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Companies that handle the HawkEye technology and Spider-cam have also pulled out from the final, which will be televised without the supporting components

Umar Farooq28-Feb-2017Sunset and Vine, the UK-based production house that handles the broadcast of the Pakistan Super League, has withdrawn its services for the league’s final which will be played in Lahore on March 5. ESPNcricinfo understands that a Dubai-based company, Innovative Production Group, will handle production of the Lahore match. The PSL is also seeking to replace its overseas commentators: Danny Morrison, Alan Wilkins, Mel Jones are reluctant to travel to Lahore, while Ian Bishop, whose contract was until the play-offs, will leave to cover West Indies’ home ODIs against England.Companies that handle the HawkEye technology and Spider-cam have also pulled out from the final, which will be televised without the supporting components. A drone camera is likely to replace the spider-cam.Sunset and Vine, which had also handled the broadcast for the PSL in its inaugural edition last year, had informed the PCB through an email last week about its reluctance to travel to Lahore. Innovative Production Group was part of the PCB’s contingency plan.On Monday the provisional government gave a public go-ahead to the staging of the final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, after week-long deliberations and assessments of the security situation in the country. The PCB has been working to get the ground ready for the match later this week.The stadium has been renovated extensively, and includes a new media facility at the College End of the ground, with a capacity to accommodate more than 150 journalists, which will be inaugurated before the final. Tickets for the final are also set to be released, with prices ranging between Rs 500 and Rs 12000.To ensure the final features foreign players, the PSL management has asked the four franchises who have made it to the play-offs to work on a contingency plan. The franchises have been asked to nominate a pool of foreign players from a list of over 60 said to be willing to travel to Pakistan, in the event – as seems likely – some of their own foreign players don’t go. Presently, Peshawar Zalmi are most confident their foreign contingent will travel to Lahore, while players from the other three sides are still undecided. Teams can field a maximum of four foreign players in their XI but the rules are flexible enough to allow teams to play with XI local players if necessary.Najam Sethi, the PSL chairman, is optimistic the final will feature foreign players.
“First let the two finalists be confirmed, which will be by March 3,” he said on Monday. “I will be going back to Dubai now and once the finalists are confirmed I will again talk to the franchise owners and foreign players. We have also prepared a back-up list of foreign players in case the overseas signings of the finalist teams refuse to come to Lahore. “

Celtic are on the lookout for a new first-team manager after Ange Postecoglou opted to depart Parkhead in favour of a switch to the Premier League.

The 57-year-old's exit was confirmed earlier this week, and this has left majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and chairman Peter Lawwell, alongside the rest of the board, in need of finding a replacement.

The Hoops are coming off the back of winning a domestic treble, thanks to their success in the Scottish Premiership, League Cup and FA Cup, and could use their platform as a team that is able to win trophies on a regular basis to lure an excellent manager to the club.

One manager who has recently been linked with the vacant post is Italian coach Francesco Farioli, who could be a superb appointment by the Scottish giants.

Who is Francesco Farioli?

The 34-year-old boss is out of work after deciding to leave Turkish side Alanyaspor at the end of the 2022/23 campaign after finishing fifth and tenth in the Super Lig and the tinkerer could be Desmond's own version of Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi at Parkhead.

Prior to joining the Seagulls, the Italian had finished eighth or lower in five of his last six league seasons as a coach – winning the title with Shakhtar Donetsk in the other.

He then led the Premier League side to a sixth-placed finish and secured European football in his first campaign in England, whilst playing exciting progressive football.

Farioli, who was hailed as a "talented coach" by journalist Fabrizio Romano, is known in Italy as the 'young De Zerbi' after working with the Brighton boss for three seasons at Benevento and Sassuolo.

He soaked up knowledge from the now-Premier League chief and used his experience with him in the Serie A to form his own coaching career, with both managers deploying a high-pressing 4-2-3-1 system that encourages brave play on the ball from technically gifted attacking players.

Speaking about his style of play, Farioli once said: "I think it's important to build a team of players with passion for what they do. They must enjoy the ball, approach the game in a brave and proactive way."

The Italian is yet to win his first trophy in management at the incredibly young age of 34, but he is a coach with potential who could go on a journey with Celtic and build something special in a similar way to how De Zerbi has transformed Brighton into a European side.

It would not be a safe or easy appointment for Desmond to make but it could be one that is a gamble worth making if he can instil an exciting brand of football and become a success at Parkhead in the years to come.

The Gunners have missed key players all season but have ended a four-year trophy drought and will reach the UWCL final if they win on Monday

When Arsenal visited two-time European champions Wolfsburg in the first leg of their Women's Champions League semi-final last weekend, they did so without Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson, Kim Little, Caitlin Foord and Lina Hurtig.

Due to registration restrictions, the Gunners' bench featured only two senior outfield players, sat alongside two goalkeepers and four academy products – the latter group boasting just 61 minutes of senior competitive experience between them.

And, to make the situation even more complicated, Arsenal were 2-0 down inside 24 minutes.

But this is a team that has been defying the odds all season. They spent the first half of the campaign without their first-choice centre-back duo, Williamson and Rafaelle, but still managed to top a Champions League group that contained the eight-time European champions, Lyon.

The Gunners have been without Mead, the 2022 Ballon d'Or runner-up, and Miedema, the Women's Super League's all-time top scorer, since before Christmas. Yet, they would lift their first major trophy in four years in March, beating Chelsea 3-1 in the Continental Cup final despite conceding within the first 98 seconds.

So, when they went 2-0 down in Germany, they didn't fret. Instead, they picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and pulled the game back to secure a 2-2 result.

On Monday, they welcome Wolfsburg to the Emirates Stadium knowing that a win would take them into the Women's Champions League final for the first time since 2007.

With all the setbacks they've had, just how on earth do they keep doing it?

Getty ImagesRebuilding the attack

One of the biggest tasks Arsenal have faced has been rebuilding their attack.

To lose Mead to an ACL injury in November was a huge blow, especially with the England forward at the peak of her powers. But to see Miedema suffer the same fate just a month later? Devastating. The two most crucial pieces to the Gunners' attack were suddenly out for the season.

A frantic January transfer window saw the club fail in a world-record bid to bring in Manchester United striker Alessia Russo on deadline day – a move that was just never going to happen – but they did make an excellent signing in Victoria Pelova.

With injuries to wingers Foord and Hurtig, Pelova has had to become an integral part of a new-look forward line very quickly and has done so extremely well, with her the best player on the pitch in the draw at Wolfsburg.

Katie McCabe, a versatile option who can play at left-back or on either wing, has had to perform a new role, while Stina Blackstenius has carried the brunt of the goal-scoring burden through the middle. The Swede has had her critics, but her movement is excellent and her work rate cannot be faulted. Both of those strengths allowed her to tap in the crucial equaliser last week.

With two teenage talents and NXGN 2022 finalists, Kathrine Kuhl and Gio, also rotating into that front three, it is a much different attack to the one Arsenal started the season with and, at times, that has showed.

But the fact that the Gunners have scored 35 goals in their 16 games since Christmas is a testament to the way the team has adapted to such change.

AdvertisementGettyStepping up at the back

It's not just been the attack that has had to adapt. Arsenal have been hit by injuries to the back line all season long.

Williamson and Rafaelle, the first-choice centre-back pairing at the start of the season, both missed several months each before Christmas. Left-back Steph Catley has been out for a spell recently, too, meaning McCabe has had to switch between attack and defence.

Then, just days before the semi-final first leg in Wolfsburg, Williamson ruptured her ACL. It was an absolute hammer blow for the club, who had announced the end of captain and star midfielder Kim Little's season earlier that week.

These absences have required others to step up. Jen Beattie, for example, started only her fourth game of the season in Germany, but was immense after an early error.

Arsenal have often changed to a three-at-the-back set up, too, to deal with these injuries. It's not been easy to do. After all, it's a very different system to what Jonas Eidevall's team usually plays and it requires each player to assume a different role that they are not used to.

But with injuries forcing the formation to be more common, the players have started to overcome some of the early challenges – and when they've struggled, like in the first half of that first leg with Wolfsburg, they've shown the character to bounce back.

GettyUsing all their experience

The injuries Arsenal have suffered have been to players with massive amounts of experience, too – the players you'd love to be able to look to during a huge game.

Mead won the 2022 Euros at a sold-out Wembley Stadium last summer, as did Williamson. Miedema has also won a home Euros, in 2017, and played in a World Cup final. Rafaelle, meanwhile, captained Brazil to the Copa America title last year.

Having won 21 trophies in four different countries, captain Little epitomises calmness and composure in the biggest moment. Hurtig has played in an Olympic final. Between them, Catley and Foord have come out on top in seven Championship games in Australia.

It has forced the Gunners that have remained to draw on every bit of experience they have, and for new leaders to step up. That is where the qualities of someone like McCabe, the captain of Ireland, or midfielder Lia Walti, the Switzerland skipper, have really come in handy.

Eidevall has even said that he has introduced Beattie, 143 times a Scotland international before her retirement in 2022, specifically for her experience at times.

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(C)Getty ImagesPushing to the limit

But one of the most damning things about Arsenal's injury crisis has been a simple lack of numbers.

That hasn't been helped by the inability to register all of their players for the Champions League. Only three new players could be added to the squad ahead of the knockout rounds, meaning teenager Gio and the experienced Jodie Taylor, signed in March until the end of the season, missed out.

It has demanded more and more of players right at the end of an exhausting season, but they haven't shied away from that.

Even in the defeat to Manchester United earlier this month, having lost Williamson to that massive injury only 11 minutes in, the players absolutely ran themselves into the ground to try and get the result.

"They did everything I could ask them to do in a really, really tough game," Eidevall said after that match. "They stuck together, they stayed positive, they tried to find solutions, they tried to express themselves on the ball. They were there for each other.

"I told them after [the win over Manchester City in early April] I was proud of them, maybe today I am even more proud of them, with the attitude they show. I tried to praise them as much as possible because that was how I felt."

If Arsenal fall short in their bid to reach the Champions League final, the WSL title race or the battle for the European spots, it won't be for a lack of effort.

Tottenham Hotspur have made a formal job offer to Leicester City’s former manager Brendan Rodgers, according to reports.

What's the latest manager news at Spurs?

Back in March, Antonio Conte was sent packing by the hierarchy following his public outburst during a post-match press conference and was replaced by his assistant Cristian Stellini until the end of the season, but even his reign was ended prematurely after the 6-1 Premier League defeat to Newcastle United, so Ryan Mason is now in charge as interim boss before being succeeded by a new long-term appointment over the summer.

BBC Sport played down suggestions that Bayern Munich’s former coach Julian Nagelsmann is one of the candidates being considered and Daniel Levy’s latest blow has come in the form of Feyenoord’s Arne Slot who has ruled himself out of the running and reaffirmed his commitment to seeing out the project in the Eredivisie.

The Lilywhites have since been linked with several names, including Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim, but a surprising contender is Rodgers who has been out of work since April having been sacked by Leicester City, and it would appear that he’s already a preferred choice among the board having reportedly been gifted the opportunity to take to the dugout in the capital.

Is Brendan Rodgers joining Spurs?

According to Football Transfers, Tottenham have "formally offered" Rodgers the chance to become the new permanent manager in N17. The Spurs hierarchy are "trying to keep a low profile" by not announcing that they have taken this big step to "avoid any further embarrassment", should the 50-year-old turn them down.

The Northern Irishman is "not a favourite" of Levy, but the rest of the chiefs are "otherwise all for" bringing him on board. Should their new target reject the proposal, it's stated that Graham Potter and Luis Enrique are the two other names on the "shortlist" of options.

Tottenham could be better off appointing someone who already has Premier League experience and Rodgers has plenty of that having taken charge of 312 matches in total, and having also been hailed a “class” character off the pitch by journalist Josh Bunting, he may well prove to be an ideal candidate for Spurs to take a chance on ahead of the 2023/24 term.

The Carnlough-born coach, whose preferred formation is a 4-2-3-1, has a solid track record of facing Spurs having won eight and drawn one of 17 meetings, so if he is able to get a visiting team performing like that, imagine what kind of magic he could work with the calibre of players like Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min at his disposal.

Rodgers, who knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured nine trophies throughout his managerial career, is also a free agent on the market, so no compensation would need to be paid to acquire his services, therefore making this even more of a strong case to end the club's lengthy search for a new manager.

ScorecardAshar Zaidi had a fine night for Essex•Getty Images

Ashar Zaidi starred with both the bat and the ball to boost Essex’s hopes of a quarter-final place – as the visitors edged out Hampshire in a three run thriller.Pakistani Zaidi helped Essex to a healthy 153 for six with a patient 47 before miserly figures of two for 16 halted Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.Essex are also top of Division Two of the Championship, leading Zaidi to say: “”It is amazing feeling winning four on the bounce and we are taking the momentum into the four day cricket.”Michael Carberry and James Vince, having been set 154 by Essex, took the chase steadily – knowing exactly what they needed and scored on and just above the required run rate.Carberry looked more ready to open himself up, but it was his undoing when he slogged to cow corner, before Tom Alsop was caught and bowl for a duck by Dan Lawrence.Spin slowed dried the runs up with Zaidi impressive, his first over going for just four and his second picking up Liam Dawson – who was driving to extra-cover.But as Zaidi stocked up on dot balls, boundaries flowed off Vince’s bat, on the back of another Test call-up.Vince reached his 19th Blast fifty from 37 balls, but the ball after Sean Ervine teed up to Tom Westley giving Zaidi a deserved second wicket.Shahid Afridi spliced one back to Matthew Quinn and Vince finally departed as he was bowled by Graham Napier.But just as Hampshire looked set for a seventh defeat Lewis McManus provided a fightback with a four and massive maximum in the penultimate over to leave the hosts needing eight from six.Wicket-keeper McManus was caught on the mid-wicket outfield from the second delivery, still seven needed but Ravi Bopara held his nerve – only going for two more runs.Earlier having won the toss, Essex set off at a blistering start reaching 67 by the end of the power play, with every other ball seemingly rushing to the boundary off Jessie Ryder, Kishen Velani and Westley. But for all their heaving they lost Velani in the third over – chipping up to Vince at mid-off.As easy as that catch was for captain Vince, his snaffle to see off Ryder, for 22, was unbelievable – as he gave international teammate Dawson his first of the night by diving full length once the ball had seemingly drifted over him.Dawson, who took three wickets on his England Twenty20 debut on the ground on Tuesday, grabbed the 50th 20-over wicket of his career when the booming Westley picked out Carberry on the point boundary.That quick flurry of wickets and the introduction of spin quelled the run scoring as Zaidi and Ravi Bopara stutter – although the former did smash a six onto the concourse.Zaidi accelerated from that bash, mainly scored on foot, to get within three runs of a third half century in a row but was the victim of a stunning direct hit from boundary rider Carberry and Bopara was caught at deep mid-wicket.Ryan ten Doeschate hammered the final ball to Ervine on the long-on rope to set Hampshire 154 to win – which proved just enough.

Newcastle United hold concrete interest in signing Watford striker Joao Pedro this summer, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

Will Newcastle sign a striker this summer?

Since returning from injury, Alexander Isak has hit a rich vein of form for Newcastle, scoring five goals in his last five Premier League games, though Eddie Howe is still running the rule over new strikers for the summer transfer window.

Marcus Thuram is one target for the Magpies, and they have recently been handed a boost in the race for his signature, as the Borussia Monchengladbach man is said to have rejected a contract offer from Inter Milan.

Goncalo Ramos has also been linked with a move to St James' Park – however, it has now been reported that any potential suitor will now need to fork out €120m (£105m) in order to win the race for the Benfica forward.

There are more affordable options available, however, with Football Insider claiming Newcastle have a concrete interest in signing Watford striker Pedro, who they have tried to sign before.

The Magpies had a £30m offer rejected for the 21-year-old last summer, but they are still said to be keen, and have been closely monitoring him throughout the current campaign.

The starlet is regarded as a top talent, with the versatility required to play in a number of different roles at the top level, and another bid appears to be on the cards this summer.

Would Joao Pedro be a good signing for Newcastle?

After a slow start to life in English football, scoring just three goals in 28 Premier League games during the 2021-22 campaign, the Brazilian is starting to find his feet, albeit in the second tier, emerging as a vital player for Watford.

The marksman is the Hornets' top scorer in all competitions, having scored ten goals so far this season, also weighing in with four assists, which indicates he could be ready to make the step up to the top flight.

Football Scout Jacek Kulig seemingly echoes that view, given that he described the £25k-per-week forward as "one of the Championship's best players" earlier this season, also lauding him as "elegant & skilful".

Over the past year, the attacker ranks in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons per 90, when compared to his positional peers at a similar level, while he also places in the 92nd for aerials won, showcasing his dominance in the air.

It may be difficult for Pedro to immediately break into the Newcastle starting XI given Isak's recent performances; however, he is still very young and could go on to be an important player in a few years' time.

India’s Supreme Court has told the BCCI that it might be inclined to send a few of the recommendations proposed by the Lodha committee back to the three-member panel for review

Nagraj Gollapudi03-Mar-2016

India’s Supreme Court has told the BCCI that it might be inclined to send a few of the recommendations proposed by the Lodha committee back to the three-member panel for review. The two-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice Ibrahim Kalifullah, did not, specify, however, which recommendations it could ask the committee to review.The court made this observation on Thursday afternoon after hearing the arguments presented by BCCI counsel, KK Venugopal, who said that majority of the recommendations made by the Lodha committee ought to be reconsidered. The court set March 18 as the next date of hearing and has asked the BCCI and state associations to submit audited accounts of the expenses over the past five years through separate affidavits.As reported on Tuesday, the BCCI had expressed its reservations about the recommendations of the report. In an exhaustive affidavit, a copy of which was accessed by ESPNcricinfo, the BCCI listed it was against the following major recommendations proposed by the Lodha committee: one state one vote; drastic reduction on advertisements; inclusion of Comptroller & Auditor General of India’s nominee on managing committee and apex council; representatives of two franchises on the IPL governing council; prohibition on re-appointment for members of managing committee and cooling-off period; prohibition on association of ministers/government servants/persons holding posts in another sports body in honorary capacity; restriction of simultaneously holding office in a state association and the BCCI; age cap of 70 years for an office bearer; formation of players’ association funded by the BCCI; doing away with existing BCCI committees; bringing the board under the Right To Information Act; and legalising betting.The Supreme Court’s sharp retorts

BCCI: Yes Minister. Court: No Minister – The BCCI had also objected to the recommendation that barred ministers from holding a position in the board or in a state association. When the board’s counsel raised this point on Thursday, while pointing out the example of former BCCI president NKP Salve, who was also a government minister, Justic Thakur retorted: “So just because NKP Salve was there, you want every other minister also to be there? You are finding fault with having a nominee of the Comptroller and Auditor General on your governing council, but you don’t mind a minister?” Chief Justice Thakur said.

“At 70, sit at home, watch TV” – The BCCI had also stated in its affidavit that if an office bearer was elected in democratic fashion, then there should not be an age cap of 70 years imposed, as had been recommended by the Lodha committee. “Merely because a person has attained the age of 70 years it does not mean that he ceases to function efficiently,” the BCCI affidavit said. When the BCCI counsel KK Venugopal raised the point, the court told him, “Lawyers like you get better with age, is that so with cricketers too? I don’t know. We feel 70 is a good age for retirement. At 70, they should sit at home and watch cricket on TV.”

BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, who signed the affidavit, said that although the Lodha panel had sent the board office bearers an exhaustive questionnaire, it had not consulted the top brass while finalising the recommendations. “During my interaction with the Lodha committee, the committee did not seek my views on the proposed recommendations which ultimately find place in the [Lodha] report,” Thakur wrote.Chief Justice Thakur, however, was unimpressed by that statement. “It was international news that we had formed the Justice Lodha committee to suggest reforms in cricket. The whole world knew it. Now you come to us and say the recommendations were a bolt from the blue for you and you were not consulted… What were you doing? Waiting at the fence for a written invitation?” the Chief Justice told the BCCI’s legal counsel, according to the .On the one-state-one-vote recommendation, the BCCI feared that some states could easily “abuse” their vote, which would encourage corruption. “For instance, the one-country-one-vote system followed by FIFA has resulted in the 2015 FIFA corruption scandal where countries where there is little or no football activity were allegedly bribed by FIFA officials to vote in a particular manner.” To this the bench said: “If this is the first scandal in 50 or 100 years, it is hardly a test on the workability of the policy.”When Venugopal argued that it would disrupt the voting process practised for decades by the BCCI, the court suggested that the state associations should vote by rotation.The BCCI also argued strongly against the presence of a nominee from the CAG’s office on the proposed apex council, saying it was “contrary to law”, since the BCCI constitution does not allow a non-member to sit on the managing committee of the society.Venugopal also said that the ICC rules did not allow government representatives to be part of the Full Member boards and the global body may take the appointment of a CAG representative as government interference and, hence, derecognise the BCCI.The BCCI counsel said the board would accept a CAG nominee in an advisory role without any voting rights. The court, however, did not relent. “You don’t even want the CAG nominee on the outside as your conscience keeper?” Chief Justice Thakur said. “Suppose we ask you to put this nominee on the board, you fear that the ICC will disenfranchise you for complying with an order of the Supreme Court of India to have a person who gives you good advice… surely you don’t grudge good advice, do you?”The BCCI also disagreed with the recommendation to restrict advertisements during a match telecast to drinks and session breaks, instead of advertisements between overs and at the fall of the wicket. The BCCI said such a move would “cripple” its income as the broadcasters would pay a “fraction” of the sum being paid for ODIs while paying nothing for a Test match.According to Anurag Thakur, Star India, the host broadcaster, had apparently sent an e-mail to the BCCI on February 21, seeking “renegotiation of the amounts currently payable by them under the existing contract if advertisements are restricted as recommended.”When Venugopal read out figures accrued as profits from broadcasting revenues that were later disbursed to state associations, the court asked the BCCI and the state associations to file individual accounts for the past five years. “The prominent spirit should be viewer enjoyment. Do you mean that your commerce should overtake the enjoyment of the game?” Chief Justice Thakur asked.In addition to the BCCI, various state units – Mumbai Cricket Association, Maharashtra Cricket Association, Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, Baroda Cricket Association – filed their individual presentations objecting to the Lodha committee report.When prominent lawyer Kapil Sibal, representing the Baroda association, said that his client would want approach the Lodha committee directly to suggest “certain amendments”, Chief Justice Thakur brushed the suggestion aside.”There is no question of you wanting it. We, the Supreme Court, will decide whether we are inclined to send some restricted issues back to the committee for its decision, that too within a limited span of time… Lodha Committee costs a lot of money for BCCI. It is not an easy committee,” the Chief Justice said.

Manchester United remain interested in making a move for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice this summer despite reports to the contrary, according to a fresh transfer update.

The Lowdown: Rice rumours swirling

The England international will be a wanted man at the end of this season, with his current Hammers deal expiring in 2024 and no sign of him extending his stay at the club.

Rice has continued to be a vital player for West Ham this season, starting all 24 of their Premier League matches and averaging 2.1 tackles per game.

United had been linked with a move for the 24-year-old a number of times but a recent report from GiveMeSport claimed Erik ten Hag isn’t keen on signing him.

However, the saga seems to have taken another twist with this latest news…

The Latest: United still keen

According to Football Insider, the Red Devils are in fact ‘still hopeful’ of acquiring Rice’s services this summer, even though he would prefer to ‘stay in London’.

United believe they ‘can still convince’ the West Ham star to join them, with the midfielder described in the report as ‘one of the most sought-after players in world football’.

The Glazers apparently want to blow rival suitors Arsenal away with a monster move – Rice is expected to cost upwards of £100m.

The Verdict: Could be a sensational signing

Rice has already become such a dominant and influential player for England across two major tournaments, winning 39 caps to date, and he could be a fantastic signing for United.

The £60,000-a-week midfielder could complement Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes beautifully, possessing the box-to-box energy that someone like Christian Eriksen can’t provide week in week out.

Not only that, but Rice is someone who has the potential to become world-class in the coming years, with 24 still such a young age in a footballing sense, so United could be signing a future captain and real rising star in the middle of the park.

The price tag is likely to be eye-watering, which isn’t ideal, but with Ten Hag looking to turn his side into an even stronger outfit moving forward, it is hard not to see Rice improving them further, having been described as ‘magnificent’ by journalist Joe Chapman during the 2022 World Cup.

Glasgow Rangers have endured their poorest start to the season in recent years as Michael Beale has led the Ibrox side to just four wins from nine games thus far, with one coming against second tier Greenock Morton.

The Gers have already exited the Champions League at the playoff round while suffering an underwhelming 1-0 defeat to Celtic in the first Old Firm game of the season.

It isn’t the time to panic, yet with important matches against St Johnstone and Real Betis to come following the international break, the pressure is currently mounting on Beale to rejuvenate the team.

With nine summer arrivals, the club underwent their biggest overhaul in years, yet the 43-year-old has still to find the ideal system in which to get these new signings firing.

The club desperately need a leader that will increase the standards at the Glasgow side, and despite his attacking contributions in recent years, James Tavernier has only led the club to one Premiership title and a Scottish Cup triumph, nowhere near good enough.

What the supporters would give to have a player like Barry Ferguson back in the starting XI, raising the standards to the levels expected and leading the club to trophies.

When did Barry Ferguson make his debut for Rangers?

The youngster grew up watching his elder brother, Derek, turn out for the Ibrox side under Graeme Souness and the younger Ferguson finally got his first taste of senior action under the late Walter Smith in May 1997, shortly after the Gers had secured their ninth league title in a row.

Having been edged into the first team picture slowly, Dick Advocaat saw him as a crucial part of the team and even made him captain in 2000 when he was just 22 following a poor start to the season, signifying just how important he was turning out to be for the club.

How much did Rangers sell Barry Ferguson for?

The midfielder really came to the fore under Alex McLeish during the second half of the 2001/02 season and was immense during the 2002 Scottish Cup final, scoring a stunning free kick to draw the game level before Peter Lovenkrands netted a last minute winner.

The very next season was to be his most productive at the Light Blues. He captained the team to an iconic treble, claiming the title over Celtic by just a one goal margin while winning both domestic cups and the future looked bright for the player.

During the summer transfer window of 2003, there were rumours circling regarding his future at the club and with mounting debt and the need to reduce the wage bill, McLeish had no choice but to sell Ferguson to Blackburn Rovers for a fee in the region of £7.5m.

In an interview with Simon Ferry on Open Goal (via Glasgow Times), the 45-cap Scotland international claimed it was a mistake moving south of the border.

He said: “The year before there was a couple of clubs who were interested in me. I wasn’t interested in leaving, to be honest with you. A couple of clubs came in, but I kind of just let the club deal with it, I didn’t want it to play on my mind.

“But the club needed a bit of money at that stage and Blackburn met the valuation. I knew that week leading up to the Copenhagen game that that was my last game.

“Did I want to leave? In hindsight I probably shouldn’t have left, I should have stayed another season. I went down to speak to them and I knew as soon as I signed, I knew a week later I’d made a mistake. It didn’t feel right.”

What happened to Barry Ferguson after he left Rangers?

A fee of £7.5m was impressive business for a player who had cost nothing, yet his career failed to take off at Blackburn, and he was back in a Rangers' jersey within 18 months of leaving – with the Old Firm giants having to fork out just €6.5m (£5.5m) to seal that reunion.

From January 2005 to May 2009, Ferguson became the linchpin of a new-look Gers side who went on to win two league titles along with four domestic cups and following a dramatic last day of the 2008/09 campaign in which Rangers secured their first title since 2005, Ferguson left to join Birmingham City, managed by McLeish.

Ferguson went on to win the League Cup for the club, defeating Arsenal following a late winner and the former Gers manager praised him during his spell in the Midlands, saying: "We've asked him to change a little bit since coming to Birmingham and Lee Bowyer has taken the lion's share of the goals.

"But that was vintage Barry against Forest and the run forward, and the finish for the goal was exemplary. It was a good finish and in the second half he was very commanding in the game for us.

"He was very instrumental in us getting the victory with his performance, apart from his goal. He has made a big contribution since he came here."

How many times did Barry Ferguson play for Rangers?

Across his two spells in Glasgow, the former midfielder turned out 428 times for the Light Blues, scoring 60 goals across those appearances.

There is no doubt he is arguably one of the finest ever academy graduates at the club, especially judging by the sheer volume of silverware he won and the number of matches played.

Ferguson – who was dubbed a "leader" by former Rangers defender Marvin Andrews – had to mature quickly when he was appointed as the Rangers captain 23 years ago, yet it was potentially the best thing to happen to him as he began to take a lot more responsibility and led the club to some wonderful moments.

Beale would love a player in the mould of the former Scottish international right now, one who could take games by the scruff of the neck and dictate the play, while also proving to Celtic that Rangers are the finest team in Scotland.

Although the club had to live without him for a brief spell following his sale, the transfer went down as the biggest sale (at the time) in their history, and they certainly hit the jackpot, especially considering he didn’t take long to come back to Scotland.

After the Qalandars suffered their sixth defeat in six matches this season, McCullum suggested that a leadership change might be the best way forward

Umar Farooq09-Mar-2018Brendon McCullum, the Lahore Qalandars captain, has question the execution of his bowlers, and has offered to “offload” his captaincy in a bid to change the fortunes of the side, which has lost all six of its games this season. Effectively, Thursday night’s six-wicket defeat to Islamabad United was Lahore’s eighth straight loss going back to the end of last season. One of the most popular sides in the PSL is set to finish last for the third consecutive season.Lahore have played six different starting XIs this season, with their changes having no effect on their results. The biggest chance they have had was against Islamabad, when they had 163 – their biggest total so far – to defend but ended up losing with 14 balls to spare. With four games remaining Lahore aren’t mathematically out of contention for a spot in the playoffs but their chances are bleak.”Ultimately as captain you’re responsible for the performances. I feel like I’ve done the same things that I do in any team that I’ve led, but unfortunately that hasn’t resonated,” McCullum said. “So that’s the question we’ve got to ask tonight as well – whether it’s better offloading it to someone else and seeing if we can get better results. Doesn’t matter if you’re saying the right things, but if they’re not hitting home or the instructions aren’t being followed, then you’re always going to be pushing it uphill.”Lahore’s batting pattern has been similar throughout, with the openers making solid starts, the middle order collapsing, and the bowlers looking flat. They dropped Umar Akmal, one of their platinum picks, after five successive failures, allowing Anton Devcich to make his PSL debut. He smacked 62 off 42 balls to set up a fighting total. But Islamabad chased it down easily with the help of a 41-ball 77 from Luke Ronchi and Shadab Khan’s 32 off 24. When asked if Lahore’s total was 20 runs short, McCullum shot down the idea, ruing his bowlers’ performance instead.”No, not really. We bowled very poorly,” he said. “I thought it was a very, very good batting performance, set up by Anton Devcich in his first game, and [he] showed how hungry, competitive people are able to prosper. What we did after that, I was really disappointed with, to be honest. It’s not what we’re about and I don’t mind losing, but you expect to be hard to beat. We’ve got some questions to ask tonight and that’s all the way through.”He was particularly unimpressed with the lines they bowled to Ronchi, which he said had deviated from the tactics they had discussed before the match.”You can sit in bowling meetings all you want. You spend an hour today talking about bowling away from Luke Ronchi and then you proceed to run in and bowl at him every single ball, so there’s a disconnect there,” he said. “I don’t know what that is. It’s very hard on the support staff to prepare a team if guys aren’t prepared to listen, but if that’s the case, then we’re going to have to keep making changes, because there are young, enthusiastic guys in our team, which may be an opportunity, especially now since we’re out of the competition.”