O diretor de futebol do São Paulo, Rui Costa, concedeu entrevista para o portal Zero Hora no último fim de semana. Dentre os principais assuntos abordados, o executivo falou sobre a situação financeira do Tricolor, que passa por um momento bastante delicado.
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O diretor afirmou que o time passa por um momento complicado em relação às finanças, mas deixou claro que o tamanho do São Paulo ajuda para amenizar a situação. Rui Costa falou, ainda, do acordo com os jogadores durante a pandemia.
– São Paulo tem crédito pela gradeza e pela marca. Vive um momento financeiro delicado, a pandemia impactou muito. Fizemos a apresentação desse cenário aos jogadores, para que entendessem onde estamos. Abrimos as vísceras do clube para eles, mostrando como os pagaríamos. O momento é de cuidado – afirmou o executivo.
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Durante a entrevista, o diretor falou sobre as dívidas quitadas pelo clube durante apenas 150 dias de gestão de Julio Casares.
Rui Costa citou as dívidas com o Orlando City, referente ao Kaká, e com o Athlético PR, pelo Pablo. As duas foram quitadas pelo Tricolor há mais tempo, e, enquanto foi feita a entrevista, o São Paulo ainda negociava a dívida com o Dínamo Kiev, da Ucrânia, pela contra do Tchê Tchê. O débito foi quitado nesta quarta-feira (2).
A multa rendeu um gasto de R$ 25 milhões aos cofres do São Paulo. Quitar essa dívida era uma das prioridades da gestão de Casares, pois estava registrada na Fifa e poderia render uma punição ao clube.
O presidente do clube sempre afirmou que a responsabilidade financeira é um dos princípios mais importantes de sua gestão. Nas negociações, o Tricolor chegou a abrir mão de negociações com jogadores que trariam ao clube dívidas ou gastos superiores aos que o São Paulo poderia arcar.
بدأ الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، استعداداته لمواجهة سيراميكا كليوباترا، في مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز، اليوم الأربعاء.
ويلتقي الأهلي، بنظيره سيراميكا كليوباترا، السبت المقبل، ضمن منافسات الجولة الافتتاحية لمسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
وخاض الأهلي تدريباته مساء اليوم الأربعاء على ملعب التتش بالجزيرة، دون راحة، وذلك بعد الفوز على العين الإماراتي أمس بثلاثية نظيفة في بطولة كأس إنتركونتيننتال.
وعقد السويسري مارسيل كولر، المدير الفني للأحمر، محاضرة بالفيديو قبل انطلاق المران لشرح بعض النقاط الفنية.
وخضع اللاعبون الذين شاركوا في لقاء العين الإماراتي أمس مرانًا استشفائيًّا في الجيم، للتخلص من إجهاد المباراة، فيما أدى بقية اللاعبين جانبًا من التدريبات البدنية مع بداية فقرات المران.
وأدى اللاعبون، مرانًا فنيًا متنوعًا انتهى بتقسيمة قوية قسم الفريق على ثلاثة فرق مصغرة، تحت قيادة كولر.
وانتظم خالد عبد الفتاح، الظهير الأيمن في المران بعدما تعافى من الإصابة التي تعرض لها مؤخرًا وأبعدته عن التدريبات.
وأكد أحمد جاب الله، رئيس الجهاز الطبي، على جاهزية اللاعب بعد انتهاء البرنامج العلاجي والتأهيلي الذي خضع له مؤخرا.
It's been an interesting season for Manchester United fans this year, to put it diplomatically.
Erik ten Hag's side have been consistently inconsistent in the Premier League, winning 15 games, losing 11 and drawing just two.
However, while the football hasn't necessarily been the most pleasing to the eye, there is one big positive from the season: Rasmus Højlund.
The young striker has really stepped up as the season has progressed and looks set for big things at the Theatre of Dreams, though a former United star has outscored him this season.
Rasmus Hojlund's performance this season
Højlund got off to a slow start in the Premier League following his £72m summer move from Serie A side Atalanta.
Rasmus Hojlund
He failed to score or provide an assist until his 15th appearance in the competition, after which point he scored seven goals and provided two assists in just six games before having to come out of the team due to a muscle injury.
However, while it took the Dane a fair amount of time to get used to the league, he was like a duck to water in the Champions League and scored five goals in just six appearances as he did everything he could to try and keep the Red Devils in the competition.
Appearances
20
6
2
2
Goals
7
5
1
0
Assists
2
0
0
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.45
0.83
0.50
0.00
In all, while the 21-year-old wasn't an instant hit at the club, it would be hard to describe his first season at Old Trafford as anything other than a success so far, as 13 goals and two assists in 30 appearances means he has averaged a goal involvement once every two games.
However, while Højlund has been undeniably brilliant for United this year and is comfortably the club's top goalscorer, a former player who departed the north west in 2019 is doing even better in Europe.
Romelu Lukaku's performances this season
Romelu Lukaku is the man in question, and while his name might conjure up images of glaring misses and clunky control in the minds of English football fans, the Belgian has been on fire in Italy this season.
Appearances
25
9
2
Goals
10
7
1
Assists
3
1
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.52
0.88
0.50
Still officially a Chelsea player, the Belgium international is on loan with AS Roma this year. In just 36 games, he has racked up an impressive 18 goals and four assists, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement once every 1.63 games for the Giallorossi.
What's even more impressive is that he has been scoring big goals as well, netting against Napoli and Fiorentina in Serie A, and then against Feyenoord and Brighton & Hove Albion in the knockout rounds of the Europa League.
The "world-class" striker, as former coach Thomas Tuchel once described him, looks a totally different man from the one who scored just 15 goals in 49 games the last time he was playing in England.
Ultimately, United possess a young striker who could well go on to be world-class himself. However, while fans might be happy to have parted ways with Lukaku, Ten Hag would've surely loved having the 30-year-old in his squad this year. After all, they do need a more senior pro capable of teaching their raw Norwegian a thing or two.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
After a flurry of injuries throughout the international break, Pep Guardiola has been handed several boosts ahead of Manchester City's crucial clash against Arsenal in the Premier League this weekend.
Man City injury news
Gary Neville recently claimed that it would be no surprise if Arsenal and Manchester City pulled their players out of March's international break ahead of their game this weekend and the crucial title run-in. Lo and behold, out came Bukayo Saka and Kevin De Bruyne, whilst Kyle Walker also pulled out of England's second game of the break against Belgium with injury.
When Sunday's game arrives, it will be interesting to see whether those aforementioned stars manage to make an Easter comeback or whether Guardiola and Mikel Arteta are left worrying over the availability of their players.
So far, training footage has suggested that it's mixed news, with John Stones and Walker still seemingly missing after their injuries on international duty, but De Bruyne, Manuel Akanji, Jack Grealish and Matheus Nunes are all back.
What's more, despite The Independent initially reporting that Ederson could miss the Arsenal game and be out for 3-4 weeks after his injury against Liverpool, the goalkeeper was also spotted in training ahead of the fixture. Sky Sports posted the news on X, saying:
In a major boost for Guardiola, the shot-stopper is now in line to make his return at the perfect time as City prepare to defend their Premier League crown up until the final day.
"Outstanding" Ederson is crucial for Man City
City's ruthless passing style starts with the goalkeeper, and there aren't many better at initiating that than Ederson, who is one of, if not the best shot-stoppers in the world with the ball at his feet. Whilst Stefan Ortega has stepped up well in the Brazilian's absence, having Ederson available for the Arsenal game and the rest of the run-in will undoubtedly play a part for City.
Guardiola is well aware of Ederson's quality, too, having previously sung his praises. The City boss said (via All Football): "With his feet, he is the best. The quality of the pass, I would say, is the best.
"Manuel and Víctor were incredible too, but the quality of the pass is the best. I would not say who is the best [overall] because I had success in the past with incredible keepers in Victor, Manuel and Eddie.
"He has credit from the manager, backroom staff and players. He's outstanding and he knows it. But the players know – if you want credit and to be recognised, win games, win titles and you will get it. If you don't win games and titles, you will not get it. It's not more difficult than this."
Celtic are currently sat at the top of the Scottish Premiership table during the international break after their 3-1 win over St. Johnstone last weekend.
Goals from Kyogo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kuhn, and James Forrest put the Hoops 3-0 up before a late consolation strike from Connor Smith for the away side finished off the scoring.
They are now one point clear of rivals Rangers, whose game at Dundee was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, having played one more match.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers watches on.
After the international break, Celtic should be hoping for a strong end to the season in order to win the SFA Cup and Premiership title, rather than enduring a trophyless campaign.
The national team matches may have come at the perfect time for Brendan Rodgers, who could have a couple of key players back fit by next week.
Latest Celtic injury news
Captain Callum McGregor has been absent in recent weeks with an Achilles injury but could be back in action after the break, with the manager hopeful that he will be available to face Livingston.
There is no guarantee that the Scotland international, who was not in contention to feature for his country this month, will be ready to return for that match but the ex-Liverpool tactician will assess the midfielder's fitness ahead of that game.
Central defender Maik Nawrocki suffered a hamstring injury last month and there has been no timescale given on his return to first-team involvement, which means that it remains to be seen whether or not he will be available to face Livi.
Maik Nawrocki
23/24 Premiership
Appearances
8
Starts
5
Pass accuracy
86%
Ground duel success rate
70%
Aerial duel success rate
46%
Stats via Sofascore
One player who looks set to be in contention to feature against Livingston, however, is central midfielder Reo Hatate after he made his return in a friendly earlier this week.
The Japan international played 45 minutes in a bounce game against St Mirren on Wednesday, a match in which Gustaf Lagerbielke and Hyeon-gyu Oh also took part.
Hatate has been out of action since the winter break after he suffered injuries to both of his calves whilst playing for his country back in January.
Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate.
His appearance in the friendly clash earlier this week suggests that the terrific midfielder could have a chance of being in the squad to face Livingston when the Hoops return to Premiership action next Sunday.
With this in mind, Rodgers could brutally ditch Tomoki Iwata, who has emerged as a regular this year, from the starting XI to make way for Hatate, whether that is in the next game, or whenever the Japanese star is ready to be selected from the start.
Tomoki Iwata's Celtic emergence
The 26-year-old battler has worked his way into the starting line-up for the Hoops during the second half of the campaign, after a difficult start to the season.
Nine of his 11 appearances in the Premiership have come since the start of November, and all six of his starts in the division have come since the start of December.
Tomoki Iwata
The Japan international has provided a calm presence on the ball at the base of the midfield set-up for Rodgers, with a pass completion rate of 92% across those 11 top-flight clashes.
However, Iwata has left a little bit to be desired with his lack of quality out of possession for the Scottish giants. He has lost 56% of his duels, including 62% of his battles on the ground, and only made 1.1 tackles and interceptions combined per match in the Premiership.
This suggests that opposition players have found it too easy to outmuscle and get the better of him in the middle of the park at times, whilst the midfielder has also struggled to make multiple defensive interventions per game.
23/24 Premiership
Tomoki Iwata
Squad rank
Key passes per game
0.6
16th
Dribbles per game
0.0
Joint-27th
Shots per game
0.8
21st
Assists
1
Joint-12th
Goals
1
Joint-15th
Stats via WhoScored
Whilst his pass accuracy speaks to his reliability and composure on the ball, the statistics in the table above show that Iwata has not made a big impact in possession at the top end of the pitch.
Why Reo Hatate should replace Tomoki Iwata
If Hatate is back fit and available, Rodgers must brutally ditch Iwata to unleash the "outrageous" – as described by Scotland international John McGinn – whiz in his place.
The £16k-per-week dynamo has scored two goals and provided two assists – twice as many of each compared to his compatriot – in just eight league appearances in an injury-disrupted campaign so far.
Last season, the 26-year-old magician was a regular starter under Ange Postecoglou and caught the eye with both his contributions in and out of possession for the Bhoys.
Hatate averaged 1.5 tackles and interceptions per match, which was marginally more than Iwata has managed this term, but his strength in his duels stood out. The impressive gem won 56% of his battles on the ground and 59% of his aerial contests across 32 league matches.
This suggests that he could offer more than the current starter in terms of his strength off the ball, as he can dominate opposition players in duels – rather than being dominated.
Scottish Premiership
Reo Hatate – 22/23
Tomoki Iwata – 23/24
Appearances
32
11
Goals
6
1
Assists
8
1
Big chances created
10
1
Key passes per game
1.3
0.6
Dribbles completed per game
0.8
0.0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the recently injured Celtic star also has the edge over Iwata when it comes to making things happen at the top end of the pitch.
He has the quality to score and create goals at an impressive rate – with more Premiership goals than any other central midfielder in the squad last season – and could provide the team with another threat in possession over the coming weeks and months.
Therefore, Rodgers should brutally ditch Iwata from the starting line-up as soon as Hatate is fit enough to start, due to his superior qualities on and off the ball in the middle of the park.
The March international break has arrived and Tottenham Hotspur might welcome the opportunity to recalibrate after slumping to a 3-0 Premier League defeat against Fulham last weekend.
The disparity in performance from the week before, thumping top four rivals Aston Villa 4-0 in their own backyard, couldn't have been more stark, though Ange Postecoglou will take solace from the fact that his system has lifted the London club from the rubble of the 2022/23 campaign.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou.
Spurs finished eighth last year, missing out on European football resultingly and confirming Harry Kane's expected sale, with the club record scorer now plying his trade in Germany with Bayern Munich.
A new talisman is still needed, and Daniel Levy might have received an exciting boost in the race for a Premier League star.
Spurs' summer transfer targets
According to a recent report from The Sun, Tottenham have indeed been handed some pleasing news in their pursuit of a centre-forward, with Arsenal cooling their interest in Brentford's Ivan Toney.
Brentford's Ivan Toney
Spurs, Chelsea and West Ham United are both keen on signing the England international but Postecoglou's fifth-placed side are in the best position to clinch Champions League football and will hope that this sways the odds.
Brentford are resigned to Toney's departure this summer but are hoping to entertain bids between £80m and £100m, and while this is a staggering fee, Tottenham would secure a first-rate star to lead from the front next season, taking the squad's calibre to the next level.
Why Spurs are interested in Ivan Toney
Toney has always been candid about his desire to leave Brentford and join a club competing in the Champions League; some might say disrespectfully so, but at 28 years old it's clear that the marksman is desperate to progress his career.
And it's hard to argue against his prolificness, having returned from an eight-month suspension in January for breaching FA betting rules and bagged four goals from his opening five Premier League matches, albeit riding a five-match barren streak at present.
As per Sofascore, he has complemented that goalscoring return with 0.8 key passes, 1.2 tackles, 3.5 ball recoveries and 7.7 successful duels per match, highlighting his combative nature and willingness to get stuck in and contribute outside his primary role of goalscorer.
He also ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions, the top 10% for clearances and the top 16% for aerial wins per 90, as per FBref, showcasing his defensive workrate.
Toney might have spent much of the current campaign suspended but he has proven himself and then some across recent years, with his exploits last season simply mesmerising, plundering 20 goals and four assists from just 33 Premier League fixtures, leading writer Billy Grant to describe him as a "monster."
1.
Harry Kane
Tottenham Hotspur
14
2.
Ivan Toney
Brentford
12
3.
Erling Haaland
Manchester City
11
3.
Darwin Nunez
Liverpool
11
5.
Danny Welbeck
Brighton & Hove Albion
8
To emphasise his dynamism and multi-functionality as the attacking focal point, Kane was the only centre-forward to create more big chances in the Premier League last season, with Toney's Three Lions' teammate Declan Rice actually remarking that he is "like Harry Kane" in his rounded approach to his attacking play.
Sure, Richarlison has been in fine form this season, scoring nine goals from ten top-flight fixtures before injuring his knee last month, and yes, Heung-min Son is one of the finest finishers in the Premier League, but that natural, out-and-out striker is a role in need of filling, especially with European competition on the cards once again.
Son's a bit of a sensation wherever he is unleashed, but given his playmaking quality and intelligence in guiding Spurs' offensive sequences, the skipper would relish a player such as Toney joining the fold.
Imagine Ivan Toney & Heung-min Son
After Kane left for a new chapter in August, Son was promoted to club captain, with declining veteran Hugo Lloris stepping away from his role as he left the starting lineup, and the South Korean star has repaid the faith with some monstrous efforts, scoring 14 goals and supplying eight assists in the Premier League.
As per FBref, the 31-year-old ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 14% for assists per 90 and the top 11% for pass completion, highlighting his top-class technicality and a deadliness in the final third that has left Postecoglou marvelling at his "world-class player."
Son alongside Toney would simply be a match made for success in the Premier League, with both players energetic and tenacious and eager to score goals and supply them.
Kane and Son are regarded for having one of the Premier League's most frightening modern partnerships and indeed hold the record for the most goal contributions in the modern division's history with 47 – some 11 contributions ahead of second-placed Chelsea duo Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.
Given Toney's versatility in his attacking play and likeness to Kane, Spurs would only take their fluency and fear factor to another height entirely.
Moreover, Postecoglou's tactical set-up is hardly averse to attacking football, with the free-flowing, interchangeable system breeding success from an offensive standpoint, with Son joined by the likes of Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Brennan Johnson in thriving in this regard.
Toney might be playing for a Brentford side that teeters precipitously above the dotted line, helped by points deductions to Everton and Nottingham Forest, but he's returned with a bang in 2024 and has demonstrated the brilliance that should prompt Tottenham to make their move.
With the £20k-per-week phenomenon leading the line under Postecoglou next term, the Lilywhites might just find the illustrious success they so dearly crave, especially with Son working seamlessly alongside him.
The PCB has decided to trim the powers of its chief executive officer Wasim Khan, who had been working additionally as the head of the cricket committee. Wasim has resigned from the role as the head of the committee in order to help revamp it, making it an independent body, but retains the freedom to sit in the committee as an ex-officio member with a right to participate in discussions, but without the power to take decisions and vote.This change at the helm of the cricket committee is the third within 13 months. Earlier, only three meetings and eight months into the formation of the original committee, its head at time, Mohsin Khan, had to resign following differences with the PCB over statements made on public platforms, which had put the board in an awkward position. Wasim had replaced Mohsin, with his first order of business a review of the last three years following the conclusion of the 2019 World Cup. Before taking up the role of head coach and chief selector, Misbah-ul-Haq was also a member of the commitee.”Our main business is cricket, for which we have a structure and we are taking steps for improvement,” PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said in Lahore. “We got disruption in our cricket committee and we are revamping it, starting with Wasim stepping down as its head so that it should be an independent committee. He will be present in the meeting to coordinate with the PCB and the members but I want independent advice after critically assessing the affairs. They are cricketers and who else understands the game more than them?”I want honest feedback without any other interest. They can challenge the chief selectors, team management, selectors and other cricket support teams in PCB to give us a critical feedback for the betterment. What are the steps that need to be taken after a thorough independent assessment? The scope is wide; they can challenge the selector, coaches, team management and this will go down across to the entire cricketing structure from top to bottom. The proposal, however, is only recommendatory, and onus will be on me to accept or reject. I don’t think I will reject without any rationale.”The PCB has also launched an attempt to restructure the model of national academies and re-educate the local coaches. The state of pitches in the country for domestic cricket has been a major topic of debate for over a decade as it is considered a major hindrance in the development of players who are capable of adapting themselves in countries like Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa. Mani informed that the PCB is engaging Andy Atkinson, the ICC pitch consultant, to train PCB’s curators.Wasim hinted at a significant structural overhaul after an ongoing assessment by former ECB performance director David Parsons is completed.Elsewhere, Mudassar Nazar, the head of cricket academies, confirmed that he will not seek an extension after his contract ends next year in May. The remainder of his term is merely a formality as he is set to go on annual leave, with the PCB expected to look for a replacement in the interim. The importance of the National Cricket Academy for the progress of players is not lost on either Mani and Wasim, and with that in mind, head of coaching at NCA, Ali Zia, was also asked to resign last week.”I have serious doubts on the capacity of our coaches and we need to upgrade them,” Mani said. “Our boys do have passion for cricket, they have ability but until or unless their teachers aren’t good then we can not have our boys excel in the field. So expect a lot of changes in academies and the structure.”Me and Wasim both had concerns and we have been reviewing with the help of David. We are forming six centres of excellence working with the six association with one curriculum in place as in PCB’s national high performance centre. We need elevate the credibility of our development system and the pathway.”
Former England international Gareth Barry has come out of retirement after four years away to sign for an 11th tier English club.
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Barry back from retirementSigned for 11-tier English sideLast played for West BromWHAT HAPPENED?
The ex-Aston Villa, Manchester City and Everton star has staged a comeback four years after announcing his retirement from professional football as he signs for 11th-tier English club Hurstpierpoint. The 43-year-old will play in the second tier of the Mid Sussex Football League where Hurstpierpoint currently ply their trade.
AdvertisementWHAT HAS BEEN SAID
After securing the signature of the veteran English midfielder, club chairman and first-team head coach Dudley Christensen told BBC Sport: "He came along to training and loved us. I don't think he's going to be around to play every week, but he's a great signing and he's going to raise our profile. I'll let him do what he wants to do. He can play where he likes, but I expect he'll sit in front of the defence and be a shield."
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Barry made his senior debut back in 1998 for Aston Villa and spent the next 22 years in the Premier League where he became the most-capped player in history. He surpassed Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs's tally of 632 matches in 2017 and ended his career with 653 caps to his name.
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The former Cityzens star will now look forward to playing his first match in over four years when the Mid Sussex Football League Championship kicks off.
Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney says his whole weekend is ruined when he has to watch his team lose while he is at home in Los Angeles.
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McElhenney reveals pain of watching games in USA
Says he spends whole weekends 'miserable'
Will see his team in action in California
WHAT HAPPENED?
The time difference between the United Kingdom and California means that most of Wrexham's matches kick-off on Saturday mornings when the Hollywood actor is at home, and he has explained how it affects his weekend compared to when he is at the game.
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WHAT MCELHENNEY SAID
"Every loss means even more. It's devastating when we lose and it's elating when we win," he told . "The difference between being here versus being in the UK to watch the games is in Los Angeles, the game is over at 09:30 on a Saturday, so at least when you're back in the UK, you're watching a game where if you lose, okay, it's already 17:30, maybe have a drink, eat dinner and go to bed. I have to spend the entire weekend miserable!"
THE BIGGER PICTURE
McElhenney will have an easier time dealing with his team's results over the next week or so as the Welsh side are in California to begin their pre-season tour of the United States and Canada, meaning the games will be at a more reasonable time for the star. After hosting a glitzy launch party in Beverly Hills for the men's and women's teams, Wrexham will come up against Bournemouth and Chelsea before they head to Canada to meet Vancouver Whitecaps in the hometown of their other co-owner, Ryan Reynolds.
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WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?
McElhenney may be in for a few more miserable weekends in the near future, though. After pulling off incredible back-to-back promotions, they are in for a tough season when their League One campaign gets underway.
Seamer set for comeback in South Africa after bowling only four international overs since February
ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2019James Anderson has said he “doesn’t see any reason” why he shouldn’t play in the 2021-22 Ashes series as a 39-year-old despite bowling only four overs for England in the last nine months.Anderson went off after hurting his calf during the first day of first Ashes Test at Edgbaston this summer, and after a recurrence of the injury while he tried to return in time for the fourth Test, he was left out of the touring party for the ongoing series in New Zealand.He hopes to return to the squad in time for the South Africa tour that starts next month, and will travel to Potchefstroom this week, along with fellow seamers Mark Wood, Olly Stone, Craig Overton and Ollie Robinson.ALSO READ: England hopefuls head to training camps in India, SAAnderson told the that he has made technical changes during his lay-off, which he hopes will improve his longevity, including a return to the longer run-up he trialled during England’s tour of the Caribbean in the spring.”When I felt the calf go, it was in that first three or four paces of my run-up, trying to get up to speed really quickly,” he said. “Lengthening my run-up just gives me that little bit extra time to gradually build up the pace rather than pushing off too quickly and putting too much pressure on it.”I’ve changed the running technique a little bit, too, to use my legs a bit more to generate more momentum up to the crease.”Anderson has been using Manchester City’s training facilities throughout the winter in his attempts to return to fitness, and said that he had realised during his layoff that he still had the “hunger” to play Test cricket.
“I still feel that in the near future I’ve got something to offer this team, both in performances on the field and around the group”James Anderson
“The biggest thing to come out of that for me was actually the hunger,” he said. “I found I had to try to get fit again because it would have been quite easy for me, especially after the third time I injured my calf trying to get ready for the Old Trafford Test, to say, ‘Sod it, I can’t do this anymore’.”I guess when you get to a certain age you start thinking about the next chapter. And people have always said to me that you just know when it’s time to finish.”But I went away that week, on holiday with the family to Corfu, just to get away from it because I was feeling quite low having worked hard to get back fit. And at the end of it, in conversation with my wife Daniella, she was like, ‘Why would you stop?'”It’s not as if I’m unfit. Getting injured is just a thing that happens and as I get older, yes, there might be the odd extra muscle injury that I’ve got to deal with. But my injury record’s been pretty good and I’m still in the top 10 bowlers in the world, even though I’ve not played for longer than six months.”Anderson also suggested that he had plenty to offer England over the next few years, not only in terms of his own performances but also through passing on his wealth of experience to the younger seamers in the side.”I know everyone’s talking about the Ashes in two years’ time, which is a long way away, and I’d be 39 by then,” he said, “but if I still feel like I do at the minute, if I keep working as hard as I am in the gym and at my game, then I don’t see any reason why I can’t make that trip.”But whether I do or I don’t, I still feel that in the near future I’ve got something to offer this team, both in performances on the field and around the group.”We’ve got young lads coming in, some fairly inexperienced players who might need some guidance. I feel like the more experience you’ve got around the group, around those younger players, the better really.”