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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been rocked by another injury concern as he struggles to get his side to consistently string results and performances together on the pitch.

What's the latest news involving Aston Villa?

On Wednesday night, Aston Villa fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat at home to Everton in the third round of the Carabao Cup, exiting the competition at the first hurdle.

Nevertheless, Aston Villa boss Emery is making no excuses for his side, as he stated in his post-match press conference via BBC Sport: "It's not [about being] tired. I don't want to use all our effort with the players each match. We are trying to keep a balance with some different players but trying to be competitive. We're disappointed with the start and mistakes we made but we are trying to go forward and build the team. We made the second mistake quickly [in the second half] and it was difficult to come back."

Football Insider meanwhile report that several clubs are hot on the tail of Aston Villa star man Ollie Watkins as his contract situation continues to rumble on at Villa Park. The England international's present terms are set to run until the summer of 2025 and Aston Villa remain 'confident' of being able to keep him at the club; however, negotiations are not at an advanced stage, which has alerted numerous unnamed sides, according to the outlet.

Aston Villa defender Alex Moreno may be out for slightly longer than expected as the Spaniard continues to recover from a hamstring problem that has kept him out for the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign so far.

Jamaica international Leon Bailey was then taken off in the defeat to Everton during the week and could also be set to miss out some first-team action, as per Birmingham Live.

Who has joined Leon Bailey on the treatment table?

Cited by Birmingham World, Aston Villa boss Emery has confirmed that midfielder Jacob Ramsey was also unavailable for the Everton cup clash due to sustaining a fresh injury concern.

Detailing the extent of Ramsey's injury, Emery stated in his post-match press conference: "Jacob is not a hard injury. He has a small injury. Hopefully, he can come back quick. I don’t know if Saturday [against Brighton & Hove Albion] he is going to be ready, but it’s not bad news the injury he has now."

Ramsey had only just returned from a broken metatarsal that kept him out for the best part of ten weeks and it will come as a frustration to the 22-year-old to be on the sidelines once again, as per The Athletic.

Despite his young age, Ramsey has amassed 103 appearances for Aston Villa in all competitions, registering 12 goals and ten assists in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Once labelled "sensational" by reporter Gregg Evans, Ramsey has become a valued graduate from Aston Villa's youth academy and has excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions in the art of progressive carries, averaging around 3.55 per 90 minutes in the last 365 days, putting him in the 97th percentile for this metric, as per FBRef.

His latest setback will no doubt come as a blow to Emery, who will hope the midfielder can recover as soon as possible and return to being available for selection.

Martin Williamson reviews the latest Ashes books offerings

Martin Williamson and Will Luke19-Nov-2006In his foreword to Cricket’s Burning Passion (see below), Michael Atherton writes: “In the aftermath of the wondrous 2005 Ashes series, a raft of cricket books appeared on the bookshelves. There were the usual gruesome mix of ghosted autobiographies, ghosted diaries and rushed, ill-considered reviews …”. Ahead of the 2006-07 series a number of books have been issued, as expected, but the quality is far superior than those Atherton refers to. In 2005, the writers were all up against tight deadlines as publishers sought to cash in. The current offering shows that the authors have had the advantage of having time to prepare, and the result in a much more enjoyable and readable selection

Stiff Upper Lips and Baggy Green Caps Simon Briggs (Quercus, 280pp)

So much has been written about the Ashes, especially since September 2005, that finding a fresh angle on such a well-documented history would seem to present an almost insurmountable challenge. However, Simon Briggs has managed to rise to the occasion, and the end result is a delightful offering which should appeal to both seasoned fan and relative newcomer. The strength of the book is that it eschews the worthy-but-dull statistics which often form the bedrock of such histories and, by concentrating on the colourful characters and events the result is an easy read but a far from unfulfilling one. If you want a potted history of Test cricket’s oldest continuous rivalry – and you want to be entertained into the bargain – then look no further.The Ashes Miscellany Clive Batty (VSP 146pp)

The problem with books of miscellany is that the originals have spawned some dreadful offspring with little merit aimed at nothing more than cashing in on the sales boom. In the last couple of months there have been two such dire offerings, so it was a delight to find that The Ashes Miscellany is a return to the well-researched and entertaining kind of book that made the genre so popular in the first place. The contents will appeal to both those who consider themselves well versed in Ashes history and casual cricket fans who want trivia to impress their friends in the pub. It would have been too easy to pad the book with well-worn anecdotes and page-filling statistics, but Clive Batty has avoided that short cut and produced a genuinely good publication.The Book of Ashes Anecdotes Gideon Haigh (Mainstream 376pp)

The delight of setting out on a review of anything by Gideon Haigh is that you know it will be a quality read, and this collection of quotes and book extracts is no exception. He has produced a similar offering before – his 1997 Australian Cricket Anecdotes is well worth snuffling out – and this follows a similar format. Some of the entries are familiar but many are not, and it is those that shed a new light on many events in Ashes history. What really makes this, however, is that Haigh has not gone down the route of reproducing pithy one-liners but has opted for longer extracts, and this allows the flavour of the writers and characters to come through and make a more lasting effect. I found the Bodyline section the most interesting, especially Douglas Jardine’s reflection on it and Bradman some years later. “You know, we nearly didn’t do it,” he said. “The little man was bloody good.” That last sentiment also applies to Haigh’s book.

Cricket’s Burning Passion Scyld Berry and Rupert Peploe (Methuen 206pp)

In his introduction, Michael Atherton notes that amid all the Ashes brouhaha in 2005, few actually knew much about the urn at the heart of all the fuss. The challenge for Berry and Peploe (the great grandson of Ivo Bligh, the man who regained the Ashes lost in 1882) was to bring alive a tour which took place 124 years ago. That they have done, and the end result is a remarkable story and a compelling read. Bligh is one of the game’s more colourful characters and those who toured with him – and almost all of them died young – are a fascinating rabble. And as for the urn? Well, there remains some uncertainty about its contents. Some say it is a burnt bail, others a burnt piece of leather from a ball. Most likely, however, it is ash from fires at Bligh’s run-down stately home – more than one tale exists of the urn being knocked over and the contents spilled and replaced from the fireplace by clumsy servants. The Ashes are possibly sports’ least intrinsically valuable trophy. This book helps to explain why they are priceless.Match of My Life Sam Pilger and Rob Wightman (Know the Score books, 240pp)

It requires something really unique for a new Ashes book to poke itshead above the masses. And though Sam Pilger and Rob Wightman’s lacks a certain gravitas, the 12 namesfeatured provide enough interesting and amusing anecdotes to hold thereader’s attention span. The premise is simple: 12 famous Ashes namesrecount their stories. The usual and the modern are all there: AshleyGiles, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer – but far too much has alreadybeen said about 2005, the series which apparently beats all that precede it.Fortunately there are others to address the balance and Neil Harveyopens the book’s innings. Written in his own words Harvey recounts hisfirst Ashes Test (he made 112in the first innings scored the winning run in Australia’s chaseof 404). It is written with candour with amusing stories of the tours -meeting King George VI and Keith Miller’s friendship with the currentqueen, Elizabeth – which comes as a relief. Langer’s, on the otherhand, is too misty-eyed; a syrupy tone is best left for the biography.And writing in the third person, which he does once or twice, is aninstant mood-killer too. Talking of killing the mood, Geoffrey Boycott- an inevitable name to appear in such a collection – ischaracteristically candid, although offers a little too much on hisown achievements. It’s Geoffrey, though, and therefore requiredreading. Overall, it is a crisp, brisk and enjoyable view intoplayers’ experiences of playing in the Ashes. It’s a little different,too, and therefore worth a look.

The recent summer transfer window saw Manchester United end their search for a new number nine, with the Red Devils forking out roughly £72m in order to prise Danish sensation Rasmus Hojlund from Serie A side, Atalanta.

With manager Erik ten Hag having been forced to muddle through with Anthony Martial and Wout Weghorst as his senior centre-forward options last term – following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo – the hope will be that young Hojlund can hit the ground running following his return from international duty.

In truth, the Red Devils have been crying out for a long-term solution in that number nine berth for a number of years, having too often sought out a short-term fix with the signings of the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and that man, Ronaldo.

Ever since Robin van Persie powered Sir Alex Ferguson and co to the Premier League title in 2012/13 with 26 top-flight goals, Old Trafford has been crying out for a prolific presence to lead the line in the hope of reviving those prior glory years.

In the case of Hojlund, the 20-year-old will need to avoid suffering a similar fate to that of United's last big-money centre-forward signing – Romelu Lukaku – with the Belgian hitman having underwhelmed both during his time in Manchester and since.

How much did Manchester United pay for Lukaku?

The towering marksman had first caught the eye of Premier League audiences after scoring 17 league goals during his season-long loan stint with West Bromwich Albion in 2012/13, memorably bagging a hat-trick to spoil Ferguson's farewell game in the 5-5 thriller at the Hawthorns on the final day of that campaign.

That was followed by a haul of 15 league goals while on loan at Everton the year after, with the former Anderlecht man subsequently scoring 87 goals in total for the Toffees after signing on a permanent deal in 2014.

Having seemingly seen enough to be impressed by the 6 foot 3 powerhouse over the previous five years or so, then-United boss Jose Mourinho – who had coached Lukaku at Stamford Bridge in the past – was keen on a reunion with his former asset at the Theatre of Dreams in the summer of 2017.

As it proved, the Red Devils willingly coughed up £75m in order to sign the Antwerp-born goal machine, with two goals on his league debut for the club appearing to suggest that it had been money well spent as far as Mourinho and co were concerned…

What went wrong for Lukaku at Man United?

While unable to have quite the impact that was expected, it was hardly a dismal debut season at United for Lukaku as he scored 27 goals and provided nine assists in 51 games in all competitions, with Ten Hag likely to count himself lucky if Hojlund can get anywhere close to such a tally.

That being said, however, the polarising figure would go on to net just a further 15 times in the following season as his form swiftly tumbled, with journalist Samuel Luckhurst stating at the time that the striker had been partly responsible for Mourinho's subsequent sacking due to his "woeful and costly finishing".

The misfiring asset wasn't only something of a liability in front of goal, however, with former title winner Lee Sharpe particularly critical at the time of the forward's hold-up play, stating: "I've never seen a centre forward with such a bad touch.

“If your centre forward can't hold the ball up, it makes it a very hard game".

While Luckhurst predicted that the marksman would "doubtless benefit from being coached by [Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer", his face didn't fit as far as the Norwegian was concerned, with the treble winner favouring a more fluid forward line in the second half of the 2018/19 campaign, involving the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.

Alexis Sanchez

£350k

Paul Pogba

£290k

David De Gea

£200k

Romelu Lukaku

£180k

Juan Mata

£160k

Luke Shaw

£150k

Fred

£120k

Ashley Young

£120k

Nemanja Matic

£120k

Ander Herrera

£115k

Stats via Capology

That decline had partly been impacted by Lukaku's own admission that had "bulked up too much" following the 2018 World Cup, with club legend Gary Neville subsequently stating that the departing forward was "overweight", amid his impending move to Inter Milan in 2019.

How much did Man United sell Lukaku for?

To United's credit, a club that has typically been rather poor with regard to selling players – after leading the way in Europe over the last decade due to their negative net spend – managed to recoup almost all of their initial investment in Lukaku, after moving him on to Italy for £74m.

That sale proved a blessing for both parties as Belgium's record scorer rediscovered his scoring touch at San Siro, firing in 47 league goals combined across the next two seasons, while enjoying Scudetto success with Antonio Conte's side in 2020/21.

Such a golden period of consistency attracted the attention of clubs back in the Premier League – despite his mixed fortunes at United – with former employers Chelsea coughing up a mammoth £97.5m in order to prise Lukaku in the summer of 2021.

How much is Lukaku worth now?

The Blues must be kicking themselves to have invested so heavily in the £325k-per-week man only to have seen it blow up in their face, with the 109-cap international lasting just one season back in England before returning to Inter on loan last summer.

That reunion with the Italian giants did not prove a happy one, however, as Lukaku scored just 15 goals in all competitions last season after slipping behind Edin Dzeko in the attacking pecking order, with the 30-year-old subsequently souring his relations with the Nerazzurri after reportedly negotiating a move to rivals Juventus in the recent window.

Now back under the watchful eye of Mourinho at AS Roma, the Belgian's stock has fallen to such an extent that he is now said to be worth just €30m (£25m), according to CIES Football Observatory, with that £49m less than what Solskjaer and co sold him for just four years ago.

That would suggest that while it hasn't been said often in the post-Ferguson era at United, the club did hit the jackpot by managing to move on Lukaku so quickly and without taking a major financial hit – with the less said about his time at Old Trafford, the better.

Too much happened on the first day at the SCG. Close to 30,000 people got to see a fine spell of left-arm seam, a tantalising display of off spin and a counterattacking partnership straight out of a classic western flick

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan in Sydney02-Jan-2008

Brad Hogg and Andrew Symonds looted India for 173 runs © Getty Images
Too much happened on the first day at the SCG. Close to 30,000 people got to see a fine spell of left-arm seam, a tantalising display of off spin and a counterattacking partnership straight out of a classic western flick. Six wickets fell before the clock tower showed two; all hell broke loose thereafter.The Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales are doing their every bit to discourage speeding but nobody seems to have briefed the Australian lower order about speed limits. This was a notorious case of hit-and-run; a great robbery in broad daylight. Hardly had India begun to smile when Brad Hogg and Andrew Symonds, almost like a couple of gangsters, began to loot. Only once have more runs been scored on the first day at the SCG and that was nearly 100 years ago.Like at the MCG, India’s opening day was one of two halves. But unlike at the MCG, where they had a poor morning and a good afternoon, the trend was reversed. And unlike at the MCG, the umpires had a blackout. Anil Kumble might have taken 376 for 7 at the start of the day – he had lost his spearhead to injury after all – but he wouldn’t be smiling at the end of it. While a set of officials spoilt a fine day, a couple of batsmen weren’t going to miss out.Symonds walks in to a loud ovation and manufactures shots that get everyone to raise the decibel levels. Until he entered there was hardly a cut shot played, but soon they were being struck with anger. And when Hogg began to cut at the other end India were made to run ragged. India must be made to take a new-year resolution: we will not leave the third-man region vacant.A new year brings a lot of promises but some things don’t change. For every talented seamer India unearths, there will be another nursing an injury; for every top order they dismiss quickly, there will be a tail waiting to spoil the good work; for every fine batsman emerging from the , there will be a poor fielder letting the ball slip through. India dropped two catches – one a tough skier at mid-on, the other a simpler one that dipped towards short leg – and could have had one more chance if someone more athletic than Rahul Dravid was placed at fine leg. Yuvraj Singh, supposedly their best fielder, embarrassed himself too often.But a couple of Singhs brought plenty of cheer. Both hadn’t done too much at the MCG but came into their own here. RP, 22 years and eight Tests old, led the attack manfully before Harbhajan rediscovered his mojo. Until Hogg walked in, RP had the measure of every left-hander by getting the ball to straighten after hitting the right length. Phil Jaques misread the bounce, Matthew Hayden was squared up, Michael Hussey prodded tentatively, and Adam Gilchrist followed him. Three of them, seemingly impressed with Sachin Tendulkar sporting a floppy hat after suffering an allergic reaction, edged to first slip.Ishant Sharma, just 19, made an early impression and could have easily had his first wicket when Symonds was on 30. A whole stadium might have heard the edge but that’s not what matters. Some teams think Steve Bucknor needs a hearing-aid; India might be more intent on a hearing.It’s rumoured (wrongly) that the 555-run stand between Herbert Sutcliffe and Percy Holmes prompted a businessman to start the cigarette company. Someone here would be tempted to start Benson and Edges. Ponting edged twice but Mark Benson heard neither. Where is the technology, screamed a billion people. But that also didn’t make a difference for the third umpire, with all the assistance he receives, managed to get one wrong again. Symonds was on 48. The rest, as they say, was savagery.

Jordan Tunnicliffe admits that phone apps are an unwelcome distraction for Wrexham, with it difficult to keep eyes off the League Two table.

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Red Dragons have wobbled of lateStill in the hunt for top-three finishEager to avoid unwelcome distractionsWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons would prefer to keep collective focus locked on a “tough” promotion bid, with a difficult run of late seeing Phil Parkinson’s side pick up just two wins from their last eight games in all competitions and now locked in a battle for top-three finishes.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT TUNNICLIFFE SAID ABOUT WREXHAM

Tunnicliffe has said of efforts to avoid spending too much time looking at the fourth-tier standings: “League Two is a tough league. Notts County came up with us (via the play-offs) and neither of us have blown it away like we did last season. There are some good teams who you have to respect. You try and focus on yourselves, but there’s all these apps out there now on your phone, so it is easy to look at the table and the form of all the teams. You just have to be really disciplined and focus on yourself and each game as it comes. I know that’s boring and a cliche, but it is true. If you start looking ahead, then you’re not focusing on what you need to focus on. We need to focus on Tuesday and build from there.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Wrexham know what it takes to get over a promotion line, having claimed the National League title in record-breaking style last season, and Tunnicliffe hopes that will stand them in good stead. He added: “It is all to play for. We need to repeat what we did last season and that is show a killer instinct away from home. We were good on the road last season and we need to get back to that. Gillingham is gone now. What matters is how we respond. We have two more games this week and how we respond on Tuesday (at Forest Green) and Saturday (at home to Accrington Stanley) is what matters. Pick up maximum points from those two games and the table looks good again.”

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Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

The Red Dragons suffered a 1-0 defeat at Gillingham last time out, as their patchy away form continued, and will remain on the road for a meeting with Forest Green Rovers. They have 13 games left in which to collect enough points that will secure automatic promotion and avoid having to pick up another ticket for the play-off lottery.

On head-to-head form, Sri Lanka clearly have the upper hand, India however, are playing at home; an advantage they haven’t made the best use of in recent times

George Binoy24-Oct-2005

Sachin Tendulkar’s return will add some much-needed experience to a batting line-up that is missing Mohammad Kaif, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly © Getty Images
The seven-match one-day series against Sri Lanka is a critical one for Indian cricket, and almost everything will depend on how the players, especially Rahul Dravid, the new captain, fare in a tough series against opponents who have not been in better form since the 1996 World Cup.Sri Lanka’s record in their last 50 one-day matches is fantastic – 34 wins and only 16 losses. And it gets better: in their last 25 games, they have won 19, a clear indication of a team on the rise. Sri Lanka haven’t toured India since 1999 but they’ve won seven of their last 11 games in the subcontinent outside home (four against Pakistan, one each against India, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh).India, on the other hand, have lost 24 and won 22 of the 47 ODIs that they’ve played at home since 2000. India’s tigers-at-home tag has taken a severe beating after 2001: they’ve lost 21 of their 37 games while six wins came against Zimbabwe and West Indies. To put a different spin on India’s home blues, they have won two, drawn one and lost four of their last seven ODI series at home (this doesn’t include the one-off BCCI platinum-jubilee match against Pakistan, which India lost). Look closer and you’ll find that both the wins came against Zimbabwe.Head to head, Sri Lanka have 11 wins to India’s seven in their last 20 ODIs. They have come up tops in five of their last six encounters against India. The solitary loss was in a match without Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas.Dravid will be determined not to let captaincy affect his batting, and he has his counterpart to look up to for the perfect example. Marvan Atapattu has averaged a stunning 52.67 over the last 12 months. All the Sri Lankan batsmen have healthy averages over the past year, while most of the Indians have struggled. And with Mohammad Kaif, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly not in the line-up and Sachin Tendulkar returning from a long injury lay-off, Dravid, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh will have to shoulder much of the responsibility for scoring runs.

Batsmen’s comparison over the last 12 months

Batsman Matches Runs Average 100s/50s

Sanath Jayasuriya 11 393 39.300/2 Virender Sehwag 25 874 31.301/4 Marvan Atapattu 11 474 52.671/4 Sachin Tendulkar 9 227 25.221/0 Kumar Sangakkara 20 626 36.820/6 Rahul Dravid 23 807 38.431/8 Mahela Jayawardene 15 442 44.200/4 Yuvraj Singh 19 678 39.882/3 Russel Arnold 8 182 36.400/2 Mahendra Singh Dhoni 19 525 37.51/2One of India’s major worries will be the form of Harbhajan Singh who has taken just 11 wickets in his last 17 games at an expensive 65.55 apiece. While a few Indian bowlers are inexperienced in the one-day format (even Irfan Pathan has played just two ODIs in India), the Sri Lankan slow-bowlers are experts at keeping the batsmen on a leash. On head-to-head form, Sri Lanka clearly have the upper hand, India, however, are playing at home, an advantage they haven’t made the best use of in recent times.

Bowlers comparison over the last 12 months

Bowler Matches Wickets Average Econ

Muttiah Muralitharan 13 20 23.753.86 Harbhajan Singh 17 11 65.554.67 ChamindaVaas 9 11 28.364.23 Irfan Pathan 12 17 30.824.97 Dilhara Fernando 11 11 36.734.64 Ajit Agarkar 9 20 18.654.82 Upul Chandana 13 19 25.374.54 Jai Prakash Yadav 5 3 46.004.60 Tillakaratne Dilshan 13 12 19.333.79 Murali Kartik 4 5 29.805.14

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped a hugely significant piece of Newcastle United news regarding one specific player.

Who have Newcastle signed recently?

The Magpies have spent vast chunks of recent times languishing somewhere near the bottom of the Premier League table or even being relegated to the Championship, which has been unacceptable for such a huge club.

Thankfully, the good times have returned to St James' Park, however, with finances no longer an issue in the slightest, and Eddie Howe building a side that finished fourth in the league last season, qualifying for the Champions League in the process.

Not only has the manager created a strong unit, but he has also acquired the services of some top players, many of whom have become new heroes at Newcastle. The likes of new signings in recent years Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak have all made a big impression, among others, and you'd expect they will continue to be vital figures moving forward.

There is always going to be interest in some of those players from other big clubs, so tying down their future is absolutely essential. A new update suggests that that is very much the case with one individual.

Which Newcastle player could sign a new deal?

Taking to X, Romano claimed that Bruno Guimaraes has agreed a contract extension with Newcastle – one that will keep him at the club for the foreseeable future and includes a release clause of approximately £100m:

"EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle agree new deal with Bruno Guimaraes, here we go! It’s done — contract until June 2028. Key detail: understand the new deal will include release clause and it will be in the region of £100m. Bruno, so happy to extend as he loves the club."

This is fantastic news for Newcastle, considering what a huge impact Guimaraes has made at St James' ever since arriving from Lyon in January 2022. His arrival coincided with the Magpies becoming a force again, and his influence in the middle of the park has arguably been unrivalled at times.

At 25, the Brazilian is heading into his peak years, so to tie him down to a new contract that will see him remain at Newcastle into his 30s feels every bit as important as any new signing that comes along in the approaching transfer windows.

Magpies legend Alan Shearer is clearly a big fan of Guimaraes, calling him "absolutely magnificent" in the past. Granted, he is arguably yet to hit top form so far this season, but he has still averaged 1.8 tackles per game in the Premier League and enjoyed a 92.3% pass completion rate in the Champions League.

There is always the threat that one of Europe's biggest teams could trigger his release clause one day, following reported interest from Chelsea, assuming he keeps improving as a player and doesn't drop off, and while losing him would be an enormous blow, it is at least nice to know that he would only be allowed to leave for a massive transfer fee.

A review of Lord’s in the 21st Century

Edward Craig04-Sep-2006

MCC is an important and worthy organisation, no doubt, and many people may be unaware of this, picturing it as a stuffy old boys’ club. That the club feels it is misunderstood is as much to do with its history as its future. So why produce a lengthy corporate video that bangs on about the (extraordinary and eccentric) past while trying to claim it is a club for the future? And why, please why, make it 97 minutes long?The first flaw of the DVD is to base all its various chapters around last year’s Ashes Test which, apart from that first morning, does not make for happy watching to an England fan and, for the objective viewer, is not nearly as gripping as what followed.From this base it launches into a preachy explanation of what exactly MCC does and why it is great. And there are many interesting elements. The history of the club is rich and mysterious, Lord’s itself is a constant source of wonder whether architecturally or from a cricket perspective and interviews with the groundsman Mick Hunt and head of cricket John Stephenson are illuminating, if you are into the gritty side of cricket administration.But the DVD does not really know what it is. A highlights package for the Ashes Test (please, no)? An extended MCC advertisement? A history of Lord’s and MCC? A Lord’s love-in? In truth, it is all of these things and none of them. It might have been stronger had it settled on one tone.MCC still does fantastic work, especially developing cricket abroad, but it seems increasingly irrelevant to cricket “in the 21st century” – an image this DVD does little to shake.

The Colorado Rapids are expected to appoint Tottenham Hotspur assistant Matt Wells as their next head coach, according to a report from The Athletic. Wells, 37, would be stepping into his first senior managerial role and would become one of the youngest head coaches in MLS when he arrives ahead of the 2026 season.

AFPA diverse coaching background

Wells is currently part of Thomas Frank’s staff at Spurs and previously worked under Ange Postecoglou, where he took on significant responsibility during training sessions and match preparation.

Before returning to North London, Wells served as an assistant to Scott Parker at Fulham, Bournemouth and Club Brugge – a stretch that included promotions and European experience. He also began his coaching career in Tottenham’s academy, where he coached the club’s Under-18 side.

reports that Colorado has been encouraged by Wells’ background and potential, believing he fits the club’s desire for a cohesive approach between coaching and recruitment as it looks to elevate a young core.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy the Rapids targeted him

The Rapids interviewed a wide range of candidates, both domestically and abroad, before settling on Wells, according to the report. The club places an emphasis on alignment between the head coach and roster construction, and Wells has been involved in early offseason planning.

The squad includes several foundational pieces, led by U.S. international Paxten Aaronson, along with goalkeeper Zack Steffen, Rob Holding, Cole Bassett, Sam Vines, and Reggie Cannon.

Brazilian forward Rafael Navarro – who has 27 goals and 10 assists over the last two seasons – could still depart this winter after Colorado rejected a significant bid from Fluminense in the summer. A move would open a Designated Player slot for the club.

How this impacts Spurs…

Colorado and Arsenal share ownership through Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, yet the Rapids appear set to appoint an assistant from Tottenham, one of Arsenal’s rivals. The club previously interviewed former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere during a past coaching search.

If Wells departs, it would mark the first notable change to Thomas Frank’s coaching staff since his arrival at Spurs. Wells is the only assistant from Postecoglou’s staff who remained in place and is viewed internally as a sharp tactical mind with inventive training methods.

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What comes next?

According to , Wells has long been seen as a young coach ready for his own project. A move to MLS would offer that opportunity, while signaling Colorado’s continued push toward a modern, aligned football identity under a first-time head coach.

The former India offspinner replaces Venkatesh Prasad, who has now taken up a coaching role with Kings XI Punjab in the ongoing IPL

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2018Aashish Kapoor, the former India offspinner, has replaced Venkatesh Prasad as the chairman of India’s junior selection committee. Kapoor joins Gyanendra Pandey and Rakesh Parekh in the committee.Prasad quit the role in March and joined Kings XI Punjab for the ongoing IPL season. During his tenure, India reached the Under-19 World Cup final twice, and won the title earlier this year. Keeping both positions would have left Prasad on the wrong side of the conflict of interest rules as advocated by the Lodha panel.Kapoor played four Tests and 17 ODIs for India between 1994 and 2000. He was part of the World Cup squad in 1996 and the XI for the semi-final against Sri Lanka. Kapoor had a successful domestic career, taking 398 wickets in 128 first-class matches in addition to scoring 3449 runs.