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Offspinner finds form with Yorkshire after difficult winter away with England
Alan Gardner24-Apr-2021Dom Bess has admitted to feeling like he “hated cricket” in the wake of a difficult winter tour of India, but believes that the lessons learned in the subcontinent will improve his chances of success with England in the long run.Despite taking 17 wickets at 26.58 in four Tests against Sri Lanka and India, offspinner Bess struggled for consistency and was dropped after helping England to victory in Chennai in February. He returned to the side for the final Test in Ahmedabad but went wicketless in an innings defeat, and began the county season looking to rediscover his form with Yorkshire.After limited success in the opening two rounds of the Championship, Bess produced his best performance for his new club with a maiden five-for on day three of their match against Sussex at Hove. Afterwards he said that his focus had been on helping Yorkshire to achieve success, rather than worrying about pushing his case for a Test recall.Related
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“After India I had a good break away from it, because I really did start hating cricket,” he said. “It got too much at times, certainly in that bubble in India, there’s a lot of pressures going on and it was really important for me to come back and get away from it.”In all honesty, I’m not thinking about [England] at all. Of course it’s there, but I’m not pushing that. It’s about banking what I do, making sure it’s a long-term process. I’m 23, so I’m looking at four-five years’ time, and what I do now – if the chance did come, I can go back into the international scene and know my game more. If it’s this summer, it’s this summer.”It’s more the trust and the process of that, trusting England that they’re not just going to throw me out, and it goes both ways. I had some really tough lessons in India. I had some great support from Jeetan [Patel] and Richard Dawson, who I’m in regular contact with. I’m in regular contact with Leachy [Jack Leach] as well. And I think it’s really important that you build that entourage, because it’s not about yourself, it’s about the team, whether it’s England or Yorkshire.”On returning from India, Bess had “two or three weeks off”, getting to know his new home in Leeds and spending time with his girlfriend and the puppy they have adopted.”It was nice to see them and get away from it, because in India, in the bubble, everything was about cricket. And it’s fine when you’re going well, but when things aren’t going well it is very tough. But I only see what I had in India as a great positive. It’s been a tough time really, but one hell of a learning curve for me. And it terms of where I see my game, I know what I’ve got to do. That’s so exciting, knowing that I’ve still got so much work to do, when I’m so close as well, at times.”Bess had to wait until the first innings at Hove for his first wicket of the 2021 season – having bowled more than 60 overs without success in games against Glamorgan and Kent. He also suffered a rib cartilage injury in the field at Sussex but was able to shrug off the problem to lead Yorkshire’s push for victory in the fourth innings.Championship cricket in April can prove challenging for spinners, but Bess said that fully embracing such experiences was the reason behind moving to Yorkshire from Somerset, where he had largely had to play second fiddle to Leach – also his main rival for a spot with England.”I’ve bowled on different wickets. I bowled up at Headingley first game and it started snowing. I bowled in probably the coldest conditions I’ve ever bowled, and then we came down to Canterbury and I bowled on an absolute road – not even a road, as it barely bounced. So I saw two contrasting things, and then we come down to here, I thought I did a pretty good job first innings.”I’ve also probably been a bit unlucky at times with decisions and things like that, but that’s the game. I’ve been really happy with how it’s come out, and how my process has been, because that was a big work-out. It’s about the long term. But all these experiences, this is why I moved to Yorkshire, to play first-team cricket for the whole year. It’s only going to help me and challenge me.”Bess said that he had spoken to Chris Silverwood, England’s head coach who was at Hove on the first day, and was enjoying playing alongside Joe Root – captain of the Test side but just another senior pro at Yorkshire. His immediate goal, however, is bowling Yorkshire to victory on Sunday.
أعلن الاتحاد البلجيكي لكرة القدم، عن تعيين الفرنسي رودي جارسيا، مديرًا فنيًا للمنتخب الأول، خلفًا للإيطالي دومينيكو تيديسكو.
رودي جارسيا، منذ نوفمبر 2023، لم يتعاقد مع أي فريق، بعد رحيله عن نابولي، حيث تمت إقالته بعد 16 مباراة فقط وقبل أن ينتصف الموسم الماضي.
الاتحاد البلجيكي لكرة القدم أعلن عبر موقعه الرسمي، تعاقده مع الفرنسي، حيث تعد هذه التجربة الدولية الأولى له، بعد العديد من التجارب الأخرى مع الأندية.
وكان رودي جارسيا أحد المدربين الذين أشرفوا على رحلة النجم المصري محمد صلاح، عندما كان مديرًا فنيًا لـ روما، قبل أن تتم إقالته في 2016، بعد 6 أشهر فقط قضاها مع نجم ليفربول الحالي.
طالع أيضًا.. جوارديولا يحسم موقف عمر مرموش من المشاركة مع مانشستر سيتي ضد تشيلسي
رودي جارسيا بدأ مسيرته التدريبية في سانت إيتيان عام 2001، ثم ديجون، وليمانس وليل، قبل أن يخرج من فرنسا في 2013 إلى روما ويرحل بعد 3 سنوات.
عاد رودي إلى فرنسا وتولى قيادة مارسيليا ثم أولمبيك ليون، قبل أن يذهب إلى المملكة العربية السعودية ويتولى قيادة النصر السعودي، لكنه لم يكمل موسم ورحل في أبريل 2023.
آخر تجارب رودي جارسيا كما ذكرنا سلفًا، مع نابولي الإيطالي، ولعب مع الفريق 16 مباراة، لكنه فشل مع حامل لقب الكالشيو وخسر 4 وتعادل 4، وفاز في 8 مباريات.
West Bromwich Albion will be an attractive place for most prospective players to join this summer, knowing the feel-good factor Carlos Corberan has helped to cultivate in the Hawthorns dressing room since joining as manager back in 2022.
The Spaniard has managed to get so much more out of a whole plethora of Baggies talents from the dug-out, including Alex Mowatt, who was a first-teamer week in, week out under Corberan last campaign, after once being chucked out on loan by former boss Steve Bruce.
Corberan could even end up signing the former Leeds United man an ideal partner to accompany him in the centre of the park this summer, softening the blow of Okay Yokuslu's expected departure in the process.
According to football journalist Pete O'Rourke, West Brom look set to battle it out with a divisional rival for the services of Oxford United midfielder Cameron Brannagan this transfer window.
O'Rourke has speculated that the likes of Blackburn Rovers are also keen to add the ex-Liverpool youngster to their roster before the close of the window next month, with Brannagan's stock at an all-time high, after he performed valiantly across Oxford's promotion success story last campaign.
The U's captain scored a decisive penalty away at Peterborough United in the League One play-off semi-finals to send his team to Wembley, and with only a year remaining on his current Oxford deal, as per O'Rourke, Des Buckingham's men could decide to cash in if the Baggies cough up an acceptable sum.
West Brom could be prepared to do that, if Yokuslu ends up making a move to Hull City a reality very soon, with Brannagan offering more steel to the central midfield positions in the West Midlands if signed, alongside bouncing off Mowatt's creativity.
As can be seen with this belting strike above against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, Brannagan has been a reliable source of important strikes for the U's for many seasons now, with the ex-Reds man accumulating a staggering 290 appearances at the Kassam Stadium to date.
On the books at United since departing Anfield back in 2018, the 28-year-old has moulded himself into a very reliable performer in the EFL for his current employers, with 54 goals and 31 assists amassed across his long journey with the club.
|
Brannagan's regular season numbers at Oxford (23/24) vs Mowatt's (23/24) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat – per 90 mins* |
Brannagan |
Mowatt |
|
Games played |
43 |
43 |
|
Goals scored |
12 |
2 |
|
Assists |
9 |
5 |
|
Shots* |
2.7 |
0.8 |
|
Touches* |
68.9 |
65.2 |
|
Big chances created |
6 |
4 |
|
Interceptions* |
0.9 |
0.7 |
|
Tackles* |
1.8 |
1.4 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
6.7 |
4.7 |
|
Total duels won* |
3.7 |
3.3 |
|
Stats by Sofascore |
||
Sweeping the floor with his potential new teammate in many different aspects of their game, with a staggering ten more goals tallied up last season in regular league action, Brannagan could get Mowatt to come out of his shell and be even more expressive for the Baggies.
The Oxford star would also be able to competently replace Yokuslu's grit when glancing at the table above, with 6.7 ball recoveries averaged per match last season in League One showing off his energetic and battling nature away from his obvious attacking strengths, alongside his ability to successfully win duels like the in-demand Turkish midfielder.
It's no surprise, therefore, that Jurgen Klopp waxed lyrical about Brannagan's well-rounded skill set when he was still just a wide-eyed gem attempting to make it at Liverpool, describing the now 28-year-old back in 2015 as possessing "everything you need" in a midfielder.
His time with the Premier League titans would, unfortunately, come to a gutting end three years on from this lavish praise, but Brannagan could find himself playing top-flight football sooner rather than later if he joins West Brom, who could well be in and around the top spots in the Championship again next season.
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By
Kelan Sarson
Jul 16, 2024
India struggled with their support bowlers Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Nadeem in the first Test
ESPNcricinfo staff11-Feb-2021Axar Patel has returned to fitness and is in line for a Test debut in the Chennai Test starting Saturday. Consequently, Shahbaz Nadeem, Patel’s last-minute replacement for the first Test, was left out of the squad. Patel’s absence because of a left knee strain on the eve of the first Test possibly disturbed India’s combination.It meant Washington Sundar had to play for the batting cushion at No. 7, which ruled Kuldeep Yadav out because India needed at least one bowler to take the ball away from right-hand batsmen.
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While India’s three frontline bowlers kept the batsmen quiet on a flat pitch in the first innings of the match, Sundar and Nadeem, both in their second Test, leaked runs. All three of Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin went at under three an over, whereas Nadeem and Sundar conceded 265 runs in 70 overs between them.”You need to understand two things in this situation – as a bowling unit, we didn’t bowl well collectively,” India’s captain Kohli said after the match. “If you consider the fast bowlers and Ashwin, then yes, we bowled consistently and in good areas.Related
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“But if Washi and Shahbaz had also bowled such economical spells, then you create more pressure, [and] you cut out 80-90 runs from the opposition. So there’s no need to overthink it. We just have to continuously build pressure on them. And if we do that, then I have full belief that we’ll get the results that we’ve achieved as a side on many occasions.”On the slow pitch, Nadeem struggled for accuracy whenever he tried to bowl quicker. Patel is an inherently quicker bowler than Nadeem, something that could be a deterrent to the sweep shot too. If Patel makes it, he will be India’s fourth debutant in as many Tests this year.In all likelihood the third spinner’s slot will be contested between Sundar and Yadav. Sundar’s batting cushion will carry less value given Patel’s batting, which could allow the more attacking option in Yadav to come in.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is personally a real fan of one electric forward, and the Gunners are now deciding whether to move for him after a £37 million drop in his asking price.
The north Londoners have been tipped to bring in a new wide player, alongside a prolific striker, as Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar look to mount another Premier League title challenge next season.
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The forward racked up 30 goals in all competitions last season.
1
By
Emilio Galantini
Jun 25, 2024
Arsenal were thwarted in their attempts to land Benjamin Sesko, who committed to RB Leipzig by putting pen to paper on a new contract instead of making a move to England, but the north Londoners have alternatives to the Slovenia international.
Indeed, Arsenal are in the race to sign Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy, whose contract is rumoured to include a tempting £15 million release clause this summer. In terms of wingers, links surround Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, amid his excellent Euro 2024 campaign with Spain.
|
Arsenal's best-performing stars in the Premier League last season |
Average match rating (WhoScored) |
|---|---|
|
Bukayo Saka |
7.67 |
|
Declan Rice |
7.38 |
|
Martin Odegaard |
7.37 |
|
Kai Havertz |
7.16 |
|
Gabriel Magalhaes |
6.99 |
Williams has held talks with Arsenal over joining, even if Barcelona are his preferred destination, as Edu and co look to sign possible alternatives to star wingers Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard.
They racked up a total of 37 goals and 16 assists in all competitions between them, but if Arsenal are going to finally pip Man City to the league, Arteta may need stand-ins – in case either or both are unavailable.
Saka played nearly 50 games last season, so bringing in a new winger would allow Arteta to rotate and rest the England star on a more regular basis. Alongside the likes of Williams, it is believed Arsenal are showing an interest in Premier League stars to come in as elite new wide men as well.
Wolves forward Pedro Neto, who enjoyed an electric start to 2023/2024, finished the season with nine assists and has been a star player at Molineux for a number of years. However, the Portuguese star also possesses a concerning injury record.
According to Football Transfers, the 24-year-old is "massively admired" by Arteta, and Wolves have slashed their asking price by £37 million.
He was valued at around £80 million in January, but now Gary O'Neil's side seem ready to do a deal for £43 million. This has alerted club chiefs, with Arsenal assessing Neto and deciding whether to make a move, depending on a review of his medical history.
The former Lazio star has missed a combined total of 584 days through injury since joining Wolves (Transfermarkt), so it is understandable that this is a cause for concern for Edu and co, no matter the reduced asking price.
Neto has displayed flashes of true brilliance, though, so if he can keep fit, there is little doubting he'd strengthen Arteta's ranks ten-fold.
Celtic ended their 2023/24 campaign in style last month as they added the SFA Cup to their collection with a 1-0 win at Hampden against their local rivals.
A 90th-minute goal from Adam Idah, who pounced on a weak parry from Jack Butland to slot into the back of the net, secured the trophy for the Hoops.
That came a week after the Bhoys had lifted the Scottish Premiership title at Parkhead, which meant that Brendan Rodgers won two trophies in his first season back in Glasgow.
The Northern Irish manager was brought in to replace Ange Postecoglou, who moved down south to the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur last summer, and enjoyed a respectable start to his second stint with the club.
He will now have another chance to add more quality to his playing squad during the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster his side in the pursuit of more pieces of silverware next season.
Rodgers is reportedly already eyeing up a reunion with one of his former players to strengthen his options in the middle of the park ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Celtic's interest in bargain free agent swoop
According to Football Insider, the Hoops boss is lining up a swoop to sign Scotland international Stuart Armstrong on a free transfer this summer.
The report claims that the Scottish giants are considering a deal to snap up the experienced ace for nothing after his release from Southampton.
Football Insider describes his exit from the English side as a 'surprise' and the Bhoys could now look to take advantage of his shock move away from St. Mary's by sealing a move for him.
The outlet states that the 32-year-old central midfielder is 'very much' on their radar but he is not their first-choice option in the market at this moment in time.
Rodgers is said to be looking for big backing from the board in order to compete in the Champions League next season, and that other, younger, alternatives will be looked at before they decide to sanction a deal for Armstrong.
The report does not, however, reveal whether or not the player himself is keen on a return to Parkhead this summer, as he may have other options to consider in other leagues.
If Celtic do opt to pursue a bargain swoop for the midfielder, though, and reach an agreement with him, Rodgers could land an exciting partner for Matt O'Riley in the middle of the park.
Matt O'Riley's exceptional season in numbers
The Denmark international enjoyed an exceptional 2023/24 campaign as he swept up the Young Player of the Year, Player's Player of the Year, and Player of the Year awards at the club's awards night last month.
He was able to showcase his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals throughout the season to help his side win the Scottish Premiership title once again.
O'Riley had only scored three goals in 38 league games under Postecoglou last term and stepped his game up under Rodgers to fire in an eye-catching 18 goals in 37 Premiership outings.
This suggests that the Northern Irish boss has pushed the Danish whiz, who was signed from MK Dons in January 2022, to get himself into more goalscoring positions from midfield.
Sofascore rating
7.91
1st
Assists
13
1st
Big chances created
14
1st
Key passes per game
2.5
1st
Goals
18
1st
As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old magician was also a standout performer for the Hoops when it came to creating chances for his teammates.
He led the team in assists, 'big chances' created, and key passes per game throughout the Premiership campaign, which speaks to how frequently the midfielder split open the opposition's defence to create high-quality opportunities for his fellow forwards.
Overall, these statistics show that O'Riley is an all-round attacking threat who offers immense quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position, which means that he is a match-winner who can cause constant problems for opponents.
Rodgers could now land an exciting partner for him in the middle of the park by swooping to sign Armstrong, who is another midfielder with the ability to make a big impact in the final third.
Why Celtic should sign Stuart Armstrong
Firstly, the Scottish ace is available on a free transfer and this makes him a bargain option for the club as they will not have to pay a fee to any club to snap him up.
Armstrong, who was hailed as "smooth" by manager Russell Martin, could also hit the ground running as it would be his second stint at Parkhead alongside Rodgers, who he worked with for two years before his move to Southampton in 2018.
The attacking midfielder racked up 23 goals in 98 Premiership appearances for the Scottish giants between 2015 and 2018, after his move from Dundee United, and this suggests that he would not need much time to adapt to the division.
His form for Southampton in the Championship this season also suggests that the quality is still there for him to come in as an exciting option in midfield next to O'Riley.
He ranked within the top 9% of midfielders in the division for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.20), the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.33), and the top 2% for progressive passes per 90 (8.46) this term, which speaks to how impressive Armstrong was as a creator in comparison to his positional peers.
Starts
33
Goals
5
xA
7.08
Big chances created
11
Key passes per game
1.6
Assists
7
As you can see in the table above, this was backed up by his chance creation numbers in the Championship as the experienced ace racked up 11 'big chances' created in 33 matches – one every three games on average.
Meanwhile, no Celtic midfielder aside from O'Riley managed more than six assists or three goals in the Premiership, which indicates that he could improve the team's attacking output.
These statistics show that the 32-year-old ace is very much still in top form and his powers have not waned yet, which is why this could be a great time for the Hoops to snap him up.
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They could get an exciting partner for O'Riley in midfield, as they can both cause constant problems with their quality in the final third, without spending a penny on transfer fees, whilst also landing someone who has already worked with Rodgers at Parkhead.
An IPL release on Tuesday had said Khan would miss the remainder of the season, but ESPNcricinfo understands that he is still available for the Knight Riders
ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2020Kolkata Knight Riders fast bowler Ali Khan has been sidelined with a side strain, but the franchise has opted to retain him instead of ruling him out of the tournament.Khan, who is the first player from the USA to feature in IPL, is understood to be recovering fast and has been training with the Knight Riders squad.Knight Riders’ chief executive officer Venky Mysore said while Khan’s injury was untimely, the franchise remained optimistic about his recovery. “While we are disappointed that he injured himself, KKR always does everything to take care of its players and therefore have asked him to stay on and are helping him with his recovery and rehab. Hopefully, he will recover fast,” Mysore told ESPNcricinfo.Late on Tuesday, the IPL sent a media release listing players from different franchises that had been ruled out of the tournament due to injury. Among the names was Khan, but the IPL did not specify the injury, but said he was “injured and will miss the rest of the season”.Khan had replaced Harry Gurney at the Knight Riders last month after the England player was ruled out following a shoulder injury. Khan had made the trip to the UAE after helping Trinbago Knight Riders – owned by the same parent company as KKR – win the CPL. Khan hits speeds of more than 140kph and often bowls in the slog overs, and is known, in particular, for having a good yorker.
With a deal to sign Lloyd Kelly reportedly on the cards upon the expiry of his Bournemouth contract this summer, Newcastle United have seemingly turned their attention to a second defensive reinforcement.
Newcastle transfer news
Kelly enjoyed another impressive campaign at the Cherries as they surprised many by finishing as high as 12th in Andoni Iraola's first season in charge at the club. Nonetheless, it was Kelly's last with the defender's contract running out and Newcastle increasingly likely to be his next destination. The centre-back, who can also play as a left-back, will join to provide some much-needed defensive depth for Eddie Howe and his side.
Even after Kelly, however, those at St James' Park are still looking for an extra boost within their backline, with reports mentioning names such as Tosin Adarabioyo, who is also set to be a free agent at the end of his Fulham contract this summer. That said, it looks as though the Magpies also have an eye on the Serie A.
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According to Tutto Juve via The Boot Room, PIF and Newcastle are now eyeing a move to sign Riccardo Calafiori this summer after the defender played an important part in Thiago Motta's Bologna side, who shocked Italian football to qualify for the Champions League this season.
The defender reportedly likes the idea of Newcastle, but has also attracted the interest of Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus and invincible Bundesliga winners Bayer Leverkusen.
In quite the race for his signature, Newcastle will be hoping to lure Calafiori to St James' Park in arguably one of the coups of the summer.
"Insane" Calafiori can replace Lascelles and more
Still just 22 years old, it's no surprise that Calafiori is attracting plenty of attention, especially after the season that he and Bologna enjoyed in Italy. The centre-back, who can also play left-back in similar fashion to Kelly, would provide Newcastle with quite the defensive boost both instantly and in the long-term if he completed a move in the coming months. He would also provide an instant upgrade on Jamaal Lascelles, whilst competing with Sven Botman and Fabian Schar.
Progressive Passes
96
31
133
35
Tackles Won
37
9
24
13
Interceptions
56
5
36
9
Ball Recoveries
194
53
174
70
What's most impressive is the number of ball recoveries that Calafiori managed this season. If Newcastle want to become a side who are able to step onto the front foot even against the very best, then a player with that ability should be seen as one of the keys to unlocking such football.
Praised for his "insane performance" in a recent 3-3 draw against Juventus by Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, Calafiori is certainly one to watch this summer.
After a difficult second season in charge, Erik ten Hag's Manchester United future remains in doubt with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Red Devils reportedly reigniting their interest in a former Real Madrid manager.
Erik ten Hag's Man Utd future
Ten Hag is a man under pressure. His Manchester United side have failed to qualify for the Champions League this season following a disastrous Premier League campaign and are now left hoping to salvage something from their campaign in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
The Red Devils very nearly went out to Championship side Coventry City in the semi-final of course, before winning on penalties. Ten Hag was quick to reiterate the achievement, nonetheless.
Those struggles have far from helped the Dutchman's job security, especially amid reports linking the likes of Gareth Southgate and Graham Potter to the job. And now, making matters worse for Ten Hag, the Red Devils have reportedly reignited their interest in another option.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Manchester United have reignited their interest in Julen Lopetegui after the former Real Madrid boss was eventually rejected by AC Milan. The Spaniard's last job actually came in the Premier League with Wolverhampton Wanderers, before he left at the end of last summer's pre-season having not been backed in the transfer market.
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On paper, Lopetegui brings plenty of experience but in a move that United must get right, there still lies plenty of unanswered questions over his ability to take charge of a top club, while there is also the imminent threat of West Ham's pursuit of the Spaniard as well.
"Strong" Lopetegui is a risk
The last thing that Manchester United need is a risky appointment whose failure would take them straight back to square one. And Lopetegui represents that risk after a mediocre time in the Premier League. Gary O'Neil has since proven that mediocrity too, having taken the majority of the same Wolves side comfortably clear of the relegation zone and on the brink of breaking into the Premier League's top half.
Games
24
Wins
9
Draws
4
Losses
10
Even though his time at Wolves came to an abrupt end, the club's chairman Jeff Shi was once full of praise for Lopetegui, saying via the official website: "Julen has a strong personality and he’s a coach with clear leadership, not just with football players but with the clubs he has been at.
"He has a lot of experience in elite football and his track record is proven. We know we are in a difficult moment as a team right now, so we especially need a strong leader, with a strong personality, more than any other time I have been here. It is because of this that Julen was always our preferred choice."