CSA, meanwhile, is seeking legal advice on whether SASCOC had the authority to intervene in the manner it did
Firdose Moonda11-Sep-2020
CSA have been embroiled in a governance crisis since December last year•Getty Images
The ICC can be expected to approach CSA for clarification over the board and executive being instructed to step aside by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) on Thursday. That’s the opinion of David Becker, former head of legal for the ICC, who was involved in the drafting of the regulation on outside interference in Member Bodies.Article 2.4 of the ICC’s Constitution states that: “The Member must manage it affairs autonomously and ensure that there is not government (or other public or quasi-public body) interference in its governance, regulation and/or administration of Cricket in its Cricket Playing Country (including in operational matters, in the selection and management of teams, and in the appointment of coaches or support personnel,” and though SASCOC is not a government institution, it is a public body which oversees high-performance sport. ESPNcricinfo understands that the ICC is monitoring the situation, as Becker suggested.While Becker, who now works as a sports lawyer in South Africa, said the ICC would be “cautious” when deciding whether SASCOC’s decision to appoint a task team to conduct an investigation into CSA’s administrative and financial affairs constitutes a breach of its constitution, he pointed to the wording of one of SASCOC’s reasons for stepping in as potentially “worrying” to the game’s global governing body.”As regards to ICC intervention, ICC will certainly be concerned by the reference in SASCOC’s letter to SASCOC having received a ‘directive by the Minister of Sport and Recreation for SASCOC to intervene into the affairs of CSA’,” Becker told ESPNcricinfo. “ICC will be loath to intervene and suspend CSA, but they will be perturbed by it and will certainly actively seek a coherent explanation from CSA. They are required to, as the international governing body.”CSA, meanwhile, is seeking legal advice on whether SASCOC had the authority to intervene in the manner it did, which CSA disagrees with. In an overnight statement CSA said it had not been given the opportunity to engage with SASCOC (although the parties have held two meetings recently) and a spokesperson said the organisation is continuing with “business as usual”, with the board and members’ council set to meet this weekend to chart the way forward. Becker does not believe CSA will be able to prevent SASCOC’s task team from being formed and beginning its work, and explained that SASCOC has acted within its remit.”SASCOC’s powers under its own constitution, and under the National Sports and Recreation Act, are very broad. They have the ability to convene an investigation, and if necessary intervene. We all know urgent action is needed in view of the dire circumstances at CSA,” Becker said.”The question is whether SASCOC have acted prematurely. They have consulted with CSA, but has the task team been appointed? Who is on the task team and is it ready and able to do its work? Still, CSA would be hard-pressed to obtain an interdict from the High Court in response to SASCOC’s actions. Given SASCOC’s broad powers, and the circumstances at CSA, CSA need to be seen to be co-operative here.”CSA has been embroiled in a governance crisis since December last year, when former CEO Thabang Moroe was suspended. Moroe was dismissed last month after a forensic audit revealed acts of serious misconduct but the audit has not been made fully available to SASCOC, the sports ministry or the public, forcing SASCOC to use its step-in rights to look into CSA.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been accused of having "verbal diarrhoea" after his side's dismal 3-0 defeat to Tottenham.
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The summer transfer window officially opens for business later this month and Arsenal appear to be in the market to land a new centre-forward to bolster their squad.
Mikel Arteta ended the 2023/24 campaign with Kai Havertz as his preferred number nine, despite the former Chelsea man starting the season in a central midfield role, eventually bumping Brazil international Gabriel Jesus down the pecking order.
The German attacker ended with a respectable 13 goals and seven assists in 37 Premier League appearances for the Gunners in his first year at The Emirates.
However, his impressive form in front of goal has not been enough to prevent Edu from pursuing alternative number nine options who could come in and lead the line next term.
Decision coming soon on big Arsenal target
According to GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal believe that they are the favourites to secure a deal to sign RB Leipzig centre-forward Benjamin Sesko during the summer transfer window. The report claims that Premier League rivals Chelsea and teams from Saudi Arabia are also interested in snapping up the Slovenia international, with six clubs in the running to land his signature.
It also states that the player's representatives have indicated that they want to have a decision on his future wrapped up before the European Championships start later this week, in order to ensure that his concentration is solely on the upcoming tournament.
This means that a final call on Sesko's next club, or if he will remain with the German side, is coming over the next few days, and the Gunners seemingly believe that they are in the driving seat right now.
The 21-year-old marksman has a £55m release clause in his current contract with the Bundesliga outfit and any of the interested parties will need to activate that in order to sign him, but they may not wish to do that until the player has made his decision this week.
Why Arsenal should sign Benjamin Sesko
This latest update should come as good news to Arsenal supporters, as the Slovenian starlet could be a fantastic addition to Arteta's squad ahead of next season. The Gunners should sign the young gem as he is a ruthless finisher who could provide them with a reliable number nine, who can more than make the most of the chances are created for him.
Declan Rice
3.79
7
3.21
Leandro Trossard
8.92
12
3.08
Ben White
1.36
4
2.64
Oleksandr Zinchenko
0.67
1
0.33
Takehiro Tomiyasu
1.9
2
0.1
As you can see in the table above, neither Havertz nor Jesus were among the most efficient finishers within the Arsenal squad in the Premier League this season. Meanwhile, Sesko rifled in 14 goals from an xG of 8.02 in the Bundesliga, which is an overperformance of 5.98. That would have placed him top of the list for the Gunners as the most ruthless goalscorer in the team.
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The Leipzig star, who was hailed as a "menace" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has showcased his potential to be incredibly efficient in front of goal, which is why he could be a fantastic signing to bolster Arteta's attack and improve the team ahead of next season.
West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui has personally set his sights on a £45 million signing to come in after Flamengo defender Fabricio Bruno, who is now set to become the Spaniard's first Irons signing.
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As now confirmed by reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, giving his famous "here we go", West Ham director Tim Steidten has sealed the opening deal of Lopetegui's new era as manager.
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They've now got a verbal agreement in place to sign Brazil international defender Bruno from Flamengo, for a fee of around £11.5 million including add-ons, with Lopetegui getting the first in line of what should be a few defensive signings this summer.
36-year-old veteran centre-back Angelo Ogbonna is out of contract on June 30, and likely to leave the London Stadium following years of faithful service. Meanwhile, it is believed West Ham could look to sell Nayef Aguerd after the Moroccan's lacklustre season.
Kurt Zouma has also been attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, so Lopetegui's backline could look very different by the start of 2024/2025 if all goes to plan. West Ham conceded a very poor 74 Premier League goals last season, so reinforcing their defence is absolutely imperative ahead of next campaign.
Sheffield United
104
Luton Town
85
Burnley
78
West Ham
74
Nottingham Forest/Bournemouth
67
The signing of Bruno, following performances over 23/24 which earned the player his first call ups to the Brazil national team, comes as a welcome boost for Lopetegui and co.
In terms of who could follow the South American, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has shared news on West Ham's pursuit of Wolves captain Max Kilman.
Lopetegui personally wants Kilman at West Ham
According to Ex, Lopetegui personally wants West Ham to sign Kilman this summer – following their time working together at Molineux.
"Max Kilman will be a top target," said the insider (via West Ham Way). "The manager worked with him at Wolves and is said to want to bring the captain with him to London.
“The 27 year old is likely to cost around £45m and Wolves will have to give around 20 percent of that to Maidenhead the club that they signed the player from. Other centre backs who are also expected to be in the radar include Jacob Greaves of Hull, Harwood-Bellis of Manchester City, Trevoh Chalobah of Chelsea, Oumar Sole of RB Salzburg, Loubadhe Abakar Sylla a 21 year old centre back of Strasbourg, Logan Costa of Toulouse. and Zeno Debast of Anderlecht."
The Englishman was an indispensable member of Gary O'Neil's starting elevens last term, starting all 38 of their league games, and has been "nationally underrated" by members of the press (Jacqui Oatley).
With their added Red Bull millions no doubt helping when it comes to the upcoming summer transfer window, Leeds United fans can be equally as excited about incomings at Elland Road as they will be anxious about a number of key players uprooting.
Daniel Farke and Co won't just allow the star-studded squad that was agonisingly close to a promotion back up to the Premier League to be gutted with no replacements drafted up, eager to go one better next season and use this heartbreak as fuel to jump back up to the top-flight at the second time of asking.
That will be easier said than done, however, as the Championship is an unpredictable league at the best of times – just ask Kieran McKenna and Ipswich Town, who achieved back-to-back promotions and denied Leeds a more leisurely way back up a division.
Still, with a number of names being circulated as potential incomings, Leeds could take the division by storm regardless of any hangover from last season lingering, with a shrewd free transfer being lined up.
A whole host of names are being linked with a switch to West Yorkshire this summer, as Farke prepares to fill the squad with some much-needed talent, ahead of a potential mass exodus still taking place.
Leeds have been linked with the likes of Stuttgart winger Silas Katompa Mvumpa, West Ham United defender Ben Johnson and Sheffield United striker Daniel Jebbison to name just a few, with a new name being tipped for a switch to Elland Road catching the eye as well.
Long-standing Fulham servant Bobby Decordova-Reid is a new rumoured face Farke wants ahead of somewhat of a rebuild, with TEAMTalk stating that the Cottagers attacking midfielder will not be putting pen to paper on a new deal to stick it out with Marco Silva's men, after talks had collapsed.
Everton are also known to be an interested party, according to TEAMTalk, which could make Leeds' pursuit more difficult, considering the Toffees are in the Premier League whilst the Whites languish in the division below to their continued despair.
|
Bobby Decordova-Reid's numbers – 23/24 |
|
|---|---|
|
Stat |
Reid |
|
Games played |
33 |
|
Goals scored |
6 |
|
Assists |
4 |
|
Big chances missed |
3 |
|
Big chances created |
3 |
|
Stats by Sofascore |
|
Fulham will be gutted to see the back of Reid, who had become part of the furniture at Craven Cottage with 209 appearances notched up, but their loss could well end being Leeds' gain, with the experienced 31-year-old a goalscoring threat in the Championship previously in his career.
Pushed out to the flanks by Silva when given chances last season, which hasn't actually seen his output dry up based on the table above, the Jamaica international has excelled in the division below when played in a more central attacking midfield position, where he could oust Joel Piroe from the line-up in the process.
He would even give Georginio Rutter a run for his money in the number ten role too, with the Frenchman and the Dutchman interchangeable in this slot as well as in the lone striker position, whilst also competing with the ex-Swansea City man up top, who really struggled towards the back-end of the Championship campaign to excite Leeds fans.
As much as Piroe did finish the campaign with a respectable 13-goal tally next to his name, the 6 foot 1 forward really didn't impose himself into major contests for Farke's promotion challengers, notably the Championship play-off final just passing him by.
The lacklustre 24-year-old would fail to register a single shot on Alex McCarthy's net in the soul-destroying 1-0 defeat to Southampton, who won promotion courtesy of having a more lethal attacker in their ranks in Adam Armstrong, with Farke potentially having lost all faith in the Dutchman consequently ahead of a new season coming into view.
He could be ditched for good with this latest development involving a potential free transfer of Reid, who has managed to net 43 EFL goals across his career, with 23 of those coming in the Championship from an attacking midfield spot for the Cottagers.
Piroe largely played in this number ten role for Farke's men this season just gone, away from being handed lone striker duties for the crunch clash at Wembley, with eight goals and one assist coming his way from this position on the pitch.
|
Piroe &Rutter vs Reid's last season in the Championship |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
Piroe |
Rutter |
Reid (21/22) |
|
Games played |
53 |
51 |
44 |
|
Goals |
16 |
8 |
8 |
|
Assists |
3 |
18 |
7 |
|
Big chances missed |
8 |
17 |
7 |
|
Big chances created |
3 |
22 |
10 |
|
Goal conversion |
15% |
5% |
17% |
|
Stats by Sofascore/Transfermarkt |
|||
Looking at the table above, Reid was far more effective going forward than his ex-Swans counterpart in certain areas when last competing in the second tier, finishing the season with a better goal-conversion percentage than Piroe, on top of creating seven more big chances overall.
Reid's adaptability will also make the 31-year-old an even more worthwhile asset worth exploring, having predominantly played down the left wing this season just gone, alongside being capable of playing anywhere across the midfield if necessary for his team.
Leeds will hope they can get the best out of Reid in that number ten position, pushing Rutter all the way in the process, having bagged a career-best tally of 19 strikes playing here for Bristol City during the 2017-18 campaign.
Reid's signature being confirmed down the line could signal the end of Piroe in a Leeds shirt, when you consider Reid's 43 EFL goal total is only nine off Piroe's total, and his flexibility to fill in gaps could make him an important cog for Farke to rely upon.
Leeds would attempt to recoup some of the £12m they paid to land the 24-year-old for, however, with Reid also acting as a cheap upgrade, instead of the Whites casually burning more money.
With two promotions up to the Premier League on his glittering resume also, Reid could be the missing piece of the jigsaw – who was once referred to as "unbelievable" by ex-Fulham boss Scott Parker – from Farke's perspective to mount another challenge at promotion.
Leeds will want to instantly exorcise the demons of Wembley regardless of who does and doesn't line up for them next campaign, returning back to where they feel like they belong, instead of making do with the second tier.
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Enzo Maresca has been tasked with the job of returning Chelsea to the top of the Premier League following his appointment from Leicester City earlier this month.
The Italian arrives at Stamford Bridge following his time with the Foxes in the Championship, where he claimed the league title in his first season in senior management.
Maresca inherits a side on the up, with the Blues finishing in a Europa League place despite a terrible start to the campaign which saw the club win just one of their first six Premier League outings in 2023/24.
It’s safe to say he will have a lot of players at his disposal, with owner Todd Boehly making 22 first-team additions during the last two years – with more players expected to follow suit during the transfer window.
There will need to be a compromise to all the new additions, with players needing to be sold from Stamford Bridge during the off-season to balance the books and avoid a punishment from the Premier League for breaking their FFP rules.
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One player in particular is surely set for an exit from the club after spending the last two years on temporary loan stints away from the Blues.
Romelu Lukaku’s stats at Chelsea since 2021
Despite joining the club for a reported £97.5m fee back in the summer of 2021, striker Romelu Lukaku has failed to provide any value for money, scoring just 15 times in his 44 appearances after rejoining Chelsea.
He’s subsequently been on two separate loan spells away from England, joining Serie A duo Inter Milan and Roma in a bid to reignite his once red-hot form in front of goal.
The Belgian has found the net on 35 occasions between the two loan stints, but it might not be enough to force himself back into Maresca’s plans next season.
Given his expensive fee, the club will look to recoup as much of the money as possible, allowing Lukaku to have a fresh start after a dismal second spell in the Premier League for Chelsea.
However, he’s been selected by his nation to feature at Euro 2024, but his fortunes haven’t changed, producing a below-par display in Belgium’s shock 1-0 defeat against Slovakia yesterday.
Lukaku’s stats for Belgium against Slovakia
Belgium started their Euro 2024 campaign in Germany on Monday afternoon, facing Slovakia – a game in which Domenico Tedesco’s side were huge favourites to win.
However, Lukaku and Co failed to produce any quality, with the striker producing a shambolic display, which led to journalist Francois Plateau branding the 31-year-old as “terrible”.
He featured for the entirety of the contest but only managed 27 touches – an average of just one touch every 3.3 minutes during the unexpected defeat.
He was just as careless when he eventually received the ball, making just 14 passes and losing possession five times while straying into an offside position on two separate occasions.
Minutes played
90
Touches
27
Passes completed
14
Possession lost
5
Times caught offside
2
Big chances missed
3
Duels won
1/3 (33%)
However, Lukaku’s most disappointing part of his display came in the attacking third, missing three big chances and having two goals ruled out for offside and a foul in the build up to what Belgium thought was a late equaliser.
As a result, the centre-forward was handed a 4/10 match rating by Goal, with the striker receiving the joint-lowest rating of any Belgium player in an afternoon to forget for the nation.
Given his woeful display, Chelsea must cash in on Lukaku, with the attacker evidently a shadow of his former self and looking more sluggish as the months tick by.
They will undoubtedly lose a whole load on their huge investment from a number of years ago, but they can easily recoup a fee in the region of £30m which could allow Maresca to invest the funds generated in a new focal point for the Blues.
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Nesta sexta-feira, três candidatos à presidência do Flamengo protocolaram uma carta endereçada a Bernardo Amaral, presidente do Conselho de Administração do clube. Nela, há uma cobrança em relação a divulgação de como será o sistema de votação à distância no pleito, o que não está contemplado no calendário que foi divulgado inicialmente. A informação é do site “ge”.
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Até o momento, os três candidatos de oposição são:Marco Aurélio Assef, Ricardo Hinrichsen e Walter Monteiro. Eles irão disputar a eleição contra Rodolfo Landim, atual presidente, que concorrerá a mais um mandato à frente do Flamengo.
No documento, segundo revelou o site, os três se baseiam num artigo da Lei Pelé que foi alterado no segundo semestre de 2020. Este garante a obrigatoriedade de votação à distância em entidades de prática desportiva. Assim, o trio deu um prazo de 48 horas para que o Conselho de Administração do clube se manifeste.
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“Causa estranheza, portanto, que o Calendário Eleitoral divulgado preveja apenas a aprovação de “modelo das cédulas”, sem qualquer referência ao sistema que será adotado para assegurar o direito de cada associado de votar de forma não presencial”, diz um trecho do documento revelado pelo “ge”.
Vale lembrar que o calendário divulgado pelo Conselho de Administração prevê para a próxima terça-feira a publicação de um edital na sede e no site do Flamengo com a relação dos eleitores.
It may not have been a wholly smooth ride, yet Brendan Rodgers' return to Celtic has worked a treat, with the Northern Irishman picking up where Ange Postecoglou left off after leading the Glasgow giants to yet another domestic double.
January arrival Adam Idah proved the man to clinch that latest success after netting in the Old Firm derby at Hampden last weekend, with the on-loan marksman having been the major success story amid a mixed bag of signings for Rodgers – scoring nine goals in just 19 games for the club.
In truth, the former Liverpool boss will be thankful for the core of key players that arrived under his predecessor's watch, with Matt O'Riley notably stealing the show with 19 goals and 18 assists in all competitions, while Daizen Maeda continued to terrorise defences with 14 goal involvements of his own.
Not even Postecoglou can take credit for the rise of one Hoops sensation, however, with long-serving skipper Callum McGregor having once again been central to all that was good about the champions this season.
Callum McGregor's season in numbers
Lauded as an "unreal player" by departing teammate, Joe Hart, McGregor has been a mainstay in the midfield at Parkhead for almost a decade, having cost the club nothing after rising up through the youth ranks.
Handed his chance by Ronny Deila at the start of 2014/15 – after netting 14 goals on loan at Notts County the previous season – the Scotsman hasn't looked back since, racking up 64 goals and 77 assists in 464 games in all competitions.
As for the current campaign, the 30-year-old has again dazzled at the base of the midfield despite contributing just two goals and six assists across all fronts, boasting a stunning pass accuracy of 92% in the Premiership, while also averaging 1.4 key passes per game and making 1.5 tackles per game.
The playmaker was particularly impressive in the final league Old Firm of the campaign, shaking off an injury to dominate in the centre of the park after winning seven duels and providing four key passes, including the assist for O'Riley's opener.
Time and again the captain steps up when needed on the big occasion, now boasting a ridiculous record of having won 12 out of 12 senior finals that he has played in for the club – alongside his eight title triumphs.
Callum McGregor's market value
Such a stellar record – both in terms of goal contributions and major honours – have unsurprisingly cemented McGregor's place as one of the most valuable members of the squad, even despite his age and the fact that he is an academy graduate.
Scott Brown's successor is said to now be worth in the region of €13.8m (£11.7m), according to Football Transfers, with that notably placing him ahead of the likes of Maeda, who is worth €10.7m (£9.1m), despite his heroics at the top end of the pitch.
Manager
Games
Goals
Assists
Ange Postecoglou
94
9
8
Gavin Strachan
2
0
0
John Kennedy
8
0
0
Neil Lennon
102
17
23
Brendan Rodgers
194
27
35
Ronny Deila
64
11
11
Unlike the likes of Maeda and the aforementioned O'Riley – who is attracting notable interest at present – the expectation will be that McGregor remains as the heartbeat of the side for many more years to come.
Of course, there is always excitement surrounding new additions and fresh faces, but gifted stalwarts like the 58-cap Scotland international and resurgent teammate James Forrest – who is now back in the international fold after a three-year absence – are worth their weight in gold.
The question now remains as to who can be the next talents to follow in McGregor and Forrest's footsteps and emerge from the youth ranks…
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