أعلنت لجنة الانضباط في بطولة كأس الدوريات، عقوبة لويس سواريز، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي إنتر ميامي بعد البصق على أحد أعضاء الجهاز الفني لنادي سياتل ساوندرز، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات نهائي البطولة.
وتلقى إنتر ميامي والذي يلعب ضمن صفوفه النجم الأرجنتيني ليونيل ميسي هزيمة ساحقة أمام سياتل ساوندرز في نهائي كأس الدوريات بثلاثية دون رد.
وتم تداول مقطع فيديو عبر وسائل التواصل الإجتماعي، وبدا أن لويس سواريز، يبصق على أحد أعضاء الجهاز الفني لفريق سياتل ساوندرز، عقب الهزيمة.
ووقعت الحادثة بعد صافرة النهاية، عقب شجار بين لاعبي الفريقين، أثاره سواريز بعدما أمسك بلاعب وسط الخصم أوبيد فارجاس، من رقبته قبل أن يضربه زميله سيرجيو بوسكيتس على ذقنه.
اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | بصق على المدرب.. سواريز يواصل إثارة الجدل بعد هزيمة إنتر ميامي
عقب ذلك دخل سواريز في مشادة كلامية مع أحد أعضاء الجهاز الفني لفريق الخصم، وأوقفه زميله أوسكار أوستاري، لكن سواريز بصق على المدرب.
وأعلنت لجنة الإنضباط الخاصة بالبطولة إيقاف مهاجم إنتر ميامي لويس سواريز 6 مباريات، ومن المقرر أن تطبق العقوبة على صاحب الـ 38 عامًا بدءً من النسخة القادمة من البطولة.
كما تمت معاقبة زميله سيرجيو بوسكيتس أيضًا بالإيقاف مباراتين بعد تدخله في الشجار الذي نشب بين اللاعبين والقيام بضرب أحد لاعبي الخصم.
Luis Suárez appeared to spit on a Seattle staff member after the final whistle in the Leagues Cup Final 👀
🎥: @MLS pic.twitter.com/gCMLdbwDlC — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 1, 2025
Leeds United are ready to arrive on the Premier League stage once again and could now be lining up a swoop for a captain in one of Europe’s top five leagues, per a report.
Leeds United urged to bring in Premier League quality
Daniel Farke was lauded for the magnificent job he did at Elland Road last term after his side gained promotion to the top flight. However, the German coach knows more than most how big the jump is between the Championship and Premier League.
Back in 2021, the 48-year-old was sacked by Norwich City after the Canaries endured a tough start to life as a newly-promoted outfit, which will be a scenario the Whites will be desperate to avoid this time around.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkecelebrates after the match
With bringing in Premier League quality on the agenda, Paul Robinson has urged Leeds to sign Kyle Walker-Peters after he departed Southampton under freedom of contract following their relegation last term.
He stated: “I think he’s given himself a real opportunity now of being the master of his own destiny as to where he wants to go. I think the important thing is he just doesn’t go into a squad and be a bit-part player, but he goes into a team where he gets the opportunity to play every week.
“That could be Leeds, and it’d be a very good signing. With Firpo looking like he’s moving on, there’s an immediate opportunity to get in the team, though Tottenham will also be in for him, and it may depend on regular football.”
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He is ‘really appreciated’ at Elland Road.
1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 27, 2025
Versatile Juventus star Timothy Weah could also join Leeds after he turned down the opportunity to join Nottingham Forest, potentially presenting a coup if the Whites can put forward a compelling offer to the United States international.
Now, there is every chance Farke and company could now swoop to land a midfielder from France who would fit the bill at Elland Road.
Leeds prepare bid for Himad Abdelli
According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, Leeds are preparing a £12 million bid for Angers captain Himad Abdelli after scouting the Algeria international for an extensive period.
Farke is said to be a huge fan of the 25-year-old, who recorded 112 ball carries in Ligue 1 last term, drawing level with the likes of Florian Wirtz and exceeding Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.
Five similar players to Himad Abdelli (Fotmob)
Mateus Fernandes
Southampton
John McGinn
Aston Villa
Iliman Ndiaye
Everton
Tete Morente
Lecce
Omari Hutchinson
Ipswich Town
Labelled “powerful” by Angers manager Alexandre Dujeux, Abdelli registered six goals and a solitary assist in 36 appearances last term and could become the Whites’ third signing of the summer after sealing deals for Lukas Nmecha and Jakub Bijol.
Leeds are in the market for attacking midfielders to bolster their chances of survival, and the man in question may be a cost-effective solution if all parties can come to agreement over a deal that sees Abdelli pitch up at Elland Road.
Aston Villa have a squad filled with players who shone for the club in the Champions League and Premier League this season.
It’s fair to say, though, that they haven’t been blessed with a natural, god-given talent since Jack Grealish departed in the summer of 2021.
Jack Grealish
The Englishman worked his way up from academy starlet to first-team sensation before leaving for £100m four years ago.
Why Jack Grealish was so good at Aston Villa
The 2024/25 season may not have been his finest at Manchester City, notably left out of the squad by Pep Guardiola for their final match of the season. Yet, he is still 28 and has plenty of football left in him.
“Of course, Jack has to play. That’s the truth. Jack is an unbelievable player that has to play football every three days. And it didn’t happen this season, and last season neither. And he needs to do it with us, or another place. But that is a question for Jack, his agent, and the club. If he stays, we’ll be fine, and he’ll fight like he fought since day one to make a contribution.” – Pep on Grealish.
During his spell with Villa, however, he was one of the finest talents in the country. He scored 32 goals and grabbed 43 assists across 213 matches, leading the club back to the Premier League in 2019.
As the years progressed, it became clear that Grealish was perhaps one of the finest academy graduates to play for the club. In his final season, the Englishman demonstrated his creative talents.
In just 26 top-flight games, he created 14 big chances for Villa, along with averaging an impressive 3.2 key passes and succeeding with 2.5 dribbles per game.
Jack Grealish’s Aston Villa statistics
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2020/21
27
7
12
2019/20
41
10
8
2018/19
35
6
8
2017/18
31
3
6
2016/17
33
5
5
2015/16
21
1
1
2014/15
24
0
3
Via Transfermarkt
While Villa have gone from strength to strength under Unai Emery since 2022, the Spaniard must wish he had a talent like Grealish at his peak to utilise.
With the summer transfer window soon to open, can Emery sign the next best thing for the Midlands side?
Aston Villa could sign their new Grealish
The Villa Park side are showing plenty of interest in a move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze after he enjoyed a stunning campaign.
This culminated with the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Man City and this has driven his price up. Indeed, the Englishman is wanted by the Villans and could cost around £65m according to reports, should any club wish to sign him this summer.
The fee would shatter Villa’s record transfer, but there is no doubt Eze would be worth the price.
In the Premier League this season, the 26-year-old averaged 1.7 key passes and succeeded with two dribbles per game. Furthermore, he even created 12 big chances for the Eagles.
These statistics are comparable to Grealish’s from his final league season at Villa, and it suggests Eze has the ability to become their new attacking sensation.
Analyst Ben Mattinson lauded the midfielder as a “superstar” in April 2024. Fast-forward 12 months, and this sentiment certainly continues to ring true with the England international scoring 14 goals and supplying 11 assists during an outstanding season.
Couple that with the flashy and carefree nature that Grealish also exudes, and the Palace sensation with his extra end product certainly has the potential to eclipse what the current City star achieved in the Midlands.
The only stumbling block might be the fact that Eze wouldn’t be playing Champions League football should he move to Villa. If he does, however, there is no doubt that the London-born dynamo can lead Emery’s side to another campaign in Europe’s premier club competition.
The next few weeks could be interesting, to say the least.
Aston Villa eye move for £25m Martinez successor who's beaten them 6 times
Leeds United are currently preparing for their final match in the Championship, hopefully for a long time, against Plymouth Argyle at Home Park on Saturday.
The Whites can hit 100 points in the second tier for the first time in their history with a win against the Pilgrims this weekend, which will also confirm their position as champions of the division.
Daniel Farke’s side hammered Bristol City 4-0 last time out at Elland Road to set themselves up for a chance to hit a century of points in their final match.
Leeds will be beginning to think about how they will prepare for a season in the Premier League next term, as they aim to avoid an instant relegation back down to the Championship.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkecelebrates after the match
The official confirmation of Ipswich Town’s relegation from the top-flight last weekend means that all three newly-promoted sides have gone straight back down in the last two seasons, which illustrates the difficulty of the task ahead for the Whites.
Recruitment will need to be spot on from the club to give Farke and his staff the best possible chance of avoiding relegation, and signing loanee Manor Solomon could be one of the first bits of business on the agenda.
Why Leeds should consider signing Manor Solomon
The Israel international is currently on loan from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the season, which means that the clash with Plymouth this weekend could be his last outing for the West Yorkshire outfit.
TEAMtalk recently reported that the Whites are planning to pursue a permanent deal for the former Fulham star, and that Spurs are open to cashing in on the winger in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Leeds may look to press ahead with a swoop for the 25-year-old dynamo because of his impressive form in the Championship this season, as he has displayed his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Whites.
The Spurs loanee has been particularly impressive in recent weeks, during the business end of the campaign, with a return of two goals and five assists in his last five matches in the second tier.
Appearances
38
xG
7.93
Goals
9
Big chances created
21
xA
9.08
Assists
12
As you can see in the table above, Solomon has been directly involved in 21 goals in 38 appearances in the Championship so far this season, which speaks to how influential he has been in the final third for Farke throughout the campaign.
This is why he could be an excellent addition to the squad ahead of promotion to the Premier League, as the Spurs loanee could be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch.
Leeds lining up move for 33-goal star
Leeds, however, could land an even better signing than Solomon if they can win the race for their latest reported transfer target in the summer window.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to The Boot Room, Leeds United are one of a number of clubs lining up a move for Celtic winger Daizen Maeda to bolster their attacking options.
The report claims that Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Liverpool have been keeping tabs on the Japan international, who has scored 33 goals in all competitions this season.
Daizen Maeda
It also reveals that Aston Villa, Brentford, Leeds, Crystal Palace, and West Ham United are among the other Premier League clubs interested in a deal to sign the Celtic superstar in the summer transfer window.
The Boot Room adds that the Scottish Premiership sensation is set to be available for a fee in the region of £25m, which means that he will not come cheap, and Leeds must push to win the race for his services because he could be an even better signing than Solomon.
Why Daizen Maeda could be an even better signing than Manor Solomon
Both Maeda and Solomon are right-footed forwards who predominantly cut in from the left flank and attempt to impact matches with goals and assists on a regular basis.
The Celtic star has racked up a staggering 33 goals and 11 assists in 47 games in all competitions, including four goals in nine Champions League matches.
Solomon, on the other hand, has scored nine goals and provided 13 assists in 40 matches in all competitions for Leeds, which immediately suggests that Maeda could offer more consistent quality, particularly as a goalscorer, for the club next season.
It is not only their quality in possession that should be taken into account, however, as the Whites are going up to the Premier League knowing that the last six teams have come straight back down, which means that they will have to do plenty of defending and are likely to be on the back foot in plenty of matches.
With this in mind, the Celtic star could be an even better signing than Solomon because of the work that he puts in out of possession to be a positive for his side defensively, whether that be tracking back to help his full-back or in counter-pressing situations.
38
31
Tackles + interceptions per game
1.1
1.7
Dribbled past per game
0.6x
0.5x
Clearances per game
0.1
0.3
Aerial duel success rate
0%
40%
Aerial duels won per game
0.0
0.5
As you can see in the table above, Maeda offers more than the Leeds loanee from a defensive perspective, with more tackles, interceptions, and clearances made per game, whilst being dribbled past less often.
Maeda, who has been described as a “machine” by coaches, can also defend the back post when dropping in to help his full-back out, as shown by his aerial duels won, whereas Solomon struggles a lot in those situations.
Daizen Maeda
Therefore, Leeds could be better of pursuing a deal for the Celtic star, despite there also being a lot of reasons why Solomon could be a great addition, because of his potential to offer more than the Spurs loanee both in and out of possession in the Premier League next season.
Farke could sign Piroe upgrade in Leeds swoop for "electric" £40m "monster"
Leeds could immediately land an upgrade on Joel Piroe by swooping for this £40m star.
يواصل الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، استعداداته لمواجهة إنبي ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية “كأس عاصمة مصر”.
وعقد ييس توروب، المدير الفني للأهلي، محاضرة فنية مطولة للاعبين قبل انطلاق المران، حيث ناقش معهم العديد من الجوانب التكتيكية وخطة العمل للمباراة المقبلة، في إطار البرنامج الموضوع للمرحلة القادمة.
وشهد المران بداية بتدريبات بدنية مكثفة، تلاها تنفيذ مجموعة من الفقرات الفنية والخططية، بينما خاض حراس المرمى تدريبات قوية قبل المشاركة في التقسيمة التي أجراها الجهاز الفني بمشاركة جميع اللاعبين المتاحين.
طالع.. 3 صفقات عربية قريبة من الأهلي.. ورحيل مُنتظر
وقرر الجهاز الفني منح راحة لمدة 5 أيام للرباعي محمد شريف وياسين مرعي ومحمد مجدي أفشة وكريم فؤاد، عقب انتهاء مشاركتهم مع منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس العرب، وذلك بهدف منحهم فرصة لالتقاط الأنفاس قبل العودة إلى المباريات المحلية.
وأكد وليد صلاح الدين، مدير الكرة بالنادي، أن اللاعبين حصلوا على إجازة من التدريبات حتى يوم الإثنين المقبل، حتى ينالون قسطًا كافيًا من الراحة بعد المجهود الكبير الذي بذلوه خلال البطولة.
ويلتقي الأهلي مع إنبي، مساء غدًا الخميس على أرضية استاد السلام، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس عاصمة مصر.
England star’s maiden appearance for RCB earns quiet approval as pragmatism holds sway in selection
Matt Roller02-May-2025A decision that would have provoked outrage a decade ago was met with a shrug of the shoulders on Friday: an England player missing a Test match due to their involvement in the IPL. Jacob Bethell scored half-centuries in each of England’s last three Tests, shortly after his 21st birthday, but did not feature in the squad named to face Zimbabwe on May 22.After crossed wires last year prompted short-notice withdrawals from the play-offs and frustration from franchises, the ECB have honoured a commitment to the BCCI that England players will be fully available. The result is that Bethell will be with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in India as they push for a maiden title, rather than batting at No. 3 at Trent Bridge.England’s decision not to pull Bethell out of the IPL early reflects the realpolitik of world cricket, and the status of a one-off Test against Zimbabwe. To do so would have undermined the ECB’s relationship with the BCCI – at a time when Indian investment in English cricket is being finalised – while unfairly placing him in the eye of a storm. Pragmatism has won the day.Bethell’s absence has also deferred a tricky call for England’s management, which will now wait until their series against India in mid-June. “You want your best players always available, don’t you?” Luke Wright, the national selector, said. “But he’s an outstanding cricketer… He’s ticking along really well [at the IPL] and we’re excited to have him back in the summer.”Wright said that he has been “in close contact” with RCB’s management this season to check on Bethell’s progress, and has received positive reports from head coach Andy Flower and director of cricket Mo Bobat – both of whom used to work at the ECB. “To get that experience to even open the batting with Virat Kohli… what an experience that is,” Wright said.
He’s destined for greatness. I think England have a genuine superstar in the making and selfishly, as RCB, we’re very happy to have bought him slightly earlier in the cycleMalolan Rangarajan, RCB’s lead spin-bowling coach
Bethell’s first appearance of the season, against Delhi Capitals on Sunday, was as full-on as it gets: walking out to delirious cheers for his opening partner, and facing a new-ball attack of Axar Patel and Mitchell Starc. He slog-swept his sixth ball to deep backward square, but in whipping a six and a four over the leg side of Starc, Bethell gave the IPL a glimpse of his quality.On Test debut in New Zealand, Bethell earned as much praise for his first-innings 10 as for his second-innings half-century: the scorecard alone did not reflect the impression he made while seeing off probing new-ball spells from Matt Henry and Tim Southee. In the same vein, his 12 on Sunday was only a footnote in RCB’s win, but still made an impression on those who saw it.Starc offered a wry smile after both of Bethell’s boundaries. “We were laughing about it at breakfast,” Alyssa Healy, the Australia women’s captain and Starc’s wife, said on the podcast. “Mitch said, ‘I executed! That ball was top of off. That’s exactly what I was told to bowl.’ And he’s gone for six over backward square… This kid is an absolute gun.”Bobat first encountered Bethell as a 14-year-old playing in the prestigious Bunbury Festival; Bobat was working as the ECB’s player identification lead, and Bethell, playing with boys a year older than him, was named player of the week. Six years later, he signed him for INR 2.6 crore (£250,000 approx.) at the IPL’s mega-auction.Bethell impressed in his maiden Test series in New Zealand•AFP/Getty Images”Everyone in England probably knows that he is going to be one of England’s brightest stars over the next five-to-ten years, across formats,” Bobat told ESPNcricinfo in Delhi. “To secure a player at the value we did of that potential in year one of an auction cycle is brilliant. I’ll be amazed if he’s not featuring more regularly [for RCB] over the next few years.”He’s way beyond his years. He’s 21 years old, but you wouldn’t know it: he may as well be 30. He’s very calm, very professional, and incredibly driven. He’s soaking in everything that the IPL – and RCB – is providing him: there’s some big players here that he is watching, observing, and learning from.”Chief among those is Kohli, Bethell’s opening partner on Sunday night. “Virat’s brilliant around our practice environment, brilliant with the younger lads,” Bobat said. “We’ve paired them up batting together [in the nets] at times too. He’s spent a huge amount of time with him.”Related
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When England toured India earlier this year, Bethell found himself getting stuck against spin. He has worked closely with Flower and Dinesh Karthik, RCB’s batting coach: “He’s working really hard on his game against spin, which for most English players is an important work-on,” Bobat said. “He’s opening up different scoring areas now.”He has been encouraged to develop his own left-arm spin by England, working with Malolan Rangarajan, RCB’s lead spin-bowling coach. “He has been unbelievable with his work,” Rangarajan said. “He’s destined for greatness. I think England have a genuine superstar in the making and selfishly, as RCB, we’re very happy to have bought him slightly earlier in the cycle.”Bethell may find himself running the drinks again when RCB play Chennai Super Kings on Saturday, with Phil Salt set to return from the illness which vacated an overseas spot. He would have played more cricket if he had spent April and May with Warwickshire, but it is abundantly clear that being in India has helped Bethell’s all-round development.”If he was playing in England right now, of course he’d be developing his red-ball game… But what he’s getting out here is a proper feel for the premier white-ball competition in the world,” Bobat said. “I can say this, having been on both sides of the fence: English cricket likes to pit Championship cricket against the IPL. I don’t believe it needs to be an either/or.”
O Botafogo encerrou sua participação no Campeonato Carioca com a vitória sobre o Boavista e conquista da Taça Rio no domingo (31). Com a goleada por 4 a 0 e enorme vantagem conquistada no jogo de ida, o Alvinegro entrou em campo com um time alternativo, repleto de jovens da base e jogadores que retornam de lesão.
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Mais que o troféu e a vaga assegurada na Copa do Brasil de 2025, o Botafogo ganhou ótimas notícias e reforços para a sequência da temporada. O bom desempenho de peças secundárias do elenco e a volta de importantes jogadores, como Luiz Henrique e Jeffinho, dão uma maior confiança no crescimento do time às vesperas do início da fase de grupos da Libertadores.
LH retornou ao time logo como titular, após seis semanas fora por lesão na panturrilha. Agora dono da camisa 7, o ponta-direita atuou por 45 minutos e foi o melhor jogador do Botafogo enquanto esteve em campo, levando muito perigo tanto com dribles quanto armando o jogo. Principal contratação do clube para a temporada, o jogador fez apenas seu terceiro jogo com a camisa alvinegra.
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No intervalo, Luiz Henrique deixou o campo para dar lugar a Jeffinho, que também fez sua volta após quase dois meses machucado. Talvez o melhor jogador do Glorioso no primeiro mês de temporada, o atacante viu Júnior Santos crescer enquanto esteve ausente e terá de lutar por seu espaço no time. Contra o Boavista, o camisa 47 foi discreto, mas teve flashes com bons dribles.
Quem também fez seu retorno após lesão foi Patrick de Paula. Afastado dos gramados por 400 dias, o meio-campista entrou durante o segundo tempom já com o 2 a 0 consumado, e foi bem participativo. PK recebeu algumas bolas no ataque e até arriscou de longe duas vezes, primeiro em falta na entrada da área, e depois em chutaço que parou o goleiro.
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Além da volta de lesionados, atuações de jovens que ganharam minutagens nesta Taça Rio. Kauê, autor do segundo gol do Botafogo na noite de domingo (31), tem tido cada vez mais espaço com Fábio Matias. Por sua vez, foi Matheus Nascimento que assistiu o companheiro em lindo passe de calcanhar e teve uma atuação muito sólida.
Desta forma, o Alvinegro pode contar com outras peças que não os recentes protagonistas para o restante da temporada, e inicia sua trajetória na fase de grupos da Libertadores em seu melhor momento. O Botafogo recebe o Junior Barranquilla na quarta-feira (3), às 19h, no Estádio Nilton Santos.
He says captain Hayley Matthews is thriving in the new structure, and Deandra Dottin has “fitted in beautifully” on her return
Valkerie Baynes03-Oct-2024Bringing the fun back has been a big part of West Indies’ women’s T20 World Cup preparations. It’s a simple ethos, but a much-needed one championed by head coach Shane Deitz, the Australian who is a year into his job.”There is a lot of laughter,” Deitz told ESPNcricinfo. “[It’s about] generally having fun, and being relaxed, and enjoying each other’s company, enjoying the experience of playing cricket, [and] travelling the world.”That’s one thing that, coming from other jobs where it’s a bit more serious and they want a lot of structure, it’s good that we have a bit less of those things and make it a bit more [about] backing your gut feeling and your intuition, and how you want to play and how you naturally grow up playing.Related
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Powerplay podcast: Matthews on Wales, WI and World Cup plans
Deandra Dottin back in West Indies squad for T20 World Cup
“You grow up playing on beaches, in the streets – a bit more [of] that environment. Australia’s a lot more structured. So just finding that balance and how to work it into our cricket has probably been one of the things that we’re trying to learn and use that to our advantage, [and] make the girls feel comfortable that that’s how we’re going to play.”Originally from New South Wales, Deitz was a wicketkeeper-batter for South Australia from 1998 to 2008. He coached the Bangladesh women’s team in 2013-14, and was heavily involved in Vanuatu cricket as a player, a coach, and an administrator, before becoming head coach of the Netherlands women’s team immediately prior to taking up his current post with West Indies.Despite his well-travelled CV, it has been a sharp learning curve for Deitz, who took over at West Indies from Courtney Walsh, who in turn had taken over from Gus Logie.”They’ve had a lot of Caribbean, [or] West Indies legends coaching them for a while,” Deitz said. “I’m far from [being] a legend – [just] a middle-aged white man from Australia. It’s a very different culture that I’ve grown up with compared to the girls, so it was about understanding them, [and] understanding the culture, and using that as part of our cricket.”I grew up watching the West Indies cricket team, and they definitely had a style about them and the way they wanted to play. So I wanted to encapsulate that into our style a bit and use what they have in their culture, and bring it into cricket. Also, just gain their trust that I’m here for them, and I’m here to make them better cricketers, and make the team a better team. That was the main thing – just understanding them and getting the team working together.”Deandra Dottin reversed her international retirement just before this year’s T20 World Cup•ICC via Getty ImagesImmediately before this T20 World Cup, star allrounder Deandra Dottin reversed her international retirement, which she had attributed at the time to concerns about the team environment. Dottin won a place in the squad for this World Cup, and Deitz says she has slotted back in “really well”.”She’s known a lot of girls for a long time,” he said. “We’ve changed a few things off the field and how the team is set up with particularly a leadership group. We really control the culture of the team and how the team works off the field. Deandra was coming in really wanting to help the team and play well. Whatever the team needs, she’s happy to do, and she’s fitted in beautifully, and the leaders of the group have made that all work.”Similar to AFL teams, who have a captain supported by several deputies, West Indies now have five team leaders, led by skipper Hayley Matthews, elected by the players to represent them with team management. Deitz didn’t name the other leaders, but said Dottin, who returned after they had been elected, was not one of them.”We spend a lot of time with each other, so like any family or room-mates or whatever, you’re always going to have a little bit of friction from time to time,” Deitz said. “So [it’s about] just making sure we’re all together and we have open conversations. If you’ve got an issue, we just talk about it, get it out there, solve it, and move on quickly.”Shane Deitz on Hayley Matthews: “The hard thing is she wants to do everything”•Getty ImagesDeitz said Matthews was thriving in the new structure. Since becoming captain in 2022, Matthews has scored 1284 runs in T20Is at an average of 40.12 and at a strike rate of 120.45 compared to her corresponding career numbers of 25.70 and 112.88.”The hard thing is she wants to do everything,” Deitz said. “It’s trying to tell her to stop. She wants to be involved with everything and run everything. She gets bored sitting down for ten seconds – particularly at the games.”I think that’s why she bats so long. But she’s been so good off the field, and what I talked about before – about the fun and enjoyment of cricket – she does that so naturally. And her personality is really coming out [with] her captaincy, and that’s a big, big bonus for us.”In terms of building depth around Matthews and Dottin, Deitz believes things are moving in the right direction. After their 2016 T20 World Cup triumph, West Indies women’s cricket fell away sharply amid a lack of resources. But in 2021, CWI increased the number of women on retainer contracts by three to 18, and in 2023 launched the West Indies Women’s Academy.”It’s a good thing now, the Under-19 World Cup – that makes a lot of countries step up their high-performance programmes,” Deitz said. “Australia, England and India, the big three countries, have more resources, more facilities, more infrastructure, [and] everything else to produce more players. We can’t complain about that. We’ve just got to maximise what we’ve got, and in our region, what we can do to try to get to that level. It can’t be an excuse; we’ve just got to be smarter, work better.”
Harry Kane has received more transfer advice from Chris Waddle, with the England captain being told that “Bayern Munich are massive but Real Madrid are even bigger”. It has been revealed that exit clauses in Kane’s contract at the Allianz Arena can be triggered in 2026. A Premier League return is considered to be unlikely, but the prolific striker could end up heading for Spain.
Trophy target: Kane eager to savour more success
The 32-year-old frontman has offered no indication that he is looking for another new challenge, with an extension to his deal in Germany being mooted. Remarkable individual standards have been maintained with Bayern – registering 108 goals through 113 appearances.
Kane has broken his trophy duck in Bavaria, savouring Bundesliga title and Super Cup successes, and is setting his sights on more major honours with club and country. A move to Santiago Bernabeu would present him with opportunities to compete for the grandest of domestic and continental prizes.
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What next for Kane – Premier League, La Liga or Bayern stay?
Ex-Tottenham and England star Waddle believes that Kane should be opening himself up to a spell in La Liga – potentially as a ‘Galactico’ in Madrid – with there little to suggest that he would be willing to retrace steps to north London as Spurs’ all-time leading scorer.
Waddle told : “I know, it sounds nice, doesn't it? I've heard this before where people talk about Harry Kane coming back. It would be great for Tottenham of course, but I’m not sure Tottenham will want him at the price and his age.
“Even if there was another team who wanted him, I’m not sure Bayern Munich will want to sell him. They let Robert Lewandowski go to Barcelona at about the same age, and he hasn’t stopped scoring since he left. I’ve looked, and Real Madrid could use a No. 9 like Harry Kane. Lewandowski could be stepping away from Barcelona and he’d be great to slot in there too.
“Harry will be thinking that he’s done his job in England, he might feel the same about his time in Germany. He could now be looking at Italy, Spain or France for a new challenge. Bayern are massive, but Real are even bigger – what a story that would be!
“If I was Real Madrid, Barcelona or Milan, I’d be asking why wouldn’t I go for him? He scores goals, technically very good, he can play as a No. 9 but he can play as a No. 10 too. Some of the work he’s done with Nicolas Jackson has shown just how good his passing and link-up play is. He can create. So really, I’d be surprised if Bayern would even let him leave rather than tie him down for another two years.
“If I was Harry, I’d rather try life in Spain than head back to England. That record would be special, but his track record in England already speaks for itself.”
Another Galactico? Kane urged to join Bellingham & Mbappe
Waddle has previously said of Kane joining the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe in the Spanish capital: “If he decided, ‘I've done well in Germany, now I'm going to have a game in Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid,’ I'm sure Real Madrid would be interested in taking him if he wanted to leave Bayern. And listen, I'm sure Tottenham would welcome him back.
“He's a great player, and people talk about Harry Kane being a really good, intelligent centre-forward. People say he's not quick enough or this or that, but he's gone through his career and scored goals everywhere he's gone. Every season he consistently scores goals, and that's what he's paid for. But he's a very good footballer.
“He wouldn't necessarily say, ‘I'd love to go back to Tottenham.’ If I were him, I'd think, ‘Why don't I sample somewhere else and play for someone like Real Madrid?’ What an opportunity that would be.”
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Kane transfer fee: Cost of triggering Bayern clause
Kane’s contract at Bayern is due to run until 2027. He could, however, be freed from that agreement by an offer of £57 million ($75m) during the summer of 2026. It remains to be seen whether any of his reported suitors – as Barcelona are heavily linked with an approach once more – decide to formalise their interest after Kane has captained England at another World Cup.