All posts by h716a5.icu

West Bromwich Albion have been dealt a huge blow to their chances of bringing Okay Yokuslu back to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Express & Star, which relayed recent comments made by the 27-year-old midfielder in which he confirmed that he would like to play his football in the Premier League as of next season.

The same outlet had reported previously that West Brom were interested in a deal to bring the Celta Vigo player to the club on a permanent basis this summer, following a highly impressive loan spell with the Baggies.

However, after their relegation to the Championship, and with Yokuslu being linked with a move to Leeds United, a deal now appears out of the question.

Speaking about his transfer situation, the midfielder said: “I have a contract with Celta Vigo for two more years. I don’t have clear information about the financial situation of the club.

“But frankly, they can put me up for transfer. I want to stay in the Premier League. I had a good season there. But we don’t know what will happen.”

Fans will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Yokuslu was for West Brom this season, the fact that the player appears to be unwilling to make a move to the Championship is sure to leave fans of the Baggies gutted.

Indeed, after arriving at the club on a loan deal back in February, the £6.75m-rated defensive midfielder went on to provide one assist and create one big chance for his teammates over his 16 Premier League appearances for Sam Allardyce’s side, as well as making an average of 2.2 interceptions, 2.4 tackles and two clearances per game.

As a result of these metrics, the £31k-per-week Turkey international earned a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.99, ranking him as West Brom’s fourth-best performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, the fact that the player whom Kyle Bartley dubbed as “tenacious” does not look set to make a return to The Hawthorns this summer is sure to come as a huge blow to a team hoping to bounce straight back to the Premier League next season – a feat which would have undoubtedly been made a great deal easier with Yoksulu in the side.

In other news: Transfer claim on “exciting” £39k-p/w gem emerges that’ll leave West Brom fans gutted

Liverpool could secure the man who can return them to the summit of English football after it was reported that Lautaro Martinez has been put up for sale by Inter.

What’s the story?

The Italian giants desperately need to raise a significant sum of cash through player sales this summer due to off-field issues, and the 23-year-old is one of the stars available for transfer over the coming months, according to The Guardian.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Martinez in the past as Jurgen Klopp looked to add more firepower to his stuttering attack, meaning a move for the deadly striker could still be on the cards.

Klopp needs him

Martinez has been sensational since arriving at San Siro, scoring 49 goals and providing 20 assists in 132 appearances for the Nerazzurri.

The Argentina international played a pivotal part in Inter’s first Serie A title for 11 years in 2020/21 as the youngster formed an unstoppable strike partnership with Romelu Lukaku.

However, due to the Milanese outfit’s owners incurring financial trouble, the South American’s time in Italian football appears to be drawing to a close.

Martinez’s exploits at Inter haven’t gone unnoticed, though, with his impressing performances attracting the attention from the continent’s biggest clubs, as well as his international teammate Lionel Messi.

“He’s spectacular. He has impressive qualities. You could tell he was going to be a great player, and he is showing that,” said Messi.

“He’s very strong, really good one on one, scores a lot of goals, and in the area he fights with anyone, holds it up, he can turn, scrap to win it all on his own. He has a lot of quality. He’s very complete.”

Any player receiving such praise from arguably the world’s greatest ever footballer must be extremely talented, and that is definitely the case with Martinez.

Liverpool struggled in several areas of the pitch throughout the recently concluded campaign, although perhaps most surprisingly of all, the Reds’ attack suffered a severe drop-off in productivity.

While Mohamed Salah continued to put the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis, the same can’t be said about Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

Klopp was able to call upon the impressive Diogo Jota on several occasions to relieve the strain on Mane, but a lack of strength in depth up-front meant Firmino was rarely allowed a rest.

Therefore, the German manager needs a player like the £63 million rated Martinez this summer as the Anfield outfit aim to regain their Premier League crown, meaning director of football Michael Edwards must sanction a swoop for the highly sort after hitman.

And, in other news…Get rid: Klopp must ruthlessly axe £120k-p/w Liverpool flop, he’s not good enough 

Neil Taylor launched a blistering verbal assault at his team-mates after Bashley (Rydal) crashed to a second consecutive ECB Southern ELectric Premier League defeat against Liphook & Ripsley

Mike Vimpany (as published in Daily Echo)13-May-2002Neil Taylor launched a blistering verbal assault at his team-mates after Bashley (Rydal) crashed to a second consecutive ECB Southern ELectric Premier League defeat against Liphook & Ripsley.He described the team’s overall performance as “lacklustre” and laid the blame for the five-run defeat firmly at the feet of the top order batsmen.”They lacked application,” he said, “Too many of them got themselves out to poor shots.”Taylor, who played for Middlesex at the peak of his career, was furious after Bashley’s poor out-cricket had allowed Liphook to post 210-9 in 50 overs.”For the opening 20 overs, we fielded like a Hampshire Combination West Division League team – and I don’t mean that disrespectfully to the players that turn out in that standard of cricket.”We were awful,” he said.The woeful performance has left Bashley, beaten by one run off the last ball at Calmore last week, anchored to the foot of the table after just two weeks of the season.Teenager Chris Wright (24) and Steve Riley (20) got Liphook away to a positive start, but it was Duncan Berry, batting at six and hitting a forceful 43, who was largely responsible for their challening 210-9.But Bashley’s rank-bad top order batting cost them dear as Tim Wheatley (3-36) and Wright (2-38) had them rocking at 143-6, with only Neil Thurgood (47) making any impact.Seventh wicket pair Shaun Lilley (40) and Taylor (33) added 57 to take Bashley to 200-7.But even 11 runs for victory off the final ten balls of the match proved beyond Bash who, despite Chris Sketchley’s unbeaten 20, lost two more wickets and finished five runs adrift at 205-9.Russell Rowe, last season’s top Premier League run scorer, struck a match winning 114 as South Wilts nailed Bournemouth by five wickets at Chapel Gate.Bournemouth totalled 212-5, but saw their target overhaulled with 11 bals of the match remaining.They made an uncertain start and were struggling at 24-2 against the twin left-arm attack of Hampshire prospect Jimmy Tomlinson and South African Shaun Adam.Martin Miller (26) averted any further immediate slips, but it was largely due to Julian Cassell (52) and Geoff Warrington (44), who added 96, that the Sports Club were able to set a 200-plus target.Richard Scott (32) and Dave Kidner added a crucial 51 as Bournemouth reached 212-5.Scott (4-38) removed Paul Draper at 36, but was unable to break the scoring routine of Rowe and his team-mates.”They hit the ball at catchable height before the fielders all the time and not once – until it was almost too late – did we manage to lay a hand on the ball,” bemoaned Bournemouth vice-captain Martin Miller.Rowe, surviving a stumping chance, went on to hit two sixes and ten fours, and received significant support from Tom Caines (38) during a key 118-run third-wicket partnership.Scott returned to the attack to great effect – three wickets falling for one run at 199 – but his burst came too late to deny South Wilts a five-wicket win.Andover were cock-a-hoop after beating Calmore Sports by 49 runs to notch a second consecutive win.Mark Miller (44) held things together at the top of the Andover order after James Hibberd (2-35) had struck a double blow.But it was Ian Langdown’s undefeated 53 which hoisted Andover to 201-7.Calmore’s top order was ripped apart by Dean Woodhouse (2-24) and Richard Taylor (3-18) and defeat was always likely as the visitors nose-dived to 63-6 (Hibberd 25).David Rouse (25) and James Lucy (23) rallied late on and lifted Calmore’s reply to 152 all out.

Former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has told The Transfer Tavern in an exclusive interview that he is surprised by former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s decision to join Crystal Palace.

The 47-year-old was available following his shock Molineux exit last month and had been linked with a host of clubs.

According to The Telegraph, Nuno had been interviewed by Everton after Carlo Ancelotti’s departure to Real Madrid, while Palace spoke to Frank Lampard and monitored the likes of Sean Dyche and Steve Cooper.

In the end, though, the south London outfit have seemingly opted for Nuno in a move that has surprised Palmer.

“I wouldn’t have thought he would leave Wolves to take the Crystal Palace job,” the ex-Leeds United player said. “That’s just in my opinion because it’s the same of the same for me.

“Palace, they might have a good season and finish just below halfway or whatever, but they’re not going to burst into that top five or top six. So, to me, Wolves and Crystal Palace are much of a muchness. So I’m surprised.”

Wolves and Palace finished in 13th and 14th respectively, so the above is a very fair point.

The latter, though, could need a massive rebuild job this summer, as the futures of so many players remain in doubt. Perhaps that is a challenge and task, creating a brand new team, Nuno is relishing.

Umpires Asoka deSilva and Billy Doctrove could find themselves in hot water with the International Cricket Council (ICC), after match referee Wasim Raja faxes his report on West Indies’ gripping last-ball victory over New Zealand in the final One-Day

Tony Cozier19-Jun-2002Umpires Asoka deSilva and Billy Doctrove could find themselves in hot water with the International Cricket Council (ICC), after match referee Wasim Raja faxes his report on West Indies’ gripping last-ball victory over New Zealand in the final One-Day International in St Vincent on Sunday.Raja said he would wait to hear from the ICC how to deal with a formal New Zealand complaint after deSilva and Doctrove thwarted captain Stephen Fleming’s plan to use medium-pacer Paul Hitchcock for the crucial last over by wrongly informing him that Hitchcock had exhausted his ten-over limit.DeSilva is a former Sri Lankan Test cricketer recently appointed as one of eight umpires on the ICC’s so-called elite panel. Doctrove is the West Indies Cricket Board appointee who has shared third-umpiring duties with Guyanese Eddie Nicholls throughout the season.While they are certain to be retained for the two Tests in the coming fortnight, when deSilva will stand with another ICC umpire, Rudi Koertsen of South Africa, and Doctrove will share third-umpiring duties with Nicholls, they could be censured for what Fleming termed basic incompetence.Shivnarine Chanderpaul clinched victory for West Indies in the match and the series Sunday by hitting three consecutive fours and a single off the last four balls from Daryl Tuffey, the fast bowler Fleming turned to instead of Hitchcock.I’ll wait to hear from the ICC what action, if any, is to be taken in these circumstances, Raja, the former Pakistan batsman appointed to the new panel of referees last year, said.I send a report to the ICC after every match on all aspects of play, he explained. Naturally, this situation (with the number of overs by each bowler) will be fully covered. It’s unique because I do not recall anything like this ever occurring before.Raja said he spoke to deSilva, Doctrove and Nicholls about the incident after the match Sunday.I told them they should have checked with each other on a regular basis, especially since the scoreboard was unreliable, he said.Doctrove had an unfortunate match Sunday.He gave a dubious decision for a wicketkeeper’s catch against New Zealand opener Nathan Astle in the second over and declined to refer a run out decision against No. 3 Chris Nevin in the next to the television replay that showed the batsman short of his ground.In the dramatic final over, he had to change an immediate signal of six to four on referral to the replay after the New Zealand fielders insisted the ball had landed inside the boundary.

Hampshire Hawks have lost their third consecutive Norwich Union League match, going down to Lancashire Lightning by 16 runs in a thrilling chase

Farid Bakri23-Jul-2002Hampshire Hawks have lost their third consecutive Norwich Union League match, going down to Lancashire Lightning by 16 runs in a thrilling chase. Stuart Law’s 66 proved to be invaluable for the visitors as his side were skittled out for 163. Despite Neil Johnson’s blistering start, Hampshire Hawks ran out of ammunition as Kyle Hogg returned figures of four for 20 from his eight overs to seal the victory.Having won the toss and elected to bat, Lightning probably wished they had not done so after losing Glenn Chapple and David Byas with the score on only 20. The latter was cleanly bowled by Alan Mullally without scoring. Law joined Mark Chilton at the crease and together they put on a valuable 30 for the third wicket before two more dismissals. Chilton was superbly caught by wicket-keeper Nick Pothas after attempting to cut Dimitri Mascarenhas when the ball was too close to him and Neil Fairbrother’s run of bad form continued as he went for his second consecutive duck in the competition.With the score at 55 for four, the Hawks would have been hoping to wrap up the innings only for Graham Lloyd with 25 and Law to add an important 47 for the fifth wicket. By this time Lightning had begun to regain some composure and would have had hopes of a respectable total, even though the ball was still doing plenty for the seamers.Then Will Kendall caught Lloyd off the bowling of Shaun Udal and Warren Hegg became the second Lancashire batsman to be dismissed without a score to his name.Gary Yates came in at the fall of the sixth wicket and his running between the wickets was energetic as he collected 17 priceless runs. Johnson claimed his second and third wickets of the match after seeing Yates and Law give chances to Derek Kenway and Robin Smith respectively.Lancashire were dismissed for 163 after Kyle Hogg was deceived by Mullally’s slower ball and he was caught by Giles White diving forward in the covers. Peter Martin’s resilient ten came to an end when he gave a regulation catch to the keeper.Johnson began brightly, despatching Chapple to the boundary twice in an over. The first found its way to the advertising board and the latter into the stand, much to the enjoyment of the crowd. The home side’s batting was to go the way of their visitors, however, losing vital wickets at regular intervals.Johnson was caught at third man as he jumped off the ground to make contact with a ball that surely bounced high enough to be called a no ball. He was back in the pavilion with 27 to his name, only to be joined by Kenway (20) and Smith (3) after 25 minutes. At 59 for three the game was firmly in the balance and when Giles White was out ten runs later, Lightning shifted up a gear.John Francis and Pothas had started a revival only for them both to head back to the dressing room within the space of a couple of balls. Chilton claimed the former but it was the re-introduction of Chapple that really spurred Lancashire on. With his first ball back, he had bagged the wicket of Francis for a useful 25.After that Hampshire never looked like winning. John Wood who had already helped to dismiss three batsmen added another to his tally. Kendall looking to get his side back into the game saw his shot fall in the hands of Byas at slip.It was Hogg’s bowling performance of four for 20 that won his side the match. His third wicket was yet another catch but his fourth saw Chris Tremlett lose his stumps for just five.Enter Mullally. His last wicket partnership with Udal was entertaining but in vain. They added 26 and had caused one or two nervous glances at the scoreboard before Mullally was run out by a direct throw from Chilton with the score on 147 and the Red Rose county could leave the Rose Bowl with a victory to savour.

Some Everton fans have been left to fume over Paul Joyce’s manager update on Rafa Benitez.

Writing in his latest piece for The Times, Joyce confirmed that previous rumours are true and the former Liverpool boss is indeed being considered for the vacant manager’s job, following the exit of Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid.

He is a candidate on the shortlist of Farhad Moshiri, which also includes the likes of David Moyes, Nuno Espirito Santo, Roberto Martinez, Christophe Galtier and Graham Potter.

Some members of the Goodison Park faithful simply do not want to hire a man who used to manage and was so fondly remembered by Liverpool, given that he won the UEFA Champions League with them back in the 2004/05 term (Transfermarkt), while others believe that other candidates like some of the ones mentioned above would be far more suitable for the role.

Everton fans on Benitez manager updateThese Toffees supporters fumed as the manager update on Benitez was shared across Twitter:

“Benitez no”

Credit: @jorge_alk

“BENITEZ walked away from Newcastle for money nothing else, if we get him in am done with us. 50 years supporting the Toffees through good and bad, but appointing Benitez is more than I could take”

Credit: @MalcolmGregor18

“Not watching us if Rafa is boss”

Credit: @1878Ket

“Rafa is a big no. Galtier is the only one the fans are together on, and nobody wants to see the Spanish Sam Allardyce in charge of Everton”

Credit: @LiamTownson

“Lord help us. Not Benitez under any circumstances”

Credit: @waynewhewell

“Moshiri picked Allardyce and it was bad enough seeing Sammy Lee with him. I can’t forgive him if he gets Benitez”

Credit: @mikjaal

In other news, find out what big manager update has Blues talking here!

Derby County forward Jack Marriott is reportedly in talks with Hull City over a summer move, having been deemed surplus to requirements at Pride Park.

The Lowdown: Marriott out of favour

The Rams survived relegation to League One last season, staying up on the final day after a dramatic 3-3 draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday.

Marriott could play no part in that game, due to him being on loan at Hillsborough from the Rams, making 12 league appearances there in 2020/21.

It appears as though Wayne Rooney sees no future for the 26-year-old with Derby and a summer exit looks on the cards, with his current deal expiring at the end of this month.

The Latest: Hull could sign attacker

According to the Hull Daily Mail, Marriott is in talks with Hull over a move, following the Tigers’ title-winning promotion back to the Championship last season.

Gavin Whyte and Dan Crowley have both left the club, so manager Grant McCann is thought to be keen on attacking reinforcements, with Marriott seen as a strong option.

The Verdict: Right time to move on

Marriott has had his moments for Derby, scoring 17 goals in 86 appearances, but now is the right time for him to enjoy a fresh challenge.

It is pointless Rooney giving a new deal to someone he doesn’t consider part of his plans, instead focusing on those he sees as key figures moving forward.

Marriott still has plenty to offer another Championship team – Frank Lampard once claimed he had a ‘big future’ in the game – so a move elsewhere should benefit all parties.

In other news, an update has been provided on the future of one Derby attacker. Find out who it is here. 

Hampshire Under-17s crashed out of the ECB County Championships after losing by five wickets to Surrey YCs at Reigate yesterday (THURS).

Mike Vimpany15-Aug-2002Hampshire Under-17s crashed out of the ECB County Championships after losing by five wickets to Surrey YCs at Reigate yesterday (THURS).The damage was done in the opening hour of the scheduled two-day 100 overs per side national quarter-final when Hampshire, put into bat on a damp and under-prepared surface, lost their first four wickets for only 34 runs.Portsmouth’s Michael Barnes (52) and latterly Michael Boyd (25) tried hard to rescue the situation, but some generally irresponsible batting led to Hampshire slipping to a disappointing 137 all out (Nick Grist 4-15).King Edward VI all-rounder Boyd (2-13) achieved two breakthroughs but Chris Murtagh (39) guided Surrey to a comfortable five-wicket win in the 40th over.Hampshire Under-19s will be aiming to do better when they face Herefordshire in their two-day ECB quarter-final tie at Long Marston, near Tring on Tuesday.

According to The Daily Mail, Wolves have rejected a £1m bid from Sunderland for central defender Dion Sanderson.

The Lowdown: Sanderson impresses on loan with Black Cats

Sanderson spent last season on loan at the Stadium of Light, and impressed at the heart of the back four, so much so that Wolves fans were desperate to bring the youngster back when the season ended.

As such, the Black Cats want to see him return to the club permanently ahead of next term.

The Latest: Sunderland make Sanderson bid

Now, it has been reported that the north-east outfit have made a bid of £1m for the 21-year-old.

Wolves, though, swiftly rejected the offer – they are looking for a fee of £2m for the defender.

Sheffield United are also interested, but are yet to make a concrete approach.

The Verdict: Top target

There is no doubt Sanderson should be a top target for Lee Johnson and co. Of the 26 matches he played some part in last term in League One, the Black Cats lost just four (absence through to injury.

Johnson even called him a “Rolls-Royce” earlier this year (The Chronicle Live).

He proved himself to be an important player for Johnson throughout the campaign and, as Sunderland aim to earn promotion to the Championship, the signature of Sanderson could prove to be key. It remains to be seen whether the club can get their man this summer.

In other news, Sunderland hope to sign this in-demand winger.