All posts by h716a5.icu

Leeds United were left frustrated at the weekend after their 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park pushed out them outside of the automatic promotion places.

The Whites went into the gameweek in first place but Sheffield United’s 1-0 win over Sunderland on Friday meant that they travelled to Lancashire in second.

A win would have moved them back to the top of the table but, instead, a penalty from Todd Cantwell was enough to seal all three points for the home side.

Burnley’s win later that day then meant that the West Yorkshire outfit ended the weekend in third place, outside of the top two and back inside the play-off places.

Daniel Farke will be hoping that his side can avoid the play-offs this time around, after losing to Southampton in the final last season, and the German head coach could use the January transfer window next month to bolster his squad.

Adding an attacking threat from a midfield position could be one of the items on his agenda, as the Whites have struggled to provide much in the way of quality from that area of the pitch.

Leeds United's attacking contributions from midfield

In the 2024/25 campaign, Ao Tanaka, Joe Rothwell, Ethan Ampadu, and Ilia Gruev have combined for zero goals and one assist in the Championship, with Rothwell providing it.

This shows that Farke does not have a regular source of goals or creativity from his options in the middle of the park, which has hindered the team when the attacking players have not been at their best.

That was also an issue for the German boss during the 2023/24 season, as the likes of Ampadu, Gruev, Archie Gray, despite playing at right-back as well, and Glen Kamara all failed to offer much in the final third.

Ethan Ampadu

49

0

1

Glen Kamara

36

0

3

Ilia Gruev

23

1

1

Archie Gray

43

0

2

As you can see in the table above, those four players combined for just one league goal in the entire campaign, which was Gruev’s free-kick against Norwich in the second-leg of the play-off semi-finals.

In his two title-winning seasons with Norwich in the Championship, Farke had central midfield players with the quality to provide goals and assists to help out the attack.

Kenny McLean and Mario Vrancic combined for five goals and 11 assists in the 2020/21 campaign. Vrancic, McLean, Tom Trybull, and Moritz Leitner also combined for 16 goals and 14 assists in the 2018/19 season.

These statistics show that the German tactician always had midfield players who could step up with goals and assists to help his team to promotion in both of those seasons, whilst he – simply – does not have that level of attacking quality in that area of the pitch at Elland Road.

However, Farke could bring in a player with the potential to improve that side of the team’s performance during the January transfer window.

Leeds United's interest in Scottish starlet

The Boot Room recently reported that Leeds United are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller ahead of the second half of the season.

It was claimed that the Whites have sent scouts to watch the Scotland U21 international in action in the Scottish Premiership, but they are far from alone in that respect.

A host of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Brighton, have also been sending scouts to keep tabs on his performances north of the border.

The Boot Room added that Rangers and Celtic are also interested in keeping him in Scotland, whilst Atalanta and Bologna pose a threat from the Serie A.

This shows that Leeds face plenty of competition from some huge clubs across the United Kingdom and Europe, which means that it could be a difficult deal to get over the line in January.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It was also claimed that Motherwell are set to demand a fee of around £5m for their impressive academy graduate, who the Whites must now push to win the race for as he could be a dream signing for Tanaka and Farke.

Why Lennon Miller would be a dream signing for Ao Tanaka

The Scottish sensation has been in impressive form for Motherwell in the Premiership this season and his performances suggest that the potential is there for him to come in and offer the Whites what they currently lack in the middle of the park.

Tanaka has been a fantastic performer in midfield since his move from Fortuna Dusseldorf, with a 92% pass completion rate and 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game across 15 outings in the Championship.

He has provided a metronomic and combative presence for the West Yorkshire outfit, with his ability to retain possession at an impressive rate, whilst also being able to consistently make defensive interventions to win the ball back for his side and cut out attacks for the opposition.

However, Tanaka has yet to score his first goal for Leeds and has not provided any assists from midfield, which suggests that he could thrive alongside a midfielder who can offer more quality at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

15

13

Goals

0

2

Big chances created

0

6

Assists

0

4

Key passes per game

0.8

2.0

Pass accuracy

92%

74%

As you can see in the table above, Miller has provided regular quality from a midfield position for Motherwell, with eight goals and ‘big chances’ combined in 13 games.

The 18-year-old star, who was described as a “ridiculous” talent by pundit James McFadden, still has plenty of years left ahead of him to take his game to another level and offer even more in the final third.

Therefore, Miller could come in as a dream midfield partner for Tanaka, as the Japanese maestro can provide defensive strength and passing quality, whilst the Scottish ace can offer a big threat as a scorer and a creator to add another side to the team’s attacking play.

Leeds have found a "monster" who's now a potential £50m star in the making

Daniel Farke has hit the jackpot with the impressive Leeds United leader.

ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2024

Celtic fans are calling for "absolute clown" Wilfried Nancy to be sacked after Sunday's surprise Scottish League Cup final defeat to St. Mirren. The Frenchman has only overseen three matches since taking over as Brendan Rodgers' permanent replacement earlier this month, but supporters have already seen enough of the former Columbus Crew boss to demand his exit.

Getty Images SportCeltic have lost all three games under Nancy

Rodgers left his role as Celtic boss following their 3-1 loss to Hearts back in October, with Martin O'Neill returning as interim manager. O'Neill, with Shaun Maloney as his assistant, oversaw seven wins from eight matches, including a 3-1 Old Firm win over Rangers and a 3-1 victory at Feyenoord last month.

After a lengthy search, Nancy was named as Rodgers' permanent successor following the culmination of the MLS 2025 season. The 48-year-old departed the Columbus Crew for the Scottish giants, but his start to life in Glasgow has been disappointing to say the least.

Nancy has overseen three successive losses to kick off his spell as Celtic boss as the Bhoys fell to defeat to Hearts, Roma and, most recently, St. Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup final on Sunday afternoon. Marcus Fraser put the Buddies ahead with just two minutes on the clock, before Reo Hatate had drawn Celtic level.

Jonah Ayunga then bagged twice in the space of 12 second-half minutes, however, to compound Celtic to a shock loss at Hampden.

Advertisement'Nancy has got Russell Martin posters in his room'

And Celtic fans are already calling for Nancy to be axed just 11 days after the club announced his appointment.

"Right.. hope everyone has seen enough. This Wilfried Nancy is an absolute clown, the pinnacle of a board who have sucked the life out of our club. Get them all out. Sack the Board Sack Nancy," @redoctoberirp posted on X in the wake of Celtic's loss.

"Wilfried Nancy absolutely isn’t the man to manage celtic football club," @_Lennon1967 added.

"Better team won – St Mirren absolutely deserve the win. Celtic were on the upward trajectory under Martin O'Neill. The Celtic board then brought in a man who has done nothing to suggest he should be the manager of Celtic. I would like for Wilfried Nancy to leave Celtic," @Fitzy__07 stated.

User @AndrewJMullen wrote: "Wilfried Nancy – get in a taxi from Hampden & go straight to the airport GTF you absolute clown You con man What a disastrous appointment by the Board Nancy – just FO. Never come back to Celtic Park"

@_DIGB also humorously took a dig at former Rangers boss Russell Martin, who lasted just 123 days at the Ibrox helm, writing: "Wilfried Nancy has got Russell Martin posters in his room"

Getty Images Sport'I feel for Wilfried Nancy'

Nancy does have some support, however, with former Celtic striker Chris Sutton posting on Sunday night that he "feels" for the under-fire manager. "I feel for Wilfried Nancy," Sutton wrote on X.

"He is trying to implement a style but his problem is he has overestimated the level of player at the club right now. To play the way he wants takes tactical intelligence and flexibility and good decision making something this group of players lack."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Celtic hoping to win first game under Nancy in midweek

Celtic were already enduring a testing campaign by their usually lofty standards. While the Bhoys have two games in hand over league leaders Hearts, they are six points behind the Jam Tarts in the Scottish Premiership title race.

And rivals Rangers can close the gap on Celtic to three points with a win over high-flying Hibernian on Monday night. Both Glasgow giants have now undergone managerial changes this season after the Gers replaced Martin with Danny Rohl in mid-October.

Rangers welcome the capital side to Ibrox on a 10-game unbeaten run, though they have won only six times in that streak.

Celtic, meanwhile, will hope to secure their first positive result under Nancy when they travel to Dundee United on Wednesday night. The Tangerines face the defending champions on a seven-game winless run following their 0-0 draw with Motherwell on Saturday.

Former Arsenal star Mesut Ozil has been banned from former club Werder Bremen due to a controversial tattoo that has links with far-right groups.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ozil not welcome back in BremenLeft off guest list for tribute to former team-mateHas previously shown off controversial tattooFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ozil's glittering career saw him play for a host of clubs including Arsenal, Real Madrid, Werder Bremen, Fenerbahce and Schalke before he finally hung up his boots at the age of 34 in June 2023. However, it seems he is not welcome back at former employers Werder Bremen after showing off a tattoo featuring a grey wolf and a flag with three crescent moons. The symbols have links to far-right groups promoting anti-semitism, far-right extremism and ultra-nationalism.

AdvertisementDDPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ozil's tattoo means he was recently left off a guest list by Werder Bremen for a tribute to former star Diego Ribas, according to . Ribas and Ozil played together at the Bundesliga club before the playmaker sealed a move to Real Madrid in 2010, but an agreement was reached to keep the 36-year-old away from the event.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

A spokesperson for Werder Bremen said: "We have agreed with Diego not to invite Mesut due to his recent actions, which do not represent the club's values."

WHAT NEXT FOR OZIL

Ozil has recently entered the world of politics and has joined Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP). Yet he still takes a keen interest in football and was in the crowd watching Arsenal's 1-0 win over Chelsea last time out.

Instagram

In an afternoon to forget for Leeds United against a battling Preston North End side, Graham Smyth spotted a second player to blame during the Brad Potts goal that eventually cost Leeds two precious points.

Preston hold Leeds to end impressive run

Sitting second in the Championship and on an impressive run of two defeats in their last six games, many expected Leeds to continue their form up against a Preston side stuck in a mid-table battle with the thought of a place inside the top six merely a fantasy at this stage. But football is never that simple and the Whites soon found themselves in a frustrating encounter despite resucing a point late on.

Leeds want to sign "out-and-out striker" in January instead of Louie Barry

The Aston Villa youngster has been linked.

ByCharlie Smith Dec 13, 2024

Scoring what could be a decisive goal in the automatic promotion race, Potts raced onto the end of Milutin Osmajic’s pinpoint cross to bundle home beyond a disappointed Meslier, whose fumble was not enough to keep Leeds level after just 23 minutes on the clock.

Despite the fact that many were quick to point fingers the way of the disappointed goalkeeper, however, The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Smyth decided to share the blame, highlighting Pascal Struijk’s role in the opening Preston goal.

Despite going top for now, Leeds must turn their attention towards their next chance to bounce back, which will come against Oxford United in a game that Daniel Farke’s side, on paper, should be taking all three points from. As highlighted by Preston, however, anything is possible in England’s second tier.

Leeds could lose promotion advantage

Whilst there’s still a long way to go, any potential advantage can still prove to be the key to unlocking promotion to the Premier League. And with a four point lead over Burnley, Leeds currently have that advantage. After suffering a frustrating time against Preston, however, there’s now every chance that Burnley find a way past Norwich City and move onto the shoulder of Farke’s side.

It’s once again a game in which Meslier should be questioned too. As much as Smyth was quick to share the blame and also point fingers towards Struijk, there’s a strong argument that the shot-stopper should have kept Potts’ effort out.

It’s not the first time that he has cost Leeds this season, either, having gifted promotion rivals Sunderland a late equaliser back in October. With the January transfer window just a few weeks away, Meslier’s mistakes certainly present Farke with an interesting question to answer.

For the rest of this month at least though, Meslier remains Leeds’ number one and must bounce back at his next opportunity and prove the increasing doubters wrong.

The 35-year old last played for New Zealand in September 2021, and will continue to pursue a career in coaching

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Apr-2022New Zealand quick Hamish Bennett has announced his retirement from all cricket, bringing the curtains down on a 17-year long career. The 35-year old, who has represented the New Zealand U-19 side, the senior men’s team and domestic teams Wellington and Canterbury, has said that the 2021-22 season will be his last.”When I started out as a young kid bowling in the nets in Timaru, I never dreamed I would have gone on to enjoy the career that I’ve had,” Bennett was quoted as saying by nzc.nz.”From Old Boys Timaru Cricket Club who got me involved in cricket at the start, Timaru Boys’ High School, South Canterbury Cricket, Canterbury Cricket, Cricket Wellington, and New Zealand Cricket, as well as all the other great clubs I’ve played for down the years, they’ve all played a role in helping me achieve my cricket dream. I’ve been so fortunate to work and play alongside so many great players, captains and coaches and I’d like to thank every one of them for their support over the years.”Bennett made his international debut in October 2010, taking three wickets in the fourth ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur. His last match in New Zealand colours was also against the same opponents at the same venue, in the fourth T20I in September 2021. In all, he picked up 33 wickets in 19 ODIs and ten wickets in 11 T20Is.He made his Test debut alongside current New Zealand captain Kane Williamson in the first match against India in Ahmedabad in 2010, but ended up bowling just 15 wicketless overs in the game after picking up a groin strain, and never made it back into the Test side after that.Bennett made his first-class debut for Canterbury in 2005 and played till the 2015-16 season, before moving to Wellington. In all, he has 261 wickets in 79 first-class matches, 160 wickets in 112 List A games and 78 wickets in 87 T20s. He has won 12 domestic titles, including five Plunket Shields, two Ford Trophy titles, four Super Smash titles and one Super Smash trophy as Wellington Blaze’s coach.He was part of New Zealand’s 2011 World Cup side where he played four matches, following which he was out for three years before returning to play two ODIs against India at home in 2014.Bennett was awarded for his consistency and success with the Wellington side in domestic cricket by earning a recall into the ODI and T20I sides for the series against India in January 2020, playing what would turn out to be his last ODI in February that year. He was also part of the home T20I series against West Indies later that year, and the Bangladesh tour in September 2021.”Men’s and women’s cricket in New Zealand is in an exciting place, so I’m looking forward to putting the feet up and watching the game grow from the sidelines,” Bennett said.”It’s been an honour to represent my family and my country for New Zealand and those memories and experiences will be ones that I cherish and tell stories about for the rest of my life.”Bennett though will continue playing for the Old Tablelands Cricket Club in Martinborough, while also pursuing a career in coaching.

Neymar has revealed he reached a "consensus" with the Brazil national team coaching staff to delay his long-awaited return to Dorival Junior's squad.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Neymar's international return delayed againBrazilian has picked up a thigh injuryShared a heartfelt message for fansFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Brazil have been without their talismanic attacker since October 2023, when he suffered anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus damage in his left knee. However, the 33-year-old forward had initially been included in Dorival's squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina, but has since been withdrawn due to a thigh injury.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

On Friday, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) officially confirmed that Neymar, Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson and Flamengo’s Danilo had all been ruled out of the upcoming international fixtures. Following the announcement, Neymar took to social media to express his frustration over missing out on the opportunity to wear Brazil’s iconic yellow jersey once again after a hiatus of almost 18 months.

WHAT NEYMAR SAID

In an emotional post on Instagram, Neymar wrote: "It looked so close around but unfortunately I can't fit into the heaviest shirt in the world right now! Appreciate those who have sent messages of support. We had long conversations and everyone knows the desire that I was going to come back but we reached a consensus and decided not to take the risk and be able to prepare better to completely zero the injury!"

@neymarjr InstagramDID YOU KNOW?

Real Madrid’s young forward Endrick has been called up to fill the attacking void. While Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri and Flamengo defender Alex Sandro have also been drafted in as replacements for Ederson and Danilo.

Manchester United host Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford this evening, looking to return to winning ways after boss Ruben Amorim suffered his first defeat as manager in midweek.

The Red Devils fell to a 2-0 loss against Arsenal at the Emirates, ending the 39-year-old’s three-game unbeaten run after taking over from Erik ten Hag.

However, he’s yet to lose a game on home soil, looking to make it back-to-back losses for Nuno Espírito Santo’s men in Manchester after their defeat to Manchester City on the same night.

A win this evening will take United above the visitors in the Premier League table, closing the gap on the top four spots – undoubtedly the aim for Amorim come the end of the season.

If his side are to return to winning ways, he must recall one player after dropping to the bench in North London a couple of days ago.

Why Amad needs to start against Forest

After the appointment of the former Portuguese international, it’s seen the side operate in the 3-4-2-1 system that saw him claim two league titles during his time at Sporting CP.

Such a transition has allowed numerous players to star in unfamiliar roles, with Amad Diallo just one of the beneficiaries in recent weeks.

The Ivorian originally arrived in Manchester as a winger, but he’s since dropped slightly further back to operate in a right wing-back role, taking his performance levels above anything he’d ever demonstrated in the North West.

In the three games since his switch, the 22-year-old has thrived, delivering three assists in just two league outings – including a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Marcus Rashford, who poked home for the first goal of the Amorim era against Ipswich.

However, despite his recent displays, he was named as a substitute against the Gunners, with Tyrell Malacia coming into the side – but it’s a switch that needs to be reversed once more tonight.

Most of the positive forward play in recent outings has come through the former Atalanta ace, with a recall needed alongside one other key first-team star.

The player who needs to be recalled alongside Amad

Academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo has taken huge strides over the last 12 months, from making his debut to even receiving an England call-up for Euro 2024 over the summer.

However, he’s yet to showcase his best performance levels under the new management team, being left on the bench in two of the three games he’s been available for.

The 19-year-old did start the clash against Everton last weekend but did receive his fifth booking of the season – subsequently receiving a one-match ban for the game at the Emirates on Wednesday.

His suspension saw Bruno Fernandes drop into a slightly deeper role alongside Manuel Ugarte, ultimately taking away the creativity of the Portuguese international, with the United skipper producing his best displays when he operates in a more advanced role, as seen against the Toffees.

Such a move leaves a perfectly sized hole in the middle of the park for Mainoo, allowing the “world-class” ace, as dubbed by journalist Ryan Adsett, to terrorise Forest at Old Trafford.

Games played

8

Minutes played

654

Pass accuracy

90%

Dribbles completed

74%

Tackles success

81%

Duels won

48

Interceptions

15

During the opening months of 2024/25, he’s completed 74% of the dribbles he’s attempted, whilst achieving a 90% pass accuracy rate, two figures that could enable him to run the show at the Theatre of Dreams and terrorise the visitors.

Chalkboard

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

Indeed, Mainoo might fancy his chances up against the likes of Ryan Yates and Nicolas Dominguez, with the pair having struggled against City in midweek, after being dribbled past four times between them on the night.

It will be a tricky task against Nuno’s side, who have enjoyed a superb start to the campaign, but ultimately, Amorim’s men should have the quality to pull through once more.

If they are to claim all three points, Amad and Mainoo are two players who simply have to start, potentially picking up where they left off in the previous home victory.

Man Utd sold their original Yoro for £10m, now he's struggling big time

The former Manchester United ace has failed to make an impact away from Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 6, 2024

Super Giants’ bowling ticks most boxes, but there are concerns around their middle order; Mumbai all but out of playoffs’ race

Deivarayan Muthu23-Apr-20222:22

Will a change in batting position free up Rohit?

Big pictureAfter MS Dhoni hit an almost inevitable last-ball boundary off Jaydev Unadkat on Thursday, Mumbai Indians became the first team to start an IPL season with seven successive defeats. The only way for them from there is up; or is there no bottom to the abyss Mumbai are hurtling into?Halfway into the season, both captain Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan are still searching for their rhythm at the top. Kieron Pollard is yet to pass 25 in an innings, with Lucknow Super Giants probably waiting to unleash their wristspinner Ravi Bishnoi on him to prolong his lean run.While Jasprit Bumrah has been unhittable at various stages, he has managed only four wickets in seven games. Rohit has been rifling through his options, using 18 of the 24 members in their roster, excluding Jofra Archer who isn’t fit enough for this season. Their latest debutant Hrithik Shokeen, the 21-year-old offspin-bowling allrounder from Delhi, fronted up to bowl to the right-hand pair of Robin Uthappa and Ambati Rayudu in what was his first formal T20 match.Related

Tactical battle offers a glimpse into T20's future

Lynn on MI: 'Instead of a team of 11, there's 11 individuals'

With Mumbai now all but out of the race for the playoffs, will they test their bench strength further and take a closer look at the likes of R Sanjay Yadav, the Tamil Nadu allrounder, and Mayank Markande, their old friend?As for Super Giants, there haven’t been as many missteps. They are pretty much in contention for the playoffs, with four wins from seven games. They ran into a red-hot Faf du Plessis in their last match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, but prior to that, they had polished off Mumbai at the Brabourne Stadium.LIVE in the USA

You can watch the match on ESPN+ in English or in Hindi.

Their bowling ticks most boxes, but there are some concerns around the middle order. Is Manish Pandey the right candidate at No.3? Should one of Marcus Stoinis and Jason Holder bat up the order?Can Dushmantha Chameera make it seven strikes in 11 innings against Rohit on Sunday?•BCCILikely XIsMumbai Indians: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Dewald Brevis, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Kieron Pollard/Tim David, 7 Hrithik Shokeen/Mayank Markande, 8 Jaydev Unadkat, 9 Daniel Sams, 10 Riley Meredith, 11 Jasprit BumrahLucknow Super Giants: 1 KL Rahul (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Manish Pandey/K Gowtham, 4 Deepak Hooda, 5 Krunal Pandya, 6 Ayush Badoni, 7 Marcus Stoinis 8 Jason Holder, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Avesh Khan, 11 Ravi BishnoiStrategy puntYou cannot ignore KL Rahul’s IPL numbers against Bumrah: 124 runs off 99 balls at an average of 62 and strike rate of 125.25 with just two dismissals.Mumbai could keep Bumrah away from Rahul, and perhaps hold him back for the middle and end overs. Maybe throw the new ball to Daniel Sams and Riley Meredith, and hope they get lucky? It has been that kind of a season for Mumbai. Dushmantha Chameera has dominated Rohit in T20 cricket, getting the batter six times in ten innings while giving up a mere 33 runs off 32 balls. Can Chameera make it seven strikes in 11 innings on Sunday?Stats that matter Rohit bagged his 14th duck in the IPL against Chennai Super Kings on Thursday. Nobody has bagged more ducks than Rohit in the tournament. Bishnoi has restricted Pollard to 15 runs off 12 balls, but is yet to dismiss him in T20 cricket. But the wristspinner has had Suryakumar’s number in the IPL, dismissing him three times in four innings. With 13.05, Mumbai have the worst economy rate at the death among all ten teams this IPL. Super Giants have fared much better in this phase, conceding 10.95 an over. Avesh Khan and Holder have taken five wickets each at the death this IPL. Only T Natarajan (six), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (seven) and Dwayne Bravo (seven) have more wickets than them in that phase. This will be Mumbai’s first match at the Wankhede Stadium this IPL. Since 2018, Mumbai have come up on top in eight of the 14 games they have played at this venue, including a Super Over victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019.

Shelley Nitschke has been handed the interim coaching role and will be a favourite for the full job

ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2022Ashleigh Gardner has played her entire international career under the guidance of Matthew Mott and admitted it will be “pretty weird” when he isn’t there after taking the white-ball role with the England men’s team.Gardner reflected on the bond she – and the team – had built with Mott which during the last four years brought unprecedented success with back-to-back T20 World Cups, the ODI World Cup and Ashes triumphs.”I know over the last five years that I’ve been involved in the team we’ve built a really good friendship and relationship so from a personal perspective it’s quite sad to see him go,” Gardner said on the day Australia’s Commonwealth Games squad was named. “It will be pretty weird him not being there.”Albeit being a fantastic batting coach, it was just his personality around a group like ours [which] was something that we needed. Especially as female athletes, we can get caught up in minor details sometimes and he was someone who always brought things back into perspective and put a funny spin on things.Related

Australia look to test their T20 limits in Commonwealth Games, World Cup double bid

Shelley Nitschke keen on full-time Australia women's role

Shelley Nitschke named Australia's interim head coach as Matthew Mott leaves with 'heavy heart'

Mott's coaching journey to England men's white-ball team

Back injury to limit Perry to batting role for tri-series, Commonwealth Games

“For myself there was always that constant banter with him. I probably had a relationship that no other [player] had really had where we’d sledge each other constantly, but guess that was the trust we had built between each other.”Mott went through the whole playing group to inform them of his career move with Gardner finding out over text message having missed the initial call. “It was kind of weird to read that,” she said. “I knew how much this group meant to him and how hard that would have been to make that decision.”When the announcement was made, Mott said it came with a “heavy heart” but speaking on Friday, having spent the week coming to terms with the death of his close friend Andrew Symonds, he said it was the right moment. He applied for the men’s head coaching position earlier this year which went to Andrew McDonald.”My time with the Australian team was always getting close. Been there seven years and it was only fair to look to move forward and give someone a new voice,” he told SEN.Mott expects there to be a lot of interest in the role for which Shelley Nitschke has been named the interim head coach for the Ireland series and Commonwealth Games.”I think it’ll be a great experience for her to see whether she likes it as well,” Mott said. “She likes to fly under the radar a bit, Shelley, so I think it’s a good taster for her to see if she wants to do it. I think it will attract a great field where the team is at, the amount of men’s and women’s coaches that will look at that role and think they’d love to be a part of it. I’m sure there will be a process and I’m sure there will be some excellent candidates.””There are some amazing leaders in that group…so they are in really good hands and whoever gets that job will inherit a team functioning really well.”Gardner, who as a fellow spinner has worked closely with Nitschke, said she was someone not afraid to challenge the players and she also expected bowling coach Ben Sawyer to put his name up for the position.”[Ben’s] a coach that’s right into the analysis side of things,” she said. “He’s all about numbers and he’s a fantastic source to have for fast bowlers in our group.”For Shell, from a spin perspective she’s obviously great to have around. She was so good back in her day…and she was a fantastic batter. She’s always up for a joke as well, but she’s also someone who keeps you pretty grounded and tells you sometimes what you don’t want to hear but [it’s] sometimes the truth you need as players.”Either of them would fill the role perfectly but I know how much interest this job will get. We’ve been one of the most successful sides maybe in history, think that will attract some really good options. Whoever fills the role will be really excited to be among the group. But if it is Shelley or Ben I know none of us will be complaining.”The Australia squad will come together in June for a training camp in Brisbane ahead of getting back on the road in July.

El Tri will seek its first CONCACAF Nations League title Sunday against Panama at SoFi Stadium

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Mexico defeated Canada 2-0 with two goals from Raúl Jiménez

It will be El Tri's third final in four editions of the tournament

Javier Aguirre conducted regenerative training on Friday

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

The Mexican national team's CONCACAF Nations League semifinal victory over Canada Thursday night sparked diverse opinions in the Mexican media. Some praised manager Javier Aguirre's decision to field Raúl Jiménez and Santiago Giménez together in the attack, highlighting their strong performance.

Others downplayed El Tri's win, claiming that Canada did not pose a significant challenge. There were also those who discredited Panama, arguing that "Sunday’s final lost interest" due to the absence of the United States.

"Win or lose on Sunday, Javier Aguirre will coach at the World Cup. It eases the pressure from the environment. Mexico didn’t defeat a world powerhouse – Canada has improved, won the Octagonal, and finished fourth in the Copa América, but it's still Panama. There's nothing extraordinary about beating Panama on Sunday", TUDN's journalist David Faitelson said after Mexico's victory. "The CONCACAF giant hasn't returned yet."

Andrés Vaca, commentator for TUDN, said, "The tournament lost significance because the opponent isn't the United States. If you lose to Panama, there will be people unhappy with Aguirre."

On the ESPN's Futbol Picante panel, former footballer and now analyst Roberto Gómez Junco called Canada's performance disappointing, saying "I think the Mexican team showed a level above what was expected."

In Fox Sports Mexico's coverage, they chose Christian Giménez, former Mexican national team player and father of Santiago Giménez, El Tri's forward, as an analyst. This was the opinion the "Chaco" shared after Mexico's win:

"I agree that Edson’s play was a penalty, but I think this Canadian team, given the players they have, got lost in the game that Vasco proposed. They need to keep improving their play – at times, they played well. I believe they could supply more balls to the forwards. Raúl is on another level. I don’t think there will be changes against Panama, and Javier should ask the players how they feel to decide whether to repeat the lineup or not."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After coming into the match against Canada as underdogs, Mexico will be widely favored to defeat Panama on Sunday and claim their first Nations League title.

El Tri held a regenerative training session on Friday.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Mexico has an unbeaten streak of 15 matches against Panama, with 13 of those victories. The most recent time El Tri lost to the Canaleros was in the 2013 Gold Cup, when they were defeated 2-1 in the tournament's semifinals.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO'S NATIONAL TEAM?

Panama will be the final obstacle for Aguirre's team to lift their first Nations League title. After that match, "Vasco" will need to prepare for the June FIFA date, where Mexico will face Switzerland and Turkey.