Footage from Barcelona’s Camp Nou construction site shows that stadium renovation plans remain way behind schedule.
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The allrounder will bring his superb career to an end at the conclusion of the current BBL
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jan-2023
Dan Christian has secured T20 titles around the world•Cricket Australia via Getty Images
Dan Christian, one of the most decorated T20 cricketers in history, has announced he will retire at the conclusion of the ongoing BBL with Sydney Sixers.Currently Christian, 39, has played 405 T20s amassing 5809 runs and taking 280 wickets. Selection permitting, he will have at least four more matches with Sixers guaranteed two shots at reaching the BBL final having finished in the top two of the regular season.”Yesterday at training I told my Sydney Sixers team-mates that I’ll be retiring from playing at the end of the BBL season,” Christian posted on Twitter on Saturday morning. “Sydney Smash tonight, followed by our last round game against the Hurricanes, and then the finals.”Hopefully we can go all the way again this season, but regardless, it’s been a great run. I’ve achieved things and made some memories that I could only have dreamt of as a kid.”Christian has enjoyed success all around the world over the last decade as his career became increasingly focused on T20. Since 2010, he has won nine domestic T20 titles, most recently the 2020-21 BBL with Sixers, two years after he helped Melbourne Renegades to the prize.Those two BBL campaigns showed the impact Christian can have: in 2018-19 for Renegades he made 254 runs and claimed 15 wickets (including being player of the match in the low-scoring final) then in 2020-21 hit 272 runs with a strike-rate of 182.55 and claimed 15 wickets.His last first-class match came in 2018 although there was a surprise return to Australia’s ODI side in 2021 when he played against West Indies in the Caribbean with the side missing several first-choice players due to Covid restrictions.Dan Christian’s T20 titles•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
He returned to T20I cricket at the same time, after a gap of four years, featuring against West Indies and Bangladesh before being named as a reserve for Australia’s 2021 T20 World Cup campaign.”What I didn’t expect to learn as a kid though, is how many people I was going to come in contract with that have had an influence on my career and ended up becoming lifelong friends,” he added. “I’m looking forward to now having the time to catch up with you all and not having to use the excuse: “Sorry, I’ve got cricket.”Christian is a chance to head into coaching. He worked as a coaching consultant for the Netherlands at the recent T20 World Cup in Australia.
da betobet： Despite some nervy moments, Manchester United managed to hold on against Chelsea last weekend to win 2-1 at Old Trafford. The Red Devils secured the three points thanks to goals from Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, despite a late Trevoh Chalobah header.
da wazamba： Despite playing against 10 men for much of the first half after Robert Sanchez’s early red card, Ruben Amorim’s side also had a man sent off. Casemiro was dismissed late in the first 45 minutes for a second bookable offence. It means that the experienced Brazilian will miss their Saturday lunchtime trip to the capital to face Brentford.
Amorim certainly has options as to who could replace Casemiro in the lineup, however.
The options to replace Casemiro?
Losing Casemiro in the centre of midfield is a huge blow for the Red Devils. However, it does give Amorim the chance to test the depth of his squad and allows another player to stake a claim and start more often.
It is incredibly puzzling that Kobbie Mainoo is unable to get into the starting lineup at Old Trafford. He burst onto the scene and is a sensational talent, but can’t get into the team under Amorim. Ex-United midfielder Owen Hargreaves said after the Manchester Derby loss, “I’ll never know” how he doesn’t get into United’s XI.
Mainoo is yet to start in the Premier League, and has played just 174 minutes across all competitions, despite performing strongly when given the chance.
Against City, he completed 100% of his passes, won 100% of both his duels and tackles, and created two chances.
If Amorim does choose to keep Mainoo out of the side, then Manuel Ugarte is another option. The Uruguay midfielder has struggled in that famous Red shirt of United, and has never managed to lock down a permanent starting spot under Amorim.
The former Paris Saint-Germain man perhaps lacks the on-ball quality needed in that pivot under Amorim. Last season in the Premier League, he averaged just 39 completed open play passes and lost the ball an average of 9.1 times per 90 minutes.
If Amorim continues to stubbornly overlook Mainoo, or deems Ugarte not the right profile for the trip to Brentford, there is another option he could go with.
United’s alternative to Casemiro
So, the obvious choice would surely be to pick Mainoo, or Ugarte if Amoirm decides against selecting the youngster again. But he does have another player in his squad who could be the ideal alternative to Casemiro.
Although he has operated as a number ten this season, Mason Mount could be ideal for the pivot next to Fernandes. Firstly, the pair played next to each other in that role earlier this season, away to Fulham.
Mount, with major injury issues now hopefully a thing of the past, has been a vital cog in the works for the Red Devils in 2025/26.
The 26-year-old has played five games across all competitions and has one assist in that time, against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup.
In terms of what he can offer United, playing in a deeper role, he obviously brings lots of quality on the ball. This season, he’s created 2.3 chances on average per 90 minutes.
Off the ball, he’s also impressed, winning five duels and making 4.1 ball recoveries.
Mount – 25/26 PL so far
Stat
Per 90 mins
Total
Forward passes
8.6
19
Chances created
2.3
5
Through balls
1.4
3
Duels won
5
11
Ball recoveries
4.1
9
Stats from Squawka
Statman Dave said Mount is a “pressing monster”, and it is the out-of-possession energy the England star can bring that could mean Amorim selects him in the pivot. He’s no slouch on the ball either, with two of his four United goals to date having come against the Bees.
With Mount’s ability to press high from midfield and spring attacks from deep, it could be a shrewd selection from the Portuguese boss if he wants to add quality on the ball in midfield.
It would certainly be a bold call away to a physical Brentford team, but one that could be a good decision.
Bigger mistake than McTominay: Man Utd sold their own Trent for just £5m
Man Utd’s recruitment record has been called into question, with Scott McTominay not the only former star now shining…
ByRobbie Walls Sep 23, 2025
Ferran Torres has left the Spain squad due to a muscle complaint, ruling him out of the Bulgaria qualifier and severely deepening Barcelona's injury crisis ahead of the season's first El Clasico. The forward's setback, which follows an injury to Dani Olmo, leaves coach Hansi Flick with a major attacking headache before facing Real Madrid on October 26.
da brwin： When David Moyes replaced Sean Dyche at Everton in January, some viewed the appointment as being pragmatic, a controversial decision from new owners The Friedkin Group to placate some segments of the fanbase.
da betway： But Moyes has proved all the doubters wrong. Was it ever up for question? Everton launched away from the relegation zone last season and have established a strong base after the summer, three games unbeaten in the Premier League ahead of a daunting trip to Anfield on Saturday.
The likes of Jack Grealish, Tyler Dibling and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have widened Everton’s creative parameters, and Moyes’ tactics provide a solid defensive base.
Moreover, new technical director Angus Kinnear has helped ship out a number of struggling stars. Everton have made headway in the transfer market, all told, but that certainly hasn’t always been the case in recent memory.
Everton's worst modern sales
Under the dysfunctional rule of Farhad Moshiri, Everton were often labelled as bad buyers. But neither did they sell particularly prudently.
Cashing in on the likes of Amadou Onana and Richarlison provided financial strength, but some might be kicking themselves for parting ways with Ademola Lookman before the Nigerian forward managed to spread his wings and grow into the Ballon d’Or contender he is today.
Likewise, it’s frustrating that Anthony Gordon was so desperate to leave Goodison Park in the early stages of his career. The England international was sold to Newcastle United for £45m, but Liverpool have since come knocking despite the Magpies’ £100m valuation of their player.
It’s at least comforting to note that this new version of Everton appears to be more calculated and efficient in their transfer dealings than the previous hierarchy.
Early days, of course, but Moyes has whipped his troops into shape and added players of genuine quality. Those who have been shipped on for good reason, but there’s one player in particular, who he must rue the club’s past decision to let go.
Left-back has been something of a problem for the Toffees this term, with James Garner serving in a patchwork role, albeit playing it well. It’s a shame one of the best in the business was let go for peanuts before he hit his stride in the Premier League.
When Everton sold "one of the best left-backs"
Vitalii Mykolenko has dealt with some injury issues across the opening weeks of the campaign, and with Jarrad Branthwaite perennially sidelined in the first phases of any given season, this has posed a problem.
A problem that Moyes has found a solution for, utilising the industrious Garner’s versatility in a way which has allowed the team to fight for a place in the top half of the table.
But a natural left-back would be nice, and it’s clearly something that has sat on Moyes’ mind, for the 62-year-old signed Bayern Munich youngster Adam Aznou in the summer, and big things are expected of the 19-year-old.
It would be easy to say he’s the most exciting young left-back on the Blue half of Merseyside since Leighton Baines was signed from Wigan Athletic, but that wouldn’t be true, not when Everton once had Antonee Robinson in their ranks.
Robinson was a part of Everton’s academy, actually winning the U18 Players’ Player of the Year in 2015. The talent was always there, but there was no room for him within Roberto Martinez’s set-up, and he departed before making a single senior appearance.
Now, he’s regarded as one of the finest full-backs in the Premier League, and indeed no defender claimed more assists than his haul of ten for Fulham last season.
Data-driven platform FBref suggest he is comparable to Liverpool’s new recruit Milos Kerkez, but in truth, he may well be the superior player at this stage.
Antonee Robinson vs Milos Kerkez (past 365 days)
Stats (per 90)
Robinson
Kerkez
Assists
0.25
0.14
Touches
73.51
59.73
Passes attempted
61.11
48.98
Pass completion
76.9%
76.5%
Progressive passes
3.97
4.25
Shot-creating actions
0.25
2.14
Progressive carries
3.65
2.80
Successful take-ons
1.01
0.60
Ball recoveries
4.56
4.44
Tackles + interceptions
4.12
2.56
Blocks
1.23
1.01
Clearances
3.68
3.13
Stats via FBref
Robinson effectively trumps Kerkez in every department, which serves as a measure of the USMNT international’s ability. No doubt, some at Craven Cottage felt it was an injustice that the young Hungarian secured a place in the Premier League Team of the Year, ahead of Fulham’s left-sided superstar.
Kerkez is one talented young defender, for sure, but Robinson was actually singled out by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley last season as being “one of the best left-backs in the world”. This is his level.
Under the wing of Marco Silva, Fulham’s play flows through Robinson. Get him on the ball, that’ll do it. He’s athletic and attentive and creative besides, boasting all the skills needed to become a superstar in Moyes’ Everton.
It’s a shame that it will never be so. Robinson left for a pittance, having failed to wedge his way into senior plans and instead being sold to Wigan for just £2m in July 2019, when he was only 21 years old.
Robinson’s capacity to whip a delightful ball into the danger area underlines a further reason why he might have been such a valuable asset at Everton over the years, especially when considering the emphasis Moyes likes to put on that facet of the playmaking game, and indeed the aerial presence the Blues boast in the box.
While the football transfer market is an unforgiving business, with mishaps inevitable, it’s sure to be one that stings the powers that were at Everton, who watched him grow into one of the most sought-after around. Indeed, before Liverpool completed a deal for Kerkez, they were interested in signing Robinson, who was valued at a bumper £50m at the midpoint of last season.
Alas, now the hopes rest on Aznou’s shoulders, with the youngster having the chance to put all this ruefulness to bed.
Ancelotti sold Everton dud for £12m, now he's playing like Dewsbury-Hall
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is shining at Everton, although one former flop is also impressing away from Merseyside.
ByKelan Sarson Sep 18, 2025
da brwin： Tottenham Hotspur addressed numerous key issues throughout the summer transfer window after what was a dismal Premier League campaign in 2024/25.
da mrbet： The Europa League success glossed over the embarrassment suffered in England’s top-flight, but Thomas Frank was brought into the club to replace Ange Postecoglou.
The Dane has been tasked with catapulting the Lilywhites up the table, being handed over £100m worth of funds to land the additions he craved in North London.
Xavi Simons, Joao Palhinha and Mohammed Kudus were the three high-profile additions made by the 51-year-old – with the latter the most expensive at £55m.
However, all three of the additions were made for a cheaper sum than North London rivals Arsenal paid for the signature of midfielder Declan Rice back in the summer of 2023.
The suffering Declan Rice has inflicted on Spurs
The rivalry in North London has been one that has been fiercely contested in recent years – with Spurs often having the opportunity to laugh at the Gunners, given their recent respective trophy tallies.
Mikel Arteta’s side have finished second in the Premier League in each of the last three seasons, unable to end their drought despite having £110m star Rice at their disposal.
The midfielder is unbeaten in 59% of his games against the Lilywhites, with many of the Spurs faithful wishing they had a player of his quality within their own ranks.
He’s notched 16 goals and 20 assists during his two years at the Emirates – subsequently ranking him in the 80th percentile of all midfielders in England’s top-flight last campaign.
The 26-year-old also ranked in the 86th percentile for key passes per 90 (1.9) and the 95th percentile for crosses completed per 90 (5.3).
Such numbers highlight the creative threat he possesses – something which is massively lacking in a deep-lying position with Frank’s current first-team squad.
However, the hierarchy may have made a mistake in allowing one talent to depart the club, especially given his impressive numbers since departing the side in recent years.
The former Spurs star who could’ve been their own Rice
During Daniel Levy’s tenure at Spurs, the club have been known to make multiple mistakes in the transfer market – subsequently offloading players who have gone on to achieve huge things away from the club.
Giovani Lo Celso was a player with huge expectations in North London, after the Argentine joined the club from Real Betis back in the summer of 2020.
However, he only registered ten goals in over 100 appearances for the Lilywhites, a tally fewer than Rice, who’s been known to operate in a deeper position for the Gunners.
He’s since matched such a tally in just 38 outings since returning to the Spanish outfit on a permanent basis – with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg also achieving similar feats in Marseille.
The Danish international joined Spurs back in the summer of 2020 from Southampton, subsequently spending four years in North London – racking up just shy of 200 appearances for the club.
The 30-year-old was a consistent presence in the first-team squad, but ultimately fell out of favour in Postecoglou’s system and joined the Ligue 1 side on a temporary basis in the summer of 2024.
Hojbjerg subsequently left permanently this window, with such a decision now appearing to be a mistake – especially after Frank’s appointment in North London.
The Dane previously managed his compatriot at youth levels and raved about his qualities, stating that the star “could be a world-class defensive midfielder”.
It’s safe to say he’s lived up to the hype from the early days of his career, subsequently being labelled as a similar player to Arsenal star Rice, by FBref.
When comparing their respective stats from 2024/25, Hojbjerg managed to outperform the Englishman across the board, further highlighting the mistake the hierarchy made in allowing him to depart.
The Dane thrived in possession last campaign, completing more passes into the final third per 90 (7.8) and completing more of the passes he attempted (92%).
How Hojbjerg & Rice compared in 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)
Hojbjerg
Rice
Games played
30
35
Goals & assists
6
11
Progressive passes
8.9
6.1
Pass accuracy
92%
83%
Passes into final third
7.8
4.3
Tackles won
1.5
0.8
% of tackles won
54%
41%
Interceptions made
1.4
0.8
Recoveries made
5.8
4.9
Stats via FBref
Such talents would’ve made him an excellent fit under Frank’s guidance, with the Lilywhites currently boasting the seventh-highest average possession rate in the Premier League throughout 2025/26.
However, out of possession, the former Spurs star was just as impressive, winning more of the tackles he entered (54%) whilst also making more interceptions per 90 (1.4).
The stats produced by Hojbjerg highlight the impressive box-to-box qualities he possesses, with such figures undoubtedly highlighting how much of a mistake Levy made in offloading him.
£17m for a player of his quality is nothing short of an embarrassment – with such a fee far too cheap given the levels he’s produced since his move to France.
Frank will no doubt be gutted he’s not had the chance to work with the midfielder once again, especially given his ability to outperform Rice after departing North London.
His value has fallen by £43m: Levy made big mistake signing Spurs "monster"
Daniel Levy made one of his biggest errors at Tottenham Hotspur by signing this attacker.
2 ByDan Emery Sep 9, 2025
MatériaMais Notícias
da gbg bet： A Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, competição de base mais tradicional do futebol brasileiro, chegou a sua 54ª edição em 2024 e terminou no dia 25 de janeiro. 128 times foram divididos em 32 grupos de quatro clubes. Os dois melhores de cada grupo avançaram ao mata-mata até a grande final, disputada em jogo único. Abaixo, o Lance! traz os maiores campeões, as principais revelações e curiosidades da Copinha.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasOnde AssistirCopinha 2024: veja onde assistir e os horários dos jogos de hoje (02/01)Onde Assistir02/01/2024BotafogoBotafogo na Copinha 2024: saiba o que esperar do clube na competiçãoBotafogo02/01/2024VascoVasco na Copinha 2024: saiba o que esperar do clube na competiçãoVasco02/01/2024
da premier bet： ➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte
MAIORES CAMPEÕES DA COPINHA
Nesta temporada, o Corinthians se sagrou novamente campeão da competição, ao bater o Cruzeiro pelo placar de 1 a 0, dentro da Neo Química Arena. Vale lembrar que o jogo não foi realizado no estádio do Pacaembu devido às reformas que estão sendo realizadas no local.
Corinthians – 11 títulos (1969, 1970, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2017 e 2024)
Fluminense – 5 títulos (1971, 1973, 1977, 1986 e 1989)
Internacional – 5 títulos (1974, 1978, 1980, 1998 e 2020)
Flamengo – 4 títulos (1990, 2011, 2016 e 2018)
São Paulo – 4 títulos (1993, 2000, 2010 e 2019)
Atlético-MG – 3 títulos (1975, 1976 e 1983)
Santos – 3 títulos (1984, 2013 e 2014)
Nacional de São Paulo – 2 títulos (1972 e 1988)
Palmeiras – 2 títulos (2022 e 2023)
Ponte Preta – 2 títulos (1981 e 1982)
Portuguesa – 2 títulos (1991 e 2002)
América-MG – 1 título (1996)
América de São José do Rio Preto – 1 título (2006)
Cruzeiro – 1 título (2007)
Figueirense – 1 título (2008)
Guarani – 1 título (1994)
Juventus-SP – 1 título (1985)
Marília – 1 título (1979)
Paulista – 1 título (1997)
Roma-SP – 1 título (2001)
Santo André – 1 título (2003)
Vasco da Gama – 1 título (1992)
GRANDES REVELAÇÕES
A Copinha é popularmente conhecida por revelar craques do futebol brasileiro, e vários jogadores históricos iniciaram sua carreira na competição, como Cafu, Kaká, Lucas Moura, Casemiro, Robinho, Neymar, Gabriel Jesus, Vágner Love, Fred, Deco, Marquinhos, Malcom, Lucas Paquetá, Paulo Roberto Falcão, Raí, Dida.
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CURIOSIDADES
Fred, ídolo do Fluminense, é o detentor do gol mais rápido na história da Copinha, O centroavante marcou um gol com 3,17 segundos, do meio-campo, em partida do América-MG contra o Vila Nova.
14 a 0 é a maior goleada da Copa São Paulo, e o placar já foi repetido duas vezes. A primeira foi na vitória do Cruzeiro sobre o Vasco, em 1974. Em 2010, Santo André repetiu o placar sobre o Santana, do Amapá.
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Tottenham are looking at a £50 million potential replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from the Premier League, with the Dane widely tipped to quit Spurs this summer.
Hojbjerg set to leave Spurs with successor targeted
Hojbjerg was a mainstay player under previous Spurs head coaches – José Mourinho, Nuno Espírito Santo and Antonio Conte – but the midfielder was relegated to the bench more often than not during Ange Postecoglou's first full season in charge.
Tottenham could now offer Gil in swap move for prolific £17 million striker
This is an “attractive” proposal.
ByEmilio Galantini Jun 12, 2024
Hojbjerg actually featured 39 times in all competitions under Postecoglou last term, but only eight out of his 36 league appearances came as full starts. The 28-year-old is therefore looking for more opportunities, and it was reported this week that Hojbjerg is keen to follow Tanguy Ndombele out the Spurs exit door.
The former Southampton star, who Tottenham signed for around £20 million in 2020, has gone on to make 184 appearances for the club in total – chipping in with 10 goals and 16 assists during his four-year stay in north London.
However, it appears this summer may well be Hojbjerg's last in a Lilywhites jersey, as the Spurs recruitment team reportedly look at replacements for him. Tottenham are rumoured to eyeing a central midfielder as one of their main transfer priorities with the window now open, and are still in the mix to sign Chelsea star Conor Gallagher.
Postecoglou is a big fan of Gallagher, but much will depend on whether the Chelsea favourite is willing to swap Stamford Bridge for a rival club – or whether two clubs would be willing to do business.
It is perhaps wise to have alternatives to the England international, and one is apparently Everton's Amadou Onana.
Tottenham looking at signing Amadou Onana from Everton
As per journalist Ignazio Genuardi, Tottenham are looking at signing Onana from Everton, with the Toffees setting a price tag of around £50 million.
The 20-year-old made 30 league appearances as a mainstay of Sean Dyche's midfield, and has been praised as one of Europe's brightest talents in the past.
"He's a really exciting footballer. I know sometimes when we speak about players it's very difficult to measure potential," said former Belgium manager Roberto Martinez on Onana to Sky Sports.
Burnley 0-2 Everton
8.52
Everton 1-0 Sheffield United
7.71
Everton 3-0 Sheffield United
7.69
Brentford 1-3 Everton
7.42
Luton Town 2-1 Everton
7.33
"We're talking about a 20-year-old boy that is probably one of the most talented young players at that age in European football. That's how excited we are in Belgium. He's already played in two major leagues in Germany and France, he joined Lille for a big fee and nothing is going to faze him to go into a new project after a big transfer fee.
"He has the physicality and the presence of a player Everton fans know very well – a Marouane Fellaini type. I can understand the excitement around Everton, this is one of the most exciting prospects in European football at this time."
Insiders think they could. And their recent showings, in Twenty20 especially, seem to bear out the hype
Firdose Moonda26-Jul-2011Sixty years ago, Uganda played their first cricket match. The details of that game have not been archived and records are unclear on whether their opponents were Kenya or Tanganyika. How the country has performed in international cricket since then is also not well documented.What is known is that in future, Uganda are likely to be more carefully noted and watched. They will participate in the World Twenty20 qualifiers next year, and are considered one of the most prominent rising Associates. They have caught the eyes of many, including world cricket’s longest-serving chief executive, Gerald Majola of South Africa, who believes that in five years’ time Uganda could become the second-best team in Africa.It’s a big statement, but not so extravagant if you go by recent performances. Uganda won the Africa Region Division One T20 tournament in Kampala this month, beating Namibia by six wickets in the final and dominating the event, with only two losses in eight matches.It was a culmination of years of hard work, which began in 2007 during a quadrangular series in Kenya that also included Bangladesh and Pakistan, where Uganda pulled off an upset win over the hosts.”This has lifted the spirits of the team,” Frank Nsubuga, Uganda’s senior allrounder, told ESPNcricinfo about the win in Kampala. “It’s been good both for the new guys in the team and for us who have been here for a long time. We have finally won something for our country in front of our own fans. It was fantastic.”Nsubuga has been playing international cricket for 14 years; he made his debut for East and Central Africa in the ICC Trophy in 1997. His brothers, opening batsman Roger Mukasa, and wicketkeeper Lawrence Sematimba, also play for the national team. The family lived next to a cricket ground, so the boys had access to the game from a young age and it soon grew on them. All three have played starring roles in Uganda’s recent performances, with Nsubuga the man responsible for steering Uganda to victory in the World Cricket League (WCL) Division 3 tournament in Darwin in 2007. He remembers it as “the best place I have ever played cricket.”That victory saw Uganda ranked among the top 10 Associate nations and so become eligible for funding from the ICC High Performance Programme (HPP). The financial support they received from that was instrumental in growing the game in the country, where once there were only concrete pitches. “Facilities improved and we now have three grass wickets which are international standards,” Nsubuga said. The money was also used to hire South African coach Shukri Conrad, who had won titles with both the Lions and Cobras franchises.Conrad was immediately impressed with what he saw. “Uganda are the best fielding side I have ever been involved with,” he said. “They are very athletic and they know how to use what they have. “For example, the wickets are very flat there, so you’d have to be a dimwit to run in and bowl from 25 yards out, and they have developed good spinners.”His task was to take Uganda to the WCL Division Two tournament in Dubai in April. The journey was a disaster for Uganda, who won only one match in five. Their losses included a crucial one-run defeat to Papua New Guinea, which condemned them to last place. “The problem was batting. We really struggled to build an innings,” Conrad said.As a result, Uganda dropped out of the top 10 Associate nations and so lost their funding from the HPP. They still receive support from the governing body’s development funding policy, and regional funding from the ICC’s Africa office, but their exclusion from the HPP meant they could longer afford to keep Conrad.Losing a professional coach set them back, but not so much that they couldn’t pull off a series of stunners in the T20 competition. Their success doesn’t surprise Conrad at all.”I always thought 20-over cricket would be their thing, the batsmen,” he said. “The batsmen are very aggressive and on their day they can beat anyone.”Conrad is still in touch with many of the players and believes that they are committed to success in all formats of the game. His concern is that the growth they have achieved up to now will be stunted because of the depletion of funds. “The infrastructure is not what it should be,” he said. “In a proper structure these guys will do really well.Nsubuga said that any semblance of that sort of organisation will only materialise when cricket becomes a viable career choice. “Our weakness is the unprofessional part of the game in our country, which hurts continuity of the team,” he said. “Most of the young guys are school-going or have full-time jobs. For them to give that up for cricket is hard, but going forward we hope someone can earn decently from cricket. We need professionalism in everything, from the league to the national team”
“Uganda are the best fielding side I have ever been involved with. They are very athletic and they know how to use what they have”Former Uganda coach Shukri Conrad
Some players have found employment in the game in an unlikely place. Lenasia Cricket Club in Johannesburg has had a long involvement with Ugandan cricket and has brought some players from the country into the club to coach in their youth structures and play in the local leagues. The relationship stemmed from the friendship of Hoosain Ayob, ICC Development Officer for Africa, with the late Ahmed Gabru, who was involved with Lenasia. The pair facilitated the passage for Ugandan cricketers to work with their club, and saw to it that the visitors were provided with accommodation and a small stipend during their stay. They also helped Ugandan players collect equipment, either buying it at a sizeable discount or through donations from club players, to take back home.Both Nsubuga’s brothers have played at Lenasia and impressed the locals with their cricketing skills and pleasant demeanours. “They were humble, down to earth and disciplined,” Mohsin Ahmed, chairman of Lenasia said. “Roger is a technically sound batsman who has glued our batting together in a few games, and Lawrence is a fantastic keeper. If Uganda can look after them, they will do well.”There is no promise of money for cricket in Uganda yet, with football still the country’s most popular sport, but Nsubuga is upbeat that their performances on the field will help grow the structures off it. “Success brings more success, so we have to keep winning,” he said. “That will mean we can improve all aspects of the game, from facilities to playing staff, and we will be able to expose our players to top-level cricket.”The World T20 qualifiers could open the door for that to happen. It will be the team’s most important tournament, after the 2009 World Cup qualifiers, in which they placed last. They will come up against 15 other teams, all of whom are fighting for just two places in the global event. Among them will be fellow East Africans Kenya, who Uganda appear to be surpassing as Africa’s next hopefuls, and Associate heavyweights Afghanistan, Ireland and Scotland.Whatever the results, they are sure to be recorded better than they were in that match in 1951, and could well prove to be the way Uganda announces itself to the cricketing world.
Mark Clattenburg has lifted the lid on a spat he had with Jurgen Klopp that led to the former Premier League referee telling the German to 'f*ck off'. Joining Adebayo Akinfenwa for episode seven of the Beast Mode On Podcast, Clattenburg explained how Klopp had sought to blame the match official for a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid, leading to a fiery response from the referee.
Getty Images SportMarcelo wanted a photo, Casemiro offered his shirt
Looking back at the aftermath of that Champions League quarter-final first leg in 2014, that ended in a heavy defeat for Dortmund, the 50-year-old says: "I remember Marcelo, the full-back from Real Madrid, asked for a picture. I've had players giving me shirts when I didn't even ask, I've had players talking to me after games, but he just wanted a picture. This was a part of me being accepted by them (elite professional footballers). They felt comfortable with me. If they see my name, Mark Clattenburg, refereeing a Champions League game, I would hope the players think: 'Thank God for that, I like that. We know he's not going to cause any problems'. I like that. So players felt comfortable with me."
On being gifted Casemiro's shirt, Clattenburg adds: "I remember Casemiro, at Real Madrid, I refereed him in the U-20 World Cup in Colombia playing for Brazil. Didn't speak any English. And he signed for Real Madrid and I remember seeing his name on the team sheet and thinking: 'I know that name'. When I looked at him I said: 'I remember refereeing you in the semi-final in the U-20s'. Didn't speak any English and he just looked at me, came to shake my hand when he came off the bench and I'm thinking: 'This is bizarre'. After the game he's waiting for me outside my door and he's got his shirt and he's saying: 'Thank you, thank you', in broken English, and I'm thinking: 'That was nice, respect'."
AdvertisementAFPClattenburg tells Klopp to 'f*ck off' as pair clash in 2014
Clattenburg also discussed a heated row he had with Klopp following that photo exchange with Marcelo, with the ex-Liverpool boss, who was Dortmund manager at the time, blaming the referee for the loss. He says: "It was the wrong time [for Marcelo to ask for a photo after the game]. Klopp's walked past, probably humped that he's got beat 3-0, but he shouldn't have the gripe about me. He should be having the gripe about his team performance, because I wasn't the architect of the defeat.
"As he's come past, he's said: 'That's why we got beat 3-0', and I thought: 'F*ck that, he's going to get Geordie banter back'. No, I'm not accepting that. I'm in the Bernabeu, I'm not stupid, I've got the protection of f*cking everybody around and he was on his own. I turned around and I said: 'You should be f*cking thankful you got beat 3-0, so f*ck off'. Everybody laughed. I was p*ssed off, that he had the f*cking… he thought I was the architect of him getting f*cking beat. There's right times and wrong times to speak… why did Klopp think it was f*cking acceptable to f*cking say that."
Getty Images SportEcstatic Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed Clattenburg's face
Clattenburg was chosen as the referee for the European Championship final back in 2016, a matter of weeks after he was the man in the middle for Real Madrid's Champions League final meeting with Atletico Madrid. Then-head coach Zinedine Zidane steered Real to a penalty shoot-out win over their city rivals that day, with Ronaldo scoring the winning spot-kick, and the Portuguese was also victorious at EURO 2016 – Eder's goal in extra-time sealing a 1-0 victory over France in the final.
The former Premier League referee recalls the moment he went up to collect his medal after full-time in the Stade de France, with Clattenburg having to tell Ronaldo to remove his hands from his face as he celebrated Portugal's triumph. He said: "As I was walking through [the tunnel created by Portugal players] Ronaldo grabs my face, and tries to shake it as a way of congratulations. And I'm like: 'Ronaldo, get off my face I'm on live TV', and he just laughed. [In terms of] the respect back, [Lionel] Messi didn't speak much English so it was easier to communicate with Cristiano than it was Messi but I didn't referee Messi in major finals, so it was different. I never refereed Barcelona, for example, [in finals] only in semi-finals in the Champions League, which they were successful in. If they win, the pressure's different."
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