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Tottenham Hotspur have fallen behind in the race to bring Ronnie Edwards to the Premier League this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that, despite both Tottenham and Crystal Palace being heavily linked with a move for the Peterborough United centre-back over the last few months, it is Chelsea who now appear to be leading the race for the 19-year-old – with Thomas Tuchel’s side said to be preparing to launch an offer for the defender in the coming days.

Further reports had suggested that Patrick Vieira’s side were the club who looked closest to tying up a £15m deal for the England U19 international, while the League One side’s owner, Barry Fry, revealed that Spurs have also been monitoring the teenager for a considerable amount of time.

In comments cited by The Sun earlier this month, Fry said: “Spurs have been watching him for a long time, but so have other clubs. There is a big German club showing interest which is no real surprise as they love to take young English players and develop them.

“I’ve had conversations with people at Chelsea who are in the know and who would be involved in any decision-making. They came to watch Lucas [Bergstrom], but they were taken by Ronnie. They haven’t made a bid yet, but there are three weeks until the transfer window closes. They certainly like him.

“Virtually the entire Premier League know about Ronnie [and] I have had big clubs asking to be kept informed if anyone does bid for Ronnie. Our position on Ronnie remains the same. It’s going to have to be a big bid to get him and we would try and make sure he was sent straight back to us.”

Paratici must act

Considering the sheer amount of potential Edwards quite clearly possesses, it is not difficult to see why all three of Tottenham, Chelsea and Crystal Palace would be interested in a deal to sign the 19-year-old over the remainder of the summer transfer window.

Indeed, over his 34 Championship appearances last season, the £810k-rated defender was in imperious form, helping Peterborough keep five clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.8 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 3.7 clearances and winning 3.0 duels – at a success rate of 55% – per game.

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The £2.7k-per-week talent also impressed with the ball at his feet, enjoying an average of 60.3 touches, completing 43.6 passes – at a success rate of 88% – playing 3.7 long balls and completing 0.3 dribbles per fixture.

These returns saw the player who Fry dubbed both a “Rolls-Royce” and “outstanding” average an eye-catching SofaScore match rating of 6.81, ranking him as Peterborough’s joint eighth-best player in the second tier of English football last time out – a quite remarkable feat for a defender playing for a side who ultimately suffered relegation.

The 19-year-old has continued this fine form in his six League One appearances so far this season, helping Grant McCann’s side keep three clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.7 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, 40.5 passes and winning 3.2 duels – at a success rate of 68% – per game.

These returns have seen the England youth international average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.23, not only ranking him as Posh’s third-best performer in the league but also as the joint 27th-best player in the third tier as a whole in 2022/23.

As such, with Edwards evidently being a centre-back who is incredibly solid at the back and extremely talented in possession of the ball, coupled with the fact that he is still just 19 years of age, it would very much appear to be a mistake for Paratici to miss out on landing the defender to either of Chelsea or Palace in the coming days.

Indeed, considering just how much potential the teenager has proven he possesses, it would take a very brave man to bet against the Peterborough starlet becoming a top-level Premier League centre-back in the not too distant future – something that Paratici must do everything in his power to ensure happens at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium rather than Stamford Bridge or Selhurst Park.

Dean Jones has dropped an update on reported Leeds United transfer target Cody Gakpo.

What’s the latest?

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, the transfer insider revealed that, despite a number of reports linking Victor Orta with a move for the PSV Eindhoven winger prior to September’s transfer deadline, he has been informed that the Whites are more likely to sign a new centre-forward in the coming weeks, rather than another wide attacker.

Regarding Leeds’ reported interest in the 23-year-old, Jones said: “I’ve been told to expect that Leeds would sign a player that’s more likely to play through the middle as opposed to out wide. So, given that, I wouldn’t really be expecting Gakpo to land.”

Good news for Marsch

While it is undeniable that Gakpo would be both an extremely impressive and incredibly exciting signing for Orta to get over the line this summer, considering just how short Jesse Marsch currently is at centre-forward, Jones’ claim suggesting that a new striker will be the club’s priority in the coming weeks is undoubtedly good news for the 48-year-old manager.

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While the addition of a winger who scored 21 goals and registered 15 assists across 46 appearances in all competitions would by no means be a bad addition to the Whites’ attacking arsenal, considering just how reliant Leeds are on first-choice number nine Patrick Bamford, the signing of another out-and-out striker would appear extremely advisable.

Indeed, with the England international featuring just nine times in the Premier League last season as a result of numerous injuries, the Whites found goalscoring a major issue, hitting the back of the net just 42 times – the joint fourth-worst record in the division, as well as 20 fewer than the 62 goals they managed in 2020/21.

And, despite the fact that Marsch does have both Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood in his ranks, with the two players being just 20 years of age and boasting a total of 29 Premier League appearances between them – 21 and eight respectively – neither can exactly be relied upon to deputise in the event that Bamford once again becomes unavailable for any extended period this season.

As such, it is clear for all to see that Orta simply must prioritise the addition of a more experienced centre-forward over the remainder of the summer transfer window, as this signing could well prove the difference between another relegation fight or a much more comfortable mid-table finish in the league this time around.

Everton have been long-term admirers of Daniel Jebbison, and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player over the final weeks of the summer transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Football League World, Everton remain interested in signing Sheffield United striker Jebbison this summer.

As per the report, sources have told the publication that the Toffees are in search of a striker following the injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and feel that now could be the right time to acquire the services of the young forward.

Lampard can land his next DCL

It comes as no surprise that Frank Lampard is looking at signing Jebbison this summer, as he could be considered the second coming of Calvert-Lewin when you consider how many similarities the two possess.

As a former Blade himself, the Toffees striker was brought in at Goodison Park back in 2016 when he was just 19-years-old and has gone on to become one of the most important players at the club over his tenure, using his 6 foot 2 stature to dominate defenders and deliver 76 goal contributions in the process.

Just like Calvert-Lewin was when Everton came knocking, Jebbison is 19 years of age, rising through the ranks starting in Sheffield United’s U18 team, plays as a centre forward and is very nearly the same height as the Toffees striker standing with the pair standing at 1.89m and 1.90m (6ft2) respectively.

Now Lampard can bring the Calvert-Lewin clone to Everton in an attempt to strengthen the forward line whilst the 25-year-old remains on the injury table for the next six weeks, and will surely be hoping that the player won’t also inherit the striker’s injury record too.

The youngster spent last season on loan in League One with Burton Albion and showed glimpses of his talent and abilities in front of goal before being recalled by Sheffield United at the end of January.

Over 20 appearances, Jebbison who was hailed “fantastic” by Micah Richards scored seven goals, delivered one assist and created one big chance. He took 1.1 shots on target per game and was successful in 41% of his dribble attempts, proving to be an all-round threat.

The Everton manager is renowned for his development of young talent with the former Chelsea head coach playing a hand in the breakthroughs of Reece James, Mason Mount, Tariq Lamptey and Marc Guehi, who have all gone on to become first-team standouts at their Premier League clubs.

With that being said, the signing of Jebbison could be a solid addition for Everton as they would be in a great position to sign a like-for-like forward to replace Calvert-Lewin during his injury absences and the young striker could play a huge part in the future at the club.

Newcastle United appear to be in the market to further strengthen their defence in the summer transfer window after signing Nick Pope, Sven Botman and Matt Targett.

It has been reported this month that the Magpies have had an offer in the region of €33m (£28m) rejected by Sporting Lisbon for centre-back Goncalo Inacio, with the Portuguese club looking for a fee to match his €45m (£38m) release clause.

Eddie Howe must push the club to meet those demands, as the 20-year-old tank has the potential to be the ex-Bournemouth coach’s own version of Ruben Dias.

Journalist Zach Lowy previously dubbed Inacio “underrated” and Portuguese football expert Daniel Oliviera compared him to the Manchester City machine, saying: “Dias was always a natural leader and Inácio’s communication may be one area in which he can improve.

“Physically speaking, I believe the young Sporting defender would be able to handle the Premier League, as he is very strong in the tackle and in the air.

“He’s also smart in his defending, as just two bookings all season will tell you. In terms of his quality on the ball, I would probably rate Inácio higher than Dias – he’s very good on the deck and has a 91% pass completion rate in the Primeira Liga this term.

“Like I say, it’s hard to make comparisons. I’m 100% sure about one thing: the 20-year-old Inacio is a better player than Ruben Dias was at the same age.”

His statistics last season suggest that he is at a similar point in his career as Dias was in his last campaign for Sporting. In the 2021/22 Portuguese top flight, Inacio averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.15 in 28 appearances, making 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 56% of his individual battles.

His compatriot averaged a rating of 7.23 and made 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game – winning 61% of his duels – in 2019/20 to earn himself a move to the Etihad Stadium.

Since making the switch to Manchester, Dias has won two Premier League titles in two campaigns and claimed the Premier League Player of the Season award in 2020/21.

If Inacio can come in and make even half of the impact that his former Sporting team-mate has had, then he would be a sensational signing for the Magpies.

At the age of 20, he has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and follow in Dias’ footsteps by coming to England and making his mark in the Premier League.

Newcastle must now snap him up and partner him with Sven Botman to form an exciting, young central defensive partnership to hopefully last for many years to come.

AND in other news, Ashworth can seal “exciting” signing as NUFC eye swoop for £20m “generational talent”…

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in capturing the services of a certain Chelsea midfielder.

What’s the word?

The player in question is Conor Gallagher and it is a move that Midlands-based football journalist Josh Holland “could see” happening this summer, as per GIVEMESPORT.

As stated by the media outlet, the 22-year-old is believed to be attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs following his successful loan spell at Crystal Palace in the 2021/22 season, with Villa Park listed as a possible destination for the England international.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT on Villa’s chances of securing a deal for Gallagher, Holland said: “That’d be a move I could see.

“It probably won’t be a permanent deal, they’d have to settle for a loan move, but the logistics of it are whether (Steven) Gerrard and the Villa chiefs would want to loan a rival’s player, making him a better player and then in a year’s time be worse off without him.

“And Chelsea will be benefiting, so that’s one for Gerrard to decide, I’m sure.”

Gerrard surely delighted

Quite simply, the signing of a player like Gallagher could well be one which helps to take the Villans to the next level.

With both Philippe Coutinho and Emi Buendia being primarily attack-minded options, John McGinn is the one senior Villa midfielder who can efficiently cover both phases of the game. Douglas Luiz is much more defensive-minded, which could cost Villa throughout the transitional phase to attack.

With eight goals and three assists in 34 games, Gallagher had a breakout season at Selhurst Park; and amidst uncertainty over the regularity of game-time at Chelsea, he may look to pastures new this summer, with a World Cup dream with England still entirely possible given that three of his four caps have come this year.

A move back to Crystal Palace in some capacity would seem an obvious one, but with recent reports of a tactical change by Patrick Vieira to embed a five-at-the-back setup, that may prove too much of a gamble for the 22-year-old.

Villa represent the perfect level of ambition, judging by their transfer activity in recent months, and would likely be able to offer Gallagher a starting place. It’s a move which could work wonders for both parties, and it needs to happen this summer.

In other news: “Surprised…”: Reliable journalist drops big Villa transfer claim, Gerrard must act 

Liverpool winger turned striker Sadio Mane is now ‘on the verge’ of completing a move to Bayern Munich, as Sky Sports News shared the ‘big breaking news’ live on Friday morning.

The Lowdown: Bayern’s bidding battle

The 30-year-old has been one of the Reds’ longest-serving players in the Premier League since joining from Southampton back in 2016, but with his contract at Anfield expiring next summer, a move away from Merseyside is now inevitable.

After Jurgen Klopp’s men suffered defeat in the Champions League final to Real Madrid last month, the Senegalese sensation made it clear that he wanted to leave the club and make the switch to the German giants.

FSG have already rejected two bids for their man and refused to let him go for less than their asking price, but now it appears as though a deal is very close to being done.

The Latest: Sky Sports reveal Mane update

On Friday morning, Sky Sports News (via Football Daily), started their live broadcast by saying ‘now this is big breaking news’, before going on to confirm that Mane is now ‘on the verge’ of sealing a move to Bayern.

The SSN presenter stated that the Bundesliga outfit are ‘preparing an improved offer’ for the 89-cap international that is in line with Liverpool’s valuation, which stands at £42.5m.

The Verdict: Goodbye to a Reds legend

Mane’s looming Liverpool exit now looks to be edging ever closer, and he is a character that will go down in the club’s history books as being a true Reds hero.

During his six-year spell with Jurgen Klopp’s side, the £200k-per-week gem netted 120 goals and provided 48 assists in 269 appearances, via Transfermarkt, and has been an outstanding asset in the final third, especially signing in a central striker role this season.

He played nearly the entire Premier League run-in through the middle, providing an incredible 14 goal contributions in 18 games there.

Part of the original infamous front three alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, Mane will be hugely missed, but after the recent arrival of Darwin Nunez, it’s now time for the top-flight giants to start preparing for an exciting new era.

In other news… Liverpool now look set to unveil their third signing of the summer after a transfer target has signed paperworks to join the club.

Newcastle United appear to have been handed a huge boost in their pursuit of Stade de Reims striker Hugo Ekitike after an interview with the French club’s president emerged (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Rising star

Having made a senior debut in 2020/21, Ekitike continued on a rapidly upwards trajectory last season, breaking out as one of the hottest young talents in French football

The 19-year-old ended the campaign with 10 goals and four assists in 24 Ligue 1 outings and has even been compared to Paris Saint-Germain phenomenon Kylian Mbappe as a result.

Previously linked to the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, it now looks as though Newcastle are set to prevail…

The latest: Bid on the table

Speaking to French outlet France Bleu, translated by SW, Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot has confirmed there is a suitable bid already in place.

“Today is very concrete. And on the table, there is one that suits us very well. An offer which, in my view, is sportingly interesting for the player and it is now up to him to make his choice, it is not for me to do so.

“From now on, it is his advisers who must move forward on this file. And if at the time of speaking this is not done, it is because his advisers have not yet wished to move forward with this club.”

Caillot went on to say that only offers of around €30-40million (£25-34million) would be deemed acceptable for the young striker who was hailed as a ‘very special’ talent by manager Oscar Garcia.

The verdict: Fingers crossed

There will certainly be high hopes from the North East that the aforementioned suitable bid has come from the St James’ Park hierarchy as all eyes remain on PIF and just how strongly the new owners will back Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth this summer.

One key area in need of improvement was the centre-forward department, as Callum Wilson’s injury record means the Englishman cannot be relied on and Joellinton’s successful positional switch leaves only Chris Wood as a recognised, regularly healthy frontman.

Capped twice by France at the Under 20 level, the talented teenager has also shown impressive versatility in a developing career to date, occasionally operating from the left wing and showing off battling qualities by winning an impressive 4.1 duels on average per game last term (Sofascore).

If the Magpies are going to compete amongst the elite of the Premier League, signing a potent attacker such as the 6 foot 2 Ekitike would be a huge boost to the project.

In other news: Magpies send scouts to watch Ben Nelson…

Manchester United are closing in on bringing Ajax assistant manager Mitchell van der Gaag to Old Trafford, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Coaching staff links

Erik ten Hag gave the green light regarding a move for Van der Gaag shortly after he was announced as United manager last month.

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Things haven’t been as straightforward as the Red Devils may have liked, though, with rumours suggesting that Van der Gaag could replace Ten Hag as Ajax manager after serving as his assistant for 48 matches.

However, described as an ‘important addition’ at Old Trafford, it looks as if Ten Hag will get his way after all when it comes to the 50-year-old.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Romano took to Twitter on Monday afternoon to share an update on both Van der Gaag and Steve McClaren.

He stated that both will be a part of Ten Hag’s team, with a ‘full agreement at final stages’, and a possible announcement for the latter of the two could come next week.

The Verdict: Time for transfers…

It looks as if Ten Hag will be supported by two men he knows well in Manchester, having also worked under former Red Devils assistant boss McClaren at FC Twente for 50 games.

Therefore, with key coaching staff additions now set to go through, it looks as if the 52-year-old’s will now turn his attention to the club’s playing squad and a number of incoming and outgoings.

A number of United players are out of contract at the end of June, and Ten Hag deciding to terminate his Ajax deal six weeks early to get going at Old Trafford just shows how much work there is to be done before his first game in charge later in the year.

In other news: Man Utd now eyeing move for ‘absolutely lethal’ Bundesliga star. Read more here

Everton transfer target Mohammed Kudus refused to train as he tried to push through a move to Goodison Park, according to reports.

The lowdown

Dutch outlet Voetbal International reported on the penultimate day of the transfer window that Kudus wanted ‘to make the step to the Premier League’ and skipped training in an attempt to force Ajax’s hand.

Everton held a ‘concrete interest’ in the 22-year-old midfielder, but the Eredivisie champions decided that they would not let him leave this summer.

The Independent’s Miguel Delaney claimed on Deadline Day that the Toffees had submitted a bid of £15million plus add-ons, but Ajax held firm.

The latest

Dutch media outlet Algemeen Dagblad (via Sport Witness) corroborate the claim about Kudus, and question how Ajax found themselves in that position.

“Three refusing players in one month who try to force Ajax into a transfer: how is that possible?” they ask.

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The verdict

One problem Everton face is that Ajax are playing the long game.

According to Delaney, they believe Kudus will be ‘worth much more [than the fee Everton offered] within a year’.

The Blues now know that he’s desperate to join, and so they must decide whether he’s worth the elevated price tag.

He certainly looks like a very good prospect, having earned a place in the CAF Men’s Youth Team of the Year in 2020 and winning the Sports Writers’ Association of Ghana’s Foreign Footballer of the Year Award a year later.

Kudus, who was also named Eredivisie Talent of the Month in 2021, has earned this glowing review from Ajax boss Alfred Schreuder:

“He does that very well. He plays on intuition, which makes him very difficult for opponents to defend. He is strong, fast and agile.”

Australian cricket has long prided itself on the independence of its curators and the quality of its pitches, but the ICC’s ‘poor’ rating for the MCG strip is a warning sign that the surfaces at the major Test centres are no longer what they used to be

Daniel Brettig03-Jan-20181:11

‘We have prepared a traditional SCG pitch’

Throughout this Ashes series, travelling English cricket correspondents have wondered at the Australian phenomenon of holding a press conference with the curator at each Test ground.It is a practice born of enormous Antipodean pride, even sanctimony, about the quality of pitches prepared in this part of the world and the independence of the curators themselves. They are free to talk, it seems, because no one is worried they might let slip about being leaned on to follow instructions for “doctoring” wickets to suit the hosts. As Ian Chappell has written on this website:”I’ve always believed that there should be a divide between players and groundsmen. Let the experts prepare the best pitch possible and then it’s up to the players to perform on that surface. As captain, if I’d asked any Australian curator for a certain type of pitch, the answer would have been: ‘Get stuffed. I’ll prepare the pitch, you play on it’.”For Cricket Australia, the assertion of the independence of ground staff around the country is tantamount to preaching the doctrine that separates church and state. A pointed contrast, as well, with the experience of Australian touring teams in other parts of the world, where pitch preparation is shrouded in greater secrecy, and visiting players and journalists are often kept in the dark as to what exactly is being done with the surface on which a match is to be played.Australian touring teams have long whinged about the sorts of pitches laid out for them in Asia in particular, looking down their noses at the way surfaces are seemingly prepared according to the precise wishes of the home dressing room. In England, too, they have been angered by pitches and harboured conspiratorial thoughts at regular intervals ever since the 1972 Headingley pitch was afflicted by a bout of “fusarium” limited exclusively to the cut strip and helped Derek Underwood confound Australia and decide the fate of the Ashes.One member of that side, Rod Marsh, was the selector on duty when in 2016 Steven Smith’s team staggered through a 3-0 defeat in Sri Lanka. After heavy losses on slow, spinning surfaces in the first two Tests, Marsh made a show of taking touring journalists out to the middle of the ground in Colombo to let them get a close look at the the pitch for the final match. The underlying message was to show everyone back home what the team has to put up with – symptomatic of a “complaint culture” that did not help Smith’s side as they lost once again on a surface that actually played far better than expected.Australia’s players have since come a long way in terms of improving their mental approach to tackling difficult assignments overseas, as evidenced by improved showings in India and Bangladesh in 2017, but the high-minded attitude to pitches has remained, even as numerous spot fires suggested a major problem was looming. In Sydney the SCG had a Sheffield Shield match abandoned due to an unsafe infield in 2015, before a new drop-in square at North Sydney Oval produced a below average surface for this summer’s women’s Ashes Test.Elsewhere the WACA Ground has faded both in terms of its pitch and its facilities, now eclipsed by a new stadium with another drop-in surface. Brisbane’s Gabba, long vaunted for its pace and bounce and inhospitable welcome for touring teams, has now spent several seasons creating furrowed brows for Australia’s players as they have witnessed its slowing. Adelaide has stood out as a beacon of progress and quality, but its lessons went unheeded by the MCG right up until a bungled preparation for the Boxing Day Ashes Test – coinciding with a changeover in curators – led to the ICC’s “poor” rating and an abrupt wake-up call for Australian cricket.Given the vast amounts of money and excellent climate available in contrast to many other parts of the world, the state of the MCG pitch was little short of disgraceful, and a definitive indicator that Australian cricket cannot afford to look down on any other nation so far as pitches are concerned. “As I said after the game, I thought it was a pretty poor wicket,” Smith said of the MCG. “They’ve got to do something there to get the bowlers into the game because it was just hard to get anyone out.”So it is a wake-up call to them and we’ll see what they come up with next year. Obviously they can’t afford to have another poor rating – I don’t know next year if they’ll leave some grass on it or – I don’t know, do something to rough it up. They’ve tried that before though and it hasn’t worked, so I dare say they’ll go down the path of leaving some grass on the wicket.”While the outgoing Cricket Victoria chief executive Tony Dodemaide has suggested that the MCG’s pitches need to be dug up and replanted, the fact of the matter is that the biggest ground in Australia has been dealing in outdated drop-in technology for quite some time. The individual pitch trays do not allow for moisture underneath the top to escape into other pitches, in contrast to Adelaide’s more porous trays, while the pitches themselves lie on a bed of concrete that has always led players to remark that the “tinny” sound of the ball striking the pitch is different to anywhere else they’ve played.Getty ImagesAdelaide’s drop-in pitches have gone on their own journey since first being installed in 2013, starting with a drier and more traditional preparation plan before the curator Damian Hough settled on using thicker grass coverage to reach the right conclusion. The ground is an example that drop-in pitches in themselves are not the problem, so long as they are done well. Equally, the Gabba, the WACA Ground and the SCG have shown that a natural wicket block is far from a cure-all, if variables of soil, clay and moisture are not carefully modulated.”Look at the Gabba this year, I thought that was a reasonably disappointing wicket as well, it started a bit slow and didn’t quicken up as much as it normally does,” Smith said. “But it’s nice to go there and have the pace and bounce, the WACA Ground normally has pace and bounce. Adelaide is a bit different with the pink ball, you know I think that’s probably the best wicket in the country in terms of everyone being in the game. Quicks, spinners and batters if you apply yourself.”In Sydney, the SCG has been subject to criticism from New South Wales this summer for being unable to host even a single Sheffield Shield fixture due to the relaying of the turf across the outfield. Justin Groves, the new grounds manager who worked at the Adelaide Oval in both its traditional and drop-in iterations, said he wanted to ensure that the SCG returned to a far more expansive place in the Australian season.”The reason why there was no cricket here earlier was that the outfield was redone,” he said. “So the early games were scheduled off the ground. We were happy to take a couple of games, but they did get moved away, Cricket Australia made those decisions. Red-ball cricket is what we want to do, we love four- and five-day cricket, so we want to have as much of that at the SCG as we can.”In moving from Adelaide to Sydney, Groves epitomised the open network that exists in Australia, with plenty of recent movement between venues. Matthew Page has moved from the WACA Ground to the MCG, David Sandurski from the MCG to the Gabba, and most famously Nathan Lyon moved from the Adelaide Oval’s ground staff – where he worked under Groves – to the Australian Test team. As such, the MCG’s poor rating has left a mark on the entire fraternity.”It certainly does [reverberate],” Groves said. “We feel very compassionate about all our curators around Australia, so to see some comments like that for the MCG it doesn’t sit well with our team. We like to pride ourselves on our work and we do the best we can in all conditions. We’re very happy as a team moving forward and we do communicate. We do the best we can.”I have worked with drop-in pitches in Adelaide. It’s different. The way you make pitches is very different, but you’ve got to know your own surface. It’s all about your soil base and your turf type and every pitch in the country is different. It’s definitely different the way you make your pitches. All the curators around Australia we talk to each other quite a lot. It’s part of what we do because we’re good friends and we’re in that community of curating pitches. It’s great that we can share stories and ideas with each other.”That sharing will surely now need to be increased, as Adelaide in particular becomes an example for the rest to follow in terms of transition from one season to another. A conspicuous figure in the middle of the MCG at the end of Melbourne’s Test and the SCG before Sydney’s has been the CA team performance manager Pat Howard, in conversations that Groves described as making sure the ground staff had all the support they needed, “but nothing towards how we’re going to prepare the pitch”.The independence implicit in that exchange was part of what had made Australian pitches so great and varied in the first place. After the problems of Melbourne it is time that CA, and Australian cricket as a whole, stopped to reconsider exactly what made that possible. If they do not, those curator press conferences are going to start to veer into some pretty embarrassing territory.