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Celtic have hired Martin O’Neill as caretaker boss until the end of the season and could now be set to make their second signing of the January transfer window.

Celtic set to go 'all out' for January signings

Most Celtic fans will be breathing a sigh of relief after Wilfried Nancy’s unfateful tenure in Glasgow came to an end, with the moral of the story simply being that the Frenchman was the wrong fit despite possessing plenty of coaching talent.

Now with a more familiar face at the helm in O’Neill, the Irishman has made it clear that the Bhoys will go ‘all out’ to secure reinforcements in an attempt to win the Scottish Premiership title for a fifth time in succession.

He said after being appointed for the second time: “I think that we would have to supplement the squad in some capacity. We would have to do that if it’s at all possible. You only have this period of time.

“We all know that January transfer windows are difficult, difficult to get the players you probably want at the football club. But we do need to supplement it and we’re going all out to try and do that.”

Clearly, Celtic have fallen below their usual expectations this season and need reinforcements, hence why Jocelin Ta Bi and Ignacio Laquintana could be on their way to Parkhead after the arrival of Julian Araujo.

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Time is of the essence for the Bhoys if they want to wrestle top spot from Heart of Midlothian, and they could now be closing in on a statement deal amid recent developments.

Celtic hijack Wolves move for Niko Sigur

According to journalist Izak Ante Sucic on social media platform X, Celtic have beaten competition from Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign Hadjuk Split star Niko Sigur, who is capable of playing as a defensive midfielder or at right-back.

Due to Nancy’s dismissal, the deal has been on hold between all parties. Nevertheless, the Hoops are deemed to be ‘one step away’ from landing the Canadian international to bolster their ranks.

Scoring once and registering an assist in 22 appearances this season, the 24-year-old’s versatility will likely appeal to O’Neill, albeit it remains to be seen whether he is used in a wide or central role should the deal go through without any hitches.

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After a relatively quiet start to the window, Celtic now appear to be making moves, and supporters will be intrigued to see whether there is a flurry of activity to follow after swooping for Sigur.

Celtic have sacked Wilfried Nancy after eight games – and six defeats – in charge.

Head of football operations Paul Tisdale has also left his position in the wake of Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat by Rangers, while three of the club’s coaches will follow Nancy out the door.

Hoops announce five total departures

The club announced they had “decided to terminate the contract of manager Wilfried Nancy with immediate effect”.

A statement added: “The club thanks Wilfried for his efforts and wishes him and his family well for the future.

“Wilfried’s assistants, Kwame Ampadu, Jules Gueguen, and Maxime Chalier, will also be leaving the club and they take with them our good wishes.

“The club can also confirm that Paul Tisdale has left his position as head of football operations. We thank Paul for the contribution he has made in that role.”

Nancy had insisted his side weren’t far off after the defeat to Rangers: “It’s the results. Results. So this is the reality for the moment.

“But when I say this is the reality, it doesn’t mean that I am a defeatist guy. No. What I mean is we are really close, really, really close, to turn things around.”

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Dermot Desmond has taken his fair share of criticism from Celtic fans and was frustrated when Peter Lawwell left the club in December, when blame was pointed towards the Parkhead faithful.

Celtic Chief Executive Michael Nicholson added they were “hugely disappointed” Lawwell was departing and “particularly in these circumstances”.

That said, it seems the leadership have – at last – admitted their own mistakes in opting for an inexperienced manager and cleaned house in ruthless fashion by firing both Nancy and his entire first-team cpaching staff.

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With just six points between Hearts, Celtic and Rangers at the top of the Premiership table, there is still plenty of time to turn the season around and continue the Bhoys’ domestic dominance if they can get the right man through the door in the coming weeks.

	Andrew Caddick is critical of the amount of domestic cricket England’s fast bowlers are playing © Getty Images

Andrew Caddick, the former England fast bowler, feels Steve Harmison and others in the current national set-up need to return to county cricket to “learn their trade”. Harmison was recently dropped after an abject display in an embarrassing defeat at Hamilton and Caddick believed he should not have been in New Zealand in the first place.”I don’t think Steve Harmison has ever learned his trade at domestic level. I know Stuart Broad hasn’t, and I don’t think Chris Tremlett really has either,” Caddick told the . “I’d like to see a lot more players out there playing at a domestic level, especially at this time of year. You shouldn’t have players like Steve Harmison after a losing Ashes series saying, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing, I’m going to wait for Mr Fletcher to tell me what I’m doing’.”What he should have done is turned round and said, ‘I had a shocker, I need to get back, get some overs under my belt, play for Durham and put my name in the hat and say I’m back and this is what I’m prepared to do to get back’. If I was honest, and it’s a harsh thing to say, I wouldn’t pick him against New Zealand. I’d say, ‘Go away and learn your trade again’.”While Geoff Miller, England’s chairman of selectors, has insisted Harmison is part of England’s immediate plans for the forthcoming season, Caddick felt Harmison should focus on the County Championship which starts on Wednesday. “I would not pick Harmison for the first Test with New Zealand. He’s got to sort himself out before he should be considered,” he told the . “Does he want to play international cricket? If he wants to play then he has to play at a very high standard. If he’s not able to do that then sorry, he must not be picked.”Harmison’s has been a troubled career, especially away from home, and a back injury cut short his England summer last year. He was subsequently asked by the England management to prove his fitness and form in the South African domestic circuit and though he returned for the tour of Sri Lanka, he was dropped after the first Test against New Zealand in March.Caddick was critical of the number of players introduced before they were prepared for the demands of the international game, and also voiced a word of caution for Andrew Flintoff. “Freddie now has to spend half a season playing for Lancashire building his strength up and bowling and batting his way back to somewhere near his best,” he said. “Anybody in their right mind is desperate to get him back into the England team as soon as possible. But we must think what is best for English cricket and for Freddie long-term.”Caddick, who took 234 wickets in 62 Tests, also felt the ECB needed to follow Australia’s example of properly grooming bowlers before blooding them at international level.

Scott Styris, New Zealand’s leading run-scorer at the World Cup, will be playing county cricket from June 1 © Getty Images

Scott Styris will join Durham as an overseas player this week, bringing to three the number of New Zealand squad members in county cricket this season. Styris will be hoping for a less dramatic trip than last year, when he injured his back while playing for Middlesex.He aggravated the problem at the Champions Trophy and ended up missing the home series against Sri Lanka and the start of the CB Series. However, Lindsay Crocker, the New Zealand team manager, said he had no issue with Styris returning to England as he would be with Durham for only two months from June 1.”This year he goes away with a pretty good bill of health and we have no concerns,” Crocker said. “He’ll still have about six weeks off before our next competition which is the Twenty20 World Cup, so it’s a nice length of break for him.”Styris joins his former New Zealand team-mate Paul Wiseman at Durham, and he will be the county’s second overseas player alongside Australia’s Michael Di Venuto. Durham, who are second on the points table, will be hoping Styris brings with him the form that made him New Zealand’s leading run-scorer at the World Cup.”He took his cricket to a different level in the World Cup and he’s learned a lot, things like batting into the later stages of a match,” Crocker said. “He wants to keep that momentum going and keep putting the things he learned into practice.”Three New Zealanders are now listed as overseas players in the county competition. The others are Stephen Fleming, who is the captain of Nottinghamshire, and Hamish Marshall, who is at Gloucestershire.

Misbah-ul-Haq gets a chance to make an impression in Australia © Getty Images

Misbah-ul-Haq has been appointed captain of the Pakistan A squad for the tour of Australia in July. The selectors decided against naming Hasan Raza for the post, reportedly due to an incident in Abu Dhabi in May.Raza led Pakistan A to victory in the Eurasia Cup in Abu Dhabi but was guilty of violating the code of conduct along with three other players, for travelling to Dubai without permission from the manager. Two other notable exclusions from the squad are openers Taufeeq Umar and Yasir Hameed, as the selectors felt the need to try out new players.”Players like Yasir Hameed and Taufiq Umar have been tried and tested at the highest level which is why we decided to bring in some new players in their place to give them valuable exposure,” Wasim Bari, the chairman of selectors told . Bari added that Misbah was handed the captaincy in order to try out a new player in his role.The squad contains a lot of deserving players who have performed consistently in the domestic circuit. They include fast bowler Wasim Khan, Fawad Alam, the left-hand batsman and Mohammad Salman, the wicketkeeper. Akhtar Ayub, the fast bowler who impressed in the Under-19 World Cup, has also been included.Pakistan A will play a series of one-day, four-day and Twenty 20 matches against the A sides of Australia, New Zealand and India at Darwin and Cairns.Pakistan A Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Bazid Khan (vice-capt), Hasan Raza, Mohammad Hafeez, Rafatullah Mohmand, Shahid Yousuf, Mansoor Amjad, Abdur Rahman, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Khalil, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Irshad, Wasim Khan, Akhtar Ayub; Reserves: Samiullah Khan, Shahzad Malik and Tahir Khan.

Ian Bradshaw: rewarded for consistent one-day performances with his first Test call-up © Getty Images

West Indies have recalled Brian Lara for the two-Test series against Pakistan, starting on Thursday in Barbados. Ian Bradshaw has been included in the 13-man squad for the first time, following his consistent efforts in the one-day internationals, while Devon Smith, Reon King and Corey Collymore also return.Xavier Marshall, Dwayne Smith and Pedro Collins are the players omitted from the current one-day squad. Devon Smith’s call comes after he was omitted from the Test side following the first Test against South Africa in Guyana, while Collymore has been a steadying influence on the West Indies attack during the one-day games.Joey Carew, convenor of the West Indies selection panel, said: “This is a new Test series and the team has to begin concentrating on getting the winning habit, so we are looking forward to a successful series.”Carew expected a renewed approach from the team, and believed that Lara, who was rested for the ODI series against Pakistan, would add another element to the team. “He is rested and will return invigorated,” Carew said. “As the senior player in the team and the leading personality in world cricket, he will also inject a deeper sense of professionalism.”Squad Shivnarine Chanderpaul (capt), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, Dwayne Bravo, Courtney Browne (wk), Ian Bradshaw, Daren Powell, Reon King, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards.

Awkward drive ruled Tuffey out of third Test© Getty Images

Daryl Tuffey has pulled out of the third Test against South Africa, which starts at Wellington on Friday (March 26), because of a large bruise on his left upper thigh. Lindsay Crocker, New Zealand Cricket’s general manager, explained that the injury occurred while Tuffey was fielding on the first day of the ongoing second Test, at Auckland.”Daryl injured himself in the field when he was attempting to prevent a boundary,” said Crocker. “He dived and landed very awkwardly, and has been having ongoing difficulties with his leg since then. Unfortunately, the bruising has become quite severe and it has got to the point where it is unlikely he will participate further in this match.”The injury will require physiotherapy, and Tuffey will go into a rehabilitation programme under the direction of NZC’s medical panel. “Daryl will also receive treatment for the injury to his left knee which has been aggravating him for some time,” said Crocker. “The programme he will undertake is intended to enable him to be fit for consideration for selection for the team for the UK tour, which departs on April 27.”The team for the third Test will be named on Monday.

THE Western Australian Cricket Association selectors have announced a squad of Western Warriors for the important ING Cup match against New South Wales at the WACA Ground on Wednesday, February 12, 2003.The squad includes recalled paceman Michael Clark and rookie all-rounder Peter Worthington, for the first time.Fast bowler Brad Williams has been named following his solid training session at the WACA Ground on Tuesday afternoon.Williams suffered a side strain during last Sunday’s exciting Warriors victory over Tasmania in Hobart.Worthington, 23, has been in blistering form with SunSmart League club side Midland-Guildford. He scored 113 not out last weekend to take his season tally to 631 runs.He has also taken 20 wickets at an average of 25 with his right-arm seamers.The Warriors squad is:
Justin Langer (captain), Mike Hussey (vice-captain), Jo Angel, Ryan Campbell, Beau Casson, Michael Clark, Murray Goodwin, Kade Harvey, Shaun Marsh, Chris Rogers, Callum Thorp, Brad Williams, Paul Wilson and Peter Worthington.The final team of 12 players will be decided just before Wednesday’s match.Warriors chairman of selectors Mr Wayne Hill said the inclusion of Clark and Worthington offered a cover for several selection alternatives."We want to see how Brad Williams pulls up on the morning of the match after training," said Hill."Going with a squad of players at this stage, gives us options with a healthy depth in batting and bowling."We think we have adequately covered all possibilities."The Warriors are second on the ING Cup ladder, with 26 points from eight matches.Ladder leaders Queensland has 27 points from nine limited-overs games.The New South Wales SpeedBlitz Blues have two games to play and sit in fourth with 19 points, one behind Tasmania (20).The Warriors could qualify for the final at home with two wins to complete the qualifying rounds.Wednesday’s match begins at 2.30pm. Gates open at 1.30pm. Umpires for the game are Ian Lock and Jeff Brookes.

Sampath Bank suffered their second successive defeat of the weekend when they lost by 26 runs to Access Group in a Mercantile ‘A’ division cricket match played at Moors SC grounds on Sunday.Having bowled out Access for 196 in a rain restricted match reduced to 30 overs, Samapth were on course to pull off a comfortable win being placed at 143 for 3 in the 24th over. However, a remarkable batting collapse saw them lose the remaining seven wickets for just 27 runs and be all out for 170 in the 28th over.Two former Sri Lanka bowlers caused the Sampath batting collapse. Fast bowler Pramodya Wickremasinghe took three for 22 and off-spinner Ruwan Kalpage had figures of three for 24.Indika de Saram struck three sixes in his 33 ball knock for 39 for Access while W.M.G. Ramyakumara (42 off 36 balls) and Anil Rideegammanagedera (31 off 31 balls) also contributed substantially.In another rain-curtailed match played at the Bloomfield grounds, Ranga Dias slammed the fastest fifty of the present tournament to help Janashakthi coast home to a comfortable 125-run win over Singer.Dias slammed five sixes and two fours in reaching his unbeaten half-century off 23 balls as Janashakthi rattled up 193 for 6 off 39 overs. M.S. Sampan made a top score of 78 off 119 balls.Singer provided little opposition as they were shot out for 68 in 33 overs with medium-pace bowlers Mohamed Abdeen (3/18) and Malintha Warnapura (3/5 off five overs) turning the screws.John Keells gave an improved display to recover from their 173-run defeat at the hands of HNB on Saturday, to beat East West by six wickets at the NCC grounds.Jehan Mubarak, the Sri Lanka under 19 cricketer hit a sparkling 77 of 78 balls inclusive of two sixes and six fours to steer John Keells past the required target of 163.Poor ground conditions at Colts, prevented a ball being bowled in the match between Hatton National Bank and Seylan Bank which ended in a no-result.

Wolves have an abundance of young defensive talent coming through their youth academy, as well as the likes of Toti Gomes and Max Kilman who are years away from reaching their prime and still have a large amount of potential.

This could make it hard for players like Dion Sanderson, who at 22-years-old, is struggling on loan with Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers, after joining them in January following an encouraging spell with Birmingham City in the first half of the season.

In his last three outings for the West London club, he has averaged an awful match rating of 5.8, as well as picking up a red card in a 2-1 win over Blackpool.

At the weekend in QPR’s 3-1 loss at home to struggling Peterborough, he suffered even more, and was branded ‘absolutely dreadful’ by local media for his shambolic defensive display, which saw him win just three of his eleven duels and lose possession 19 times.

Indeed, West London Sport’s podcast team were hardly complimentary of him either with Ian McCullough lamenting his discipline, saying that he was “sent off stupidly against Blackpool” while fellow reporter Dan Bennett said that “he looks panicked every time he gets the ball.”

Despite his recent form, Wolves loan manager Matt Jackson still believes Sanderson has what it takes to be a Championship player, saying: “We know Dion can be at least a Championship centre-back for the rest of his career.

“He’s proved that. We had loads of interest in January and we could have placed him in multiple places. The QPR style of play is good for Dion because Mark [Warburton, QPR manager] really encourages them to pass the ball.

“It’s a tight ground too, it can be a difficult place to play, so that’s a good challenge. And he’s got the challenge of trying to get into a promotion-chasing team and be around a squad and see what that looks like.”

However, unless he picks it up and bounces back with an impressive end to the season over the last run of games, he could find himself transfer-listed by Wolves manager Bruno Lage. After all, his displays of late indicate that he is nowhere near being of the quality to play in the Premier League.

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Should the Portuguese boss have already chosen to sell Sanderson, he could follow the same strategy Tottenham have used for their homegrown centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers, who has had a number of loan spells and contract extensions before finally attracting interest in him, with suitors now prepared to pay a heftier fee than before.

Valued at just £270k by Transfermarkt, the West Midlands club will definitely feel they can get more for him, so expect him to have at least one more temporary spell away from Molineux in the second tier next season, in order for the club to attract as high a fee as possible.

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