Former U.S. international Herculez Gomez says Ricardo Pepi's availability and fitness could be the deciding factors in whether the PSV Eindhoven striker secures the starting No. 9 role for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup. The 22-year-old forward recently returned for the Dutch champions after recovering from knee surgery that sidelined him for several months.
AFPPepi's finishing quality evident
The ESPN analyst noted that the position remains wide open for the USMNT ahead of the 2026 World Cup, presenting a significant opportunity for Pepi.
“I think he has shown, in the brief time he has played, this season and last season when fit, with the USMNT – if he’s fit – he is going to score goals,” Gomez said on Futbol Americas. “He’s got to stay fit, got to stay hungry. Because that No. 9 for the USMNT, if the World Cup is his bar, then it’s a wide open race. It was his, but if you’re not on the field, you’ve already lost it. And he’s not been on the field…
"I hear a player who is being told to stay patient and I see a player that, in flashes, shows you good things. But I’ve been there myself… I don’t know where he is, only he knows where he is. But he’s got to stay patient, he’s got to stay strong and he’s got to take his chances with the national team when they come.”
AdvertisementClub form shows promise
Since joining PSV Eindhoven in 2023, Pepi has shown glimpses of his potential, when available. The striker has contributed 34 goals in 78 appearances for the club, including key strikes in the Champions League.
However, a knee injury last season led him to miss a majority of the season, and he has only just recovered, scoring a brace against NEC Nijmegen upon his return to full fitness.
Striker competition intensifies
Pepi's fight for the starting role comes amid increasing competition from other American forwards. Folarin Balogun became the favorite after his strong performance in the September friendlies, while Patrick Agyemang endeared himself to Mauricio Pochettino during the Gold Cup.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
AFPWorld Cup roster decisions ahead
With approximately nine months remaining before the 2026 World Cup, time is running short for players to solidify their positions in Pochettino's plans.
The upcoming international windows in October represent crucial evaluation opportunities.
Jasprit Bumrah could make it to India’s Champions Trophy squad subject to him being fit in time for the tournament that begins on February 19.ESPNcricinfo has learned the injury that prevented Bumrah from bowling on the fifth day of the Sydney Test is stress related. Though the first round of tests did not reveal a stress fracture in the back, it is understood the discomfort Bumrah suffered was related to his workload in the five Tests in Australia. He bowled 151.2 overs in nine innings, taking 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Accordingly, on advice from medical experts, the BCCI decided to allow Bumrah rest for at least five weeks (the Sydney Test finished on January 5) after which he will undergo another scan to determine if he can return to action.Related
India's Champions Trophy squad: Will Bumrah be ready in time?
Rohit keeps his spot as captain for England ODIs and Champions Trophy
Sitanshu Kotak set to join India team as batting coach
If Bumrah is cleared of injury, his match fitness is likely to be tested in the final ODI of the home series against England on February 12. The deadline to submit the final Champions Trophy squad to the ICC is February 11.As it stands, Bumrah is likely to be named in India’s 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy that will be announced on Saturday, with an asterisk against his name, implying his inclusion is subject to fitness.India play three ODIs against England on February 6, 9 and 12 – their first ODIs since the tour of Sri Lanka in August last year – before the Champions Trophy begins on February 19. India are in Group A in the Champions Trophy and begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, after which they play Pakistan on February 23, and New Zealand on March 2. India play all their matches in Dubai because their government refused to let the team travel to Pakistan.
يستعد فريق ليفربول، بقيادة المدرب آرني سلوت، لخوض مباراة قوية مساء اليوم السبت ضد تشيلسي، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
ويستضيف ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج” مباراة فريقي ليفربول وتشيلسي، في قمة منافسات الجولة السابعة من بطولة الدوري، موسم 2025/26.
ويتصدر ليفربول جدول الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 15 نقطة، بينما يحتل تشيلسي المركز التاسع برصيد 8 نقاط.
ويدخل ليفربول تلك المباراة بعدما عانى من أسبوع سيئ للغاية، حيث خسر أمام كريستال بالاس بهدفين لهدف في الدوري الإنجليزي، قبل سقوطه أمام جالطة سراي بهدف نظيف في دوري أبطال أوروبا.
ويسعى ليفربول إلى مصالحة جماهيره وتحقيق فوز في مباراة اليوم من أجل تعزيز الصدارة قبل فترة التوقف الدولي لشهر أكتوبر الحالي. موعد مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي
تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي
تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 1 معلق مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي
سيعلق خليل البلوشي على أحداث مباراة اليوم.
ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.
Aaqib Khan picked up three wickets before Abishek Porel’s 82 kept India C in hunt for the first-innings lead
Shashank Kishore20-Sep-2024
Abishek Porel’s 82 revived India C•PTI
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar and Ishan Kishan all missed out on an opportunity to play substantial knocks as India C found themselves in a dogfight for the first-innings honours against India A in Anantapur.At stumps on day two, India C were 216 for 7, seemingly in a better position courtesy of an unbroken 49-run stand between Pulkit Narang and Vijaykumar Vyshak.The bulk of the damage was done by 20-year-old Uttar Pradesh seamer Aaqib Khan, who dismissed Gaikwad (17), Sudharsan (17) and Patidar (first-ball duck) after coming on first change. The innings was then revived by Abishek Porel, who continues to enjoy a breakout year.Porel, one of the bright performers for Delhi Capitals at IPL 2024, struck 82 off 113 balls to build on a clutch unbeaten 35 in the previous game that helped his side clinch a low-scoring thriller.Narang, who at the age of 30 is looking to make up for lost time as a first-class cricketer, will hope to score his third first-class half-century on Saturday and get his side into the lead. Narang, who bowls offspin, is currently on 99 first-class wickets.Earlier, India A managed to stretch their first-innings score from the overnight 224 for 7 to 297 courtesy of lower-order fireworks from Avesh Khan, who struck an unbeaten 51, his second first-class fifty. He was well supported by Prasidh Krishna, who made 34. A bulk of the contribution had come on the opening day courtesy of Shashwat Rawat’s 124.Vyshak, who is on the selectors’ radar after being awarded a fast-bowling contract, picked up two of the three remaining wickets; he finished with figures of 4 for 51. Anshul Kamboj, the Haryana quick fresh off an eight-for in the previous game, ended with 3 for 49.
“I think the skill has failed us when it has been really important,” Sri Lanka head coach Ratnayake said after defeat to India
Firdose Moonda10-Oct-20242:59
‘The timing of Harmanpreet’s knock makes it special’
Sri Lanka’s head coach Rumesh Ratnayake has described his team’s performance at the T20 World Cup as “not acceptable”, and a consequence of skill “failing us” after they were knocked out of semi-final contention by India. Sri Lanka have lost all of their three matches so far in the World Cup, and cannot advance out of the group after coming into the event with the expectation they could go after an impressive last 20 months.Since the last T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka have won series in England and South Africa, cruised through the World Cup Qualifiers in Abu Dhabi undefeated, and beaten Pakistan and India on their way to becoming Asia Cup champions. But Sri Lanka lost to both those oppositions and defending champions Australia in the first week of the tournament, which Ratnayake put down to overall underperformance.”It was bad playing through and through this tournament,” he said after Sri Lanka lost to India by 82 runs. “They’ve been doing poor cricket, and that is not acceptable. We’ve been talking about it, we’ve tried to come out of it and we’ve tried various things, we’ve been fearlessly doing things, freely doing things, and I think the skill has failed us when it has been really important.”Related
Pakistan to 'move on and bring new faces' in batting unit after group-stage exit
Harmanpreet, bowlers demolish Sri Lanka to hand India big NRR boost
Scenarios: How can India make it to the semi-finals?
Harmanpreet serves up a reminder of Harmonster
Though he did not specifically say it, Ratnayake must have been talking about Sri Lanka’s batting. They have not crossed 100 in any of their three innings, whether batting first or chasing, and their collective form has directly mirrored their captain’s. Chamari Athapaththu has been dismissed in single figures in each innings for a total of ten runs at the tournament thus far. It is her worst return at a World Cup, and stands in stark contrast to the last two editions, in South Africa and Australia, where she scored over 100 runs in each event.The singular focus on Athapaththu can be traced back – probably much further, but for our purposes – to the start of Sri Lanka’s current bad patch, which started on their tour of Ireland in August. Athapaththu missed the two T20Is as she was playing in the Hundred, and though Sri Lanka started well in the first T20I and chased down 146 inside 17 overs to win comfortably, they could not reach a target of 174 in the next match. On Athapaththu’s return, for the ODIs, she notched up 0 and 22 as Sri Lanka went 2-0 down, before managing 48 when they claimed a consolation win.”From the second match up to the fifth match [in Ireland], there were situations where we were on top and we faltered,” Ratnayake said.One such situation was in the second T20I, where Sri Lanka were 101 for 2 in the 13th over but then lost 5 for 56 in five overs to lose by seven runs. Still, Ratnayake was happy with the work they did back in Sri Lanka.”Our preparation was really good back home,” he said. “We played on various types of wickets. We simulated some of those similar situations, but winning those moments, winning those appropriate situations, decision-making along with the skill hasn’t been backed up. The skill did not come through as it did as you said in the finals of the Asia Cup. So that’s something which we need to work on, rethink and come back.”Sri Lanka’s form in the World Cup has reflected that of their captain Chamari Athapaththu•Getty ImagesIn the Asia Cup final, Sri Lanka successfully chased 166, and though Athapaththu scored a half-century, they also had runs in the form of an unbeaten 69 from Harshitha Samarawickrama, and a 16-ball 30 from Kavisha Dilhari. Both of those are players Athapaththu herself has identified as being key to the future of Sri Lanka cricket. Ratnayake also believed Sri Lanka are “almost closing the gap”, between Athapaththu and other batters with potential, and he continues to have faith in their development initiatives.”In the past 22 months, we’ve worked hard on creating an environment which is conducive for learning,” he said. “So we are not only building up in confidence but building up in confidence so that we would back ourselves with the skill as well.”But has that confidence spilled over into overconfidence, given Sri Lanka’s fighting talk before the series? Athapaththu spoke realistically of their chances of making the semi-finals at this tournament despite being in the tougher of the two groups, and Ratnayake backed that up when he said Sri Lanka “are here to win the World Cup,” and not just participate.”Overconfidence is a thing which is verbally not accepted in our environment, so I don’t think it’s overconfidence, but they are confident enough,” he said. “That is what we thrive on and that is what we emphasise on. It’s just that when needed, we haven’t won the moments.”Now, they also have no hope of winning the World Cup but Ratnayake continues to believe in the group of players he is working with. “This has happened and we will never give up, so that’s a very heartening and a very satisfying thing for a coach to see,” he said. “As much as I’ve created an environment, I’m quite privileged and honoured to be here because they are a super lot. I know we will come through this sooner rather than later.”Sri Lanka have two days before their final match, against New Zealand on Saturday, and Ratnayake has described it as a “prime objective” to “salvage ourselves” and win that game. They will be up against a New Zealand side who will feel the same way, after their chastening defeat to Australia, and with the match a must-win to keep their semi-final hopes alive. For Ratnayake, nothing less than an almighty fight will be acceptable.
One of the biggest priorities for Arsenal this summer is to sign a new centre forward with Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko both touted.
Yet, the Gunners must also bolster their options out wide where Bukayo Saka could do with added assistance on the right wing. Upgrades on Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, the scorers of ten goals apiece last term, could also be upgraded.
Andrea Berta has reportedly been looking at whole host of options with Premier League trio Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze and Morgan Rogers all reportedly on their radar.
However, reports over the last 48 hours have suggested that Noni Madueke is now a very realistic option for Arsenal in the transfer window.
How Arsenal could strengthen out wide
The ever-reliable David Ornstein revealed to his followers on Saturday afternoon that Arsenal have agreed personal terms with Madueke.
Club-to-club talks are yet to take place but the Gunners have clearly not done a lot of work on the player side.
Chelsea are now expecting a bid from the Gunners in the forthcoming days, according to Sky Sports.
Capable of playing on the right or the left, the England international would add solid cover along the Arsenal attack, but truth be told, they can surely do better than this.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, one option is Real Madrid’s Rodrygo. They have flirted with making a move for the Brazilian for most of the window and according to prior reports, positive talks have been held regarding a move.
Reports from Spain a few days ago suggested that Arsenal were prepared to put a whopping £78m on the table to prise the winger away from the Spanish capital and it’s now been revealed that he actually fancies a move.
According to Gunners insider, Hand of Arsenal, intermediaries working with clubs in Saudi Arabia have been told that “in no uncertain terms that Rodrygo’s preference is to move to the Premier League.”
The report goes on to reveal that Arsenal is the Brazil star’s “absolute priority” if a deal can be struck with Madrid.
How Rodrygo compares to Noni Madueke
There are understandable concerns from Arsenal supporters that Madueke would be another dud Chelsea player they’ve signed.
However, he does have immense talent. The winger scored a Premier League hat-trick in 2024/25 and despite the wealth of riches available to Enzo Maresca in attack, the England international still started 27 games in the top-flight.
Yet, he’s not Rodrygo, is he? The Brazil “superstar”, as he’s been dubbed by former teammate Luka Modric, has a history of scoring plenty of goals in Spain and the best campaign of his career came back in 2022/23, when he found the net on 19 occasions.
He may have only scored six times in LaLiga throughout the last campaign but he found the net 14 times across all competitions. He also supplied 11 assists to rubberstamp his threat as a creator too.
Madueke, on the other hand, only scored 11 goals in all competitions and registered just five assists. Already, we can see that Rodrygo produces better output. But, where else does the 24-year-old Madrista thrive?
Goals per game
0.24
0.25
Assists per game
0.11
0.20
Shots *
3.54
2.52
Key passes *
1.42
2.29
Progressive passes *
3.05
5.05
Shot-creating actions *
3.50
4.95
Successful take-ons *
1.99
2.29
Progressive carries
6.81
5.28
Carries
28.4
41.5
Touches
43.4
62.6
Well, in 80% of the metrics analysed, it’s the Madrid sensation who comes out on top. Not only does he produce more goals and assists per game, but he’s just overall a much greater threat in the final third of the pitch.
Madueke does trump him for progressive carries, but that aside, there are some big wins for Arsenal’s £78m target, perhaps most notably in a creative sense, where he registered more progressive passes, shot-creating actions and key passes.
Yes, Arsenal had problems scoring goals last term but with Saka out injured, they also lacked a bit of creativity. After all, no one in the Premier League came close to matching his level of output in that regard.
Saka produced the highest number of expected assists per 90 minutes last term (0.52) in the entire division, more than even Mo Salah, who produced 0.48.
So, with Rodrygo looking a lot more like the complete package when compared to Madueke, he must be Arsenal’s biggest priority once they’ve got a striker over the line.
The dream squad Arsenal could build: £235m stars & "the new Haaland" sign
Here’s what the Arsenal squad could look like at the end of the summer.
Ange Postecoglou enjoyed the most glorious vindication as he lifted the Europa League after leading his Tottenham Hotspur side to victory against Manchester United, making good on a promise that was scoffed at by detractors when made.
However, there’s no detracting from the fact that Spurs have flattered to deceive this season, 17th in the Premier League with one match left to play, having been battered by injuries and consequent struggles for any measure of fluency.
Things need to change next season, and Daniel Levy will certainly be wrestling over the manager’s seat, with Postecoglou’s future uncertain in spite of his success in ending the club’s interminable trophy drought.
However, by doing so, the Aussie tactician has salvaged something special from this difficult year, placing Tottenham in next year’s Champions League group stage. By doing so, it’s opened the door for exciting signings to strengthen the squad.
Spurs favourites to seal statement signing
As per Spanish sources, Tottenham are the favourites to sign RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons this summer after unlocking the door to Europe’s elite stage.
Leipzig failed to qualify for Europe this term and have thus informed Simons he will be allowed to leave, though they will demand €80m (£68m) for his release.
Liverpool had been in the running for the Dutchman but have moved to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz instead, with the German side looking for a €150m (£126m) payment. However, the Lilywhites will feel that they can secure a signing every bit as impactful and for almost half the cost.
Why Spurs must sign Xavi Simons
Described as a “superstar” in the making by analyst Ben Mattinson, Simons left Paris Saint-Germain to make his name at Leipzig back in the summer of 2023, playing the coming campaign as a loanee before signing permanently in a €50m (£42m) deal.
Alternating between central attacking midfield and wider berths, he’s been an invariably prolific presence, posting 44 goal contributions from 76 matches in all competitions.
Xavi Simons celebrates
Described as a “game-changer” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Simons has the potency to make a stunning impression in Postecoglou’s Spurs squad, but he also has the strength and solidity to thrive in the wider lens of English football.
When looking at how he compares with Liverpool’s soon-to-be-signed superstar in the Bundesliga this year, you begin to see that Tottenham could bag themselves a winner here.
Matches (starts)
25 (25)
31 (25)
Goals
10
10
Assists
7
12
Shots (on target)*
2.0 (0.9)
2.3 (1.3)
Touches*
68.0
73.4
Pass completion
83%
82%
Big chances created
12
17
Key passes
2.0
1.8
Dribbles*
1.3
2.6
Ball recoveries*
5.1
3.6
Tackles + interceptions*
1.6
1.3
Duels won*
5.4
5.2
Honestly, there’s a case to be made that Simons has enjoyed the better Bundesliga campaign, marginally outperforming last year’s Player of the Season across many of the underlying metrics and proving he has what it takes to thrive in the Premier League, confident in the duel and precise with his passing.
This robust Netherlands star is exactly what Tottenham need, and though at £68m he’d prove their record signing, it would be money well spent for a team now with a unique opportunity to put the year’s issues in the past and turn toward a sustained period of success.
Bayer Leverkusen's FlorianWirtzreacts
It would make quite the statement, retorting to Liverpool’s capture with their own version, one who could go punch-for-punch with the German in the Premier League.
Without question, Wirtz is one of the most exciting midfielders of his generation. Former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes has even said he’s “probably the best midfielder in the world.” However, his loyalties obviously lie with the Werkself.
If anything, Simons’ metrics simply highlight the calibre of player Postecoglou would be bringing into his ranks, ready to steer this Tottenham team toward an illustrious new era.
Spurs hit gold on "sensational" monster who's becoming their new Dembele
The impressive international could be a star for Spurs.
Tottenham Hotspur and a player have now agreed to part ways this summer after behind-scenes talks, with the man himself making an admission about his future in N17.
Ange Postecoglou likely to leave Tottenham as Spurs plan for summer
Ange Postecoglou suffered his nineteenth top-flight defeat of the season against Liverpool on Sunday, which equalled the Lilywhites’ record for most league losses in a single Premier League campaign.
Tottenham talking about appointing "special" manager wanted by Real Madrid
Spurs decision-makers now want to show ambition.
ByEmilio Galantini Apr 26, 2025
Dominic Solanke surprisingly opened the scoring for Spurs at Anfield, but their joy was short-lived, as goals from Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, Mohammed Salah and Destiny Udogie (OG) cemented Liverpool’s status as champions of England on another afternoon to forget for the north Londoners.
West Ham (away)
May 3rd
Crystal Palace (home)
May 10th
Aston Villa (away)
May 18th
Brighton (home)
May 25th
Reports in the build up to that match indicated that Postecoglou could leave Tottenham regardless of their Europa League campaign, with Spurs facing Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of their semi-final on Thursday.
A plethora of top coaches have been tipped as candidates to succeed Postecoglou, including Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Scott Parker (Burnley).
GiveMeSport have also reported that Tottenham have discussed hiring Jürgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso, with some key decision-makers determined to showcase ambition in their pursuit of a new manager.
Bayer Leverkusen coachXabiAlonso
Alongside Postecoglou, a few players may be joining the former Celtic boss in departing the club this summer. Cristian Romero is a top target for Atlético Madrid, and a report from The Telegraph’s Matt Law this week claims Tottenham are in for a ‘sell to buy’ window, so the Argentine’s exit is entirely possible.
Richarlison has also been linked with a summer exit from Spurs recently, amid rumoured interest from David Moyes’ Everton, while those within Tottenham are growing more open to selling Pedro Porro to fund their transfer plans (Graeme Bailey). There is also the matter of players currently out on loan elsewhere, like Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil.
Bryan Gil confirms decision to leave Tottenham this summer
The latter was on a temporary deal at Girona, where he managed four goals and three assists in 32 total appearances for the club.
However, the 24-year-old’s season is now over due to a ligament tear which required surgery, and that has also given him time to discuss his long-term future with the press.
Speaking to Estadio Deportivo, Gil confirmed his decision to leave Tottenham, and it is a totally mutual call, as both parties seek to part ways with no hard feelings.
“That’s something my agent will tell me where things are going, but they [Spurs] told me, and I told them, that the best thing is for us not to continue being linked to Tottenham,” said Gil.
“They bet on me when I was young, and they’ve treated me fairly well, but if I have to go back there, I’ll focus on giving my best as always. I’m calm because no one can have a bad word to say about me not being professional. Without playing, I’ve always trained well, I’ve done what I had to do, so whatever has to happen, will happen. We’ll see where we are next year.”
The Spaniard was signed by Fabio Paratici in a £21.6 million swap deal involving Erik Lamela, but after four years at Spurs dominated by loan moves elsewhere, it appears the “very exciting” Gil is destined to leave for good – if Daniel Levy can find a buyer.
Glasgow Rangers will be on the lookout for a new manager this summer after Barry Ferguson’s time as the interim head coach comes to an end.
The Scottish boss came in to replace Philippe Clement on a short-term basis and has the job until the end of the 2025/26 campaign, when a decision will be made on the holder of the position on a long-term basis.
Ferguson has not done too much to further his claim to take the job on permanently after a fairly unimpressive collection of results in the Europa League and the Scottish Premiership so far.
His side failed to score in three of their four Europa League outings, eventually getting knocked out by Athletic Bilbao, and the Scottish manager has only won three of his seven top-flight games in charge, most recently drawing 2-2 with St Mirren.
The Light Blues may, therefore, have to look further afield to find their manager for next season and beyond, because Ferguson does not look up to the task of returning Rangers to their former glory on the evidence of his interim period in charge.
In fact, a fresh report on the club’s search for a new head coach suggests that the club are looking at other options to come in and replace the former Scotland international in the Ibrox dugout.
Rangers considering moves for two managerial candidates
According to TEAMtalk, the Scottish giants have whittled their shortlist of managerial candidates down to two in their search for a new tactician.
The report claims that former RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose has emerged as a contender for the job, as the Gers hierarchy are said to be thinking about him for the job.
It states that the pending takeover will put the club in a better financial situation, and that they are looking for an exciting managerial appointment to take the team in the right direction.
Rose is said to have been sounded out about the job and that he is open to taking on a new role next season, having left his position at RB Leipzig in March.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
The German head coach, however, is not the only manager on the shortlist. TEAMtalk adds that the Light Blues are seriously considering a swoop for former Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard.
It states that the English manager, who left Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq in January, would be interested in a return to Glasgow to manage the team for a second time.
Steven Gerrard
In fact, TEAMtalk reports that many managers see the job as an attractive prospect because of the potential to win domestic trophies, as well as the prospect of Champions League or Europa League football, which Gerrard has not had since his first spell in Scotland.
With all of this in mind, the 49ers and Kevin Thelwell, who is set to take up the position of sporting director this summer, must move to bring the Liverpool legend back to Ibrox ahead of a swoop for Rose.
Why Steven Gerrard would be better for Rangers than Marco Rose
The German boss is, certainly, a strong candidate for the job because he has achieved relative success in both Austria with RB Salzburg and Germany with RB Leipzig.
Rose won two titles in two seasons in the Austrian Bundesliga before making his way to his home country with Borussia Monchengladbach, with whom he finished fourth and eighth before joining Borussia Dortmund and finishing second in the 2021/22 campaign.
The 48-year-old boss then joined Leipzig and finished third and fourth in his first two seasons, before leaving the club in sixth place in the division this season.
This suggests that Rose, despite winning the German Cup in the 2022/23 campaign, regressed during his time at Monchengladbach and Leipzig, as their respective league positions dropped the longer he stayed.
Nathan Patterson, Steven Gerrard
Rangers must, now, swoop for Gerrard instead because he would be an even better appointment than the German head coach, as he is a proven quantity at Ibrox and in Scottish football.
The 4-3-3 boss joined the Light Blues in the summer of 2018 and led the club to second-placed finishes in the Premiership in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, before winning the league title in his third year in Glasgow.
Gerrard’s team, incredibly, went unbeaten in the 2020/21 campaign in the top-flight, winning 32 matches and drawing six, to beat Celtic to the title.
It was a remarkable accomplishment by the manager, whose reputation was described as “amazing” by former England defender Glen Johnson, who won the league title for Rangers for the first time in ten years.
Former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale, and Philippe Clement have all attempted to replicate the success that Gerrard had at Ibrox, but failed and were all relieved of their duties without winning the league title.
The former Liverpool midfielder’s experience and success at Ibrox are exactly why he would be an even better appointment than Rose, because he knows what it takes to win the Premiership and has proven that he can put together a team to do exactly that.
Matches
38
12
Wins
32
8
Draws
6
3
Defeats
0
1
Points
102
27
Points per game
2.68
2.25
League position
1st
1st
As you can see in the table above, Gerrard only lost one of his last 50 Premiership matches in charge of Rangers, leaving the club at the top of the table after 12 matches in the 2021/22 campaign when he left to join Aston Villa.
The Gers have lost seven of their 34 games in the league in the current season, which illustrates just how impressive that record across 50 outings was, and they clearly need a manager who can bring a winning mentality back to Glasgow.
Steven Gerrard
Therefore, bringing Gerrard back to Ibrox in the hope that he can recapture the spark that he had in his first spell at the club could be a brilliant move for the 49ers and Thelwell to make.
The out-of-work tactician could bring the feel-good factor back to Ibrox, more so than Rose, who has no experience in Scotland or prior connection with the fanbase, and it is a move that seems to make a lot of sense on paper.
Rangers must axe £3m flop who has missed more games than Lawrence
Kevin Thelwell has a big job on his hands at Rangers
Debutant hailed for seam skills at vital juncture of South Africa’s first innings
Firdose Moonda16-Dec-2024Another day, another impressive performance from an England Test debutant in Bloemfontein. This time it was Ryana MacDonald-Gay, the 20-year old seamer, who struck twice even as lightning could not, either side of a 45-minute weather-related interruption, as South Africa’s batting unravelled.Their collapse of 7 for 44 started when MacDonald-Gay, in her second spell and with the old ball, produced a delivery that held its stump-to-stump line, beat Marizanne Kapp’s drive and hit the top of off. It was a dream dismissal for any bowler, nevermind a complete newcomer taking her first wicket and that too, of one of the opposition’s most valuable players and a franchise team-mate. Kapp, who plays alongside MacDonald-Gay at Oval Invincibles, could only accept being undone.”She actually bowled the best out of all their seam bowlers,” Kapp said in the end-of-day press conference. “If you just look at her seam that they keep on showing on TV, that’s a massive standout. And if you are bowling with a seam like that, you’ll always get movement or a bit of nip or something.”Five balls after Kapp was bowled, the players were taken off the field with lightning visible in the distance. They spent 45 minutes waiting for the storm to pass and when they returned, MacDonald-Gay picked up exactly where she left off. New batter Nadine de Klerk had no answers for a back-of-a-length ball that was zoning in on off stump and nicked off.That opened the door to the South African tail with the second new ball still to come. The remaining five wickets fell when England took it, and Lauren Bell was the biggest beneficiary. She picked up three in seven balls and ended with a career-best 4 for 49 but agreed with Kapp that it would not have been possible without “Ree-Mac,” as she called McDonald-Gay.Related
Beaumont, Jones seal ODI series for England
No DRS for one-off Test
Maia Bouchier's perfect daddy-daughter day
Gaur, Filer handed ECB central contracts
Red-ball fever catches on in South Africa
“I completely agree (that she was the best),” Bell said. “I think (Lauren) Filer and Ree-Mac both bowled unbelievably today. Filer’s pace and Ree-Mac, she presented the seam amazingly and just nipped it around, so she held length. On debut, yeah, she was outstanding today.”Filer’s 2 for 53 included the big wickets of Annerie Dercksen, whom she peppered with short balls, and Sune Luus and proved the value of England including a fourth seamer. With more resources available to her, Heather Knight could use Filer, especially, in short spells. She had only one five-over spell, split by lunch, but was mostly used in three-over bursts, when she could crank the pace up. “That’s the best way to get the best out of our seamers is short spells, go really attacking, and just keep it ticking,” Bell said.She marvelled at Filer’s barrage to Dercksen which ended when the South African No.3 top-edged an attempted cut and sent a chance to Knight at second slip who parried it to Sophie Ecclestone at first. “Filer’s pace is obviously really attacking and she (Dercksen) didn’t look comfortable,” Bell said. “She holds that pace really well throughout her spell and she got her in the end with that team catch.”After lavishing praise on her team-mates, Bell also had the chance to reflect on her own performance and she was happy to call herself a work in progress, both in this innings and overall.Maia Bouchier and MacDonald-Gay pose with their debut Test caps•ECB/Getty Images”The job I had today was to bowl into the wind and I think I wanted to just hold length and hold line as much as possible,” she said. “With the second new ball, I was happier. It took me a while to work out what my best option was in that pitch but by the end I felt really good. At this current moment in time, it’s a process that I am very much going through.”It’s not that I won’t bowl inswing, or that that inswing that I used to bowl is gone. I just have been practising away-swing so much and it’s what I’m most comfortable bowling at this current moment in time. But my game will hopefully get to a point where I’m really comfortable bowling inswing, I’m really comfortable bowling away-swing, I’ve got my wobble ball will obviously make me, I hope, a pretty challenging bowler to face.”Someone Bell may look to emulate is Kapp, who has been South Africa’s best seamer and bowled four especially tough overs to start England’s second innings. The outswinger is Kapp’s poison and she beat Beaumont’s bat several times on the second evening.That may not concern her as much as what happened in the first innings, when Kapp thought she had Beaumont out lbw second ball after pinning her on the pad but umpire Kerrin Klaaste was not interested.In the absence of DRS (due to CSA prioritising it for white-ball women’s matches because of the cost), Kapp could not review. When asked about it, she did not complain.”It’s a new thing that we have DRS available,” she said. “I don’t believe we’ve had it available for T20s and ODI cricket before so it’s really helped in those series. And if I have to be completely honest, I’d probably prefer having it in those two formats.”Laura Wolvaardt also appeared to want to review when she was given out lbw to Sophie Ecclestone when she was on 65 and indicated she had hit it but had to go. South Africa will hope that, if there is another decision they want to go their way, it’s third time lucky.