As reported by The Sun, West Ham United are interested in signing Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli.
What’s the story?
With Joe Hart’s loan deal at the club set to expire at the end of the season and Adrian failing to convince between the sticks at the Hammers, West Ham will be seeking a deal for a goalkeeper this summer.
One man they could make a move for is Fulham shot-stopper Marcus Bettinelli.
That’s according to The Sun, who say David Moyes took in the Craven Cottage side’s mid-week clash against Leeds United to check out the goalkeeper.
Rated at £1.8m by Transfermarkt, he’s of course an achievable target for the Irons, but does he have what it takes to be number one at the London Stadium?
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Who is he?
With close to 90 appearances in four seasons with Fulham, the former England youth internationalist has had to work hard for the number one spot at Craven cottage.
This season though he’s emerged as the top choice, making the position his own over David Button and starting almost every match since December.
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He’s kept nine clean sheets in that half season, showing the kind of impressive consistency that could make him a hit at the Hammers next season.
An excellent pure shot-stopper, he still has learning and developing to do but at 25-years of age has the room to do that and although he’s not the most fashionable of signings, he could do a job next season for David Moyes.
Former Wimbledon striker Marcus Gayle believes at least TWO matches at the height of the ‘Crazy Gang’ era may have been influenced by Far East match fixers.
The subject of criminal organisations influencing professional football matches is one that has popped up in recent times across all levels of football in both England and abroad, with some claiming that betting syndicates have attempted to fix games for a profit.
Although the high wages on offer at the very top of the game is thought to have made such instances rare, if present at all, the salaries players earn now and the money swilling around the biggest clubs was not present in the Gayle’s era at Wimbledon.
Nicknamed the ‘Crazy Gang’ the London side were famed for their boisterous playing style and wild antics, and now the 44-year-old has opened up on what he thinks may have been match fixing during those days, with games in 1997 at Derby’s Pride Park and his own side’s Selhurst Park when the lights failed suspicious:
“As a player and the lights go out, the game is abandoned, you think that they haven’t paid the gas or electric bill!” he told Zapsportz.com.
“The lads joked about betting syndicates, but you laughed it all off as being implausible.
“Now I look back I am not so sure. All those rumours about match fixing might well have been true.
“I can recall certain situations in the past where I shrugged my shoulders, but now when I cast my mind back I can see there must have been more to it.
“I am now thinking ‘what really went on, there?” The lights go out, they said the floodlights failed At the time you are oblivious to what really might have been going on. I never imagined these sort of things went on in the game.
“We all knew there were punters putting money on the games, but no one dreamed there was match fixing going on.
“Now it appears to have been going on all over the place. I look back and wonder.
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“Did the goalkeeper really let that one in? You thought at the time, that was a soft goal, he should easily have saved it. The lights went out more than once when we played, was that really coincidence?
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is ready to move for Valencia winger Sofiane Feghouli after Alexis Sanchez’ agent ruled out a move to Anfield.
The Reds poor start to the season continued at the weekend as they were comprehensively beaten 3-1 at home by strugglers Aston Villa.
Despite being quoted as saying not to expect too much from the January transfer window, Rodgers is still keen to bolster his squad and reports in Spain have linked Liverpool with a move for the Algerian wide player next month.
SuperDeporte suggest the Reds have already made contact with representatives of the player who predominantly prefers to play on the right hand side.
MirrorFootball’s Spanish correspondent David Cartlidge believes Feghouli, who’s current contract runs out in 2014, would be a great addition to their squad:
“Liverpool would get a player who is hard working, direct, skilful and has a lot of potential. He can replicate Kuyt’s success at the club.
“A deal could happen due to Valencia’s need to sell, and Feghouli’s unresolved contract situation. Also, Valencia have already identified replacements.”
It is believed Rodgers has intensified his interest in the player after suffering a blow in his pursuit of Barcelona winger Alexis Sanchez, with the Chilean’s agent ruling out a move to Anfield.
Liverpool currently sit 12th in the Premier League after an inconsistent season in which they have had to rely heavily on inexperienced players such as Raheem Serling, while struggling to provide sufficient support for star striker Luis Suarez.
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Everton fans have been discussing England’s goalkeeper situation, and most of them are convinced Jordan Pickford is the man for the job.
If there’s one spot that’s “up for grabs” in England’s World Cup squad this summer, it’s the starting goalkeeper, and reports suggest Pickford will start vs the Netherlands on Friday.
Gareth Southgate will probably take two of Joe Hart, Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford and Nick Pope to the World Cup, and it’s still anyone’s guess who gets the nod.
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Butland and Pickford are probably the most naturally talented keepers, but the two have conceded more goals than all but one Premier League keeper this season (Jonas Lössl 52, Butland 51, Pickford 50).
Nick Pope is undoubtedly the form keeper, but has only just broken on to the big stage and doesn’t offer the experience someone like Hart does. Hart of course has had a torrid season with West Ham, but there are still many who think he is the best choice.
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Everton fans have been discussing the dilemma on Twitter, and while some of them still have some doubts about their ex-Sunderland stopper, they seem mostly convinced he is the best choice.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
As a club that receives over 80,000 passionate fans every home game and is run by an enigmatic coach who has become the envy of Europe, Bundesliga favourites Borussia Dortmund are currently experiencing a very bad turn of events in 2014/15.
BVB have already lost eight games so far this campaign, with a worrying goal-difference of -6. They are certainly not going to be challenging for the Bundesliga title this season, as that award seems to already have Bayern Munich’s name written all over it. The once invincible German side currently sit 14th in the table after propping up the league twice already in 2014/15.
How can a team go from imperious domestic champions and Champions League finalists to this current state of affairs?
One factor behind this dramatic decline has been the Bundesliga’s cruel transfer activity in recent years. Largely at the hands of arch rivals Bayern Munich, the loss of star talents, Mario Goetze and Robert Lewandowski, have been huge for Jurgen Klopp and have sent subsequent shockwaves throughout the mind-set of rest of his squad. How are Dortmund’s remaining stars going to stay focussed when they know that their team is literally falling apart around them?
The BVB players also share a slice of this blame, as bad career choices haven’t helped Dortmund either. The likes of Nuri Sahin and Shinji Kagawa have opted to move away from the club that saw them breakthrough in recent years, only to return to the Signal Iduna Park once their supposed transfer dreams didn’t go as well as planned. This has led to a dramatic lack of consistency in Klopp’s starting XI’s for BVB.
To make matters worse for Klopp, the Borussia Dortmund fitness team have had their work cut out for the past few years with the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, and more recently Marco Reus, being struck down with lengthy spells on the sidelines. As several of their other stars returned late from World Cup duty in the summer, Jurgen Klopp has had only the bare bones of his squad to work with during spells of this campaign.
The most remarkable aspect of Dortmund’s fortunes this season, however, has been their Champions League form. They won Group D with 13 points from six games. BVB have only lost one match, to Arsenal, and have impressively won four and drawn one, scoring 14 and only letting in four in the process. This raises an important question in regards to Borussia’s form this season; has Jurgen Klopp prioritised the Champions League over Dortmund’s domestic duties for 2014/15?
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Whilst this may seem true on the surface, another more subtle factor may come into play here. It could be argued that after their initial Bundelsiga success when they first broke onto the scene, German teams may have now finally worked out how to best deal with Dortmund in the league. Several weaker sides, such as Hamburger SV and FC Koln, have profited from sitting back against BVB and hurting them on the counter-attack. For both Klopp and his loyal Yellow Wall, this has been nothing but frustrating.
As we are only in December, however, there is still time for Borussia Dortmund to perform a dramatic turnaround in form. Jurgen Klopp has already stated that he has ‘unfinished business’ at the club and it seems that the crazy German coach won’t be leaving the Signal Iduna Park any time soon. Perhaps a slight change in style that offers a new and fresh approach to winning Bundesliga games now needs to be picked up by Dortmund. Coupled with a stronger emphasis on league success and the return of many star names to the starting XI, BVB have every chance of moving on from this bad spell and rising up the Bundesliga.
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas celebrated the performance of Gareth Bale during their 4-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa.
The Welsh winger notched a hat-trick at Villa Park, with all three of his strikes coming in 23 second-half minutes.
The 23-year-old, who has now scored ten goals this term, drew special praise from his manager after the final whistle:
“He is up there with the best.” Villas-Boas responded when asked by Sky Sports if there were many better players in world football.
“He is showing tremendous skills and talent, I think he is improving every day – he is such a young player – and he is helping the team. He is one of our major assets.
“His personality is wonderful, he is going through an excellent moment of his professional and personal life, and we are benefiting from that.”
The Portuguese coach went on to claim that the pacey winger will get even better:
“I think so. You always expect that the team can make an individual even better.
“The team changes so much from one year to another, and as he keeps learning, he will feel even better and probably his performances will improve.
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“His finishing is very accurate. He has been prolific in front of goal this season and I think he is enjoying getting into those positions.
“His left foot is wonderful and the power and direction he applies on the ball is wonderful too.”
Jermain Defoe broke the deadlock shortly after half-time before Bale added the remaining three goals.
Stokes has encouraged his players to be “smarter” in their decision-making and to get better at “soaking up pressure”
Matt Roller19-Jun-20253:16
Does England’s inexperienced bowling even the scales?
Ben Stokes had a simple message for his England team at Headingley: “It’s about winning.” Speaking ahead of Friday’s first Test against India, Stokes called on his players to show that they are capable of “adapting better” under pressure and prove that they have substance to underpin their attacking style during this series, as he looks to take England “to the next level”.England have won 23 and lost 12 Tests since Stokes took over from Joe Root as captain and now face a defining seven months, with five-match series against India and Australia. They have become the fastest-scoring team in the world and pulled off some historic victories, but Stokes wants his team to be more resilient when they are behind the game.”We have a team identity about how we want to go out there and play the game,” Stokes told the BBC. “We’ve had time to talk as a group, identify areas where we know that we are incredibly strong, but also identify areas that we think we need to get better at. One of those areas was adapting better when we’re up against the wall.Related
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“We know that when we are on top of teams, we are very, very good, and where we maybe have let ourselves down in the past over the last three years is when we have been behind the game, we’ve not given ourselves the best chance of wresting ourselves back into the game, and that’s an area that we have looked at and know that we need to get better at if we want to end up being where we want to end up being as a team.”We still want to be known as a team who play an exciting style of cricket,” Stokes added. “[It’s] not that we never wanted to win every game that we played, but it’s changing what we say and how we say it. We want to be playing exciting games of cricket because we know that’s what brings the best out of individuals and us as a team. But it’s about winning.”England’s recent Test losses have often been thrashings, epitomised by a 423-run reverse in Hamilton at the end of last year, and defeats by 434 runs and an innings and 64 runs during their most recent series against India, 18 months ago. As a result, Stokes has encouraged his players to be “smarter” in their decision-making and to get better at “soaking up pressure”.”It’s just being smarter in those situations when it’s obvious that the opposition is on top of us,” he said. “We just felt like, as a team, that the area of improvement… is actually soaking up that pressure, and allowing ourselves a better opportunity to then apply the pressure back onto [the opposition] in the way that we know we can.”When we have lost, we probably look back on those moments [and think], ‘Could we have been a lot better at slowing everything down, and understanding where we are in the position of the game to then allow us to play in that natural way that we like to go about things?’ Having those reflective moments and honest conversations within the group is what can take teams to the next level.”Ben Stokes – “[It’s] not that we never wanted to win every game that we played, but it’s changing what we say and how we say it”•Getty Images
Stokes batted away any questions about the forthcoming Ashes series, insisting his team are focused only on India. He separately hinted at his desire to turn England into a great team. “We have been good over the last three years. I think results show that,” he told talkSPORT. “But we want to be better than good.”He is also expecting a stern challenge from India despite the recent retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin. “The pool of talent that Indian cricket has is just ginormous,” Stokes said. “[They are] three massive names, three people who have done wonderful things for their country, but it’s not going to be any easier for us because those three big names aren’t here.”England announced their team on Wednesday, with Ollie Pope beating Jacob Bethell to the No. 3 spot in their main selection decision. “Having him at No. 3 since I’ve been captain, over a three-year period, averaging over 40, it speaks for itself,” Stokes said. “Scoring 170 in his last Test match [against Zimbabwe] has shown how well he’s handled that extra scrutiny.”Bethell is set to play for Warwickshire against Somerset in the County Championship from Sunday, while Jofra Archer – who has not played a Test match since early 2021 – will also make his red-ball comeback for Sussex at Durham. Stokes said that the prospect of unleashing Archer against India was a “very, very exciting” one.”Jof’s tracking really, really well to be available,” he said. “I know he’s been absolutely desperate to play Test cricket again for England… Seeing him back out playing and being in a situation now where he’s building back up to be in contention for selection for the Test team again is very, very exciting.”
Seamer last played for India in December 2022, and came in even as Mukesh Kumar was released for his marriage ahead of third T20I
Hemant Brar28-Nov-2023Deepak Chahar has been added to India’s squad for the last two matches of the five-match T20I series against Australia. Mukesh Kumar, meanwhile, was released ahead of the third game in Guwahati on Tuesday for his marriage. But he, too, will be joining the squad for the final two games.Chahar, who has been hampered by injuries over the last few years, last played for India, in an ODI, in December 2022. He had a good Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20) Trophy recently for Rajasthan. There he picked up ten wickets in five games at an economy of 7.38. With the bat, he scored 67 runs off 39 balls at a strike rate of 171.79.He has also started well in the ongoing 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy. In two matches so far in the tournament, he hit an unbeaten 66 off 56 balls against Arunachal Pradesh, and also grabbed 6 for 41 against Gujarat.Given none of India’s first-choice fast bowlers are useful batters, Chahar’s return is good news in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in June. After the ongoing Australia series, India have six more T20Is and the IPL, before the World Cup is played in the West Indies and the USA.Mukesh was impressive in his two outings in the series. In the first T20I in Visakhapatnam, he conceded just 29 from his four overs even as Australia posted 208 for 3. In Thiruvananthapuram, he got rid of a dangerous-looking Marcus Stoinis.Both India and Australia have rested several of their T20I regulars for this series, which started just four days after the ODI World Cup. India currently lead the series 2-0.
Best-known for his dedication to collating and preserving the records of players who were otherwise unrecognised in segregated South Africa
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Oct-2022Krish Reddy, the pre-eminent record-keeper of black and non-racial cricket in South Africa, has died. Reddy was involved in the game as a player, administrator, selector and historian, and was best-known for his dedication to collating and preserving the records of players who were otherwise unrecognised in segregated South Africa, and for telling their stories. Reddy succumbed to heart failure. He was 77.In 1999, Reddy published a book, , an anthology of black cricket in Natal. He also co-authored , a book published in 2002 on the struggles of cricketers of colour in KwaZulu-Natal. His numbers on Basil D’Oliveira in black cricket in South Africa were included in the appendix to Peter Oborne’s book, . He was also part of the panel of 100 players, writers, umpires, historians and other watchers of the game from around the world who selected Wisden’s five cricketers of the century.Reddy also served on the executive board of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Cricket Union, and worked as a selector in the region.KZN Cricket president, Yunus Bobat, paid tribute to Reddy, saying: “This is a great loss for KZN and a sad day for the South Africa cricket fraternity. We will always appreciate and honour the unwavering passion Krish showed to uplift our beautiful game.”
Imposing Hampshire target overhauled with two balls to spare in outground thriller
David Hopps15-Jun-2021Middlesex 217 for 7 (Cracknell 77, Simpson 62) beat Hampshire 215 for 6 (Short 48, McManus 47, Weatherley 41) by three wickets with two balls to spareMiddlesex pulled off their second highest T20 chase – by three wickets with two balls to spare – in a memorable match at Radlett which saw the next generation take charge of a county going through a difficult transition, and leave another ailing T20 side, Hampshire, fearing that they don’t seem to be in much of a transition at all.Radlett is about as far away from the ECB’s vision of T20 cricket as it is possible to be. The dream is maximum revenue from large stadia, a football-style atmosphere and a sense of theatre that delights a TV audience. Start an overly loud, alcohol-fuelled chant at Radlett and you may be blackballed from the golf club or become the subject of gossip in the Ladies Circle.It would be interesting to know what Middlesex and England’s limited-overs captain, Eoin Morgan, who makes no pretence that he shares the ECB’s modernising vision, privately thinks of it when he decamps from Lord’s. Last night, as a setting sun cast a gentle amber light over a fine victory, he might even have been getting to like it.What a game Radlett staged. Professional cricket in England obviously can’t financially survive on small club grounds, but is also about highly entertaining nights like this, fought out before people who care deeply, and even more wonderfully so when two players at the start of their careers come to the fore in such a fashion. Blake Cullen is not about to get a headline for his intelligent and aggressive 1 for 29 in four overs; Joe Cracknell can be assured of plaudits for a brilliant 77 from 42 balls which saw Middlesex home. Both give Middlesex faith that their player development is reaping dividends.Hampshire’s first 200-plus total for three years was eminently chaseable in perfect batting conditions. But patently not by Middlesex, most of their supporters would have suggested. At 30 for 3, with Morgan trudging off, having reached at a very wide one to hole out at deep backward point, a philosophical kind of pessimism had taken hold.But Cracknell, whose threat was illustrated by a 22-ball 50 against Kent, and John Simpson rallied with a stand of 122 from 59 balls. Cracknell possesses a natural belligerence and his youthful optimism began the surge – his innings full of commanding pulls and slog sweeps; Simpson then took over with successive sixes against Liam Dawson’s left-arm spin, never as stylish, but possessing the experience to know what he can get away with.Simpson was stumped at the second attempt, off the leg spin of Mason Crane for 62 from 30 balls. Cracknell, seeking an off-side boundary, where he had rarely ventured, also fell to Crane for 77 from 42. He had been selected ahead of Max Holden which, with due respect to Holden, was a bit of a no-brainer in this format.Crane had carried some threat, as illustrated by his 3 for 35 in three overs. Dawson’s full allocation had gone for 54 and his return to the England T20 squad looked even more like a selection of habit. But Hampshire’s skipper, James Vince, opted logically enough to give the final over to the seam of Brad Wheal with ten needed and Chris Green hammered a successive four and six over deep midwicket to give Middlesex the game.Radlett is an idyllic county ground: a good batting surface, a ground lined by trees and hedges, and a convivial crowd adopting a Country Show attitude to any minor privations in the marquees and the portable toilets. They were allowed not far short of 1,000 spectators which is roughly the same as some of the smaller county grounds, which have stands and things. All to do with pinch points apparently.Hampshire’s 215 for 6 was their first 200-plus score for three years, but it was far from impregnable. Their record since then is as bad as any county in the country and conditions – excellent pitch, fast outfield, short boundaries – was considerably bowler-friendly. They were also without Chris Wood which meant that Kyle Abbott played his first T20 match since turning out in the Lanka Premier League in December.They were on the verge of a colossal Powerplay with 68 garnered from the first five overs and Vince and D’Arcy Short in a blissful world where they could do much as they pleased. With Middlesex lacking five pace bowlers because of injury or (in the case of Tom Helm) recovery from Covid-19, a colossal score looked on the cards.Then came Cullen. Three off the first over; Vince’s head-high hook falling to deep backward square in his next. In his final over, he twice troubled Hampshire’s ex-Middlesex man, James Fuller, twice for pace, the first of them gloved to third man.Cullen, a former England U19, has played for Middlesex since the U10s, and both player and club are beginning to reap the reward of years of endeavour. Pacey, with a strong action, he can reputedly swing the ball in four-day cricket, but here, he adapted intelligently and hit the pitch. The assessment of Middlesex’s director of cricket, Angus Fraser, that he “bowls like a grown man” could not have been more apparent.Green’s night did not begin well. He averages below seven runs an over in a career spanning more than 70 matches, making him beloved of T20 aficionados, and he was also on the back of a five-for against Kent, with four wickets taken in the final over. He was Middlesex’s most expensive bowler, leaking 55 from four overs as his method of pushing it fast and wide across the right-hander brought no dividends.If Middlesex prospered by slog sweeps, Hampshire perished by them, courtesy of the leg spin of Nathan Sowter. Short and Joe Weatherley, the latter after 41 from 22, both fell in such a fashion.Middlesex missed chances in the field, and a succession of shots escaped clawing fingers. The most damaging, in more than one sense, was Sowter’s drop of Dawson, running in from deep backward square, his right ankle sprained in the process. But not damaged enough for him to play a part in Middlesex’s uplifting victory.