All posts by n8rngtd.top

The current norm is for the chair and independent director to serve three terms of two years each

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2024Jay Shah could end up being the ICC chair for two terms of three years each instead of three terms of two years each, which is the current norm, after he takes over on December 1. This after the ICC Board, which met in Dubai over the weekend, recommended that the term – for the chair and the independent director – be changed.In a statement on Monday, the ICC said that the recommendation will now be “circulated for approval” among its members, comprising Full and Associate Members.While no reason behind the recommendation was made public, it is understood that the move is part of the ICC’s drive for better governance. The ICC Board believes it will provide security and stability to both the chair and independent director, who sit on the ICC Board, without having to worry about elections every two years. Also, while the overall term of six years remains the same, there will be more continuity.Shah, who is 35, was elected unopposed to replace outgoing ICC chair Greg Barclay, who has served two of his three terms since being elected in 2020 for the first time. The independent director’s position, meanwhile, has been lying vacant since former Pepsico chair Indra Nooyi finished her three terms earlier this summer.There were changes to the ICC men’s cricket committee, too, with New Zealand businessman Scott Weenink appointed Full Member representative, and Scott Edwards, the 28-year-old Netherlands captain, named Associate Member representative.In a statement issued by the Royal Dutch Cricket Association*, Edwards said, “I am extremely excited and grateful to have the opportunity to join the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee. Having been in the ICC Associate Member system, and playing with and against many Full Member and Associate Member sides over the past six years, I believe I have a good understanding of the challenges Associate countries and players face. I look forward to representing these countries to the best of my ability.”The women’s FTP – the second, after the one announced in 2022 – will be out soon•Getty Images

Women’s FTP for 2025-2029 to be out soonThe ICC Board has approved the next women’s future tours programme (FTP) for the 2025-2029 cycle, which will be announced in a few days. It will be the second FTP for women following the one announced in 2022.The ICC chief executives’ committee (CEC) also approved shifting the calendar for the women’s rankings annual update from October 1 to May 1 each year. In order for the rankings to reflect, the teams will have to play a minimum of eight matches per format (ODIs and T20Is) as opposed to the six currently. This is because of the increase in the volume of women’s cricket.The mechanism for Associate teams to gain ODI status has also been formalised. Currently, there are 16 women’s teams with ODI status. Apart from the 11 Full Members, five Associate Members – Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Thailand and USA – were included in the 2022-2025 cycle. For the 2025-2029 cycle, the top-two Associate teams that qualify for the women’s ODI World Cup qualifier 2025 will gain ODI status, while the remaining three slots will be filled based on the T20I rankings at the time of annual update [May 1, 2025]. This will mean that their ODI status will hinge on their T20I performances.The creation of two annual T20I tournaments between 2025 and 2028 for Associate teams has also been approved. This is to boost competition ahead of the 16-team women’s T20 World Cup in 2030.

Chelsea made a huge leap towards the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League last night, claiming a 2-1 win against FC Copenhagen despite not being at their best.

Reece James and Enzo Fernández got themselves on the scoresheet during the victory, handing Enzo Maresca’s side a slim lead ahead of the return leg at Stamford Bridge next week.

The victory maintained the Blues’ 100% record in Europe this campaign, extending their run to nine games in which they have won without tasting defeat – the only side to achieve such a feat this season.

Maresca made several alterations to his first-team side for the meeting yesterday, multiple of which certainly worked in his favour, allowing the side to claim a vital win despite struggling in the first half.

Numerous players impressed during the triumph, undoubtedly demonstrating that the manager made the right call for the key European meeting in Copenhagen.

Chelsea’s star performers against Copenhagen

Fernandez may not have started the encounter last night, but the Argentine midfielder would end up having a huge say on the result, tipping the game in Chelsea’s favour.

The 24-year-old came off the bench at half-time, scoring the Blues’ second goal, which would prove to be the winner after Gabriel Pereira’s late efforts for the hosts.

He also managed to complete 100% of the 43 passes he attempted during the triumph, being the only player who featured for 45 minutes or more to achieve such a feat.

Tyrique George was another player who grabbed his opportunity with both hands in Copenhagen, staking his claim for a regular starting role after his showing last night.

The academy graduate registered an assist and completed 95% of his passes, making himself a nuisance in attacking areas by completing 100% of his dribbles.

The teenager wasn’t the only player to showcase their talent after their recall to the side, with one other first-team member now looking undroppable after their own impressive display.

The Chelsea star who now looks as undroppable as Palmer

Over the last couple of seasons, Cole Palmer has made himself a key player for Chelsea, which is understandable given his record of 60 combined goals and assists in 76 outings since joining.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

His importance to Maresca cannot be understated, as seen by the Italian’s decision to include him in the squad for the knockout stages after leaving him out of the group phase.

The Englishman started the game but was unable to register a goal or assist for an eighth successive game, being outshone by fellow compatriot James after his return to the side.

The 25-year-old has had his battles with injuries over the last couple of months, returning to the side for the clash last night, but operating in a slightly unnatural midfield role.

James starred throughout, producing a perfect captain’s display at the heart of the side, firing home the opener with a long-range effort for Maresca’s men.

He featured for the entirety of the clash, managing a total of 97 touches and completing 82 passes at a completion rate of 95% – highlighting his impressive display on the ball.

The academy graduate also managed to win three duels, completed a tackle and won two fouls, producing a phenomenal display despite his unfamiliar role.

As a result of his showing, James was handed a 7/10 match rating by the Evening Standard’s Malik Ouzia, further demonstrating how impressive he was – with Maresca simply unable to drop him after such a showing.

The manager decided to operate with the Englishman over £106.8m signing Fernandez, showcasing the trust in his captain to thrive, albeit in a position he’s rarely featured in.

Maresca can’t drop James after his impressive outing, giving him a potential selection headache at the heart of the side ahead of the Blues’ clash with Leicester City on Sunday.

Saved by James & Enzo: Chelsea dud must not start again after 4/10 display

Chelsea claimed a 2-1 win against FC Copenhagen in the Europa Conference League tonight.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 6, 2025

This has been a year for both the elite tactical masterminds and man-managers, but who achieved the most relative to the resources at their disposal?

So there we have it! The five champions of Europe's major leagues have all been confirmed: Liverpool, Barcelona, Napoli, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. Arne Slot, Hansi Flick, Antonio Conte, Vincent Kompany and Luis Enrique all made a piece of history at those respective clubs, and each of them now holds a special place in the hearts of supporters as a result.

However, those five men were by no means the only coaches in Europe to impress over the last 12 months. Oliver Glasner, Eddie Howe, Vincenzo Italiano and Sebastian Hoeness ended agonisingly long trophy droughts for Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Bologna and Stuttgart, respectively, as the so-called lesser clubs got one over on the elite for a change in the domestic cups.

Some of the standout managers didn't even lift any silverware, they simply made fans believe again. Nuno Espirito Santo falls into that bracket after bringing Nottingham Forest back into Europe, and so too do Claudio Ranieri and Nico Kovac, who were both tasked with daunting mid-season salvage jobs and ended up exceeding all expectations.

The question is: who should go down as the best manager of the 2024-25 European season? GOAL ranks the top 10 contenders below…

• Imago Images
  

  10Niko Kovac (Borussia Dortmund)

  When Kovac was appointed Borussia Dortmund boss on January 29, the team had slipped to 11th in the Bundesliga table with just seven wins from 19 games, and sat 22 points behind leaders and arch-rivals Bayern Munich. His predecessor, Nuri Sahin, had overseen progress into the Champions League knockout rounds, but the first half of the season was unquestionably a disaster for a club the size of BVB.

  The tide did not immediately turn under Kovac, either, as the new manager lost four of his first six league matches in the dugout and a top-four finish faded into the distance. But, crucially, the Croatian then ditched Sahin's 4-2-3-1 formation for a 3-4-3, which made Dortmund far more cohesive as a defensive unit, and results subsequently began to improve.

  Changing Dortmund's setup also sparked the forward line into life, with Serhou Guirassy, in particular, going goal crazy. Dortmund won seven and drew one of their final eight Bundesliga fixtures, scoring 26 goals, and clinched fourth place ahead of Freiburg on the final day of the season.

  Kovac didn't just pull the club out of a crisis, he turned Dortmund into one of the most effective transition sides in Europe, as we also saw during their run to the Champions League quarter-finals that they can still mix it with Europe's elite. Suddenly, the future looks bright again for the Yellow and Blacks, and, as resurgent BVB forward Karim Adeyemi so eloquently put it, that's all because of the "kick in the ass" Kovac provided.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  9Nuno Espirito Santo (Nottingham Forest)

  What a job Nuno has done at Nottingham Forest! He didn't get enough plaudits for keeping the club in the Premier League after walking into a dire situation midway through the 2023-24 campaign, and most outsiders expected another relegation battle this time around.

  But Nuno had a plan for rapid growth and has executed it flawlessly. After strengthening with the summer additions of Nikola Milenkovic, Elliot Anderson and Morato, Forest quickly rose into top-four contention playing an effective brand of counter-attacking football that allowed Chris Wood, Anthony Elanga, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Morgan Gibbs-White to flourish in the final third.

  Forest's Champions League bid ran out of steam down the finishing stretch, but a Conference League berth for 2025-26 should not be sniffed at. The City Ground faithful hasn't seen any continental action in 30 years, and Nuno has cemented a place in Forest's Hall of Fame for bringing the team to this point so quickly – even if he ends up leaving amid reports of a breakdown in relations with controversial owner Evangelos Marinakis.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  8Claudio Ranieri (Roma)

  Former Leicester City manager Ranieri's reputation as a miracle-worker precedes him wherever he goes – that's what happens when you guide 1000-1 underdogs to a Premier League title. The Italian also performed the great escape with Cagliari in 2023-24 to end his career on a high, only for him to reverse his retirement decision six months later.

  That's because Ranieri's beloved Roma were in dire straits, and he couldn't just sit back and do nothing. He returned to Stadio Olimpico for a third spell in charge in November, at which point the Giallorossi were down in 12th in Serie A, with both Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric paying the ultimate price for club's worst start to a season since 1979.

  Bringing Ranieri back felt like an act of desperation at the time, and three losses in his first four games only fuelled that narrative. But he soon started to get the best out of Roma's biggest stars, most notably Mats Hummels, Leandro Paredes, Gianluca Mancini, and Matias Soule, and the team embarked on a thrilling 19-game unbeaten run in Serie A that ran from December 15 to May 12.

  Incredibly, Roma went into the last day of the season knowing a top-four finish would be theirs if they beat Torino and Juventus failed to secure a win at Venezia. Ranieri's men did their job, but, in the end, so did Juve to leave the Olimpico faithful deflated. Make no mistake, though, Ranieri is still going back into retirement as a hero; at 73 years old, he defied all the odds again and reminded the entire world of his unparalleled skills as a man motivator.

• AFP
  

  7Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace)

  Glasner made an instant impact at Palace after replacing Roy Hodgson in February of last year, winning seven of his first 13 Premier League games to steer the team to an unlikely 10th-place finish. But then the German saw the core of his team ripped out as Michael Olise, Jordan Ayew, and Joachim Andersen all departed in the summer transfer window.

  Palace were able to bring in Eddie Nketiah, Maxence Lacroix, and Ismaila Sarr to fill those positions in time for the new season, but they still plummeted to the bottom of the table after eight matches, and Glasner faced uncomfortable questions over his future. CEO Steve Parish and the rest of the Eagles board resisted the urge to pull the trigger, though, and were soon rewarded for their patience.

  After the turn of the year, Palace picked up eight Premier League wins, a total matched only by champions Liverpool, to pull well clear of danger. In fact, Glasner's side weren't too far away from the European spots, which was amazing considering they also put in a herculean effort to reach the FA Cup final, despatching Fulham and Aston Villa along the way.

  The Eagles then pulled off one of the competition's greatest-ever upsets in the Wembley showpiece as they downed Manchester City courtesy of a wonderful breakaway goal from Eberechi Eze. Glasner became an instant immortal for delivering Palace's first-ever major trophy, and it could be the start of something very special if he stays for their 2025-26 Europa League campaign, because his team are now a high-octane powerhouse capable of going toe-to-toe with the very best.

Babar Azam brought up his fifth consecutive ODI century in the UAE

Bharath Seervi16-Oct-2017Pakistan’s young sensation Babar Azam raced to his seventh ODI century in just his 33rd innings, making him the quickest to the mark. He got there eight innings quicker than, who scored it in his 41st innings. Among Pakistan batsmen, the quickest was Zaheer Abbas in 42 innings.The century in the second ODI was Azam’s fifth successive one in the UAE. He’s the first ever player to score five consecutive centuries in a country. He had hit three in three games against West Indies last year before this series. The previous record holder in this case was AB de Villiers with four tons in a row in India. Among Pakistan players, Zaheer Abbas and Saeed Anwar had scored three successive tons in the UAE. Azam’s five tons are now the second-most by any player in the UAE, trailing the seven scored by Anwar and Sachin Tendulkar

Azam scored his first century on September 30, 2016 and has made seven since. All other Pakistan batsmen have a combined three hundreds in this period: one each for Azhar Ali, Shoaib Malik and Fakhar Zaman. David Warner is the only other player to score seven centuries in this period.ESPNcricinfo LtdOne thing that has stood out in the last 13 months is his Azam’s conversion rate of fifties into hundreds. In the 18 innings since the start of series against West Indies last year, Azam has failed to make a century only once after going past 50. That was against Australia at the WACA, when he was dismissed for 84. In 15 innings prior to this period, he had scored five fifties but couldn’t convert any of those into hundreds. Out of 11 players who have scored three or more centuries in this period, no other player matches the fifties to hundreds conversion rate of Babar’s 87.50%. Warner is next on the list with 77.78% – with seven hundreds from nine 50-plus scores.Azam averaged 37.57 from his first 15 innings, but since unravelling his century habit, he has averaged 75.53 in 18 innings. Only Virat Kohli (81.84) averages higher than Azam in this period among 41 players scoring who have scored a minimum of 500 runs.

All seven of Azam’s hundreds have come at the No. 3 position. In 17 innings, he has scored 1118 runs at that position at an average of 79.85. His average at No. 3 is the best among 58 players with a minimum of 1000 runs. He has already reached seventh position among batsmen with most centuries at the No. 3 position. Overall, his average of 57.20 is second only to Ryan ten Doeschate among 358 players with a minimum of 1000 runs. No Pakistan batsman who has batted more than 10 innings at No.3 averages more than 50.

Noor was offered another year’s extension by Sharjah Warriors, but refused to sign the retention notice

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Feb-2024Noor Ahmad, the Afghanistan spinner, has been banned by the UAE’s ILT20 for 12 months, for breaching his player agreement with Sharjah Warriors.Noor, who was signed by Warriors for the first season of the ILT20 in 2023, was offered another year’s extension by the franchise, but he refused to sign the retention notice, choosing instead to play at the SA20 with Durban Super Giants.A statement from the ILT20 said that Noor, 19, had been sent a retention notice on the “same terms and conditions in accordance with the Player Agreement terms” ahead of the second season, and following his refusal to sign, Warriors approached the league directly to intervene in the dispute.The league’s disciplinary committee, comprising ILT20 chief executive David White, head of security and anti-corruption Col Azam, and Zayed Abbas, member of the Emirates Cricket Board, investigated the matter and heard the points of view of both Noor and Warriors before communicating their verdict.The committee had initially recommended a 20-month ban for Noor, but took into consideration the fact that he was a minor while signing the original agreement. The committee eventually decided to pardon eight months from his ban after Noor also explained to them that his agent had not informed him of the full terms of his contract.Noor played seven matches for Warriors in the first season, picking up four wickets for 148 runs, at an average of 37 and economy of 7.04.Noor is the second Warriors player in recent months to be handed a ban. Last December, Naveen-ul-Haq was also banned by the league for 20 months for not signing the retention notice, effectively ruling him out of the ILT20 in both 2024 as well as 2025.

“Faf has lent on him quite a lot and we’re pretty sure that Rajat will be leaning on him too,” RCB’s director of cricket says

Ashish Pant13-Feb-20252:25

Why did RCB overlook Kohli as captain?

Virat Kohli might not be the new Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain, with the franchise opting for Rajat Patidar, but for Mo Bobat, RCB’s director of cricket, Kohli does not need a “captaincy title” to be a leader in the team.”Of course, Virat was an option and that goes without saying and I know that the fans would’ve probably lent towards Virat in the first instance, but we’ve seen a lot of love for Rajat too,” Bobat said in an event in Bengaluru where Patidar was unveiled as the captain for IPL 2025. “Look, my point on Virat would be that Virat doesn’t need a captaincy title to lead. I think leadership, as we’ve all seen, is one of his strongest instincts. I think it just comes naturally to him. He leads regardless.”Kohli led the RCB franchise from 2013 to 2021 before he stepped down from the role. He led the team for three matches in 2023 when regular captain Faf du Plessis was injured and played as an Impact Player.Related

• RCB hope 18 is the charm as hunt for IPL glory continues

• Rajat Patidar appointed new RCB captain for IPL 2025

Bobat was confident that despite Kohli not being the designated captain, Patidar would lean on him like his predecessor du Plessis did.”Everybody in the country and everyone in the world knows that Virat’s a leader in every sense of the word,” Bobat said. “Andy [Flower, head coach] and I lean on him quite a lot. Faf has lent on him quite a lot and we’re pretty sure that Rajat will be leaning on him too.”Even last year with Faf as captain, we saw every bit of that. He leads as an example with the bat, the volume of runs and the strike rate that he scored at last year was so impressive and so important for us. He set the tone, he leads in the field. I can think of two or three specific instances where he’s actually created run-out chances and wickets from nothing. Everyone in the field knows that they’ve got to be up to their standards because of him. He sets the tone with his energy. Everyone has seen how much he likes a fight and a scrap and how much he wants to be the person getting us over the line.””His experience and ideas will definitely help me in my leadership role,” Patidar said of Kohli•BCCI

Bobat also said that Kohli was actively involved in discussions surrounding Patidar being named captain.”Andy and I spent some time with Virat earlier this week actually in Ahmedabad and it was really nice getting some time with him and talking things through with him [about captaincy],” Bobat said. “And what was so obvious was he had so much energy and excitement for this decision and this appointment. He’s so pleased for Rajat, like us. He knows how deserving Rajat is of this opportunity and is right behind him.”Kohli was front and centre of RCB turning their season around in IPL 2024. Having won just one out of their first eight games, RCB won six on the bounce to make a miraculous entry into the playoffs. While they went down in the eliminator, Kohli, with 741 runs in 15 innings, won the purple cap.
“I think Virat’s energy and motivation and drive is really something special to behold in a 36-year-old cricketer that’s done everything in the game,” Flower said. “I really respect him for it and it’s great role modelling for the younger players and younger overseas players to come and work with him as well. It was nice to watch it from within the same dressing room last year.”My experience with him, particularly in the first half of the last season when we were struggling and he was a huge part of turning that season around for us, in the way that he carried himself in his role modelling of how he works at the day and thinks about the day, that experience with him only made my respect for him grow. And I would say the same thing about our discussions over the captaincy of RCB coming season.”Patidar also said that having had plenty of good partnerships with Kohli over the years, he does not mind leaning on him for suggestions and that it would help him in his leadership role.”It’s a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the best,” Patidar said. “I have had a lot of partnerships with him, so I think I know him very well. So yeah, his experience and his ideas will definitely help me in my leadership role.”

The Dutch playmaker looks destined for the elite stage after a stunning breakout campaign at the AFAS Stadion

The Netherlands has often been described as 'the world's biggest football talent factory', having produced legends such as Marco van Basten, Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Dennis Bergkamp and Arjen Robben. These players were the embodiment of the 'total football' model designed to optimise creativity, skill and versatility that the Dutch national team still aims to uphold to this day, though it's fair to say they have been starved of game-changing performers of the same ilk in recent years.

However, according to , that may be about to change. The Spanish newspaper has claimed that the next 'total footballer' to come out of the Netherlands is Kees Smit: the 19-year-old who has become an overnight sensation at AZ Alkmaar.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich have all been linked with Smit in recent weeks, and AZ face a real fight to keep hold of the teenager beyond the 2025 summer transfer window. has even claimed that Ronald Koeman is considering drafting Smit into the Netherlands' senior squad later this year, which is a testament to how far he has come in such a short space of time.

Smit could soon get the chance to test himself on the biggest stage, and all the early signs suggest he will thrive under the pressure of expectation. The question is: what exactly is it that makes the AZ playmaker such a unique talent? GOAL brings you everything you need to know about the Oranje's potential new superstar…

• Where it all began

  Smit was born in Heiloo, a town located in the North Holland Province of the Netherlands, on January 21, 2006. Encouraged by his parents, Smit immersed himself in Dutch football culture from a young age, and took his first formal steps into the game with local club De Foresters.

  It was clear early on that Smit was an exciting prospect. "He was a very quiet kid, but he let his feet do the talking," former Foresters youth coach Milo Blei has told Dutch outlet . "He was only seven years old, but he already had so much control on the ball."

  Just three years later, AZ swooped for Smit, and drafted him straight into their Under-12s team. He displayed a maturity belying his tender years right from the off, and showed impressive leadership qualities as he made his way through AZ's academy, eventually inheriting the captain's armband.

  Smit's rapid development piqued the interest of Bayern, who tried to convince him to join their youth ranks, but the midfielder ultimately signed his first professional contract with AZ in January 2021. "I did think about it for a bit," Smit admitted to when quizzed on Bayern's approach. "But I'm in a good place here. You see other guys often struggle when they go abroad at a young age."

  That turned out to be a wise decision. Smit started training with the AZ first team in December 2022, and the following month, he went viral for scoring an incredible solo goal for the club at the five-a-side indoor REWE Juniorcup tournament. After dribbling past three Fulham players, Smit smashed the ball at the wall so it rebounded into the net past the perplexed opposition goalkeeper, with fan culture website calling it "one of the cleverest goals we've ever seen".

  It was a memorable moment that led to Smit being handed his debut for Jong AZ just three days after his 17th birthday. He played 16 minutes off the bench in an Eerste Divisie – Dutch football's second tier – match against Helmond Sport, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Advertisement

• The big break

  Smit also played a key role in the AZ U19s' surprise run to the UEFA Youth League title in 2022-23. AZ thrashed Barcelona and Real Madrid en route, with Smit scoring what was undoubtedly the goal of the tournament in the 3-0 win over the former.

  After picking the ball up inside his own half, Smit sauntered towards the top of the centre-circle, spotted the Barca 'keeper off his line, and produced a perfectly weighted lob that dropped into the net off the crossbar. The technical difficulty of that long-range effort was off the charts, but Smit executed it in such a nonchalant fashion that it was like he was just enjoying a kick-around at the park with friends.

  Despite his impact in the Youth League, Smit was made to wait for his senior AZ debut, and continued his development in the reserve side throughout the 2023-24 campaign until he was finally given his Eredivisie debut in March 2024 at 18 years and 48 days old, coming on as a late substitute in a 4-0 victory over Excelsior.

  It was Maarten Martens who gave Smit that opportunity, having replaced Pascal Jensen as AZ head coach at the start of 2024, and Martens subsequently began using Smit more frequently last season, with his big breakthrough moment coming in a Europa League group-stage clash against Fenerbahce.

  Smit scored a superb goal and provided an assist in a dazzling 26-minute cameo to inspire AZ to a 3-1 victory, and went on to impress in his first pair of Eredivisie starts against Sparta Rotterdam and Heracles before the end of the year, earning special praise from Martens. "He sees things that other players don't see," declared the Belgian manager.

• How it's going

  Surprisingly, Smit's momentum stalled in the first three months of 2025 as Martens went back to carefully managing his minutes. He was only given 19 in a 1-0 home win against Fortuna Sittard on February 23, and allowed his frustrations to boil over after the final whistle.

  "I just want to play. I understand why I'm not always in the starting line up, or why I'm not always substituted, but I don't have a lot of patience," Smit admitted to . "I think I should be playing, and I believe it will happen. I'm just trying my hardest every day, and then I hope I might get to play a bit more soon. Apparently, I still have some work to do."

  Questioning Martens' decision-making in public was a risky move that could easily have backfired. But fortunately for Smit, the AZ boss took it as proof of the teenager's strength of character, and put more trust in him down the finishing stretch of the season.

  Smit started six of AZ's final eight Eredivisie matches as they secured a top-five finish, and made Martens' line up for their KNVB Cup final clash with the Go Ahead Eagles, which they lost after an agonising penalty shootout. Smit did, however, get another chance to finish the season on a high when he was named in the Netherlands' final squad for the U19 European Championship.

  He grabbed it with both hands, too, scoring in each of the Netherlands' first four wins against Germany, Norway, England and Romaniam before putting in a Man-of-the-Match performance in their 1-0 final triumph over Spain. As if inspiring his country to their first U19 Euros title wasn't enough, Smit also won a share of the Golden Boot and the Player of the Tournament award, with coach Peter van der Veen describing him as a "joy to watch".

  Smit did his best to remain modest, though. "I'm playing pretty well," he said with a smile after the semi-finals. "It's taking some getting used to, all this attention." You wouldn't know it from how the Dutch ace is performing. It's still very early in his career, but Smit looks like he was made for the big occasion.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Biggest strengths

  "I think he's special," former AZ winger Kenneth Perez told after watching Smit in AZ's KNVB Cup semi-final win against Heracles. "He has very strong legs. He dares to ask for the ball every time and generally does good things every time. Sometimes you can't quite explain it, but you can tell it's not a coincidence. There's a thought behind every single move. Not everything works out, far from it, but when you see him… This is just different, I think."

  That was a long-winded way of explaining that Smit possesses the footballing intelligence needed to reach the top. He always seems to be one step ahead of his opponents and demonstrates mastery of the ball with both feet when it comes to dribbling, passing and shooting.

  Smit also has the pace and strength to thrive in one-on-one situations, as well as the awareness and composure to operate in the smallest pockets of space. He never seems to run out of energy either, which bodes well for his chances of succeeding in one of Europe's major leagues, where the intensity is far greater. Until he makes that step, we won't know for sure how high Smit's ceiling is, but it's already fair to say that he has all the makings of an elite player and athlete.

Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Arsenal and their plans to sign a new striker, amid their widely reported talks for RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko.

Arsenal hold talks over signing Benjamin Sesko

Near the end of May, it became evident through reliable media sources that Sesko had emerged as Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta’s prime striker target.

David Ornstein: Arsenal consider deal for player as "done and signed"

Gunners chiefs are extremely confident.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 11, 2025

Arsenal entered “concrete” negotiations with Leipzig over a deal for the Slovenia international, who’s fresh off the back of a productive campaign where he scored 21 goals and six assists in all competitions.

Since then, talks have been ongoing and advancing cautiously (Fabrizio Romano), with reliable journalist Ben Jacobs sharing that the major sticking point in this potential transfer is Leipzig’s financial demands.

According to his information, Arsenal want to strike a deal for Sesko at around £60 million, whereas Leipzig want to sell for nearer £70 million.

“They have discussed whether or not there is flexibility beneath the variable release clause, set at the moment around €80 million,” said Jacobs on The Football Terrace last week.

“That’s why that one’s taking time, because Arsenal want to do Sesko for €70 million, or within that ballpark.”

Sesko is also attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, even if his priority is to stay in Europe (The Telegraph), but so far, no middle ground appears to have been found on the final price, despite some reports that the 22-year-old has already agreed personal terms.

If they cannot reach an agreement with Leipzig over Sesko, Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres apparently remains on their radar as an alternative.

Viktor Gyokeres on Arsenal list if Benjamin Sesko talks fail

That is according to Romano, who reports in his GiveMeSport newsletter that Gyokeres is on Arsenal’s target list in case talks for Sesko fall through.

“It’s an open race for Gyokeres,” said Romano.

“He remains on Arsenal list in case Sesko deal doesn’t happen, Man United have called his agents again over the weekend.”

The “underrated” and “exciting” 26-year-old bagged an incredible 54 goals and 13 assists last season, spearheading Sporting to their first domestic double win in 20 years, but it is worth noting that he might not be much cheaper than Sesko.

Sporting president Frederico Varandas poured cold water over reports that Gyokeres and the club have an agreement that he can leave for £59 million this summer, telling the Portuguese press that he will indeed cost more.

“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.

“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres – neither today nor last season.”

While this comes as a statement which Arsenal need to be aware of, Varandas does guarantee that Gyokeres will leave for less than his £84 million release clause.

“One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause,” said Varandas.

“He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now. For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old, and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100m euros or 90m euros.”

If England pull this off, they will owe a huge amount to their captain

George Dobell07-Aug-2021There were a couple of moments, ahead of this Test, when you sensed the burden of carrying this England batting line-up was starting to get to Joe Root.For one thing, he requested that the pre-match captain’s press conference – which has, for many years, taken place the day before the game – be moved to two days ahead of the match to allow him time to focus before the game. And then, while talking about Ben Stokes, his voice caught for just a moment as he discussed the phone call in which his friend had told him he needed a break.Root was, no doubt, aware of how much Stokes would be missed as a player. But the sense was much more of someone who simply felt for a colleague who was going through a tough time. You wondered whether Root might not be experiencing some of the same emotions. We really do ask quite a lot of our cricketers.But whatever the pressure he was feeling ahead of the match, Root has shouldered his burden magnificently. Here he produced one of his finest Test centuries – there are now 21 from which to select; none of them have, to date, come in a losing cause – to keep his side in with a fighting chance in this match. Without him, England would have been blown away.Related

• Chris Silverwood tells England batters around Joe Root to 'step up'

• Joe Root on Ben Stokes: 'I just want my friend to be okay'

• The slips just keep on coming: How England's fielding is undermining their Test ambitions

• Root ton, Bumrah five-wicket haul set up intriguing final day

• Jasprit Bumrah-led pace attack leaves India on strong footing

There was a period, not so long ago, when there were a few whispers about Root’s batting. It wasn’t that the runs had dried up exactly; it was more that the bigger scores had tended to come in relatively low intensity situations. In 2019, for example, there was a century in St Lucia, by which time the series had already been lost, and there was a double-hundred in Hamilton on a pitch so horrendously flat that only 22 wickets fell across five days.There are no such caveats about this innings. It came against an outstanding attack, on a surface upon which other batters have struggled and when his side – still 49 behind and two wickets down when he strode out to bat – were in some trouble. Not only that, but it came at the start of a series with everything still to be defined. It was his first Test century in England since 2018 but his best at home since at least 2017 when he made 190 in the first Test of a series against South Africa.To put his predominance in perspective, while he has made 109 and 64 in this game, the next highest score of his teammates across both innings has been Sam Curran’s 32. It is, according to BBC statistician Andy Zaltzman, only the fourth time in Test history that a player has made a century and half-century in a match where nobody else in the team has made even 35. Increasingly, Root is looking a giant among them. Take him out of this side and you wonder where they would drop in the rankings. Outside the top six, you suspect.His skills were put into greatest context during his partnership (worth 89 in 28.5 overs) with Dom Sibley. While Sibley’s crease occupation was valuable, you couldn’t help but admire how much easier the business of batting looked for Root. So vast is his range of stroke, so adaptable his feet and the angle of his bat, that he is rarely kept scoreless. He faced only two maidens in his entire innings – one of them during a nervous passage of play when he had 97 – and has a late cut which allows him to score from deliveries other players would look to leave well alone. Sibley made just 12 of their partnership.But it was surely the drives, played off both front and back foot, that will linger longest in the memory. Certainly they had a packed Trent Bridge purring in delight. The on-drive that brought the century was just a little reminiscent of the shot with which Sir Geoffrey Boycott reached his 100th first-class hundred. The celebration – by Root’s standards sustained and expressive – showed how important this innings was. He knew his team needed this.Joe Root has stood tall for his team•AFP/Getty ImagesMore than that, though, he had made a conscious effort to try and enjoy these pressures. This is what he had dreamed of as a kid, after all. So instead of focusing on those negative thoughts – the sense that his side would collapse if he failed – instead of allowing himself to become careworn, he tried to remember he was playing the game he loves, for a team he loves and on the grandest of stages. Put simply, he tried to remember it was meant to be “fun”.”There’s been a lot to handle,” he admitted afterwards. “But it’s important you find ways to handle that. You can let it weigh you down but you have to find solutions. It’s about trying to deal with what’s in front of you and not letting anything overwhelm you.”This morning I said to myself and to the group: just remember what is fun about cricket. It might be tough sometimes, it might be hard, but it’s fun. And it’s really important we all embrace that. Whatever the situation, whatever the conditions and wherever you are in your own game, it’s important you go out there, enjoy the moment and make the most of it.”It felt pretty good to get a big score and get us into position to give us a chance of winning this Test.”He reckoned that batting in the ODI series against Sri Lanka had helped him regain his batting rhythm. He made 68 and 79 – both innings unbeaten – in that series and reasoned that the required tempo – positive, but without the urgency of T20 – was helpful to his game.”I’ve actually felt a real benefit from playing some white-ball cricket,” he said. “I know it would be nice to have some red-ball cricket coming into this game but, from my point of view, playing 50-over cricket gave me some rhythm back in my batting.”I felt I got forward and back better. I was standing a lot taller a lot earlier, picking my bat up a lot earlier, I feel like I’ve got rhythm back in my hands. I find 50-over cricket can be a massive help to my red-ball game.”Maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised. Root has risen in stature in recent months, producing a string of huge scores in Sri Lanka and India (228 and 186 in Galle and 218 in Chennai) that led his side to memorable victories. And while Root at times made those surfaces look pretty flat, it’s worth remembering that no-one else in his side made centuries. Indeed, the next-highest score when he made that 186 was just 55.He’s already made 1,064 Test runs this year. So, with up to seven further Tests available to him this year (there are only three Ashes Tests scheduled before the end of the year this time and it’s entirely possible none of them will take place), he has given himself a chance of breaking Mohammad Yousuf’s record of 1,788 runs in a calendar year. More revealingly, however, the next-highest contributor for England in 2021 is Dan Lawrence with 354. In all, Root has scored 29.19 percent of England’s Test runs in 2021.Whether all this is sustainable in the long-term is debatable. At some stage, there is a danger the burden will break even Root. It is really is imperative England find a way to coax more runs out of the rest of their batting line-up. Right now, though, Root has given his side a chance to win a game they could easily have lost already without his intervention. If they pull this off, they will owe a huge amount to their captain.

TORONTO — Remember, Shohei Ohtani wanted to remain an Angel. Freddie Freeman all but begged to stay in Atlanta. Mookie Betts thought he would spend his entire career in Boston. 

Max Muncy was released by the A’s. Tommy Edman was traded while on the injured list. Blake Snell was available to anyone on the open market—twice. 

And it’s the who are ruining baseball?

Sure, the money helps. The team that is headed to its second straight World Series, and fifth in the last nine years, with a chance to win three in that span, boasts, at $329 million, the highest payroll in the sport. After winning the World Series last season, they added $450 million worth of new players. Their local TV deal pays them $334 million a year, and this year they launched a paid fan club in Japan, with membership tiers ranging up to $500 per person. 

But the No. 2 Mets ($323 million) didn’t make the playoffs. The No. 3 Yankees ($288 million) were bounced in the American League Division Series. And 48% of that TV money and 97% of that fan club money goes into revenue sharing, so everyone else is benefiting from it, too. 

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have given out only three of the top 30 most lucrative deals, and so far all three look worth it: $700 million over 10 years for Ohtani (and that is an unusual case, because 97% of the money is deferred, so the contract functions as a credit card), $365 million over 12 years for Betts and $325 million over 10 years for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Ohtani is the biggest star in sports. Betts is a three-time World Series champion, twice for the Dodgers, an eight-time All-Star and a finalist for this year’s National League Gold Glove at shortstop—a position he never played professionally before last season. Yamamoto is their ace and just threw a shutout in the National League Championship Series. 

Mostly the Dodgers excel at evaluating players, and then they excel at developing them. And then, once they’ve done all that, they excel at keeping them. 

Angels owner Arte Moreno, incredibly, reportedly balked at the deal structure Ohtani offered. Atlanta GM Alex Anthopoulos didn’t want to give Freeman the sixth year he sought. Red Sox owner John Henry—estimated net worth: $5.7 billion—wasn’t interested in coughing up the $350 million or so it would take to lock up the franchise’s best homegrown young player since Ted Williams. Those were all mistakes of evaluation.