Category Uncategorized

Appointment of Washington Freedom director of cricket helps to strengthen ties at newly acquired franchise

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2025Michael Klinger, the former Australia batter and current director of cricket at Washington Freedom in the MLC, has joined Welsh Fire in a senior management role and will also take over as head coach of their Women’s Hundred team.Klinger’s appointment, on a two-year contract, further strengthens ties between Glamorgan County Cricket Club and Washington Freedom, whose owner – Sanjay Govil, the US-based tech entrepreneur – acquired a 49% stake in Welsh Fire during the Hundred equity sale earlier this year.Klinger will retain his role at Washington Freedom, and will work closely with Fire’s general manager Mark Wallace to oversee recruitment for both the men’s and women’s teams.Gareth Breese, who oversaw the women’s squad in this year’s Hundred, will stay on as an Assistant Coach in the restructured team, while Mike Hussey – Klinger’s fellow Australian – retains his role as head coach of the men’s team.In the 2025 Hundred season, Klinger was head coach of Manchester Originals women’s team, and has also served in coaching roles at Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League in India, the Melbourne Renegades Men’s Team in the Big Bash League and the Sydney Thunder Women’s team.”I’m thrilled to be taking on an expanded role with Welsh Fire, leading list management for both the men’s and women’s teams, alongside being Head Coach of the Women’s side,” Klinger said.”I’d like to thank Manchester Originals for the opportunity to work with them last year. It was a fantastic and rewarding experience for which I’m very grateful.”This new role allows me to combine coaching with a broader strategic focus and to continue strengthening my connections with the Washington Freedom organisation, as well as with the current management and coaches at Welsh Fire.”Glamorgan and Welsh Fire CEO, Dan Cherry, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Michael to the Welsh Fire family. From his career to date, Michael’s experience, pedigree and enthusiasm matches our long-term strategic vision of ambition and success for the franchise.”Michael adds real quality to our recruitment and coaching capabilities, while his arrival allows Mark to focus directly on implementing our wider cricket strategy. We are hopeful that Gareth Breese will stay on to support Michael after leading the team to the final in 2024.”It’s great also to continue our partnership with Mike Hussey. Mike is an outstanding leader who has made great strides with our Men’s team in recent years. We are all excited for this new chapter as we maximise our partnership with Sanjay Govil and his team to take progressive steps forward on and off the field.”

Liverpool aren’t doing so well this season. Last year’s indomitable air is a far cry from the tepid and toothless performances of the new campaign, with five defeats inflicted on Arne Slot’s side from six recent Premier League matches.

There is no way to sugarcoat it: that is so far below Anfield’s expectations that it beggars belief. Slot was so pained last season by that sole home defeat to Nottingham Forest, so frustrated by that stain on his copybook, even against the backdrop of a title-winning campaign.

But so many losses have become the norm for Liverpool this season, whose title defence is in tatters and whose focus is currently on establishing enough form and focus to recover a place in the Premier League’s top four.

Slot has got a lot to chew on before the November international break winds up and Liverpool host Forest in the top flight, a game they simply cannot afford to lose – again.

Aside from the lack of intensity and physicality in key areas and fragilities in defence, Liverpool’s widths have been well out of sorts this season, and this is something that needs fixing quickly.

Liverpool's struggles out wide

Mohamed Salah’s startling drop-off this season has been among the biggest concerns for Liverpool, but the Egyptian King has done it all before, and he will surely recover his potency in front of goal before his £400k-per-week contract expires in 2027.

More concerning, perhaps, is the form of Florian Wirtz, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m this summer but has yet to prove FSG have got bang for their buck.

The 22-year-old is clearly an incredible talent, but it hasn’t happened so far, with Liverpool’s wider tactical imbalances making it difficult for the playmaker to find a secure place in Slot’s line-up, flitting between the left flank and a creative berth from the centre.

Likewise, Cody Gakpo has struggled to impress. The left-sided forward has four goals and three assists across all competitions this term, but he’s lacked nuance in his expression.

It’s proving a tough ask for Slot to find a solution that will synergise this struggling frontline and restore Liverpool to their former level.

However, one Redman has enjoyed quite the impressive display for his nation in a World Cup qualifier this week, and in a position which could reshape his role at Liverpool over the coming months.

Slot may have his left wing solution

So much has gone wrong at Liverpool this season, but the form of Hugo Ekitike since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial £69m this summer cannot be counted among the negatives.

Ekitike is a striker, and was signed as such, but he played out on the left wing for France on Thursday evening as Didier Deschamps’ side defeated Ukraine 4-0 in their penultimate World Cup qualifier, with reporter Bence Bocsak praising his “very impressive” effort, having earlier noted that the star’s slickness and skill on the ball “reminds me of Bobby Firmino”.

Could it be that Liverpool have their left wing solution right here? This is hardly revelatory, but the dynamic forward has proved he has what it takes to produce a show-stopping performance from out wide here, and there’s a case to be made that he offers more than Gakpo does when in the role.

Indeed, were Ekitike to play from the left with regularity, it would only impede Gakpo in his hopes of stringing many minutes together across the season and beyond, especially as he will be competing with Wirtz.

But the one-time PSG prospect’s display demonstrated his potential in the position, a menace throughout after coming off the bench in the first half due to an injury to Bradley Barcola.

It was a spectacular goal, the 23-year-old collecting and driving forward from inside his own half, skating past defenders and entering the danger area before playing a neat connection with Kylian Mbappe and then striking true.

Minutes played

67′

Goals

1

Touches

22

Shots (on target)

4 (2)

Accurate passes

6/9 (67%)

Unsuccessful touches

3

Dribbles

2/2

Recoveries

1

Ground duels

4/5

Ekitike might not have enjoyed much success by way of passing, but he demonstrated how effective he can be with limited opportunities in possession. Not only accurate when carrying the ball forward, but he was fierce in the duel and clinical besides.

This economical approach showed something that has been lacking on Merseyside this season: an ability to make chances count even when presented intermittently.

That is, of course, barring one Liverpool forward. Ekitike. The Les Bleus star has scored six goals and posted an assist since joining the club this summer.

Development is never linear for those entering the Premier League from overseas, but the way in which Ekitike has slipped into life in Liverpool is remarkable, given the circumstances around the club right now.

Should Slot take note of the striker’s performance against Ukraine and begin to hand him more chances out wide, it could help Isak settle in after his record-breaking summer move while easing the fears that Isak and Ekitke cannot cohabit in Liverpool’s starting line-up.

Slot has already followed this train of thought, suggesting several weeks ago that Ekitike’s technical and physical qualities make him apt for a prolific role on the flank, and now it can be put into practice, albeit at Gakpo’s expense.

Without question, Liverpool’s head coach will have been attentive to Ekitike’s performance on the world stage, perhaps more inclined forward to trial Ekitike in a wider role going forward, thus opening the door to a partnership with Isak and a new dimension that could help restore the side’s attacking strength.

If this proves an effective and long-term solution, it may well come at the expense of Gakpo’s stay at Liverpool for the long run, but, as the opening months of the campaign have told us, it is crucial that Slot identifies a way of playing that matches the incredible amount of quality teeming across Anfield.

The new Diaz: FSG enter race to sign "world-class" £79m star for Liverpool

Liverpool’s forwards have flattered to deceive this season, and plans are being drawn.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 13, 2025

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy got off to the worst possible start with a 2-1 defeat to Hearts at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership in his first match in charge.

The Hoops head coach was thrown in at the deep end, after Martin O’Neill’s interim tenure, and failed to oversee a positive result in his debut in the dugout.

A late goal from Kieran Tierney in stoppage time was too little too late for the hosts, who created three ‘big chances’ in the match (Sofascore), as the Jam Tarts held out for all three points.

Nancy will have learned a lot about his squad in his 3-4-2-1 shape, which was immediately implemented, and one thing that he should have learned is that Daizen Maeda should not play as the striker.

Why Daizen Maeda should not play up front

The Japan international was selected to lead the line for the Scottish giants with Hyun-jun Yang and Sebastian Tounekti as the wing-backs, with Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren as the two attacking midfielders.

Maeda missed two ‘big chances’ early on in the game, per Sofascore, scuffing both efforts in presentable situations, and then struggled with the physicality of the match.

Per Sofascore, the Japanese attacker lost all five of his ground duels and three of his four duels in the air, which shows that it was too easy for the Hearts defenders to get the better of him more often than not.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, to his credit, it was his challenged header at the end of the game that created Kieran Tierney’s goal, so some good did come from his physical output.

His overall struggles physically, though, are why the new Celtic boss should use Kelechi Iheanacho or Johnny Kenny, natural number nines, in that position moving forward, with Maeda in one of the roles behind the striker to take some of the physical burden off him.

Maeda was not the only poor performer on the day for the Scottish giants, though, as Arne Engels is the first player who should be ruthlessly dropped from the starting XI by Nancy.

Why Nancy must drop Engels for Celtic

The new Celtic boss must drop the Belgium international from the starting line-up because he was even worse than Maeda in the defeat to Hearts on Sunday.

Like the Japanese striker in the first half, Engels was guilty of missing a huge opportunity in front of goal in the game, as he could only guide his close-range header straight at Alexander Schwolow.

The £11m signing from Augsburg was also incredibly sloppy with his use of the ball throughout the game. Per Sofascore, the central midfielder lost possession a staggering 23 times, whilst Maeda only gave the ball away seven times in total.

Engels was criticised for his “wayward” passes by Sky Sports pundit Chris Sutton during the live coverage of the first half, after a couple of sloppy balls forward that went straight back to the away side.

Minutes

90

90

Touches

86

31

Possession lost

23x

7x

Key passes

2

3

Assists

0

1

Shots

3

2

Big chances missed

1

2

Pass accuracy

76%

85%

As you can see in the table above, Engels had 55 more touches and gave the ball away 16 more times than Maeda across the 90 minutes, yet created fewer chances for the team than the Japan international.

These statistics illustrate just how sloppy the Belgian flop was in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants, and why he should be the first player who is ruthlessly dropped from the team by the manager.

Their respective performances tie into how Nancy could drop him because Maeda moving back into one of the attacking midfield positions would allow Reo Hatate to drop deeper into midfield, with Iheanacho or Kenny essentially replacing Engels in the line-up.

The former Bundesliga talent should not be completely written off under Nancy already, of course, but this period of matches is about the new manager learning about his squad, which means that he needs to look at other players and see who is best suited to his style of play.

Liverpool agree terms to sign "aggressive" Celtic teenager in first Nancy exit

An early blow for the new manager.

ByTom Cunningham 6 days ago

Engels was not good enough against Hearts on Sunday, unfortunately, but he will get more chances to prove himself to the French tactician in the future.

Dhruv Jurel struck his fifth first-class century and second in the match, to strengthen his case for a middle-order spot in next week’s first South Africa Test in Kolkata.Jurel struck an unbeaten 127, rescuing a floundering India A innings for the second time in the match, as they declared on 382 for 7, setting South Africa A 417 to win in a little over three sessions. The visitors were 25 for 0 at stumps, with openers Lesego Senokwane and Jordan Hermann surviving 11 testing overs from Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna.Siraj was particularly menacing, testing the inside and outside edge of Senokwane in his last two overs, where there were as many as three appeals for caught behind that were turned down – all superb decisions by umpire Akshay Totare – before he shouldered arms and survived a close leave to one that just missed the off stump. Siraj’s spell read 6-2-10-0.Related

• Dhruv Jurel: too good to keep out, too good to just keep

• Bavuma: Against India, SA will prepare for the worst and hope for the best

• Rishabh Pant scores half-century after retiring hurt against South Africa A

• Rishabh Pant returns to India's Test squad for South Africa series

Jurel came in to bat with India A reeling at 108 for 4 when Rishabh Pant, the captain, retired hurt on 17 after copping multiple blows on the body and helmet by fast bowler Tshepo Moreki. Prior to this, India had lost KL Rahul after he managed to add just one to his overnight 26 when he was bowled off a nip-backer from Okuhle Cele.Jurel found an ally in allrounder Harsh Dubey, who took on the role of the aggressor early on in their partnership. Having had very little bowling to do in the first innings, Dubey proved his batting chops in making 84 as he put on 184 for the sixth wicket with Jurel. Dropped at slip off the very first delivery, Dubey used his feet well to loft spinners Prenelan Subrayen and Kyle Simmonds down the ground. He was also excellent while sweeping.At the other end, Jurel blunted a fired-up Moreki by defending with a straight bat and playing as close as he could to the body. Against spin, there were no half measures: he was either fully forward while driving, or assured while rocking back to cut. For much of his innings, Jurel hardly played across the line.On 49, Jurel had a massive slice of luck when he lunged forward to defend a sharp turner from Subrayen as the ball bounced back onto the stumps in a manner reminiscent of Siraj’s dismissal at Lord’s off Shoaib Bashir to signal England’s victory earlier this year, except this time the bails remained intact. To his credit, Jurel cashed in on that luck, getting past a half-century – it took him 83 deliveries to get there – and then shifting gears to cruise past three-figures.South Africa A took the second new ball immediately upon being available and struck off the second delivery when Dubey was out driving to the slips. That is when Pant returned to bat and quickly pounced on anything loose to charge towards a half-century. Pant got hit for a fourth time with a short ball, from Tiaan van Vuuren, the left-arm seamer, as he tried to pull. On 65, he attempted a slog that he top-edged to the wicketkeeper to drag the innings to a close.

Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat against PSG in the Champions League last night was the second time in a matter of months in which Thomas Frank’s men have been bettered by the French side.

The UEFA Super Cup final back in August was the Dane’s first competitive match in charge of the Lilywhites, but he was unable to get one over Luis Enrique’s side.

Such a result once again appeared at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night, with the host’s 5-3 win inflicting the club’s first loss of the current European campaign.

Both fixtures could have fallen in Spurs’ favour, especially after taking the lead in both contests, but ultimately the defensive frailties have cost Frank’s men in each of the meetings.

The inability to keep one player out in Paris last night ultimately contributed to their downfall, with one opposition star constantly tormenting Frank’s men in the defeat.

Vitinha’s stats against Spurs in the Champions League

PSG’s success in the Champions League last season was no doubt down to the quality side Enrique has built over recent years, with Vitinha central to the Parisians’ European triumph.

The Portuguese international has continued his phenomenal form in the current campaign, as seen by his performance against Spurs on Wednesday night.

He featured for the entirety of the contest at the Parc des Princes, scoring a hat-trick during the triumph – achieving such a feat for the first time in his professional career.

The 25-year-old’s first strike was undoubtedly the pick of the bunch, with the midfielder firing Quentin Ndjantou’s perfectly weighted pass into the top corner via the crossbar.

His underlying stats from the contest also reflect his impressive display, with Vitinha completing 87 passes – the most of any player – whilst also completing 100% of his attempted dribbles.

Such a performance led to Spurs boss Frank heaping huge praise on the midfielder, labelling him as the “best midfielder in the world” and that he’ll be the “next Ballon d’Or winner”.

The Spurs star who could be Frank’s answer to Vitinha

After the North London Derby defeat against Arsenal, it was imperative that manager Frank switched up his midfield department for the Champions League clash.

The Dane started with a two-man pivot of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur at the Emirates, with such a partnership far too negative – which no doubt contributed to the 4-1 hammering.

For the defeat against PSG, the 52-year-old opted for a younger base of the side, with Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall just two of the youngsters who featured in the middle of the park.

The duo were unable to produce a winning display, but they did offer a reason to be positive despite falling to a third consecutive defeat under Frank’s guidance.

However, the shining light in the middle of the park was certainly Archie Gray, with the 19-year-old taking full advantage of the rare start handed his direction.

The Englishman joined in a £40m deal from Leeds United last summer but has often had to bide his time for a regular run of first-team appearances since Frank’s arrival.

Yesterday was just his fourth start of the 2025/26 campaign, but he did manage to thrive, even against the defending European champions last night.

Gray featured for 76 minutes before being withdrawn, even linking up excellently with Bergavll in the first half as the Lilywhites took a one-goal lead.

He also won 100% of the tackles he attempted, whilst making two clearances and two recoveries – in what was an exceptional defensive performance at the Parc des Princes.

Minutes played

76

Touches

20

Passes completed

7

Passes into final third

2

Tackles won

100%

Clearances made

2

Recoveries made

2

Aerials won

100%

Other stats, such as 100% aerials won and two passes into the final third, also showcase his all-round quality – backing up Ben Mattinson’s claim that he’s a “future £100m” star.

However, if he is to reach such levels and become the club’s very own Vitinha, it’s crucial that Frank hands him the needed game time to help him continue his development.

The player will no doubt be immensely proud of such a showing in Paris, with his efforts no doubt giving the manager a selection headache against Fulham this weekend.

As bad as Romero: Frank must instantly drop 5/10 Spurs flop after PSG

Thomas Frank will have some huge calls to make on some players after Tottenham Hotspur’s latest defeat.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 27, 2025

Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet will not pitch in the 2025 All-Star Game next week, MLB announced on Friday. He will be replaced with Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize on the American League roster.

Ahead of the Red Sox's matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays from Fenway Park on Friday, the pitcher explained why:

"For me, it’s just looking at my past four years," Crochet said, via of MassLive's Chris Cotillo. "In 2022, I threw zero innings. In ‘23, I threw 13. Last year, I threw 146. And this year I’m on pace for 200. From my standpoint, it makes no sense to make that 201 to throw in a game that doesn’t determine my team’s fate throughout the season.

"It’s a huge honor to be [selected]," he continued. "I threw last year—with it being my first one. If I were to go next year, I would probably throw. But just with the way my continued growth is, and my workload ceiling, I’d rather not add to it."

Crochet also mentioned that Boston's current spot in the AL playoff hunt impacted his decision to forgo the All-Star Game.

Through 19 starts and 120.1 innings pitched this season, Crochet is 9-4 with a 2.39 ERA while leading MLB in strikeouts with 151. His next scheduled start is on Saturday afternoon against the Rays.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has put up his usual mind-boggling numbers during the first half of the 2025 MLB season, leading the charge as the AL MVP favorite just ahead of the All-Star break.

Through 90 games this year, Judge is slashing .360/.468/.734 with 33 home runs, 74 RBIs and 65 walks. He ranks second in MLB in home runs and RBIs, and leads the league by a huge margin with a 1.202 OPS.

Judge also made MLB history during the first half of the campaign.

This is the third time in his career Judge has hit 33 or more home runs during the first half of a season. No other player has ever recorded more than two such seasons, according to OptaSTATS. Judge has accomplished the feat in three of the last four years––in 2022, '24 and '25––a testament to his dominance at the plate.

Since the start of the 2022 season, Judge has hit 190 home runs, 28 more than the next highest player, Shohei Ohtani, during that same span. He broke the American League record with 62 home runs in '22, and added another 58 last season. He could surpass both those tallies this year based on his ridiculous first half. At his current pace, Judge would hit just over 59 home runs across a 162-game season.

أعلن الكرواتي كرونسلاف يورتشيتش، المدير الفني لنادي بيراميدز، التشكيل الرسمي لفريقه استعدادًا لمواجهة المقاولون العرب، اليوم الثلاثاء، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ومن المقرر أن تُلعب المباراة على استاد الدفاع الجوي ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من الدوري المصري الممتاز لموسم 2025-2026.

ويدخل بيراميدز اللقاء محتلاً المركز الرابع في جدول الترتيب برصيد 20 نقطة، بعدما خاض 9 مباريات حقق خلالها 6 انتصارات وتعادلين وتعرض لهزيمة وحيدة.

في المقابل، يدخل المقاولون العرب المواجهة وهو في المركز الثامن عشر برصيد 10 نقاط، بعد خوض 13 مباراة حقق فيها فوزًا واحدًا وتعادل في 7 لقاءات وخسر 5 مباريات.

طالع أيضًا | يورتشيتش: بيراميدز واجه مشكلة قبل مواجهة ريفرز.. وهذا ما يحتاجه إيفرتون تشكيل بيراميدز أمام المقاولون العرب في الدوري

حراسة المرمى: أحمد الشناوي.

خط الدفاع: أحمد سامي – محمود مرعي – محمد حمدي – محمد الشيبي.

خط الوسط: بلاتي توريه – وليد الكرتي – أحمد عاطف “قطة” – مصطفى زيكو – محمود زلاكة.

خط الهجوم: فيستون مايلي. بدلاء بيراميدز أمام المقاولون العرب في الدوري

محمود جاد – علي جبر – كريم حافظ – أحمد توفيق – محمود دونجا – مروان حمدي – إيفرتون داسيلفا – محمد رضا “بوبو” – عبد الرحمن مجدي

As a Real Madrid stalwart who was fiercely loyal to Jose Mourinho, Xabi Alonso did not seem like an obvious signing for Pep Guardiola, and yet the pair got on famously during their two years together at Bayern Munich. Alonso’s experience helped Guardiola win two Bundesliga titles while the veteran player sought to tap into the Catalan’s knowledge as he prepared for his own career on the touchline.

Alonso’s playing career was just about the perfect apprenticeship for moving into coaching as he worked under some of the biggest names in the game, each with their own unique style. His five years at Liverpool were spent with Rafa Benitez, the arch strategist. His long spell at Madrid saw him work with three vastly different coaches in Manuel Pellegrini, Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti. He ended his career working under the master of modern positional play in Guardiola for two years, before one final year reunited with Ancelotti.

Guardiola could instantly see that Alonso was cut out for a successful career in the dugout, remarking: "Every single coach who ever had the marvellous pleasure of training Xabi as a player knew without any doubt that he'd become a coach," and working alongside Guardiola was clearly an insightful time for Alonso.

“I learned a lot in three years in Bayern,” he said. “I was 32, I had made a lot of my career but in two or three years, I learned so, so much.”

Alonso’s time with Guardiola evidently helped him succeed at Bayer Leverkusen, where he ended Bayern’s 11-year stranglehold on the Bundesliga title and lifted the DFB-Pokal during an unbeaten domestic campaign. But it did not necessarily set him up well for life at Madrid, and as he prepares to meet his former mentor in the dugout for the first time when Los Blancos face Manchester City on Wednesday amid a run of just two wins in seven matches, there is a feeling that defeat could spell the end of Alonso’s time at the Bernabeu.

Getty ImagesDownward spiral

Guardiola’s coaching mentor was Johan Cruyff, and in his very first season as a coach with Barcelona’s B team he approached the legendary Dutchman about a dilemma: His best two players were undermining him. Cruyff’s message was clear: “Get rid of them.” Guardiola did as Cruyff advised and his team overcame a slippery start to storm to the title.

Alonso has been confronted with a similar dilemma in the form of Vinicius Jr. According to , Alonso’s dispute with the Brazil forward began during the Club World Cup, when Vinicius was furious with his coach for playing him on his less favoured right side in the 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint Germain in the semi-final. 

The tension between player and coach then came to a head in October after the player’s furious reaction to being substituted towards the end of the Clasico win over Barcelona. Vinicius released a grovelling apology on to “all Madridistas, my team–mates, the club and the president“. Tellingly, he did not apologise to Alonso. Nonetheless, Vinicius was in the line up for Madrid’s next outing against Valencia. 

They won that game easily 4-0, but then their problems began. They lost at Liverpool, drew three consecutive league games at Rayo Vallecano, Elche and Girona, and then scraped past Olympiacos. They did easily beat Athletic Club 3-0 in their best performance of the season, only to follow it up with Sunday’s ill-tempered defeat at home to Celta Vigo.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportUnrelenting questions

Alonso’s lenient treatment of Vinicius, which contrasted with Arne Slot dropping Mohamed Slot from the Liverpool squad following his rant about being "thrown under the bus", was twice mentioned during his press conference on Tuesday ahead of facing City. Despite the coach taking no action against Vinicius, the player is still apparently furious with his coach, and has decided to delay talks regarding a contract renewal until the summer, by which time Alonso could be gone.

Alonso looked surprised when he was asked on Tuesday if he regretted taking Vinicius off in El Clasico. “I don’t know what the question is getting at. It was a decision in the moment and now we’re in another moment.”

It was far from the only uncomfortable question he was asked, either, as queries from the assembled media ranged from, “Do you have the support of the whole squad?” to, “Do you feel alone?” and, “How do you cope with all these rumours about your future?”

AFP'Thinks he's Guardiola'

The rift with Vinicius is believed to just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Alonso’s relationship with the players. Another report in recounted how Alonso told his squad soon after taking charge that they would have to run more and work harder. Alonso’s staff had spoken of “many bad habits” setting in under Ancelotti and the new coach established a new set of rules for the squad, emphasising the importance of punctuality and maintaining intensity in training. 

Alonso’s hands-on approach was in total contrast to that of Ancelotti, who was barely involved in training sessions, delegating them to other members of staff. And it rubbed players, many of whom had won multiple La Liga titles and Champions League crowns, up the wrong way. 

The most damning quote in the report came from a source close to a senior player, which read: “He thinks he’s Pep Guardiola, but for now he’s just Xabi.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPNot a safe haven for coaches

The truth is that even Guardiola, leaving aside his past as a Barcelona player and coach for a second, would struggle to succeed at Madrid. The club has never been a safe haven for coaches. This is a club that has repeatedly sacked managers who have won La Liga or the Champions League, sometimes the very next day.

While Barcelona venerated Cruyff and Guardiola and, for a couple of years, Frank Rijkaard, Madrid prefer their coaches to be lower key. It is why Mourinho, the ultimate rockstar of the management world, was such a divisive figure in the Spanish capital. By the end of his chaotic tenure, Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa were the only allies the Portuguese had left after he fell out with Sergio Ramos, Iker Casillas and Cristiano Ronaldo. 

While Mourinho and Guardiola were sworn enemies when they were in charge of Spain’s biggest clubs for three years and are often painted as polar opposites, Alonso thought they were not so different after all, saying in 2016: “They are both very similar in that they are hard workers and extremely ambitious. On the football side, they have different approaches and style. What you get with both is huge charisma and leadership.”

A European club has now reached a “verbal agreement” to sign a Newcastle United attacker in the January transfer window.

Newcastle receive major Yoane Wissa boost

Things are starting to look up for Newcastle. On the pitch, they eased past Everton in the Premier League to make it back-to-back domestic wins and finally pick up a victory on the road.

Meanwhile, away from the action, Yoane Wissa has decided against taking part in the African Cup of Nations with Dr Congo, with his full focus on making his long-awaited debut for the Magpies.

Providing an update on the striker’s fitness in his latest press conference, Eddie Howe told reporters: “He participated in an 11v11 training game while we were at Everton. He will have another one this week and we will see how he is.”

The Newcastle boss also previewed his side’s forthcoming clash against Tottenham Hotspur in search of a third-straight Premier League win, saying: “It’s vitally important we find the consistency we’re searching for.

“It seems like we’re going between Champions League and Premier League and not quite finding that sweet spot we’ve been searching for all season. Hopefully this is the turning point for us.”

Three points could take those in Tyneside up to seventh in the Premier League and one place behind Sunderland if other results go their way. But that improvement may not be enough to keep hold of William Osula, who could reportedly be on his way out of Newcastle when the January transfer window arrives.

Osula reaches "verbal agreement" with Frankfurt

According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Eintracht Frankfurt have now reached a “verbal agreement” with Osula ahead of January. The young striker is reportedly keen to join the Bundesliga club, but they are yet to reach an agreement with Newcastle despite ongoing contact.

With record signing Nick Woltemade thriving and Wissa finally on his way back from injury, a winter move would make perfect sense for Osula. Whether Newcastle are keen to let him leave for around €20m (£18m) at the end of the season is another question, however.

As good as Thiaw: Newcastle star is now "one of the best" players in the PL

Eddie Howe and Newcastle United have a superstar in the making on their hands.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 1, 2025

At 22 years old, the forward still has plenty of potential and received praise from Howe back in April when the manager dubbed his young star “excellent”. Whilst the loan move would do him good, Osula’s long-term future could still lie at St James’ Park.

More exciting than Thiaw: Newcastle have their next Isak-esque "superstar"