Leeds United have made a fine start to life back in the Championship this season as they have made themselves play-off contenders so far.

The Whites are currently sitting in fifth-place and have only lost two league matches in 11 outings under German head coach Daniel Farke, who was brought in to replace Sam Allardyce over the summer.

A number of players were snapped up in order to bolster the ex-Norwich City boss' squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, following their relegation from the Premier League.

Jaidon Anthony, Joel Piroe, Joe Rodon, Karl Darlow, Sam Byram, Djed Spence, Glen Kamara, Ilia Gruev, and Ethan Ampadu were all signed either on loan or on permanent deals.

Despite the side's strong start to the season, the upcoming January transfer window will provide Farke with an opportunity to improve his team again.

One player whom he must look to reignite his interest in is Genk ace Joseph Paintsil, who would thrive alongside Georgino Rutter if the talented whiz can adapt to English football.

Were Leeds interested in Joseph Paintsil?

The Athletic reported that Leeds made an offer of €10m (£8.7m) to sign the Ghana international during the summer transfer window.

It was stated at the time that the player's preference was a move to Elland Road after a transfer to Championship rivals Southampton had fallen through, due to Paintsil and Paul Onuachu – who was set to go the other way – opting against the switch.

However, the Whites were unable to get a deal over the line for the exciting forward and it has since been revealed, by the player, that it was due to reasons out of their control.

Paintsil claimed that he was not interested in a move to Southampton or Leeds as his dream is to play in the Premier League, or in one of the other major European leagues.

The £8.7m-rated whiz added that it was not about Farke's side being a 'bad' team but he could not be convinced to make the drop down to the Championship at that moment in time.

However, the German head coach could make a more convincing case to persuade the Genk star to join the Yorkshire-based outfit in January if his team are well in the race for promotion to the top-flight.

The player has confirmed that his dream is to play at the top level in England and Leeds could offer him a good chance to join a side that could be promoted to that level if they are in the play-off, or automatic, mix by the time that January comes around.

Why were Leeds interested in Paintsil?

Farke and the club may have been interested in a deal to sign the Ghana international due to his phenomenal form for Genk throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

The 25-year-old winger showcased his ability to score and create goals at an impressive rate in the Belgian top-flight and his statistics suggest that he could have been a superb addition to Leeds' squad.

Paintsil was a regular for his side over the course of the campaign as he made 36 league appearances and started 36 times, with an average of 81 minutes per outing, as per Sofascore.

The right-footed whiz was lethal in front of goal and proved himself to be a reliable option to chip in with goals at the top end of the pitch from a wide position.

He ended the Pro League season with a stunning 17 goals from out wide, with only six 'big chances' missed in total. Meanwhile, no Leeds player managed more than 13 league goals last term and no Whites ace has scored more than 17 in a season since Chris Wood in the 2016/17 term.

Paintsil also caught the eye with his ability to carve open the opposition's defence to create opportunities for his teammates. Farke's target created 12 'big chances' and assisted 11 goals in total throughout those 36 outings.

Whereas, no Leeds player produced more than seven assists over the course of the 2022/23 Premier League campaign and no Whites star has hit double figures for assists since Pablo Hernandez did (12) during the 2018/19 Championship season.

These statistics, which were described as "sensational" by Scott Coyne of the Belgian Football Podcast, suggest that the Genk magician has the quality to be a terrific forward for the club and he could thrive alongside Rutter if Farke can snap him up in January.

How has Rutter performed this season?

The French wizard has enjoyed a fantastic start to the campaign and has proven himself to be a big threat at the top end of the pitch at Championship level.

Rutter has contributed with two goals and three assists in nine league starts for the Whites so far this season and has been an exceptional creator for Farke.

The former Hoffenheim prospect has produced ten 'big chances' for his teammates and only been rewarded with three assists for his efforts.

As per FBRef, the 21-year-old maestro ranks within the top 6% of his positional peers at Championship level for xAG (0.49) and shot-creating actions (4.27) per 90.

This essentially means that there are not many players in his position who are able to create high-quality chances as frequently as Rutter.

However, there is work to do with his own finishing as the talented youngster has missed five 'big chances' to go along with his two goals, which suggests that he could be more ruthless in front of goal.

Should Leeds sign Paintsil?

Leeds should, therefore, reignite their interest in Paintsil during the January transfer window as his goalscoring record for Genk suggests that he would thrive alongside Rutter.

The 5 foot 7 talent has proven himself to be a prolific scorer from a wide position and rarely misses presentable opportunities at the top end of the pitch, as shown by his aforementioned statistics from last season.

Starts

Eight

Goals

Two

Assists

Three

Big chances created

Four

Paintsil's form this season (via Sofascore)

This suggests that the Whites target would be able to make the most of the chances that the French wizard is putting on a plate for his teammates week-in-week-out.

Paintsil's creative number also indicate that he could provide Rutter with the ammunition he needs to find the back of the net on a regular basis, if the ex-Bundesliga man can find his feet and form in front of goal during the second half of the season.

تحدث مدرب أتلتيكو مدريد دييجو سيميوني بعد الفوز أمام خيتافي، وقبل مواجهة برشلونة بمنافسات الدوري الإسباني، وإمكانية منافسته على اللقب هذا الموسم.

وفاز أتلتيكو مدريد بهدف نظيف، ويحتل الفريق المركز الثاني بـ 38 نقطة متساويًا مع برشلونة المتصدر والذي يواجه ليجانيس مساء اليوم.

ويلتقي برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد في الجولة القادمة للدوري الإسباني وذلك يوم السبت المقبل.

وقال سيميوني في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “قبل المباراة كنت أتحدث مع اللاعبين عن الامتنان والاعتراف لأولئك الذين لم يبدأوا المباراة، هناك لاعبون مهمون جدًا يتنافسون بطريقة استثنائية، كما يظهر عندما يشاركون كبدلاء”.

وأضاف: “هذه هي قوتنا، من أجل المنافسة كما نريد، نحتاج أن يكون الجميع مشاركًا كما هم الآن، هذه هي أقوى نقطة لدينا”.

ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بعد هزيمة برشلونة أمام ليجانيس

وأشار لمركزه بالترتيب: “يجب أن نستمر مباراة بمباراة، لا توجد طريقة لرؤية وضعنا الحالي إلا من خلال العمل ومحاولة التحسن دائمًا، دعونا نرتاح قبل مواجهة برشلونة”.

وعن إدارة الفريق، أفاد: “أمثل نفسي بما أشعر به، وليس لدي التزام تجاه أي شخص، وهذا يظهر في كوكا، الذي كان لاعبًا مهمًا جدًا في مسيرتنا ويعرف أنه إذا كنا بحاجة إليه لمدة 20 دقيقة، سيدخل ويقوم بالعمل”.

وبشأن تعزيز الخطة أمام برشلونة في المواجهة القادمة، علّق: “لا أعرف كيف تعتقد أننا سنخطط لذلك، لكن إن كان جيدًا أم لا، فإن ذلك سيعتمد على النتيجة، التي هي ما ستحدد ذلك”.

وعن رؤيته كبطل، استطرد: “أنا مكرر، وممل، ولن أتغير، حتى آخر يوم سيكون مباراة بمباراة، إذا لم ننظر إليها من هذا المنظور، لن يكون هناك ضوء”.

وبشأن التغيير في الالتزام من الموسم الماضي إلى هذا الموسم، أوضح: “سؤال معقد تبحث فيه إذا كان الذين كانوا في السابق لم يقدموا كما يقدمون اليوم، أحيانًا يظهر ذلك وأحيانًا لا، لكن النتائج تظهر الآن”.

وحول الفوز بنتيجة 1-0، أتم: “دائمًا أقول إن أفضل نتيجة هي 1-0 لأنك تعمل جيدًا في الدفاع وتكون حاسمًا في الهجوم، إذا فزت 4-3 فهناك أشياء يجب مراجعتها، بالطبع أنا أحب النتائج الأفضل كما يحبها الجميع”.

Mark Richardson talks to Herschelle Gibbs about betting scandals, the Test series against Australia and dropping the 1999 World Cup

17-Dec-2005

Herschelle Gibbs wants this tour of Australia to be memorable because of his batting deeds © Getty Images

Herschelle Gibbs knows he won’t be able to slip under the radar this summer. Australian fans never let him forget his role in a betting scandal which brought down his captain Hansie Cronje, or the moment of madness when he dropped Steve Waugh at the 1999 World Cup.On his third tour of Australia, Gibbs is intent on making his name through his deeds with the bat rather than as the target of a Waugh sledge which, he believes, probably never happened. Despite the pressure he will face from fans and foes, Gibbs knows he has the natural resilience and ability to succeed on the toughest tour of all. But he believes he has yet to show his true abilities, starting with a first tour in 1998.”I wasn’t really an established player but I played in a couple of Tests and four or five one-dayers,” he tells . “We actually probably had our best and most established side at this time. Allan Donald was really quick, Polly [Shaun Pollock] was still firing at around the 140kph mark and we still had Hansie [Cronje], but for me it was very much a learning experience.”And what did he learn? “It is the toughest tour from a mental point of view,” he says. “It is just so mentally tough and draining – on and off the field. It is not just the players you play against; the media and public are very much in your face too.”In 2001, South Africa returned to Australian shores being touted as the second best team in the world. It was a series so keenly awaited that in a moment of frustration against New Zealand, who were the summer’s entrée, Glenn McGrath enquired of a batsman: “When are you lot going to bugger off so we can play a real team?”The Kiwis eventually “buggered off” and in stepped the South Africans. “We didn’t just lose; we got hammered in all three Tests,” Gibbs says. “It was such a disappointment. There was so much tension going into the first Test at Adelaide. Justin Langer described it as being like two heavyweight title fighters apprehensively waiting for the first big punch to be thrown, which I reckon was a pretty accurate description.”The first telling blow was landed and it came in the form of the tag-team duo of Langer and Matthew Hayden. “We simply got outplayed,” he says. “Langer and Hayden made merry all throughout the series and set Australia up for scores of 500 to 600 in all three Tests. We simply couldn’t get in the fight.”And his disappointment doesn’t start and end with the team’s results. “I’d come off a Man-of-the-Series performance against India so I can’t say I was short on confidence and in fact I got off to a good start with 80-odd, but after that I guess the nerves just got the better of me,” he says. “I got too up for the challenge and in the second Test when McGrath chirped me about the Hansie thing I reacted badly. It was a mistake on my part. I’ll admit to being intimidated, but that is quite a common thing for many players in Australia.”

Herschelle Gibbs, who is bounced by Glenn McGrath, admits he’s been intimidated by the Australians © Peter J Heeger

However, Gibbs bounced back from some pretty nasty episodes to fashion a very impressive Test and ODI record. Without a doubt the nastiest episode was his six-month ban in 2000 for his part in the match-fixing scandal. “Perhaps Hansie was as much to blame for my downfall as his own, but I accept I made a mistake,” he says. “Everyone makes mistakes in their lives and their chosen careers and yes I made a big one, but I’m just glad I only got six months off and have been allowed to move on.”Boy it was hard coming back and first-up against Sri Lanka I was so nervous. I think I got a couple of ducks straight up and then in Australia in 2001 I copped a heap from the crowds. But time heals most things and even though I expect to get a little ribbing this time round, I accept it is in my past.”Also in the past is the famous dropped catch off Waugh, who reportedly told him he had just dropped the World Cup. Gibbs believes that story is more myth than legend. “If he did say it I didn’t hear it,” he says. “Maybe he made comment of it in the press conference, but I definitely didn’t hear anything on the field.”That was in limited-overs cricket and Gibbs has pretty strong views as to where that rates. “You never hail the one-day heroes,” he says. “You never really hear about one-day runs. No, it is all about Tests. The greats are measured on their tally of Test runs and averages. I’m not really bothered about my ODI average, strike-rate is perhaps more important.”When it comes to Tests there is no doubt Gibbs is aiming for a tally that will place him among the world’s greats. “I aim to score 1000 Test runs per calendar year,” he says. “If I play another five years I then should have 10,000 Test runs.”Five years is quite conservative for one of the game’s better athletes and a man who has taken over the fielding mantle of Jonty Rhodes. He takes his fitness seriously and prides himself on being in the top three when the South Africans are assessed. It is an understatement when he says: “I’m blessed with natural speed.”This summer Gibbs will have more faith in his natural ability than on the past two tours. It probably helps that his last Test innings against Australia was a century made in the final match of the home series in 2002. “It started to fall into place because I got a little more comfortable against them,” he says. “In the past they knew they could rattle me and I’d lose concentration, but I’ve played a lot more games now and this time I’m where I want to be and it is comforting to know what I’m up for as not much has changed with them.”For many Tests he had been the more flamboyant half of two successful opening partnerships; firstly with the retired Gary Kirsten and later with Graeme Smith as they began to build a record to rival the Langer-Hayden combination. Gibbs is now walking in to bat at No. 5 and while it may not be his favoured position, he has accepted the challenge. He even reckons Australia may not be the worst place to find success in the middle order.

Inside Cricket’s December issue © Getty Images

“I got frustrated in the West Indies,” he says. “I’d come in with 300-odd on the board, the ball would be soft, no pace to work with and I just couldn’t play my natural game. In Oz, at least the wickets are quicker, which might help with my natural game.”So how does a natural born ball striker and opener with a terrific record find himself in the middle order? “We didn’t know what to do with AB de Villiers – he has done so well, however no one has really filled their boots at No. 5 or 6 so I’ll do it and see if can provide some solidity. I mean at the end of the day I could have said stuff the team and de Villiers would have had to bide his time, but putting the team first is more important.”It is an attitude that shows Gibbs is far from the naive kid once influenced and manipulated by Cronje. He is now a leader and along with Jacques Kallis carries the experience in the batting lineup. “This is possibly the best top six we have had for a while: inexperienced but talented,” he says. “Obviously myself and Kallis must lead by example but looking at the others they are all quite attacking. We all must play our natural games. We will definitely have a few discussions about going out and being natural.”

The third-umpire gaffe while ruling on Andrew Symonds’s run-out

Play of the Day by Peter English at Hobart19-Nov-2005

Andrew Symonds was beaten by a direct hit from Dwayne Smith, but for a brief moment, he thought he had survived © Getty Images
Technology extended Andrew Symonds’s batting return toTests by about two minutes as Steve Davis, the thirdumpire, pressed the wrong button when ruling on hisrun-out decision. Recalled for his third Test, Symondswas completing a start-stop-start single when DwayneSmith’s direct hit caught him well short and Aleem Darfavoured caution by calling in Davis. Using a newcomputer program, Davis accidentally clicked “not out”and Symonds, who knew he was gone and had angrilywandered almost as far as the boundary, ambled back ina better mood. A quick two-way conversation betweenthe on-field umpires ensued before the red “out”signal finally appeared on the big screen and Symondsdeparted even more frustrated.

The regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket

Steven Lynch22-May-2006The regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket:

Dilip Vengsarkar scored three hundreds in his first three Tests at Lord’s © Getty Images
I noticed that all Sri Lanka’s batsmen at Lord’s scored more runs in the second innings than they did in their first. How often has this happened in Tests? asked Nirmalan Wigneswaran and Steve Howe
It’s certainly very rare: the instance in the first Test at Lord’s was only the third in Test history. The last time it happened was way back in 1924, when all South Africa’s batsmen bettered their first-innings score second time around against England at Edgbaston. (It wasn’t difficult, as they were all out for 30 in the first innings but made 390 in the second!) England also managed it against Australia at Melbourne in 1894-95. Bangladesh achieved the feat in reverse – everyone scoring more in the first innings than the second – in their inaugural Test, against India at Dhaka in 2000-01.Was Sri Lanka’s total at Lord’s the highest in the second innings of a Test? asked Ajith Gunasinghe from Chilaw
Sri Lanka’s 537 for 9 at Lord’s was their own highest in the second innings of a Test – comfortably beating their 448 for 5 declared against Pakistan earlier this year in Colombo – but it was some way short of the overall Test record, which coincidentally was scored against Sri Lanka. That was New Zealand’s 671 for 4 at Wellington in 1990-91, when Martin Crowe (299) and Andrew Jones (186) shared a record stand of 467. There have been five other second-innings totals of more than 600.Mahela Jayawardene has now played two Tests at Lord’s, and scored two centuries. How many other visiting batsmen have done this? asked Nishan Seneratne from Colombo
The Indian batsman Dilip Vengsarkar uniquely scored centuries in each of his first three Tests at Lord’s, in 1979 (103), 1982 (157) and 1986 (126 not out), before falling short with “only” 52 and 35 in 1990. Only seven other visiting players had scored two Test centuries at Lord’s before Mahela Jayawardene joined them last week. Australia’s Warren Bardsley was the first, with 164 in 1912 and 193 not out 14 years later in 1926, by which time he was 43, but he missed out in his other three Tests at Lord’s; George Headley collected both of his in the same game, with 106 and 107 for West Indies in 1939 (but he had done less well in 1933); the inevitable Don Bradman reached three figures for Australia in 1930 – with 254, which he felt was the best innings he ever played – and 1938, with 102 not out (but he missed out in 1934 and 1948); his fellow Australian Bill Brown made 105 in 1934 and 206 not out 1938 (but also failed to repeat the feat in 1948); Garry Sobers hit 163 not out in 1966, and 150 not out in 1973, but didn’t reach 100 in his other three official Tests at Lord’s; another West Indian, Gordon Greenidge, scored 214 not out in 1984 and 103 in 1988, having missed out in his first two visits, in 1976 and 1980; and finally Martin Crowe hit 106 in 1986 and 142 in 1994 (but did less well in 1983 and 1990). Sobers did, however, slam 183 for the Rest of the World against England at Lord’s in 1970 (he also took 6 for 21!), in what was thought to be a proper Test at the time but was later deemed unofficial. And Greenidge hit 122 against the Rest of the World in the five-day MCC Bicentenary match at Lord’s in 1987.Did Fred Titmus play for England again after his terrible accident? asked Maureen Bird from Southsea
The accident you’re referring to happened during England’s tour of the West Indies in 1967-68. Fred Titmus, the Middlesex offspinner who was Colin Cowdrey’s vice-captain on that trip, lost four toes when his left foot tangled with the propeller of a motor-boat – the propeller was unusually placed in the middle rather than at the back, and Titmus let his legs go underneath the boat while he was holding on to it. He was lucky in one way, in that the big toe – which is important for balance – was virtually undamaged, and he returned to county cricket a couple of months later. It did look, however, as if his England career had stalled after 49 caps – but he received a surprise recall for the 1974-75 tour of Australia, and played four Tests there to take his total to 53, in which he took 153 wickets at 32.22. He made his last appearance for Middlesex in 1982, when he was 49. Titmus joked that “the only real problem the accident left me with was counting – afterwards, I always had trouble going over 16!”When (and where) is the next women’s World Cup? asked Anuka Jain from Delhi
The next one will be played in Australia in 2009, when the Aussies will be defending the trophy that they won for the fifth time at Centurion in South Africa last April. Four years later, in 2013, the tournament will be played in India.Who called his autobiography Beating the Bat? asked James Lee from Crawley
That was the name of the memoirs of Derek Underwood, the Kent and England left-arm bowler who finished up with a tantalising total of 297 Test wickets. The book came out in 1975, when Underwood’s first-class career still had a dozen years to run, so maybe it’s time he wrote another one! Having said that, he did update his story a little in Deadly Down Under, which came out in 1980, but that was mainly an account of England’s tour of Australia the previous winter.

We’ve observed him from afar, sat through cliché-riddled press conferences and become infuriated at his brooding demeanour. Will the real Duncan Fletcher please stand up?

Will Luke18-Nov-2007

We’ve observed him from afar, sat through cliché-riddled press conferences and become infuriated at his brooding demeanour. Would the real Duncan Fletcher please stand up?At last, in his autobiography, , he has – and how. The week preceding the book’s publication caused an understandable media furore, with revelations of Andrew Flintoff’s drinking and of the back-room decisions Fletcher was forced to make. Equally predictably, though less understandably, Fletcher was made a scapegoat for revealing these brilliantly juicy insights.Anyone who has read the anodyne (and often premature) autobiographies of sporting figures which litter the shelves won’t mind one little bit. may be slightly ill timed – no cautious forward press, here – but dull it is not.Fletcher is a man who places great emphasis on trust and loyalty, and it comes as no surprise that Steve James, his former comrade at Glamorgan and friend of many years, helped write it. Broken up into 13 chapters, the book spans his life from childhood right up to the World Cup, when he resigned.He begins with a fascinating background to his happy childhood in Zimbabwe, growing up on a farm with a protective (and revealingly, loyal) family. His five siblings – four boys and Ann – were, we are told, far more talented at sport than the young Duncan. This rivalry instilled his determination and sharpened his mental focus on his one sport, cricket.It’s the later chapters, involving his time with Glamorgan, and then as England coach, that contain the most salacious insights. His difficulties with David Graveney; his surprise when offered the England coaching job; his spat with Henry Blofeld (surprising), and the “mutual dislike” of Geoffrey Boycott (less surprising). And, of course, the Flintoff saga in Chapter 13 which is rather dramatically entitled “The Winter from Hell”.But something jars. The book lives up to its title – we are certainly given an insight into a previously mysterious man – but it has an underlying seam of bitterness and resentment which, for someone who has achieved so much, is a disappointment and a little sad. Chapters are sprinkled with insistences that the reader “must understand”; that the media twisted his words and cheated the truth; that he is right and everyone else is wrong. If he never cared about the media during his tenure, why bother now?But this is Fletcher, after all. Dogged, determined and stubborn as a mule. Forthright views are no less than we expect. He and James should be lauded for producing a book that remains interesting from cover to cover while never dodging sensitive issues from the past.

Brett Lee is probably the only Australian who has welcomed the retirements of McGrath and Warne and is thriving in an environment where he is the alpha male

Peter English at the Gabba03-Feb-2008
Brett Lee: Basking in the limelight © Getty Images
Brett Lee now bowls like a man with nothing to prove. The shadows of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne have gone and the only clouds on his mind in Brisbane were the leaky ones above the Gabba. A parent of a toddler, Lee is also the head of Australia’s bowling family and is becoming more relaxed about the responsibility with every innings.Australia’s attack included a debutant in Ashley Noffke and Mitchell Johnson, who has played 26 matches, was the only other one backing up from the Test series. Lee was not concerned by his lack of big-name help and against an opponent with similarly fresh faces he showed why he is the big daddy.This is the point Lee has wanted to reach since making his international debut nine years ago. He gets the new ball, comes back mid-innings to mop up or blast out and returns at the finish to create more damage. There is never any question over his end and when Ricky Ponting wants a wicket it is Lee who takes the ball. Throughout the Tests he was there when Ponting needed him and he has started the CB Series in the same way.The only thing Lee could not control was the weather, which prevented him from earning the victory his bowling deserved. In between taking 5 for 27 he ran across to support Noffke during his early expensive overs and tapped a batsman in apology after almost running into him. The downscaling of hostilities since Sydney actually suits Lee and does not result in any loss of bowling venom. Without needing to think about what to say to a batsman, he can concentrate more on how to remove them.There was no generosity shown to the debutant Manoj Tiwary as he was attacked with a series of shorter deliveries. Tiwary did well to avoid a couple of dangerous balls aimed around head height, but he was so sure of getting another that he could not deal with a fuller one and was bowled off his pad. At the end of the over Lee was given a rest, his four-over second spell costing only 11 runs and including two wickets. India had threatened to come back after losing their experienced openers, but when Lee removed Rohit Sharma and Tiwary three wickets had fallen for three runs.Sachin Tendulkar also miscalculated Lee in the final over of his opening collection, pushing back too far and stepping on his stumps. The new and old were taken care of along with a couple of wickets in the last over of the innings and the upshot was Lee’s seventh career five-wicket haul.Lee is probably the only Australian who has welcomed the retirements of McGrath and Warne and is thriving in an environment where he is the alpha maleThe rest of Lee’s fast-bowling family had a mixed day. Nathan Bracken was expensive after his early breakthrough while Noffke recovered well from giving up 27 runs in his opening four overs. Like Noffke, Johnson was playing on his home ground and he would have had something to cheer two overs earlier if Australia’s slips fielders were on message.Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting both dropped chances off Gautam Gambhir within three balls, but Johnson recovered to trap the batsman in front. He remained a threat and gave up only 33 runs in nine overs, although all the serious danger came from Lee until Ishant Sharma stormed through after another rain break.Given limited opportunities, Sharma was the only bowler to match Lee’s potency in a brief spell where he weaved the ball on a surface freshened by the extra moisture. James Hopes’ off stump was lost and Michael Clarke was welcomed with a hit in the chest. Sitting in the dressing room Lee would have been impressed with the discomfort caused for the batsmen.The conditions were steamy, the ball became slippery and the bowlers had many excuses for things not working. Lee did not need any and excelled despite the heat, the rain interruptions and the new-look India.To reach this level he needed to look around the field and not see any safety nets. Lee is probably the only Australian who has welcomed the retirements of McGrath and Warne and is thriving in an environment where he is the alpha male. Now when he stands at the top of his run he is no longer confused over his position. This is Lee’s team as well as Ponting’s.

Arjuna Ranatunga, recently appointed the chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, talks about his plans – both for the long run and short – and the changes Sri Lankan cricket needs

Interview by Charlie Austin18-Jan-2008

	Agent of change: Arjuna Ranatunga © Getty Images

If you were to prioritise one aspect of Sri Lanka’s cricket that needs urgent attention and needs to be a key focus of your tenure in charge of Sri Lanka Cricket, what would that be?
Junior cricket. Our school cricket has been neglected for too long. I am not pointing fingers, I just think that that has been too much focus on the top, the national team, which has had a detrimental impact on junior cricket. There was a time, in the 1980s and even early 1990s, when a handful of cricketers, perhaps five or six, could be accommodated into the national squad straight from the school system – a school system that was the envy of the world. Sadly, this is no longer the case.What has gone wrong with school’s cricket?
I think the change to limited-overs cricket at the younger age groups – Under-13 and Under-15 – was a mistake. Even when we were 12, 13 and 14 we used to play full-day matches from 9.30am to 6pm. We’d play aggressive and positive cricket. But these days the kids play just overs cricket and learn less. In addition, coaching has become a business and winning has become too important. When I was growing up Sri Lanka had some fantastic coaches – the likes of Lionel Mendis, Bertie Wijesinghe and Nelson Mendis to name just a few – who were committed to cricket and had a huge passion. Nowadays, with a combination of pressure from school principals, Old Boy Associations and parents, all that matters is winning. Spinners are finding it tougher and players are not learning how to be creative and think on their feet. Go to a school match these days and the coach will probably be standing on the boundary edge setting the field. That approach is not conducive to developing quality cricketers.So what are you going to do about this?
Well, DS de Silva has been appointed by president Mahinda Rajapakse as a cricket advisor and we have asked him to spend four to six weeks researching the current situation. We hope he’ll be able to come up with a good solid proposal that will be discussed with a strong Cricket Committee, which is to be headed by Aravinda de Silva. We hope to have a plan for the future very soon.You have just completed the inaugural one-day Provincial Tournament, soon to be followed by the Provincial T20 and later this year a four-day competition – is this now going to become the bedrock of the domestic professional game?

Yes. We have to raise the standard of first-class cricket to bridge a growing divide between our first-class cricket and the international arena. We have the talent, no doubt about that, but our players are not developing as fast as they should be. For example, under the club system, a top batsman may be exposed to one high-class bowler in each game, but at the other end he’ll be able to pick off runs more easily. The obvious and only solution is concentrating the talent so the best players play against each other. The provincial system will achieve this. We’ve already seen this in the one-day series that finished recently. Batsmen were made to work really hard. The matches were competitive and the cricket of a much higher standard than normal club cricket. So we are looking at provincial cricket being the main competition, and the main arena for national selection. Below that we are considering the option of a district-level tier that feeds into the provinces – there are about 22 districts which could be feeding into their respective provinces. And then below this will sit the club system which will also remain a very important component of the national system.How do you anticipate the clubs taking this? It will be a radical departure from the current system and could be unpopular.
I am here to go the right job. When the president asked me to be chairman he gave me one instruction: “Get cricket right.” That is what I have to do. I will have to make tough decisions and I am ready to do that. That might make me unpopular in some quarters. But being popular is not as important as giving our cricket the right structure so that we can be a consistent global force. We need to be challenging Australia for the No. 1 position in the world.Interim and Executive Committees come and go promising to change the system and make Sri Lanka the best team in the world. Invariably, though, the status quo remains. How can you force through proper change and also safeguard those developments under future administrations?
It is too early to go into specifics, but the plan is for us to spend the next few weeks reviewing the current system. There will be lots of consultation and discussion. Crucially, our leading cricketers, from the past and present, will be at the forefront of this. Our job will be to come up with a proper plan which we will take to the sports minister. This can then become the basis of a national policy of cricket and a new constitution for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) that will protect us from the problems that have plagued us in the past. Now is the time to get things right.

	It is the cricketers that have generated the television and sponsorship revenues that are now financing SLC and it is the duty of the administration to make sure this money is spent responsibly. Cricketers need to be in charge of the cricket board with support from high caliber administrators, including financial and marketing expertise

So a feature of your administration is going to be the greater participation of the cricketers?
Absolutely. This is the key. It is the cricketers that have generated the television and sponsorship revenues that are now financing SLC and it is the duty of the administration to make sure this money is spent responsibly. Cricketers need to be in charge of the cricket board with support from high caliber administrators, including financial and marketing expertise. The cricketers are in the best position to get our cricket structures right. They have been through the system and they understand the needs of professional sportsmen. The Cricket Committee, headed by Aravinda, will have increased power to implement their policies and plans. I have ideas of my own, but it is this Cricket Committee that will shape the future of our game.Does this also mean a closer relationship being forged between the cricket board and the SL Players’ Association?
Yes, absolutely, we want the input of cricketers and we want to have a closer relationship with the SLCA. We are even looking at the possibility of them having an office within the board.Just prior to your appointment it was alleged in the media that the previous administration, headed by Jayantha Dharmadasa, extended the Ten Sports television agreement from the end of the current contract, due to expire at the end of 2008, to 2012 without a proper bidding process. What is the status of this?
The sports minister has put a stop to the deal for the time being. We now need to sit and discuss with the lawyers to find out what has happened and whether everything has been handled in a legal manner. All the documents are with the lawyers and we are awaiting their advice. It is too early to make any further comment, but it is an issue that we are addressing as a matter of importance.There was also talk of a corruption probe – is that taking place?
We want to do an independent financial and management audit and we are already speaking to leading audit firms about this. There has been 10 years of financial wastage in this cricket board and this needs to stop. We don’t have the money to waste – we have to spend our cash wisely. Thus, we feel professional expertise is required to get our financial and administration procedures right. We hope the audit can take place within a time frame of four to six weeks and that the recommendations will form part of the report or plan we forward to the sports minister.There have been several selection problems and controversies in recent times. How are you going to address this?
We do need to sort out the unpleasantness that has happened over the past year or so regarding selection. But to be honest I think a lot of this has resulted from miscommunication. With better communication we can have a much better system. We’ve already had a really constructive dialogue with the selectors. We don’t want to get directly involved in selecting teams. That is the job of the selection panel and not the cricket board, but I do feel that we need to better define their role within a national cricket policy. They need directives so we are all pushing in the same direction. For example, we need to be clear as to criteria for selection – should this be provincial or club cricket? We need to discuss and come up with a clear and open plan understood by everyone.

	‘There was a time, in the 1980s and even early 1990s, when a handful of cricketers, perhaps five or six, could be accommodated into the national squad straight from the school system – a school system that was the envy of the world. Sadly, this is no longer the case’ © Getty Images

What are your initial thoughts on long-term development projects – is Pallakelle Stadium in Kandy going ahead and are any more big projects in the pipeline?
Yes, Pallakelle is going ahead although we have to raise the funds first. However, I also think we have enough international stadiums now. We also don’t have the money to keep spending millions on big projects. If outside investors come in, that’s fine. We can look at that, but we have to be sensible with our finances. Instead, my opinion is that our development focus should be on developing high-performance centres in each province and also a good ground and training facility in each district. These projects will be less costly and will ensure a greater number of cricketers island-wide will have access to quality facilities. It will spread opportunity and help us tap the huge talent in our outstations.In the past you have been quite outspoken about foreign coaches and critical of Sri Lanka’s failure to develop homegrown coaches. Will you be looking to develop more local coaches, physiotherapists and physical trainers?
We have top coaches and most of these are employed overseas. So this shows we have talented coaches in Sri Lanka. What I’d like to see is this talent being developed. And, in addition, we have to encourage more first-class cricketers into coaching and umpiring positions especially. We need to be able to fast-track them to make it an attractive career opportunity.In general, what are your ambitions in terms of the national team?
I want us to raise our standards to be able to compete with Australia. This is a very achievable objective if we can close the gap between domestic and international cricket. As I have said before, we have the talent here in Sri Lanka. We should be looking at the 2011 World Cup as a major priority. We have a great chance of winning that if we get things right now. That will also entail protecting some of our older players, like Murali, who I think should be playing in only major ODI tournaments in future. He is a huge asset for Sri Lanka and needs to be protected very carefully.How will your appointment change Sri Lanka’s position in terms of other nations? Will you, for example, aim to develop a close relationship with India?
We have to have a strong and close relationship with India, but we also have to have healthy relationships with the other Test nations. I think we have done pretty well in recent years in terms of attracting top teams to Sri Lanka, but I would like to see more proper tours. Two Test matches in a series is too little and we should aim for a minimum of three per series. In addition, we need to look at the A team and make sure they are playing at least one series outside Asia, one in Asia and one in Sri Lanka each year. We need them to be feeding players into the national team and that means they have to be playing more series in the likes of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa to gather more experience of different conditions.

The allrounder will also miss the Mzansi Super League to undergo a procedure on his right shoulder, after he aggravated a pre-existing injury

Liam Brickhill16-Oct-2018JP Duminy will miss both South Africa’s upcoming limited-overs tour of Australia and the Mzansi Super League to undergo surgery for an injury to his right shoulder.Duminy had been announced as the marquee South African player for the Cape Town Blitz in the MSL, but he will now be replaced by Quinton de Kock. Duminy’s time out for surgery means that South Africa will be without two of their most experienced players on their trip to Australia. Earlier this week, it was announced that Hashim Amla would also not be touring as he is given time to fully recover from a finger tendon injury picked up during the Caribbean Premier League.”JP aggravated a pre-existing shoulder injury during the recently-concluded series against Zimbabwe,” South Africa team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee said. “The injury will require surgical management, thus ruling him out of the immediate tour of Australia and the upcoming MSL. At the moment, we can’t say how long he will be out for, that is dependent on the results from the surgery.”South Africa’s squad for the Australia tour, consisting of three one-day internationals and a solitary T20 international, will be announced later this week. The tour begins with a warm-up game against a Prime Minister’s XI on October 31, while the MSL kicks off on 16 November and runs until 16 December.

Manchester United are starting to slowly climb the Premier League table and one man in particular has impressed in the part he has played under Erik ten Hag across recent weeks.

Man Utd summer signings…

In the summer, much excitement engulfed Old Trafford as Manchester United and Ten Hag got to work in the transfer market, bringing in some high-profile signings such as Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Sofyan Amrabat, among others, in a period that saw the Red Devils spend just under £180 million on incomings.

Man Utd's summer signings

Player

Previous club

Fee

Rasmus Hojlund

Atalanta

£72 million

Jonny Evans

Leicester City

Free transfer

Andre Onana

Inter Milan

£47.2 million

Mason Mount

Chelsea

£60 million

Sergio Reguilon

Tottenham Hotspur

Loan

Sofyan Amrabat

Fiorentina

Loan

Altay Bayindir

Fenerbache

£4.3 million

Following their EFL Cup triumph and top-four finish last term, there was optimism that the Red Devils could get closer to the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal at the top end of the Premier League standings; however, that hasn't quite transpired the way many would've hoped so far. Nine games have passed so far in the English top flight and United have only just started to get themselves off the canvas after losing three of their five opening Premier League fixtures. They now sit eighth in the division, eight points behind league leaders Tottenham Hotspur.

Nevertheless, back-to-back wins over Brentford and Sheffield United, despite having to field a side representative of a squad decimated by injuries at Man Utd, have given the Red Devils some crucial momentum to build on coming into a congested run of games.

One man who has enjoyed a bright start to his career at Old Trafford is Denmark international Hojlund. Brought in from Atalanta, Hojlund has notched three goals in his opening nine appearances for the club, with all of his strikes coming in the Champions League (Hojlund statistics – Transfermarkt).

Man Utd; Rasmus Hojlund latest

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed an Man Utd update on Hojlund and how his start is viewed within the walls of Old Trafford, detailing that the Red Devils are pleased by his progress and excited by his "incredible potential". Speaking to Give Me Sport, Romano said:

"They are very, very happy. They believe that they signed an important player for the present and also the future. They know very well – and we also know here in Italy because we saw him at Atalanta – that this boy has incredible potential. He needs to play, but he also needs to improve and fight, so it will take time. But the potential is really, really important."

Despite having yet to break his duck in the Premier League, the signs have been there for Hojlund, evidenced by the fact that he has averaged around 1.8 shots per outing for Manchester United (Hojlund statistics – WhoScored).

Hojlund appears to have a considerable amount of potential and may continue to learn the ropes over the course of 2023/24 with regular game time, which Manchester United fans will hope can help him find the back of the net regularly in the English top flight.