كشفت شبكة “LvDiez” الباراجويانية عن دخول النادي الأهلي في مفاوضات رسمية لضم لاعب فلسطيني آخر إلى صفوف الفريق الأول لكرة القدم في الميركاتو الصيفي الحالي.
وبحسب التقرير، فإن لاعب الوسط أوجستين منصور، نجم جو١اراني، لديه اهتمام قوي من جانب الأهلي لتدعيم خط الوسط.
وأوضحت الشبكة أن الأهلي قدم عرضًا مباشرًا للتعاقد مع اللاعب البالغ من العمر 24 عامًا، في ظل بحثه عن تدعيم مركز الوسط خلال الموسم المقبل.
اقرأ أيضًا | محمد شريف: لا يوجد نجم أوحد في الأهلي.. ورحيلي لم يكن بسبب أزمة
🟣 MANZUR PODRÍA EMIGRAR A EGIPTO ⚽ Agustín Manzur, ex Godoy Cruz y actual jugador de Guaraní (Paraguay), recibió una oferta del Al-Ahly de Egipto, club que disputó el último Mundial de Clubes. Su entorno analiza los pasos a seguir. Vía @tomiturela3 pic.twitter.com/TtiRAtECgu — LVDiez (@LVDiez) July 1, 2025
ويُعد منصور أحد الأسماء البارزة في الدوري الباراجوياني، وسبق له اللعب في صفوف نادي جودوي كروز الأرجنتيني قبل انتقاله إلى جواراني، حيث تألق بشكل لافت في الموسم الأخير.
وأكد المصدر ذاته أن محيط اللاعب بدأ في دراسة العرض المصري، مع وجود رغبة مبدئية من اللاعب في خوض تجربة جديدة خارج أمريكا الجنوبية.
ويأمل الأهلي في حسم الصفقة سريعًا، خاصة أنه يسعى لإعادة تشكيل وسط الملعب تحت قيادة المدرب، خوسيه ريبيرو، مع رحيل بعض لاعبي الوسط مثل عمر الساعي المنتقل حديثًا إلى المصري.
يُذكر أن الأهلي شارك مؤخرًا في كأس العالم للأندية، ويستعد بقوة من أجل الموسم الجديد والمنافسة على لقب دوري أبطال إفريقيا والحفاظ على لقب الدوري المصري.
If Liverpool hope to challenge for the biggest trophies throughout the span of what could be a long and exciting Arne Slot era, they will need to get busy in the transfer market this year.
Six points clear at the peak of the Premier League (with a game in hand), Liverpool are in the perfect position to lift the top-flight trophy this year, especially with the likes of Ryan Gravenberch playing with such vim and vigour.
Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch
When the summer transfer window slammed down its shutters, Reds supporters were concerned by FSG’s lack of activity, with Federico Chiesa the only signing of the summer.
Where was the defensive midfielder? What about the backline? Such concerns carried substance, but Liverpool have endured through a mixture of Slot’s tactics and revivals of players such as Gravenberch, who has been one of Europe’s standout midfielders this term after sitting on the periphery under Jurgen Klopp’s management.
He’s started every one of Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League fixtures, however, and runs the risk of being burned out. He needs competition.
Why Ryan Gravenberch needs competition
When Liverpool signed Gravenberch from Bayern Munich for a £34m fee in August 2023, it was recognised as an opportunity to develop one of Europe’s most talented young midfielders. However, there was the caveat that he had flattered to deceive in Germany.
Matches (starts)
26 (12)
19 (19)
Goals
1
0
Assists
0
2
Touches*
28.8
71.5
Pass completion
83%
90%
Key passes*
0.6
0.8
Dribble (success)*
0.9 (51%)
1.0 (58%)
Ball recoveries*
2.8
5.1
Tackles + interceptions*
1.5
3.7
Total duels (won)*
2.8 (47%)
5.3 (58%)
As you can see above, his term under Klopp’s wing was one of ebb and flow, with flashes of quality displayed through his multi-functioning appearances. However, there was plenty to work on, plenty left to be desired.
Now, he’s thriving as one of Europe’s most impressive stars. It’s safe to say that Liverpool would not have hit the heights of the 2024/25 campaign by half if he had failed to adapt to the number six role after Hughes failed to seal a deal for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi.
Wataru Endo remains an industrious and faithful servant, but it’s clear that Slot does not favour him as a starting option. Gravenberch needs competition, and Liverpool might just be gearing up to provide him with such, preventing burnout and driving the midfield dynamism even further forward.
Liverpool chasing Prem midfielder
BBC Sport have relayed news that Liverpool are interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Joao Gomes, whose tough-tackling style could be the perfect counterpoint to Gravenberch’s approach.
The Brazil star has previously been valued at £50m but would be worth every penny, especially when considering the extra dimension that it would equip Liverpool’s engine room with.
It’s unlikely that Wolves would sell their midfield workhorse at the midpoint of a relegation-threatened campaign, but if Liverpool lay the groundwork now, there’s every chance that he could be donning a red shirt by the start of next season.
Why Liverpool want Joao Gomes
Endo will do for now, but the fact remains that Liverpool need more in the middle to ensure that Gravenberch doesn’t get run into the ground.
Wolves signed Gomes from Brasileiro Serie A club Flamengo in January 2023 for a reported £15m figure, since making 70 appearances and notching eight goal contributions.
As per Sofascore, the 23-year-old has completed 85% of his passes in the Premier League this season, averaging a whopping 3.2 tackles and 5.8 duels per match. He found a real run of form under recently dismissed boss Gary O’Neil but will be expected to play a prominent part over the business months of the term, under Vitor Pereira’s wing.
Perhaps most curiously, Gomes is considered to be a similar player to Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, as per FBref – wouldn’t it be a delight to foster the talents of such a midfielder, one who might actually grow to outstrip the Red Devils star?
Goals
0.00
0.11
Assists
0.00
0.06
Shot-creating actions
1.97
1.68
Pass completion
86.6%
84.2%
Passes attempted
48.4
47.3
Progressive passes
3.93
5.37
Progressive carries
1.31
1.74
Successful take-ons
1.64
0.73
Ball recoveries
5.08
5.54
Tackles + interceptions
4.02
4.20
Mainoo isn’t a defensive midfielder, instead relying on his eagle-eyed vision and prodigious intelligence to outperform his positional rivals and impress despite the issues over at Old Trafford in recent times.
You could say the same about Gravenberch, whose qualities have been willed into Slot’s design this term.
In a similar way, Gomes is a combative central presence, packing a bruising punch, but he’s also a cultured and energetic player, seemingly endowed with the right attributes to slot right into Liverpool’s starting line-up.
It would be a sure-fire way to keep Liverpool firing on all cylinders next season, giving Gravenberch some respite from the endless football that he has played under his countryman’s tutelage while keeping the general flow of the Liverpool team intact, albeit with some subtle differences that would actually serve Slot’s tactical nous very well indeed.
Hailed as a “warrior” and “unique player” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Gomes would be the perfect addition to a Liverpool side that just keeps going from strength to strength under Slot’s leadership.
If the Dutch coach does have a foible, it would be his reluctance to make regular changes to his trusted starting line-up. Endo is reliable in the right circumstances, but Gomes could bring some of the Japanese’s punch while promoting a ball-playing and technical game too.
Liverpool need to get it done, bringing this Mainoo-esque talent to the fold.
Forget Kvaratskhelia: Liverpool could land star with 'Mane at Saints vibes'
Liverpool are looking to strengthen their frontline this year.
While he was disappointed at the heavy defeat in Adelaide, he felt West Indies had had an encouraging year in Test cricket
Andrew McGlashan11-Dec-2022West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite lamented that his team “didn’t show any fight” in Adelaide but believed that overall they had produced a successful year in Test cricket.They crashed to a 419-run defeat within the opening session of the fourth day, their heaviest runs defeat in Test cricket, having shown heart to take the first Test deep into the penultimate session.Related
Australia complete series sweep with a crushing 419-run win
In both matches West Indies’ bowling attack was put to the sword by a combination of Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith and Travis Head. A couple of late wickets for Alzarri Joseph in Adelaide made him their the leading bowler with five at 53.00 – highlighting their struggles – amid a string of injuries that left them with a patched-up attack.Brathwaite produced their standout knock of the series with 110 in the second innings in Perth, but no one passed fifty in Adelaide as they could only make 214 and 77.”It was very disappointing. The first game, we fought to day five which was a decent effort. Coming here we didn’t show any fight at all,” Brathwaite said. “Obviously Australia bowled well but we didn’t fight. The pink ball is always different, under lights is always tough. Bad days happen and bad games. This was a bad game for sure, but it’s not the end of the world, we have a lot of Test cricket to play next year so we have to look ahead.”West Indies came into the series unbeaten in five Tests for the year – including three wins a row – and, before the Adelaide match, were above England and New Zealand on the World Test Championship table.Brathwaite was adamant that, viewed as a whole, and given the strength of the opposition they faced in this series, that it had been an encouraging year in the format.”This loss is a little disappointing and how we didn’t show the fight,” he said. “But I still think it was a good year for us – a very good year – losing one series against probably the No. 1 team in the world is not a bad effort.”‘You’ve got Mitchell Starc coming in at 90mph and you see a guy fighting like that, says a lot about his character’ – Brathwaite on Tagenarine Chanderpaul•Getty ImagesWest Indies’ next Test cricket will come on tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa in early 2023. They are then due back in Australia in a little over 12 months’ time due a quirk of the next World Test Championship cycle, which has seen them paired together again with no other spot on the calendar to try and space out the series a little more. CA had tried to find another window to avoid back-to-back summers with the same opposition but it wasn’t possible.Brathwaite hopes that those players who return can use what they have learned from watching the Australians go about their work with this Test series having been West Indies’ first here since 2015-16.”For a lot of the guys it was their first time to Australia,” he said. “The experience would help, both as batsmen and bowlers. Seeing how Australia play, how their batsmen started their innings, we can learn from that and then how their bowlers bowled throughout a spell. At times in Perth they bowled for the whole day but then you see the areas they bowled. Australia will always be a strong team at home but the key from experiences is learn from them.”One of the encouraging aspects for West Indies was the debut series of Tagenarine Chanderpaul who made 51, 45, 47 and 17 at the top of the order alongside the captain. Such was his occupation of the crease that Australia got very inventive with their fields when they went at him with a short-pitched attack, although Chanderpaul blotted his copybook by running himself out in the first over of the third day.”It showed that he’s tough,” Brathwaite said. “You’ve got Mitchell Starc coming in at 90mph and you see a guy fighting like that, says a lot about his character. I thought he had a good start to his career and can see him really blossoming to have a superb career for West Indies.”Brathwaite, himself, meanwhile said he retained the hunger and desire to lead West Indies.”I love Test cricket and [am] thankful for the job. We’ll see how it goes. I want to lead this team from the front, especially with the bat, that’s my job. As a group we have the talent, we have the ability. It’s for us to believe in ourselves and you learn from all the challenges you go through.”
Steven Croft adds unbeaten fifty in match dominated by Surrey over first three days
Paul Edwards09-Apr-2023Towards the end of the Amazon Prime video Sam Mendes risks challenging the film’s central figure, Ben Stokes, with a famous quotation from Albert Camus: “A man’s work is nothing but the slow trek to rediscover, though the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened.” The experiment is not a success. “Dunno what you’re on about, mate,” says England’s Test captain.All the same, as Josh Bohannon made a match-saving century against Surrey this afternoon, one was reminded of Camus’ words by the pleasure the Lancashire batsman now takes from his sport and how he has blended simple enjoyment with professional accomplishment.It has not always been so. There was a time when Bohannon called his morning drive to Emirates Old Trafford “going to work” and when his cricket seemed inhibited by the intensity with which he played it. Some sessions with a sports psychologist followed and in time he was able to understand that dismissals were batting’s inevitable occupational hazards. That, of course, is not the same as tolerating the sort of sloppy cricket that led to his getting out in the first innings of this game; it is merely an acceptance of one of the truths of his chosen trade. It enables a cricketer to relax, to see his life in clearer proportion.Related
Essex state their Championship case with comprehensive victory over Middlesex
Tom Lammonby, Craig Overton bat Somerset to safety in draw with Warwickshire
Ben Compton's 114* leads Kent to victory over Northamptonshire
Now Old Trafford on this final afternoon. Bohannon and Steven Croft have put on over a hundred runs for the third wicket but there is still a shedload of work to do if Lancashire are to save this game. What’s more, Sean Abbott and Kemar Roach are bowling short and nasty with at least three close fielders somewhere on the leg side. Bohannon fends one off and a half-smile plays across his face. At the end of the over he chats with Croft; they are two blood-Lancastrians at different stages of their careers. They punch gloves and then go back to their creases to dig in again.Eventually, the bowlers became tired and were replaced by part-time spinners. Bohannon came in to tea on 85 and Surrey’s scrap of hope now rested on the new ball. Before that could be taken, however, Rory Burns had to find somebody to send down a few “filler” overs and so absolutely nothing was more out of keeping with the temper of Bohannon’s innings than the ease with which he stroked Ollie Pope’s fifth ball in first-class cricket to the off-side boundary, thus reaching his century off 173 balls with his 14th four. To be truthful, though, you can disregard some statistics; it was Bohannon’s 173-run stand for the third wicket with Croft that mattered. As for Pope, his one over may already be a cricket society quiz questionHaving made 108, Bohannon opted not to play a ball from Dan Worrall that knocked out his off stump. It was a misjudgement and, although by no means his first, it barely mattered. Less than four overs later, the players were shaking hands with Croft taking quiet comfort from his third-fiddle innings of 56 not out. At that point, it was useful to recall that Surrey had dominated the first three days of this game and also that the pitch on which it had been played was as dry and true as any of Old Trafford’s April wickets in recent memory.And it was even more useful, perhaps, to remember the first session of this match, when the intensity of the cricket had offered a graphic rebuttal to those who deride the domestic game. For three quarters of an hour Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings resisted the accuracy of Surrey’s high-quality seamers with all the technical resources at their disposal. Nothing happened to disturb the calm of Easter Sunday morning apart from Wells clipping Worrall over square leg for six.Then both openers were winkled out in the space of seven balls. First Jennings, who had been cramped for room by Ben Foakes standing up and bowled off his pads by Jordan Clark in the first innings, was dismissed by the same combination when he played an indeterminate cut but only inside-edged the ball into his middle stump. They are dismissals that video-analysts around the circuit will be studying. Then Wells, having played capably for his 45 runs, pulled Kemar Roach straight to Worrall at long leg and, as ever with this batsman, felt the sins of the world on shoulders that were now hunched over his bat. Eventually the Lancashire opener hauled himself off the ground – but it took a while.And Surrey could have enjoyed further success. When he had made two, Bohannon nicked Abbott to slip where Pope put the two-handed chance down. The ball travelled quickly and it was a tough opportunity but one allowed oneself the thought that Easter Sunday morning was hardly the most apt time for any Pope to drop a bollock.Bohannon put the escape away and was soon enjoying the first of his many chats with Croft. As it happens, this was his 26th birthday and there were worse ways to celebrate it than batting with a mate and making a hundred. The achievement will have mattered to him – but not too much. Four years ago success and failure were everything. But then Josh was so much older then; he’s younger than that now.
Wrexham recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over Exeter City on Saturday to strengthen their hopes of winning automatic promotion.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Wrexham won comfortably
Rathbone and Rodriguez scored
Red Dragons second behind Birmingham
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
Getty Images Sport
TELL ME MORE
In Devon, Wrexham had the lead against Exeter within 23 minutes, as Ollie Rathbone's shot found the back of the net via a deflection in the area.
The goal came after Sam Smith thought he had opened the scoring, only to see the offside flag raised.
In the second half, Wrexham doubled their lead on the hour; after Jay Rodriguez was fouled in the area, the former Southampton striker stepped up to score from 12 yards.
The Welsh side pressed for more, but they were held back by a determined Exeter backline.
Phil Parkinson's side now sit nine points behind leaders Birmingham, but the Blues have two games in hand, and are almost certain to win the title, barring a spectacular collapse. Perhaps more encouraging is the fact that Wrexham are now three points clear of third-placed Wycombe Wanderers, although they have a game in hand on the Red Dragons.
Advertisement
THE MVP
Rodriguez can bring a touch of class to League One and he did so for Wrexham on Saturday. Not only did he convert from 12 yards, he was a constant menace leading the line, and was also regularly willing to drop deep to collect possession, thus confusing Exeter's defensive organisation.
Getty Images Sport
THE BIG LOSER
It's becoming increasingly difficult to envisage Wrexham restoring Paul Mullin to this team. With Rodriguez leading the line so well, and the likes of Smith and Steven Fletcher also still capable of providing real quality, it is hard to disagree with the assessment that the formerly indispensable forward is "finished" in Wales. That he was not even in the squad is surely a sign that he will soon be on his way.
WHAT COMES NEXT?
Wrexham face Cambridge United on Tuesday before a clash with Burton Albion on Saturday. Both sides are currently in the bottom four of League One.
da bet nacional： It would be fair to say that, so far anyway, this season has not been a great one for Tottenham Hotspur.
da lvbet： The North Londoners find themselves down in 11th place in the Premier League, and while they have a League Cup semi-final to look forward to, it’s against the seemingly unstoppable Liverpool.
However, while the mood around the club is far from ideal at present, there have been a couple of positives to come from the campaign, notably the emergence of the sensationally gifted Mikey Moore.
So, recent reports linking the club to another young talent who could be even better than the Englishman should seriously excite the fans.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are one of several clubs interested in Barcelona’s tremendously exciting young striker, Vitor Roque.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that fellow Premier League sides Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Brentford are also considering the promising centre-forward as a potential target for the summer transfer window once his loan to Real Betis has been completed.
This competition and the fact that Betis have an option for another year-long loan and an option to buy into their deal could complicate matters.
However, Spurs could still get ahead of the competition by flexing their financial muscle, and, according to reports from earlier this year, an offer in the region of £29m could be enough to secure the youngster’s services, although that was before his recent uptick in form, so the fee could be higher today.
It could be a costly transfer to get over the line, particularly for someone his age, but given Roque’s form this season and the potential so many believe him to possess, it’s one well worth pursuing, especially if he ends up being better than the incredible Moore.
Why Roque could be even better than Moore
Okay, so the very first thing we should say is that, as things stand, from his performances in the youth sides to how he has been spoken about by those in the know and his short cameos this season, Moore looks like he could develop into a truly exceptional star.
Predicting a player’s future can be a tricky business indeed, but the young Englishman looks like he has everything he needs to become a true world-beater over the next five or six years, and so does Roque.
In fact, while the Spurs gem has made eight, mostly substitute, appearances for the first team this year, he still has yet to score or assist a goal, which cannot be said about the 19-year-old Brazilian.
For example, in 23 appearances for Betis this season, 14 of which have been starts, the “truly magnificent” prospect, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored six goals and provided two assists.
Moreover, for someone his age, he has some seriously impressive offensive underlying numbers.
According to FBref, the Barça gem sits in the top 12% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, for non-penalty expected goals, the top 14% for total shots and the top 16% for progressive carries, all per 90.
If that still isn’t enough to convince you that the “special” talent, as dubbed by former Atlético Madrid star Diego, could become one of the world’s best strikers, then perhaps his statistics from his final season in Brazil will.
Roque’s final season in Brazil
Appearances
45
Starts
35
Minutes
3178′
Goals
21
Assists
8
Goal Involvements per Match
0.64
Minutes per Goal Involvement
109.58′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For example, in just 45 senior games across the 2023 season, the incredible phenom scored 21 goals and provided eight assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.55 games, which is a ridiculous rate of return for anyone, let alone a teenager.
Ultimately, Spurs already have several exciting prospects at the club, but Roque looks like he could turn into a genuine world-class talent, and a frontline with him and Moore could be truly special a few years from now.
Offer made: Spurs target dream Maddison rival in £25k-p/w "magician"
The exceptional youngster could have a bright future at Spurs.
This will be Ireland’s first Test assignment that is not a one-off Test match
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Mar-2023
Tim Murtagh celebrates a wicket during Ireland’s Test against Afghanistan in Dehradun•Getty Images
Ireland will play two Tests in Galle against Sri Lanka in April, instead of one Test and two ODIs as originally planned. Cricket Ireland (CI) confirmed the rejigged schedule on Monday.SL vs Ire Test schedule
April 16-20, 1st Test, Galle
April 24-28, 2nd Test, Galle
This will be Ireland’s first Test assignment that is not a one-off Test. It also means that by the end of their summer, they would have more than doubled their Test count, with one-off Tests against Bangladesh in early April and against England at Lord’s in June also scheduled. They have played three Tests to date, since earning Test status in 2017 along with Afghanistan. Those three Tests were against Pakistan at home, against Afghanistan in Dehradun in India, and against England at Lords in 2019 – they have gone almost four years since a Test match, and are yet to register their first win in the format.Sri Lanka’s players have been keen on playing more Test cricket – the extra Test against Ireland will take their aggregate for the year up to six.Till yesterday, they were in with a chance of making the World Test Championship (WTC) final this June, following a good 2021-23 WTC cycle. They needed to win in Christchurch – where they went down to New Zealand by two wickets in a last-ball thriller – to keep their chances of making the final alive.Veteran batter Angelo Mathews spoke on the topic during the Christchurch Test, saying: “Everyone’s talking about Test cricket dying, but we’re not doing any good for Test cricket playing only five Tests a year. Hopefully we’ll get more matches this year. Five feels like not enough.”Related
PJ Moor: 'I missed out on World Cups for Zimbabwe but I'm hoping I can play for Ireland at the next one'
Mathews says Sri Lanka not getting enough Tests
Ireland to stage Bangladesh Super League ODIs in England
India qualify for WTC final after New Zealand beat Sri Lanka
Richard Holdsworth, CI’s high-performance director, said Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had come to the Ireland board with the request to play a second Test. “When we were approached by SLC about the possibility of a change to the schedule, our immediate thoughts were around our white-ball priority, given the potential 50-over World Cup qualification later this year still being a tangible outcome.”Talking through our priorities and their priorities, we agreed to the late change given that the Test series is preceded by six white-ball matches [for Ireland] in Bangladesh, and followed by three further ODIs [hosting Bangladesh in England] after we return home.”Exposing our playing group to an extended period in Asian conditions will be beneficial to their development and given the World Cup this year is in India, the more exposure to these conditions, the better – despite it being a different format.”Both Sri Lanka and Ireland are in precarious positions on the ODI Super League points table; they currently sit at Nos. 10 and 11 respectively, with only the top eight qualifying automatically for the 2023 World Cup. The teams that finish nine and below would be involved in a qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe in June-July, with two World Cup slots up for grabs. However, cutting the ODIs in Sri Lanka are not going to affect their chances as the series was not part of the Super League.Ireland squad for the Sri Lanka tour: Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Murray Commins, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White
Ross Taylor recalls his turbulent stint in charge of New Zealand, and talks of how he has changed as a player and person since
Jack Wilson15-Jun-2016″I enjoyed captaincy, it brought the best out of my game, but it’s an unrewarding job,” Ross Taylor says. “Heath Mills, from the New Zealand Players Association, always said it was unrewarding. He was right.”Taylor stops to gather his thoughts when I ask if leading New Zealand was a childhood dream. The few seconds of silence say it all.He has never been one to hang about. His 81-ball century against Australia in 2010 was New Zealand’s fastest ever in Tests. Just last year, he broke a 111-year record by scoring 290 against the Australians, the highest score by an overseas batsman in Tests in Australia. The innings was full of positivity and aggression, never shying away from a battle.Talking about the captaincy, by contrast, Taylor is careful, tentative and hesitant. He is everything he is not on the cricket field – slow to pick his words on what is a difficult subject, but it’s easy to see why.In June 2011, he was handed the captaincy in all forms. It should have been a fairy tale, given his good batting form at the time, but 18 months later it was over. Coach Mike Hesson, following disappointing results in the limited-overs formats, wanted Taylor to relinquish the one-day captaincy. Ahead of a Test series against Sri Lanka, Hesson tried to tell Taylor exactly that.He informed Taylor he would recommend leadership changes to the board after the tour. He meant in white-ball cricket, but he failed to convey that to Taylor. It ended in disaster. Taylor led New Zealand to their first away Test victory over Sri Lanka in over a dozen years, making 142 and 74 in the process.”I guess yes and no, on it [captaincy] being a childhood dream,” he says. “I always thought I could do it but it came a couple of years before I was ready. I was just getting into a bit of form and then had the added responsibility of being captain.Ross Taylor’s 290 against Australia at the WACA was full of positivity and aggression•Getty Images”Until you do the job, you don’t realise how much there is involved in it. Your brain is ticking the whole time. The only time you aren’t thinking cricket is when you aren’t playing. And with the amount of cricket being played now, that’s not very often.”Taylor had had enough. He took a break from the game while New Zealand Cricket – then hit by a barrage of criticism from ex-players – apologised. Weeks later, he returned, but trust needed rebuilding and the relationship with Hesson needed repairing. Taylor admits that the turmoil affected him. Anyone would have been.One particular Kevin Pietersen remark really struck a chord. “It has made me who I am today,” Taylor says. “I don’t think I’d be human if it didn’t affect me in some sort of way.”I watched KP do a documentary on ITV one time. They asked him if he regretted taking the captaincy, and he said you can never turn down the job. He’s right.”In truth, the signals were there from the start. Taylor beat Brendon McCullum to the job after being interviewed by a three-man panel consisting of the coach then, John Wright, the director of cricket, John Buchanan, and the acting national selection manager Mark Greatbatch. It was like going back to school.”I don’t know many people who would have to interview to become the national team captain, so that was a strange thing to deal with. It was bizarre, very bizarre,” Taylor recalls.”It was an honour and a privilege to get the job but I really don’t know how to describe it. I guess when I write my book I’ll go into depth a bit more, but it was different. At least when I finish my cricket career I can say I’ve had one job interview!”McCullum replaced Taylor in December 2012. The move worked. He revolutionised New Zealand cricket and left. Hesson was there every step of the way – and so was Taylor. Against the odds, both remain an integral part of the new era, still working together.Taylor’s 290 against Australia came just three Tests ago. He has hit three one-day international centuries in his last nine innings. He may be 32 but Taylor is seeing the ball as well as ever, and has rarely played better.Taylor and Mike Hesson have put the past behind them and both remain an integral part of the new era•AFPHe knows it won’t go on forever and laughs at the suggestion of playing into his forties: “Absolutely not! If I get to 37 or 38, I’ll be happy. Forty-two or 44? No way.” But for now he is relishing playing a key part in what could be one of the greatest New Zealand teams ever, under Kane Williamson.”It has the potential to be the best New Zealand side.” he says. “We’ve got quite a lot of young talent coming through and there are a couple of big Test series in the next couple of years. We’re sixth in the Test rankings, so there’s still a long way to go, but it’s exciting. It’s nice to be a part of it.”Kane and Brendon are totally different people. Being vice-captain, like Kane was, is hard, as vice-captaincy is one of the toughest jobs in cricket. Now he’s captain full time, he is not coming in and treading on any toes. I’m sure he will do very well as captain, and in the future Kane will be one of the best ever batsmen. Scoring runs, as he’s doing, and having him as captain bodes well for the future of New Zealand.”When New Zealand travel to South Africa for a Test series in August, Taylor – the country’s most experienced batsman – will be key. It is a testament to his temperament and professionalism that he’s still going strong, often against the odds.Until then he is enjoying life on the south coast of England with Sussex. There are no captaincy worries, no off-field politics, no childhood dreams turning into nightmares.”Sussex is great, the club has been great and it’s a lovely part of the world – except my two children have worked out that every time they go to the beach they get an ice cream!” he says.”It’s nice to have my family here, though. I bought my son a Sussex cricket ball the other day and he’s got good hands for a two-year-old. If it means he gets an IPL deal in 20 years’ time I wouldn’t begrudge that.”
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are reportedly seeking “further partners” at Wrexham, with more investment required en route to the Premier League.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
A-list owners funding ambitious project
Have brought billionaire Allyn family on board
Plan is to reach the top tier at some stage
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
WHAT HAPPENED?
Hollywood co-owners in North Wales have never shied away from the fact that they want to take the Red Dragons into the top tier. The most ambitious of targets were drawn up after seeing a stunning takeover completed in 2021.
Advertisement
Getty Images Sport
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Wrexham have risen as far as League One, having enjoyed back-to-back promotions, and now find themselves knocking on the door to the Championship. Another step up the EFL ladder would leave them just one away from joining the elite.
DID YOU KNOW?
Reynolds and McElhenney have helped to fund an action-packed adventure, which has been documented for the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ series, but even they do not have the funds required to compete in the billionaire world of Premier League life.
Getty
TELL ME MORE
A stake in Wrexham has already been sold to the New York-based Allyn family, who boast deep pockets, but reports that “further partners” are being sought “who may wish to pump money into the club in exchange for a shareholding”.
They will have to overcome Sydney Sixers at the SCG if they are to reach the BBL final
AAP02-Feb-2023Brisbane Heat allrounder Michael Neser says he is ready to step up and be the calming influence for the rest of the bowling attack in the absence of “spiritual leader” Usman Khawaja in the Big Bash ‘Challenger’ final against Sydney Sixers.At the SCG on Thursday night, Heat will be without their gun quartet of Test tourists to India that includes skipper Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Matt Renshaw and Mitchell Swepson.Khawaja had been in great form with the bat in Heat’s run of six wins from their last seven games, but his words of wisdom at mid-off to the bowlers in tight situations were also priceless.Related
Tall, left-arm and fast: Spencer Johnson grasps his second chance
Khawaja, Bartlett step up and take Brisbane Heat to Challenger
How do you replace Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja?
“Uzzy was in our ears and thinks he is the spiritual leader of our bowling attack but not having Uzzy there is a big loss,” Neser said at Brisbane Airport before flying to Sydney. “I will probably have to step up and help our bowling attack because Uzzy gave us that calming influence on the field. As a bowling unit we have all got to step up and do our job.”Neser, who has 97 BBL dismissals to his credit in a stellar career, said it was “a great honour” to be named in the BBL team of the tournament and crowned domestic player of the year at the Australian Cricket Awards on Monday night.Despite being without their big names, Neser said the Heat’s revival had been a team display.”One of the good things we’ve done this tournament is that it hasn’t been one person performing,” he said. “We start off real slow in this tournament and we’ve come home hot, as the Heat normally do.”Also named in the team of the tournament, Sixers paceman Sean Abbott is disappointed he won’t have the chance to bowl to Heat’s Test contingent as Sydney look to bounce back from their qualifying final loss to the Perth Scorchers.”They’re the sort of players that you want to come up against in finals, their best line-up in the biggest matches” he said. “We’re a confident bowling line-up anyway and we’re doing really well. We’ve got some things to improve on in the field from last game but we match up really well against these guys.”Heat are the only side the Sixers have not defeated this summer, with the second of the their two games washed out during the first innings. But the sides are yet to face off at the SCG, where Sixers have won all five of their games so far this summer.”We’ve got a distinct home ground advantage,” Abbott said. “Those boys are up against it tomorrow night.”