Category Uncategorized

The CoA has put out a directive on the BCCI website, saying the office bearers cannot take any decisions independently without its permission

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Mar-2017The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) has reiterated to the BCCI office bearers that it remains in charge of the Indian board.On Sunday, the CoA put out a directive on the BCCI website, saying the office bearers cannot take any decisions independently without its permission. Also, any decision reached by any of the BCCI committees will not be binding unless the CoA had given it approval.This fresh communique, the CoA said, was necessitated by the court order on March 24, which clarified that an office bearer could hold nine-year terms at the BCCI and state association separately.That meant virtually all the existing BCCI office bearers could continue in their position. These included Amitabh Choudhry (joint-secretary), Anirudh Chaudhry (treasurer) and at least three of the five vice-presidents – CK Khanna (central zone), TC Mathew (west), Goutam Roy (east).According to the CoA, three office beaers – Choudhry, Chaudhry and Khanna – had filed petitions asking the court to offer clarity on their powers. On January 2 the court had removed the pair of Anurag Thakur (BCCI president) and Ajay Shirke (secretary) for failing to comply with the Lodha Committee recommendations.Till the BCCI elected a fresh administration based on the Lodha Committee recommendations, the court said the most senior BCCI vice-president would be in charge of the board while the joint-secretary would be the acting secretary. Consequently Khanna, who is the most senior vice-president in terms of his tenure, thought he was eligible to be the acting president while Choudhry would take over as acting secretary.As far as the CoA is concerned, though, it is clear about the court giving it the authority to supervise and control the BCCI. “Each of the existing office bearers shall be bound to act in accordance with the instructions of the Committee of Administrators and/or shall discharge their duties only with the prior written approval of the Committee of Administrators,” the COA said in its directive. “Any actions already taken by any of the existing office bearers after the order dated 24th March 2017 shall immediately be intimated in writing by the concerned office bearer(s) to the Committee of Administrators for their permission and shall be continued/proceeded with only after written permission for the same is granted by the Committee of Administrators.”The existing office bearers shall not make any statements, representations or commitments on behalf of the BCCI to any third party including to Government, Court, Tribunal, regulatory authority, media or any cricket body or organisation without the prior written approval of the Committee of Administrators.”Over the weekend there have been unconfirmed reports about some of the BCCI members – state associations – thinking of calling a special general meeting on April 9. Despite repeated diktats from the court, the state associations have remained resolute about not adopting the Lodha Committee recommendations and have filed fresh counter petitions. The CoA has submitted two status reports in the court on the “intransigence” of the state associations.To rein in the rebelling, the CoA issued a stern message. “In order for any action/decision (including without limitation any action/decision taken by any Committee or the General Body) to be valid and binding on the BCCI, the same must be taken with the prior approval of the Committee of Administrators.”According to the CoA, going forward all payments would need the “joint approval” of the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and Choudhry. In case one of them did not approve or failed to sign off on any payment within three days of the other doing it, the CoA would make the final decision. Johri had been given the complete authority to sign all decisions concerning legal issues of the BCCI. It was also pointed out that both Johri and the Santosh Rangnekar, the BCCI’s chief financial officer, will report to the CoA and not the office bearers.

Josko Gvardiol has fully agreed personal terms with Manchester City and negotiations between the clubs over a fee are now very advanced as well.

How much will Gvardiol cost?

Gvardiol won't be cheap due to him showing outstanding ability at the highest level of the game at just 21-years-old. With a market value of €75million (£64.5m), even a deal on the low end of what RB Leipzig could ask for will require City chiefs to open their wallet.

While the higher reports have seen the German side asking for around €100m (£86m), a figure that would make him the most expensive defender ever, any sale would represent a huge profit on the €18.8m (£16m) which Leipzig spent on the Croatian in the summer of 2021.

It has previously been reported that Gvardiol is "keen to join" the treble winners according to journalist Rudy Galetti, and according to CalcioMercato, via Sport Witness, he is now a step closer to the move transpiring.

The report discloses that the versatile centre-back has a total "agreement" with the Blues over personal terms. Adding to this, all that is needed now is to complete the negotiations over a fee, which are said to be "already very advanced".

This likely means a transfer for Gvardiol should be expected sooner rather than later as Pep Guardiola looks to continue his incredible success for the blue side of Manchester.

How good is Gvardiol?

Being a young player who is already playing at such a high level, Gvardiol has had his flowers given to him multiple times already.

BBC Sport's Zach Lowy labelled Gvardiol as a "Rolls-Royce of a defender" at the World Cup last year, continuing: "20 years old and the best player on the pitch in a match that featured Kevin De Bruyne and Luka Modrić…sensational center back."

This wasn't the only example of high praise, with Gvardiol's national team boss Zlatko Dalic singing his praises throughout the winter tournament.

Dalic said: “Gvardiol is the best centre-back in the world. To play this maturely, it’s amazing. The way he plays, with what elegance he carries the ball.”

Meanwhile, football talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed the 6 foot 1 Croatian as the "[Erling] Haaland of defenders", likely due to his mixture of physical dominance, technical ability, promising potential and already demonstrated his class at a high level.

Should City complete a deal for Gvardiol, he would definitely be of the required standard to slot in and improve Guardiola's champions – a scary prospect for the rest of the league.

Leicester City are looking for a new permanent manager following their relegation from the Premier League this season, and a former Liverpool legend is among the names of the shortlist.

The Foxes could begin their summer rebuild by appointing former Aston Villa and Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, as per journalist Tom Collomosse.

Will Steven Gerrard become Leicester manager?

Gerrard has been without a club since he was sacked by Villa back in October after less than a year in charge.

The Liverpool native was dismissed after a poor run of form to start the season and was replaced by former Arsenal manager Unai Emery who later helped guide Villa to a place in next season’s Europa Conference League.

The former Reds captain had a successful stint in Scotland and helped guide Rangers to their Scottish title in ten years back in 2021 before his move to Villa Park.

Gerrard is one of a number of names on the shortlist to take over at the King Power Stadium, which includes current interim boss Dean Smith, former Fulham and AFC Bournemouth head coach Scott Parker and current Manchester City assistant coach Enzo Maresca.

Leicester could face competition from fellow-relegated side Leeds, who The Mail claim are also interested in offering Gerrard a role as head coach. Leeds are looking for a new manager following Sam Allardyce’s departure.

Would Steven Gerrard be a good Leicester City manager?

Although the former England midfielder had some success in his time in Glasgow, Leicester fans may be concerned at a lack of experience on the part of the manager could hinder their chances of promotion back to the Premier League.

Gerrard has only held two senior managerial posts.

The Liverpool legend managed the U18 and U19 teams at the club for which he made over 500 league appearances before landing the job at Ibrox.

But the 43-year-old's spell at Villa will be what concerns Leicester fans the most.

Jordan Campbell of The Athletic has described Gerrard’s managerial style as “repetitive' and that 'it leaves fans cold'. Campbell argues that even before his tenure at Rangers ended, there was a 'distinct feeling that things had gone stale.'

Former Premier League manager Neil Warnock told talkSPORT in October:

“I think it’s hard for him to relate to fans at times”.

“I just think sometimes you’ve got to get on board with the fans a little bit more and become almost one of them.”

Comments like these will worry Leicester fans ahead of a managerial appointment of huge significance as the club look to rebound immediately to England’s top division.

Leeds United chiefs have internally discussed out-of-work manager Scott Parker as the Whites continue their search for Sam Allardyce's replacement.

Who could Leeds appoint as manager?

Following relegation from the Premier League, Leeds face an almighty task to find the perfect successor to Allardyce, who has left Elland Road by mutual consent.

It's been a season to forget for Leeds, who saw three different managers take the helm last campaign in Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Allardyce – but none could steer them away from the Championship.

FC Lorient boss Regis Le Bris and West Brom's Carlos Corberan, among others, are reportedly in contention to replace Allardyce at Leeds, though hiring either boss could be difficult given their currently employed status.

Free agent managers could be a solution and there are plenty around, with former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard being linked with a move to Yorkshire.

Reliable journalist Phil Hay, writing in a piece for The Athletic, claims Leeds have internally discussed hiring another manager on the market in Parker.

The 42-year-old, who has previously managed the likes of Fulham and Club Brugge, is indeed a candidate among the Leeds hierarchy.

“Scott Parker has been discussed on the basis he won promotion from the Championship twice before, with Fulham and Bournemouth," Hay wrote."Leicester City are another possible destination for him.”

Hay also explains that Leeds wanted to take their time and draw up a viable shortlist of candidates before formally approaching any manager.

“Last week, Leeds’ chief executive, Angus Kinnear, began assessing and approaching potential managerial candidates with a view to establishing whether they were interested and what their demands would be.“The club wanted to be in a position where a viable shortlist was in place for the moment a formal offer could be made.”

Who is Scott Parker?

The ex-West Ham and Tottenham midfielder, despite being unceremoniously sacked by Brugge most recently, has actually received glowing praise from elite managers like Pep Guardiola for some of his work.

Guardiola has previously called Parker an "innovative" manager when discussing England's most promising up-and-coming coaches.

Tottenham defender Ryan Sessegnon also holds the tactician in very high esteem, having sung his praises back in 2021 to talkSPORT:

"Everyone knows the relationship I have with Scott. He’s a top guy, top man and a top coach. He’s just an all-round great guy," explained Sessegnon."He obviously has a philosophy of play and sticks to it and all the players are buying into that. Recently, it hasn’t been so good for them in terms of results, but I think the performances and effort is still there."

Leeds United will likely need a new goalscorer in the summer transfer window if they want to secure an instant return to the Premier League.

Sunday's 4-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur saw them relegated without much fight and a summer exodus from Elland Road now seems likely.

One man who could depart the Yorkshire outfit is 32-year-old forward Rodrigo, who enjoyed a fine individual season despite Leeds' return to the second tier, hitting 13 goals and one assist in the Premier League.

Aston Villa have been linked with the Spaniard who seems a prime candidate to depart, as the statistics from this season suggest that he is far too good a player to be playing in the Championship.

One man who could replace Rodrigo at Elland Road is Honduran forward Luis Palma, who has been linked with a move to Leeds in recent weeks.

Could Leeds sign Luis Palma?

According to Diez, both Burnley and Leeds are interested in signing the 23-year-old after a fine season with Aris Saloniki in the Greek Super League.

The young striker has notched an impressive 13 goals and eight assists in 36 appearances this term, which is more goal contributions than anyone in Leeds' squad, while he also has experience playing in the Europa Conference League.

Aris manager Apostolos Terzis was full of praise for Palma after his goals helped the Greek side secure a spot in Europe again for next season, something which may make it harder for Leeds to prise him away in the upcoming transfer window.

He said: "Luis has done that all season. He has been a huge player for us. We know there has been a lot of interest in him and it's not surprising.”

Capable of playing anywhere across the attack, the Honduras international could easily fill the void that will likely be left by Rodrigo, provided he can bring his goalscoring form with him to Elland Road this summer.

With Patrick Bamford's fitness still questionable and club-record signing Georginio Rutter enduring a torrid few months at the club which saw him muster just one start, a new senior striker could well be a priority for whichever manager succeeds Sam Allardyce this summer.

Bamford has shown his class in the Championship in the past but looked a shadow of his former self this term, managing just four goals in the top flight despite registering an expected goals tally of 9.77.

Although youngsters such as Joe Gelhardt and Sonny Perkins will both be hoping to make the step up into the first team, a more experienced goalscorer may be required if Leeds want to bounce back at the first time of asking, and Palma could be the ideal man for Andrea Radrizzani to sign, should he remain at the club this summer.

Everton head into the final matchday of the 2022/23 Premier League campaign knowing that a win against Bournemouth will be enough to achieve safety.

The Toffees are in 17th place and two points clear of the relegation zone as they host the Cherries at Goodison Park on Sunday and this means that they can avoid the drop by either doing their job or by Leicester and Leeds failing to win their matches against West Ham and Tottenham respectively.

It has been a disappointing season for the club, even if they remain in the division, as they have flirted with the bottom three throughout the year, yet there have been some bright sparks – one of which has been the signing of Dwight McNeil.

The forward arrived from Burnley last summer and has been one of the team's standout performers. He is the club's top goalscorer – with seven strikes – and has three more than any other Everton player in the Premier League.

Sean Dyche could now use the upcoming summer transfer window, assuming Sunday goes smoothly, to find McNeil a dream striker to work with at the top end of the pitch.

The head coach could unearth that player by swooping to sign reported transfer target Chuba Akpom from Middlesbrough in the coming months.

How has Chuba Akpom performed this season?

In the Championship, the 27-year-old caught the eye with his impressive goalscoring exploits as an attacking midfielder and as a striker for Michael Carrick's side.

He plundered a staggering 28 goals and two assists in 35 starts, which included nine goals in 14 appearances as a number nine, in the division and averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.14.

Middlesbrough reportedly want a fee in the region of £15m for the attacker, whose season was described as "remarkable" by journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, and Everton could take a gamble on him being able to translate his form in the second tier over to the Premier League.

The ex-Arsenal man scored those 28 goals from 21.9 xG and this illustrates the Englishman's exceptional finishing quality as he was able to outperform the quality of chances he was being provided with.

This could make him a dream partner for McNeil at Everton as the former Clarets star has been let down by his teammates in the Premier League this season.

The 23-year-old, who has scored seven goals in the top flight, has created 5.9 xAG (Expected Assisted Goals) and been rewarded with three assists, which means that his fellow attackers have not been able to make the most of the opportunities he has put on a plate for them.

Akpom could, therefore, be a welcome addition to the squad for McNeil as the winger would finally have a player with the finishing ability to convert the chances being created by the winger's crossing and passing in the final third.

Instead of the current Everton attackers consistently missing their shots after receiving the ball from the young forward, the Middlesbrough star could punish opposition teams and thrive off the service that could be provided to him.

The BCB has named a 24-member High Performance squad that will begin training from July 17 at the National Cricket Academy in Mirpur. It will be the first assignment for new High Performance coach Simon Helmot, who was appointed earlier this month.Apart from the initial fitness and skill training phases, the HP squad is likely to work under specialist coaches and undertake a tour in September.Seven players including Saqlain Sajib are in the squad for the second consecutive year. Saqlain is also one of two international players in the squad, the other being left-arm paceman Abu Hider.Abdul Mazid, Al Amin, Mehedi Maruf, Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Sunzamul Islam have been included on the back of a good DPL season. There are also six players who have graduated from the Under-19 team.ESPNcricinfo has learned that Noor Hossain and Tanveer Haider have been included because of Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha’s affinity towards legspinners, though Tanveer is mainly a batsman.Mahedi Hasan, who struck a century on the first day of the Dhaka Premier League, has also been included among the spinners. Paceman Ebadot Hossain is the only player to have no domestic experience. He appeared for City Club in Dhaka First Division Cricket League last season, but made a mark at the Robi Fast Bowler Hunt this year.2016 High Performance squad: Shadman Islam, Mehedi Maruf, Abdul Mazid, Mehedi Hasan, Saif Hassan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Al Amin, Tasamul Haque, Sunzamul Islam, Noor Hossain, Tanveer Haider, Saqlain Sajib, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Alauddin Babu, Ashikuzzaman, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Subashis Roy, Nur Alam, Abu Hider, Dewan Sabbir, Ebadot Hossain, Irfan Sukkur, Zakir Hasan

أصدر الاتحاد الكاميروني لكرة القدم، بيانًا رسميًا بشأن حالة نجم المنتخب، فينسنت أبو بكر، بعد انتشار تقارير صحفية تفيد إمكانية غيابه عن بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا بأكملها.

وتبدأ منافسات كأس أمم إفريقيا، نسخة 2023، في كوت ديفوار مساء اليوم وتستمر حتى يوم 11 فبراير المقبل.

وظهرت تقارير صحفية، أمس، تفيد أن أبو بكر تعرض لإصابة قوية ستجبره على الغياب عن البطولة الإفريقية بأكملها (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

ولكن الاتحاد الكاميروني نفى الأمر، في بيان رسمي، حيث قال: “خلال الجلسة التدريبية، اضطر فينسنت أبو بكر إلى قطع الجلسة بسبب آلام في فخذه الأيسر”.

وأضاف: “تم تقديم المساعدة اللازمة للاعب على الفور من قبل الفريق الطبي، وكشف التصوير بالرنين المغناطيسي عن مشكلة عضلية من الدرجة الأولى، وهو ما يمثل إصابة بسيطة لا تؤثر على مشاركة اللاعب في المسابقة”.

وواصل: “سيواصل أبو بكر استعداداته تحت إشراف طبي، ما يشير إلى عودته إلى المجموعة قريبًا جدًا”.

وأردف: “يتمتع كابتن الأسود التي لا تقهر، وهو أيضًا اللاعب الأكثر خبرة في الفريق، بروح معنوية عالية وعقلية حازمة، إنه مستعد لاتباع بروتوكولات العلاج بدقة للمشاركة في بطولة كأس الأمم الأفريقية 2023 في كوت ديفوار في أقرب فرصة، إلى جانب زملائه في الفريق”.

Former Aston Villa forward and pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has been reacting to the club’s reported interest in Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

What’s Agbonlahor had to say on Villa possibly signing Phillips?

Villa have seemingly been long-term admirers of Phillips which dates back to 2019 when he was with Leeds United in the Championship. Those at Villa Park were even looking at a move for the England international last summer, but as we know, he ended up moving to the Etihad Stadium.

Things haven’t exactly gone to plan for Phillips in Manchester, though, with the player yet to start a Premier League match this season. That has led to rumours of an exit this summer, with Villa once again showing a strong interest in a possible club record £45m transfer. It is thought that Unai Emery is after a “top-class signing capable of running the midfield”, and the Spaniard feels the 27-year-old fits the bill.

However, talking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor feels that Phillips would struggle to get into Emery’s first-choice XI, believing Boubacar Kamara “is a better player”.

“To be honest, I don’t think he starts. I think Kamara is a better player. “We’ve also got Luiz, Ramsey, McGinn. I think Villa are ok in central midfield, I really do.

“I don’t think Phillips starts in our midfield. With the price Man City would want for him, £45million – I just can’t see Villa being interested and following through with a deal.”

Should Villa look elsewhere?

As Agbonlahor mentions, Villa currently have a number of solid midfield options, players which Emery is getting the best out of which has resulted in a late push for European football.

NSWE are ready to back the manager with a “huge” budget which could involve the club record for a transfer being smashed, but writing a big cheque for Phillips could be a gamble given he has played just 390 minutes all season.

A new versatile midfielder could be of use to bolster Emery's ranks, with Valencia’s Andre Almeida another who has been linked with a move to the Midlands. The 22-year-old would provide a more attacking option over Phillips, with the Portuguese ace primarily a central midfielder who can turn out further forward or on the right.

However, a move for Phillips looks like it will once again be one to keep an eye on in what could be a busy few months ahead of Emery’s first full season.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has been left extremely excited after seeing Manchester United be linked with a possible summer transfer for Jude Bellingham.

What's the latest on Jude Bellingham and Man Utd?

It seems as though the Red Devils will inevitably be linked with a number of top talents from across the globe in the upcoming window as Erik ten Hag looks to further evolve his squad.

And Bellingham is one player likely to be wanted by a number of big clubs this summer. However, in a new update from David Ornstein, it was revealed that Liverpool are "increasingly unlikely" to land the Borussia Dortmund star.

The Reds were an expected destination for the midfielder but if Jurgen Klopp's men are out of the race, this could open the door for the Red Devils.

After all, ESPN recently reported interest in the player and this seems to have left Goldbridge hoping for the best.

Indeed, while speaking on The United Stand, he said: “That is absolutely perfect for Manchester United.

"He is exactly the sort of player that you would want. He can play the Casemiro role, but realistically he would be the [Christian] Eriksen player.

“He'd be the box to box. But imagine what somebody… I mean, how old is Jude Bellingham now? It felt like it was about 17 for years, but you know, is he 20? Is he 21? Is he 19?

"The reality is, he's young. You can't say he can't play the Casemiro role because if Erik ten Hag got ahold of him, imagine what he could do with him. He could turn him into a bloody right-back for all we know.

"But I mean, what a player Bellingham is. He’s got the lot."

Could Bellingham replace Eriksen at Man Utd?

Eriksen has made a pretty good impact in his debut season with the Red Devils, providing seven league assists and one goal in his first 19 outings.

However, ankle injury has prevented him from playing since February and serves as a reminder that the club can't be over-reliant on the 31-year-old in the long term.

Bellingham, on the other hand, would be a signing to bolster the Man Utd midfielder for the future. The teenager is still only 19 years old but already has 168 senior club appearances to his name with Dortmund and Birmingham before that – not to mention 22 caps with England.

With that in mind, it's not hard to see why Goldbridge is excited about this possible deal but even with Liverpool potentially out of the running, a transfer won't be easy with Real Madrid and Manchester City tipped as the more likely destinations.