All posts by h716a5.icu

New Zealand’s tour to the West Indies will begin on June 3

Lynn McConnell29-Apr-2002New Zealand’s tour to the West Indies will begin on June 3.While the New Zealand side will have had two weeks at home to recover from the heat of Pakistan in May, the West Indians will meet the TelstraClear Black Caps in the first One-Day International, only three days after ending their ODI series with India.New Zealand have one warm-up game, against the University of West Indies Vice Chancellor’s XI at Sabina Park, Jamaica on June 3. Sabina Park will also be the location of the first ODI.The second and third ODIs are back-to-back games at Boursejour Stadium, a new venue purpose-built in preparation for the hosting of the 2007 World Cup, in St Lucia on June 8 and 9.The fourth match will be at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad on June 12 and the fifth at Arnos Vale Complex at St Vincent on June 15.A three-day match, location and opposition still to be announced, will be played on June 17-19.The first Test will be at Kensington Oval in Barbados from June 21-25 and the second Test at the National Stadium in Grenada from June 28 until July 2.New Zealand last toured the West Indies after the 1996 World Cup.

Fast bowler RICHARD JOHNSON is suffering from a side strain, which will keep him out of the game for between two to six weeks

Richard Walsh19-May-2001Fast bowler RICHARD JOHNSON is suffering from a side strain, which will keep him out of the game for between two to six weeks. He is unlikely to be fit for the Benson and Hedges quarter finals game against Yorkshire on Wednesday, but will hopefully be back shortly to renew his new ball partnership with Steffan Jones.MATT BULBECK is making a remarkable recovery from his back injury, and improving in “leaps and bounds” according to Kevin Shine. Matt will play in the Somerset Seconds match on Monday at Bristol. If he comes through that match he is likely to play for the Somerset Academy team in the two matches against Sussex Academy at Taunton School on Thursday and Friday.All being well he could then be in the frame for selection for the County Championship match against Leicestershire at Grace Road on May 30th and for the National League match against Kent at Tunbridge Wells on June 3rd.GRAHAM ROSE, is recovering well from the knee injury he suffered at Headingley last weekend. Thankfully the injury is not as serious as at first thought , and Graham is expected to play for the Somerset Academy Eleven on Thursday and Friday.KEITH PARSONS is virtually back to full fitness and will play for Somerset Seconds on Monday, and should be available for the Bensons quarter final on Wednesday.Second string CARL GAZZARD who was injured during the winter playing cricket in Perth is making good progress. He is back in light training, and may play at the back end of the season as a batsman However he unlikely to keep wicket this season.ECB wicket-keeping coach Paul Farbrace, who played cricket for both Kent and Middlesex has recently visited Taunton to work out a recovery programme for Carl.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have announced the internationalmatch programme for the 2002 season

ECB Media Release08-Jun-2001The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have announced the internationalmatch programme for the 2002 season. The season begins with a three-matchnpower Test Series between England and Sri Lanka. This will be followed bythe NatWest Series, contested by England, Sri Lanka and India. FinallyEngland and India will play a four-match npower Test Series.The NatWest Series will be preceded by a warm-up match for England againstWales in Cardiff on Monday 24 June. Durham will also stage a floodlitOne-Day International for the first time.England v Sri Lanka npower Test Match Series:Thu 16 – Mon 20 May 1st Test v Sri LankaLord’s;Thu 30 May – Mon 3 June 2nd Test v Sri LankaEdgbaston;Thu 13 – Mon 17 June 3rd Test v Sri LankaOld Trafford.NatWest Series warm-up game:Mon 24 June England v Wales Cardiff.NatWest Series:Thu 27 June England v Sri Lanka Trent Bridge(Floodlit);Sat 29 June England v IndiaLord’s;Sun 30 June India v Sri Lanka Oval;Tue 2 July England v Sri Lanka Headingley;Thu 4 July England v IndiaDurham (Floodlit);Sat 6 July India v Sri LankaEdgbaston;Sun 7 July England v Sri Lanka Old Trafford;Tue 9 July England v India Oval;Thu 11 July India v Sri LankaBristol (Floodlit);Sat 13 July FinalLord’s.England v India npower Test Match Series:Thu 25 – Mon 29 July 1st Test v IndiaLord’s;Thu 8 – Mon 12 August 2nd Test v IndiaTrent Bridge;Thu 22 – Mon 26 August 3rd Test v IndiaHeadingley;Thu 5 – Mon 9 September 4th Test v IndiaOval.

Newcastle must look to bring back Adam Armstrong this summer amid Steve Howey’s transfer claim.

What’s the story?

The 24-year-old was on the books at St James’ Park as a youngster, but after failing to make the grade on Tyneside, made the permanent switch to Blackburn Rovers.

And now, Howey has suggested that the striker would “relish” the prospect of making the move back to Newcastle, and it’s on Steve Bruce whether the Magpies make an attempt to sign him or not – reports earlier this year indicated that the club are actually leading the queue to do so.

Speaking exclusively to FFC’s sister site, TT, he said: “I think he’d relish the chance of coming back and he’d be desperate to score goals because he is a goalscorer and we’ve seen him score some excellent goals from Blackburn.

“I think he’d be desperate for the chance to come back but it’s just whether the club are prepared to make that move.”

Newcastle must strike

At Ewood Park, Armstrong has turned into a real goal-scoring sensation, and is realising the kind of potential that marked him out as a potential start back at Newcastle.

This season has seen him score a remarkable 28 goals in just 40 Championship games, despite Rovers finishing mid-table in the league and well off the play-off places.

It’s no surprise then that his manager at the club, Tony Mowbray, has waxed lyrical about the £14.4m-rated centre-forward, lauding the kind of explosiveness that really marks him out as a player.

Mowbray said: “He’s a goalscorer. He always has been. I took him to Coventry because I saw him score some amazing goals for England Under-19s. He scores off both feet, he’s electrically fast off the mark, he’s got all the attributes.

“As long as you’ve got players who can slide him in, put passes over the top, put the ball in space for him he’ll score goals. His explosive pace at the top end of the pitch allows you to play both ways. it’s a devastating effect for the team.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/newcastle-steve-bruce-premier-league-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-st-james-park-joelinton-shelvey-max-aarons” title=”Read the latest Newcastle transfer rumours and news!”]

If the Magpies are looking for a proven “goal-scorer” this summer to help support Callum Wilson, then they should look no further than a man who they are wholly familiar with.

Meanwhile, Bruce must avoid an unforgivable Newcastle howler this summer…

Whoever the new manager is at Celtic next season they will not have things easy.

With a number of their best players linked with the exit door, a colossal rebuilding job will be required for the Bhoys at Parkhead.

On the chalkboard

One name linked with a fresh start is Ryan Christie. The Scot attracted interest from English Premier League teams during the winter and now his departure feels inevitable.

His contract expires in January 2022 and recent reports indicate that he could command a seven-figure fee in the summer.

Christie’s exit won’t come as a great loss to the Hoops. He may have racked up 20 goals last term but this season has been a disaster from the attacker’s perspective.

He has only found the net on seven occasions and has managed to beat the goalkeeper just once in his last 20 outings in the Premiership.

Much-maligned by various sectors of the Celtic fan base, it would come of great relief to many to see him finally walk through the door for pastures new.

Who is his replacement?

Celtic could turn to a number of players in the transfer window but one individual linked with an arrival is Egypt international Mohamed Afsha.

The 25-year-old is a rising star of Egyptian football and starred for Al-Ahly on their way to winning the African Champions League this campaign.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/celtic-manager-transfers-eddie-howe-jesse-marsch-ryan-christie-siriki-dembele” title=”Read the latest Celtic managerial updates, transfer news, rumours and gossip!”]

A diminutive figure at 5 foot 7, Afsha lacks plenty to his physical game but his technical abilities more than make up for that.

A creative force, he has provided eight assists this team, six of which have come from only 15 league matches. Afsha also knows where the back of the net is, scoring 12 goals during the course of his career with Al-Ahly.

Like Christie, the midfielder is capable of playing on the flanks but it’s through the middle where he can really make an impact.

Speaking about Afsha back in January, his former manager Ante Cacic said: “The best player in Egypt for me is Mohamed Magdy Afsha.”

Cacic added: “I watched his goal and watched the Champions League final. He’s a great player who had a great influence on the match and linked well between the lines. He is a wonderful player and has a great influence on Al Ahly’s performances.”

Although his goal scoring nature will turn heads at Parkhead, it’s his ability to link play that should be most encouraging.

After all, Christie hasn’t been productive in that department this term. He has scored only one goal from 51 attempts outside the box, taking a shot on rather than looking for a key pass.

Afsha has his own tendencies to go for goal but as his record and Cacic’s words dictate, he is creative too.

Dominic McKay would be making a shrewd acquisition here.

AND in other news, Dominic McKay is already on the verge of his first major Celtic mistake…

Everton are reportedly in a race with two other clubs in the Premier League to sign Samu Chukwueze, according to La Razon.

As per the news outlet, Arsenal and West Ham United, as well as the Goodison Park faithful, are ‘willing’ to bid for his signature, however he has a release clause of no less than €80m (£69.4m).

It is more likely that Chukwueze would move to the top flight than the interested Atletico Madrid due to this clause, and the Villarreal star is a player that the Merseyside club would be ‘very interested’ in signing.

Everton could splash out on Chukwueze

Chukwueze is certainly a player that would bolster Carlo Ancelotti’s current squad and give them a great option on the wing if the Blues decide to invest the monster sum.

The Nigeria international has scored four goals and made a further seven assists in 36 games in total over all competitions so far in the 2020/21 term (Transfermarkt), and offers sheer pace that would frighten any defender in the Premier League.

Former Toffees striker and footballing legend Samuel Eto’o described him as an ‘incredible’ (Goal.com) player back in May 2020, which is certainly high praise, and he was clocked at 34.58 km/hr (via Complete Sports) last season, making him one of the quickest players in the Spanish top flight.

The release clause may be a lot of money, but at 21 years of age, Chukwueze still has so much potential, and it may well be the perfect time now for the Toffees to take the plunge on a possible future superstar.

In other news, find out what injury update has been bemoaned by EFC fans here!

Many Wolves fans have been left to laud a transfer update on Kang-in Lee after Sport Aragon reported that he could be signed in a swap deal with Rafa Mir.

As per the news outlet, the Midlands club will not accept an offer of anything less than €15m (£13m) for Mir, whose loan spell at Huesca ends at the end of the 2020/21 term.

However, they may be interested in doing business with Valencia in a potential deal for Lee, which would see both players being sold separately for the same price.

While Mir has performed very well so far this season, scoring no fewer than 15 goals in 33 games in total over all competitions (four senior matches for the Molineux faithful.

On the other hand, Lee is an upcoming talent at just 20 years of age, and would certainly offer Nuno Espirito Santo another good option in the attacking areas.

A swap deal could certainly benefit the Wanderers in the longer term, providing that they can get it over the line.

Wolves fans on potential Lee and Mir swap deal

These WWFC supporters lauded the idea of swapping Mir for Lee on Twitter, with one fan even going as far as to claim that the latter is a ‘quality’ player:

“Welcome Kang-in”

Credit: @leaoinwolves

“Yes do it…..”

Credit: @fireagram

“DO IT”

Credit: @Callum_Howen

“Kang-in Lee is quality, can play in that cam role, would be a great addition”

Credit: @arvinwwfc

“Lee would be a great signing and an actual number 10”

Credit: @Matt123525

“GET IN, HE’S ONE OF MY FAV YOUTH PLAYERS”

Credit: @iamrockymstar

In other news, find out what Tim Spiers update has left fans fuming here!

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey, who made 270 career appearances, has backed Matt Ritchie to step up and become Newcastle United captain during Jamaal Lascelles’ time on the sidelines.

Ritchie started for the first time against Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday since the 3-1 defeat to Leicester City at the start of January, and he was instrumental in the Magpies’ equaliser as he whipped the ball into the box before the goal.

Just last month it was reported that Steve Bruce had a bust-up with Ritchie after their 1-1 draw against Wolves, as the winger failed to pass on instructions when he was subbed on before Ruben Neves scored.

Speaking on if Ritchie would be a good captain for the Magpies and why it could be what the fans want instead of current vice-captain Jonjo Shelvey, Howey told FFC:

“I don’t see why not because I think Shelvey’s been captain when Lascelles hasn’t been fit and that’s maybe not who the fans would expect.

“I don’t think the fans would have any qualms whatsoever about Matt Ritchie getting the captaincy.”

Ritchie joined Newcastle from Bournemouth in 2016 as he dropped into the Championship to play for the Magpies under Rafa Benitez.

The £45,000-per-week winger has found regular game time difficult to come by this season having been handed just eight starts in the Premier League.

According to a report by Voetbal 24, via City Xtra, manager Pep Guardiola ‘wants to push’ for the signing of Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge this summer as a possible replacement for club legend Fernandinho – prompting excitement from a set of Manchester City fans. 

Berge, who has spent most of this season on the treatment table (Transfermarkt), has still managed to attract Premier League interest from the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham – with the two north London clubs said to be eyeing the promising 23-year-old (Jeunes Footeux).

As per Voetbal 24, City are now weighing up a move and Berge is even top of the Sky Blues’ transfer target list as a successor to their Brazilian enforcer and fan favourite.

The 35-year-old, having signed an extension last season, now looks set to leave this summer as Guardiola looks likely to ‘push’ for Berge as his midfield heir.

Reacting to this news, it’s safe to say many City fans were overjoyed with the idea of Berge’s acquisition despite his absences this season – with one fan calling him a would-be ‘amazing signing’.

An international teammate of long time transfer target Erling Haaland, it appears supporters are now excited by another Norwegian prodigy.

Find all of their verdicts down below.

Man City fans swoon over Berge links

“Dude is 6’5 . Wow”

Credit: @qnbrew88

“Brilliant player, would be a great signing, remember when we played them and he was immense.”

Credit: @JoeymanCITY

“This would be an amazing signing don’t care what anyone says”

Credit: @KZN22_

“Yes.. This is make sense alot. He has the quality and would be perfect for rodri/ferna backup. His club is about got relegated so it much cheaper”

Credit: @KenSadja

“Class player”

Credit: @CanceloFCCity

“Oh hell yes! This would really be a great signing aaaaand Norwegian”

Credit: @Loutoo2

“Get him”

Credit: @not_aguero

“Would be cheap as chips and also offers something in the attack from what I’ve seen of him so I would back this”

Credit: @Rodridiculous

In other news: Man City fans lauded this news from Guardiola, find out more here.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Wolves loanee Marlon Harewood has highlighted one dilemma that comes with having a striker like Raul Jimenez.

Jimenez has been a revelation at Molineux since arriving on an initial loan deal from Benfica back in the summer of 2018. He scored 13 Premier League goals in that 2018/19 season before bagging an even more impressive tally of 17 the following campaign.

Indeed, the Mexico international has had a huge impact at Wolves, helping the Midlands club to firmly establish themselves as a Premier League outfit. His impact, however, has been so huge, manager Nuno Espirito Santo is struggling to find adequate cover for his main man, according to Harewood.

When asked how difficult can it be for a manager to find a capable alternative who’s willing to sit on the bench, Harewood told FFC:

“It’s very difficult. To be fair, I was that player when I was at Aston Villa. Sometimes it will depend on the manager that you’ve got there. They use man-management skills off the field when [they] deal with the team as a whole.

“He had belief in me but, at the same time, I couldn’t get in the team because John Carew and Gabby Agbonlahor were scoring goals, which you appreciate.”

Speaking further on the subject, the retired Premier League forward added: “It is hard, but then that’s the manager’s job to find a different formula if your striker gets injured. You have to find another way to score goals.”

Bearing that in mind, Nuno will be desperate to have Jimenez available for action again, with the 29-year-old still absent after sustaining a nasty head injury against Arsenal last December.

With just 28 goals in 28 games this season, Wolves are one of the lowest scorers in the Premier League, showing not only the need for Jimenez, but also a capable deputy for when the former Atletico Madrid forward is not available.