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Leeds United could be without both Junior Firpo and Jamie Shackleton against Leicester City this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Leeds’ injury woes

The Whites have had plenty of injury issues to deal with this season and will definitely continue to be without Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Robin Koch against The Foxes.

Bamford and Ayling have missed the last seven games with ankle and knee injuries respectively, whereas Koch has been absent with a pubis problem which has kept him out since the opening weekend.

Firpo returned from injury for the Under-23’s at the end of October and Shackleton hobbled off against Norwich last weekend, and it now seems as if the pair may also miss the Elland Road clash.

The Latest: Bielsa’s comments

In Bielsa’s pre-match press conference on Friday, reported by The Yorkshire Evening Post, cited by MOT Leeds News, he gave an update on the full-back duo.

The Argentine admitted he would have a ‘clearer vision’ on the weekend, however, with Bielsa so up front when it comes to injuries, it appears as if the pair may miss the match against Brendan Rodgers’ side.

The Verdict: Drameh’s full Premier League debut?

Cody Drameh has been thrown into the first-team fold as a result of Leeds’ defensive injuries, making his first start for the club in the Carabao Cup defeat to Arsenal.

He then replaced Shackleton against Norwich last weekend, so if Shackleton, described as ‘important’ by Bielsa, fails to make it, the 19-year-old could be in line for a full Premier League debut.

If Firpo, who was hailed as ‘incredibly fit’, misses out again, then Bielsa may have no choice but to stick with Stuart Dallas at left-back instead of using the Northern Irishman in midfield.

In other news: ‘Immense’ Leeds player reveals ‘not so good situation’ under Bielsa; not happy in Yorkshire. 

Sir Sydney Walling, the legendary Antiguan cricketer, died aged 102

Cricinfo staff11-Oct-2009Sir Sydney Walling, the legendary Antiguan cricketer, died on Thursday aged 102.An opening batsman with a reputation for nimble footwork, he made his debut in 1927, and despite making 156 in the trial match in Guyana in 1927-28 he missed out on selection for the tour of England the following summer, inter-island prejudices counting against him. In 1933-34 he became the first black cricketer to lead the Antigua team. He also captained the Leeward Islands and played in the first-ever Combined Islands team in the early 1950s.Some commentators argued that Walling would have been the fourth W, with the other great post-war West Indies batsmen – Frank Worrell, Clyde Walcott and Everton Weekes.His cricketing abilities did help him in other ways. His first job in the post office in 1922 came because of his skill as a batsman, and he rose through the ranks to become the country’s postmaster.In recognition of Walling’s cricketing achievements, a stand at the Antigua Recreation Ground and the highway leading to the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, were named in his honour.He was a talented musician as well, playing the baritone horn in a local band. He was awarded a knighthood in 2004 for his services to Antigua.

When Celtic confirmed the £2.25m signing of Teemu Pukki back in the summer of 2013, expectations for the then-23-year-old centre-forward were extremely high at Parkhead.

Indeed, the young striker had been impressing with FC Schalke 04, scoring eight goals and registering three assists over his 47 appearances for the 2. Bundesliga side, while Neil Lennon also appeared to be incredibly excited by the Finland international’s potential.

Following his arrival in Glasgow, the Celtic manager said: “He’s a player we’ve liked for quite a while. We like his style of play, I think he’ll suit us. His first touch is excellent. He’s a similar size to Gary [Hooper]. He may not bring the weight of goals Gary did but I know for a fact he’ll make us a better team.

“I watched him against Slovenia a couple of weeks ago in Finland and he was excellent – and that’s at international level. He can play the lone striker, he can play with a partner. He’s got so many facets to his game.”

However, Pukki struggled to make any real impact over his 26 Scottish Premiership appearances during his debut campaign, as, despite scoring seven goals and registering two assists in the league, the forward was handed just 13 starts by Lennon.

And, after being loaned out to Brondby IF in September of 2014, his 2013/13 campaign would prove to be the centre-forward’s only full season at Parkhead, with the Danish side making his temporary switch a £608k permanent deal the following summer.

However, while hindsight is a wonderful thing, Celtic’s short-sightedness regarding Pukki’s ability has been rather embarrassingly highlighted since the Finn’s 2018 move to Norwich City.

Indeed, over his 138 appearances in all competitions for the Canaries, the now-31-year-old has scored a rather remarkable 70 goals and registered a further 17 assists for the club – with 14 of these goals and three of the assists coming in the Premier League.

As such, Peter Lawwell’s decision to cash in on the £6.3m-rated striker for over 10 times less than this figure back in 2015 has proven to be something of a nightmare deal for the former Celtic chief executive, as, not only could the Bhoys have used a player of Pukki’s goalscoring ability last season, the club are also at least £5.6m out of pocket on the man Daniel Farke dubbed an “unplayable” talent.

In other news: Journalist drops exciting claim on “dream” Celtic transfer that’ll have fans buzzing

Allan Border has doubts over the Test future of Michael Hussey

Cricinfo staff10-Nov-2009Allan Border, the former selector, has tipped the opener Phillip Hughes to play in the first Test against the West Indies and has doubts over the future of Michael Hussey. Dean Jones also believes Hussey could be the man to miss out if Michael Clarke, the vice-captain, makes his recovery from a back injury by the end of the month.”I’ve got a gut feeling Hughes will play [in the first Test],” Border said on Fox Sports. “He might struggle, Mr Hussey.”Hughes was dropped for the third Test on the Ashes tour but the selectors are keen for him to return to the side as soon as he is making runs for New South Wales. He started the summer with 32 against Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield and has another opportunity next week when the Blues host Tasmania.The situation for Hussey is much different as he tries to recover from a slump that threatened his position over the past year. He finished the Ashes series defeat with 121 at The Oval, his first hundred for 16 Tests, and should face an easier time against West Indies and Pakistan.However, if Clarke returns Jones expects Hussey to make way. “I love Hussey as a player but I think he is in a whole lot of trouble if Michael Clarke is fit,” Jones said. “I know he is scoring a lot of runs in the one-dayers but he was also scoring runs in the one-dayers recently when he wasn’t making Test runs and I think they will draw a line through that. It may depend on whether Michael Clarke can play a first-class match before the Test.”Hussey has six half-centuries in his past 18 ODIs and has taken on a greater role in Clarke’s absence. Clarke missed the Champions Trophy and the current tour of India, leaving the game against Tasmania as his last chance of a four-day warm-up before the toss at the Gabba on November 26.

Celtic are interested in bringing Shamrock Rovers star Danny Mandroiu to Parkhead, The Scottish Sun reported late on Monday night.

The Lowdown: Mandroiu profiled

Mandroiu is 23 years of age and is primarily an attacking midfielder but he’s extremely versatile. The Irishman has also played as a central and defensive midfielder, on both wings and even as a centre-forward during his career. [Transfermarkt]

He’s netted 15 goals and provided six assists in 2021, with the former Brighton and Bohemian man labelled as ‘unbelievable’ by Shamrock boss Stephen Bradley.

Bradley also stated earlier this year that Mandroiu is ‘the fittest’ he’s ever been, and it seems as if Celtic will be making their move very soon.

The Latest: January move?

The Scottish Sun shared a story late on Monday evening, suggesting the Hoops are confident a deal can be struck.

Celtic have been keeping tabs on Mandroiu since the summer and it appears as if they will firm up their interest over the coming months.

The Verdict: Desmond or Nicholson’s decision?

Celtic brought in defender Liam Scales from Shamrock Rovers over the summer, however, Scales is yet to start a game under Ange Postecoglou.

Rumours have since emerged that Desmond may have brought Scales to Glasgow to balance the books at Shamrock, a club he has a 25% stake in, so hopefully, this isn’t the same.

Mandroiu appears to be making a real impact in Ireland and could bolster Postecoglou’s midfield options, so hopefully, he’s a target Michael Nicholson and Postecoglou want, and not a signing purely for Desmond’s benefit, as Scales’ was alleged.

In other news: Celtic now lining up January move for 6 ft 4 international. 

A round-up of the SuperSport series games

Firdose Moonda02-Dec-2009SuperSport SeriesThe Warriors had a forgettable weekend, losing to the Cobras by nine wickets in Paarl to slip to second place in the points table. The Warriors looked far from fighting men – they were tottering at 9 for 4 at one stage – but Arno Jacobs 68 saved their blushes with 68. Only three of the Warriors batsman got to double-figures: Jacobs, Craig Thyssen and Rusty Theron, as they were bowled out for 143. Vernon Philander took 3 for 10 and Francois Plaatjies took 4 for 21.The Cobras response was also punctuated with wickets. The top six batsmen all made respectable starts, with Justin Ontong top scoring with 69. Theron grabbed 4 for 63 and Makhaya Ntini claimed 3 for 51, as the Cobras were bowled out for 240, a lead of 97. The Warriors, however, were again lacklustre in the second innings and were dismissed for 163. Philander picked up 4 for 40, taking his match total to seven wickets. That left the Cobras needing just 47 to win the match, and they did so comfortably, despite Ntini picking up the wicket of Alistair Gray for just 3.Remember the Titans? Well, the franchise from Centurion is becoming impossible to forget, as they surged back to the top of the SuperSport Series table, despite a draw against the Eagles in Bloemfontein. Dean Elgar was once again among the runs. His 110, along with 74 from Ryan Bailey and 68 from Morne van Wyk helped the home side reach 404. Titans captain Pierre Joubert took 6 for 89.The Titans responded to that score with a first-wicket partnership of 118. Jacques Rudolph showed he is still a quality batsman, falling just eight runs short of a double hundred. Heino Kuhn, who partnered Rudolph at the top of the order made 52 while Joubert scored 106. Although the other contributions were meagre, the Titans had an innings lead of 64, after being bowled out for 468. There was a six-wicket haul for an Eagle’s bowler too – Gino Vries took the honours.Rilee Rossouw became the fourth centurion of the match – he notched up 139 in Eagles’ second innings. Imran Tahir took 4 for 112, as the Eagles were bowled out for 345, setting the Titans 410 to win. Time was never going to be on the side of a result and the Titans ended on 79 for one. It was a winning draw for the men from Centurion though, with them bouncing back to the No.1 spot, ahead of the Warriors.In Johannesburg, the Lions were reduced to kittens once again, this time at the hands of the Dolphins. It started promisingly for the home side, as their first innings closed with the Lions on 359. Birthday boy Neil McKenzie made 140 and Stephen Cook chipped in with 63. Pumi Mathsikwe and Friedel de Wet shared six wickets between them, as the Dolphins were bowled out for 353. Imran Khan top scored with 99.But the hosts were hunted down in their second innings. Quinton Friend took 3 for 49 and Johann Louw 3 for 40, as the Lions crumbled to 226 all out. Jonathan Vandiar’s 57, Thami Tsolekile’s unbeaten 47 and Zander de Bruyn’s 45 were the three prongs of resistance. The Dolphins needed 232 to win and Loots Bosman unbeaten 100 saw them home by five wickets.Batsman of the week:There were six centurions to choose from and Bosman’s was the only one in a winning cause. His knock was a sign of great promise, particularly since he is recovering from reconstructive knee surgery and would have earned him this week’s award if it was not for Elgar. The 22-year old recorded his fourth century in five matches. He is now just 29 runs behind the competition’s leading scorer, Cook, whose statistics are bolstered by his record-breaking knock. Elgar boasts an average of 82.28 so far this season, and is deservedly batsman of the week.Bowler of the week:Players who win matches are always rewarded, so this week Louw gets the title. He took six wickets for the Dolphins in the match against the Lions, but it was his second innings performance that stood out. He removed the Lions opening pair to reduce them to 20 for 2, and dent their chances of posting a decent second innings score. Louw is also top of the rankings with 24 wickets from six matches at an average of 17.91.

Luke Wright has signed a new three-year contract with Sussex, which will keep him at Hove until the end of the 2012 season

Cricinfo staff02-Dec-2009Luke Wright has signed a new three-year contract with Sussex, which will keep him at Hove until the end of the 2012 season.Wright, 24, scored 637 first-class runs at an average of 49 in 2009, with three centuries to his name, and he performed with the ball as well, taking two five-wicket hauls in the campaign.Those efforts earned him a call-up to England’s Test squad for the tour of South Africa, having already made his mark in the limited-overs sides.”The contract extension is exciting for me and I want to be a big part of a bright future for the club,” said Wright. “I love playing for Sussex and the county have been great in helping me achieve my goal of playing for England. I look forward to winning more trophies with this remarkable club in years to come.”Mark Robinson, Professional Cricket Manager, said: “Luke is one of the most exciting young players in the country and we’re delighted that he has committed to the club for the immediate future.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to continue their dominance in the Premier League this season and in doing so, Bruno Lage has made it clear he is working on who he wants to add in January to refresh the team and add depth to key areas that are spreading thin.

Bruno Lage spoke recently about his communication with club chairman, Jeff Shi, on the plans for the transfer window:

“When the transfer window closed we talked about it then and he knows what I want, but in the same way I need to understand just not the sport, but also the financial things.

“But he knows what I want and it was good for me when he did that interview and he said ‘I’m happy because Bruno has a big ambition.”

“I’m here to try to do good things and continue the work they started four years ago.”

Although many experienced and successful players are linked with the side, there has been one name that has been talked about, that could replicate their Willian Jose nightmare.

Jose was a huge flop for Wolves after he moved to the Molineux on loan at the start of 2021, in the January transfer window.

The Brazilian forward only registered one goal and zero assists in 17 appearances under Nuno Santo for Wolves last term, which is not something you want to see from a forward you bring in as an impact signing to boost goal-scoring opportunities mid-season.

It is a huge mistake Bruno Lage would be a fool to inherit from his predecessor, but with speculation that the club could make a move for Enner Valencia, it might well happen.

Despite scoring 20 goals for his current club, Fenerbahce, Valencia has a history of nightmares in English football after failing to establish himself at both West Ham and Everton, bagging just 13 goals in 91 matches in England.

The 32-year-old forward struggled to be any kind of presence in east London and Merseyside, being swiftly moved on by both clubs after disappointing performances and failing to make a real impact on the sides he played in.

Wolves will need to identify exciting players that have experience in English football who understand how competitive and driven you have to be to succeed in finishing in the top half of the table. Lage cannot afford to make any mistakes that could see the likes of Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United catch up with his side.

In other news: Wolves in prime position to snap up Hwang permanently

On a day when Virat Kohli did most things right on the field, he made all the right moves off it as well, impressing everyone with his mature quotes after the match

Sriram Veera at the Shere Bangla Stadium11-Jan-2010It wasn’t a long time back that Virat Kohli came across as a brash kid in love with himself. It seemed like he had started to swagger even as he learned to walk. Critics wondered whether he had the special natural talent to justify that arrogance; others felt his attitude did not matter as long as he scored runs on the field.In the 20th century, India liked its sporting stars to be humble. On the other hand, the current generation likes its stars to be in tune with the zeitgeist – extremely confident, outspoken and devoid of self doubt. Kohli, one felt, would present an interesting case study to see how a modern Indian celebrity behaves.The brash stereotype, however, is already being deconstructed and that too, by Kohli himself. He scored yet another assured ton today, didn’t celebrate much after reaching the landmark (“We were cruising that time”), walked into the press conference and, fascinatingly, sought to present a new version of himself.Asked about the perception of his troublesome attitude, he first politely noted that everybody was entitled to their opinions and that he could not go around trying to censor people. However, when someone brought it up a second time, Kohli suddenly opened up.”What people were talking about my attitude during first IPL was right to a certain extent. I have accepted the criticism and tried to take it in the right spirit. There are two ways to deal with it; either you ignore it and keep continuing in the same way doing the same mistakes or you can accept the criticism and rectify it. And I took the second approach.”Silence in the press room. Many people didn’t expect such a revelation. You thought Kohli would have just brushed aside the criticisms and moved on as it would have fit with the stereotype. It’s not as if he had said something dramatic; it’s just that even this small step of acknowledging that he might have been wrong in the past was not expected.Some would say that it is too early to make any conclusions on whether Kohli has decided to change himself or is the change even warranted. However, it is an interesting move, even if it is a conscious and pre-determined one, to say something that makes him “look good” in public eye.Kohli said that it was his family and his coach [Raj Kumar Sharma] who helped him make the turnaround. “They sensed that something might be going wrong with me and stood behind me and supported me.”The youngster asserted that playing alongside seasoned pros like Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, in the IPL, helped in the process. “They made me understand the sacrifices that you have to make to do well in international cricket. I have been lucky that way with the people; they have all tried to help me become better.”Kohli singled out the Emerging Players Tournament as the turning point in his fledgling career. “That boosted my confidence tremendously. I just became so much more mentally stronger. I have now learned to bat in pressure conditions. From that time, I have just been concentrating on my game and not thinking about other things. I am very focused now.”Kohli realizes that he might lose his ODI spot when Sachin Tendulkar returns to the team but he is not too fazed. “It’s understandable that when he comes back, I have to sit out. That’s life. It’s a great honour to be sharing the dressing room with him.”On a day when Kohli did most things right on the field, he made all the right moves off it as well.

Aston Villa’s new manager Steven Gerrard has sanctioned a move away for Bertrand Traore in January, according to Football Insider.

The lowdown

Traore only joined Villa last year in a £16.56million transfer from Olympique Lyon.

In his first season at the club, he was directly involved in 15 goals (eight scored, seven assisted) in 38 appearances in all competitions.

But the start of his second campaign has been disrupted by injury. He damaged his hamstring in August and then suffered another setback on international duty with Burkina Faso in October.

Traore, presently valued at £18million by Transfermarkt, still has two and a half years left to run on the £78,000-per-week contract he penned in 2020. That deal made him the third-highest earner at the club.

The latest

A source at Villa has told the publication that the club will listen to permanent offers and loan offers for Traore during the mid-season window.

Gerrard apparently believes he has ‘too many wide attacking players’ in his squad, and he’s identified Traore as dispensable.

The verdict

Gerrard’s predecessor Dean Smith issued a glowing assessment of Traore near the end of last season, describing him as a ‘marvellous technician’ and promising that there was more to come.

But clearly the new man doesn’t share that optimism, and perhaps views the sale of Traore as a means of raising as much as many possible to put his own imprint on the squad.

Traore is still only 26 years old and his value is protected by his contract, so Villa should in theory be able to get a decent return on their investment.

In other news, fans react to this Ashley Young reveal.