Crystal Palace suffered their first loss since before Christmas at the weekend, losing 2-1 to Brentford at Selhurst Park. On the bright side, Romain Esse made his debut, marking it with a goal from the bench with his first touch as he gave the Palace fans their first glimpse of the young star.

The Eagles are currently sitting 13th in the Premier League after 23 games played, now 11 points off the relegation zone and only six points off of a top-half spot.

Oliver Glasner will be hoping for some last-minute acquisitions in this January window to give his side a little push heading into the second half of the campaign, looking to continue their strong vein of form from their last six games before Brentford.

Crystal Palace shopping for new left back

According to reports from Football Insider, Crystal Palace are plotting a move to sign Chelsea left-back, Ben Chillwell on loan.

With Trevoh Chalobah being recalled earlier this month by the Blues, Palace now have the opportunity to fill that loan spot with another player.

Transfer Focus

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

Back in November, reports had stated Palace were searching for a new left-back option to compete with Tyrick Mitchell, compiling a list of possible January targets ahead of the window.

Previously lauded as “exceptional” by Brendan Rodgers, Chilwell’s stock has fallen of late, only making one appearance this season for Chelsea, with Enzo Maresca favouring inverted full-backs in his side, therefore not finding a place for Chilwell in the side.

How Chilwell would benefit Eze at Crystal Palace

In Glasner’s 3-4-3 system, Chilwell would suit perfectly, being the left-wing back, providing width on the outside of Eberechi Eze who is in the left half-space playing as a number ten/inside forward.

Eze has made 24 appearances so far this season, scoring six goals, providing six assists and totalling 1,938 minutes played.

Whilst Mitchell can provide that overlapping run, his qualities are more in the defensive sector, meaning Eze can find himself isolated on the left side of attack, allowing defenders to double-team him much easier, which is something Chilwell could perhaps help to prevent.

Goals + Assists

0.08

0.11

xG

0.14

0.02

xAG

0.26

0.16

Progressive Carries

2.62

1.98

Progressive Passes

2.98

2.12

Shots Total

1.15

0.31

Key Passes

1.67

1.17

Shot-Creating Actions

2.62

2.21

Tackles + Interceptions

2.38

3.18

When comparing the Chelsea defender to Mitchell last term, you can see how the England international provides a great deal more attacking threat, taking more shots per 90, playing more key passes, averaging more shot-creating actions and overall helping in progression more for his side.

Mauricio Pochettino praised Chilwell as “one of the best left-backs in the world” when he is fit and on-form, which was shown in his Champions League winning campaign at Chelsea in the 2020/21 season, making 42 appearances that season, scoring four goals, providing seven assists and totalling 3,358 minutes played.

The addition of Chilwell would allow Eze more support in the attacking third and could even facilitate a move to left centre-back for Mitchell, allowing the manager to play both of them, still getting the defensive qualities of the latter into the team, whilst also adding extra attacking threat out wide with the Chelsea wing-back.

Crystal Palace have struck gold on Eagles star who's worth more than Esse

Crystal Palace have a player who could help Romain Esse.

ByConnor Holden Jan 23, 2025

Manchester United have reportedly zeroed in on Andre Onana's successor, but will face competition from arch-rivals Manchester City.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Man Utd searching for Onana's replacementHave set their sights on Porto's CostaCity are also looking for Ederson's successorFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , United have identified Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa as a potential replacement for Onana. United’s scouting network has already been deployed to monitor Costa’s performances. Representatives from the club were recently present at Estádio do Dragão to observe the 24-year-old in action during Porto’s match against Famalicão.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The chase for Costa's signature is not limited to the red half of Manchester, though, as City are also reportedly preparing a move for the Portuguese shot-stopper as they consider reinforcements to cover for Ederson, who has struggled with recurring injuries this season. Pep Guardiola’s side are expected to initiate formal talks soon, with a €58 million (£50m/$67m) offer reportedly in the works.

DID YOU KNOW?

Porto president André Villas-Boas is well aware of the growing demand for Costa and is reportedly prepared to sanction a move – but only on his own terms. Sources suggest that he would consider a transfer, provided that the fee offered comes close to the goalkeeper’s full release clause €75m (£58m/$86m).

WHAT NEXT FOR COSTA?

Any departure would only occur after the Club World Cup this summer. This strategy is seen as a way for Porto to fully capitalise on Costa’s market value, with the tournament set to provide a global stage for the goalkeeper. Villas-Boas hopes that standout performances in the USA could further drive up interest and potentially increase the financial reward from any sale. The Dragons are set to face Palmeiras on June 15, followed by matches against Inter Miami on June 19 and Al-Ahly on June 24.

“The discussion from us as a group was just what it’s going to do for the game, not so much what it’s going to do for an individual”

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-20231:07

Ashleigh Gardner: ‘Actually dreamt about the WPL auctions the other night’

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) has been tipped to be “a gamechanger” for women’s cricket, and the player auction was all the talk a couple of days ago, but that isn’t the focus of Australia’s current T20 World Cup squad.They were training in Gqeberha as the bidding began on Monday, Ellyse Perry, who found out after the practice session that she had been picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 1.7 crore (AUS$ 207,000.), said. Another 13 Australians – 11 of those also in South Africa with Perry – were sold in the auction, which she admitted was a “weird” concept in itself.Ashleigh Gardner was the joint-highest earning overseas player alongside England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, going for an eye-watering INR 3.2 crore (US$ 390,000 approx.) to Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians respectively. But prices aside, Perry acknowledged that the growth of the women’s game in India was a big deal.Related

Mandhana gets the biggest bid at WPL auction

Wareham overcomes the 'dark days' on triumphant return

“From my perspective, I don’t think any of us ever led the conversation in terms of monetary value,” she said. “I think there’s something at play that’s much bigger than that. Of course, remuneration and the chance to earn that kind of money is wonderful, but much larger than that I think is just the general growth of the sport right around the world.”India is kind of, I guess, the spiritual home of cricket in a lot of senses. And I think now that women are starting to have a really strong presence in the Indian market and also in the Indian game, that is so much more important than any kind of dollar value that is placed on any player. So from that perspective, the chat was just around wanting to be involved.”Of course, after the auction, those discussions come in about certain value and how much people are sold for, which in itself is a weird kind of concept to swallow. But yeah, I just think it’s so much bigger than that. The discussion from us as a group was just what it’s going to do for the game, not so much what it’s going to do for an individual.”7:15

‘Alyssa Healy an absolute steal at INR 70 lakh’

The Australians were in a more relaxed position than England, who faced Ireland while the auction was still going on, with some players taking the field already knowing the results and others having to wait until after the match. Perhaps even more timely, on the eve of the auction, Gardner had claimed her first international five-wicket haul as Australia beat New Zealand by 97 runs. And, by the evening after, her team-mates were joking that the treats were on her for the rest of the tour.”Ash is a phenomenal player,” Perry said. “I was fortunate enough to play with Ashleigh in her first WBBL campaign with the [Sydney] Sixers and I don’t think she’s looked back since then. Year on year, she’s just got better and better.”Probably what stands out to me the most now is the contribution that she’s making with her bowling. Added to the obvious power that she possesses as a batter and ability to take games away there, now the consistency in her bowling and what she’s contributing during our fielding innings just makes her such a threat. She has every facet of the game covered off and really is just perfectly built for T20 cricket.”The consistency that she has for that now has probably made her as rich as what she is,” Perry added with a smile.Perry on Wareham: ‘She’s just the most naturally talented and laid-back sort of cricketer that I’ve come across’•AFP/Getty ImagesPerry was also impressed by Georgia Wareham, who made her international return after 16 months out with a knee injury against Bangladesh on Tuesday and bagged three wickets. Wareham will play alongside Gardner at Giants after being bought for the equivalent of nearly US$ 91,000 despite her long spell out of the game.”It was so awesome to see Wolfy play again,” Perry said. “Such a long road back from a really devastating injury. I think any athlete who hears the word ACL in terms of an injury, it’s a pretty tough one to swallow.”To have the patience that she’s had to work as hard as she has and the other part of it is she’s hardly played any games of cricket in the last 16 months and she just comes out and does that. And that’s so Wolfy. She’s just the most naturally talented and laid-back sort of cricketer that I’ve come across. Often after long injuries, it takes a long time to perform again but she’s done it straight away.”Australia and Sri Lanka will both be seeking their third straight wins of the tournament when they meet at St George’s Park on Thursday.

An analysis of some of the more technical aspects of the second day’s play between India and England in Chennai

Aakash Chopra17-Dec-20161:35

How Stokes is falling into Ashwin’s trap

Stokes v Ashwin
R Ashwin dismissed Ben Stokes for the fifth time in the series. A batsman should worry if there’s a pattern developing in the dismissals. Stokes has a tendency to plant his front foot down the pitch, that’s why he’s often been away from the line of the ball. The thinking behind the footwork could be to protect the front pad from the straighter ball, but that has caused him to play the wrong line to the delivery that turns away from the left-hand batsman. Most of Stokes’ dismissals to Ashwin have been when the bowler has come around the stumps, and that line should have dictated that the front foot come slightly across.Moeen against the bouncer
Moeen Ali’s dismissal highlighted the importance of having a defensive technique against the bouncer. The trap had been set and Moeen knew it too, but he was unable to defend or avoid them, and so played into the hands of the Indian fast bowlers. It’s almost impossible to hit your way out of a bouncer trap. Moeen’s dismissal also asked a critical question – why had the Indian quicks bowled only two bouncers at him on the first day?1:13

Chopra: Moeen Ali needs to know how to defend a bouncer

Ishant’s full lengths
On the first day, Ishant Sharma dismissed Keaton Jennings with a full ball. On the second he dismissed Jos Buttler with a full ball. But Ishant bowled only four to five full deliveries in England’s 157.2-over first innings. Either he had success with the full ball because it was a rare surprise or there is a case for him to bowl that length more often. I’m tempted to say he should bowl full more often – Ishant’s height and high-arm action pushes the batsman back and a full ball is likely to cause more trouble.Ishant Sharma’s pitch map•ESPNcricinfo LtdIshant and Umesh Yadav conceded only three boundaries in front of the stumps. With the lack of lateral movement and pace off the pitch, it is expected that a fair amount of runs will be scored in front of the stumps. The wagon-wheel, however, suggested that the Indian fast bowlers did not bowl lengths that brought batsmen forward.England’s scoring areas against India’s fast bowlers•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe difference between Ashwin and Mishra
Amit Mishra and Ashwin bowl at a similar pace. Both have accurate pitch maps too. Why is it then, that Ashwin is vastly more effective than Mishra? The reason is fizz off the surface, which is a result of the extra rotations Ashwin puts on the ball. Mishra hasn’t been able to put enough behind the ball and is therefore less effective. Without zip off the surface, Mishra is at his best when the batsmen are playing shots, and that explains his success in limited-over formats.Openers let-off by Cook
The toughest assignment for opening batsmen is a seaming pitch on the first morning of a Test. The second toughest is opening after having fielded for 150 or more overs. Though conditions on the second day might not be as testing, the fatigue after fielding will challenge physical and mental strength. And there are only ten minutes in which to make the switch. Another thing you have to be wary of is believing the pitch is a featherbed because the other team has batted 150 overs. Every innings starts from scratch, so it was surprising to see the field set by Alastair Cook. For both KL Rahul, struggling for form, and Parthiv Patel, having kept wickets for 157.2 and a part-time opener, Cook had fielders at deep point and deep square leg. With 477 runs in the bank, Cook should have attacked more.

da fezbet： Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is facing the largest amount of pressure since he joined the club from Celtic in 2023, with Spurs sliding to 15th in the Premier League table after their 3-2 loss at Everton last weekend.

Ange Postecoglou criticised amid torrid Tottenham form

da betway： The Lilywhites showed real spirit to come back from 3-0 down at half-time on Merseyside, clawing back the deficit to just one, but the defeat was Postecoglou’s fifth in Spurs’ last six top flight matches and their 12th of the season overall.

Related Tottenham plot bid for £25m Juventus target after losing Kolo Muani race

They were linked with a swap deal in 2023.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jan 18, 2025

Until now, Tottenham hadn’t lost that number of games by this stage of a season for decades, and Postecoglou has been criticised for his one-note approach to matches in that time, whilst also failing to address his side’s leaky defence with a needed tactical tweak.

It simply must be said that Postecoglou has been dealt a plethora of injuries to key first-team players, including star striker Dominic Solanke just before their loss to Everton, and this has left the under-fire Spurs boss with precious few options.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Leicester City (home)

January 26

Brentford (away)

February 2

Man United (home)

February 16

Ipswich Town (home)

February 22

Man City (home)

February 26

Brennan Johnson is also set to be sidelined for weeks after he picked up an injury in their North London Derby loss to Arsenal last week, but Sky Sports pundit Jamie O’Hara says Postecoglou should be given his P45 regardless.

Reports suggest that Postecoglou is under no immediate threat of the Tottenham sack, but the 59-year-old faces a crucial week and this could well change if results continue in this manner.

Tottenham could sound out ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic if they decide to part company with Postecoglou, according to some reports, while another media source has now linked them with Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

Tottenham identify Thomas Frank as a "top" managerial target

According to TEAMtalk, the Bees boss is greatly admired by Tottenham’s hierarchy, following a productive few years at the Gtech Community Stadium where he has worked wonders on a shoestring budget.

The £4.5 million-per-year coach guided Brentford to promotion back in 2021, and they’ve never really been under any real threat of relegation since. Their highest league finish of ninth in 2022/2023 is impressive given the lack of resources available to Frank, and this has caught eyes at N17.

It is believed Frank would be a “top” target for Tottenham if they decide to sack Postecoglou. TEAMtalk add that chairman Daniel Levy and co even considered the 51-year-old as an option to succeed Antonio Conte, before they eventually landed on Postecoglou, and Frank has been praised as a “class act” by members of the media (Adam Keys).

The Dane is also expected to leave Brentford at the end of the season, meaning he could be attainable.

Ellyse Perry, Dane van Niekerk to captain Birmingham Phoenix, Oval Invincibles respectively

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2023

Sophie Ecclestone will captain a side for the first time in her professional career this summer, following her appointment as Manchester Originals’ captain for the Hundred.Kate Cross led Originals women in the first two editions of the tournament but was signed by Northern Superchargers in March’s draft, and the team announced on Monday that Ecclestone will lead them in 2023.It will be the first senior leadership role of Ecclestone’s career and may carry long-term significance from England’s perspective. She has never captained a professional team but has long been established as their frontline spinner, and in the long term, could become an option to succeed Heather Knight.”I’m buzzing to be captaining Manchester Originals this year,” Ecclestone said in an ECB press release. “The Hundred is such a great competition to take part in and I can’t wait to lead the girls out at Emirates Old Trafford.”Related

Scrivens leads march of Under-19s in latest Hundred signings

The Hundred – Women's draft picks

The Hundred – Men's draft picks

'A big thing to get my head around' – Cross on Superchargers move

Elsewhere in the women’s tournament, Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry has replaced Sophie Devine as Birmingham Phoenix captain, while Dane van Niekerk has been reconfirmed as Oval Invincibles captain after losing her place to Suzie Bates during their title-winning season last year.In the men’s tournament, Tom Abell’s appointment as Welsh Fire’s new captain has also been confirmed. ESPNcricinfo revealed in February that Mike Hussey had lined Abell up as a leadership option, and he was a £125,000 signing at March’s draft.Six of the eight teams have now confirmed their men’s and women’s captains, with Northern Superchargers and defending men’s champions Trent Rockets the two exceptions.The tournament will run from August 1-27 in 2023, with a standalone window that means it will not clash with any England men’s or women’s fixtures for the first time.The Hundred 2023 captains:
Birmingham Phoenix: Ellyse Perry, Moeen Ali
London Spirit: Heather Knight, Dan Lawrence
Manchester Originals: Sophie Ecclestone, Jos Buttler
Northern Superchargers: TBC
Oval Invincibles: Dane van Niekerk, Sam Billings
Southern Brave: Anya Shrubsole, James Vince
Trent Rockets: TBC
Welsh Fire: Tammy Beaumont, Tom Abell

Everything you need to know about French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni's salary playing for Real Madrid

Real Madrid haven't been short of French players in recent times, one of them being combative midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.

The France international earned his big-money move to Real Madrid in 2022 after two impressive seasons with Ligue 1 side AS Monaco and has played a key role in Real Madrid's success in Spain and in Europe, also filling in at centre-back in the absence of key defenders due to injuries.

Tchouameni earns a substantial salary at Los Blancos under his current contract, which keeps him at the club until 2028.

But exactly how much does the French star earn playing at the Bernabeu?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

*

• Aurelien Tchouameni's wages at Real Madrid in numbers

  Tchouameni's current contract at the club earns him weekly wages of £201,022 ($263,152), putting him on par with the likes of Rodrygo and Eduardo Camavinga. His annual salary amounts to £10.4 million ($13.6 million).

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Aurelien Tchouameni	French	£201,022	$263,152	£10,453,154	$13,683,882

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Top earners at Real Madrid

  Despite his high wages, Tchouameni does not make the cut for the top five highest-earners at the club.

  Leading Real Madrid's wage bill is French forward Kylian Mbappe, with David Alaba somewhat surprisingly following in second place.

  Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. take the third and fourth spots with identical wages, while Federico Valverde rounds off the list at fifth.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Kylian Mbappe	French	£502,556	$657,879	£26,132,886	$34,209,706
  David Alaba	Austrian	£361,840	$473,673	£18,815,678	$24,630,988
  Jude Bellingham	English	£334,983	$438,516	£17,419,136	$22,802,822
  Vinicius Jr.	Brazilian	£334,983	$438,516	£17,419,136	$22,802,822
  Fede Valverde	Uruguayan	£268,083	$350,939	£13,940,327	$18,248,826

• Top earners in La Liga

  When it comes to the top earners in LaLiga, we have Barcelona's veteran striker Robert Lewandowski as the highest-paid player.

  Mbappe makes his appearance at second position, once again followed by Alaba.

  Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid's only entrant in the list is goalkeeper Jan Oblak, followed by Bellingham who is on equal wages with Vinicius at number five.

  Nationality	Nationality	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual Wages USD
  Robert Lewandowski	Polish	£536,006	$701,667	£27,872,290	$36,486,704
  Kylian Mbappe	French	£502,556	$657,879	£26,132,886	$34,209,706
  David Alaba	Austrian	£361,840	$473,673	£18,815,678	$24,630,988
  Jan Oblak	Slovenian	£334,983	$438,516	£17,419,136	$22,802,822
  Jude Bellingham	English	£334,983	$438,516	£17,419,136	$22,802,822

• AFP
  

  Highest paid players in the world

  Despite the lucrative wages in the league, none of the top LaLiga earners make it to the top-five earners list globally as Saudi Pro League players heavily dominate the list.

  Leading the charts are former Real Madrid forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at first and second spot, respectively.

  Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez comes in at number three, followed by Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£3,216,155	$4,210,425	£167,250,468	$218,942,120
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	£1,608,178	$2,105,213	£83,625,234	$109,471,060
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£839,469	$1,098,921	£45,652,372	$57,43,893
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£643,271	$842,085	£33,450,094	$43,788,424
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£558,038	$730,509	£29,017,956	$37,986,458

The late Cricket Australia board director was passionate about politics and history, and his contribution to Australian sport extended beyond cricket

Daniel Brettig16-Dec-2015A friend tells a story about a conversation with John Bannon, in which the topic turned to running. This friend had endured a few Sydney “City2Surf” fun runs and was relating his struggles to cover the 14km distance. After listening patiently to these lamentations, Bannon said simply, “Yes, I used to do a bit of running myself.”Try 28 Adelaide Marathons, 11 in which he completed the journey in less than three hours, most of these while he was also occupied by the all-consuming job as premier treasurer of South Australia. In building a new and meaningful life after politics, Bannon would often surprise and delight with self-deprecating references to his former career. As Mark Kenny has written: “Bannon was actually a giant in Australian politics… It’s just he never said so.”Cricket had always been a major passion of Bannon’s, and his legbreaks are remembered fondly by fellow members of the St Peter’s Old Collegians cricket club in the Adelaide Turf Competition. But it was in his later years – even after a cancer diagnosis in 2007 – that Bannon made his greatest mark on the game.All those years in politics, and the traumatic experiences of his final term as premier amid the collapse of the State Bank, were brought to the service of Australian cricket via the boards of Cricket Australia and the South Australian Cricket Association. Bannon knew a thing or two, and while he would never impose his opinions, he added greatly to the knowledge and expertise of other administrators around him.

Bannon also served as Master of St Mark’s residential college, where young students and older dinner guests alike discovered his gifts as an orator, comedian and mimic

One such lesson was about the importance of personal relationships in making and keeping deals for major events. Bannon was the man who brought the Formula One Grand Prix to Australia when he reacted most favourably to the entreaties of the F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone in the early 1980s. Labor premiers John Cain in Victoria and Nevill Wran in New South Wales had hesitated, and it was the young first-termer Bannon who built a rapport with Ecclestone that intertwined the race’s status with his premiership.Ecclestone met Bannon at the Star Pub in Chessington, Surrey, where they mapped out a deal. Back then, Adelaide was a major beneficiary, being opened up to the world without paying anything like the race fees F1 now demands of host cities. Ecclestone, at the time recently installed as F1 chief after having worked as the team principal for Brabham, was grateful to form the alliance in a part of the world new to the sport.”John Bannon saw the advantage of advertising Adelaide to the rest of the world and took advantage of it,” Ron Walker, the former Australian Grand Prix chairman told Fairfax Media earlier this year. “They had it for ten good years. But Bernie had always said to him, ‘You can have this race for as long as you stay in office. The moment you lose an election or you retire, the race goes somewhere else.'”So it was that a change in government brought a change in the race venue, from Adelaide to Melbourne. Ecclestone tried to have Bannon sign a new contract for the race to extend its South Australian tenure, but by then Bannon was occupied by the weightier and messier business of the State Bank.This throws up another Bannon learning that SACA and CA board directors benefited from – the importance of personal responsibility and accountability.Bannon (far right) with former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke (far left) and fellow state premiers in 1989•Getty ImagesBannon paid a heavy price, taking the blame for the failure of the bank upon himself at a time when many others in positions of more direct import to the bank’s fortunes chose to sidestep the brickbats. In a heated moment on ABC radio in Adelaide during the worst of the fallout, Bannon’s former university colleague Keith Conlon exclaimed, “Some bastard’s got to wear this.” Bannon replied, “I am the bastard… and I am wearing it!” His departure from politics was unhappy but also honourable.Later, in an interview with the Adelaide University magazine , a publication he had once edited himself, he thought aloud about what was next: “Just how I fit in. I don’t know at this stage. I’ve just got to let that work through.” During his period of reflection, Bannon took in the 1994 Australian Test tour of South Africa, the first visit of the national team to that part of the world since the end of apartheid. In addition to never missing the Adelaide Test, he was a frequent attendee at overseas matches.Bannon chose to pivot into academia, penning a biography of former South Australia premier Sir John Downer, called , and devoting much of his time to the service of history. He also served as Master of St Mark’s residential college in North Adelaide, where young students and older dinner guests alike discovered his gifts as an orator, comedian and even a mimic: Churchill and Hitler were two particularly memorable turns.Wooed by the patrician Ian McLachlan to join the SACA board in 2001, Bannon was soon adding his intellect to cricket board discussion. Perhaps because he found himself playing a central role in so much of it, he was enduringly committed to ensuring the lessons of history were not allowed to fade away. During the CA governance debate, Bannon’s position was staunchly federalist but not without room to manoeuvre. He related later that he had always been in favour of the board’s reduction from 14 directors to nine, and that SA’s “undue” representation was fair game to be cut back.

Cricket had always been a major passion of Bannon’s, and his legbreaks are remembered fondly by fellow members of the St Peter’s Old Collegians cricket club in the Adelaide Turf Competition

But he baulked at the total separation of board members from states, out of the well-founded fear that it would cause the interests of the largest centres to be heard most frequently to the exclusion of others, and out of scepticism that the board would become a tool of CA management, not the other way around. He was gratified when a compromise was brokered to ensure the board had to include at least one director from each state: proudly, he was South Australia’s.The former chairman Wally Edwards said of Bannon: “He was a great contributor to the board. He had a sense of history and a great love of cricket. He kept us fellow board directors honest to the traditions of the game and the administration of the game.”I first met Bannon at the ITC Gardenia Hotel in Bangalore during Australia’s 2010 Test tour. His expression broadened into a grin when I mentioned my South Australian heritage, though it became a little wrier when I added that I had started my journalism career at the . We crossed paths regularly over the next few years; it was a happy coincidence that a first invitation to the LBW Trust chairman Darshak Mehta’s SCG Test dinner coincided with his delivery of its keynote address. His passion that night was palpable.Partly due to his words about the importance of history at that gathering, I contacted him directly with a problem I had heard about, to do with CA’s archives. Following the publication in 2007 of the board history , written by Gideon Haigh and David Frith, requests by others to peruse certain records had been declined on the basis they could not be located. Further investigations suggested that, after the book’s publication, many had been marked “D” for destroyed.Bannon was instrumental in bringing the Formula One Grand Prix to Australia. It kicked off in the 1980s in Adelaide, before moving to Melbourne•Getty ImagesTo Bannon, such a loss of history was anathema, and after we discussed it over coffee at the Art Gallery of South Australia in January last year, he promised to do all he could. The result was a board paper put together by Bannon and the former head of public affairs Peter Young that raised the issue and suggested means by which the collective memory of CA and the states might be organised and preserved.Later in the year he travelled to Scotland as a constitutional historian to observe and write about the independence referendum. At the same time he was also working on the SACA’s collection of artefacts and plans for a museum.”The aim is for the creation of a dedicated building or space for the SACA museum, perhaps combined with a cricket library or clubroom,” he said earlier this year. “It’s a big project and involves a lot of work, but it is very important it is done correctly. It must be located where members and the public can have easy access to it, and have enough space to do justice to our ever-growing collection. It is something I want to devote more time and energy to in my remaining term on the board.”We stayed in touch, and when I had the misfortune of being mugged in Dominica, he was prompt in writing an email to convey his hope that I was on the mend, adding: “There IS action on the archives matters we discussed – I haven’t stopped prodding…” As a result of the said prodding, a search of Melbourne located the CA archival material at several off-site locations dotted around the city, and they are now the subject of work by Young and Haigh that will ensure they are not allowed to fall into obscurity, disrepair and destruction.At that stage Bannon was still hopeful of making the trip to England for an Ashes Test or two. When I asked a few weeks later about his movements, I got a typically understated indication of the health issues that had been his near constant companions since 2007: he would be unable to make the trip. He did, however, offer a prescient observation ahead of Edgbaston. “Third Test will be the indicator of what are the strengths of the teams; forget about ‘doctored’ wickets, each side plays on the same strip and should be able to adapt.”That would turn out to be the story of the 2015 Ashes in a nutshell.Without fanfare, Bannon had offered his wisdom freely and well in advance of events, an experience shared by many whose lives he enriched.Australian cricket is immeasurably poorer for his loss, and it is up to those who knew him to ensure his many learnings about history, cricket and life are not forgotten.

The transfer window is rapidly reaching its conclusion and, as most fans will attest, it feels as if Tottenham Hotspur haven’t done enough.

The only player to join the club so far this month has been 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonín Kinský, who completed his £12.5m move from Slavia Prague on January 5th, but since then, there has been a whole lot of rumours and nothing else.

What’s worse is that other teams in the Premier League are strengthening their squad, most notably Manchester City, who have been on quite a spending spree this month, with the £59m purchase of Eintracht Frankfurt goal machine Omar Marmoush the pick of the bunch.

However, there is still time for Daniel Levy and Co to make a splash in the market, and if recent reports are to be believed, the club might just be going after a Premier League star who could be their answer to City’s new Egyptian superstar.

Tottenham target Premier League sensation

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Tottenham are now one of multiple clubs chasing Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims that Arsenal, Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest are all keen on the Brazilian ace, who has yet to sign a new contract at Molineux.

However, as well as getting ahead of some tough competition, Spurs will have to stump up a hefty fee to get their man, with the report claiming that it will take at least £70m to convince the Old Gold to sell.

It will be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given how well Cunha has played this season and Postecoglou’s need for signings, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’s been compared to the brilliant Marmoush.

How Cunha compares to Marmoush and why Spurs should sign him

So, before we get into some of the other reasons Spurs should be looking to sign Cunha this month, let’s examine this comparison to City’s new signing and where it comes from.

In this case, it primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that Marmoush is the ninth most similar forward to the Brazilian star.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, goals per shot and shot on target, passing accuracy, expected assists, through balls, crosses, carries into the final third and more, all per 90.

Goals per Shot

0.15

0.17

Goals per Shot on Target

0.38

0.38

Passing Accuracy

71.6%

70.2%

Expected Assists

0.19

0.25

Through Balls

0.35

0.30

Crosses

4.48

4.58

Successful Take-On %

44.1%

44.7%

Carries

29.4

27.2

Carries into the Final Third

3.08

3.14

Aerial Duels Won

0.45

0.41

However, while sharing a considerable number of statistical similarities with the champions’ marquee signing is certainly encouraging, it’s not the sole reason the North Londoners should be going after the Wolves ace.

One of the other most significant reasons for breaking the bank on the João Pessoa-born this month is his sensational form in front of goal this season.

For example, in just 23 appearances for the relegation-threatened Old Gold, the “unbelievable” 25-year-old, as dubbed by journalist Alex Richards, has found the back of the net on ten occasions and provided four assists, which comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games.

That is the sort of game-changing firepower that Postecoglou could really use to pull his side out of the slump they are currently in.

Therefore, while it will be an incredibly expensive transfer, Spurs should do all they can to sign Cunha, as he could be a season-defining addition and their answer to Marmoush.

The next Kane: Spurs ask about signing "phenomenal" Solanke rival on loan

The exceptional talent could be just what Spurs need to challenge Solanke.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 28, 2025

Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford met British boxing sensation Ben Whittaker in the dressing room after his knockout win over Liam Cameron.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Rashford watches Whittaker boxing matchBritish fighter knocks out CameronPair meet in dressing room after victoryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Great Britain Olympic silver medallist Whittaker secured a second-round stoppage of Cameron to win their light-heavyweight rematch in Birmingham at the weekend. Villa loanee Rashford and team-mate Jacob Ramsey watched the fight and then met the 27-year-old in the dressing room to congratulate him.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Rashford appears to be enjoying his football and life again after joining Villa on loan from United earlier this year. The England international has got back into the Three Lions squad, is scoring goals and bagging assists, and is said to be attracting interest from Barcelona. While his United career may be over, there appears to be exciting times ahead for the forward.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Rashford could feature for Villa as they travel to the Etihad to take on fellow Champions League qualification hopefuls Manchester City on Tuesday night. City sit fifth in the table, one point and two places ahead of Unai Emery's men.