as a team. In terms of what we can add to it, we’ve got a lot of options we’ve picked during the summer. We think we’ve got a lot of bases covered and a lot of flexibility. I think, at the moment, we’re in a really good place. But we’ve got a lot of improvement in it.”We’re becoming a more consistent team. We’ve probably been a little more ruthless. It’s a really good sign, after we let some opportunities slip in England. And we’ve got some real match-winners and great quality throughout our side. It’s an exciting team to be a part of.”

As their form improves in the Premier League, Manchester United are already hard at work on their desired deals for the summer transfer window as they look to raise their ceiling for the 2024/25 campaign.

Erik ten Hag's side have already been in contact with the entourage of long-term target Frenkie de Jong to make it clear that they're ready to sign him if he becomes available, with Barcelona considering a sale and the player now open to assessing the offers on the table.

Elsewhere, the Red Devils are leading the race to sign Teun Koopmeiners from Atalanta, who's been valued at around £51m and may prove to be too expensive for rival suitor Juventus.

Another reported target for United is Crystal Palace's Michael Olise, with Fabrizio Romano saying last month that they will consider activating the Frenchman's release clause, but stressing that "many clubs" are interested.

Chelsea activated a £35m provision in Olise's deal during last summer's transfer window, but the wide player elected not to make the move to Stamford Bridge and instead penned an extension at Palace that significantly increased the exit clause.

Olise drawn to Man Utd as Ratcliffe gives green light

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Ben Jacobs said that new United investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe will "endorse" the interest in Olise, and says the Frenchman is "tempted" by the idea of moving to the 20-time champions.

Man Utd star who won 100% aerial duels outshone McTominay v Aston Villa

Man United picked up a huge three points in their hunt for Champions League football.

ByTom Lever Feb 11, 2024

"Even though Olise signed a new contract in the aftermath of Chelsea failing to trigger his complicated release clause, there is absolutely no doubt that he is a potential 2024 departure. Manchester United's old regime, before INEOS, really like Olise and he is tempted by the prospect of a move to Old Trafford as well.

"All indications are that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS will endorse that move because, as part of their due diligence when coming into the football club, they were aware of any historical transfer plans that were for January – even though nothing materialised – and also any window planning for the summer.

"There is continuity between Manchester United's current recruitment team and anything INEOS do. They like a profile like Olise, so he can be termed a concrete target ahead of the summer."

"Laughable" Olise is too good for Palace

Telegraph journalist Sam Dean has billed Olise and Palace team-mate Eberechi Eze as two of the most "watchable" players in the league, and described the gulf in quality between him and his team-mates as "laughable at times".

The 22-year-old demonstrated this with a truly scintillating run of form immediately before a recent hamstring injury that saw him notch eight direct goal contributions in eight games and give defenders at Manchester City, Brighton, Chelsea, Brentford and Sheffield United nightmares.

Goals

5

Assists

3

Key passes

12

Successful dribbles

17

Average SofaScore rating

8.44

It's abundantly clear at this point that he's too good to be slugging it out near the bottom of the table with Palace, and is more than ready to take the step up to the elite level. Now that they've raised his release clause, the Eagles can sell him on favourable terms, and he can choose his preferred destination. United fans will be praying that Old Trafford is top of his list.

It was the late show once again for Liverpool as a 95th-minute Mohamed Salah penalty sunk a defiant Burnley side to earn the Reds all three points on Sunday as the champions continued their 100 percent start to the new Premier League season with a fourth late winner in as many games.

The hosts had, in truth, earnt a share of the spoils as Liverpool rarely threatened, Salah the chief culprit as the visitors had just four shots on target. But a clear handball by a heart-broken Hannibal Mejbri deep in stoppage time spared the Reds' blushes as Salah made no mistake from the spot.

With new £125million ($169m) signing Alexander Isak not in the squad, the Reds looked toothless in attack for the vast majority of the afternoon in a worrying display by Arne Slot's side. Just minutes from becoming the third goalless draw of this Premier League weekend alone, this game had all the makings of one where neither side ever truly looked like scoring.

Martin Dubravka and his defence put themselves on the line and blocked countless attempts on goal but, ultimately, Liverpool found a way to win in the most dramatic of circumstances after Lesley Ugochukwu had been sent off late on.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Turf Moor…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Alisson (6/10):

Burnley did not have a shot on target, so it was a quiet afternoon for the Brazil shot-stopper.

Dominik Szoboszlai (7/10):

Starting out at right-back, Szoboszlai then moved into midfield for the second period. Has shown his versatility in recent weeks and impressed again, contributing to the attack with his dangerous crossing and shooting ability.

Ibrahima Konate (6/10):

Did his job to ensure Burnley's threat was minimised on the counter-attack, though that ultimately proved a rare occurrence.

Virgil van Dijk (6/10):

Showed Foster who's boss when the Burnley striker attempted to dribble past him in the first half. Looked in control at the back as the home side rarely threatened.

Milos Kerkez (3/10):

Looked a liability in arguably his most challenging display in a Liverpool shirt so far. Received a booking for diving and committed a needless foul on the counter before Slot hooked him after just 37 minutes.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Ryan Gravenberch (6/10):

A steady performance in midfield, though the Reds will have hoped to create more across the pitch and the Dutchman could have contributed more.

Alexis Mac Allister (5/10):

Looked composed in possession while failing to influence the game as much as he would've liked. Injured by an Ugochukwu tackle in the first half, the Argentina international was withdrawn at the break.

Florian Wirtz (6/10):

Without making the key contribution he still craves, Wirtz did appear more influential as he looked to get on the ball and make things happen. Also forced Dubravka into a rare save.

Getty Images SportAttack

Mohamed Salah (5/10):

Was far from his best but stood up when it mattered to fire home from the spot in stoppage time. While his wayward crossing and general lack of threat will be concerning, Salah and Liverpool will be glad to move on with the three points.

Hugo Ekitike (6/10):

Showed some good touches on the ball but rarely threatened in front of goal and was withdrawn after 71 minutes.

Cody Gakpo (5/10):

Not the best performance by the Dutchman, who attempted to affect the game from the left before going through the middle alongside Salah for the final stages as Liverpool went all-out attack.

Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Andy Robertson (6/10):

Looked significantly better than Kerkez when he came on. Could even have scored within a minute of his introduction after a brave run forward.

Conor Bradley (6/10):

Another bright display off the bench after coming on at half-time. Both substitute full-backs may well be knocking on Slot's door in the week.

Federico Chiesa (5/10):

Replaced Ekitike and headed just wide seconds after his introduction. Evidently a player trusted more by the manager in the new season.

Jeremie Frimpong (7/10):

Won the last-gasp penalty with a cross from the right after also forcing Dubravka into a save just prior. An impactful cameo off the bench.

Rio Ngumoha (N/A):

Only played a few minutes but his threat was still evident. Played the ball with pace into Frimpong to force the save.

Arne Slot (7/10):

Made the right decision to take off Kerkez in the first half. Most of his substitutions paid off, but the Reds manager will know that performances must improve in the coming weeks.

Australian retires with cramp straight after but Kent the ones to struggle on opening day

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Apr-2025Cameron Green hit a century on his Gloucestershire debut as the visitors posted 365 for 7 on day one of their Rothesay County Championship game with Kent at Canterbury.Fellow centurion James Bracey made 109 not out and put on 167 with the Australia international, who had to retire not out on exactly 100 with cramp. Green confirmed afterwards that he would be okay to continue his innings on day two, after “a good night’s sleep and a bit of food”.”One hundred percent I’m proud,” he said of becoming the 10th player to score a first-class hundred on debut for Gloucestershire. “It’s been eight long months on the sidelines so to get back out here was very special and it’s always a good way to start your tenure.Related

Mystery benefactor clinches Cameron Green's Gloucestershire deal

Switch Hit: Cap'n Brook, Sir Jimmy

Green's return brings into focus Australia's big selection calls

“All the Gloucester coaches have been unreal, they gave me the best prep they could have. There was a bit of Dukes ball work back in WA but I think it was a really good training block and it’s always nice to spend some time out in the middle.”If we’d [been] offered that at the start of the day we’d have taken it, it’s quite a green wicket out there,” he added. “I thought it did quite a bit early and credit to the guys to push through to that score. It was a good first day.”I think it was doing a fair amount throughout. I think a ball had our name on it the whole time, but two guys got in and tried to stay in as long as you could and I think Hammo [Miles Hammond] and Brace both put the pressure back on them with scoring pretty quickly as soon as they came out, so credit to those guys, they batted beautifully.”Nathan Gilchrist kept Kent in it with 5 for 61 but the hosts were hindered by an indifferent display in the field and an injury to Grant Stewart.After winning the toss Kent stuck with the formula that helped them win their two opening games by choosing to bowl, but they failed to capitalise on a promising start having reduced Gloucestershire to 15 for 2.Gilchrist got Cameron Bancroft for just 2, lbw trying to play across his pads, but Ollie Price was on 1 when he edged Stewart. Keeper Harry Finch pulled out of the catch expecting it to carry to first slip and it fell short.Ben Charlesworth went in the next over, lbw to Gilchrist, but Kent’s already cursed bowling unit then suffered another blow when Stewart pulled up injured midway through the 14th over and had to be replaced by Jas Singh (Kashif Ali also seemed to be struggling when he went off during the evening session, although he did return before stumps).Singh had Ollie Price lbw for 18 in his next over, to a ball that looked like it might be going down, but Green and Miles Hammond rebuilt the innings and it was 96 for 3 at lunch.Hammond looked poised for his half-century, only for Singh to rip out his off stump for 48, but that was the highpoint of an otherwise saggy afternoon session for the hosts. Green never looked troubled and he pushed Jack Leaning for a single to mid-off to reach his 50.It was 225 for 4 at tea, after which the visitors continued to dominate, although they were given another life when Bracey was on 67. He edged Leaning to first slip but Daniel Bell-Drummond put down a regulation chance.By the time Green reached the late 90s he seemed to be suffering from cramp and was visibly struggling to take singles. When he drove Joey Evison for one he made it to the bowler’s end before collapsing to the ground and retiring.Gilchrist was the only bowler who really looked like taking a wicket and he dragged Kent back into it late in the evening session. He got Graeme van Buuren lbw for 19 with the new ball and Tom Price leg before with a full toss that hit him on the shin. Matt Taylor gloved a short-pitched delivery to Finch, but Josh Shaw made it to stumps on 18 not out and with Green available to return if needed, Gloucestershire could yet bat deep into day two.

West Ham United supporters might feel a bit gloomy following Manchester United's comprehensive victory at Old Trafford, but the Hammers' defeat was actually the first in seven Premier League matches.

Nonetheless, David Moyes' side have yet to taste victory in 2024 and crashed out of the FA Cup at the hand of Bristol City in January, with Lucas Paqueta's injury compounding the woes, the Brazilian not expected back for several weeks still.

Moyes attempted to sign a new forward in January but failed in that endeavour, and while his side did pull off the loan signing of Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City, the 28-year-old might not have been the perfect player to have pursued.

West Ham missed out on Morten Frendrup

West Ham wrapped up the short-term signing of Phillips last month in what has added some mettle and experience to the centre of the park.

The east London outfit are seventh in the Premier League and awaiting the last 16 of the Europa League; there is much on the line for last term's Europa Conference League champions.

However, West Ham seem to have prioritised the England international over Genoa star Morten Frendrup, said to be among a host of English outfits interested in a deal for the Dane, with a figure of €10m (roughly £9m) mooted.

Earlier in January, there were reports that City had slapped a £6m loan fee on Phillips' signature, and given that West Ham are also covering the entirety of his £140k-per-week wages, it's certainly one of the more expensive loan deals in recent memory.

How Frendrup compares to Phillips

While Phillips eclipses Frendrup in terms of experience, product, and silverware, he has not started life in London well and has been at fault for two goals across his two Hammers appearances thus far.

Frendrup, in comparison, is 22 years old and has been sensational in Serie A this season, averaging four tackles and six ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore, while winning 66% of his contested duels and succeeding with 65% of his dribbles.

As per FBref, Frendrup ranks among the top 10% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 1% for tackles and the top 22% for blocks and interceptions per 90, dubbed a "midfielder destroyer" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his work. It's evident that, unlike Phillips, this master of his craft has all the tools to go on and still become an elite talent.

Fulham's tough-tackling machine Joao Palhinha averages 4.7 tackles per fixture in the Premier League this year, so it's clear that Frendrup could be shaped into a star of similar stature.

With age on his side and an affordable price tag, it's possibly a mistake that West Ham did not forge ahead with a deal before he likely rises to the fore and attracts more lucrative attention down the line.

Phillips could yet cement himself as a starring member of Moyes' side but his maladroit rustiness over the past two matches has hardly evoked confidence from the Irons faithful.

Trailblazing Americans have made their coaching marks not only in MLS and with the USMNT, but in England, Germany and France

While it might not be as pronounced as on the playing side, the footprint of American managers in the global soccer scene is growing. Americans have graced the touchline not only in MLS, but in England, Germany, France, Switzerland, Norway, and even Egypt. 

And with each trailblazing move, more doors open – as they did when Bob Bradley, for example, coached his way through Europe until he got to the Premier League. There could be more groundbreaking moments as American soccer gets more visibility in the coming months ahead of the 2026 World Cup. 

GOAL takes a look at the top 10 active American managers in global soccer.

Getty Images Sport10David Wagner

Teams managed: Dortmund II, Huddersfield Town, Schalke 04, Young Boys, Norwich City

Initial year as manager: 2011

Impact: Due to his German roots, David Wagner isn't often thought of as an American manager, but he was an U.S. international – making eight caps during the late '90s. Wagner entered the coaching ranks as a highly-regarded prospect, serving as a reserve coach under Jurgen Klopp between 2011 and 2015 at BVB.

He worked relative miracles at a low-budget Huddersfield Town side, getting them promoted in 2017. However, with the club struggling to maintain its Premier League status in 2019, he left by mutual consent.  

Fortune has not been on Wagner's side since. He led Schalke to a record winless streak of 16 matches between January and June 2020. He then took over Young Boys, where his side ended a consecutive run of league titles following his arrival. And his final stop came at Norwich, where he led American Josh Sargent and Co. to a sixth-place finish, but ultimately lost in the 2024 promotion playoffs in the semifinals.

He was sacked after the loss. Wagner, 53, has previously been linked with MLS jobs, and was recently named as RB Leipzig's head of youth development.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport9Jim Curtin

Teams managed: Philadelphia Union

Initial year as manager: 2014

Impact: Despite all of their success this season, it is still a bit surprising that the Union decided to move on from their long-serving manager during the offseason. Similar to Peter Vermes at Sporting KC, Jim Curtin built a culture that was foundation-setting for the club.

He was promoted as a 35-year-old and led the expansion team to several successes, including the Supporters' Shield in 2020 and three U.S. Open Cup wins. While the MLS Cup eluded him, he did take the Union on several deep runs in the playoffs, including the team's appearance in the 2022 MLS Cup finals – losing to LAFC. 

He is also the manager who gave top U.S. prospect Cavan Sullivan his professional debut in MLS. 

Getty Images Sport8Steve Cherundolo

Teams managed: Las Vegas Lights, Los Angeles Football Club

Initial year as manager: 2021

Impact: Steve Cherundolo gets flak for what he isn't at LAFC, but let's focus on what he is: a pretty darn good manager at this level. In just four seasons as manager, he's won three major titles – MLS Cup and Supporters Shield in 2022 along with the U.S. Open Cup in 2024.

Yes, naysayers will mention he failed to get the most out of Olivier Giroud – who is back to his best in Ligue 1 – but Cherundolo, 46, has essentially overseen three rebuilds during his time at LAFC. He went from the Carlos Vega era to Denis Bouanga and is now ushering in a new one midseason with Son Heung-Min. That isn't easy to do.

He was speculated to be a candidate for the USMNT job prior to the U.S. Soccer selecting Mauricio Pochettino. Cherundolo is stepping away from LAFC, a decision that's likely for the best for both him and the club, to return to Germany. But his journey in management should not end in L.A. He has plenty of potential. 

Getty Images Sport7Peter Vermes

Teams managed: Sporting KC

Initial year as manager: 2009

Impact: A Sporting KC legend as a player and manager, Peter Vermes helmed the club as manager for 16 years before the club parted ways with him earlier this year. Still, his impact on the franchise can't be overstated. 

He took a small market team and turned it into a MLS powerhouse, making the playoffs 11 times, winning the league title in 2013, along with three U.S. Open Cups. He also developed stars on his team that turned into major contributors on his team or went on to Europe on profitable transfers for the club, including Matt Besler, Graham Zusi, Erik Palmer-Brown, and Gianluca Busio.

He was also a dark-horse candidate for the USMNT manager job at various stages of his career. While it might be strange not seeing the militaristic Vermes on the touchline at Children's Mercy Park, here's betting on the manager turning another MLS club around in the future. 

Victoria were in command at Junction as Todd Murphy and Fergus O’Neill shared seven wickets

AAP15-Nov-2024Cameron Bancroft’s horror start to the summer continued, dismissed cheaply on a tough opening day for Western Australia’s batters in their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria.On the same day Todd Murphy took four wickets for Victoria to press his claims for the Sri Lanka tour, Bancroft’s misery lived on as he was out for just 12. The former Test opener was the first man out as WA were all out for 167, before Victoria went to stumps at 100 for 2.Marcus Harris was 40 not out at stumps for Victoria, a week after both he and Bancroft lost out to Nathan McSweeney for the vacant spot at the top of Australia’s Test order.Particularly watchful early, Harris’ only two scoring shots in his first 26 balls were nice drives to the mid-off and mid-on boundaries. He then hit three successive fours from Brody Couch’s first over, with a late cut, uppercut and backfoot drive all through the offside.But while Harris at least got a start on Friday at his favoured Junction Oval in Melbourne, there was little joy for Bancroft. He got off the mark by punching a ball to backward-point boundary, and also produced a lovely on-drive off Sam Elliott.In between that he was also dropped in the slips by Harris off Fergus O’Neill, before the quick nipped one back in at him and Bancroft was out lbw. Bancroft’s run of scores in red-ball cricket this summer now reads 0, 0, 8, 12, 0, 16, 3, 0 and 12.It comes after he was the leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield over the past two summers, before his form deserted him at the precise wrong moment.Murphy’s 4 for 27 on his 24th birthday came at the right time ahead of this summer’s tour of Sri Lanka. He was the preferred option as Australia’s second spinner in last year’s Ashes, but a fit-again Nathan Lyon has not required support alongside him since then.West Australian Corey Rocchiccioli has since been the leading spinner in the Shield last summer, before taking four wickets in the second innings for Australia A against India A last week. But in the third-last round before selection for the Sri Lanka Test tour, Murphy was able to bag his best figures of the summer.He had opener Sam Fanning caught behind sweeping a ball down leg, before being miserly with the ball for the majority of his spell. The Victorian then ran through the tail and removing Joel Paris, Cameron Gannon and Brody Couch.Rocchiccioli was able to get one wicket for Western Australia before stumps, having Campbell Kellaway caught at cover for 26 when he was beaten in flight.