Category Uncategorized

The India allrounder coming back from injury has the chance to influence a tight game with his bowling on the last day at Wankhede stadium

Ankur Dhawan in Mumbai16-Dec-2018The IPL has done funny things to Indian cricket, particularly the fan. How else do you explain lusty cheering for Mumbai Indians Baroda allrounder Hardik Pandya as he tried with all his might to thwart Mumbai’s chances of securing a vital first innings lead at Wankhede stadium? Sure, there is merit in the theory that he is an India player, but MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli apart, not many have such a hold over crowds across the country.If it was a case of conflicted emotions – although there was no sign of it as the small crowd chanted his name like an anthem – they got the best of both worlds. Pandya obliged with a 137-ball 73 but Mumbai clung on to the cliff edge, securing a 29-run lead that may just keep them afloat in the Ranji Trophy.Pandya may have missed a maiden Ranji Trophy hundred, but it was his first major contribution with the bat in red-ball cricket since a whirlwind 93 at the start of the year in Cape Town. (He’d made a fifty against Afghanistan in between, but that came after India’s total had already gone past 300)Baroda had other heroes as well. Aditya Waghmode batted in mode to make 114 off 304 balls and Vishnu Solanki produced a more free flowing 133 to give Pandya the time he needed to find his feet, both literally and figuratively. At lunch he was batting on 3 off 29, struggling for rhythm but untroubled by the bowling as such.Match situations, though, can be fickle, and after cruising for 121 overs and looking set to surpass Mumbai’s 465 by a significant margin, wickets fell, as though through a series of trapdoors. A comfortable 351 for 3 became 378 for 6 when tea was taken, and two overs post resumption Baroda had slipped to a precarious 379 for 7. At that stage, it seemed like they were running out of luck, exemplified by Solanki’s questionable lbw decision earlier in the day, but soon enough Pandya was bowled off a no-ball and it became a level playing field once again.Reprieved on 41, he brought his side within 29 runs of Mumbai’s total before being pinned in front by Royston Dias as he tried to steal a single off the last ball of the over. It was not unlike the position he was in a few months ago at Edgbaston, when India needed 32 to win and Pandya was left with the awkward job of refusing singles when the field was spread, and scampering across when it came up. Eventually he was led to play a shot that wasn’t meant to fetch him runs or protect his stumps and he was dismissed.The difference here is that there’s an innings left and Pandya could enjoy the perks of who he is – an allrounder – and influence the result. While Mumbai would have undoubtedly been the happier side, having taken the lead, given the lack of time left in the game, they were also the only ones left in a position to throw it away – a tendency common among teams batting without purpose on final days. With his two quick wickets before stumps, Pandya has stoked that possibility.

Emmanuel Petit has advised Arsenal to break the bank on two attackers who could emulate Erling Haaland, but told the Gunners to avoid Alexander Isak.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Arsenal looking for a No. 9 in the marketAdvised to pursue Nico Williams & Ivan ToneyTold to stay away from £100m-rated IsakWHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal are reported to be on the hunt for a new striker who could guarantee plenty of goals, especially with repeated injuries to forward Gabriel Jesus. They have been linked with several potential targets including Brentford's Ivan Toney, Newcastle United's Isak and a host of other burgeoning names in European football.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT PETIT SAID

Petit believes that Toney and Athletic Club's Nico Williams' should fit Mikel Arteta's system seamlessly and has urged the north London outfit to sign the two strikers.

"I really like Nico Williams and could play up front for Arsenal," he told "He's very fast, can be an independent goalscorer and combines with teammates. A lot of people said signing Haaland for Man City was a mistake, but the way they control the ball in the opponent's half, they can create lots of chances for him.

"Arsenal need a 20-goals-per-season striker, they currently have a few players who can score 10-15 goals per season, like how Man City used to be. Pep Guardiola changed the system because he knew he needed a striker who could score lots of goals. In Erling Haaland's first season, he broke goal-scoring records and won the Champions League. Mikel Arteta will follow the steps of Guardiola, the way their teams play and a striker would be a cherry on top of the cake. I think Nico Williams or Ivan Toney could score as many goals as Haaland does for Man City at Arsenal"

ARSENAL TOLD TO AVOID ISAK

Isak has garnered significant interest from Arsenal, who joined the Magpies for a club-record fee of around £59 million ($69m) in 2022. The Swedish striker has notched up 15 goals in 23 Premier League appearances which has swelled his market value to a reported £100m ($126m) but Petit believes that the player is not worth the price tag.

"I don't think it would be a good decision by Arsenal to buy Isak for a big price," Petit said. "Arsenal's transfer policy is very good, and they should keep their policy rather than fund clubs like Chelsea, Newcastle or those kinds of clubs. Arsenal shouldn't splash their money like that. Isak would be a good addition to the squad, but there are players outside of England that could have the same impact."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT?

Eddie Howe has admitted that it might be a "difficult summer" for the club as Isak and Bruno Guimaraes might be shipped off amid interest from several European elites. It remains to be seen if Arsenal choose to put their money on the forward despite the warnings or shift their focus to Toney and other targets.

The early hours of Friday morning happened to be a proud moment for Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli.

When it's come to international football, regular chances for the tricky wide man have been hard to come by. After all, this is a young talent competing among the likes of Neymar Jr and Vinicius Jr for a place on the flanks.

However, against Colombia on Friday, he stole the show from a Selecao point of view, scoring his country's only goal in a 2-1 loss.

It's now two defeats on the spin for Brazil who are finding it difficult to live up to the hype in recent international breaks.

Martinelli's stats vs Colombia

Described as a "constant threat" in GOAL's player ratings for the game, the 22-year-old was in electric form for his nation.

Some wonderful play between Martinelli and Vinicius Jr carved open the opening with the Gunners ace finding the net in assured fashion during the first 45. It was his first goal for Brazil, and surely the first of many.

Throughout his time on the pitch, the winger barely gave Colombia a moment of peace. He completed 91% of his passes, won six of his nine duels and even found room to play a key pass. His goal, meanwhile, came from the only shot Martinelli registered all game. Clinical indeed.

However, he wasn't the only Arsenal player in action for Fernando Diniz's side. Gabriel Magalhaes was selected to play at centre-half.

Gabriel's stats vs Colombia

Earning just his fifth cap for Brazil, this should have been a special night for the defender playing alongside his club colleague.

It started off an impressive performance from the centre-back, who ended the first half with a clean sheet in tact and a pass success rate of 100%. It's a shame, therefore, that his and Brazil's performance in the second period dwindled significantly.

Indeed, it was his missed header that led to the first Colombian goal as they fought back in the second half, a looping ball swung in from the left-hand side that Luis Diaz met from close range and found the back of the net.

Minutes Played

82

Touches

84

Pass Success

71/76 (93%)

Long Balls

1/5

Possession Lost

9x

Duels Won

4/6

Tackles

1

Interceptions

0

Blocked Shots

0

Dribble Success

0/1

Stats via Sofascore.

The second goal – again scored by Diaz – he wasn't at fault for, but Gabriel and a number of Brazilian defenders did appear to be standing in a zone where they weren't even marking anyone.

Such a display led to brutal criticism of the 25-year-old with one notable Brazilian influencer and U23 scout suggesting he has been "very poor" whenever he's pulled on the jersey.

One Brazilian news outlet went even further, taking to social media to say: "It’s genuinely scary just how bad Gabriel Magalhães has been for Brazil tonight."

GOAL happened to give the central defender a 6/10 rating, suggesting he wasn't actually the worst of the defenders, something the stats would agree with.

He ended the game with a 93% pass success rate, only misplacing five passes on the entire night and won 4/6 duels. His defensive colleague, Marquinhos, only contested three duels during the game, winning two and had less of an influence on the ball, taking 57 touches to Gabriel's 84.

To suggest the Arsenal brute was the sole reason for Brazil's defeat was harsh, although supporters back at the Emirates and indeed Mikel Arteta will be hoping that sort of night doesn't seep back into his displays at club level.

أقالت الحكومة الأرجنتينية، اليوم الخميس، وكيل وزارة الرياضة خوليو جارو، بعد مطالبته لقائد المنتخب الأرجنتيني ليونيل ميسي باالاعتذار عن الوقائع المثيرة للجدل عقب التتويج بكوبا أمريكا 2024.

وتوج منتخب الأرجنتين بطلاً لكوبا أمريكا 2024 على حساب كولومبيا بعد الفوز بهدف دون مقابل، في البطولة التي استضافتها الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

وشهدت احتفالات التتويج باللقب هتافات عنصرية مثيرة للجدل من إنزو فرنانديز خلال بث مباشر عبر حسابه على “إنستجرام”.

وفي مقابلة طالب جارو ميسي بالاعتذار بصفته قائد للمنتخب الأرجنتيني، عما بدر في احتفالات التتويج من هتافات عنصرية موجهة للاعبين من أصل إفريقي في منتخب فرنسا.

تحتوي الهتافات أيضًا على إشارات مهينة حول علاقة مهاجم فرنسا وريال مدريد كيليان مبابي بعارضة الأزياء إينيس راو.

وقال جارو في تصريحات إذاعية: “يجب على قائد المنتخب الوطني (ميسي) أيضًا أن يخرج للاعتذار عن هذه القضية”.

وبعد تصريحات جارو، صرح مكتب الرئيس الأرجنتيني خافيير ميلي عبر منصة “إكس”: “لا يمكن لأي حكومة أن تقول ما يجب التعليق عليه، أو ما يجب التفكير فيه أو ما يجب القيام به للمنتخب الأرجنتيني، بطل العالم وبطل أمريكا مرتين، أو أي مواطن آخر، ولهذا السبب، تمت إقالة خوليو جارو من منصب وكيل وزارة الرياضة في البلاد”.

La Oficina del Presidente informa que ningún gobierno puede decirle qué comentar, qué pensar o qué hacer a la Selección Argentina Campeona del Mundo y Bicampeona de América, ni a ningún otro ciudadano. Por esta razón, Julio Garro deja de ser Subsecretario de Deportes de la… pic.twitter.com/o4JRC7gGB1 — Oficina del Presidente (@OPRArgentina) July 17, 2024

وسرعان ما اعتذر جارو عن تصريحه، قائلًا: “الإساءة لأي شخص لم تكن نيتي أبدًا، ولهذا السبب قدمت استقالتي، على الرغم من أنني سأظل دائمًا على الجانب الآخر من التمييز بجميع أشكاله”.

The English Football League (EFL) announced its new blockbuster, oversees broadcasting rights deal on Tuesday, worth £148 million ($188m).

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• EFL expand broadcasting globally
• New deal worth £148m
• Championship and Wrexham key factors

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The EFL confirmed in a statement that the move to expand their viewership had been accepted by clubs, meaning a lucrative new deal could be pushed through. The competition is set to receive £148m over the next four seasons to show games outside the United Kingdom – with a mission to plant roots in America.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The deal sees two agencies, Pitch International and Relevant Sports, represent the EFL globally. Pitch International provide EFL rights in Europe, MENA and other regions, whereas Relevant Sports will target distribution throughout North, Central and South America. The aim will be to develop the profile of clubs from the Championship to League Two – including Carabao Cup, EFL trophy and promotion play-offs – in said regions through targeted marketing campaigns.

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT THE EFL SAID

  EFL chief executive Trevor Birch said: “These new agreements represent not only guaranteed levels of revenue but also present the League and our 72 clubs with a fantastic opportunity to establish further the EFL as a premium football brand in markets across the world. In Pitch and Relevent we have two partners with an in-depth understanding of the global TV rights markets and that knowledge, coupled with the enthusiasm of their teams, will hopefully ensure we achieve our objective of delivering value to Clubs alongside taking EFL football to as wide an audience as possible outside the UK.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  The popularity of the English Championship and continued rise of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's Wrexham are thought to be two deciding factors in this expansion. According to the , the Championship is one of the most-watched leagues in Europe outside of the Premier League, while Wrexham's escapades under their Hollywood owners have generated viewer interest in the plights of lower-league sides.

Durham put forward a resilient response to Warwickshire’s total of 424 leaving their Specsavers County Championship Division Two contest in the balance after day two

ECB Reporters Network26-Jun-20181:34

Surrey hit with five-run penalty

ScorecardDurham put forward a resilient response to Warwickshire’s total of 424 leaving their Specsavers County Championship Division Two contest in the balance after day two at Emirates Riverside.Jonathan Trott continued his fine form from the opening day to remain unbeaten on 170 as the visitors were able to record an imposing score, with Matt Salisbury and Chris Rushworth both notching four wickets. Durham were solid in their reply as Tom Latham and Cameron Steel put on 96 for the first wicket. Oliver Hannon-Dalby struck twice, but Steel and Graham Clark were unbeaten as the home side closed on 138 for 2.The visitors started the day three runs shy of the 300-run mark, with Trott and Keith Barker unbeaten at the crease. Barker guided his side past 300, but he fell for 27 edging a delivery from Salisbury through to Ryan Davies. Rushworth made the next breakthrough for the home side as he clipped Jeetan Patel’s off-stump bail to send the Warwickshire skipper back to the pavilion.Trott continued to frustrate the Durham attack, meandering his way to his 150 off 261 deliveries before the end of the first session. Chris Wright fell to Gareth Harte before his side passed 400, and although Trott remained stoic at the crease unbeaten on 170, Warwickshire were all out for 424 as Rushworth and Nathan Rimmington picked up the final two wickets.Durham needed a strong response from their openers, which had not been forthcoming in the Championship this term. However, Steel and Latham were able to see off the threat of the new ball from Wright and Barker. Patel almost removed Steel with a leg-side delivery, which almost saw the opener stumped by Tim Ambrose.The duo were forced to battle for their runs, reaching their fifty partnership in the 21st over before the second interval of the day. Latham survived a good lbw shout from Sidebottom on 34 against a delivery that nipped back. The New Zealander held his composure to reach his second fifty of the season in the County Championship, taking 120 balls to reach the milestone.Warwickshire made the breakthrough as the openers approached their century stand. Hannon-Dalby found the edge of Latham’s bat, allowing Ambrose to claim the catch behind. Will Smith followed him back to the pavilion suffering the same fate as his team-mate after scoring only 2.Steel and Clark were forced into a defensive stance towards the end of the day as runs were hard to come by. Steel joined Latham in making fifty, highlighting his patience by taking 158 balls to reach the milestone. Durham remained only two wickets down at stumps, although still 286 runs behind Warwickshire’s first-innings total.

Wolves have been boosted by a significant contract update regarding one Wanderers hero, as first reported by reliable journalist Steve Madeley.

Who are Wolves' most important players?

Gary O'Neil's side have made a fairly disappointing start to the Premier League season, only winning one of their only opening six games and finding themselves sitting 16th in the table.

In fairness, some of Wolves' performances have been more deserving of positive results, not least away to Manchester United last month, when they largely outplayed their opponents only to end up empty handed but for an apology letter from the PGMOL.

A relegation battle simply has to be avoided, and for that to happen, all of Wanderers' most influential performers will need to perform on a consistent basis. There are numerous individuals who stand out, in that respect, with Jose Sa a key figure between the sticks, Max Kilman a leader at the back and Pedro Neto the genuine match-winner in attacking areas.

Now, a major update has emerged over the future of one of the star players at Molineux – one that is likely to cause a big reaction among the fanbase.

Which Wolves players has signed a new deal?

Taking to X on Friday, Madeley revealed that influential goalkeeper Sa had extended his stay with Wolves, with the club's official update since confirming the news.

Sporting director Matt Hobbs is absolutely buzzing, saying: “We’re excited that Jose will be part of this next stage and cycle we’ll be going through, and he’ll play an important role in that, on and off the pitch. He’s excited by what we’re trying do, but also understands that people like him, in his position, are really important for us."

This is brilliant news for Wolves, with Sa performing at such a high level since joining the club from Olympiacos back in 2021, winning the club's Player of the Season award in his first year at the club.

He has consistently stood out as arguably one of the Premier League's best goalkeepers, and nailing him down for another four years means Wanderers don't have to worry about a top-class player not being in their goal for the foreseeable future.

At 30 years of age, Sa is right at his peak as a player, especially as goalkeepers can tend to enjoy their prime years well into their thirties – he is the same age as respective Manchester City and Liverpool superstars Ederson and Alisson – and the hope is that he remains at Molineux for as long as possible.

Former Wolves hero Andy Thompson has made his feelings on the Portuguese clear, saying of him last year: "I think he was more than a worthy winner because of the amount of outstanding performances he had. His handling and the possession in his feet on the ball with his passing range, he’s been doing that all year. He’s been a bargain.

"He’s done a great job and I know he’s had a couple of erratic moments, but he’s been outstanding with the level he’s been playing at throughout the season. It was a tough position to come into because he had big shoes to fill in Rui Patricio, who was an outstanding keeper as well, so to fill that gap and then to go on in his first season the way he has, it’s been outstanding for him."

This further outlines how highly Sa is thought of at Wolves, and the 16-time capped former Portugal Under-21 international will need to be at his best to ensure that his side pull away from the Premier League relegation zone, pushing towards more of a mid-table finish in the process.

Extraordinary wins can galvanise teams. Ask the India 1983 World Cup side, who had been 7 for 78 against Zimbabwe in Tunbridge Wells, before Kapil Dev struck 178 off 135 balls to post a score that proved just a little beyond the opposition. On the back of that victory India would win thrice more, famously beating a formidable West Indies side in the final.Or ask the Sri Lanka World T20 side of 2014. They had scored only 119 against New Zealand, and were on the brink of exiting the tournament. Then came the sublime spell from Rangana Herath; his 5 for 3 generating the wave of confidence that bore the team to the title.Now Bangladesh find themselves hoping they follow a similar trajectory. There are no world titles on offer in Sri Lanka, but for a side that over the past six months has been trounced in South Africa, lost their coach, and then were defeated across formats at home by the team that coach defected to, a resurgence is desired almost as desperately. Captain Mahmudullah was optimistic their superb chase of 215 will be a fresh start as Bangladesh hone in on a particular style of cricket from which sustained success could bloom.”We needed that win and the desire really drove everyone starting from the players, the support staff and team management,” he said. “We believe in our ability. We have taken a step in the right direction. Now we want to move on with the positives towards the next match.”Among the more remarkable features of Bangladesh’s chase against Sri Lanka was the top order’s reliance on timing, rather than power. Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim in particular were adept at harnessing the pace on the ball for their own ends, while the likes of Soumya Sarkar played restrained innings, even with the required rate consistently north of 10. That approach is a blueprint for further batting success, said Mahmudullah.”We spoke about creating a Bangladesh brand of T20 cricket ahead of this tour. We need to be smart to take calculative risk – particularly when taking on a bowler. This will give us the edge. We don’t have the power hitters, which we need to address – but we need to be smart to carry out our skills.”If Saturday’s batting excellence is to be a catalyst for resurgence, Bangladesh know their bowling must quickly shape up. Although there were hints in the match against Sri Lanka that Mustafizur Rahman was returning to form – his cutters began to yield better results – he was nevertheless expensive, conceding 48 runs from his four overs. The trick, perhaps, would be to bank on spin and slower balls, Mahmudullah said.”The wicket suits the batsmen more, but Indian bowlers are taking pace off the ball, which is something even we can try to do. You must have seen that when the spinners Nazmul Islam and Mehidy Hasan were bowling in the last game, there was a span of 20-odd balls when they stopped the boundaries. But I still feel we have to step up our efforts, which I feel our bowlers can do.”

Arsenal clearly need a spark to get their stuttered start to the Premier League season back on track, with one transfer rumour they could seek to turn into a reality…

Who are Arsenal signing this summer?

The Gunners had seemingly enjoyed a fine summer window before their campaign got underway, but three unconvincing displays have drawn some of those decisions into question.

Large parts of it were dominated by their continued pursuit of Moises Caicedo too, despite their interest fizzling out as Chelsea instead moved to bring him in.

Having failed to land the Ecuador international in January, seeing two bids rejected, Brighton and Hove Albion eventually attained a British transfer record fee to sanction his exit.

Whilst Mikel Arteta will remain happy given he instead has Declan Rice, it still feels like they are lacking some firepower from midfield to take them to the next level.

Fortunately, they have already registered their interest in Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz this summer, who would not only mark an upgrade on the Blues’ new 21-year-old general, but also add the necessary goals to truly kickstart their term.

The club were linked with a move originally last month, while Football Transfers value the Brazilian star at just €36.8m (£32m).

What is Douglas Luiz good at?

Although it may have been a hammer blow to lose out on Caicedo, for the eventual fee paid it would have been simply unsustainable to acquire both him and Rice in the same window.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

However, with Luiz seemingly the cut-price option, there are plenty of similarities that suggest the 25-year-old could actually mark an upgrade on the lucrative star.

Especially given the attacking impetus that the former Manchester City ace would offer ahead of Chelsea's new man, with last season marking a standout one in front of goal.

Featuring in all but one of their league matches, he would score six and assist a further six.

Other starring assets support this figure further, as he added creativity and steely work rate to make him one of the most well-rounded midfielders in the division.

This was showcased in his 1.2 key passes, the best of any Villa player, and two tackles per game, the third-best in the squad, via Sofascore.

The latter statistic helps support the notion outlined by journalist Ashley Preece, who once branded him an "enforcer".

Whilst Caicedo may have enjoyed his finest year to date last campaign, there is still a gulf between him and Luiz that suggests the latter would mark a far greater option for Arteta's title-chasing outfit.

This is best outlined by just two goal contributions which are barely comparable to his alternative.

Whilst the new Chelsea star would still maintain 1.2 key passes per game, with his 2.7 tackles via Sofascore, a marked improvement, that slight increase in defensive work rate is hardly enough to justify such a lofty price swing.

It is also worth noting the difference in experience too, as Caicedo's move to Stamford Bridge makes more sense given the project being built by the new boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are seeking to gain success now, and with Luiz boasting 143 appearances in the Premier League, 96 more than the former Independiente del Valle gem, that time at the top of the game could prove vital.

With aspirations of toppling the Citizens this season, and with deadline day now looming, such a switch would mark a stellar late deal for Arteta to complete, marking a better move than their old target.

Hibernian parted company with manager Lee Johnson over the weekend following a dreadful start to the 2023/24 campaign at Easter Road.

Although the club secured progress in the League Cup via a win over Raith Rovers while qualifying for the Europa Conference League playoff round, it hasn’t been enough to save Johnson.

Woeful European defeats to Inter Club d’Escaldes and Aston Villa sandwich an impressive two-legged performance against Swiss side Luzern, but their Premiership form has been nothing shy of disastrous.

They have yet to win a point across their first three matches as they are rooted to the bottom of the table, and although they have scored five times during these ties, conceding eight goals isn’t the form of top-four contenders.

The search for a new boss begins, and the club will need to get it right in order to return to form.

Who could be the new Hibs manager?

The moment a manager is relieved of their duties, the thoughts turn to who could be next in line to manage the team.

Former defender David Gray will lead the side on a caretaker position until a new boss is found, and they may wait until the international break to appoint someone.

The Scotsman have compiled a list of some ideal candidates for the Hibs board to consider and the vast majority of names could certainly be an improvement on Johnson.

Names include Derek McInnes, Neil Lennon, and former Celtic captain Scott Brown, but there is another name on the list who could be an excellent replacement for the recently departed 42-year-old at Easter Road; Marti Cifuentes.

Who is Marti Cifuentes?

The current Hammarby manager was actually linked with a move to Hearts before Steven Naismith was given the opportunity to lead the side, and it’s evident that clubs in Scotland have noticed his potential.

The Spaniard prefers to play with a 4-3-3 formation which could benefit from the quality that Hibs have in their midfield and attack.

He has managed 231 matches during his relatively short managerial career thus far and across those games, he has won 356 points at a rate of 1.54 points per game, whereas Johnson has won just 1.47 points per match.

Cifuentes enjoyed a solid first season in charge of the Swedish side, leading the team to third place in the league while just missing out on national cup success.

Such an achievement certainly makes him comparable to the former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, who built up a wonderful reputation of his own in Sweden.

He led Ostersunds to the Swedish Cup while also claiming a stunning victory against Arsenal in the Europa League, something that secured him a move to England.

Cifuentes has also forged his career in Scandinavia, managing Sandefjord and Aalborg BK before getting the top job at Hammarby, averaging 1.81 points per match at his latest club.

Potter actually averaged fewer points per match (1.71) during his stint in Sweden, meaning the Spaniard looks like he could certainly follow in his footsteps.

Hibs should be making a concrete effort to lure the 41-year-old to Easter Road before another club lands him and the next few weeks could be interesting indeed.