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They were eliminated from the Champions Cup thanks to a late goal by Tristan Blackmon in the 90+3rd minute.

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• Juárez has only been in charge of the club for six weeks.

• Vancouver will face Inter Miami in the semifinals
• The other match will be between Cruz Azul and Tigres

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  A last-minute goal from Vancouver Whitecaps’ Tristan Blackmon spoiled the celebrations for Pumas at Estadio Olímpico Universitario. The Mexican side had already begun envisioning a semifinal clash with Inter Miami and Lionel Messi, who had just pulled off a dramatic win over LAFC at Chase Stadium.

  Pumas, led by head coach Efraín Juárez, took a 2-1 lead in the 88th minute thanks to a goal from Ignacio Pussetto. It seemed like victory was within reach for the, but Blackmon’s late equalizer sent Vancouver through to the next round via the away goals rule- putting them just one step from the final.

  After the match, Juárez said he didn’t view the elimination as a failure, emphasizing the fight his team showed.

  “It wasn’t enough; we tried from every angle. I don’t think it’s a failure, not this time, because the team tried, fought, and there’s no reproach. I don’t see it that way; it’s part of the process. It’s a short process of four weeks, and the team has shown another face. We’re missing that ‘spark’ because we’re there, but we need that extra,” he commented.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Pumas and Efraín Juárez suffered another setback, this time in the Champions Cup, after being eliminated by Whitecaps due to a late goal. The Mexican club failed to take advantage of the 1-1 draw they earned last week in the Canadian city, drawing 2-2 at home and being knocked out by the away goals rule. Now, Pumas' only focus is to fight for the Clausura 2025, where they currently sit in 10th place. The capital team has not won a Liga MX title since 2011.

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  WHAT EFRAÍN JUÁREZ SAID

  “We have to get back up; the reality is that we didn’t lose this series. It hurts a lot because of the way it happened. You were in a semifinal, and in two minutes, everything went to hell," Juarez said. "I still believe in my team, I still trust them, and understanding that, we’ll prepare for a home game that keeps us alive in the league.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PUMAS?

  Pumas must turn the page, as they currently sit in 10th place in the Clausura 2025 standings. At the moment, they are occupying the last spot for the Play-in, so they cannot afford to drop points this weekend when they host FC Juárez on Saturday for Matchday 15.

EXCLUSIVE: The American defender spoke to GOAL about an obsessive hobby, the USMNT center-back race, life in Glasgow

Cameron Carter-Vickers can't fully explain what keeps him so drawn to LEGO, but he can confirm one thing: he is, in fact, obsessed. There are worse things to be addicted to than construction with miniature bricks, for sure, but the USMNT and Celtic center-back does acknowledge that it's become something of a problem in his home life.

He's built several LEGO stadiums: Old Trafford, the Bernabeu, Camp Nou. If a Celtic Park set ever comes out, he'll be the first one in line. Hogwarts Castle has been completed, as has the Roman Coliseum. Name a big set, and he probably has it sitting somewhere in his house. His recent passion has been Lego cars, particularly the F1 sets, one of which he finished just before jetting off to Los Angeles for the recent U.S. men's national team camp.

The building of them isn't the problem anymore, though. Now, the hardest part of all of this is figuring out where to put them once they're done.

"I've had to streamline it," he tells GOAL with a laugh. "I've probably built most of the big sets. There was a period where I was just buying everything but now they're in boxes back home just sitting there. Someday, when I have a place I'm going to be living for a while, I'll build a display board or something."

That's the situation as it stands. As for the "why" – well, there are multiple reasons. He started as a kid, maybe about six or seven, he says. His mom used to buy LEGO sets for Christmas, and it would never take him particularly long to get them built. It was his hobby away from the field, one of the things he could do to refocus even as the pressures on him ramped up. The sets have gotten grander, of course, as have those on-field pressures, but, in some ways, that's made this hobby all the more important.

"I'm a chill guy" he says. "I'm quite aware that I look quite stern or angry or annoyed at something, but most of the time. I'm pretty chill. I'm just trying to enjoy life. I just find it quite relaxing. I'll throw something on the iPad and just sit there and start building. I quite like that little sense of accomplishment you get when you finish it."

There's a metaphor here, for sure. Carter-Vickers isn't just building towards having the best LEGO collection of any footballer; he's building towards more on the pitch, too – especially with the 2026 World Cup looming.

In Scotland, he's emerged as a leader and stalwart for a trophy-winning Celtic team, one that recently stared down Bayern Munich in the Champions League and didn't blink before falling valiantly against one of the world's elite. At Celtic, though, falling valiantly is never really good enough. Winning is the expectation in Glasgow, and Carter-Vickers has done plenty of it during his time in green.

As for the USMNT, Carter-Vickers has his sights set on a second World Cup run. After missing the start of this new era with injury issues, he returned for his first camp since the Copa America, reuniting him with a familiar face in Mauricio Pochettino. It was the Argentine who gave the defender his professional debut many years ago at Tottenham. The recent Nations League run didn't go to plan for anyone on the USMNT side, Carter-Vickers included, but, again, there's something to be said about building from it.

Now, it's Pochettino who will be the one to determine whether Carter-Vickers is one of the lucky few who will represent the U.S. next summer in a home World Cup – and it's Carter-Vickers' job to keep putting together the pieces in a crowded center-back race.

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  Reuniting with Pochettino

  Ironically, Carter-Vickers doesn't even remember his professional debut. He can't recall the competition or the match. "Gillingham – Carabao Cup" Wikipedia confirms. An 18-year-old Carter-Vickers started in an one-sided 5-0 win.

  "I don't even remember much about that game," he says. "I do remember that – maybe it was the next one after that – was Liverpool away at Anfield, which was a big occasion for me to experience at such a young age."

  He does have fond memories of the man who gave him that debut and the subsequent trial by fire at Anfield: Pochettino. The Argentine was in charge of Tottenham back then, in year three of a five-year stretch that would see the club reach new heights. Carter-Vickers, ultimately, wouldn't be a big part of that era, spending the next several years at six different Championship clubs.

  Still, when he finally arrived in Los Angeles for the recent camp, jet-lagged from his flight across the Atlantic, Carter-Vickers was given a warm greeting from a crew of familiar faces. It had been a while since he'd seen Pochettino or his staff. Much has changed since that debut nearly a decade ago. Then again, though, Carter-Vickers said, so much hasn't.

  "He's still the guy that I remember from Tottenham," he says. "So is his coaching staff as well. All of them are really great people, great guys, great coaches, and that's all you can really ask for as a player."

  And like LEGO bricks, the coaching staff give players the pieces to develop their games.

  "Mauricio and his coaching staff, they were really big at the time on player development and how they could improve a player," he said. "They gave you all the tools, and those are tools that I still use now to do things. It's how I still try to develop my game now, how I train now, how I'm still trying to improve."

  Carter-Vickers has grown immensely in the past few years. If you have any doubts about that, just look at his performances in the Champions League.

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  Big games, big stages

  In just about every game they play in Scotland, Celtic are levels ahead of the opposition. That gives Carter-Vickers a certain part to play.

  "At Celtic, a lot of games, we do have a lot of the ball," he says. "As a center-back, you're asked to handle the ball as much as possible. When it does turnover, you're defending big space most of the time because you're all the way out on the halfway line and you've got half a pitch behind you. It's about protecting space but, if something does pop up in front of you, you have to be ready to squeeze and win it back. It's a different way of defending."

  When you're playing against Bayern, though, that isn't the case. Most teams hold on for dear life. Celtic didn't. They gave the German giants all they could handle.

  Bayern ultimately won 3-2 on aggregate due to a heartbreaking late Alphonso Davies goal. Carter-Vickers was right there at the end. He was a split second away from clearing, but couldn't sprint past roadrunner Davies. It was a tie defined by the tightest of margins. It was also a tie that proved that Carter-Vickers and Celtic could compete at that level.

  "Something I always say to myself before big games against big teams is that it's 11 human beings against 11 human beings on a pitch," he says. "You've played hundreds of times on goals that are the same size that they always are. No matter who you play against or what the competition is – I understand the importance of competitions and what they mean to fans and stuff like that – but, at the end of the day, it's just 11-vs-11 and you have to just go out there and try to do the best you can."

  Patience and persistence are both key.

  "We always have that belief that we can play big teams and get results," he said. "Over the last three or four years in the Champions League, we've been getting steady improvement and we've all grown in belief and confidence. Maturity, too. In previous years, we were maybe a bit too eager to get after games and we got picked off. I think now we're more patient. We know that, when we do get the ball back, we're good enough to play and keep it and hurt teams."

  Carter-Vickers, since he's arrived in Glasgow, has been a key figure in that steady improvement. Over the last few years, he's established himself as a critical cog in Scotland's most finely-tuned machine.

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  Life in Glasgow

  Now in his fourth season at Celtic Park, Carter-Vickers is often recognized when he ventures out around Glasgow. For those who understand Scottish soccer, you know what that means – he's either a hero or a villain, and it all depends on whether the person he's meeting is wearing blue or green.

  "It's something that's hard to explain unless you live there and experience it," Carter-Vickers. "The whole city lives and breathes football. It could be a 30-year-old male or a 70-year-old woman. They all know who you are and the results of the games. The city is crazy about football. It's hard to do anything without someone coming up and saying something but, to be fair, I haven't had too many negative experiences. Mostly, people are positive, which is nice to see!"

  The move to Glasgow, in many ways, has defined Carter-Vickers as a player. For the first several years of his career, he was stuck in the loan wilderness. Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, Swansea City, Stoke City, Luton Town, Bournemouth – all were home, at least for a while. He started regularly at each, he points out, so the experiences were mostly good. But, as the old saying goes, there's no place like home, and he's found one at Celtic.

  It was easy to see his skill set upon his arrival. The 27-year-old defender is built like a tank and, having survived the rough and tumble Championship, has never struggled with throwing his size around. At Celtic Park, though, he's had to round out his game.

  According to FBRef, compared to all other defenders in the Big Five leagues, Champions League and Europa League, Carter-Vickers is in the 99th percentile in passes attempted and pass completion. He's in the 82nd percentile in progressive passes and 91st in progressive carries. The defensive stats are good, too: he's in the 85th percentile of aerials won and 64th percentile in tackles.

  "It's a boring answer," he says with a smile, "but the only stat I truly care about is wins. How many wins can my team get? How many trophies do we have at the end of a season? Of course, there are other stats and they help you improve and see weaknesses in your game, but if we win a game, I'm happy. If we don't, I'm not happy. If I perform average and we win, I don't care. If I'm great and we lose, I'm not happy. That's how I've always been."

  Those stats, though, paint a picture of a fairly complete player, one that can do a job on both sides of the ball. Complete players don't often stay in Scotland. When you play outside of the Big Five leagues, you're judged almost exclusively on a handful of games. Most aren't watching you play day in and day out. Many form opinions without much justification.

  It's why you can go on social media and see Carter-Vickers described as "the best defender outside of the Big Five" and "totally overrated" in consecutive posts. It's why opinions shift so quickly depending on whether you see him on a good day or a bad one, having not witnessed any between.

  "Since I've gotten older, I'm someone that just doesn't listen to any of that stuff, whether it's positive or negative," he says. "If I'm getting feedback from somebody, it's a coach or someone that watches me regularly. Even the positive stuff doesn't affect me really emotionally at this point in my career. If someone has something to say, I'd like to have a conversation with them, asking why they say that to find out more. I don't read too much into anything, good or bad."

  The most important opinion now belongs to Pochettino, as Carter-Vickers is one of several central defenders fighting for a spot under the new coach.

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  The USMNT center-back race

  There's a competition brewing at the center-back position and, at the end of it all, someone is going to be left out. There are only so many spots in a World Cup squad and only so many center-backs that can be in a team. Carter-Vickers was fortunate enough to get his number called in 2022, but that doesn't guarantee anything for 2026.

  The competition, therefore, is ongoing – and intense.

  "You mentioning that competition is probably the first time I've thought about competing, like really competing like that, for spots on the roster," Carter-Vickers says. "For me, it's just about making sure you do the best you can. The decision, at the end of the day, is up to the coach. As a player, you have to respect a coach's decision. As long as I've put it all out there, I'll be happy with that."

  He was joined by Tim Ream, Chris Richards and Mark McKenzie for Nations League, with the former two starting the first match, a1-0 loss to Panama. Carter-Vickers and McKenzie, then, were given their chance against Canada and both had some tough moments in what ended as a 2-1 defeat.

  That'll open the door for others in the pool to reenter this competition as well. Players such as Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman have track records both with the USMNT and in MLS. Youngsters such as Noahkai Banks will look to take a late-cycle leap into the picture.

  And then there's Carter-Vickers' club teammate, Auston Trusty, who would have been in the team for the Nations League if not for injury. The two have formed a formidable partnership for Celtic, helping the Scottish giants remain at the top of their country's table.

  "As the season has gone on, I think we've gotten there with our partnership," Carter-Vickers. "It takes time to learn how each other move and what positions the other takes up. That's something we're still trying to improve upon now. Auston, for me, has done really well since he's come in. He's hit the ground running."

  His skill on the ball is extremely valuable, especially when you account for the fact that Ream's passing ability has kept him in the USMNT heading towards his 38th birthday. Under both Pochettino and prior coach Gregg Berhalter, there has been an emphasis on having center-backs be comfortable on the ball, which is something Carter-Vickers does regularly at Celtic.

  He also brings size and physicality to the field, although he'll have to clean up some of the mistakes that have prevented him from ever truly breaking through as a top-tier player for the USMNT.

  "I think he adds a little bit of a different dynamic to the rest of us," Ream said of Carter-Vickers. "He brings a bite. He's also good on the ball at the same time and he's played in some high-level matches over the past couple of years. He brings a lot of experience from a club standpoint, even if there's maybe not as much as some of us at the national team level. Again, he's a newish face with Mauricio here now and if he steps in, he knows his role."

  Carter-Vickers may not be thinking about the competition much, but he's in it and it'll all be decided over the next 12 months.

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2015James Anderson, however, struck early having the returning Azhar Ali for a seven-ball duck•Getty ImagesMohammad Hafeez did not build on a start, holing out to Stuart Broad in the deep…•Getty Images…but Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan steadied their side on a pitch that offered turn right away•Getty ImagesBroad delivered five consecutive maidens after lunch, during which he had Younis caught behind•Getty ImagesMisbah-ul-Haq and Sarfraz Ahmed, however, kept the scorecard ticking with an 80-run partnership•Getty ImagesThat was ended by Moeen Ali and Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 38 runs, after which England played out two overs before stumps•Getty ImagesAnderson and Broad were the standout performers of the day, claiming combined figures of 6 for 30•Getty Images

He got there in 54 balls after Sean Williams cracked 91 off 58 deliveries, as Zimbabwe made it two in a row

Madushka Balasuriya20-Jun-2023Zimbabwe 319 for 4 (Raza 102*, Williams 91, Shariz 2-62) beat Netherlands 315 for 6 (Vikramjit 88, Edwards 83, Raza 4-55) by six wicketsYet another imperious hand from Sean Williams and an all-round masterclass from Sikandar Raza ensured that a potentially tricky chase was handled with relative ease, as Zimbabwe made it two wins from two with a six-wicket victory over Netherlands.Raza’s impact on the game was absolute, having started with a four-wicket haul to help keep the opposition down to what he deemed a “par” total of 315 – such was the nature of the track. That culminated with a truly belligerent display of power-hitting that climaxed incredibly in him reaching the fastest ever ODI century by a Zimbabwe batter, finishing unbeaten on 102 off 54 deliveries.But while Raza will rightly take all the headlines, Williams’ role cannot be understated. His was a knock that was an exhibition in game management. Having come in to bat in the 14th over, he took a few overs to get in before cutting loose and looting 48 runs from overs 17-21. And he kept plugging away at a steady rate before Raza joined him in the 25th over.At that point, Raza immediately made his intentions clear, as Williams took on a more reserved role. While Netherlands would no doubt rue some dropped chances over the course of the innings, once Williams – and then Raza – started going, there was no stopping the Zimbabwe juggernaut.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Raza would end the game having struck six fours and eight sixes – three of which came in three consecutive deliveries in a brutal assault on Shariz Ahmad in the 39th over – and such was his authority at Harare Sports Club that you wondered if any score Netherlands would have put up would have been enough. If it was any consolation, then 315 was their joint-highest score in ODIs.Having been put into bat on a belter of a batting track, Netherlands weathered some early movement, and proceeded to motor along in their innings. A 120-run opening stand between Max O’Dowd and Vikramjit Singh was followed by a 96-run partnership between Vikramjit and captain Scott Edwards, who hit 83.But despite their best efforts, they were never allowed to get out of hand, as Raza – utilising his vast experience and array of variations – consistently struck with the ball. Having broken the first-wicket union with a quicker one outside off that was chopped on by O’Dowd, Raza struck in his next over too, cleaning Wesley Barresi up with another one that was quicker and full.And just as Edwards and Vikramjit would have been eyeing a big finish, Raza returned in the 39th over to have the latter miscue a sweep when on 88, and thus broke a threatening stand. That wicket, of the set batter, potentially took the momentum out of Netherlands’ innings; they did go on to score 81 off the final ten overs, which was a good effort, yet not good enough in terms of what the surface offered.And so it would prove, as Raza returned with the bat to land the finishing blow on an otherwise respectable Netherlands performance.

Rangers supporters everywhere are still ruing Sunday’s League Cup Final defeat, with Glasgow’s giants playing out a thrilling 3-3 draw at Hampden, with second-half equalisers from Mohamed Diomande and then Danilo forcing extra time and ultimately penalties for the Ibrox side.

In the shootout, someone has to miss and, unfortunately for those bedecked in red, white and blue, housed in the west end of the National Stadium, that man was Rıdvan Yılmaz, his tame effort easily kept out by Kasper Schmeichel, as Celtic once again hoisted aloft the trophy.

However, Philippe Clement’s team will soon be back in action, welcoming Dundee to Ibrox on Saturday, with a chance to exact revenge on their fiercest rivals right around the corner, given that the next Premiership Glasgow derby in Govan is coming up as soon as 2 January.

Speaking of January, the start of a new year also signals the opening of the transfer window, so could one of the most expensive players in the current Rangers squad be on the move next month?

Rangers forward could leave the club

As reported by Rob Laurens for French outlet Le Républicain Sportif, Saint-Étienne are considering a move for Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers in January.

Les Verts, ten-times French champions, are one of France’s biggest clubs but, following promotion via the play-offs, are currently embroiled in a relegation battle, sat third bottom of Ligue 1, having lost six of their last eight, including three on the spin, hence why les Stéphanois are seeking attacking reinforcements.

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In terms of Dessers, his career has already taken him to various Belgian and Dutch clubs, as well as one season in Italy, arriving in Glasgow to much excitement for a not insubstantial £4.5m fee in July 2023.

Then manager Michael Beale stated at the time that “Cyriel pushed extremely hard to make this transfer a reality”, but his time with the Light Blues since has been, at best, mixed.

Why Rangers should cash in on Cyriel Dessers

On paper, Dessers has scored 34 goals in 80 appearances for the Gers, which is not too bad at all.

He’s bagged 12 goals this season, on target at Celtic Park last May as well as in European fixtures against Servette, Real Betis, Dynamo Kyiv and, most recently, Olympiacos.

However, the Nigerian has also garnered a reputation for squandering big chances.

He’s taken 144 shots to score 27 times in the Premiership and UEFA competitions while, also according to FBref.com, his xG figure across five Europa League fixtures this season is four, with this yielding just a solitary goal so far.

Following the draw in Piraeus in early November, in which he did equalise, Dessers joked that if he scored every single chance that came his way he “probably would not be at Rangers”, but could that become reality as soon as January?

In recent weeks, Clement has made the bold call to drop Dessers, leaving him on the bench for the last five matches, with Hamza Igamane repaying his manager’s faith by scoring five times in his last six appearances, with the Moroccan very much the man in form.

So, how do Rangers’ attacking options compare to one another?

Given that Igamane, Černý and Bajrami only arrived this summer, and Danilo’s time at the club has been blighted by injury, they’ve all played significantly fewer minutes than Dessers.

However, on a per-90 basis, the Nigerian is being outperformed by both of the other two natural centre-forward options, namely Igamane and Danilo, suggesting it may be time to cash in.

During the summer, it was reported by Graeme McGarry for the National that Dessers turned down the chance to join Atlanta United, with the MLS outfit bidding £4.5m for his services, having just sold former-Celtic centre-forward Giorgos Giakoumakis to Cruz Azul for close to double that.

This time, should Saint-Étienne, or anyone else for that matter, put a similar amount of money on the table for Dessers, Rangers should do everything they can to facilitate his exit.

Rangers could finally sell Dessers with move for "incredibly prolific" star

The Glasgow Rangers manager could move on from Cyriel Dessers by signing this striker.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 18, 2024

Mitchell Marsh and Matt Renshaw are the two players to miss out from the Ashes group

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-2023Josh Hazlewood remains in contention to play the World Test Championship final against India after being included in Australia’s 15-man squad.Australia have pushed Mitchell Marsh and Matt Renshaw into their reserves from the 17 players that have been selected for the Ashes.Hazlewood returned early from the IPL with some side soreness but scans revealed no damage and he has since returned to bowling. However, speaking last week coach Andrew McDonald said everything would need to go perfectly for him to make the WTC final.He is one of four specialist quicks in the squad alongside captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland. Michael Neser and Sean Abbott will train with the team in the lead-up, with Neser a strong contender to replace Hazlewood in the main squad if required. Any changes from now on will require approval of the ICC’s technical committee.Josh Inglis, who is yet to play a Test, has found a place in the squad, as has Todd Murphy, who made his Test debut in India earlier this year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

As for India, there were no late changes apart from Yashasvi Jaiswal, as reported earlier in the day, replacing Ruturaj Gaikwad in the list of stand-by players.Both the uncapped Ishan Kishan and Jaydev Unadkat, who had injured his left shoulder during the IPL and was ruled out of the tournament, figure in the squad of 15. Kishan, who came in after the injury to KL Rahul during the IPL, is likely to be back-up for KS Bharat, India’s first-choice Test wicketkeeper in Rishabh Pant’s absence.Related

• Neser replaces Hazlewood in Australia's WTC final squad

• Too much cricket? Yes, but Labuschagne gets his 'routine and rhythm' from it

• Hazlewood hopeful of WTC final: 'My fitness is pretty good'

• WTC final: Ponting wants India to play Kishan and Suryakumar for 'a little bit of X-factor'

• Rahane returns to India squad for WTC final

Also a part of the India squad is Shardul Thakur, who had missed three games in the IPL because of a niggle, and was not fit to bowl in a few games.India’s reserves are Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav and Jaiswal.The match will be played at The Oval from June 7 to 11, with June 12 pencilled in as the reserve day. The winners will earn US$ 1.6 million, while the runners-up will earn $800,000.Australia squad: Pat Cummins (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Steven Smith (vice-capt), Mitchell Starc, David Warner.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk).

After a quiet post World Cup period, the upcoming season will be a test of Russell Domingo’s progress with the South Africa squad over the past two years

Firdose Moonda26-Sep-2015A maiden voyage is made up of equal measure of expectation and excitement, even if you are not the captain or any of the crew but just the coach. South Africa’s coach Russell Domingo has been involved in cricket for more than two decades but this will be his first visit to cricket’s nerve centre.”I have never been to India and I can’t wait. I am really looking forward to it, it’s a new adventure for me. Talking about team building, I might lead an expedition up the Himalayas after the first T20,” Domingo said at the team’s departure.Domingo has the right idea with South Africa’s first T20 being in Dharamsala, but he may not have enough time to take a hike. Two days later, South Africa play a second match in Cuttack and a third in Kolkata soon after. In total, they will visit 12 cities in 72 days – their longest-ever trip to India – and the focus is on making themselves part of the furniture.”It’s going to be different. It’s an extra month from what we are used to in terms of a tour, normal tours last 42 or 43 days. This one is 72 days,” Domingo said. ” The other side to that is to play some good cricket. We haven’t played a sustained period of cricket for a long period of time now.”Since the end of the World Cup, South Africa have had the least cricket compared to any team, with just two short series. Their trip to Bangladesh went wrong when they lost their first ODI series against Bangladesh, which was then followed by two washed-out Tests. The brief dalliance with New Zealand in limited-overs matches, which came after a month off, lacked competitiveness and context but now the real battle starts.This series is the first of two iconic contests that will make up an eight-Test 2015-16 summer, the second being hosting England after returning from India. For Domingo, it will be a chance to underline his status as a coach, something he has not really had the chance to do since taking over.When Domingo succeeded Gary Kirsten in June 2013, he took over a team on top. The senior men were still involved and the change in coach was relatively seamless. After a few months, that was no longer the case. The retirements of Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith left Domingo in charge of a team in transition and it was difficult to judge his impact in those circumstances. Now, Domingo’s days have reached a point where the side has stabilised enough to assess him, and that is what this summer will shine a spotlight on. It will look beyond Domingo’s statistical sensibilities – a well-known strength of his – and search for his skills in man-management, regarded as the secret to any good coach’s success.Over the past few weeks, Domingo’s style has been to stay away from his players and give them the space to enjoy their time off before getting stuck in. “When guys are away from the game, I try not to talk too much to players because they are going to be tired of talking to me over the next couple of weeks,” he said. “I’d hate to be talking spin to them three weeks before we get there, and we get there and guys are already mentally blown before we’ve seen a ball being bowled.”But now that they are officially on the tour, Domingo will deal intricately with the main challenge which he expects to be India’s spin threat, which he thinks South Africa can overcome. “We anticipate a lot of spin over the next couple of weeks,” he said. “Their spinners are only going to be effective, I suppose, if the seamers make some early inroads. If we can nullify their seam attack, it puts our batting in a much better position to deal with their spinners. If we expose our middle order to the spinners early, we will be be under pressure.”That may hold true in the Tests which come at the end of the tour, but at the beginning, Domingo expects pressure to come from India’s pace pack. “India, at the moment, have got a few good fast bowlers like Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma. In the World Cup fifty-over game, they bowled a lot more short balls than we would bowl and their seamers outbowled us.They were very aggressive in their lengths and their body language,” he said.But Domingo expects South Africa to respond strongly, especially because the limited-overs clashes come when it is most important for them to make a statement. “The start of the tour is very important because if we don’t start the tour well, it can become a long tour,” Domingo said. “South Africa’s strength has always been that our group of players get on really well, they are enjoying the challenges in different countries. We’ve got a proud record playing in different countries. We’ve got a bunch of guys who enjoy going out, seeing different things, experiencing different things.”And they have a coach who will be doing all those things for the first time in India and will be hoping it’s everything it’s hyped up to be.

Southampton head coach Ivan Juric has left the the club following their relegation back into the Championship.

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• Saints relegated with seven games remaining
• Head coach departs with 10 points
• Simon Rusk and Adam Lallana interim replacements

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  It has been a campaign to forget for the Saints on their return to the top flight after their relegation back into the Championship was confirmed following a 3-1 loss to Tottenham on Sunday. Juric's side became the earliest team to suffer the drop in Premier League history, and as a result, the head coach has been given his marching orders.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Juric was drafted in as a replacement for Russell Martin in December with the hope of steering the Saints to safety, but the 49-year-old has managed just one win since taking charge and has not been able to utilise his squad, which includes the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Kyle Walker-Peters.

• WHAT JURIC SAID

  Speaking after relegation was confirmed, Juric reflected on the sensation, saying: "For me, this is something completely new, a new experience. I said to the players they have to be really thankful that they have fans like this.

  "It is something incredible the way they love their team even though we were relegated. They really deserve much more. It’s another type of culture [to Italy]. They show love in this moment; it is a great thing in English culture, Southampton culture."

• WHAT SOUTHAMPTON SAID

  The Saints released a statement on Monday morning confirming Juric's departure. It said: "We can confirm that we have today reached an agreement with our Men’s First Team Manager, Ivan Juric, to end his spell at the club.

  "Ivan came to Southampton at a tough time and was tasked with trying to improve a squad in a difficult situation. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen performances progress the way we had hoped, but we would like to thank Ivan and his staff for their honesty and hard work as they fought against the odds to try and keep us up.

  "With relegation to the Championship now confirmed, we believe it is important to give fans, players and staff some clarity on the future as we head into a very important summer.

  "The process of finding a new manager to lead us as we look to secure an immediate return to the Premier League has now begun and is being led by Group Technical Director Johannes Spors.

  "We remain incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our fans. Their continued dedication and passion, despite what has been a very tough season, is remarkable and is appreciated by everyone at the club.

  "Despite the challenges that relegation will bring, our goal is to restore a sense of pride for them in their team and club once again."

West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady is pushing for the club to appoint an “interesting” replacement for Julen Lopetegui, with the Spaniard’s sacking still very much on the cards over this festive period.

Julen Lopetegui under pressure despite surviving West Ham axe

Lopetegui managed to keep his job after reigning supreme in the “El Sackico” against Wolves on Monday, but the 58-year-old is still hanging by a thread heading into Christmas.

Title-winning manager privately expressing preference to join West Ham

Julen Lopetegui remains under pressure at the London Stadium.

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Emilio Galantini

Dec 13, 2024

Lopetegui’s early reign has been one of real disappointment after the club spent over £120 million on new signings in the summer window, having won just five times over their opening 15 Premier League games.

There are also suggestions that Lopetegui has been clashing with key West Ham players behind-the-scenes, so it has been far from easy for the ex-Real Madrid and Spain boss, who is facing weekly speculation revolving around his position in the dugout.

Former FC Porto boss Sergio Conceicao has privately expressed a preference over joining West Ham above the likes of Everton and Wolves, and there are numerous other candidates who’ve been linked with the potentially vacant post.

One of them is former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter, who has been out of work since his sacking by the former mid-way through 2023.

Potter is one of the West Ham managerial favourites, as per reports in the last fortnight, with the former Ostersunds boss also open to taking the job on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

Karren Brady pushing Graham Potter for West Ham manager's job

That is according to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, who also writes for TEAMtalk that Baroness Brady is pushing Potter for the West Ham manager’s job behind-closed-doors.

Jacobs claims there is still a very real possibility West Ham could sack Lopetegui over the next two weeks, depending on results, and Potter remains high on the shortlist alongside other names like Matthias Jaissle, Massimiliano Allegri, Edin Terzic and Conceicao.

What could give Potter an advantage over fellow contenders is his willingness to take the role on a short-term interim basis, a condition both Terzic and Allegri aren’t too keen on.

The tactician has undergone a very different pathway to most other elite English managers – first gaining attention by leading Swedish minnows Ostersunds FK from the fourth tier to Europa League last 32 – but this shouldn’t be seen as a deal-breaker.

“I spoke to Graham last year,” said Wayne Rooney on Potter in 2022, via an interview with The Times. “I had a few hours with him on Zoom, and he went through his journey with me. He was good, interesting.

“You look at Graham, or Arsene Wenger who went to Asia. [Jose] Mourinho has been in different places. Fergie started with small clubs in Scotland. Patrick Vieira managed over here [at New York City FC] and went to France.

“Everyone has a different pathway but they all did what they did to educate themselves and better themselves. Sometimes as a manager you just take the job that’s there, and work your way from there.”

América's coach says potential move to the Brazil national team unlikely, but that 'hopefully, one day I can be worthy'

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• América defeated Tigres 3-0 on Matchday 13

• Las Águilas secured their spot in the Clausura 2025 final phase

• André Jardine reached 100 matches with the club

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The dismissal of Dorival Junior as Brazil's head coach has brought names such as Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola, and even América’s André Jardine into the conversation as a potential replacement.

  Jardine is enjoying an exceptional moment, leading América to the top of the Clausura 2025 with 30 points. Las Águilas have already secured their spot in the tournament’s final phase, where they will aim for their fourth consecutive Liga MX title.

  But is Jardine’s move to the Brazil national team even a possibility? Here’s what the coach had to say about the rumors linking him as Dorival Junior’s replacement:

  "Obviously, I did a job in Brazil with the Olympic gold, and that is valued in Brazil," he said. "But, to be completely honest, Brazil is looking for top-tier coaches – [Carlo} Ancelotti, [Pep] Guardiola. I’m a step below that level. Hopefully, one day I can be worthy of that seat, which is a hot and heavy one.

  "Brazil is thinking about a world-class coach. Right now, things are heated, but I’m happy. I enjoy the moment, every match, every day, and the achievement of every tournament."

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  WHAT ANDRÉ JARDINE SAID

  "First of all, I want to say that I appreciate the great value the Mexican press gives me today. I’m very happy with how I’ve been embraced here – it fills me with pride. I’ve felt welcomed in this country since day one in San Luis, loved by the fans. My son is Mexican, and I feel happy and fulfilled in this league. This is an important point – earning the respect of everyone, from the press and fans to rival coaches."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  André Jardine has reached 100 matches as América's head coach, an impressive milestone in his tenure with the club. Since his arrival in mid-2023, the Brazilian manager has led Las Águilas to a historic period of dominance, securing three Liga MX titles in a row and positioning the team as a powerhouse in Mexican football.

  Jardine's Record with América (first 100 Matches):

  Wins: 66

  Draws: 21

  Losses: 13

  Goals Scored: 191

  Goals Conceded: 78

  Titles Won: 3 (Liga MX Apertura 2023, Clausura 2024, Apertura 2024)

  Under his leadership, América has established itself as the strongest team in Liga MX, currently leading the Clausura 2025 with 30 points. Jardine has also emphasized squad depth, rotation, and tactical flexibility, ensuring the team's consistency despite injuries and fixture congestion.

  Jardine and his team remain focused on their primary objectives: securing a fourth consecutive Liga MX title and winning the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the only major club trophy missing from his tenure.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AMÉRICA?

  After their 3-0 victory over Tigres on Matchday 13 of the Clausura 2025, América return to training to prepare for the first leg of the Champions Cup quarterfinals against Cruz Azul Tuesday at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes.

  Following that match, Jardine’s squad will train on before traveling to Pachuca, where they will face Tuzos on Saturday for Matchday 14.