Léo Jardim é o representante do Vasco na Seleção Brasileira. O goleiro foi convocado pela primeira vez na carreira e, já nesta terça-feira (19), apareceu em campo para treinar. Vale lembrar que o Brasil joga contra a Inglaterra neste sábado (23), às 16h, em Wembley. Veja no player acima.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasVascoAlexandre Mattos se desculpa por eliminação do Vasco no Carioca e nega clima ruim: ‘Factoides mirabolantes’Vasco19/03/2024VascoComo Vasco pode utilizar o período sem jogos da Data Fifa?Vasco19/03/2024VascoTorcida do Vasco protesta no Maracanã: ‘Time sem vergonha’; ASSISTAVasco17/03/2024
➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco
With three wins from their opening nine Premier League matches, Leeds United have already gone against the label that often falls onto newly promoted sides as being relegation fodder.
It might not be as spectacular as Sunderland’s Granit Xhaka-led efforts, but Daniel Farke’s Whites now find themselves on double digits in terms of points collected, with a much-needed 2-1 home win against West Ham United on Friday night also seeing the West Yorkshire outfit get one over on a potential relegation rival.
Yet again, Joe Rodon put in a valiant effort in the heart of Farke’s defence, with his standout display against Nuno Espirito Santo’s visitors further cementing his tag as Leeds’ “most important player”, as was handed to him at the start of the month by journalist Isaac Johnson.
Rodon's performance vs West Ham
The Welsh “warrior” – as he has also been lovingly labelled in the past by his manager – has gone on to be an ever-present part of the German’s side, ever since Rodon was just a much-loved loan option from Tottenham Hotspur.
Rodon didn’t miss a single Championship game last season as Leeds were crowned champions of the tricky division, and he has remained as one of the first names on the team sheet in the league above, too, and for very good reason.
The 28-year-old powerhouse would ensure the three points were sealed when heading home this corner unmarked, but it wasn’t just this effort beating Alphonse Aréola in the Hammers’ net that cemented his position in the Whites’ good books.
Indeed, Rodon would also finish the contest with a 92% pass accuracy intact as a calm and controlled operator on the ball, on top of nine clearances also being registered to ensure the likes of former Leeds star Crysencio Summerville were kept quiet.
If Leeds want to establish themselves as a formidable Premier League outfit and beat the drop come the end of the long campaign, they will need Rodon to keep up these imperious levels, with Farke very much aware of how much of an integral component he is to his team, having also once lauded him as “unbelievable” rock defensively.
However, another Leeds first-teamer is also deserving of his flowers, too, away from all the praise being dished out to the Swansea-born battler, with the star in question arguably putting in an even better performance than Rodon on Friday night.
The 9/10 star who was even better than Rodon
Ultimately, it was a team effort that got the narrow win over the line, with Lucas Perri in between the sticks, having to make sure he stayed alert, with two saves tallied up on his return to Farke’s starting lineup.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin also tirelessly threw himself into the contest, even if he didn’t add to his solitary Leeds strike, with the easily scapegoated number nine winning eight duels in total.
But, as much as everyone did largely play their part in a second home win of the season being secured, Brenden Aaronson stood out as an extremely bright spark with his sublime individual display.
Aaronson would steer his side to their third three points of the Premier League season when being in the right place at the right time to convert a rebound after just three minutes. Yet, on another day, he could have also been remembered in even more glowing terms for being the audacious ace who fired home this sensational solo effort.
Unfortunately, the crossbar would then intervene.
But, this well-worked effort agonisingly scraping the crossbar shouldn’t detract from Aaronson’s otherwise near faultless night, with the American – who was labelled as “anonymous” by journalist James Marshment just last season – arguably standing out even more than Rodon when judging his all-round game.
Aaronson’s performance in numbers
Stat
Aaronson
Minutes played
90
Goals scored
1
Assists
0
Touches
38
Shots
3
Accurate passes
11/15 (73%)
Key passes
2
Successful dribbles
3/3
Recoveries
4
Total duels won
8/12
Stats by Sofascore
Across the 90 minutes, away from grabbing his early goal, the revitalised number 11 would also successfully complete all three of his dribbles as a constant menace for West Ham to contain, on top of also winning 80% of his ground duels to further reinforce his liveliness.
Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth would reward Aaronson for his standout showing with a 9/10 rating post-match, with Smyth stating that the 25-year-old put in a “tonne of hard work” to help the 2-1 win be secured.
In time, Aaronson will hope that he’s viewed as an undroppable Rodon-like cog in the Leeds machine, with his blistering display against the Hammers very much boosting his position in Farke’s first team, moving forward into a busy November.
Fewer touches than Perri: Leeds must drop star who lost 100% ground duels
Daniel Farke could be tempted to ditch this Leeds United star even after his side were victorious against West Ham United.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed a fresh injury update on forward Kai Havertz, with a timeline emerging on his possible return.
The Gunners, even without Havertz, have made a brilliant start to the 2025/2026 season, with their last defeat coming all the way back at Anfield against Liverpool.
Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Since then, Arsenal have been a force to be reckoned with, sitting firmly atop the Premier League table and showing no signs of slipping.
One of the defining features of Arsenal’s campaign so far has been their dominance from set pieces. Arteta’s side have already scored an incredible 11 goals from dead-balls, making them the undisputed set-piece kings of the league.
From pinpoint corners to clever free-kicks and long-throws, Arsenal have turned these situations into a very reliable source of goals, much to the detest of some critics.
What’s particularly impressive is that they’ve done it while missing a plethora of key stars for long periods.
Club captain Martin Odegaard, who is back on the treatment table until mid-November following a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury against West Ham, had only just come back from a shoulder problem beforehand.
Gabriel Jesus, meanwhile, ruptured his ACL at the very start of 2025 and hasn’t played since Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man United last season.
Noni Madueke, who was really impressing on-lookers with his early-season form, picked up a knee injury in their 1-1 draw at home to Man City, but the England international could apparently make a “faster-than-expected” return to the team (GiveMeSport).
With Havertz, the signs have also been pretty good.
Arteta’s versatile forward — the club’s highest earner on around £280,000-per-week — is believed to be impressing Arsenal staff with his recovery from knee damage behind-the-scenes.
As a result, Havertz is apparently ahead of schedule to return for Arsenal, but it still might not be too imminent.
Arsenal handed fresh Kai Havertz injury update
The 26-year-old, who scored 15 goals and bagged another five assists in all competitions last season, has played just half an hour so far this term and Arteta will be hoping to have him back as soon as possible.
However, according to journalist and founder of Premier Injuries, Ben Dinnery, Havertz may not be back in full match action until as far down the line as December.
Arteta will want to be careful managing the former Chelsea star’s load, especially considering how light Arsenal are going forward right now after Gabriel Martinelli was also sidelined recently.
Summer signing Viktor Gyokeres has done fairly well in Havertz’s place up front, albeit his goal return so far isn’t what most had hoped for.
The return of Havertz would give Arteta an extra option in that area, and Arsenal have already been tipped to bench Gyokeres for the attacker in big games once he makes his comeback.
Mikel Arteta's underrated Arsenal star adds something "people really don’t see"
Arsenal staff have been taken aback by summer signing Noni Madueke behind-the-scenes, with a twist now coming to light on the forward’s injury return timeline.
Mikel Arteta is now without star defender William Saliba once again, not to mention winger Gabriel Martinelli.
Delivering a pre-match injury update ahead of the Gunners’ Carabao Cup fourth round clash at home to Brighton on Wednesday evening, Arteta didn’t delve into too much detail on the extent of their problems, but the duo have now joined their injury list.
Saliba and Martinelli are accompanied by Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Madueke, who are all unavailable for selection right now due to various issues.
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Jesus has been sidelined since the turn of the year after rupturing his ACL in an FA Cup defeat to Man United, and reports have suggested that the Brazilian may not be back in action until 2026.
Odegaard, meanwhile, is suffering real bad luck with injuries right now.
The Arsenal captain had only just returned from a shoulder problem when he set up Gabriel Magalhaes’ winner away to Newcastle, but it didn’t take long for Odegaard to be sidelined once again.
The £240,000-per-week playmaker picked up a medial collateral ligament injury in the 2-0 win over West Ham just prior to the last international break, and that is expected to keep him out until mid-November.
Luckily for Arteta, the north Londoners could soon welcome Havertz back.
The Germany international has apparently been blowing away Arsenal rehab staff with his recovery and is fighting to be fully match fit ahead of schedule, according to insider HandOfArsenal.
Now, as per GiveMeSport, nearly the exact same can be said of Madueke too.
Arsenal staff taken aback as Noni Madueke nears faster injury return
According to their information, Arsenal staff have been left impressed by Madueke’s attitude during recovery, and the England international winger is now set to return to training earlier than anticipated.
Madueke is said to be making “faster-than-expected” progress in his comeback from a knee injury which has kept him out since Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Man City.
The former PSV Eindhoven star, known for his pace, dribbling, and creativity, has been a bright prospect since joining Arsenal, and his return is expected to inject more flair and unpredictability into their front line.
Madueke’s ability to wreak havoc on defenders in one-on-one situations offers a new dimension, but also takes some pressure off Arsenal’s key forwards, with Arteta pretty light in that area right now.
His form right after joining Arsenal in the summer, despite early protests over his arrival, resulted in Madueke being considered as Andrea Berta’s arguable best signing of the window thus far.
Arsenal’s plan is for the 23-year-old to complete several controlled sessions before resuming full contact training, and he’s apparently used the time to work on other aspects of his game, like strength and conditioning.
His response to the setback has been nothing short of incredible, according to GMS, and Arteta will certainly be impressed behind-closed-doors.
Leeds United travel away from West Yorkshire and Elland Road to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League this afternoon.
The Whites are looking to win back-to-back matches in the Premier League for the first time this season, after they beat West Ham United in their last outing.
Daniel Farke’s side won, thanks to goals from Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon, and Anton Stach did not play a single minute of the match at Elland Road.
Why Leeds should unleash Anton Stach
Despite beating the Hammers, Leeds can improve on their performance from last time out because they failed to put the game out of sight for the away side, which led to a nervy ending when they pulled a goal back.
After Rodon’s goal, the Whites did not create a single chance that was worth more than 0.14 xG, per Sofascore, and they allowed West Ham to get back into the game, albeit they were able to hang on for all three points.
Stach, who did not get on the pitch, has proven that he can provide a threat at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position, with one goal, 1.8 key passes per game, and two ‘big chances’ created in eight appearances, per Sofascore.
The summer signing from Hoffenheim has shown that he can be a difference-maker with his individual quality, which could help Leeds to capitalise on a shaky Brighton defence that has conceded 15 goals in the Premier League.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
In order to bring Stach into the starting line-up, though, Farke would have to ruthlessly ditch Ao Tanaka, whose performances he has recently defended.
Why Leeds should drop Ao Tanaka
After the win over West Ham, the Japan international stated that he is “not good enough at the moment” and that he will be using these experiences to improve as a player.
Asked about Tanaka’s honest admission, Farke said: “He had a really good start to the season with us. I didn’t expect him to be man of the match [vs West Ham], being in his first match after injury back in the starting line up, but I think he was quite solid and showed a really, really good performance.”
In spite of his defence of the central midfielder’s comments and performance, the German head coach should drop the midfield maestro from the XI because Stach may be able to offer more quality against Brighton.
Appearances
7
8
xG
0.16
0.79
Goals
0
1
Key passes per game
0.6
1.8
Big chances created
0
2
Ground duel success rate
18%
52%
Aerial duel success rate
43%
77%
Tackles + interceptions per game
0.7
2.3
As you can see in the table above, Tanaka has struggled to influence games in the Premier League this season, as he has offered little in the final third whilst being dominated by opposition players physically.
The Japanese midfielder is seemingly still adjusting to the step up from the Championship, which is understandable, but Stach has shown that he can make an impact offensively and hold his own defensively in his eight starts in the division.
Given Brighton’s defensive struggles this season, conceding 15 goals in nine games, it could be the right time to bring the German central midfielder back into the starting line-up to give the Whites the best chance of causing their defence problems.
Aaronson 2.0: Phil Hay saw no way back for Leeds flop, now he's "ruthless"
This Leeds United star was the original Brenden Aaronson at Elland Road.
ByDan Emery Oct 30, 2025
Therefore, Farke should ruthlessly drop Tanaka from the XI, despite his defence of the midfielder’s display against West Ham, because it may improve the team’s chances of winning this afternoon, given the context of the opposition.
Rumoured Celtic manager target Craig Bellamy has shared praise for one Hoops player who has impressed under Martin O’Neill.
Celtic linked with shock Bellamy move
The Hoops are yet to appoint Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor, with O’Neill steadying the ship with wins over Falkirk and Rangers.
The Irishman booked Celtic’s place in the Scottish League Cup final at the weekend and there have been class he could stay on until the end of the current campaign due to his relationship with Dermot Desmond.
Wales boss Bellamy has been one of numerous managers linked with the full-time vacancy, though, with those at Parkhead even weighing up contact at the end of October.
Celtic can make Tierney completely unplayable by hiring 4-2-3-1 manager
Bellamy has even spoken out on the rumours of a move to Glasgow, saying: “It’s not on my radar – and it won’t be on my radar. I can understand the links because I played there, [now] I’m coaching, so I definitely understand the links.
“But to me, I love what I’m doing at this present moment. I have to be honest, I’m completely focused on what’s to come. It looks it’s going to be a play-off in March, we know that and to me, that’s all I’m focused on and I know it’s a little bit cliched, but it’s the honest truth.
“I couldn’t want for anything more than what I have at this present moment and that’s where it lies with me.”
Bellamy shares praise for Celtic teenager Callum Osmand
Bellamy also expressed his disappointment that he could not consider Celtic teenager Callum Osmand for Wales selection after a change in the rules around the eligibility of players from the Channel Islands.
Jersey-born forward Osmand was capped by Wales at Under-16 and Under-17 level when players from the Channel Islands were able to represent any of the four Home Nations.
But a change in the rules means players from the Channel Islands – British Crown Dependencies who are not full FIFA or UEFA members – are now only eligible to play for England, and Osmand’s Wales career is at an end as he has no Welsh heritage.
Osmand made a dramatic impact since Celtic interim managers O’Neill and Shaun Maloney came in.
He made his senior debut in Celtic’s 4-0 win over Falkirk and netted his first goal for the club in Sunday’s 3-1 Hampden victory over Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final. The 19-year-old has even been added to Celtic’s Europa League squad.
استقر أحمد عبد الرؤوف المدير الفني لفريق الزمالك، على تشكيل الفريق الذي سيخوض به مواجهة كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي، في دور المجموعات من بطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.
ويلتقي الزمالك مع نظيره كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي، في الثالثة عصر اليوم السبت، في جنوب إفريقيا، في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.
ويقع الزمالك في المجموعة في الكونفدرالية رفقة أندية كايزر تشيفز والمصري وزيسكو يونايتد الزامبي.
طالع.. الزمالك يواجه كايزر تشيفز في مهمة صعبة خارج الديار بـ الكونفدرالية
وكان الزمالك قد حقق الفوز في الجولة الماضية من دور المجموعات من بطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية على فريق زيسكو الزامبي بهدف دون رد أحرزه سيف الدين الجزيري.
ويقود التونسي سيف الدين الجزيري هجوم فريق الزمالك المتوقع أمام كايزر تشيفز، بعد تألقه في اللقاء الماضي وتسجيله هدف. تشكيل الزمالك المتوقع أمام كايزر تشيفز في الكونفدرالية
حراسة المرمى: محمد عواد.
الدفاع: أحمد فتوح وحسام عبد المجيد والونش وعمر جابر.
الوسط: محمد شحاتة، وسيف جعفر أو محمد إسماعيل، وناصر ماهر.
الهجوم: محمود بنتايج أو أحمد شريف، والجزيري وخوان بيزير
The Philadelphia Phillies found a wild way to lose a game Tuesday night as the San Francisco Giants walked them off with a historic inside-the-park three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning at Oracle Park.
Giants catcher Patrick Bailey was the hero as his hard hit to right field bounced off the brick wall and shot past Phillies center fielder Brandon Marsh. He was able to eventually chase it down and fire the ball back to the infield but they never had a chance of stopping Bailey.
Phillies announcers Ruben Amaro Jr. and Tom McCarthy had the perfect reactions to it right after Bailey crossed home plate.
"Tom, I've seen a whole lot of things in this game. But I've never seen that," Amaro Jr. said. "That is truly an amazing, astonishing thing. I've just never seen anything like it."
Yorkshire on top in Scarborough despite unbroken last-wicket stand for visitors
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay29-Jul-2025
James Wharton pulls off a brilliant diving catch to dismiss Tom Haines• Allan McKenzie/SWPIx.com
Sussex 210 for 9 (Coles 47, White 3-21) vs Yorkshire Yorkshire enjoyed a productive opening day of their key Rothesay County Championship clash with Sussex at Scarborough, a day lit up by a stunning James Wharton catch in the deep.Sussex, inserted on a green-tinged pitch, were limited to 210 for 9 from 96 overs. James Coles top-scored for them with 47 off 54 balls.New-ball seamer Jack White impressed with 3 for 21 from 17 overs, with the first of his wickets coming courtesy of what was labelled in some quarters as one of the all-time great catches by Wharton running back towards deep square-leg.Yorkshire came into this fixture second-bottom after 10 of 14 matches. They were seven points away from third-bottom and eighth-placed Durham, with Sussex only 21 ahead of the White Rose in fifth.These two counties were promoted from Division Two last summer. Yorkshire beat Sussex here last August. In fact, Sussex have never won a first-class match at North Marine Road. This is their 11th attempt. If Yorkshire’s start is anything to go by, that run may extend.Quite where Wharton’s catch stands on the list of all-time great grabs is difficult to say with certainty. What can be said with certainty, however, is that was a truly outstanding catch. You will struggle to see better at any county venue this season.Tom Haines looked to whip White over the leg-side but skied a chance off a top-edge. Wharton, positioned at a short midwicket, raced back towards deep square-leg and took the catch mid-air having dived full length.That left Sussex at 19 for 1 in the ninth over. From there, Yorkshire took wickets at regular intervals. Sussex reached lunch at 92 for 3 in the 29th over.Australian left-hander Daniel Hughes was the second wicket to fall when bowled by a beauty from White which angled in from around the wicket, straightened and hit the top of off stump with the score on 26.Coles and Tom Alsop steadied the ship, the former actually counter-attacking, including a six over long-on against the offspin of Dom Bess, Yorkshire’s stand-in captain with Jonny Bairstow on paternity leave. Coles fell just before lunch when caught behind against George Hill.A feature of the White Rose bowling performance was how miserly they were. For example, Sussex only scored 57 runs in an afternoon session which saw three more wickets fall – 149 for 6 at the tea break – and then 61 more after tea.White got wicket No. 4 when he had Danial Ibrahim caught at first slip pushing forwards before visiting captain John Simpson feathered behind a drive at Matt Milnes, leaving Sussex at 113 for 5 in the 44th over.Alsop, twice a fifty-maker in last year’s clash, was then the second Sussex batter to fall in the 40s after Coles. The left-hander had exactly 40 when he was bowled through the gate by one angled in from Revis with 129 on the board in the 53rd.More damage was done shortly after tea as Sussex lost three wickets for the addition of run one in eight balls, slipping to 150 for 9.The three wickets fell courtesy of catches at first, second and third slip. Two of them went to Will Sutherland’s seam in the 66th over – Fynn Hudson-Prentice for 23 and Jack Carson for a duck. Henry Crocombe also fell without scoring in the next over to Hill.Sussex were then boosted late on by an impressively watchful 10th-wicket partnership of 60 unbroken between Danny Lamb and Gurinder Sandhu. Both men pulled sixes off seam, Lamb finishing on 40 and Australian Sandhu 24.
The same qualities that brought Jayasuriya criticism when he was a selector have contributed to his success when he was interim coach
Madushka Balasuriya07-Oct-2024Confidence, data-driven insight, and a little bit of luck. These are the core tenets of Sanath Jayasuriya’s coaching philosophy, which have worked well enough for him to be handed the reins of Sri Lanka’s men’s national team, following roughly three months in the role in an interim capacity.Those three months, while not being a runaway success, included a home ODI series win against India, a home Test series win against New Zealand and an impressive Test win in England – yes, they lost the series 2-1, but it was a crucial victory from the WTC point of view. The only real blip was Jayasuriya’s first assignment, a T20I series defeat to reigning world champions India.”What I have always said is that it’s all about confidence and trust. I created that around the team and that’s very important,” Jayasuriya said on Monday, as he faced the media following the announcement of his full-time appointment. “And I think there was a little bit of luck also. You may do a lot of work, but you need that luck sometimes.Related
Slowly but surely, SL cricket is buying into the Jayasuriya way
Dhananjaya on WTC final prospects: 'Can't look too far ahead'
Stats – SL's best year in Tests since 2006
“At the same time, the players are determined to do well. They know what they went through over the last couple of years. They were really down and I asked the people to support the Sri Lanka cricketers. They are a good bunch of cricketers and they are talented. Only thing I gave was confidence, and I am there with them. They can talk to me and discuss anything.”That, in a nutshell, is Jayasuriya the coach. Arm around the shoulder, almost parent-like in the handling of his players. While during his time as chief selector, this was one of the criticisms directed at him – that he was at times too comfortable with his players, seen giving them advice and instructions in the lead up to, or even during, matches – now it’s seen as a strength.Jayasuriya has always been all action, with emotions firmly worn on his sleeves. Even during his short stint as interim coach, it was not uncommon to see him standing on the boundary line at the edge of the dugout, no attempt whatsoever at hiding his many emotions.”Yeah, he himself gets nervous sometimes, but he doesn’t let that happen to us,” Angelo Mathews had said recently during Sri Lanka’s second Test against New Zealand.And most times at the highest levels of team sport, it’s not so much about the actual coaching as it is your ability to get the message across effectively to the players. Sri Lanka have had 14 head coaches across their history (not including interim appointments) including some on multiple occasions, but Jayasuriya is only the fourth from Sri Lanka.
“In practice, we try and find different ways to do them [training sessions]. I want to make them interesting. Even before we start training, we’ve done little changes to create a nice atmosphere. So there are little things I do but it goes a long way”Sanath Jayasuriya
While foreign coaches bring a mountain of experience, their communication often relies on a translator, with several anecdotes abound about players over the years having tuned out during team briefings as a result of this language barrier. This, allied with Jayasuriya’s standing as a player , has provided him with a unique authority over the dressing room.”It’s easy for me to communicate first and foremost,” he said. “Any issues they have they can speak with me freely, and it’s easy to sort out. They have the confidence to do that. They also know what sort of cricket I played, so they know the value I bring.”But I have a responsibility as a local coach, I don’t have favourites. I will always play the team that is best for Sri Lanka cricket. I know that after me, it’s unlikely that a local coach will get this role. So there’s a responsibility I have on that end as well.”As for insights into Jayasuriya’s coaching acumen, there is yet to be any real information forthcoming, aside from the results. This is largely down to his role as a man-manager first and foremost, with tactical insights derived from the data gathered by SLC’s centralised hub for advanced cricket analytics – their “brain centre”.”The players also know what sort of cricket I played, so they know the value I bring”•Getty Images”In practice, we try and find different ways to do them [training sessions],” he said. “I want to make them interesting. Even before we start training, we’ve done little changes to create a nice atmosphere. So there are little things I do but it goes a long way.”The basics are very important. And that they enjoy, and that they are focusing [on]. But like I always say, focus maximum and when you finish, switch off. I don’t need to put them under pressure when they are not playing and the game is finished.”A very key area at the moment is the analysing department. That’s why Sri Lanka Cricket has invested a lot of money to the ‘brain centre’. We got some support from India too recently to educate our analysis department. It was very successful. And every tour we get data on the opposition, we go through it and discuss every detail. We then discuss our plans 48 hours before the match, so it’s easy for us to go out and execute our plan.”But while it’s been a satisfying honeymoon period, there are much sterner tests to come. For Jayasuriya, though, as a player, administrator, and now coach, a challenge is something to take head-on.”I think this is [something I] never expected, but I am very happy to achieve this and get this opportunity,” he said. “It’s a challenging job, I know that, it’s not a very easy job. But I want to take on that challenge and move forward with the team.”