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Leeds United are now back where they started with regard to their division, having triumphantly returned to the Premier League in 2020 only to be miserably relegated just three years later.

It seemed that, when Marcelo Bielsa led them back to the top flight, the Argentine would then go on to forge a dynasty at Elland Road built on a free-flowing philosophy and backed by the financial might that such a promotion provokes.

However, questionable transfer dealings and a threadbare squad hung the now-Uruguay international manager out to dry, and he was subsequently sacked. However, his stubbornness was likely not exempt from such a decision.

Whilst it can be debated whether that was an intelligent move at the time, what followed was a string of thoughtless decisions that culminated in such a torrid campaign which always seemed destined to end in disappointment.

Jesse Marsch may have 'saved them' the year prior, but handing him two transfer windows after performances had been so dire was suicidal from Andrea Radrizzani, whose panicked state then saw him employ Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce in the space of just five months.

With Daniel Farke now entrusted with overseeing a new long-term project under the new ownership of the 49ers, the hope will be that they can muster up a quick turnaround to ensure their top-flight absence is not as long as the last.

However, there was one transfer move they perhaps could have made that might have shortened that last stint away from the Premier League, had they fought harder to keep Billy Sharp at Elland Road for a little while longer.

Why did Leeds United let Billy Sharp leave?

Having started his career at Sheffield United, and subsequently returned between 2007 and 2010, it was common knowledge that his heart belonged at Bramall Lane.

So, when the Whites employed his services in 2014, there was always a sense of unease that his stay might not be a long one.

At the very least though, there was hope that his goals could help fire them away from their troubles, given his track record of scoring at nearly every level in the English football pyramid.

After all, the clinical marksman had notched 45 in 102 games for Doncaster Rovers, and a further 55 in just 93 for Scunthorpe United, earning promotion to the Championship with the latter and then starring at that level with the former.

BBC 5 Live Sport's presenter Steve Crossman was incredibly keen to laud his contribution to English football, noting back in 2019: "He is a man who has had great personal trauma in his life and he's still there, he's still playing, and he is unquestionably a legend of the EFL."

This was then supplemented by broadcaster Mark Clemmit, who claimed: "Apart from that first spell at Sheffield United, where he just got those couple of games, he scored goals everywhere he's been. Magnificent".

Then, offering a Leeds perspective, Stephen Warnock noted: "I think when he was at Leeds, when he came in, he was everything we wanted and we believed that he would be the goalscorer that would get us into the Premier League."

Unsurprisingly, the peak of his powers came during his final spell with his beloved Blades, leading them back into the Premier League having scored 129 times in 377 appearances for them.

Although he perhaps didn't need to, he would still explain the reasons behind his Elland Road exit that led to such success in 2015: "The move to Sheffield United was a no-brainer. I started there as a kid and always wanted to play for the club because I’m a Sheffield boy. I felt it was a good time for me to return.

“I’m 29 and I am coming to the peak of my career. I feel like I have got better as a player since I was last here. If I can achieve success with my boyhood club, there would be nothing better than that.”

As someone wholly capable of firing teams up the football pyramid, in a similar way he fired himself up with his goals at every level, his brief tenure in Yorkshire was a frustrating one given the potential he had to be their promotion catalyst.

They desperately needed someone to take their plight by the scruff of the neck and drag them through, and arguably there are few better characters to do so with the aggression and passion needed than Sharp.

How good was Billy Sharp?

It is a testament to not just his quality, but his personability, that most who play with the 37-year-old rush to laud the man as well as the player.

John Fleck, a former teammate of his, was one such example, as he spoke in length to The Athletic back in 2020: "Billy has not just been an amazing goalscorer — and he still is, by the way — but he is also captain of the club. He runs the dressing room very well and always has done since I arrived. I am sure he will keep doing that as long as we are together as a group. He is in charge of everything.”

After all, having showcased his desperation to continue returning to Bramall Lane, this should come as no surprise, having spent roughly 12 years there across three separate stints.

Billy Sharp's Appearances

Goals

Assists

Sheffield United

377

129

44

Doncaster Rovers

102

45

16

Scunthorpe Rovers

93

55

55

Nottingham Forest

40

11

5

Leeds United

35

5

1

All stats via Transfermarkt

Although his time at Elland Road was not quite as long or profitable as they might have hoped, with just five goals to his name, his impact as a goalscorer across League One, the Championship and even the Premier League cannot be disputed.

The 5 foot 9 ace would score 272 career goals and counting, given he now features for LA Galaxy in the MLS, as he seeks to usher in a quiet and calming retirement after a dogged career of scrapping for everything he earned.

Given Uwe Rosler would sanction his exit for just £500k, when the promotion he might have brought would have been much more lucrative, this marks one of many blunders the German made during his ill-fated three-month stint as manager.

However, the allure of Sharp's boyhood club was always bound to prove too much. After all, in the eyes of Chris Wilder, he is "Mr Sheffield United". Leeds could never have competed with that.

Tottenham Hotspur endured quite a busy Deadline Day despite only welcoming one new face, as Ange Postecoglou had sought to strengthen in key areas before the transfer window slammed shut.

That being said, he had already bolstered his squad sufficiently early on in the summer, having tied up deals for James Maddison and Manor Solomon as well as turning the loanees Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro into permanent fixtures.

Then, Micky Van de Ven marked the integral defensive acquisition needed to add some much-needed solidity after a weak season at the back last year.

Despite bringing in the dominant Dutchman, for a fee that could reach £43m, the general feeling was that another centre-back might be needed to provide sufficient cover for Cristian Romero on the right side of their back four.

Many names were touted throughout a summer posed to be a revolutionary one, but in the end, fans had to settle for just the nine signings.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

That’s not to suggest that they did not at least make a late push to fill that void though, with reports emerging late on Deadline Day that offered a glimmer of hope for the Lilywhites at the eleventh hour.

Did Trevoh Chalobah nearly sign for Spurs?

Whilst that final day of the window was largely dominated by their pursuit and eventual capture of Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson, there were other rumours circling that had fans quietly positive that there was more to come than just the £47.5m Wales international.

Conor Gallagher was one such option, although after seeing a bid turned down the north London club focused their efforts elsewhere.

However, they reportedly remained in west London as they sought that final centre-back signing, with Fabrizio Romano writing at 8:23 pm that night:

The English defender has fallen rapidly out of favour at Stamford Bridge of late despite a meteoric rise to prominence just two years ago, where he established himself as a fine ball-playing asset who is still just 24 years old.

Despite their late push, which even the Tricky Trees mirrored with a failed swoop of their own, in the end, Chalobah decided to stay with his boyhood club despite the wealth of defensive talent that sits ahead of him in the pecking order.

Whilst the breakdown of such a desperate last-gasp move should come as no surprise, it actually outlined their failure to have captured a player for that role earlier in the window, despite those numerous aforementioned targets.

One such rumour that refused to die down was their reported interest in Edmond Tapsoba, who would have provided the perfect profile for Postecoglou’s possession-based system.

Even if his £50m price tag might have seemed lofty, it would have represented far better value than Chalobah, who too saw the same valuation handed to him by the Blues.

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

Van de Ven’s stellar start to life in England stands as proof of how easily the Bayer Leverkusen star could have taken to the Premier League, with the former Wolfsburg ace having managed a 7.15 average rating this season, buoyed by his 93% pass accuracy, 1.3 tackles and 3.8 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

To pair two former Bundesliga talents together would have proven instantly profitable, given they share a similarly steely physical profile, but have that elegance that lends to the modern game.

The former was emphasised by scout Antonio Mango, who claimed: “He’s a monster. Ball playing defender. Comfortable on the ball. Big, strong. Quick. Position good with a very good footballing IQ.”

After all, when compared to other centre-backs across Europe, Tapsoba sits in the top 10% for passes attempted, the top 3% for progressive passes per 90 and the top 7% for progressive carries per 90, via FBref.

This fed into his outstanding league campaign last term, where the Burkina Faso titan maintained a 6.88 average rating of his own in the league, upheld through his 1.1 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and three clearances per game, via Sofascore.

It is clear that the classy yet combative ace would have marked a far superior piece of business than signing Chalobah for a similar fee, especially given the gulf in quality between them.

Although the Chelsea star also shines when compared to the same aforementioned group across Europe, ranking in the top 16% for progressive carries per 90, it is his lack of experience that sets him apart from the Bundesliga rock.

After all, he boasts just 45 Premier League appearances across his short career, compared to Tapsoba’s 103 in the German top flight.

Not to mention how highly thought of he is within that division, with Ivo Vieira, his former coach at Vitoria Guimaraes, having expected his rise to prominence: “Tapsoba was one of the best centre-backs to play in Portugal, he deserves whatever comes his way."

Postecoglou can hardly be faulted for the start he has enjoyed to life in north London, with his summer signings all largely integrating well, and his philosophy already being well-received by his fanbase.

However, had he abandoned his pursuit for Tapsoba to panic buy the out-of-favour Chelsea man at the death, it would surely have marked the first blunder of his tenure thus far.

Chalobah is a more than capable defender for now, but with the level that the Australian boss will seek to take his new side, perhaps there is a limit to his talents and just how far he could take them had he made the switch.

In the Leverkusen star, few can predict how high his ceiling may be, and therefore the next time Spurs come calling for his services, that £50m fee could have sky-rocketed.

Postecoglou will likely rue that failed swoop, given how the signing of Tapsoba would have capped off his summer spending with the perfect ending.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians demitiu o técnico Tiago Nunes na noite da última sexta-feira e prontamente colocou Dyego Coelho como interino para treinar o time a partir do duelo com o Fluminense, neste domingo. A escolha do comandante da categoria sub-20 agradou o elenco corintiano e Jô não escondeu a satisfação de poder contar com seu ex-companheiro de campo nessa função.

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Em entrevista para a TV oficial do clube, o centroavante elencou as qualidades de Coelho e o que faz dele o nome ideal para este momento do Timão. Além disso, o camisa 77 comentou o que acha que precisa ser feito para recolocar o Alvinegro de volta na disputa pelas primeiras posições do Brasileirão-2020.

-Feliz, é um cara que a gente conhece, é um cara que sabe como a gente joga, conhece a característica de cada um, então é se empenhar agora, realmente começar do zero tudo de novo para poder voltar a vencer e entrar na competição de novo – declarou o ídolo da Fiel.

Jô, 33 anos, e Dyego Coelho, 37 anos, são crias da base do Corinthians e chegaram a jogar juntos na equipe principal entre 2003 e 2005. Segundo o site “O Gol”, eles atuaram no mesmo time em 52 partidas, venceram 17, empataram 14 e perderam 21, além de conquistarem o Brasileirão-2005.

Neste domingo, diante do Fluminense, às 16h, no Maracanã, em jogo válido pela 10ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, Jô será titular e um dos principais nomes do técnico Coelho para tentar voltar a vencer nesta edição da competição. Atualmente o Corinthians está na 13ª posição com nove pontos.

Last summer, Leicester City paid the price for failing to adequately act in the transfer market.

The 2016 Premier League champions failed to replace Kasper Schmeichel or Wesley Fofana, spending just a measly £15m on Wout Faes.

Consequently, the Foxes now find themselves in the Championship and face the unenviable task of escaping one of Europe’s most taxing leagues.

This year, they are looking to avoid past mistakes, adding Harry Winks, Conor Coady, Stephy Mavididi, Mads Hermansen, and Callum Doyle to the squad.

The latest name who looks set to be added to this impressive rebuild is Cesare Casadei.

What’s the latest on Cesare Casadei to Leicester City?

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Midlands outfit have agreed a loan deal for the Chelsea midfielder.

The Italian is set to undergo a medical this week, with head coach Enzo Maresca playing a crucial role in the transfer as the Blues believe he will allow the youngster to develop in the best possible way.

"Leicester City have agreed loan deal for Cesare Casadei to join from Chelsea — as revealed in the morning," he tweeted. "Deal in place and medical this week, if all goes to plan. #CFC believe Maresca will be crucial to help Casadei develop best way.

"Here we go."

Would Cesare Casadei be a good signing for Leicester City?

Before joining the west Londoners in 2022, the 19-year-old gem spent four years with Inter Milan and in his latest season with the Nerazzurri in the Italian Primavera Championship, he bagged 18 goal contributions.

Since moving to the English capital, he made 13 appearances for the U21 side, before joining Reading on loan until the end of the season, where he featured 15 times, scoring once.

However, it has been on the international stage where the 6 foot 1 engine has most ruthlessly demonstrated his dazzling potential – in May 2023 at the U20 World Cup, Casadei scored seven goals, made nine key passes, and won 56% of his duels. His ridiculous showing at this tournament meant he received the Golden Ball and Golden Boot, as the most valuable and top scorer of the competition, despite his nation losing against Uruguay in the final.

Maurizio Viscidi, Italy’s National Youth Team Coordinator, has observed Casadei’s endearing from the U16s to the U19s, praising his hugely unique talent, saying:

“He’s been the one with the greatest aptitude for attacking runs and goalscoring. And he’s also strong in the air, something that’s unusual among younger players. Given his ability to enter and give a presence in the area he’s the strongest player currently within the Azzurri’s youth sector.”

Leicester have truly got their hands on a rising star, who can excel in the Championship alongside the effervescent and improving Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

The Englishman made his breakthrough into the senior side in 2021 and has featured in 60 of the club’s last 79 league games.

His latest performance for the Foxes in their 2-1 comeback victory over Coventry City on the opening day of the Championship season was an absolute clinic of accomplished, all-round midfield play.

The 24-year-old maestro scored both goals, made three key passes, registered five accurate long balls, won 80% of his duels, and recorded two tackles, as per Sofascore.

Coventry manager Mark Robins subsequently felt that Dewsbury-Hall would be “one of the best players at this level" this season.

Therefore, having Casadei and Dewsbury-Hall in midfield – two indomitable workhorses with a potent eye for goal – is a formidable prospect that could easily elevate the Foxes back to where there they belong.

Hailed as a “diamond" by Inter’s U18 coach Andrea Zanchetta, Chelsea fans will be keenly watching Casadei’s development and his possible blossoming relationship with Dewsbury-Hall.

An update has emerged on Leeds United's efforts to bolster their playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Championship campaign…

What's the latest Leeds transfer news?

According to Football Insider, the Whites have made an enquiry over Everton central defender Mason Holgate as they pursue a deal to sign him during the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Sheffield United and Southampton have also made contact with Sean Dyche's side in order to gauge how much it would take for the Toffees to sanction a move.

It states that the manager has told the former West Bromwich Albion loanee that he is free to leave but his £72k-per-week wages could limit his options unless the Premier League team are willing to continue paying a percentage of it.

Where can Mason Holgate play?

The 26-year-old enforcer is an extremely versatile defender who has proven himself capable of playing in any position across the back four, as well as in a defensive midfield role.

His flexibility to be deployed in either a full-back spot or in the heart of the defence would make him a useful player for head coach Daniel Farke, who could then forget about the possible departure of Max Wober.

Despite having only been signed in January for £10m from Red Bull Salzburg, it has been reported that the Austria international is set to complete a move to German side Borussia Monchengladbach on loan.

The 25-year-old ace, like Holgate, is a versatile player who has played at left-back, centre-back, or in a no.6 position, although both players predominantly play at the heart of the backline.

Therefore, Farke could forget about the blow of losing, if the move goes through as reported, Wober by bringing in another gem who can cover across multiple positions to alleviate any injury or suspension issues when needed.

Holgate, who was once hailed as a "leader" by the Liverpool ECHO's Sam Carroll, is also a player with the potential to be an excellent signing for Leeds due to his quality.

The English brute has endured a couple of disappointing top-flight seasons with Everton, as he has failed to average a Sofascore rating higher than 6.65, but his form prior to that was impressive.

During the 2020/21 campaign, he averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.82 across 28 Premier League games, and that came after a superb rating of 7.01 over 27 matches throughout the previous season, in which he demonstrated his dominant defending with a ground duel success rate of 69%.

The latter score would have left him top of the Whites team during the 2022/23 campaign, which suggests that the potential is there for him to be an outstanding performer for the club.

Wober, on the other hand, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.84 in 16 league outings for Leeds last term, which placed him third within the squad of players with at least one start and won 51% of his battles on the ground.

Therefore, Holgate could replace the Austrian titan both in terms of quality and versatility if Farke can use his coaching skills to get the Everton man back to his best, which could be aided by a drop down to the Championship to play a lower standard of football.

Chelsea have already agreed personal terms with Montpellier striker Elye Wahi as the Ligue 1 side await their first bid, according to reports out of France.

Who will Chelsea sign?

Mauricio Pochettino's side are preparing for their new manager's debut season behind-the-scenes, having already sealed summer deals for Christopher Nkunku from Leipzig and Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal.

Chelsea have also seen a plethora of stars from last season leave through the exit door, including the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Kai Havertz, Edouard Mendy, Mason Mount, Kalidou Kouliably, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, N'Golo Kante and Cesar Azpilicueta.

That's not even counting youngster Ethan Ampadu, who joined Leeds United in a permanent deal too. The mass exodus helps to balance Chelsea's books and frees up squad space for more potential signings this summer.

The west Londoners are still believed to be locked in talks over a move for Brighton star Moises Caicedo as Pochettino looks to shore up his central midfield options.

Meanwhile, they have also been tipped to sign a new forward as out-of-favour flop Romelu Lukaku is likely to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, if a solution can be found.

Chelsea have been linked with Tottenham's Harry Kane – though he will be near-impossible to prise away from chairman Daniel Levy – and even Napoli's Victor Osimhen.

The Blues also hold a serious interest in electric young forward Wahi from Montpellier, with reports this week suggesting Chelsea are set to lodge a formal bid for him and lead the race.

According to a report out of Europe and French news outlet L'Equipe (via Get Football News France), the 20-year-old has "found an agreement" on personal terms with Chelsea.

The idea of moving to London is "attractive" to Wahi, but a move would see him join sister club Strasbourg on loan for the 2023/2024 season under Patrick Vieira. That idea isn't exactly enticing to him, but he isn't completely closed off to it either.

Meanwhile, it is believed Montpellier are "awaiting a €30 million (£26m) opening proposal from Chelsea" – which is the "minimum" Montpellier Chairman Laurent Nicollin expects for him.

How good is Elye Wahi?

The young forward scored 19 goals and assisted five others in just 33 Ligue 1 appearances last term, making him quite the exciting prospect for Chelsea supporters.

Ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo, speaking to the media on Wahi, believes his potential is sky high – while he also lauded the forward's exceptional speed and physicality.

De Taddeo said:

"He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next."

The starlet has been revered by members of the media as well, with journalist Andrés Onrubia Ramos explaining on Twitter how Wahi can be a "real beast" in the final third.

"Elye Wahi (2003). If he manages to polish the definition, we are facing a striker who is going to exceed ten goals per season," said Ramos.

"A real beast in space that, in addition, associatively also leaves interesting things. It should definitely explode."

Southampton are now less than two weeks away from kicking off their Championship campaign, yet their squad could look substantially different come kick-off on the opening day against Sheffield Wednesday.

What is the latest Southampton transfer news?

The big talking points regarding Southampton's transfer activity are not so much who they have bought and sold, but more so who could potentially be moved on.

Romeo Lavia, Tino Livramento and James Ward-Prowse each continue to be linked with a return to the Premier League, with the Saints demanding big fees for each of the trio.

That is not to mention the likes of Che Adams and Carlos Alcaraz, who have also been touted as targets for teams in the top flight.

New manager Russell Martin has so far signed Shea Charles from Manchester City and Ryan Manning from former side Swansea City, plus young pair Josh McNamara and Derrick Abu.

According to The Guardian, Martin may well be reunited with another of his ex-Swansea stalwarts, as West Ham have offered Flynn Downes to Southampton as part of a deal that would see Ward-Prowse head the opposite way.

What position does Flynn Downes play?

Downes joined West Ham from Swansea in a £12m deal last July but struggled to make much of an impact in his debut campaign in east London, starting just seven Premier League games. A year on, CIES Football Observatory values Downes at just £4m.

The 24-year-old was used more regularly as a substitute and featured 21 times in all competitions, predominantly as a pure central midfielder but also in a more advanced position and on the right.

It is in the middle of the pitch that Downes does the most damage – not that his work is always appreciated. As Martin himself said during their time together at Swansea: "He does the dirty work really well which sometimes goes unsung.

"He enables people to do their roles brilliantly. He plays with no ego at all and knows exactly what his role in the team is."

The 71.9 passes per 90 minutes Downes completed for Swansea in the 2021/22 season was the 10th-most of any player in the Championship, as per FBref, while his pass-completion rate of 92.6% was the best in the entire division.

Despite his lack of appearances – or perhaps because of it – the former England U20 international also led the way for pass completion among West Ham players in the Premier League last season (87.3%).

Downes would be a good replacement for Ward-Prowse, and especially Lavia, but there is another former Southampton player the Englishman is more alike in terms of playing style – Oriol Romeu, who this week joined Barcelona.

As per FBref, Downes won 1.13 tackles per 90 minutes in his final season with Swansea, compared to 1.21 for Romeu in the same season – his last at St Mary's – albeit at a higher level.

They were involved in 0.12 and 0.09 goals per 90 minutes respectively, meanwhile, and were involved in a similar number of goal-creating actions per 90 (0.12 v 0.19), which takes actions such as passes and take-ons directly leading to a goal into consideration.

That is not to say Downes is on his own path to Barcelona, but the midfielder has a proven pedigree in the Championship and would certainly help soften the blow of losing key man Ward-Prowse.

The final game of the league stage will have no bearing on how the playoffs pan out, but neither team would want to bow out with a defeat

The Preview by Sreshth Shah13-May-2017Match factsDelhi Daredevils v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Dehi, May 14, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)Head to headOverall: Royal Challengers have an emphatic 12-6 record over Daredevils.This season: One of Royal Challengers’ two wins this season was against Daredevils at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Kedar Jadhav’s sublime 69 helped the hosts post 157, which, despite Rishabh Pant’s 36-ball 57, was 15 runs too much for Daredevils.Form guide

Delhi Daredevils (sixth): defeated Rising Pune Supergiant by seven runs, defeated Gujarat Lions by two wickets, lost to Mumbai Indians by 146 runs
Royal Challengers Bangalore (eighth): lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets, lost to Kings XI Punjab by 19 runs, lost to Mumbai Indians by five wickets

In the newsAB de Villiers left for national duty after Royal Challengers’ match against Knight Riders last Sunday, and it remains to be seen if Shane Watson, who confessed this season was his poorest at the IPL ever, returns to the XI.Daredevils included only three overseas players in the side that beat Rising Pune Supergiant, with Shahbaz Nadeem replacing Carlos Brathwaite. Considering Nadeem’s tight bowling against them – he took 1 for 21 – at Feroz Shah Kotla on Friday, chances of an unchanged XI for Daredevils are high. Australian fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus is yet to play a game this season.The likely XIsDelhi Daredevils: 1 Sanju Samson, 2 Karun Nair, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Marlon Samuels, 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Pat Cummins, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 Zaheer Khan (capt), 10 Shahbaz Nadeem, 11 Mohammed ShamiRoyal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Mandeep Singh, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Shane Watson, 5 Travis Head, 6 Kedar Jadhav (wk), 7 Pawan Negi, 8 S Aravind, 9 Samuel Badree, 10 Aniket Choudhary, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalStats that matter Royal Challengers are the only team this season to score at a run rate of less than 8.00. Their average partnership of 18.50 runs per wicket is also the poorest among all teams. The second-worst batting average, 23.77, belongs to Daredevils. Royal Challengers and Daredevils have been the two least successful teams in the Powerplay this season, having scored at a run rate of 6.90 and 8.23 respectively at the expense of 25 and 24 wickets in that phase. Royal Challengers have also been the slowest in the slog overs – they have scored at a run rate of 8.44 and lost 33 wickets, the joint-most by any team. Daredevils’ inconsistency this season reflects in their being the only team to score more than 195 runs three times while being bowled out under 70 on two occasions. Daredevils have been particularly poor – with both bat and ball – between overs six and 15. They have lost 37 wickets, the second-most by any team, and have played out the most number of dot balls – 268 out of 694 deliveries – in the middle overs. During that period, their bowlers have taken only 24 wickets – only one more than bottom-placed Gujarat Lions. Only seven half-centuries have been scored by the top four batsmen in either side, at an average of less than 25 – the lowest among all teams. No other team’s top four averages less than 29. Royal Challengers’ batsmen have been dismissed 53 times for single-digit scores – 15 more than Daredevils. In comparison, Sunrisers Hyderabad have had the least number of such dismissals: only 19 single-digit scores this season.

The Committee of Administrators (CoA) has sought the Supreme Court’s immediate interference to ensure both the fourth Test between India and Australia and the IPL are not disrupted by disgruntled state associations

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Mar-2017

The Commitee of Administrators, headed by Vinod Rai, has submitted a second status report to the Supreme Court•AFP

The Committee of Administrators (CoA) has sought the Supreme Court’s immediate interference to ensure both the fourth Test between India and Australia and the IPL are not disrupted by disgruntled state associations.In its second status report, submitted in the court last week, the CoA singled out the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), which will host the fourth Test in Dharamsala later this week, for “intransigence”. The CoA also had stern words for the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA), which wanted more funds to host IPL matches despite having “substantial” reserves.”The Committee of Administrators believes that there is an urgent need to issue appropriate directions to ensure the smooth conduct of the fourth Test match between India and Australia by the HPCA as well as the smooth conduct of IPL matches by the state/member associations,” the CoA said in the status report, which was prepared on March 17.The court is likely to hear the matter on Friday, a day before the Test match starts in Dharamsala, where the two teams arrived on Monday.The HPCA, the CoA said, had asked the BCCI to release funds to host the Tests despite not having adhered to the twin orders delivered by the court last October. Through two separate orders in October, the court had made it clear to the BCCI “cease and desist” from disbursing funds to the states associations until they had submitted a written resolution saying they would adopt the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.”One of the intransigent state/member association is the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, which has not demonstrated compliance with the orders, but has sought funds for smooth conduct of the fourth Test match between India and Australia,” the status report said.The HPCA, the CoA said, had enough in its reserves to conduct the Test without any issue. According to the CoA, the HPCA had about INR 6.27 crore as savings on March 31, 2016. An amount of approximately INR 59.44 crore was transferred by the BCCI to the HPCA account between April and October last year. This was not including the INR 16 crore that each state association received from the BCCI towards the cancellation of the Champions League T20.The CoA was also wary of the threat posed by some the 10 state associations set to host the IPL, which starts in two weeks’ time. The tournament opener between defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore – the 2016 finalists – is scheduled in Hyderabad on April 5. Incidentally the Hyderabad Cricket Association is under duress after its groundstaff went on an indefinite strike last week for the non-payment of their salaries.The CoA told the court that the SCA had written to the BCCI “more than once” asking for funds to be released to address various payments including the “conduct” of the IPL. Rajkot, where the SCA is based, is the home base for Gujarat Lions, who will play five matches there. In its letter, the SCA had asked the BCCI to release INR 30 lakh per match, an amount which every venue that hosts IPL receives from the BCCI. This sum is separate to a similar amount the venue gets from the host franchise a day before each of the matches.Again, as in the case of HPCA, the SCA, too, had a substantial amount in its reserves as per its audited accounts from last March. According to the CoA, the SCA had about INR 213.47 crore as bank savings in addition to the sum of INR 42.66 crore it received from the BCCI between April and October last year.Even as it waits for the court to issue further directives, the CoA authorised BCCI CEO Rahul Johri to address the SCA and the other IPL host associations, telling them that the fee payable to the states associations will be transferred as per the contract: 14 days after the tournament ends. Johri also reminded all 10 state associations that payment will be made pending their compliance with the court orders.Ever since its institution on January 30 this year, the CoA has been locked in a tussle with the state associations, which have been reluctant to implement the Lodha Committee’s recommendations. On February 22, the CoA sent an email to all the state associations asking for a status update relating to their compliance with the court orders issued on implementing the recommendations.The state associations wrote back to the CoA citing reasons as to why they would not be adopting the recommendations prescribed by the Lodha Committee. The CoA was also told that the states had approached the court requesting further clarity.In its status report, the CoA said it had “noted with regret” the replies of the state associations. “Instead of upfront compliance with what was primarily a request for information/status update on the implementation of the reforms, they have unfortunately used the pendency of various applications as an excuse to avoid necessary compliance,” it said.The CoA told the court that the state associations had themselves to blame for not receiving the BCCI funds. “The Committee of Administrators understands that adequate funds are necessary in order to ensure that cricketing activity continues smoothly. However, it is the intransigence of state/member association to comply with this Hon’ble Court’s order dated October 7, 2016 and October 21, 2016 that has resulted in the consequential inability of BCCI to release funds to them.”It appears that the stand taken by these state/member association is part of a well thought out strategy of refusing to comply with the orders even at the cost of letting players, employees, etc. suffer, and cricketing activity be adversely affected, which is unfortunate.”In its first status report, submitted on March 5, the CoA had told the court that the state associations had not complied with even one of the steps that had to be implemented to meet the timelines set by the Lodha Committee.

Wolverhampton Wanderers reportedly remain in the chase for a teen sensation, in a player that could turn the fortunes in front of goal around for Julen Lopetegui.

The Midlands side were the Premier League’s lowest-scorers last season, and will aim to bolster the strike area this summer while remaining on a tight budget.

The Old Gold could achieve both by making a swoop for the latest link, in a deal that could prove to be an overwhelming success in years to come.

What’s the latest on Adama Bojang to Wolves

As reported by Evening Standard this week, Wolves remain in the race for The Gambia and Steve Biko FC striker Adama Bojang.

The striker is reportedly wanted by a ‘raft of European clubs’, with Wolves listed as one of five representing the Premier League.

Evening Standard revealed that the Gambian teenager is valued by Steve Biko FC at £2.6m, making him an attractive prospect for Wolves.

What could Adama Bojang offer to Wolves?

The 19-year-old’s agent is a name familiar to English football, with former Millwall and Plymouth Argyle striker Cherno Samba mentoring the young talent.

Speaking about his client via talkSPORT, the former player lauded the teen as being a starlet “destined for greatness”, making his journey one to watch in world football.

The youngster has rightfully earned his praise, shining in international competition so far this year acting as a talisman for The Gambia in both the U20 African Cup of Nations and the U20 World Cup.

Named in the U20 AFCON team of the tournament, Bojang led his team to a second-place finish in the competition, scoring four goals and assisting one in six games, via Sofascore.

A similar feat has been evident at the U20 World Cup, where the 19-year-old scored two goals in four games, averaging two shots on target per game for his country.

Hailed as an “insane talent” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the teenager could follow in the footsteps of a Premier League great, who was given a slim chance as a rotation player that allowed him to pass through a door that opened record-breaking status.

Harry Kane burst onto the scene in 2014 in his first full season in the Premier League, scoring 21 goals in 34 appearances for Spurs in a feat that redefined the meaning of taking your chance.

The now 29-year-old has never looked back from the campaign that he was nurtured into the first team by Mauricio Pochettino, and now leads as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer with 280 goals so far.

Kane’s story is an admirable one for rising stars to aim to follow, and with the England skipper listed as one of the players young Bojang “looks up to”, the Gambian is showing signs of having the potential to hit the ground running in the Premier League like his idol.

Lopetegui is desperate for a goalscorer, and in the 19-year-old he could deploy a hungry-to-succeed talent that undoubtedly has an innate eye for goal, as highlighted by his scoring records this year.

In giving such a young player creative freedom when leading the line, the Spaniard could unearth one of The Gambia’s biggest talents, in a side that isn’t short on creativity.

Molineux could pose to be the perfect place for the teenager to flourish, in an environment that could allow him to make a significant difference to his and Wolves’ future.