A poll of 2,000 fans has found that more than half believe Manchester City should be deducted points if found guilty of their FFP charges.
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Man City facing trial115 charges against themFans hoping for punishmentWHAT HAPPENED?
The Betfair and YouGov poll of 2,000 fans asked what punishment City should face if they are found guilty of their 115 charges in court. The allegations will be investigated by an independent disciplinary tribunal starting next month and a verdict is expected in 2025. They have already been warned they could face a points deduction of up to 80 points, which would almost certainly relegate them to the Championship.
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A total of 55% of those polled believe City should face a points deduction, while 45% are behind a fine, and another 41% believe City should be stripped of their Premier League titles. There are also votes for exclusion from the Premier League (39%), a transfer ban (37%), while only 2% believe there should be no punishment.
City fans are unsurprisingly most in favour of a fine (49%), while 37% accept a points deduction would be an adequate punishment. Fifteen per cent believe they do not deserve a punishment.
DID YOU KNOW?
Man City have won four Premier League titles in a row and are aiming to win their fifth successive trophy, which would extend a remarkable record. Pep Guardiola's side have been dominant, perhaps explaining why most rival supporters believe they should be seriously punished.
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Man City open their title defence against Chelsea on Sunday. They will hope to lay down another marker, having already beaten Manchester United in the Community Shield. Whether any possible points deduction would come into play and affect their 2024-25 tally remains to be seen, with the football world undoubtedly waiting to see what will happen when the verdict is delivered.
Bayern Munich got their Bundesliga campaign off to a perfect start by beating Wolsfburg 3-2 in a thrilling encounter.
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Bayern begin Bundesliga campaign with 3-2 winMusiala opened scoring in first halfGnabry grabbed winner late onTELL ME MORE
In typical Bayern fashion, they dominated possession in the match, pushing their opponents into their own half for the majority of the game. It took 19 minutes before the Bavarians took the lead, with full-back Sacha Boey delivering a perfect cross for Jamal Musiala to tap into the net. However, it was not a completely straightforward afternoon for them as Wolfsburg won and converted a penalty early in the second half, courtesy of Lovro Majer.
The Croatian midfielder was at it again six minutes later, capitalising on a lapse in concentration from Kim Min-jae and sliding the ball past Manuel Neuer to give his side the lead. But the Wolfsburg lead lasted only 10 minutes before Jakub Kaminski turned the ball into his own net, with plenty of time still left on the clock. Serge Gnabry rescued Bayern with a pinpoint finish off the far post to give the away side all three points and a winning start to the 2024-25 campaign.
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There has still been no major silverware for Harry Kane since leaving Tottenham last summer, but the England captain looked at his very best as he played the role of architect during Bayern's win on the opening weekend. His header across goal initially got the German giants on level terms in the second half, before producing a perfect turn and pass to lay off Gnabry for the final say late on.
THE BIG LOSER
Despite Bayern securing a late win, it was a day to forget for Kim Min-jae in defence. The South Korean centre-back gave the ball away for Wolsfburg's second goal and struggled to win his duels when his side were on the back foot. He was eventually hooked in the 81st minute and replaced by Eric Dier as the Bavarians looked to see things out.
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WHAT COMES NEXT?
Bayern were able to match rivals Bayer Leverkusen by winning their opening match, but it is a long road ahead in the quest to take back the Bundesliga title from Xabi Alonso's men. Next up for Kane and Co. is a return home to the Allianz Arena when they host Freiburg.
The BCB has “deferred” the two games meant to take place on March 21 and 22 until further notice
Mohammad Isam11-Mar-2020The global spread of the coronavirus has claimed another international sporting fixture with the Bangladesh Cricket Board postponing the World XI v Asia XI matches that would have marked the birthday celebrations of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, referred to as father of the nation.These matches were scheduled to take place on March 21 and 22 in Dhaka and were set to include a variety of superstars including Virat Kohli, Lasith Malinga and Chris Gayle, but the BCB president Nazmul Hasan announced on Wednesday that they have been “deferred” until further notice.The board has also postponed the AR Rahman concert at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, which was also set to be a part of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary celebrations.”We could have held the concert in a small scale but decided against it,” Hassan said. “It will not take place on March 18, and the March 21 and 22 matches are also causing concern. There’s no guarantee that those who are supposed to play will be able to arrive, or can leave after the matches. There are a lot of restrictions, so we have deferred both programmes. We will organise after a month taking stock of the situation. It is postponed for the time being.”Hassan, however, said that the Dhaka Premier League, the country’s premier 50-over tournament, will take place as scheduled since it does not attract big crowds. Even so, the matches have reportedly been shifted to BKSP from Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar.The ongoing Bangladesh-Zimbabwe T20I series is taking place at the Shere Bangla National Stadium amidst ticket restrictions due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus.
West Ham United might have entered the final months of David Moyes' term of office as manager at the London Stadium, with rumours flying around the mill that sporting director Tim Steidten is targetting a fresh face for the dugout.
Eighth in the Premier League but four points behind Newcastle United – who hold the final European qualifying spot – having played an extra match, hopes of securing a fourth successive year on the continent are slim – with away fixtures against Chelsea and Manchester City forthcoming.
David Moyes.
Moyes has insisted that discussions will be held after the campaign's conclusion, but all the pointers hint at the outcome, with some exciting names being linked.
West Ham's manager shortlist
According to Caught Offside, the Irons are indeed set to part ways with Moyes and have identified Lille manager Paulo Fonseca as a possible successor.
The Portuguese's attacking style of play and past links to vacant jobs at Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have set him high on the pecking order, with the report claiming that a contract is being prepared to convince the 51-year-old to move to London. It's stated that talks are set to take place between the respective parties this month.
Lille manager Paulo Fonseca
Thomas Tuchel is also on the club's radar and Steidten is a big admirer, but West Ham might find success down the prudent route and appointing Fonseca, a nine-time trophy winner.
Why West Ham must appoint Paulo Fonseca
Having been described as "perfect in the dressing room" with a preference to "play with quality and fast players behind the striker" by none other than Fabrizio Romano, Fonseca's nomadic managerial career has landed him comparative levels of success.
His two-year stint at the helm with Roma established his attractive brand of football but saw him manage just sixth and seventh-place finishes in Serie A, with the coronavirus pandemic and a change of ownership stifling his tenure.
Fonseca's tactical flexibility and emphasis on guiding academy talent to the fore is a big part of his appeal factor. Still, the principal 4-2-3-1 formation suggests that he could seamlessly wave his style into the Hammers playing squad.
Blending ball dominance and attacking football is something that West Ham supporters have not been treated to throughout Moyes' reign. Successful as it has been, the Scotsman's perceived negative tactics have left the fanbase yearning for a breath of fresh air.
Paris Saint-Germain
62.25%
LOSC Lille
57.03%
Marseille
53.25%
AS Monaco
53.24%
Stade Brestois
53.24%
Tuchel might have the pedigree but the Bayern boss has been labelled as a "destructive and power-hungry" coach by well-known presenter Mark Goldbridge and he might not be the best fit to propel West Ham back into Europe and then cement a lasting position of promise.
The German's foibles don't negate his evident prowess as an elite-level manager but after several years of frustrating tactics that have lingered over remarkable levels of success in east London, a chance of track seems to be the best way forward for West Ham.
West Ham in talks to hire Amorim alternative who's 'one of the best'
This CL-winning manager would be the perfect man to succeed David Moyes.
ByAngus Sinclair May 1, 2024
Fonseca's attacking football would achieve just that, having "worked wonders" at Lille – in the eyes of reporter Zach Lowy. His impeccable presence in the dressing room only adds further appeal, surely making for perfect conditions to build from the illustrious heights of recent seasons.
Phil Foden could miss England's UEFA Nations League fixtures with an illness that's forced him out of Manchester City's past two games.
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Foden missed Ipswich & West Ham winsMan City star in Lee Carsley's England squadGuardiola provides update on midfielderWHAT HAPPENED?
Pep Guardiola has confirmed that the 24-year-old "didn't feel good" after playing 45 minutes in City's Premier League opener against Chelsea on August 18. The game, which City won 2-0, was Foden's first since playing for England in the Euro 2024 final against Spain, and he has missed the subsequent victories over Ipswich and West Ham.
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His absence has hardly been felt, with Guardiola blessed with a wealth of attacking options. But Foden has been included in Lee Carsley's squad for England's UEFA Nations League games in September, with the interim boss apparently keen to get a glimpse of the midfielder. However, Guardiola has suggested that he won't be able to represent his country in next month's games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.
WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
"Hopefully not [too long]. Hopefully after the international break he'll be ready," the City boss said. "He played against Chelsea for 45 minutes but then after he didn't feel good. He had tests and feels much better, but he still doesn't feel perfect.
"I prefer we [have] that time for him to recover and be fine and after, come back after the international break and be ready for those games."
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If Foden is forced to miss England duty, City will hope to have him ready in time to face Brentford on September 14. October's international break will give the midfielder another chance to show Carsley what he can do after a rather underwhelming Euro 2024 campaign.
A decision would need to be made about the value of a global event behind closed doors
Andrew McGlashan04-May-2020The fate of the men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, slated for later this year, could yet come down to the likely absence of crowds rather than the challenge of getting teams into the country.The shape of the 2020-21 season in Australia remains in significant doubt, but there have been a few positive indications in recent days that the scheduled cricket may yet be able to take place with Australia being one of the countries managing to effectively tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.The strongest indications revolve around the visit by India – the cancellation of which could cost Cricket Australia A$300 million [US$192 million approx.] – but there also remains a chance of the T20 World Cup still happening. At its recent meetings, the ICC said that preparations were still on for the 16-team tournament due to start on October 18 with a final decision not expected to be taken until August.Discussions continue between CA and the federal government about what needs to be put in place for international cricket to take place later in the year, and on Friday the Australian Institute of Sport published a framework for the return of sport at all levels in the country.While a bilateral series has huge logistical and bio-security challenges to overcome in the current climate – the first indication of how they are tackled could come in the English season – they are multiplied many times over for a 16-team world event, some from countries severely hit by the pandemic. However, the Australian government sports minister, Richard Colbeck, believes a solution could be possible, meaning a decision would need to be made about the value of a global event behind closed doors.
If this is the case and we have to play behind closed doors, the more and more that happens we’ll get more used to it and understand it. I don’t think it takes anything away from the actual gameMarnus Labuschagne
“I’d love to see an Australia-India Test series this summer and I’d really like to be able to see the World Cup go ahead, but that will be quite a complex protocol to bring that number of countries in from around the world,” Colbeck told SEN Radio. “The issue [for the World Cup] is not so much the teams as the crowds and that’s probably one of the hurdles we really have to consider and probably one that world cricket will look at pretty closely as well.”We all know the difference in atmosphere when you see a filled stadium verses one that’s empty… they will be some of the broader considerations, but in a team sense I’d like to think that we can build some protocols with the cooperation of the sport and the players, that’s going to be extremely important, with appropriate quarantine and bio-security protocols to see if we can make the competition go ahead.”In one of the first signs in sport that the overall situation is improving in Australia, the Warriors rugby team from New Zealand arrived in Tamworth, New South Wales, on Sunday to prepare for the resumption of the NRL later this month. However, New Zealand has also had significant success tackling Covid-19, to the extent that the country recorded zero new cases on Monday. Expanding travel exemptions to a wider spread of nations would need to be a careful process.”Those conversations are being had, discussions about what the protocols might look like,” Colbeck said. “They will be difficult because one of the things that has been a key part of our success is that we limited access to Australia from areas where there were significant outbreaks of Covid-19 and that’s contributed to the low rate of spread we have now. But we would have to be prepared to consider appropriate plans put forward by the various codes.”Asked more broadly about crowds returning to sports events when social-distancing regulations are eased, Colbeck said it was hugely reliant on being able to trace possible cases. “Our capacity to be able to open up sport to crowds and all those sorts of things is going to be really dependent on our capacity to track and trace then quarantine community spread.”Australia and New Zealand played an ODI behind closed doors at the SCG in March shortly before restrictions were ramped up. Players have spoken about how it was a strange experience, but are confident that it would not detract from the spectacle if it meant a chance to resume the sport.”If this is the case and we have to play behind closed doors, the more and more that happens we’ll get more used to it and understand it,” Marnus Labuschagne said. “I don’t think it takes anything away from the actual game. For us it’s just about being ready and making sure that we’re ready to make any sacrifices that we can to get cricket back on TV and cricketers back out there playing.”
Glasgow Rangers face a busy summer at Ibrox which will be filled with plenty of incomings and outgoings as Philippe Clement aims to assert his own influence on the side.
The Belgian inherited a mixed bad of a squad from Michael Beale and while he has worked wonders with this group of players, recent weeks have begun to expose the Glasgow side's fragilities.
This means a clear-out is required, especially as several of the senior players have failed to really cover themselves in glory since returning from the international break at the end of March.
John Lundstram hasn’t exactly been at his best as it appears he has eyes on a move away from Ibrox when his contract expires this summer, while James Tavernier hasn’t been the leader that Rangers have needed when the going got tough against Ross County and Dundee.
Tavernier will likely still be the captain next season, with Lundstram moving on to pastures new, but is it perhaps the future of Connor Goldson which is most debatable?
Why it could be the right time to sell Connor Goldson
The Englishman has been a rock at the heart of the Ibrox defence for over five years now, being reliable even among the worst injury crisis at the club.
This season, however, his form hasn’t quite been as good as in previous seasons. Could this be the beginning of his decline as a footballer?
He remained the first-choice centre-back during the early stages of the season under Beale, but the Light Blues suffered three Premiership defeats in their opening seven fixtures, making a title challenge seemingly impossible after just a few months.
Connor Goldson
Things began to turn under Clement as the 50-year-old coach steadied the ship, which saw the Gers grind out some vital results.
Goldson was still arguably the first name on the team sheet for the new boss, but his performances, particularly in recent weeks, have lacked some degree of leadership, with the odd mistake or two cropping into his game.
The defender has two years left on his contract, suggesting that this summer could be the ideal chance to move him on for a decent transfer fee.
Not only would this allow Clement to sell when it is clear he is approaching the final few years of his career, but it could also give him the licence to bring in someone much younger with a higher resale value. This, in turn, establishes a proper player trading programme at the club.
Additionally, the manager would also be freeing up a large chunk of the wage bill, as Goldson is currently the highest earner in the first team squad, earning £7k more per week than the next highest earner.
Connor Goldson's wage at Rangers
The 31-year-old defender is currently earning £37k-per-week at Rangers, with Tavernier trailing him in second place, earning £30k-per-week.
Of course, these salaries are the two highest in the squad, but one player has constantly delivered throughout the 2023/24 campaign, while the other one has not.
Metric
2022/23
2023/24
Accurate passes per game
69.4 (89%)
60.1 (86%)
Total duels won per game
5.4
6.1
Possession lost per game
9.5
10.8
Accurate long balls per game
5.5
5.6
Interceptions per game
0.8
0.3
Tavernier has enjoyed the greatest goalscoring season of his career to date, finding the back of the net on 24 occasions across all competitions. With four matches remaining, all he needs is six goals to hit 30 goals in a single campaign.
For a right-back, these numbers are simply incredible. While many will debate that many of his goals come from penalties and free kicks, the fact that he keeps getting into scoring positions while bursting up and down the right flank makes him one of the most dangerous attacking players in the starting XI.
Tavernier’s numbers are certainly irreplaceable. Could Goldson say the same, especially with his performances recently?
Connor Goldson’s statistics this season
Since the start of the campaign, Goldson has earned nearly £2m in wages. Judging by his experience, his presence in the heart of the defence was supposed to give Clement peace of mind, yet the opposite was true.
It was a far cry from the days under Steven Gerrard, with the former Liverpool icon praising Goldson during his first few months at Ibrox, saying:
"He is a leader and a huge player for us," said Gerrard. "He has been superb on and off the pitch, ever since the day he rolled in.”
With over 300 competitive appearances under his belt, his ability to command the backline should have been crucial in Rangers securing wins over Ross County and Dundee last month, yet the Gers took just one point from six.
Goldson and John Souttar were poor throughout as the Highland side scored three goals without reply in what was a display of schoolboy defending.
He completed just 73% of his attempted passes during the 3-2 defeat, along with delivering just four of his ten long ball attempts, proving that his distribution was extremely poor.
If this was a poor display, then his showing against Celtic the week prior was even worse. Again, his distribution from the heart of defence was dismal, finishing the game with an 80% pass success rate while succeeding with just five accurate long balls from 15 attempts, along with losing the ball 14 times.
He should have been in a better position to prevent Adam Idah from scoring Celtic’s third goal and was spared his blushes as Rabbi Matondo scored a sensational equaliser with minutes to go.
These are not isolated incidents. Goldson has been caught out with balls over the top in matches against Aberdeen, most notably the 1-1 draw in November, and the 2-1 win at Ibrox a few months later, with both of the Dons’ goals coming via his mistakes.
The defender will be 32 in December and while centre-backs tend to have a slightly longer playing career, after six years, it could very well be his final season at Ibrox – with rumours rife that Gerrard is seeking a reunion with the experienced figure in Saudi Arabia.
Philippe Clement confirms major Rangers injury setback in title race
The Gers boss admits that it is a “big blow”.
ByHenry Jackson May 4, 2024
Goldson will miss the remaining few matches due to injury, but if Clement receives a decent offer for the Englishman this summer, he should grab it with both hands.
The start date for Manchester City’s 115-charge Financial Fair Play (FFP) case has been set, with the Premier League giants set to learn their fate.
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Blues accused of monetary mismanagementDeny all allegations of any wrongdoingFighting case before judgements are deliveredWHAT HAPPENED?
The reigning kings of English football discovered early in 2023, following a long-running investigation, that they would be charged with supposed monetary misdemeanours. The charges against them date back to 2009 – shortly after Sheikh Mansour completed his takeover of the club.
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City stand accused of failing to provide accurate information regarding their overall finances, as well as player and manager payments. Those at the Etihad Stadium – who made history last season when securing a fourth successive top-flight crown – deny any wrongdoing and are defending their case at an independent inquiry.
DID YOU KNOW?
It had been reported for some time that City’s FFP hearing would begin in September, and be completed by the end of the calendar year, and it has now been revealed that proceedings will be begin on Monday the 16th.
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Once all relevant evidence and arguments have been presented, heard and considered, a final judgement will be made. There has been talk of City being stung with points penalties – similar to those handed out to Everton and Nottingham Forest last season – hefty fines or even demotion out of the Premier League.
Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman find form in intra-squad match
ECB Reporters Network20-Jul-2020Pakistan captain Azhar Ali scored a century that guided his Team Green to a six-wicket victory in the first intra-squad match at the Incora County Ground in Derby.Azhar anchored a fourth-day run chase with a composed 120 from 225 balls after Team White, led by Babar Azam, had set a target of 353 in 89 overs.Fakhar Zaman provided the initial thrust by smashing six sixes in a 128-ball 99 and Azhar paced his innings shrewdly before retiring with the finishing line in sight.ALSO READ: Amir available to join squad in EnglandAsad Shafiq made 67 from 95 balls before he also retired leaving Iftikhar Ahmed and Sarfaraz Ahmed to complete victory in the evening sunshine with five balls to spare.Despite the relaxed conclusion, the first of two warm-up matches has been a worthwhile exercise for a number of key players ahead of the first Test against England in just over two weeks with Azhar’s innings particularly encouraging after his modest County Championship season with Somerset in 2019.Babar, another of the tourists’ key batsmen, also scored runs while Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled with pace and accuracy and Yasir Shah twirled away for 31 overs in the match.It was a memorable game for wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan who followed an unbeaten half-century in the first innings by completing a century before Team White declared to set up a competitive final day.ALSO READ: Khushdil, Abid face injury scaresRizwan looked assured in both innings and two boundaries off Faheem Ashraf eased him through the nineties before a tuck off his hip against Naseem took him to three figures and prompted Babar to declare.Team Green’s chase threatened to stall immediately when Mohammad Hafeez, in for Abid Ali who was struck on the head fielding at forward short leg on day three, was out to the third ball off the innings from Afridi which he edged to Rizwan.But that was the last wicket to fall for nearly 43 overs as Fakhar and Azhar first saw off the new ball and then eased through the gears with Fakhar moving into overdrive against the leg-spin of Shadab Khan.The left-hander plundered six sixes between long-on and long-off, one bouncing off the pavilion roof with another clearing the main stand at the City End of Derbyshire’s headquarters.He also hit 10 fours but Shadab denied him a century by grabbing a head-high catch at third slip from a sliced drive off Mohammad Musa.Azhar had been a spectator during the onslaught but with the exit of Fakhar, he took the initiative to reach his hundred off 199 balls while Shafiq drove the left-arm spin of Kashif Bhatti for six on his way to an 81-ball 50.Both made way to give Iftikhar and Sarfraz time in the middle. The tourists have one more intra-squad game at Derby starting on Friday before the real business begins at Emirates Old Trafford on August 5.
Sheffield Wednesday are "keen" on signing a "fantastic" player who Danny Rohl loves in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Brian Owen.
Sheffield Wednesday planning for Championship stay
The Owls looked destined for a quickfire return to League One earlier in the season, following an awful spell during the doomed reign of Xisco Munoz. Instead, Rohl came in and worked wonders at Hillsborough, inspiring them to safety after winning their last three Championship games of the campaign.
There is the threat that Rohl could move on to pastures new, however, with Sunderland thought to be keen on making him their next manager, but the hope is that he commits his future to Sheffield Wednesday, for the time being at least.
Staying in the Championship is a huge boost for anyone associated with the Owls and the hope is that they can now kick on this summer, making some important signings in the process.
One player who has been linked with a move to Sheffield Wednesday is Duncan McGuire, who is considered an upgrade on the departing Lee Gregory, with the veteran striker out of contract at Hillsborough this summer. The Orlando City striker has scored five goals in 10 MLS appearances so far this season, only eight of which have been starts, winning 2.2 aerial duels per game in the process.
Sheffield Wednesday want "fantastic" ace
Taking to X, Owen claimed that Sheffield Wednesday are "keen" on signing goalkeeper James Beadle this summer, following a successful spell on loan from Brighton:
"James Beadle is training with Albion now but Sheffield Wednesday are keen on taking him back on loan as per @YesWeCrann . I asked De Zerbi what he has made of the young goalkeeper and he included a reference to Carl Rushworth when replying."
Bringing Beadle back to Sheffield Wednesday is a no-brainer for the club, considering how well he did in a hugely pressurised few months at the club. He made 19 league starts, proving to be a superior option to Cameron Dawson from the off, hence being picked by his manager.
At just 19 years of age, the Brighton youngster showed so much courage on the ball, not to mention impressing in his all-round game, and Rohl is a huge admirer, saying of him:
"He is very calm and when I look back to the Leicester game, making such a decision after four minutes. Conceding the goal, this for a young player is not easy. He did very well and when you look at his second half even he had good decision making passing the first pressing line. This is fantastic and it shows his quality. I think he will have a great career having worked at this level."
The hope is that Beadle can see that minutes will continue to be hard to come by at Brighton, instead feeling that at least another loan move to Sheffield Wednesday makes sense. A permanent switch would be even better, but it remains to be seen how highly the Seagulls value the young Englishman.