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Fast bowler hopes Windies can defend proud home record against England for ‘100 years’

Andrew Miller05-Mar-2022Kemar Roach, West Indies’ veteran attack leader, believes that the “quite surprising” omissions of James Anderson and Stuart Broad from England’s Test plans give his side a slight advantage going into Tuesday’s first Test, but says that the wickets of Joe Root and Ben Stokes are his team’s truest route to victory in the coming weeks.Roach, 33, was instrumental in West Indies’ triumph in their previous home campaign in 2019, when his five-wicket haul in the first Test in Barbados contributed to England’s catastrophic 77 all out. And given that England have just emerged from a 4-0 Ashes loss in which they failed to pass 300 in ten attempts, he recognises the frailties are once again there to be exploited.Asked if it was simply a case of dismissing Root to win the series, given that he made 1708 Test runs at 66.00 in 2021 when no other batter picked for this tour passed 500, Roach replied: “Joe Root and Ben Stokes. If we can put immense pressure on those both, I think we’re in for quite a good chance.”Stokes, who struggled for form during the Ashes after missing most of the 2021 season with a finger injury, has conceded that he “just wasn’t me” as he struggled to 236 runs at 23.60 in the five Tests. However, West Indies witnessed Stokes at his very best on their tour of England in 2020, particularly in the second Test at Old Trafford when he made 254 runs for once out.As for Roach, he is now closing in on 250 Test wickets – a mark that only five all-time great West Indians have previously surpassed – and he admits that the challenge of extending his side’s proud record of one home series loss to England since 1968 will spur him on in the course of these three Tests.”We take the English coming to the Caribbean very seriously,” he said. “Only losing once at home in 50 years is a long time. So the onus is on us as players to have that in the back of our minds, and play the best we can on the day to keep that record intact.”I don’t want to lose that record, so it would be great to win the series, and take that tradition and that record further and further forward. Hopefully we can hold it for 100 years. That’d be fantastic. But this is a stepping stone as we go ahead.”I always put my best foot forward for the West Indies,” Roach added. “For me, playing against England is definitely one of the hallmarks of your career, so it’s all about expressing yourself, being positive and taking it to the English.”At the age of 33, and having been a part of the West Indies Test set-up for 13 years, Roach recognises that he is entering the latter years of his career. Having proved insightful analysis during his commentary stints in the T20I series in January, he is keen to further his opportunities in the media.However, having signed a new deal last week to play Surrey for the start of the 2022 season, he’s in no mood to think about winding up just yet, and said that he would not have taken kindly to the sort of phone-call that Anderson and Broad received from Andrew Strauss last month, informing them that they were being omitted to give younger players a chance.”I definitely would not have taken it too well,” Roach said. “There may have been some breaking news coming for you guys, for sure.Related

• Paul Collingwood: 'No need to panic' as injury and illness undermine Test preparations

• Kemar Roach returns to Surrey for start of Championship campaign

• Warne shock overshadows final day as Wood and Stokes boost England Test hopes

• Ben Stokes vows to dig deeper after 'letting myself down' in the Ashes

“It’s quite surprising,” he added. “I thought that both of them would still be involved, but the decisions have been made from that end, and I think it’s a slight advantage for us.”England’s seamers toiled for penetration on a flat deck at Coolidge this week, claiming a solitary first-innings wicket between them, and though they produced a sparkier display on the final day, a back spasm for Ollie Robinson, and concerns about Mark Wood’s health, meant that there’s some uncertainty in the ranks going into the first Test.”Obviously, those experienced players missing leaves a little bit a hole for England,” Roach said. “Robinson, Wood and [Chris] Woakes are still fantastic bowlers, we will still take them seriously, but once we get our plans right, we should be pretty good going into the series.”They have been good battles over the years, even before myself, so it’s all about continuing that tradition and obviously keep playing good cricket against the English cricketers. Just keep putting your name out there, to be that person to win a series, or be the defining player who takes West Indies over the line.”Following his stint at the Kia Oval last year, Roach may come up against some familiar faces in the coming weeks, most particularly Surrey’s wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, who is in line for a recall. Ollie Pope is set to miss out in the first Test but may feature at a later date, and while there has been much criticism of county cricket since the Ashes loss, Roach believes the competition still offers plenty of vital experience.”I love playing for Surrey, I enjoyed a really fantastic stint last year,” Roach said, after making a lasting impression with 22 wickets at 20.54 in his five Championship appearances. “Hopefully I can use some of those great memories in this series.”I rate county cricket very highly,” he added. “It’s quick changeovers in different conditions. Sometimes it’s sunny, sometimes it’s cold, so it can be very challenging on your body as a fast bowler.”It’s pretty surprising to hear the comments coming in about the standard of cricket there, but I still rate it as probably one of the better first-class seasons going on around the world. It’s on the players to show the world their quality, but I have no issues with the county cricket season.”

Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has his eyes set on Manchester United's Toby Collyer and will use his Red Devils 'contacts' to sign the youngster.

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• Van Nistelrooy wants Man Utd's Collyer
• Leicester want to sign 20-year-old on loan
• Dutch coach could 'use his Man Utd contacts'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Van Nistelrooy was let go by Manchester United last month after having spent just over four months at the club. The Dutch legend was signed on as Erik ten Hag's assistant coach but served his last few weeks as interim boss of the Red Devils after Ten Hag's sacking. With Ruben Amorim having been signed on as head coach, Van Nistelrooy parted ways with United as the Portuguese coach preferred to bring his own coaching team to Old Trafford from Sporting CP.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Van Nistelrooy has now been signed on as Leicester City boss after they parted ways with Steve Cooper. As per The Sun, the Dutchman now wants 'to use Manchester United contacts' to sign the Red Devils' highly-rated youngster Collyer on loan in January. As per the report, United are not ready to part ways with the 20-year-old but could be open to letting him go on loan to play under a manager he is familiar with.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Collyer made his first-team debut for Manchester United this season and former boss Ten Hag was highly impressed by the 20-year-old who posted 'freakish' running stats in training and was only bettered by Bruno Fernandes as per Steven Railston of Manchester Evening News.

• WHAT NEXT FOR VAN NISTELROOY?

  After getting a 3-1 win in his first game as Leicester City boss, Van Nistelrooy will now be focused on continuing the form when they take on Brighton at King Power Stadium on Sunday, December 8.

The allrounder is on the verge of completing his mandatory isolation but may or may not be able to fly out with the rest of the ODI squad members

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2022Washington Sundar, the India allrounder, has tested positive for Covid-19 and is now a doubt for the three-match ODI series against South Africa starting January 19. ESPNcricinfo understands that Washington tested positive last week and is on the verge of finishing the required week-long isolation. As it stands, the BCCI is trying to figure out whether Washington can be allowed to join the rest of the ODI players, who fly out this week to South Africa.Washington is currently in Bengaluru, where he was training at the National Cricket Academy with other Indian ODI specialists. It is learnt that all the other South Africa-bound ODI players have returned negative tests and are ready to travel.It was back in March 2021 that Washington last turned out for India, in a T20I against England in Ahmedabad, and he had been sidelined by injury after that. Most recently, he performed well in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy tournament, scoring 148 runs in eight matches and also picking up 16 wickets, including a best of 5 for 48, as his team, Tamil Nadu, reached the final.

GOAL takes a look at the managerial changes across MLS in 2024, and how remaining vacancies may be filled

Nick Cushing, John Herdman and Vanni Sartini are the latest managers to get caught up in the MLS coaching carousel. They were the 10th, 11th and 12th managers to be removed from their positions this MLS season, as it's been a challenging campaign for individuals on the touchline.

Regardless of success in previous seasons, or even impressive playoff runs in 2024, clubs seem to have very little margin for error. In fact, more than a third of the league’s teams have changed managers in 2024.

Shocked? You shouldn’t be.

When 2023 MLS Coach of the Year finalist Bradley Carnell was fired by St. Louis CITY in July, it showed the nature of the business. Now, as the 2024 MLS season nears completion, five sides – Atlanta United, Philadelphia Union, NYCFC, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps – all still have openings.

So what's happened in 2024 to provoke so much change? The introduction of Lionel Messi in Miami in 2023 put eyes on MLS from all over the world, for one, and there seems to be little space on the touchline for underperforming. The margins are more important than ever, and for the five teams still with vacancies, they cannot afford to get their next hire wrong.

GOAL explores where Toronto, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Vancouver and New York should go next.

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  The carousel begins

  Gary Smith of Nashville SC was the first manager to be fired this season, with the Englishman getting the sack on May 16, and three more firings followed in June – FC Dallas, Atlanta United and San Jose. The first shocker came on July 1, though, when CITY fired Carnell.

  That was the tipping point for the league. Seven of the eventual 12 vacancies have since been filled, some immediately, and some over time.

  Club	Outgoing coach	Interim coach	Incoming coach
  Inter Miami	Tata Martino	N/A	Javier Mascherano
  Vancouver Whitecaps	Vanni Sartini	N/A	TBD
  Austin FC	Josh Wolff	N/A	Nico Estevez
  FC Dallas	Nico Estevez	Peter Luccin	Eric Quill
  Atlanta United	Gonzalo Pineda	Rob Valentino	TBD
  Philadelphia Union	Jim Curtin	N/A	TBD
  Chicago Fire	Frank Klopas	N/A	Gregg Berhalter
  St. Louis CITY SC	Bradley Carnell	John Hackworth	Olof Mellberg
  San Jose Earthquakes	Luchi Gonzalez	Ian Russell	Bruce Arena
  Nashville SC	Gary Smith	Rumba Munthali	B.J. Callaghan
  NYCFC	Nick Cushing	N/A	TBD
  Toronto FC	John Herdman	N/A	TBD

  There are still five vacancies, with each presenting its own unique opportunity. How do those teams capitalize?

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  Philadelphia Union

  Who's out?

  Jim Curtin was removed from his position after missing the 2024 postseason. It was a shocking dismissal, considering he is widely-viewed as one of the best coaches in the league. However, ownership and Curtin apparently "were not aligned" with the club's mission.

  Pros and cons of the job

  The obvious strength for the job is you have access to the best academy in MLS, and, you are being put on the touchline to mentor perhaps the most exciting prospect in American soccer in Cavan Sullivan. The Union's youth has always propelled them to success, and Sullivan is arguably the best player in his age group across North America – and one of the best in the world.

  In terms of weaknesses, though, you won't have a large transfer budget, nor will you have access to big-name players that other teams are signing. The Union have always worked with little and found success, so it's hard to see them pivoting from that.

  Where do they go from here?

  It's evident the Union aren't going to pursue a flashy hire, nor are they going to spend big on one. Somebody such as Rob Valentino, who impressed in his debut stint on the touchline in MLS as Atlanta United's interim manager in 2024, would make sense. Looking at former Austin FC manager, Josh Wolff, would be sensible, too. He's a former U.S. international who knows the league well, and would potentially be a good mentor for their young core – including the Sullivan brothers, Cavan and Quinn.

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  Atlanta United

  Who's out?

  Gonzalo Pineda was removed his position on June 3 after a rough start to the season. After being brought into the club in 2021, he missed the postseason in 2022, and in 2023, they were knocked out in the opening round of the postseason. The final string was losing five consecutive home matches at the start of 2024.

  Pros and cons of the job

  Atlanta have the most exciting opening of any MLS team this offseason. They have the finances and roster spots to completely revamp their roster. Potentially, we they could have two U22 initiative signings, two new DP's and a new GM – and they just re-signed 2024 MLS Playoff hero Brad Guzan after upsetting Inter Miami in the playoffs. It's more than an enticing job, it's a competitive one that many coaches will be vying for.

  Where do they go from here?

  Valentino seemed likely to be in the mix after his brilliant takeover in 2024, but he announced his departure last week. Now, club president Garth Lagerway and the are set to undergo an in-depth hiring process. The obvious move, though, is Jim Curtin. The ex-Union boss is one of MLS' most successful managers, and he's achieved so much with so little over the years. If you give him money to spend to build an elite roster, it could be a great fit.

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  Vancouver Whitecaps

  Who's out?

  Vanni Sartini was dismissed after Vancouver was eliminated after a closely-contested Round One playoff series against LAFC. The Whitecaps smashed the Portland Timbers 5-0 in the Eastern Conference Wildcard match, but fell to the No. 1 seed in the opening round.

  Sartini didn't excel with Vancouver, but he didn't underperform either. Notably, though, he was outspoken on a number of topics. In 2023, he was initially suspended for six matches for comments aimed at a referee following a postseason exit, though that was later reduced to four games. After their 2024 season came to an end, it seemed as though it was just the right time for both parties to move on.

  Pros and cons of the job

  The Whitecaps have an important offseason ahead. They have Ryan Gauld in his prime years, Brian White playing excellent, and a terrific defensive pairing with centerbacks in Tristan Blackmon and Ranko Veselinovic, with Scottish veteran Stuart Armstrong in the midfield. Elsewhere, though, a lot of their roster feels replaceable.

  Notably, though, they don't have a ton of room regarding high-profile player. They have maxed out their DP and U22 slots at the moment, so any additional upgrades will come in the form of TAM or GAM signings.

  Where do they go from here?

  They need to target a coach who can get the most out of the current group, while using the transfer market to elevate the team. The ambitious answer is Pellegrino Matarazzo, a German-American coach who has lived in Europe since 2000 – and has constantly been talked about as a potential MLS coach. He was sacked from his role as Hoffenheim manager after a poor start to the season, and is available. It would be a flashy hire, and potentially one that could draw talent to the club.

After collecting his 300th Test wicket Dale Steyn was a content man but is more delighted with the team success than his own landmarks

Firdose Moonda05-Jan-2013Dale Steyn, South Africa’s latest admission to the 300-wicket club, acknowledged the speed of his success has been aided by the quality of bowlers around him. Alongside Makhaya Ntini at the start of his career and Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander in the last year, Steyn has been able to operate potently in small doses while his counterparts put in the hard yards.As South Africa’s firebrand frontman, Steyn had the tireless Ntini and hard-working Morkel and now the metronomic Philander do the bulk of the donkey work while he is saved to bowl when it matters. “I pick and choose the times when I need to force speed and force extended spells,” Steyn said.That much was evident as recently as the Newlands Test against New Zealand where Steyn was required to bowl an eight-over spell in the hour after lunch. Graeme Smith wanted to crack through the lower middle order after stubborn New Zealand resistance and he entrusted the responsibility to his senior man.Steyn moved through the gears, firing in a barrage of short balls to unnerve the already vulnerable New Zealanders. He operated at full throttle, steaming in, snorting and scary. Craig Cumming, the former New Zealander opener, said Steyn’s angry eyes get going when he was like that.When Steyn starts to behave irreverently, he bowls better. When he sulks, kicks the boundary rope, sits on the cooler box when he should be fielding and ignores the autograph hunters, he will deliver the ball faster and with more venom. But that side of him only comes out once a series, if that. It only comes when Smith decides South Africa need to pull the trigger.It sometimes leads to people questioning whether Steyn starts slowly or loses rhythm later on. According to him, it’s neither. It is just the difference when he cranks it up is so stark. “I always try to start like that especially as Graeme speaks about bowlers having to lead from the front,” he said. “I try and set the tone but it doesn’t always happen. When you know you can get two more days off in Cape Town, that’s when you try and do it.”It is also when he knows he will have time to recover from the extra exertion that Steyn is willing to extend himself. Having never picked up a serious bowling injury, Steyn is aware that his clean action and good run of luck has served him well and he wants to keep it that way. “I bowled after lunch for an hour-and-a-bit, and my legs are feeling it now. If I had to go back out there and bowl tomorrow, the chances of picking up an injury would be a lot higher.”It is identifying and managing situations like that that Steyn thinks has kept him fit and helped him get to 300 wickets as quickly as he has. His milestone was achieved in the same amount of time as Richard Hadlee and Malcolm Marshall making him joint third fastest in the world. Although Steyn is aware of and proud of the record it is not something he regards as overly important.”I play a lot of games for South Africa and bowl a lot of overs,” he said. “The way I see it, if you’re going to do that, and you stay fit, you will get wickets. For example, if I was a batter, like Hashim Amla, I would be scoring runs. But I was quite happy with the ball that got the 300th wicket.””I was stoked, it was awesome but I’ve got a lot more to offer in the game. I’ve got another Test match to play in Port Elizabeth a few days from now and I’ve got a few more years in cricket. I look forward to a couple more wickets. But 300 wickets is a lot of wickets so I can go to bed happy.”The number crunchers will predict that Steyn could become the quickest to another milestone – such as 400 or 500 wickets. But Steyn is not looking that far ahead and is just enjoying the now. “It’s awesome. A couple of years ago, I wanted to take wickets because of things like strike rates and leading the attack. But now, this attack is led by everyone. Morne Morkel is doing it; Vernon started playing as if he was doing it all the time. We’ve got such a great seam attack that we are able to play with the spinner. This team is an incredible team to be part of right now.”

A week from now, Glasgow Rangers will be hoping to already have three precious Premiership points following an opening day league victory.

The Ibrox side travel to Edinburgh to play Hearts to begin the 2024/25 campaign. Philippe Clement’s side may not have endured the finest pre-season, but all that matters is taking three points and building some momentum.

So far, the Belgian has made eight signings during the current transfer window, but hopefully there will be more to come in the next few weeks.

Vaclav Cerny is the newest arrival. The Czech winger should slot straight into the starting XI and will offer some much-needed pace and an eye for goal on the flanks.

While experience is required, Clement could tap into the South American market in terms of bringing another talent to the club, thus repeating the club’s Alfredo Morelos masterstroke in the process.

Alfredo Morelos’ Rangers statistics

The Colombian arrived at Rangers when the club were still trying to readjust to top-flight life following their spell in the lower leagues.

Pedro Caixinha was the manager who brought him to Glasgow (arguably the best thing he did) from HJK Helsinki, a club where he scored 46 goals in just 62 appearances.

Aged just 21 at the time of his arrival, Morelos was not expected to be the focal point of the rebuild which would eventually see the club reach the summit of Scottish football, but his strong start to life at Ibrox offered plenty of hope.

Indeed, a tally of 18 goals from 43 appearances in his maiden season really set the ball rolling, especially following the appointment of Steven Gerrard in May 2018.

The Colombian scored 30 goals during Gerrard’s first season before adding another 29 the season after, shining in Europe, most notably as the club reached the last 16 of the Europa League.

Despite having a striker of this magnitude, the Ibrox side failed to win a trophy during those seasons, something which would change during 2020/21.

While his scoring rate fell – scoring ‘only’ 17 goals – the Light Blues recorded an unbeaten league season to claim their first league crown in a decade. This should have been the start of a new era filled with success, but it proved to be a false dawn.

Morelos did score 18 times, but his season came to an end at the start of April following an injury suffered on international duty with Columbia, missing the Europa League and Scottish Cup finals in the process.

He wasn’t quite the same upon his return to first-team action during the 2022/23 season, recording his lowest goal tally during his Rangers career (12) as the club finished trophyless for the first time since 2020.

It became clear that he wasn’t keen on signing an extended contract, thus leaving for nothing when his deal expired in May 2023. He remains a cult figure at the club, becoming the top European scorer in the Light Blues’ history following a goal against Benfica in 2020.

Alas, all good things have to come to an end. Since his departure, the club are still looking for another striker of the same stature.

Clement could be eyeing another Morelos masterclass this summer as the Gers have been linked with a Colombian youngster as of late…

Rangers transfer news

According to reports earlier this week, Rangers are showing interest in right-back Edier Ocampo ahead of making a potential move for the Colombian.

Coach Pablo Repetto left him out of the previous match against Millonarios due to the interest expressed in the young defender, meaning he could be on his way out of South America sooner rather than later.

Rangers, Hellas Verona and French side Toulouse have tabled offers for him, according to the report. Interest also comes from the MLS, as Vancouver Whitecaps are keen to bring him north in the next few weeks.

A young Colombian making his mark for his club side is attracting interest from abroad. Where have the Ibrox faithful heard that before?

Bringing a young talent such as Ocampo to Glasgow will allow Clement the chance to offer the player opportunities in European football. This should see him reach his potential, meaning the club can secure a substantial profit after a few years.

Edier Ocampo’s career statistics

The 5 foot 8 defender won't turn 21 until October, but he has already racked up 58 senior appearances for Atlético Nacional, registering five goal contributions in the process.

Across 21 club matches in 2024, Ocampo has scored three goals and grabbed an assist, demonstrating his attacking abilities.

Further evidence comes from his statistics when compared to his teammates. Indeed, he ranks first for successful dribbles per game (1.3), second for goals and assists (four) and big chances created (two), along with finishing third for key passes per game (1.4); excellent numbers from the youngster.

Another bonus for Clement is that the 20-year-old can either operate as a right-back or a right-winger, positions which he is clearly looking to strengthen this summer.

After Cerny: Rangers table offer for "high potential" Tavernier replacement

Philippe Clement could be set to sign another South American talent…

By
Ross Kilvington

Jul 27, 2024

This positional flexibility could see him feature in more games should he join Rangers, especially if James Tavernier does leave the club amid recent interest in the current captain.

The league season is fast approaching, and the pre-season results haven’t shown the supporters that things can be different from last year.

Another few solid signings between now and the end of August could change morale, combined with a good start to the new season.

Will Ocampo be part of the Ibrox side in the coming weeks? Only time will tell.

Arsenal could now accept a loan bid for one £120,000-per-week player, after he made one thing crystal clear to club chiefs behind the scenes.

Players who could be sold by Arsenal before August 30

Summer deadline day is in just over a month's time, and as Edu Gaspar's recruitment team look to add more fresh faces, there is also the possibility of other players leaving Arsenal – either on loan or permanently.

"Special" Arsenal player agrees to leave as West Ham chase quick deal

They want it done this week.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 18, 2024

Two notable senior players in Mohamed Elneny and Cedric Soares departed London Colney when their contracts expired on June 30, while both Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares sealed loan moves elsewhere.

Tavares joined Lazio on an initial season-loan, which includes a mandatory buy-clause set at £7.5 million. The Portuguese, with his permanent transfer a formality at the end of next season, put pen to paper on a five-year deal with Marco Baroni's side.

Lokonga was persuaded to join Sevilla on a temporary deal by former Leeds United director Victor Orta, and that deal also includes a rumoured buy-option set at around £10 million.

“I had some conversations with Victor,” said Lokonga on joining Sevilla.

“We had the opportunity to talk a long time ago and today it finally came true. For me the most convincing thing is the opportunity to return to Europe and win again. I want to be part of the team, be part of the history of the club and participate in everything I can."

Mikel Arteta is very likely to see a few other interesting names part company, which could include the likes of Thomas Partey, Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney, Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nkeitah and Emile Smith Rowe.

All the aforementioned players have been linked with moves away, but one player they're struggling to find a buyer for is £120,000-per-week second-choice keeper Ramsdale.

Arsenal may now accept loan bid for Ramsdale after clear message

The England international lost his place to David Raya last season, and the 25-year-old has made it clear to club chiefs that he won't be sitting on the bench all season again.

That is according to HITC, who also say Arsenal could now accept a loan bid for Ramsdale, due to the difficulty in finding permanent suitors. The north Londoners value him at around £40 million, and it is believed clubs are reluctant to pay such a sum for Ramsdale.

In any case, the former Bournemouth keeper is tipped to inevitably leave this summer, but a lot will depend on just how far sides are willing to go for him.

"It’s a matter of when Ramsdale leaves, not if," said reliable journalist Charles Watts. “The key thing for Arsenal is getting value for money. I saw an initial fee of £15 million mentioned in reports last week and that is quite frankly ridiculous. Arsenal signed Ramsdale for nearly £30m two years ago and he has developed into a far better keeper since then.

“He’s still young, he’s homegrown, an established England international and has a long-term contract. Yes, interested clubs will know that Arsenal’s stance in any negotiations will be weakened somewhat given he is now clearly behind David Raya in the pecking order, but that shouldn’t mean the club should basically give him away."

The batter’s immediate aim is to top the scoring charts in the coming T20Is against England at home

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2022Brandon King is hoping to make the most of his recall to West Indies’ T20I side after a year away and has his sights set on October’s T20 World Cup in Australia.King, 27, made an irrepressible case for international selection in the 2019 CPL, when he was the tournament’s leading run-scorer with a strike rate of 148.94 to boot for Guyana Amazon Warriors, but initially struggled to make the step up.His first 10 T20I innings for West Indies – all away from home – brought just 153 runs and he lost his place after the tour to New Zealand in November 2020, with the selectors returning to the experience of Lendl Simmons and Andre Fletcher ahead of last year’s World Cup in the UAE.But West Indies’ disastrous performance in that tournament – the defending champions were knocked out in the Super 12s after losing four games out of five – prompted a recall for King ahead of the tour to Pakistan, where he made his maiden international half-century.King said that he felt more “mentally prepared” for international cricket after taking the time to analyse his own game during his absence from the team, and revealed that he has set himself the goal of leading the run-scoring charts in the five-match T20I series against England in Barbados, which starts on Saturday.”I was obviously very happy to be back in West Indies colours,” King said. “There’s always been technical aspects that I’ve been working on over the year but I play my best cricket when I keep things simple out there while I’m batting and try to play the situation as it is. That has really helped me to do better out there – just to remain calm in general.”Over that period of time, I had ample time to reflect on my game and what works for me and what doesn’t, and to try and improve my weaknesses. That was done over time. I feel I was more mentally prepared this second time around, I knew my game better, and I know how to get the best out of myself.”My long-term goal would obviously be to make the World Cup squad at the end of the year – that’s always in the back of my mind, but I do like to stay in the present. My immediate goal would be to try and do my best in this series here: [in the] last series I played in Pakistan, I finished with the second-most runs so it would be nice to finish with the most runs in this series… that’s my big goal that I’ve set out for myself.”I try to focus on the things that I can control. Selection and those other aspects, I don’t have any control over, but I’ll always try and put myself in a position to be in the conversation. This year is set up in a way that we have some series leading up to the World Cup and I would love to put myself in a position to be part of a team that starts to turn around the fortunes for West Indies cricket.”King also confirmed his intentions to play for West Indies across formats, having shown promise in the regional four-day championships before his breakthrough as a white-ball player. While his opportunities to play in the competition this season will be limited by West Indies’ white-ball series, King described Test cricket as “the ultimate goal”.”I’m definitely willing to play Test cricket,” he said. “When I grew up, I grew up watching Test cricket, so that was what I dreamed of. For me, it’s the ultimate goal. The way my career was going at first was leading towards that, the first West Indies team for me was the ‘A’ team, four-day team after I had a decent four-day championship.”After I had a good year in 2019 CPL, my white-ball game kind of took over, but I’ll be ready anytime. Any chance I get to play four-day cricket again, I’d love to play to try and put my name in the hat for Test cricket. I’d love to play all formats.”

With big talent and bigger ambitions, the 18-year-old Campbell has become American soccer's next one up

Cole Campbell is still adjusting to it all, and he's had to do so on the fly. Life has been one big change lately. All for the better, he'll tell you, but even good change can be challenging to navigate – especially as an 18-year-old.

The young dual-national is already thriving with a giant club, recently making his debuts for Borussia Dortmund in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. He's playing at one of the world's best talent factories, which is a pretty damn good place to be, isn't it?

But the most unexpected adjustment of all? The attention. It can be overbearing. It hasn't quite reached that point for Campbell, but it has been … different. The social media posts, the Instagram highlight reels, the interviews, the hype – he sees it, he knows it, he feels it. Six months ago, he was a rising Iceland youth international. Now, he's something very different.

Very suddenly, Campbell has become American soccer's next one up.

Across all sports, the U.S. is a country continuously looking to anoint its next young star. We've seen it happen time and time again, including multiple times at Campbell's own club. Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna have ridden their own hype machines straight to U.S. men's national team stardom, and the expectation is that Campbell is next. The eyes of American soccer are now fixed on a player with just 74 senior minutes for Borussia Dortmund.

"I've been training for such a long time with no one watching, and now that everyone is, I'm just confident in my abilities," Campbell tells GOAL. "Even if there are people watching, it doesn't really make me nervous. Obviously, it is so much different now, where I'm being followed and everything, but as far as that, I don't really feel much pressure. Obviously, I now have to perform and do well when I step on the field, but really, I just feel joy whenever I step on the field. I don't really feel too much pressure, I just enjoy it."

For several of his predecessors, such pressure has proven too much. For others, it's been what's sharpened them to push the game further than those that came before. Pulisic is the model case. Like Campbell, he arrived at Dortmund as a kid with big dreams and, in the years since, he's become a world-renowned star unlike any American before him.

Now, it's Campbell's turn. He's living with that pressure well, largely because Campbell expects even more from himself than others do. Everything that American soccer fans are dreaming of, well, he's dreaming of it, too.

"My goal was to debut in the Bundesliga and eventually the Champions League," he says. "Now that I've done that, I'm just trying to work hard and obviously earn more minutes throughout the rest of the season. That's my short-term goal. As far as long-term goals for my career, I want to win a Ballon d'Or. That's something that I want to do in my career. I want to win the Champions League and I want to win a World Cup as well. That's something that would be absolutely amazing and I think that, in the future, I think it's all possible."

Campbell is still new to this and, as good as he's been so far, it remains almost impossible to predict the future of an 18-year-old. He's still far from a finished product and he still has a lot of learning and growing to do before he reaches the expectations that those on the outside have thrust upon him, let alone the ones he's now putting on himself.

He's still adjusting, but Campbell truly believes anything is possible.

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  Beginnings at Dortmund

  It's easy to see why Dortmund made the move to sign Campbell from relative obscurity. Watch him for just a few seconds and you see it. There's a different skill level and, more importantly, a different speed to his game. He's been compared to Pulisic and Leroy Sane due to his ability to dart through defenses. He has the type of pace you can't teach, and the type of ruthlessness needed to make the most of it.

  Since arriving at Dortmund, Campbell has thrived at every level he's played at to earn his first-team place. He scored a brace in his U17 debut, adding four more in the following 10 games, too. He scored 10 while assisting 11 for the U19s in 2023. Campbell's rise may seem meteoric, but it's also been carefully crafted by the Dortmund system.

  "Cole is a very young and extremely exciting player, who took huge strides in the past year," Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl said of the American forward. "We see so much potential in him."

  Campbell's Dortmund move was announced in the summer of 2022. At the time, he'd made just two senior appearances for Icelandic side FH. He made two further appearances for Breidablik before heading to Germany. He wasn't signed for his resume or experiencd – he was signed for potential.

  Dortmund have moved him along slowly. He was called up to a January camp last season and has been in and around first-team training. It was in those moments that Campbell learned what it takes at that level, and just how much work he still had to put into get there.

  "I started training with the first team a few times last year," Campbell recalls, "and, to be honest, Marco Reus was just amazing. His touch on the ball and everything, there were so many little things that he did. He's just an amazing player, and that made me like, 'Wow, OK'. I remember we were playing four against four, and he told me to just run. There were three players standing there, and I was like, 'How's he going to get me the ball?' He put it through all of their legs. That's crazy.

  "When I was younger and coming up, you see the quality and what is expected. Every pass has to be perfect, every touch, everything."

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  Big adjustments

  Reus provided that on-field lesson. There were also the off-field ones. Campbell moved to Dortmund at just 16. There were things he had to learn, about himself and his career. He was thrust into a new environment in a new country with a new language.

  That led to moments of solitude in which Campbell says he leaned on his faith to figure things out.

  "Football is not all easy," he says. "You see it from the outside world and it looks like everything's just a smooth road, but my path was definitely not that way. It was ups and downs, and it was definitely very difficult at times. Jesus has been with me and carried me through those hard times, and that's something that is a part of me that I want everyone to know."

  His German's getting better, too. That'll help as he continues to adjust to life at Dortmund.

  "I can understand everything [in training] now," he adds with a smile. "That was the most important thing. All the trainings were in German, everything, and I didn't understand a word. It was difficult, but after about eight to nine months, I started to understand what they were saying, and now I can speak pretty well, too."

  Heading into the 2024 season, Campbell's chance was coming. And it arrived in a big way.

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  The breakthrough

  By the time a player hears that Champions League anthem in person for the first time, they've likely heard it a million times in their dreams. Campbell was no different. And it came with a sense of accomplishment.

  Campbell heard that anthem for the first time on Oct. 22 ahead of Dortmund's clash with Real Madrid, a match in which he remained an unused substitute. He made his Bundesliga debut four days later against Augsburg, thrown in to help Dortmund chase down what ended as a 2-1 defeat.

  “We want to get the young players as close to the team as possible, because they are the future of the club," Dortmund boss Nuri Sahin said of Campbell after that match. "Of course, there are more ideal scenarios than making your debut in Augsburg when you're behind."

  His Champions League debut came a few days later as he came on for the final 13 minutes in Dortmund's 1-0 win over Sturm Graz. It was during those anthems that Campbell took a moment to sit back and think about it all.

  "It made me realize how far have I've come from when I was just a little kid playing and dreaming about this moment, you know? It was just a surreal moment," Campbell says. "It doesn't feel real. You're like, 'Wow, I'm here, I'm actually in a Champions League game.' "

  In the month or so since, Campbell has hovered around the Dortmund first team while also thriving for the club's second. After sitting on the bench in this past weekend's 4-0 win over Freiburg, he went on to score one day later in Dortmund II's win over Erzgebirge Aue in the third division.

  "Coming in [to the first team], I was just feeling mostly just excited to come in, " he said. "I know I just have to work hard and do my best with what I'm given."

  Campbell finds himself fighting for more minutes in the Borussia Dortmund attack, and he'll now be fighting against another American star.

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  Following in footsteps

  Dortmund's reputation as one of the game's best at developing talent is well-earned. Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Robert Lewandowski all arrived and reached superstar status at BVB. So, too, did Pulisic, who emerged as the first in what is now a legacy of American stars.

  "As far as when I was deciding which club I should go to," Campbell says, "obviously with the other players who have made it through, you see that there's a path through the academy to the first team, and that was a big thing for me. They really prepare you, not just what you can do, but also mentally, and that's something that has helped me a lot."

  That preparation helps reduce the pressure, and keeps Campbell calm. Well, mostly.

  "It's just preparing and not being too nervous," he says. "It's always good to have a little bit of excitement but if you're too nervous, you won't perform at your best, best potential. The mental side of things was something that I didn't have before I came here, and when I came here, that was a big switch. It took me some time to get used to everything, but in the end, the mental aspect, that's helped me a lot with getting me to where I am today."

  With his ascension to the Dortmund first team, Campbell has joined up with another American in Gio Reyna, who is now looking to rebuild his own career after some difficult moments. Just 22, Reyna is now the elder American at the club compared to Campbell. Due to Reyna's recent injury woes, the two haven't gotten to spend much time on the pitch together, but Campbell does see the USMNT midfielder as a role model.

  "He's a great guy, Campbell said. "I've talked to him every now and then. Obviously, it really sucks that he's been injured these last last few months, but I've talked to him and he's helped me. It's just here and there, but I'm glad that I also have another American on the team that I can talk with."

  They'll have plenty more to talk about going forward, as Campbell looks to carve out his own USMNT career.

Plays of the day from the fifth day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand at P Sara Oval

Andrew Fernando at the P Sara Oval29-Nov-2012The mix-up
Sri Lanka’s overnight pair had negotiated the early overs without much worry, but they concocted trouble of their own to see the downfall of one of their most experienced batsman. Thilan Samaraweera pushed a Doug Bracewell delivery to cover and set off immediately for a quick single. Perhaps not expecting to scamper runs at this stage in the game, Angelo Mathews was slow to respond at the other end, and as he saw Jeetan Patel swooping in on the ball, he decided to send Samaraweera back. By that stage though, his partner was too far down the track, and his cause was not helped by an extremely slow stop-and-turn that resembled the Titanic trying to avoid the iceberg. Samaraweera was run out by a good two metres.The eager cricketers
Knowing conditions were unlikely to allow them to bowl all the scheduled overs in the day, New Zealand’s cricketers were extra eager to resume their hunt for wickets after lunch, and took the field minutes before the scheduled restart. They had even assumed their fielding positions before the umpires arrived. Sri Lanka’s batsmen were predictably last to come to the middle, two minutes late.The delivery
When Mathews was batting alongside Prasanna Jayawardene, it seemed as though only the new ball would be able to part them. New Zealand’s seamers struggled to get much out of the aging ball on a wearing pitch, and the spinners didn’t get much help from the surface either. But almost out of the blue, debutant Todd Astle produced the ball of the day to dismiss Jayawardene, when he drifted one in then got it to leap off the pitch, turning away. Jayawardene presented a firm defence, but as the ball had bounced more than he had anticipated, it took the edge, high up on the bat, and broke the partnership.The double dive
So keyed up were New Zealand to complete the win that when no. 11 Rangana Herath gloved a short ball from Trent Boult into the off side, two fielders came in and leapt forward, despite the fact that neither of them had a hope of getting there. Brendon McCullum ran forward from third slip and Tim Southee from backward point and the pair performed a futile synchronised dive almost side-by-side, before getting up and smiling it off.