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The 49-year old’s tenure will end following the tours to India in October and Bangladesh in November, after which he will move to England to take charge at Middlesex

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-2018Stuart Law has resigned as West Indies’ head coach after less than two years in the job. The 49-year-old’s tenure will end following the tours to India in October and Bangladesh in November, after which he will move to England to take charge at Middlesex.Law was credited with improving West Indies’ standing in Tests during his time in charge, as well as securing qualification for the 2019 World Cup. He was also involved with moves to bring back a number of star players, such as Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, after disagreements with the board.”I have had to make the difficult decision to leave my role of head coach with CWI,” Law said in a press release. “It has been very enjoyable, and I believe we have made tremendous strides forward as a team during the past two years.”I will be taking a role with Middlesex which will keep me close to my family, whilst continuing within the cricket family. I wish the players and staff of CWI every success in the future.”Law took over from Phil Simmons, who was sacked in September 2016 on disciplinary grounds. He won six out of 15 Tests, including a famous chase of 322 at Headingley last year, and secured series wins over Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, as well as a draw with Sri Lanka.The team’s record was even more impressive in T20Is – eight wins in 19 matches including victory over a World XI team at Lord’s in May. It was a different story in ODIs, though. He took over with West Indies having failed to qualify for the 2017 Champions Trophy and they had to make sure of a World Cup spot the hard way via the ICC Qualifier in Zimbabwe earlier this year.CWI chief executive Johnny Grave said: “I am disappointed that Stuart is leaving as I believe that we have made real progress under his leadership. I know it was a difficult decision for him and that ultimately the opportunity to work in England, where his family is now based, was a major factor in his decision. We will start the process to appoint a new head coach immediately.”Law has signed a four-year contract with Middlesex and will be their head coach for all three formats. He replaces Richard Scott, who left the club midway through the season with Middlesex struggling to mount a promotion challenge from Division Two of the County Championship. Law’s arrival also means the end of Daniel Vettori’s two-season spell as specialist T20 coach.A former Australia international who had a long county career with Lancashire, Essex and Derbyshire, Law said it was a “great privilege” to take on “one of the plum jobs in world cricket”. He has previously coached Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, as well as with Queensland and Brisbane Heat, and Cricket Australia’s high performance programme back in his home country.Middlesex were crowned county champions in 2016 but suffered relegation a year later. They have consistently underperformed in the limited-overs formats since winning the T20 Cup in 2008.”We have always tried to recruit the right kind of person at Middlesex and we believe Stuart is the right man to build on the foundations laid over the past decade,” Angus Fraser, Middlesex’s director of cricket, said. “He will provide a fresh voice and a fresh vision to inspire our players, and drive them towards our twin goals of promotion back to Division One of the county championship and limited-overs success.”I would like to take this opportunity to thank Richard Johnson for leading the 1st XI in the county championship since July. Richard has done an excellent job since taking over from Richard Scott and has helped Middlesex finish the season on a positive note.”I would also like to thank Daniel Vettori for his time and commitment to Middlesex as T20 coach. During the two spells Daniel had with us, he made a really positive impression on everyone at the club and we are grateful that he has been so understanding that the arrival of a new coach means that his specialist role will not be required next year.”

Arsenal are believed to be one of the "frontrunners" to sign a "playmaker" forward who Pep Guardiola certainly doesn't have fond memories of.

Arsenal transfer targets

Mikel Arteta's side are now preparing for an EFL Cup clash against West Ham this afternoon off the back of some excellent recent form. Winning seven out of a possible 10 league games so far, Arsenal are also unbeaten in the league after spending north of £200 million on new signings in the summer window. However, despite their excellent recent form, Arsenal are believed to have a few transfer targets in mind for 2024.

Chief among them is Brentford's star striker Ivan Toney, with reports suggesting Arsenal are very interested in Toney as they seek a proven goalscorer. Arteta is targeting Wolves winger Pedro Neto as well, according to recent reports, while there are other claims that a new midfielder could arrive. Thomas Partey is considering an exit (90min), which may have prompted alleged Arsenal interest in Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz.

An injury to Gabriel Jesus leaves just Eddie Nketiah as the sole natural striking option, and as doubts surround makeshift number nine option Kai Havertz, signing a new striker could be seen as a big priority by Arsenal sporting director Edu.

Arsenal "frontrunners" for Toney

Toney, who scored 20 league goals for Brentford last season, has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium. Currently serving a ban for alleged gambling breaches, the 27-year-old is set to return mid-way through January, something which has enticed Arsenal.

According to The Evening Standard and journalist Dom Smith this week, Arsenal are "frontrunners" to sign Toney alongside London rivals Chelsea, as both sides lead the way for his signature. The England international has apparently made it clear that he wants to make a move to an elite side, but interested parties will have to fork out around £80 million.

While the Gunners are usually reluctant to business in January, they apparently know that adding a striker of Toney's calibre could make the difference in a title race. If they do decide to swoop for a new number nine, Toney is a major priority.

The former Peterborough United star has given Man City boss Guardiola real problems in past seasons; specifically during Brentford's 2-1 win at the Etihad last season.

"We had a lot of problems, we couldn’t high press because of the balls [from] keeper to striker," Guardiola on Toney.

"In this process, we could not win any ball because when Toney flicked the ball he created problems, when Toney kept the ball and played with the three players in the middle he created problems. And we could not regain the ball in the end."

Meanwhile, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has already professed his admiration for Toney; likening him to Harry Kane as a "playmaker" striker.

Aerial duels

Direct free-kicks

Through balls

Finishing

"He's kind of like Harry Kane in a way where he's not only an out-and-out striker," said Rice on Toney to talkSPORT. "He's a playmaker as well – his left and right footed passing, the way he picks out his teammates is a special technique to have."

Mohammad Hafeez scored a double century as he continued to make his case for an international return, as another old magician dusted off his spell book

Umar Farooq and Danyal Rasool29-Sep-2018Asif rolls back the yearsRemember that snake swing, those in dippers, that cut on the ball either way and that sneering swagger? Remember Mohammad Asif? He is 35 now, playing for WAPDA, and while he lost five years in his career between 2010 and 2015, he has refused to fade away. After missing three rounds of the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam trophy, he returned with a five-wicket haul against Rawalpindi in the first inning to set up a victory. He ended with match-figures of 7 for 71, with Ehsan Adil taking 9 for 100 as WAPDA beat Rawalpindi by 7 wickets.Since his return to cricket, Asif hasn’t really made a serious attempt to play international cricket, but when he has the ball in hand, he can still make a difference. His fitness has been a major hindrance and his desire has unquestionably reduced. But the sheer magic of his past performances mean even though Asif is a shadow of that former self, any excuses for another opportunity to indulge in that nostalgia are wholly embraced.Hafeez trying hard for his career tractionAs Pakistan looked to transition towards youth in the international setup, the experienced Mohammad Hafeez was one who missed out. He was overlooked from the Test and ODI sides amid Pakistan’s 2019 World Cup planning. On the eve of Pakistan announcing the Test squad for the series against Australia, Pakistan’s selectors named their Test squad for the upcoming Australia two-match Test series, Hafeez smacked a double-hundred against red-hot Peshawar in Faisalabad. His 213 off 327 balls took Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited to 472 after they had skittled Peshawar out for 176. In the second innings, Peshawar were bowled out for 191; Hafeez took three for 41 as SNGPL won by an innings – it was Peshawar’s first defeat of the season.Woe for LahoreThere are three teams that are yet to register a win this year, and two of them are from Lahore. Curiously enough, Lahore Whites are also one of only three sides in the entire competition not to have lost a match. In a tournament often panned for minefields of pitches that see games end inside two days, all four of the Whites’ games have ended up as draws. This particular round saw them take on a KRL side in what can only be described as a match specifically designed to turn fans away; three of the four innings ended with the run rate under two per over, and when KRL did have the chance to seize the game in the final innings, they preferred to limp to the safety of a draw. They laboured to 90 for 4 in 55 overs needing 194 to win. There might be times to lament the lack of crowds at the QeA trophy, but this was a day to celebrate that; anyone watching would more likely have been put off by cricket altogether.

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney has admitted he's been left stunned by Lili Jones' superb goal against Swansea City.

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Lili Jones scores stunner for Wrexham WomenRyan Reynolds blown away by effortRob McElhenney's also in love with strikeWHAT HAPPENED?

Jones scored a brilliant goal against Swansea City in a Welsh Premier Women's League clash on Sunday. The midfielder curled the ball over the goalkeeper from range with a strike that drew prompt and glowing praise from Ryan Reynolds. McElhenney has now had his say and admits he can't stop watching footage of the goal.

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"I’ve watched it 40 times," he wrote on X along with a clip of the effort.

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Jones may have caught the eye with her stunning strike but it wasn't enough to seal a win for Wrexham Women. Swansea hit back through Rossie Hughes before Ellie Lake's stoppage-time strike handed the Red Dragons a disappointing defeat.

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Reynolds and McElhenney will hope to have plenty more to celebrate before the end of the season. The men's team remain in contention to seal back-to-back promotions and face a crunch game against League Two leaders Mansfield next.

Everton have endured a slippery slide down the Premier League table in recent years and that is mostly down to their misfiring transfer strategy.

The Toffees have suffered through years of inadequacy and terrible decision-making on the transfer front, acquiring talent for ridiculous amounts and burning through the wage budget like there's no tomorrow.

Such is their consistent failures across numerous tenures, the Merseyside giants have allegedly breached financial fair play (FFP) rules and that is a searing indictment of the issues that have plagued them of late.

With years of overspending coming back to bite them as a potential 12-point deduction looms, it is easy to narrow down the list of stars who have contributed to their plight on and off the pitch.

Moise Kean, in particular, is one talent who exhibits Farhad Moshiri's addiction to emptying his deep pockets on players who have ultimately underperformed in the Blue of Everton.

Moise Kean's best qualities

During the Marco Silva tenure in the summer of 2019, Everton shelled out a whopping £29m on a 19-year-old Kean from Juventus.

At the time, the Italian wonderkid looked like he was worth every penny having terrorised defences in Serie A across the 2018/19 season.

The teenager was largely restricted to substitute appearances, but he still showcased his sharpness and predatory instincts in front of goal to gobble up chances, netting six in 13 matches in that campaign.

Perhaps more impressive, Kean was displaying his talents as a complete striker, coming out on top in the physical battle against defenders, peeling in behind with his searing pace and supplying a ruthless finish in front of goal.

According to FBref, the youngster ranked in the top 1% against his positional peers in Serie A for non-penalty goals, top 19% for successful take-ons, top 20% for pass completion and top 1% for aerials won.

When he arrived at Goodison Park, Kean had a whole host of competition to contend with in the striking department, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Cenk Tosun, but given his talents, he was expected to become a roaring success on Merseyside, however, that couldn't be any further from the truth.

The total cost of Moise Kean's transfer to Everton

Arriving as one of the most in-demand young strikers in Europe, a heavy weight of expectation was planted on the Italian's shoulders, and there is one key factor as to why he never lived up to the hype.

Speaking to CalcioMercato last year, Kean's brother, Giovanni Kean, revealed that he was very upset about his transfer to Everton, which happened less than two months after Maurizio Sarri took over as manager.

He said: "Allegri was the first to realize his potential. What a pleasure to see him score a brace against Lazio under the eyes of Sarri, who didn't want him. Kean was very upset about the transfer to Everton."

Kean's dejection unsurprisingly impacted his performance on the pitch, featuring 39 times for the club but only mustering four goals, two of which came against lower league opposition, Salford City and Fleetwood Town, in the Carabao Cup. There was even that wretched incident where Duncan Ferguson substituted him on, only to then drag him back off.

Having struggled to settle in England and leave his mark on the pitch, the Italian ultimately bled Everton dry of £2.7m in wages across his debut campaign, amounting to a total of £31.7m when factoring the initial £29m transfer fee.

In the 2020/21 campaign, Kean was granted the opportunity to join Paris Saint-Germain on loan, enjoying a successful spell at the French giants with 17 goals in 41 appearances, including three strikes in the Champions League. Impressive form indeed. Just where did that go at Goodison?

Per Goal

£7.9m

Per Assist

£15.85m

Per Appearance

£813k

Since then, the 23-year-old has spent two seasons on loan at his former club Juventus, where his performance in the Coppa Italia final in 2022 was described as "useless" by journalist Tancredi Palmeri.

Despite his stop-start displays in Turin, the Italian giants triggered the £24m option to buy in his two-year loan in March, with Everton feeling fortunate to recoup most of what they initially forked out for him.

Vinod Rai says the MCA was keen to host the match, but administrative issues forced the move

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2018The fourth ODI of the series between India and West Indies has been moved from Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium down the road to the Cricket Club of India (CCI), the BCCI announced on Friday.The match, scheduled for October 29, had initially been allocated to the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) Wankhede Stadium, but the Committee of Administrators that is overseeing the BCCI took the decision to move the game to the CCI’s Brabourne Stadium due to administrative issues at the MCA.According to Vinod Rai, the chairman of the CoA, although the MCA was “keen” to host the match, extraneous reasons forced the shift. The MCA was being governed by its own CoA, but their term had ended on September 15. Rai pointed out that subsequently, the MCA had not “legally authorised” a working group to oversee its functioning once its CoA vacated office. On Thursday, the MCA was told by the Supreme Court to wait for further directions till the October 25, which is four days before the ODI.Waiting that long was cutting it too fine, Rai pointed out. “The MCA was wanting to host the match. They are very keen to do it,” Rai said. “But they also feel that they do not have the legal authority to enter into contracts with various agencies that facilitate the conduct of a match.”Rai said that logistically, it was easy to move the match to Brabourne, which is some 500 metres away from Wankhede.Rai also pointed out the dispute revolving around the complimentary tickets which resulted in the second ODI moved out of Indore, has been resolved. According to Rai all the state associations hosting ODI and T20I matches against West Indies on this tour have agreed to sign the host agreement and have given it in writing.After the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association opted not to host the Indore ODI, the issue escalated swiftly with the Cricket Association of Bengal (that runs Eden Gardens) and the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (that runs the MA Chidambaram Stadium) being initially vehemently opposed to the reduction in the number of complimentary tickets. It is not clear why both CAB and TNCA reversed their stance, but one factor is understood to be the firm decision of the BCCI to not succumb to pressure and instead keep alternate venues ready. Kolkata will host the first T20I on November 4, while Chennai will host the third and final T20I on November 11.The venues for the five ODIs will now be Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Pune, Mumbai (CCI) and Thiruvananthapuram.

Liverpool will inevitably target new additions in 2024, having impressed thus far during the 2023/24 season after an industrial midfield rebuild in the summer, though still not quite at full throttle.

Jurgen Klopp's side's midfield issues were exposed against Luton Town last weekend, with a lack of specialist defensive options inhibiting a possible title charge, while Andy Robertson's injury several weeks ago has underscored the need for left-sided reinforcements on the backline.

The frontline is in better shape, but could still welcome some exciting young talent to enrich the ranks and maintain Liverpool's attacking fluency across multiple fronts, and a rising star appears to have been earmarked.

Liverpool transfer news – Assane Diao

According to reports in Spain, via Sport Witness, Real Betis winger Assane Diao is on Liverpool's radar after an impressive start to the season in LaLiga, though the Reds will face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United.

The report mentions that the listed suitors have all made separate approaches over the past weeks, with Diao having 'dazzled' the Betis supporters with his electric displays.

Aged just 18, the Spain U21 international is reported to have a €30m (£26m) release clause embedded into his contract, with manager Manuel Pellegrini actively seeking to tie up fresh terms that will elevate that amount to €40m (£35m).

Assane Diao's style of play

Joining the Real Betis academy from Cadiz in 2021, Diao was originally slated for a central midfield role but maintained a level of attacking prowess that simply couldn't go unnoticed, prompting a move toward the left channel.

Having now scored four goals across his first ten professional appearances with his Spanish side, Diao is proving that decision right, possessing a natural eye for goal that has alerted the prestigious English clubs. Indeed, in total this term he has already found the net six times.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 23% for successful take-ons, the top 18% for tackles, the top 11% for interceptions, the top 1% for blocks and the top 6% for aerial wins per 90.

So what does this mean? Diao's natural predatory instinct is highlighted, striking at an age-belying rate so far, and while his goalscoring steals the headlines, he is progressive and tenacious in his application across the park.

Such skills could be a welcome addition to Liverpool's attacking options, with Luis Diaz certainly of a similar mould in his barrelling, breakneck motions toward the byline, having scored four goals from nine starts this term to emphasise his effectiveness.

With his shooting skills, Diao could benefit immensely from a dynamic centre-forward such as Darwin Nunez beside him in the frontline, with the Uruguayan striker hailed as an “agent of chaos” by journalist Theo Squires for the kaleidoscope of offensive tools he brings to the table.

Having posted seven goals and four assists already this season, Nunez ranks among the top 11% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 18% for shot-creating actions and the top 6% for progressive carries per 90, emphasising his surging skills.

The £140k-per-week star is a dream for a rising talent of Diao's ilk to play alongside, and would only serve to enhance his skills on Merseyside.

Diao has been described as "sharp" and "intelligent" by journalist Josh Bunting and certainly looks to be a prospect worth investing in; given the riches Klopp possesses in an attacking regard already, he would find the perfect platform to continue his development at Anfield.

Wrexham may be returning to Las Vegas for a promotion party if they escape League Two this season, co-owner Rob McElhenney has hinted.

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McElhenney hints at Las Vegas partyWrexham celebrated promotion in USA last year Cleworth was banned from casinosWHAT HAPPENED?

Wrexham beat Colchester United 2-1 to move second in League Two and McElhenney was active on X throughout. He lauded both goalscorers, Paul Mullin and Max Cleworth, and told the latter that he is now "old enough for Vegas this year", having been banned from casinos and nightclubs last summer when the club celebrated their promotion, as he had not yet turned 21.

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Wrexham are not at all assured of promotion yet, however, despite there being only four games of their season remaining. They currently sit second and four points behind leaders Stockport, but County have a game in hand. They are two clear of third-placed MK Dons, and have a game in hand on them, meaning it is going to be a remarkably tense end to the campaign.

DID YOU KNOW?

With Cleworth banned from most night spots in the USA, he revealed that McElhenney and his wife had to act as his "mummy and daddy" during the team's first trip to the States. It remains to be seen if they will achieve promotion and be able to party the nights away once again this summer.

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Wrexham play Crawley Town – who beat their promotion rivals Mansfield Town 4-1 on Saturday – on Tuesday and then face bottom-of-the-table Forest Green Rovers next weekend. They will then play Crewe Alexandra and leaders Stockport to round off the season, with the final game currently shaping up to be a blockbuster encounter.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has suggested that an exciting youngster at Spurs could soon get an opportunity amid the club's current injury crisis.

Spurs issues mounting for Ange

Postecoglou's Friday press conference revealed that another defender has been put on the treatment table, with young summer signing Ashley Phillips now expected to be out for around a month.

The Englishman joins compatriot James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic on the Spurs injury and suspension list with all the aforementioned set to miss Spurs' clash with Aston Villa today.

It will be very intriguing to see just what Postecoglou does with the Tottenham starting eleven, as the Australian will want to greatly improve on their last game, a dramatic 2-1 defeat to Wolves at Molineux.

This could even be an opportunity for youngsters to force their way into the team and make a real impression, with a lot of noise surrounding talented teenager Jamie Donley right now.

Spurs could look at signing 6 ft 3 defender called "superior" to van de Ven

The Lilywhites’ transfer plans are beginning to take shape for January.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 23, 2023 Donley impresses at Tottenham

The 18-year-old is making waves for Spurs' Under-21s, scoring a brilliant four goals and assisting eight others in as many Premier League 2 appearances so far this season.

As reported by football.london journalist Alasdair Gold, Donley is a player of real ability, with the reporter even branding him the "most confident player at Tottenham" right now.

"You’ve got a player who is probably the most confident player at Tottenham Hotspur right now Jamie Donley," he said on the Gold and Guest podcast.

“He’s just won the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award as well, everything he’s doing is coming off. He’s got a great vision, he’s got a great ability to thread a ball through, he can cross a ball in, he takes set pieces as well at times and when he’s a striker and he’s through on goal, he’s scoring the goals.”

Donley, alongside Alfie Dorrington, was actually subject to public praise from the Spurs boss not so long ago. It appears the former is now up for a shoutout again by Postecoglou, who also hinted he may be in line for first-team minutes soon.

Postecoglou hints at Donley opportunity

The Australian, speaking in his Friday press conference, heaped praise on Donley's application and suggested he could get a Spurs chance soon.

"We’ve been tracking all the young guys and Jamie and Alfie Dorrington have been training with us pretty regularly over the recent period," said Postecoglou (via football.london).

"Obviously all the injuries but also prior to that they were coming in fairly regularly so I think that’s the first step for all these young guys.

"Get to the first-team environment and then see how they get on with training and how they develop from there and adjust to everything we do and the way we do it. We’re down on numbers so guys like him will get more of an opportunity to make an impact as I said at training and if he continues to do that then the opportunity will come for him."

All top five India A batsmen notched up 40-plus scores on the last day against New Zealand A in Mount Maunganui

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2018M Vijay guides one towards covers•BCCIAll of India A’s top five batsmen notched up 40-plus scores on the last day against New Zealand A as the first unofficial Test ended in a draw at Mount Maunganui. M Vijay and captain Ajinkya Rahane followed up on their paltry first-innings scores by making 60 and 41 not-out respectively, while Prithvi Shaw and Hanuma Vihari, who made their Test debuts against England earlier this year, brought up half-centuries.India openers Vijay and Shaw had finished with a quick stand of 35 in eight overs on day three after New Zealand’s lower order had made India bowlers toil hard earlier.Shaw reached his fifty in just 51 balls, as the pair added 39 more runs to their overnight stand. He was removed by by Doug Bracewell two balls later. Vijay then entered into an 81-run partnership with the Karnataka batsman Mayank Agarwal, who chipped in with 42, as India A went to lunch with a lead of 138 runs, with Shaw being their only loss in the morning session.The duo lost their wickets shortly after lunch, with Agarwal losing his wicket to Central Districts’ seamer Blair Tickner for the second time in the match and Canterbury spinner Theo van Woerkom dismissing Vijay. Tickner finished with a match haul of 5 for 123.Rahane and Vihari saw through the rest of the day with an 86-run partnership between them, as India ploughed to 247 for 3 in 65 overs.