Category Uncategorized

She has come up the ranks from Trinidad & Tobago and is now carving an identity of her own

Shashank Kishore11-Oct-2024When Anisa Mohammed retired this January as only one of five women with over 300 international wickets, it was a bittersweet moment for Karishma Ramharack.Ever since she had come up the ranks in Trinidad & Tobago, Ramharack was always spoken of as Anisa’s partner-in-crime. And when she graduated to the West Indies side in 2019, that association as a bowling pair became well known globally.Ramharack has used that as a badge of honour instead of feeling aggrieved that she has never been able to carve an identity of her own. On Thursday in Sharjah against Bangladesh, Ramharack was no longer under an umbrella. Given the free license to run wild, she went from being a sidekick to a hero.Ramharack’s deceptive offspin – attributes borrowed from Anisa and Sunil Narine, two people she heard a lot about growing up – brought her 4 for 17, her second-best figures in T20Is. It helped apply the brakes on Bangladesh, while also giving West Indies a massive net run rate push; they now top the table with one game left against England.Ramharack came on in the fourth over and struck straightaway to dismiss opener Shathi Rani by deceiving her in flight to have her stumped. In her next over, having seen batters looking to step out, she had the aggressive Dilara Akter bowled with a quicker delivery fired in.With two quick wickets in the bag, Hayley Matthews turned to their other spinner, young Ashmini Munisar, to try and slip in a few quiet overs. But when Ramharack was reintroduced in the 13th, it felt like Matthews was going for her safety net with Nigar Sultana and Sobhana Mostary having put together a quickfire 40-run stand.Having teased Nigar with loop and frustrated Mostary with a carromball that seemingly had her second-guessing, Ramharack had the last laugh when Mostary was stumped looking to step out. This was a body blow Bangladesh didn’t recover from.It allowed Munisar and Afy Fletcher, the other members of what has been a spin-heavy attack this tournament, come into their own without having to contend with the pressures of bowling to two set batters.

“I remember her coming into the team and she probably wasn’t the most athletic person within the team, even when it just came to her fielding. And even just the way she’s come on in that aspect of her game, just putting in the hard yards every single training session, trying to improve and trying to get better”Captain Hayley Matthews on Karishma Ramharack

“Yeah, I think she’s obviously someone who has been around for a little while now, but she’s been able to really come into her own I think in the last two years, making the [ICC] team in the tournament last year and then being able to have performances like these,” Mathews said. “I think she’s improved all around.”I think her control and attitude towards bowling has definitely been something that I’ve seen shift. So yeah, I think it’s been great to have her and not just playing in the line-up but going out there and really wanting to play a massive role within the team and she’s done that today.”Ramharack wasn’t always a bowler. She was quite a star in softball cricket, swatting cricket balls cross-batted for fun, until her primary school teacher decided Ramharack would be a handful in hard-ball cricket too. It turns out Ramharack was, but with the ball; she would release it front-on, palm facing the batter and getting the ball to turn both ways.It’s then that word spread that Ramharack could do something similar to what another young spinner who would make a beeline for batters at the Queen’s Park Oval. That youngster happened to be Narine, who had made waves for T&T Red Steel in 2008, around the same time Ramharack came into the Under-19s set-up locally.Being talked of in the same league as Anisa brought Ramharack come into the consciousness of the wider women’s cricketing circles in the Caribbean. The only hindrance was the absence of proper pathway structure. It meant she had to do more than the time she may have otherwise at the regional level.Since much of her time was spent training on her own, Ramharack is self-taught. It wasn’t under her debut in 2019 that she came under the High-Performance set-up. Since then, the improvements have been remarkable.”I remember her coming into the team and she probably wasn’t the most athletic person within the team, even when it just came to her fielding,” Mathews said. “And even just the way she’s come on in that aspect of her game, just putting in the hard yards every single training session, trying to improve and trying to get better. And I think that attitude shows out on the field. And I’m really glad for her and I’m really happy for her that she’s now getting the results of the hard work.”Rahmarack’s push towards being a regular received a massive leg-up in 2022 when Anisa took a six-month break from the game. It’s during this time Rahmarack developed into someone who worked out things for herself. In a way, not having to bowl in tandem and having to do it herself opened her up to a world of new possibilities.Thursday’s performance was one of a fair few super hits she has delivered. Ramharack and West Indies will be hoping there is another one reserved on Tuesday against England.

The OG and her successor came together beautifully in the final T20I to put together yet another dominating batting show for Australia

S Sudarshanan21-Dec-2022″I don’t like to run between the wickets!”

Grace Harris would rather do the six-hitting for fun than run. She was candid in her admission while being mic’d up in the fifth women’s T20I against India. She is the OG when it comes to hitting prowess in the Women’s Big Bash League – she is the first to hit a century in the competition – and the domestic circuit. But an injury in 2016 saw lose her place in the side.Ashleigh Gardner then came in and made that spot and the role – quick middle-order runs and some handy offspin overs – her own. Harris couldn’t force her way back despite consistent, shattering performances in the domestic circuit. Such is the competition for spots in the Australian side that it took a fractured jaw for Beth Mooney earlier this year for Harris to return.Harris showed glimpses of her ability in the third and fourth T20Is. Gardner came into her own with bat and ball in the fourth match. And on Tuesday, the sparse crowd at the Brabourne Stadium was treated to stroke-making of a different kind. One you would have only imagined while watching both Harris and Gardner do their thing for different sides in the WBBL.Related

Graham on WIPL: 'Only five teams, so limited spots for overseas players'

'It's about maximising the opportunities' – Grace Harris thrives in her second coming

Gardner-Harris assault, Graham hat-trick help Aus clinch series 4-1

'After the tenth over, suddenly things are changing' – Harmanpreet worried about end-overs bowling

The pair got together when Australia were losing their way at 67 for 4 when in-form Ellyse Perry fell in the tenth over. India’s spinners were finding enough purchase on a pitch that was seeing a second successive game played on it. A thick outside edge to deep third saw Harris open her account.Harris and Gardner then bookended Shafali Verma’s second over with a four each before the latter tore into Anjali Sarvani hitting her for four successive fours in a 19-run 13th over. From 84 for 4 after 12 overs, Australia had rocketed to 144 for 4 in the next four overs. Fire it short, you’ll be pulled; toss it up, you’ll get walloped in the arc between long-on and deep midwicket; give width and extra cover will be a mere spectator – it would’ve been tough being a bowler with the attack coming on from both ends.Come the death overs, India turned to one of the regulars in offspinner Deepti Sharma. Admittedly, Australia haven’t found the going easy against the wily allrounder. “Deepti, throughout the entire series, has gone slow and wide or full and wide with pace,” Harris said on-air while fielding. “We thought if she did the same, we got plans for that to step in the line and baseball-bat it.”While Bazball seems to be the mantra for the England men’s team, baseball came to Harris and Gardner’s aid on Tuesday. Deepti stuck to her line outside off, and, to her disbelief, saw it being swung away to deep midwicket.’A one-off,’ she must’ve thought and bowled another one full delivery outside off. This time Gardner walked across and swept it aerially just out of reach of a diving Renuka Singh, running to her right from deep square leg. Gardner played the ferocious sweep again in Deepti’s last over before Harris pummelled one past the non-striker leaving the straightish long-on and long-off fielders spellbound.”Tonight they bowled at the stumps, straighter and flatter. So we thought if we are to get boundaries here we’ve got to hit it straight back past them,” Harris said. “Because of the inconsistency of the bounce – the slower one actually held on the wicket and popped up and turned while pace on [the ball] just shot through – we had to be very careful.”If you stayed at the back foot and played a cut shot, you had to pick your ball [carefully] and also the sweep shot, you had to be certain of it. We mainly tried to hit back under the bowler’s feet early while we had ten overs still to bat, and not give up a wicket. Then towards the back end just free up and have some fun, swing back through the line of it and see where it goes.”A wristy flick that Harris hit off Renuka – picking the low full toss from outside off and swatting it over deep square leg – brought up her maiden fifty in T20Is off just 28 balls. Two balls later, Gardner got to her half-century in 25 balls by bludgeoning one to beat long-on.The duo added an unbroken 129 for the fifth wicket – a record in women’s T20Is – and it was also the fastest hundred-run stand in the format. It helped Australia amass 112 in the last eight overs and almost out-bat India from the contest.In T20Is this year, Australia’s middle order [nos. 4 to 7] have scored at a strike rate of 156.32 and average 54.40, with the next best Full Member team being India with 121.52 and 23.50 as corresponding figures. Harris and Gardner are quite the prototype for such a rapid acceleration. Does it really matter, then, if Harris – or even a Gardner, or any batter with power-hitting skills – likes or dislikes sprinting between the wickets?

All the statistical highlights from the first ODI, including some records for the Bairstow-Roy pair

Sampath Bandarupalli23-Mar-20212:04

Manjrekar: Prasidh Krishna a talented bowler who has his basics right

135 – The partnership between Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy for the opening stand during the chase, the second-highest opening stand for England in an unsuccessful ODI chase. It is also England’s third-highest partnership for any wicket in an ODI defeat while chasing.9.41 – Run rate of England’s opening partnership, the second-fastest century opening stand in an ODI chase to fall on the losing side. The top spot is held by Bairstow and Roy as well, whose 129-run partnership against Scotland in 2018 came at a run rate of 10.14 but ended up in a six-run defeat.ESPNcricinfo Ltd0 – Players with four or more wickets on ODI debut for India before Prasidh Krishna. Noel David’s 3 for 21 against West Indies in 1997 were the previous best figures for India on ODI debut. Krishna had an economy rate of 6.61, the second-highest for any player with a four-wicket haul on ODI debut.26 – Balls needed for Krunal Pandya to reach his fifty, the fastest by an ODI debutant. The previous fastest fifty on ODI debut was off 35 balls, held by John Morris of England against New Zealand in 1990. Pandya’s strike rate of 187.10 is also the second-highest for any player to have scored 50-plus runs in his maiden ODI innings.ESPNcricinfo Ltd0 – ODI fifties for India against England, coming in fewer balls than Pandya’s 26-ball effort. The debutant now shares the Indian record for the fastest ODI fifty against England as MS Dhoni also hit a 26-ball fifty in 2011. Pandya’s fifty is also the quickest by an Indian in this format since 2012.9 – Wickets for Indian quick bowlers during England’s innings, the joint-most for them in a home ODI. The Indian pace bowlers had also claimed nine wickets against Sri Lanka in the 1997 Guwahati ODI and versus Zimbabwe in Kanpur, 2000.12 – Century partnerships between Bairstow and Roy in ODIs, the joint-most by an England pair in this format, alongside Eoin Morgan and Joe Root. Three of Bairstow-Roy’s 12 century partnerships came at a nine-plus run rate, the most such opening stands for any pair in the format.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo perdeu para o Talleres pela estreia na Libertadores e, na reta final do primeiro tempo, o técnico Thiago Carpini perdeu Wellington Rato por lesão. Ele já tinha feito duas substituições anteriores, também por contusões. Se trocasse o terceiro, não poderia mais mexer no time na segunda etapa.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo

➡️ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

De acordo com avaliação do treinador, a decisão de não efetuar a substituição e, consequentemente, ficar com um a menos em campo foi acertada. Ele revelou que os próprios jogadores pediram para que a troca não fosse efetuada. No período, o Tricolor sofreu gol do time adversário.

– Eu troquei seis minutos dos acréscimos por 45 mais os acréscimos do segundo (tempo). Trocamos seis (minutos) por 50. É uma tomada de decisão rápida, difícil. A gente sabe que jogar na casa do Talleres com um jogador a menos… a gente correu risco. Corremos o risco por seis minutos em vez de 45 do segundo tempo. Sabemos que tínhamos jogadores que não suportariam 90 minutos. Precisávamos guardar para eles. Acho que foi uma decisão acertada. Se tivéssemos tomado essa decisão e nada tivesse acontecido, talvez não teria nada disso. Os próprios atletas pediram para que não fizesse (a substituição) – explicou Thiago Carpini.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Assista aos melhores momentos de Talleres 2 x 1 São Paulo

Carpini colocou Erick na vaga de Rato no intervalo do confronto do São Paulo contra o Talleres. Com isso, o Tricolor não utilizou a terceira pausa e ficou possibilitado de mexer mais duas vezes (em uma parada) na segunda etapa.

Durante o segundo tempo, o treinador promoveu as entradas de Galoppo e Luciano, que tiveram bom rendimento. O camisa 10, inclusive, diminuiu o placar em favor do São Paulo diante do Talleres.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

O Tricolor volta a jogar na próxima quarta-feira (10), contra o Cobresal (CHI), pela segunda rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores.

Tudo sobre

LibertadoresSão PauloThiago Carpini

When it comes to flop signings, Chelsea have made more than their fair share over the last four or five years.

The likes of Romelu Lukaku, Kalidou Koulibaly, Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk are just some of the players who arrived for big money and failed to live up to expectations.

Another star who looked destined for greatness at Stamford Bridge, but ultimately left a flop, was German international Timo Werner.

Unfortunately for Enzo Maresca and Co, one of the players in his current squad looks like he could be on his way to becoming Chelsea’s new Werner.

Werner's failed Chelsea career

When Chelsea agreed to pay RB Leipzig £45m to activate Werner’s release clause in the summer of 2020, there was an understandable level of excitement among the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

At the time, the then-24-year-old forward was one of the most exciting players in the whole of Europe and had just spent the last two campaigns scoring for fun.

For example, across the 18/19 and 19/20 seasons, the Stuttgart-born sensation had scored 53 goals and provided 23 assists in 82 appearances, totalling 6692 minutes.

In other words, the German international was averaging a goal involvement every 1.07 games, or every 88.05 minutes, which was a truly world-class rate of return.

Unfortunately, while he was perhaps not as bad as some fans made out, the 29-year-old would never recreate that sort of form for the Blues.

Werner’s 19/20 vs 20/21
Season	19/20	20/21
Appearances	45	52
Minutes	3589′	3831′
Goals	34	12
Assists	13	15
Goal Involvements per Match	1.04	0.51
Minutes per Goal Involvement	76.36	141.88′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In fact, he wouldn’t even get close.

Across his two campaigns with the West Londoners, in which he made 89 appearances, the 57-capped international would score 23 goals and provide 21 assists, averaging a goal involvement every 2.02 games.

Now, that isn’t horrendous, but it wasn’t deemed enough to lead the line, and something the stats don’t really show is that he ended up getting quite the reputation for missing chances, especially following that game against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Chelsea decided to cut their losses in the summer of 2022, selling the rapid striker back to Leipzig for just £25m. Fast-forward to today, and it now looks like Maresca might have his own Werner in the squad.

Chelsea's new Werner

The unfortunate truth is that you could make the case that several of Chelsea’s summer signings have struggled this season, but the one who feels like he could become the new Werner is undoubtedly Jamie Gittens.

Now, the Englishman is still young and could therefore come good in the long run, but as things stand, it’s hard not to see the similarities between him and the German’s start to life in West London.

For example, like the former Leipzig star, the Reading-born gem joined the Pensioners after impressing in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund.

Despite being so young, the 21-year-old scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 49 appearances for the German giants, totalling 2803 minutes.

In fact, the winger was so impressive at points during the campaign, such as his performance away to Real Madrid, that Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley went as far as calling him “England’s best left winger.”

Unfortunately, as was the case with Werner, Chelsea fans are yet to see the dynamic winger at his best this year.

For example, while his tally of one goal and five assists in 18 appearances is already disappointing enough, it becomes more so when you take into account that three of his goal involvements came in the League Cup game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Gittens’ Chelsea Record
Appearances	18
Minutes	830′
Goals	1
Assists	5
Goal Involvements per Match	0.33
Minutes per Goal Involvement	138.33′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

As things stand, the former Dortmund star is nowhere near good enough to start games for Maresca, nor does he seem to have much impact off the bench, so, while it’s harsh, it’s hard to disagree with one analyst who dubbed him a “pointless signing.”

Ultimately, there is still time for Gittens to come good at Chelsea, but at the moment, he looks destined to become another Werner.

Watch out Delap: Chelsea set sights on "one of Europe's most in-form CFs"

The free-scoring forward could spell the end of Liam Delap at Chelsea.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

6 days ago

New Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has been thrown in at the deep end ahead of a clash with Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday in his first match.

The Hoops boss has taken over from the vastly-experienced interim Martin O’Neill, who won seven of his eight games in the dugout after coming in to steady the ship after Brendan Rodgers resigned.

Nancy is now tasked with implementing his own ideas and tactics in the coming days, weeks, and months ahead, after his move from Columbus Crew in the MLS.

The formation that Wilfried Nancy could play at Celtic

Many Celtic supporters may already be wondering what formation the new manager will line-up with against Hearts, and for matches in the future, after O’Neill played a 4-2-3-1 and Rodgers played a 4-3-3.

Nancy has only had a couple of days on the training ground, having been announced on Wednesday night, so the game against the Jam Tarts may come too soon for radical changes.

With time on the training pitch, though, the French boss may want to deploy a 3-4-2-1 formation, which Transfermarkt notes is his favoured system.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Per FBref, Nancy played a 3-4-3 or a 3-4-2-1 in 31 of his 43 games in charge of Columbus Crew this year, and played a back three or a back five in 40 of those matches.

This suggests that the Frenchman may line up with three central defenders for the most part with Celtic, which could make Dane Murray the biggest winner of his appointment at Parkhead.

Why Dane Murray could play a key role for Wilfried Nancy

The Scottish youngster’s last start for Celtic came in Rodgers’ final match against Hearts, as he scored a nightmare own goal in a 3-1 defeat.

It was a poor afternoon for Murray and Celtic, as he struggled at the heart of the defence, and he only played 38 minutes across two substitute appearances in O’Neill’s time in interim charge, as the experienced boss favoured Auston Trusty and Liam Scales as a pairing.

With Cameron Carter-Vickers being a long-term absentee with an Achilles injury, though, there could be a place for the academy graduate to come back into the team as part of a back three or back five, if Nancy decides to stick with his trend of using formations with three centre-backs.

Kieran Tierney could be an option to play as a third centre-back, as he has done for Scotland in the past, but then Celtic would have three left-footed defenders across the back, which is not ideal for playing out under pressure.

Bringing a right-footed centre-back like Murray into the fold could be ideal for Nancy, and he would have more protection than he did in a back four under Rodgers, as there would be two senior defenders alongside him, in Trusty and Scales.

Appearances

3

Starts

2

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.0

Clearances

15

Dribbled past

0x

Ground duel success rate

64%

Aerial duel success rate

80%

As you can see in the table above, the 22-year-old colossus has shown some positive signs, despite his own goal against Hearts, in his three league appearances, dominating opposition attackers in physical duels.

Back in August, Rodgers claimed that Murray’s “ceiling is so high” and that he will really grow in the next 12 to 18 months. Whilst it may not happen as he envisaged, as another manager is in the dugout, that could play out with Nancy’s preferred system.

The Scottish prospect has been the only centre-back on the bench in recent games, with Carter-Vickers out, and that suggests that he would be the most logical inclusion for the new manager as part of a back three.

Given that a change in shape from a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 to a 3-4-2-1 or a 3-4-3 would essentially mean that a new centre-back position emerges, it seems like Murray has the most to gain and could be the biggest winner from this appointment for the Hoops.

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

However, it is then down to the academy graduate to take his chance when it comes and prove that he has what it takes to be a regular starter for Celtic, and that his game against Hearts was a blip rather than a sign of things to come.

Manchester United are fighting to climb up the Premier League table under Ruben Amorim, though they may now have an alternative ready to replace him at Old Trafford.

Man Utd given no excuses by Ruben Amorim

In a campaign where the Red Devils have shown both encouraging signs and vulnerability, it remains to be seen whether Amorim can guide his side to a steady run of results that can land them back in European competition next season.

Nevertheless, he pointed out before his side’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace that whether Manchester United are in continental action or not, winning is the only thing that matters to their supporters.

He said via The Mirror: “In our club it is the same thing because last year we had to win every game all the time and we took a lot of criticism because we are not winning.

“So in our club there is no excuses. About Europe, I’ve already talked about Europe and I said the same thing last year when we were still in Europe, and I say the same thing this year, the advantage and disadvantage of being in Europe so there is no excuses. Last year or this year, it’s always to win games.”

Undoubtedly, signings will be necessary to get Manchester United back on that level, and Conor Gallagher could head to Old Trafford for just £26 million in 2026 as they search for a midfield anchor amid Casemiro’s contract getting closer to expiry.

Either way, INEOS appear to have already planned ahead should Manchester United require a change in the dugout, in news that may come as a surprise to many supporters.

Man Utd line up former Barcelona manager Xavi

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are seriously considering hiring Xavi to replace Amorim as his experience in managing difficult situations, tactical framework and commitment to develop young talent aligns with their vision at Old Trafford.

Tottenham Hotspur are also pursuing the 45-year-old and for both clubs, it is said that the ex-Barcelona boss will be spoken to if results fail to improve in either high-profile environment.

Man Utd have unseen teenager who "looks better than half their first team"

Carrington has produced another gem.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 29, 2025

Favouring a 4-3-3 formation, Xavi won the La Liga title at Spotify Camp Nou in 2022/23 and was subsequently hailed as “the best manager in the world” by Barca president Joan Laporta. Meanwhile, he has also enjoyed success in Qatar, winning seven domestic trophies at Al-Sadd.

Intriguingly, he is ready for a return to coaching after over a year out of the hot seat, and the revered tactician is set to have his fair share of interest from clubs courting his services over the coming months. Taking notice, it remains to be seen if Manchester United decide he is the man to replace Amorim.

The Tampa Bay Rays secured their new starting shortstop on Wednesday.

According to ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan, the Rays and Ha-seong Kim are in agreement on a two-year, $29 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season.

Kim was limited to 121 games during the 2024 season with the San Diego Padres due to a shoulder injury. He underwent surgery in the fall and should be ready to return in May.

The 29-year-old was a three-time Gold Glove winner in the KBO for the Kiwoom Heroes before moving to Major League Baseball for the 2021 season. In December of 2020, the Padres inked Kim to a four-year, $28 million deal that featured a mutual option for a fifth season. Kim instantly became a fan favorite. He opted out of his contract following the 2024 campaign then hired Scott Boras and hit free agency.

Kim won a Gold Glove as a utility man in 2023 as the Padres used him primarily at shortstop and second base. He's coming off a 2024 campaign in which he slashed .233/.330/.370 with 11 home runs, 47 RBIs, a .700 OPS, and 22 stolen bases. That followed his best season, which was in 2023 where he slashed .260/.351/.398 with 17 home runs, 60 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, and an OPS of .749 to go with a career-best WAR of 5.8.

The Rays signed an excellent defender whose bat showed through in 2023. If they get that version of Kim, this deal could be a bargain.

After watching on as Celtic fell further behind in the Scottish Premiership last weekend, Chris Sutton and Kris Boyd had a lengthy chat about Brendan Rodgers’ future.

Rodgers blasts unacceptable Celtic

The Scottish Premiership champions are beginning to falter under Rodgers. The Bhoys now find themselves as many as five points behind Hearts and Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of Dundee only compiled their misery.

With their European form creeping into their domestic outings, questions will continue to be asked about Celtic’s summer recruitment. Many around Celtic Park were far from confident that club chiefs had done enough in the summer and have since been proved right.

Rodgers, however, took aim at the players that he did have at his disposal against Dundee rather than those that Celtic missed out on in the summer.

The former Leicester City manager told reporters: “I just said that this is where you really have to be a man, because at Celtic it’s great from the outside when you look in and you win in trophies and playing great football, but you’ve got to deal with pressure.

“And also the result and performance today isn’t good enough or acceptable for Celtic. I’ve come here a number of times over a number of years, and that today is not the level, so we have to find it.”

At a time when Rodgers’ future remains so uncertain, the Bhoys’ current form is far from ideal. The manager is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal and one Sky pundit has already delivered a worrying verdict about his time at Celtic.

Sutton reacts to damaging Rodgers claim

Speaking about the future of Celtic’s manager after his side’s defeat against Dundee, Sutton reacted to Boyd’s claim that Rodgers is publicly looking for a Premier League job.

Sutton replied to Boyd’s verdict by asking: “Did he say that?

“I think he took a bit of responsibility there [in his post-match interview]. He said it was his issue to get the team playing better.

“He will point – and I think fairly so – to rotten recruitment.

“You look in the final third for that spark and the players who have left and have they replaced them. I get the argument but should the team be playing better?”

Whether Celtic are in for a repeat remains to be seen, but they must turn their form around with or without their manager. Up next, the Scottish champions play host to SK Sturm Graz in the Europa League, where they’ll hope to pick up the first win of their European campaign.

Related Forget Yang: Rodgers can solve Maeda blow by unleashing Celtic star in new role

Celtic could solve their Daizen Maeda injury blow by unleashing this star in a new role.

Posts 1 ByDan Emery Oct 20, 2025

Then, as if things couldn’t get more difficult, the Bhoys travel to face league leaders Hearts. Lose that and they will be as many as eight points behind the unexpected leaders with plenty of football left to play. Simply put, it is a massive week for Celtic’s season.

MatériaMais Notícias

Nome do título do Palmeiras no Campeonato Brasileiro de Sub-17, Estevão fez hat-trick contra o São Paulo na decisão. Mas quem é a joia, que até mesmo de “Messinho” já foi chamado?

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasGabriel Vareta, zagueiro do Palmeiras se prepara para fase final do Paulista Sub-20Palmeiras23/10/2023PalmeirasCom mais uma assistência, Veiga faz melhor temporada como garçom no PalmeirasPalmeiras23/10/2023PalmeirasOposição do Palmeiras busca união para tentar derrubar Leila PereiraPalmeiras23/10/2023

Hoje, com 15 anos, o atacante foi descoberto pelo Palmeiras aos 11. Antes disso, chegou a passar pelo Cruzeiro. Aos 14 anos, devido a alguns problemas que a equipe mineira enfrentava nas categorias de base, o atleta ficou livre no mercado e teve a opção de retornar ao time alviverde. Inclusive, na época, seu potencial era tão destacado que chegou até mesmo a causar uma certa “revolta” na ex-equipe pela sua saída.

+ Artilheiro! Aposte R$100 e receba R$700 com Veiga e Palmeiras contra o São Paulo

+ Muita fé! Aposte R$100 e receba R$295 com Gabriel Jesus e o Arsenal na Champions

Devido à sua velocidade e habilidade no drible, no Raposa ele ficou conhecido como “Messinho”. Embora não adote tanto esse apelido devido à pressão e à pouca idade, é visto como um dos grandes talentos e ativos do Palmeiras.

continua após a publicidade

+ A sua carreira no futebol pode começar hoje. Garanta a sua vaga no curso Gestor de Futebol e capacite-se!

Em 2021, ele iniciou sua trajetória na base do Palmeiras. Entre as qualidades que mais surpreendem, estão, justamente, a velocidade, a capacidade no drible e a maturidade para tomar decisões em campo – algo destacado até mesmo por influentes nomes do Palmeiras nas categorias de base, como Jorge Paulo Sampaio.

Em 2022, foi campeão do Campeonato Paulista Sub-15 e Sub-17, participando também de outras conquistas daquele ano vitorioso do Palmeiras, como o Campeonato Brasileiro e a Copa do Brasil nas categorias daquele ano. Inclusive, foi artilheiro, com 23 gols e oito assistências em 34 jogos.

continua após a publicidade

Mas um dos grandes destaques de Estevão aconteceu neste final de semana. Contra o São Paulo, ele imortalizou seu nome na história da base palmeirense com os três gols marcados na final.

No olhar do profissional: os mesmos passos de Endrick?
Embora ainda seja jovem, as habilidades de Estevão chamam bastante atenção, assim como as de outras duas grandes promessas do Palmeiras, Endrick e Luís Guilherme. Ao contrário dos dois últimos, ele ainda não teve oportunidade no time profissional, mas é algo visto como viável.

Neste ano, em maio, Estevão assinou seu primeiro contrato profissional com o Palmeiras. Por conta da idade, o vínculo dura três anos, tempo máximo permitido pela Fifa.

O que chama bastante atenção, inclusive, é a multa milionária que gira em torno da promessa. Parecida com a de Endrick, o valor gira em torno dos 45 milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 240,7 milhões).

Mas o diretor de futebol da base, Jorge Paulo Sampaio, explicou o que pode estar por trás dessa ‘passagem’. No caso, a questão física e a própria idade. No entanto, a qualidade ‘diferente’ é vista com bons olhos pela comissão profissional

– Estevão tem uma qualidade muito diferente. Uma condução com a velocidade, por isso chamado de “Messinho”, mesmo que não goste. É muito parecido, uma qualidade muito parecida, sai para o centro, dribla com velocidade. Tem essa qualidade mais diferente, precisa esperar um pouco mais pelo físico. Mas daqui mais um ano deve estar pronto para o profissional do Palmeiras – explicou em entrevista ao ‘Mundo Desportivo’, da Espanha.

Mas os passos para trilhar um caminho semelhante ao de Endrick estão encaminhados. A estreia de Endrick no time profissional ocorreu em outubro de 2022, quando ele tinha apenas 16 anos. Atualmente, na disputa por um lugar na equipe de Abel Ferreira, é esperado que deixe o Palmeiras na metade do próximo ano, rumo ao Real Madrid, quando completará 18 anos.

Neste contexto, pode ser que Estevão surja como uma opção, muito pelo potencial quanto pelo ‘caminho parecido’ que está parecendo trilhar.

E assim como seu companheiro, Estevão também chamou a atenção da Europa no ano passado. Em dezembro, na ocasião, recebeu uma oferta milionária do PSG – oferta essa prontamente recusada, tanto pelo jogador quanto pela família.