All posts by h79snht.top

Over the summer, Ange Postecoglou was relieved of his duties as manager of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

He had promised supporters that season three is always the best. Alas, Spurs fans swiftly saw him exit the club, replaced by Thomas Frank.

While Postecoglou had guided the Lilywhites to the Europa League, thus engineering plenty of credit in the bank, they did ultimately finish 17th in the Premier League.

A major trophy was won but their league form was inexcusable. The same could now be said of Spurs under Frank.

Things started off rosy but they have unravelled in recent months. It’s all beginning to become rather Ange, isn’t it? The lack of ability to create goal-scoring opportunities and play attractive football is not rubbing off well on supporters.

Spurs could replace Frank already

As of 30th November 2025, the Dane has only been in charge of Spurs for 171 days. Yet, after a matter of months, Frank is already feeling the heat.

A week ago, the north Londoners put in a drab performance against rivals Arsenal, conceding four in the process. A few days later, while they did look more threatening in attack, they shipped five against European champions PSG.

A defeat against two of the continent’s very best is hardly a surprise, but their 2-1 loss to Fulham only rubbed further salt in the wounds.

This has been a terrible week for Tottenham and it’s hardly a surprise that Fabio Paratici and Co have been told to earmark possible replacements.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

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According to reports in Spain, one name to have emerged on the club’s shortlist is former Barcelona player and manager, Xavi.

While the Spaniard is also on the radar of Manchester United, it’s thought that the Spurs board are considering making a change in the dugout if things have not improved by the end of December. In that eventuality, they will look to speak with Xavi about the job.

It’s stated that Spurs and United see Xavi as ‘an ideal coach to lead a new phase’, largely thanks to the fact that he has ‘modern ideas’ and ‘believes in young players’.

Why Xavi would be perfect for Spurs

Spurs have been there and done it before with a big-name manager. Antonio Conte’s spell ended in tears, as did Jose Mourinho’s. He steered them to a League Cup final at Wembley but was remarkably sacked on the eve of that big game.

As a result, caution must be heeded here. Is Xavi really the best port of call? Fears that another Conte or Mourinho situation could play out are understandable.

Yet, the fact of the matter is that Spurs have tried everything now. The relatively untested route of Postecoglou did end with a trophy but his spell was incredibly topsy-turvy. They’ve also been there and done it with a Premier League-proven manager. Nuno Santo ended poorly and the Frank regime is hardly going well, is it?

It’s rather sad. Frank is a nice man. He’s likeable. The first few months saw something of a revival too. Postecoglou’s defence was a total mess but the former Brentford manager had sorted that out.

Across Tottenham’s first seven games under Frank’s stewardship, they kept five clean sheets. There was better organisation and defensively they were far more resolute. Job done, right? The biggest problem under Ange was fixed. Think again.

The honeymoon period is now over. Spurs have won just one of their last seven games in all competitions. Across that time, they have shipped 15 goals. It’s far from ideal.

Frank’s first 7 games vs last 7 games

Stat

First 7

Last 7

Wins

5

1

Draws

1

1

Defeats

1

5

Goals scored

14

11

Goals conceded

3

15

Data excludes European Super Cup

Stats via WhoScored.

So, why would Xavi represent an upgrade? Well, in the words of Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, the former midfielder is “the best manager in the world.”

Whether or not you agree with that sentiment, the experience he boasts is extraordinary. As a player, he won the World Cup, two European Championships, eight LaLiga titles and four Champions Leagues.

As a manager, he navigated Barca through choppy waters. Under financial pressure, the Spanish giants still won LaLiga and while they did spend big on the likes of Raphinha and Ferran Torres, a lot of the work done in the transfer market was bringing in players on a free transfer.

Xavi was also the boss who gave a certain Lamine Yamal his debut aged 15. He also handed a first-team debut to Fermin Lopez, now a regular in the Barca team and to centre-half Pau Cubarsi.

Speaking about the Spanish manager’s philosophy, Arsene Wenger once said: “Personally, I like Xavi, and I give him credit for having the courage to bring these young players on board. That’s the difficult thing. He believed in them and gave them a chance to play. It’s true that he didn’t win the league last season, but he did win it the season before that. So I think he did a good job.”

The fact of the matter is that the Spaniard trusts young players and this couldn’t be more perfect for a Spurs squad boasting some of the finest young talent around. Take the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Luka Vuskovic and Luca Williams-Barnett as prime examples. The 45-year-old could be game-changing for players like that.

Born and bred in La Masia, it’s hardly a surprise that Xavi also favours attractive and possession-based football. Frank, on the other hand, does not.

Sure, Spurs were more organised during the opening months of the Frank regime but as manager of Tottenham, the fans expect to see exciting football too.

While the Londoners have enjoyed 53.8% of the ball this season, the sixth-best tally in the division, they have struggled big time with their creativity. Their 9.5 shots per game is the third-lowest tally in the entire Premier League. Only Wolves and Burnley are below them. Remarkably, they are also registering no through balls per game. No other team is worse in that regard.

As a consequence, they sit 16th in the league for expected goals, with a record of 14.33 xG.

To put some of those numbers into context, when Xavi won the league with Barca in 2022/23, they enjoyed the most possession in the league (64.8%), and had the second highest volume of shots per game (15.1).

While Xavi had a better team in his armoury, he is clearly a better tactical coach and the fact that he’s won some of football’s biggest honours puts him on a pedestal far above Frank.

He’s played under the likes of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, he’s certainly been able to learn a thing or two. Spurs would certainly be better off should they seal the remarkable capture of Xavi heading into 2026.

Related As bad as Vicario: Frank must finally bin 5/10 Spurs flop after Fulham

Tottenham were condemned to a third defeat in six days as they were overcome by Fulham’s early flurry.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 30, 2025

تمكن منتخب تونس من تحقيق الفوز على قطر، في إطار منافسات دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب.

وواجه منتخب تونس نظيره القطري، في السابعة مساء بتوقيت القاهرة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب.

ويقع منتخب تونس في المجموعة الأولى في كأس العرب، رفقة منتخبات قطر وسوريا وفلسطين. 

طالع.. ترتيب المجموعة الأولى من كأس العرب 2025 

وحقق منتخب تونس الفوز على قطر، بثلاثية نظيفة، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم الأحد. 

تقدم منتخب تونس بالهدف الأول في مرمى قطر، في الدقيقة 16 من عمر الشوط الأول، عن طريق محمد علي بن رمضان لاعب الأهلي. 

وفي الدقيقة 62 من عمر الشوط الثاني، عزز منتخب تونس تقدمه بالهدف الثاني في مرمى قطر عن طريق اللاعب ياسين مرياح، قبل أن يضيف محمد علي بن رمضان ثالث أهداف تونس في الدقيقة 94 من عمر المباراة. 

وبهذه النتيجة رفع منتخب تونس رصيده إلى 4 نقاط في المركز الثالث في جدول ترتيب المجموعة، بينما تجمد رصيد قطر عند نقطة وحيدة في المركز الأخير. 

وبتلك النتيجة تأكد خروج تونس وقطر من بطولة كأس العرب، بينما تأهلت سوريا وفلسطين إلى دور الثمانية من البطولة.  أهداف مباراة تونس وقطر في كأس العرب  

 

 

 

MatériaMais Notícias

O Vasco da Gama enfrenta o Fluminense nesta quinta-feira (10), às 20h (de Brasília), no Maracanã, pelo primeiro jogo da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. O confronto será transmitido ao vivo na SporTV, na TV fechada, e no Premiere, no pay-per-view, e na Prime Video (streaming).

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O Vasco da Gama chega para a partida a primeira partida da semfinal em um momento conturbado. A equipe venceu apenas um dos últimos oito jogos. A equipe concluiu sua participação no Brasileirão no último final de semana, quando o treinador Fernando Diniz optou por utilizar um time alternativo contra o Atlético-MG e acabou goleado por 5 a 0.

Na Copa do Brasil, a equipe segue invicta. Ao todo, são três vitórias e cinco empates na competição. O Gigante da Colina iniciou sua trajetória vencendo União Rondonópolis e Nova Iguaçu (ainda em partidas únicas) e, depois, superou Operário-PR, CSA e Botafogo em jogos de ida e volta.

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Para o confronto, o Cruzmaltino terá o desfalque do lateral-esquerdo Lucas Piton, que sofreu uma lesão no joelho na partida contra o Mirassol. Com isso, Puma Rodríguez, que é lateral-direito de origem, mas já jogou invertido neste ano, será o titular no confronto.

Ao contrário do Vasco, o Fluminense vive seu melhor momento após o Mundial de Clubes. A equipe comandada por Luis Zubeldía está em uma sequência de sete jogos sem perder (cinco vitórias e dois empates). Na última rodada do Brasileirão, o treinador optou por escalar o time titular e venceu o Bahia por 2 a 0, no Maracanã.

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Nesta edição da Copa do Brasil, o Tricolor foi derrotado em apenas uma oportunidade. No primeiro jogo das quartas de final contra o Bahia, na Arena Fonte Nova, o clube baiano venceu por 1 a 0. No total foram oito jogos (seis vitórias, um empate e uma derrota).

Assim como o Vasco, o Fluminense tem um desfalque de peso para a primeira partida. O atacante Canobbio está suspeso e fora da primeira partida da semfinal. Para a vaga, Soteldo, que participou de três gols nos últimos três jogos do Tricolor, deve ser o substituto.

VASCO X FLUMINENSE
COPA DO BRASIL – SEMIFINAL – IDA
📆 Data e horário: quinta-feira, 11 de dezembro de 2025, às 20h (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Maracanã;
📺 Onde assistir: Premiere, SportTV e Amazon Prime.
🟨 Árbitro: Raphael Claus (SP);
🚩 Assistentes: Danilo Ricardo Simon Manis (SP) e Alex Ang Ribeiro (SP);
🖥️ VAR: Daniel Nobre Bins (RS).

VASCO (Técnico: Fernando Diniz)

Léo Jardim; Paulo Henrique, Carlos Cuesta, Robert Renan e Puma Rodríguez; Thiago Mendes, Barros e Coutinho; Andrés Gómez, Nuno Moreira e Rayan.

FLUMINENSE (Técnico: Luis Zubeldía)

Fábio; Samuel, Thiago Silva, Freytes e Renê; Martinelli, Nonato (Hércules) e Acosta; Soteldo, Serna e Everaldo

Tudo sobre

FluminenseFutebol NacionalOnde assistirVasco

His two wickets on the opening day slowed down Pakistan’s progress and helped South Africa go to stumps after an “even day”

Danyal Rasool20-Oct-2025

Maharaj took two wickets to set Pakistan back on the opening day•AFP/Getty Images

It may not have seemed that way when Pakistan were 146 for one, but by stumps, South Africa had clawed back enough into the Test for Keshav Maharaj to call it an even day. The left-arm spinner – who did not play the first Test owing to a groin injury – began South Africa’s comeback when he dismissed crowd favourite Babar Azam early on in his innings. In the final session, Maharaj struck once more when he drew Shan Masood into a sweep, which he could only drag to Marco Jansen at square leg. By the end, there was time for Kagiso Rabada to snag a fifth wicket, forcing Pakistan to see off the final half hour cautiously. They finished on 259 for five.”I think it was an even day,” he said. “We managed to control their run rate. When the ball gets softer – which happens quite quickly because the wicket’s quite hard, we managed to just go to old-fashioned Test cricket… I felt if we got one more wicket at night, we’d probably have had a little bit of an upper hand.”Related

South Africa are selecting based on character rather than just stats now

First day in Pindi = first day in Lahore

South Africa, Pakistan share opening-day honours after Masood 87

The first two sessions were shaping up to tell a different story, using the same, frustrating script for the visitors. Having lost the toss and being inserted to field once more, they were sloppy, putting down five catches – just as they had on the first day in Lahore. Abdullah Shafique was the primary beneficiary, with South Africa spurning three opportunities to dismiss him. Earlier, Marco Jansen had nipped one in that Shafique left. The ball had kissed the off stump, only for the bails to be left undisturbed.”As a collective we know how important catches are, not just in the subcontinent. No one means to drop catches; it was nice to see the guys bounce back and take the catches that they did. Bit frustrating but no one means to drop chances.”Simon Harmer bowled 23 overs of spin to complement Maharaj•AFP/Getty Images

The fielding tide for South Africa began to turn when Tony de Zorzi took an excellent catch, which sent Babar on his way. South Africa have placed a lot of faith in their leading offspinner; he bowled 31 overs – the most for any bowler on a day this series. Harmer bowled 23 further overs of spin, but Senuran Muthuswamy, the leading wicket-taker in Lahore, sent down just four.Maharaj, who said he regretted being unable to play in Lahore, called the decision to use Muthuswamy more sparingly “tactical”. “We saw that the wicket didn’t play like Lahore and we felt like we just wanted to try and restrict the Pakistani batters. I don’t think there was an issue. Sen came back nicely with the second spell that he bowled.”In the end, Pakistan scored 54 fewer runs than they did on day one in Lahore, with South Africa drying up the runs, giving the final session a slightly different tinge to the first day they had during the first Test. They will be further encouraged by the knowledge that Pakistan have a collapse in them, something Masood highlighted following the first Test. In the first Test, Pakistan lost their last five for 16 in the first innings, and their last six for 17 in the two innings. One more wicket, and South Africa will know there are opportunities to run through the lower order.”Tomorrow’s an important day,” Maharaj said. The first sessions in the series so far have been quite action-packed. “Hopefully, we can make inroads tomorrow morning. The main thing is to try bowling as many dot balls as we can. We saw for a period of time when we did do it, that it brought us a little bit of reward, and we created opportunities. I think it’s important we start really well tomorrow. Hopefully we can get Saud and Agha early in the morning and open up an end with the lower-order batters. But it’s about just trying to bowl our best balls for long periods of time.”

With Rangers currently fourth in the Scottish Premiership and rock-bottom of the gigantic Europa League table, they need wins and fast.

On Saturday, Danny Röhl’s side will go in search of a fourth successive league victory when last-placed Livingston visit Ibrox.

This is followed by a European clash with Braga and, considering the Gers are currently pointless halfway through the league phase, they really could do with a victory over the Archbishops from Northern Portugal.

However, potentially dealing with something of a defensive injury crisis ahead of Saturday’s game, how could Röhl combat his new injury problems?

Rangers' defensive injury crisis

The news any club supporter and indeed manager fears during an international break is reports that their players may have suffered an injury while away with their countries, but this may be exactly the reality Rangers are facing.

First, ahead of Scotland’s historic World Cup qualifying victory over Denmark at Hampden on Tuesday, mere minutes before kick-off, centre-back John Souttar withdrew from the starting lineup after suffering an injury during the warm-up.

The extent of the injury is currently unknown, but it is always a concern when it comes to Souttar, considering he has ruptured both anterior cruciate ligaments in the past.

This season though, he has been a near-ever-present in Rangers’ back line, starting 23 of the Gers’ 24 matches, rested against Alloa, as well as ten of Scotland’s last 11 competitive fixtures prior to Tuesday night.

Later that day, in the middle of the night UK time, further bad news emerged given that Derek Cornelius was withdrawn just 33 minutes into Canada’s 2-0 friendly victory over Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale.

Since arriving on loan from Marseille, the 27-year-old has cemented himself as a key figure, especially since Röhl has switched to a back three, given the scarcity of alternative centre-back options.

Similar to Souttar, it is not yet publicly known if Cornelius will be available for the weekend, but this has to be a concern.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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Nevertheless, given bottom of the table Livingston are the visitors to Ibrox, neither should be risked if not 100% fit, hence why Röhl should entrust his forgotten “colossus” with a start.

How Rangers can solve their defensive injury problems

Of Rangers’ 13 new recruits during the summer, Emmanuel Fernandez is often forgotten and overlooked by supporters.

The 6 foot 4 central defender arrived from Peterborough United in July, having bounced around the lower division in England, representing non-league clubs including Sheppey United and Spalding United.

This move north of the border was supposed to be the 24-year-old’s big breakthrough, but he’s so far been more of a lesser-spotted species than an integral figure.

Fernandez scored on debut against Alloa Athletic, starting at St Mirren the following weekend, but has seen just one minute of action since 24 August, introduced late during the last-gasp, hard-fought victory over Hibernian at Easter Road, an unused substitute on 11 occasions.

This is despite the fact that the Englishman boasted impressive statistics in EFL League One last season, as the table below documents.

Fernandez 2024/25 stats

Stats (* = per 90)

Fernandez

League 1 rank

Goals

5

2nd

Tackles *

1.24

63rd

Interceptions *

0.91

46th

Clearances *

6.83

19th

Passing accuracy %

85.35%

20th

Passes *

65.93

5th

Aerial duels won *

4

27th

Aerial duels won %

62.24

25th

Ground duels won *

2.87

35th

Note: rankings are defenders only.

Stats via SofaScore

These performances for Posh last season led to Peterborough Chairman Darragh MacAnthony describing the central defender as a “colossus”, also noting that he is a “gentle giant” as well as a “great organiser and talker”.

His most spectacular moment came when he scored an astonishing long-range goal against Exeter City.

Also worth highlighting is that, according to Global Football Rankings, EFL League One is the 41st strongest division in the world, just eight places below the Scottish Premiership, suggesting Fernandez would be more than good enough to start, particularly against Livingston at home.

With fixtures coming thick and fast, and a must-win European match against Braga right around the corner, Röhl surely cannot risk either Souttar or Cornelius exacerbating their injury issues, emphasising that he has to trust Fernandez to start as the middle man in his back three at the weekend.

Related Ferguson 2.0: Rangers' "best player" is now more important than Tavernier

Rangers’ “best player” who is reminiscent of Barry Ferguson has emerged under Danny Röhl and it is not captain James Tavernier.

Posts ByBen Gray Nov 14, 2025

أسدل الستار على مباريات الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب 2025، والمقامة في قطر، والتي شهدت مواجهات ونتائج مثيرة.

وانطلقت منافسات بطولة كأس العرب يوم 1 ديسمبر بمشاركة 16 منتخبًا، مقسمة على 4 مجموعات، كل مجموعة تضم 4 منتخبات.

وشهدت الجولة الأولى نتائج مثيرة، ففي المجموعة الأولى فاز منتخب سوريا على تونس بهدف نظيف، فيما حقق منتخب فلسطين انتصارًا على نظيره القطري.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعات كأس العرب 2025 بعد نهاية الجولة الثانية

وفي المجموعة الثانية، فاز المغرب على جزر القمر 3-1، فيما انتصر الأخضر السعودي على عمان 2-1.

أما المجموعة الثالثة، شهدت تعادل منتخب مصر مع الكويت بهدف لكل فريق، فيما نجح منتخب الأردن في تحقيق الفوز على الإمارات، بهدفين لهدف.

وأخيرا، في المجموعة الرابعة، تعادل الجزائر مع السودان سلبيًا، فيما فاز العراق على البحرين 2-1. ترتيب مجموعات كأس العرب 2025 بعد نهاية الجولة الأولىالمجموعة الأولى

1- منتخب فلسطين، 3 نقاط.

2- منتخب سوريا، 3 نقاط.

3- منتخب تونس، دون نقاط.

4- منتخب قطر، دون نقاط. المجموعة الثانية

1- المغرب، 3 نقاط.

2- السعودية، 3 نقاط.

3-عمان، بدون نقاط.

4- جزر القمر، بدون نقاط. المجموعة الثالثة

1- منتخب الأردن، 3 نقاط.

2- منتخب مصر، نقطة.

3- منتخب الكويت، نقطة.

4- منتخب الإمارات، دون نقاط. المجموعة الرابعة

1- العراق، 3 نقاط.

2 – الجزائر، نقطة من مباراة.

3 – السودان، نقطة من مباراة.

4 – البحرين، دون نقاط.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo goleou o Juventude, por 5 a 1, na terceira rodada do Brasileirão. Os gols alvinegros na noite deste domingo (21), no Estádio Nilton Santos, foram marcados por Júnior Santos, Tiquinho Soares, Danilo Barbosa, Savarino e Jacob Montes, enquanto Danilo Boza descontou para o Alviverde. Confira o Lance! Final no player acima.

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✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
BOTAFOGO 5 X 1 JUVENTUDE – CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO
3ª RODADA
🗓️ Data e horário: domingo, 21 de abril de 2024, às 18h30 (hora de Brasília)
📍 Local: Estádio Nilton Santos, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
🟨 Árbitro: Arthur Gomes Rabelo (ES);
🚩 Assistentes: Bruno Raphael Pires (FIFA-GO) e Eduardo Gonçalves da Cruz (MS);
🖥️ VAR: Daiane Muniz (FIFA-SP).

BOTAFOGO (Técnico: Artur Jorge)
Gatito Fernández; Mateo Ponte (Damián Suárez); Lucas Halter, Bastos (Pablo) e Hugo; Marlon Freitas e Danilo Barbosa; Jeffinho (Diego Hernández), Savarino, Júnior Santos (Jacob Montes) e Tiquinho Soares (Eduardo).

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JUVENTUDE (Técnico: Roger Machado)
Gabriel; João Lucas, Danilo Boza, Lucas Freitas e Gabriel Inocêncio; Caíque, Luis Mandaca (Abner), Lucas Barbosa (Thiaguinho), Nenê (Rodrigo Sam) e Jean Carlos (Marcelinho); Erick (Ruan).

Tudo sobre

BotafogoBrasileirãoFutebol NacionalJuventude

Youngest leader keen to “see how I go under pressure” after latest show of faith from management

Matt Roller16-Sep-2025

Jacob Bethell is set to captain England for the first time•Getty Images

“I like it when things come at a fast pace,” Jacob Bethell said with a grin, as he prepared to become England’s youngest-ever captain on Wednesday. It is just as well.It was a year ago last week that Bethell made his England debut, feeling “very nervous” as he walked out for a T20 international against Australia in Southampton. Twelve months, 34 caps, nine half-centuries and a maiden hundred later, he will break a record that has stood since 1889 when he goes for the toss in Malahide to lead his country against Ireland at the age of 21.It is the latest show of faith in a young man who England’s management clearly view as a future superstar. Bethell’s captaincy experience is limited to “a bit at school”, seven games for England Under-19s and a handful more for Warwickshire’s second team, but he will lead a senior side featuring two double-World Cup winners in Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid this week.Related

Summer arrives late for Ireland in slender window of opportunity

Stirling 'frustrated' by Ireland's sparse summer schedule

Saqib Mahmood ruled out of T20Is as Scott Currie earns maiden call-up

From Itoje to Buttler: How Ross Adair shelved rugby for second innings in cricket

He has long been seen as a leader, dating back to his time in charge of England’s Under-19s. Bethell’s schooling, moving from Barbados to the UK to board at Rugby School, and his early entry into professional cricket have contributed to a sense that he is more mature than most of his peers, the direct result of his accelerated development.England’s logic for giving Bethell the role is simple enough. Harry Brook, their permanent white-ball captain, is among several multi-format linchpins rested for this series, and there is little point handing the reins back to Buttler for a three-match, end-of-season tour. Perhaps only Phil Salt, who led England against Australia last year, could feel hard done by to be overlooked.Bethell has not explicitly been told why he was chosen, but has his suspicions. “It’s maybe just a bit of trust,” he said on Tuesday, in his first captain’s press conference. “Another aspect might be, just chuck me in the deep end and see how I go. It will be nice to see how I go under pressure – I’m sure the guys that have made those decisions would like to see that as well.”He learned of his elevation from Brendon McCullum in a phone call last month. “When I found out, the first emotion was pride,” Bethell said. “The feeling is excitement [with] a few nerves kicking around, both from wanting to lead the boys well, and get a win under our belt.” Asked to describe what type of captain he will be, he joked: “A very young one.”That sense was accentuated on Tuesday when he posed with the series trophy alongside his opposite number, Paul Stirling, who at 35 is a veteran of more than 150 T20 international caps. They are well-acquainted from a season opening the batting for Warwickshire together in the T20 Blast three years ago, and Bethell clearly left an impression despite a lean campaign.”He was a superstar,” Stirling recalled. “You could see the talent there when he must’ve been 18 years old. His ball-striking was so noticeable that it was world-class already. To see where he’s got to already in his career is no surprise to me… I know how talented he is, and I’m not surprised at all that he’s here under a leadership capacity.”Bethell believes that his primary responsibility as a captain will be to “manage people” while working with stand-in head coach Marcus Trescothick. “Not every tactical decision you make is going to work,” he said. “It’s about managing the boys well so they feel you’re backing them. That’s something I’ll look to take forward in however many games I end up captaining in my career.”He has admired Ben Stokes’ leadership of England’s Test team – “he leads by example, with actions and performances” – and intends to follow suit. Bethell’s recent form – including a maiden hundred against South Africa nine days ago – has been timely, removing the simmering disquiet in some quarters around his hasty promotion to the captaincy.Bethell said that he has taken confidence from that innings of 110 off 82, even if he did not see it as a breakthrough moment. “It was a nice feeling, and almost one that feels quite addicting. Hopefully, I can get myself used to raising the bat. Once you do it once, you’ve got the confidence to go on and do it again and again, so I think it’s definitely given me that.”That innings came from No. 4 in England’s ODI team, and he was promoted to No. 3 in last week’s T20Is against South Africa. “It’s kind of moulding two positions into one: you’ve got the back-end of the powerplay, and then what I’m used to in the middle order,” he said, adding with another grin: “I think as high up the order as possible is pretty good.”Further success this week – albeit in a different format – will only prompt more speculation about the prospect of him forcing his way into England’s team for the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21. “My head’s firmly screwed on to this series,” he said. “The squad’s not even selected for that yet, so hopefully I’m going to be there.”There is little doubt that he will be – just as there are few who would predict that his first series as England’s captain will be his last.

Goalscoring, leadership and world-class quality are just three expressions used to describe the talents possessed by Harry Kane during his decade spell at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Englishman rose through the youth ranks in North London before making himself a staple of the club’s first-team setup between 2013 and 2023, before his move to Bayern Munich.

The centre-forward made 435 appearances and found the back of the net on 280 occasions – a tally which still sees him stand at the top of the club’s all-time goalscoring charts.

His goalscoring record, coupled with his link-up play and creativity, has made him one of the best players to ever play for the club – with Thomas Frank no doubt wishing he could rely on a player of his calibre.

Whilst Kane has moved on to pastures new in recent years, the new manager has already added one top-level talent to his ranks, with the summer addition making an immediate impact in North London.

The underlying stats behind Palhinha’s start to life at Spurs

Joao Palhinha joined Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich this summer, with such a deal that the fanbase wasn’t totally convinced by upon the announcement.

However, a couple of months on from his switch back to the Premier League, the Portuguese international has certainly proved a lot of the doubters wrong.

Despite his defensive midfield role, the 30-year-old has impressed in the final third, already registering four goals and two assists – two of which came in Tuesday’s Champions League win over Copenhagen.

However, out of possession is where the midfielder has thrived, as seen by his phenomenal tally of tackles won in the Premier League over the last few months.

He’s already made 44 tackles in his 10 league outings for the Lilywhites, with such a tally the highest of any player in the entire division at present.

Other figures such as 8.5 duels won per 90 – at a success rate of 63% – with his tally of 1.8 aerials won also highlighting his dominant ball-winning ability at the heart of the side.

Palhinha has immediately handed Frank the number six the side has greatly lacked over recent years, with such an addition one that has been their best in recent years.

The Spurs star who is becoming the best player since Kane

There’s little denying that Palhinha is rapidly making himself one of the first names on the Spurs teamsheet, with no other player in the squad able to do the job he does.

Many supporters have voiced concerns over his lack of progression with the ball at his feet, but ultimately, his main responsibility is to allow those ahead of him to create the magic in attacking areas.

Players such as Xavi Simons, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr are more than capable of feeding off Palhinha and providing the goods with the ball at their feet – with the latter crucial in the Lilywhites’ three-man midfield.

However, his recent exploits in the final third showcase he is a lot more capable in forward areas than the fans give him credit for – with the 30-year-old now on more goal contributions than Mohammed Kudus.

He’s not alone in overperforming in forward areas, with centre-back Micky van de Ven another player who has taken his game to the next level in the attacking department.

The 24-year-old was brought to North London in a £40m deal back in the summer of 2023, undoubtedly being signed to provide needed quality to the backline.

However, in 2025/26, the Dutch international has massively impressed in the attacking department, already scoring five times this season – including a double in the Premier League win over Everton.

Van de Ven also managed to get on the scoresheet in the hammering of Copenhagen this week, running from the edge of his own box before coolly slotting him – just like Kane would do during his time in North London.

The centre-back, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has also dominated defensively this season – as seen by his tally of 1.1 tackles won and 1.3 aerials won per 90.

He’s been phenomenal at picking out a teammate too, completing 92% of the passes he’s attempted, subsequently contributing to his tally of 0.6 chances created per 90.

Micky van de Ven – stats in 2025/26

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

15

Goals scored

6

Pass accuracy

92%

Chances created

0.6

Tackles won

1.1

Aerials won

1.3

Dribble success

50%

Recoveries made

3.6

Stats via FotMob

His all-round quality at both ends of the pitch has made him one of the best signings in the club’s recent history – arguably being their best player since Kane left.

Whilst the pair operate in hugely different positions, Van de Ven has assumed the role of being a crucial player in the first team and leading them to new heights in the process.

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Initially signed to play two red-ball and ten List A games, Khaleel flew back after just two County Championship matches citing personal reasons

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-2025

If selected, Khaleel Ahmed could feature in the Duleep Trophy starting end of August•Debajyoti Chakraborty

Khaleel Ahmed, the India bowler, has ended his time with Essex after playing two first-class matches for them in the ongoing County Championship.The pacer had initially signed with the club for a two-month stint, which would’ve seen him playing six first-class matches – the remainder of Essex’s first-class season – as well as a maximum of ten possible List A games in the One-Day Cup.The club announced his signing in June, after he had impressed for India A with a spell of 4 for 70 during a red-ball game against the England Lions. He flew out to join the side for a stint that was supposed to last till late September and played in two matches, taking just four wickets at an average of 64.50.However, Essex released a press statement saying that Khaleel had returned home ahead of his remaining fixtures with the club. “While we are disappointed to see him leave,” a statement said, “we fully support Khaleel’s decision and are grateful for the contributions he made during his time with us.”Khaleel, who last played for India in 2019, has taken 15 wickets in 11 ODIs at an average of 31.00. On the other hand, he has been in action for his domestic side, Rajasthan, and was also picked for last year’s Duleep Trophy. Across 22 first-class matches, he has taken 60 wickets at an average of 30.13.He will also be in contention for a spot for the inter-zonal Duleep Trophy competition, which kickstarts India’s red-ball domestic season on August 28.