Thomas Muller channelled his inner Harry Kane as he paid tribute to his former Bayern Munich teammate after scoring his first hat-trick for new club Vancouver Whitecaps, who demolished Philadelphia Union 7-0. Since completing a free transfer to Vancouver this summer, the Germany legend has appeared in three matches in MLS and has four goals.
Muller's first MLS hat-trick with Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver moved up to third place in the Western Conference table after a thumping 7-0 win over Philadelphia on Saturday. After opening his account against St. Louis CITY in their last game, Muller scored his first hat-trick since completing a move to MLS.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMuller takes inspiration from Kane after scoring three times
Muller marked his 36th birthday with a stellar outing. After the match-winning performance, the Germany legend paid tribute to his former Bayern Munich team-mates, including close friend Kane, as he showed off his match ball. In the Bundesliga, the England captain scored a brace in Bayern's mauling of Hamburg.
What did Muller say to Kane?
Muller shared a reaction video on social media where he can seen saying: "What a great night tonight! We got a win against Philadelphia. Thanks to my team-mates, obviously, they did a great job to set me up for a hat-trick. Thank you all for all your birthday wishes. I am very happy to win with my Whitecaps and also greetings to my former team-mates from Bayern Munich and especially to Harry Kane. Harry, now I know how you feel."
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Getty ImagesWhen is Muller playing next?
Muller will be back in action for the Whitecaps on Tuesday as they face Forge in the second leg of their Canadian Championship semi-final clash.
The swap – because Asha picked up an injury while warming up – needed Australia’s nod since the playing XIs had already been announced
Shashank Kishore13-Oct-2024
Radha Yadav got her first game of the World Cup•BCCI
In a late swap that needed Australia’s consent, India brought in left-arm spinner Radha Yadav in place of legspinner Asha Sobhana into the playing XI for their final group fixture in Sharjah on Sunday.Asha was seen hobbling in the middle of a warm-up session just after the toss and was quickly taken out of the playing area for treatment by the support staff. She also didn’t subsequently line-up for the national anthems. Since Asha had already been named in the playing XI, India needed Australia’s nod to make the change, which came through.Australia themselves had a big blow in the lead up with Alyssa Healy, their captain, ruled out with a leg injury. Healy, who had injured her right foot in Australia’s previous game, had to use crutches to walk. In another injury update, fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck was ruled out of the remainder of the World Cup after dislocating her right shoulder in the same match.”Asha Sobhana is unable to participate in the today’s game against Australia after she suffered a knee injury during the warm-up on the sidelines of toss,” a BCCI statement said. “The ICC Match Referee requested the Australian captain [Tahlia McGrath] who agreed to the request for a replacement in India’s Playing XI. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring Asha’s progress.”Radha’s addition offers India not just a bowling option but also some lower-order batting depth. Radha didn’t start in the first three games but made a massive impact in their win over Sri Lanka by taking arguably one of the catches of the tournament at extra cover when she had come in as a substitute fielder.On match-eve, Radha was one of the bowlers who had a long one-on-one bowling session on a side net with head coach Amol Muzumdar.
For the first time in a decade, Manchester United will begin a new season without Marcus Rashford in tow, with the former boy wonder having finally secured his long-awaited switch to LaLiga giants, Barcelona.
That loan move – which could be made permanent for a fee of around £26m next summer – has long been in the pipeline amid the Englishman’s ongoing exile back at Old Trafford, having last been seen in a United shirt away to Viktoria Plzen back in December.
Cast aside by Ruben Amorim ahead of the Manchester Derby triumph at the Etihad, the £300k-per-week enigma appears in need of reinvigoration, with his 30-goal heroics in 2022/23 standing out as a notable high point amid a mixed few years on a personal note.
2024/25*
24
7
3
2023/24
43
8
6
2022/23
56
30
11
2021/22
32
5
2
2020/21
57
21
18
Such woes have notably seen a fair few figures raise their eyebrows at the 27-year-old’s ability to still covet interest from an elite European club like Barca, with treble winner Teddy Sheringham even going as far as to suggest that the move to Catalonia is “a step up that he hasn’t deserved.”
Regardless, Rashford is someone else’s problem – or prize – now, for the next 12 months at least, with Jason Wilcox and co now needing to assemble a squad to kickstart a new era in Manchester.
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have more than strengthened Amorim’s hand so far, although further surgery is surely required…
Latest on Man Utd's search for a striker
The new Premier League season is mere weeks away and Man United appear no closer to ending their number nine search, having reportedly seen their interest in Aston Villa talisman Ollie Watkins knocked back, with the Midlands seemingly unwilling to cash in on the Englishman.
Isak
To the surprise of no one, wantaway Newcastle United man Alexander Isak also won’t be ending up at the Theatre of Dreams, with the cash-strapped Red Devils said to have stepped out of the race for the £130m-rated Swede.
Alternative options continue to be considered, however, with ESPN naming Paris Saint-Germain outcast Randal Kolo Muani as one of the players on Wilcox’s shortlist, following his return from a loan spell at Juventus.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The suggestion is that United have been exploring a potential deal for the Frenchman, with the versatile striker said to have been offered to a number of clubs, as Juve struggle to greenlight a return due to the financial demands.
The report outlines that PSG could agree to an initial temporary deal with an obligation to buy, while a permanent move could cost in the region of €50m (£42m) – two years on from having cost the Ligue 1 side a fee of around €75m (£63m).
It is claimed that the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal have already passed up the opportunity to sign the 26-year-old, although could he prove a risk worth taking for United?
How Kolo Muani compares to Marcus Rashford
It is telling of United’s current woes that despite being cast aside before Christmas, Rashford’s return of four Premier League goals – excluding his two for Villa – still saw him finish level with Rasmus Hojlund in that regard, as well as one ahead of fellow forward Joshua Zirkzee.
That is not to say that the Englishman deserved to be persisted with, however, having notably chipped in with just seven top-flight goals the year prior, after also only scoring four times in the league in 2021/22.
Of course, the academy graduate has had his high points – namely his 17 league goals in 2022/23 – but there is little evidence to suggest that he is irreplaceable. Turning to a talent like Kolo Muani, for instance, could represent the perfect replacement.
Indeed, while many onlookers are perhaps most familar with the 39-cap France international for his last-gasp miss in the 2022 World Cup final, the former Nantes man is typically an “ice-cold” finisher, as dubbed by German legend Lothar Matthaus.
That was evident during his six-month stay in Turin earlier this year, with the dynamic striker making an instant impact for the Old Lady, having scored ten times in just 22 outings, including a return of eight goals in just 16 Serie A games.
For comparison, Rashford’s own January loan switch to Villa Park yielded only four goals from 17 appearances in all competitions, with both men having typically operated in a central role during their respective temporary moves.
Having started just 13 games in Italy’s top flight, Kolo Muani enjoyed a rate of one goal every 146 minutes, alongside an impressive goal conversion rate of 31%, as per Sofascore.
Rashford, for contrast, scored a goal every 238 minutes back in England, while enjoying a goal conversion of just 17%, having started 16 games in all.
While the latter man came out on top for assists (three vs one) and big chances created (eight vs two), the pair both averaged 1.1 key passes per game, with Kolo Muani notably enjoying a superior record for successful dribbles completed (0.7 vs 1.1).
And so, with the chance available for United to pounce, Wilcox could be able to hand Amorim an immediate upgrade on Rashford to bolster his forward line, with the striker’s form in Italy certainly reason for encouragement.
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Kamindu Mendis’ second-innings 113 for Sri Lanka in their defeat to England in Manchester left him with a batting average of 92.16. It is the second-highest in Test history among players with more than 500 runs, and he explained at Lord’s ahead of Thursday’s second Test that it owes to a simple mantra: “Do basic things, and try to keep calm.”Kamindu made his debut against Australia two years ago, deputising for Dhananjaya de Silva on account of a positive Covid test. He made 61 in an innings win but had to bide his time for another opportunity, eventually returning to the side earlier this year and making twin hundreds against Bangladesh in Sylhet.”I knew that the batting was packed, but what I tried to do was to do as best as I could in the chance that I had,” Kamindu said on Tuesday. “I had to exit the team after that, but I don’t see that as a mistake. You have to take various decisions to balance a team, and I came into that side only because Dhananjaya had Covid. When he returned, I had to make way. That’s fair.”Related
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During his two-year absence, he remained part of the set-up as a squad player and said he had benefited hugely from that experience. “Even though I didn’t get to play, I was in the squad and travelling with the team, pretty much every tour,” he said. “Going on so many tours with experienced players on those tours also helped me play well in my first few innings.”Kamindu edged Chris Woakes behind for 12 in the first innings in Manchester, but made 113 in the second and enjoyed partnerships of 78 and 117 with Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal respectively. “In the first innings, I wasn’t able to score runs. The conditions were challenging,” he said. “It was colder than we expected. We did as well as we could as a team.”I had a lot of support from the others when I went to bat, both Angie and Chandi aiya. I have to mention Chandi in particular, because him playing through that finger injury and putting up runs was vital for the team. He was a big support to me too, to get to 100, and their experience really helped me. They shared what they knew with me in the middle.”He revealed that he has a simple philosophy underpinning his batting – “I do basic things, and try to keep calm in the middle” – and brushed off questions about his average. “What I wanted was to do what I could on the day for the team. That’s really my only goal: to give as much to my team as possible, whether on the batting front, bowling front, or via fielding.”Kamindu had never been to England before this tour, and said that he will fulfil a dream this week: “From when I was little, I had a dream to play a Test at Lord’s,” he said. “It’s not just my dream, I think every player has that target. I’ve been able to get there. If we can win this match, it’ll be even more valuable to us.”
Amid rumours that they’ve already had to reject a bid worth £45m to sell Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly opened talks to sign a possible replacement.
Nottingham Forest reject Newcastle's Elanga bid
After securing a shock place in the Europa Conference League in an excellent season last time out, Nottingham Forest are in no position to sell key players. But that hasn’t stopped certain clubs from testing the waters. Among them, Newcastle United reportedly formalised their interest in Elanga with an offer worth £45m earlier this week, only to see that bid rejected by those at the City Ground.
There’s still plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window, however, and Forest will be well aware that Newcastle could yet come calling a second time.
If that does happen, then preparing for Elanga’s exit in a worst-case scenario would not be a bad idea for all involved at the City Ground. Already, on that front, Forest have attempted and failed to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus and have also been linked with versatile AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.
YunusMusahof the U.S. in action with England's Jude Bellingham
Whether either of those options possess the quality to replace Elanga is the big question. One man who is unlikely to face problems in that regard is Igor Jesus. The Botafogo forward is reportedly on his way to the Midlands alongside teammate Jair Cunha following their Club World Cup campaign.
The former has already stolen plenty of headlines with his winning goal against Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and is seemingly about to take the Premier League by storm.
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Jesus and Cuiabano may not be the only Club World Cup stars to arrive, either, amid reports that Forest have opened talks to sign another attacking target.
Nottingham Forest open talks to sign Pepe
According to ESPN Brazil, Nottingham Forest have now opened talks to sign Pepe from FC Porto, who are demanding over €15m (£12m) to sell their 28-year-old winger this summer.
An experienced winger who scored at the Club World Cup for Porto in a 4-4 draw against Al-Ahly this summer, Pepe would offer Forest instant depth and may even be asked to replace Elanga if the Swede joins Newcastle.
Minutes
1,991
2,501
Goals
3
6
Assists
2
11
Key Passes
31
50
The pressure would instantly be on Pepe if he did step in for Elanga and although his experience could prove to be invaluable, questions will be asked about his ability to match the 22-year-old’s output.
As a versatile backup who can play all across the frontline, however, the Porto man represents an ideal choice as Forest step into European football. At just over £12m too, it’s not a deal that Evangelos Marinakis will need to splash out on for Nuno Espirito Santo in the coming months.
Now that Rangers have a manager in place, their transfer window activity can begin in earnest.
Last week, Russell Martin was unveiled as the 20th permanent manager in Rangers’ 153-year history, but he faces a big task to guide the Gers through Champions League qualifying this summer and then, ultimately, aiming to topple their rivals at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
That will all be a tough task, but could Martin land his dream midfield signing early into his tenure in Glasgow?
Rangers' chasing midfield reinforcements
While recruitment as far as new players are concerned hasn’t been Kevin Thelwell’s first priority since heading to Rangers, attention can now finally turn to who could improve the squad at Ibrox.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, according to a report by Alan Nixon of the Scottish Sun, Martin would like Rangers to sign midfielder Flynn Downes this summer.
The 26-year-old played for Martin at Swansea and Southampton, initially on loan when the Saints gained promotion from the EFL Championship last year, before he made his move from West Ham to the South Coast permanent a year ago for a reported £18m fee.
Southampton's Flynn Downes in action with Brighton & Hove Albion's Joao Pedro
That sky-high price tag could prove to be a severe stumbling block, considering Rangers’ record signing of all time is the £12m paid to sign Tore André Flo in 2000, while the highest fee they’ve paid in the modern era is £7.5m for Ryan Kent in 2019.
Nevertheless, after Southampton were instantaneously relegated from the Premier League after just one season back in the top-flight, there could potentially be a fire-sale at St Mary’s, with Downes possibly amongst those sacrificed.
Most expensive SPFL signings (timeless) Rangers Celtic
So, could he be reunited with his former manager north of the border?
How Downes compares to Lundstram
Signing English players from down south is certainly not a new strategy for Rangers, with John Lundstram certainly one of the more successful of their imports of the modern era.
After failing to make a senior appearance for Everton, the midfielder, fair to say, was a bit of a journeyman, playing for Doncaster Rovers, Yeovil Town, Leyton Orient across two spells, Blackpool, Scunthorpe United and Oxford United.
He belatedly burst onto the scene at Sheffield United, making 62 Premier League appearances for the Blades, a key figure as Chris Wilder’s team finished ninth in 2019/20 as a newly-promoted club.
Nevertheless, it was only once he got to Glasgow that Lundstram truly found a home.
In total, the midfielder featured over 150 times for Rangers, scoring 11 goals, including the late winner against RB Leipzig that booked the club’s place in the Europa League Final, winning the Scottish Cup and League Cup, starting all three finals.
He ultimately departed for Trabzonspor on a Bosman last summer but, should Downes arrive, Rangers supporters would be hoping he could have a similar impact to that of his compatriot.
Host Dan Woffenden describes Downes as “class”, while Roshane Thomas of the Athletic labels him an excellent passer, also documenting how he ‘thrived under manager Russell Martin’ when the pair were together at Swansea.
Southampton'sFlynnDownesin action with Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White
Meantime, Chris Beaumont of Total Football Analysis praises the midfielder’s ‘fantastic engine’ and ‘physical presence’, asserting that he is one of the ‘hottest midfield prospects’ in English football.
So, let’s assess his statistics in the EFL Championship from the 2023/24 campaign.
Minutes
2,550
163rd
Completed passes
2,019
29th
Pass completion %
93%
3rd
Short passes completed
1,152
12th
Touches
2,419
50th
It is worth mentioning that statistics from Downes’ season in the second-tier were used due to how generally hopeless Southampton were in the Premier League this season, thereby providing a data set that is uninformative.
Also worth noting that, according to Global Football Ranking, the Championship is the 11th strongest league in the world, compared to the Scottish Premiership down in 43rd, thereby offering a slightly more comparable level.
Thus, what the numbers do underline is that Downes is a high-quality passer, ranked third for pass completion percentage, while more than half of these passes were short, between five and 15 yards.
So, in Martin’s system that prioritises possession, he could be exactly the midfielder Rangers require, potentially having an equally enormous impact at Ibrox to that of Lundstram.
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Chelsea have now become favourites to sign a “sensational” player after presenting an enticing contract offer, according to a report this week.
Chelsea target centre-back, winger and striker this summer
As per Sky Sports and other credible media sources, the three main items on BlueCo’s transfer agenda this summer are the signings of a centre-back, winger and striker for manager Enzo Maresca.
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As per journalist Simon Phillips, it may not end there either, with a second centre-back, left-back, new goalkeeper and even an attacking midfielder discussed at Stamford Bridge. However, bolstering these positions will depend on their qualification for the Champions League and how many players BlueCo can sell this summer.
Everton (home)
April 26th
Liverpool (home)
May 4th
Newcastle (away)
May 11th
Man United (home)
May 16th
Nottingham Forest (away)
May 25th
Chairman Todd Boehly has also been privately pushing the urgency of bringing in versatile players, who can play in multiple areas and help to combat injury issues (Simon Phillips), so it appears the west Londoners could be set for another busy summer of spending ahead of Maresca’s second full season in charge.
The central defensive area is a particular concern for Maresca, with Axel Disasi out of favour, Wesley Fofana consistently on the treatment table and Trevoh Chalobah still likely to leave this summer after his initial loan to Crystal Palace was cut short.
As per widespread information, Chelsea are one of the many contenders to sign Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen this summer.
The Blues are thinking about triggering his £50 million release clause, as per Sky, following the ex-Juventus starlet’s excellent debut campaign in England, where he has stood out as one of European football’s most exciting defensive prospects.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham are all looking at Huijsen, alongside European heavyweights Bayern Munich and Real Madrid (Sky), so there will be plenty of competition as the race for his signature heats up.
Chelsea held very positive talks with Huijsen’s representatives last week, and it was reported at the time that Maresca’s side were feeling much more optimistic about striking a deal for the 20-year-old after these discussions (Simon Phillips).
Chelsea present enticing contract offer to Dean Huijsen
This may hand the club an upper hand in the chase for Bournemouth’s star centre-back, and a report from Spain has now claimed that they’ve moved further.
Indeed, it is believed Chelsea have presented an enticing contract offer to Huijsen, which appeals both on paper and on a sporting level. As a result, they’ve emerged as the favourites to sign him this summer.
The alleged contract would run until 2032, with Chelsea reaching out to propose a seven-year contract. Bournemouth are apparently growing resigned to losing Huijsen this summer, and his next destination could well be London.
Called a “sensational” defensive talent by Ben Mattinson, Bournemouth’s number two earned his first international call-ups for Spain this season, and has started every single league game under Andoni Iraola since mid-December.
Getting into the Premier League is a challenge in itself, although staying in the division is becoming increasingly more difficult. The gap appears to be growing ever wider.
In both 2023/24 and 2024/25, the three promoted sides swiftly tumbled back down to the Championship, with most having almost been resigned to their fate from the outset of the campaign.
And yet, in years gone by, there are those who have managed to shake off a slow start to eventually stave off the drop by their fingernails, having battled their way to retaining their top-flight status.
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As a few examples below showcase, that ability to cling on can prove to be a turning point, a defining moment in sparking something of a revival for a club.
Here, we rank the best sides to beat the drop against all odds.
10 Wigan Athletic (2006/07) Final day showdown sees Latics send Blades to Championship
Wigan Athletic’s form in early 2007 saw them plummet down the table, and ended up requiring a victory on the final day to secure their safety.
Three wins in five months meant the Latics had inadvertently set up a final day play-off with Sheffield United, who only needed a point to survive the drop.
Wigan led through Paul Scharner before Jon Stead equalised for the hosts, but David Unsworth’s penalty on the stroke of half-time was the eventual winner that saw the visitors survive.
Since this came down to one game, it’s hardly the greatest escape of all time, but pulling a win out of the bag when it mattered most deserves some credit.
9 Leeds United (2021/22) Late Harrison winner gets Leeds out of bottom three
Leeds United spent the entirety of the 2021/22 season in the bottom six, and after losing three on the spin in mid-May, the Whites would need at least another win from their final two matches to stay up.
A late draw against Brighton on matchday 37 ensured that bettering Burnley’s result on the final day would be enough to stay afloat, ensuring a tense clash with Brentford would decide their fate.
Jesse Marsch’s side had led through Raphinha, but Sergi Canos’ equaliser meant the West Yorkshire outfit were one goal from relegation with Burnley trailing to Newcastle.
But a late Jack Harrison strike ensured Leeds would live to fight another day in the Premier League, staying up by the skin of their teeth.
8 Wigan Athletic (2010/11) Rodallega heroics secure another great escape
Wigan had started to make a name for themselves as survival specialists, and one of their finest escapes came in the 2010/11 season, when they stayed up despite starting the final day in the bottom three.
The Latics were once again in peril and had spent most of the campaign in the relegation zone.
And along with Charles N’Zogbia, Hugo Rodallega popped up with some crucial goals to save Roberto Martinez’s side.
Wigan somehow grabbed a last-minute win to relegate West Ham in their penultimate match before visiting Stoke City on the final day.
And Rodallega pounced late on at the Britannia Stadium to secure Wigan’s safety, despite being on the brink of demotion on multiple occasions.
7 Bradford City 1999/00 Bantams beat Liverpool to stay afloat
Bradford City notched three wins in their final four games to stay in the Premier League amid a tense conclusion to the 1999/00 season.
The Bantams were in big trouble with just five games to go, trailing 17th-placed Wimbledon by six points and coming off the back of six successive defeats.
But Paul Jewell’s side earned 10 points from a possible 15 in a run that included a win over Wimbledon at Valley Parade and a dramatic 1-0 victory over Liverpool on the final day to guarantee survival.
6 Everton 1993/94 Goodison drama sees Toffees survive on final day
Everton have been in relegation trouble in more recent times, but their finest escape from the drop is probably their Houdini act in 1994.
The Toffees had recorded just 1 win in 10 going into the final day, and would require another victory to escape the bottom three.
Facing a Wimbledon side in the top six at Goodison Park, the home side made the worst possible start after going 2-0 down inside 20 minutes.
But a barnstorming comeback through Graham Stuart’s double and Barry Horne’s screamer saved Everton from relegation in the most dramatic of turnarounds.
5 Aston Villa 2019/20 Superb run-in keeps Villans alive
The 2019/20 season was a little different for all involved, and having resumed the pandemic-affected campaign with two draws and four defeats, Dean Smith’s Aston Villa were strong favourites for the drop.
Having trailed Watford and West Ham by four points, the final four games saw the Villans grab eight points to sneak out of the bottom three.
A huge turning point was their 1-0 win over Arsenal in their penultimate game, which handed them the most slender of advantages ahead of the final matchday, when they simply had to better Watford’s result.
After a tense draw with West Ham, Villa were made to wait for the Hornets’ defeat at Arsenal to be confirmed, which led to wild celebrations in east London.
4 Sunderland 2013/14 Black Cats win four on the spin to surge to safety
Sunderland may have finished in 14th place back in 2014, but that hardly tells the story of their impressive escape.
Not only were the Black Cats bottom at Christmas – often a death knell for teams battling the drop – but Gustavo Poyet’s side were at the foot of the table as late as 27th April, when a victory over Cardiff City saw them surge out of the bottom three.
The Wearsiders’ run-in was mightily impressive, with a run of four straight wins securing survival that included victories away from home over Chelsea and Manchester United.
Having looked doomed for much of the season, Sunderland finished five points above the drop, making their final-day loss to Swansea City academic.
3 Leicester City 2014/15 Insane run of form saves Foxes and sets up historic campaign
Seven wins in their last nine games saved Leicester City from dropping straight back into the Championship – and set the scene for perhaps the greatest campaign we have ever witnessed.
The Foxes looked destined to return to the second tier, having been left seven points adrift of safety with nine games remaining.
Having won just four games all season and been without a victory in almost three months, Nigel Pearson’s inspired team were only beaten by champions Chelsea in the run-in, making the King Power Stadium a fortress as they coasted to safety, finishing six points above the drop zone.
We all know what happened next.
2 West Brom 2004/05 Baggies pull off miraculous escape on final day
West Bromwich Albion were the victors on a historic final day, which remains the only time that all three demoted teams had their relegations confirmed in the last round of matches.
And despite being rooted to the bottom at Christmas and spending most of the year in the drop zone, the Baggies held on to give themselves a fighting chance thanks to key victories over Charlton Athletic and Everton either side of the final mid-season international break, as well as a credible point away at Manchester United.
The final day itself saw Bryan Robson’s side requiring a win over Portsmouth and other results to go their way.
Defeats for Norwich City and Southampton, along with Crystal Palace’s draw at Charlton, meant that goals from Geoff Horsfield and Kieran Richardson were enough to somehow prolong their stay in the top flight.
1 Fulham 2007/08 Roy Hodgson's side complete miracle turnaround
When Roy Hodgson took over as Fulham boss in December 2007, the Whites were in trouble. Just two wins all year and facing the prospect of their seven-season stay in the Premier League coming to an end, they were going to need to turn a corner, and quickly.
Hodgson took just over a month to claim his first win, but it didn’t lead to a transformation of Fulham’s fortunes.
Following a defeat to Sunderland in early April, Fulham were six points from safety and had an inferior goal difference to most of their relegation rivals. But somehow, they did enough in their final five matches to save their Premier League status.
A crucial win over lowly Reading started their revival, before being brought down to earth with a home defeat to Liverpool.
Then, their most miraculous result of the campaign almost single-handedly gave them the inspiration they needed to stay up.
2-0 down at Manchester City, Fulham were all but down, but an incredible comeback in the final 20 minutes – sealed by Diomansy Kamara’s superb double – rejuvenated the Cottagers.
Tense wins over Birmingham and Portsmouth saw Fulham complete their turnaround, as Danny Murphy’s late winner at Fratton Park saw them stay up by three goals at the expense of Reading.
Muddled selection, fading stars, a lack of familiarity with the format – and no easy answers for either the ECB or Brendon McCullum
Vithushan Ehantharajah27-Feb-20252:16
Buttler: Have to work out whether I’m part of the problem or solution
When Brendon McCullum promised entertainment from England’s white-ball sides, he probably did not envisage this: with England on the wrong side of the two best games at the Champions Trophy so far, down and out with a match to spare, as the rest of the cricketing world laughs. Brought in to sprinkle some of his Test magic on the limited-overs set-up, the talismanic head coach has lost nine of his first 10 matches at the helm.The smile McCullum promised to bring back to Jos Buttler’s face, which the England captain had been practising in the mirror, is not just upside down but on the floor. Buttler spoke disconsolately of his future at the Gaddafi Stadium, an acceptance that this must surely be the end of his tenure. Saturday’s final Group B fixture against South Africa may well be his last ODI.It is clear both McCullum and Buttler have their share of blame to take from this third successive failure at a white-ball tournament. Most of it is collective, centering around the composition of the squad and the XI.Two enforced changes through injury highlighted muddled thinking around the initial 15. Tom Banton, a keeper-batter, was brought in for Jacob Bethell, a batter who bowls left-arm spin. Leggie Rehan Ahmed replaced seam-bowling allrounder Brydon Carse. As for the starters, a batting line-up that looked handy on paper did not produce on grass (two 300-plus totals notwithstanding). And a pace-heavy but ultimately one-dimensional bowling attack came unstuck for both a lack of variety against Australia and brittleness against Afghanistan.Related
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Jos Buttler quits as England's white-ball captain after Champions Trophy exit
All-but-through SA hope to pile more misery on out-of-contention England
McCullum rejects 'factually incorrect' criticism of England's preparations in India
Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. On Wednesday, Mark Wood, who was carrying an issue with his left knee into the new year, succumbed to it in worrying fashion. Buttler, who had come into the match seeking 10 overs outside his four frontline bowlers, was forced to pick up the pieces and find a few more. Afghanistan duly blitzed 113 from their final 10 overs.McCullum will have his own sifting to do through the rubble of England’s white-ball dynasty – one which, it should be remembered, won World Cups in both limited-overs formats. There will also be uncertainty over how Wood and Carse (returning home with a toe injury) might be restricted for Test assignments against India and Australia.Rob Key has a part in all this, of course. The managing director of men’s cricket took the blame for the failure at the 2023 ODI World Cup, citing the focus on Test cricket at the white-ball game’s expense. He subsequently promoted the drive to have the same players – and notably quicks – across all formats, which has backfired. As for the decision to give McCullum the keys to all three teams, time will tell how that pans out. McCullum’s newly extended deal will take him through two more ICC events and two Ashes, which already feel like competing interests.And what of Harry Brook? The likeliest successor to the captaincy, as the incumbent vice, happens to be England’s busiest cricketer, with the most appearances (89) across all formats since his Test debut in September 2022. With Brook’s white-ball returns trending the wrong way, and blockbuster Test series on the horizon, captaincy would be a risk at a critical juncture in his career. It might have to be taken anyway.Follow the leader: Rob Key may have a tough decision to make on the captaincy•Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty ImagesCloser alignment across all teams was supposed to bring clarity. But everywhere you turn there is collateral damage.Buttler should be considered an unfortunate part of that collateral, never mind his shortcomings as a captain. That the greatest white-ball cricketer England have ever produced was left wondering if he was “part of the problem” was a jarring moment that demanded everyone take stock. A global star has been dulled into confronting his own mortality. Truth is, the problems extend beyond his tactical shortcomings and run deeper than his lack of a poker face.The fall since the 2019 World Cup success has been sharp. And though large parts of that 2015-2019 machine under Eoin Morgan carried through on fumes to 2022’s T20 World Cup glory, the paint job was chipping and the chains were starting to rust.It is hard to pinpoint a specific reason for the decline, particularly in ODIs, with 18 defeats in 25 since 2023’s dismal title defence. But there are a few, and most pertain to shifts within English cricket beyond the control of those who have failed so spectacularly over the last 18 months.There is no longer a meaningful List A county competition because the Hundred clashes with the One-Day Cup by design. The 50-over fundamentals ingrained in the 2015-19 crop were learned in a class that simply does not exist anymore. It was willfully naive – bordering on arrogant – to assume this would simply be passed down to the next generation without any meaningful exposure to the format.Brook won the first of 24 ODI caps in 2023, four years after his last List A appearance for Yorkshire. Jamie Smith, promoted to No. 3 for the Champions Trophy, had only ever batted there once in 50-over cricket. Banton’s appearance against India earlier this month was his first List A match since he featured against Ireland during the 2020 Covid summer.Phil Salt may well be the clearest example of the “knowledge gap” all are struggling to bridge. He has only faced more than 30 balls in five out of 30 ODI innings, and only once in his 19 against sides at this Champions Trophy. Encouraged to play his natural game, his returns reflect that of an established T20 opener trying (and failing) to make his mark on a bigger canvas.T20 cricket has had more far-reaching consequences than simply the returns of one powerplay thrasher. The format’s proliferation through global franchise tournaments has made it as lucrative for boards as players, whether trying to create their own or ensuring it appears regularly in the itinerary. There is a reason the ECB and BCCI agreed on a schedule that featured five T20Is and just three ODIs ahead of this Champions Trophy.
“The last two ICC one-day tournaments have highlighted contrasts between ODI cricket and T20 that are far greater than popular wisdom within the ECB had assumed”
The pull of T20 has pushed ODIs to the bottom of the list as far as broadcasters are concerned. Much of that is to do with the fact teams like England regard them as a nuisance set against their main interests, which in this case is Test cricket.Only five members of the Champions Trophy squad featured on England’s November tour to the Caribbean, what with it being sandwiched between Tests in Pakistan and New Zealand. It followed a broader pattern of second-string squads for bilateral ODI series.The warning signs were there even in the afterglow of the 2022 T20 World Cup success. A ludicrously scheduled three-match one-day series against Australia began four days after the final, leading into a rearranged tour after Christmas against Bangladesh.The vibe of the 2022 Australia tour was off – not helped by a 3-0 pasting – and many of those without central contracts went on to make themselves unavailable for Bangladesh. Given the clash with a two-Test tour of New Zealand, the ECB needed to make up the numbers and several more-senior players who previously waited patiently for their opportunities took a stand. The underlying sentiment was they would be doing the board a favour without furthering their international cases in any meaningful way. Limited-overs caps were quickly being devalued. As one player put it recently, the pride in the ODI shirt disappeared when it became a box-ticking exercise. If the ECB shows the format no love, why should the players?That sentiment won’t sit well with fans, particularly when so many cricketers chase the franchise coin. Many of the players who spurned that Bangladesh tour, such as Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Liam Dawson, took up lucrative gigs at the PSL instead. Now, what depth there is in white-ball cricket is used to prop up an array of different leagues – particularly the ILT20 and Abu Dhabi T10 – rather than the national team.It will be tempting to cry “mercenary” at this point, but these are different times. What undoubted loyalty and commitment to the cause there was between 2015 and 2019 was helped by fewer franchise distractions.The IPL regularly shunned English talent, partly due to the ECB’s reticence to make their players available for the entire season given the clash with the home summer. It was only in 2018 that a significant number of the 2015-19 core were picked up. Even that came with strict caveats when it came to international duty, and prevented them from being mainstays at those franchises.English talent features regularly in T20 leagues around the world•PCBIt is worth remembering the upshot from the Bangladesh tour was discussions at the ECB about upping match fees to make playing for your country more lucrative. That never came to pass, with more money pumped into the central contracts instead.The IPL is now the only competition which overlaps with the summer where players are granted an automatic No-Objection Certificate to participate, regardless of their red-ball commitments. Even those further down the chain are permitted to take up deals in the winter at the expense of developmental tours. The recent Lions trip to Australia at the start of the year, led by Andrew Flintoff, was noticeably less-experienced than previous squads because of the clash with the ILT20 and SA20.That brings us to another important factor. Because the knock-on effect of the huge financial shifts has been an intriguing societal phenomenon – a missing generation of players between the ages of 27 to 32. English cricket’s own “yuppie” class, seemingly removed from the pyramid like a Jenga block.England’s 2019 World Cup winning group had 12 in this bracket. This Champions Trophy group has seven, of which only Ben Duckett and Jofra Archer had any worthwhile 50-over experience.Even beyond the squad, the gap is noticeable. Can you, reader, name another top-six batter capable of pacing an ODI innings, a seamer who has the craft to operate in three phases of the innings, or a balancing allrounder who would have guaranteed England a better chance? The most popular answers – Sam Hain, Luke Wood (both 29), Sam Curran (26) – carry their own uncertainties.The only clear answer as an improvement to the squad is Dawson, though his patience with the current management group has long gone. The Hampshire allrounder recently revealed he had been told by England men’s selector Luke Wright that he was going to be picked in the 2023 World Cup squad. The next day, he received a call informing him he had not made the cut.So, what now? The good news is England will be fine in T20Is, as they have been. But the last two ICC one-day tournaments have highlighted contrasts between the formats that are far greater than popular wisdom within the ECB had assumed. Making up those differences requires actual change – none straightforward, some improbable.The One-Day Cup will only fade further into the background as the newly monied Hundred flexes further – unless counties take the initiative to rejig the schedule and move it to the beginning of the season to prevent a clash from 2026 onwards. New Hundred owners would be amenable to clearer real estate in the calendar, and counties get something more to offer their members. Longer term, everybody wins.Of course, franchise competitions will continue to offer players lucrative alternatives to international cricket. And the 50-over format will not suddenly enjoy a resurgence in context, certainly not while McCullum’s focus is primarily on the Test side. Just as red ball performances suffered during the 2015-19 cycle, the white will continue to be an afterthought with priorities flipped.At least until the next 50-over tournament rolls around. By then, if English cricket is lucky, the 2027 ODI World Cup will be part of a redemption arc that will start with next year’s T20 World Cup.For now, the first steps towards that rest with a coach who may have bitten off more than he can chew, and a captain who has had enough.
The former Australia wicketkeeper was admired as a gloveman, and feared on golf courses
Ian Chappell23-Jul-2023Hedley Brian Taber – Herbert or plain Herbie to his mates – finally lost his battle with ill health on Friday.He had suffered breathing problems from serious asthma ever since I got to know him on our first tour, in 1966-67. Despite his health struggles, he seemed to have nine lives like a cat; this turned out to be his final one.A couple of years ago his wife, Fran, sent me a text saying, “Herbie’s going into hospital and he won’t be coming out.” Lo and behold, he was soon back at the retirement village and we were having our regular Saturday-morning snooker game, followed by a couple of glasses of red wine. At a younger age, when people asked how he was, I’d say, “If Tabsy gets past 45 he’ll make 90.”Sadly he fell just short, but he displayed staunch fighting qualities to reach 83. He was resilient; he never complained – just got on with life and did his job. The cat was not well at times but he was alive until Friday.In his prime he was a fine Australian wicketkeeper and probably the most popular cricketer I ever met. Wherever you went, people would ask, “How’s Tabsy?” You’d tell them nothing had changed, Brian was still battling. The reply was always the same: “Isn’t he a good bloke?”His first Test was in South Africa in 1966-67 and he claimed a very creditable eight dismissals – it would have been nine but one local umpire was extremely patriotic.In December 1968 as New South Wales captain Herbie equalled a then world record of 12 dismissals in a game against South Australia. We used to joke: “How did you get a stumping off [legspinner] Dick Guy? He never spun a ball.”Despite Tabsy’s prowess as a smooth keeper with good footwork, I worried about him after he was struck in the eye by a bail in a charity game. But then in 1982 we took an old-timers’ team to play in Fiji. Tabsy was our keeper and we had three wrist-spinners in the side. When David Sincock, the biggest spinner of them all, hit the edge of the matting with his first delivery, it flew past the right-hand batter’s left shoulder. Tabsy collected the ball easily and casually tossed it to me at slip. The next ball hit the same spot on the matting and shot straight along the ground, just missing off stump. Herbie again easily collected the ball and casually tossed it to me at slip.I stopped worrying about his damaged eyesight then.Taber at work behind the stumps in a tour match in the 1968 Ashes•Getty ImagesWe admired Taber as a keeper but were wary of him on the golf course. He was a regular miracle worker and would often produce unbelievable shots. During a game in India in 1969, he produced his piece de resistance. The first two holes were halved, so the match rested on a par three of 155 yards. Tabsy caught a bit of the sandy tee and then flubbed his iron. He exclaimed: “Might be time for the Texas Wedge.”He proceeded to give the ball a good tap with the putter and it gained much needed impetus from a strategically placed rock about six inches from the pin. Its last roll was into the hole. Quite unperturbed, he marched to the hole and collected his ball, noting as he replaced the pin: “We’ve got our par.”Tabsy retained his incredibly quick sense of humour to the end. He also helped other keepers, including Rod Marsh, the man who took his place in the Australia side.He was an extremely good manager and one of his great contributions to Australian cricket came when, in 1991, he managed an underage side to the Caribbean. At departure he was told by a naïve official: “If [Shane] Warne puts a foot out of place, send him home.” Tabsy quite rightly ignored the advice, made Warne the social secretary, and after his playing success on the tour, told me: “By the way the young bloke is a really good legspinner.”Tabsy was a good cricketer, he understood the game and knew how to handle people. Importantly he was a good bloke. We all miss the gentleman wicketkeeper.