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An Ibrox insider has made a Rangers claim regarding manager Gio van Bronckhorst…

What’s the talk?

Former Gers boss Alex McLeish, who knows exactly what it is like to be inside the club, has claimed that the Dutchman’s priorities will be on getting results on the pitch. The Scot believes that the 46-year-old will wait to establish his playing style before delving into the academy and other areas of the side.

He told Football Insider:

“He’s just ticking the boxes at the moment for Rangers.

“Of course, he will say he’s not going to ignore the academy right now, but he’s not going be launching himself into a full-depth study of it.

“At the moment, his priority will be with that first team. The first thing he has to do is get that Rangers side winning again, get those good performance levels in the style he wants to play.

“Once he establishes that he then can ascertain these players’ strengths and weaknesses in the coming weeks.”

Delighted

Rangers fans will surely be delighted with these comments from McLeish, particularly as a man who knows what it takes to manage the club. He understands what makes the club tick as an insider and he appears to believe that van Bronckhorst will make good decisions and focus on the right areas in his first few weeks in the job.

Supporters, first and foremost, will surely want to see results on the pitch and McLeish believes that the Dutchman will focus on that initially. The ex-Feyenoord man may want to nail down his principles and style of play to ensure that the results are ticking over and Rangers continue on their way to a second successive Premiership title, before then focusing on other aspects of the role.

He still has just over a month until the start of the January transfer window and may not need to focus on incoming or outgoing transfers within the senior squad for a couple more weeks. In terms of academy players, however, he could begin to integrate them into the team after he has made sure that the current crop of senior players understand what he wants.

It could be detrimental to throw an academy player in halfway through the transition period as they would be playing catchup in comparison to the first-team performers who are also still learning what van Bronckhorst wants. Whereas, the older heads could nurture the young players and teach them along the way if they are already accustomed to what the manager wants to see in training and in games.

Therefore, fans will be delighted with McLeish’s claim that van Bronckhorst will focus on results in the Premiership and Europa League before focusing on other areas at a later date. It certainly seems as if he’s got his priorities in order early doors.

AND in other news, Gio must avoid 1st Rangers disaster with £21k-p/w “student” who’s a “joy to work with”…

Aston Villa owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens will back Steven Gerrard in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent claim made by Ashley Preece, with the journalist stating in a recent Birmingham Live Q&A that the 41-year-old manager will get rid of a number of players he does not feel are of the standard required for Villa during the winter market, before going on to claim that NSWE will back the new Villa boss in pursuit of his own targets in the upcoming window.

In response to a question regarding Aston Villa’s January business, the journalist said:

“Gerrard hinted at doing business in January during [Monday’s] interview. He’s going to be backed by NSWE. He’ll get rid of players he doesn’t like and he’ll attract a serious calibre of player [and] should business get done. January is a tough market but the Gerrard factor gives Villa an edge. Gerrard will have the next six weeks to see what he wants and needs in terms of new recruits.”

Fans will be excited

While the appointment of a new manager always brings with it the hope of a side going on to achieve great things under their new coach, the news that NSWE are willing to fund Gerrard’s rebuilding of the Aston Villa squad in January is yet another reason for the Villa Park faithful to get excited.

Indeed, there are a number of players currently taking up space in Gerrard’s first-team squad that are perhaps ready for the chop, such as Anwar El Ghazi and Keinan Davis, while, despite only being at the club for a matter of days, the former Liverpool captain has already been linked with moves for a host of exciting players, such as the likes of Ryan Kent, Julian Alvarez and Jesse Lingard.

As such, despite the fact that Villa are currently languishing down in 16th place in the Premier League standings, there is very much a great deal for fans of the club to look forward to in the coming months, particularly following Preece’s recent claim that Gerrard looks set to be given a war chest in a bid to improve his squad during the January window.

In other news: Purslow must sanction AVFC move for “outstanding” £18k-p/w ace, Gerrard would love him

Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan captain, has admitted Mitchell Johnson’s first over “killed” his team’s chances of pulling off a successful chase

Osman Samiuddin at the MCG30-Dec-2009Pakistan woke up this morning believing they could pull off a world recordchase and surprise Australia at the MCG. But the first over of themorning, from Mitchell Johnson, effectively put paid to any such hopes.Umar Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq fell off consecutive balls and a robustovernight position suddenly became 170-5.Mohammad Yousuf, Pakistan’s captain who was unbeaten overnight on 47, wasconfident his side could get the further 251 runs, on what was still agood surface for batting, but admitted Johnson’s first over “killed” theirchances. “I was 70% confident maybe we will win, because 251 in 90overs, if we don’t give away early wickets [was possible] and maybe they [would] come under more pressure,” he said. “The first over put us under pressure. Johnson’s first over killed us.”The 170-run loss was Pakistan’s tenth successive Test loss to Australia, arun stretching back ten years, to 1999. There were moments on the thirdand fourth day where Pakistan battled hard, but Yousuf felt the game wasessentially lost during the first couple of days, a period where Pakistanbowled and fielded poorly. “In the first innings we didn’t bowl in theright areas and our fielding was poor,” he said. “We dropped a couple ofcatches and both the openers made 90-plus. We were a little shaky in thefirst innings with bat and ball. If we had got them for 300 and gotten 250ourselves, it would have been a different game.”The bowling didn’t happen I think on the first day in the right places.We tried to get too many out, whereas Australia bowled to contain runs andthey got wickets from that. In the second innings we did that and wemanaged to pick up wickets.”Pakistan travel to Sydney on New Year’s eve, where the second Test begins on January 3. Despite the loss, Yousuf remains confident thepositives from Melbourne can help his side fight back. There is already talkof Pakistan playing two spinners at the SCG, even if it isn’t quite theturner now that it has been. Danish Kaneria is fit, after missing the MCG Test due to a finger injury.”There are positives from here, in some performances, especially MohammadAamer in the second innings,” Yousuf said. “He pitched the ball in the right areas andthat’s why he took five wickets. Umar Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq both battedwell in the first innings as well but we have all areas to improve in.”We haven’t seen the wicket [at Sydney]. But if it’s the same wicket wesaw last matches, hopefully maybe two [spinners]. Some games I saw inSydney, if it behaves the same it may be difficult for Australia.”There might be more personnel changes by the time the Test begins.Pakistan’s team management has already asked the selection committee tosend Younis Khan, the former captain, to reinforce the batting order.Pakistan’s batsmen have struggled in this Test, with few exceptions, andtheir top order is particularly wobbly. They have tried four differentone-downs in four Tests, though nobody has convinced. The request forYounis was made a few days ago but a decision is expected sometime today.”Obviously Younis is a very experienced player and a very good player,”Yousuf said. “He’s got a 50 average in Test matches. We miss him a lot, heis a very crucial number three. We already told them to send him, so theywill decide now. They have not decided yet so I don’t know when he iscoming. I have spoken [with him]. He is willing to play. We lost here butwe are looking forward to two Test matches. The series is not finishedyet. Hopefully, we will be trying harder the next game.”

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has shared news on Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah in what could be a boost for West Ham United.

The Lowdown: West Ham eyeing Nketiah…

The Gunners forward has been on West Ham and manager David Moyes’ radar since the summer window, with reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano claiming they were one of a host of clubs eyeing his signature.

That interest has followed through into the winter months, it seems, as a report from TRANSFERmarketWEB detailed just last week.

According to the outlet’s information, West Ham are still very much in the running and made a recent inquiry, but they’re not alone with Leeds United, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Monchengladbach and Crystal Palace linked as well.

They claim Arsenal may end up selling him permanently in January if Nketiah doesn’t sign a new deal, which expires in 2022, and Sheth has now brought the latest on his precarious contract situation at the Emirates.

The Latest: Nketiah ‘increasingly likely’ to leave…

As per Sheth, the 22-year-old is now ‘increasingly likely’ to leave north London amid West Ham’s reported interest with talks over fresh terms so far failing.

“Talks over new contract for Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah so far failed to find a resolution,” he said on Twitter.

“Increasingly likely Nketiah will not stay beyond summer. Nketiah can sign pre-contract with foreign club in January.

“He wants regular football. Arteta wants him to stay.”

The Verdict: Time to pounce?

An England Under-21 international with plenty of sell-on value and humungous potential, we believe the winter window presents West Ham an opportunity to take full advantage of these stalled new deal talks.

Arsenal will have to contemplate offloading him mid-season or risk losing him for nothing on a pre-contract, something Gunners transfer chief and technical director Edu may want to avoid.

Nketiah’s valued at around £10.8 million by Transfermarkt, an arguably affordable fee from West Ham’s perspective, and Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s new found investment will hopefully mean Moyes gets backing in the transfer market to finally sign a much-needed back up striker (Evening Standard).

Lauded as a ‘clinical’ forward by former teammate Charlie Gilmour (onlinegooner.com), this notion is backed by his prolific record for the Three Lions juniors.

Indeed, Nketiah’s phenomenal England U21’s record of 16 goals in just 17 caps more than highlights the fact he knows where to find the net.

Homegrown, and with Arsenal in a fairly weak negotiating position given the player’s contract situation, West Ham could seal a shrewd alternative to Michail Antonio with a winter swoop.

In other news: West Ham ready offer to sign 33-cap World Cup gem as Newman sets sights on brand new target, find out more here.

Shakib is the first Bangladesh player to be signed by a county will join the team in 2010 following the completion of the tour of England, subject to completion of visa arrangements

Cricinfo staff18-Nov-2009Worcestershire have signed Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan as their overseas player. Shakib is the first Bangladesh player to be signed by a county and will join the team in 2010 following the conclusion of the tour of England, subject to completion of visa arrangements.”I am delighted to be joining Worcestershire in 2010. I followed county cricket as a young player growing up and the opportunity to fulfill one of my ambitions by playing as an overseas player in England is one that excites me greatly,” Shakib said. “I consider it a huge honour to be the first Bangladeshi overseas player in county cricket and can’t wait to give my all for the club on the field.”County cricket has traditionally been the stage for the world’s best players and it is a matter of great pride for me to be associated with a club that has an overwhelming history and had been home to so many legendary cricketers. Particularly as an allrounder, I am thrilled and inspired to be joining the team once graced by Ian Botham, Imran Khan and Kapil Dev.Steve Rhodes, Worcestershire’s director of cricket, was delighted with the signing of the top-ranked allrounder in ODIs. “I have been following his [Shakib’s] progress for some time and it is clear to me that he is a very good player. His current ICC rankings prove this and I know he is hungry for success. His all-round skills will be a great boost to our young team for the business end of the season.”Shakib captained his country to its first ever overseas Test win earlier this year, against a depleted West Indies side. He filled in after the regular captain Mashrafe Mortaza had to pull out of the tour due to injury. Shakib slammed an unbeaten 96 in the Grenada Test and also picked up the Man-of-the-Series prize for his 13 wickets.

With Sheffield Wednesday having racked up three draws in their previous three League One matches, Darren Moore’s side are back in action this afternoon with a clash against Cheltenham Town to try and secure a win rather than yet another draw or a defeat.

On the chalkboard

Looking ahead to the fixture, one player who we think should be in the starting XI for the Owls is on-loan winger Theo Corbeanu, who Moore has praised in the past for being able to get into “wonderful” positions on the pitch.

Predominantly due to Wednesday’s three previous league results, we feel that Moore could do with shaking up his team in some way. Whether that’s with the personnel he’s using on the pitch or the formation he’s asking them to utilise, they just need something fresh to turn their form around.

Therefore, given how Corbeanu has yet to start a League One game for the Owls since joining the club back in August from Wolves’ under-23 side and has only played eight minutes from one appearance in their past seven league games, we feel that now is a great time for Moore to unleash the winger from the start against Cheltenham to see what sort of impact he has on the team and this game in particular.

Despite having yet to register a goal or assist for Wednesday, we think that starting Corbeanu against Cheltenham could be a gamble worth taking at this point in the season to see if he can change the Owls’ fortunes in terms of results, as well as his own record in his first loan spell away from Wolves.

In the two Papa John’s Trophy matches where he has played 90 minutes for Wednesday, the 19-year-old – who is currently valued at £900k according to Transfermarkt – has had eight shots (five on target) and two key passes, along with an average passing accuracy percentage of 80%. That shows how much of an attacking threat he can be, albeit against lower opposition like Newcastle United’s under-21 side and League Two outfit Mansfield Town.

Looking ahead to the match against Cheltenham, in terms of who Corbeanu could come into the team and replace, we feel that Moore should take Saido Berahino out of the line-up considering that he hasn’t managed to score a goal in his last six league appearances for the Owls.

In other news: Moore must ruthlessly axe Owls disaster with the “wrong mentality” for Cheltenham clash

Glenn McGrath’s sudden return to playing will soon include some coaching after he agreed to help out New South Wales’ bowlers during the summer

Cricinfo staff12-Oct-2009Glenn McGrath’s sudden return to playing will soon include some coaching after he agreed to help out New South Wales’ bowlers during the summer. McGrath was planning a holiday when he was a last-minute addition for Delhi in the Champions League and, following some training sessions after landing in India, he picked up 2 for 20 as his side overcame Wayamba on Sunday.McGrath, who retired from internationals after the 2007 World Cup win, was staying in the same hotel as his former New South Wales team-mates and ended up with another role. ”Glenn will be working with the boys,” the coach Matthew Mott told the Sydney Morning Herald. ”He’s pretty excited by some of the young guys coming through, Josh Hazlewood and those sort of guys. Just that simple approach he has to bowling, and the respect he obviously has from everyone in the game, is going to be invaluable to us.”After a 124-Test career, McGrath stepped down with 563 wickets and waved goodbye in the final Ashes contest of 2006-07. He had an uncomplicated yet wildly successful method and Mott said he had a great deal to pass on.”He always had a lot of belief in his ability and if he can transfer that to our players, it’ll be awesome,” Mott said. “He wants to get involved for the first time on a regular basis and really help us out and that’s going to be great for us. For that kind of role, you couldn’t really pick anyone you’d rather have.”After not playing a game in the IPL, McGrath had done no bowling until arriving in Delhi but picked things up instantly. “I could always land the ball pretty well, but I wasn’t quick and that’s something I’d rather be,” he said. “But it’s good to be out here playing and to be a part of a pretty good win.”The performance left New South Wales hoping they don’t have to run into him in the latter stages of the competition. ”We just sat down and marvelled at his ability to come in and consistently put the ball on the same spot,” Mott said. ”It was amazing.”

Roger Telemachus, the former South African seamer, has been asked to quit cricket with immediate effect for medical reasons

Cricinfo staff19-Aug-2009Roger Telemachus, the former South African seamer, has been asked to quit cricket with immediate effect for medical reasons. He was sent for tests ahead of the upcoming domestic season and the Champions League in India, but his Cape Cobras coach Shukri Conrad confirmed that he wouldn’t be considered.”Obviously Roger has ‘retired’ a couple of times before, but we saw fit to bring him back for the Pro20 last summer and he did very well for us,” Conrad was quoted as saying in Sporting Life.”He was right up for selection having trained as hard as anyone in the winter months. But sadly he has a medical condition that has deteriorated over the years.”As recently as last Thursday we sent him for an angiogram and unfortunately the diagnosis was not particularly good. Roger was advised not to play any further competitive sport.”The Cobras have qualified for the Champions League Twenty20 tournament in India this October. Telemachus took six wickets in nine games in the Pro20 domestic tournament, which the Cobras won.”He’s naturally very disappointed. He played a huge part in getting us to this position of getting into the Champions League,” Conrad said.Telemachus played 37 ODIs for South Africa between 1998 and 2006, taking 56 wickets. He wasn’t able to cement his position in the team, due to badly timed injuries and the stiff competition for pace-bowling slots. He played no Tests, but managed three Twenty20 internationals for his country, the most recent one in February 2007 against Pakistan.

Celtic aren’t entirely convinced that defender Liam Scales is at first team level, The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin has reported.

The lowdown

Scales joined Celtic from Irish champions Shamrock Rovers in August for a fee of £540,000. He has only made one senior appearance for the Hoops so far, playing the final 29 minutes of the League Cup win over Championship side Raith Rovers in September.

The 23-year-old recently earned a call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad for their World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan and friendly against Qatar, but didn’t feature in either game.

Ange Postecoglou has also had Carl Starfelt, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Stephen Welsh at his disposal at centre-back.

The latest

A supporter called for Scales and Osaze Urhoghide to be given more game-time in The Athletic’s matchday discussion on Tuesday.

However, Devlin replied that the former Sheffield Wednesday man is ‘quite far away from the level’ of the first team, and ‘there are doubts over Scales too’.

With the Irish defender, the journalist insisted that ‘it’s not about match fitness’, more about ability.

The verdict

It doesn’t look great for Scales. It would be one thing if he were still a teenager making the step-up to the men’s game, but he is 23 years old now and should really be viewed as a serious first team option at Parkhead.

What’s more, his starting prospects are likely to take another hit, with the recovering Christopher Jullien thought to be less than a couple of weeks away from returning to the fold. Scales’ Celtic career could be facing oblivion only a few short weeks after it begun.

In other news, when will these big players return for Celtic? 

Glasgow Rangers fans were far from happy with Charles Green’s claim he tried to sign Steven Gerrard for the Gers in 2013.

Green was Rangers owner for just over a year after the Ibrox outfit went into administration (BBC) after entering financial difficulties. His ownership was far from settled, and doubts were cast over the assets of Green’s consortium by Craig Whyte, who was originally in charge when administration fell.

As such, Green is not the most popular man amongst Rangers supporters, and his latest comments have not gone down too well either. He told talkSPORT he tried to sign Steven Gerrard in 2013, even though the Gers were in the lower leagues at the time while Gerrard was fighting for the Premier League title with Liverpool. It is clear the Gers supporters do not believe the claim.

A video of the comments was shared on Twitter by talkSPORT’s official account, and it attracted plenty of attention from the Gers supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the comments from Green below

“Why does this guy still get air time when talking about rangers. It’s in the past. Leave it now”

Credit: @graeme_campbell

“Can’t believe you are still giving this man airtime . Did you ask him where the arsenal shares are please no more , im sure all rangers fans would agree”

Credit: @AlanSayers71

“Can we add talksport to the banned list? Constantly giving this old cretin airtime.”

Credit: @manno1990

“Aye, Gerrards wife gets home late and drunk. Pulls out a business card from her gucci handbag and tells Stevie we are off to Glasgow now. Stop giving this guy airtime.”

Credit: @yayacd

“Aye part of a midfield team with Nicky law, Ian black and dean sheils? I’m sure you did Charles, I’m sure you did.”

Credit: @Davidmc50660735

“As a proud @RangersFC supporter, this is the biggest load of tripe I’ve heard yet. In 2013 we were in the lower leagues and Gerrard was the captain of a side that just recently missed out on the league title. Can’t see him trading LA for away days at Arbroath.”

Credit: @OfficialRG90

In other news, Rangers fans react to this update.