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Kevin Phillips reckons that Jack Grealish will start England’s crunch Euro 2020 round of 16 fixture against Germany on Tuesday evening.

The Lowdown: Grealish was the difference maker v Czech Republic

Evolving into a key player for club and country, the 25-year-old Aston Villa captain currently has the world at his feet.

Following calls from fans up and down the country for him to start at the European Championship after being left out of the first two line-ups, he finally got the call against the Czech Republic last week, recording an assist in a 1-0 victory for the Three Lions [BBC].

As one of the biggest fixtures for England in recent times approaches, could Grealish get the nod in the English attack against their German rivals after his recent form?

The Latest: Phillips drops complimentary verdict on Grealish

Sky Sports pundit Phillips was very complimentary in his assessment as to whether Grealish should start the Wembley encounter.

In a recent interview with Football Insider, he stated: “Grealish has to start. Every pundit, journalist and supporter wants Grealish to start tomorrow night and I think he will.

“He offers too much to the side in terms of creativity, winning fouls and ball retention to be dropped.

“The way he linked up with Saka the other night was wonderful to watch. Something always happens when Grealish is playing.

“Is the video of the four of them doing a shooting drill an indication that they are going to start? From my experience, you cannot read too much into it.

“Southgate is not daft. He will not be giving anything away before the match. I expect Grealish to play though. 100 per cent.”

The Verdict: Phillips makes a valid point

Phillips correctly points out the multitude of qualities that the boyhood Villa fan brings to the table, whether it be for the Villains or his country.

Never shy to take on a man, there is a reason he has been the most-fouled player in the Premier League over the last 12 months [GIVEMESPORT]. He dazzled domestically in 2020/21, chipping in with 19 goal contributions in 27 outings for Aston Villa, with seven goals and 12 assists to his name [Transfermarkt].

Whether it’s for Villa or England, Grealish provides a special skillset which enriches not only his team’s prospects but also inspires the players around him.

If England have much designs on beating Germany in London, Southgate could do a lot worse than to start the Villa playmaker.

In other news, these Aston Villa fans react to one man’s potential Villa Park return.

In yet another blow to the credibility of the Eastern Province Cricket Board, one of the union’s board members, Rajan Moodaley, has been found guilty of fraud at a United Cricket Board disciplinary hearing and suspended from cricket for one year.The EPCB has been the cause of deep concern for South African cricket this season, with allegations of administrative mismanagement and claims that some board members have been actively working to undermine the position of chief executive Dave Emslie.Moodaley, who was chairman of the EP Scorers Association, was found to have submitted fraudulent claims for acting as a scorer during the one-day international between Kenya and India in October and the Test match between South Africa and India in November.Moodaley claimed an amount of R4 800 from the South African Cricket Scorers Association, but the disciplinary hearing, chaired by Michael Kuper SC, found that Moodaley had not officiated in either match. Moodaley has been suspended from all cricketing activities for a year and must repay the amount of R4 800 within three months.”This conduct is a serious lapse in the integrity of a person occupying avery senior position in cricket administration. It compromises the financialprobity of the UCB and puts the administration of cricket in a poor light.As such, it cannot be condoned and it is important that the UCB is seen totake a strong stand in cases like this,” wrote Kuper in his report of the hearing.The action against Moodaley seems the first step in an attempt by the UCB to put matters right at St George’s Park. After the one-day international against Australia earlier this month, the UCB executive held a meeting with the EPCB board after persistent rumours of intrigue and backstabbing had surfaced.It is known that the EP sponsors, SpecSavers, have been concerned with the state of affairs at St George’s Park and recently called for a meeting with the EP board at which they insisted that proper administrative procedures be followed.In the past two months, both coach Adrian Birrell and Dale Howarth, the chairman of the EP finance committee, have resigned in protest, it is understood, at the interference by board members in the running of the union.The suspension of Moodaley comes into even sharper relief against the R12,8-million allocated to St George’s Park to upgrade the ground for next year’s World Cup semi-final. Moodaley was a member of the EP World Cup marketing committee although there has been no suggestion of any impropriety in the workings of this committee.A spokesman for the World Cup Organising Committee, Rodney Hartman, said on Saturday that: "St George’s Park has been a concern for us because of the large amount of work that has to be done there to upgrade the ground for the World Cup semi-final. We would obviously want the EP administration to run as smoothly as possible."

“Better late than never” may be an age-old cliché, but it is anadage that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seemsto swear by. Traditionally, Indian cricket administrators havealways been slow to react to changing trends, and that is onereason why the game in this country is a step or two behind theinternational level. But if the decisions taken at the workingcommittee meeting of the Board in New Delhi last month are anyindication, the tradition-bound officials have at least woken upto the fact that a few important changes have to be put intoeffect for the betterment of the players and the game in thiscountry.

Indian cricket, over the years, has had certain inherentweaknesses. The inability of the batsmen to face up to fastbowling, poor ground fielding and catching, the lack of pacebowlers, and physical fitness problems are some that come to mindimmediately. In the past two or three decades, there have beenimprovements in aspects such as facing up to fast bowling andgrooming pace bowlers. But sub-standard fielding and poorphysical fitness are problems that have defied solution tilldate.The appointment of a foreign coach, it was thought, would go along way in tackling these problems. But while John Wright hascontributed a good deal to various aspects concerning the Indianteam over the 15 months he has been associated with it as coach,fielding and physical fitness continue to be problem areas. Thenumber of players suffering from various injuries is evidenceenough that they are not able to measure up to the hecticinternational schedules that are part and parcel of the moderngame. Even the appointment of another foreigner in the team inphysiotherapist Andrew Leipus did not seem to help matters inthis regard. In fact, most of Leipus’ time was devoted totreating injuries rather than preventing them.Given this background, it is heartening to know that the BCCI, ina bid to improve the overall fitness of the players, has decidedto appoint a full-time physical trainer in South African AdrianLe Roux. In fact, the working committee, which took the decisionto go in for a fitness coach, did so after Leipus informed Boardmembers that the players were in need of a more systematictraining regimen. Board chief Jagmohan Dalmiya was apparentlyconvinced by Leipus’ argument. Indeed, the BCCI went one betterand decided to have separate physical trainers for all the RanjiTrophy teams, besides one specialist in the field at the NationalCricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore.Le Roux’s first assignment will be on the tour of the West Indiesnext month. The chief objective is for the team to achieve peakfitness levels in time for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. Itis a laudable aim, and once the person is identified, it is hopedthat team members will respond positively. For there is no doubtthat, in today’s game, matches can be won and lost on thisimportant aspect alone.In addition, the BCCI also decided to appoint zonal medicalcommissions who will report to a single medical committee, whichwill then look into the physical fitness of players coming backfrom injury. According to Dalmiya, players currently returningfrom injury do furnish fitness certificates from their owndoctors. “But once they are on the field, we find they are stillnot fully fit and the selectors are blamed. We want to stopthis,” said Dalmiya. A step in the right direction, belatedlyperhaps, but at least that step has been taken.One more problematic area to which Board officials have woken upis the nature of pitches in this country. For years, it has beenacknowledged by everyone even remotely associated with Indiancricket that the chief reason for the team’s sub-standard showingabroad is the fact that the wickets are so very different fromthose prevalent at home. Playing on slow surfaces or spinoriented tracks is hardly any kind of preparation for performingon faster and bouncer wickets abroad. Little wonder then thatthere is so much disparity between the Indian team’s record athome and playing away.Finally coming to terms with this long-standing problem, the BCCIhas decided to select 10 centres to prepare fast and bouncytracks. The Board wishes to tackle the problem right down theline by going in for faster wickets even in domestic cricket.According to Dalmiya, harder pitches will be prepared from the2002-2003 domestic season. He was of course quick to add, “Don’texpect wickets like Perth in Australia, but these will definitelyhave more bounce. For a start, we have identified the wickets inthe 10 Test-playing centres.” He added that two pitches in eachof the five zones would be selected, and the services of expertsfrom foreign countries would be utilised.A couple of other decisions taken at the meeting are bound tohave far-reaching effects. For example, it was decided toimplement a rotation policy for international players to givethem the required rest before the World Cup. According to theBCCI chief, owing to the busy schedule of the Indian team beforenext year’s World Cup, the Board had decided to give some playersthe required rest at their own behest. He added that when he metsome senior players during the Bangalore Test against England inDecember, they said that they would like to have such a system.At least the views of the players are not only being sought butalso being put into effect, and that is surely an encouragingsign for Indian cricket.

Everton winger Nathan Broadhead will sign a new two-year deal ‘soon’, according to The Athletic.

The lowdown

The 23-year-old made 18 Premier League 2 appearances last season, scoring 11 goals and providing three assists. Only six players in the division netted more.

Broadhead made his senior Premier League debut as a late substitute in the goalless draw at Brighton & Hove Albion in April.

Everton under-23 boss David Unsworth has labelled him a “terrific” player, adding that Broadhead was “one of the best players I’ve worked with at this level”.

The latest

The Athletic’s Everton correspondent Patrick Boyland reported that Broadhead will soon commit his future to the Toffees – his contract had been due to expire this summer. Under-23 team-mates Ryan Astley, Kyle John and Joe Anderson have also been offered new deals.

Boyland also discussed Broadhead’s chances of breaking into the first team, saying that midfield duo Tyler Onyango and Isaac Price and left-back Thierry Small are ahead of him of the queue for the moment.

The verdict

This is a slightly curious situation. Everton are clearly keen to keep Broadhead on their books, but there doesn’t seem to be an immediate prospect of first team football.

He’s 23 now, so it’s getting to the stage where he’s not really a ‘youngster’ anymore, and he might have to consider his future if he can’t force his way into the Toffees’ first team plans during the upcoming season.

In other news, many Everton fans react to exit links surrounding one of their key players.

It’s been a truly bizarre, indeed almost nightmarish, season for Matty Longstaff at Newcastle United.

Described as “talented” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, the 21-year-old showed in that stunning goalscoring performance against Manchester United in October 2019 that he has the ability to be a top-drawer player for the Magpies.

Speaking after that game, Arsenal icon Martin Keown declared: “The young lad should be knocking on Steve Bruce’s door and saying ‘Why didn’t you play me sooner?’ It was almost to say to the boss, ‘Hey, look at me, you have overlooked me for too long.’

“It was like a Paul Scholes…I know that’s big praise and they are big boots for him to copy, but him and his brother – Carrick, Scholes…you know, they did very well. And this is an important ingredient now in this Newcastle team, yes they were more disciplined but those two definitely won them the game.”

However, after putting pen to paper on a new deal last summer, things have gone horribly south for the younger Longstaff, playing just five games in the Premier League all season and not featuring at all since mid-January.

It has raised a few eyebrows to put it mildly, not least from the rest of the Newcastle squad apparently. The Athletic’s Chris Waugh revealed: “Steve Bruce, the head coach, has simply opted to exclude the academy graduate, much to the bemusement of team-mates and the player himself.

“There have been some suggestions that his naivety at Premier League level is part of the reason, yet that does not tally with the decision to field Longstaff against three of the very best sides in the division over the Christmas period.

“This season really needed to be one during which Longstaff was given opportunities. The club, Bruce and the player all recognised that. So, if those chances were not going to arrive on Tyneside, then surely a loan deal would have been in the player’s best interests.”

However, with the final day of the Premier League season now here, surely Bruce has no excuse but to give the £4.5m-rated Longstaff the chance to shine.

After being promised genuine first-team opportunities this term, there’s no questioning that the 21-year-old will be frustrated, maybe even livid, at being cast aside for the majority of the season – not least considering how badly the Magpies were struggling prior to the March international break.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/newcastle-steve-bruce-premier-league-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-st-james-park-joelinton-shelvey-max-aarons” title=”Read the latest Newcastle transfer rumours and news!”]

The clash against Fulham later this afternoon should offer him an overdue chance to taste first team football.

Meanwhile, Luke Edwards has dropped an exciting Newcastle United update…

Barry Fry has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that Peterborough United will be forced to sell Rangers target Jonson Clarke-Harris this summer.

The 26-year-old is already a man in demand having scored 31 goals last season to help Posh end their long wait to bring Championship football back to London Road.

Clarke-Harris, who notched 33 goals in all competitions, has interest from several second-tier sides, although Scottish Premiership champions Rangers are also keen on the ex-Bristol Rovers frontman.

Steven Gerrard reportedly sent scouts to London Road to watch the striker play against Accrington Stanley in March, and he impressed by scoring a hat-trick in their 7-0 victory.

Peterborough sold Ivan Toney this time 12 months ago, with Clarke-Harris likely to join a long list of goalscorers that Posh have lost to bigger clubs in recent seasons.

And despite scoring the goals which saw the club promoted, Director of Football Fry told The Transfer Tavern that whilst he would love to keep Clarke-Harris, they’re resigned to losing him in the coming months:

“How can you stand in their way, because it not only affects their life, it affects their families, their parents and grandparents. It is life-changing and we must do it.

“Obviously, we would like to keep all our players – Dwight Gayle, Britt Assombalonga, Ivan Toney, Jack Marriott – what a team we would have had. We would have had 10 centre-forwards and no defenders!”

Many Wolves fans have been left to slam a managerial update from Fabrizio Romano on Bruno Lage.

As per a tweet from the Italian football journalist and transfer guru, the Midlands club have contacted the former Benfica manager as their ‘main option’ to replace Nuno Espirito Santo.

Talks are ongoing and he is currently the favourite, with the final decision to be made soon.

Lage has been out of a job since June after resigning as Benfica boss, as his team missed out on the domestic title to FC Porto in the 2019/20 season.

It is a huge jump from the Portuguese top flight to the Premier League, and the fact that he could not win the title in his own country with a big team like Benfica is of concern to several members of the Molineux faithful.

Given that he has no prior experience of managing in English football either, a lot of WWFC supporters are wandering whether he has what it takes to succeed Nuno, especially given the success that he had in bringing them up from the EFL Championship and achieving two consecutive seventh-placed finishes.

Wolves fans on Lage update

These Wanderers slammed the managerial update as it was shared on Twitter:

“Why would we want him? He’s achieved nothing.”

Credit: @alvinsmate

“I really hope this isn’t true”

Credit: @RyanMarkwick

“Massive backwards stepping”

Credit: @gricey88

“He’s a terrible manager”

Credit: @lewis__wwfc7

“Please no”

Credit: @Traaty14

“If it’s Lage, this will show no ambition, one poor season at Benfica, Seville and Porto manager would show we are looking forward, Lage just a Mendes client, like Zenga!”

Credit: @JayWilkes34

In other news, find out what injury update has left Wanderers raving here!

Some Liverpool fans have been reacting to the news that the Reds have lost a significant amount of money in the past year, with lots of negativity on show.

It has been an extremely tough year around the world, with the virus affecting day-to-day life to a level rarely seen in modern history.

Football, like nearly every other industry, has taken a major financial hit in that time, with fans largely not allowed inside stadiums and clubs losing huge amounts of matchday revenue.

[freshpress-quiz id=“350790”]

Liverpool have struggled both on and off the pitch since clinching their maiden Premier League title, missing having supporters inside Anfield and seeing the defence of their crown fizzle out in miserable fashion.

On Tuesday, the club announced their financial results over the past 12 months, with The Athletic’s James Pearce confirming a pre-tax loss of £46million.

Liverpool fans frustrated by £46m losses

It is no great surprise, considering the impact the virus has had, but that hasn’t stopped a number of Liverpool supporters voicing their frustration.

Here are some of the best reactions on Twitter.

“30 year old Thiago for £25m and £200k p/w, someone who is good at the economics please help me budget this. My football club is dying”

Credit: @NoSwearingHere7

“We are not signing anyone this summer lads”

Credit: @Gbemiga_A

“This is just letting everyone know we’re not signing a single player this summer”

Credit: @rinangelz

“Lost £46m already and that’s only 3 months of the pandemic”

Credit: @archielfc

“There goes our summer budget”

Credit: @RebelYelliex

“Well the success was fun for 3 years. No chance FSG will dip into their own pocket and fund anything this summer”

Credit: @JamieRamsey_

In other news, some Liverpool fans are desperate for the Reds to sign one exciting attacker this summer. Find out who it is here.

أعلن المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة، تشافي هيرنانديز، عن تشكيل اللاعبين الذين سيخوضون مباراة فالنسيا في الجولة الخامسة والعشرين من بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

ويلتقي برشلونة وفالنسيا في تمام الساعة الخامسة والربع عصرًا بتوقيت “القاهرة” بقيادة الحكم الإسباني الدولي، كارلوس ديل سيرو جراندي.

وشهد تشكيل برشلونة عودة لاعب وسط الفريق والقائد، سيرجيو بوسكيتس، بعد ظهوره على مقاعد البدلاء أمام نابولي في بطولة الدوري الأوروبي، كذلك دفع تشافي بكل من عثمان ديمبلي بدلًا من أداما تراوري الذي ظهر على مقاعد البدلاء.

كذلك وجود بيدري على الدكة والاعتماد على جافي في خط الوسط مع وجود، رونالد أروخو، في الدفاع بعد تعافيه من الإصابة.

ويحتل برشلونة المركز السادس في ترتيب الدوري الإسباني برصيد 39 نقطة، بينما يأتي فالنسيا في المركز الثاني عشر برصيد 30 نقطة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ٣ لاعبين يهددون برشلونة قبل مباراة فالنسيا في الدوري الإسباني

👥 ALINEACIÓ

⚽ #ValenciaBarça pic.twitter.com/6NPby1haEC — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) February 20, 2022

تشكيل برشلونة أمام فالنسيا اليوم

حراسة المرمى: تير شتيجن.

الدفاع: جوردي ألبا، أروخو، إريك جارسيا، ديست.

الوسط: دي يونج، بوسكيتس، جافي.

الهجوم: أوباميانج، فيران توريس، ديمبلي.

Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling has been linked with a move to Real Madrid recently which, given his less than impressive recent displays, could represent the ideal opportunity for Pep Guardiola to get rid of the England international this summer.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Star, the winger is back on Real Madrid’s radar after losing his starting spot in Guardiola’s side in recent weeks due to his poor run of form.

It is suggested that, due to Sterling’s contract being set to expire in 2023, City would be able to demand at least £80m for the 26-year-old should Los Blancos make an official approach when the transfer window opens.

Should City cash in?

Sterling has been sensational for City at times since joining from Liverpool in the summer of 2015, with 113 goals and 86 assists for the Etihad outfit in just 285 appearances.

Whilst he has contributed 11 goals and 10 assists in all competitions this season, his recent form has been far from good enough, as he has failed to find the back of the net in any of his last nine appearances in Guardiola’s side.

He has also been guilty of missing big chances and drifting out of important games, emphasised by his dreadful performances in the home defeats against Manchester United and Leeds United in recent weeks.

Phil Foden’s superb form has seen him move ahead of Sterling in the pecking order and whilst there is no doubt that when Sterling is on form, he is a top-quality footballer, it is hard to see him being selected ahead of the 20-year-old for any of City’s important upcoming fixtures.

Therefore, if Real Madrid are truly interested in signing him this summer, then perhaps City should look to cash in on him after his poor run of form, as the money from his sale could easily be used to bring in a replacement, whilst Guardiola isn’t exactly short of options on the wing in his first-team squad.

Whilst Guardiola once described Sterling as “remarkable”, there is no denying that his form in the past couple of months has been awful, so this Madrid interest may well prove to be the ideal opportunity for City to get rid of him before his value drops even further.

And, in other news… Forget Haaland: Man City should go all out for “incredible” 26-goal star this summer