Tag Futebol

West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan entertaining the notion of selling one of their prize assets this summer is 'hard to understand' for Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

What's the latest transfer news involving West Bromwich Albion?

The Baggies have been quiet in the transfer window so far and have only confirmed two additions in the form of Josh Maja on a free transfer and Jeremy Sarmiento on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, as per Transfermarkt.

Last week, West Brom manager Corberan hinted that he could be set to enact some late activity in the market, cited by Birmingham Live, as he stated: "We are still having the conversations with the club to see what things can happen with things we can approach, how we can approach the market, so still for me it's work to do with our communication and co-ordination with the club, but it all depends about our financial possibilities."

Departures have taken precedence at the Hawthorns this summer as West Brom look to alleviate financial problems that have influenced their ability to secure new arrivals and the likes of Dara O'Shea, Tom Rogic, Jake Livermore, David Button and Kean Bryan have all left the club permanently.

West Brom winger Grady Diangana could be next to depart at the Hawthorns this window and is attracting interest from Leeds United, Leicester City, Burnley and clubs in Saudi Arabia, according to The Express & Star.

Diangana is valued at around £7 million by West Brom and is yet to feature this campaign. Last term, the Lubumbashi-born winger made 35 appearances in all competitions, registering four goals and three assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Daily Express journalist Taylor has heard that there are murmurings that West Brom don't want Diangana, which he finds 'hard to understand' due to his talents.

Asked about Leeds United being keen on Diangana, Taylor stated: “I see that as being a good signing.

“I've seen suggestions he's not wanted at West Brom, which I find hard to understand, but obviously, I'm not at the club, so I'm guessing there's more to it than that.

“But a couple of years ago, he was deemed a top talent at West Ham, and they were disappointed to see him sold.”

What now for West Bromwich Albion?

Last weekend, West Brom claimed their first victory of the Sky Bet Championship campaign after holding off a late fightback from Swansea City to run out 3-2 winners at the Hawthorns, as per BBC Sport.

Before their win at the weekend, the Baggies suffered 2-1 losses to Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City in the English top-flight and Carabao Cup, respectively; however, Corberan now has some positivity to build on following a tumultuous few months off the field, as per Sky Sports.

According to The Express & Star, West Brom were in the hunt to bring in FC Midtjylland striker Sory Kaba to strengthen their forward line this window.

Nevertheless, Mike McGrath, who is a journalist for The Telegraph, has taken to Twitter X to reveal that Birmingham City are now in pole position to land the 28-year-old, stating: "Birmingham City have agreed a fee for Sory Kaba at Midtjylland according to sources in Denmark. Watford FC were leading race for Guinea forward whose goals helped keep Cardiff up last season. BCFC entered race which included several Championship clubs."

Tottenham Hotspur have scheduled talks tonight to re-sign defender Clement Lenglet, and Barcelona see it as a "magnificent opportunity" to finally sell.

Who are Spurs signing next?

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, defender Micky van de Ven, playmaker James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon and striker Alejo Veliz have all officially put pen to paper on moves to Spurs this summer.

They follow on from permanent deals for right-back Pedro Porro and Sweden international Dejan Kulusevski, with Rosario Central striker Alejo Veliz being the latest confirmed arrival at N17.

Lilywhites head coach Ange Postecoglou, speaking to the press recently, also confirmed that there should be more activity to come – as Spurs hunt for another defender and look to offload fringe squad members.

“It's not done yet," said Postecoglou.

"We need bolstering in that central defensive area. We need defenders who can work in an aggressive formation, defend well & behind them. We'll be looking to bring in a couple in that area in the coming days."

On potential exits, the Spurs boss has said that certain players will be looking for new opportunities – drawing attention to Tottenham's "bloated" squad.

It's fair to say our squad is too big at the moment," explained Postecoglou.

"There are guys who will want to explore opportunities elsewhere. I'm not involved in that. I think we'll see some movement out in the coming weeks.”

Lenglet, who spent last campaign on loan at Spurs from Barca, has been repeatedly linked in the past week and some reports even suggest he is prioritising a second stint in north London.

The 28-year-old coming back to N17 is, potentially, a very realistic possibility as a report by Spanish newspaper Sport (via Sport Witness) share an update on the matter.

Both Tottenham and Barca chiefs, during tonight's friendly match at the Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys in Catalonia, have scheduled a summit and fresh round of talks over Lenglet's transfer.

The La Liga champions, for their part, see this as a "magnificent opportunity" to finally finalise the defender's sale and rid themselves of his hefty wages.

There is a price named as well, as Sport claim the potential move could amount to a small €5 million (£4.3m), a fee which may rise to €15m (£12.9m) if add-ons are met.

After tonight's meeting, further developments are expected.

What's been said about Clement Lenglet?

Spurs pundit John Wenham, speaking to Football Insider last season, heaped praise on the former Sevilla star after a solid north London derby outing against Arsenal.

Wenham said Lenglet appeared in the mould of a "very reliable" player who could be called upon to do a solid job as part of Tottenham's defence.

“I just wanted to give credit because I think his performance went a little bit under the radar. I have been impressed with him so far," said Wenham on Lenglet.

“The fact he has instantly come in for Ben Davies and we don’t look any weaker, that is a huge credit to him really.

“He’s a new signing to the Premier League, I know he has a lot of experience from Barcelona and with France but he already seems very reliable, like we could drop him in for any fixture.“

Glasgow Rangers have agreed on a fee with Feyenoord for striker and long-term target Danilo, Sky Sports report.

Are Rangers signing Danilo?

A number of new players have been signed by Michael Beale ahead of his first full season in charge of the club, and it looks as if Danilo could be the next through the door.

Jack Butland, Leon Balogun, Kieran Dowell and Dujon Sterling have all made the move to Glasgow on free transfers.

Meanwhile, money has been spent on attackers Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers, whereas Brighton forward Abdallah Sima has arrived on a season-long loan.

Despite three new additions in the final third the club have lost three attackers from last season in Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Antonio Colak, with Rangers receiving money for the latter after he signed for Parma.

Danilo has been a key target in Glasgow, with Beale personally thought to be an admirer of the forward. An opening offer was turned down by the Eredivisie side, who have been wanting more than £5m for the striker, and it looks as if they will get their wish after a new bid was submitted, with all parties involved on course to get what they want.

Sky Sports shared an update out of Ibrox regarding their pursuit of Danilo on Tuesday. They stated that there has been a breakthrough, with an agreement reached between the two clubs which could be worth a total of £6m.

“Some breaking news from Rangers. They’ve had a deal worth £6m accepted by Feyenoord for striker Danilo. The 24-year-old scored 12 times last season and has been the subject of several offers.

“The initial fee being £5.2m before potential add-ons. Personal terms not expected to be a problem, the Brazilian is keen on a move to Ibrox.”

Further reports have claimed that the forward is poised to travel to Scotland early next week to finalise a transfer by undergoing a medical and signing the relative paperwork, with a five-year deal on the cards.

Who is Danilo?

Danilo actually the same agency as Rangers players Connor Goldson, Fashion Sakala, John Lundstram and Rabbi Matondo, so now a fee has been agreed, you’d like to think a move will go smoothly.

The 24-year-old appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €6.5m Transfermarkt valuation and joined Feyenoord on a free transfer last year. Since then, the forward has found the back of the net on 14 occasions in 48 appearances, helping the club to the Dutch top-flight title in the process.

Prior to his stint with his current employers, Danilo was on the books with Ajax and enjoyed a productive loan spell with FC Twente, scoring 17 Eredivisie goals in 33 appearances during the 2020/21 season.

In total, Danilo has scored 87 goals in 175 appearances at youth and senior level, but with a first taste of senior football outside the Netherlands on the cards, it will be interesting to see if he can find the back of the net regularly in Scotland.

Marcos Alonso ready to leave Barcelona but not before next summer amid interest from Saudi Arabian clubs.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Alonso could leave Barcelona next summerSaw his game time reduced at BarcelonaAttracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubsWHAT HAPPENED?

Alonso, who has appeared in just seven matches for Barcelona across all competitions this season, could part ways with the club in the future but not before his contract expires in the summer, according to .

The Spaniard reportedly has offers from several Saudi Pro League clubs and it was expected that he would leave once the transfer window opens in January but the player has no intention of moving out until the end of his current deal.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

There is a clause on Alonso's contract that allows Barcelona to extend his stay by one more year provided he plays half of the club's matches this season. With only 299 minutes on the pitch, it is unlikely that the former Chelsea star would regularly feature in Xavi's lineup for the remainder of the season.

The 32-year-old was linked with a move to Manchester United during the summer but they later decided to sign Sergio Reguilon on loan. But the Red Devils could rekindle their interest in the player in January again as Erik ten Hag wants to bolster his backline.

DID YOU KNOW?

Out of the four La Liga appearances Alonso has made this season, he has featured in Xavi's starting lineup only twice which came against Villarreal and Celta Vigo. In the Champions League, the full-back started in the home and away fixtures against Shakhtar Donetsk.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

After edging out Atletico Madrid last weekend, the Catalan club will now hope to get three points against second-placed Girona and close in on the gap with league leaders Real Madrid who sit at the summit with 39 points from 16 matches.

Hampshire continued their winning start to this season’s Natwest T20 Blast campaign thanks to a Man-of-the-Match performance by Michael Carberry

ECB Reporters Network14-Jul-2017
ScorecardMichael Carberry summoned some of the old magic [file picture]•Getty ImagesMiddlesex were still closed away in the dressing room, refusing requests for interviews, more than a hour after a spectacular collapse against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl consigned them to a 29-run defeat in the NatWest Blast.Even that was something of a release for Middlesex, who found themselves 74 for 7 in the 13th over before Tim Southee hammered five sixes in his 64 off 32 balls to narrow the margin.Hampshire were still comfortable winners, with young leg-spinner Mason Crane taking 3 for 15 off four overs and Reece Topley, Gareth Berg and Kyle Abbott all grabbing a wicket a piece.Crane said: “”Three good performances so far and everyone has contributed in all of them. It hasn’t been the same players in every game and that shows we have a strong team. The crowd were amazing. I’ve never seen it that full for a Hampshire game.”Hampshire continued their winning start thanks to a Man-of-the-Match performance by Michael Carberry, who smashed 77 off 45 balls and followed it up with two catches.The former England opener showed he is still capable of some devastating power hitting at the age of 36, while captain James Vince played some classy shots in his brief 34 to get his side on the front foot from the off.Vince won the toss and opted to bat first in his side’s first home game of the season, backing up his decision with six classy fours and a six in his quickfire 34 off 15, before skying one from Toby Roland-Jones high into the air only to be caught by Southee at square leg.Rilee Roussow and Carberry put on a measured 48-run partnership, ensuring the scoreboard ticked over, but the South African soon followed his captain back to the dressing room after clubbing a flat catch to James Franklin at long-on off the bowling of Nathan Sowter.Carberry followed up his 41 not out against Sussex on Wednesday night with a magnificent batting display in front of the Ageas Bowl crowd, placing a delicate shot through gully to reach his 50 off 32 balls. And the 36-year-old wasted no time in following that up with two sixes straight back down the ground and into jubilant crowd.A tough evening for the Middlesex bowlers showed no sign of easing up, as Aussie George Bailey smacked 28 off 19 balls, with a six and three fours, but Roland-Jones cut his innings short as it began to reach full flow having him caught at long-on by Dawid Malan.Shahid Afridi’s batting struggles continued, the 37-year-old failing to add anything to a tally of five runs in this year’s Blast competition when he was caught in the deep by Malan trying to power Roland-Jones for six.After looking as if they would set Middlesex a score of over 200 to win, the steady fall of wickets, including that of Carberry in the final over, bowled by Franklin, Hampshire managed 189 for 8.Roland-Jones, released by England from the Test squad, ended the pick of Middlesex’s bowlers after taking 4 for 39 off his four overs, while Franklin took three wickets in the last over of the innings to end with 3 for 19 off two overs.Hampshire continued as they started, Abbott sending Paul Stirling packing for just six runs and Topley following up with the wicket of dangerman Brendon McCullum, thanks to a stunning acrobatic catch from Rossouw at midwicket. England captain Eoin Morgan put up some resistance, making 23 off 22, before wicketkeeper John Simpson and New Zealander Southee came together in an eighth-wicket stand of 86 to try and salvage the game.Southee reached a half-century off 28 balls, while Simpson made 37 off 34 as Middlesex fell 29 runs short.

India women’s wicketkeeper-batsman Sushma Verma, who hardly got batting opportunities in the past, cashed in on the chance against Pakistan with a 35-ball 33

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2017Sushma Verma has established herself as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper since making her debut in 2014. However, her contribution as a batsman has been minimal, largely because she has hardly had opportunities to prove herself. Prior to Sunday, she had batted just eight times in 22 ODIs, facing a grand sum of 56 deliveries, off which she scored 13 runs, a strike rate of 23.21.She batted at No. 8 or lower in seven of those eight innings. The last time she batted before Sunday, she was sent in at No. 10, even below Ekta Bisht, no more than a tailender. Until the Pakistan game, India’s third at the World Cup, this hardly mattered thanks to robust contributions from the top order. But on a sticky wicket with the top order having a rare off day, the team needed Verma to overcome her battles, and she did.Promoted to No. 7 ahead of the more-accomplished Jhulan Goswami, who has a reputation of being a big hitter, Verma exhibited tremendous composure and match awareness to make a 35-ball 33 to help India recover from 111 for 6 to 169 for 9. Her 34-run stand with Goswami for the seventh wicket, significant in the context of the game, earned plaudits from her captain Mithali Raj.”At that point in time, when we were losing wickets, it was important to slow down a little,” Raj explained of Verma’s promotion. “On a few occasions in domestic cricket, when our Central Zone side was in similar situation, she bailed us out. We expected her to play that role and she did until the 48th over. Those boundaries were also very crucial.”Her partnership [with Jhulan] got us to 170. We were looking for 170 when we lost the top four. When you play such matches, it’s important to continue the momentum but not every day will the same batters will score runs, so I’m happy someone has stood up to get those runs. It’s important we got this opportunity to reflect on our batting order.”Opportunities have been rare for Verma in domestic cricket too as she started her career with Himachal Pradesh and moved to Railways for better cricketing prospects. But moving to a more-established outfit also brought about a fresh set of challenges. Playing in a team that has a star-studded batting line-up that boasts of Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur and Punam Raut has largely meant that a berth in the top order, which she may have been guaranteed at Himachal, has been non-existent.In the entire 2016-17 season, she had four opportunities to impress, twice each in the one-dayers and T20 competition. She managed 21 in those four knocks. It’s a role she has taken awhile getting used to, but one she has grown to accept, Verma said. “The team management has been working a lot on the lower-order batting. We have been getting equal attention as the top and middle order. I was waiting for this opportunity.”I’ve understood I will have minimum balls to face, I need to make maximum impact. Today, there was such an opportunity. It’s not that I’m confident only because of wicketkeeping. For me, the main concern and focus is to score as many runs as possible in as little balls as possible.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers are not willing to match the £25m price-tag set by Bristol City for young midfield star Alex Scott, according to Dean Jones.

Scott has been linked with a move this summer after impressing for the Robins in the Championship last season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers transfer news – Alex Scott

Several Premier League clubs have entered the chase to sign Scott this summer, according to TalkSPORT, with Wolves among those.

The Midlands club reportedly face competition from West Ham United and Bournemouth for the teenager's signature this summer.

Meanwhile, Liverpool previously sent scouts to watch the midfielder, before cooling their interest.

As the summer goes on, it looks like Scott will have a big decision to make regarding his future.

What has Dean Jones said about Alex Scott and Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Speaking to Football FanCast, when asked about Scott and Wolves, Jones said: "Scott’s an interesting one. Bristol City value him at around £25m at the moment.

"That’s been quite off-putting for a lot of teams, it’s not just Wolves that aren’t willing to get to that make, so I think as the window goes further in, we might find that price-tag comes down a little."

How did Alex Scott perform in the Championship last season?Reports over a potential Premier League move for Scott come as no surprise after the Bristol City youngster picked up the Championship's Young Player of the Year award.

Many were quick to praise the 19-year-old throughout the season, with Robins manager Nigel Pearson saying, via Bristol World: "He’s just a very unique talent and he’s got a very impressive temperament.

“I think he’s destined for the very top, but football dictates to you what’s going to happen because you can’t always be in control of your own destiny.

"Alex Scott will, I think, continue to progress and he’ll be a top player. But he also knows that he’s got to do it for us while he’s here, he just enjoys playing football so it's good to have young hungry players at the club as well as senior players who want to continue to perform and get better.”

In total, the man in demand was involved in seven goals from midfield in the Championship last season, as well as particularly impressing through his progressive dribbling ability, making 2.34 progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Wherever he ends up this summer, there is no doubt that Scott has all the tools to become a top talent.

Aston Villa have been linked with a Bundesliga ace, in a signing that could start Monchi’s tenure as president of football operations with a bang.

Unai Emery will be joined by his fellow Spaniard in the bid to replicate the duo’s success in the transfer windows they endeavoured in together at Sevilla.

The latest link suggests that the pair could enjoy a lavish summer in the Midlands, in a signing that could bolster the squad.

What’s the latest on Manu Kone to Aston Villa?

As reported by the Daily Mail earlier this week, Aston Villa are interested in Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone.

The report claims that the Villans have joined ‘the race’ for the 22-year-old, following Liverpool and Wolves in their pursuit of the youngster.

Valued at £35m, the Frenchman is contracted to Gladbach until 2025 with the club holding the option to extend for an additional year.

What could Manu Kone offer to Aston Villa?

Emery has unveiled the best out of midfield dynamos Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara, who when interchanged with the likes of John McGinn have proved their worth in the Premier League.

The Spaniard could now add additional power to the middle of the park by signing the Bundesliga talent, who could prove to be the perfect partner for Kamara who joined the club last summer.

The former Marseille gem had a stop-start opening campaign at Villa, missing periods due to injury with the club treading carefully in integrating him into the midfield to avoid prolonged absence.

Lauded as a “phenomenon” by former teammate Rolando, Kamara is destined for stardom in Emery’s midfield and could be taken to the next level in being paired with Kone.

The attributes that the duo share suggest that they could be a strong pairing in the set-up at Villa Park.

When comparing both players via FBref based upon their averages over this season in their respective league’s there is sufficient evidence to imply the success the French core could impose in the Midlands.

Hailed as a “one-man army” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kone averaged an impressive 2.55 tackles per 90 which was slightly bettered by Kamara in the Premier League who ended the campaign making an average of 2.94 per 90.

It’s not just the defensive areas of midfield that the pair excel at, as they both portray an impressive rate of passing both in general play and progressively.

As per FBref, the Bundesliga gem averaged a pass completion rate of 86.2% followed closely by the Villa ace’s 84.8%, with both players ranking highly in terms of progressive passes with the summer target averaging 5.73 to Kamara’s 4.25 per 90.

Having two players equipped with strong abilities in both defensive and offensive attributes is essential in creating the perfect pivot in the engine room.

Emery could take his squad a step further in purchasing Kone, who could prove to be a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League.

Chelsea's Sam Kerr looks to retain her title, but team-mate Guro Reiten and four other top players stand in her path

The PFA Awards have been a highlight of the footballing calendar for 50 years, and the organisation have now revealed the shortlist for the 2023 Women's Players' Player of the Year, with six brilliant players fighting it out for the gong.

Chelsea's Sam Kerr returns in an attempt to retain her title, while the Blues' Norwegian star Guro Reiten also finds herself as a nominee. The west London club have had a player win the award four out of the last five years.

Former Manchester United star Ona Batlle, who just reached the World Cup final with Spain, is also nominated along with Manchester City and Jamaican sensation Bunny Shaw, while Aston Villa's Rachel Daly and Arsenal's Frida Maanum close out the nominees.

Find out more about the six-woman shortlist below…

• Getty
  

  Sam Kerr | Club: Chelsea FC | Nationality: Australia

  Chelsea's Australian striker returns on the ballot sheet in an attempt to retain her title as the PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year. Kerr scored 29 goals across 38 appearances in all competitions for the Blues during the 2022/23 campaign, earning Chelsea's Player of the Year award en route to becoming a WSL champion for the fourth-straight season.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Rachel Daly | Club: Aston Villa | Nationality: England

  Leading scorer of the 2022/23 WSL campaign, Daly notched 22 goals in league play and 30 in total across all competitions. Daly was named WSL Player of the Season following her terrific 2022/23 campaign, which also saw Aston Villa reach their first-ever FA Cup semi-final.

• Getty Images
  

  Guro Reiten | Club: Chelsea FC | Nationality: Norway

  Reiten's brilliant 2022/23 campaign saw her win the FA Cup with Chelsea and top it off with a WSL title for the fourth-straight season. The Norway international had 13 goals and 19 assists across all competitions for the Blues and was particularly important when Kerr was absent through injury.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw | Club: Manchester City | Nationality: Jamaica

  The 2022/23 season was an outstanding campaign for Shaw, who scored 31 goals across all competitions while adding nine assists along the way for Manchester City. The 26-year-old attacker extended her contract in May through to 2026 after her record-setting season.

Andrew Gale, Yorkshire’s captain for their back-to-back Championship victories in 2014 and 2015, is the county’s new Ist XI coach – but director of cricket Martyn Moxon says it is not a return to the insular days of old

David Hopps14-Nov-2016Yorkshire’s director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, has vowed there will be no retreat to the insular ways of old after the county responded to the loss of Australian coach Jason Gillespie by promoting Andrew Gale from the ranks.Such assurances were conveyed to the first-team staff minutes before the official Headingley unveiling of Gale, who as Yorkshire’s 1st XI captain was one of the key figures in a renaissance which has brought two Championships in three years and supplied England with a steady stream of players. His opening words? “I bet this surprised you.”Gale has been an inspirational and respected figure as Yorkshire’s captain. His pride in the county has been unstinting, his sense of unity strong, his expectations expressed in straightforward terms that translated easily both within the squad and across the Broad Acres. His worth goes far beyond a playing-record of 8217 runs at 36.03. “I didn’t expect the opportunity to come as early as it has, but it is one that is too good to turn down,” he said.Nevertheless, Yorkshire’s history of self-sufficiency automatically invites the suspicion that they are sometimes overly tempted to trust their own judgment – it would certainly be in keeping with the political mood sweeping across the Western world – but Moxon has a broad outlook on such things and he welcomed the chance to scotch such a notion when he spoke to the players, many of whom had anticipated a high-profile appointment.”We are not seeing this as an insular appointment, absolutely not,” Moxon said. “I have mentioned that with the players. We don’t want to see this as ‘we know best’ and that we have been successful over the past five years so if we just keep doing what we are doing we will be fine. We know we need an open mind, we need to be looking at new ways of doing things and we need to keep moving forward.”Gale’s appointment was announced on the day of the Super Moon – the largest moon since 1948. Many astrologers contend that this is an omen, although they seem divided whether it is a sign of imminent prosperity or apocalypse.He immediately showed a willingness to question Yorkshire lore by advocating a root-and-branch examination, from junior cricket upwards, to address the county’s shortcomings in T20 cricket, an area to which Gillespie was unable to find a solution.”I think we could be a bit more dynamic in the way we play our one-day cricket,” he said. “At times we are a little bit one-dimensional. I don’t think we work hard enough on our skills in white-ball cricket and I also think we need to be a bit more fearless.”We are very traditional here in Yorkshire. The first thing you would teach a lad at 14-years-old is how to play a forward defence. You can make a career out of playing a scoop now. We need to change the mindset from top to bottom, right down to U-14s, U-15s. I know having played in the second team that there are other lads around the country who are a lot more skilful than our second team in the white-ball formats. Red ball is different – the lads know what they have to do – but from a white-ball perspective we are behind with our development.”There will be unworthy suspicions, too, that the choice of Gale, who has agreed a three-year contract, represents a cost-cutting measure only a week after Yorkshire, £22m in debt, protested that potential delays in the redevelopment of Headingley could seriously jeopardise their international future. “It’s nothing to do with the finances,” Moxon said, before adding light-heartedly, “Anyway, he might be on more money than Dizzy.”Gale has retired immediately, at 32, after first indicating at the end of the season that he wanted to prolong his career only to be persuaded by Moxon that the time was ripe. Michael Vaughan, the former England captain and a member of Yorkshire’s board, was another person who Gale used as a sounding board.He has immediate challenges, not least the choice of a successor for his own role as captain. Alex Lees holds the role in both limited-overs formats, but Gary Ballance is also an influential figure in a strong-willed dressing room and, if indications are that his England career is losing impetus, he is bound to receive serious considerationAn overseas player is also a priority. “It depends on what happens with England and we have one eye on that at the moment,” Moxon said. “But we are in the market for a top-order overseas batsman, I can say that for sure.”The appointment of Gale is a pragmatic response by Moxon, who was solely in charge of recruitment, after high-profile targets such as Paul Farbrace, the England assistant coach, and Richard Dawson, head coach at Gloucestershire – both former heads of the Yorkshire academy resisted overtures.There was even talk of Andy Flower, the former England coach, who is now in charge of England Lions, and Brad Hodge, the former Australian batsman who is making a name for himself as a T20 coach as assistant coach to Gillespie at Adelaide Strikers and with Gujarat Lions in IPL, also had his advocates.”Of course we were looking around and I’m sure you would expect me to do that,” Moxon said. “But when I appointed people like Dizzy or Farby it felt right. That is the biggest thing about this appointment: it feels right.Yorkshire’s 1st XI is an experienced group, especially among the bowlers, which has persuaded Moxon that continuity matters. “It’s important we keep that continuity and protect the environment that we’ve created, one that has been successful for us.”The qualities are the togetherness we have had in the group, the strong leadership we have had, everyone knowing their role, everyone enjoying each other’s success and an honesty within the whole group. It has been a true team on and off the field”What took up most of my thoughts was running the first team in the short term. It was clear to me he was the best man to do that. It was the least disruptive option. We want to avoid chopping and changing particularly when at a crucial period when the transition of the team is taken place.”Gale’s immediate conclusion when Gillespie confirmed that he would be returning full-time to Australia had been that the vacancy had come too soon for him. But he will take his Level 4 coaching exams as soon as possible – he is already Level 3 – and his involvement in coaching is already substantial.Jason Gillespie and Andrew Gale combined successfully as coach and captain•PA Photos

He is the joint owner of the Pro Coach Cricket Academy, which is based next to Yorkshire’s own academy at Headingley and which delivers a wide range of coaching clinics across the county for children and adults of all abilities – sometimes in alliance with Yorkshire. Yorkshire are expected to examine how that relationship exists to safeguard Gale from suggestions of any conflict of interests.”Initially we don’t need him to be a top-level coach,” Moxon said. “We need him to be a leader and a manager of men. He can do that. He will grow into the coaching side of things over the next couple of years. He is highly qualified in the way that he has led the team as captain over the past seven years and has expertise that we didn’t want to lose at the club.”Gale had admitted to Moxon and Gillespie in mid-season that he was not enjoying his cricket and was contemplating retirement. He had been disappointed to lose not just the captaincy, but only to make fleeting appearances in Yorkshire’s limited-overs side. His batting had become scratchy and his fielding was showing of signs of wear and tear. In September, he stared down an average of 21 in the Championship and resolved to carry on, but a coaching career was inevitable. It was just a matter of when and where.As potential coaches were openly discussed around the county, Gale was under no lllusions that his Yorkshire career was drawing to a close. He remained under contract, but he had averaging only 21 in first-class cricket in 2016 and Alex Lees had replaced him as Yorkshire’s captain in both limited-overs formats. His batting had become increasingly scratchy and his fielding was showing premature signs of age.”When I drove into Headingley a fortnight or so ago, as a player, I had the feeling of ‘here we go again'” he said. “Now I have driven here today with a real sense of excitement.”Obviously, I have experience at grassroots running my own coaching company, and I have worked with young batters as a senior player about how they can improve their game, but I know senior coaching is different. I am willing to learn on the job and I need to learn quickly.”Gale is too grounded to be overly concerned by the fact that he was not Yorkshire’s first choice. Most people are second choice to somebody, theoretically anyway. In fact, as club captain, he could hardly be unaware of the dead ends that Moxon came up against as he tried to find a replacement for Gillespie. But he also knows that when the applications came in, he was rapidly preferred.”I’m under no illusion that the club would have preferred an international coach, but Martyn’s philosophy was that if they couldn’t get that then they didn’t want too much change,” he said. “I know the players inside out so that transition should be easier than somebody we could have ended up taking a punt on: we could have ended up putting fires out in the middle of the season. The state that the club is in at the moment it just needs to continue the good work we have done.”Obviously, you are going to be more distant from the players. You are making judgments on their place in the team, and on their careers, but the relationship will naturally get further apart, but I know what makes the players tick and how to get the best out of them. Whether I’m captain or coach, that’s going to be the key in the short-term for this role.” I’ve never been frightened to make those decisions as a captain anyway. I guess there might be a few tough words but that’s part and parcel of the job.”