Na 16ª colocação da Série B, o Figueirense encerra uma das semanas mais turbulentas da sua história. No último fim de semana, torcedores invadiram o treino no Orlando Scarpelli para cobrar elenco e comissão técnica.
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Na terça-feira, em meio a um turbilhão de emoções, o elenco mostrou cabeça no lugar e fez um bom jogo diante do Cuiabá. Nos acréscimos até mesmo um gol anulado erroneamente impediu que o time saísse de campo com os três pontos.
Jejum de vitórias
Apesar da ligeira melhora sob o comando de Elano, o Figueirense atravessa um jejum de vitórias na temporada. A última vez que o time saiu de campo alegre foi no dia 22 de agosto, quando bateu o Botafogo-SP por 1 a 0.
Desde o triunfo no interior paulista, o Furacão fez cinco partidas, entre elas, uma da Copa do Brasil, onde foi eliminado pelo Fluminense. No total, foram três derrotas e dois empates.
Seca de Gols
Durante esse período sem vitórias, o Figueirense não conseguiu balançar a rede. Já a defesa levou cinco gols.
An update has emerged on Leicester City and their plans to bolster the playing squad before the end of the summer transfer window…
What's the latest Leicester transfer news?
Journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon site, has claimed the Foxes are one of a number of clubs in the race to land Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi on loan as Enzo Maresca eyes a swoop for his services.
The Sun reporter has revealed that Championship sides Ipswich Town, Birmingham City, Hull City and Blackburn Rovers are also competing to land his signature before next month's deadline.
Roy Hodgson is willing to sanction a temporary exit for the talented winger and they will now allow the player to make a final decision on where he wants to play his football this season.
How good is Jesurun Rak-Sakyi?
Maresca could land Stephy Mavididi 2.0 for the Foxes by securing a deal to sign the 20-year-old gem as his form for Charlton Athletic last term suggests that there is a terrific prospect to be unearthed there.
The superb Eagles youngster plundered an eye-catching 15 goals and eight assists across 40 starts in League One as he showcased his ability as a scorer and a creator from a right wing position.
He is a left-footed forward who can come inside on his favoured foot from the right flank to make things happen at the top end of the pitch. This makes him a similar option to Mavididi on the left for Leicester as the signing from Montpellier is a right-footed left winger.
Leicester winger Stephy Mavididi.
The one-time Arsenal prospect moved inside onto his right to great effect on Sunday as he set up Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for the winning goal against Coventry on his debut by drifting into the box before laying the ball off for his compatriot to fire past Ben Wilson.
He showcased his creative quality with three chances created on the opening day but earned himself a reputation as a goalscorer during his time in France with at least eight Ligue 1 strikes in two of his last three seasons with Montpellier.
The 25-year-old wizard has the potential to be a pivotal player for Maresca in the Championship this season if he can continue to be an excellent creator from out wide whilst also being able to translate his goal threat from French football over to England.
Rak-Sakyi could offer a similar level of production on the opposite flank if he is able to make the step up to the second tier after a strong year in League One for the Addicks.
The £6.1k-per-week magician's form for Charlton came after he provided an impressive 18 goals and five assists in 25 Premier League 2 matches for Palace during the 2021/22 campaign.
His former boss Ben Garner hailed his "wonderful" balance and described him as a "throwback" of a winger, which could lead to him exciting the King Power crowd if they are able to snap the 20-year-old gem up on loan.
Rak-Sakyi's ability to score and assist goals on a regular basis from a wide position could make him a constant threat for Leicester in the Championship, which is exactly what Mavididi is threatening to be if he can build on his debut outing.
Tottenham Hotspur "could be about to make their move" for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo and journalist Rob Guest believes they could "potentially strike a very good deal".
Who will Spurs sign this summer?
Despite some reports previously stating that the centre-back is very close to joining AS Monaco, it appears that may not be the case, as Spurs are apparently expected to lodge an imminent bid.
Adarabioyo, who starred for Fulham under Marco Silva last season, still finds himself on Lilywhites head coach Ange Postecoglou's list of defensive targets ahead of the new campaign.
The 25-year-old joins a plethora of other names being targeted by Tottenham to shore up a leaky backline which conceded 63 league goals last season, more than any other side in the division above 15th.
Those numbers make for grim reading from the perspective of a Spurs supporters, with their issues at the back coming as a glaring achilles heel which Postecoglou must solve and quickly.
Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson and Juventus defender Gleison Bremer are other players reportedly under consideration at Spurs, but it's Adarabioyo who could be subject to an imminent offer.
According to reporter Guest, sharing news on Twitter and an article of his for football.london, Tottenham could be "could be about to make their move" for the former Man City starlet.
In his piece for FL, the journalist claims Spurs are expected to lodge a bid "this week" for Adarabioyo, and due to his elite-level passing out from the back, the Englishman could be a "perfect player" for Postecoglou's fluid system.
As well as this, Guest believes Tottenham and chairman Daniel Levy "could potentially strike a very good deal" as the Fulham ace is out of contract next summer – meaning Silva's side may have to sell for a lower price.
Another bonus for Spurs is the fact Adarabioyo is homegrown and balances their books in that regard, while the ex-Blackburn Rovers loanee is also fully expected to depart this summer.
It is believed the player is keen on a move to N17, so if the north Londoners wish to lodge a formal bid, they have a lot of cards in their favour.
How good is Tosin Adarabioyo?
Out of every single Fulham player last season, Adarabioyo made more clearances per 90 than all of them in the top flight, all while ranking among their best-performing players by average match rating according to WhoScored.
Members of the press have praised the 6 foot 5 central defender for his performances at Craven Cottage in recent seasons, with writer Muhammad Butt calling him "magnificent" in particular.
Silva, commenting on Adarabioyo during the 22/23 season, echoed Guest's point about his superb distribution and ability to break lines when passing out from the back.
"And with Tosin, we know what we expect from him," said Silva to the media (via The Boot Room).
“Of course, quality on the ball in the first build-up, to find the players between the lines. Tosin had a good game and did what we expected.”
West Ham United are said to have entered the race for highly-rated defender Ian Maatsen.
What’s the latest on Ian Maatsen to West Ham?
This week, Chelsea played their first-ever game under Mauricio Pochettino, and it ended with a resounding 5-0 pre-season victory over League Two outfit Wrexham.
Maatsen began the encounter in his unfavoured position of left-wing and sparkled. In the first half, the full-back actually netted twice.
His glistening potential is likely to give Pochettino a major selection headache due to Chelsea’s fierce competition at left-back.
The 21-year-old is rivalled by Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, and Lewis Hall, whilst a pathway at the London Stadium looks far clearer.
According to the Guardian, West Ham’s technical director Tim Steidten has shortlisted Maatsen as a target if Aaron Cresswell leaves.
The Blues has not made a decision on the Dutch’s future, but he has made an extremely positive impression on Pochettino. It's also thought that the west Londoners may command a fee of £20m.
With manager David Moyes assessing his dubious left-back situation, Maatsen could be the most attractive option.
Is Ian Maatsen a good signing for West Ham United?
Last season, young gem spent the season on loan at Burnley and was a key component of a side that cantered to the Championship title.
The Chelsea graduate demonstrated that was a supreme attacking threat and a solid defensive asset – this is mirrored through his average of 2.0 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game, as well as ten goal involvements. The impressive consistency across 39 Championship appearances meant he was named in the division’s team of the season.
This was also recognised by Vincent Kompany, who said:
“He's just turning into something that we expected him to be able to become. He's a very, very versatile full-back with lots of energy and great potential."
Maatsen has previously spent time at Coventry, and goalkeeper Simon Moore also noted the youngster’s imperious quality, saying:
“It says a lot about how good he is that even a slightly off day stands out as exceptional.
“It is not normal. The kid is bright, he’s hugely talented, he wants to learn, and he never gives up. Maats has got an exciting future ahead of him.”
From a West Ham perspective, signing a player of this potential and profile would be an astute piece of business, especially when you consider the gradual decline of Cresswell.
West Ham'sAaron Cresswell
Last campaign, the Englishman averaged lower figures in a number of defensive metrics compared to 2021/22, including tackles per game (0.8 vs 0.9), interceptions per game (1.0 vs 1.1), and blocks per game (0.4 vs 0.6).
He is now 33-years-old and has been at West Ham since 2014 – it was a glorious chapter that ended in a Europa Conference League triumph.
Therefore, the youthful and accomplished Maatsen would be a fantastic option for Moyes and the east London outfit.
From the player’s view, if Cresswell departs, he would only have to compete with Emerson for the starting spot.
The Irons also have the added incentive of competing in the Europa League to add more appeal to the move.
هاجمت الصحافة الفرنسية قائد منتخب الديوك ومهاجم باريس سان جيرمان، كيليان مبابي، بعد الخسارة أمام برشلونة بنتيجة 3-2 في ذهاب دور الثمانية من دوري أبطال أوروبا.
واستضاف باريس سان جيرمان يوم أمس الأربعاء، على ملعبه “حديقة الأمراء” منافسه برشلونة ولكن فشل في الفوز وأصبحت مهمته صعبة في لقاء الإياب بعد أقل من أسبوع.
ولكن بعد نهاية المباراة كان مبابي في مرمى النيران بسبب أدائه الفني أمام برشلونة، حيث لم يظهر قائد منتخب فرنسا بالمستوى المطلوب.
اقرأ أيضًا.. قائد باريس سان جيرمان يعلق على أداء مبابي المتراجع أمام برشلونة
أصداء الصحافة الفرنسية على أداء مبابي أمام برشلونة في دوري أبطال أوروبا
وكتبت صحيفة “ليكيب الفرنسية: “فشلًا ذريعًا، كان الجميع ينتظر تألق مبابي ولكنه أحبط الجميع أمام برشلونة، رغم ما لديه من إمكانات فنية ولكنه لم يتمكن من الابتعاد عن رقابة جول كوندي ورونالد أراوخو”.
وتابعت: “كان أداؤه يتسم بالأنانية، فضل المراوغة على التمرير لزملائه، لم يكن خطيرًا على برشلونة ولم يتخذ قرارات جيدة رغم أنه شارك في هدف عثمان ديمبلي”.
بينما كتبت صحيفة “لو باريزيان” الفرنسية عن مبابي: “صفر تسديدات على المرمى، 13 محاولة فاشلة للمراوغة، إحصائيات كارثية له، لقد اختفى في المباراة وكلف باريس سان جيرمان الخسارة”.
بينما انتقد محلل شبكة قنوات “Canal+” السنغالي، حبيب باي، أداء مبابي، وقال: “لم يكن له أي خطورة على الإطلاق، لقد تغلب مدافعو برشلونة عليه في بلده، كان عليه أن يظهر قوته في مباراة لم تكن سهلة”.
وكتبت صحيفة “لوفيجارو”: “مبابي كان متحفظًا للغاية بأدائه أمام برشلونة”، ومنحته في النهاية تقييم 4 من 10.
Mason Crane produced a stunning spell of legspin to secure a 3-0 whitewash for the South in a rain-affected climax to the new North-South Series in Abu Dhabi
Mason Crane produced a stunning spell of legspin to secure a 3-0 whitewash for the South in a rain-affected climax to the new North-South Series in Abu Dhabi.The North seemed on course for victory in a game restricted to 40 overs per side by rare desert rain, with Ben Duckett providing a flying start to their pursuit of a modest South total of 228 for 8, and Sam Hain and Liam Livingstone sharing a mature third-wicket stand of 67 to steer the North to 146 for 2.But Crane, the 20-year-old Hampshire legspinner who recently became the first overseas player to represent New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield since Imran Khan, then offered further evidence of his exciting potential by taking four wickets for one run in the space of 10 balls under the floodlights at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.Hain was bowled for 44 from 97 balls, Joe Clarke was also bowled for a golden duck, and Crane went close to a hat-trick as Jack Leaning’s edge fell short of second slip.Leaning was out in the next over, also bowled and bemused, and finally Crane claimed the key wicket of Livingstone, the Lancashire allrounder who excelled on the recent England Lions tour of Sri Lanka, and had just reached his first half century of the series.He was lured down the pitch and smartly stumped by Ben Foakes, and despite another battling innings from Tim Bresnan, Toby Roland-Jones and Tom Curran polished off the North tail.Other performances of note in the tightest contest of the series included 81 from Daniel Bell-Drummond, continuing the good List A form which has brought him a Lions century in Sri Lanka and 92 not out in the first North-South contest in Dubai.Roland-Jones underlined his allround value by thumping an unbeaten 43 from 24 balls to give the South important lower-order runs, while Mark Wood continued his encouraging comeback after ankle surgery by taking 2 for 38, and the North spinners Josh Poysden and Graeme White both impressed – Poysden taking 3 for 55, and White claiming James Vince and Bell-Drummond as classic slow-left-arm victims.The game was delayed by almost four hours by steady morning rain, and North captain Keaton Jennings chose to bowl when he won his third toss of the series.Both teams were forced to make one change, with Sam Northeast ruled out for the South after feeling a twinge in his hamstring when making a century in the second game in Dubai on Sunday, and Durham allrounder Paul Coughlin unavailable after suffering cramp in his hamstring during that game.The South also recalled Lewis Gregory in place of his Somerset team-mate Tim Groenewald, with Crane replacing Northeast, while the North brought back White in addition to Wood, with Nottinghamshire’s Harry Gurney dropping out.Wickets fell steadily on a tricky pitch, but Bell-Drummond again displayed patience and skill to hold things together before Roland-Jones provided those much-needed late runs.Duckett responded by whacking 37 from 17 balls with seven fours and a six, but Roland-Jones prevented him from inflicting any further damage, and Liam Dawson produced another tidy spell of left-arm spin before Crane’s match-winning burst.
Carlos Corberan now looks certain to stay on as West Bromwich Albion head coach, despite strong links with a switch to Leeds United, following the club's return to full training this week.
However, having already lost Dara O'Shea to Burnley – a decision Corberan accepts as being best for the club – the Baggies risk annoying the 40-year-old with their latest transfer decision.
What has Corberan said about West Brom's transfer business?
Corberan sat down with WBA TV this week to discuss the recent departures both in terms of squad members and also in the boardroom, with Albion going through a somewhat tumultuous period off the field.
Plenty of players have been tipped to depart The Hawthorns, whereas rumoured targets are few and far between as the West Midlands outfit continue to balance the books due to their Premier League parachute payments coming to an end.
"I understand the priorities of the club and the priorities right now are to add some new players to the squad," Corberan said. However, it could be more bad news for the Spaniard as journalist Dean Jones claims Leeds United are continuing to show an interest in Jayson Molumby.
Who is West Brom star Jayson Molumby?
Leeds are in need of a midfielder as Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie are expected to move on this summer, and Molumby is said to be one of those they will turn to.
Given Albion's financial concerns, any sort of reasonable bid for the Republic of Ireland international – who earns £17k a week, according to Capology – would likely be accepted by Albion, even at the risk of riling Corberan.
The Sun's Alan Nixon reported as much earlier this month when revealing no sale has been ruled out by West Brom.
Should Leeds indeed push ahead with their interest in Molumby, it would be a massive blow for Corberan in his attempt to assemble a side capable of challenging for promotion out of the Championship.
The 23-year-old was described as an "animal" by Corberan last season for playing a big part in the club's rise from the bottom of the division to within touching distance of the play-offs.
Molumby is a central midfielder who can combine a number of factors, such as the ability to help out in attack, as highlighted by his four goals and four assists last season – only Jed Wallace (14) and John Swift (15) could better that among Albion players.
The Irishman is also capable of keeping play ticking over, with his 84.9% pass-completion rate the highest of any West Brom regular last season, as per FBref.
Also ranked fifth for tackles won (1.18 per 90 minutes), it is fair to say Corberan would be losing the heartbeat of his side should the Baggies cash in on another key man.
The speculation linking Corberan to Leeds may well have died down, but West Brom must be careful not to force the highly regarded coach closer to the exit with a blunder in the transfer market.
Tottenham Hotspur's chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini is being monitored by a number of other clubs as he impresses at Spurs as he awaits Daniel Levy's director of football decision.
Who is Leonardo Gabbanini?
Certainly not a household name or familiar face, Gabbanini has been at Tottenham for just under a year. Arriving as the club's chief scout from Watford back in the summer of 2022, he was brought to north London by the now banned former Spurs director of football Fabio Paratici.
Despite Paratici's disgraced departure, Gabbanini has been thoroughly involved in building this summer's transfer plans. He has been in direct discussions with chairman Levy and new manager Ange Postecoglou ahead of a busy window.
However, Gabbanini is a "wanted man" and Spurs may have to fend off interest from other clubs in their 43-year-old talent spotter.
Journalist Alasdair Gold, speaking on his YouTube channel, stated: "From my understanding, there are a lot of clubs looking at Gabbanini. He is a wanted man because of his abilities and his network as well, and his scouts that he employs."
"So keep an eye on what happens there. If there is another director of football type brought in and Gabbanini kind of feels overlooked, or feels that he doesn't quite fit with the new director of football, it will not be long before someone comes in for him. I think Lazio were kind of sniffing around him recently as well."
While Spurs look for a new director of football, Gabbanini's responsibilities will increase this summer, with Gold even suggesting that the Italian could be considered for the job himself. However, his lack of experience in a similar role may put Spurs off appointing him.
Tottenham are already facing battles to keep some of their star players this summer, with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min linked away, so losing a key member of the recruitment team would be disastrous at this stage of the window.
Gold describes Gabbanini has having a "great eye for talent" and as a "modern" scout that teams data analysis with the classic 'eye test'. Gold also claims that Spurs' chief scout will "quickly evaluate a player and deliver a firm opinion".
Who are Spurs looking to sign?
It promises to be a hectic summer for Gabbanini and his team who are already monitoring a wide variety of players ahead of Postecoglou's debut season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Lilywhites have already made Dejan Kulusevski's loan permanent and are closing in on the acquisition of Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario for £17.2m.
Tottenham are reported frontrunners for Leicester City's James Maddison, while also taking an interest in Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba and a potential reunion between Postecoglou and Kyogo Furuhashi.
It is expected that Postecoglou will be given in excess of £100m to spend in the transfer window this summer as he tries to build this Spurs team in his image.
Newcastle United are interested in signing Fenerbahce winger Arda Guler this summer as manager Eddie Howe targets first-rate talent to bolster his newfound Premier League force.
What's the latest on Arda Guler to Newcastle?
That's according to outlet Turkish Football, who state that the Magpies – alongside Arsenal – are leading the race for 18-year-old prodigy Guler, who has enjoyed a tremendous breakout season in his homeland.
While his outfit are reluctant to sell one of their most coveted assets so early into his emergence, bids in excess of £25m are believed to be enough to warrant a departure.
Having qualified for the Champions League this season, the Toon are now in a fantastic position to consolidate their newfound power with superlative signings, and in Guler Howe would find one of the brightest gems in all of football.
Who is Arda Guler?
Having risen to the fore this term, Guler has indeed cemented himself as his country's shining prospect, having six goals and six assists apiece from just 16 starts across all competitions.
He has already found praise from high places, with Fatih Karagumruk manager Andrea Pirlo a stout believer that the teenager could blossom into one of the very best.
“Arda Guler is a very talented player,” said the Italian World Cup champion. “He has the potential to play anywhere in the world. He has quality, he can read the game well, and he has great technique. If he keeps developing his game, there is no limit to his potential.”
Having already featured twice for his national team, Guler has been dubbed the 'Turkish Lionel Messi', such is the innate ease with which he glides across the final third, roving into promising areas and blending direct potency with an ingenious creative spark.
Fenerbahce starlet Arda Guler.
Given his comparisons with the iconic Messi, Howe could nurture his own version of Premier League star Mohamed Salah with a move; the Liverpool right-forward has been one of the most prolific aces in the division since signing from Roma for £34m in 2017 and has chalked up 186 goals and 79 assists from just 305 outings for the Reds.
Guler has certainly got the "serious talent" – as dubbed by Duncan Castles – to emulate the aforementioned stars to a considerable degree, with the left-footed dynamo having incredibly recorded an average Sofascore rating of 7.55 in the Turkish Super Lig, with his seven direct contributions from ten starts complemented by an 82% pass success rate, 2.1 key passes and 1.2 tackles per match – truly an all-encompassing and precocious starlet.
He also found a place in The Guardian's 'Next Gen 2022' list, with Emre Sarigul writing: "The attacking midfielder is one of the most technically gifted midfielders to emerge in Turkey for years and is already a star name at one of the biggest clubs in the Süper Lig."
Football is intrinsic to certain players, capable of devastating opposition with the calibre of their feats; Salah embodies this. He ranks among the top 3% of positional peers for rate of non-penalty goals and the top 14% for rate of assists per 90, wreaking havoc with regularity and leaving an illustrious trail in his wake.
Guler, while at the maiden phase of a potentially prosperous career, is already playing at a level beyond his years and with a move to Newcastle, his lofty ceiling could be realised.
Cricket Australia’s CEO James Sutherland has outlined plans for league structures in ODIs and T20 internationals, which would reduce the amount of cricket played by major nations
Daniel Brettig27-Oct-20163:34
Brettig: Bowlers playing IPL a worry for Cricket Australia
Less will be more under the structures currently being proposed for the future of international cricket, which would for the first time place limits on how many matches and series could be scheduled by any one nation.Speaking at the Cricket Australia AGM, which underlined the game’s financial reliance on bilateral tours, the chief executive James Sutherland outlined plans currently under discussion for league structures in ODIs and Twenty20 matches, plus a mooted “conference” format for Test matches.These structures, Sutherland said, would mean that the game’s financial powerhouses like Australia, India and England would play less international cricket than they presently do, while raising the volume of cricket played by other nations. This would be possible due to the increased context and meaning given to each match by league formats that gave players, fans, broadcasters and sponsors a clear idea why each match was being played.”If you bring in some structure around international cricket and you create formats that are a league type arrangement you put limits around that, and any other cricket that’s played outside of that is even more meaningless than other cricket that is played at the moment,” Sutherland said. “From that perspective it would put some really significant structure and limits around the amount of cricket that’s played.”With one day cricket and Twenty20 cricket we are contemplating a 13-team league where everyone plays each other, home and away over a three-match series over the course of a three-year period. That means you play six one day matches away, six at home every year. There doesn’t seem any point playing any more than that because those are the matches that count.”Similar structure for T20 cricket and I think that’s something that’ll be really beneficial for world cricket. Not just in terms of putting those limits in place, but also creating third party interest, making sure there’s real relevance and context to every single match.”The limited-overs league structures would mean each nation in the 13-team competition would play each other in one series, either home or away, over three years leading into each World Cup year, with the home team for that series then playing away in the next cycle to follow. Similarly, the conference structure for Tests would grow out of an ICC event-style draw, with seeded teams and others drawn to play them. A 12-team structure has the added bonus of bringing the likes of Ireland or Afghanistan into the fold.”I think things need to change absolutely and we certainly believe that additional structure moving towards a Test Championship of one form or another, probably on some sort of a two-year cycle would be a real positive,” Sutherland said. “We’re betwixt and between a little bit original suggestions about two divisions, then looking at perhaps a system where people play against each other and we used ranking points to decide who the champions are.”But the one that’s floating around at the moment is two conferences and perhaps matches being played inside of conferences with a little bit of cross-conference activity as well inside that two-year period and then having a champion team in each conference play off in a two-year cycle. I think there’s some real merit in that, I don’t think it significantly undermines some of the traditional series that are played and all in all very positive where every match would count, every series would count and I think it’d be very keenly sought after, the right to play in that final.James Sutherland: “I think things need to change absolutely and we certainly believe that additional structure moving towards a Test Championship … would be a real positive”•Getty Images”It also really exposes performances as well and the opportunity to bring a couple of countries into Test cricket would be a real positive as well.”Sutherland admitted that in the current environment, it was impossible to apply equal priority to every international series, as shown by the recent tour of South Africa or the near convergence next year of the Test tour to India with the T20 home series against Sri Lanka. The IPL, of course, blocks out more than a month of the year for most nations.”We make decisions from time to time in the best interests of a player, to make sure they’re available at the times that we see as the most important for them to be available,” he said. “There’s absolutely no doubt that at times we have to prioritise certain events, series, matches ahead of others.”Certainly for the bowlers it’s just not possible for them to play all of the time. If you include IPL in there as well there are prioritisation discussions that need to be held all the time. they can be long-term planning discussions but they also need to be short-term planning according to how the player is dealing with injuries, niggles and also mental health.”However Sutherland pushed the vital importance of making sure international cricket remained the top priority for the game ahead of domestic Twenty20, a point he has pressed home at successive ICC chief executives committee meetings in recent times. The example he can point to is the Big Bash League, devised to run alongside the international season and succeed without Australia’s best Test players.”I’m not sure my point of view is seen to be agreed to by everyone in international cricket, but our perspective here is that IPL is unique and then there’s all the other domestic T20 competitions around the world. As far as I’m concerned international cricket comes first, and is the absolute priority. We’ve been true to that word in the way we’ve scheduled the BBL. People said the BBL couldn’t be a success without Australian players playing in it.”The facts of the matter are that it’s a great success, and it’s scheduled during the middle peak time of our Australian summer. International cricket needs to be the priority and you cannot schedule international cricket around domestic T20 competitions as far as I’m concerned, and that will be one of the things we need to work through. Some countries may try to massage the program in such a way that they can do that, that’s up to them. But first and foremost we need to be fully committed to international cricket for it to be sustainable.”The proposed changes to the international game are due to be discussed in further detail at the next round of ICC meetings in February, and Sutherland said the hope was for a fully rejuvenated model to kick in beyond the 2019 World Cup in England.”I would say certainly within five years,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a lead time because of preexisting contracts and things like that, but certainly the planning is very heavily focused on a line in the sand around the World Cup in 2019. We see that post-that there’s an opportunity to roll into a new structure for the three formats.”