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Juventus legends Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Capello have been vocal in their endorsements of Luciano Spalletti to take over as head coach following the sacking of Igor Tudor. The ex-Italy and Napoli coach is reportedly in talks to with the Serie A side, who are in a desperate scramble to salvage their season amid the eight-game winless run that resulted in the Croatian's dismissal.

Juventus part ways with Tudor after winless streak

Juventus have not won a match since September 13, an enthralling encounter against rivals Inter in Serie A which finished 4-3 at the Allianz Stadium courtesy of a stoppage time winner from Vasilije Adzic. It was their third consecutive win in the league, a brilliant start to the season with the team showing collective spirit. However, things have unravelled rather dramatically for the Old Lady. 

Juventus have since played eight games and have failed to register a win in each of those. In fact, in the previous four games, they haven't even managed to score a goal, with the 1-0 defeat to Lazio at the weekend forcing Juve to part ways with Tudor, just months after he had signed a contract extension until June 2027. 

In search of a replacement, Spalletti quickly emerged as the favourite, with another former Italy coach, Roberto Mancini, also being considered by the Turin club, according to reports. With Spalletti seemingly the top choice, Capello and Buffon believe his arrival will provide a boost to the team.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFormer Juventus boss Capello speaks on Tudor's successor

Speaking to , Capello didn't want to blame Tudor for Juve's struggles entirely, before giving his vote of confidence to Luciano Spalletti as the right man to become the next head coach. 

"Tudor pays for everyone. Eight games without a win are too many for Juventus, but the responsibility isn't solely the manager's," said the legendary former coach. "The original sin was the club's half-hearted faith in Tudor. Last summer, several coaches were sought, only to then confirm Igor and extend his contract. The players sniff out these situations and exploit them. The real question, however, is: was Tudor the team built or someone else?"

On Spalletti, he added: "A coach of value and experience. He's already led big clubs and won. After the disappointment against Italy, he'll be eager for revenge. What better way to start again than with a renowned team like Juventus? Spalletti has the right charisma to lift the Bianconeri out of a difficult moment. Paradoxically, the most positive aspect is the league table: Juve are only six points behind leaders Napoli and Roma. [Raffaele] Palladino? He did well with Monza and Fiorentina, but Juventus are on a higher level." 

Buffon backs Spalletti to end Juve's misery

Buffon, Juve's second-highest appearance maker after Alessandro Del Piero, also expressed his faith in Spalletti. "For me, Luciano is the right profile for any big club that wants to remain ambitious," the iconic goalkeeper said at a ceremony on Monday. "With him, you never lose too much. He's a football man, a great person, and a great coach. The best around in terms of experience, charisma, and authority. He's the right man for ambitious clubs that want to continue to be so. It's a shame to see him still without a bench."

The duo worked closely at the Italy national team, with Spalletti's stint as the Azzurri head coach briefly overlapping with Buffon's role as the head of national team delegation. 

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Getty ImagesJuventus to meet Spalletti on Tuesday

Juventus director Damien Comolli is reportedly set to meet the Scudetto-winning former Napoli manager Spalletti on Tuesday to discuss taking over from Tudor. According to multiple Italian outlets, including and , Spalletti is expected to be offered a deal until the end of the season, with an option to extend if Juventus secure Champions League qualification. Spalletti has already turned down offers from Saudi Arabia and Turkish clubs, though Mancini and Palladino remain backup options.

In the meantime, Massimiliano Brambilla, who was coaching the Juve Next Gen side, will take over the head coach role in the interim. He will be in charge for the game against Udinese on Wednesday.

Arsenal summer signing Cristhian Mosquera has piled praise on two Hale End academy gems he’s noticed since his arriving in North London, claiming they boast maturity far beyond their years.

Hale End prospering with conveyor belt of Arsenal sensations

Arsenal’s academy has long been a cornerstone of the club’s identity, and in recent years, it has blossomed into one of the Premier League’s most established talent factories.

Since the rise of England winger Bukayo Saka, whose breakthrough into the first team has been nothing short of spectacular, the academy’s reputation for developing technically gifted, versatile and exciting young players has only grown stronger.

Appearances

270

Goals

73

Assists

71

Bookings

31

Red cards

0

Minutes played

20,448

Saka, who’s about to be rewarded with a brand-new contract which could make him the club’s only £300,000-per-week player, set a very high benchmark for Hale End graduates.

His success has inspired a new generation of starlets emerging from the club’s youth ranks, many of whom are now knocking on the door of the senior squad or making waves in loan spells elsewhere.

15-year-old Max Dowman is chief among them, having just become the second-youngest debutant in Premier League history behind fellow rising Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri.

Ethan Nwaneri

15 years, 181 days

Arsenal

Max Dowman

15 years, 235 days

Arsenal

Jeremy Monga

15 years, 271 days

Leicester City

Harvey Elliott

16 years, 30 days

Fulham

Matthew Briggs

16 years, 68 days

Fulham

Dowman, after coming on against Leeds United, marked his first Arsenal league appearance by winning a penalty for Viktor Gyokeres to fire home in a 5-0 thrashing of the newly-promoted side.

Meanwhile, left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly, despite his ongoing battle with Riccardo Calafiori for a starting place this season, established himself as an England international during his breakthrough campaign last term.

The teenager started every Champions League knockout game for Arsenal in 24/25, including both of their semi-final legs against PSG, with Lewis-Skelly making 39 senior appearances in all competitions as a firm regular in Mikel Arteta’s starting eleven.

Sporting director Andrea Berta awarded both Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri with new long-term contracts in the summer to stave off interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, and Mosquera has already been blown away by what he’s seen from the pair.

Cristhian Mosquera piles praise on Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri at Arsenal

Speaking to The Athletic, Berta’s recruit lavished praise on Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri, saying the youngsters already “play like they’re 30” and it’s “incredible” to behold.

As Lewis-Skelly fights for his left-back spot, Nwaneri is yet to start a single Premier League game so far this season — but that is testament to the abundance of attacking quality in Arsenal’s squad.

Martin Odegaard’s new injury could free up space for the latter to accumulate more minutes, if Eberechi Eze doesn’t completely steal the number 10 role, but it is important to remember that Nwaneri is still very much in his infancy.

Interestingly, Arsenal chiefs hold very high hopes for Mosquera too, and there is a belief behind-the-scenes that their new defender could soon become one of the best centre-backs in world football.

Sri Lanka are set to play just four Tests in 2025

Madushka Balasuriya16-Jun-2025Ahead of his final Test match, Angelo Mathews became the latest voice to sound the alarm around the lack of Test cricket for nations outside of India, England and Australia.Sri Lanka will be playing just four Tests in 2025 – their lowest number of Tests in a calendar year since 2013, not counting a Covid-curtailed 2020. If you look at the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, an even bleaker picture begins to emerge. In the previous cycle, each of Australia, India and England played at least 19 WTC Tests each over a two-year period. Champions South Africa, for instance, played just 13.In the upcoming cycle, Australia are slated for 22 Tests, England 21, and 18 for India. Sri Lanka are set to play even fewer than they did in the previous cycle, with 12 Tests over the course of six two-Test series – joint lowest with Bangladesh.”I think it’s quite sad to be honest,” Mathews said. “I mean, the younger generation are urging for more Test cricket. Test cricket is obviously the pinnacle of cricket. We all should push for more Tests. These guys are so enthusiastic about Test cricket.”I feel there has to be a minimum of 10 matches at least [in a year]. Teams like England, India or Australia are playing 15-plus games a year. Why can’t we play? We can. If we keep pushing, I mean, we have to. We have won World Cups. We have done so much for cricket as a nation, and we deserve to play Test cricket, just like Australia, India and England.”Related

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'Time for me to say goodbye' – Angelo Mathews to retire from Test cricket

Mathews’ gripes aren’t new. Sri Lanka Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva banged the drum earlier this year ahead of their two-Test series against Australia. But it’s notable that a player with 118 Tests under his belt speaks up, after all, how many more Sri Lankans will realistically have the opportunity of matching that milestone?Even the timing of his retirement was, in part, impacted by the lack of Tests scheduled for Sri Lanka. While retirement was always on the cards for the now 38-year-old, particularly with it being the start of a new WTC cycle, the decision to play just the first Test was a decision borne in many ways out of circumstance.”I played my 100th Test in Galle, so I thought I’d say goodbye in Galle. But the main reason was because we don’t have any games coming up, at least for now. After this, we’ll be having our next assignment in Test cricket after a year’s time, that is a very long wait,” explained Mathews.”I thought it’s good to give an opportunity to whoever is going to replace me in the second Test, because he’s not going to get an opportunity till the next year (laughs). And in that year, you don’t know what what’s going to happen. So I thought I’d just play one game and then try and give an opportunity to the other guy who’s replacing me in the second Test.”

Leeds United are “keeping tabs” on two first team reinforcements for the January transfer window, including a midfield target who’s been likened to Sergio Busquets.

Farke "very, very pleased" with impressive Leeds win

The Whites picked up three vital points in the Premier League on Friday night, winning 2-0 at home to West Ham after racing into an early lead. Leeds manager Daniel Farke was delighted with what he saw from his team at Elland Road, as their encouraging start to life back in the top flight continues.

“We started very aggressively, very bravely, with passion. We wanted to win this game. Very spirited, deserved to be in the lead for 2-0. But also there, you could feel a little bit that it was a bit wild sometimes against the ball and with the ball. I think we had games where we had a way better structure and way more control and way more dominance during the season.

“But it was just the reason, it was just this difficult training week for us. Yes, in the second half, I think we started way better in terms of control and our organisation against the ball. Had much control, missed a bit to score the third goal and the last 20 minutes you could then really see again what a difficult week we had.

“Of course, a nervous last four minutes to bring it over the line this time but nevertheless, the prize is three points.“It is always like you have to dig in to win the momentum back. This is what we did today and for that, I am very, very pleased.”

The Whites look like they will be in a comfortable albeit not totally secure position come January, allowing the 49ers and Farke to plan for the furture with two long-term additions to the squad in mind.

Leeds eyeing two signings including Europa League midfielder

Speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed that Leeds are “keeping tabs” on Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Issouf Sissokho ahead of a possible move in Januay, and they will also look to bring in an exciting addition to their forward ranks by signing a new winger.

“It’s an interesting link this one, I don’t think there’s a lot that know about Sissokho really. He’s been playing in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv. He’s played in Champions League qualifiers, the Europa League as well. So he’s got a decent European pedigree.

“I think obviously, like you’ve said, maybe people are surprised that Leeds are in the market for midfielders because I think their midfielder has been okay this season. They’ve got [Ethan] Ampadu in there, and summer signing Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff who have definitely made a big impact in that midfield.

“Maybe Sissokho is an option that’s come up to Leeds and could be good value for money in that respect. He’s got 18 months left on his contract. As I said, Leeds are obviously keeping tabs on him. So let’s see if they follow up and firm up their interest.”

Sissokho could be a shrewd addition for Leeds midway through the season, despite not being a household name fans will know.

Better than Rodon: Leeds star who won 100% tackles is already undroppable

This Leeds United star should be undroppable after outshining Joe Rodon against West Ham.

1 ByDan Emery Oct 25, 2025

The 23-year-old has an incredible 96.2% pass completion rate in the Europa League this season, showing his brilliance on the ball, and he has also averaged 2.3 tackles per game, highlighting his effectiveness out of possession, too.

Sissokho has even been compared to Busquets in the way he reads game and gets his team on the front foot, which is about as big a compliment as any midfielder can be paid, and Leeds should be looking at him as an excellent option to bring in.

O’Rourke suggests the arrival of a winger will also be “key to their chances of Premier League survival”, with Daniel James suffering a stop-start campaign so far due to injuries.

Phil Foden has admitted he is feeling happy again amid his resurgence in form following a difficult last season with Manchester City. Foden scored two spectacular goals as City thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday and he highlighted the team's improved attitude and team spirit compared to one year ago.

Foden gives virtuoso display against Dortmund

City's homegrown hero got them off to a strong start against Dortmund by curling into the bottom corner in the first half. After Erling Haaland had doubled Pep Guardiola's side's advantage, Foden grabbed his second goal of the night with another trademark finish after cutting inside on to his left foot. His double took him on to 20 goals in Europe's top competition, moving level with Gareth Bale and surpassing Barcelona great Ronaldinho.

Foden has four goals and three assists so far this season, the perfect riposte to his troubled last campaign in which he experienced mental struggles in addition to his frustration at City's disappointing results.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesFoden playing with a smile on his face after 'tough' year

Foden told : "I'm loving it. I just need to play with a smile on my face, which I'm doing. Last year was tough, not just for myself but for everyone. There is a new togetherness this season and you can tell. Today Dortmund caused us some problems, they are a great team, but we stuck to the plan and broke them down with our talent up front.

"You learn a lot from it when you go through a tough patch. We have great captains in our team and we speak about how we can get back on track. And we've added great players to the squad as well and that's brought real hunger and togetherness. It was just about trying to be the team we used to be and this season we are seeing glimpses of that."

Guardiola: Foden is already back

Guardiola was delighted with Foden's two goals and said he was already back to the best version of himself even before his stunning display against Dortmund. The coach said: "He does not need to get closer. He is already there. It is true we have missed goals and he got two incredible goals. How many times have we seen that from Phil right? How many times? The generosity with the effort but also with the quality in the final third. We missed it a lot. I'm happy three more players scored goals and not just Erling Haaland."

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GettyFoden hoping for a call from Thomas Tuchel

Foden will be hoping for an England recall on Friday, when Thomas Tuchel makes his final squad announcement of 2025 for the last two World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania. Foden has not played for England since asking to be excused from the June matches against Senegal and Andorra although he was injured for the September international window.

"Thomas [Tuchel] knows perfectly how good Phil is and I'm sure he will do the best for your country," said Guardiola.

City have three days' rest before Sunday's mouthwatering game against Premier League champions Liverpool. The Reds did the double on City last season and are on a mini-revival of their own, celebrating back-to-back wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid after losing six of their previous seven games.

They came together at 84 for 5 and put on a partnership of 271 and it’s still going strong

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2025

Harry Brook brought up his first Test century against India•AFP/Getty Images

Tea Harry Brook picked off his ninth Test century in an afternoon session bossed by England, with India still smarting from Jamie Smith’s astonishing 80-ball hundred on day three of this second Test at Edgbaston.Both Smith (157) and Brook (140) went into tea unbeaten and dominant, the hosts 355 for 5, still trailing India by 232 but bossing matters ever since Mohammed Siraj removed Joe Root and Ben Stokes in consecutive deliveries. That left England 84 for 5 in the 22nd over, still trailing in their first innings by 503.They have not looked back since Smith walked out and drove the hat-trick delivery for four down the ground. The keeper-batter went into lunch unbeaten on 102, his second Test hundred, with 17 boundaries. Brook, meanwhile, still had nine runs of his own to pick off for his century.He’d get there four overs into the second session, guiding the ball through the cordon, between gully and second slip, off Prasidh Krishna for his 13th boundary to take him to three figures off 137 deliveries. It was Brook’s first century against India, and only his second at home, having fallen for 99 in his first innings of the series at Headingley.Mohammed Siraj struck twice in an over early on day three•Getty ImagesSmith had polished off his three-figures in one session, joint-third fastest on deliveries by an Engishman, and now has his second-highest first-class score. The keeper-batter was more or less a-run-a-ball up until he locked horns with Krishna in the over before the drinks break. With Shubman Gill chasing the match earlier than he needed to, Krishna was ordered to bounce Smith, who cashed in handsomely with four fours and a six smashed high over fine leg, taking the over for 23.Having reached his hundred with back-to-back fours off Ravindra Jadeja in the final over of the morning, both he and Brook played the afternoon steady. Only 106 was added in the 28 overs between lunch and tea, with the collective slowdown evident in the fact it took 101 deliveries for this sixth wicket stand to move from 200 to 250.Now at 271, it is the third-highest partnership for the sixth wicket and lower against India. The second new ball, which is just five overs away, feels like India’s only hope of splitting Smith and Brook, though Nitish Kumar Reddy did find Smith’s edge on 121, but Rishabh Pant could only get fingertips to the chance.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – The last time the All-Star Game was played here, all the pregame buzz was about a rookie righthander who was starting for the National League. Twenty-nine years later, we get the remake.

Where once Hideo Nomo was the star of stars, now it is Paul Skenes. Nomo was 6–1 with a 1.99 ERA and 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings when he started the 1995 All-Star Game. Skenes is 6–0 with a 1.90 ERA and 12.1 punchouts per nine.

Nomo did not disappoint. He pitched two shutout innings. ( The past eight All-Star starters have gone just one inning.) He struck out three. He retired three future Hall of Famers: Edgar Martinez, Frank Thomas and Cal Ripken Jr.

Nomo was 26 years old and had pitched in Japan for five seasons. Skenes is 22 and was pitching for LSU last year. He signed his first pro contract a year ago Thursday. He is even more of a phenom.

This is Skenes’s national introduction. The fastest pitch he has thrown this year was 101.9 mph. He just might go beyond that tonight. To understand just how good Skenes is, I decided to ask the best experts available: some of the All-Stars who have seen Skenes’s stuff from up close.

Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers (0-for-3, 1 K vs. Skenes)

“Right now the most impressive thing about him is the command of the baseball. He can go in and out with the heater. He can throw that … whatever you call that thing … at the bottom of the zone. He doesn't really make mistakes with it. I think that's what makes the deGroms and the Scherzers and all those guys so hard to hit. It's the command. 

“You can have elite stuff, but if you miss over the plate, we're going to, at some point, hit it. So, to have the command of the baseball. That he has this early in his career, and obviously with all the hype and all that, all the fanfare, all the media attention, and to go out there and just put the ball where you want, with 100, 102, with splitters, or whatever you call that thing … that's what's special.

“The game of baseball is in good hands with these young guys coming up. There's a lot of good ones and he's obviously at the top of the list.”

Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers (0-for-3, 1 K)

“He’s got that fastball at a hundred, so you have to be aware of that. And then you get that sinker-splitter thing at 91 that’s going down. The only thing I tried to do is look for the ball up and try to hit it in the air [get under it]. And then hopefully you see the sweeper coming out of his hand.

“The fastball is firm. He’s also got that low release point, so it’s got that up-shooty action, as we hitters like to say.”

Is there any pitcher he would compare him to that might be similar?

“No. I’d say he’s a one of one.”

Highest Four-Seam Velocity with Vertical Release 5.7 and Below

Pitcher

MPH

Vertical Release

1. Paul Skenes, Pirates

99.1

5.7

2. Jared Jones, Pirates

97.3

5.48

3. Brayan Bello, Red Sox

96.3

5.22

4. José Ureña, Rangers

96.2

5.69

5. Grayson Rodriguez, Orioles

96.1

5.63

Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers (0-for-3, 1 K)

“He’s obviously got a great splitter or sinker or whatever he calls it, and he does a good job locating it. And he was kind of changing speeds with us. Anywhere from 91 to 95, 96. Fastball from 99 to 100. So, does a good job knowing how to use his arsenal and what angles he's kind of throwing from. At least that's what I took from the box. You have to ask him if that's what he does intentionally.

“It kind of seemed like he knew what he was doing and how he was setting it up and trying to pitch.  So, I thought he was pretty advanced.”

Does the splinker act like a split or a sinker? 

“You know, I thought it had different action every time. It's one of those things where it's just kind of hard to square up.

“Like, you could tell it was just something that’s not a fastball, right? But then you kind of just like hit the top of it. It has so much depth and movement to it where even ones that were kind of hittable that you would see you'd kind of swing over the top of them. And then once he kind of got you out there, he'd kind of angle that heater in on you as a lefty. 

“I can see how he's tough on righties. How much that ball is moving in on him. Obviously, he’s a great young pitcher and a bright pitcher as well.”

Skenes’s Pitch Speed Variance

Pitch Type

Pitch Speeds (MPH)

Range (MPH)

Four-Seam Fastball

95.9–101.9

6

Splinker

91.7–97.0

5.3

Slider

81.2–89.4

8.2

Curveball

78.9–85.9

7.0

Changeup

85.0–89.6

4.6

Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers pitcher

“Watching him pitch I was probably a little bit more locked in than normal. I've seen his mechanics. They're sort of like sharp and consistent especially how young he is. He's already pitching with such good stuff at such a young age and with such a good feel for his mechanics.

“Seeing that and his composure and stuff being that young? Impressive. It was tough for me when I was 22 to be that composed. And he seems very stoked about it.”

Conor Gallagher arrived at Atletico Madrid as one of the club’s most expensive midfield signings, a high-energy Premier League standout expected to thrive under Diego Simeone. But a year later, the England international has opened up about his frustration over limited minutes, his fading World Cup hopes, and growing links to a January move to Manchester United, admitting he is “not satisfied” with his current situation.

Gallagher's promising move now shadowed by uncertainty

When Atletico secured Gallagher from Chelsea in the summer of 2024, it felt like the beginning of a long and productive chapter for both player and club. Gallagher had just come off several standout seasons in England, rising through Chelsea’s academy, shining during his loan spell at Crystal Palace, and completing 136 Premier League appearances filled with intensity, pressing, and late bursts into the box. His €40 million (£35m/$46m) transfer fee reflected not only his reputation but also Atletico’s confidence that he could become a central figure in Simeone’s midfield.

He wasted no time making an impression in Spain. Gallagher became the first Englishman in 101 years to score for Atletico, immediately displaying the tenacity, forward drive, and tireless work rate that had earned him admiration in England. His early performances suggested he was tailor-made for Simeone’s relentless style, often finishing matches completely exhausted after covering ground in every phase of play.

Yet as the season progressed, the momentum stalled. Gallagher’s role became inconsistent, and minutes gradually slipped away. By early 2025, he had logged only 339 league minutes and completed just one full match since September. With established figures like Koke, Pablo Barrios, and Alex Baena fitting Simeone’s tactical structure more precisely, Gallagher found himself more frequently rotated, often used for energy rather than entrusted with a regular starting place. What began as a career-defining move slowly transformed into a frustrating waiting game.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesGallagher breaks his silence: "I'm not satisfied"

The growing speculation about his future eventually reached Gallagher, who chose to address it openly. In recent weeks, he has been strongly linked with United, who are considering him as a January reinforcement should he become available. His honesty regarding his current role made clear that he is wrestling with mixed emotions.

“I’m not satisfied. I don’t think anyone will be if they don’t play as much as they would like, but I will continue to work very hard to, whenever I have the opportunity, help the team and hopefully more opportunities will come to be a starter,” he said in an interview with AS, acknowledging his frustration with the lack of consistent minutes.

At the same time, Gallagher rejected the idea that he is searching for a way out. He spoke with genuine appreciation for Atletico and a strong desire to succeed in Spain. “I’m very happy here. My goal is to win titles with Atleti and I want to have a bigger role in the team. And, as I said, I’m going to continue working to the maximum to play more minutes and be able to help the team.”

Gallagher remains committed, ambitious, and respectful of Simeone’s decisions, but he cannot ignore the impact his restricted playing time is having, not only on his club career but also on his international prospects.

The World Cup clock is ticking and time is running out

For Gallagher, the consequences of limited playing time extend well beyond Madrid. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, he knows that irregular minutes could jeopardise his place in England’s squad. His opportunities have already shrunk in recent international windows, and he recognises the significance of the challenge ahead.

“That’s one of my goals. I have spoken to Thomas Tuchel and he has told me what he needs from me and what I have to do to return to the team. And it seems that, right now, it’s very difficult for me to get to that point. But, as I said before, I will continue to do my best to get more minutes and, hopefully, return to the national team,” he admitted. His response underscored both his desire to represent England and his awareness of the reality he faces: national-team football requires rhythm, consistency, and trust—conditions that have been hard for him to find in Simeone’s structured system.

The competition around him at Atletico is relentless. Koke’s leadership, Baena’s creativity, and Barrios’ defensive discipline align seamlessly with Atletico’s tactical identity. Gallagher’s high-energy, box-to-box profile remains valuable, but Simeone’s preference for positional control and experience has kept him on the periphery. As links with the Red Devils grow louder, the midfielder faces a difficult crossroads. 

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Getty ImagesThe road ahead for Gallagher

Gallagher’s situation now enters a decisive period as Atletico approach January with a player who is fully committed but undeniably underused. He respects Simeone, speaks with admiration for the club, and genuinely wants to win trophies in Madrid. But ambition alone cannot replace the minutes he needs, and the coming weeks will force Atletico to confront a critical question: is Gallagher a long-term piece of the project, or is the timing right to let him pursue a more prominent role elsewhere?

From Gallagher’s perspective, his approach remains professional and patient. He has not demanded an exit and continues to push for more responsibility in training. Yet he is fully aware that his career cannot afford another prolonged period on the margins.

The next chapter will depend on how Simeone sees him fitting into a midfield. If Gallagher’s opportunities grow, he will stay and fight for his place. If not, the January window may offer a path toward the minutes he needs and the international future he continues to chase.

“The game has evolved, and technology and analytics, and we now have to see a new way of finding ourselves back to being very competitive,” Lara says

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-2025West Indies are “not in the same level-playing field as other playing countries”, and an emergency meeting of Cricket West Indies (CWI), which included Brian Lara, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Desmond Haynes, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and current head coach Daren Sammy, among others, has ended with a roadmap of sorts in place for a revival, but “it’s a long road, it’s not going to happen tomorrow”. One of the immediate decisions is, as Lloyd said, to ask the ICC for a “special dispensation” – extra money keeping in mind West Indies’ glorious past.While those in attendance at a press briefing at the end of the two-day meeting in Trinidad – CWI bigwigs as well as Lloyd and Lara – said that a lot of ideas were thrown about, it was not yet time to announce them since they had to go through an internal process before being put into action. There was trepidation too, since the downward spiral of West Indies cricket has been quick and seemingly without end: “Hope to see them come to fruition,” Lloyd said. “Sincerely hope this doesn’t come to some damp squib.””We have identified a list of about a hundred things that we have to improve, but probably among the top five: facilities at every level for our cricketers; practice pitches across the region; the quality of our domestic tournaments, there’s definitely a skills deficiency at various levels that don’t get highlighted till they reach international levels and then you see the glaring deficiencies vis-a-vis our international counterparts, which again is systemic,” Chris Dehring, the CWI chief executive said.Related

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“As the batting coach [Jimmy Adams] pointed out, it’s very difficult to change habits when you are getting somebody who has made so many runs at regional level but clearly has deficiencies when it comes to international level. It’s very difficult to change in a couple of weeks. There are issues concerning strength and conditioning, which again points back to facilities which are available to youngsters and emerging players and ‘A’ teams, etc.”Dehring said that, among other things, CWI planned to have “a proper high-performance centre established in the region, a prototype that will then be modelled and imitated across the region, in other countries, [and] academy systems to ensure that the West Indies way of playing cricket is both documented and taught from very early”.Twenty-seven all out and the aftermathThe last time West Indies played Test cricket, at Sabina Park in Kingston against Australia, they were bowled out for 27, the second-lowest innings score in Test history and the lowest since 1955. The meeting was announced soon after that. Since then, West Indies have played ten white-ball games, winning two and losing eight.”It’s been that case for years, where we are not in the same level-playing field as other playing countries,” Lara said. “Back in the days when skill was the prominent factor, we excelled, we were the best team in the world. But the game has evolved, and technology and analytics, and we now have to see a new way of finding ourselves back to being very competitive.”I said not a level-playing field because a lot of the countries are far ahead in these sorts of areas. The skill factor of the game is still there, but not as prominent as it was in the past.

“What motivates youngsters today? It might not be just representing West Indies 365 days of the year. It might be playing in an IPL or a BBL or something else. We have to find out those interests and see where West Indies cricket can still benefit from the youngsters”Brian Lara

“It’s a long road; it’s not going to happen tomorrow. It was not about the 27 runs. If it was 57 or 107, will we be feeling any better? I don’t think so. It was the fact that we’ve got something to address, and for us to get back on top, or to be a competitive nation in world cricket, we’ve got to address these situations and address them shortly, quickly, and hopefully we can reap the benefits in the years to come.”The challenges are “systemic”, director of cricket Miles Bascombe said, and that they were “across our cricket system”. The goal now, he said, was “identifying the challenges at every level of our production pipeline […] and how to put all of that together. To have a holistic solution and then we will engage all of the stakeholders necessary to help us along the way.”Club vs country, the losing battleIt’s not new, the notion that modern-day West Indian cricketers, called mercenaries in the past, have prioritised franchise T20 leagues around the world, where they are in big demand, and the West Indies team has suffered as a result.If that is the case, what is the way forward?”West Indies cricket is still very important in the minds of all youngsters, male and female, and when looking at cricket as a career,” Lara said in response to a question. “I think you have to understand that in different eras and decades, there are different motivational factors. In the ’50s and early part of the ’60s, we were thinking about the independence – we can show our colonisers that we can play cricket, we can govern ourselves. In the ’70s and ’80s, I believe that under Sir Clive, it was all about trying to be the best in the world. After learning from previous decades.Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have primarily been in action in T20 leagues over the past many years•BCCI”Presently, if I can fast forward, the game has now very much commercialised. The franchise system is definitely in the mind of every young person, and every parent as well. When you see what’s happening around the world with the IPL, the American cricket league [MLC] and much else. The motivational factors we have to tap into: what motivates youngsters today? It might not be just representing West Indies 365 days of the year. It might be playing in an IPL or a BBL or something else. We have to find out those interests and see where West Indies cricket can still benefit from the youngsters.”It’s unfortunate [that] a young man at the age of 29, like Nicholas Pooran, will call an end to his international career. Find out why these things are happening and how we can stem that sort of situation and we get the best players to play for West Indies. Australia, India and England and these countries benefit from wholeheartedness from their players, the passion that they have playing for their country. We have to get that to return to West Indies cricket.”The solution, Bascombe said, was that, “We will never be able to compete with franchise money, everybody acknowledges that. So it has to be pride. Pride in the performance and pride in representing the West Indies.”That, looking at the past many years, might be easier said that done.”People must realise that T20 is an exhibition and Test cricket is an examination. When you are getting offered the type of money that these guys are being offered, there’s only one way they’ll go. It’s a lot of money,” Lloyd said. “The point is we have to try and keep the guys that we have, teach them the right things, and hope that our cricket will still be in shape.”

It is hard not to feel a little bit sorry for Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl after he watched his team ship three goals for the second time in four matches, albeit after extra time.

The Ibrox giants were beaten 3-1 at Hampden Park by their Glasgow rivals in the semi-finals of the League Cup on Sunday, but it was fairly impressive that they even took the game to extra time after going 1-0 down and down to ten men.

Rohl, who arrived to replace Russell Martin in the dugout, will have learned a lot about his group of players after his first four games in charge, with two wins and two defeats.

The former Sheffield Wednesday boss should be pleased with the fight this team showed on Sunday, although his side seemed to lose their legs in extra time, as shown by how slow the defenders were to react to Callum Osmand’s goal in the clip below.

Celtic’s young striker scored his first goal for the club in his second senior appearance, both of which have come under interim manager Martin O’Neill.

That shows that a fresh pair of eyes in the dugout can unearth a talent that was overlooked by the previous management team, which should be a lesson to Rohl, with the players in the Rangers youth ranks.

The academy problem Rangers have at Ibrox

The Light Blues have a problem with their academy at Ibrox because there has not been enough of a reward for the work being done with their youth teams.

Billy Gilmour

£18m

0

Nathan Patterson

£11m

27

Greg Taylor

£5m

0

Ross McCrorie

£2m

55

Lewis Morgan

£2m

0

As you can see in the table above, the five most valuable former Rangers academy players all play for other clubs, and none of them made more than 55 appearances for the first-team before they left.

Only two of them, Nathan Patterson and Billy Gilmour, being worth more than £5m suggests that the club are not doing enough to bring in or develop high-value players in their academy.

On top of potentially not bringing the right players through their academy system, an issue could also be the lack of a pathway to first-team football at Ibrox.

Osmand for Celtic is the perfect example. He did not play a single minute under Brendan Rodgers for the Hoops, after signing in the summer window, and he made an instant impact in a huge match when brought in by O’Neill.

Chalkboard

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

If Rodgers had stayed in post and continued to ignore the striker, Osmand’s development may have stalled, and he could have gone on to leave Glasgow and thrive or fail elsewhere.

Instead, O’Neill provided him with a chance to shine and, after his goal against Rangers, he may kick on to become a star for the Hoops in the coming months because of the opportunity that he has been given.

Now, on the other side of Glasgow, Rohl could unearth his own version of Osmand by finally unleashing Findlay Curtis as a starter for the Ibrox giants.

Why Danny Rohl should unleash Findlay Curtis for Rangers

The Gers academy graduate was given a chance by Martin at the start of this season, with starts against Panathinaikos, and he showed real promise, with an excellent first goal for the club.

It was a terrific run and finish from the “Boy Wonder”, as shown in the clip above, but he has not started a game in any competition since those two games against the Greek side.

Curtis added to his goal tally for the club with goals against both St Mirren and Alloa Athletic, in the Scottish Premiership and the League Cup. Both of those strikes, though, came as a substitute.

Panathinaikos (H)

75

1

Panathinaikos (A)

59

0

Viktoria Plzen (H)

5

0

Dundee (H)

13

0

Alloa Athletic (H)

6

1

St Mirren (A)

14

1

Club Brugge (A)

45

0

Celtic (H)

8

0

Hibernian (H)

13

0

Dundee United (H)

14

0

As you can see in the table above, the 19-year-old attacker has only made ten appearances in all competitions this season, starting two games, and has scored three goals in that time.

Per Sofascore, Curtis has been an unused substitute in seven of his last eight appearances in the matchday squad, with his only outing in that time coming off the bench against Dundee United in Stevie Smith’s game as interim head coach.

Despite his frustrating lack of game time on the pitch, only Djeidi Gassama (five) and James Tavernier (six) have scored more goals for Rangers in all competitions this season, per Transfermarkt, than the teenage winger.

Curtis has scored one goal in 49 minutes of action in the Premiership, across four appearances as a substitute, so far this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been effective with the minutes that he has had.

The Scottish forward, who produced four goals and three assists in eight matches for the B team, has delivered quality in the Premiership, in Europe, and in a domestic cup. He has shown that he can make an impact with the first-team.

Yet, as has seemingly been the case for academy players for far too long at Ibrox, Curtis has not been rewarded with regular game time to develop and improve in the senior team.

Rohl must change that by providing the 19-year-old attacker, who can play on the left or the right flank, with more chances to show what he can do on the pitch as a starter for the Light Blues.

Rangers saw firsthand what can happen when a young player is finally given a chance when Osmand found the back of the net against them, and they should learn from that lesson by finally unleashing Curtis.

Martin claimed Rangers star was a "huge asset", now he looks "rotten"

This Rangers signing was heavily praised by Russell Martin, now it looks like he needs to be sold.

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