Tag Futebol

George Dockrell’s meteoric rise reached a new height as he was offered a two-year contract by Somerset.

Cricinfo staff18-Jul-2010

George Dockrell’s meteoric rise has reached a new height as he was offered a two-year contract by Somerset. Dockrell, the Ireland left-arm spinner who turns 18 this week, impressed at the World Twenty20 with flight, control and a nerveless temperament when he took 3 for 16 against West Indies and followed it up with another bright showing against England.His talents were noticed by Somerset, who invited him to train with the team and he is now looking forward to joining the club, though the details of the contract are not yet final.”Everyone has been very friendly and it looks like a great place to play cricket,” Dockrell told the Somerset website. “I’m looking forward to playing my first game for a Somerset XI at Bath tomorrow and hopefully the contract will be sorted out very soon.”He could yet follow in the footsteps of Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan and switch allegiances to England with a view to playing Test cricket but at the moment his sights are firmly set on Somerset.”My ambitions are to keep making progress with Ireland, but also to get into a county first team by developing all aspects of my game. I’ve been aware of Somerset’s interest since I was 15, but this is the first game I have watched at Taunton. I’m really impressed by the support and the players have been great to me.”Having become such a crucial part of Ireland’s team, Dockrell’s availability for Somerset this season is restricted with Ireland playing an Intercontinental Cup fixture and two ODIs against Netherlands in August before facing Canada at the beginning of September. Dockrell, however, is still keen to get a game in for Somerset before the season ends.”There are a lot of Ireland games coming up, but hopefully I will be able to get in at least one second XI match for Somerset before the end of the season.While spinners have a reputation for maturing late as cricketers, Dockrell’s exploits at the World Twenty20 showed how strong his game already is and he feels the tournament gave him plenty of belief.”Taking three wickets against West Indies gave me a huge boost in confidence,” he said. “I was very nervous before that game, but by the time we came to play England I was a lot calmer. I was really happy with how the tournament went for me overall. I was one of the youngest players there, but I tried not to think about that too much.”In the past Dockrell has spoken about his admiration for Australia’s Michael Clarke but a closer comparison is New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, who had barely played a first-class game before making his Test debut against England aged 18. Vettori has become one of the most skilful bowlers in the world and Dockrell sees him as the standard to follow.”We played against him in West Indies and he was incredibly skilful with his control of the ball so I look towards him as an example.”

اتخذ نادي ليفربول قرارًا هامًا بشأن صفقة لاعب وسط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بوروسيا دورتموند ومنتخب إنجلترا، جود بيلينجهام.

ويعد بيلينجهام أحد أبرز اللاعبين المميزين في قارة أوروبا في السنوات الأخيرة، وهو ما جعل أكثر من نادٍ على رأسها ليفربول وريال مدريد، يراقب أداءه مع بوروسيا دورتموند.

اقرأ أيضًا.. قبل مباراة ليفربول.. رسميًا | ساوثهامبتون يقيل مدربه بعد رباعية نيوكاسل

وبحسب صحيفة “بيلد” الألمانية أن ليفربول قد قرر أن يفعل كل ما في وسعه من أجل حسم تلك الصفقة لتدعيم خط وسط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم.

حدد نادي بوروسيا دورتموند 150 مليون يورو للموافقة على رحيل الإنجليزي الدولي، لكن إدارة ليفربول تنوي دفع 100 مليون يورو فقط وهو ما قد يصعب الصفقة.

لم يحدد ليفربول متى تحسم تلك الصفقة سواء في يناير أو في نهاية الموسم ولكن هناك رغبة كبيرة من جانب المدرب، يورجن كلوب، في ضم بيلينجهام.

Transfers expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed the latest information regarding Wolverhampton Wanderers’ pursuit of signing young Portuguese forward Chiquinho.

What’s the story?

According to Romano, Wolves are close to making the 21-year-old winger their second signing of the January transfer window.

The transfers expert tweeted: “Wolves are closing on Chiquinho deal with Estoril, final details to be completed next week. Portuguese striker’s set to join on a permanent move for €3.5m fee plus €1.5m add ons.”

Valued at £900k by Transfermarkt, is set to depart Primeira Liga side Estoril, who are flying in the Portuguese top-flight this campaign as they currently sit sixth, and join up with his fellow countryman Bruno Lage at Molineux.

The Portuguese youngster has scored four goals and provided six assists in 18 appearances across all competitions in what has been his breakthrough campaign in top-flight football after Estoril were promoted last season.

According to The Athletic, the 21-year-old is set to be part of Wolves’ first-team group. Moreover, the West Midlands club have done business with Estoril before, signing defender Toti Gomes from the Portuguese outfit in September 2020 who was handed a shock debut on Saturday in the 3-1 win over Southampton.

Wolves fans will be buzzing

Although not a household name, Chiquinho offers a great deal of potential and, for a small fee in today’s market, the deal appears low risk, something that will no doubt delight supporters.

Wolves have become a hub for Portuguese talent with the likes of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Jose Sa and Nelson Semedo some of the names who hail from Portugal that have been lured to Molineux in recent years as well as former manager Nuno Espirito Santo and current boss Bruno Lage.

The 21-year-old mainly operates as a left-winger but is flexible and can also play on the right-hand side of a front-three, ideal for Wolves who tend to operate with a 3-4-3 setup.

Compared to the other wingers in Lage’s squad, Chiquinho would boast the most league goals so far this season, although the Premier League is a significant step up from the Portuguese top-flight. Currently, Adama Traore is the only wide man to have netted in the league this campaign.

There have been murmurs of the Spaniard departing Molineux in the near future and therefore the Portugal U21 international could prove to be a long-term replacement.

Moreover, Lage is yet to welcome back the injured Pedro Neto, who has been out since April with a serious knee injury.

He may be an unknown name, however, the stats back up the suggestion that Chiquinho could be an exciting prospect for Wolves. Seeing a Portuguese talent excel at Molineux isn’t unheard of.

In other news – £33k-p/w Wolves gem, who created two big chances, stars in victory over Southampton

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has been dealt another frustrating injury blow this week…

What’s the latest?

Ahead of their FA Cup third-round clash with Premier League rivals West Ham United this afternoon, young striker Joe Gelhardt suffered an ankle injury during training on Thursday and is now expected to be out for three weeks.

“Marcelo Bielsa talking at his pre-West Ham presser – Joe Gelhardt is out. Injured [his] ankle in training yesterday and is out for three weeks. [Tyler] Roberts also out for similar period. Rodrigo not ready but [Patrick] Bamford likely to be involved on Sunday,” claimed The Athletic’s Phil Hay on Twitter.

“[Kalvin] Phillips, [Liam] Cooper, [Jamie] Shackleton, [Charlie] Cresswell and [Pascal] Struijk all still absent too.”

Another big setback

Just when will it stop?

The Yorkshire giants seemingly get a new injury every single week and it’s seriously stalling their progress under Bielsa.

Over the festive period, the 66-year-old head coach was missing as many as nine first-team players as his Whites side were demolished by the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal. It had gotten so bad that a 15-year-old – Archie Gray – was named on the bench.

Some of those absent have since made a return, helping United to a very crucial win over Burnley last weekend – Daniel James and Jack Harrison both found themselves on the scoresheet after a stint on the treatment table.

However, this latest blow puts pressure on Bielsa as he now has an important call to make upfront.

Patrick Bamford is likely to return from injury, having missed 15 of their last 16 league games but he is surely not ready to put in a full 90-minute shift just yet – though, he is the only striker available, leaving the Argentinian with a tough decision.

‘Patrick Bamford, at least, is expected to be available to play against the Hammers, but a 90 or even 120-minute performance is not only likely to be beyond him, it would be neglectful of Leeds to ask it,’ wrote Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth ahead of today’s encounter.

Gelhardt may have been in line to start down at the London Stadium this afternoon and as a player that supporters have already taken to, it will be a big blow to not see him in action today.

The young fan-favourite has already scored and provided three assists from his seven top-flight cameos this campaign and is clearly admired by Bielsa, too.

“He’s like a human wrecking ball. I like him, he’s really exciting. He’s fast, he’s aggressive, he gets on the ball, he takes people on. Once he gets into the box, he loves it. That’s where he can do most of his damage,” the manager told Sky Sports.

Therefore, his absence is merely another gutting setback to Bielsa, the squad and the fanbase, The 66-year-old must getting a little more worried as each day passes with his team picking up so many injuries this season.

AND in other news, Bielsa must ruthlessly axe Leeds’ “shocking” £47k-p/w passenger, he’s not good enough…

Being Brendon McCullum’s back-up isn’t easy but Gareth Hopkins is starting to be viewed as a first-choice instead of a replacement

Cricinfo staff10-Mar-2010

Being Brendon McCullum’s back-up isn’t easy but Gareth Hopkins is starting to be viewed as a first-choice instead of a replacement. Hopkins, the wicketkeeper-batsman, has chipped in during each of his four limited-overs appearances against Australia over the past two weeks and has also taken the gloves from McCullum.Hopkins, who scored 21 and 36 in the Twenty20s, was not in the original one-day squad but he came in when McCullum hurt his back and registered 35 and 45 in the past two ODIs. His only regret is that he hasn’t been able to win games for his team.”I’m quite happy with my performances to a point, but batting at No.7 the goal is to finish the job, and I haven’t been doing that,” he said. “Although I’m happy with starts, I need to kick on.”However, he thinks his contributions have caught Australia by surprise and he expects them to be paying more attention in Thursday’s fourth ODI in Auckland. “They wouldn’t have seen me [until now],” he said. “They wouldn’t have as strong plans as against other batters, but I’m sure after seeing the last couple of games they will have better plans. It’s up to me to either stick to my plan or tweak it a bit to make it better.”Mark Greatbatch, the coach, has been impressed with Hopkins’ efforts and said he has “stepped up to the plate”. “He’s really fronted up,” he said. “He’s busy, he’s improvising, he’s playing well. When guys are playing like that they tend to get on the selection sheet.”Hopkins is 33 and has usually had to wait for McCullum to break down, ask for a rest or hand over the gloves. He has appeared in one Test, 16 ODIs and four T20s and wants more.”The last five years I have been back-up for Brendon, whenever there’s a series or tour I’ve always been ready just in case Brendon gets injured,” he said. “When he woke up with a sore back [in Auckland], I just carried on. I’ve felt comfortable in the team and with the intensity of the international game.”

Flocking to Twitter, a number of Manchester City fans have reacted to a transfer update regarding Ferran Torres’ seemingly imminent move to Barcelona.

City have reportedly agreed a £55m transfer deal with the La Liga for the 21-year-old, with Barca set to pay an initial £46.7m and the possibility of a further £8.5m in add-ons.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-latest-updates-2/” title=”Man City latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Due to a fractured foot which sees him currently sidelined, Torres has played just four times in the Premier League this season, having scored twice in City’s 5-0 win over Arsenal back in August.

Despite being just 21, he has already been capped 22 times for the Spanish national team, scoring an impressive 12 goals since his debut in September 2020.

Many City fans erupt over Torres reveal…

City Xtra took to Twitter to share fresh news on the mooted Torres transfer, with claims that the forward is training in Valencia ahead of his reported Barcelona medical. These Man City fans took to the news in dismay, illustrating their confusion with the youngster’s choice.

Here’s what some of them said:

“I don’t understand international players wanting to leave one of the world’s best teams, playing with absolutely amazing teammates under Guardiola, the world’s best coach, while also making a ton of money. First Sané, Bernardo was/is on his way, and now Torres”

Credit: @sanesou

“I promise you I’m not bothered, we literally score 5+ goals without him in every game – he’s not a big game player”

Credit: @KdbEnthusiasm

“Don’t care, sign Haaland.”

Credit: @JMC_OfficiaI

“don’t care”

Credit: @McAteeBall

“who?”

Credit: @slawoid

“Doesn’t matter no more, wait, he should hand clean David Silva’s jersey for McAtee”

Credit: @aswan_jay

In other news: ‘No way’, ‘News I’ve been waiting for’ – Lots of Man City fans flock to transfer claim on this ‘monster’

Australia are praying their final-session surge of seven wickets will motivate the batsmen into a significantly improved performance as they battle to avoid giving up their series lead.

Peter English at the SCG04-Jan-2010

Australia are praying their final-session surge of seven wickets will motivate the batsmen into a significantly improved performance as they battle to avoid giving up their series lead. Pakistan have dominated the first two days against a struggling home side and hold a 204-run advantage after finishing at a healthy 9 for 331.Doug Bollinger, the left-arm fast bowler, led the Australian charge by snatching three victims with the second new ball in an action-packed conclusion, but whether the hosts can remain in the game depends on the batsmen. “It was a good fight-back by the guys,” Bollinger said. “It was frustrating early, but they were two-for at tea and now they’re nine down. We just need to try and get the last one tomorrow and then get our batting hats on for a certain amount of time and get something to bowl at in the second innings.”Australia got into trouble when Ricky Ponting won the toss and batted on an unusual SCG surface, sliding to 127. Bollinger would not admit his personal feelings on Ponting’s decision, which has attracted heavy criticism, but said he had never seen an SCG pitch as green as this one. “It doesn’t bother me, it’s just the way it goes,” he said of Ponting’s call at the toss. “I can’t change anything now. It’s gone, we’re just worrying about the second innings now. Everyone’s really positive and we all back Ricky 110%.”While Bollinger said the pitch offered less movement on the second day, the bowlers still failed to take their opportunities before lunch as Salman Butt and Imran Farhat opened with a 109-run stand. There were regular plays and misses, although the fast men seemed reluctant to change to a consistent, fuller length.”It is frustrating, but it is the second day and we kind of knew that was going to happen,” Bollinger said. “We’ve just got to be as patient as they were [when we bat]. I think we bowled well and we fought really well and they’re nine down. It’s good that the guys never gave up.” Bollinger finished with 3 for 70 while Shane Watson, who succeeded against the slogging tail-enders, and Mitchell Johnson gained two wickets each.

An update has emerged on Brentford central defender Pontus Jansson, regarding Newcastle United’s interest in his services…

What’s the talk?

According to The Guardian, the Magpies are one of three Premier League sides lining up a swoop for the ex-Leeds enforcer ahead of the January transfer window.

The report claims that Leicester and Everton are also looking at him as a potential target, with his contract at the London club set to expire next summer.

Crucial issue

Eddie Howe may solve a crucial Newcastle issue by sealing a deal for Jansson in January – the leaky defence they have suffered from in the opening 16 games of the campaign.

They have conceded a whopping 34 goals in the Premier League, the most in the entire division, and are currently 19th in the table.

Brentford, meanwhile, have only conceded 22 goals – fewer than nine other teams – and Jansson has started all 16 of their games. This shows that he has been a key part of their success at the back and proves that he is capable of performing well at Premier League level, with his defensive record at the newly-promoted side being far better than Newcastle’s is currently.

Bees boss Thomas Frank previously lauded the defender’s ‘immense’ professionalism and hailed the experience he brings to the side. He said:

“Pontus is a top defender who brings immense professionalism, a great attitude, experience, defensive robustness, leadership qualities, and threat from set-pieces to our side.

“Everyone knows about the Brentford model but to develop the young players we have here, we also need experience and quality in the squad to get the perfect balance.”

The £24k-per-week colossus has averaged 4.8 clearances and 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game for Brentford in the top-flight, whilst also chipping in with one goal and one assist to help the attackers. This shows that he has been an active part of their defensive success and why he could come in and solve Newcastle’s problems in that area.

Howe’s team are struggling badly in their own box and Jansson’s form and defensive record for the Bees suggests that he could come in and have a positive impact on the side. This is why PIF must splash the cash and bring the 30-year-old to St. James’ Park in January to bolster the squad and solve a crucial issue in the team.

AND in other news, NUFC heading for disaster on “embarrassing” 30 y/o dud, Howe once locked him in a room…

أعلن نادي بيراميدز عن رابع صفقاته خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية، بإتمام التعاقد مع محمود عبد العاطي دونجا لاعب الوسط، ليصبح لاعبًا جديدًا في صفوف الفريق السماوي.

ووقع محمود دونجا على عقود انتقاله لصفوف بيراميدز في صفقة انتقال حر، ولمدة موسمين قادمين، حيث يمتد عقده مع النادي حتى عام 2024.

طالع أيضًا.. محمد الشيبي: لاعب بيراميدز أقنعني بالانضمام إليه.. ولما لا نحصد لقب الكونفدرالية

دونجا من مواليد 2 ديسمبر 1992، وبدأ مشواره في صفوف نادي النجوم، قبل أن ينضم لصفوف مصر المقاصة، ومنه إلى الزمالك، قبل أن ينتقل إلى الإسماعيلي، وأخيرًا انضم إلى صفوف بيراميدز.

وأنهى الجهاز الإداري لنادي بيراميدز إجراءات قيد محمود دونجا في صفوف القائمتين المحلية والإفريقية للفريق استعدادًا لانطلاق مباريات الموسم الجديد.

Many Everton fans have been left fuming as an update emerged involving the U21 team.

As per the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, the U21’s lost 1-0 to Hartlepool United at Victoria Park on Tuesday night, meaning that they are now out of the Papa John’s Trophy.

They sit in third place in their group having played all three games, winning just once and losing the other two matches, yielding a -2 goal difference (Sky Sports).

The starting eleven was filled with promising young players, such as Lewis Dobbin who has already made two appearances for the senior side this season, while Harry Tyrer and Reece Welch have been with the squad (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, supporters of the Merseyside cub would have not expected the youngsters to go out with such a whimper, and some have blamed coaches David Unsworth and Jose Baxter for their exit.

This is not the first time Unsworth has taken criticism from Blues fans, and it seems the exit from the cup is being seen as a last straw for some.

Everton fans on Papa John’s Trophy exit

These Toffees fumed as the update was shared on Twitter:

“When it rains, it pours”

Credit: @gary2monty

“The dream team of Unsworth and Jose Baxter does it again”

Credit: @robr7373

“Sack Unsworth”

Credit: @scouseboy27

“Everton losing at Hartlepool. A glimpse of the future”

Credit: @e_tosis

“Safest job in football!!! #noaccountability”

Credit: @GladwysBlue

“Jose Baxter’s fault”

Credit: @Efc_Frankie1878

In other news, find out which Partey-like ace EFC are eyeing here!