PCA's David Leatherdale to step down this year

Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) chief executive David Leatherdale will step down from his role this year.Leatherdale took time off last year, due to stress amid a heavy workload and family health problems.He returned with a number of issues on the PCA agenda including members’ concerns over how “The Hundred” competition would impact them, a new pay deal for centrally contracted England players and at the County Partnership Agreement – which includes salaries and payments for county players – for the period 2020 to 2024.Daryl Mitchell, chairman of the players’ union, said Leatherdale had recently informed the PCA board of his intention to step down once a successor has been appointed.”David’s skill, dedication and determination over the last three years has been instrumental in championing the best interests of all PCA members during a time of immense change in the professional game,” Mitchell said. “We are immensely grateful.”David will continue in his role until a successor is appointed and has made it clear he wishes to conclude the negotiations surrounding the County Partnership Agreement and the Team England and PCA-ECB MOU contracts which will ensure playing professional cricket from 2020 onwards is the most rewarding career it has ever been.”The board is grateful to David for his commitment to complete these negotiations which will see every current member of the PCA materially better off. The PCA board has already commenced the search for David’s successor.”

Ten Hag could send Amrabat packing with Man Utd move for Modric-esque £130m “warrior”

Manchester United’s 3-2 victory over Aston Villa on Boxing Day has made the feel-good factor at the club momentarily return.

However, in reality, Erik ten Hag’s side have underperformed massively this season, as they sit seventh in the Premier League with one less defeat (8) than they suffered in the entire of last campaign after just 19 matches.

Man Utd could sign Martinez's dream partner in "top talent" who's like Van Dijk

Erik ten Hag is desperate to reinforce his defensive department this January.

ByTom Lever Dec 29, 2023

With that in mind, the boss will look to improve his squad this winter window, with a midfielder on his wish list.

Man Utd transfers latest – Joao Neves

According to reports in Spain – as per the Manchester Evening News – the belief is that the Red Devils are keeping an eye on Joao Neves.

Benfica midfielder Joao Neves

Ten Hag’s side is among the favourites to acquire the Benfica star, but he has a release clause of €120m (£104m) in his contract – something which could rise to as high as €150m (£130m), according to claims in Portugal.

Therefore, United may be priced out of the move this winter, especially considering they must stay within the financial fair play guidelines.

How Joao Neves compares to Sofyan Amrabat

At just 19 years of age, Neves has become one of Benfica’s key players ever since the sale of Enzo Fernandez. The midfielder has featured in 25 matches for Roger Schmidt’s team this season, often playing in the double pivot of a 4-2-3-1, which has also previously been favoured by Ten Hag.

United lacked depth and athleticism in midfield last season, which led to the club purchasing Sofyan Amrabat on a loan with the obligation to buy him in the summer. However, the Fiorentina loanee has failed to live up to the standards set for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Sofyan Amrabat

With Kobbie Mainoo taking on more responsibility and becoming a vital cog in the United system, the signing of Neves would ultimately cause one man to drop out of the side, Amrabat. Therefore, let’s see how the Benfica wonderkid and United’s number four compare based on stats from the last year across the top European leagues.

Neves vs Amrabat stats

Stats (per 90)

Neves

Amrabat

Touches

78.61

72.43

Completed passes (short)

29.10

20.37

Passes into final third

6.49

5.73

Successful take-ons

2.06

0.38

Ball Recoveries

8.54

6.75

Tackles Won

3.09

1.40

Dribblers tackled

1.90

1.32

Stats via FBref

As you can see, from an in-possession perspective, not much separates them in terms of how they set the tempo and can control a game, neither of them is the type to shy away from the ball. They both retain possession well and are not afraid to force the ball into the forwards in order to start an attack.

However, the 19-year-old is much more creative and often takes on the role of a playmaker. Due to his 5 foot 8 frame, he possesses the ability to glide by players with ease, which makes him press-resistant and a threat in the final third. This has earned him a comparison to Luka Modric by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig – who described him as a "roaming playmaker".

That likeness to former Ballon d'Or winner Modric – who is also a rather slight figure at just 5 foot 8 – should no doubt pique the interest of those at Old Trafford, with it seemingly wise to push for a deal for Neves, rather than signing Amrabat permanently – something which doesn't look like happening at present anyway.

Amrabat is known for his defensive capabilities, but the Portugal U21 star wipes the floor with him from that perspective as well. Neves is a tenacious tackler who can comfortably protect the backline, stop transitions, and lead a press, which means he would be the perfect fit for Ten Hag, who likes his side to be strong in each of those scenarios.

The midfielder's energy and love for winning the ball make him a "warrior,” as per Kulig, and he is the type of player United desperately needs. However, spending over £100m on a relatively inexperienced midfielder does seem like a huge risk that will either be classified as an excellent acquisition or a disaster of a move.

Liverpool could replace Diaz with move for “world-class” £87m star

Liverpool's frontline might appear to be the one area of Jurgen Klopp's squad that does not require attention, but there are murmurings that change could be afoot.

Over the past few years, the Reds have prioritised the bolstering of the attacking ranks to combat sales of stars such as Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, but this has come at the expense of defensive and midfield recruitment.

After falling flat last year, Klopp and co restored the engine room and are now in pursuit of prominence once again, and while the rearguard is considered the priority zone in the transfer market, recent rumours have suggested that Liverpool are interested in signing Leroy Sane from Bayern Munich.

Liverpool transfer news – Leroy Sane

According to the Mirror, Sane has put a halt on negotiations to renew his contract with the German Bundesliga champions, claiming that he wants to "concentrate on the season."

This comes at a time when Liverpool are eyeing up a possible swoop, with German outlet BILD stating that Die Roten would entertain the 27-year-old's sale but have slapped a €100m (£87m) price tag on his name as a deterrent.

samuel-iling-junior-leroy-sane-tottenham-opinion

The report from the Mirror reveals that Liverpool are indeed monitoring the Germany international's situation, with his former club Manchester City also attentive.

Leroy Sane's style of play

Sane is a player Liverpool will be all too aware of after years of fierce battling while plying his trade for Pep Guardiola's City; from just five Premier League matches against the Reds, he has scored four goals.

Notably winning two league titles and the FA Cup in England, Sane completed a £55m transfer to Bayern in 2020 and has since developed his brilliant raw attributes and refined them to perfection.

liverpool-leroy-sane-premier-league-transfers-mo-salah

The £337k-per-week star is technically astounding and intelligent with his movement, distribution and progression, and he would be the perfect addition to this Liverpool team, should the need for another attacker arise.

Why Liverpool might need to sign Leroy Sane

This season, Sane has scored nine goals and supplied seven assists across 18 matches in all competitions, proving to be an integral component of Bayern's frightening frontline.

Liverpool could hand Trent new role by signing "breathtaking" £52m-rated target

Jurgen Klopp could strengthen his side in a number of areas with one January signing…

ByRosie Tudball Nov 23, 2023

Incredibly, the 59-cap international is averaging 3.5 key passes per game in the Bundesliga this term – as per Sofascore – despite also investing his focus into his goalscoring feats, plundering eight strikes from 11 games.

Described as a "world-class" player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Sane ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 7% for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 14% for progressive passes and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

While Liverpool boast a range of excellent forwards, recent news suggests that Barcelona are interested in signing Luis Diaz, with the Colombian understood to consider a move to Camp Nou as his "dream."

Diaz was signed from Porto for an initial £37m in January 2022 and has won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup at the outfit, completing 61 matches, scoring 15 goals and providing nine assists.

Ranking among the top 16% of positional peers for goals and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90, Diaz has been hailed for his "world-class" talents (like Sane) and is comfortably one of the finest wingers in the Premier League.

Should Barcelona decide to further their interest in the 26-year-old, then Sane would be the perfect replacement – perhaps even an upgrade.

Brazil legend Romario announces shock return to professional football at 58 – fifteen years after hanging up his boots

Romario has come out of retirement at the grand old age of 58 to play for Brazilian side America Football Club in Rio de Janeiro.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Romario confirms return to football
  • Will play alongside his son at America FC
  • His last game was back in 2009
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The Brazil legend has confirmed he is set to return to professional football over 15 years after he hung up his boots all the way back in 2009. Romario enjoyed a successful playing career, winning the World Cup in 1994 and starring for Dutch side PSV and La Liga giants Barcelona among other clubs.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Romario has now registered himself as a player for America Football Club, where he serves as president and also where his son, Romarinho, plays his football. He's made it clear that playing with his son and for his "favourite" team is his main motivation and it's not expected he will feature in any league games. The Brazilian legend will earn a "minimum wage" at the club but will return it to America as a donation, according to Marca.

  • WHAT ROMARIO SAID

    He posted on Instagram: "I'm not going to compete in the championship, but rather play a few games for the team of my heart and make another dream come true, playing alongside my son. What do you think?"

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  • WHAT NEXT FOR ROMARIO

    America Football Club currently play in the second division of Brazil's Campeonato Carioca and are preparing for the start of a new sason which kicks off on May 18. It remains to be seen when Romario will make his debut for his latest club.

Glazers and Ratcliffe agree: Man Utd news on Ten Hag’s Old Trafford future

Manchester United owners the Glazers and likely new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe are in agreement regarding the future of manager Erik ten Hag.

Man Utd's worst start to a season since…

The Red Devils have endured an extremely frustrating start to the season, losing 3-0 to Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening in the EFL Cup. In total, Man Utd have now lost eight of their first 15 matches in all competitions this season, a feat they last suffered in the 1962/63 campaign. Speaking after the cup exit, Ten Hag said he feels sorry for Red Devils supporters.

"We know it's not good enough. We have to take responsibility for it. I have to take responsibility for it. I feel sorry for the fans. It was below our standards and we have to put it right. We have to recover from it and we have to do it quickly. Saturday is the next game [against Fulham] and we have to raise our standards. This is not good enough."

The Dutchman appears to be under pressure due to the club’s woeful form, and one report in the last 48 hours have claimed whether or not Glazers and Ratcliffe could sack Ten Hag. According to 90min reporters Graeme Bailey and Scott Saunders prior to the defeat to the Magpies on Wednesday, Ten Hag’s job is viewed as safe by both the Glazers and Ratcliffe. They say Ten Hag ‘retains the full backing of the Manchester United hierarchy’, whereas ‘Ratcliffe, Sir Dave Brailsford and those soon to assume control also remain confident in Ten Hag's position’.

Man Utd's upcoming fixtures

The Red Devils need to turn things around soon, otherwise, you’d expect the pressure will only continue to mount on the manager. Up next for United is a trip to Fulham in the early kick-off on Saturday, where defeat could see them drop into the bottom half of the Premier League.

Man Utd's upcoming fixtures

Competition

Date

Fulham (A)

Premier League

4th November

FC Copenhagen (A)

Champions League

8th November

Luton Town (H)

Premier League

11th November

Everton (A)

Premier League

26th November

Galatasaray (A)

Champions League

29th November

Newcastle United (A)

Premier League

2nd December

Chelsea (H)

Premier League

6th December

AFC Bournemouth (H)

Premier League

9th December

Bayern Munich (H)

Champions League

12th December

Liverpool (A)

Premier League

17th December

West Ham (A)

Premier League

23rd December

Aston Villa (H)

Premier League

26th December

Nottingham Forest (A)

Premier League

30th December

As can be seen, following the next international break, the games come thick and fast until the end of the year, by which you’d expect Ratcliffe could have completed his investment to take control of sporting decisions. It’ll be interesting to see how much patience he has with the Dutchman, should results not improve, but by the looks for things, his job is safe for now.

Nick Compton announces retirement from cricket

Nick Compton was capped 16 times in Tests for England, playing his part in memorable series wins in India and South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2018Former England opener Nick Compton has announced his retirement from the game. Compton, 35, did not feature for Middlesex during the 2018 season – which was also his benefit year – but will remain working for the club in an ambassadorial role.Compton played 16 Tests for England, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Denis. He was Alastair Cook’s first opening partner after the retirement of Andrew Strauss in 2012, and played his part in memorable series wins in India and South Africa.His last cap came during the summer of 2016, a season which ended with Middlesex lifting the County Championship for the first time since 1993.”After almost two decades of professional cricket, I am announcing my retirement from the game I love so much,” Compton said. “It has been a privilege to play first-class cricket for Middlesex, Somerset, and the MCC.”Of course, the pinnacle of my career was following in my grandfather Denis Compton’s footsteps, having achieved my dream of playing and winning Test series for England. I am particularly proud of my successful opening partnership with Alastair Cook and our series victory in India, the first time in 28 years an England team had won in India.”In contrast to his famously dashing grandfather, Nick Compton was a dogged top-order accumulator who carved out a reputation for making hard runs.Having started out at Middlesex, the club closely associated with his family, Compton moved to Somerset in 2010. It was there he found the form that would win him England recognition; in 2012, he scored 1494 runs at 99.60, narrowly failing to become the ninth man in history to score 1000 first-class runs before the end of May.He made his international debut in Ahmedabad that winter and was part of the England side that came from behind to win 2-1 in India. Compton scored hundreds in Dunedin and Wellington on England’s next tour, a 0-0 draw with New Zealand, but lost his place ahead of the 2013 Ashes despite an opening partnership with Cook that averaged 57.93.A second coming in 2015 saw him score 85 and 49 at No. 3 as England won in Durban on the way to a 2-1 series victory, but Compton only played three more Tests, making his final outing against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.”There have been some challenges that I have had to confront, but in spite of these I feel incredibly fortunate to have had this career of mine,” he said. “For one, being named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year in the 150th Anniversary Edition [in 2013] alongside both my cricketing hero Jacques Kallis, and my school friend Hashim Amla.”Other highlights include being chosen as PCA Player of the Year by my peers after coming so close to being the first cricketer for 25 years to score 1000 runs before the end of May is another, up there with making my Test debut in India and receiving my cap from England legend Graham Gooch.”I treasure the 16 Test matches I played for England, especially my back-to-back Test hundreds which I scored in New Zealand. On the domestic front, what a team I played in at Somerset. And winning the County Championship at Lord’s on the final day of the 2016 season for Middlesex provided all involved with an experience that we will savour for the rest of our lives.”In all, Compton scored more than 12,000 first-class runs at an average of 40.42, the last of his 27 hundreds coming for Sri Lanka Ports Authority during a spell playing Sri Lankan domestic cricket in February.He had already begun to explore options for his post-playing career, working as an analyst during the summer for Sky and ESPNcricinfo. “I look forward to pursuing my other interests, particularly in the media and photography as well as working on a few business ventures,” he said.Middlesex’s chief executive, Richard Goatley, added: “It is a sad day for us that Nick Compton has retired from professional cricket. Nick has been a very special servant to the club, culminating in his key role in the Championship winning success of 2016.”Nick is highly valued by Middlesex Cricket and we are delighted that he will remain with the club in an ambassadorial role. We welcome his all-round ability, and want him to add further value by helping to inspire our future success in an off the field capacity.”He has contributed effectively towards the club’s off-field work in the past, both with our senior leadership team and the commercial team at Lord’s, and we look forward to extending that work in the future. Nick Compton will always be welcome at Lord’s.”

Ange could sign "sensational" former player for Spurs, but it’s not Jota

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou could reunite with a "sensational" former player of his at Spurs, according to a report this week.

Spurs January transfer rumours

The Lilywhites are currently baffling on-lookers with their exceptional early-season form. After arriving from Celtic in June, Postecoglou has gone to enjoy the best start made by a new manager in Premier League history. Winning eight from a possible 10 in the top flight, Spurs are yet to suffer defeat; clinching impressive results against the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool along the way.

However, Tottenham's arguable lack of depth behind their traditional starting eleven has prompted reports of potential new arrivals in January. Both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero have shone at the heart of Postecoglou's backline, but there is currently little cover behind them.

cristian-romero-tottenham-hotspur-joe-rodon-leeds-united-loan-postecoglou

The out-of-favour Eric Dier stands out as Spurs' only senior alternative to Romero and van de Ven, with Tottenham interested in signing Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea as a result (TEAMtalk). Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly is a target for Spurs as well, and Postecoglou reportedly wants to sign a left-wing alternative to Dejan Kulusevski.

Indeed, Tottenham could make a move for Jota in this regard – a player Postecoglou knows very well from his time at Celtic. There have been reports that Jota is keen to join Spurs and leave current club Al-Ittihad, but the Portuguese isn't the only familiar face who may well end up at N17.

O'Riley to Spurs is "on the cards"

Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley, who has enjoyed an exceptional SPFL campaign to date, is now attracting interest from Spurs and Postecoglou. The 22-year-old has scored six goals and bagged a further two assists in ten Scottish top flight appearances, with clubs from down south now taking notice.

Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley.

Chief among them are Tottenham and West Ham, and it is believed O'Riley could join Spurs and reunite with his former boss Postecoglou, according to TEAMtalk. The north Londoners are keeping a watchful eye on the Englishman and a potential switch is "on the cards". The report also describes O'Riley as having a "sensational" season right now.

"I like him a lot. I think he is a really intelligent footballer," said Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers on O'Riley and his form over 2023/2024.

"He is a top professional. He prepares his body well and he prepares his life well. He wants to do well. He sets his standards high every day to be better. When I looked at his numbers and everything else I think I said to him you need to score more goals as he didn't do it enough.

"He was a bit like Jamesie Forrest when I first came into the club. He didn't score enough for the talent they had and I was looking at Matt from last season and his first goal was in February. You can't have that talent and be waiting that long. It is all about arriving in the areas and finding composure to finish. I really like him."

James Anderson 'could play until he is 40' – Trevor Bayliss

James Anderson could keep on bowling at his best in Test cricket until he is 40, according to England’s head coach Trevor Bayliss, in the wake of Anderson’s starring role in the second Test win over India at Lord’s on Sunday.Anderson, 36, cemented his place at the top of the ICC World Rankings with a match haul of 9 for 43, and in attaining a career-high points total of 903, he became the first England bowler since Ian Botham in 1980 to cross the 900 mark.In so doing, he helped carry England to their third Test win in a row this summer, and a 2-0 lead over an Indian team whose highest score of the match was R Ashwin’s second-innings 33 not out.None of Anderson’s opponents looked remotely comfortable against his relentless combination of high-class swing and seam and probing line and length, and asked if he was surprised that England’s attack leader was maintaining such high standards even after his 36th birthday, Bayliss admitted that yes, he had been somewhat taken aback.”If you compare him with other bowlers around the world, yeah,” he said. “A lot of other bowlers do start to drop off in their mid-thirties or so. It’s only the very, very best that are able to keep it going. I think he’s showing that he is the very, very best.”He’s not just good when the conditions suit him, but in these conditions he’s the best in the world. It’s a test for any batsman in the world to try to face him in these conditions.”Anderson was already 33 when Bayliss took charge of England’s fortunes in the summer of 2015, and he might therefore have expected to be overseeing a changing of the guard among England’s new-ball bowlers. But in Anderson’s case in particular, the economy of his approach to the wicket, coupled with the careful management of a bowler who has not played in white-ball cricket since the 2015 World Cup, has given the impression that he could go on forever.James Anderson was in menacing form•Getty Images

“I don’t think there’s any age [when he’s too old],” said Bayliss. “He’s fit and keeps himself fit. As long as he keeps his body fit there’s no reason why he can’t go on for three or four years.”Let’s wait and see! He keeps surprising everyone. At the moment, the last 12-18 months, he has had a shoulder problem, but at the moment he seems to have got over that pretty well and he just bowls and bowls and bowls. Hopefully that continues for a few years yet.”It wasn’t just Anderson among England’s bowlers who thrived in the swinging conditions at Lord’s, however. Stuart Broad enjoyed a four-wicket burst to break open India’s second innings, while Chris Woakes was named Man of the Match after capping a superb performance with the ball with his maiden Test hundred.For a man not given to overt shows of emotion, Bayliss’s reaction to Woakes’ hundred was notably effusive, and he admitted afterwards that he had been particularly pleased for one of the genuine nice guys of world cricket.”Woakesy is one of those guys who is very well respected in the team,” Bayliss said. “He has done a lot of hard yards, not just with the ball but with the bat over the last few years too. He’s a lovely bloke, and one of those guys who everyone genuinely wants to do well, so to see him go out there and do so well when we thought we were in a bit of trouble, to go and play the way he did with Jonny [Bairstow] was fantastic, and the boys were very happy for him.”Woakes had only stepped into the starting XI due to Ben Stokes’ ongoing court case in Bristol, and Bayliss admitted that the manner in which he had taken his chance in the side could prove to be the making of him as a Test cricketer.”After Anderson and Broad, who put so much pressure on the opposition, there could be a bit of relaxation, ‘awh good, they’re off’, but the other guy who comes on is just as good in these conditions. He might catch a few off guard, but I thought he bowled beautifully in this game. His command of line and length with some away swing was fantastic.”However, Bayliss also cautioned that the real challenge for Woakes – as with many of England’s players – would come overseas.”There’s no reason why he can’t [succeed],” he said. “Lord’s would have to be his favourite ground, and the challenge for him is away from home, as it is for a lot of the boys, being able to do that away from home. At the moment we are playing at home and we look forward to some more success.”When the ball is swinging around [India] have some difficulties, as it is when it’s spinning and we go to the subcontinent. It’s a challenge for any team to play in conditions you’re not used to and some of them are struggling a little bit. They have some extremely good players so our job is to try and stay on top.”

15 Sir Alex Ferguson pupils who became managers – ranked

Across Sir Alex Ferguson's 26-year Manchester United career, the 13-time Premier League winner has tutored a plethora of talented players and coaches.

Many of his former players have become managers themselves, like Wayne Rooney for example, who was appointed Birmingham City boss this week.

So today at Football FanCast, we've decided to list and rank 15 of Sir Alex's pupils who became managers.

They'll be ordered by win percentage…

15 Paul Scholes – 27%

Kicking off the list is 11-time Premier League winner Paul Scholes, whose managerial record has been far less fruitful than his playing career.

However, in fairness, it must be noted that he has only taken charge of 11 games throughout his brief managerial career, winning three of those.

The legendary United midfielder got his first gig in the dugout with Oldham at the beginning of 2019 but resigned after seven games due to 'interference' from the chairman.

Scholes' second role came in October 2020, when he took over as caretaker manager at Salford City – the club he part-owns. His record at the Ammies was pretty decent, winning two of his four games in charge and only conceding defeat once.

14 Wayne Rooney – 28%

United's all-time top goalscorer, Wayne Rooney, has opted against the popular route of a career in the media – post-retirement – and instead has chosen a life in the dugout.

Rooney has certainly not had it easy during his fledgling managerial career, having first received his breakthrough with Derby County, who were in dire straights on and off the pitch.

The Rams entered administration during his 19-month reign and were handed points deductions, leaving the Liverpool-born head coach with a mammoth task of avoiding relegation from the Championship.

Unfortunately, despite a valiant effort, Derby suffered relegation to the third tier in May 2022, and Rooney departed for D.C United that summer.

Having managed in the MLS for 15 months, the former Everton forward is now back in England with Birmingham City, where he'll be hoping to improve his pretty underwhelming 28% win rate.

13 Mark Hughes – 38%

Mark Hughes was part of Sir Alex's first title-winning side in 1993 and was a fabulous servant for the Scotsman.

Having been inspired by the former United boss, the Welshman decided to try his hand at management following his retirement in 2002 and he's gone on to take charge of a whopping 690 matches.

Though, across his eight different jobs, the 59-year-old's win rate doesn't exactly make for good reading. He was recently sacked by League Two outfit Bradford City, leaving the club in 18th after a run of three wins from 11 games.

Perhaps his most notable role was with Stoke, where he managed 200 games, guiding the club to three consecutive ninth-placed Premier League finishes.

12 Roy Keane – 38%

The former United skipper began his managerial career with Sunderland, helping the club return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Keane's second season saw his side retain their top-flight status, finishing 15th, three points clear of the drop zone. However, he opted to resign mid-way through his third campaign after a poor run of results, leaving the North East club in 18th.

A job at Ipswich beckoned for the Irishman shortly after departing the Black Cats, and after 20 months in charge, having won 29 of his 81 matches, he was sacked by Town.

Since Keane's Portman Road exit in January 2011, he hasn't returned to management, though speaking on the 'Stick to Football' podcast, he admitted a desire to get back in the dugout.

11 Mark Robins – 40%

The current Coventry City boss, Mark Robins, is adored by the Sky Blue faithful. Across his six-and-a-half-year second spell at the club, the former United forward has overseen two promotions and stabilised the club during unsettling times off the field.

Coventry reached the Championship play-off final last term before suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Luton Town but his side appears well-placed to once again challenge for a spot in the Premier League this season.

Robins is widely considered as one of the best managers in the second tier and is certainly the best pupil of Sir Alex's up to this point.

10 Paul Ince – 40%

Paul Ince hasn't exactly inspired many with his managerial abilities.

His win rate of 40% could be a lot worse though, and his first spell as MK Dons manager was probably his most successful role, winning an impressive 35 of his 55 matches in charge, prompting Premier League side Blackburn to appoint him as manager.

Ince only lasted 21 matches in post at Rovers, having won just six of his 21 games before receiving the sack.

9 Gordon Strachan – 41%

Gordon Strachan has taken charge of just shy of 600 games throughout his 27-year career as a manager, with his first role coming at Coventry City.

A trophy-laden spell in Glasgow saw him win three Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic whilst collecting three domestic cup trophies.

Following his departure from The Hoops in 2009, the former United and Leeds midfielder managed Middlesbrough and Scotland.

Strachan now operates as a technical director for Dundee F.C.

8 Darren Ferguson – 43%

Whilst Darren Ferguson didn't play under Sir Alex, he of course received an extensive amount of tutelage from the former United boss by being his son.

Darren hasn't reached the heights his father did, but he has enjoyed a successful career in the lower leagues of English football, most notably with Peterborough United.

He's managed an astounding 483 games for the Posh across four different spells and is currently in post with the League One outfit.

The 51-year-old's side currently sit fifth after winning six of their opening 12 matches this season.

7 Steve McClaren – 45%

Steve McClaren was Sir Alex's assistant for 149 games and was on the touchline at the Nou Camp when the Red Devils beat Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final to complete the treble.

McClaren has managed a whole host of clubs and was even in charge of England at one point, though that tenure was short-lived after his side failed to qualify for EURO 2008.

The veteran coach now serves as an assistant to Erik ten Hag and has been in the post since the Dutchman's arrival last summer.

6 Ryan Giggs – 50%

Now we get into the impressive win rate territory of 50% and beyond.

The Ex-United winger, Ryan Giggs, took caretaker charge at Old Trafford following David Moyes' sacking in April 2014. The Welshman managed the remaining four games of the season, winning two, drawing one and losing one.

His first permanent role came with the Wales national team in 2018, managing a total of 24 games and winning 12, before stepping down due to a court trial, which has since been dropped.

Giggs' return to management is close, according to reports.

In-form KKR out to breach Royals' fortress

Royals are on a nine-match winning streak in Jaipur and are on a high after plotting RCB’s downfall in Bengaluru

The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu17-Apr-20184:14

Faulkner: Royals will find it hard to leave out Laughlin

Form Guide

Rajasthan Royals: defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 19 runs, defeated Delhi Daredevils by 10 runs via D/L method, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets
Kolkata Knight Riders: defeated Delhi Daredevils by 71 runs, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets, lost to Chennai Super Kings by five wickets, defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by four wickets.

Big pictureSo the jinx has been broken. Rajasthan Royals became the first team this season to successfully defend a total in a full, 20-over game, after racking up 217 for 4, on the back of a Sanju Samson special in Bengaluru. Royals had also previously defended a score, in a rain-shortened match against Delhi Daredevils in Jaipur. Since Royals’ victory on Sunday, two other sides, including Kolkata Knight Riders, have won batting first this season. Is the trend changing?KKR’s boundary percentage of 67.67 is the best among all teams this season, while Royals’ 54.14 is at the opposite end of the table. Royals are the more conservative side among the two, but boast of a nine-match winning streak at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in the IPL. Only Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have had longer winning streaks at home. Given they have not always played their home games in Jaipur, and the fact that they have just come back from a two-year suspension, Royals’ streak dates back to 2013. Still, home advantage counts for something.The teams employ contrasting approaches on the bowling front too. While the three spinners do the heavy lifting for KKR, Royals rely on pace and use their inexperienced spinners K Gowtham and Shreyas Gopal to contain runs. Which method will prove successful in Jaipur?In the newsRoyals’ mentor Shane Warne has gone home for a short holiday, but the team is in the safe hands of two Indian domestic stalwarts in Amol Muzumdar and Sairaj Bahutule, the batting and spin bowling coach respectively. Sussex quick Jofra Archer, who had been sidelined from much of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the start of the IPL with a side strain, batted and bowled on the eve of Royals’ game against RCB, but wasn’t picked. It remains to be seen if he is fit and available for this clash.The likely XIsRajasthan Royals: 1 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 2 D’Arcy Short, 3 Sanju Samson, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Rahul Tripathi, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 K Gowtham, 8 Shreyas Gopal, 9 Dhawal Kulkarni, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Ben LaughlinKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Nitish Raina, 5 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Shubman Gill, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Tom Curran, 10 Shivam Mavi, 11 Kuldeep YadavESPNcricinfo LtdStats that matter Dinesh Karthik has faced 29 dots from overs 7 to 15 – the most by any batsman this season. He has scored 78 runs off 68 balls in the middle overs at a rate of 6.88 per over. In four matches this season, Narine has figures of 7 for 82 from 15 overs, with an economy rate of 5.46, the best in the tournament so far. Ben Stokes has a strike-rate of nearly 150 against pace in IPL 2018 but that drops to 57.1 against spin. He has scored only eight runs off 14 balls from spinners.Strategy puntThere is a case for Royals to save Ben Laughlin for Russell. The Australian seamer has has bowled only four balls to Russell but has dismissed him twice while giving away seven runs in T20s. He’s also been superb with his execution of yorkers so far this season.Fantasy pickNarine has excellent numbers against Royals’ batsmen. He has dismissed Ajinkya Rahane three times in 39 balls, Buttler twice in 24 balls, and Samson twice in 26 balls, in all T20 cricket. He has also dismissed Stokes once in nine balls, while conceding only 10 runs. Narine could also swing his bat and prosper at the top, especially if Royals continue to open the bowling with Gowtham, and fetch you still more points.

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