Tottenham Hotspur could sign a high-earning forward in 2025, with a U-turn done behind-the-scenes after a decision by manager Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs preparing for Europa League clash against Roma on Thursday

Spurs are fresh off the back of an imperious 4-0 win over Man City at the Etihad Stadium, so Postecoglou’s side will be in very good spirits as they prepare to make a return to Europa League action.

Tottenham ask about signing Netherlands international in bargain transfer

He’s been excellent this so far this season.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 27, 2024

The north Londoners lost their last European encounter, a damning 3-2 defeat away to Turkish champions Galatasaray, where they displayed hapless defending throughout and could’ve conceded even more goals on the night.

Tottenham vs Fulham

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Bournemouth vs Tottenham

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Tottenham vs Chelsea

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Southampton vs Tottenham

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Tottenham vs Liverpool

December 22

Postecoglou will be looking to put that performance behind them against a Roma side who are seriously under-performing in their Serie A campaign, winning just three league games all season so far, with Claudio Ranieri’s side languishing just three points above the relegation zone.

Timo Werner, who’s been a real point of discussion among Spurs supporters this season, missed their clash with Galatasaray due to a hip injury – but the German has since returned to action and even provided an assist against City.

The forward, who pockets £200,000-per-week when bonuses are triggered, has been criticised throughout 2024/2025 for his wasteful finishing in front of goal.

“He is definitely down in confidence you can see that,” said Postecoglou on Werner’s form after Spurs beat AZ Alkmaar 1-0 in late October.

“It is a difficult thing to get out of sometimes. It can feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. All we can do is try to support him and keep trying to get him to a place where he feels a little bit more confident with certain things.

He scored his first goal since March in their 2-1 win over City in the Carabao Cup recently, and reports in the last few weeks have suggested that Werner is set to rejoin Leipzig at the end of his loan spell – with Tottenham electing not to trigger the £8.5 million buy option in his contract.

GMS reported that Werner was on track to leave Spurs after this campaign, but that same outlet has now suggested that Daniel Levy, Postecooglou and co are performing a U-turn.

Tottenham refuse to rule out permanent Timo Werner deal

According to their information, Tottenham are nw refusing to rule out a permanent deal for Werner, following Postecoglou’s own decision not to cut his loan spell short in January.

While they’re still in the market for wide forwards, with Andreas Skov Olsen among the names being monitored to provide competition for Werner, it is believed the former Chelsea forward could now stay beyond 24/25.

No final decision has been made just yet, as key figures are holding off on the call until later in the campaign, but it appears those within Tottenham are having a change of heart – as it looked far more likely that Werner was set to go back to the Bundesliga.

South Africa’s confidence is crushed. The well-being present two years ago when Graeme Smith took one last picture on the outfield with Jacques Kallis is hard to find

Firdose Moonda in Durban30-Dec-2015A man with a beard marched onto the Durban outfield as though he owned it. Behind him bounced a toddler with the giddy gait of someone who may one day own the place himselfThat man could easily have been Hashim Amla and his son Abdullah. Instead, it was Moeen Ali carrying on like the king of Kingsmead with his crown prince, Abu Bakr. South Africa were nowhere to be seen.About 45 minutes later, the embattled opening pair of Dean Elgar and Stiaan van Zyl trudged across from the Friendship Pavilion to the changerooms. Their legs were a little less heavy than they had been for the last five days but their expressions were still worn. The mingling they had done did not change the reality that this defeat had demoralised them.Even Elgar, who was “the positive light” in his captain’s words, did not really have a reason to feel good about himself. Although his century provided some cheer – it was only the second scored in a Test by a South African this year – he lacked support. It is difficult for personal satisfaction to show in that sort of space and that applies to his team-mates too.As individuals, the South Africans have had their confidence crushed. Even those with considerable reputations like Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy don’t seem to have the same self-belief that was so central to their match-winning and match-saving efforts in the past. The captain himself is the most affected.Amla is carrying the leadership like a lead balloon. He can’t focus on it while his own form remains an issue and he can’t fix his own form while the team keeps failing. “Not getting runs has been the most disappointing for me. It’s more of a confidence thing and the thing about it is that you only get confident once you get the runs,” he admitted. “You can be doing everything well in the nets and putting the work in behind the scenes but it’s got to materialise to runs on the board in the big games. Hopefully that will happen for me.”With the seniors understandably self-absorbed, the rest of the line-up are not getting the guidance they need to make the step-up. They look suitably lost, as does their overall strategy.South Africa are refusing to pick an opener to open and insist makeshift players have earned the right to be retained. They don’t want to dispense with anyone in their misfiring middle-order because they expect them soon to turn what Amla hopes is a “short corner”.All the delight was England’s at Durban•Getty Images”We know we’ve got quality there. The key is for us to get that quality firing,” Russell Domingo, South Africa’s coach said. “It can just take Hashim Amla to hit two or three great drives and off he goes or Faf du Plessis to hit a couple of good shots and everything just clicks into gear.”They can’t settle on a spinner and they keep getting out to the opposition’s. Dane Piedt’s five-for showed he has the potential to become the first-choice but compare his economy rate to Moeen Ali’s and you wonder how South Africa will hold an end.The part-timers can deliver a few decent overs but that’s not how it should be. The batsmen shouldn’t have to bowl and the bowlers shouldn’t have to be taught to bat better as is the case now. Lance Klusener was specifically called in to work with South Africa’s lower-order before this Test, a match in which van Zyl and Elgar bowled eight balls less than Morne Morkel in the second innings. Granted, Dale Steyn’s injury gave them more to do but they still had to do it and they may have to again given the frequency with which Steyn breaks down.Compare England, who have the luxury of four seamers and who can allow James Anderson the time he needs to recover because, “it’s not about whether he can get through, it’s about can he give the best account of himself,” as Alastair Cook explained.South Africa will be happy with Steyn just getting through. They showed as much in India when they took last-minute calls in each of the three Tests after he was injured in the hope he would be able to play. Each time, they must have known they were cutting it too fine but they also knew they did not have too many other choices. They will do the same before the second Test, where they will again run the risk of Amla having only 10-men, something he is struggling to manage.Hashim Amla has a huge task ahead•Getty Images”Immediately, it changes things in the game. The options are very limited not having Dale Steyn, who you would consider one of your banker bowlers, who you can rely on,” Amla said. “But things like this happen. Guys get injured and you’ve just got to deal with it and use some of your other resources. It puts a lot of workload on the other seamers in the team, which you have to manage, especially having two days turnaround for the next Test but you have to deal with it.”That is essentially how South Africa are playing. They are dealing with things, not dominating. The only consolation they can take is that, as a collective, they are clinging on. South Africa’s attack has kept them in the game even as it is being depleted but there is a distinct feeling that any more disruptions will send them into free-fall. “There’s been a lot of talk about the batting, about AB’s retirement, about Dale’s injury, about everything. It’s important for us to stick together as a team and shut out the noise,” Russell Domingo, the head coach, said.Perhaps it was always coming. Although it seems like yesterday that Graeme Smith, sans barbe, with a little one in tow was galloping onto the pitch to take a final picture as a team-mate of Jacques Kallis, that was actually two years ago.Since then, South Africa have only played 11 Tests, won four, lost four and drawn three. They are now at a tipping point. When we see who jogs jauntily across the Newlands outfield in a week’s time at the end of the second Test we may know whether they have finally tumbled or if they have managed to turn things around.

Lancashire have been deducted six points in this year’s LV= County Championship by the Cricket Discipline Commission panel.The club, who are not in action in this week’s round of games, remain third in this year’s Division One title race, but are now 35 points adrift of the leaders Hampshire, and 30 back from Surrey, whom they face in the final round.In a statement, Lancashire acknowledged the CDC’s independence from the ECB in disciplinary matters, and that they have no right of appeal. However, the club also put on record its dissatisfaction with the sanction, which has effectually ended their outside hopes of challenging for the title.”Following all our hard work throughout the winter and in the County Championship this season, to be deducted points for what are, in our opinion, minor indiscretions is gut-wrenching,” Mark Chilton, the director of cricket, told the club website.Lancashire were handed a maximum 12-point suspended punishment in November 2021 after an accumulation of fixed penalties for pitch and/or equipment damage during the preceding 12 months, and Chilton recognised that that had been a factor in the punishment.”With our suspended sentence from previous indiscretions, we knew the position we were in at the start of the season, addressed this as a group and set our expectations of one another,” he added.”In our opinion, both fixed penalties we received were unduly harsh punishments, which could have gone either way, and it is this inconsistency in the decision-making that makes this difficult to take.”This year’s “minimum level one offences” were committed by Dane Vilas, against Warwickshire in June, and Luke Wells against Northamptonshire in July, and in a subsequent Twitter post, Wells apologised for the outbursts that had played a part in the punishment.”I’m gutted that I was implicated in this after hitting my bat on the ground after being bowled last year v Glamorgan at Cardiff and shouting in frustration whilst inside the changing room at Northants,” Wells wrote. “Apologies to Lancs fans and of course the lads who’ve scrapped so hard for every single point we’ve got this year.”

Glasgow Rangers suffered their third Premiership defeat of the season on Wednesday evening to slip further behind in the race for the title.

Philippe Clement knew that only a win against a wonderful Aberdeen side would get the Ibrox faithful back onside after a difficult start to the season, yet they were subjected to another abject display.

The first half was littered with drama. Aberdeen missed a penalty before the Light Blues had a goal ruled offside as the Dons went into the interval leading 1-0.

Nedim Bajrami equalised, but with 15 minutes remaining, Shayden Morris reacted first to a ball that bounced off the post to lash the ball home for the winner.

Clement will now be left to pick up the pieces after yet another disappointing result, with his players having put in a truly mixed display at Pittodrie.

The best and worst performers for Rangers vs Aberdeen

Bajrami was arguably the Gers’ finest performer on the night. Not only did he score their only goal, but he looked the most likely to make things happen. The Albanian succeeded with all four of his dribbles, made two key passes and created a big chance.

Tom Lawrence, on the other hand, failed to shine, losing possession 13 times while completing just nine passes throughout his 76 minutes on the pitch.

Despite scoring what turned out to be an offside goal, Ross McCausland also could have done better and he was hooked after 45 minutes.

Nobody in the starting XI was as bad as Cyriel Dessers, however, as the Nigerian delivered another dismal performance for the club.

Cyriel Dessers’ stats vs Aberdeen

Considering the 29-year-old hadn’t scored in the Premiership since the end of August, a clash against an in-form Aberdeen side hardly looked like a game in which this barren run was going to come to an end.

Like so often this season, Dessers offered absolutely nothing, failing to link up well with the likes of Bajrami and Lawrence, while it was he who was ruled offside – albeit somewhat controversially – for the disallowed goal.

Dessers took only 20 touches during the game, which was fewer than Jack Butland (29), and the striker somehow managed to complete just six passes, often going missing for large spells of the match.

Cyriel Dessers’ stats vs Aberdeen
Goals	0
Touches	20
Passes	6/6
Possession lost	8
Big chances missed	1
Total duels (won)	7 (0)
Via Sofascore

He also missed a big chance, won zero of the seven duels contested and lost possession eight times. It looked like Clement’s men were playing with ten men in stretches, as Dessers often disappeared.

Clement must now drop the striker, despite not having many options to call upon, as his performances are continually letting the team down in big matches.

Danilo is still out injured, and it remains to be seen when he will return to the starting XI, while Hamza Igamane is inexperienced at this level.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The 2-1 loss to the Dons looks certain to have ended any faint title ambitions Rangers had, and they will be lucky to even finish second at this rate.

What next for Clement and his team?

Clement could repeat Balogun success in Rangers swoop for "unplayable" star

Rangers have been linked with a move for the free agent attacker ahead of January.

1

By
Dan Emery

Oct 29, 2024

Atletico Madrid intend to price Enzo Fernandez away from Chelsea this summer and want to use their Argentinian players to do the club a favour.

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Atletico eyeing Fernandez for a summer moveWant Argentine players in the squad to work as agentsChelsea midfielder also linked to Real MadridFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to a report from (h/t Football Espana), Atletico Madrid are determined to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez and have devised a "mission" to make it happen. The club's Argentine players have been tasked with convincing Fernandez to make the move to Spain this summer.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

During the ongoing international break, club officials have enlisted the help of several of Fernandez’s Argentina teammates — Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo De Paul, Giuliano Simeone, Angel Correa, and Julian Alvarez — to convince the midfielder to consider a transfer to the Metropolitano. What could also work in Los Rojiblancos' favour is the fact that head coach Diego Simeone is also from Argentina.

Atletico want to do everything in their power to ensure that they lure Fernandez to the Metropolitano, with reports in recent weeks revealing that the Colchoneros' cross-city rivals Real Madrid are also interested in acquiring the Argentine international's signature.

DID YOU KNOW?

Fernandez is perhaps enjoying his best season with the Blues ever since he arrived for a club-record fee of £106 million in January 2023. Amid growing interest from two of Spain's biggest clubs, Chelsea are adamant on keeping the player. The report from however, mentions that the 2021 Champions League winners would consider offloading their vice captain for a fee of at least €80 million.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ENZO FERNANDEZ?

Argentina will be hoping for Fernandez to carry his club form into international colours as the Albiceleste are set to take on Uruguay (Saturday, March 22) and Brazil (Wednesday, March 26) in two monumental 2026 World Cup qualifying games.

West Bromwich Albion will be seeking out their first Championship win in three games when Sheffield United come to town this coming weekend.

The Baggies have fallen victim to far too many draws in the second tier so far, with a staggering ten already accumulated in league action, which has come at the cost of only six wins being notched up.

Still, only two defeats have come their way, with Carlos Corberan at least pleased with how defensively resolute his side can be, even when victories aren’t always collected.

West Brom's defenders this season

Amazingly, Watford – who occupy sixth spot in the Championship currently at the expense of the West Midlands outfit – have conceded double the amount the Baggies have leaked, with West Brom only shipping 12 next to the Hornets’ 24.

The latest draw away at Preston North End could have easily ended in a disappointing loss if it wasn’t for the likes of Kyle Bartley and Mason Holgate at the back, with the imposing centre-back duo winning 11 duels between them come full-time to keep the Lilywhites at bay.

Alongside Bartley and Holgate, both Darnell Furlong and Thorgen Heggem have also been reliable presences down the flanks for Corberan and Co this campaign to date, with both players everpresent members of the first team even when results haven’t always been rosy.

Of course, everyone at the club would want more wins to ensure a playoff spot is achieved, but the ex-Huddersfield Town boss will still be proud of his players for continuing to battle to stave off any unwanted losses.

Even though he will be content with the defensive numbers he has at his disposal, Corberan would be very unlikely to reject this former loan star’s presence if he returned in a theoretical world, with the centre-back in question going on to star at the very top after lining up at the Hawthorns briefly.

West Brom's loan star is now shining

It might well be forgotten about now that Tosin Adarabioyo was once a wide-eyed youngster on loan at the Baggies, with the towering 6 foot 5 gem attempting to make a name for himself away from then-parent club Manchester City in 2018.

Adarabioyo would impress in his new surroundings, going on to make 36 appearances for the club in total and picking up two assists along the way, as his loan employers entered into the Championship playoff picture.

Off the back of this formative stint away from the Etihad, the now 27-year-old would eventually go on to prove himself as a Premier League capable performer at Fulham, before a major move to near neighbours Chelsea then took shape.

Adarabioyo would go on to tally up 132 games at Craven Cottage before leaving for Stamford Bridge, which would lead to football journalist Zach Lowy labelling him as “incredible” and his transfer value would rise too far above the measly amount he was worth when once donning a West Brom kit.

Stat

Adarabioyo

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

1

Touches

105

Accurate passes

97/98 (99%)

Accurate long balls

8/8

Clearances

4

Stats by Sofascore

This summer, the brand new Chelsea number four was worth in the region of £16.5m – according to Transfermarkt – after once having a low £2.8m value next to his name as a youngster at the Hawthorns, which is a mammoth increase of £13.7m or 489%.

Chelsea wouldn’t even have to fork out a single dime to win their man in the end, having purchased him on a free transfer at the expense of the Cottagers, which looks to be a very wise investment when you consider his promising numbers in Europe for the Blues recently.

He would even score against Noah in mid-November, having also impressed with 97 accurate passes registered, as Chelsea fans long for more from their fresh recruit as 2025 comes into view.

Whilst Adarabioyo continues to knock on the door for more first-team minutes at Stamford Bridge, Corberan’s mind will be on steering his team to more wins in the division below, away from his side being stern at the back.

West Brom must axe Albion dud who Bruce thought would be "a massive asset"

West Bromwich Albion could soon be faced with a decision to get rid of this high earner.

1 ByKelan Sarson Dec 3, 2024

علق أحمد حسن قائد منتخب مصر الأسبق، على الصفقات التي تعاقد معها الأهلي في الفترة الأخيرة قبل المشاركة ببطولة كأس العالم للأندية.

ويستعد الأهلي للمشاركة في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، ويستهل مشواره أمام إنتر ميامي، في الثالثة فجر يوم الأحد الموافق 15 يونيو الجاري.

وقال أحمد حسن في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “الصفقة المفاجأة بالنسبة لي هي ضم تريزيجيه، لأنه لاعب يمتلك إمكانات كبيرة جدًا، وقادر على حسم العديد من المواقف في الملعب، وقد نضج بشكل ملحوظ”.

وأكمل: “نسبة تهديف تريزيجيه أصبحت مرتفعة، ما يجعله صفقة مهمة وكبيرة جدًا، وهي الأهم في رأيي، وجميع الصفقات في الأهلي مهمة، لكن الصفقة الأفضل بالنسبة لي هي تريزيجيه”.

وتابع: “زيزو لاعب مهم ومميز، لكن الوضع صعب بالنسبة له للمشاركة في مباراة باتشوكا، لأنه وصل اليوم فقط”.

طالع | محمد شوقي: صفقة الأهلي الجديدة لن تتألق أمام إنتر ميامي.. وإمام عاشور الأفضل في مصر

وواصل: “ريبيرو قد يستعين بـ زيزو في جزء من المباراة، لكنني أعتقد أن ذلك صعب، لأن زيزو بعيد عن المباريات منذ فترة طويلة”.

واختتم: “ديانج لاعب مهم جدًا ومن أقوى اللاعبين، وكنت مقتنعًا بقدراته حتى قبل رحيله”.

He says his preference is to open in T20Is, while continuing to bat in the middle order in ODIs and Tests

Vishal Dikshit30-Nov-2022Rishabh Pant has said that he would prefer to open in T20Is, while continuing to bat in the middle order in ODIs and Tests. Speaking before the start of the third ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch, Pant said that he is only 25 right now, and pitting white-ball and red-ball numbers against each other should be made only when he is around 30-32, because right now there was “no logic” in such comparisons.”I’d want to open in T20s, No. 4-5 in ODIs and Tests I’m already batting at No. 5,” Pant told Harsha Bhogle on .Bhogle went on to ask indirectly why Pant’s Test numbers looked the best when he came across more as a white-ball player.Related

• New Zealand take ODI series 1-0 after yet another no-result

“Record is just a number, my white-ball record is not bad either,” Pant replied. When Bhogle said he was merely comparing Pant’s Test and white-ball records, Pant said, “Comparison is not a part of my life, I’m just 24-25 so you can compare once I’m 30-32. There’s no logic in comparing before that.”Pant made his India debut in T20Is in February 2017, Test debut in August 2018 and ODI debut two months later in October. While his penchant for pulling off unorthodox shots makes him seem like a natural white-ball batter, especially in T20s, he is more of a certainty in India’s Test XI currently, then in ODIs, and in T20Is at last.In the recent T20 World Cup, Dinesh Karthik started ahead of Pant in the first four games before Pant was brought into the XI in the middle order mainly because India wanted a left-hand batter. Pant, however, scored only 3 against Zimbabwe and 6 opposite England in the semi-final. In the following T20Is in New Zealand, Pant opened but again failed to impress with low scores of 6 and 11 after the first game was washed out.In the ongoing ODIs, in which he is the vice-captain just like for the T20Is, Pant fell twice to the pull shot, something oppositions have planned for to get him out. He chopped on for 15 off 23 in the opening ODI and failed to keep a short ball down on Wednesday in the third ODI to hand a catch to deep square leg for 10 off 16.Pant had earlier said that he doesn’t premeditate much in ODIs, because it’s not required.”It’s mostly in T20s, not in white-ball cricket [that one has to premeditate],” he said. “There’s no real need to premeditate in one-day cricket but you have to in T20s.”Pant averages 43.32 from 31 Tests with the help of five hundreds, four of which have come outside Asia, and only one in India. In ODIs, too, he has been a middle-order mainstay, especially since the 2019 World Cup. He has averaged nearly 40 while scoring 638 runs from 17 innings while striking at 110.76, with one century and five half-centuries.

The ‘bold and brash’ players in the opposition camp will ‘bring out the best’ in his side, South Africa captain says

Firdose Moonda01-Dec-2022

Dean Elgar’s South Africa are currently No. 2 on the WTC table•ECB/Getty Images

“Bring it,” is South Africa’s message to Australia as they head Down Under in search of a fourth, successive away series win against the opponents.It’s been more than four years since they last played each other, in the series that became known for the sandpaper-gate scandal but also ranks as one of South Africa’s biggest successes in the last decade. It was the first time they claimed a series win against Australia at home since readmission. The residue from that series litters the entrance hall to this one and there’s every expectation that the action will take place as much off the field as on it.Related

Will South Africa follow England's Test template? Not quite, says van der Dussen

'I'm here to support Dean in every way' – South Africa captain has coach Maketa's backing

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Malibongwe Maketa named South Africa interim head coach

South Africa quicks' lack of game-time remains a concern

“Because we are playing in their home conditions, it’s going to be pretty feisty,” Dean Elgar, South Africa’s Test captain, said ahead of their departure on Thursday. “The individuals they have within their squad are pretty brash and bold – in your face kind of characters and that can work in our favour. I think that plays into our hands. We enjoy that confrontation as a group and we manage it pretty well. We’ve got calm heads around that. If they want to be in your face, it’s fine. I definitely don’t shy away from that and I will be encouraging the players not to shy away from that, because I think that’s when South Africans bring out their best.”Elgar’s team, however, is not in the same state as Faf du Plessis’ was in 2018. Although they presently sit second on the World Test Championship (WTC) table, they are closer to the 2019 outfit that toured India with an interim team director at the helm, who was being sent on his first international assignment to one of the most difficult places to play Tests, and an impending administrative crisis looming. This 2022 side also has a temporary coach, who will make his debut. He too is taking South Africa to a tough place and there’s no indication of when permanent appointments will be made. But there is one difference. Elgar revealed that he requested Malibongwe Maketa to take over from Mark Boucher and that he and Enoch Nkwe (the team director from 2019 who is now director of cricket) are on the same page.”Mali is one of the coaches I asked our director (Nkwe) to try and get in to be interim. I’m glad I got that one right,” Elgar said. “It’s nice to have a DOC that has got cricket at heart and is backing his leadership that needs to be backed. Mali understands his role, which is going to be a supportive role, and he understands me as a cricketer, as a person and as a leader. Mali comes with quite a lot of experience. He has been around the block as long as I can remember.”Maketa worked as head coach for the Warriors franchise in South Africa’s domestic circuit from 2015 to 2017, as Ottis Gibson’s assistant for the national side between 2017 and 2019, and most recently as the South African A coach. He was also on the tour in England earlier this year and has worked with most of the squad members in some capacity over the last decade. He is one of the few consistent presences on the South African scene, which Elgar thinks they need more than anything as the Test team evolves.”The environment has changed drastically (since 2019) but in a good way. We’ve tried to keep our core players so the consistency has always been pretty stable. We have evolved immensely and really played good cricket in the Test arena but we are still trying to push for the consistency factor which is going to be key going into a big series,” he said.Arguably, this is the biggest test for South Africa for at least the next three years. It’s their last three-Test series until they host Australia in 2026, a must-win if they are to reach the WTC final and their first in Australia over the festive period since 2008. That means no-one in the current squad has played a Test at the MCG or the SCG or soaked in the atmosphere of such an occasion.”Growing up as a kid, you’d always wake up for these Boxing Day Test matches Down Under and you don’t mind losing a few hours’ sleep,” Elgar said. “Now we’ve got 16 players who are going to experience it first-hand. It’s a childhood dream of mine to experience this. Playing a Boxing Day and a New Year’s Test in Australia – I don’t think you get bigger than that.”

Australia batter wants the board to reach out to him and ‘open their doors’ to discussion on the subject

Andrew McGlashan21-Aug-20220:34

Warner: ‘Cricket schedule over next five years looks scary’

David Warner has called on Cricket Australia to approach him about overturning his lifetime ban on holding any captaincy position after he signed a two-year deal to return to the BBL with Sydney Thunder.Warner was the most heavily punished of the three players involved in the 2018 ball-tampering incident against South Africa in Cape Town – alongside Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft – with him prevented from holding any leadership position in Australian cricket for the rest of his career.However, there is growing sentiment in the game that the decision needs to be overturned to allow Warner to captain in the BBL at least. Thunder will need a new captain for the 2022-23 season after Usman Khawaja moved to Brisbane Heat.Related

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Head, Labuschagne ink in BBL deals for post-Test stint

Warner's BBL return confirmed with two-year Sydney Thunder deal

“That hasn’t really been brought to the table,” Warner said on Sunday. “As I’ve said plenty of times off the record, it’s upon the board to reach out to me and open their doors. Then I can sit down and have an honest conversation with them.”The board has changed since back in 2018 and when all those sanctions were dealt. It would be great to have a conversation with them and see where we are at.”David Warner was handed a lifetime captaincy ban for his involvement in the 2018 ball-tampering incident•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesAustralia Test captain Pat Cummins has been a strong advocate of overturning the ban on Warner. “I don’t see why not. He’s a brilliant leader. I hope so,” he said at the recent Chappell Foundation dinner at the SCG.Smith, who was captain at Newlands in 2018, was given a two-year leadership ban and last year led Australia in the second Test against England in Adelaide when Cummins was ruled out due to being a Covid close contact.However, regardless of whether he has captaincy position in Australian cricket again, Warner believes he can play a leadership role.”I’ve got the experience, I’m a leader in the side anyway without having a title,” he said. “That’s what I’m about, giving back, so if they [younger players] can pick my brains in any way, my phone is always there, they have my number, and they can see me when I’m at the practice facilities.”When announcing Warner’s signing, Thunder said a decision on the club’s captaincy would “be made closer to the start of the season”