Guidelines to be established in 15 days following board’s apex council meeting on Saturday

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jun-2025

The BCCI has appointed a committee to establish guidelines to prevent incidents like the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where 11 fans died during celebrations the day after Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden IPL title.The committee comprises three top BCCI officials – secretary Devajit Saikia, vice-president Rajiv Shukla and treasurer Prabhtej Singh Bhatia – and they will formulate the guidelines within 15 days.The BCCI had not yet made an official statement on the tragedy that occurred in Bengaluru on the afternoon of June 4, as a multitude of fans gathered to celebrate and catch a glimpse of the RCB team with the IPL trophy during a victory parade and inside the Chinnaswamy Stadium.Related

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Following the stampede, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah instructed Bengaluru police to arrest officials of RCB and DNA Entertainment and ordered a probe into the events that caused the stampede. On June 6, police arrested Nikhil Sosale, RCB’s head of marketing and revenue, in Bengaluru along with two officials from DNA. They were all granted bail on June 13.Two senior officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam, had resigned from their positions citing “moral responsibility” for the stampede.

Heading into the final day in Galle, players from both teams can see paths to victory.The most likely outcome feels like a draw, but as the World Test Championship points system discourages draws, home teams are especially motivated to pursue victories.With Bangladesh currently 187 runs ahead, though needing to get ten Sri Lanka wickets to seal the result after setting a target, a Bangladesh win also seems a possibility in this match, particularly as there is dust exploding out of the surface most times a ball pitches, and the spin is beginning to become pronounced and fast.Related

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In any case, both teams think they have a shot.”We have every opportunity to go for the win once we have a good total on board,” Nayeem Hasan, who took his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests, said on day four in Galle. “A lot of things can happen on the fifth-day wicket. We have a positive mindset going into the last day.”Kamindu Mendis, who scored 87 in Sri Lanka’s first innings, thinks pretty much any result is possible. “The match is open to both sides,” he said. “They’ve only lost three wickets for now, but in the morning session if we get two or three wickets early, we will be ascendant. What we wanted in the first innings was a lead of about 150, but we didn’t get there.”But tomorrow, if we can get them out inside a session, or even in the second session, that is enough. We’ve been able to have a higher run rate than them, so a session-and-a-half is enough for us. As a team we have confidence that we can win this. The run rate will change as the pitch changes.”Bangladesh, meanwhile, will focus on setting a tough target first, before setting their spinners loose.”If we can give them a good target, they will be under pressure,” Nayeem said. “There’s a difference between playing normal cricket and playing under pressure. They will also be worried about losing the game. We want to give a good total.”

Gripes about South Africa’s qualification path fall away as ICC showpiece descends on Lord’s

Andrew Miller09-Jun-20251:38

Conrad: ‘Quietly confident we can pull one over them’

It’s simply too late to fix this mess. Perhaps we should all just give up.It’s not the most inspiring message to send to future generations, but that is the gist of the naysaying that surrounds the World Test Championship. As with climate change, or the fate of the rhinos, so it has been with the ICC’s sticking-plaster approach to the sport’s oldest, most endangered format.The flaws are manifest, and were recently excoriated from the pulpit of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, which decried this week’s final as a “shambles masquerading as a showpiece”.”The ICC cannot allow the championship to continue as if designed on the back of a fag packet,” Lawrence Booth, ‘s editor, wrote, as he railed against a format in which South Africa have been the inadvertent beneficiaries of a less-is-more approach.Related

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The fewer games a relatively strong team plays, the less chance there is of that precious points-per-Test ratio getting diluted. Hence a side that began this cycle by sending a C-Team to New Zealand, where they were duly routed in two Tests while the best players in the country stayed at home to take part in the SA20, have now marched all the way to the final off the back of seven wins in a row.And yet, buried within that very gripe is the proof of concept that this tournament so desperately needs.The two-Test series may well be the bane of the international schedule – too cumbersome to fit snugly into any given gap, yet too insubstantial to provide any real satisfaction to the combatants or their fans. But, as soon as it became clear in November last year – thanks to India’s shock 3-0 defeat on home soil to New Zealand – that a path was opening up for South Africa to storm into the reckoning, their subsequent home series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan took on a life of their own.This is context, is it not? A means to make the meaningless meaningful, and to drag a few otherwise uninvested bystanders along for the ride – as was unquestionably the case at Centurion in December, when South Africa flopped over the line by two wickets in what Shukri Conrad memorably declared to be a “Camel classic”.And now the game has gathered at Lord’s, where the ICC’s blanket branding guidelines have conferred the grand old ground with that global-event feeling, and where on Wednesday, the third staging of the World Test Championship final will take place. Rare is the major tournament that does not have a few aggrieved teams wondering what might have been as they consider their early exit. But equally rare is a final that fails to crown a worthy champion.6:55

Philander: ‘SA will put up massive fight against favourites Australia’

“I’m tired of speaking about it, to be honest,” Conrad said, ahead of South Africa’s training session on Monday. “We’re here and that’s all that matters. We get a chance to walk away as the World Test champions, playing Australia. It doesn’t get any bigger than that. So, yeah, what’s gone before counts for absolutely nothing at the minute.”The bells and whistles that surround the final – including a glitzy Hall of Fame induction dinner at the Beatles’ former fiefdom, Abbey Road Studios – serve as a reminder that the ICC is, first and foremost, an events organiser rather than cricket’s legal guardian. Notwithstanding the increasingly blurred lines in cricket’s upper echelons, it can only cut its cloth according to the share of the fabric that the game is willing to allocate.And so, not unlike the second edition of MCC’s World Cricket Connects, the high-brow symposium which took place in Lord’s Long Room over the preceding weekend, any attempt to gather the game’s great and good is infinitely preferable to no attempt at all – even if, in both cases, the short-term output has been frustratingly impenetrable.As Sourav Ganguly, the former BCCI president and chair of ICC Cricket Committee, put it in an official MCC release at the WCC’s conclusion: “It was a lovely event, with a lot of quality people.” If the same can be said of the WTC final by next Monday, it will have been a week well spent.The difficulty for Test cricket, and its eternal quest for context, is that it remains eternally judged by its past – and that phenomenon will surely go into overdrive in 18 months’ time at the game’s next Big Gathering, the 150th anniversary Test that is scheduled for the MCG in March 2027.This was also the case for England’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe last week – the first such staging since James Anderson’s debut series 22 years ago, and one which couldn’t help but be defined by the distance (economic, as much as temporal) that has grown between the two nations in the interim.It’s a point that Conrad leant into as well, as he assessed the compromises that South Africa have been forced to reach, with both their players and the wider format, in an era of the game that is so driven by the bottom line.”Whenever I go into the stores here, I start calculating what it costs. So it’s no surprise we can’t compete [economically],” he said. “So it’s about prioritising certain tours, and whenever we’re not playing and there’s an opportunity for them to earn some US dollars, then we’ll obviously encourage that.Shukri Conrad has overseen South Africa’s journey to the WTC final•ICC via Getty Images”As long as we can plan things properly in advance, then absolutely, I’ve got buy-in from all of our players. They’re as committed to Test cricket as they ever have been, or more committed if that’s possible.”Could there have been an alternative path for the game? Hindsight suggests that the moment may have come and gone approximately a quarter of a century ago – before T20 cricket had been conceived, and when India and Pakistan were still on broad speaking terms.Back at the turn of the Millennium, West Indies were still the sport’s most recent powerhouse; Sri Lanka were still a rising force; South Africa were still in the throes of post-Apartheid release. England were beginning to get their act together after a decade of Australian Ashes dominance, but were still eminently capable of losing to all-comers.And, for the top table’s two newest teams, Zimbabwe embodied that sense that a small, well-drilled outfit with a common sense of purpose could still take the fight to one of cricket’s flabbier, more distracted big beasts. As for Bangladesh, their weight of population was an extraordinary asset that was crying out for a bit of meaningful investment.History relates that the sport chose self-interest over community development, and so we are left with this: an unsatisfactory shebang on the one hand, but – at least to judge by the first two stagings of the WTC final – a passable attempt to keep those five-day fires burning.At the inaugural final in 2021, New Zealand’s success was widely hailed as just desserts for a golden generation that had fallen inches short in a succession of white-ball campaigns. Two years later, Australia’s victory (again over India) completed the set for a mighty all-formats generation, and – in Steve Smith’s opinion – whet their appetite for this week’s defence.”It was great to be able to win a Test Championship final, and to be back here again and have the opportunity to defend our crown,” Smith said on Monday afternoon. “Every game is important with the Test Championship on the line. That’s the reason it came in, to make every Test more relevant.”The combatants themselves aren’t giving up on the concept. Nor, therefore, should we.

Already thinking about 2026 reinforcements after an inconsistent start to life in North London, Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly eyeing an impressive Champions League star.

Thomas Frank praises "dangerous" Grealish before Everton clash

Following defeat against Aston Villa and a disappointing draw in Monaco, Tottenham will be looking to avoid ending a frustrating week on their most sour note yet against Everton.

In many ways, however, victory after a draw in midweek and defeat last weekend would sum up Frank’s start fairly well. There’s been plenty of signs that he’s the man for the job, but also one too many that suggest there’s a long way to go. Ahead of visiting the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time, the Dane heaped praise on Sunday’s opponents and Jack Grealish, in particular.

Three points could see the Lilywhites rise to as high as second if results go their way and there’s no doubt that would send quite the statement so early into Frank’s tenure.

Securing Champions League football should be seen as the ultimate priority, especially if those in North London want to attract some impressive European stars.

Tottenham eyeing Kalulu move

As reported by Tutto Juve, Tottenham are now eyeing a move to sign Pierre Kalulu, who has played every single minute for Juventus so far this season.

The defender, who can play both wing-back and centre-back, is not someone that Juventus want to sell but they may have no choice. Amid financial constraints, the Italian giants could show the 25-year-old the door for as little as €30m (£26m) in the January transfer window – allowing Spurs to come swooping in.

Dubbed “phenomenal” by scout Jacek Kulig during his AC Milan days and now thriving at Juventus, Kalulu even impressed in defeat against Real Madrid in midweek.

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Although Juventus eventually lost out courtesy of Jude Bellingham’s goal, the defender kept Vinicius Junior quiet on the night. Up against one of the most tricky wingers European football has to offer, he stifled the Brazilian to zero shots on target, zero successful crosses and just one key pass.

Last season Tottenham Hotspur may have won the Europa League but there is no hiding behind the fact that domestically, things were a complete write-off.

Former boss Ange Postecoglou proclaimed that things are always better in season three, but sadly for the craggy-faced Aussie, he didn’t see in his third campaign at the helm.

The writing had been on the wall for a while, really. Spurs were a mess at the back. It’s “who we are, mate” Ange also exclaimed when asked about his philosophy and high line. Yet, those who fail to adapt and change…ahem, Ruben Amorim, often fail.

The truth is that Postecoglou did not change his ways, leading to the concession of 65 Premier League goals, the fifth-worst record in the division last term.

With Thomas Frank now at the helm, he made an immediate attempt to improve the backline before anything else and that decision has been vindicated.

Spurs look like a different outfit now. They are more organised, more structured, and the numbers showcase that. They have kept five clean sheets already in 2025/26 across all competitions and have shipped just five goals. Only Arsenal (3) have let in fewer.

While Frank will take a lot of the plaudits, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero’s partnership has looked like one of the best in the division.

Why Van de Ven and Romero complement each other so well at Spurs

Since arriving in north London, Romero has attracted his fair share of criticism.

He’s too hot-headed, too rash, too ill-disciplined to ever be a competent defender. Those were the cries from certain sections of the media and fanbase. Alas, there is a reason that he is captaining the side and there is a reason that Real Madrid have reportedly courted him.

The Argentine is a typical South American defender. He’s brutish, has a never-say-die attitude and when faced with a striker, it’s not often they get the better of him.

Indeed, he’s only been dribbled past 0.3 times per match under Frank so far, winning 65% of his ground duels and another 65% of his aerial duels.

To put those numbers into context, he’s winning more aerial battles than Arsenal’s imperious Brazilian, Gabriel (60%) and a similar number of ground duels to William Saliba (66%).

Romero is the more aggressive of he and Van de Ven, but the Dutchman’s recovery speed and ability to sweep in behind his defensive colleague is why they work so well.

Last term, no player was quicker in the English top-flight than Spurs’ number 37.

Yet despite all of that, the club have a defender in their ranks who stands an excellent chance of disrupting this fine partnership. Step forward Spurs’ new Mousa Dembele.

Spurs have found the defensive version of Dembele

What a player Dembele was in his prime. Part of a very special Spurs team including the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, the Belgian was the glue that held everything together.

In the words of Kyle Walker, “Dembele was probably the best player I’ve ever seen play football” while Eric Dier, now of Monaco, stated that he was “a freak of nature”.

An all-action machine, it was nigh on impossible to get the ball off Dembele. He was a fine dribbler but he was also a duel monster.

From 2012 to 2019, no player in the Premier League had a better success rate for dribbles than Dembele’s tally of 77.9%. The next best during that time frame was Nemanja Matic on 73.1%.

As for winning duels, during the 2015/16 season, only three players, of which one was N’Golo Kante, won more tackles per match. Dembele won 3.6 while Kante topped the charts with 4.7.

Why is this all relevant now? Well, it looks like Spurs have found another duel machine, someone capable of dominating play in a similar manner, albeit from defensive phases of play.

That player is Luka Vuskovic. Spurs first reached an agreement to sign the centre-back in 2023 for £12m from Hajduk Split when he was only 16.

They had to wait until 2025 for the young Croatian to finally arrive but it was worth the wait. Vuskovic scored in pre-season against Reading and more than looks the part.

Now 18, the teenager has already made a habit of scoring regular goals. At KVC Westerlo in the Belgian top-flight last season, he scored seven goals in 36 outings.

Now on loan at Hamburg in Germany, he’s already showcasing why he’s so highly rated. The youngster has featured on four occasions, scoring once and breaking a little bit of history along the way.

During Hamburg’s clash against Union Berlin last weekend, he won a mind-blowing 18 aerial duels. To sum up just how incredible that statistic is, no player has won more aerial duels in a Bundesliga game across the last ten seasons and he is the first player to win 18 aerial duels in a single match in Europe’s top five leagues over the last five seasons.

While Dembele may not have been as menacing in the air as that, it demonstrates Vuskovic’s imperious duel-winning ability and his capability to overpower his opponents.

When asked what he thought of his teammate, Hamburg full-back Miro Muheim simply described him as a “monster” after the game. Rather apt if you ask us.

But, as the Athletic’s German Football correspondent, Seb Stafford-Bloor, outlines, the Croat is also “good with the ball at his feet”, emulating Dembele with that area of the game too.

Vuskovic has completed 85% of his passes in the Bundesliga so far and has also been successful with 100% of his dribble attempts, according to Sofascore.

Not just a beast physically, he’s technically brilliant, just as Dembele was from further forward. An exciting player no doubt, and one who could well make this Spurs backline even better.

You bet Frank can’t wait to get him back in the fold next season.

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Oct 1, 2025

Deepti Sharma the bowler as Lord’s ODI briefly veers towards controversy again

Valkerie Baynes19-Jul-2025Smriti Mandhana’s knowing smile said it before her words did. India’s return to Lord’s for the first time since Deepti Sharma ran out Charlie Dean backing up to sweep their ODI series here nearly three years ago would always pose the question and Mandhana knew it was coming.”Doesn’t happen, right? You come to Lord’s and that question is not asked?” Mandhana said. “We didn’t really think anything about all of that incident. Only today, there was one random appeal for Tammy Beaumont, when that happened. And again, Deepti was bowling.”That’s when we cracked a joke that Lord’s and Deepti has an, I don’t know how I term it in words, but we had a small joke around it.”The whole match last time, of course it was overshadowed quite a lot because of that one incident. But I would say the way we all actually played cricket in terms of that whole series, I mean, one incident cannot overshadow it, and the chat was only about how good we played and we have to just keep continuing that.”But if the venue, teams and individuals reconvening for the second of three ODIs in this series – which England won this time against the backdrop of two significant rain interruptions to draw level 1-1 – didn’t already promise some drama, a number of on-field incidents delivered.The first, which Mandhana referenced, came when India appealed for Beaumont to be dismissed obstructing the field.Beaumont had set England’s initial pursuit of 144 in 29 overs off to a flyer on 25 off 17 balls with England 36 without loss in the fifth over. She clipped a Deepti delivery towards midwicket and set off for a run but turned back as Jemimah Rodrigues pounced and fired the ball back to the striker’s end.Beaumont’s left foot was grounded inside her crease as she brought her right leg forward and the ball ricocheted off her pad as wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh threw her arms up in appeal. After an umpire review, Beaumont was adjudged not out.”I was not in a really good angle, to be fair, probably it was not visible at all,” Mandhana said. “Jemi definitely felt that maybe she kicked it or something. They referred it and it was not out, so I’m sure that they should have seen all the angles. That’s the only view I have on it.”But I was in no angle, to be fair, to see what happened. At mid-on you don’t see what exactly happened from that way. So not being diplomatic, but genuinely I did not see it.”Amy Jones, who top-scored for England with an unbeaten 46, was at the other end when it happened and spent a nervous few moments “talking it through” with Beaumont as they awaited the result of the review.”It was weird,” Jones said. “I’ve never been out there for one of those before, I don’t think. The umpires were happy that Tammy was in her crease, so she wasn’t trying to not get run out, but obviously they appealed for obstructing the field.”I learned that even if you’re in, you can still be out, but obviously Tammy had no intent of actually obstructing them. I think she was just trying to get back into her crease, so all okay in the end. She didn’t know if it could result in a wicket or not.”In Deepti’s next over, she pulled out of her delivery stride and Beaumont, who wasn’t backing up excessively, made it back into her crease safely at the non-striker’s end. Mandhana shrugged that off after the match, saying Deepti “actually pulls out quite a lot”.”I would say that every match she would’ve played maybe once or twice she has the habit,” Mandhana added. “Maybe she wants to watch the batter or she has her own strategy. But it was not discussed at all.”Why would we discuss all of those things? We came here to play good cricket and that was the only discussion which we had. She does that quite a lot. I think it’s more to do with seeing what the batter is doing.”Beaumont ultimately fell lbw to Sneh Rana for 34 off 35 balls after staging a 54-run opening stand with Jones.The match was reduced further by a heavy evening downpour with England 102 for 1 from 18.4 overs, eight balls shy of the 20 overs needed to constitute a match.Nat Sciver-Brunt, who had put on 48 runs with Jones, was bowled by Kranti Goud on the second ball after the resumption with a revised target of 115 off 24 overs.With England needing 13 more runs off the last five overs, India reviewed for caught behind off new batter Sophia Dunkley, despite the stump mic picking up Ghosh saying there was no bat involved, which was proved on the replays.Again, Jones found herself in conversation with her batting partner about keeping calm in the moment.”I thought they played that very well,” she said. “We tried not to get drawn into it. It was always going to happen. It’s part of the game. So we did acknowledge it when Dunks came out. I was like, ‘it’s a bit annoying out here’.”It’s what most teams would do. So I tried to leave that to the umpires. It is a part of the game.”With the series level, the final ODI in Durham on Tuesday has plenty at stake, lots of recent history behind it and promises to be entertaining.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has challenged Lucas Paqueta to lead the Hammers' revival after the FA formally closed its spot-fixing investigation into the Brazilian. Cleared of all major charges but sanctioned for non-cooperation, Paqueta is now being urged by his manager to embrace his No.10 role and help drag the Irons out of the relegation zone.

Paqueta cleared of all wrongdoing in spot-fixing case

Espirito Santo has set a clear target for Paqueta following the end of the Football Association’s lengthy spot-fixing investigation into the Brazilian midfielder. The 28-year-old was accused of deliberately picking up yellow cards in four Premier League games between 2022 and 2023 to manipulate betting markets, but an independent commission ruled the allegations “not proven,” after a 314-page review found no evidence of deliberate wrongdoing.

Paqueta was instead reprimanded for failing to cooperate fully with the FA’s inquiry, a sanction the commission described as the 'mildest possible' and imposed without suspension or fine. He had provided limited answers during questioning on legal advice, which the panel accepted was due to stress and language barriers. The FA was ordered to pay 90% of the costs after the case collapsed, ending a two-year saga that also saw Paqueta’s £85 million move to Manchester City collapse.

With the investigation finally over, the midfielder has publicly indicated he is committed to West Ham, despite reports linking him with a January exit. His social media post, a smiling picture in a Hammers shirt beside his children, came just hours after reports claimed he was pushing to leave. West Ham, who rejected summer offers from Aston Villa and Flamengo, are hoping Paqueta’s clearance will now spark a turnaround in form as they sit 19th in the Premier League table.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesEspirito Santo set plans for Paqueta as West Ham continue to struggle

Espirito Santo, speaking ahead of West Ham’s clash with Newcastle, admitted the off-field noise had affected Paqueta’s performances but insisted the Brazilian remains vital to the team. “The noise doesn’t help,” Nuno said. “Finally, it ends, but at the same time, there are rumours around. We have to protect ourselves and work in the best way. He’s going to play on Sunday and help his teammates.”

The Portuguese coach revealed he had a personal chat with Paqueta about the responsibility that comes with his position. “I’ve spoken to him about many things. We need Lucas. I told him personally and the squad that being a No.10 is more than a number. It’s a symbol,” Nuno explained, underlining his belief that Paqueta must now lead by example. “That’s what we need from Lucas. We need him to help his teammates because they trust him. We know there is more to come from him, and we need him as a No.10.”

Nuno also acknowledged the challenge ahead, particularly against Paqueta’s compatriots Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes. “It’s not only going to be in midfield — there are going to be battles everywhere,” he said. “But we’re going to face one of the best midfields in the Premier League. I think during the game they won’t be friends! After the game, they (Bruno and Lucas) can be friends again!”

Paqueta remains West Ham's best shot at redemption

The conclusion of the FA’s investigation represents a huge personal relief for Paqueta, who has endured over two years of uncertainty that derailed his career trajectory. The former Lyon playmaker was on the brink of joining Pep Guardiola’s City in August 2023 before the allegations surfaced, forcing the eight-time Premier League champions to withdraw their £85 million offer. Since then, Paqueta has remained one of West Ham’s most consistent performers, recording three goals in ten appearances this season despite the club’s poor form.

The midfielder’s creative output has been a rare bright spot in an otherwise dire campaign, with his vision, ball progression, and pressing helping to sustain West Ham’s attacking play. His ability to dictate tempo and find pockets between the lines remains unmatched in the squad, and Espirito Santo is banking on the Brazilian's rediscovered focus to reignite the team’s midfield engine. The new boss believes that, freed from external distractions, Paqueta can finally return to the dynamic form that made him one of Europe’s most sought-after creators.

Transfer speculation, however, refuses to fade entirely. While Aston Villa made a late approach in the summer and Flamengo remain interested in bringing their academy graduate home, West Ham have held firm. The club sees Paqueta as essential to both their Premier League survival hopes and their long-term rebuild under Nuno, who is determined to build the team around him.

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GettyWest Ham's dreadful form could see them relegated

Paqueta is expected to start when West Ham travel to St. James’ Park this weekend to take on Newcastle United. With the investigation settled and his manager’s full backing, Paqueta’s task is simple — deliver on the pitch and inspire a team short on confidence and consistency.

Nuno has made clear that Paqueta’s leadership and creativity will be central to West Ham’s hopes of escaping the relegation zone. The Irons have lost seven of their first nine matches and sit four points from safety, their defence leaking 20 goals and morale at a low ebb. But with Paqueta back in focus and Nuno eager to establish discipline and clarity, the club will hope their Brazilian playmaker can transform resilience into results and begin the long climb away from the bottom three.

Wrexham chief executive Michael Williamson admitted to being left "exhausted" as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s side continue to chase their Premier League dream. The man tasked with turning the wild English top-flight ambition into reality has lifted the lid on the relentless pressure of managing one of the world’s most-watched football clubs.

• Wrexham's firestorm behind the fairytale

  Williamson is a former Inter Milan executive who joined the club in the summer of 2024, immediately after Wrexham sealed their rise from League Two. Less than a year later, they made it three promotions in a row, storming into the Championship. Now, as the co-owners set their sights on the Premier League, Williamson has revealed the heavy toll of that meteoric rise.

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  "I Haven’t Slept in Weeks"

  Speaking candidly on with former players Ben Foster and Ben Tozer, Williamson described his 18 months in charge as "like drinking from a fire hose".

  "Probably the best way to describe it is like drinking from a fire hose," he said. "I feel like the last 18 months has just been taking all the momentum that's been built up over the last couple of years, with the documentary and the success on the pitch, and trying to build the foundations around that to make sure it's sustainable in the long term. We ultimately want to keep pushing ourselves and keep trying to move up the pyramid."

  Despite the glitz and glamour surrounding Wrexham’s rise, Williamson painted a picture of intense personal strain.

  "It is an exhausting job," he admitted. "I take things very seriously. I'm constantly thinking, analysing and obviously have worries, but I don't stress. The important part of it is trying to take a step back. It doesn't mean I don't have a problem sleeping at night, I do. I suffer from insomnia and haven't been sleeping in the last three weeks."

  When he first walked through the doors of the Racecourse Ground, Williamson found a club riding the wave of global fame. However, behind the scenes was an overstretched, under-resourced operation waiting to crumble. There were just 40 permanent staff, and since he held the reins, the number has swelled to 120. The scale of the task hit him immediately. The growth had been explosive, which was primarily driven by success on the pitch, the Welcome to Wrexham series, and their growing global fanbase, but their infrastructure was years behind.

  "We previously had people who were doing six, seven or eight jobs at the club, and it's just not sustainable for the speed that we're moving at," Williamson said. 

• Building Wrexham fit for the top flight

  Under Williamson’s direction, Wrexham are now racing to catch up on the field. The construction of a new 7,750-capacity Kop stand has been fast-tracked, while a state-of-the-art academy and a dedicated women’s team facility are also in the pipeline. This summer alone, the club spent a record-breaking £33 million on 13 new signings, which underlines the ambition fuelling the club. 

  "We're trying to build a football club that is a community-based organisation, but to arrive at the Premier League and ultimately stay there," he said.

  He stressed that money alone isn’t enough, and the real challenge is protecting the club’s culture.

  "I think the challenge is making sure everyone understands what the DNA and the values of the club are," he said. "You have to understand when you're coming into a club like Wrexham that you have to be humble to learn what it means to be a part of Wrexham."

  While the short-term focus is on stability in the Championship, Williamson knows the real goal is years away. 

  "We're having to invest in a squad on the pitch because of the consequences of back-to-back-to-back promotions. That's also rooted in the fact that we don't have an academy pipeline historically," he said. 

  "We're starting to see the foundations of what the academy can be, and the type of investment into that is critical for long-term success. But we're talking about five to seven years before some of those things are seen."

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  From Miami to North Wales: A life transformed

  For Williamson, the job has been a personal upheaval as well as a professional one, since he had to relocate his family from Miami to North Wales. 

  "That's one area that took a little time to settle in, all honestly," he said. "As far as the office goes, that was one of those things where I just came in and I sat and I listened. I tried to ask questions and I tried to create a positive environment as I think there were definitely some morale concerns within the club."

  On the pitch, Wrexham’s first few months in the Championship were a wake-up call. The team struggled initially to adapt to the higher tempo and physicality of the division. But under Phil Parkinson, they have steadied the ship, and most recently grinded out a hard-fought draw against Portsmouth away from home. And Williamson insisted the squad is improving with every game.

  He said, "If you look at where we are right now, we are very competitive. We have been competitive in every single match that we've played in the Championship. In fact, if you look back on it, we could be sitting on 10 or 12 more points right now. That's how difficult it gets, and it's a game of moments. There are moments where 13 new players are all kind of feeling each other out a little bit, and it's only going to get better. That's what I'm excited about."

  Wrexham sit 14th in the Championship with 18 points, and their next challenge comes on Saturday against Charlton Athletic at the Racecourse Ground. 

A rising star who has been called a “young Xabi Alonso” is “one to watch” in the upcoming transfer windows as Manchester United seek to reinforce their midfield.

Man Utd set to replace Casemiro in 2026

Casemiro has enjoyed some improved form of late, rolling back the years and playing an important role in the 2-1 win away to Liverpool. It looks almost certain that the Brazilian will depart United at the end of this season, however, with the 33-year-old out of contract at that point and unlikely to be offered an extension.

Despite showing flashes of his former self, the Real Madrid legend has been criticised heavily throughout his time at United, including by Jamie Carragher, who famously told him to “leave the football before the football leaves you”.

Assuming Casemiro does move on for a new challenge, a top-quality younger replacement will be needed, in terms of someone who can provide a similar level of expertise in front of the defence and give Ruben Amorim midfield balance, allowing Bruno Fernandes to shine.

Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos has been linked with a move to United, with the 21-year-old reportedly wanting to emulate Casemiro’s career, while Benfica ace Florentino Luis has also been backed to come in once his loan spell at Burnley reaches its conclusion next summer.

Man Utd eyeing move for Bayern Munich star

According to Caught Offside‘s Mark Brus, Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic will be “one to watch” at Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe next summer, as they do not believe Manuel Ugarte is good enough to succeed Casemiro.

“United see Pavlovic as one option to replace Casemiro. Manuel Ugarte is also not seen as a long-term option. A move in January is unlikely, but he’ll be one to watch next summer.”

Ugarte makes £6,240,000-a-year at United, but this would certainly be a worthy upgrade – Pavlovic is an enormous talent who has already become a key man for one of the best teams in Europe at the age of just 21, already making 65 appearances for Bayern.

The German has even been compared to former Liverpool and Real Madrid star Alonso by Bayern president Herbert Hainer, which is high praise.

Whether Bayern are willing to let such a prized asset in Pavlovic leave the club in 2026 is certainly up for debate, though, so it won’t be easy for United to entice him to the club.

A return to Champions League football arguably feels like a must if the Red Devils are to have any chance of signing him, but it is clear why he would be a leading target to replace Casemiro.

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Pavlovic already plays with a level of maturity beyond his years, both in and out of possession, averaging 1.5 tackles per game and completing 95.2% of his passes in the Bundesliga so far this season.

Looking ahead to 2026, Everton have reportedly joined the race to sign a former Real Madrid defender alongside a number of Premier League rivals.

David Moyed "thrilled" with Crystal Palace win

Without a win in four games in all competitions and heading into the Hill Dickinson to host a Crystal Palace side without a defeat in 19 games, Everton looked destined for an uphill battle on Sunday. The Eagles had just defeated the Premier League champions in Liverpool and were after another Merseyside scalp – taking the lead through Daniel Munoz.

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From there, it seemed as though Everton were set to hand Palace the 20-game unbeaten run that they were after, only for the Hill Dickinson to get its most dramatic moment yet.

After equalising through Iliman Ndiaye in the final 15 minutes, the stage was set for someone to become a hero and that someone was Jack Grealish. The Manchester City loanee was perfectly placed to benefit from Munoz’s clearance and simply deflected home to hand his side a 93rd-minute winner.

David Moyes, like every Everton fan inside the Hill Dickinson, was left “thrilled” by his side’s dramatic comeback – telling reporters: “I’m thrilled with the three points, thrilled with the result.

“Mixed emotions on the performance. Not very good at all in the first half and could have been three down, but kept defending, kept stuck at it, showed a bit of resilience.

“I’ve been waiting on a late goal here. Aston Villa was 0-0, we couldn’t quite get the winner against West Ham, so I was hoping we’d get one of them. Thankfully, we got it today.”

Having sealed the three points, Moyes’ side now sit as high as eighth in the Premier League and providing an early marker to become shock contenders for a European place – something that should boost their transfer ambitions.

Everton join race to sign Mario Gila

According to The Boot Room, Everton have joined the race to sign Mario Gila from Lazio in 2026. The former Real Madrid defender has attracted interest from all around the Premier League, with Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth all joining Everton in the battle to secure his signature.

It’s no real surprise that interest is rising in the 25-year-old, who has been one of few bright sparks in Maurizio Sarri’s struggling Lazio side.

Former Lazio sporting director Igli Tare was also full of praise for the Spanish defender after signing him from Real Madrid, saying: “He is fast, intelligent and never puts a foot wrong. He can become one of the top 3-4 defenders in the world and it wouldn’t surprise me if Real wanted him back.”

Considering concerns that Jarrad Branthwaite could still leave Everton, Gila wouldn’t exactly be a bad signing to welcome in 2026. The Spaniard is at the peak of his powers and already has impressive experience under his belt.

It would be yet another ambitious move from The Friedkin Group, who’d be signing a former Real Madrid gem ahead of their rivals.