da apostebet： No início do mês de maio, o meia Wellington Simião, aos 34 anos de idade, anunciou a sua aposentadoria dos gramados. O agora ex-jogador defendia o Brasil de Pelotas e já começou sua trajetória para ser treinador da equipe Sub-20 do Poços de Caldas, clube onde conquistou o acesso para o módulo II do Campeonato Mineiro em 2007.
da casino： >Tabela inicial da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro
Revelado pela Caldense, Simião jogou por Brusque (onde conquistou a segunda divisão do Catarinense em 2015), Coritiba (disputou a Série B do Brasileirão de 2018) e Avaí, jogando a Série A em 2017, entre muitas outras equipes do cenário nacional. Fora do país, Wellington teve somente uma experiência quando se transferiu em 2010 para o Buriram United, da Tailândia.
– Passei por muitos momentos difíceis, lesões, falta de pagamentos e cobranças que passaram do ponto. Mas tenho certeza que o saldo é positivo, conquistei títulos, acessos, e consegui formar uma carreira baseada no profissionalismo”. Disse o atleta, antes de completar:
– Não encaro nada em minha vida como um fim, e sim como uma oportunidade de recomeçar. Foram muitos anos me dedicando a esse esporte, tenho muito agradecimento por cada clube que me deu a oportunidade de realizar um sonho de criança, ser jogador de futebol.
Se especializando para ser treinador, Simião começou ainda como jogador. Ao todo, já são 32 cursos para fazê-lo um técnico de futebol em um futuro próximo. O foco agora está em tirar a licença B para comandar as categorias de base, a licença A, que libera para ser treinador nas competições da CBF, e a Pro, que serve para treinar equipes da Série A do Brasileirão.
– Agora é a hora de contribuir para o futebol como treinador, há muito tempo venho realizando vários cursos. O Poços de Caldas já me apresentou um projeto para comandar a equipe Sub-20, então estou iniciando meu trabalho e passando tudo que sei de futebol e aprendi nos meus cursos – finalizou.
da roleta： Falling against Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals stung Liverpool supporters, but one bad result should not detract from a remarkable resurgence under Jurgen Klopp, who has revived his high-class squad and is now preparing to step down from his position at the end of the campaign.
da dobrowin： The German has brought illustrious success to an outfit that had fallen, quite dramatically, off its perch in the years before his appointment, but Liverpool's struggle last season was a by-product of inaction in the transfer market.
Since the influx of influential players in the earlier days of Klopp's reign, the £25m deal to bring Thiago Alcantara to Anfield was the lone midfield acquisition before last summer's frenzied activity.
Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara
The distinguished Spaniard has enjoyed a career laden with prosperity but, while winning silverware with Liverpool, he has failed to replicate the same lofty heights due to incessant injury problems, with the 32-year-old out of contract in the summer and having played just five minutes of football this season. It's unknown if he will feature again.
Still, as harsh as it may be it's probably for the best that he is headed for the exit, ageing and costing the club a large sum with a £200k-per-week contract. The fresh faces are relishing their responsibilities at the crest of the new wave.
Alexis Mac Allister is an elite talent; Domimik Szoboszlai is an elegant workhorse. Surprise signing Wataru Endo has been a bona fide success in the holding midfield. Ryan Gravenberch, aged 21, was the final piece of the puzzle and the last to join the project – immensely talented, he's yet to grow into his skin fully.
Why Liverpool signed Ryan Gravenberch
Gravenberch has been regarded as a top talent for several seasons now but he fell by the wayside after transferring from Ajax to Bayern Munich last season and started just three Bundesliga matches, failing to win over both Julian Nagelsmann and his successor Thomas Tuchel.
Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.
Klopp was a big admirer nonetheless and swooped in to secure the Netherlands international for £34m just before last summer's transfer deadline, with his multi-functionality and sublime technical quality speaking of his potential to succeed at the apex of the European scene.
As per FBref, the rangy midfielder ranks among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 6% for progressive carries, the top 5% for successful take-ons and the top 6% for blocks per 90.
Ryan Gravenberch: Similar Midfielders
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Player
Club
1.
Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City
2.
Federico Valverde
Real Madrid
3.
Alexis Mac Allister
Liverpool
4.
Ilkay Gundogan
Barcelona
5.
Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid
Sourced via Football Transfers
These skills place him alongside some of the game's most creative and influential midfielders, with his likeness to Jude Bellingham particularly eye-catching.
Liverpool missed out on the prodigious England international last summer, pulling out of the race in April given the need to spread funds across multiple areas of the central midfield, with Bellingham thus completing a transfer to Real Madrid, rising to £115m.
The greatest faculty Gravenberch shares with Bellingham is probably his sublime quality on the ball, and while he doesn't boast the same prolificness as the man who has scored 20 times from his first 31 matches in a Los Blancos shirt, he's rounded and dynamic in a way that few can rival.
For example, the 20-year-old has completed 89% of his passes in La Liga, averaging 1.7 key passes, 1.4 tackles, 4.5 ball recoveries, 1.8 dribbles and 7.1 successful duels per match, as per Sofascore, proving that he's not just poaching goals in the final third.
While he's ebbed and flowed in performance for the Reds so far – described as a "passenger out of possession" at one stage by one Liverpool writer – Gravenberch is undoubtedly a high-calibre player and he might just have found the perfect stomping ground at Anfield.
Make no mistake, Gravenberch still perches in the maiden stage of his professional career but he's already worth a sizeable amount and could see his worth skyrocket in the years to come.
Ryan Gravenberch's market value in 2024
Since arriving on Merseyside, Gravenberch has seen his value rise, but the most exciting part is that he's barely scratched the surface of what could flower into a rich career at Liverpool.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
According to CIES Football Observatory's valuation model, Gravenberch is currently valued at £51m, marking a 50% rise in price since his entry.
Moreover, he's worth more than goal machine Mohamed Salah, who is valued at £34m, which does seem a little low for the 31-year-old, who has wreaked devastation on defences this season and boasts 21 goals and 13 assists from just 31 matches in all competitions.
Mohamed Salah celebrates for Liverpool
Salah is not exactly enjoying a rogue campaign of brilliance either, having netted 207 goals and added 92 assists across 337 appearances for Liverpool since signing from Roma for £34m back in 2017, near the start of the stunning rise under Klopp's management.
Interestingly, Salah arrived at the club for the same amount as Gravenberch, with the latter now capable of emulating his peer and seeing his market price balloon as he develops his qualities under the Anfield lights. Klopp might be closing the door on his tenure at the club, but Liverpool have everything that Gravenberch needs to grow into a world-beater at the forefront of the European scene.
There are of course teams that would pay a far greater fee to procure Salah's signature, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad even offering £150m to snatch the Egyptian away from Liverpool last summer, but it's a testament to Gravenberch that he has risen in value nonetheless.
With so much room for growth, the Dutchman will have delighted Anfield bosses so far. With tweaks and refinements over the coming years, he might turn into a world-class machine down the line.
Mike Dodds will be pulling his hair out over who he should select at centre-back for Sunderland's next Championship encounter, with the issues in defence just piling up for the out-of-luck Black Cats of late.
Whilst Luke O'Nien being suspended and Daniel Ballard's availability being up in the air owing to a hamstring knock was already adding to Dodds' stress, the misery has been compounded even more now knowing that Jenson Seelt looks like he could well be out for the season in the heart of defence too with a serious injury.
As a consequence, Sunderland may well be cursing their luck that they allowed a certain defensive prospect to head out on loan to Scotland, with the versatile 20-year-old in question beginning to impress those at his new short-term club to the dismay of the Black Cats in their current predicament.
Nectarios Trinatis' time at Sunderland
Signed from Central Coast Mariners in far-out Australia just last summer, Nectarios Trinatis hasn't really been able to bed into the Sunderland starting lineup in his short time in the building.
The young Australian defender hasn't been helped by the fact O'Nien and Ballard are trusted in their centre-back duties as main starters for Sunderland when available, and so the 6 foot 3 new recruit found himself unable to break into the first team on a consistent basis as a result.
It would lead to the 20-year-old being given more minutes in the U21 fold over playing regular Championship football – where he made just two appearances – but he would end up amassing six games for the youthful Black Cats and even scored against Tottenham Hotspur U21s back in October.
In the January transfer window, off the back of his lack of minutes in the first team, it must have been viewed in Triantis' best interests to ship him out on loan to get more first-team experience away from the Stadium of Light.
Looking back now, knowing the dire situation Sunderland find themselves in at the back, this could prove to be a decision held with some regret.
Nectarios Triantis' time at Hibernian
Triantis has slowly but surely worked his way into the Hibernian first team up in Edinburgh, the nomadic youngster notching up eight appearances for the Scottish side since joining on deadline day.
Deployed as a defensive midfielder from at times during his fleeting spell with Hibs to date – making one appearance in that spot – Dodds and Co massively overlooked Triantis' versatility to plug gaps when a crisis crops up.
The towering 6 foot 3 youngster from down-under has excelled in spurts at centre-back away from showing off his eagerness to play wherever suits, winning six duels as an imposing presence versus Aberdeen just last month.
With O'Nien out for another game owing to suspension, alongside Ballard and Seelt being potential long-term casualties to the Stadium of Light treatment room, the powers that be at the Wearside outfit will be wondering why they didn't stick it out with their summer buy in case the injury list at Sunderland did somehow get longer.
Whilst the mood at Sunderland remains sour, Hibs manager Nick Montgomery will just be ecstatic that he has Triantis at his disposal who he has praised for being "versatile" and "strong" since walking into Easter Road as a relative unknown entity on loan.
Sunderland will have to simply make do with what they have when they face off against Queens Park Rangers this Saturday, Dodds praying that a seventh loss on the trot in the league isn't the outcome for his running-on-empty group.
Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Luis Campos has poured cold water on suggestions that Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal should win the Ballon d’Or, insisting the award has “no discussion” and must go to Ousmane Dembele. Yamal enjoyed an extraordinary season with Barcelona, but Campos highlighted Dembele’s treble-winning heroics with PSG as decisive.
Barcelona star’s Ballon d’Or case questioned by PSG chief
PSG’s sporting director Campos dismissed Yamal’s Ballon d’Or chances during an appearance on . He praised the teenager as a huge talent for the future, but argued that the award is about one season, not potential. In his view, Spaniards record, limited to winning La Liga with Barcelona was not enough compared to what others achieved.
The 18-year-old was central to the Catalan giants' domestic treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana. His creativity, goals, and maturity lit up Spanish football, cementing him as one of the brightest prospects in the game. But despite his rise, doubts remain whether that resume is enough to challenge PSG’s headline star.
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Campos shuts down comparisons with Lamine Yamal
"We're looking at Lamine Yamal as a huge player for the future. But we're talking about a very specific season. The record has been decisive in all the previous years, and what has Lamine Yamal won? The Spanish league," Campos said.
He added: "PSG has nine nominees for the Ballon d'Or. We're very happy and very proud. Other players also deserve to be there, like [Bradley] Barcola and [William] Pacho. Ousmane Dembele scored 35 goals and provided 16 assists. He was voted best player in the Champions League, best player in his league. He finished as the top scorer in his league. He won everything. Whether his name is Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there's no discussion."
The sporting director also expressed frustration at the possibility of Dembele being overlooked: "If he doesn't win the Ballon d'Or, it's because the people who voted don't have the skills to vote for the Ballon d'Or. Because the stats he has and everything he's won are very strong. In my opinion, the one who clearly deserves the Ballon d'Or is Ousmane Dembele. For me, there's no discussion. I'm talking about the past season, not a projection on Lamine Yamal in the coming years. In this season, the player with the best stats and the most prominent in all competitions is Ousmane Dembele. [Achraf] Hakimi and Vitinha, who also won the Nations League, also had extraordinary seasons, but the truth is that the best player in the Champions League and Ligue 1 is Ousmane Dembele. The Ballon d'Or should be him."
Dembele tipped as clear favourite after historic treble
The French forward, who left Barca for PSG in 2023, spearheaded the club’s first-ever Champions League triumph last season. His 35 goals and 16 assists were backed by individual honours, including Best Player in the Champions League and Best Player in Ligue 1.
Dembele’s dazzling false nine role and big-game moments made him indispensable as Les Parisiens secured a historic treble. Campos insisted that if the Ballon d’Or were judged purely on numbers and trophies, there could be no debate.
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What lies ahead in the Ballon d’Or race
The Ballon d’Or will be announced on September 22, with both Yamal and Dembele named among the contenders. PSG boast nine nominees overall, including Hakimi and Vitinha. Both Dembele and Yamal will miss the opening round of Champions League group matches due to injury, but could go head-to-head on October 1, when Barcelona face PSG in a high-stakes clash.
Raphael Varane shared a message on social media after officially completing his move to Serie A side Como on Sunday.
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Varane joined Como on a free transfer
Shared a message on social media
Como will face Al-Nassr on Monday
WHAT HAPPENED?
The French defender left Manchester United earlier this summer after spending three years at Old Trafford. He was initially linked with a move to Inter Miami and clubs in the Saudi Pro League, but eventually decided to play under Cesc Fabregas at Como as he penned a two-year deal.
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WHAT RAPHAEL VARANE SAID
After the official confirmation came from the Serie A side, Varane took to X as he quoted the club's post and wrote: "I’m super excited, incredibly proud and can’t wait to get started!!"
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The former Real Madrid defender experienced an injury-hit campaign in his final season with United as he remained sidelined for over a month with a muscle injury. He eventually appeared in 32 matches across all competitions, including the FA Cup final as they beat rivals Manchester City to lift the FA Cup.
Getty Images
WHAT NEXT?
Fabregas' side will be next seen in action Monday as they take on reigning Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal in a pre-season friendly. Varane, however, could appear for the Italians for the first time on Saturday as they next face Wolfsburg in a second friendly clash.
Fast bowler was synonymous with England’s famous victory at Headingley in 1981
Andrew Miller04-Dec-2019Bob Willis, the former England captain and fast bowler who will be forever synonymous with England’s 1981 Ashes victory, has died at the age of 70 after a short battle with cancer.Willis claimed 325 wickets in a 90-Test career that began on the Ashes tour in 1970-71, when he was called up as a 21-year-old as a late replacement for the injured Alan Ward and played a full role in a famous 2-0 series win.Nicknamed “Goose” for his unconventionally loose-limbed approach to the crease, Willis was capable of extreme hostility with the ball, making him England’s one true answer to the West Indian and Australian pace batteries that dominated the 1970s and early 1980s.His finest hour came at Headingley in 1981, when – in the wake of Ian Botham’s counter-attacking 149 not out – he tore into Australia’s second innings in a frenzied display, pounding down the hill from the Kirkstall Lane end to deliver an incredible 18-run win with figures of 8 for 43.Botham would go on to describe Willis as a “tremendous trier, a great team-man and an inspiration – the only world-class fast bowler in my time as an England player”.Willis went on to lead England on 18 occasions in Test cricket, including the 1982-83 Ashes tour, where England were defeated 2-1 though not before pulling off a remarkable three-run win in the fourth Test at Melbourne.Replacing Keith Fletcher in the wake of the 1981-82 tour of India and Sri Lanka, Willis inherited a weakened team, shorn of a number of key players including Graham Gooch and Geoff Boycott who had signed for that year’s rebel tour of South Africa. But he went on to claim nine wickets in his first match in charge, against India at Lord’s, and would lead the side through to the visit of West Indies in 1984.Willis retired after the first Test of that summer as England’s leading wicket-taker, and second in the world overall, behind Australia’s Dennis Lillee. His national tally was subsequently overhauled by his long-term team-mate Botham (383), and more recently James Anderson (575) and Stuart Broad (471).He also captained England at the 1983 World Cup, where England were defeated by India, the eventual winners, in the semi-final at Old Trafford. He claimed 80 wickets at 24.60 in 60 ODIs overall, and was a member of the team that lost the 1979 World Cup final against West Indies at Lord’s.The fact that Willis endured as long as he did made him something of a medical miracle, as he had to overcame surgery on both knees in 1975 before going on to claim 899 first-class wickets at 24.99 in 308 appearances, the majority of them in a 12-year career with Warwickshire.After retirement, Willis went on to forge a career in the media, and was most recently an acerbic and popular pundit on Sky Sports’ post-match show, The Verdict. His off-the-cuff criticisms of England’s players were frequently robust but delivered with an undertone of humour, such as in the wake of England’s 2015 Ashes victory, when Joe Root mimicked his style while wearing a mask in a live TV interview.Willis’ family said in a statement: “We are heartbroken to lose our beloved Bob, who was an incredible husband, father, brother and grandfather. He made a huge impact on everybody he knew and we will miss him terribly.”Tributes poured in in the wake of the news, with David Gower, Willis’s friend and former England team-mate, telling BBC Radio Five Live: “I toured with him as a captain and I took over the captaincy from him and then had him as what was called in those days as an assistant manager. He was a very loyal friend and a loyal supporter. Without going into too much unseemly detail, it was an era where you were allowed to have more fun than you are possibly today. Various tours Down Under were colourful, let’s put it that way.””Bob Willis was my first England captain and a legend of England cricket,” wrote the former England allrounder Derek Pringle, on Twitter. “Headingley 1981 was as much his triumph as Beefy Botham’s – RIP Big Bob…”The ECB, who last year named Willis in an all-time England XI, also paid tribute to “a legend of English cricket” and “a perceptive and respected voice at the microphone”, adding that “cricket has lost a dear friend”.He is survived by his wife Lauren, daughter Katie, brother David and sister Ann.
Manchester United will trim their squad this month and could be about to let one gem leave Old Trafford, following on from already being in the final stages of losing another talented youngster this window, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.
Man United's outgoings…
In terms of players coming through the door at Old Trafford, there really isn't that much to discuss as Manchester United are yet to finalise any signings this month. Outgoings have been the main focus so far at the Premier League giants and it is likely that Erik ten Hag will be keen to reduce his squad size further over the next few weeks.
Manchester United ready to trigger release clause to sign new midfielder
He’s piqued the interest of Old Trafford chiefs…
BySean Markus Clifford Jan 7, 2024
Speaking at an official Fans Forum last month, Red Devils' football director John Murtough hinted that several fringe players would leave to receive regular game time elsewhere, as he stated: "There will always be the possibility of deals around the edges of the squad, particularly in terms of finding opportunities for players who are not playing as much football as they would like."
Eintracht Frankfurt moved swiftly to sign Donny van de Beek on by the time January rolled around and his teammate Jadon Sancho has already departed to join Borussia Dortmund on a similar deal, notching an assist in his first appearance against Darmstadt.
Now, Romano has let it be known that Manchester United could now be set to let a prodigious talent walk through the exit door as Ten Hag's squad cull continues.
Mateo Mejia set to leave Manchester United…
According to transfer guru Romano, Manchester United's young winger Mateo Mejia is set to join Sevilla on a free transfer and official documentation of the deal will be processed next week. Taking to social media platform X, the Italian journalist has indicated that the Red Devils will insert a 25% release clause into his agreement.
Of course, Alvaro Fernandez is also nearing a loan move to Benfica, which will include an obligation to buy, a sell-on clause and an option to purchase him again from the Portuguese giants at some point in the future.
Zaragoza-born Mejia has made 12 appearances across all competitions for Manchester United's development side this campaign, registering three goals and five assists (Mejia statistics – Transfermarkt).
10 Manchester United prospects who could break through in 2024
FFC takes a look at the best talent coming out of Carrington.
ByMark Marston Dec 5, 2023
Despite the Red Devils' plight in the Premier League this campaign, Ten Hag doesn't seem too keen to introduce an influx of young stars and Mejia will now try to kickstart his senior career in Andalusia.
Kylian Mbappe says he will play wherever Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti wants him to and hopes to feature alongside the "unique" Vinicius Junior.
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Mbappe joins Madrid from PSG
Ready to be flexible for Ancelotti
Hails 'unique' Vinicius Junior
WHAT HAPPENED?
Following his switch from Paris Saint-Germain to Madrid, the 25-year-old was presented to the Spanish giants' fans this week – with the Frenchman asked a host of questions about joining Los Blancos. Two of which involved where he would play and if he could link up well with left winger Vinicius Jr.
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WHAT KYLIAN MBAPPE SAID
The forward said at his unveiling presentation at Santiago Bernabeu: "I will play wherever the coach (Ancelotti) makes me play. In Paris, I played in all three positions. In Monaco too. The important thing is to be in good physical shape. The position I will play in is a detail."
He added on the Brazilian: "Vinicius is a unique player, a very great player. I will be very happy to play with him, as with all the other players. Great players know how to play together, I think. He has been incredible in recent seasons. It is up to me to adapt to the team. I will do it as quickly as possible to help the team win."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Mbappe has, arguably, become one of the best players in the world from playing as a left-sided forward – both for PSG and France. But Vinicius is in Ballon d'Or contention after a stellar season in that position for Madrid. The 25-year-old Frenchman is happy to play as a centre-forward but whether or not they can gel together remains to be seen.
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WHAT NEXT?
After a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign with France, one which included him breaking his nose, Mbappe will begin his pre-season campaign in the coming weeks before stepping up preparations for his debut Madrid season in August.
“Leave the abuse at the gate and just respect the players, respect the game”
Daniel Brettig14-Jan-2021Australia’s captain Tim Paine has implored spectators at the Gabba this week to do what he says, rather than what he did on the final day at the SCG – treat the tourists with respect and refrain from the abuse that India faced in Sydney.”In terms of crowd behaviour – we don’t condone the abuse of anyone; let alone from the racial standpoint,” Paine said. “So we want people to come along to the Gabba, enjoy the game of cricket, support Australia, support India. Support the umpires if you like. But my suggestion is you leave the abuse at the gate and just respect the players, respect the game and have a good time.”Paine had put his hand up to apologise for calling R Ashwin a “d**khead” among other barbs on a heated final day of the third Test. But with the hosts having now left themselves needing to win in Brisbane to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Paine could not have been much clearer in terms of drawing a distinction several of his predecessors have failed to make.Related
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While he hopes the Gabba pitch will provide enough bounce to make the Indians uncomfortable, he wishes to see no echo of the SCG crowd behaviour that had moved Mohammad Siraj to stop play in order to point out his abusers.”Yeah it [the Gabba] is right up there, no doubt about that,” he said. “It’s a hard place to come and play cricket. Even for Tasmanians and Victorians to come here, it can be challenging to adjust to the different bounce and speed of the wicket. It’s something that has been to the advantage of Australian teams for a long time.”Paine has himself resolved to do likewise this week, and his pre-match rhetoric was a long way from that before the SCG, where he intimated that the series was coming to the boil in terms of tensions between the teams. However, he proved to be the only player on either side to substantially blow his top. At 36, Paine is self-aware enough to acknowledge that he plays his best cricket – which is as a wicketkeeper-batsman near the front rank – when in a focused frame of mind. If distracted as he was in Sydney on day five, he can revert to the very ordinary.”I just think I’ll handle it differently. I let it get under my skin, no doubt about that,” Paine said. “I’ve admitted that – but for me, it’s about rising above it and concentrating on what I’m doing and concentrating on leading my team, not worrying about what is going on with the other side. That’s the focus for us, we’ve spoken a lot this game about controlling what we can control and focusing more inwardly on ourselves. If we do that, we’ll be in a good position.”If you look throughout my whole career, I think I’ve done a pretty good job of staying relaxed for 99% of it. Again, it’s going back to how I play my best cricket [and] that’s [by] having a smile on my face, enjoying cricket for what it is – a game. And at times the other day, I certainly thought I got caught up in the moment. What I’ve been really good at is being able to step back – even just have a look around the crowd at times – and realise that at that very second, you’re captaining your country in a Test match.”It’s something I have always wanted to do, so remind yourself that way to enjoy it. Obviously, I’m going to compete very hard, that’s what I do. I want to win as much as anyone and I’m a competitive player but there’s a fine line. It’s the same with my batting – if I’m too tense and trying too hard to fight hard, then I am a pretty ordinary batter. If I look to go out, relax, have fun and look to score then I’m normally a much better player – it’s just a slight tweak in my mindset. It’s nothing new to me, it’s getting back to what I normally do.”As for the sharp criticisms of numerous in the commentariat – particularly in India and England – Paine said he had taken note. But he was careful not to respond in kind to his fellow Seven commentator Sunil Gavaskar, who let fly with a torrent of calls for Paine to be removed from the team by the national selectors after the ongoing series concluded.”I have [noted what Gavaskar said] but I’m not going into it, [and] getting into a back and forth with Sunny Gavaskar,” Paine said. “I don’t think I’m going to win that. Look, he’s entitled to his opinion. It doesn’t affect us one iota. Anything [that it is doing is] it’s adding to the Test match which is great. So Sunny can keep saying what he wants to say but at the end of the day, it’s absolutely got nothing to do with him.”The Australians lined up to defend Steven Smith this week after further aspersions were cast on his character for stump cam footage of him shadow-batting and re-marking centre during Rishabh Pant’s innings in Sydney. While Smith’s management gave a prepared statement to News Corp stating he was “shocked and disappointed”, Paine argued that several days on, these hurtful words would be melted down and remade as motivation for Australia’s No. 4.”He’s mentally very strong, very tough,” Paine said of Smith. “He knows that at times he’s going to be criticised,[and] he’s handled that pretty well. Not only this week, but since he’s come back into our side. If anything, he feeds off it. His statistics will speak for itself and we’ll see the best of Steve Smith this week.”And we set high expectations for ourselves and last week we didn’t meet them. And when you don’t do that, you leave yourself to criticism and we’ve copped that on the chin. We’re now looking forward to this Test match, [and] controlling what we can control, which has been our preparation and the way we go about this Test. So we can’t wait for tomorrow.”
Celtic legend Chris Sutton has raised concerns regarding the lack of transfer activity at Parkhead as the Hoops prepare to kick off their Scottish Premiership campaign on Sunday.
The Bhoys cruised to their 55th top flight title last season, leading rivals Rangers by a wide margin for practically the entire season, but it’s fair to say their summer hasn’t been quite such smooth sailing.
Star winger Nicolas Kuhn has left Glasgow to join Serie A side Como, along with experienced leadership figure Greg Taylor, who joined Greek side PAOK on a free transfer, although Kieran Tierney’s return should go some way to filling that void.
Benjamin Nygren
£1.7m
Nicolas Kuhn
£16.5m
Shin Yamada
£1.5m
Gustaf Lagerbielke
£2m
Kieran Tierney
Free
Kwon Hyeok-kyu
£200k
Ross Doohan
Free
Greg Taylor
Free
Callum Osmand
Free
Scott Bain
Free
Hayato Inamura
Undisclosed
Luis Palma
Loan
Maik Nawrocki
Loan
Adam Montgomery
Loan
Josh Clarke
Loan
Jeffrey Schlupp
End of loan
While the Hoops’ model has long been to develop and sell players like Kuhn before replacing them with cheaper, younger assets, the fact they are yet to make a marquee signing just days away from the beginning of the season is certainly a concern.
Sutton: Celtic need signings before Champions League qualifiers
Celtic will play the first leg of their Champions League qualifier on August 19-20, coming after league matches against St Mirren and Aberdeen and a cup clash with Falkirk, and Sutton believes Brendan Rodgers will be disappointed with the lack of business.
“If you look at the squad going into the season, it’s still a little bit light,” Sutton said in quotes shared by the Press Association.
“Brendan Rodgers, everything I’ve seen him hint and say, he feels the same. The fact that Brendan talked about ambition, he is always quite calculated in what he says and the words that he uses. I think that’s a little warning shot across the bows to say ‘we need to bring players in’.
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“It’s fair to say the squad aren’t as strong right now as they were at the end of last season, and that’s not ideal. But there’s still plenty of time left in the transfer window.
“If you look back at last season, Celtic won the league in the first half of the campaign. They won 16 of their first 18 games, set off like a house on fire and there was real momentum going into the season from pre-season. It doesn’t quite feel like that at the moment.
“And they didn’t have the burden of the Champions League qualifiers last season and we know how enormous they are for the club.
“Celtic have been in this position before where they are signing players when the Champions League qualifiers have already begun. That’s not ideal.
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“You want players in so you can work with them, so they get the idea of the way that the team works. You don’t want them learning on the job when the Champions League has started and then missing out. We know how massive these games are. If you’re slightly off it, then you can get beat.”
He continued: “I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s never easy for Celtic and Rangers in the market they are in. We know what Celtic’s model is in terms of bringing players in.
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“We will find out at the end of next month whether Celtic have done enough. It’s OK for pundits to say ‘the board need to do more’ but at the end of next month if Celtic bring another few players in of quality which is going to lift the squad, all well and good.
“If not, then clearly people are going ask questions about why they are weaker now than they were at the end of last season.”