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Middlesbrough head coach Rob Edwards is now seen by Wolves as the “favoured candidate” for their managerial vacancy.

Wolves have been on the search for a new boss since Vitor Pereira, who signed a contract extension in September, was sacked on the 2nd November. In the days since, Wolves have been linked with a number of options as they continue searching for a permanent Pereira replacement.

James Collins and Richard Walker, who both work within the youth set-up at Wolves, will take interim charge of the club when they face Chelsea on Saturday. Whoever replaces Pereira will have a momentous task ahead of them, as Wolves sit bottom of the Premier League table with two points from 10 games.

In recent days, Rob Edwards has been linked with the vacancy and despite initial reports that a move appeared unlikely, it would now seem as though Wolves have settled on who they think is the man to try and keep them in the Premier League.

Wolves homing in on Edwards

According to Sky Sports, Wolves view Edwards as their preferred target. Replacing Michael Carrick at Middlesbrough in the summer, Edwards has lost just two Championship games from 14 during his time at the Riverside Stadium thus far.

Prior to his current work, Edwards spent just over two years at Luton Town between 2022 and early 2025, guiding them to the Premier League in his first season at the club.

As a player, Edwards spent four years at Molineux, making over a century of appearances for the Old Gold between 2004 and 2008. To begin his managerial career, he spent time with the club’s youth academy and even had a stint as interim manager of the club back in 2016, later taking charge of their under-23s side.

Generally preferring to play a 3-4-2-1 formation, which could certainly work with Wolves’ current squad, Edwards being the main target is understandable, given both his previous links to the club and his reputation as a coach.

Having been called an “outstanding” manager in the past, it could be argued that, across the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons, Edwards’ Luton side were the only one of six promoted teams that had a fighting chance of avoiding immediate relegation, something Wolves, given their current position, have no doubt recognised.

Despite Wolves’ evident interest, however, Sky Sports have also reported that Middlesbrough have “rejected” their advances for Edwards. Understandably, Boro are keen to keep the 42-year-old, who has given them the hopes of making a promotion push.

Romano offers update on future Wolves appointments

Of course there is India vs Pakistan, but there is also a lot more to look forward to in the UAE

Shashank Kishore07-Sep-202515:43

Can Afghanistan make the final of the Asia Cup?

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) can be criticised for many things. Like having Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in a brutal group of death, or missing the chance to ride the wave of cricket’s surging popularity in Nepal.But they have often nailed one key aspect: moulding their flagship competition to suit the needs of the cricket calendar. So, two years after its 50-over edition, the Asia Cup returns in 2025 as a T20 competition, aiming to be a lead-in to next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.September in the UAE can be brutal, but the ACC doesn’t have full control over the timing, or the venue. India are the official hosts, but they have once again turned to the UAE, just as they had during the pandemic years with the IPL and the T20 World Cup.Related

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• Back-to-back games plus travel 'not ideal' – Asalanka, Rashid on gruelling schedules

• Muhammad Waseem: 'We can absolutely inflict an upset on India or Pakistan'

• Grassy Dubai pitch leaves India with tricky selection calls against UAE

• It's showtime as winless Hong Kong take on wounded Afghanistan to kick off Asia Cup

While geopolitics continues to cast its shadow, the fixture everyone is already marking out on their calendars is, of course, India vs Pakistan, the tournament’s perennial centrepiece. And if history is anything to go by, the players will bring intensity and not animosity.From Shaheen Shah Afridi presenting Jasprit Bumrah with a gift for his newborn son to Babar Azam publicly backing Virat Kohli during his slump, the camaraderie has often been warmer than the political climate. But in today’s social media age, where jingoism thrives, will the players be as comfortable sharing a laugh or a joke, a hug or a handshake?Saturday evening could have provided a peek: the teams trained side by side at the ICC Academy in Dubai but kept to their halves, with barely a passing interaction. Perhaps it was just scheduling; perhaps it was something else.The ACC, though, has been mindful of the commercial and cultural importance of the contests. The prospect of the sides playing each other at least twice, perhaps thrice, is tantalising. Amid occasional calls for boycotts, the larger picture, which includes India’s ambitions of hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games in 2036, makes these clashes hard for them to avoid.If history is anything to go by, Indian and Pakistani players will bring intensity and not animosity•Associated PressNone of this has dimmed the enthusiasm of the general fan. Tickets for the two big clashes on September 14 and 21, have been bundled with a few other matches. Not even the seemingly steep prices [starting 1400 AED] have been a deterrent. Every single corporate box is taken, some believed to be by those who once vehemently called for a boycott.While all this brings the typical hype and drama surrounding the contest, the personnel are vastly different. No Babar or Mohammad Rizwan for Pakistan; no Kohli or Rohit Sharma for India. Pakistan are unheralded, and are testing the waters with a young team under Salman Agha. India are regrouping in the format after the T20Is against England at home in January, keen to pitch tent for their World Cup defence.Afghanistan, perhaps more at home in the UAE than anyone else, are now genuine contenders, and not underdogs. Stars like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Naveen-ul-Haq live and train here. Their spin-heavy attack is built for these conditions, and their confidence, despite the abject defeat to Pakistan in the tri-series final, should be sky-high.Sri Lanka may be the defending champions in the T20 format – they beat Pakistan in the 2022 final – but the team that lifted the trophy under Dasun Shanaka looks markedly different today. The recent collapse for their second-lowest T20I total against Zimbabwe has underlined the growing pains of a side in transition.They are still searching for a finisher who can also bowl, and there’s heavy reliance on Pathum Nissanka with the bat. Their X-factor remains their bowling, though. Maheesh Theekshana’s mystery and Matheesha Pathirana’s slingy pace should be more than a handful, but how they are used could determine their fate in a tough group.Bangladesh are navigating life after their golden generation. With no Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim or Tamim Iqbal, and Mustafizur Rahman not quite the enigma he once was, they are recalibrating with a younger, power-hitting mindset. The tournament is both a test and an opportunity for this new-look squad.20:37

Do Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav make the all-time Asian T20 XI?

Outside of the Test nations, the story is as much about the Associates – three of them this time.Oman are piecing things back together after a pay crisis nearly derailed their progress, even coaxing veterans out of retirement to compete. Hong Kong are battling under-preparation. Having been forced into indoor nets for months, they have relied on a two-week crash course in Dubai under new coach Kaushal Silva. UAE are aiming for more than just participation this time. With increased investment and ILT20 exposure, there’s a push to develop more local talent. Captain Muhammad Waseem leads that charge, alongside emerging power-hitter Alishan Sharafu, mentored by Andre Russell and already making waves.So, the subplots are rich and the stakes high. Can Afghanistan turn potential into silverware? Can Pakistan find rhythm in chaos? Will India experiment or play their first-choice XI in a tournament they are touted to win? Can the Associates land a meaningful blow on the giants?The pitches could be slow and the crowds partisan. Politics may loom large, but when it comes to box-office cricket, nothing tops India vs Pakistan, or Pakistan vs Afghanistan, perhaps even Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh.Over to the Asia Cup to provide the perfect stage.

Lucas Paqueta's red card in West Ham's 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool has brought fresh allegations of "match-fixing" from fans across social media. The Brazilian was shown back-to-back yellow cards for dissent in the 83rd minute at the London Stadium, as he hounded referee Darren England in the aftermath of Niclas Fullkrug's foul on Dominik Szoboszlai.

• Bizarre Paqueta red draws allegations from fans

  The 28-year-old has opened himself to further allegations of impropriety. Paqueta cleared his name from allegations of spot-fixing during the 2022-23 season, where suspicious betting patterns were linked to games where the midfielder picked up bookings. Despite being exonerated by the FA after an investigation, the governing body sanctioned the former Lyon star for "failing to comply with a requirement to answer questions and provide information to The FA’s investigation into breaches of the Rules", issuing a warning over his future conduct. 

  Paqueta returned to the Irons starting lineup on Sunday, after serving a one-game suspension for accruing five bookable offences so far this term. In a relatively well-tempered clash with Liverpool, Paqueta went unpunished by the referee until the final moments, when he saw fit to persist in berating England despite the attempts of his teammates to control him. Two quick yellow cards confirmed Paqueta's fate in a bizarre incident that has set fans' tongues wagging on social media. 

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• Fan reaction to Paqueta red

  ChelsChris03 posted on X: "That absolutely has to be match fixing from Paqueta. Simply no way it’s not."

  The GunnersD3an questioned Paqueta's decision making, writing: "Paqueta is such an idiot, he was definitely looking for that Red. That’s such an absurd behaviour, what a liability of a player."

  Dieggo added: "He wanted to be sent off. Weird guy."

  Fellythered joked: "[Paqueta is] Never beating those betting allegations." 

  Fredtheted simply suggested the Brazilian's conduct, "is suspicious". 

• Nuno and pundits react to 'ridiculous' Paqueta red

  Former players and pundits also took the chance to question the midfielder's decision making. 

  Speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live broadcast livve from the Olympic Stadium, former Birmingham City and Republic of Ireland forward Clinton Morrison said: "I don't know what he's doing. If you're not happy with the decision, he's not going to change his mind. Darren England hasn't had the best game but Paqueta wouldn't give it up, he kept going and going, even his international teammate Alisson said stop.

  "You can't keep going over and goading the referee. You've let your team down. It's ridiculous." 

  Former West Ham keeper Robert Green said on that the Brazilian was being "completely irresponsible" and that he had "lost his head", before also calling Paqueta's behaviour "ridiculous".

  West Ham's manager Nuno Espirito Santo then used his post-match comments to address the situation. He said: "I'm not going to comment too much. First of all I'm going to speak to Lucas and try to understand his frustrations and his behaviour.

  "We need all the player and we are going to need them until the end of the season. Every player out, we're going to miss them."

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• Paqueta speaks out

  Paqueta took to social media after the game to hit back at the criticism levelled at him by the Sky Sports commentary team. He wrote in a passionate post on : "It's ridiculous to have your life and career affected for two years without any psychological support from the federation. Perhaps this ridiculous behavior is just a reflection of everything I've had to endure and, it seems, have to continue enduring! I'm sorry if I'm not perfect."

Germany sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a dominant 6-0 win over Slovakia, and former captain Lothar Matthaus believes the team can challenge the likes of England, France and Portugal for the title despite a shaky qualifying campaign and recent tournament struggles. The 1990 World Cup winner insists there is no reason for fear if the team maintains the intensity shown in Monday's win.

A positive finish after a bumpy qualifying campaign

Germany will make their 21st appearance at the tournament. It was a much-needed statement performance after what has been a shaky road through Group A. They opened qualifying with a disappointing 2-0 loss to Slovakia in September before recovering with wins against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg. They then rounded off the campaign with a resounding win against Slovakia this week.

The 2014 world champions have failed to advance past the group stage in the last two editions, and recent tournaments have raised doubts about whether the team is still among the elite. They lost to Spain in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 and fell 2-1 to Portugal in the Nations League semi-final in Munich. The progress under Julian Nagelsmann has been steady rather than spectacular, and he is yet to win a major trophy since taking charge in 2023.

Earlier, national team legend Toni Kroos said the team was lucky to have been handed a relatively easy World Cup qualifying group.

Still, the dominant performance on Monday was enough to bring optimism back into the conversation. Matthaus called the win 'a satisfying end to an overall satisfactory year' and believes the team is moving in the right direction.

AdvertisementMatthaus insists Germany shouldn't fear Europe's top teams

Despite recent setbacks, the former Germany captain believes the team still belongs among the contenders. In his column for , the 64-year-old argued that qualifying form should not be overanalysed, pointing out that even successful German teams in the past had difficult campaigns.

"With all due respect to these opponents, Germany wants to compete against the best, and those are the other group winners such as England, Portugal or France," he said.

"If we can replicate what we showed in Leipzig, we're on par with these teams. We saw that in the summer. In the Nations League defeats against Portugal and France, Germany wasn't any worse than their opponents.

"If the German team shows the same attitude and passion and plays together like they did against Slovakia, they have nothing to fear.

"You shouldn't underestimate yourself. Germany isn't small. I've always said that our team belongs among the favorites for the World Cup, even if they've had a poor run of form. Our World Cup qualifying campaigns were also sometimes bumpy in the past. 

"The German team might even be under less pressure at the World Cup. The team will be even more focused next year, especially because the whole world will be watching."

Getty ImagesInjuries remain a concern despite strong squad depth

Matthaus also spoke about the squad heading into 2026. Several key players like Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Antonio Rudiger and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are still working their way back to full fitness and may not be ready right away.

"Rudiger needs to get fit first, just like Ter Stegen. Oliver Baumann will remain in goal for the time being, and then we'll see what happens next," he said.

He mentioned that no one in the squad has a guaranteed starting spot, adding: "Even in the current national team, there are hardly any irreplaceable players; no one has a guaranteed spot. This keeps the focus high until the World Cup, and everyone will give their all to impress the coach.."

The World Cup winner believes this gives the German coach more flexibility as the tournament approaches. "The great thing for Nagelsmann is that he'll have a wide selection next year. For a coach, it's the most wonderful thing when he can bring quality after quality player into the team."

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Getty ImagesWhat's next for Germany?

Germany now shift their attention to preparations for 2026, with Nagelsmann hoping to have key players return from injury soon. Ter Stegen is nearing a comeback from knee surgery after missing most of last season, and the Barcelona captain could even consider a loan move in January to get more playing time before the tournament.

Defender Rudiger has also said he is in the final phase of his recovery after being sidelined with a thigh injury. Meanwhile, Musiala has returned to Bayern Munich training after suffering a ligament dislocation during a heavy collision in the Club World Cup against PSG.

Jackson Bird and Gabe Bell shared six wickets to dismantled New South Wales’ second innings and secure Tasmania a crushing innings and 58-run Sheffield Shield victory over Tasmania.In a match in which neither team was able to take all 10 wickets in the first innings, NSW collapsed on day four to be all out for 174 in 92 overs at Cricket Central in Sydney.Related

• Chaudhary stars with maiden first-class hundred in Tasmania's 623

• Bartlett, Sandhu dismantle Victoria under Gabba lights as pink-ball wickets tumble

After falling to 143 for 9, NSW captain Jack Edwards (38 off 137 balls) dug in with No. 11 Liam Hatcher (8 not out off 79 balls) for 28 overs to frustrate the Tigers, before Riley Meredith took the final wicket, nipping one past Edward’s edge to take off stump, to finally sink the the home side.Tasmania became the first team to secure an outright win in a Shield game at Cricket Central, with the previous four matches at the venue ending in draws.Cruising at 102 for 2, NSW lost 8 for 41 in the next 25 overs to hand Tasmania their second win of the season. Bell took three wickets in an over: Josh Philippe glancing down the leg side, Charlie Stobo lbw and Tanveer Sangha edging behind. Edwards was clearly unhappy with the umpire’s decision for the latterAfter a breezy 43 on day one, Sam Konstas struggled for his 19 in the second innings before being dismissed by Bird against his former team.Gabe Bell ripped out three wickets in an over•Getty Images

Patterson made 80 in his first innings, but could only manage 1 when batting again as Tasmania captain Jordan Silk pulled off a stunning catch in slips off Bird’s bowling.That made Bird the fourth-highest wicket-taker in Shield history with 421, only behind legendary legspinner Clarrie Grimmett (513) and Queensland pair Michael Kasprowicz (441) and Andy Bichel (430).After being dropped from Australia’s Test team following a difficult tour of the Caribbean, Konstas is yet to recapture his best since going back to domestic cricket this season. He will get another opportunity this weekend when he plays for the PM’s XI against the England Lions in Canberra.Patterson, who played the last of his two Tests in 2019, has experienced a mixed start to the season but scored a century against Queensland in November.Former NSW coach Phil Jaques was scathing in his assessment of the Blues’ last day collapse.”The second innings there’s been no fight, no plan and no effort,” Jaques said in commentary, before the recovery from Edwards and Hatcher. “That might sound harsh, but there’s got to be some application. There’s got to be some fight. It fell away badly in the field too.”Tasmania, who had been bottom of the table, took full advantage of a good batting wicket to belt their way to 623 for 8 dec declared as Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim Ward and Caleb Jewell all made centuries.

Exiled players now living in Australia have trained at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and watched India vs Sri Lanka

S Sudarshanan30-Sep-2025

Afghanistan’s women cricketers in exile have been involved at a global event for the first time, albeit only as spectators.A total of 17 formerly contracted Afghanistan women’s players attended the ACA Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday to watch India face Sri Lanka in the opening match of the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 as part of a 12-day programme offered by the ICC with support from Cricket Australia (CA), the ECB and BCCI.They have also undergone coaching at the VVS Laxman-led BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, met with players from some of the top teams competing at the World Cup and played some matches.”Most of the players are now based in Australia,” Mel Jones, part of the ICC’s initiative, said on commentary during the match. “They’ve got a few players in Canada and the UK as well. They’ve been put through their paces.”They’re smiling at the moment. That might have been a few ice baths that they had to enjoy over the last couple of days as well. Fitness testing, match simulations, matches, wonderful coaching from the coaching staff at the Centre of Excellence. The ICC, the ECB, BCCI, Cricket Australia have come together to host this tour.”Related

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Exiled Afghanistan women players to men's team: 'Please be the voice of the girls'

Powerplay: How cricket helped Afghanistan women escape

Powerplay: More than just a match for Afghanistan Women's XI

The players do not represent Afghanistan as they are not recognised by the ACB but many are playing in league structures in Australia, having fled their country after the Taliban takeover in 2021. Since then, women have been increasingly excluded from public life in Afghanistan, cannot attend university or secondary school and their voices cannot be heard in public. As such, the ACB is unable to ratify a women’s team, despite contracting 25 players in 2020.Not all those living in Australia have made the trip to India as some faced visa challenges but most of them played in an exhibition match between an Afghanistan XI and Cricket without Borders in Melbourne in January.They had not received any official communication from the ICC between their exile four years ago and April this year, when the ICC announced a support package for Afghan female cricketers in exile. Funding for these players comes from the ICC, BCCI, ECB and CA and not from the ACB’s disbursements and will include training camps and trips, such as this one.By inviting them to a World Cup game, the initiative – firmed up at the ICC’s annual conference in July – aims to give the players exposure and allow them to experience the atmosphere of a high-profile women’s international. Their experience was enhanced by the presence of India, New Zealand, England and Australia at the CoE during the World Cup warm-ups and Sophie Devine, the New Zealand captain, presented them with a jade necklace.”It’s gorgeous,” Jones said. “A jade necklace, that represents courage and determination and that’s exactly what these women, these players, have shown after the last four years and going into the future as well.”All going to plan that future mimics almost the Afghan men’s cricket team, whereby they can go through these high-performance programmes, they can create a team that can then be in qualifiers for T20 Women’s World Cups in the future.”

The current international break came at the worst time for West Ham United.

After weeks of poor performances, Nuno Espírito Santo had finally got a tune out of the East Londoners.

First, they blew away a talented Newcastle United side 3-1, and then a week later picked up another three points by beating Burnley 3-2.

These back-to-back Premier League wins have given the fanbase genuine reasons to be optimistic, as they were not lucky victories, but hard-fought and thoroughly deserved.

It finally feels like Nuno has his feet under the table at the London Stadium, and as a result, fears of a possible relegation are starting to dissipate.

However, the Premier League can be unforgiving, so West Ham must maintain their upward trajectory and the board need to back the manager in the winter window. If they do, this could be Nuno’s dream lineup at the end of January.

1 GK – Alphonse Areola

While it would have been a surprise at the start of the season, it should come as no surprise now that, keeping his place between the sticks is Alphonse Areola.

Unlike the Dane signed to replace him in the summer, the Frenchman has been pretty reliable since coming back into the team, and while he might not be the long-term answer, he’s more than good enough to spend another season in goal for the Hammers.

After all, he’s already made 108 appearances for the club, what’s another 27?

2 RB – Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Keeping his place at right-back, so long as he’s fit, is Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Now, Kyle Walker-Peters has done reasonably well since joining the club in the summer, but at his best, the former Manchester United ace is a more competent defender and has become more adept at getting forward over the last few years.

He was also the club’s Hammer of the Year just last season.

3 CB – Axel Disasi

Now, moving on to the first new face in the team, and before the pitchforks and torches come out, Axel Disasi, who has previously been touted for a £25m move to the London Stadium, could be an excellent signing for the Hammers.

Yes, he has failed to establish himself at Chelsea, but before that, he was one of Ligue 1’s best centre-backs and was even compared to Virgil van Dijk by respected talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Moreover, under a manager like Nuno, who doesn’t like to leave his defenders isolated, the Frenchman might be able to rediscover some of the form that first earned him his move to the Premier League.

4 CB – Charlie Cresswell

Alongside Disasi is the second signing: Charlie Cresswell.

He might not be a familiar name to English fans at the moment, but he certainly will be in a few years from now, as not only is he doing incredibly well for Toulouse in Ligue 1, but he was also a key part of the England u21 side that won the Euros this summer.

Described as a “proper leader at the back” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the former Leeds United gem has also been described as being a bit “like a Thiago Silva” by European football expert Andy Brassell, who highlighted the fact that he “got real smarts about him.”

Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old is gaining plenty of attention at the moment, and while it won’t be easy to sign him, reports suggest the Hammers could get the job done for around £15m.

5 LB – El Hadji Malick Diouf

Back to a familiar face and keeping his place at left-back is, of course, El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The all-action full-back joined the Hammers from Slavia Prague in the summer, and while he can be a little frustrating defensively, he is unreal when it comes to the offensive side of the game.

For example, he has already racked up three assists in just 12 appearances, and really could have more if his teammates were able to finish better earlier in the campaign.

6 CM – Freddie Potts

Moving into the middle of the park and onto someone who has to now be one of the first names on the team sheet: Freddie Potts.

The academy graduate was finally handed his first competitive start for West Ham against Newcastle United, and to say he delivered would be a massive understatement.

He put in a man-of-the-match performance that saw him cover practically every blade of grass, snuff out Toon attacks and kickstart ones for his own side.

It was more of the same a week later against Burnley, and while it is still early on, it feels like the Hammers have themselves a future superstar in Potts.

7 CM – Mateus Fernandes

There are a few options Nuno could go with for the position alongside Potts, but based on the last two games, it really has to be Mateus Fernandes.The Portuguese midfielder had a bit of a slow start to life in East London following his £40m move from Southampton in the summer, but over the last few weeks, he has started showing the fans just what he can do.Capable of helping out with the defensive side of the game, but just as able to play defence-splitting”KDB-type passes,”in the words of Mattinson, the 21-year-old could be a real game-changer for the Hammers as the season goes on.

8 CAM – Lucas Paqueta

To nobody’s surprise, Lucas Paqueta keeps his place as the most advanced of the midfielders.

Despite talk around his future, the former Lyon ace has looked back to his best in recent games and scored his fourth goal of the campaign against Newcastle.

He might be frustrating at times, but West Ham are undeniably a weaker team without him in it.

9 RW – Jarrod Bowen

The sky is blue, the grass is green, and Jarrod Bowen starts for West Ham United.

The former Hull City star is the club’s talisman, the most beloved player to wear the shirt in a very long time, and, most importantly, a sensational goalscoring, game-changing winger.

Despite the team’s poor form last season, the Englishman was still able to rack up an incredible tally of 14 goals and ten assists in 36 appearances across all competitions, totalling 3148 minutes.

That came out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 131.16 minutes.

Bowen’s West Ham Record

Appearances

250

Minutes

19971′

Goals

77

Assists

53

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

Minutes per Goal Involvement

153.62′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

So far this year, the 28-year-old has already scored three goals and provided two assists in just 12 games, and now that the team seem to have turned a corner, he’ll probably become even more productive.

10 ST – Lucas Stassin

The final signing in the team is Saint-Étienne’s Belgian goal machine, Lucas Stassin.

According to one report, the Hammers might be able to sign the 20-year-old for a fee of €30m, which is about £27m, and while that is a lot, it would almost certainly be worth it.

For example, despite being so young, he racked up an impressive tally of 14 goals and eight assists in just 34 appearances last year, and has already produced seven goal involvements in 13 games this year.

That sort of return would make him an instant upgrade on the still useful but injury-prone Callum Wilson and the ideal replacement for Niclas Füllkrug, who has made it clear he wants out in January.

Martin O’Neill’s time in charge of Celtic couldn’t have gone much better really.

The legendary manager saw his beat their Old Firm rivals, reach a cup final and draw level with Hearts at the top of the SPFL table.

It took the Hoops a while to find their new manager but they finally have their man in the form of Wilfried Nancy who arrives following a stint in MLS.

That said, for those at Parkhead, chiefly Liam Scales, he’s not had much time to think about what could be in store under the new boss.

Scales preparing for new era at Celtic

Republic of Ireland international Scales was asked after the 1-0 victory over Dundee on Wednesday evening whether he had been doing his research on the 48-year-old Nancy.

“No, I haven’t had time,” the defender said. “It’s been so busy. Obviously we know bits and pieces but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We need to focus on the games that we have and now is the time where we’re going to have to really focus on the tactical changes and whatever he wants us to do.

“It’s hard to do homework on someone you’ve never met because you don’t want to create a false idea of them. It’s better just to wait and really learn from them in person.”

Nancy arrives ahead of a crucial run of games. Celtic will go top of the Premiership if they beat Hearts on Sunday before facing St Mirren in the League Cup final a week later.

“It doesn’t get much bigger than the week he has come in. It’s probably ideal. You want to come in and be part of massive games and he has a chance to win a trophy early on.

“If you come in and do well over the next three games, it’s the best way you can start a job. We’ll be doing our best to make that happen for him because we want to be successful as a team.”

Scales could be set for new role under Nancy

Scales was in excellent form under O’Neill, notably hailed as Celtic’s “player of the year” by some. Evidently, he thoroughly enjoyed his time with the interim manager in the dugout.

The defender said of O’Neill: “He’s been really good. It’s been a positive four weeks or five weeks. We’ve won a lot of games. We’ve obviously won a cup semi-final and won an away game in Europe as well. They were big wins. It’s just been really enjoyable and positive.

“In the game now, the defenders are on the ball a lot and you need to link play. But to go back to basics and just be told that you need to win your headers, you need to win your duels, I’ll keep that with me.”

Whether the centre-back continues his form remains to be seen. After all, Scales could be set for a modified role given Nancy’s preference for a back three. “I’ve played in back threes, I’ve played in back fives, I’ve played in back fours. I just want to be in the team. That’s all I care about.”

Better than Maeda: Celtic star is going to be undroppable under Nancy

This Celtic star who was even better than Daizen Maeda against Dundee should be Wilfried Nancy’s first undroppable star.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2025

And does Angelo Mathews hold the record for the most Tests played at a single venue?

Steven Lynch24-Jun-2025Tharindu Rathnayake picked up three wickets in the first innings of his Test debut – two with offspin, the other with his left arm. Is this the first time anyone has done this in a Test? asked Divy Tripathi from India

The versatile Sri Lankan spinner Tharindu Rathnayake marked the first innings of his debut, against Bangladesh in Galle last week, with three wickets. The first two – left-handers Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque – came with offbreaks, but Rathnayake often changes his bowling style when faced with right-handers so his fingerspin still turns away from them… and he disposed of Litton Das while bowling orthodox left-arm spin. In the second innings he again dismissed Mominul with an offbreak, then Liton and Jaker Ali with his left arm.It seems certain that this feat is unique in Test cricket: we don’t know how some bowlers delivered, but I’m sure that someone changing mid-stream and having any success would have been commented on and we’d have known about it! The only men I’m aware of who have even bowled with both right and left hand in Tests are Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammad (it seems he had switched to slow left-arm at the end of Garry Sobers’ then-record 365 not out in Kingston in 1958) and Graham Gooch of England, who enlivened the closing stages of a drawn Test in Calcutta in 1982 with some bowling impersonations, including at least one ball delivered with his left hand. Neither of them took a wicket with their “wrong” arm, though. Rathnayake’s Sri Lankan team-mate Kamindu Mendis has occasionally bowled left-arm in first-class cricket, but his three Test wickets to date all came with right-handed offbreaks.Karun Nair returned to India’s Test side at Headingley after missing 77 matches. Was this a record? asked Vinesh Maharajan from India

Karun Nair reappeared for India in the first Test against England at Headingley after missing his country’s previous 77 five-day matches. He’s quite high on the list, but not at the top: the Indian record-holder is the left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, who missed 116 successive Tests between his debut, against South Africa in Centurion in December 2010, and the second of his four caps, against Bangladesh in Mirpur in December 2022. Two Indian wicketkeepers also missed more Tests than Nair: Dinesh Karthik 87 between January 2010 and June 2018, and Parthiv Patel 83 between August 2008 and November 2016.The only man from anywhere with a bigger gap than Unadkat is the England offspinner Gareth Batty, who missed no fewer than 142 Test matches between June 2005 and October 2016, when he was recalled at 39 to face Bangladesh in Chattogram.Angelo Mathews, who just retired, played his 34th Test match at Galle. Was this a record? asked Mohan de Silva from Sri Lanka

That’s a good spot, as I hadn’t seen it mentioned anywhere: Angelo Mathews played 34 Tests in Galle, which is indeed the record for a single venue. Next at the moment is Jimmy Anderson, who played 29 Tests at Lord’s, while his long-time new-ball partner Stuart Broad had 28 matches there.Mahela Jayawardene played 27 Tests at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo (his home ground), while Mushfiqur Rahim is likely to add to his current total of 27 at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. Mushfiqur recently became only the 19th player to extend his Test career beyond 20 years.No other player has played as many Tests at a single venue than Angelo Mathew’s 34 in Galle•AFP/Getty ImagesWho holds the record for taking the most Test wickets at home before taking his first wicket abroad? asked SM Nazmus Shakib from Bangladesh

That’s an unusual question – and the answer is an unusual character: the South African medium-pacer Jimmy Blanckenberg, who took 56 wickets in 13 home Tests on the matting pitches used there at the time. He then toured England in 1924 with less success, taking just four wickets in the five-Test series. After this Blanckenberg had several seasons in the Lancashire League, although he also ran into controversy there, apparently refusing to shake the hand of the black West Indian allrounder Learie Constantine. After his stint in the leagues Blanckenberg rather disappeared from view, and his death details have never been discovered, although there’s a theory that he passed away in Berlin in 1955. If any historians out there have more details, do let me know!The Middlesex legspinner Walter Robins took 52 Test wickets in England before finally claiming one overseas, in Australia in 1936-37, while fast bowler Rodney Hogg picked up 51 in Australia – including 41 in his maiden Ashes series in 1978-79 – before touring India the following season, when his first scalp was that of Sunil Gavaskar.Turning the question around, Jasprit Bumrah collected 79 wickets overseas before finally taking one in India. That’s the record, unless you include the legspinner Yasir Shah: he took 207 wickets before finally taking one in Pakistan, but that included several in “home” Tests in the UAE and elsewhere while security concerns precluded matches in Pakistan.In the World Test Championship final, Aiden Markram scored the only century of the match in the fourth innings. How often has this happened in a Test? asked Dylan McKenzie from South Africa

That superb 136 from the South African opener Aiden Markram, which did much to decide the destiny of the World Test Championship mace, was indeed the only century of the final at Lord’s. It’s a relatively rare occurrence: this was the 39th Test match in which the only century was scored in the fourth innings. Markram had done it before – also against Australia, in Durban in 2018 (the Aussies still won that one, though).Markram is one of only three men to do this twice, the others being fellow openers David Warner and Dimuth Karunaratne. But Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene uniquely scored the only century of a Test in the fourth innings on three occasions: against South Africa in Colombo in 2000 and also at the Sinhalese Sports Club in 2006, and against Australia in Galle in 2011.The first such instance was by Australia’s Joe Darling, whose fourth-innings 160 was the only century of the match against England in Sydney in March 1898. There were only 17 further cases in the 20th century, but 21 since 2000.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

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