Keith Barker has rejected the offer of a new contract at Warwickshire and is set to join Hampshire on a two-year deal

George Dobell25-Sep-2018

Keith Barker has rejected the offer of a new contract at Warwickshire and is set to join Hampshire on a two-year deal.Barker, the left-arm allrounder, has claimed 357 first-class wickets at a cost of 25.51 since his debut for the club 2009. He was a crucial part of the Warwickshire attack that won the County Championship in 2012 – he claimed 56 first-class wickets at a cost of 20.82 – and won selection for the England Lions. With the variation he offers and footmarks creating rough for spinners, he has remained a key man in the first-class side.He has also hit six first-class hundreds and averages 28.64 with the bat. It is expected Hampshire will announce his acquisition on Wednesday. Warwickshire are also understood to have offered a two-year deal.Barker was a late entrant to the county game. Having originally pursued a career as a footballer – he represented England Uner-19s and was with Blackburn Rovers for a while – he did not play for Warwickshire until he was 22.He has rarely featured in the limited-overs teams in recent times, however – he did not play a single T20 match this season – and, aged 32 next month, is now likely to finish his career with Hampshire.

Gio Reyna has been offered hope that more minutes are coming his way at Nottingham Forest, with the USMNT star finally making an “impact” in England.

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Limited game time seen so farImpressed off the bench vs PalaceEight fixtures left to take in this seasonWHAT HAPPENED?

The United States international has had to be patient since completing a loan move away from Borussia Dortmund during the winter transfer window. Injury issues have done little to aid that cause, but the 21-year-old playmaker has seen limited game time when fit.

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Reyna was, however, required to step off the bench an hour into a Premier League clash with Crystal Palace at the City Ground. Within seconds of his introduction in that contest, Forest found an equaliser that earned them a precious point in an ongoing battle to avoid relegation.

WHAT NUNO SAID ABOUT REYNA

Reyna combined with Morgan Gibbs-White before Chris Wood was teed up for an impressive looping header, with the American showing what he is capable of when given an opportunity to prove his worth. Reds boss Nuno Espirito Santo told reporters afterwards: “He had an impact on the game. This is what we expected. He was able to control the possession. It was a good combination with Morgan before the goal. Today, it was Gio. Tuesday is going to be another one. This is what we expect from all of our players – if you play one minute, help us and have an impact on the game.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR REYNA?

There have been calls for Reyna to be handed his full Premier League debut when Forest play host to Fulham on Tuesday – with a first start potentially on the cards. There are just eight games left for Reyna to make his mark in the English top-flight before the 2023-24 campaign comes to a close.

Barcelona are tracking Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as a potential managerial candidate with Xavi likely to leave the club in June

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• Xavi set to leave Catalonia on June 30
• Barca keeping tabs on Bournemouth boss Iraola
• Club keen to see if Xavi will change his mind on resignation

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona seem to be facing a turbulent few months. In January, Xavi announced his intention to leave the club at the end of the season, leaving the reigning title holders searching for a new manager. And a new possible name has been floated by the club, with Iraola highlighted as a top talent, according to .

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  After being close to the sack at the start of the season, Iraola has turned things around for Bournemouth. Having been down in 19th at one point, the Spanish boss has guided them to 11th in recent weeks, with the Cherries winning four out of the last five games.

• WHAT DECO SAID

  Sporting director Deco has been full of praise for Iraola in the past, naming him among the best managers in the world in an interview for Spanish radio: "We haven’t made any moves. Of course I like Luis Enrique, but he is a coach that I have not worked with, but it is evident that he is a reference at all levels. He is a top coach. Guardiola and Klopp are the top, but they are not available. Arsenal’s Arteta, Iraola, [Sergio] Conceicao…there are many."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  The Blaugrana, although they have their eyes on Iraola, are reportedly keen to try to convince Xavi to stay at the club for at least another season. Results have improved in recent weeks, and club president Joan Laporta conceded that he is awaiting the manager to make a final decision on his future before approaching other candidates. Their next game is a high-profile Champions League clash with PSG on April 10.

The former legspinner will leave his role as the head coach of Pakistan’s NCA with immediate effect

Umar Farooq25-Oct-20181:39

‘Hopefully, I will make a positive difference to West Indies cricket’ – Mushtaq Ahmed

Former legspinner Mushtaq Ahmed has ended his stint as the head coach of Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy to take up a consultancy role with West Indies. He is set to become the assistant coach and is on a contract that will need him to commit 150 days in a year.He was to begin with the India tour, but couldn’t link up with the squad because of visa glitches – Pakistani nationals have found it hard to obtain work visas for India due to strained political ties. His first assignment will be West Indies’ upcoming tour of Bangladesh, where they are slated to play two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is.Mushtaq’s contract with the NCA was renewed for a year in April after weeks of uncertainty. At the time, he was also contemplating offers from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and West Indies but decided to stay back to put himself in the fray to become Pakistan’s spin bowling coach. However, he signed a month-long contract as spin consultant with Cricket West Indies before rejoining the NCA.Having previously worked with England, Mushtaq was Pakistan’s bowling coach for 18 months being replaced by Azhar Mahmood last year. Since then, he’s been an integral part of the NCA set up in Lahore.

Crystal Palace could be set to lose one of their most important players in January, with a new report claiming that he is looking to leave Selhurst Park.

Which players are leaving Crystal Palace?

Over the summer, Wilfried Zaha, Luka Milivojevic, Jack Butland and Vicente Guaita all departed the club on a permanent basis, alongside Luke Plange who put pen to paper on loan at League One side Carlisle United for the remainder of the season.

The Eagles could still be forced to cash in on even more of their first-team stars at the start of next year because nine of them will be out of contract at the end of the season, including the likes of Jeffrey Schlupp, Nathaniel Clyne and Will Hughes (Crystal Palace contracts).

Another one of Roy Hodgson’s favourites who might be heading for the exit door despite still having three years remaining on his deal is Marc Guehi, who has made a total of 92 appearances since moving to SE25 from Premier League rivals Chelsea back in 2021 (Transfermarkt – Guehi statistics).

The South London Press recently reported that Manchester United are still keeping close tabs on the 23-year-old centre-back as they weigh up an approach for their long-term target, and if the following update is to be believed, England’s international would relish the opportunity to complete the switch to Old Trafford.

Marc Guehi transfer update

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), sharing a transfer update on Guehi, Crystal Palace’s talisman would “welcome the chance” to sign for Man United at some stage in 2024.

The Selhurst Park star would be keen to work with Erik ten Hag, and he is likely to cost his admirers £60m, which is the valuation that has been set for him by Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman.

How good is Marc Guehi?

Standing at 6 foot tall, Guehi isn’t the biggest centre-back around, but that hasn’t stopped him from being a rock at the heart of the backline so far this season, where he’s averaging 4.9 clearances per game in the top-flight alongside a 91.3% pass success rate, which displays his calmness and composure on the ball (WhoScored – Guehi statistics).

The Abidjan native is also capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch having posted 22 contributions (14 goals and eight assists) since the start of his career, highlighting the threat he can pose when it comes to set pieces.

Furthermore, Hodgson’s regular feature has the ability to operate out wide at both left-back and right-back as well as his usual role in the middle, so his versatility is another attribute that makes him a great option for the boss to have at his disposal in the capital.

Finally, Guehi has been described as a “beast” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, so whilst there’s a strong possibility that Man United will come calling next year, Palace chiefs need to do everything they can to fend off interest and retain the services of their defender.

Having become the first South African sportsperson to be criminally convicted for match-fixing, he faces a potential 15-year sentence

Liam Brickhill04-Nov-2018

Former South Africa and Lions batsman Gulam Bodi has pleaded guilty to eight charges of corruption and begged for clemency in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court. On Friday, Bodi became the first South African sportsperson to be criminally convicted for match-fixing and is facing a potential 15-year sentence.Bodi is being charged under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004, which makes match-fixing and spot-fixing in sport a crime in South Africa. The act was introduced after the Hansie Cronje match-fixing saga in 2000, and this is the first time it is being exercised.In 2016, Bodi was banned from taking part in any activities relating to cricket for 20 years by Cricket South Africa for his part in contriving to fix, or otherwise improperly influence aspects of the 2015 Ram Slam T20 tournament. Six other players – Alviro Petersen, Thami Tsolekile, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Jean Symes, Pumi Matshikwe and Ethy Mbhalati – were also implicated.CSA handed their evidence over to the South African police services, who launched their own investigation culminating in this case.”It has been a very tough few years,” Bodi told reporters outside the courtroom. “I’ve been banned for 20 years. That’s already a long sentence. So for me not to be able to do something I loved my entire life has been terribly hard. I haven’t really settled in the last three years. It’s been a constant battle.”Just recently I managed to get a job, and after three years of running around and struggling, things started slowly looking a bit better, and now this comes up. It’s completely shattered me.”They pulled me out of school when I was just 16 and put me in a cricket academy. I don’t even have an education background to fall back on, so it’s been a real battle. This is going to greatly affect my job and my family, because nobody wants to be associated with a criminal.”Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, Bodi’s legal representative, said his client acknowledged his wrongdoing and pleaded for the court’s mercy. The state and defence legal teams both asked for more time in order to prepare for a sentencing, and Magistrate Nicola Setshogoe agreed to a postponement, acknowledging that as a first-time offender Bodi had handed himself in and co-operated fully with authorities since being arrested in July.”Before this whole thing transpired, my client was offered a job at a cricket academy and had also been commenting with SuperSport,” Mnguni told . “The fact that the ban he received meant he couldn’t be involved with cricket took away any form of income he would be able to earn because in essence this man only knows cricket. He doesn’t have an academic background.”I’m hoping that when we bring forward all these issues to the court, in addition to the fact that he’s got three very young children and he’s got an elderly unemployed mother, whom he financially supports.”I feel for my client because I know he’s been through a lot. He’s made a mistake and I won’t say he’s been punished enough, but he has been punished and he suffered a lot going through this process, and he obviously feels very sorry for what he’s done and the harm he has caused to CSA and the damage that they suffered in the public for what he’s done.”Bodi will return to court on 28 January next year for sentencing.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo empatou sem gols diante do Fortaleza, neste sábado, e em partida de poucas emoções dos dois lados, o atacante Pedro foi o principal responsável por elas. No primeiro tempo, o camisa 21 sofreu um pênalti, mas escorregou e desperdiçou a cobrança. Após o intervalo, Felipe Alves fez grande defesa e segurou o 0 a 0. O artilheiro explicou os lances e lamentou o resultado.

+ CONFIRA A TABELA DO BRASILEIRO E SIMULE OS RESULTADOS

RelacionadasFlamengoPedro perde pênalti, e Flamengo empata com o Fortaleza no CastelãoFlamengo26/12/2020Atlético MineiroVídeo: veja os gols da vitória do Atlético-MG sobre o CoritibaAtlético Mineiro26/12/2020

– Gramado prejudicou (no pênalti), acabei escorregando. Não esperava, ninguém espera, mas sei da minha responsabilidade ali na hora da cobrança. No segundo lance o goleiro foi bem, abafou meu chute. Ainda tem muitos jogos, vamos fazer de tudo para vencer esse campeonato – afirmou Pedro ao Premiere.

Apesar de o Flamengo estar jogando fora de casa, Pedro classificou como ruim o empate no Castelão. Segundo ele, o time fez tudo para conseguir a vitória.

– Foi um resultado ruim. Queríamos a vitória, fizemos de tudo mas não conseguimos – completou.

Phil Parkinson has warned his Wrexham players that this weekend's potential promotion-deciding fixture against Forest Green will be "full-blooded.

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• Parkinson warns Wrexham to be ready
• Forest Green struggling at bottom of League Two
• Red Dragons can seal promotion on Saturday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham go into this weekend's game well aware that they can win promotion to League One, but will only do so if results go their way. They will have to win and hope that both Barrow and MK Dons fail to do so if they are to clinch promotion this weekend; the club are currently second and the top three teams win automatic promotion, with Wrexham five clear of Dons in fourth.

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  Forest Green are bottom of the league but they remain alive, as they are just three points behind Sutton United in the safety of 22nd. However, Colchester United, in 23rd, have two games in hand on both Sutton and Forest Green, and are also unbeaten in their last four games, suggesting the club have a real mountain to climb and Parkinson seems well aware of that fact.

• WHAT PARKINSON SAID

  Parkinson told Wrexham's website: “Nothing changes from our point of view because whatever is happening elsewhere, we are going all out to win the three points… We know that Forest Green have got a very experienced manager in Steve [Cotterill] and will be believing they’ve got a chance of staying in the division until it’s mathematically impossible, which it certainly isn’t.

  “It’s going to be a full-blooded game and we have to be ready for that. I feel that we are, and the lads have got an understanding of that because every team has quality in this league.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Wrexham's game against Forest Green is followed by their final two fixtures of the season, against Crewe Alexandra and leaders Stockport County.

Liverpool supporters should be delighted with the way that Jurgen Klopp has successfully reshaped the side after a terrible 2022/23 campaign, now fighting at the forefront of the Premier League pack once again.

That doesn't mean that the Anfield faithful cannot eagerly await the next phase in the rebuild; last year's sapped midfield has been built anew on an industrial scale, but Fabinho's summer sale to Al-Ittihad means that there is still ample room for a shiny new specialist No. 6.

Sunday's draw against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road exposed this, with shades of last season's malaise creeping in as the Reds languished to a 1-1 draw, with the striking performance of Darwin Nunez very much compounding the evening.

Darwin Nunez's stats vs Luton

Having made impressive improvements to his game since the summer, Liverpool were treated to a harrowing spectacle of the Nunez of old against Luton.

Liverpool might've had their blushes spared by Luis Diaz's last-gasp equaliser off the bench – an extraordinary and emotional moment given the Colombian's ongoing family crisis – but the ceded territory highlighted weaknesses in this resurgent Reds squad.

Nunez missed three big chances, hitting the target three times, missing it on four occasions and seeing two efforts blocked, as per Sofascore; candidly, it was not a demonstration of the Uruguayan's best qualities and progress this year, and had he been more clinical his side surely would have walked away with all the goods.

His profligacy is a concern, but given that he has been in such stellar showing over the past few months, Klopp will hope for now that it was a mere blip, having posted seven goals and four assists already this year.

Klopp will hold an unwavering belief in his centre-forward's cutting edge, and while the 24-year-old was the notable underperformer against the Hatters, the continuing struggles of Alexis Mac Allister in midfield present a far more glaring cause for concern.

Alexis Mac Allister's season by numbers

Since signing from Brighton & Hove Albion in a £35m transfer in the summer, it's fair to say that Mac Allister has not really entered his stride.

It's also a fair argument that a large portion of this is down to Klopp's decision to field him in the deep-lying midfield position, negating much of his best quality and precluding him from finding promising offensive positions with the regularity that saw him plunder 12 goals and three assists for Brighton last term.

He certainly hasn't been objectively… bad, it's just that the 24-year-old is still awaiting a consistent deployment in his favoured role, which earned him praise from journalist Roy Nemur for his “unplayable” displays at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he gleaned gold with Argentina.

As per Sofascore, Mac Allister has completed 88% of his passes in the Premier League this season, also making 6.5 ball recoveries and 2.5 tackles per game, but such metrics appear to be deceiving considering the discernible issues when watching him in action.

Against Luton, however, he lost possession 15 times, won just three of his ten contested duels, made only one tackle and was dribbled past on three occasions, certainly not producing the kind of formidable performance that is needed against a squad of Luton's physicality.

There are alternatives, Wataru Endo is an industrious midfielder and of the mould requisite for the defensive midfield role, but is seemingly not considered the solution, having started just once in the Premier League since his £16m summer arrival from Stuttgart, with Mac Allister consistently taking his spot.

The winter transfer market could also be the apt time to pounce on Merseyside, with Fluminense star Andre still reportedly of interest after winning the Copa Libertadores last week.

Mac Allister will likely be made to ply his trade in the same role on multiple occasions over the next few months, but it is increasingly important that Liverpool rectify the situation and find a worthy solution, only enhancing the chance of clinching silverware by next summer.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is eyeing up a "huge" change at Manchester United as he looks to seal deals that could benefit the Red Devils.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s plans at Man Utd

Ratcliffe appears to be closing in on a 25 per cent stake of the club worth more than £1.25bn and is seemingly putting plans in place ahead of what could be a phased takeover from the Glazers. The 71-year-old is looking to take immediate control of sporting decisions and has recently held extensive talks with Joel Glazer. Personnel changes could soon be on the agenda, with the futures of chief executive Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough at risk.

Erik ten Hag’s position as manager may also be under threat over the coming months, should things not improve, with claims that Ratcliffe is looking to sack Ten Hag and bring in Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi. On top of the £1.25bn investment, Ratcliffe is also looking to invest £245m to improve Man Utd’s physical infrastructure, money which could be handed over by the end of the year.

That's not all, though, with a new update sharing another development on what Ratcliffe is planning in the coming years.

Ratcliffe eyeing two new deals

According to Football Insider, Ratcliffe is eyeing two new deals after he completes his investment in the Red Devils. Ratcliffe and Ineos currently own French club OGC Nice and Swiss side Lausanne, and it is believed that they are planning to add two more clubs to his network within 12-24 months. The report describes it as a game-changing plan and adds:

“Ratcliffe is willing to commit to big spending on football operations but hopes to make the club more self-sufficient by bringing through young talent more effectively in what would be a “huge” change to how they currently operate.”

As of now, Man Utd are unable to sign international U18 players due to work permit rules being changed, with some at Old Trafford feeling they are working with “one hand tied behind their back”. Therefore, if Ratcliffe is able to invest in, or take over two more clubs in the coming years, the Red Devils could benefit, whether that be sending some youngsters out on loan or bringing through potential stars of the future abroad before moving to Old Trafford.

It appears as if Ratcliffe has plenty of work to do in Manchester both on and off the pitch, but it is good to see that he seemingly has big plans for the club, and hopefully, an announcement will be made soon in regards to his investment to bring an end to the takeover saga, for now.