He will also stand down as an assistant coach of UP Warriorz in the WPL
ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2024
Ashley Noffke chats to Georgia Redmayne•Getty Images
Ashley Noffke will leave Queensland’s WNCL set-up and Brisbane Heat in the WBBL, while also stepping down as an assistant with UP Warriorz in the WPL, to take up a new coaching role with the Otago men’s team in New Zealand.It continues a winter of significant coaching changes within Queensland cricket after Wade Seccombe departed the men’s position with the state and Heat despite claiming the BBL title. Noffke was strongly linked with those roles before Johan Botha was handed the jobs.Mark Sorell, the former coach of the Australia women’s team from 2005-2007, has been named as Noffke’s replacement for both Queensland and Heat on a one-season contract.”This is a fantastic opportunity for me in my coaching journey,” Noffke said of his move. “The Volts and Otago Cricket are on the cusp of something special, and I’m keen to be part of that”.Noffke took on the Heat and Queensland coaching roles in 2019-20, winning a WBBL title in his first season and guiding Queensland to its inaugural WNCL title in 2020-21.”It’s bittersweet to be leaving the Fire and the Heat,” he added in a Queensland Cricket statement. “I’m excited about what lies ahead, especially working in a new program, but there are a lot of good memories from my time in Queensland.”I’m thankful for the guidance and support from the senior players, especially Jess Jonassen and Georgia Redmayne, and Mark as the assistant coach who is also a good mate. I wish the players, coaches and staff every success this year and look forward to watching the Heat and Fire teams flourish in the summers ahead.”Noffke, who starts with Otago later this month, will continue as coach of London Spirit in the Women’s Hundred this season before resuming the pre-season back in New Zealand.Queensland and Heat captain Jess Jonassen conceded there had been some upheaval during the off season but was confident the teams were well placed to handle it.”We’ve undergone some change throughout the off season and to have ‘Motsa’ [Sorrell] commit to the head coach position is a great way to provide our group with some stability moving forward,” she said. “He is extremely experienced and brings a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm to the role. I’m excited to see him dive in and continue to challenge the group.”
Chelsea are now stepping up their efforts to sign a “prolific” striker, who is also being targeted by Premier League rivals Arsenal, according to a report.
Blues still battling Arsenal for Sesko
Both Chelsea and Arsenal should be well-positioned to sign Benjamin Sesko this summer, given that the Slovenian has previously made it clear he would be keen on a move to London, and they continue to battle it out for his services.
Last week, it was revealed the Blues were leading the race for Sesko, despite Andrea Berta already holding direct talks over a deal for the RB Leipzig star, however, the Gunners still remain confident they will be able to get a deal over the line.
The race for the 22-year-old remains open, with the Gunners yet to make a formal bid, but he is not the only striker of interest to both Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca, with the London rivals also both vying to sign FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa.
That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which has revealed that Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, are now stepping up their efforts to sign the Porto centre-forward, with the likes of Aston Villa and Arsenal also in the race.
Deal close: Chelsea now nearing agreement to sign "world-class" £25m star
The Blues could seal a move for a new signing “tomorrow”, following a recent positive development.
1 ByDominic Lund Jun 8, 2025
A deal could be on the expensive side, however, with the Portuguese club looking to receive around €70m – €75m (£59m – £63m), and they are by no means looking to force the Spaniard out the door this summer.
"Prolific" Aghehowa could be ideal Sesko alternative
With Arsenal now feeling positive about securing a deal for Sesko, the Blues may be forced to move on to alternative options, and the Porto star’s exploits in the Liga Portugal last season indicate he could be an exciting signing.
The Spain international reached the 25-goal mark in all competitions, with six of those coming in the Europa League, and at just 21-years-old, the forward is likely to have plenty of room for development.
In light of his stellar goal return last season, football talent scout Jacek Kulig also heaped praise upon the starlet, describing him as “one of Europe’s most prolific players” back in December.
That said, there may be concerns over the fact that Aghehowa is yet to prove himself in a major European league, and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, who netted a remarkable 39 goals in 33 Liga Portugal games last season, is available for a similar price.
Celtic missed out on the chance to secure a domestic treble on Saturday after they lost on penalties to Aberdeen at Hampden Park in the final of the SFA Cup.
The Hoops had already won the Scottish Premiership and the League Cup earlier this term, but they failed to make it three out of three with a win over the Dons.
Captain Callum McGregor, who lost his first-ever domestic final with the club, and right-back Alistair Johnston both missed from the spot to hand Aberdeen the win.
Why Kasper Schmeichel will be disappointed
McGregor and Johnston were not the only players to blame for Celtic not winning the SFA Cup, though, as the game only went to penalties in the first place because it was a draw in regulation time.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Kasper Schmeichel will be particularly disappointed with the role that he played in Aberdeen’s equaliser, after an own goal from Alfie Dorrington had put the Hoops ahead.
The Danish titan tried to anticipate where the cross was going to land by diving out into the box to palm the ball away, only to inadvertently palm the ball backwards and into his own net for an own goal.
Schmeichel was given a 6/10 player rating by 67HailHail, who described his part in the equaliser as a ‘rare, but terrible, mistake’ from the goalkeeper.
The veteran goalkeeper, however, was not the player who ultimately cost Celtic the treble, because Daizen Maeda had the chance to make up for the shot-stopper’s mistake in the dying embers of injury time.
Why Daizen Maeda cost Celtic the treble
The Japan international cost Brendan Rodgers the treble with his huge miss in injury time at the end of the 90 minutes, as he raced clear through on goal with a chance to make it 2-1.
Daizen Maeda
Aberdeen would have had very, very, little time to find an equaliser had the forward taken his chance, but he fired a fairly tame effort at Dimitar Mitov after going through for a one-on-one opportunity.
Maeda, who BBC commentator Liam McLeod stated “reminds you of a wasp” because of his buzzing presence as a pressing forward, worked ever so hard during the game to close down defenders and make life difficult for Aberdeen.
However, the striker, who was given a 5/10 player rating and dubbed ‘wasteful’ by 67HailHail, let his side down in the crucial moment with a huge miss that ultimately cost Celtic the treble.
Appearances
34
Goals
16
Big chances missed
17
Conversion rate
28%
Goals from shots inside the box
16/55
Goals from shots outside the box
0/2
As you can see in the table above, Maeda’s finishing has been fairly inconsistent throughout the season, with more ‘big chances’ missed than goals scored in the league, so his miss at Hampden Park may not have come as the biggest surprise.
He was worse than Schmeichel, though, because the striker had the opportunity to seal the game and atone for the goalkeeper’s mistake by scoring his huge chance, and failed to do so.
Celtic have been backed to make stunning move for 20 y/o "superstar"
This would be a great piece of business.
ByHenry Jackson May 24, 2025
There is no doubt that Maeda had a phenomenal campaign, scoring 33 goals in all competitions, and it is a shame that it has come to an end on a bit of a sour note with that performance that cost Rodgers a first domestic treble since returning to Parkhead.
Aston Villa had an ideal chance to reach their first FA Cup final in a decade at the weekend. With Crystal Palace standing in the way, Unai Emery’s men let the occasion overawe them as the club slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Wembley.
Having been knocked out of the Champions League by PSG just 11 days prior, the FA Cup represented the last chance for the club to end a near 30-year wait for a major trophy.
Despite the result, Emery must gather his men for the crunch tie against Fulham this afternoon. A win is a must if the Midlands side wants to play in Europe’s premier club competition next term.
The Spaniard will certainly be making a change or two, especially in his attacking department…
Why Ollie Watkins should be dropped for Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins started the semi-final against Palace, yet delivered one of his poorest performances in a Villa shirt.
Ollie Watkins
In a game of such high magnitude, the striker completed only eight passes throughout the match and lost possession seven times.
He failed to even register a single shot against the Eagles, while also failing with both his dribble attempts and winning just one of his seven duels.
Goals
15
Assists
7
Goal conversion percentage
19%
Shots per game
2.3
Big chances created
6
Big chances missed
24
It was a performance that the Englishman will be keen to forget, that’s for sure. Marcus Rashford looks certain to miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury, otherwise, he may well have started against Palace.
This leaves the door ajar for another January signing to be unleashed against the Cottagers today – Donyell Malen.
The Aston Villa star who could replace Watkins
It’s safe to say that Malen hasn’t quite enjoyed the start to life many expected of him after his £20m move from Borussia Dortmund in the winter transfer window.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Indeed, across 14 games for the club, he has started just three times, scoring three goals in the process.
He might not start often, but Malen has recorded a goal conversion percentage of 25%, showcasing his finishing abilities.
Furthermore, he averages 1.1 shots per game as well as scoring once every 96 minutes. Perhaps he offers more coming off the bench against tired legs, but with Watkins performing so poorly last week, it is now time for Malen to shine.
When compared to peers across Europe’s big five leagues, the Dutchman ranks in the top 11% for touches inside the opposition penalty area (6.44) and in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (0.71) per 90 over the previous 365 days.
This suggests Emery must not have any reservations about unleashing him in the starting XI, that’s for sure.
Dubbed “very dangerous” and “extremely fast” by his former teammate, Mario Götze, the former Dortmund man has plenty to offer Villa over the next few weeks.
Having scored three Premier League goals since the start of April, another one or two this afternoon would help Villa get over the FA Cup disappointment and spearhead their charge towards a top-five finish.
Emery now ready to cash in on £150k-p/w ace who wants to leave Aston Villa
Unai Emery is now ready to say goodbye to an important player at Aston Villa.
Despite coming off a sensational result in the Europa League, Tottenham Hotspur returned to their lacklustre form at home to Nottingham Forest on Monday night.
It was their 18th defeat in the Premier League and leaves them just a point above West Ham United in 17th place, so it’s not much of a surprise to see stories about Ange Postecoglou’s future returning.
One of the names most heavily touted to replace him at the end of the season is Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, who has managed to lead the Cherries up to eighth place, partly thanks to their brilliant attack.
On top of being linked with a new manager, the North Londoners have also been linked with a plethora of exciting players, including one who’d be perfect under Iraola, were he to get the job.
Tottenham want to sign Premier League attacker
With how terribly this season has gone for Spurs, it’s unsurprising that they have been linked with so many players in recent weeks, such as Matheus Cunha.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The North Londoners are reportedly willing to pay up to £75m to land the Brazilian star ahead of the other interested parties, and while that’s an enormous sum of money, it might be worth it, as he’s managed to amass a tally of 16 goals and four assists in 31 games this year, despite playing for a bottom half side.
A slightly cheaper target the club have supposedly been looking at has been Tyler Dibling.
TylerDiblingcelebrates scoring their first goal with Yukinari Sugawara
The Southampton gem could be available for around £35m in the summer, and while he likely wouldn’t make an instant impact on the first team, he would be yet another tremendously exciting youngster on the club’s books.
However, if instant impact is what the fans are after, then the links to Marcus Rashford should excite them.
According to a recent report from Football Transfers, Spurs have now rekindled their interest in Premier League star Marcus Rashford, who has found some form of late on loan with Aston Villa.
The report claims that the 62-capped Englishman ‘is expected to leave Manchester United during the upcoming summer transfer window’ and that should the Villans decide against paying £40m to sign him, the North Londoners will step in.
It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given his immense quality, it’s worth fighting for, especially as he could be incredible under Iraola.
Why Rashford would be a great signing for Spurs
So, the first thing to say is that, regardless of who is in the hot seat next season, Rashford would be a good addition to Spurs’ squad, and the last few months have shown that.
For example, since moving to Villa, the Manchester-born monster has been electric, scoring four goals and providing six assists in 17 appearances, totalling just 940 minutes.
That means the often “unplayable” 27-year-old, as dubbed by analyst Raj Chohan, is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.7 games or every 94 minutes, which is the sort of output the Lilywhites could really do with.
Appearances
17
Starts
10
Minutes
940′
Goals
4
Assists
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement
94′
However, there is every chance that, under Iraola, he could be even better.
Now, this is obviously all theoretical at this point, but we know from this season that, when he has a summer to prepare his players, the Spaniard can extract some seriously impressive attacking numbers out of his frontline players.
For example, Justin Kluivert has produced 21 goal involvements compared to 11 last year, Antoine Semenyo has produced 16 compared to 11 and even Dango Ouattara has managed 13 compared to just three last year.
So, if he’s been able to improve those players that much within the space of just a season, imagine what he’d be able to do with a player as talented as Rashford.
Appearances
34
37
35
Minutes
2297′
3182′
2121′
Goals
13
10
9
Assists
8
6
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.61
0.43
0.37
Minutes per Goal Involvement
109.38′
198.87′
163.15
Appearances
36
36
32
Minutes
2093′
2307′
1383′
Goals
9
8
1
Assists
2
3
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.30
0.30
0.09
Minutes per Goal Involvement
190.27′
209.72
461′
Ultimately, while this might be a complicated transfer to get over the line, Spurs should do all they can to get it done, especially if they hire Iraola.
Their new Lucas Moura: Ange has struck gold on "generational" Spurs talent
Everton are in a fantastic position to kick on under David Moyes and could look to strike a deal for an exciting international to join their revolution at Bramley Moore Dock.
Everton ready for stadium move under David Moyes
Goodison Park will soon be consigned to the history books, and an emotional farewell to their home beckons against Southampton next month before moving across the city to the newly furnished Everton Stadium.
David Moyes will hope to take the Toffees’ magnificent form with them to new pastures. Following their last-gasp victory over Nottingham Forest, the Scot has lost just three of his 14 matches in charge, and his side are among the form teams in the Premier League.
Painting a pretty picture in the early stages of the Friedkin Group’s reign, Everton will hope to move the needle in the transfer market to bolster a squad in need of surgery.
According to reports, The Toffees are keen on Sevilla defender Juanlu Sanchez alongside a host of other clubs amid his potential availability for £15 million this summer.
Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis is also said to be on Everton’s radar, but the Greek striker’s mammoth £80 million release clause may complicate negotiations between all parties.
£130,000-per-week Everton star wants to stay and is now open to new deal
This would be fantastic news for the Reds.
1 ByHenry Jackson Apr 13, 2025
Either way, there are plenty of decisions to be made internally before structuring the layout of Moyes’ options in 2025/26. Abdoulaye Doucoure is open to a new deal, though several of his teammates are out of contract or are coming to the end of loan stints on Merseyside.
While progress is made on tough decisions, Moyes and company are now eyeing an ambitious move for an international player that could be open to a change of scenery.
Everton look to sign Facundo Medina from RC Lens
According to CaughtOffside, Everton are closely monitoring Facundo Medina’s situation at RC Lens and may look to strike a deal north of £30 million to sign the Argentina international.
Open to a new challenge in the summer, the 25-year-old, who can play left or centre-back, is also on the radar of Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma.
Intriguingly, Lens find themselves in financial disrepute, and they plan to sell the defender while his stock is high, alleviating pressure to balance the books. Labelled “elite” by Ben Mattinson, sought-after Medina has also completed 62 shot-creating actions on league duty, placing him in the 99th percentile for this metric among defenders in Europe’s top-five leagues.
Evaluating Everton’s situation, Jarrad Branthwaite is likely to attract interest this summer, and it may make sense to scope out potential replacements for the Three Lions international.
Medina is left-footed and has a similar habit of excelling in possession, creating suspicion that he may be the preferred option to become a long-term successor to the Toffees star.
Second-placed Mohammedan are assured of their best season in 11 years
Mohammad Isam30-Apr-2024Key takeaways After thirteen consecutive wins, Abahani Limited were finally pushed in a Dhaka Premier League game this season. Still, they beat Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by four wickets with a ball to spare in their Super League clash at the BKSP-4 ground. Before Tuesday’s win, they had an average of 144 balls remaining when they won chasing, and by 123 runs on average when batting first. Abahani defended their DPL title having won it last year, to take their tally to 22 trophies in this competition.Abahani were bereft of most of their main players as ten of them are in Chattogram with the Bangladesh squad, for the T20I series against Zimbabwe. BCB’s cricket operations released Tanzim Hasan, Tanvir Islam and Afif Hossain for Abahain’s April 30 game, after their coach Khaled Mahmud claimed that he was struggling to form a playing XI due to the ten absentees and injuries to Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Khaled Ahmed.Abahani’s long-standing arch-rivals Mohammedan Sporting Club had their best season since 2013 after they completed their tenth win. They beat Prime Bank and Shinepukur Cricket Club in the Super League phase so far.Best batters Saif Hassan’s century and fifty in the Super League phase has helped him climb close to Parvez Hossain Emon, who at 623 runs, remains the league’s leading run-scorer. But Saif reduced the gap by eleven runs while Mahidul Islam became the third batter to reach 600 runs this season.Mohammedan’s Rony Talukdar struck 141 against Prime Bank, his first big knock in this season’s DPL. It probably came a little too late for the veteran opener as he seems to be out of the picture from Bangladesh’s T20I World Cup plans despite being a regular face last year.Najmul Hossain Shanto was among those who got centuries in the Super League. He would take confidence from his 101 off 84 balls against Gazi Group Cricketers. Meanwhile, Shamsur Rahman’s 101 helped Rupganj Tigers stave off relegation.Best bowlers Abu Hider overtook fellow left-arm quick Ruyel Miah as the leading wicket-taker with a four-wicket haul against Shinepukur. Hider now has 28 wickets at 18.43 bowling average, while Ruyel has 27 scalps at 18.74.Legspinner Rishad Hossain is the leader among spinners with his 23 wickets at 12.74. He took his third four-wicket haul in this season’s DPL, against Gazi Group during the Super League. Left-arm spinners Nazmul Hossain, Nasum Ahmed and Tanvir Islam are trailing Rishad with each taking at least 20 wickets.Best match Sheikh Jamal knew that Abahani were not at full strength in their Super League clash on April 30, but still they couldn’t take full advantage. They slipped to 15 for three, before Shakib Al Hasan helped them recover somewhat in the middle overs. Still at 152 for seven, it looked like yet another Abahani cakewalk.No 9 Ziaur Rahman smacked eight sixes and six fours in his 58-ball 85, helping Sheikh Jamal to 267-9 in 50 overs. Anamul Haque Bijoy and Afif Hossain struck fifties to keep Abahani afloat after they lost two wickets within 16 overs. They added 103 runs for the third wicket, before captain Mosaddek Hossain guided the chase till the 50th over.Points to ponder At the other end of the DPL points table was the relegation battle. With all three teams in four points, one of them needed to win both games in the playoffs. Rupganj Tigers did that, beating City Club and Gazi Tyres Cricket Academy, who are now relegated to the Dhaka First Division Cricket League this season.Players to watch Only Parvez Hossain Emon got a Bangladesh call-up for the Zimbabwe T20Is among the DPL’s top five scorers. Rishad among the top five wicket-takers is in the squad too, but he was there before this season’s DPL. The best the rest can hope for is Bangladesh A places in the upcoming matches against Pakistan A and New Zealand A. U19 players Jishan Alam, Ashiqur Rahman Shibli and Maruf Mridha could also be in consideration for High Performance or Bangladesh A teams this season.
Signings of Pollard, Narine adds experience to depth as county seeks to emulate 2003 title
Matt Roller08-Jun-2022The Kia Oval is described as ‘The Home of T20 Cricket’ on advertisements around South London, a strapline which nods not only to the strong crowds that the Vitality Blast attracts in Kennington but also to Surrey’s status as the first county to truly embrace the format.They were the Twenty20 Cup’s inaugural champions back in 2003, and reached Finals Day in each of the first four seasons. It feels like an anomaly that they have only reached the knockout stages four times in the last 15 years, a bizarrely poor record for a club with such deep resources.This year, in the competition’s 20th season, they look set to put that right. Along with Lancashire, they are one of two unbeaten teams in the country, with four wins and a no-result from their first five games, and the depth of their squad is unrivalled. Even with Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes away on Test duty, Rory Burns and Gus Atkinson cannot get in the side while Jordan Clark and Dan Moriarty have played only once each.Back in the early years, Ali Brown starred with the bat and Nayan Doshi with the ball, but there were contributions throughout a dynamic, versatile squad, with Adam Hollioake, Rikki Clarke and Azhar Mahmood all used as genuine allrounders. The current side bears more than a passing resemblance: in home games against Gloucestershire and Hampshire last week, their side featured eight bowling options and had so much batting depth that Jamie Smith – the talented young wicketkeeper-batter – was due to come in at No. 9.It is a substantial turnaround from their fifth-placed finish last year which saw them miss out on the quarter-finals. They used 21 players last season with availability presenting major issues and while England’s ODI series in the Netherlands will see them lose Sam Curran, Jason Roy and Reece Topley, they look significantly better-equipped to cope this time around.Curran has been the star man to date as both their leading run-scorer and wicket-taker while filling two crucial roles in the side: he has taken the new ball, nipping the ball around in helpful early-summer conditions, and has batted at No. 3 with complete licence to go hard, evidenced by a strike rate of 170.31 when facing spin.Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine are Surrey’s T20 overseas players•Getty Images for Surrey CCCBut the biggest impact has been the addition of three Caribbean-born players with over 1,250 T20 appearances between them: Chris Jordan, who returned to his old club over the winter as T20 captain after nine seasons with Sussex, and two undisputed legends of the shorter formats in Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard, long-time Trinidad and West Indies team-mates.Narine, playing county cricket for the first time, has started remarkably. His 16 overs to date have cost 76 runs including only three boundaries, with teams simply looking to play him out; in the win against Hampshire last week, he hit 52 off 23 balls from No. 6, including 22 off 5 against Mason Crane’s legspin.Pollard has been quieter, with two brief innings, one wicket and a superb catch his only contribution to the scoreboard and a minor knee injury limiting his involvement. But when he has played, his impact as a senior player has been obvious, in regular discussion with bowlers from mid-on and with his partners while batting.
What a catch from @KieronPollard55
The celebration isn't too bad either #Blast22 pic.twitter.com/NlAB3G0m68
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) June 2, 2022
Gareth Batty, who has been promoted to interim head coach after Vikram Solanki left to become Gujarat Titans’ director of cricket, has encouraged his squad to soak up the experience of playing with two of the format’s greats. “He’s told us to get as much out of them as we can,” Will Jacks told ESPNcricinfo.”To have world-class players like those guys, who have played 400-plus T20 games, is invaluable for us. I’ve already learned from Polly while batting for two or three overs with him: he’s obviously captained West Indies, played for over a decade in the IPL. He’s got knowledge that the rest of us don’t have.”Their availability owes both to their respective absences from the West Indies set-up – Pollard announced his international retirement in April, while Narine’s last T20I was in 2019 – and their involvement in the Hundred later in the summer.Both players were signed by London teams in April’s draft (Narine by Oval Invincibles, Pollard by London Spirit) and as such were willing to extend their stays with rare Blast stints: Narine had never played county cricket before while Pollard’s last appearance was in 2011.Related
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It has given English crowds a rare opportunity to see them in the flesh and appreciate their skills: Pollard and Narine played only 23 internationals between them on English soil, and most of them before they were at their respective peaks. It is apt that they have fitted in so smoothly at a county looking to reconnect with the nearby Caribbean diaspora, not least through the pioneering ACE Programme.Naturally, both players are being paid well, but Surrey’s slick commercial operation helped the club return a £5.4 million profit last year; they also repaid the money they received through the government’s furlough scheme. Surrey are often caricatured as county cricket’s big spenders but they are financially self-sufficient: why shouldn’t they invest heavily in their squad?Adam Hollioake lifts the inaugural Twenty20 Cup in 2003•Getty ImagesJordan’s own contribution should not be underplayed: he is relatively new to captaincy but despite a difficult recent run in an England shirt, he has emerged as a leader in the T20I set-up. Jamie Overton, who has thrived as a finisher since leaving Somerset and has been used as a middle-overs enforcer this season, said he feels “a lot more calm and a lot more relaxed at the end of my mark” with Jordan standing at mid-off talking to him.Everything has changed since the first year of T20 cricket: not only the format itself and how it is played, but the global game as a whole. Surrey’s hope – one that appears well-founded based on the early stages of the Blast – is that their emergence as champions will be the one constant between English domestic T20’s first and 20th seasons.
Major League Baseball umpire Ron Kulpa had a night to forget Tuesday in Minnesota as he missed a wild amount of calls while working home plate in the Twins' 9-1 victory over the visiting Baltimore Orioles.
Kulpa, whose struggles have been well documented before, had the announcers shaking their heads all night as he missed 18 calls. Here's a sampling of the announcers' reactions to those misses.
“Ohhhh that was called a strike but that was ball four.”
“That’s the fastball he took for ball one to begin the at bat.”
“Oh, he got that call. Fooled Ron Kulpa there.”
“He got a gift on a curveball.”
Here's video proof of his mistakes.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli could be heard yelling at Kulpa during the seventh inning.
Over the years, Manchester United have become known for their impressive young talents, with many of whom cementing their place within the first-team squad.
From players breaking through the academy to big-money additions, the Red Devils faithful have been truly blessed and have had the chance to experience numerous elite-level talents.
At present, Ruben Amorim has massively utilised Leny Yoro, after the Frenchman joined the club in a mammoth £52m deal last summer despite being just 18.
However, his importance to the manager simply cannot be overstated, with the 20-year-old featuring in every single Premier League game of the 2025/26 campaign.
The same can’t be said for every youngster currently in the first-team at Old Trafford, especially with one talent who is seemingly out of favour at present.
The future of Kobbie Mainoo at Man Utd
Just a couple of years ago, Kobbie Mainoo was one of, if not the most important player within the Manchester United first-team squad, but he’s endured a huge decline in recent seasons.
He made his breakthrough in the 2023/24 campaign, scoring vital goals against Manchester City in the FA Cup final and even netting a worldie against bitter rivals Liverpool.
Such form enabled him to secure a place at Euro 2024 with the England squad, subsequently featuring in all but two matches during the competition.
However, Amorim’s arrival at Old Trafford last November has seen a huge drop in his first-team minutes, with the manager evidently not a fan of the 20-year-old.
In 2025/26 alone, Mainoo has failed to make a single league start, subsequently being restricted to just eight appearances – totalling just 170 minutes to date.
As a result, a permanent exit has been mooted for the academy graduate, with Italian side Napoli just one of the clubs reportedly interested in a deal ahead of January.
Amorim spoke in the summer, stating that he didn’t want the player to depart Old Trafford, but given the lack of change in his first-team action, it could lead to a move this window.
The United player who has shades of Pogba & could end Mainoo’s stay
Paul Pogba is another youngster who managed to make the jump into the United first-team ranks, with the midfielder joining from Le Havre at the tender age of 17.
Paul Pogba at Manchester United.
However, his career at Old Trafford wasn’t straightforward, with the Frenchman even leaving on a free transfer before re-joining in a club-record deal back in the summer of 2016.
He managed to rack up a total of 233 appearances during his two separate spells at the Theatre of Dreams, often catching the eye with his ball-striking ability from distance.
However, his spell was marred with attitude and fitness issues, which ultimately led to yet another free transfer departure – subsequently moving back to Juventus in 2022.
Regardless of the issues behind the scenes, he gave the supporters countless moments to remember, with the Frenchman being one of the most technically gifted players to wear the shirt.
In the present day, Amorim may have landed his own version of Pogba, with a deal for teenager Cristian Orozco completed ahead of the January window.
It’s been reported in the last couple of days, that the Red Devils have paid a fee in the region of $1m (£750k) for the 17-year-old from boyhood side Fortaleza.
He may be seen as a player for the future, but there’s no reason why he can’t be catapulted into the first team in the near future, which could end Mainoo’s stay at Old Trafford.
Orozco’s stats in the early stages of his career reflect his talents, with the Colombian’s move handing the fanbase another reason to be excited about a new addition.
The youngster, who’s been dubbed “generational” by one Colombian analyst, starred at the U17 World Cup over the last couple of months, which has no doubt led to his transfer to join United.
He won the Man of the Match award against El Salvador, subsequently registering two shots on target despite operating as a holding midfielder in front of the back four.
Cristian Orozco – stats against El Salvador
Statistics
Tally
Minutes played
90
Touches
107
Pass accuracy
75%
Passes completed
63
Tackles made
2
Duels won
9
Recoveries made
9
Dribbles completed
2
Stats via SofaScore
Orozco also completed 67 passes at an accuracy rate of 75%, whilst also completing two dribbles within his total of 107 touches during the 0-0 stalemate.
His tally of nine duels won, nine recoveries and two tackles made further highlights his all-round quality, with the midfielder undoubtedly having a huge future at Old Trafford.
He will replicate Pogba in moving to the club as a 17-year-old, with many fans hoping he can match the levels produced by the Frenchman during his own spell at the club.
However, should Orozco continue on his current development path, there’s no reason why he can’t become a key member of Amorim’s squad – potentially ending Mainoo’s stay with his boyhood club.
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