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Pakistan’s captain Younis Khan has applauded Shahid Afridi for his Man-of-the-Match effort in the team’s comprehensive victory over New Zealand in the first ODI in Abu Dhabi

Cricinfo staff04-Nov-2009Pakistan’s captain Younis Khan has applauded Shahid Afridi for his Man-of-the-Match effort in the team’s comprehensive victory over New Zealand in the first ODI in Abu Dhabi. Afridi blasted 70 from 50 balls to help set up Pakistan’s 287 for 9 and then grabbed two wickets, including the key dismissal of Daniel Vettori, from consecutive balls in New Zealand’s chase.”He [Afridi] is a fantastic performer,” Younis said after the match. “The last couple of years he worked well with the bowling but now his batting is there so it’s good for Pakistan.”It was a complete professional performance led by the fantastic Afridi and [Kamran] Akmal. They changed the game after we were in trouble in the first ten overs.”There wasn’t much for New Zealand to celebrate in a match where they had Pakistan 0 for 2 but allowed a recovery and leaked 107 runs in the final ten overs. In reply, only three of New Zealand’s batsmen reached double figures and but for a 69-run stand between Vettori and Aaron Redmond, the result could have been even worse than the 138-run defeat.”We were on our way to restrict them to 220-230,” Vettori said. “But Afridi and Akmal batted very well and we strayed in the last 12 to 15 overs and in the batting Powerplay.”The win gives Pakistan an early lead in the three-match ODI series in Abu Dhabi before the sides head to Dubai for two Twenty20 internationals. Younis said it continued to be disappointing his team could not host matches in their own country.”Although we have a lot of supporters in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, we still need to play some games in Pakistan,” Younis said. “I hope that we’ll soon play again in Pakistan.”

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has delivered his verdict on Aston Villa boss Dean Smith’s future.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days and weeks have suggested that the Villa manager is coming under increased pressure following a difficult start to the Premier League that has seen the Midlands club lie in the bottom half of the table.

And now, Preece has suggested that the next two games in the Premier League – against West Ham and Southampton respectively – could hold the key.

He said: “Villa have lost five from nine so pressure’s beginning to mount on the boss, of course it is. Smith’s once-indestructible grip on the job loosened as soon as Wolves won it in stoppage time 10 days ago.

“I dread to think what could happen if Villa lose their next two before the international break, which will take them to seven defeats from 11. That simply cannot happen. The next two games are huge in terms of Villa’s season – even at this early stage.

“I do believe Smith’s the right man for the job. He must prove his credentials once again here, though. It’s down to the boss to get a huge reaction from his players now. They badly let him down at Arsenal after he backed them to the hilt in his pre-match presser.”

Make or break for Dean Smith

After picking up an impressive win away at Manchester United a few weeks ago, things have rapidly taken a turn for the worse for Smith and Villa.

They followed up that 1-0 victory at Old Trafford with three successive defeats in the Premier League, and the manner of each of those losses would be the real shock.

Spurs were in a bad spell of form themselves under Nuno Espirito Santo, the Wolves defeat came as a result of a truly remarkable late collapse after leading 2-0, and the Arsenal loss was galling for its first-half shambles.

It’s no surprise then that the pressure has well and truly ramped up on Smith, and if things don’t improve markedly in terms of both their performances and results, then he could well find himself being one of the Premier League’s early managerial casualties.

Villa fans will be concerned about their side heading into this weekend.

Meanwhile, Villa must sell this star amid rival interest…

Aston Villa should confirm a new partnership with Castore during the next fans’ consultation meeting, according to Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Castore rumours

Villa’s kits are currently designed by Kappa, however, their deal with the Italian sportswear brand is set to expire next year.

Rumours have recently emerged regarding Villa joining Newcastle and Wolves with a partnership with Castore.

Another of their high-profile clients are Rangers, the club Steven Gerrard recently left to take over at Villa Park, and Gerrard may well be seen in Castore attire once again next season.

The Latest: Preece’s claim

Preece ran a Q&A on Birmingham Live on Tuesday, where he was quizzed on a range of Villa-related topics.

One of those were on the Castore rumours, with Preece believing it should be confirmed in the next fans’ consultation meeting, with Castore offering huge sums.

“Hi Jamie! Yeah, seen that Castore development from over the weekend. It should be confirmed in the next fans’ consultation meeting but we’ll see. Adidas seemed the most-likely one, like you say, but Castore offering huge sums. All about the £££.”

The Verdict: Preece spot on…

Preece’s final line of his reply regarding money is what it may boil down to, so should Castore be the most lucrative offer on the table, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Villa form a partnership beginning next season.

Newcastle reportedly pocket £5m each season with the British manufacturer, and if Villa can strike a similar agreement, that money could be put towards paying big-money summer signing Leon Bailey for a whole year with change left over.

In other news: ‘Wow’ – Many AVFC fans stunned at ‘bonkers’ claim from Preece. 

Noel Whelan has revealed his excitement over Leeds United’s proposed expansion plans at Elland Road amid Phil Hay’s recent £250m claim.

What’s the story?

During a Q&A for The Athletic, Hay revealed that the club are completely committed to redeveloping Elland Road and increasing the capacity there, even suggesting that those inside the club feel it could bump up the annual revenue over £250m.

And now, in response to that news, Whelan has revealed his excitement about Marcelo Bielsa’s side’s future.

He said: “This would be huge. The demand for tickets at Leeds means everything is sold out. Even for League Cup games, you’ve got 36,000 there and that just shows the strength of the fanbase and the excitement around the club at the moment.

“It’s a massive step forward, for revenue through tickets and sheer strength in numbers with the support. If they increased the capacity to 55,000, they would sell it out week-in, week-out – there’s no doubt about it.

“The other part of it is the possibility of holding World Cups and European Championships in this country – you want the stadium to be part of hosting these games. It’s another step forward and another progression for the club.”

Leeds United’s ambition

With a current capacity of just over 37,000, Leeds have the 11th biggest stadium in the Premier League, behind the likes of Everton and Aston Villa – if their plans to make it a 55,000 seater come to fruition, then that would see them leapfrog a number of big clubs, including that of Liverpool and their home of Anfield.

While a larger stadium isn’t necessarily a guarantee of greater times or success – you only have to look at the likes of Arsenal and Spurs to see that in recent years – it is another major statement of ambition.

As Whelan says, a bigger home could lead to more opportunities both on the pitch and off it, especially in terms of a financial venture. Spurs for example have their agreement with the NFL and hosting games on their turf, pulling in some extra eyes and money from that deal.

If Leeds are to make that next step, then repurposing Elland Road to match their Premier League status and ambition is key, and it’s something that is sure to excite their loyal fans.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has dropped a Leeds United transfer update…

Former Juventus, Chelsea and Inter manager Antonio Conte has been linked with replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the Manchester United hot seat.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, United chiefs have started to hold Solskjaer’s future in doubt after a string of disappointing displays and poor results, with Conte the preferred option to take over the reins.

The report claims that the plan to bring the Italian tactician to Old Trafford is gathering pace amid growing discontent in the red half of Manchester and goes on to state that a deal could soon be done while the Red Devils remain in and around the top of the Premier League.

Some fans will be buzzing

Although Solskjaer has done a magnificent job during his time in charge of United, some of the club’s supporters will be buzzing at the prospect of Conte replacing the 48-year-old.

While the ex-Molde boss has overseen a successful squad rebuild, recorded consecutive top-four finishes for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired and brought through the likes of Mason Greenwood and Dean Henderson from United’s academy, he’s still failed to win any major silverware.

The 20-time English champions came close to ending their four-year wait for a major trophy last season before being defeated by Villarreal on penalties in the Europa League final, but a slow start to the current campaign has quickly changed the mood at the Theatre of Dreams.

A 4-2 defeat at the hands of Leicester City last time out condemned United to their fourth defeat of 2021/22 in all competitions, and with a tough run of fixtures ahead, things could get even worse for Solskjaer’s charges.

As a result, Conte has now entered the frame to replace the Scandinavian, and he could prove to be a controversial replacement if the club’s chiefs press ahead with his proposed appointment.

During his managerial career, the 52-year-old has won an abundance of major honours, including three Serie A titles with Juve, a Premier League and FA Cup crown with Chelsea and another Scudetto with Inter last season. With that in mind, some supporters would surely be elated at him joining the Red Devils.

However, he has never stayed in one job longer than three years, in part due to his fiery and confrontational character, something that may not be appealing to some United fans.

It remains to be seen whether Solskjaer can keep hold of his job over the coming weeks and months, but with tricky fixtures against Atalanta, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur up next, it could be a crucial period for the retired striker’s future prospects.

And, in other news…Report reveals concerning update over “quality” Man Utd maestro, Ole will be worried 

A journalist has now dropped a big blow to Newcastle United and their hopes of hiring Antonio Conte as their next manager.

The Lowdown: Conte linked

Conte has reportedly been linked with a move to St. James’ Park after the takeover by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium was completed.

With new owners now in the North East, Steve Bruce’s job is under threat, and him and Lee Charnley are expected to be casualties of the new regime.

The Latest: Conte stance

Duncan Wright from The Sun has now given an update on Conte and his link to Tyneside, revealing that he has “no interest” in managing the Magpies at this stage: “Not what NUFC fans may want to hear, but understand Conte has no interest in managerial job at this stage.”

He expands on this in his latest piece for The Sun, claiming that he wants his next job to be one at a team who are already in a position to genuinely challenge for titles.

Conte does not want to join a side with a long-term building programme, and an insider shared that he has “higher expectations” about his managerial career.

The Verdict: Shame

It would certainly be a shame if the Toon were to miss out on the chance to hire Conte as their next manager.

The Italian has a glittering CV, having ended the dominance of Juventus in the Serie A by winning the league title with Inter Milan last season, not to mention also having the added experience of managing in the Premier League before with Chelsea, again where he managed to win the league back in the 2016/17 term (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, the fact that they are even being linked with managers of his calibre just shows the kind of ambition that the new owners seemingly have.

In other news, find out which ‘proven winner’ NUFC are plotting a move for here!

Some Liverpool supporters have been left fuming that Curtis Jones is out of the Premier League clash with Watford after worsening an existing injury on international duty.

The 20-year-old has enjoyed an impressive start to the season for the Reds, helping fill the void left by Gini Wijnaldum.

Jones scored in the 3-3 draw away to Brentford last month and has also registered three assists, including two in the Champions League victory over Porto.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

With Fabinho, Thiago and Harvey Elliott all unavailable for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Watford, yet another injury blow in midfield could be catastrophic.

Unfortunately, that is the case, with Jurgen Klopp confirming in his Friday press conference [via Paul Joyce on Twitter] that Jones returned from England Under-21 duty with a groin issue and is also out.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-7/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Liverpool fans furious at Jones news

Needless to say, the news has been met with huge negativity by these Liverpool fans on Twitter.

“Oh God”

Credit: @Kopite_JC17

“They knew he had a knock and still played him”

Credit: @Luke_Vials

“End my suffering”

Credit: @obwild480

“This is an absolute disgrace. It was clear before the Andorra game he had an injury and they didn’t even do a scan and just played him? Gross negligence from an organisation full of absolute idiots. That’s all it’s ever been.”

Credit: @SportsEnthusi17

“So the midfield tomorrow is likely going be Hendo, Milner and Keita? We are in trouble tomorrow”

Credit: @shahabLFC

“When will it end?”

Credit: @JxcobLFC

In other news, some Liverpool fans have erupted at some ‘massive news’. Read more here.

كشفت صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية أن هناك اتفاقًا رسميًا قد تم التوصل له بين ناديي برشلونة وإشبيلية من أجل حسم صفقة مدافع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، جول كوندي، في الساعات القليلة الماضية.

وأكد التقرير أن كوندي سيصبح لاعبًا في نادي برشلونة وكل شيء أصبح جاهزًا والصفقة تمت ما عدا الاتفاق على الحوافز المتغيرة للصفقة ووضعها في بنود العقد.

اقرأ أيضًا.. نادٍ بلجيكي يكشف عن ظهور محمد صلاح الجديد

يبلغ الفرنسي الدولي من العمر 23 عامًا، سيرتدي قميص برشلونة وسيكون أحد الانتقالات المعتادة مع إشبيلية في السنوات الماضية كما كان الحالي مع داني ألفيس، سيدو كيتا وأدريانو، إيفان راكيتيتش وكليموه لينجليه.

كانت بداية كوندي في كرة القدم مع نادي بوردو ووصل إلى إشبيلية في عام 2019، ولعب 3 مواسم، شارك خلالهم في 134 مباراة وسجل 9 أهداف.

الفرنسي سيكون هو الصفقة السادسة لنادي برشلونة بعد روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، رافينها، أندرياس كريستنسن، فرانك كيسيه وبابلو توري.

Many Glasgow Rangers fans are livid with a tweet from The Daily Record in the latest twist of the Heart and Hand podcast affair.

Over the past few months, the Gers have made a decision to move away from their previous media agreements after issues with traditional outlets. They have chosen to charge publications up to £25,000 to receive full access to the club (The Daily Mail), while the Heart and Hand were made an official media partner of the 55-time Scottish champions.

However, that decision has backfired in the past few days after a number of sectarian and bigoted tweets from the podcast’s contributors were discovered by journalist Mark McGivern (The Scottish Sun).

In retaliation, some Rangers supporters have dug up tweets from The Daily Record writers which were in the same vein (Rangers News). The newspaper have now responded to confirm that there will be an investigation into the matter.

They have come out fighting on their official Twitter account with a tweet which attracted plenty of attention from Gers supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the Daily Record’s tweet

“Drain the swamp”

Credit: @55uperAlly

“Your staff who started this ridiculous historical witch hunt and who have now been found to be no better than themselves should show the same personal responsibility as the people they went after – and step down. If they do not, the decision should be made for them. Shameless.”

Credit: @Vengafish

“That will be the media passes suspended then? Naming them on the front page tomorrow are you? Nah didn’t think so, no credibility whatsoever”

Credit: @Faz_50

“Front page and a double page spread tomorrow I assume? Then a follow up story the next day? I mean that’s how it works, eh?”

Credit: @tagsbo

“They should be sacked !!! As this is what you called for with other organisations”

Credit: @NicoliarSturge1

“Name them on the front page with pics of them. Give them the same treatment you gave some podders. Make clear the sectarian bigotry/homophobia/racism they were involved in. Then you may get taken seriously”

Credit: @derekj79

In other news, this player is a doubt for Rangers’ clash against St Johnstone this weekend.

Jerome Taylor, the West Indies fast bowler, has been named Jamaica’s Cricketer of the Year 2008. Taylor, one of the leading bowlers in the side, was among the favourites for the award, and edged out his captain Chris Gayle.In six Tests this year, Taylor picked up 22 wickets at an average of 31.13 and in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka at home topped the wickets chart for West Indies with 11 wickets. In 14 ODIs this year, he has taken 22 wickets and scalped 10 wickets in the three matches he played in Jamaica’s victorious Carib Beer Series campaign.”It is a great feeling to be named as the player of the year in my country and receive this prestigious award,” Taylor said. “This is a wonderful feeling. Over the years playing for Jamaica I always gave of my best.”I would like to be seen as someone who always aims for the highest and is a good servant of this great game. This is a stepping stone for me. I am enjoying the award and looking forward to bigger things ahead.”Since Taylor is currently on the tour of New Zealand, the award was collected on his behalf by his Jamaica team-mate Brenton Parchment.”I played against a few of the New Zealanders before so I have an idea what they are like,” Taylor said. “I have seen some new players coming into their team so I will be doing my homework to assess them and see how best I can exploit any weaknesses.”