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Ernest Hilaire, the West Indies board’s new chief executive, has stressed on the importance of moving forward in the contracts dispute with the West Indies Players Association (WIPA)

Cricinfo staff18-Sep-2009Ernest Hilaire, the West Indies board’s new chief executive, has stressed on the importance of moving forward in the contracts dispute with the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) and said the two bodies must accept the arbitrator’s decision as final.”Let the arbitrator or arbitrators decide once and for all what the positions are and each party agrees to abide by that and let’s move forward,” Hilaire, who takes office in October, said this week in an interview on HTS Television, a St Lucia-based channel. “You cannot move forward if you don’t speak to your partners involved and I think we have to find a way to do so.”Hilaire takes over during a crisis period in West Indies cricket, which has been rocked by the contracts issue. The withdrawal of several senior players has already crippled the national team, which recently lost to Bangladesh at home, and the matter is now being mediated by the CARICOM, the region’s political leadership. The WICB vice-president Dave Cameron has already hinted that the CARICOM’s recommendations, which include senior players making themselves available for selection for regional tournaments, are just recommendations and the board has the final say.However Hilaire said he looked forward to the challenge and would try to ensure that West Indies cricket’s state of affairs improved dramatically. “It is an ideal opportunity to go in there and to assist in the re-organisation and the development of West Indies cricket and it is something which I actually look forward to.”Jamaica Cricket Association president Paul Campbell also said the board should look to engage with the WIPA instead of fighting with it.

Phillip Hughes doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration to regain his place in Australia’s Test team

Cricinfo staff27-Oct-2009Phillip Hughes doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration to regain his place in Australia’s Test team. When he takes the field next week for New South Wales’ first game of the Sheffield Shield season he will be alongside Simon Katich, who fought his way back into the Test side through sheer weight of domestic runs.Katich was axed soon after the 2005 Ashes defeat and focused on piling up scores for New South Wales. Having lost his place following the second Test of this year’s Ashes series, Hughes knows that prolific scoring for the Blues would give him his best chance of a Test comeback in the short term.”It was when I first started playing for New South Wales that Katto came back [to the state side],” Hughes told the . “The season that he had after that all happened was phenomenal.”He just got runs, on top of runs, on top of runs – in all forms of the game and he got back in there. The focus is to get runs and to try and win games for New South Wales and if you are putting your name up there you never know what’s at the back end of that.”Hughes was surprised when told that the chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch had advised Shane Watson, who replaced Hughes during the Ashes, to retain his versatility rather than committing himself entirely to the opening role. Hilditch also said the selectors would look to reintroduce Hughes “once he’s back to form”, so the incentive is there for Hughes to start the summer well.”I’d love to get back, but for now the main focus is to enjoy my cricket for New South Wales in all three forms of the game,” Hughes said. “That’s what I’ll be doing. I will get back into training and go from there. What’s happened has happened and I am taking it day by day and not looking too far ahead because if you do, things can happen.”Hughes doesn’t have long to prove he is back to form – New South Wales play two Sheffield Shield games before the first Test against West Indies – but he has started the season well with 202 runs at 40.40 in the Champions League Twenty20. It placed him third on the tournament tally and he was instrumental in the Blues’ triumphant campaign, but he said the squad needed to move on from the multi-million-dollar payday.”We have to put that behind us,” Hughes said. “There’s a one-day game on Sunday and we get back into training in a day, so we have a day off and get back into it with the New South Wales Blues. It’s a big season ahead and I can’t wait to get out there.”

It’s been a frustrating few years for Queens Park Rangers as they’ve quickly had to accept mid-table mediocrity since their relegation from the Premier League in 2015.

Over the last six seasons, the west London outfit have only finished in the top 10 of the Championship on one occasion, largely owing to the owners reducing investment in the club. However, their change of approach to try and achieve success through more organic and efficient means has certainly had some positive effects as well.

No longer is the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium home to a plethora of washed-up, big-name players looking for a final payday. Instead, it homes a host of talented homegrown footballers who are hungry to impress.

Eberechi Eze is the most famous example of QPR’s fresh approach, with the highly-rated youngster moving to Crystal Palace for a sizeable fee last summer before illustrating his credentials on the biggest of stages.

The R’s next academy graduate capable of following a similar career path is continuing to light up the Championship on a regular basis.

Since making his first team debut back in 2017, Ilias Chair has established himself as one of the division’s most exciting and promising talents, bagging 20 goals and providing 18 assists in 124 QPR appearances.

The 24-year-old’s eye-catching displays have earned him two caps for Morocco and plenty of praise from several plaudits, including Ryan Dilks.

“Ilias Chair, in particular, looked great,” said the podcaster after a devasting performance from the player against Nottingham Forest last season.

“The issue with him last season was, we saw glimpses of brilliance, but he’d do it once every three games – but if he gets going, he could be quality this season. I know it’s a lot of praise, but if he does build some consistency, he could be their Ebere Eze from this season, couldn’t he?”

It seems as though Chair has taken his game to another level this time around. In just 17 outings for Mark Warburton’s charges in 2021/22, the midfielder has found the back of the net on six occasions, providing a further four assists for his teammates.

His exploits for both club and country have seen his market value rise to £3.6m, and with his current contract not set to expire until the summer of 2025, that figure is only set to rise.

It remains to be seen where the £11,000-per-week magician’s long-term future lies, but whether he stays or goes, QPR have certainly struck gold over the youngster who they signed for free.

If he chooses to stay loyal to the Hoops, then Chair could be the catalyst to fire them back to the Premier League, while his potential exit is likely to generate a sizeable income. Either way, QPR chiefs will surely be delighted with the outcome.

In other news… Sold for £5.04m, now worth £1.8m: QPR sealed big transfer masterclass in 29 y/o flop

Flocking to Twitter, a number of Manchester United fans have erupted over a claim involving manager Ralf Rangnick amid speculation regarding Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Norwegian is back under mounting pressure at Old Trafford after they succumbed to a 2-0 derby day defeat at home to bitter rivals Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s side took the bragging rights across Manchester with an early Eric Bailly own goal and a Bernardo Silva strike ultimately securing their deserved win.

Barring a snapshot from Cristiano Ronaldo, Ederson was never truly threatened in the City goal, and United’s manner of defeat has placed yet more question marks on Solskjaer’s future at the club.

The Red Devils boss is rapidly running out of time to get the very best out of his star-studded squad as more managerial rumours emerge after yesterday’s loss.

According to Bild journalist Christian Falk, a reputable German source, out-of-work manager Ralf Rangnick is apparently interested in taking the job at Old Trafford.

Credited with being the godfather of gegenpressing, influencing the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann (ESPN), he emerges as an interesting option should the club decide to sack Solskjaer.

Flocking to this claim, it’s safe to say that many United fans are excited as Rangnick’s name enters contention, with one supporter believing that it would be a “big” appointment – check out some of their best verdicts below.

Man United fans flock to Rangnick claim…

“Wow interesting”

Credit: @aimanzfrn

“SOMEONE HOLD ME”

Credit: @MrKartShyam

“Big W”

Credit: @andomthoughtss

“let’s goooooo”

Credit: @akuma_26

“I hope this is real news.”

Credit: @thetseven

“Yesssssss this and then making him DOF when we find our next manager”

Credit: @MMVHird

“I’m on my knees pls”

Credit: @UtdCavani07

“He would be class. Get him in and see what it looks like to have a true tactician of the game. Pressing triggers, move the ball quick from front to back, recruitment, etc. he’d be perfect.”

Credit: @CalebMUFC99

In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘Legendary’, ‘Can’t believe my eyes’…Man United fans erupt over official announcement, find out more here.

Doug Bollinger is desperate to prove himself as international cricketer after stepping in to Australia’s injury-depleted attack in India

Cricinfo staff04-Nov-2009Doug Bollinger is desperate to prove himself as international cricketer after stepping in to Australia’s injury-depleted attack in India. And Bollinger made a good start, grabbing 3 for 38 in Monday’s ODI in Mohali to help Australia level the series with a 24-run victory.Bollinger has had to show immense patience over the past couple of years after going on Australia’s Test tours of the West Indies, India and South Africa without breaking into the team. His only Test was against South Africa at the SCG this year and before this tour, three ODIs in the UAE completed the list of his games for Australia.But a run of injuries to Australia’s key fast men has given Bollinger an opportunity in India, and he intends to make the most of it. The squad began without Nathan Bracken and then lost Brett Lee and James Hopes mid-series, which meant Bollinger has had to step up over the past two games.”Nobody wants to see anyone injured, especially Brett who’s got 300 Test wickets and 300 one-day wickets … but someone’s injury is someone’s opportunity,” Bollinger told AAP. “I wish him all the best but I’ve tried to put my best foot forward and say ‘this is my time’, and I’ve tried to grab it as much as I can to try and make my own way through.”Bollinger bowled tightly in Delhi, where his ten overs cost 26 runs, and his three wickets in Mohali have helped make him a key member of the attack for the remainder of the series. It helped that he was already accustomed to the Indian conditions after playing for New South Wales in the Champions League Twenty20.”The Champions League was a great stepping stone to this tournament because I’d bowled a bit over in Delhi and Hyderabad,” he said. “I’m fit and well at the moment and I think I’m starting to climb a bit higher with my confidence in international cricket, and just in cricket in general.”

Aston Villa have been dealt a big injury blow ahead of their upcoming Premier League clash.

What’s the latest?

According to a recent report by Birmingham Live, after sitting out Zimbabwe’s World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia last weekend due to a groin strain, the 27-year-old is now a doubt for Steven Gerrard’s first game in the Aston Villa dugout against Brighton & Hove Albion this Saturday.

The report goes on to state that the defensive midfielder is set to be assessed ahead of the weekend’s clash, however, at present, it looks unlikely that the former Club Brugge man will be available for selection for the visit of the Seagulls.

Gerrard will be gutted

While Nakamba had not exactly been a guaranteed starter under the leadership of Dean Smith, with the midfielder being selected from the off in just three Premier League fixtures this season, the absence of the 27-year-old will nevertheless come as a blow to Gerrard, who will be gutted to have already lost a first-team member to injury before even taking charge of a match.

And, while the £6.3m-rated man has not had much of a chance to impress this term, he did turn in a decent display over his 63 minutes on the pitch in the club’s most recent fixture, making two tackles, one interception, blocking two shots and winning four duels against Southampton – with these returns seeing him earn a SofaScore match rating of 7.00.

Furthermore, with Gerrard favouring a three-man midfield during his time at Rangers, it would seem likely that the 41-year-old will look to set Villa up in the same fashion going forwards, meaning that Nakamba will more than likely be much more involved in games than under the leadership of Smith, potentially even becoming a key figure.

As such, the injury to the £32.5k-per-week midfielder will come as a blow to the former England international, who will undoubtedly be hoping to get his tenure at Villa off to a win against Brighton.

In other news: Purslow must sanction AVFC move for “outstanding” £18k-p/w ace, Gerrard would love him

Travis Birt has been recalled to Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield squad and has also been handed the gloves for the FR Cup

Cricinfo staff11-Nov-2009The batsman Travis Birt has been recalled to Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield squad and has also been handed the gloves for the side’s FR Cup game against New South Wales on Sunday. Birt will replace Brady Jones in the limited-overs side for the fixture at North Sydney Oval while Rhett Lockyear, a late call-up for the clash with Victoria last Saturday, was a certainty to retain his place following his 111 in the defeat.Birt’s spot in the Shield team comes at the expense of the allrounder James Faulkner as the Tigers prepare to take on a star-filled New South Wales outfit at the SCG from Tuesday. Michael Clarke could be back and Brett Lee is also keen to prove his fitness in an effort to return to Test action. Jones keeps his spot in the four-day side and should continue to be the first-choice gloveman until Tim Paine’s broken finger mends.Tasmania FR Cup squad Rhett Lockyear, Michael Dighton, Ed Cowan, George Bailey (capt), Travis Birt (wk), James Faulkner, Luke Butterworth, Wade Irvine, Jason Krejza, Brendan Drew, Brett Geeves, Xavier Doherty.Tasmania Sheffield Shield squad Ed Cowan, Jonathan Wells, Alex Doolan, George Bailey (capt), Dan Marsh, Travis Birt, Luke Butterworth, Jason Krejza, Brendan Drew, Brett Geeves, Brady Jones (wk), Tim Macdonald.

An update has emerged regarding the situation of Rangers transfer target Siriki Dembele at Peterborough heading into January.

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Gers are one of the clubs who are interested in a deal for the English Championship forward, alongside Glasgow rivals Celtic and London outfit Fulham.

The report claims that Peterborough are ready to cash in on him for £4m in January, as he will be a free agent at the end of the campaign having rejected a contract offer to extend his deal.

Imagine him & Kent

New Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst must look to take advantage of Dembele’s contract situation in East Anglia by snapping him up in the January transfer window. He is valued at £4m by the Championship club, but the Dutchman and Ross Wilson could potentially agree a pre-contract deal with the forward and then use that as leverage to secure a cheaper deal in the winter.

If Rangers can get Dembele to put pen to paper on a pre-contract deal, then they can go to Peterborough and offer them a reduced fee to give them the chance to recoup a fee for the forward’s services. Otherwise, they will lose him for nothing at the end of the season.

Van Bronckhorst could land a dream wing pairing by signing Dembele, as he could form an exciting partnership with Ryan Kent out wide. The 25-year-old has four goals and one assist in the Championship this season, but his form in League One last term showed huge promise as he found the back of the net 11 times and racked up 10 assists as Posh won promotion to the second tier.

Earlier this year, Peterborough chief Barry Fry hailed the attacker’s ‘dazzling’ ability on the ball. He told Football FanCast: “Siriki can get the ball in his own half and with dazzling dribbling ability, he can beat four or five players and score a wonder goal or cross it for somebody else to score.

“He’s very, very exciting. He’s got the best stats outside the [English] Premier League, I think. We’ll try to keep hold of him if we go up, and we’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse! So watch this space.”

This provides an insight into the type of player he is, with the winger able to embark on dribbling runs past several players whilst also having the end product to produce goals and assists. Meanwhile, Kent has a similar style out wide for Rangers, as he averaged 1.9 dribbles per game last season along with his 10 goals and nine assists.

Therefore, they could combine to form an exciting wide pairing for the Gers with their dribbling ability and end product in the final third. This is why Van Bronckhorst must ensure that he can get a deal over the line for Dembele in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Big blow: Rangers suffer setback as behind-the-scenes news emerges, fans surely gutted…

Mike Young has been appointed the Indian team’s fielding consultant for a three-week period

Nagraj Gollapudi04-Dec-2009Mike Young, formerly with the Australian team, has been appointed India’s fielding consultant for the limited-overs leg of the home series against Sri Lanka and will join the team on Sunday.”This is just a consultancy contract with the BCCI, not a coaching assignment,” Young told Cricinfo hours before boarding the flight from Brisbane to India on Friday.Young, primarily a baseball coach, has been involved with the Australian team as a fielding consultant for the past nine years. His most recent contract with Cricket Australia ended after Australia’s ODI series in India in October. Before returning to Australia, Young met India’s coach Gary Kirsten and then decided to take up the offer. “Gary and I spoke after the series was over in India. I would not speak to anybody before that because I was still contracted to Cricket Australia,” he said.India have been without a fielding coach since the BCCI sacked Robin Singh days before the Australia series. Robin and Venkatesh Prasad, the bowling coach, appointed from India’s tour of Bangladesh in 2007 on a retainer basis, were offered no explanation for their termination. Subsequent reports in the media, quoting various sources, indicated a growing concern over India’s fielding standards that led to Robin’s ouster.Young comes to the new job with strong credentials. He is well-known for his radical methods and is the brain behind Australia’s quicksilver fielding, which has played an integral role in their success this decade. But Young said he would only be involved in training the players and not in developing team strategies. “My role with the team is specific and will only consist of teaching fielding practices and philosophies, I will not be involved in any other aspect of the team i.e. match strategy, player evaluation,” he said.Young will return to Australia on December 27 after the Sri Lanka series and is not willing to talk about a long-time role with the Indian team. “Whatever the future may hold is totally rumour at this stage,” he said.

Flocking to Twitter, some Liverpool fans were left unimpressed with the performance of Takumi Minamino against FC Porto on Wednesday night.

Jurgen Klopp’s side made it five wins out of five in the Champions League as they continued their dominance over Group B, and some rarely-selected Reds were handed a chance to impress.

Liverpool’s teenage midfielder Tyler Morton, making his European debut against the Portuguese giants, was one of a few players to be gifted a rare nod by Klopp.

Despite their rotated team in parts, the Merseysiders ran out out 2-0 winners on the night courtesy of second half goals from Thiago Alcantara and Mohamed Salah.

One man who also got a chance was Minamino, who has started just three games in all competitions since coming back from a loan spell at Southampton last season.

Liverpool fans unimpressed…

Upon the Japan forward’s return to the starting XI, it’s safe to say that many Liverpool fans don’t think he grasped his opportunity, criticising his performance on social media.

According to SofaScore, the largely anonymous 26-year-old took just 33 touches all game, considerably fewer than goalkeeper Alisson managed (51) over the 90 minutes. Also, out of every Liverpool starter on the night, Minamino ranked as SofaScore’s lowest-rated Red with a 6.7/10 score, highlighting his relatively ineffective display.

Having zero shots on goal and winning none of his aerial duels, it’s understandable why numerous Liverpool supporters believe he didn’t have the best of nights, with one Kopite describing him as “average”.

Check out some of their Twitter verdicts below:

“Chamberlain, Origi, Minamino add nothing to that Liverpool team, need to sell quick, Thiago goal something else though”

Credit: @barry_mckeever

“Tsimikas should be the starting LB, Matip is comfortably our 2nd best CB, Morton held his own in a big game, Salah can still score even whilst playing bad, Thiago is world class, Minamino is average”

Credit: @lfcd25

“The last 10 mins with Minamino and Origi is telling me that January is going to be very long without Salah and Mane”

Credit: @adzz_s

“Disasterclass”

Credit: @LFCDan92

“Only real negative was Minamino, thought the lad was horrific and we are in trouble if we have to rely on him when Salah and Mane are away at AFCON”

Credit: @Corballyred

“Minamino needs to be given away on a free, not half the player that made VVD sit”

Credit: @Ernray

In other news: ‘If he leaves, I riot’ – Fabrizio Romano’s tweet about one ‘magnificent’ LFC star gets a lot of fans talking