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Philosophy of Mott’s record-breaking Australian sides aligns with England’s attacking mindset

Matt Roller18-May-2022Pushing boundaries, hitting boundariesEngland’s white-ball revolution has been defined by aggressive batting and Mott has encouraged positivity throughout his coaching career. In the 50-over World Cup earlier this year, his Australia side made three of the four 300-plus totals, including a tournament-high 356 for 5 in the final against England. Before Mott’s appointment, they had never made 200 in a T20I; between March 2018 and October 2019, they did so four times.”I thrived under him,” Mark Wallace, who captained Glamorgan during two of Mott’s three seasons as coach, tells ESPNcricinfo. “I was a very standard county keeper who would bat at No. 7 but Motty came over and saw my strength was to play in a certain way: basically, to try and whack anything wide through the off side.Related

• England became a white-ball force after 2015. Are they still on the cutting edge?

• Shelley Nitschke keen on full-time Australia women's role

• McCullum inspired by challenge of lifting England from 'rock bottom'

• Key: England white-ball teams must 'keep evolving'

• Shelley Nitschke named Australia's interim head coach as Matthew Mott leaves with 'heavy heart'

“He told me to keep doing that and that if you get out a few times, that’s fine, but don’t put your strength aside because you might nick a few to the keeper or slash a few to gully. I ended up having some of my best seasons under Motty. He was brilliant for me as a cricketer.”Mott took a similar approach when working as Ireland’s assistant coach at the 2015 World Cup. “We had myself, [Ed] Joyce, [William] Porterfield, [Paul] Stirling, Kev [O’Brien], [Gary] Wilson – experienced players who knew what we were capable of,” recalls Niall O’Brien. “But he instilled confidence in that line-up to go out and play shots.”He challenged us to think big. We knew that playing in Australia, getting 260 wasn’t going to be good enough so he challenged us to get 300; we were definitely more aggressive as a batting unit in that tournament.”Against West Indies in Nelson, Ireland chased down 305 with 4.1 overs to spare, with O’Brien scoring 79 not out at nearly double his ODI career strike rate. “It was very evident that the boys were trusting their ability because we’d been backed to take teams down,” he adds.Mott will lead England’s transition away from the Morgan era•ICC via Getty ImagesManaging transitionMott has signed a four-year contract with England and his biggest long-term task will be breaking up the core of players who have spearheaded the white-ball sides’ transformation since 2015 – not least captain Eoin Morgan, who turns 36 before the T20 World Cup in Australia this winter.”The decision-making process was about finding someone who wasn’t going to come in and disrupt that environment – they have a very strong leader in Eoin Morgan – but also [someone who can] subtly enhance it along the way,” Key said. “And then whenever there is a transition in leadership, they are the right person to take it into the next era and Matthew Mott came out on top of the list for that.Australia’s women were reigning world champions in both 50-over and 20-over cricket when Mott was appointed and Key drew a comparison between their situation in 2015 and England’s men now. “What he has been able to do with them, I don’t think should be underestimated. He has made the gap greater between the rest of the pack in the women’s game and there’s a lot to be said for that.”He added that Morgan’s “philosophy” had filtered into the English system to such an extent that they were blessed with “a whole production line – of batsmen in particular – that play in that style”. Key said: “The coach is the one that has to be smart to work out who to invest in in the future. I think we’ve got the right person in Matthew.”Mott (left) spent three years at Glamorgan working with Wallace (centre)•PA Images/GettyRole clarityWorking closely with Meg Lanning, Mott has made a point of giving players clear roles in the Australia side and has been willing to change a winning side when conditions or circumstances dictate: against New Zealand in the World Cup, the experienced Jess Jonassen was left out to fit two legspinners and an out-and-out quick into the side.At Glamorgan, Mott used Simon Jones – the former England seamer – as a middle-overs enforcer in what proved to be his final season; he was not at his destructive best but chipped in with 10 wickets as they reached the YB40 final in 2013, their first one-day final for nine years.”He wanted to fit his players into a style and give them clarity to play in those roles,” Wallace explains. “[Jones] was given a role of bowling in the middle of the innings and trying to take wickets; nowadays, that seems like something that every team does but back then it was slightly different. It gave the batting side something to think about, especially being Simon Jones and with the name behind him and created a little bit more jeopardy in the middle of the innings.”Mott has been particularly analytical in his approach to T20 cricket, with the decision to omit Ellyse Perry for the Ashes T20Is against England informed by her sluggish strike rate. “Now we have this depth in Australian women’s cricket, we are able to make some more specific decisions,” Mott said.Perry was not considered to be part of Australia’s full-strength top three, and her scoring rate made her a poor fit for the middle order. “It’s not necessarily about picking the best batters in those No. 5, 6 and 7 spots… it’s the players with the ability to score 15 runs off 10 balls,” Mott explained. The parallel with Ben Stokes, whose T20I career has never really taken off, is clear.Mott was “very keen for team morale and camaraderie” at the 2015 World Cup, Niall O’Brien says•Getty ImagesTeam cultureNick Hockley, Cricket Australia’s CEO, immediately highlighted the culture that Mott had created around the side when paying him tribute. “[Mott] has played an instrumental role in the success of our incredible women’s team,” he said, “driving a team-first mentality and creating an environment that’s allowed the players to blossom into some of the world’s leading cricketers.”Shortly before the 2015 World Cup, Phil Simmons handed an Ireland training session over to Mott. “We didn’t do any cricket: he took us on a walk from Coogee down to Bondi,” O’ Brien recalls. “I remember thinking, ‘this is an absolute joke – we’ve got a World Cup game in five days’ time’ but it was actually a beautiful walk and we sat down as a squad and had some brunch.”Everyone sat around and thought, ‘you know what, we’re lucky to be here. This is a pretty good life.’ That took a little bit of the pressure off heading into a major tournament and it shows that he was flexible in how he wanted to do things. Motty was very keen for team morale and camaraderie, sitting around and having a drink at the end of a game.”That attitude was apparent in the early days of his coaching career. In the build-up to the inaugural IPL season, as Kolkata Knight Riders’ assistant coach, Mott was concerned about the form of Brendon McCullum – his new Test counterpart – and spent some one-on-one time with him in the nets.After an hour, “Mott decided to abandon the session and instead took McCullum to the hotel bar for a beer,” Tim Wigmore and Freddie Wilde write in . “That seemed to relax him: he scored 40 and 50 in consecutive warm-up matches… suddenly he felt like he belonged at the crease again.” Days later, he blitzed 158 not out off 73 balls.Lanning and Mott pose with the World Cup trophy•ICC/Getty ImagesLiving up to expectationsThe days of England going into major tournaments as no-hopers are long gone and there is a minimum expectation that they should reach at least the semi-finals of every World Cup they enter; despite the absences of several key players through injury, losing to New Zealand in the T20 World Cup semi-finals last year seemed like a major opportunity missed.Expectations were high throughout Mott’s tenure with Australia and he has experienced both sides, with shock defeats in the 2016 World T20 final and 2017 World Cup semi-final preceding victory in the 2018 and 2020 T20 World Cups and the 2022 ODI World Cup.Mott has admitted feeling “embarrassment” after the semi-final defeat against India in 2017 and used that game as an opportunity for a reset in the team’s culture and style of play, encouraging players to embrace their favourites tag. “Expectation is a good thing because it means you’re going pretty well as a team,” he said.In 2020, the prospect of selling out the T20 World Cup final at the MCG added another layer of scrutiny. “It was relentless,” Mott told . “Everywhere we went, everyone felt a duty to promote the final, even though we weren’t comfortable saying we’d be there.”In practice, they made the third-highest total of the tournament (184 for 4) against India – the first of consecutive dominant performances when batting first in World Cup finals. Australia’s ability to cope under pressure with Mott at the helm bodes well for England.Rob Key talks to the press•Adam Davy/PA Photos/Getty ImagesPlaying second fiddleKey made clear in a press conference on Wednesday that Mott will have to accept that there are occasions when England’s white-ball teams will be a lower priority compared to their Test side.”We made it very clear how it was going to work: at times, you may not get your best side – especially in the white-ball at the start,” Key said. “I’ll be very clear to the selectors and the coaches which series have precedence over the others at that point… we’ll try to be flexible with it but it will start from the top and head down.”Mott will face that challenge straightaway in his tenure: his first series, visa-permitting, will be England’s three ODIs in Amstelveen against the Netherlands which are jammed into the schedule between the second and third Tests against New Zealand, meaning no multi-format players will feature.That said, Mott himself was quick to recognise the divergence between formats in the modern era. When asked about the prospects of split coaches back in 2010, while working as an assistant coach for Australia at the men’s World T20, he was quoted by the as saying: “My personal opinion is that it’s going to go that way… the games are moving further and further apart.”

In English conditions, the combination of Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer has all bases covered

George Dobell at Old Trafford25-Jul-2020There’s a famous photo of an iconic West Indies attack. Lined up in height order, Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Colin Croft and Joel Garner stare back at the camera. There’s not a smile in sight.The picture was taken in Trinidad in 1981. West Indies were involved in a Test against England at the time; a Test they won by an innings and 79 runs.The quartet only played together in 11 Tests. But it’s an enduring image that represents the West Indies teams of the era pretty well. Each one of those bowlers had legitimate claim to be qualified as a great of the game; each one of them offered skill, pace, hostility and control. It was an awesome attack. It was an awesome team.The England quartet of seamers in this Test doesn’t quite have the same height or pace or hostility. They might not, in Perth or Johannesburg, offer the same threat at this stage of their careers. Batsmen don’t, on the whole, fear for their physical safety when they go out to face them.ALSO READ: Tentative West Indies walk into seam-and-swing trapBut they might well wonder where their next run is going to come from. For in these conditions, under overcast skies and armed with a Dukes ball, this England quartet presents a formidable challenge.The statistics alone are overwhelming. Reunited once more, James Anderson and Stuart Broad have nearly 1100 Test wickets between them and will be remembered as greats of English cricket. Chris Woakes takes his wickets, at home at least, at a lower cost than either of them, while in his first five Tests in England, Jofra Archer claimed two five wicket hauls and took his wickets at 22.08. There’s no respite. Not in these conditions.The key, according to Broad, is the quartet’s control. And it’s true that on these surfaces, offering assistance off the seam, that bowling a tight line and length is often enough to create both pressure and chances.Stuart Broad and James Anderson discuss bowling plans•Getty ImagesBut they have more to offer than control. They also have the ability to swing the ball, utilise the wobble seam – an increasingly common part of England’s game over the last couple of years – and work out any technical flaws they may see. They can go short against those, such as Shane Dowrich, who struggle against the rising delivery. They can nip the ball back against those, such as Roston Chase, who walk across their stumps, and they can move the ball away from those, such as Shai Hope, who tend to push at it.”I can’t think of a better attack in these conditions,” Nasser Hussain said on Sky. It was hard to disagree.And while there may be moments, as the ball softens and the shine wears, when batting becomes more straightforward, Archer’s ability to generate lift from even slow surfaces offers an extra edge. John Campbell was caught off the splice by a brute of a delivery that punished his prevalence to prop forward.Any absence of pace or weakness of spin is negated in such conditions. It was a reminder why England have not lost at home to anyone since 2014 and to West Indies since 1988.”For this pitch, it’s a very, very strong attack,” Broad said. “What you want to try and avoid is four seamers that all do exactly the same thing because if you don’t get a pitch that suits you, you could be in trouble.

When one of us goes, the other will be one of the first to know. There’s certainly been no talk of that. Jimmy’s record is arguably getting better and better, as is mineStuart Broad on his partnership with James Anderson

“We all are slightly different bowlers. We all release from slightly different places on the crease which means that every time a different bowler comes on, a batsman has to make little adjustments”We have a saying in this bowling unit. Control the run rate; control the game. Every bowler on that pitch has got the ability to control the run rate and is a natural wicket-taker.”England have had other decent attacks in recent times, of course. They went to No. 1 in the Test rankings in 2011 with a three-man seam attack, which saw Broad and Anderson supported by, at various times, the likes of Tim Bresnan, Steven Finn and Chris Tremlett.But it was a policy that demanded an awful lot of those bowlers and was held together by the skill of the spinner, Graeme Swann. Eventually, Swann and Bresnan suffered elbow injuries and England had to find another way. The presence of four seamers here – plus Dom Bess’ spin and the possibility of a contribution from Ben Stokes later in the game – means the bowlers have been able to operate in shorter spells and allows for the possibility of enforcing the follow-on should the opportunity present itself.The best comparison for the current unit might, in England terms, be the 2005 Ashes line-up. At their best, the quartet of Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff had just as much pace, hostility, control and skill. They had a better spin option, too. They played together 16 times, won 10 and lost only twice.How many more times will Anderson and Broad operate together? Not too many, probably. Broad has responded to his omission from the team which played in the first Test of this series wonderfully eloquently. As he asked after play here: “Do you think we’re both in England’s best bowling attack?”Jofra Archer celebrates a wicket•Getty ImagesThe answer, in these conditions, is almost certainly yes. But it remains the case that, in India or Australia, or South Africa or the Caribbean, it could be hard to accommodate them. The extra pace of Mark Wood or Olly Stone may well, in some conditions, prove more effective.We’re probably in that transition phase between eras now. This was, after all, just the fourth time the pair had played together in England’s most recent 14 Tests. The mantle is passing to Archer, in particular, with Woakes, who Broad believes is bowling better than ever, helping bridge the gap. Given the need for rest and rotation in this summer’s packed schedule, it probably wouldn’t be reasonable to expect Anderson and Broad to feature in more than two of the three Tests against Pakistan. And then? Who knows. They’ve proved it unwise to write them off, but time is an unrelenting opponent. It tends to win in the end.”I don’t ever walk on the field and think ‘Is this is the last time we’ll play together?'” Broad said. “Both of us have a burning desire to keep going and keep trying to win Tests for England”When one of us goes, the other will be one of the first to know. There’s certainly been no talk of that. Jimmy’s record is arguably getting better and better. As is mine.”Maybe, in time, pictures of Anderson and Broad together will resonate for England supporters in a similar way to that magnificent Caribbean quartet. They are a formidable pairing. This is a formidable quartet. Enjoy them while you can.

تحدث جمال السلامي، المدير الفني للمنتخب الأردني، خلال المؤتمر الصحفي الذي عُقد قبل مواجهة منتخب مصر المرتقبة، مؤكدًا على أهمية المباراة بالنسبة لفريقه ولترتيب المجموعة في البطولة.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي منتخب مصر مع الأردن، غدًا الثلاثاء، في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب 2025، والتي يسعى الفراعنة خلالها للفوز ولا بديل عن ذلك من أجل الصعود للدور التالي.

وقال السلامي في المؤتمر الصحفي: “مباراة الغد مهمة بالنسبة لنا للحفاظ على نسق التباري الذي نسير عليه، وبطبيعة الحال، المباراة مهمة أيضًا لتحديد المتأهل الثاني في المجموعة، هدفنا منذ البداية كان التأهل، والحمد لله تمكنا من تحقيقه، وبذلك أصبح لدينا فرصة لإراحة بعض اللاعبين”.

وتابع: “مسألة التشكيلة ستُحسم بعد التدريب الأخير ومع المعطيات التي سيزودنا بها الطاقم الطبي حول حالة اللاعبين، كما سنأخذ بعين الاعتبار اللاعبين الذين لديهم بطاقات صفراء، إذ أن تلقي أي منهم بطاقة في هذه المباراة قد يمنعه من المشاركة في الدور المقبل، لدينا لاعب واحد فقط في هذه الحالة، وسنحاول عدم إشراكه في المباراة لضمان تواجده في الدور التالي إن شاء الله”.

طالع أيضًا | حلمي طولان: أعددنا منتخبًا لكأس العرب ثم خضنا البطولة بفريق آخر

وأضاف: “منذ التحاقي بالمنتخب الأردني، أؤدي واجبي على أكمل وجه وأعمل على تحقيق الأهداف الموضوعة، وتطوير المنتخب، سواء على مستوى الأفراد أو المجموعة بشكل عام، وتحقيق التأهل، وهذا من صميم اختصاصاتنا لنصل إلى أبعد نقطة ممكنة إن شاء الله”.

وواصل: “المنتخب الجزائري من المنتخبات المرشحة للفوز باللقب، فهو يمتلك لاعبين على مستوى جيد ومدربًا ذو خبرة، المدرب بوقرة سبق له الفوز بالنسخة السابقة ولديه خبرة في المنافسات، كما شارك مع المنتخب في دورتين من بطولة الشان، وبالتالي نعتبره خصمًا قويًا ومنافسًا صعبًا”.

واختتم: “إذا واجهناه، سنقوم بدراسته بشكل جيد ووضع الطريقة التي تتيح لنا التأهل، هدفنا هو التقدم في البطولة، لدينا الوقت الكافي لدراسة المنتخب المصري، إذ أننا كنا مشغولين بالتحضير لمواجهة المنتخب الكويتي، وبعد تحليل تلك المباراة ومراجعة نقاط القوة والصعوبات، سننتقل اليوم لدراسة المنتخب المصري ووضع الخطة المناسبة للقاء إن شاء الله”.

Juan Soto, hitter of home runs and … flipper of bottles?

The New York Mets star added a skill to his impressive resume during his club's 6-1 win over the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night.

With the Mets leading the Dodgers 6-0 in the top of the ninth inning just a day after losing to Los Angeles on a walk-off, New York's dugout could understandably exhale a bit and let loose.

And that's exactly what they did, as Soto, with a crew of Mets teammates huddled around him near the top step of the dugout, perfectly flipped a bottle of water to the amusement of the Mets broadcast booth.

Mets color analyst Ron Darling took the opportunity to make the perfect joke while invoking Soto's record $765 million contract.

"He's telling them, 'That's why they pay me the big bucks, guys,' " Darling quipped.

In all seriousness, Soto has every reason to have a bit of a pep in his step. After enduring an icy start to his career in Queens, Soto is heating up at the dish, with three home runs, six RBI and six walks in his last six games played. Perhaps the biggest testament to the fact that Soto is indeed feeling more comfortable at the plate is the return of the patented Soto shuffle, his mojo in the batter's box.

The vibes are immaculate.

Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai struck half-centuries each to carry Afghanistan to 188 for 6 in the opening match of the men’s T20 Asia Cup. Hong Kong had their moments, their spinners in particular harnessing slow conditions well enough to frustrate their more pedigreed opponents. But the gulf in class eventually showed as Yasin Murtaza’s side dropped catches and committed misfields to hurt their own chances.Sediqullah has brought up each of this three T20I fifties in his last four innings, and as well as he looked out in the middle, standing tall at the crease and largely coping with the lack of pace, he benefited from three missed chances. A man who could’ve been dismissed in the very first over in the end batted through to finish on 73 off 52.Murtaza was involved in all three lives Sediqullah got – twice dropping the catch himself and once having to watch it go down off his own bowling. He did the best he could to make up for it, the three Hong Kong spinners giving the ball such little pace but so much air that this game looked straight out of the 90s. As such, the more modern day T20 batter wasn’t able to adjust. Murtaza, Ehsan Khan and Kinchit Shah picked up 3 for 75 in 11 overs.However, the arrival of pace in the 17th over changed the game with Atal and Omarzai targeting Ayush Shukla. Afghanistan scored 69 runs in the last four overs with Omarzai raising his first T20I half-century. From the simple clear-the-front-leg slog to the cheeky ramp past the keeper, the Afghanistan allrounder has shown impressive range on a difficult batting pitch and finished with a strike rate of 252.38.Should Hong Kong chase the target down, it would be their highest successful T20I chase.

كشفت تقارير صحفية موقف الهولندي آرني سلوت، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، من الرحيل بعد النتائج السيئة التي تحدث للريدز خلال الموسم الحالي.

وكانت آخر مباراة لفريق ليفربول أمام نوتيننجهام فورست مساء أمس، السبت، انتهت بهزيمة الريدز بثلاثية نظيفة على ملعب “آنفيلد”.

ولم يقدم ليفربول أي أداء قوي هذا الموسم باستثناء مباراة ريال مدريد والتي فاز بها بهدف نظيف من ركلة ثابتة وضعها ماك أليستر برأسه في المرمى.

وخرج ليفربول من بطولة كأس رابطة الأندية المحترفة “كاراباو” أمام كريستال بالاس والتي تعتبر أول بطولة يخرج منها الريدز في الموسم.

وبسبب تلك النتائج السيئة التي عانى منها الريدز، أصبح الحديث عن استمرار سلوت في قيادة ليفربول كثيرًا وخاصةً بعد الميركاتو الكبير الذي قدمه النادي بإبرام صفقات تقدر حوالي 500 مليون يورو.

اقرأ أيضًا | إقالة سلوت تضع إدارة ليفربول في ورطة كبرى

وبحسب “بي بي سي”، لا يمكن لأحد أن يزعم أن مهمة سلوت في خطر مباشر، فقد نال الكثير من التقدير في عامه الأول بعد خلافته لكلوب، لكن المدرب الهولندي يواجه بالفعل ضغوطًا هائلة.

يحتاج سلوت إلى تحسين دفاع فريقه، واستعادة قوته الهجومية، وعليه اتخاذ القرارات الصحيحة، فهو من جميع النواحي المدرب الذي فاز ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي خلفًا ليورجن كلوب.

وأفادت أن إدارة ليفربول لا تزال ترى أن سلوت قادر على إنقاذ الموسم والقرار الأسوأ هو إقالته في الوقت الحالي.

ويحتل ليفربول المركز الـ11 في جدول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز برصيد 18 نقطة بعد تحقيق 6 فوز وخسارة مثلهم.

Neymar has been reportedly offered an escape route from Santos as a Brazilian club is looking to beat Lionel Messi's Inter Miami to unite him with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea legend Thiago Silva. The 32-year-old’s time at Santos appears to be winding down, and potential suitors are already lining up for the former Barcelona forward's signature.

Santos ready to move on

Santaos are mired in a relegation scrap and have reportedly informed Neymar’s father and agent that a contract extension is no longer a certainty. With his deal set to expire on December 31, the one-time golden boy of Brazilian football is edging towards free agency and a major decision about his future is set to be taken. His return last year was hailed as a fairytale homecoming, but persistent injuries have blunted the romance.

The club’s hierarchy now appears ready to turn the page as they are wary of committing large wages to a player whose fitness remains a gamble. Reports from Brazil suggest Inter Miami, co-owned by David Beckham, are exploring a move to bring the Brazilian star to Florida. With Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba expected to retiring, Miami’s Designated Player slots will soon open up, which will potentially pave the way for another Barcelona icon to join Messi in the sunshine state.

For Neymar, the idea holds undeniable emotional appeal. The Brazilian has never hidden his affection for Messi and Luis Suarez, with whom he formed the devastating 'MSN' front line at Barcelona. When earlier asked by whether he’d like to reunite with his former teammates, Neymar didn’t hesitate to give his approval. "Obviously, playing again with Messi and Suarez would be incredible," he had said. "They are my friends. We still speak to each other. It would be interesting to revive this trio."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFluminense launch bold plan for 2026

But MLS isn’t the only door open to Neymar. Back home, Fluminense are quietly plotting a move of their own, according to reports. The Rio giants have supposedly identified Neymar as their marquee target for 2026. It will be an audacious transfer that would unite him with Thiago Silva, as revealed by journalist Rodrigo Dias from the channel The transfer is already being discussed internally, though much will depend on the outcome of the club’s upcoming presidential elections.

To add fuel to fire, Fluminense’s head of physiotherapy, Nilton Petrone, known in Brazil as 'File', spoke openly about the possibility of Neymar joining the club.

"Neymar is the last genius we have produced in Brazilian football. It's undeniable," he began. "What we need to know is how much Neymar wants, and what Fluminense proposes, he will propose, right. Thiago (Silva) is very close to Neymar; he has probably been talking to him, not just today, there was already that first moment at the (Club) World Cup."

Petrone emphasised that Fluminense would only proceed if Neymar demonstrated full commitment. "Neymar has to want it. That's the first thing," he insisted. "Then, he has to adjust to the commitment to the procedural protocols that Fluminense has today. Fluminense today is not a ‘la vonte’ club. It has processes. These processes are established, and there is integration between the teams. Fluminense is an example of a multi, inter, and transdisciplinary team. It depends on him.

"If you asked me: would you make it available? Obviously, how could you not make the club available to help an athlete? We do it for so many, so many athletes that few people know and who went to Fluminense."

World Cup hopes fading?

Since Carlo Ancelotti assumed control of the Selecao earlier this year, Neymar has found himself conspicuously absent from the Italian’s plans. The former Real Madrid manager remains adamant that the forward must prove himself before getting a call from him. 

During a recent press conference, Ancelotti said: "I haven't spoken to Neymar yet, we'll see what happens when he recovers and is able to play again. (I) might call up a player who lacks fitness for the first match or two of the World Cup, but it is impossible to include a player who is not physically ready for the entire tournament. We need players who are at their best." 

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Getty Images SportThe clock is ticking for Neymar

Time is running out for Neymar. The deal with Santos ends on December 31, and as things stand, the club sits 17th in Serie A, two points away from safety. They are winless in their last five matches, and desperately need a spark before facing Palmeiras this weekend. Neymar was handed 36 minutes during their defeat to Flamengo, and it remains to be seen if the forward gets an opportunity to impress his potential suitors. 

Liverpool have lost four games on the spin in the Premier League and their latest setback came under controversial circumstances at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Arne Slot’s side slipped to another damaging defeat on Saturday night after being beaten 3-2 by Brentford, adding to recent defeats against Manchester United, Chelsea and Crystal Palace.

The defending Premier League champions are now sat seventh in the table, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, and Wayne Rooney has concerns about the leadership within the team.

“Three or four weeks ago no one saw this coming. It has hit them quick, it’s hit them hard and I think they’re struggling to find a way out of it,” the former England and Manchester United striker said on his podcast this weekend.

“This is a time where the manager, the leaders in the team need to figure it out very quickly. (Virgil) Van Dijk and (Mohamed) Salah signed new deals, but I don’t think they’ve really lead that team this season, with performances and body language.

“Body language tells you a lot and I think we are seeing slightly different body language from the two of them. They are the top two players in that team. If their body language isn’t right that affects everyone else.

“If I was a Liverpool fan or the manager that would be a big concern for me.”

Related Move over Salah: Slot's 5/10 Liverpool star is the new Jordan Henderson

Liverpool’s crisis deepened as they were condemned to a fourth successive Premier League defeat at Brentford.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Oct 26, 2025 Hooper praised for role in Liverpool penalty decision

Van Dijk was furious about the decision to award Brentford a penalty for his challenge on Dango Ouattara during the second half, a call that was made by back-up referee Tim Robinson after Simon Hooper had to be replaced due to an injury.

Hooper had his own controversy to deal with in the first half however, neglecting to award Liverpool a penalty after Nathan Collins tangled with Cody Gakpo.

The incident has now been reviewed by former PGMOL referee Dermot Gallagher, who labelled the decision “marvellous”.

“When you look, Nathan Collins plants his foot, he does no more, he doesn’t make a challenge, I think Gakpo anticipates the challenge, it doesn’t come and he goes over, it’s not a foul,” he said on Sky Sports’ ref review show.

He continued: “I think Simon Hooper has done really marvellous there. Because it does look a penalty, there’s no doubt it looks a penalty… you look at the replay and you see it’s so different. But Simon Hooper has one look, makes one decision, gets it right.”

While it certainly would have been a soft penalty, Liverpool fans will be incensed by Gallagher’s claims that Collins “doesn’t make a challenge”, but they can have little complaints about the final score.

Brentford were just the latest team to walk away with a higher expected goals rate than the Reds, and Arne Slot’s side are being outfought on a weekly basis, which will be the most worrying aspect of the current rut for owners FSG, who pumped huge funds into the Dutchman’s squad this summer.

Whether conversations begin about the manager’s future may be determined by their fixtures prior to the November international break, as they face Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Real Madrid and Man City in the next four.

This season is going the way West Ham United fans hoped it would be in the summer.

Instead of leaving their lacklustre form behind last year and making strides in the Premier League, they look worse than they have in a long time.

Graham Potter oversaw five losses from six games before the club officially decided to part ways with the former Chelsea and Brighton head coach on Saturday morning.

So, it’s good news that the Hammers are being linked with a manager who could not only turn things around, but also get the likes of Jarrod Bowen firing.

West Ham's search to replace Graham Potter

West Ham have been linked with a host of potential Potter replacements in recent weeks, with one of the most consistent being Frank Lampard.

Manager Focus

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The Englishman didn’t impress with Chelsea or Everton, but so far, he seems to be doing a good job with Coventry City in the Championship.

On the other hand, Slaven Bilic is currently out of work, but there remains a certain romanticism around the reports linking him with a return to the club.

However, there is another, far more impressive manager being linked with the Hammers, someone who could make Bowen even more unplayable.

At least that is according to a recent report from Claret & Hugh, which claims West Ham are still interested in Nuno Espírito Santo.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Portuguese coach is now the leading candidate to replace Potter.

Nuno would be an exciting appointment for West Ham, and based on his previous work, someone who could help make Bowen even better.

Why Nuno should replace Potter

Before getting into the other reasons Nuno would be an excellent hire for West Ham, why do we think he’d be able to get even more out of Bowen?

Simply put, on top of adding defensive solidity to Nottingham Forest, the Portuguese coach also helped make several of their attackers more dangerous.

For example, in the 22/23 season, when he spent time with Newcastle United and then Forest, Chris Wood scored just four goals in 29 games.

Then, the following season, in which Nuno joined halfway through, the tally increased to 15 goals and one assist in 35 games, which was then improved upon last year with a total of 23 goal involvements in 40 games.

There was also an improvement in Anthony Elanga’s numbers, with him producing 14 goal involvements in 39 games during the 2023/24 season and then 18 in 43 games the following year.

So, just imagine what the former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss would be able to do with the West Ham star, who is a better player than both.

Finally, in addition to improving players, the “incredible” manager, as dubbed by Sky Sports’ Sam Obaseki, has a proven track record of taking clubs that people predict for relegation into European football.

So there is no reason he couldn’t do that for a third time with the East Londoners.

Ultimately, while some may have their doubts about Nuno, he’s a Premier League-proven manager and one that could help supercharge the Hammers’ best attackers after the club decided to part ways with Potter.

Nick Woltemade returned to Newcastle on a £75 flight after scoring on international duty with Germany. The striker went from national hero to EasyJet passenger in a matter of hours after scoring the decisive goal for Germany in their 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Northern Ireland. Talk about a humbling journey home.

• From Windsor Park to economy class

  As reported by the Magpies' £69 million ($92m) club-record signing, who has been setting the Premier League alight with his form, jetted back to Tyneside on a £75 flight from Belfast, sharing the same plane as none other than Sunderland defender Dan Ballard, whom he fought against on the pitch. The 6ft 6in German striker kept a low profile during the 45-minute journey, hiding under a cap and hoodie while sitting in the front row of the 10:40am flight from Belfast International to Newcastle.

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  German giant finally breaks his international duck

  After facing criticism back home for failing to find the net in his first five international appearances, Woltemade finally delivered when it mattered. His first goal for Germany sealed a vital victory in their World Cup qualification campaign and eased the growing pressure on the 23-year-old.

  "I'm really happy about it," Woltemade told BBC Sport NI after Germany's win. "The last game didn't go so well for me so I was really happy today that I score. Maybe it's because I'm in the West of Europe, I score there more often!"

  Woltemade had endured a frustrating outing against Luxembourg, managing just one attempt before being subbed off after an hour. But on Monday night, he answered his critics in emphatic fashion;  the goal machine was back in business. The strike against Northern Ireland means Woltemade has now hit four goals in his last five games for club and country combined. Since his big-money move from Stuttgart to Newcastle in August, he’s wasted no time justifying the price tag, already bagging four for the Magpies.

  "It was really important when you look at the table. We needed this win, it was a difficult away game, but an amazing atmosphere," he said. "It was a hard game. A lot of long balls. A lot of duals, it was not easy. It was really difficult. They shoot the ball and cross the ball from everywhere, so we always have to go on the dual, it was like 50/50 and the ball is dropping somewhere but I think we did really well. We knew this would be part of the game but I think we did quite good."

  Now that the goal drought is over, Woltemade is already hungry for more. With World Cup qualification within touching distance, the striker is targeting more goals next month against Luxembourg and Slovakia.

  He added: “We’ll continue to work to develop further, to push our game forward, and I’m looking forward to the next training camp.”

• German teammates rally behind Woltemade & Wirtz

  Not everyone had a night to remember in Belfast, though. Liverpool’s £100m ($133.5m) playmaker Florian Wirtz endured a frustrating evening, failing to make his mark. But teammate David Raum leapt to his defence while also hailing Woltemade’s resurgence.

  “They’re amazing players. They both have amazing abilities,"  he said. "Florian has not had the best start at Liverpool I know but he’s working hard at training and always stays long on the pitch. I’m sure he’s going to make his way at Liverpool and he’ll be an important player this season for me. Nick is already scoring for Newcastle and I’m happy to play with both of them. I’m very happy for Nick. He’ll keep going and scoring for Newcastle. He’ll grow there and I hope he’ll become an even better player there because we’ll need him.”

  While Newcastle fans are revelling in their new talisman, back in Germany, Stuttgart are still licking their wounds. Their manager, Sebastian Hoeness, hasn’t minced his words about how much the club misses Woltemade. The 48-year-old boss, who openly criticised the decision to sell the striker late in the transfer window, called it a “bitter loss” and admitted the Bundesliga club are struggling to fill the void.

  "It's not about whether my fears were confirmed. We all knew that we were taking a risk by selling Nick and the Hyeon Gyu Oh transfer not coming to fruition," Hoeness said in an interview with . "There was great hope that he would make it through the season, as has been the case in recent years. But injuries are unfortunately a part of competitive sport. [Demirovic] is the only true centre-forward in the squad. For us, this means that we as a coaching staff have to work with the players on solutions. We were already doing this before Medo's absence due to the large number of games, but now the task is obviously significantly more challenging."

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  From Easyjet to the Premier League fast lane

  Two months into Woltemade's Premier League adventure, it’s clear Newcastle have unearthed something special. The Toon faithful adore him and Monday night’s international breakthrough will only boost his confidence heading into the weekend’s clash with Brighton. A £69m man flying home on EasyJet, but on the pitch, Woltemade is soaring at 30,000 feet.