Australia’s selectors have made no secret of their desire to pick fast bowlers for the national team. Fast, not medium-fast. That is one of the reasons Jackson Bird’s Test career stalled after three appearances, despite the fact that he was Man of the Match in one of those. It is also one of the factors that has gone against Chadd Sayers in his bid for national selection. Until now.Sayers is a classic swing bowler whose weapons are all based on moving the ball sideways, not on how quickly it reaches the batsman. His style has been good enough to bring him 145 first-class wickets at 24.82, but at the age of 28, it was starting to look like he would never get a chance at the higher level. But Sayers and Bird are both in Australia’s Test squad for the tour of New Zealand.It is all about the conditions, the selectors argue. In New Zealand speed is less important than movement. There is no point being fast if you’re doing nothing with the ball, and serving up half-volleys at 150kph does not help the team. Whether either Sayers or Bird get the chance to wear the baggy green on the two-Test tour remains to be seen, but they are encouraged by their selections.”I’m never going to bowl 140, so if that was their criteria, I wasn’t going to fit that,” Sayers told reporters in Adelaide on Wednesday. “But they’ve picked for conditions, with Jackson Bird getting picked as well, same sort of bowler as me. They’ve picked for the New Zealand conditions … I think a good ball to any batsman is a good ball.”I watched the last series [of Tests in New Zealand] on TV and it looked like it swung around and nipped around a bit, which will suit my bowling for sure.”The selectors were forced to look beyond the usual suspects due to injuries – Mitchell Starc is recovering from ankle surgery, Pat Cummins has yet another stress fracture of the back, and Nathan Coulter-Nile – a previous Test squad member though yet to win a baggy green – has a shoulder problem. Sayers knows about unfortunate injury timing, having been unavailable for consideration for the 2015 Ashes due to an ankle injury.”All the hard work in the gym … has paid off in the pre-season,” Sayers said. “To come back from that was one big step and then to perform in the four Shield games I’ve played this year was another big step. Really excited and can’t wait to get over there.”This summer Sayers has collected 16 Sheffield Shield wickets at 25.81, still a solid tally at the halfway point of the season, though down on his remarkable 2012-13, a season in which he topped the Shield wicket list with 48 at 18.52. Another strong season followed in 2013-14, when he picked up 36 wickets and was South Australia’s leading pace bowler.”When you’re in form and don’t get picked, then you think maybe the time has passed,” Sayers said. “But obviously if you keep taking wickets and knocking the door down then a chance could come eventually – and luckily enough for me it has come.”

Canterbury continued their momentum towards a Shell Cup semi-final place at Whangarei today. But not without the occasional tremor and many sideways glances at an interesting red/brown Cobham Oval pitch with a tinge of green that coloured the surface and the batsmen’s complexions.The Northern Districts’ batsmen’s down glances were particularly baleful as Gary Stead won the toss and gave them first look at the vagaries kept under covers through overnight and morning rain that shortened the match to 43 overs a side.A rollicking start by Daniel Vettori and Mark Bailey, picking 42 off six overs in the wake of Simon Doull’s early departure via a messy run out, was no sign of things to come. From 46 for one after eight overs, the tone of the match was set. At the end of 12, Northern were 49 for six and, despite a 37-run seventh wicket partnership between Grant Bradburn and Hamish Marshall, they were never likely to produce a total that was defendable even on a pitch whose holding qualities made scoring difficult.They reached 134. Bradburn, bowled for 47 off the last ball of the innings, and Daryl Tuffey added 30 for the last wicket but it was the sort of hit-and-miss batting that could hardly be described as setting an example to the top order.The Canterbury bowlers naturally enjoyed themselves, none more so than this season’s new international Chris Martin. His nine overs produced three for 18 and at times he seemed unplayable. A couple of run outs did not help the Northern cause.Some of the Northern bowlers had a happy time too. And certainly the Canterbury batsmen had as much trouble with the pitch as their Northern counterparts. In a similar pattern to the Northern innings, Canterbury went from 52 for one to 63 for four in the space of four overs as Daniel Vettori and Alex Tait complemented the good work Daryl Tuffey contributed at the start of Northern’s bowling effort.But they never had enough to defend. Chris Harris with an unbeaten 43 righted the innings and, despite a couple of glitches at the other end, Canterbury got home with a couple of overs and four wickets to spare.Vettori demonstrated that he is coming back, taking two for 23 off his nine overs. Tuffey took two for 14 off seven. Tait and Bradburn chimed in with a wicket each. Between them they forced Canterbury to fight all the way for the two points that take them into the top three of the Shell Cup.Gary Stead, commenting after the match on the conditions, said, “We’ll take the two points but it is an absolute disgrace that two teams with such proud one-day records should be subjected to playing on such a pitch.”

Celtic have reportedly started talks with Lennoxtown coach Gavin Strachan over a new deal and all parties are confident an agreement will be reached.

The Lowdown: Strachan impressing at Celtic

Strachan has spent a two-year period at Parkhead now, initially coming in as a coach with Neil Lennon but remaining at the club when Ange Postecoglou arrived.

The current Celtic boss has described his co-worker as ‘excellent’ in the past and he has seemingly always been highly thought of by those high up at Celtic.

Now, a positive update has emerged regarding Strachan, who is the son of former Hoops boss Gordon Strachan.

The Latest: New deal imminent?

According to Football Insider’s Celtic source, talks are underway over a new deal for the 42-year-old and all parties are ‘hopeful’ that it will be agreed in the near future.

Strachan took charge of two Celtic matches last season due to Postecoglou being absent through Covid-19, and Hoops sources have told FI that the Aussie saw it as a ‘huge boost’ when Strachan declined the chance to move to Hartlepool United.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-23/” title=”Celtic updates!!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Exciting

While Postecoglou is ultimately the key to Celtic’s current success, being surrounded by top coaches is also imperative and Strachan has proved to be that in the last couple of years.

For that reason, retaining his services and ensuring he isn’t snapped up by someone else makes perfect sense, with the Scot still relatively young and surely improving all the time.

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Strachan rejecting the manager job at Hartlepool United last year suggests that he is more committed to Celtic than ever, so a new deal is just the icing on the cake of a brilliant week for the Parkhead faithful.

In other news, Ange Postecoglou has dropped a positive Celtic injury claim. Read more here.

West Bromwich Albion have begun shaping their squad for life back in the Premier League after snapping up Spanish defender Pablo Ibanez on a free transfer.

The 28-year-old has signed a three-year deal with the Baggies after leaving Atletico Madrid following the end of his contract.

Ibanez has won 23 caps for Spain and featured in the last World Cup finals in Germany.

"Pablo comes with bags of experience at the highest level, having been a regular fixture in La Liga for the past seven seasons," manager Roberto Di Matteo told the club's official website.

"He's also played in the Champions League for Atletico and the World Cup for Spain, so the Premier League should hold no fears for him.

"He will bring a physical presence to our defence and his arrival will create real competition at centre-half."

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Ibanez made just seven La Liga appearances for Atletico last season after falling down the pecking order following Quique Sanchez Flores' arrival as head coach midway through the campaign.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

1. We made it…narrowly

One horrendous performance doesn’t make us a terrible side. But, equally, one victory doesn’t make us the best. It was a marked improvement from the previous outing against Algeria and, crucially, three points guarantee one more match in South Africa. England pressed better, played with more urgency, and addressed many of the fans’ concerns following Friday evening. Slovenia were disappointing considering the circumstances; it was an unremarkable push for an equaliser considering England took the lead so early and there was little evidence of a plan B. In general it’s good to be through but we will need to play a lot better to get past a young and technically proficient Germany team.

2. Wayne Rooney is, now, unequivocally injured…until the next match

We’ve all seen a slightly more laboured looking Rooney thus far and, in the second half, he was forced to be substituted after picking up a knock. There have been question marks surrounding his fitness ever since the Champions League quarter final first leg played in Munich and his increased irritability and evident frustration hints as much to unhappiness with the team as it does to his own lack of sharpness. It was however encouraging seeing Ashley Cole involved as much as he was. It’s not a new fact that England’s success is heavily contingent on the left back’s involvement; I have long thought that he is absolutely key to England’s success (more so than Gerrard, Lampard and, definitely at the moment, Rooney). His defensive qualities are supreme; pace, positional sense, experience at the highest level, and proven class performances against the best…done in an England shirt as well. As an attacking full back he is certainly among the very best in the world.

3. John Terry’s face dive was brilliant

Glen Johnson actually got the block but Terry’s face dive for the ball was amazing. No doubt there’ll be calls for him to be knighted. It was in the middle of a flurry of blocks and last ditch defending and you can imagine, mid flight, he was thinking of all the fans who questioned the team’s passion. Have some of that.

4. David James was solid

James made a few potentially damaging moments look pretty steady. Maybe we’re just not used to anything resembling safe-hands in net and so, in contrast, James looked good doing what should be standard.

5. Milner’s positional sense key to victory

Milner hugged the touchline and provided an outlet throughout. The knock on effect of this for the entire team was noticeable; whereas Lennon’s central movement in the last match (coupled with Gerrard’s inset role) caused England to look narrow and cut options in the final third, Milner listened to instructions and forced the Slovenian defence to be stretched. Other changes also led to the better play in the final third: Rooney’s slightly deeper role meant he found possession more often and his interplay with Gerrard was promising. Gerrard also looked more disciplined on the left hand side and England generally played with greater positional sense. Gerrard’s central tendency allows Cole to push forward but the midfield does not become congested so long as the right flank is occupied by a player who stays wide. Milner did this and his crossing was superb, resulting in England’s only breakthrough. A danger for England, looking forward, is against better opposition it will be harder to cross as early and relatively unopposed from the flanks (especially given Milner’s threat is not his speed).

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Click image below to see a gallery of the German babes at the World Cup:

Touted as the next John Terry, Michael Mancienne has endured a frustrating time so far at Chelsea. The England Under-21 international has been at the club since he was a schoolboy but despite his enormous potential has only started twice for the senior side in his 14 years with the Blues.

His lack of opportunities at Stamford Bridge caused Mancienne to look elsewhere for first-team football and Chelsea duly sent the youngster on loan. Mancienne joined Chelsea’s West London neighbours QPR on loan where he spent two successful seasons from 2006-2008. His impressive displays at Loftus Road attracted the attention of Wolves who subsequently loaned Mancienne twice; once in 2008 and again last season where he helped Wolves stay in the Premier League. His performances at Molineux caught the attention of England boss Fabio Capello who named Mancienne in his England squad to face Germany in November 2008 while on loan with Wolves in the Championship.

With his future seemingly bright, Mancienne has returned to Chelsea this season on a mission to break into the first-team. However, he is faced with a seriously uphill task. At his preferred position at centre-back, Chelsea already boast a number of senior players including club captain John Terry, Alex, Ricardo Carvalho and Branislav Ivanovic all vying for a place in the team. Not only that, Mancienne has to compete with another up and coming talent Jeffrey Bruma.

Bruma was integral to Chelsea’s FA Youth Cup success last season and has impressed Carlo Ancelotti enough for him to give the Dutchman a couple of substitute appearances last season. Like Mancienne, Bruma has been called up to the national team, with Bert van Marwijk naming the Chelsea starlet in an upcoming friendly against Ukraine on 11th August.

Despite the fierce competition, Mancienne has expressed a desire to remain at his boyhood club and fight for a place in the starting line-up. Chelsea have issued a statement denying that Mancienne has handed in a transfer request amidst speculation that the defender would be interested in re-joining Wolves.

His desire to stay at Chelsea could be a result of the Premier League’s new squad rules. Under the new regulations, each Premier League squad must have 25 players of which 8 have to be ‘home-grown’. Having spent his entire career so far on the books at Stamford Bridge, Mancienne would comfortably qualify as one of the eight ‘home-grown’ players that have to be included in next season’s squad. With the prospect of inclusion in Ancelotti’s squad, there is still hope that Mancienne could feature more prominently for Chelsea in the coming season.

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Click on image to see a gallery of the BEST BABES at the World Cup this summer

Manchester City outcast Robinho is desperate to remain in Brazil, after ending his initial loan spell with Santos.

The 26-year-old was farmed out by the Citizens in January after struggling to make his mark in his second season at Eastlands and enjoyed his time back at one of his former clubs.

Robinho told reporters: “It’s not easy to convince the English to agree a deal but I trust the leaders of Santos to be successful. I think I belong in Brazil more than the Premier League.

“My agents have received several offers from clubs in Europe, but everything is on hold until Santos meet City.”

Meanwhile, City’s move to snare Internazionale’s talented young striker Mario Balotelli appears to have hit a major stumbling block.

Personal terms for the 19-year-old are reported to be the problem, with agent Mino Raiola telling Sky Italia: “As long as there’s hope, there’s life.

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“He’s calm but anxious to come to an agreement, that’s normal for a lad of 19. We’re working and we’re hoping.”

Harry Redknapp is an ambitious man, his comments regarding a challenge for the league title show the faith he has in his team:

“I feel we could contend for the title; we have got the players here. We have to aim for it. We could win the championship.”

However, it is not everyone at Tottenham who shares his thoughts. Tim Sherwood, a first team coach under Redknapp and Joe Jordan, believes that any talk of the Premier League crown is too hasty, and just emulating last season will be a difficult enough, and I for one agree with him. Sherwood told Ham & High:

“I think we overachieved massively last season. It was beyond expectation, everyone would say that. For us to emulate that would be a massive success. We know how hard it was last year, it would be even more difficult this year. It will be far harder for everyone this year. Manchester City are obviously going to be stronger, and Liverpool won’t be as bad as they were last year. We’re obviously going to try to finish as high as we can.”

As it stands, Tottenham have essentially the same squad as last year – just the one signing of Sandro – while, as Sherwood highlighted to, their main rivals, Man City, Liverpool and Everton, have all improved their squads. What Spurs do have in their favour is the self-belief that they can get finish in the top four having got there last year.

Eastlands has already seen a number of new arrivals, will conceivably be adding more, and will be hurting from missing out on Champions League football. It is hard to imagine Liverpool being as bad as they were last season; Torres has committed to the club, they have the excellent Roy Hodgson at the helm and have been shrewd in the transfer market. If Everton can avoid the injuries they had last season and get off to a good start then it will be a closely fought contest. Admittedly Spurs also suffered injuries last season, particularly to their defence, but currently those problems don’t look like they have improved significantly, with big doubts over Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate.

I can understand that Redknapp wants his team to aim high, and that maybe this time last season people wouldn’t have believed that his team would have finished fourth, but the talk of the title is off the mark. Spurs had an amazing season but they were still 16 points off Chelsea, whose goal difference was 45 better off than Redknapp’s team (71 compared to 26). To make up that difference over a season is unrealistic.

Before Redknapp can consider a title push, he must first concentrate on qualifying for the Champions League, failure to get through the qualifiers will mean that their fourth place finish will mean far less than before. Playing in the biggest club competition will be a fantastic feat for Spurs, but also brutally tough. Spurs will have to match last year’s achievements alongside the Champions League – a skill that takes the world’s best teams, with huge squads, years to perfect.

Perhaps what Redknapp said were simply mind games to ruffle the feathers of those around him, show the league that Spurs would go into this season fearing nobody. The reality is that last season there were only two teams really competing for the Premiership, and they will probably be the only two again this season. Over nine seasons, Chelsea went from league finishes of about 11th, to 6th, then 4th, then 3rd and then stayed around that mark for a few years until Abramovich and Mourinho pushed them over the finish line. Spurs have improved gradually over the last five years and will continue to do so, but probably over the same rate as they have been progressing thus far; a jump from 4th to 1st is out of Spurs’ grasp. An exciting season awaits Spurs and a repeat of last season will be an achievement in itself.

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With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery

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The signature of Sol Campbell by Newcastle manager Chris Hughton in the summer is generally thought to be a shrewd one by the Premier League club. The former England international defender brings a whole host of experience with him to St James’ Park and will help provide competition for places at the heart of the Newcastle backline. The question is, though, with Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson forming a solid centre-back partnership, will Campbell be able to force himself into the first team picture?

Campbell arrived at Newcastle amidst claims he was ‘fat’ and some way from fitness following his wedding and hence lack of training in the summer. The defender is not exactly getting any younger as his 36th birthday approaches, but Campbell still has a role to play for the Toon. As a professional footballer it won’t take long to get himself back up to speed and following a couple of reserve team outings, he’s already well on the way to doing this. Campbell himself believes he’ll make his debut at home to Blackpool on Saturday, but surely he can’t expect more than a short run-out from the bench, can he?

Hughton won’t want to change a line-up that demolished Aston Villa and more than held their own at Molineux against Wolves. Coloccini is showing what a class act he is and Williamson is proving that he was an absolute steal when Newcastle signed him from Portsmouth in January. With the form of these two, Campbell will have to settle for a place on the bench, but given the injury to Steven Taylor, he will certainly be next in line. Campbell may be getting on a bit, but he hasn’t lost any of his ambition that has made him a winner throughout his career and that can only be a good thing for Newcastle.