Says that Pant’s “learning experiences” from the last year and a half will make him a “better leader and person”.

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Mar-20221:05

Ponting discusses Pant’s leadership trajectory

Ricky Ponting had not even realised it. Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant may not have thought of it as well. And it may not have struck people in Indian cricket either. That Ponting, the former Australia captain who had several intense duels with India captains during his playing days, has already groomed two future India captains in the IPL.Well before taking over as the head coach of Delhi Capitals (then Daredevils) in 2018, Ponting had coached Mumbai Indians and had chaperoned Rohit’s captaincy from 2013 to 2016, to help the franchise to two IPL titles, in 2013 and 2015. Rohit has since become one of the top all-format players for India and has taken over the India captaincy in at least two formats.Related

What a ten-team, four-venue IPL might look like

Nortje cleared of 'serious injury', to continue rehab with Delhi Capitals

Pant is now in a very similar situation. A vital all-format player for India, in his early 20s, a new IPL captain, and a possible future India captain, also being groomed by Ponting.”I hadn’t thought about that actually but they are actually quite similar,” Ponting said of the Rohit-Pant comparison a day before the two teams he has coached face each other in IPL 2022. “When Rohit took over at Mumbai, he was quite a young man as well, and had started out in his international cricket. He was probably very similar [in age], I’m not sure how old he was but he would have been 23-24, similar to what Rishabh is here at the Delhi Capitals.”To tell you honestly, they’re quite similar people. I know they are great mates and they talk all the time and they’re probably exchanging things about leadership and captaincy along the way as well. Rohit probably doesn’t want to give too many secrets away because we’re going to play against him in a couple of days’ time (laughs). I think there’s every opportunity for Rishabh’s journey to be similar to Rohit Sharma’s. He’s a young captain of a successful franchise and growing on a daily basis and hopefully Rishabh can have the same sort of success Rohit’s had at the Mumbai Indians. And then with some experience in a role like this in a high-pressure tournament like the IPL, I’ve got no doubt in the years to come there’s every chance that Rishabh could be an international captain. No doubt about it.”The manner in which both Rohit and Pant were handed their IPL captaincies was also similar; Rohit took over from Ponting mid-season in 2013 and Pant was handed over the baton last IPL after Shreyas Iyer picked up a shoulder injury.Ponting is now in his fifth season with Capitals, and he has overseen Pant’s evolution not just as captain but as a player and individual too, after Pant was bought by Daredevils in the 2016 auction. Since then, Pant has played 84 games for them to amass 2498 runs while averaging 35.18 and striking at 147.46, and has quickly gone up the ladder to take over as a long-term captain.Ponting said the “learning experiences” Pant has had in the last 12-18 months with India and in the IPL will make him a “better leader and person”.”His evolution – not just the last one year, this is my fifth season now at the Delhi Capitals – and his evolution as a player and as a person has been quite dramatic,” Ponting said. “Last couple of years with some more responsibility in and around the Indian team, and captaining the Delhi Capitals last season, there’s a lot of learning experiences for him through the last 12-18 months for him which will keep helping him become a better leader and person on a daily basis. I know Rishabh really well, and that’s what he talks about all the time, trying to find ways to improve.”There’s no doubt that his maturity in the last 12-18 months with his play and also with his leadership and captaincy has been outstanding. It’s a big part of my job as well to try and help and guide him and push Rishabh in the right direction where I can. But saying that, he’s got a very good grasp on what leadership is all about because he’s been in successful teams and he’s been under strong leaders in the past. It’s up to me, if there’s anything I can help him with, I’ll do it along the way.”Ponting will now hope he can help Pant lift the IPL trophy two months from now and cheekily ask the BCCI for a ‘captaincy-grooming bonus’ they never knew they owed him.

Arsenal now want a £50 million former Real Madrid gem who they “tried to sign” many years ago – and the Gunners may have an advantage in the chase for his signature.

Arteta praises Lopetegui as Arsenal prepare to face West Ham

On the field, Gunners head coach Mikel Arteta is preparing his side to face struggling West Ham United in the Premier League this evening.

Arsenal considering new striker target in £42m star wanted by Bayern Munich

The Bavarians could provide stiff competition.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2024

Arsenal go into this London derby off the back of two convincing wins against Nottingham Forest and Sporting CP – showcasing the kind of form needed to challenge Liverpool for top spot – while the Hammers have clinched victory in just four out of a possible 12 league games.

West Ham did beat Newcastle United 2-0 in their last encounter, so they will be slightly more uplifted, but Arteta’s side are firm favourites to overcome the home side and win their third consecutive match in all competitions.

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Man United (home)

December 4

Fulham (away)

December 8

Everton (home)

December 14

Crystal Palace (away)

December 21

Star defender Gabriel Magalhaes is an injury doubt for Arsenal, though, meaning the exit-linked Jakub Kiwior could have to slot in alongside William Saliba at centre-back.

In the build-up to this afternoon’s late kick-off, Arteta praised Lopetegui and West Ham, saying the east Londoners are well-coached and could cause the north Londoners serious problems.

“I know him, we are friends, I have huge admiration for what he has done in the game,” said Arteta.

“He is from the same area as I am in the north of Spain. It’s a team that’s now in a high after the big win that they had against Newcastle away and it’s always a really tough opponent, we know that.

“Various ways to create big problems. They are a really physical side, really good in direct play, attacking second balls where they have to dominate the game through the ball. Or when they have the space they are a really dangerous team. Set pieces, and then individual quality they have, the front players can create in any moment any situation to cause you trouble. They are really well coached.”

Off the field, Arsenal are rumoured to be in the market for a new forward, and a potential alternative to Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal want former Real Madrid winger Takefusa Kubo

An option in that respect could be Real Sociedad winger Takesufa Kubo.

The Japan international, who has been called his country’s answer to Lionel Messi, spent some of his youth at Barcelona’s La Masia academy before later joining Real Madrid – with ex-Galacticos boss Zinedine Zidane calling him a “very interesting” player in 2020.

Kubo departed the Bernabeu for Sociedad in 2022, where he has since gone on to become a key player.

The 23-year-old bagged a goal and an assist in their 2-0 Europa League win over Ajax on Thursday, adding to his tally of 20 goals and 15 assists over a century of total appearances for the La Liga side.

His form has piqued the interest of Arteta, as The Boot Room reports this week. It is believed that Arsenal are keen on signing Kubo, who has a £50 million release clause in his contract, and they even “tried to sign” the player during his youth alongside the likes of Man City and Liverpool.

Arsenal also had scouts in attendance to watch his man-of-the-match display against Ajax, so they’re doing their homework on the Asian ahead of a potential move.

Unai Emery wants Aston Villa to sign a £20 million defender who has the same agent as Pau Torres, according to a new report.

The Villans are back in Premier League action this weekend as they welcome Crystal Palace to Villa Park looking to end their five-game winless run. This poor run of form could have been a blessing in disguise for Emery, as it may have opened his eyes to what they need to improve on when January arrives.

Aston Villa eyeing move for new £25m target who could replace Diego Carlos

Aston Villa are interested in a player who could potentially replace the Brazilian.

ByBrett Worthington Nov 19, 2024 Aston Villa are interested in signing Alex Baena

Villa may not very busy in the month of January, but if opportunities present themselves, whether it be bringing a player to the club or letting one go, it is likely going to happen for the Midlands side, as it has done ever since Emery joined the club.

Villarreal winger Alex Baena is someone Villa look to be very interested in signing, as Emery is a big fan of his, as the pair have worked together in Spain. The Villa boss is keen on bringing him to England, and Villa’s ex-scout Bryan King believes Baena would jump at the chance to reunite with Emery. He said: “I think he’d find it easy to join Villa and come into a club with a manager that he knows,” King said. “Baena has worked with Emery. Therefore, I see no reason why Emery wouldn’t push for that transfer and tell the club that Baena is a great prospect, a good player, and the player that he wants.

“And as a player who has worked with him, I think he’d be eager to join Villa and continue his career in the West Midlands.”

But as well as looking at Baena, Aston Villa are also interested in a deal for a defender, and they could hold an advantage in securing his signature.

Emery wants Aston Villa to sign £20m La Liga defender

According to Super Deporte, relayed by Sport Witness, Emery wants Aston Villa to sign defender Flavien Enzo Boyomo from CA Osasuna. The 23-year-old only joined the La Liga side in the summer transfer window, but he is already an important player for the club, as he’s started all 13 league games he has been available for.

Before joining Osasuna, Enzo Boyomo was at Real Valladolid for a season, and he impressed there which earned him his move to another La Liga side. The centre-back has experience of being in England, as he played for Blackburn Rovers academy from 2016 to 2020, and he could now be in line for a return.

This report states that the defender has ended up on Villa’s radar, as Emery is keen for his side to sign him. The Midlands side have signed players from Spain before, as they brought Torres to Villa Park, and now Enzo Boyomo could be the next in line, and the pair have something in common already, as they both share the same agent, InterStarDeporte.

Apps

13

Goals

1

Assists

0

As well as Villa, there are other teams interested in the defender, who is contracted to the Spanish side until 2029 and has a release clause of €25 million, which is roughly £20 million. This price is seen as “affordable” to Villa; it just remains to be seen when they could make the move for the centre-back.

كشف أحمد حسام ميدو، عضو لجنة التخطيط بنادي الزمالك، آخر تفاصيل ملف أحمد سيد زيزو، مُشيراً إلى أن النادي الأهلي تواصل مع سانت إيتيان، من أجل ضم محمود بنتايج.

وقال ميدو في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “أؤكد أن زيزو لديه الرغبة في الاستمرار مع الزمالك، وأؤكد أن الأهلي يُحاول بكل قوة لضم زيزو، وجلسوا مع والده، وحاولوا ضم اللاعب، والأمر لا يتوقف على زيزو فقط، بل إن هناك 5 أو 6 لاعبين في الزمالك، الأهلي يريد ضمهم، الهدف الأساسي لمجلس إدارة الأهلي هو التوقيع مع لاعبي الزمالك”.

وتابع: “نحن كلجنة تخطيط أمامنا بعض الملفات المهمة، وهي الحفاظ على استقرار الفريق، حسمنا ملف عمر جابر، ونعمل في ملف محمد السيد والونش وعبد الله السعيد”.

طالع أيضاً.. حازم إمام يحدد موعد انتهاء ملف تجديد زيزو مع الزمالك.. ويصرح: توقيعه لناد آخر “حرية شخصية”

وواصل: “نجلي حسين تحت أمر الزمالك دائمًا، أولادنا دائمًا تحت أمر الزمالك”.

وأوضح: “النادي الأهلي تواصل مع سانت إيتيان لكي يضم بنتايج، ونحن نجحنا في تفعيل بند شراء اللاعب، وهذا انتصار كبير لنا، عندما نرى المنافس يحاول ضم لاعبيك وأنت تنجح في إنهاء موقفهم والإبقاء عليهم، فهذا نجاح كبير جدًا، (هل الشطارة مش موجودة إلا على لاعبي الزمالك!)، هناك 2 لاعبين أساسيين في الأهلي (أقسم بالله وحياة أولادي طالبين يجلسوا معي عشان يوقعوا للزمالك، وحياة أولادي ده حصل، لكن إحنا سياستنا مش إضعاف المنافسين ولكن سياستنا هي ضم احتياجتنا وكان ردنا على اللاعبين إننا مش محتاجنهم الآن)”.

وأكمل: “(اشمعنى الزمالك! ليه لاعبي الزمالك عند مجلس إدارة الأهلي هم أحسن لاعبين في العالم؟)، نحن نحترم الجميع ونحترم مجلس إدارة الأهلي، ونقول لهم لو هذه هي سياستكم وإن الهدف الأول والرئيسي لكم إنكم توقعوا مع لاعبي الزمالك، فأقسم بالله العظيم لدينا شيكات مفتوحة ونقدر أن نوقع مع أي لاعب في الأهلي، لكن هذه ليست سياستنا، سياستنا أن نبحث عن احتياجاتنا، وليس إضعاف المنافسين”.

وأردف: “أقسم بالله نحن لدينا إمكانيات مادية تجعلني أوقع مع أي لاعب في الأهلي، لكن هذه ليست سياستي، أنا سياستي تطوير فريقي بالمراكز التي أحتاجها، ولا تشغلني السوشيال ميديا”.

وأتم: “أنا لعبت في 10 أندية وتفاوضت مع 25 ناديًا، في الكرة لا تضمن أي شيء إلا عندما يوقع رئيس النادي على ورق التعاقد، أنا لم أر لاعبًا في السنوات الأخيرة حريص أن يبقى في الزمالك مثل زيزو، ومن دون أن أضع أي ضغوط على نفسي، أنا أطمئن جمهور الزمالك، الزمالك له رجال مخلصين يعملون 24 ساعة لمصلحة الزمالك، وأعدكم (زي ما انتصرنا في مباراة القمة خارج الملعب، إن شاء الله ستسمعون أخبارًا جيدة)”.

MatériaMais Notícias

O ex-jogador do Corinthians e comentarista esportivo da Globo Walter Casagrande recebeu um convite do Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) para concorrer a uma vaga no Senado Federal nas eleições que serão realizados em outubro de 2022. A informação foi publicada pelo colunista Menon, do ‘Uol Esportes’.

RelacionadasFora de Campo‘Hoje os jogadores estão se provocando como torcedores’, diz Casagrande sobre responsabilidades dos atletas no futebol nacionalFora de Campo28/02/2022Fora de CampoCasagrande repudia declarações de Neto contra Abel Ferreira e revela: ‘Tentei ser amigo, mas não deu’Fora de Campo25/02/2022Fora de CampoCasagrande cobra posicionamento de Bolsonaro por invasão da Rússia à UcrâniaFora de Campo24/02/2022

Segundo Menon, o ex-jogador participou de encontros para ouvir a proposta do PT em 2021, mas optou por continuar ‘sendo o que é: um cidadão contestador’. Além disso, Casagrande segue sendo comentarista de futebol do Grupo Globo e crítico do governo de Jair Bolsonaro.

Atualmente com 58 anos, Walter Casagrande Júnior jogou futebol profissionalmente entre 1980 e 1996 passando por clubes como Corinthians, São Paulo, Ascoli (ITA), Torino (ITA), Flamengo e Paulista, além de defender a Seleção Brasileira na Copa do Mundo de 1986.

Depois de encerrar a carreira, o ex-jogador virou comentarista da ESPN e, em seguida, da Globo, onde segue até hoje. Em 2002, Casagrande recebeu um convite para ser treinador do São Paulo, mas também recusou a proposta.

Still yet to agree a new deal with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool are now reportedly keeping tabs on a potential replacement for their star right-back.

Liverpool transfer news

With the Merseyside derby postponed thanks to Storm Darragh, Liverpool have been given a much-needed weekend off amid growing injury issues and a frustrating 3-3 draw against Newcastle United last time out.

Conceding late on courtesy of Fabian Schar and an extremely rare Caoimhin Kelleher mistake in the dying embers, the Reds were denied the chance to bounce back against Everton, leaving the Anfield side to turn their attention towards Lille in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, away from the pitch, another storm continues to brew. As things stand, Liverpool are set to lose Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Alexander-Arnold on free deals at the end of the season, having so far failed to agree a new deal with any of the big three. And whilst there have been some positive updates regarding Van Dijk and Salah, it’s been silent on the Alexander-Arnold front.

Related Bigger blow than Trent: Real Madrid hoping to sign Slot's Liverpool star

Real Madrid are hoping to raid Liverpool for more than just Alexander-Arnold in 2025…

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Dec 6, 2024

It looks as though those at Anfield are preparing for the worst, too. According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Liverpool are keeping tabs on Martim Fernandes following his recent Porto rise. The 18-year-old right-back could emerge to replace Alexander-Arnold and hand Arne Slot an option down the right-hand side for years to come.

Of course, replacing Alexander-Arnold will be no easy task if it does get to that point, but Fernandes may be a solid candidate given his age. At 18 years old, Slot could quickly mould the Porto gem into the style of full-back that he would prefer Liverpool to utilise.

"Exciting" Fernandes is one to watch

If Liverpool’s main focus is on replacing Alexander-Arnold’s attacking influence, it’s no surprise that Fernandes is beginning to steal the headlines. The Porto teenager has assisted four goals in all competitions to match the Anfield star’s tally stride for stride. Described as “one of the most exciting full-backs in world football” by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig, Fernandes is undoubtedly one to watch.

Losing their current star but gaining the younger Fernandes to compete for a starting place alongside the equally impressive Conor Bradley could help to ease the blow caused by an Alexander-Arnold exit.

Top of the Premier League but with the dark cloud of contract failures lurking above them, Liverpool should be in for a hectic few months. Whether that results in some much-needed good news on the renewal front or the arrival of fresh faces remains to be seen at Anfield.

Former Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster has lifted the lid on the club's first trip to Las Vegas which was paid for by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Wrexham have enjoyed back-to-back promotions
• Celebrated in style in Las Vegas
• Foster opens up on promotion parties

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham's players have celebrated recent promotion successes by enjoying end-of-season trips to Las Vegas funded by the club's Hollywood owners. Foster enjoyed a trip to Sin City after helping the Red Dragons win the National League title and achieve promotion to League Two before hanging up his gloves just five games into the 2023-24 season.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wrexham are currently battling to win promotion from League One, which may bring yet another all-expenses-paid trip to Vegas by Reynolds and McElhenney if achieved. Foster has now lifted the lid on the promotion party Stateside that he enjoyed and thinks it must have cost the club's owners a fortune.

• WHAT FOSTER SAID

  He told the : "We finished the season, got promoted up from the National League and they said to us, even when I was signing, they were like ‘listen if we get promoted we’re going to Vegas, all expenses paid trip to Vegas’, and it was exactly that as well. Honestly, it was crazy.

  “I’d love to know how much they spent on this thing because it was just four days of kind of just rinse and repeat every single day. You’d wake up, you’d go down to our own private cabana thing, you’d have a few drinks there and be off to the pool party in the afternoon."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM

  Wrexham are currently bidding for promotion to the Championship and sit in third place in the League One table. The Welsh side return to action on Saturday in a huge game against second-placed Wycombe.

Eoin Morgan, England’s white-ball captain, went unsold at the IPL mega-auction in Bengaluru but there were a couple of multi-millionaires among the English contingent, plus deals for Alex Hales and Benny Howell, two players currently outside the international set-up.The big-money signings of Liam Livingstone, for GBP 1.125 million (USD 1.53 million) by Punjab Kings, and Jofra Archer, for GBP 783,000 (USD 1.06 million) by Mumbai Indians – the latter despite not being able to play this season – took the headlines on day two of the auction, following successful bids for Mark Wood (GBP 734,000 to Lucknow Super Giants), Jonny Bairstow (GBP 660,000 to Punjab Kings) and Jason Roy (GBP 197,000 to Gujarat Titans) on Saturday.Overall, there were contracts for 11 England-qualified players across the two-day event, bringing the tally at the 2022 IPL to 13, with Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali already having been retained by their franchises.Related

• IPL 2022 mega auction: Mumbai Indians splurge on Tim David and 'non-playing' Jofra Archer

• Multimillion, multi-purpose Livingstone cements superstar status

• Live blog: IPL 2022 auction, Day 2

• IPL 2022 auction: The list of sold and unsold players

• Day 1 stats – 24 players get million-dollar bids

Among those to miss out, Morgan and Dawid Malan, currently the ICC’s No. 5-ranked batter in T20Is, were the most high-profile. Morgan captained Kolkata Knight Riders to the final of last year’s competition but has averaged 18.13 with a strike rate of 118.13 in T20 since the start of last year.In a somewhat ironic twist, Hales, the prolific top-order batter whose England career has been on hold since 2019 because of what Morgan has called “trust issues”, was picked up by KKR for GBP 147,000.Elsewhere, Tymal Mills won a return to the IPL five years after being bought for GBP 1.4 million at auction, taken this time around by Mumbai Indians at his base price of GBP 147,000. He could end up playing alongside Archer, although that is unlikely to happen this year, with Mumbai signing the injured quick as a long-term investment. The involvement of Mahela Jayawardene, Mumbai’s head coach who also works with both players at Southern Brave in the Hundred, was revealed to be key.”Jofra is a player Mahela gave his first professional debut to. So happy to have gotten them together,” Akash Ambani, the Mumbai owner, said. “Although it is going to be in next year, but very happy to have a lethal combination. Tymal has been a lethal death bowler. Mahela coaches him in the Hundred and he has managed to stay injury-free.”There were also deals late in the day for Sam Billings, who will make KKR his third IPL franchise, Chris Jordan, joining his fourth team in Chennai Super Kings, and David Willey, who went to Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final accelerated round. Howell, the Gloucestershire slower-ball specialist who is currently enjoying a productive season at the Bangladesh Premier League, won a GBP 39,000 payday with Punjab Kings.A number of high-profile English players – including Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes – had decided not to enter the mega-action, but there were still 24 potentially on the block. Adil Rashid, Reece Topley and Laurie Evans were among those unable to attract bids, while several other names didn’t make it out of the hat.England-qualified players at IPL 2022: Moeen Ali* (Chennai Super Kings), Jofra Archer (Mumbai Indians), Jonny Bairstow (Punjab Kings), Jos Buttler* (Rajasthan Royals), Sam Billings (Kolkata Knight Riders), Alex Hales (Kolkata Knight Riders), Benny Howell (Punjab Kings), Chris Jordan (Chennai Super Kings) Liam Livingstone (Punjab Kings), Tymal Mills (Mumbai Indians), Jason Roy (Gujarat Titans) David Willey (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Mark Wood (Lucknow Super Giants)*Retained previously

Tottenham Hotspur are a club in a real tough patch of form as of late, leading to huge pressure on the shoulders of boss Ange Postecoglou.

It was only a couple of weeks ago that his Spurs side went to the Etihad, beating Manchester City 4-0 and looking like a real threat, needing to build on such a performance to maintain their top-four hopes.

However, since that victory on the 23rd of November, the Lilywhites are without a victory in all competitions, dropping to 11th in the Premier League table as a result.

Draws against Roma, Fulham, and Rangers and losses to Bournemouth and Chelsea have seen questions asked about the long-term future of the Aussie, potentially seeing a change occurring over the next few months.

Should Daniel Levy decide to pull the trigger, there’s one name who’s already said to be on the club’s list to replace the 59-year-old in North London.

Tottenham targeting Premier League boss to replace Postecoglou

According to TEAMtalk, West Ham United could face competition from Spurs over a deal to land Brentford boss Thomas Frank should Postecoglou be unable to turn the recent slump of form around.

The 51-year-old has been at the helm of the Bees since October 2018, leading them to the Premier League, before transforming them into an established top-flight outfit.

TEAMtalk’s report claims that the club’s hierarchy are huge admirers of the Dane, given his ability to play good football and work on a strict budget, but still manage to get the best out of his players – as seen with the Bees, given their current standing of ninth.

However, it has previously been reported by The Telegraph that he has a £9m release clause in his contract, and it remains to be seen if Levy would trigger a deal at such a hefty price tag.

Should they decide to move for the current Bees boss, it would allow one first-team member to thrive in North London, whilst also providing an upgrade on the former Celtic manager.

The player who would benefit from Frank’s potential arrival

Sweden international Dejan Kulusevski has been a player who has taken his game to the next level throughout 2024/25, arguably becoming the club’s most important talent over Heung-min Son.

The 24-year-old has operated in various positions such as attacking midfield or in his regular right-side role, having a huge impact on Spurs’ side, unthinkable where they would be without him.

He’s registered six combined goals and assists in the Premier League to date, with Frank taking his career to the next level should he move to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium – potentially having a similar impact as he has done with Bryan Mbeumo.

The Cameroonian has scored nine times and registered two assists for the Bees, playing a huge part in taking the club to ninth and boasting the second-best goalscoring record in the division.

Frank would be an upgrade on Ange, bringing a team spirit and unity that the dressing room has desperately lacked on the field in recent months under the Aussie.

The Dane, who’s previously been dubbed “remarkable” by journalist Henry Winter, has achieved more points than the current Spurs boss in England’s top flight during 2024/25 – also losing fewer matches in the process.

Games managed

15

15

Games won

7

6

Games lost

6

7

Goals scored

31

31

Points per game

1.53

1.33

Win percentage

47%

40%

League position

9th

11th

Such a record has seen him claim more points per game than the 59-year-old, with the £9m fee touted for his services well worth it for the quality of manager they would be getting in the process.

Supporters are undoubtedly growing tired of their inconsistent results and performances, with a change potentially coming in the near future.

Postecoglou is a manager under huge pressure, desperately needing to claim a result against Southampton on Sunday evening on the south coast.

Spurs may have the next Dele in teen "cheat-code" who's outscoring Solanke

The incredible youngster could be a future star for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 14, 2024

Manchester United fans should be "fuming" with the new 100,000-seater stadium plans as the £2bn project was branded as "pathetic" by Paul Merson.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Merson not impressed with Man Utd's stadium plans
• Likely to spend around £2b for the 100,000-seater stadium
• Expected to boost the economy by £7.3bn-a-year

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United have announced ambitious plans to construct a state-of-the-art 100,000-capacity stadium, aiming to create what they call "the world’s greatest stadium." The project, estimated to cost £2 billion, is expected to take five years to complete. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is leading the charge for the massive infrastructure overhaul, emphasising that the new stadium will be a global icon, visible from up to 40 kilometers away in the Peak District.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In addition to the football venue, the redevelopment will include a public plaza twice the size of Trafalgar Square and an avenue resembling Wembley Way. The club claims the project could add £7.3 billion to the UK economy annually, create 92,000 jobs, build 17,000 homes, and attract 1.8 million more visitors each year. However, crucial details such as funding sources, a construction timeline, and a temporary home for United during the build remain unclear.

• WHAT MERSON SAID

  Former Arsenal midfielder, Merson, has not held back in his criticism of Manchester United’s proposed stadium project, calling it "pathetic" and arguing that the club should focus on improving the squad rather than infrastructure.

  Speaking in an interview with , Merson said: "You know what, no interest at all. I think it's pathetic. If I'm a Man United fan, I'd be fuming. They're at Old Trafford, which is one of the biggest stadiums in the Premier League.

  "I could understand if it's Chelsea, and Chelsea go, 'we want to move stadium' because Chelsea get around 38,000 (40,000), so they need a bigger stadium to keep on living with the big boys. But when it's Man United and they already hold 70-odd thousand, more than anybody else, why would they need a new stadium?"

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Merson believes that Manchester United’s current squad issues are far more pressing than a stadium rebuild. With the team struggling for form and sitting outside the Champions League places, he feels investment should go toward building a competitive team rather than a flashy stadium.

  "You need new players. They need a team. This is what I can't work out," he added.

  "I heard Jim Ratcliffe going, 'oh, this is going to be a stadium, England will be able to play here.' Don't worry about England. Don't worry about the national team. Worry about Man United. Worry about getting them into the top six, let alone into the Champions League. I just can't believe what I've been seeing over the past couple of days. I'm flabbergasted."