Melbourne Stars have signed recent England debutant batter Maia Bouchier for the upcoming WBBL season.The 22-year-old made her T20I debut in England’s recent series against New Zealand following some promising performances for Southern Brave in the women’s Hundred. She has also had a steady season for Southern Vipers in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, helping the Vipers reach the final.The Stars have lost experienced South Africa middle-order batter Mignon du Preez to Hobart Hurricanes and Bouchier joins a relatively inexperienced middle-order behind the star-studded top-order duo of Meg Lanning and Elyse Villani.”I’ve watched the WBBL over recent seasons from the UK and we know what a quality tournament it is to be a part of,” Bouchier said. “I’m really excited to make my debut in the competition and I’d like to thank the Melbourne Stars for the opportunity to be involved.”The Stars have some fantastic players and I know how close they went to winning the title last year, so hopefully I can make a contribution to a successful season.”Bouchier will have to do 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine when entering Australia ahead of the tournament starting on October 14. The Stars’ Melbourne-based players will also have to serve a 14-day quarantine in Hobart after the first 20 matches of the WBBL were shifted to Tasmania due to Covid-19 outbreaks and lockdowns in Victoria and New South Wales. But the Stars and Melbourne Renegades will be allowed to train while completing quarantine however, the two Sydney-based sides will not be given training exemptions while in quarantine due to the severity of Sydney’s outbreak.

Marcus Rashford is undertaking extra training sessions in a bid to be ready to play for Manchester United should he be brought back into the squad.

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• Rashford linked with January transfer
• Forward dropped from Man Utd squad
• Doing extra work in case he is recalled

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 27-year-old has not featured for the Red Devils since December 12, missing their last nine matches in all competitions after being dropped by coach Ruben Amorim. The forward has declared himself ready for a "new challenge" amid reports of a January move, with AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona all touted as possible destinations.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However, his hopes of escaping his United nightmare this month have not yet been realised and he could end up staying at Old Trafford until the end of the season. With that scenario in mind, the England international has started putting in extra work to ensure he will be ready to give 100 per cent should Amorim call him back into action, and report.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Amorim gave a rather dismal assessment when he was asked about the prospect of Rashford returning to the fold, saying after the 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton on Sunday: "It is his choice [not to play]… No matter what, I am not going to put out a player I don’t believe is the best for the team."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

  The United academy graduate could still find a way out of the club before the transfer window closes, but will first hope he is given a chance when they take on Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday.

Since taking over at Manchester United in the summer of 2022, Erik ten Hag has put a heavy focus on signing players from his former club, Ajax.

Over each of the three summers he has been at the helm at Old Trafford, the Dutchman has brought in at least one player he used to manage at the Dutch giants.

In his first summer, he signed Lisandro Martinez and Antony, who cost an eye-watering £81.3m. In 2023, they brought in goalkeeper Andre Onana, before adding defensive pair Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich, who also played under the Dutchman at Ajax.

Have all of these moves gone according to plan? Well, Antony has been a notable dud and Martinez wasn’t received particularly well when he first stepped foot on English shores.

First impressions of Lisandro Martinez

It may seem odd that United’s manager has a strict transfer policy of signing his former players, although there is little argument against him on the face of things, given how successful his side was during his time in Amsterdam.

There was great speculation over a couple of the signings, including Antony, given his extortionate price. However, the player who arguably raised the most question marks was Argentine World Cup winner Martinez.

One of the issues many had about United’s number 6 was his height. Many were unsure if his slender 5 foot 9 frame would mean he’d struggle at centre-back in the Premier League. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher raised this issue on Sky Sports, calling the 26-year-old a “problem” for Ten Hag.

In full, the outspoken pundit noted: ” I’m convinced this can’t work because of the size of him playing in a back four. Maybe he could go left back, maybe he could play in a back three, but in a back four, he cannot play there in the Premier League.”

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Martinez’s stats for Man United

Despite the criticism the defender has faced, the Argentine has gone on to prove Carragher, and other doubters wrong by his performances in that famous red shirt over the past two seasons.

Despite injury issues that have seen him miss 56 games in his first two seasons at the club, Martinez has proven to be a key part of Ten Hag’s side.

He has now played 64 games for the Red Devils, scoring one goal against Arsenal in 2022/23, and has played an important part in United’s Carabao Cup and FA Cup triumphs.

Although he featured just twice in their FA Cup win last term, he was crucial in the final against Manchester City, in which the 13-time winners of the competition ran out 2-1 victors.

A large reason for this was the fact he played alongside Raphael Varane. The duo formed an iconic pair for the Red Devils, despite playing just 33 times with each other. They managed 21 wins as a partnership – the last one being the victory at Wembley – and just five defeats.

Although their time as a pairing was short, it was one that will no doubt live long in the memory of United fans. United captain Bruno Fernandes was certainly a fan of the duo, once explaining they “complement each other very good”.

Now with a new long-term partner in De Ligt, and his injury problems hopefully behind him, Martinez has made a good start to the 2024/25 campaign. According to Sofascore, the South American averages 2.3 interceptions per game, 3.8 ball recoveries and an impressive 94% pass accuracy.

Despite his injury troubles, Martinez has certainly gone a long way to proving Carragher, and his doubters wrong. The Liverpool legend thought he would be an issue for United in defence, but in fact, he has been the opposite; an undroppable player, an integral reason for winning silverware and a man quickly becoming a cult hero at Old Trafford.

Man Utd thought they had the next CR7, now he's worth even less than Antony

The talented international just could not make it work at United, and now he’s playing outside of Europe entirely.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 18, 2024

Babar scored an unbeaten 105, only for Haider’s 91 to help Northern ace the chase

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2021
A sensational counterattack by Haider Ali, who smashed an unbeaten 91 off 53, upstaged Babar Azam’s hundred as Northern upset Central Punjab in a thrilling high-scoring match.Central Punjab won the toss and opted to bat, and their captain Babar assumed control right from the outset. His side got off to a flying start in the powerplay, with a 20-ball 37 from Ahmed Shehzad helping set the early tone. Once Shehzad fell to Mohammad Nawaz, Muhammad Akhlaq and Shoaib Malik lent support from the other end.Related

Haider Ali and Asif Ali get Northern off to winning start

Babar, Wahab, Qadir star in Central Punjab's win

Really, though it was all about Babar. After mellowing through the middle overs, he came to life once more at the death as Central Punjab pushed towards 200, and brought up his 100 in 58 balls with three successive boundaries.Chasing 201, Northern initially fell well behind the asking rate, with Ehsan Adil and Wahab Riaz accounting for the openers. It required Northern to throw caution to the wind, and in the out-of-form but very able Haider Ali, they had their answer. A blistering 84-run partnership at two runs a ball alongside Mohammad Nawaz dragged his side back into the game, and with Central Punjab’s bowlers wilting, he finished the job off alongside Asif Ali, putting Northern above Central Punjab on the table.

MatériaMais Notícias

O coordenador da Seleção Brasileira, Juninho Paulista, afirmou que já viajou para o Qatar com o intuito de fazer a logística da equipe para a Copa do Mundo de 2022. Logo após Tite convocar jogadores da Seleção para as partidas com Equador e Paraguai pelas Eliminatórias, o dirigente declarou que o comandante chegou a conhecer como o país está se preparando para o torneio.

RelacionadasListasSem Neymar e com alguns testes; veja a lista completa de convocados por Tite para a Seleção BrasileiraListas13/01/2022VídeoLANCE! Rápido: Surpresas na convocação, Palmeiras próximo de centroavante e mais!Vídeo13/01/2022Seleção BrasileiraTite vê Brasil ‘no hall dos favoritos’ para a conquista da Copa do MundoSeleção Brasileira13/01/2022

-Foi minha segunda visita, a primeira do Tite. Toda a comissão vai conhecer os locais de nossa preferência. Nós esperamos que possamos divulgar o mais rápido possível. Entendemos as questões burocráticas. Acredito que em breve possamos concretizar o local de preparação – declarou.

Tite falou sobre a emoção de ter visitado o Qatar.

-Quando a gente tem uma lembrança que é associada à emoção, é a primeira que nos remete. Assistimos a três jogos da Copa Árabe. Numa delas o estádio era muito parecido com a estreia nossa. Eu já me transportei. Tu entra no clima da Copa do Mundo. Trazemos um legado bom, mas que não pode ser excessivamente impressionante – disse.

Kohli’s men won five of their seven games in India while KKR lost five of their seven matches

Saurabh Somani19-Sep-20211:10

Can RCB find room for Hasaranga? Should KKR open with Narine?

Big picture
IPL 2021 was the first time that the Royal Challengers Bangalore won more than two games in a row at the start of a season. In fact, they won their first four matches. In a tournament in which they have promised much but not delivered a title, it seemed like just the Royal Challengers’ luck that such an event would happen. However, the break might have actually done the franchise good, because they’ve got a squad that looks rather stronger than the already good unit they had at the start of the tournament. The loss of Washington Sundar to injury is significant, but in the bargain, they have gained Wanindu Hasaranga, Tim David, Dushmantha Chameera and George Garton – a quartet that looks more potent than the ones they’ve lost: Adam Zampa, Daniel Sams, Finn Allen and Kane Richardson.Watch IPL on ESPN+ (US only)

The 2021 IPL is available in the US on ESPN+. You can subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the match on Monday here.

In comparison, Kolkata Knight Riders’ only replacement between the two halves of the IPL has been Tim Southee in place of Pat Cummins who has withdrawn from the second leg of the league.At this point, both teams are exactly halfway through their league campaign, and have mirror-image results: the Royal Challengers have won five and lost two games, while the Knight Riders have won two and lost five. That’s an accurate reflection of how well each side did in the first half. Whether it’s a portent of what’s to come in the second remains to be seen.Related

Virat Kohli set to become first player to 200 IPL matches for a single team

Narine in CPL team of the tournament

Washington ruled out of remainder of IPL 2021

Southee replaces Cummins at KKR

In the news
With Cummins absent, the Knight Riders could bring in Lockie Ferguson’s fiery pace. Ferguson had tested positive for Covid-19 about a month ago in England, but has recovered now and reached the UAE after returning a negative test. The other three Knight Riders’ overseas spots are a lock-in, with captain Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine – the latter two in good form in CPL 2021, particularly Narine. They have the option of Shakib Al Hasan, but it’ll be tough to look past how well Narine bowled in the CPL.For the Royal Challengers, Hasaranga is expected to slot into the XI straightaway as the fourth overseas player alongside AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell and Kyle Jamieson. Washington’s injury also opens the doors for Shahbaz Ahmed to be potential starter in the XI. Garton, who had a good outing on the Blast finals day with bat and ball, will be unavailable for selection for the Royal Challengers. He is scheduled to fly to UAE on Monday and will then have to complete a mandatory quarantine period. He remains an unlikely starter for the team in any case.0:59

Morgan: ‘We are a dangerous side, with nothing to lose’

Likely XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Nitish Rana, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Lockie Ferguson, 9 Kamlesh Nagarkoti/Shivam Mavi, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Prasidh KrishnaRoyal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Rajat Patidar, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Kyle Jamieson, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalStrategy punt
Dinesh Karthik has a marked difference when coming in later in the innings than earlier. Since IPL 2020, whenever Karthik has come in before the 13th over, he has averaged 12.50 and struck at 116. There’s a sea-change when he’s come in after the 13th over, averaging 104 and striking at 171. The strategy for KKR should be clear: don’t bat Karthik in a fixed position, rather bat him at fixed times. Unless Russell is still in the shed, it would be worth sending Karthik in when a wicket falls near the death overs, even if it means he goes in ahead of Morgan, for example. In the first half of IPL 2021 in India, de Villiers hit a game-plan that proved largely successful for him. He was knocking the ball around in the middle overs, and exploding at the death. His middle-overs strike rate was just 92, the lowest among batters with at least 50 runs in that phase. However, his death-overs strike rate was 243, the second highest in that phase. de Villiers is adaptable enough to tinker with that approach if the need arises, but his method demonstrates how tough it is to bowl to him once set, which is why the Royal Challengers can afford de Villiers a few balls to do that. Having Maxwell coming in just before him also helps, since the burden of big-hitting is not exclusively on de Villiers. Stats that matter
Kohli is set to play his 200th IPL game when he leads the Royal Challengers against the Knight Riders. He’ll be the fifth to get there after MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina, but the only one to do it all for a single franchise. Kohli is also only 71 runs shy of becoming just the fifth man to amass 10,000 runs in T20 cricket, behind Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Shoaib Malik and David Warner. Russell and de Villiers have each been the nemesis for the other’s team in the IPL’s recent past. Since IPL 2019, no one has hit more sixes against the Royal Challengers than Russell (19 – joint most with KL Rahul but in one fewer innings). In that same period, no one has hit more than de Villiers’ 13 sixes against the Knight Riders.

Ange Postecoglou will know that his Tottenham Hotspur side must defeat Brighton & Hove Albion on the south coast for a chance to enter the October international break in the Premier League’s top four.

It’s not going to be easy given other results would need to go their way, while the Seagulls have started well under new boss Fabian Hürzeler, who earned the division’s Manager of the Month award for August, albeit having failed to win in any of his past four games, drawing three.

Spurs skipper Son Heung-min is still sidelined having missed his side’s past two matches with a hamstring injury, while Destiny Udogie is a fitness doubt at left-back.

After defeating Ferencváros in the Europa League on Thursday evening, Postecoglou is expected to ring the changes, with as many as seven anticipated.

GK – Guglielmo Vicario

Having yet to miss a minute in the Premier League after moving to Tottenham in an initial £17m deal, Guglielmo Vicario should start between the sticks once again this afternoon.

RB – Pedro Porro

Pedro Porro has been tremendous for Tottenham, with his all-encompassing approach to his duties on the right flank suggesting that he has what it takes to become one of Europe’s foremost full-backs – if he is not already creeping into that conversation…

Matches (starts)

6 (6)

Goals

1

Shots on target per game

1.8 (0.5)

Touches per game

81.2

Pass success rate

79%

Key passes per game

2.0

Dribbles per game

0.3

Ball recoveries per game

4.2

Tackles & interceptions per game

3.8

Total duels won per game

4.2 (50%)

He’ll be pitted against the hosts’ electric-paced winger Kaoru Mitoma, so will need to call upon his defensive game at the Amex this afternoon.

CB – Cristian Romero

Having started against Ferencváros, Cristian Romero played an important role and will be more than ready to take on Brighton on the south coast.

The tough-tackling titan won 11 duels in a dominant display, as per Sofascore, and will be the key to quelling the Seagulls’ threat today.

CB – Radu Dragusin

Back in the starting line-up? Radu Dragusin has not enjoyed a fine start to the campaign, having been defeated at Newcastle United in his sole Premier League start, while he was sent off against Qarabag after just seven minutes in Tottenham’s Europa League opener.

Still, Tottenham completed the signing from Genoa in a deal worth £27m in January, and he might be called upon in central defence as a personnel shift takes place at left-back…

LB – Micky van de Ven

Micky van de Ven might have to return to his occasional role at left-back, should Destiny Udogie indeed be ruled out due to injury. The hulking and athletic Dutchman has been excellent when moonlighting at left-back for Tottenham in the past and could be too much for Brighton to contain.

His loping pitch-long run against Manchester United handed him one of the finest assists you’ll see this season, and he’s just pretty brilliant, all told.

DM – Rodrigo Bentancur

Rodrigo Bentancur will be hoping to start once again in the English top flight, having started each of Tottenham’s past three Premier League encounters.

Though Yves Bissouma is an excellent ball-winner, he’s arguably not as rounded nor dynamic as his Uruguayan teammate, who has completed 93% of his passes this season and is vital for the system’s fluency.

CM – Dejan Kulusevski

Pape Matar Sarr is making waves on the continent this year, but Dejan Kulusevski might just be Spurs’ player of the season thus far, having been expertly refashioned into a central engine-like role.

Delighted with the Swede’s progress, Postecoglou said: “He has an unbelievable capacity to run on and off the ball, his physical numbers are ridiculous and he has the quality to hurt teams with that.”

CM – James Maddison

James Maddison ebbed and flowed during his maiden campaign as a Lilywhite, largely due to injury, but has been in fine fettle this season, posting one goal and three assists while performing with verve and intent.

He could be the key to unlocking a Brighton backline that’s there for the taking. As per FBref, the 27-year-old ranks among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for passes attempted and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90.

RW – Brennan Johnson

What a turnaround. Things looked rather dour for Brennan Johnson following a poor start to the season that had led to some negativity spread across social media, but the winger has since silenced the critics with a haul of five goals from five matches.

The Wales international scored a stoppage-time winner against Brighton back in February, and he’ll be desperate to step up and dominate at the AMEX this afternoon.

LW – Timo Werner

Fans might be clamouring for Mikey Moore, the 17-year-old wonderkid, to be unleashed from the outset against Brighton, but Timo Werner may be more likely to reprise his starting role in the Premier League.

The German has done very little since the summer, failing to score or assist across his four top-flight matches (only one start, to be fair) while taking just two shots, failing to create a big chance and completing 38% of his dribbles. He needs to step it up.

CF – Dominic Solanke

Justifiably recalled to the Three Lions squad for the forthcoming run of fixtures, Dominic Solanke has made a steady start to his Spurs career, scoring three goals and placing one assist from seven matches.

He might have joined in a club-record £65m deal, but the towering striker is proving that he has what it takes to impress in Ange’s side this season – and he’ll relish the chance to serve as the star man in Son’s continuing absence.

Predicted Spurs line-up in full: (GK) Guglielmo Vicario; (RB) Pedro Porro, (CB) Cristian Romero, (CB) Radu Dragusin, (LB) Micky van de Ven; (DM) Rodrigo Bentancur, (CM) Dejan Kulusevski, (CM) James Maddison; (RW) Brennan Johnson, (LW) Timo Werner; (CF) Dominic Solanke

Forget Moore: Spurs may have unearthed their own Bukayo Saka

He has certainly caught the eye early on this season.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 4, 2024

Wrexham have tied striker Jack Marriott down to a new contract after a bright opening half of the season.

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Marriott joined Wrexham in early 2023Become key player at Welsh sideStriker signs new contractFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham have announced that the 30-year-old has signed a new deal until the end of the 2025-26 season, with the option of an extra year. Now, the former Derby County forward has expressed his delight at the news.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT JACK MARRIOTT SAID

He told Wrexham's website: “I’m really grateful that the Club have agreed the deal. I’m really pleased to extend my stay here and it’s a really happy time for me and my family. I want to help the team and play as much as possible. I’ll do the best I can do for the team and the supporters.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Marriott has gone from a fringe player at Wrexham to someone who has taken key man Paul Mullin's spot in attack. This contract extension comes just after he has returned to the team after three months out with a broken fibula. He could be key in Wrexham's bid to secure a third-straight promotion.

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Marriott could feature again for third-placed Wrexham next Tuesday at home to Stevenage Town.

Incidentally, manager Phil Parkinson added: “Jack has worked really hard in his rehabilitation, and we are pleased that we have been able to agree a new deal and extend his stay.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers and manager Gary O’Neil are reportedly looking at signing an “excellent” free agent right now, according to one journalist.

Wolves suffer Yerson Mosquera injury blow

The Old Gold haven’t had the start to the new Premier League campaign that they would have wanted, failing to win any of their opening five top-flight fixtures. To rub salt into the wound, things went from bad to worse on Saturday during a 3-1 defeat to rivals Aston Villa after defender Yerson Mosquera was forced off through injury. The club has since confirmed that he is unlikely to play again this season.

Mosquera was a regular under O’Neil during the early stages of the campaign, playing every Premier League minute before going off against Villa, with Wolves’ head of high performance Phil Hayward claiming that it is unlikely Mosquera will play again in 24/25 as he requires surgery.

“Yerson has now had all of the various assessments and scans which unfortunately confirm injuries to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). We will be visiting specialists in the coming days to finalise the plan for surgery; this will take place in the next two weeks. Timescales are difficult to state prior to surgery but it is highly unlikely he will feature again this season.”

Wolves’ injury list

Possible return date (Premier Injuries)

Boubacar Traore

December 26

Toti Gomes

September 29

Enso Gonzalez

No return date

Sasa Kalajdzic

No return date

Bastien Meupiyou

October 20

Yerson Mosquera

June 1

As a result, it looks as if Wolves could turn their attention to the free agent market to replace Mosquera, with one experienced defender being looked at.

Wolves eyeing free agent James Tomkins

According to HITC journalist Graeme Bailey, Wolves are considering a move to bring former West Ham and Crystal Palace centre-back James Tomkins to Molineux.

The 35-year-old is still without a club after leaving Selhurst Park in the summer, and being a right-footed centre-back could slot in to replace Mosquera in the squad over the coming months or possibly for the rest of the season.

Wolves are only able to bring in English-based free agents as there is no space left in O’Neil’s 25-man squad for any non-homegrown players, so Tomkins could be the man to arrive. An experienced defender, Tomkins is also an Olympian after representing Great Britain back in 2012. He came in for praise while at Crystal Palace under Roy Hodgson, who called him “excellent” and a “senior figure” back in 2019.

“He’s been excellent. He was fantastic the other night in a tough game for us. He handled it brilliantly. We have been lucky to have Tomkins and Sakho as our centre backs. He is taking on the role as the senior figure.”

West Ham

243

11

Crystal Palace

136

10

It looks as if a cut-price and short-term move to Wolves for Tomkins could be one to look out for in the coming days and weeks, going off this transfer update from Bailey.

أكد المهندس محمد حمدي، المسؤول عن ملعب استاد القاهرة، أن تطوير الملاعب المصرية لتصبح بجودة استاد القاهرة الدولي ليس بالأمر الصعب، لكنه يحتاج إلى بعض المعرفة الفنية والمعدات المناسبة.

وقال حمدي في تصريحات عبر برنامج “ع المكشوف”، على إذاعة “أون سبورت إف إم”: “من الممكن أن تُصبح كل ملاعب مصر مثل ملعب استاد القاهرة، الأمر سهل جدًا لكنه يحتاج فقط إلى قليل من العلم وبعض المعدات، ولن يكون هناك فرق بين أي ملعب وملعب استاد القاهرة”.

وأضاف: “هذا الكلام بشهادة الأجانب الذين علمونا هذا العمل، حيث أرسلوا لنا بعد مباراة الأهلي والزمالك رسالة أكدوا فيها أنهم يضمنون الآن أن استاد القاهرة هو الأفضل في إفريقيا”.

طالع أيضًا | عمر وهبي يعتذر عن عدم قبول منصب هام في الزمالك

وأوضح أن تحسين الملاعب ليس مجرد رفاهية، بل ضرورة لحماية اللاعبين وتطوير كرة القدم المصرية، وقال: “أنا طرحت فكرة لجعل كل استادات مصر بنفس جودة استاد القاهرة، وإن شاء الله نصل لحلول قريبًا، لكن في النهاية إذا قارنا التكاليف بالإصابات التي تحدث للاعبين بسبب سوء أرضيات الملاعب، وتأثير ذلك على الكرة المصرية، سنجدها قليلة جدًا”.

وتابع: “قد تكون هناك مشكلة خارجة عن إرادتنا وتكلفتها مرتفعة بسبب الظروف العامة، لكن عندما يكون الحل بسيطًا وفي المتناول ولا يحدث تحرك، فهذا أمر يُحزنني”.

واختتم حديثه مُشيرًا إلى أهمية العناية بملاعب الناشئين، قائلًا: “الملاعب الصغيرة قد تكون أكثر أهمية من الاستادات الكبرى، لأن العديد من الناشئين يتعرضون لإصابات في سن صغير تجبرهم على اعتزال كرة القدم، وقد يكون من بينهم لاعبون موهوبون مثل ميسي ومارادونا وبيليه، لذلك علينا التحرك سريعًا لحماية مستقبل الكرة المصرية”.