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Some details have been shared of talks between MP Chi Onwurah, Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi on the potential takeover of Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Feelings known

Staveley, who is part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium looking to take over at St James’ Park, spoke to Sky Sports referencing a letter that she wrote urging both the UK government and football regulators to ensure that the upcoming arbitration case against the Premier League is to be made public in order to give more transparency to the situation.

Her husband Ghodoussi has accused the Premier League of ‘delay tactics’ and ‘zero transparency’ in a strongly-worded tweet, claiming that ‘fans deserve better’.

The Latest: Staveley talks

Speaking to The Chronicle, Newcastle Central MP Onwurah has shared some details of a conversation she has had with both Staveley and Ghodoussi over the consequences of the Premier League’s actions over the whole takeover saga, and vowed to push for answers from them, saying:

“My conversation with Ms Staveley and Mr Ghodoussi gave me greater insight into the consequences of the Premier League’s actions for the takeover, the club, the fans and the city.

“I find it entirely unacceptable that key decisions which affect this critical cultural and economic asset of ours should be taken without any accountability or transparency, leaving it for fans to speculate on the true reasons behind the Premier League’s actions and who is influencing them.

“I shall be pursuing my quest for answers with the Premier League and the government. Oliver Dowden says football is nothing without the fans, but is content to allow the Premier League to shut them out entirely of key decisions about the club.

“Boris Johnson says he is serious about levelling up, but not levelling up North East football fans to at least a spectator’s seat at the Premier League table.”

The Verdict: Transparency needed

The Toon Army certainly deserve some transparency for the forthcoming arbitration process, so the Premier League should also be calling for it to be made public.

The whole takeover saga has simply gone on long enough now as Newcastle have gone into another summer transfer window with uncertainty. That does not bode well for their preparations ahead of the new 2021/22 season, which is set to begin in five weeks’ time.

The Magpies will be hoping that the arbitration hearing is as swift as possible so that they can find out the results that they need, and potentially speed up the takeover process.

In other news, NUFC are favourites to sign this Premier League colossus once dubbed an ‘absolute beast’

Ange Postecoglou has now had a few days under his belt to get to know some of the Celtic players.

He touched down in Glasgow for the first time last week following quarantine and has now held his first training sessions at Lennoxtown.

The Hoops have a number of pre-season friendly matches to look forward to before their Champions League qualifying campaign gets underway.

They will, however, have to undergo the first few weeks of training without those players who went to the European Championships.

Postecoglou will also have to make quick decisions on the futures of Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer who could both leave but a new manager should act as a clean slate and a fresh start for every player on their books.

On the chalkboard

The same goes for Boli Bolingoli, a player who if Neil Lennon was still in charge, would have no future at the club.

Last summer, the Belgian was forced to move out on loan following a remarkable set of events.

During the height of the pandemic, Bolingoli visited Spain for an unsanctioned trip that the club wasn’t aware of.

The defender failed to quarantine upon his return and then featured in the matchday squad against Kilmarnock a few days later. He featured as a substitute, not only putting his teammates at risk but also the playing and coaching staff at Killie.

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Speaking in the aftermath of that situation, Lennon called him “stupid” before going onto say: “This has been premeditated. You don’t book a flight to Spain on a whim. He knew exactly what he was doing. So this has been quite calculated. It’s been total disregarding of the outcome and the risks involved, so he will be dealt with in the strongest possible way by the club.”

That incident has now been brushed under the carpet but the £15k-per-week earner would be fortunate to earn an opportunity under Postecoglou anyway.

Celtic appear to be in the market for a left-sided defender this summer after Diego Laxalt’s loan spell came to an end with Aaron Hickey being targeted for a Bhoys reunion.

On top of that, the new manager has plenty of younger players at his disposal.

Adam Montgomery made his first-team breakthrough at left-back under John Kennedy towards the back end of the season and he could get more senior minutes after Postecoglou placed blooding the next generation on his list of priorities.

Celtic also have Matthew Anderson coming through the ranks, a youngster who has already earned comparisons to Kieran Tierney.

Bolingoli burned his bridges at Paradise 12 months ago and shouldn’t have a look in, especially with younger options coming through.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon drops exciting Celtic transfer news, fans should be buzzing…

In making the following announcements, the WACA would again like to acknowledge the valuable contribution Allan Edwards has made to West Australian cricket and his work during the past season as Chairman of the State Selection Panel.

Western Australian Cricket Association11-Apr-2002In making the following announcements, the WACA would again like to acknowledge the valuable contribution Allan Edwards has made to West Australian cricket and his work during the past season as Chairman of the State Selection Panel.Today at the WACA ground, following a meeting of the WACA’s International and Interstate Cricket Committee, Wayne Hill was appointed as Chairman of the West Australian State Selection Panel.A former state wicket-keeper, Wayne Hill has been on the WA State Selection Panel for the past seven seasons.Another appointment made at today’s meeting was Lee Bott, on to the State Selection Panel. Bott headed a high quality list of eight nominated applicants, that included former state players Wayne Andrews and Chris Matthews.Bott is a highly experienced member of the West Australian club cricket community, having played 240 games of first grade cricket with West Perth, Scarborough and University. During his career Bott scored approximately 5000 runs as a right-hand top order batsman and claimed approximately 230 wickets, with his left-arm orthodox spin bowling.Bott is currently a teacher/coach at Kent Street High School, for its specialist cricket program. He was nominated by the University Cricket Club and currently holds no specific role at the club but previously has been a captain and a selector.Bott is also the grandson of former state captain Leo Bott, who captained West Australia four times during the 1924-25 season for a three draw and one loss record. Leo Bott is also revered in the WA cricket community for being a founder of the Mt Lawley Cricket Club.Also appointed at today’s meeting, in a move aimed at sharing the increasing duties of the State Selection Panel, given its voluntary status, was Peter Capes into the newly created position of Deputy-Chairman.Completing the list of duties at today’s meeting was the appointment of Dennis Baker, who retained his position on the State Selection Panel following last season’s debut.The WACA’s International and Interstate Committee would like to express how pleased it was to have received such a strong field of willing nominations for the State Selection Panel and shared the view that the quality of the field indicated the current strength of WA cricket.

Leeds United have suffered a possible blow in their quest to sign Nahitan Nandez this summer, with the midfielder reportedly unconvinced about joining the Whites.

The Lowdown: Leeds keen on signing Nandez

Marcelo Bielsa may be keen on signing another central midfielder ahead of next season in order to ease the burden on Kalvin Phillips.

Leeds have been linked with Calgliari star Nandez, with the 25-year-old making 31 starts in Serie A last season. He has won 37 caps for Uruguay, further outlining his pedigree as a footballer with ample experience at a high level.

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The Latest: Midfielder has doubts over move

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], however, Nandez ‘does not seem convinced’ about heading to Elland Road this summer.

It is claimed that he will make a decision over his future after his participation at the Copa America.

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The Verdict: Setback for Bielsa

This development is a blow for Bielsa, who has seemingly eyed up Nandez as a strong option to come in and bolster Leeds’ midfield next season.

The Uruguauayn’s tenacity off the ball – he averaged 1.8 tackles per game in Serie A in 2020/21 – is complemented with technical ability, which is highlighted by an average of 1.2 dribbles per match last season.

The hope is that Leeds still manage to entice the £19.8m-rated Nandez to the club in what could be a significant signing in their push for European football, although this latest reports suggest that it could be a tall order to bring him in.

In other news, one Leeds youngster has been backed to be a long-term success story at Elland Road. Find out who it is here.

Alton have established a formidable lead at the top of Southern Electric Premier League, Division 3 after a thrilling two-wicket win over Purbrook at the Jubilee Ground

Mike Vimpany (as published in Daily Echo)07-Jul-2002Alton have established a formidable lead at the top of Southern Electric Premier League, Division 3 after a thrilling two-wicket win over Purbrook at the Jubilee Ground.They were set a testing 191-6 after Willen Prozesky (73) and Craig Williams (42) top scored for the visitors.Alton batted consistently down the order but, after reaching 135-4, suffered a middle-order wobble, slipping to 148-7 before Matt Ireson (21) and Howard Gadsby titled the match their way.Mark Stanley (3-47) and Graham McCoy, with a tidy 1-21 off 11 overs, took the credits for Purbrook.Their third defeat has put Flamingo into second place – the Corhampton club’s visit to St Cross Symondians being a weather victim.Ross Cambray celebrated his return from university with a key 4-22 spell for Hursley Park, who moved into fourth spot after beating Paultons by 49 runs.Cambray ripped through Paultons’ top order after Hursley Park had been restricted to 164-9 on a rain affected Quarters surface.

Fulham are interested in a deal to bring Josh Windass to Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Sheffield Star, who claim that the Cottagers are one of a number of Championship clubs considering a move for the 27-year-old attacking midfielder in the summer transfer window, with Fulham believed to have reaffirmed their interest.

The report goes on to state that, as a result of Sheffield Wednesday’s precarious financial situation, the interested parties are hoping to land the £1.44m-rated forward on something of a cut-price deal.

However, the Sheffield Star also claim that Fulham’s bid for Windass may be put on hold while the situation of Scott Parker’s future, with the 40-year-old being heavily linked with the Bournemouth job, is resolved.

Khan must move

While Sheffield Wednesday had something of a campaign to forget last season, with Darren Moore’s side unable to overcome a points deduction and subsequently suffering relegation to League One, Windass nevertheless impressed for the Owls.

Indeed, over his 41 Championship appearances last term, the £10k-per-week attacking midfielder scored nine goals, registered six assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots and making 0.7 key passes per game.

These returns saw Windass earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as Wednesday’s seventh-best performer in the second tier of English football.

As such, should the 27-year-old – whom his father, Dean, dubbed an “explosive” player – go on to make a move to Craven Cottage this summer, the upgrade in quality between the respective squads of Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday would only appear to improve the chances of Windass going on to better his already impressive returns of goals and assists from last season.

So, it would appear highly advisable for Tony Khan to do all he can to get a deal over the line as quickly as possible for the potential bargain signing this summer, or else he risks missing out on the forward to one of Fulham’s Championship rivals.

In other news: Forget Parker: Khan can continue Fulham project by moving for “quality” 41 y/o

Surrey spent the first day of the final round of championship matches demonstrating just why they are the champions

Ralph Dellor18-Sep-2002Surrey spent the first day of the final round of championship matches demonstrating just why they are the champions. They reached 397 for three at the close of the first day against Leicestershire at The Oval, with Scott Newman illustrated all his promise with a maiden first-class hundred and Ian Ward reaching his seventh of the season. They put on 227 for the first wicket when Ward went for 118. Newman was second out for 183 having shared a partnership of 125 with Jon Batty who made 74 himself.Warwickshire’s quest for second place behind Surrey in the table was held up at Hove, initially by Murray Goodwin with 93 and then by Kevin Innes with 60 not out. Dougie Brown took five wickets and Alan Richardson four as Sussex were bowled out for 352. The Warwickshire openers had moved on to 20 by the close.Kent were five points behind Warwickshire at the start of play, but they enjoyed a good day against Yorkshire, reaching 332 for six by the close. It was a particularly good day for Steve Waugh, who has not been able to make the impression he might have hoped for since joining the county for the last three weeks of the season. However, it all came right for the Australian today as he was still there on 136 and there were fifties from Ed Smith and Min Patel.Somerset’s last match for the time being as a Division One side got off to a bad start as Lancashire bowled them out for 221. There were four wickets for Peter Martin. But then Lancashire ran into trouble, losing six wickets as they reached just 88. Matthew Bulbeck has taken four of those wickets.In Division Two, Essex needed just one point to secure promotion and they duly achieved that when Nottinghamshire’s Darren Bicknell was out for 53. Usman Afzaal was in commanding form on his way to 134, but at 265 for nine, Nottinghamshire were in trouble. However, Chris Read was last man out for 73 having put on 76 for the last wicket with Andrew Harris.Like Nottinghamshire, Worcestershire still have an interest in the third promotion place in Division Two. They were 12 points behind at the start of play, but did themselves some good by bowling out Derbyshire for 246. Gareth Batty took five wickets and Kabir Ali four, despite the good start for Derbyshire. Both openers, Andrew Gait and Luke Sutton, scored fifties, but once they were out the only resistance came from Jason Kerr who also reached fifty. By the close, Worcestershire were 194 in arrears with nine wickets standing.Brad Hodge played a captain’s innings for Durham, scoring 73 before he became one of five wickets for Roger Sillence. He also became one of six victims for Jack Russell behind the stumps. Craig Spearman held two catches, and he was 80 not out at the close by which time Gloucestershire were trailing Durham by 72, but they still have six wickets in hand.There was a hundred for Michael Powell and fifties for Matthew Maynard and Robert Croft as Glamorgan made 348 against Northamptonshire in Cardiff. Left-arm pace bowler from Australia, Mathew Inness, returned figures of seven for 90 for Northamptonshire.

While Glamorgan Dragons were outwitting Leicestershire Foxes in our featured match, it was appropriate that Worcestershire Royals were crowning the Golden Jubilee with an emphatic win over Yorkshire Phoenix at Headingley

Stephen Lamb04-Jun-2002While Glamorgan Dragons were outwitting Leicestershire Foxes in our featured match, it was appropriate that Worcestershire Royals were crowning the Golden Jubilee with an emphatic win over Yorkshire Phoenix at Headingley. Kabir Ali continued a remarkable run of success, with five for 36 as Phoenix crumbled to 128 all out. Allan Donald marked his first appearance for the Royals with two wickets. Ben Smith then made an unbeaten 38 and Anurag Singh 33 as the Royals coasted home with more than seven overs to spare.Elsewhere in Division One, Neil Carter (five for 31) and Shaun Pollock (three for 10) flattened Durham Dynamos for just 72. It took Warwickshire Bears just 11 overs and one ball to overhaul that, with Carter and Pollock the batsmen to the fore.At Tunbridge Wells, Kent Spitfires flew comfortably over Notts Outlaws with a five-wicket win. James Golding (three for 25) was the Spitfires’ main gunner as the Outlaws were shot down for 191, and an opening partnership of 82 between Robert Key (68*) and Matthew Fleming (64 off just 44 balls) provided rocket fuel for the Spitfires’ reply.In Division Two, Hampshire Hawks won a tense encounter with Middlesex Crusaders at Lord’s. The South African wicket-keeper Nic Pothas was the Hawks’ top scorer with an unbeaten 39 as they reached 183 for eight. The Crusaders were given a solid start by Andy Strauss (35) and Sven Koenig (24), but uniformly tight bowling from the Hawks left the Crusaders just three runs short of victory.There was another tight finish at Northampton, where the Steelbacks overcame Surrey Lions by just five runs. Mal Loye (86) and Mike Hussey (69) laid the foundations for the Steelbacks’ win, setting up their eventual total of 229. Although Ally Brown roared to 55 off just 47 balls, there was always a little too much for the Lions to do, and Ricky Anderson (three for 30) helped to draw their teeth.Sussex Sharks endured no such impediment at Horsham, as the high-flying Essex Eagles fell to earth with a thud. After a waterlogged start, the Sharks were re-floated by wicket-keeper Matthew Prior, who made 73 from just 67 balls. An unbeaten 41 from Kevin Innes pushed the total to 240. A double strike from James Kirtley then reduced the Eagles to four for two, and despite contributions from Graham Napier (50) Andy Flower (49) and Ronnie Irani (51), the Eagles ultimately subsided to 208 all out.In the other Division Two match, played under floodlights at Old Trafford, Gloucestershire Gladiators won the toss and batted first. Despite the fact that Lancashire Lightening’s John Wood took five for 49, the men from Bristol managed to total an impressive 269 for eight in their 45 overs. There were useful contributions all down the order, but top-scorer was the evergreen Kim Barnett with 66. In reply, several batsmen from the home county got a start, but they were undone by some typically persistent and miserly bowling from the Gladiators’ attack and they were shot out at regular intervals. In the end, Lightening could not even survive for the full over allocation and were bowled out for 190 to lose by 79 runs.

As the Indian team takes off for England to play first a triseries and then stay on for four Test matches, it must be saidthat on both past record and present form, the odds are stackedagainst them

Partab Ramchand18-Jun-2002As the Indian team takes off for England to play first a triseries and then stay on for four Test matches, it must be saidthat on both past record and present form, the odds are stackedagainst them.Let’s take the present form factor first. The manner in whichEngland have performed in the three-Test series against Sri Lankamust be rated as commendable. Not only did they win the serieswith more than a degree of comfort, but they also showed thatthey have it in them to repeat the trick against India.In particular, the way in which the batsmen handled MuthiahMuralitharan, who it must be remembered turned the batting insideout with a haul of 16 wickets at the Oval four years ago, wasexemplary. The fact that in three successive innings, the Englandbatsmen ran up totals of 500 plus – for the first time in the125-year history of Test cricket – should not only boost theirconfidence but also give the Indian bowlers plenty to thinkabout.And then there is the past record to think about. In 41 Tests inEngland, India has won only three and lost 22. Overall, this is apretty woeful record, even after taking into account theimprovement in the last 30 years during which India has won allthe three Tests, besides two series triumphs in 1971 and 1986.Indian players have almost always floundered in England wherewicket and weather conditions have generally proved to be alien.The pitches might not be in the category of Perth or Kingston butthey certainly are faster and bouncier than those in India. Andthen the heavy atmosphere that is conducive to swing and seambowling has created problems galore for the Indians.
© CricInfoThanks to the shining example provided by Sunil Gavaskar, Indianbatsmen over the years have shown improvement in tackling themoving ball while the bowlers, inspired by Kapil Dev, have learntto make optimum use of the helpful conditions. But the factremains that even with such champions, India has generally beenat the receiving end in England. This has been the case even whenthe home side has been anything but formidable.The last tour in 1996 was a case in point. England were goingthrough a lean period and yet India lost the three Test series1-0. It’s the same story in one-day games. England have generallyemerged triumphant and the only saving grace from India’s pointof view was the victory in both the matches played in 1990.The present England squad, while certainly not being fragile, hascertain obvious weaknesses. But given India’s abysmal overseasrecord – more so in England even the most diehard of Indiancricket supporters would not expect their team to win either thetri-series, involving England and Sri Lanka, or the Test series.Yes, there will be a couple of individual feats but one justcan’t see anything beyond that in the crystal ball.The Indian teams selected for the coming tour are probably thestrongest that could have been picked. On the face of it, the twosquads are nicely balanced. There is plenty of batting right downthe order and in the Test side the stonewallers and swashbucklersare in the right proportion.
© CricInfoThe seam bowling is in good hands and in Anil Kumble andHarbhajan Singh the tourists have two of the leading spin bowlersin the game today. The one all-pervading worrying factor,however, is India’s awful overseas record. Indeed, the last timeIndia won a Test series away from the sub-continent was in England in 1986.While the first series triumph in 1971 cannot be matched from thehistoric viewpoint, in my book the victory 15 years later wasprobably a greater achievement. For one thing, the margin wasclear-cut and not narrow as it was in 1971. And secondly, it wasachieved in the first half of the English summer when conditionsare increasingly alien for the tourists.Of course, against this, it must also be added that in 1986,England’s standing in world cricket could not be compared to the1971 squad which was just about the best in the world.This time too the Indians will enjoy the relative comfort oftouring in the second half of the summer. And at the moment,England and India are both almost bunched together in the middlein the Test and one-day ratings. But then these are the onlycrumbs of comfort for the tourists. All things considered,England should start favourites for the Test series.As far as the tri-series is concerned, the bookies will probablygive the shortest odds on an England – Sri Lanka final. It is upto the Indians to make nonsense of such predictions. Will they?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (via sportslens.com), Tottenham are still interested in signing Marcel Sabitzer from RB Leipzig this summer.

The Lowdown: Spurs prepare for new campaign

While Tottenham remain without a permanent manager, Daniel Levy will surely be looking to bring in new players this summer.

With Harry Kane asking to leave the club (Sky Sports) and the likes of Davinson Sanchez (Football Insider) and Dele Alli linked with the exit door, it promises to be a busy few months.

The Latest: Spurs remain in the hunt for Sabitzer

Tottenham were heavily linked with a move for the Austria international last year (SportBild), but he ended up staying at Leipzig.

However, this latest report suggests they are still eager to sign him from the Bundesliga outfit. He was a strong target for Jose Mourinho, but he remains on the north London outfit’s radar even without the Portuguese boss in charge.

The Verdict: Top quality target

Sabitzer has enjoyed another impressive campaign with Leipzig. He scored nine times and provided seven assists in 39 appearances in all competitions (Transfermarkt) as he captained the team throughout the campaign. He will also be representing Austria at the upcoming European Championships. Such is his importance to Leipzig, journalist Archie Rhind-Tutt labelled him as a “lynchpin” earlier this year (inews.co.uk).

With 109 goals to his name throughout his career for club and country despite being a midfielder, £37.8m-valued Sabitzer (Transfermarkt) could be a real threat in the Premier League. He has just one year remaining on his contract this summer, so the German side could face the decision of cashing in to avoid losing him for free next season.

In other news, Tottenham could sell this Champions League star this summer.