San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin wasn't pleased with home plate umpire Tony Randazzo's strike zone Tuesday night in Detroit against the Tigers. Melvin didn't hold his discontent within, letting Randazzo know about it, which led to an early end to the night for the Giants' manager.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Melvin barked from the dugout to Randazzo after he didn't like a ball called on Giants' starter Logan Webb that missed low. Over the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast, you can hear Randazzo say "Bob I'm going to tell you right now—that's it, that's it. You know what, done," toward Melvin as he quickly tossed him from the game.
The quick ejection brought Melvin right up the dugout steps to exchange words with Randazzo before he hit the showers early. And he definitely got his money's worth.
In the series opener between the Giants and the Tigers Monday, Detroit shortstop-turned-outfielder Javier Baez had to be restrained after he was ejected for arguing a called third strike by home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi.
Now, apparently it's the Giants turn to revolt against the umpire crew. In all fairness to Randazzo, though, Webb's pitch that led to Melvin's ejection was a tad low of the zone. But Melvin had already seen enough.
A New York Yankees fan interfered with an outfielder in foul territory along the right-field wall at Yankee Stadium, preventing the player from securing the out. Such an incident, involving Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, infamously occurred during Game 4 of the Dodgers' World Series triumph over the Yankees in October of 2024.
Well, it happened again on Tuesday night.
Except this time, a Yankees fan was interfering with one of their own in two-time American League MVP Aaron Judge. With the Yankees leading 1-0 in the top of the sixth inning with two outs and the count 1-and-1, Yankees starter Carlos Rodon's changeup was lofted to right field by Cleveland Guardians center fielder Angel Martinez. Judge tracked the ball to foul territory in right and leapt into the stands to attempt to catch the foul pop, but was bumped by a fan. The Yankees captain then bobbled the ball.
New York immediately challenged the call and the umpires replay reviewed the play. The crew later ruled fan interference, awarding the Yankees the final out of the inning. Judge, to his credit, handled the situation about as well as anyone could, given the circumstances. He showed little emotion, picked the ball up and flipped it to the crowd before jogging back to his position in right field.
It's hard to see the play and not think back to the notorious sequence involving Betts. In the bottom of the first inning of the Yankees' eventual 11-4 win over the Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series, Betts was attempting to make a play on a foul ball by Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres when two fans interfered with him. One grabbed Betts's right hand while the other held his glove and pried the ball out. Torres was ultimately called out due to fan interference.
The fans were ejected and later banned indefinitely from all MLB stadiums, offices and facilities.
As Chelsea thrashed Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League, former Stamford Bridge star Pat Nevin was left in awe of Estevao Willian, who scored a stunning individual effort in a true breakout performance for the young Brazilian.
The Blues started as they meant to go on, almost inviting Hansi Flick’s high-line, baiting Barcelona in. The Spaniards were handed plenty of warning signs, too. Wesley Fofana’s hand spared their early blushes, before the linesman’s flag suggested that Flick had picked his tactic well for the trip to Stamford Bridge. But the inevitable was clear.
Come the 27th-minute, Barcelona and Jules Kounde completed the job that Enzo Fernandez believed he’d done twice prior by finding the back of the net to hand Chelsea the lead. The own goal opened the gate in a half of onslaught that simply did not rest after the break, when West London was treated to the Estevao show.
On a night centred around one of the early 2026 Ballon d’Or favourites Lamine Yamal, it was Chelsea’s youngster who shined brightest to score a wonderful goal in the 55th-minute. The 18-year-old is proving to be one of the best signings of the Todd Boehly era.
Aside from Ferran Torres’ wasted effort early on, Barcelona didn’t have a sniff against Enzo Maresca’s dominant side. This was no 2005 display from the Spanish club. Instead, it was excellency from the hosts in the Champions League as they secured their biggest-ever win against Barcelona.
The impressive victory has made it three wins from five in the Champions League and highlighted them as a potential dark horse. They’ve got plenty of history in European football these days and have just added another night to remember.
Pat Nevin blown away by "utterly brilliant" Estevao
When news emerged earlier this week that Cole Palmer has fractured his toe in a home accident, there may have been understandable concern around West London about where the Blues would continue to find their spark. But Estevao wouldn’t have shared that concern. He saw an opportunity – an opportunity that he’s taken with both hands against Barcelona, of all sides.
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He ended the evening with three chances created, one goal, eight touches inside the Barcelona box and deserved praise from Nevin. The former Chelsea man was blown away by the teenage sensation, telling BBC Sport: “You know what? Start believing the hype! Estevao Willian is EXTRA special!
“The way he goes past the first player, there is no space whatsoever and he leaves him for dead. He did it just by pure skill and fast feet. He still had a difficult angle to overcome to finish it but he leathered it into the net.
“He is going to be absolutely and utterly brilliant. It isn’t a question of if, it is a question of when and how good he is going to be.”
Chelsea now "crazy" about signing "wonderful" assist king
Elland Road was a very toxic place to be at the full-time whistle on Sunday as Leeds United slipped into the Premier League relegation spaces.
Leeds weren’t completely abject against Aston Villa, but football is a game of fine margins, and Unai Emery’s travelling side just about managed to get the better of the Whites in the 2-1 loss, to hand them their fifth defeat from their last six Premier League games.
That is the sort of dire form that gets you sacked, with chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” even being hurled Daniel Farke’s way as he continues to remain on very thin ice in the Leeds dug-out.
Names are beginning to emerge that could replace the under-fire German, too, as a dismissal begins to feel somewhat inevitable…
Who could replace Farke at Leeds?
The Mirror has speculated on a couple of contenders who could come into the relegation-threatened hot seat if Farke is to be put out of his misery soon.
Indeed, Carlos Corberan is named as one possible replacement for the ex-Norwich City boss, with the Spaniard previously calling West Yorkshire home with Huddersfield Town, alongside also formerly being on the coaching staff at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa’s revered tenure.
Moreover, the Mirror also throws Marco Rose, Brendan Rodgers, and Ange Postecoglou into the mix, with the high-energy football Bielsa used to serve up no doubt coming back to the forefront if the out-of-work Australian were to take on another Premier League vacancy.
Yet, he isn’t the only face that holds some similarities to the enigmatic Argentine, who could soon be Leeds’ saviour. Thiago Motta is certainly another name that catches the eye.
The report states that he models his game on Bielsa, and the ex-Bologna manager has been previously linked with a switch to England, so this could go down as a match made in heaven.
How Motta could be Leeds' next Bielsa
Amazingly, Motta’s name has been floating about as a candidate to be the next manager at Elland Road since April, with the time now looking right for Leeds to swoop in and win their next boss, as he remains out of work and Farke remains on a precarious tight-rope.
As per The Athletic, the former Italy international is a disciple of Bielsa, with both his Bologna and Juventus teams being structured around playing the same vibrant, fast, forward-thinking football that the Uruguay manager became known for during his memorable stay in West Yorkshire.
Games managed
195
Wins
84
Draws
52
Losses
59
Goals scored
302
Goals conceded
249
Points accumulated
304
That is seen looking at the table above, with 302 goals put away in some tense environments in the Serie A at the helm of both Bologna and Juventus.
While he did get the sack from the Old Lady, Leeds fans, in particular, will look at his Bologna stint with plenty of promise as to how he could transform the relegation-doomed outfit’s fortunes.
From his two seasons at the helm of the Serie A side, he turned the usual relegation strugglers into an easy-on-the-eye watch heading for the European positions.
Motta secured a ninth-place finish and a fifth-place finish during his two seasons at the club, which included Champions League football coming on the menu, much like Bielsa managed to steer Leeds to an unexpected ninth spot during the 2020/21 season, right after promotion.
Serie A expert James Horncastle would even go out of his way to label the 4-2-3-1-focused manager as “special” for his achievements in Italy, with Bielsa no stranger to similar latherings of praise when he was still in West Yorkshire, as murals even ended up being dedicated to the transformative South American.
Bielsa also managed to be a breath of fresh air that was desperately needed after Leeds had struggled for some time. Could Motta be the same spark in the here and now that finally allows the Whites to be seen as a team capable of survival and far more in the Premier League?
Of course, it would be an almighty gamble to throw in a manager, no matter his reputation, into a relegation dog-fight, in a country he isn’t all too aware of.
But, Bielsa instantly hit the ground running in the Championship, and if Leeds want to be bold and try something new away from the defeats currently piling up under Farke, Motta might well be their desired man.
Forget Aaronson: It's a sackable offence if Farke starts £14m Leeds man again
Daniel Farke must be sacked at Leeds United if he continues to start this ropey dud.
Sky Sports’ Laura Hunter slammed Alexander Isak as “anonymous” as Liverpool suffered defeat at Anfield against Nottingham Forest for the second consecutive campaign.
The international break handed Liverpool some much-needed reprieve and there was plenty of hope that the Reds would finally bounce back from recent woes upon their return. Nottingham Forest had other ideas, however, as the Premier League champions were dealt another blow.
Arne Slot’s side initially got off to a solid start, creating chances and largely looking rejuvenated. But the threat from Nottingham Forest was always lurking and once again Liverpool were found wanting from a set piece. After Ibrahima Konate needlessly conceded the corner, Liverpool watched on as Murillo headed home. It has been the story of their season.
The Tricky Trees then thought they had a second, only for Igor Jesus’ effort to be controversially ruled out for handball in a decision that will be at the centre of debate in the coming days.
VAR couldn’t hold the visitors back forever though, and second-half goals from Nicolo Savona and a shocking third from Morgan Gibbs-White soon put Forest out of sight in the worst performance of Liverpool’s season.
It’s become worse before it’s got better for the Reds and there will be serious question marks surrounding several performances. The Premier League champions have not only seen their crown slip, they’ve seen it torn apart this season and record signing Isak has been a shadow of the player that so often caused Virgil van Dijk trouble.
Sky Sports reporter slams "anonymous" Alexander Isak
When Isak’s name appeared in the starting line-up, there would have been a growing excitement amongst Liverpool fans. Their £280,000-a-week star signing was finally set to have lift off, so they thoughtr. That was their dream, but the reality is that Slot’s side once again struggled to connect with the Swede, who took fewer touches than goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Where Liverpool go from here is the big question. They didn’t just lose against Nottingham Forest, they were shoved aside for the umpteenth time this season. Despite all the money that they finally spent in the summer, it is not clicking at Anfield.
For Isak, patience is also wearing out. Whilst he could be excused for a slow start after missing pre-season and striking at Newcastle United, he’s now had plenty of time to get back to full fitness, yet remains without a credible performance.
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The Reds know all about his quality.
ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025
With Hugo Ekitike waiting in the wings, the former Newcastle man may struggle to keep hold of his place as Slot looks to solve his side’s problems and turn to the few bright sparks in his squad.
Slot's own Luis Suarez is now "offering Liverpool less than Darwin Nunez did"
India have also run Australia close in some high-stakes T20 clashes in recent years but to take them down in ODIs will require a sustained top-level performance
Vishal Dikshit11-Oct-20251:14
Rana: India’s batting ‘not a major concern’
Big picture: The most-awaited clashBatting collapses and low totals on slow pitches, catches put down, questionable umpiring decisions, mostly one-sided matches…if there is a contest the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 needed to kick it alive and make it a blockbuster spectacle, it’s India vs Australia. Australia clean-swept the Women’s Ashes earlier this year, winning all seven games across formats. India have won all 12 of their ODIs against Pakistan. As a result, the face-off between India and Australia has the makings of an epic on the biggest stage.All 15,087 tickets have been sold out for India vs Australia – obviously scheduled for a Sunday – and the ACA-VDCA Stadium’s near-26,000 capacity is set to break the record for the highest attendance at an ICC women’s T20I or ODI World Cup league match, current held by the ACA Stadium in Guwahati, which had a crowd of 22,843 in the opening game of this World Cup.As the competition nears its halfway stage, India have a lot at stake. While both teams have stumbled their way to Visakhapatnam after collapses in all their respective games, it cost India two points when their five bowling options and the batting-friendly conditions couldn’t put the brakes on South Africa and Nadine de Klerk.India’s concerns don’t stop at their five bowlers though; their top five, especially the senior trio of Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues, is yet to fire, the fielding hasn’t been as good as it can be and their batters have been perishing to left-arm spinners more than anyone else this tournament, with 12 dismissals in three innings.The washout against Sri Lanka aside, Australia also collapsed in their two outings, but even 128 for 5 and 76 for 7 weren’t enough to keep them down, as Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney reminded us of their depth and quality with their centuries. In their recent bilateral series against India, they did however get bowled out for 190 in the second game, and the high-scoring decider also gave a glimpse of how oppositions could create chances against the world champions.India have also run Australia close in some high-stakes T20 clashes in recent years – the Commonwealth Games 2022 final, the 2023 T20 World Cup semi-final and last year’s T20 World Cup league match. But to take Australia down in ODIs will require a sustained top-level performance from India, which they haven’t come close to so far.Form guideIndia LWWLW (last five completed games, most recent first) Australia WWWLWIn the spotlight: Tahlia McGrath and Harmanpreet KaurYou wouldn’t normally expect a big score from a No. 7 now and then but Australia have collapsed in three of their last four outings, which have given Tahlia McGrath the overs to go out and chip in with notable contributions. When Australia were reeling against New Zealand and Pakistan, she walked out in the 22nd and 16th over respectively but chipped catches to midwicket and extra cover for 26 and a 20-ball 5 which might put some pressure on her. “I’m hoping I don’t have to play much of a role with the bat…” she had joked before their opening game in Indore and even though Australia wouldn’t want another collapse, McGrath will hope more runs come off her bat soon.All eyes will be on Harmanpreet Kaur during the match against Australia•Getty Images
There won’t be as many eyes on anyone as there will be on Harmanpreet Kaur on Sunday. The wrecker-in-chief of the historic 2017 semi-final, which made India – and perhaps other teams – believe that Australia are also mortal in World Cups, that too in knockouts, will be itching to get a big one against the world champions after her 9, 19 and 21 in this campaign so far. Even in the bilaterals recently, she scored over 20 just once in three outings, although that came soon after her seventh ODI century, in England. A sell-out crowd in Visakhapatnam will keep their fingers crossed that there’s another big score coming on Sunday.Team news: Will Molineux return to Australia’s XI?The batting conditions in Visakhapatnam and the loss to South Africa will make India wonder if they need to bolster their attack of five bowlers. But they will need to drop a batter for that and their batting has been stuttering anyway, which makes the solution far from straightforward.India (probable): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Pratika Rawal, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Deepti Sharma, 7 Richa Ghosh (wk), 8 Amanjot Kaur, 9 Sneh Rana, 10 Kranti Gaud, 11 Shree CharaniWill Australia bring back Sophie Molineux?•Getty Images
Australia would have kept their eyes on how India lost wickets to left-arm spinners every game and will be tempted to bring in Sophie Molineux for that reason after she missed their last match, against Pakistan.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Beth Mooney, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahila McGrath, 8 Georgia Wareham/Sophie Molineux, 9 Kim Garth, 10 Alana King, 11 Megan SchuttPitch and conditionsVisakhapatnam offered runs, swing in the afternoon and under lights, and turn as well as the game progressed between India and South Africa. That match was delayed by an hour because of rain, but there is none in forecast for Sunday. The maximum temperature is set to be around 32 degrees, albeit with plenty of humidity like it has been at most venues this World Cup. There was dew in the evening in India’s game against South Africa here, which could affect the teams’ decision at the toss.Stats and trivia Even though Mandhana has been scratchy against swing in the World Cup so far, it will be interesting to see if Australia bring on Ashleigh Gardner in the powerplay. Out of the nine times Gardner has removed Madhana in T20s, eight have been in the powerplay. But in ODIs, Mandhana has fallen to Gardner just twice in the powerplay in 57 balls. Overall, Mandhana has scored 148 runs off 132 balls off Gardner in ODIs, and been dismissed five times The new-ball contest of Gaud vs Healy is one to watch out for. Gaud, just 10 ODIs old, has dismissed Healy three times in 35 balls while conceding 39 runs for an average of just 13 Mandhana needs just 58 more runs to 5000 in ODIs Mooney needs another 93 runs to reach the 3000 mark in ODIs Deepti Sharma is three away from 150 wickets in ODIsQuotes”We’ve seen Australia’s style for many years; they always play aggressively. But our plans are also clear. Whatever we’ve discussed in our meetings, we’ve made our strategies, and we hope to give a positive start tomorrow.” “Yeah, I think that’s what makes this World Cup so unique, is that you don’t get an opportunity to settle.”
Rishabh Pant is understood to be in his final stretch of rehab and is due to undergo a fitness assessment at the Centre of Excellence later this week
Shashank Kishore07-Oct-20253:28
What does the squad for the WI Tests tell us?
Rishabh Pant could return to action in the second round of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, starting October 25, and set in motion the process to come back to Test cricket during the two-match series against South Africa from November 14. Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, had hinted at Pant being in the fray for the South Africa Tests when he spoke late last month in Dubai at the time of announcing the squad for the ongoing Test series against West Indies.Pant, who had fractured his right foot in the Old Trafford Test in late July, is understood to be in his final stretch of rehab and is due to undergo a fitness assessment at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru later this week.His foot was taken out of the cast more than three weeks ago, and he is understood to be moving without any discomfort now. He has been working on strengthening the foot through mobility exercises and weight training drills, and has also resumed batting.Related
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If cleared, Pant is expected to link up with the Delhi squad, which plays in the opening round of the Ranji Trophy from October 15 away against Hyderabad, for which Pant remains “slightly doubtful” according to the DDCA. The second game is at home at the Feroz Shah Kotla against Himachal Pradesh.Pant has been out of action since reverse-sweeping Chris Woakes on to his foot in the fourth England-India Test. He was forced to retire hurt, with scans confirming a fracture. While Pant returned to bat the next day, he couldn’t keep wicket. He finished the series with 479 runs in four Tests, which included two centuries and three half-centuries.In Pant’s absence, India have picked Dhruv Jurel and N Jagadeesan as the wicketkeepers for the ongoing Test series against West Indies. Pant is also missing the white-ball tour of Australia from October 19 as he hadn’t received a “return to play” certificate from the CoE.It’s likely Pant will lead Delhi for the duration of his availability. For the moment, the squad will be led by Ayush Badoni, Pant’s IPL team-mate at Lucknow Super Giants.
On Thursday night, despite falling behind inside 11 minutes, the Hoops fought back to beat Feyenoord 3-1 at De Kuip; Yang Hyun-jun, Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren the scorers on a famous night in Rotterdam.
Before this, the Celts had failed to win any of their last 16 European fixtures on the road, dating back four years.
In fact, since reaching the UEFA Cup Final under Martin O’Neill in 2003, they have won only six times on the continent, excluding qualifiers, enjoying wins over Spartak Moskva, Anderlecht, Rosenborg, Lazio, Ferencváros and now Feyenoord across the last 22 seasons.
In terms of this season, the victory propels the Celts up to 21st in the gigantic Europa League table, a major boost to their hopes of reaching the knockout stages, with games against Roma, Bologna and then Utrecht still to come.
So, which Celtic star looked like an £100m player during this win at De Kuip?
Celtic's new manager latest
Since returning to the club on an interim basis, O’Neill could hardly have done much better.
He has won three Premiership matches out of three, ousted Rangers in the League Cup semi-finals and now claimed a memorable European victory in the Netherlands; the shellacking against Midtjylland in Herning the only blot on his copybook.
Nevertheless, for how much longer will he remain in interim charge?
Well, the 73 year old, alongside Shaun Maloney, will still be at the helm for Sunday’s clash with Hibernian at Easter Road, but could that be the final game of their tenure?
That’s because, according to widespread reports, the club are now in advanced talks with Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy, with some optimistic that the Frenchman could be in place in time for next Wednesday’s clash with Dundee.
Considering they take on current Premiership leaders Hearts and then the side top of Serie A Roma thereafter, the board will be desperate to get Nancy in as quickly as possible.
Assuming the Frenchman was watching Thursday’s win over Feyenoord, potentially while enjoying some Thanksgiving food in Ohio, one player in particular surely will have caught his eye.
Celtic's best player vs Feyenoord
Towards the end of Brendan Rodgers’ tenure, Reo Hatate found himself no longer a guaranteed starter, only on the bench for the Europa League home defeat to Braga, before not getting on at all during a dismal goalless draw with Hibs in September.
Nevertheless, having been made a key figure under O’Neill, he was the star of the show in Rotterdam.
Hatate spectacularly set up Yang’s equaliser before, soon after, coolly slotting home the second, rolling the ball into an unguarded net from long-range after some trademark closing down by Daizen Maeda forced Timon Wellenreuther into a catastrophic error.
Overall, the midfield maestro completed 89% of his passes, took two shots, created one big chance and registered nine ball recoveries, underlining that he was everywhere.
After a 3-3 draw with Rangers at Ibrox last year, Brendan Rodgers asserted that Hatate “gives it away too much for my liking”, labelling him “sloppy’, a sign of his decline in form and importance.
Now though, he is playing at a comparable level to Enzo Fernandez, according to FBref, who note that the players are statistically and stylistically similar among those in their position across Europe.
That is a sign of Hatate’s recent revival, not least with Fernandez having not too long ago been signed by Chelsea for a fee of around £107m from Benfica.
Such a comparison is no unwarranted either, with Hatate arguably putting in his best performance of the season against Feyenoord, while operating in a Fernandez-esque, more advanced midfield berth
Hatate – last 365 days
Stats
Hatate
Non-penalty Goals
0.13
Assists
0.26
Shot-creating actions
2.31
Pass completion
83%
Progressive passes
4.31
Progressive carries
1.16
Successful take-ons
0.77
Tackles
1.28
Interceptions
0.51
via FBref
Meantime, the Japanese star is proving just what a goal threat he is in Europe too, scoring against both Midtjylland and Feyenoord, also registering an assist at De Kuip this week.
Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate.
Given how impressive Hatate has been since first arriving at Parkhead almost four years ago, it is frankly a surprise that a Premier League club has not come in and poached him.
Celtic supporters will hope that remains the case, with the 28-year-old likely to be a central, undroppable figure when Nancy does finally arrive.
As good as Hatate: Celtic flop showed he can be "world class" under Nancy
Celtic beat Feyenoord 3-1 at De Kuip in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, and one player showed his “world class’ potential, as good as Reo Hatate.
How long will Daniel Farke be given to turn around the ongoing Leeds United mess?
After so much joy at Elland Road, Marcelo Bielsa was put out of his misery 26 games into the 2021/22 season in the Premier League, mustering up just a measly five victories.
By way of comparison, the German is only two victories away from matching that amount right now, with 15 fewer league games under his belt.
Of course, Bielsa was handed more time in the hot seat due to his iconic status in West Yorkshire, but Jesse Marsch was also given 20 league games the following campaign when the Leeds ship looked to be sinking.
A trigger-happy dismissal might not be forthcoming, then, but Farke will know he needs to turn fortunes around quickly, as a whole raft of players continue to underperform.
Bielsa and Marsch were no strangers, either, to players joining the Leeds ranks and ultimately flopping, with Robin Koch one costly error that must still generate grimaces at the Premier League newcomers.
The numbers behind Koch's move to Leeds
It’s fair to say there were an awful lot of misses in the transfer department when the South American and his Wisconsin-born counterpart occupied their dug-outs.
Faces such as Luis Sinisterra, Tyler Adams, and Rasmus Kristensen all joined for big bucks, and then disappeared when relegation was served up at the end of the gloomy 2022/23 season, with Sinisterra and Adams alone costing a whopping £41m to pick up at the time.
Thankfully, the bruised Whites managed to recoup £40m when selling the disappointing duo to AFC Bournemouth. On the contrary, the aforementioned Koch would return to his native Germany for zilch after a largely woeful three seasons in England.
In the end, Leeds were probably just happy to get their former £12m purchase off their roster, even if it was on a free transfer to Eintracht Frankfurt, with the German only managing to collect a dire ten clean sheets from 73 Premier League appearances.
Once branded as being simply “not good enough” by The Athletic’s Beren Cross and looking like a “fish out of water” by pundit Danny Mills, it really was a transfer saga that hurt Leeds, and it still does, arguably, considering Koch has since returned to his more well-known comforts of the Bundesliga and has excelled. This season, he has two goals from ten league appearances, winning a mighty 5.4 duels won on average, too, for Frankfurt.
For context, the no-nonsense Joe Rodon has averaged 5.3 duels won back in the Premier League, but he’s far from a transfer misfire.
Rather, it’s another expensive defensive recruit who could be deemed Leeds’ biggest disaster signing since Koch
Leeds' biggest disaster since Koch
The most frustrating aspect of Koch’s Leeds career, looking back, is that he had a promising debut campaign in West Yorkshire, even if it was ravaged by injury.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Only 13 starts came his way, but four clean sheets were collected, with a final day showing to close out the 21/22 campaign, even seeing him win seven duels against Tottenham Hotspur.
Unfortunately, Jaka Bijol can’t even cling to any early promise at the moment, having cost £3m more than Koch when leaving Udinese behind.
It should have been a giveaway that the Slovenian might struggle, considering Farke was hesitant to chuck the ex-Serie A titan into his starting XI at the start of the season, with the German eventually chucking Bijol into the Premier League deep-end against West Ham United in late October.
Games played
3
Goals conceded
6
Losses
2
Clean sheets
0
Tackles won
3
Duels won
12/19
He did win six duels against the Hammers as Farke’s men got the better of their relegation rivals 2-1, but his showings against Brighton and Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest since must be leaving a similarly bad taste in the mouth that the German defender once left.
He found himself in no man’s land when Morgan Gibbs-White had all the time in the world to head home this decisive goal at the City Ground, with the out-of-sorts number 16 only managing to win one lacklustre tackle across both heavy away defeats.
The £45k-per-week defender will surely be fearful for his starting spot moving forward; therefore, as Pascal Struijk waits in the wings, with Bijol also yet to show off his prowess in the air, which saw him bag four goals for Udinese in Serie A action.
If Farke is to persist with Bijol, he could go on to be viewed as a Koch-type weak link for oppositions to hone in on, with a potential relegation on his CV also no doubt making him hard to shift for anywhere near his £15m valuation, like the forgettable 29-year-old.
He does still have time to turn around his Elland Road playing days, but the early signs are not good, as Leeds have been here before with a hyped up European import that never lives up to his high price tag.
Leeds stance on recalling Joe Gelhardt in January as Hull eye Harry Gray
يرى فاروق جعفر، لاعب الزمالك الأسبق، أن الأبيض أخطأ بالتعاقد مع يانيك فيريرا، المدير الفني السابق للفريق.
وقال فاروق جعفر، عبر قناة “MBC مصر 2”: “الزمالك أخطأ في التعاقد مع فيريرا لأنه صغير السن، وكان هناك لاعبين بالملعب أكثر خبرة منه”.
طالع.. مدحت عبد الهادي: أحمد عبد الرؤوف غير مقنع.. ورمضان صبحي ليس مسؤولًا وحده
وأضاف: “عندما أفكر في التعاقد مع مدير فني أجنبي يجب أن يكون معه مدرب مصري لديه ثقافة وأفكار كثيرة وخبرات”.
وتابع: “الأهلي والزمالك وبيراميدز لا يصلح لهم مدير فني ضعيف، أحمد عبد الرؤوف ما زال صغيرًا، هو أقل من أربعين سنة، ولم يحقق النتائج التي يريدها النادي، الأهلي أو الزمالك لن يصبرا على المدرب، الكرة ليس فيها ذلك”.
واختتم: “لو نادي الزمالك فعل ذلك فسيظلم اللاعبين والجماهير، يجب أن يكون مع أحمد عبد الرؤوف مدرب كبير”.