All the records Sunrisers stacked up during the course of their highest IPL total
Bharath Seervi31-Mar-20192 – Only twice have both openers scored hundreds for a team in a T20. David Warner and Jonny Bairstow joined Kevin O’Brien and Hamish Marshall in the exclusive club. The pair made hundreds for Gloucestershire against Middlesex in 2011. Overall, it was only the fourth time that a side had two hundreds in a T20 innings. The only previous instance in the IPL was when Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers made hundreds against Gujarat Lions in 2016 season.ESPNcricinfo Ltd185 – The biggest opening stand in IPL history, between Warner and Bairstow. They eclipsed the unbroken 184-run partnership between Gautam Gambhir and Chris Lynn against Gujarat Lions in 2017. Overall, it is the sixth highest partnership for any wicket in the IPL.3 – Warner Bairstow are the first pair to share three century partnerships in a row in IPL history. This was the 18th time Warner was involved in a century stand in IPL, the joint-most along with Kohli.231 – The highest total by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. Out of these, 207 runs came with the batsmen in control, off just 100 deliveries. Only thrice have teams managed more runs while being under control. All have been by RCB.118- Margin of defeat for RCB in this match – their second-worst in terms of runs in IPL. Their only bigger defeat was by 140 runs in the first ever IPL match against KKR in 2008. Sunrisers’ previous biggest victory was by 85 runs against Mumbai Indians in 2016.0.880- Win-loss ratio for Kohli as captain in IPL – the worst among the 8 captains who have lead their sides in 50 or more matches. He has lead RCB in 99 games, winning 44 and losing 50.4- Centuries for Warner in IPL, tied with Kohli and Shane Watson. Only Chris Gayle has scored more hundreds – six. Overall, this was Warner’s seventh century in all T20s. Only Gayle has more centuries (21). Michael Klinger, Brendon McCullum and Luke Wright also have seven centuries each.
The Bangladesh Test and T20 captain on how he can keep pace in a wristspinner-dominated world
Interview by Varun Shetty20-Apr-20194:31
Fingerspinners can get lot of variations by flighting the ball – Shakib
Rashid Khan has become the poster boy for Sunrisers Hyderabad, joining their squad in 2017 and, just one year later, helping them finish runner-up. However, there is another good spinner at Sunrisers, a fingerspinner. Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh Test and T20 captain, has been stuck in the dugout for most of this season but his knowledge of the game – and in particular his views on fingerspin in the T20 game – are fascinating.Can you talk about life as a spinner in T20s?It is difficult. Especially for a fingerspinner, it is very difficult. If you are a wristspinner, you’ve got a little bit of an advantage. But having said that, most grounds are not that big. And the format is such that the batsmen are coming at you all the time. You need to be on your toes to be able to be able to survive or to do well in this format.Can you explain a little why it’s an advantage to be a wristspinner?Well, because it is a little unorthodox. Five-ten years back, there were hardly any. Other than Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, you can’t name so many legspinners. So people are not used to facing legspinners. It’s new to the players. Once they get used to it, legspinners have to come up with some different plans.You think that will happen soon?It will happen in 3-4 years. Because nowadays, you see all teams have got one or two legspinners. So batsmen are trying to play accordingly. And they are trying to get better playing against them. Once they get better at it, the legspinners need to come up with better plans.
Fast bowlers and wristspinners have come up with so many variations. Rashid Khan says he has five types of the legbreak itself. As a fingerspinner, what can you really do in terms of variations? A lot. Just by flighting the ball
Harbhajan Singh said if you back a fingerspinner who is trying to turn the ball, then he will get wickets. Do you agree?A fingerspinner to turn the ball to be able to get wickets. But for that, you need to toss the ball up. You’re taking a chance as well at the same time. But to get wickets, you need to spin the ball.Isn’t that difficult in T20s?It is. Unless you get a turner, it is very difficult, because then what you try to do is survive – not get hit for boundaries – and the ball may be on the batsman’s pads or a wide yorker or something else. So unless it’s a turner, it’s really difficult. But having said that, if you look at the records, I think spinners are still getting lot of wickets.So how do you approach a T20 spell?Depends on the situation and the conditions. If the situation and conditions suit [me], it’s a different approach. It’s the situation that’s more important than anything else. If I need to take wickets for the team, I go for it. If I need to contain, I do that.Shakib Al Hasan pulls one away•BCCIFast bowlers and wristspinners have come up with so many variations. Rashid Khan says he has five types of the legbreak itself. As a fingerspinner, what can you really do in terms of variations? A lot. Just by flighting the ball.There are some other areas that fingerspinners are nowadays trying to improve. They’re trying legbreaks, they’re trying carrom balls. You bowl a faster ball, a wide yorker. There are so many things. You just need to play with the batsman’s mind.One of the old ways for a fingerspinner was to change angle at the creaseYeah. There are certain changes you can do in every ball if you want to. But it’s up to the bowler. Some bowlers are comfortable doing the exact same thing and that gives them success. And a few try different things and that’s they get their success.As a batsman it’s easier for you to pick a spinner or a fast bowler in this format?Either way it is very difficult. Players who are playing in the IPL – they all have skill. So it’s very hard to pick a certain bowler [type]. So depending on the condition, depending on the team situation, and what are the areas you are looking to improve, then you pick certain players. That is the ideal way to go.
A fingerspinner to turn the ball to be able to get wickets. But for that, you need to toss the ball up. You’re taking a chance as well at the same time
How would you summarise Sunrisers’ season so far?I haven’t played many games. It is disappointing, but at the same time you need to look at the bigger picture. All the overseas players are doing really well and the team as well. So it’s very difficult for me to play in that situation, but I have to keep on working hard and, when I get my chance, I need to make sure I grab it with both hands.At this moment, I think we’ve done well. There were some close games that we should have won, but we lost. That is the beauty of this format. We need to make sure that in the crucial stages we win those battles.What were the conversations like in the team when you lost three games in a row?Everyone was disappointed, but at the same time, we knew that in T20 tournaments, that can happen. You need momentum to change these bad results. So we are waiting for that momentum and finally we got that momentum. If we can kick on, we’ll be in a very good position.Being a senior player, was it a little frustrating to be on the sidelines and not help out?As I said, it is disappointing. It is frustrating. But I need to understand the situation at the same time. I’m doing my best at the nets, I’m working really hard on my skills and my fitness, so as I said, I’m waiting for my opportunity and I need to make sure that when I get my opportunity, I make the most out of it.
With just ten months in the job as BCCI president, will Ganguly be able to resolve the issue?
Vishal Dikshit22-Oct-2019Conflict of interest. If there were an award function for issues that have plagued Indian cricket in recent years, it will sweep the nominations. From being brought up by the Supreme Court of India and the Lodha Committee to occupying several pages in the new BCCI constitution, the issue is still being talked about by the Committee of Administrators (CoA) and BCCI president-designate Sourav Ganguly.The latest from the CoA is that it believes the issue has been interpreted in a “straight-jacketed” manner, which is proving to be “counterproductive and disproportionately restrictive”. The committee has now urged the Supreme Court to amend the BCCI constitution so that the issue is brought up only when the application is warranted.But what is the conflict of interest issue really? How is it defined in the BCCI constitution currently and what is Ganguly saying about it? Here’s a lowdown.What did the Supreme Court and the Lodha Committee say about it initially? January 2015: Not long after the IPL corruption case blew up and there were allegations of conflict of interest against then BCCI president N Srinivasan, the Supreme Court urged “fair play”, “transparency”. and “objectivity”, and was against the board administrators holding commercial interests in events like the IPL and the now-defunct Champions League. The court’s definition: “It is an interest where one may abuse the public office to gain personal benefit either directly or indirectly.”January 2016: The Lodha Committee announced sweeping reforms of the BCCI and took the court’s judgement a step further by asking for provisions in the BCCI constitution related to conflict of interest. Their report even spelt out specific types of conflict.It said, “every office bearer, player, councilor, employee, administrator, team official, umpire, or other person connected to the BCCI, its Members or the IPL and its Franchises” should avoid situations that would “bring the interest of the individual in conflict with the interest of the game of cricket”.What does the new BCCI constitution say about conflict of interest? August 2018: Conflict of interest was incorporated into the BCCI constitution, approved by the Supreme Court, in August 2018, and was laid out specifically in over seven pages with numerous examples of what the various forms of conflict of interest could be. It stated that no individual should occupy more than one of the following 16 posts at a single point of time: player (current), selector/member of a cricket committee, team official, commentator, match official, administrator/office-bearer, electoral officer, ombudsman and ethics officer, auditor, any person who is in governance, management or employment of a franchise, member of a standing committee, CEO & managers, office bearer of a member, service provider (legal, financial etc.), contractual entity (broadcast, security, contractor, etc.), and owner of a cricket academy.2019: Through the year, Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association life member Sanjeev Gupta has raised complaints with the CoA of several former cricketers allegedly violating the conflict rule. Sachin Tendulkar for being part of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) and on Mumbai Indians’ support staff; Ganguly for being the Cricket Association of Bengal president, a Delhi Capitals support staff member and a commentator; Rahul Dravid for being the NCA director and being employed by India Cements, owner of Chennai Super Kings; VVS Laxman for being on Sunrisers Hyderabad’s support staff and being a commentator; Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shanta Rangaswamy – all members of the last CAC – for also being part of the Indian Cricketers’ Association. Dev and Gaekwad, Gupta pointed out to BCCI’s ethics officer Justice (retd) DK Jain, were commentators and TV pundits respectively too.Diana Edulji and Vinod Rai emerge from a CoA meeting•Getty ImagesWhat did the CoA say about conflict of interest finally? October 2019: The succession of complaints prompted the CoA to raise the issue in their 11th and final status report to the Supreme Court. The allegations and the “straight-jacketed” interpretation of the conflict rule, it said, was proving to be “counterproductive and disproportionately restrictive” to both current and former players. It said there had been various instances, which “did not warrant such application”.In simpler terms, the CoA said unnecessary misinterpretation of the rule was not allowing former players to hold multiple posts even when they were “unrelated” or very tangentially related.As a result, the CoA has now asked the Supreme Court to let the ethics officer have more “flexibility and discretion” to resolve conflicts in each case, rather than be “bound” by a “straight-jacketed formula”.What does Ganguly say about conflict of interest October 2019: Soon after he filed the nomination to take over as the board president, Ganguly spoke at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, saying conflict of interest was a “very serious issue”, and had to be looked at.”Conflict is an issue. Whether you will actually get the best cricketers in the [BCCI] system, I am not sure because they will have other options to avail,” Ganguly said on October 14. “Because if they [former players] come into the system and not get to do what is their livelihood, it is very difficult for them to be part of this system and make a difference.”So that’s one issue which really needs to be looked at. Look at all the appointments that have happened in various forms whether it is the NCA or CAC or the appointment of batting coaches, fielding coaches, there has been issue with everything… commentators, IPL. This needs to be sorted as it is another very serious issue in Indian cricket.”The issue has been troubling former players and administrators for a few years now but all Ganguly has at the BCCI for the time being is ten months. Will he be able to resolve it so quickly, among the other issues on his priority list?
The likes of Pollard, Rashid and de Villiers aren’t part of the new season, but there’s plenty of local talent to get excited by
Mohammad Isam10-Dec-2019A watered-down seventh edition of the BPL begins in Dhaka on Wednesday, after the BCB gave the franchise model a pause for the 2019-20 season. The decision has caused some controversy, but it’s been implemented now, and with the tournament starting on Wednesday, ESPNcricinfo looks at the key differences between this edition and the six previous ones.BCB completely in chargeThe BCB essentially owns all seven teams in this season’s BPL, but it has allowed a majority of the teams’ sponsors to take control of team management, financial and logistical responsibilities. Initially, the BCB had direct management of every aspect of the Rangpur Rangers and Cumilla Warriors teams, but as recently as two days ago, the board has found a sponsor for Rangpur while still keeping direct control of the side.Dhaka Platoon, Rajshahi Royals, Khulna Tigers and Sylhet Thunder are mainly managed by their respective sponsors. They have the option to contract players from outside the draft list, as Rajshahi did by signing Andre Russell, but in that case they have to pay his fees.The BCB has also appointed its board directors with each of the teams to oversee their management, with the director also having a major say in team matters.Lower budgetThe draft budget is BDT 6.73 crore (approx USD 800,000), which is also the tournament participation fee for the sponsors. This amount is separate from expenses for flights, hotels and other logistics.The players will get paid by the BCB directly, unless the team sponsors decide to contract players from outside the BCB’s draft list. Teams have also hired head coaches and coaching staff from the BCB approved list, which also keeps them within the prescribed budget.But this is a budget that is inferior to the team budget from previous BPL seasons. It is known that franchises spent, on an average, BDT 11.5 crore (approx. USD 1.37 million) last season, and their spending has generally been on the higher side as they have never really disclosed the actual amount paid to players chosen from outside the draft list.Lack of T20 starsChris Gayle will be available for only two league-phase matches, according to his team Chattogram Challengers, while the likes of Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, AB de Villiers, Rashid Khan and Alex Hales, among other T20 stars, have kept away from this season’s BPL. They all played in the previous editions, but due to the delay in planning by the BCB to switch the tournament to a non-franchise system, all these players had already lined up other commitments.Shakib Al Hasan is missing for the first time from the BPL, still serving the ban for his transgression. It has left Russell as the one blockbuster presence, and his endorsement of the BPL as his tournament of choice gives the 2019-20 version some validation.The overseas contingent also includes Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Nabi and Rilee Rossouw, last year’s top scorer in the BPL.Focus on new talentSome of Bangladesh’s new talent will be on show, with the likes of Mohammad Naim and young legspinners Aminul Islam, Minhajul Abedin Afridi and Rishad Hossain picked on their current form. But the trio are also being heavily promoted by the BCB so that Bangladesh have a decent legspinner in their T20I side in the coming year, in which they will play the T20 World Cup in Australia.Sylhet Thunder has picked left-arm quick Ruyel Miah, who recently bagged the best bowling figures by a pace bowler in Bangladesh’s first-class history. Young wicketkeepers Jaker Ali and Mahidul Islam have also found teams, as have rookie fast bowlers Sumon Khan and Hasan Mahmud.BCB-run teamsAlthough Rangpur Rangers are now sponsored by Incepta, they will still be run by the BCB, while Cumilla Warriors don’t have a sponsor, and are fully run by the board. Both teams, however, have disregarded the BCB’s instructions of carrying a “140-plus” fast bowler and a legspinner in their squads, while both have named foreign players, Mohammad Nabi (Rangpur) and Dasun Shanaka (Cumilla) as captains.How well these teams perform will, in a way, be a reflection of how the BCB views T20 cricket. So far, the board hasn’t promoted its own mandate, and the captaincy choices have already picked up some heat among local fans and media.
Who’ll earn the biggest bids? Which teams will strengthen which areas? Who’ll go unsold?
ESPNcricinfo staff18-Dec-20193:10
IPL 2020 auction: Five Indian rookies to watch out for
Who will be the biggest earner at this auction?Gaurav Sundararaman: There will be a close battle between Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell and Chris Morris for the second-highest price. But the highest, I think, will be Sheldon Cottrell since teams may want to try something new, and what differentiates Cottrell is that he is a left-arm pacer.Deivarayan Muthu: In an alternate universe, it would have been Mitchell Starc. In this universe, it could well be his Australia team-mate, Cummins. That his name will come up in the top ten on the list during the auction also works in his favour.Sreshth Shah: Tom Banton, the England top-order batsman, hands down. He’s already replaced Brendon McCullum at Brisbane Heat in the BBL. With at least four teams seeking an overseas opener, expect him to break the bank. Cottrell would be hot property too.Varun Shetty: Can’t look beyond Cummins here – arguably the best fast bowler in the world, who has done it across formats, and comfortably a class above anyone else in this auction. But look out for the hipsters at the auction tables who may want to spend on someone who offers “more”, like a Chris Morris or Fabian Allen.Getty ImagesWhich top-drawer player will go unsold?Muthu: I wonder why Angelo Mathews listed his base price at INR 2 crore and Kyle Abbott at INR 1.5 crore. Both will go unsold. Martin Guptill, among the top scorers in T20I cricket, and fellow New Zealand opener Colin Munro are both heavily reliant on conditions and might not find any takers either.Shah: Andrew Tye. He won the purple cap in 2018, but his stocks have plummeted since then. Batsmen are more comfortable playing his change-ups, and his knuckleballs have lost their potency.Sundararaman: Mathews. He has not been a regular T20 player for a while now due to injuries and has never really done well in the shortest format.Shetty: Mathews has been fitter over the last year than during any other recent auction, but it will be a surprise if a team shells out INR 2 crore for him.Getty ImagesWhich uncapped Indian star do you think may get a big pay day?Muthu: R Sai Kishore, the 23-year old Tamil Nadu left-arm fingerspinner, who was the top wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament. He might not quite hit pay dirt, but expect him to go for good money. In the IPL 2019 auction, my college senior Varun Chakaravarthy raked in big money (and then disappeared). This auction could be my college junior Sai Kishore’s turn. Okay, don’t ask me what doing with my life.Shetty: I expect Yashasvi Jaiswal to rake in a few crores at the auction. He has a lot of desirable qualities – big hitting, youth, and now popularity after his double-hundred in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Karnataka batsman Rohan Kadam could draw bank too, as could Rajasthan’s legspinning allrounder Ravi Bishnoi. Tamil Nadu batting allrounder Shahrukh Khan has been destined for a big paycheck from the moment he was named.Sundararaman: Virat Singh, the quick-scoring left-hander from Jharkhand, or Priyam Garg, the India Under-19 captain and batting prodigy. Teams might want to look at these two players before the big auction next year to see what they offer.Shah: Can’t look beyond Jaiswal, the 17-year-old batsman who plays U-19 cricket for India. In October 2019, he became the youngest man to hit a List-A double hundred. In 13 List-A matches so far, he’s scored 779 runs at an average of 70.81 at a strike rate of 91.Getty ImagesKings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore have significant purses. What is the role most important to fill for each team?Sundararaman: KKR and Kings XI may go heavily for Eoin Morgan. Both could look at him as a possible captain. With Brendon Mccullum the coach of KKR, don’t be surprised if that happens. Kings XI need good left-arm overseas quicks – Cottrell is the man – while RCB too need at least two overseas quicks as well as allrounders, so they could bid for Cummins and Maxwell.Muthu: RCB will be looking for a power-hitter and a reliable death bowler. They could buy back Shimron Hetmyer and they may break the bank for Cottrell. Kings XI are searching for a captain and might bid aggressively for Morgan or Aaron Finch. They also need a big-hitting allrounder, as do KKR. Like West Indies, KKR will be sweating over Andre Russell’s fitness, so they may look at another West Indies allrounder in Allen.Shah: Kings XI – and, perhaps Knight Riders too – will be seeking an overseas captain, which makes Aaron Finch and Morgan attractive targets. Finch could be the ideal replacement for Lynn at Knight Riders too. Royal Challengers Bangalore need reliable pace bowlers, especially at the death. Expect them to big bid for Cottrell, Cummins or even Chris Jordan.Shetty: The priority for all three teams will be fast bowlers. In addition, Kings XI will look for a captain, while KKR may go hard for a top-order batsman – Jason Roy, Banton and Lynn, whom they released earlier – are all options. RCB will likely use Shivam Dube a lot more this year, but a steady head in the middle order will be vital. They are lucky to have Umesh Yadav and Navdeep Saini together in the form of their lives, but an overseas fast bowler will truly complete that line-up. (RCB can then shower the remaining purse on their fans as a loyalty bonus.)Getty ImagesIf you were at an auction table, which player would you identify as the best chance of a bargain buy?Shetty: At INR 20 lakh (his base price), Chris Green is a steal. The Australian offspinner is a key member of several T20 teams around the world, including Sydney Thunder, Birmingham Bears and Guyana Amazon Warriors. Overseas spinners find it hard to break into IPL teams, but in this day of micro analysis, there might be some teams excited by his remarkable T20 economy rate: 6.69.Muthu: Noor Ahmad, the Afghanistan left-arm wristspinner, is merely 14, and is believed to have attended trials with Rajasthan Royals. He was recently among the wickets for Afghanistan Under-19 in Lucknow and was also among the top wicket-takers in the Shpageeza league earlier this year. Bowlers with weird actions are always difficult to get away in T20 leagues, and at a base price of INR 30 lakh, Noor could be a decent investment leading into the mega auction next year and perhaps even beyond.Sundararaman: Allen.Shah: In Asian conditions, Mushfiqur Rahim is a handy option as a keeper-batsman. He can pace his innings well, has got the experience, and has shown in the recent past that he no longer cracks under pressure.
Chelsea have now identified an “incredible” midfielder as a potential summer transfer target, but there may be fierce competition for his signature, with a whole host of Premier League clubs keen, according to a report.
Blues stepping up summer transfer plans
While the Blues have long since been out of the Premier League title race, they are still on course to have a fairly successful season, with Friday’s 1-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur solidifying their place in the top four.
However, if Enzo Maresca’s side are to compete with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool next season, they may need to strengthen in a number of areas, with a striker believed to be of particular interest.
A £59m bid has been submitted for Real Madrid’s Endrick, while Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is also interested in a move to Stamford Bridge this summer, with a deal possible for a fee of around £68m.
Chelsea player criticised for "horrendous" attitude as Boehly looks to sell
He’s been slammed for his “arrogance” behind-the-scenes.
ByEmilio Galantini Apr 3, 2025
Central midfield hasn’t been a problem position this season, with Moises Caicedo receiving rave reports, but there have been suggestions Maresca could also look to strengthen his options in the engine room this summer.
According to a report from The Boot Room, Chelsea have now joined the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson, but there could be fierce competition for his signature, with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool also keen.
Eintracht Frankfurt'sHugoLarssonscores their first goal
Larsson’s impressive performances this season have put him in the Blues’ sights, with checks being conducted, and they are planning to watch him closely when he comes up against Tottenham in the Europa League next week.
Previous reports have suggested the Swedish midfielder is valued at £50m, but his stock could well rise if he continues to perform well between now and the end of the campaign.
"Incredible" Larsson could be excellent signing
Maresca is blessed with some quality options in the middle of the park, with Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez among Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League this season, but there are plenty of signs the Frankfurt midfielder could still be a solid addition.
Sport1-journalist Christopher Michel has lauded the 20-year-old as “incredible”, and he has proven himself as a major goalscoring threat for Frankfurt over the past year, ranking in the 92nd percentile for non-penalty goals per 90.
Perhaps in part due to his goalscoring ability, the Frankfurt star has been lauded as “very similar to Bellingham” by football scout Ben Mattinson, who has also praised him for his ability in possession of the ball.
Larsson could be an excellent signing for Chelsea, but given that they are already well-stocked in midfield, signing a top striker should be their top priority this summer.
Sheffield United slipped out of the automatic promotion places in the Championship after they were beaten 1-0 by Millwall at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night.
The Blades found themselves 1-0 down after 21 minutes when centre-forward Josh Coburn brilliantly beat Michael Cooper with a well-taken effort from just inside the box.
Chris Wilder was not afraid to make changes in an attempt to turn the game around, withdrawing Southampton loanee Ben Brereton Diaz at half-time after the forward put in a dismal showing.
Ben Brereton Diaz's performance against Millwall
The Chile international had an excellent opportunity to draw the Blades level shortly after they went 1-0 down when he had a free header from around eight yards out, but could only guide his effort straight at the goalkeeper.
Brereton Diaz ended the half with one ‘big chance’ missed – the header – and created one chance, whilst he lost possession six times, which led to Wilder taking him off at the break.
The former Blackburn Rovers attacker is now in danger of losing his place in the starting XI after he failed to make the most of his chance in front of goal, but he was not the only poor performer for Sheffield United.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Wilder must also ruthlessly ditch Gustavo Hamer from the line-up against Plymouth Argyle at Home Park, as the mercurial playmaker was just as bad as Brereton Diaz.
Why Gustavo Hamer should be dropped
The Sheffield United boss must brutally drop the attacking midfielder from the team after a disappointing performance from him against Alex Neil’s side on Tuesday night.
The former Coventry City dynamo did not offer enough quality with his use of the ball on the left flank, letting his team down too often with a poor pass or delivery into the box.
He ended the match, having played the full 90 minutes, with zero shots on target, zero out of two dribbles completed, and zero ‘big chances’ created for the Blades.
Minutes
45
90
Shots on target
2
0
Key passes
1
2
Big chances created
0
0
Crosses completed
0/1
2/10
Duels won
2/3
2/7
Possession lost
6x
22x
As you can see in the table above, Hamer and Brereton Diaz both failed to create a ‘big chance’ for their teammates, but the former failed to do so whilst losing the ball a staggering 22 times, failing with eight of his ten attempted crosses.
It was an incredibly wasteful display from the Dutch whiz, who has now scored one goal and provided zero assists in his last nine outings in the Championship.
Sheffield United needed Hamer, who has eight goals and five assists to his name in the league this season, to step up and provide a bit of quality in their time of need, 1-0 down and trailing for so long against Millwall in front of their home supporters.
Unfortunately, the right-footed flop did not step up to be a difference-maker, delivering a performance just as bad as Brereton Diaz’s, and that is why Wilder should consider axing him from the XI for Saturday’s trip to Plymouth.
Wilder must axe Sheffield United man earning more than Cooper & Campbell
Chris Wilder could soon ditch this Sheffield United high earner.
Celtic forward Daizen Maeda continued his sensational season with yet another goal in the club’s 5-1 win over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership last weekend.
The Hoops romped to a comfortable victory in front of their home support to bounce back from their disappointing 1-0 defeat away to St. Johnstone in their previous outing in the top-flight.
A close-range strike from Maeda, as well as some stunning goals from Reo Hatate and Cameron Carter-Vickers, helped the Scottish giants on their way to all three points.
Brendan Rodgers’ Japanese marksman has been in phenomenal form in front of goal throughout the 2024/25 campaign, notching his 31st goal of the season against Kilmarnock.
Daizen Maeda
The experienced forward has scored 31 goals and provided nine assists in 45 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops so far this term, which shows that he has provided a regular threat in front of goal as both a scorer and a creator for Celtic.
Rodgers needed him, and others, to step up at the top end of the pitch after the club sanctioned the sale of proven goalscorer Kyogo Furuhashi in the January transfer window.
How much Rennes paid for Kyogo Furuhashi
Shortly after Celtic’s 1-0 win over Young Boys in the Champions League, there was talk about a possible move to France for the Japanese forward before the deadline.
Six days on from that victory, which turned out to be the striker’s last appearance for the club, Rennes officially completed the signing of Kyogo for a reported fee of £10m.
Deciding to move on from the Japan international midway through the campaign was a gamble by the Scottish giants, given the quality that he had provided over the years in Glasgow.
Kyogo joined the club from Vissel Kobe on a permanent transfer in the summer of 2021 under the management of Ange Postecoglou, and hit the ground running with 20 goals in all competitions in the 2021/22 campaign.
24/25
32
12
4
23/24
50
19
5
22/23
50
34
5
21/22
33
20
5
As you can see in the table above, the Japanese centre-forward was a consistent goal threat for the Scottish giants throughout his time in Glasgow, scoring at least 12 goals in all four of his seasons at Parkhead.
His best year in a Hoops jersey was, as is obvious by looking at the table, the 2022/23 campaign as he plundered a staggering 34 goals in all competitions for Celtic.
His form in front of goal over those seasons eventually allowed the club to rake in £10m for his services in the January transfer window, but he is not the most expensive striker sold by the Hoops in the past decade.
How much Celtic paid for Odsonne Edouard
In the summer of 2018, Celtic decided to splash the cash on a new centre-forward to bring Odsonne Edouard from Paris Saint-Germain to Paradise in a club-record £9m transfer.
The French marksman had spent the 2017/18 season on loan in Glasgow, scoring 11 goals in 28 matches, and that convinced the board to sign the attacker on a permanent deal in a record transfer ahead of the following campaign.
Edouard followed that up with a return of 22 goals and eight assists in 52 matches in all competitions during the 2018/19 season, including 15 goals in the Premiership – as shown in the highlights above.
The former PSG starlet went on to be a reliable threat at the top end of the pitch for the Scottish giants for several years, racking up 87 goals and 37 assists in 179 outings for the club in all competitions.
These statistics show that Celtic hit the jackpot by splashing out a club-record fee to sign him on a permanent deal because he went on to become a prolific scorer for the Hoops in his three seasons in Glasgow as a permanent player.
The Hoops then went on to strike gold on the centre-forward by making a significant profit on the attacker when they sold him to Premier League side Crystal Palace ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
How Celtic hit the jackpot with Odsonne Edouard
The English side swooped for his services in the summer of 2021, as they looked to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, and they agreed a reported deal worth up to £18.5m.
Market Movers
Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?
Eagles chairman Steve Parish described Edouard as a striker with “proven quality”, based on his time with Celtic, and that is why Palace were willing to commit a huge sum of money to sign him.
The French centre-forward’s value, therefore, soared by a whopping £9.5m during his spell with the Hoops, from the £9m that they initially paid for him, and that shows that they hit the jackpot with him.
Odsonne-EdouardOdsonne-Edouard
Edouard was also sold for £8.5m more than Kyogo was in January, despite his impressive goal return for the Bhoys, which speaks to how well the club did to rake in that fee from Palace.
Celtic also hit gold with the sale of the Frenchman because he has only scored 21 goals in all competitions in his four years in England to date, with all 21 of those coming for Palace and none in his current loan spell with Leicester City.
August 2021
£18.5m reported fee
December 2021
£14.6m
September 2022
£12.8m
November 2022
£14.6m
October 2023
£17.2m
May 2024
£15.4m
December 2024
£12m
March 2025
£8.5m
As you can see in the table above, his market value has plummeted from £18.5m to £8.5m in the last four years as a result of his lack of goals for Palace and Leicester since his move away from Parkhead.
This suggests that the Scottish giants played a blinder by cashing in on him in the summer of 2021 because he has regressed since leaving Glasgow and is now worth even less than the initial £9m that the Hoops paid to sign him from PSG.
Celtic chasing deal for star who could become even better than Jota
Celtic are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the impressive young forward.
Glasgow Rangers officially confirmed that Kevin Thelwell will take up a position as the club’s new sporting director ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The 51-year-old chief will arrive at Ibrox to take up his role when his contract with Premier League side Everton expires at the end of the season.
In part of his first official interview with the club’s website, Thelwell said: “From the first conversations, it was clear to me how ambitious the club is, and I’m excited to play a part in shaping its next chapter.”
Whilst this can be interpreted in many different ways, that comment from the Everton man suggests that there will be changes to the playing squad in the summer to align with the ambition of the club.
Thelwell will have the chance to ‘shape’ the team, which lost to Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, and that could include ruthlessly getting rid of some of the club’s current players, who have failed to lead Rangers to a trophy this season.
One of the Gers players who could find themselves on the chopping block when the Everton chief officially takes up his position could be striker Cyriel Dessers.
Why Rangers should cash in on Cyriel Dessers
The Nigeria international was signed from Cremonese by Michael Beale ahead of the 2023/24 campaign for a reported fee of £4.3m, and the striker has had mixed success throughout his time at the club to date.
Dessers has scored 29 goals in the Scottish Premiership since the start of last season, which does not sound like a terrible return on paper, but his underlying numbers suggest that his performances have not been as impressive as his goal return indicates.
Rangers' CyrielDesserscelebrates scoring a goal that was later disallowed
The experienced marksman has not made the most of the opportunities that have been created for him in the top-flight, missing a whopping 47 ‘big chances’ to go along with his 29 goals.
This shows that he has been incredibly wasteful with the high-quality openings that his teammates have created for him, which has made him a liability in the final third because Rangers cannot trust that he will deliver in big moments due to his lack of composure and quality in front of goal.
Appearances
35
31
Goals
16
13
Conversion rate
16%
19%
Big chances missed
27
20
Assists
4
2
Duel success rate
33%
34%
Dessers has not only struggled in the Premiership, as his statistics above illustrate, however, as the former Serie A attacker has also failed to deliver on the European stage.
Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, the 30-year-old forward has scored four goals and missed ten ‘big chances’ in 19 appearances in the Europa League. This shows that he has rarely provided a goal threat in Europe for the Light Blues, once again, because of his wasteful finishing.
Dessers, as you can see in the clip above, has had his moments of class, which is also backed up by his return of 29 goals, but he has proven that he cannot be relied upon over the course of a season to lead the line for a team competing for titles.
The striker, as evidenced by the aforementioned statistics, has shown that he is not a reliable finisher, and that is why Thelwell should look to cash in on him to provide the next manager at Ibrox with an upgrade in the number nine position in the summer transfer window.
The incoming Rangers sporting director could seal an instant blinder, however, by axing a flop who has been an even worse signing than Dessers, Nedim Bajrami.
Why Thelwell should sell Bajrami
If Thelwell wants to shape the team in a way that tracks with the club’s high ambitions, seemingly to compete for trophies next season, then the underperformers in the squad should be moved on, if possible, this summer.
Rangers reportedly spent £3.4m to sign Bajrami from Italian side Sassuolo in the summer transfer window of 2024, and he has failed to live up to any hype that came from that amount of money being splashed on his services.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
To date, the Albania international has racked up three goals and one assist in 36 appearances in the Premiership and the Europa League combined for the Light Blues this season.
The 26-year-old arrived at Ibrox in what should be the prime years of his career. He is not a young player still learning his trade or a veteran at the end of his playing days, which suggests that it would have been fair to expect instant quality from him on the pitch.
Unfortunately, that has not been the case for Bajrami because, as shown by his aforementioned statistics, he has failed to deliver goals or assists on a regular basis from an attacking midfield or a wide position.
The Albanian attacker, who is reportedly on a wage of £12k-per-week, has scored one goal and failed to provide any assists in his last 13 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants.
Appearances
25
Starts
13
Goals
2
Big chances created
4
Assists
1
Ground duel success rate
46%
Aerial duel success rate
38%
As you can see in the table above, Bajrami has rarely contributed at the top end of the pitch and has failed to earn a place as a regular starter, under Philippe Clement or Barry Ferguson, whilst being weak in his duels out of possession as well.
These statistics show that the £3.4m signing has not given much back in return for the money that was spent on him. Meanwhile, Dessers has, at least, scored 29 goals and provided some good moments in a Rangers shirt in the last two seasons.
Bajrami
This suggests that he has been an even worse signing than the Nigerian forward because they cost a fairly similar amount of money, yet Bajrami has delivered significantly less on the pitch in his time at Ibrox.
With this in mind, Thelwell must instantly axe the attacking midfielder from the squad in the summer transfer window as one of his first moves to shape the squad in a new direction, moving on players who have not performed well enough for a team that wants to compete for titles.
Not just Butland: Rangers must axe 'shocking' star who Mourinho would hate
Rangers may have to make some changes to their squad if they decide to appoint Jose Mourinho.
ByDan Emery Apr 23, 2025
That could represent an instant blinder by the sporting director because it could free up space for a new attacker to be brought in, which could improve the team’s chances of success if they get the replacement right.
Before the Ange Postecoglou era, the permanent manager of Tottenham Hotspur was none other than Antonio Conte.
Now, it would be fair to say that for all of his success with other teams, the Italian icon didn’t fare too well in North London, as while he secured Champions League football for the club in his first season, he didn’t even make it to the end of his second one in charge.
The former Chelsea boss was infamous for playing a pragmatic, boarding-on-tedious style of football that couldn’t be any more different to the one Spurs try to play today.
However, while it didn’t quite work out for Conte, he did leave the club with a points per game average of 1.78 and now looks on track to win Serie A with Napoli, so recent news linking the Lilywhites with another manager who could easily be compared to the 55-year-old should excite fans.
Tottenham's manager search
Before getting to the manager in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other managers linked with the Tottenham job in recent weeks, like Brentford’s Thomas Frank and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
The former has done an exemplary job in West London, taking the Bees from a Championship side and turning them into one of the most entertaining sides in the Premier League, who still score goals for fun, even in the absence of former star striker Ivan Toney.
In a similar vein, Iraola took charge of the Cherries when they looked destined to return to the second tier last season and has transformed them into a team now fighting for a place in Europe next year.
However, a club like Spurs requires someone who can do more than improve the fortunes of smaller teams, which helps to explain their interest in Simone Inzaghi.
According to reports from Italy, the idea of the Italian coach moving to North London in the summer is ‘gaining traction’ and could soon develop ‘into something concrete.’
The report claims that a combination of a Premier League salary and his project at Inter coming to an end could convince the talented manager to move to N17 at the end of the season.
While it could be a challenging deal to get over the line, Spurs must do all they can to secure Inzaghi’s services. Not only would he be a monumental upgrade on Postecoglou, but he could be a more successful Conte 2.0.
How Inzaghi compares to Postecoglou
Okay, so before we compare Inzaghi to Postecoglou, why could his arrival be described as Conte 2.0?
Inter Milan coachSimoneInzaghi
Well, simply put, he’d be joining Tottenham from Inter Milan, a fellow Italian and, crucially, while he’s not quite as defensively minded as the former Spurs boss, he can be just as pragmatic.
Moreover, and this is one of the big advantages he has over Ange, the 49-year-old is a proven winner in a top-five league, having led Lazio to the Coppa Italia in 18/19 and then winning another two with Inter Milan, as well as leading them to the Scudetto last season.
In contrast, all the Australian’s successes have come in smaller leagues, be that in Scotland, Japan or Australia, and while that is not meant to demean his achievements, it is undeniable that the pressure to succeed in those leagues is far less intense than it is here or in Italy, for example.
Moreover, when we compare the two managers’ records at their current sides, it’s abundantly clear who is doing the better job.
Games
212
96
Wins
138
45
Draws
40
14
Losses
34
37
Points per Game
2.14
1.55
For example, since taking the job at the San Siro, the “phenomenal” Italian, as dubbed by Felipe Salvador Caicedo, has overseen 138 wins, 40 draws and 34 losses, which comes out to an average of 2.14 points per game.
In contrast, the former Celtic boss has overseen 45 wins, 14 draws and 37 losses since taking charge of the North Londoners, which comes out to a rather paltry 1.55 points per game.
Ultimately, Inzaghi has shown himself to be tactically flexible, has won major trophies and has far more experience in a top-five league than Postecoglou, so if Spurs can hire him this summer, they should.
Amazing upgrade on Solanke: Spurs ready to pay £30m for "remarkable" CF
The experienced marksman could be just what Spurs need.