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New Zealand have won one Test against Australia since 1993, and in ten Tests at home this century, they have lost nine and drawn one

Alex Malcolm26-Feb-20242:20

The importance of Kane Williamson to New Zealand

Eight years is a long time in anyone’s language, let alone between Test tours. Given it is an Olympic Games year, the last time Australia made a Test tour to New Zealand was two Olympiads ago in 2016, when Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps were still competing.New Zealand’s captain for that series, Brendon McCullum, is now England’s coach. Australia’s captain and No. 4 in 2016, Steven Smith, is now the vice-captain and the opener. His current opening partner, Usman Khawaja, was Australia’s No. 3 in 2016, having never opened the batting in Test cricket at that point. He is now statistically one of the most successful openers of all time, having been dropped and recalled by Australia four times in the last eight years.It was so long ago that New Zealand’s then-allrounder Corey Anderson has had time to qualify for the USA, while Australia’s double-centurion in Wellington in 2016, Adam Voges, has just won his seventh domestic trophy as a coach with Western Australia and Perth Scorchers.Related

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Australia have toured India, England, and Sri Lanka twice in the intervening years and have visited South Africa, Bangladesh and Pakistan once each. Despite it being a three-hour flight from Australia’s east coast compared to a nearly 24-hour journey from the UK, England have made three separate Test tours to New Zealand to Australia’s zero.Such is the infrequency of Australia’s Test tours to their closest neighbours, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, who both debuted in 2011 and have played a combined total of 147 matches, have never played a Test match in New Zealand.They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. New Zealand cricket hearts are bursting at the sight of baggy greens on their shores, with Wellington sold out weeks in advance.New Zealand’s prime minister Christopher Luxon spoke gushingly of Cummins’ leadership at a reception at Premier House in Wellington on Monday night, saying he had pinched the Australia captain’s mantra of “calm and consistent” and used it with his MPs during his election campaign last year.

New Zealand are the WTC leaders and the 2021 WTC champions, and yet, whenever Big Brother invites them to play, they not only forget to punch above their weight as they consistently do elsewhere, they often forget to throw a punch at all

That anecdote speaks to the relationship New Zealand has with Australian cricket.Beyond just the rare nature of the duel, there is plenty at stake over the next two weeks and, as ever, it is a shame the series will only feature two Tests. These two sides are the most recent and only two Test world champions. New Zealand currently lead the WTC table with Australia sitting third. The huge discrepancy in matches played – New Zealand’s four to Australia’s ten – further illustrates the current global cricket landscape.And while this two-Test series does appear to have been shoehorned into a small two-week window at the end of long home summers and just prior to the IPL, there is much to play for and much to prove for both sides.New Zealand are the WTC leaders and the 2021 WTC champions, and yet whenever Big Brother invites them to play, they not only forget to punch above their weight as they consistently do elsewhere, they often forget to throw a punch at all.New Zealand have won one Test against Australia since 1993, in Hobart in 2011. In ten Tests at home this century, they have lost nine and were saved by rain in the tenth.Pat Cummins has never played Test cricket in New Zealand•Getty ImagesDespite having a generation of great players, led by captain Tim Southee and their greatest ever batter in Kane Williamson, both of whom will celebrate their 100th Tests in Christchurch, Australia have had a stranglehold over the Black Caps.Even in the microcosm of the recent T20I series, New Zealand played some exceptional cricket in patches and had Australia on the ropes several times, only to let them off the hook with dropped catches and poor execution.If the mental stranglehold isn’t a big enough issue, an ill-timed spate of injury concerns has added to the self-doubt. Devon Conway’s thumb is a major problem, with the opener, coach Gary Stead and the team physio meeting on Monday to discuss whether he could hold a bat. Kyle Jamieson is already out of the series, while Rachin Ravindra (quad) and Daryl Mitchell (foot) are carrying niggles, although the latter is confident he will be fine.Mitchell looms as New Zealand’s key man. Having cut his teeth in Western Australian grade cricket as a youngster, he knows that beating Australia is about nothing more than executing in the moment as you would with any other team.”For us, it’s not making that bigger than what it is,” Mitchell said on Monday. “It’s cool to take on the Aussies… it’s going to be pretty special in front of a packed Basin [Reserve] and Aussie are a world-class team.”It’s obviously a special series for everyone but at the same time, it’s just another ball coming down at you and trying to find a way to negate it”•AFP/Getty Images”It’s obviously a special series for everyone but at the same time, it’s just another ball coming down at you and trying to find a way to negate it.”The blueprint is there, and it came in the form of West Indies’ Shamar Joseph at the Gabba. West Indies had an equally poor record against Australia coming into the most recent series, and the debutant showed that the reigning world champions are far from impregnable.Australia come to New Zealand with a settled side. The XI for the first Test is set to be the same as they fielded in the two Tests against West Indies. That team had only one change from the side that beat Pakistan 3-0, with Cameron Green replacing the retiring David Warner in a reshuffled batting order.It was Australia’s batting eight years ago that underpinned their 2-0 victory, making more than 500 in their first innings of both wins. Australia’s current batting group did not pass 500 once in 16 Tests in 2023 and has only passed 400 once in their last eight Test matches. They scored 400 or more in all three Tests against New Zealand in the 2019-20 series sweep in Australia.Eight years was a long time to wait for the Black Caps after failing to seize their chance in McCullum’s farewell. The next wait might be interminable if they fail to do so again.

Our correspondent finds that the hottest face-offs in cricket now are currently happening off the field

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Mar-2022Faulkner vs the PSL
Come on PCB. What are you doing? Why are you mistreating him?James Faulkner. Player of as many as one Test, and an international cricketer from a mere five years ago. All he wanted was to be paid. Or to be paid twice, depending on who you believe. (Faulkner alleges the PSL didn’t pay him. The PSL claims he wanted to be paid twice.) Whatever happened, what we know is this. One day, horrified at his treatment at the PSL, Faulkner ragequit the tournament, throwing a bat and a helmet at a massive hotel chandelier, because how else will you get the common man to sympathise with your plight?”It hurts to leave as I wanted to help to get international cricket back in Pakistan,” Faulkner later tweeted. Don’t cry for Faulkner, folks. He’s not the victim here. I mean… he is the victim. But not as much as Pakistan.IPL vs PSL
The IPL wishes it had this kinda drama, don’t @ me.Saha vs journalist
We’ve all read the tweet by now, right? Wriddhiman Saha, who, on top of being dropped from the Test squad, was threatened by an unnamed journalist over text. Essentially, the journalist wanted an interview with Saha, but Saha seemingly ignored the request, and the journalist responded by “threatening” Saha, stating: “I don’t take insults kindly. And I will remember this.”Obviously this is terrible. Terrible that not all interactions between players and journalists don’t conform to this power dynamic. Can you believe there are media people throwing daggers at this journalist, when it would clearly be so much easier for all of us if players were so scared they’d never knock back interview requests?Taking a page out of this guy’s book, we’re taking this opportunity to threaten cricketers who dare to deny interview requests from the Briefing and its subsidiaries (the Light Roller). Please find the list of threats below.- Your ESPNcricinfo profile pic will be changed to a photo of you getting clean-bowled.
– If you gain weight, you will be body-shamed in only the most emasculating language (“Chubby-wub Perera bags four”*).
– All non-match-winning performances will be described as “flaccid”. When people google that word, a photo of you appears.
– No big-cat comparisons. The only animals you will be likened to are goats, donkeys, and warthogs.
– Justin Langer will be told you are looking for daily coaching videos, as intense as he can make them, please.
– All poor performances from age 30 onwards will be framed as a decline in ability (we do this anyway, but still).*Not aimed at any Perera in particularAustralia vs their own nature
New Zealand cited a security threat and pulled out of their matches in Pakistan at the last minute. England withdrew because of [look up whatever this nonsense was]. But, so often criticised for pulling out of tours if so much as a baby sneezes unexpectedly, Australia have landed in Pakistan marking the first, momentous return to the country by a… wait, how do we say this since Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh have all been there in the last few years? The first return to Pakistan by a Europea… wait, that’s not right… first-wor… nope. Hmm, look, don’t make us say it. If it’s safe for them, it’s safe for, umm, other teams like them. (Pack away the chandeliers in case, though.)Next month on the Briefing:
– World’s most popular cricketers line up for exclusive interviews with the Briefing.- Faulkner inspires a generation of Pakistani kids to get rich enough playing cricket to throw a chandelier-level tantrum. #Hero

يواجه المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، آرني سلوت، غموضًا قويًا فيما يخص مستقبله في “الأنفيلد” في ظل النتائج السيئة للنادي تحت قيادته في الموسم الحالي، 2025/26.

وسقط ليفربول في فخ تعادل قاتل، مساء أمس، مع ليدز يونايتد في الجولة الخامسة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي على ملعب “إيلاند رود”.

ويحتل ليفربول حاليًا المركز الثامن في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 23 نقطة.

وما زاد الطين بلة هو قرار المدرب آرني سلوت بتهميش محمد صلاح بشكل متكرر، حيث تواجد على دكة البدلاء في آخر 3 مباريات متتالية لـ ليفربول، وهو الأمر الذي لم ينل إعجاب الجماهير وكذلك النجم المصري نفسه الذي أدلى بتصريحات نارية أمس.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مراسلة الدوري الإنجليزي: منعطف حزين لـ محمد صلاح.. وليفربول لا يحتاج مزيدًا من الأذى

وذكر الصحفي “daveockop” أن مستقبل آرني سلوت مع ليفربول قيد التدقيق، رغم أنه يعتقد كونه لا يزال قادرًا على تغيير الأمور في الفريق.

وأضاف أن ستيفن جيرارد يُعد خيارًا قيد الدراسة، من جانب إدارة ليفربول، لتولي مسؤولية تدريب الفريق بشكل مؤقت حال إقالة آرني سلوت في الفترة المقبلة.

وكشف جيرارد سابقًا أنه كان قريبًا جدًا من العودة إلى دوره السابق كمدرب لفريق رينجرز ولكنه رفض ذلك المنصب بعد محادثات مع النادي.

وسبق للمدرب البالغ من العمر 45 عامًا أن أدار فريق رينجرز من عام 2018 إلى عام 2021، وفاز بلقب الدوري الاسكتلندي لموسم 2020-2021، قبل أن يتولى تدريب أستون فيلا والاتفاق السعودي.

وأشار الصحفي نفسه إلى أنه يُعتقد أيضًا أن ليفربول معجب بـ جوليان ناجيلسمان، حيث سيقود منتخب ألمانيا في كأس العالم الصيف المقبل، وقد يصبح متاحًا بعد البطولة.

Micky Van de Ven was left blown away by the performance of a Tottenham Hotspur star in the 2-0 victory against Brentford at the weekend.

Tottenham secure first Premier League win since late October

The pressure has been mounting on Thomas Frank in recent weeks, with it even emerging that Tottenham were considering a move for Barcelona manager Xavi as a replacement, but the Dane may have bought himself more time courtesy of a victory against Brentford.

Spurs breezed to a 2-0 win against the Bees, which was their first triumph in the Premier League since winning 3-0 at Everton at the end of October, with Richarlison opening the scoring after 26 minutes, finding the back of the net for the seventh time in all competitions this season.

Xavi Simons was the creator, and the Dutchman then went on to score his first goal since moving to north London just before half-time, sealing all three points for Frank’s side in the process.

Simons has received heavy criticism for making a slow start to life at Tottenham, with Jamie O’Hara left particularly scathing after the defeat against Fulham, but he clearly has the full support of teammate Van de Ven, who singled the attacking midfielder out for high praise after Brentford.

Simons needs to build on his Brentford performance

Frank will no doubt be delighted the Netherlands international appears to be finding his feet, receiving a SofaScore match rating of 9.5 after registering a goal and an assist against Keith Andrews’ side.

Having finally shown what he can produce, the 22-year-old needs to build on that performance, starting on Tuesday against Slavia Prague, with Spurs set to host the Czech side in their sixth Champions League game.

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Frank’s side have looked bereft of ideas at times this season, with only a Richarlison wonder goal preventing them from suffering an even heavier loss against Arsenal back in November.

As such, Simons needs to step up, and Tottenham will be hoping the former RB Leipzig man can start recording similar attacking numbers to what he did during his time with the German club, registering 22 goals and 24 assists in 78 games.

Miami Marlins pitcher Cal Quantrill pitched the 116th immaculate inning in the history of Major League Baseball on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

For those unaware, an immaculate inning is, well, immaculate. A pitcher steps to the mound to start an inning, strikes out the first batter he faces on three pitches, then does it again and does it again.

One inning. Three batters. Three strikes each. Nine pitches total. Back to the bench to wait for the next inning.

While the feat might sound common, or at least not especially rare given that we’ve seen 116 of them in the history of baseball, mathematically, the immaculate inning is a feat more rare than a perfect game, even though there have been just 23 perfect games in the history of the sport.

MLB analyst Ryan Spaeder provided a good breakdown of the math. When accounting for the rarity of an immaculate inning, you need to divide by the total number of innings played in baseball history, rather than the number of games. A bigger denominator gives you a smaller fraction. See below.

By the numbers, you could say that immaculate innings are nearly twice as rare as a perfect game. Put another way, while there are more games that feature an immaculate inning than games that feature perfect games, innings are far less likely to be immaculate than games are likely to be perfect.

That said, in the modern age of dynamic flamethrowers and three true outcomes, immaculate innings have gotten more common in recent years—we’ve seen at least one thrown every season since 2006, and 2022 featured an impressive seven immaculate innings.

Still, it’s a rare display of pitching dominance and should be celebrated as such. Also, it’s a fun excuse to blog about math.

England will bring Rehan Ahmed, Jordan Cox, and seven fast bowlers to Australia this winter as part of an 18-man Lions squad. Andrew Flintoff’s team will shadow England’s main touring party for the first two Ashes Tests, providing a stable of potential reinforcements at close quarters.The Lions will provide England with their only competitive match practice ahead of November’s first Test in Perth and will then face a Cricket Australia XI (also in Perth) and Australia A (in Brisbane) alongside the first and second Tests. They are also expected to provide the bulk of the England XI to face the Prime Minister’s XI in a pink-ball tour match.Rehan and Cox were both overlooked for the main Ashes squad but will both be on standby at the start of the tour in the event of injury. Will Jacks was preferred to Rehan as the back-up spinner, while Cox’s omission came after England opted against taking a second specialist wicketkeeper, reasoning that Ollie Pope can take the gloves from Jamie Smith if required.Related

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Cox, who also features in England’s T20I squad to play New Zealand in October is expected to miss the final Lions match in order to play in the ILT20 after signing a lucrative replacement deal at Dubai Capitals.Raw seamers Sonny Baker, Josh Hull, Eddie Jack and Mitchell Stanley have all featured regularly in the Lions programme before, while Matthew Fisher – who won his only Test cap three years ago – is rewarded for his strong finish to the County Championship season with Surrey. Fisher’s county team-mate Tom Lawes and Nathan Gilchrist, who is joining Warwickshire from Kent, complete a seven-man pace battery.Thomas Rew, the England Under-19s captain, is one of four new Lions call-ups after impressing for Somerset in the Metro Bank Cup this summer and is named alongside his older brother James. Yorkshire’s Matthew Revis and Glamorgan’s Ben Kellaway and Asa Tribe – who has five ODI and 26 T20I caps for Jersey – are the other new names.Sussex’s James Coles is a notable absentee, but is understood to be prioritising short-form cricket this winter after encouragement from the ECB; he has a contract at the SA20 in early 2026, and is also hoping to line up deals in the Abu Dhabi T10 and the ILT20. Saif Zaib, the leading Championship run-scorer this season, is another curious omission.Sam Cook, who struggled in his maiden Test against Zimbabwe earlier this summer, has also missed out on the Lions tour with England already aware of what he offers them as a medium-fast new-ball option. He could yet come into contention as an injury replacement in the event one of their six Ashes seamers goes down.”There are some unbelievably talented players in this squad, and this is a fantastic opportunity for them to go to Australia, excel in the conditions, and thrive against quality players,” Flintoff said. “At the same time, these players will get a sense of what an away Ashes series is all about.”Meanwhile, Rehan’s youngest brother Farhan Ahmed will captain England’s Under-19s on their tour to the Caribbean in November, following Rew’s Lions call-up. They are due to play seven ODIs – two against USA, five against West Indies – as part of their preparation for the Under-19 World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe early next year.”Farhan has been exceptional whenever he has been with the U19s squad and he deservedly gets the opportunity to captain the team for this tour and show his leadership qualities,” Michael Yardy, their head coach, said. “These will be important matches as we begin to fine-tune our plans for the U19s World Cup early next year.”

England Lions in Australia

Squad: Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Jordan Cox, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Nathan Gilchrist, Tom Hartley, Tom Haines, Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Ben Kellaway, Tom Lawes, Ben McKinney, Matthew Revis, James Rew, Tom Rew, Mitchell Stanley, Asa TribeFixtures:
November 13-15: England vs England Lions (Lilac Hill, Perth)
November 21-24: Cricket Australia XI vs England Lions (Lilac Hill, Perth)
November 29-30: Prime Minister’s XI vs England XI (Manuka Oval, Canberra)
December 5-8: Australia A vs England Lions (Allan Border Field, Brisbane)

England Under-19s in West Indies

Squad: Farhan Ahmed (capt), Ralphie Albert, Will Bennison, Ben Dawkins, Caleb Falconer, Jamie Feldman, Matthew Firbank, Alex French, Alex Green, Manny Lumsden, Ben Mayes, James Minto, Isaac Mohammad, Sebastian Morgan, Joe Moores, Jack Nelson, Charlie TaylorFixtures:
November 13 and 19 – Youth ODIs vs United States (both St Vincent)
November 16, 22, 25, 28 and December 1 – Youth ODIs vs West Indies (all St Vincent)

Atalanta have dismissed head coach Ivan Juric after a disastrous start to the Serie A season left them languishing in mid-table and far from the European places. The Croatian, appointed to succeed the legendary Gian Piero Gasperini in June, managed just two wins in 11 league games and failed to recreate the intensity, flair, and success that defined the Gasperini era in Bergamo.

• Juric sacked five months into Atalanta tenure

  Juric's brief and turbulent reign as Atalanta manager came to an abrupt end following the club's 3-0 home defeat to Sassuolo at the weekend – a result that proved to be the final straw for the Bergamo hierarchy. The loss marked Atalanta's eighth consecutive league match without a win, leaving the team 13th in the Serie A table and already 11 points behind leaders Inter Milan after just 11 games. Appointed in June 2025 to continue Gasperini's transformative legacy, Juric's tenure failed to take off, marked by inconsistent results, tactical confusion, and a noticeable drop in the team's trademark attacking energy.

  The 50-year-old's sacking came just five months into his appointment, making his spell one of the shortest managerial reigns in Atalanta’s modern history. Juric was tasked with maintaining the club's Champions League-level standards after last season's third-place finish, but the team's regression was clear from the opening weeks. A run of six straight draws followed by back-to-back defeats against Udinese and Sassuolo exposed deep structural flaws in Juric's system, as Atalanta's high press lacked coordination while their defensive shape collapsed under pressure.

  Atalanta confirmed the news in an official statement on Monday, thanking Juric and his staff for their "hard work and professionalism" but admitting the need for change ahead of a challenging winter period. Club officials are believed to have made their decision shortly after full-time against Sassuolo, having already drawn up contingency plans during the international break. Local reports in Bergamo immediately identified Raffaele Palladino as the frontrunner to replace Juric, with an announcement expected before the club's trip to Napoli on November 22.

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  Juric failed to replicate Gasperini's success

  Juric's downfall was perhaps inevitable given the near-impossible task of succeeding Gasperini. His nine-year tenure stands as one of the most transformative managerial reigns in modern Italian football, revolutionising both the club's identity and the perception of smaller-market teams in Serie A. When he arrived, Atalanta were perennial mid-table battlers focused on survival; when he left, they were established European contenders, having als won the Europa League in 2023-24.

  Gasperini's tactical philosophy – built around a fearless, high-pressing 3-4-2-1 formation and relentless man-to-man marking – turned La Dea into a thrilling, high-scoring powerhouse. His side not only earned three straight top-three finishes between 2018 and 2021 but also broke records, including an extraordinary 98-goal Serie A campaign in 2019/20, the highest tally by any Italian club in over six decades.

  The crowning moment of Gasperini's era came in 2024 when Atalanta defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 to win the UEFA Europa League, the club’s first major European trophy. By the time he departed for Roma in June 2025, he had secured five Champions League qualifications, two Serie A Coach of the Year awards, and an enduring legacy. Juric's attempt to replicate that legacy faltered from the outset, with the team appearing tactically disoriented and emotionally flat compared to the high-energy sides of the Gasperini years.

• Palladino the front-runner to succeed Juric

  Attention now turns to Palladino, who is widely expected to be appointed as Atalanta’s new head coach in the coming days. At just 41, the former Fiorentina and Monza boss has developed a reputation as one of Italy’s most promising young tacticians, known for blending disciplined structure with attacking ambition. His approach mirrors many of the principles Gasperini once instilled, making him an appealing candidate to reawaken Atalanta’s trademark intensity.

  Palladino's rise through the coaching ranks has been rapid. After starting in Monza's youth setup in 2019, he made an immediate impact when unexpectedly promoted to the first team in 2022, leading them to a shock 1-0 win over Juventus in his debut match. His Monza side went on to comfortably avoid relegation and earned praise for their bold, compact style, which relied on coordinated pressing and positional flexibility.

  That success paved the way for a move to Fiorentina, where Palladino guided the club to sixth place in the 2024/25 Serie A campaign and qualification for the UEFA Conference League. His teams are characterised by aggressive transitions, width through dynamic wing-backs, and a preference for formations like the 3-4-2-1 – all features that align with Atalanta’s footballing DNA.

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  Where do Atalanta go from here?

  Atalanta's immediate priority will be stabilising results under a new manager as they prepare to face Napoli after the international break. With the team struggling for confidence and consistency, Palladino's first challenge will be to reintroduce tactical clarity and rebuild morale within a squad accustomed to the high standards of the Gasperini years. Restoring the attacking spark of players like Gianluca Scamacca, Ademola Lookman, and Teun Koopmeiners will be essential if Atalanta are to climb back into the top half and, eventually, Serie A's European places.

  For Juric, however, the dismissal adds another abrupt end to a turbulent managerial stretch following disastrously brief stints at Roma and Southampton.

Kylian Mbappe has hit back at French rapper Orelsan after being mocked in a new track over the Real Madrid star’s ownership of Caen. The French club now sit in the third tier of French football after facing relegation under Mbappe's ownership. The striker issued a fiery reply on social media, accusing the rapper of "begging" for a free stake in the club.

Mbappe fires back at French rapper Orelsan

The feud erupted hours after French rapper Orelsan dropped his new album, featuring a biting track titled “La petite voix.” In one verse, the Caen-born artist took aim at Mbappe’s record as club owner, sneering, “You’re going to sink your city like the Mbappes.” The line referenced Caen’s dramatic decline since the footballer’s family-led takeover in 2024.

Mbappe, known for rarely engaging in off-field controversies, wasted no time responding. Posting on X, he wrote: “You’re welcome to come and save the city you love so much.

“PS: The guy kept begging us to get in with 1% without paying because he doesn’t have a penny but wanted to look like the little guy from Normandy.”

The jab sparked mixed reactions. Some accused Mbappe of arrogance and deflection, while others applauded his blunt defence. The incident, however, revived scrutiny of his ill-fated venture with Caen, a club now mired in relegation, layoffs, and mounting frustration among fans who once saw him as a saviour.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMbappe’s failed Caen project

In 2024, Mbappe became one of Europe’s youngest football club owners after purchasing an 80 per cent stake in Caen through his firm, Coalition Capital, investing around €20 million. What began as a symbolic homecoming, returning to the club that once nearly signed him as a youth, quickly turned into a cautionary tale of ambition and mismanagement.

By April 2025, Caen had hit rock bottom. A crushing 0-3 defeat to Martigues mathematically confirmed their relegation from Ligue 2, sending the club into France’s third division for the first time in 41 years. Supporters stormed the pitch in protest, unfurling a banner reading: “Mbappe, SMC is not your toy.”

The fallout was immediate. Sixteen staff members were laid off in a controversial restructuring, and fan trust evaporated. Christophe Vaucelle, head of the Malherbe Normandy Kop, summed up local sentiment, saying: “The Mbappe clan bears some responsibility. They arrived, stayed invisible, and disconnected from the fans. The situation is catastrophic.”

For Mbappe, the failure cut deep. Alongside Madrid’s Champions League exit that same week, Caen’s relegation marked one of the most turbulent months of his career, both as a footballer and businessman.

AFPHow Caen collapsed under new ownership

Behind the scenes, Mbappe’s management model at Caen was built on trust and delegation. His close associate Ziad Hammoud took over as club president, while sporting operations were overseen by general manager Josselin Flamand and technical director Pascal Plancque.

Recruitment head Reda Hammache later revealed that Mbappe stayed “informed but not intrusive,” relying on regular updates rather than day-to-day control. “He’s not the type to call and demand changes,” Hammache told . “He trusts us but gives input on big decisions.”

However, reports claim the absence of a strong leadership presence at the club left a vacuum. Miscommunication, unclear sporting direction, and repeated coaching changes – from Bruno Baltazar to Michel Der Zakarian and later Maxime D’Ornano – created instability. Dressing-room tension grew, morale plummeted, and results worsened.

For many fans, the perception that Mbappe had overextended himself as he juggles between Madrid, the French national team, and a football club further cemented the narrative that Caen was a vanity project gone wrong. The financial losses from relegation and dwindling ticket sales have only deepened the crisis.

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Fame, failure, and France’s changing relationship With Mbappe

The Orelsan feud struck a cultural chord because it exposed a growing rift between Mbappe and sections of the French public. Once seen as the golden boy of football, the Madrid star now faces skepticism about his off-field ambitions. This is not the first time Mbappe has clashed with figures from France’s rap scene, his earlier feud with Booba also revolved around ego and authenticity. But this latest exchange cuts deeper, tying together fame, money and regional pride.

As Caen continue life in the National League, the club’s focus has shifted toward stability and youth development under coach D’Ornano. Meanwhile, Mbappe must navigate the fallout by balancing his image as a global superstar with the growing backlash at home.

While his performances left a lot to be desired last season, Martin Odegaard is likely to remain Arsenal’s captain for some time to come.

The Norwegian international was made the Gunners’ permanent captain by Mikel Arteta in the summer of 2022.

Able to score goals, control the tempo of games, and create chances for his teammates, the former Real Madrid wonderkid was starting to get back to his best before his latest injury and will undoubtedly be a big miss for the next month.

However, while it seems unlikely that he will lose the armband anytime soon, there are several players in the squad who could succeed him, including one young talent in particular.

Arsenal's captains in waiting

The excellent news for Arteta is that currently, his squad is full to bursting with international superstars who’d be more than capable of taking the captain’s armband if Odegaard were to relinquish it or leave the club.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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One option that would go down brilliantly with the Emirates faithful is Bukayo Saka, as not only is he truly one of their own, but he’s already worn it on multiple occasions.

Moreover, the Hale Ender is without a doubt the most talented attacker in the side and someone who clearly has the mental fortitude for that sort of pressure.

At the other end of the pitch, both William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães could be excellent options.

The Frenchman is widely considered one of the most cultured defenders in the league, and with a new five-year deal signed, his commitment to the project is unquestionable.

Likewise, his Brazilian partner is a player who’d run through walls for the team, someone in the mould of Tony Adams who can get the crowd on their feet with a crunching tackle or a thundering headed goal from a corner.

Moreover, while Arsenal have been labelled pushovers and meek in the past, Saliba and Gabriel are anything but, and two of the reasons why the North Londoners are seen as so physical these days.

Finally, the name most fans would probably put forward as an immediate successor to Odegaard is Declan Rice.

The all-action midfielder wore the armband for West Ham United, and has now done the same for England and is simply one of the most reliable performers in the team.

On top of that, he’s vocal on the pitch, clearly passionate and embodies what many view as an old-school captain.

However, while all of these players could become Arsenal’s captain in the future, there is another, younger star who could be the one to take the armband off Odegaard when he’s ready to give it up.

Arsenal's future captain

One of the big positives for Arsenal last season was the emergence and development of young talents, such as Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Hale Ender made his debut for the team against Manchester City in September, was a core member of the starting lineup by the end of the campaign, and, while it might sound extreme, is someone who could take the armband from Odegaard in the future.

In fact, according to club insider Hand of Arsenal, the teenager is very much seen as a “future captain” thanks largely to him already having the “mentality of a seasoned veteran.”

Whether or not you agree that he could become the team’s leader, it’s impossible to deny that the Islington-born gem is already playing well beyond his years.

For example, he ended last season having made 39 first-team appearances, 26 of which were starts, with two of those coming in wins at home and away against Real Madrid.

Lewis-Skelly’s 24/25

Appearances

39

Starts

26

Minutes

2306′

Goals

1

Assists

2

Points per Game

1.95

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Moreover, he opened his account for the Gunners with a sensational strike against City, and then, while he received plenty of criticism for it, showed an incredible level of confidence by mocking Erling Haaland with his celebration.

As if that wasn’t enough, he then scored on his debut for England, and now has six senior caps to his name, and stands a real chance of making it to next year’s World Cup.

Ultimately, it is still very early in his career, but Lewis-Skelly is an extremely talented player and has already shown that he has the attitude to make it to the very top.

Therefore, there is every chance he could be the one to replace Odegaard as Arsenal’s captain at some point in the future.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 16, 2025

Former England opener’s 54-ball blitz set 147 but the hosts eased home with 13 balls to spare

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-May-2025Somerset 147 for 5 (Smeed 35, Abell 29*, Majid 2-26) beat Surrey 146 for 9 (Roy 92, Henry 3-21) by five wicketsSomerset continued to hold sway over Surrey, beating their arch rivals by five wickets in an entertaining Vitality Blast curtain-raiser at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.Looking to avenge their defeat to the Cider county in last season’s semi-final, the Londoners were on the receiving end of a strong batting and bowling display as Somerset gave their short format campaign lift-off in front of a raucous sell-out crowd.Put into bat, Surrey lost wickets at regular intervals and were indebted to Jason Roy, who smashed a brilliant 92 from 54 balls, smiting six fours and seven sixes in a whirlwind knock that served to carry his side to 146 for 9. Otherwise, Somerset’s bowlers called the shots, overseas stars Matt Henry and Riley Meredith claiming 3 for 21 and 3 for 26 respectively to keep their rivals in check.Will Smeed scored 35, hit four fours and a six and shared in stands of 45 and 44 with Tom Banton and Tom Kohler-Cadmore for the first and second wickets respectively, while Tom Abell contributed an assured unbeaten 29 and Ben Green a quickfire 23 not out as the home side reached their target with 13 balls to spare.Somerset boast a formidable seam bowling attack and Henry made an immediate impact from the River end, inducing Dom Sibley to chip to mid-on in the second over. Demonstrating clever variation, Craig Overton then sent down a maiden to apply further pressure.If Ollie Pope was becalmed, Roy made amends, hoisting Overton over mid-wicket for a huge six to break the shackles and then playing a back-foot force through the covers to afford the innings overdue impetus. Henry checked Surrey progress in the sixth, Pope directing a top edge to short mid-wicket and departing for a 12-ball five as the powerplay yielded an underwhelming 30 for 2.But Roy remains a potent force and he overcame a diffident start to stage a restorative stand with Sam Curran, who adopted the role of chief support in helping advance the score to 66 for 2 at halfway. Now at his fluent best, Roy went to a 31-ball 50, pulling a Meredith bouncer high over square leg for his third six of an increasingly authoritative innings.The third wicket stand was worth 57 when Curran tried his luck against Green and holed out to Thomas Rew at deep mid-wicket for 22 with the score 85 for 3 in the thirteenth. Unconstrained by his captain’s demise, Roy helped himself to sixes at the expense of Goldsworthy and Gregory as he powered towards three figures.He enjoyed a slice of good fortune on 71, holing out to backward square, only to be reprieved when Gregory was adjudged to have over-stepped. Gregory persisted and had Laurie Evans held at long-on later in the same over as Surrey slipped to 107 for 4. Overton again demonstrated safe hands to dismiss Tom Curran for nine, Henry returning at the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion end to further reduce Surrey to 119 for 5.Meredith removed Ollie Sykes, pouched on the deep mid-wicket boundary and Green had Chris Jordan caught at long-on. But the indefatigable Roy responded by twice lofting Green over mid-wicket for six to move into the nineties. He was eight runs short of a hundred when he hit Meredith high into the air and holed out to mid-off in the final over.If Somerset’s batsmen needed reassurance, Smeed and Banton provided it in an opening stand of 45 in six overs to afford the reply solid foundations. Squared up by Sam Curran, Banton skied a catch to backward point and fell for 23, but Smeed immediately picked up the cudgels, greeting Yousef Majid’s slow left arm with an imposing six over fine leg to keep the scoreboard moving.Tom Kohler-Cadmore matched Smeed blow for blow, pulling Nathan Smith for a majestic six over square leg and helping himself to a trio of fours in a violent 10-ball knock of 23, adding 44 in 3.3 overs for the second wicket before losing off stump to Tom Curran.Sam Curran bowled Smeed for a 29-ball 35 in the next over, at which point Somerset were 98 for 3, requiring a further 49 to win at less than a run a ball. Rew’s debut lasted five balls, the youngster held at long-on off the bowling of Yousef, who then removed Gregory to reduce the home side to 112 for 5 in the fourteenth and give Surrey a glimmer of hope.Abell and Green calmed any nerves, these two batting sensibly in an unbroken sixth wicket alliance of 35 to see their side over the line. Green finished with a flourish, taking Jordan for a six and four in the seventeenth over on his way to 23 not out from 16 balls.