Andre Nel has received six penalty points under the ECB’s code of conduct for two offences during Essex’s Championship match against Derbyshire.Nel was reported by umpires Tim Robinson and Richard Illingworth for two separate level two breaches of the code, each of which attracts three penalty points. The first offence was using obscene language or making an obscene gesture and the second was “throwing the ball at or near a player, umpire or official in an inappropriate and dangerous manner”.Nel took three wickets in the match, but Essex couldn’t defend 266 on the final day after setting up a run chase. He claimed 1 for 78 in the second innings off 18 overs.The points remain on Nel’s record for two years. The accumulation of nine or more penalty points in any two-year period will result in an automatic suspension.
Monty Panesar, England’s forgotten spin bowler, is preparing to speak out about the mental illness that led to his high-profile departures from Sussex and Essex, and says he has not given up hope of an England recall one day.At the age of 33, and with 167 wickets in 50 Tests already to his name, Panesar ought to be in the prime of his international career, not least given the otherwise barren state of English spin bowling, as evidenced by the shortcomings of Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Samit Patel in the recent series against Pakistan.Instead, he is without a county going into the 2016 season, having been released by Essex at the end of last summer. He played just three first-class matches in a miserable 2016 season, including one, against Kent in April in which he did not bowl in either innings.His increasingly erratic behaviour included time-keeping issues, for which he was disciplined by the club, and criticism for his attitude in the field, for which he was at one stage given a dressing-down in front of his team-mates.Panesar’s failure to settle at Essex followed on from his departure from Sussex in 2013 where, in the wake of a bitter and painful divorce from his wife, he hit the headlines on one particularly lurid night out in Brighton by urinating on a bouncer at a nightclub.However, in a bid to battle his way back into the sport, Panesar has been working with a team of four professionals – a performance coach, a hypnotherapist, a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist – and hopes that his recognition of his issues is the first step towards resolving them.”For a long time I was in denial that I had a problem,” Panesar told The Times. “It was in my first session with the hypnotherapist that I began to realise that something was wrong and that I needed help.”The best way to describe it is that I have suffered from feelings of paranoia, and that these feelings were linked to my performances on the field. The worse things went, the lower my confidence went, the more paranoid I became. Things spiralled downhill so that I began to think my team-mates were all against me.”Panesar recounted one occasion in which he stormed out of a gym session after being out-performed by James Foster, the club captain, and some of his younger team-mates.”I remember thinking that they were all out to get me and then when I calmed down I was, like, ‘These guys are my team-mates, why am I thinking like that?'”Panesar’s obsessional nature impacted on his lifestyle on tour as well, where he would often retreat from his team-mates outside of matches.”I’d be in my room a lot, always thinking about cricket and bowling. I found I got on with most players, but I didn’t have any particularly close friends,” he said.”Those that I spent most time with were often tied up with my job: the wicketkeepers I’d work with, my bowling partners.”Panesar’s absence from the sport is particularly poignant given what an integral member of the team he ought to be right now. On the 2012 tour of the UAE, he claimed 14 wickets in two Tests against Pakistan, including five-wicket hauls in consecutive second innings, providing precisely the sort of impact that England’s spinners lacked on their most recent tour last month.”One part of me thought, I should be the one out there bowling 30 or 40 overs a day going for two an over,” he said. “But then another part of me was saying, ‘Come on, Monty, you’ve not helped yourself.'”
Usman Khawaja has been drafted into the Australian squad for the second and third ODIs against India as cover for David Warner, who goes on paternity leave. Warner and his wife Candice are expecting their second child very soon.Warner had said the baby was due towards the end of January during a media interaction after the Sydney Test against West Indies. “I’m just looking forward to playing the first couple of one-dayers first and obviously I’ll be by the phone to wait for that phone call.”Now that it’s arrived Australia have swapped one in-form left-handed opener for another. Khawaja has been stunning over the last few months in competitive cricket. Four of his last seven innings in Test and Big Bash League cricket have been hundreds. He hit them back-to-back against New Zealand in Brisbane and Perth, but missed out on the Day-Night Test in Adelaide with a hamstring injury. A century in the BBL on his return proved there was no lingering discomfort and then plundered 144 and 56 in the Melbourne Test against West Indies a few days later.”Usman has been in fantastic form this season and was unlucky to miss out on a place in our squad for the ODI Series in the first place,” national selector Rod Marsh said. “This call-up is a reward for that form and it is great to have someone of his quality to step into the squad in David’s absence. We wish both David and Candice well and look forward to welcoming David back into the squad when circumstances allow.”Khawaja will join the Australian side in Brisbane, where the second ODI takes place on January 15. He will not be available for Sydney Thunder duty during this time.
The day before the two sides first met this year, a member of Bangladesh’s coaching staff was looking at the West Indies pace bowlers quite intently during practice at the National Cricket Academy ground. Exactly a month later, on the eve of the Under-19 World Cup semi-final between the two teams, the focus still remains on pace bowling.West Indies’ new-ball attack has been one of the highlights of this tournament, particularly the sight of the beanpole Alzarri Joseph steaming in and consistently hitting high speeds. He has also generated movement to trouble the opposition. Joseph and Chemar Holder, the injured Obed McCoy’s replacement, put Pakistan under early pressure in the quarter-final, which West Indies won by five wickets.Apart from Joseph and Chemar, West Indies also have Keemo Paul, Odean Smith, Ryan John and Shamar Springer as pace options in their squad.Bangladesh crushed West Indies 3-0 last month, but they need to have a second look at their bowling attack and sharpen up during training sessions. Much of it has revolved around tackling the short balls, which have been regularly directed at the throat by the net bowlers.Bangladesh coach Mizanur Rahman was wary of the threat posed by Joseph, but believed that a solid top-order platform could help his side post a good total.”[Alzarri] Joseph is one of the best bowlers of this tournament,” Mizanur said. “But we have plan against all their bowlers. We hope the video session we had will work in our favour. We know him [Joseph] quite well having played against them in three matches before the U-19 World Cup. We are prepared to face him.””Their strength is the pace attack so if our top order does their job, it becomes easier for the middle and lower-order batsmen. If we can make around 230 to 250 or even more, it will be defendable.”West Indies captain Shimron Hetmyer, meanwhile, has drawn confidence from having the fastest bowler in the tournament, especially in conditions that offer little help to the quicks.”It is a good feeling to be in a team with express pacers in the last two years,” Hetmyer said. “I think we had one pacer in the last World Cup that really went all the way through the tournament, and there was [Kagiso] Rabada from South Africa who was the fastest bowler in the tournament.”This year being in the team with the fastest bowler is a big boost for us. Playing in the sub-continent, which people don’t really with pace pitches and so far the pacers have done well for us.”Joseph has turned heads back home, in the Caribbean, as well with veteran commentator and writer Tony Cozier earmarking him a special talent. Joseph hails from the All Saints Village in Antigua, and has been trained by former West Indies pacer Winston Benjamin in addition to taking tips from the legendary Andy Roberts.Alzarri Joseph has impressed in the Under-19 World Cup by moving the ball at speeds north of 140kph•International Cricket Council
Bangladesh captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz, however, has played down the pace threat, saying the hosts were more comfortable against pace, something that they thrived on while playing in South Africa last year.”We like playing fast bowlers,” Miraz said. “Playing against less pace, there’s a chance of mistiming the ball. We are always confident facing pace. We have done well in South Africa, and also against West Indies. We haven’t faced a really pacy bowling attack yet in this tournament, which has caused problems for our openers.”The second semi-final will also be Bangladesh’s first match against a Full Member since the tournament opener against South Africa on January 27. Miraz took confidence from Bangladesh’s hard-fought win against Nepal, and the manner in which his team bounced back against Sri Lanka in the Youth ODI series last year. Bangladesh rebounded from 2-0 down to seal that series 3-2.”We have the belief to turn around from any situation,” Miraz said.” We don’t think negatively. I enjoy playing in the situation that we faced in the last game [against Nepal]. We won three games on the bounce after losing the first two in Sri Lanka last year. Having taken that much pressure in those conditions, has only done good for our confidence.”West Indies coach Graeme West, too, was not short of confidence ahead of the big game. He has said that West Indies were encouraged by how the Sri Lankan seamers zipped the ball around to test India’s top order in the first semi-final on Tuesday.”We watched the game yesterday and we’re encouraged to see the ball get through,” West said. “The seamers both sides were effective in the first 10 overs. Anyone that would have watched the Pakistan game, will see where one of our strengths lies with the new ball attack. And we got to look to that to really make early inroads into the Bangladesh batting.”West also said that the next challenge for Joseph would be to continue bowling with control, instead of focusing too much on pace.”He’s been very successful and he’s bowled really well,” West said. “We need to make sure that he continues to perform at that level, not to get too carried away. If he starts looking at how fast he’s bowling as opposed to where he’s looking to land the ball, then he might lose some of his potential.”
Goolam Bodi delivered his career best performances with bat and ball to guide Natal to an impressive nine-wicket win with al of six overs to spare. Man-of-the-match Bodi took two for 30 off seven overs and then scored a chanceless 106 not out off 118 balls with 11 fours and three sixes as Natal replied to Eastern Province’s 217 for eight with 219 for one in 39 overs.The home side bowled tightly in the second half of the innings to curb an EP total that seemed headed for 250. Much of the credit for that effort will go to Jon Kent, who took four for 29, also his career best.Bodi’s analysis would have been rather more impressive had he not conceded 16 runs in his seventh and last over, in which he also dismissed Dave Callaghan. Kent, meanwhile, snuffed out EP’s budding momentum by bowling Murray Creed and having Robin Peterson caught behind four balls apart in the 29th over.Not for the first time, EP’s batting was held together by veteran Callaghan, whose 73 off 106 balls with seven fours and two sixes was his 26th domestic limited overs half-century. Callaghan shared in both major partnerships of the innings, the 57 off 76 balls he put on with James Bryant for the third wicket, and the 51 off 66 he and Shafiek Abrahams scored for the seventh.Bodi then put the seal on a memorable evening for him with a seamless innings. The bulk of his runs came in a solid opening stand of 178 shared with Doug Watson, whose well crafted 72 came off 104 balls and included five fours and a six. The partnership ended in the 35th over when Watson drove straight but firmly back to left-arm spinner Peterson.Bodi and Wade Wingfield finished the job with their unbroken partnership of 41, and while the EP attack would have been improved by the addition of the injured Mfuneko Ngam and Justin Kemp, who is in the national squad, it is doubtful whether even their presence would have stopped the home side on the night.
The fourth edition of the SA20 kicked off with a thriller as MI Cape Town (MICT) began their title defence with a narrow loss to last year’s bottom team Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) in a run-fest. In front of a packed Newlands crowd, there were 449 runs scored in the game, the second-highest match aggregate in an SA20 game.Asked to complete the highest successful chase of the tournament, MICT’s charge was led by Ryan Rickelton, who was dropped from South Africa’s T20I squad to face India, but recorded his highest T20 score. Rickelton’s 113 came off 63 balls and included 11 sixes, the most in an SA20 innings, and has flung his name back into the T20 World Cup conversation.Despite his efforts, DSG’s inexperienced seamers held their nerve. Kwena Maphaka and Eathan Bosch defended 31 runs off the last two overs while MICT still had six wickets in hand. They lost 3 for 15 in the last two overs to ensure DSG’s 232 for 7 was enough.DSG’s total was built on Devon Conway and Kane Williamson’s 96-run partnership for the first wicket. Conway went on to score 64, before MICT clawed their way back. They took 3 for 41, before explosive stands of 32 off 19 balls between Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram, 34 off 18 between Markram and Evan Jones, and 29 in 10 balls between Jones and David Wiese saw DSG top 230.Devon Conway smashed a blistering fifty•Sportzpics
In response, MICT lost Rassie van der Dussen at the end of the third over with the score at 22, and needed big hitters. Rickelton reached his highest score in the format and his second hundred to keep them in the hunt almost until the end. He shared a 60-run stand with Reeza Hendricks, before Jason Smith all but stole the show. Smith dominated a 76-run third-wicket stand with Rickelton, and the pair scored at a shade under 17 runs an over for the four-and-a-half overs they were together.At one stage, MICT were ahead of where DSG had been. When Smith was dismissed, MICT needed 75 runs from the last six overs. By the time the last three overs came, they needed 49 runs. But MICT eventually fell 15 runs short.
An all-Kiwi opening
There’s talk of the NZ20 starting in January 2027, but you could argue that it had its soft launch here, at the SA20 in 2025. Williamson and Conway opened the batting for DSG, and Trent Boult had the new ball for MICT as season four kicked off. Though Boult caused problems, the batters had the best of the opening exchanges.Boult delivered a peach of a first ball that beat Conway as it swung away, and then found Williamson’s inside edge which went for four. But the batters soon hit their straps. In Boult’s next over, Conway ramped him for four, and Williamson scythed one through point. The pair was 29 without loss after Boult’s first spell, and posted 68 by the end of the powerplay. With excellent running and pinpoint placement, their stand grew to 96, with the partnership ending at two short of the DSG record.Aiden Markram had two crucial partnerships•Sportzpics
Rashid in the field – from sublime to ridiculous
It was Rashid Khan who was responsible for the first wicket, when Williamson hit Tristan Luus over mid-off. Rashid ran back, almost to long-off, and took the catch over his shoulder to claim what could already be the catch of the tournament. But that was as good as it got for the MICT captain. He went on to put down three chances, albeit not all of them easy, in what quickly became a day for him to forget in the field.The first opportunity came when Markram, on 2, drove George Linde to Rashid at catching over but the latter seemed to lose the ball in the lights. In the next over, Klaasen, on 13, gave Rashid a chance in his follow through, but the ball hit his finger and he could not hold on. And then, at the start of the 17th over, Markram, who had moved to 16, got a leading edge off Boult, and Rashid charged in from mid-off but the ball hit his wrist and then his chest as he fell forward. Markram went on to plunder three boundaries off Corbin Bosch, and one off Linde, before he was eventually stumped for 35.
Rickelton finds form at his favourite ground
Rickelton started 2025 with a Test double hundred at Newlands, and three fifties in edition three of SA20 there, before losing his way as the year went on. He was dropped from South Africa’s T20I squad on their recent tour of India, and finished the ODI series with successive ducks. But on Friday, Rickelton showed signs of a return to form, albeit in a losing cause and with some luck.Rickelton’s first shots in anger were his sixes off Simon Harmer, but his best was a late cut off Eathan Bosch that was all timing. He went on to send Eathan Bosch over the ropes for two sixes, and slog swept Noor Ahmed for one. Rickelton found the gaps on both sides of the field, and took advantage of anything even slightly over pitched to get to 49 off 30 balls. He could have been out then when Noor reviewed an lbw call, but survived on impact, which was umpire’s call.Jason Smith’s counterattack gave his side hope in the big chase•Sportzpics
Rickelton went on to raise his bat to his 25th T20 half-century, and record his highest score in 26 innings since the last edition of the SA20. He also grew in confidence as his knock went on. He could have been out for 85 when he was caught off a no-ball from Maphaka, and went on to record his second century when he flat-batted Wiese over long-on for his tenth six. Rickelton should have been out off the next ball when he skied Wiese, but Eathan Bosch could not hold on. Rickelton finished on 113 when he hit Eathan Bosch to long-off.
Jason Smith’s cameo
Eyebrows were raised when Smith came in ahead of Nicholas Pooran. But by the time Smith had faced ten balls, he made sure people knew why. Smith raced to 32 in that time, with four fours and two sixes, and the pick of them was the hit off Maphaka in an over that cost the young left-armer 19 runs.Smith picked the slower ball, and hit it against the wind over deep-backward square to underline his intent. He managed one more big strike, a six over deep point off Eathan Bosch, before hitting the next ball tamely to Markram at mid-off. Smith departed for a 14-ball 41, and announced himself as an alternate finisher for this MICT outfit.
Simon Katich struck form at the right time, but he was unable to seal his return to national colours with a century as he fell three runs short on the second day of the tour match against a Jamaica XI. With Michael Clarke missing the first Test due to family reasons, Katich confirmed his place as the Australians completed a strong warm-up by posting 396.Katich took his time once he resumed on 35 and kept the innings together after losing Phil Jaques for 48, Ricky Ponting for 17 and Michael Hussey for 19. While Ponting and Hussey missed out on long stays, Andrew Symonds and Brad Haddin took advantage of the conditions with half-centuries in an energetic 145-run stand.Symonds collected 86 while Haddin, who will make his Test debut at Sabina Park on Thursday, picked up a confidence-boosting 64. However, the day was most important for Katich, especially after Brad Hodge, the other contender to replace Clarke, did not make a major impact.Katich seemed set for three figures, but he missed the milestone when aiming the spinner Lorenzo Ingram towards midwicket, where Xavier Marshall collected a fine diving take in the outfield. Donovan Sinclair was the most successful bowler, finishing off the innings with 3 for 14, while Andre Russell and Nikita Miller picked up two each.Katich was pleased to make use of his only opportunity to get used to the Caribbean conditions before the first Test. “It was just nice to get out there and play some cricket, get a few runs and spend some time out in the middle,” Katich told .”It’s always disappointing not to get a hundred, but that’s the way it goes, and at the end of the day, it was nice to spend some time out of the middle and get a few runs, so I can’t complain too much. It’s just nice to be able to go out there and know I’m playing well and have confidence in my game.”The hosts reached 11 for 0 at the close, and in their brief stint in the field the Australians wore their baggy green caps after being criticised for having a sponsor’s hat on during the first innings. Cricket Australia said that because Haddin did not yet have a baggy green – he will receive it on the first morning of the Kingston Test – the team decided in the interests of uniformity to wear their blue training caps, which bear the sponsor’s logo.But following some media criticism the board said in the future a ‘fitted green’ cap may be developed so that players who have not yet represented Australia in Test cricket can have a similar look to their Test counterparts. Haddin wore a white hat on the second day.
Robbie Blake appears to have played his last game for Burnley after turning down the offer of a new contract to remain at Turf Moor.
Blake, 34, rejected a new one-year deal with the option for a further 12 months following talks with Clarets boss Brian Laws on Wednesday.
The forward has made more than 250 appearances during two spells at Turf Moor but now looks set to leave on a free transfer.
"Obviously I am disappointed that Robbie has turned down what we consider to be a very reasonable deal for a 34-year old," Laws told the club's official website.
"The offer is a 12-month deal with a further one-year option, but Robbie wanted two years and we just couldn't go down that road.
"We included the extended deal should Robbie play 20 games next season and I feel a fit Robbie would have easily achieved that.
"So naturally I am disappointed, but I would like to thank Robbie for all his magnificent service for the club.
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"I know he is a firm fans' favourite and he is rightly considered a legend here, who will never be forgotten.
"But I have told Robbie and his agent that we have left the door open and if he has a change of mind I would be more than happy to talk."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur have launched a massive double bid to sign Denmark defender Simon Kjaer and Uruguay forward Edinson Cavani.
Twenty-one-year-old centre-back Kjaer was part of the Danish squad that failed to reach the knockout stages at the World Cup finals at South Africa.
He has also been linked with a number of top clubs across Europe, having denied rumours of a move to Bayern Munich in recent times.
Cavani, 23, is on the wanted list of German club Wolfsburg, but Spurs may be about to win the race for both players.
Zamparini told the Italian press:"The interest from Tottenham in Kjaer and Cavani is real.
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"Negotiations are ongoing, but the full price to sell both players will be around 35million euros. If the deal they guarantee us is satisfying, then we will accept."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Real Madrid midfielder Rafael Van Der Vaart has stated his desire for a move to the Premiership to secure first-team football, and it would appear Liverpool and Chelsea are at the front of the queue, but for the Merseyside club at least, a move for the Dutchman should remain low down on a list of priorities.
The ever-changing state of the future of star striker Fernando Torres remains the most pressing of issues, and should the striker depart, which sadly looks increasingly likely going off of what new manager Roy Hodgson came out and stated today, that the player is unsettled, going onto add that “his issues are with what has gone on in the past rather than the future. If he has problems with the club for things in the past, it is difficult for me to dismiss that” then replacing him is the main worry.
Of course, replacing a player of this magnitude will be difficult to say the least, but perhaps a lack of viable escape routes will keep him at Anfield for one more season at the very least. Some quotes from the player himself in late April this year seem to have been swept all rather too conveniently under the rug with regards to ongoing transfer rumours linking him with a move to another Premiership club.
Torres argued that “The Premier League is such a tough competition and I have always admired this championship and the players who are here. This is my third season and I’m still amazed to see Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard, players who have been here a long time, still playing at such a high level and with such impressive rhythm because the English league really wears down a player. I just can’t imagine what state I’ll be in within five or six years if I continue to play here – it could easily give me problems when I stop playing. The physical level is superior to all other countries.”
Well this would seem to rule out the two main players for his signature, Man City and Chelsea, for what would be the point in committing yourself to a new club in a league that you’ve openly described as being responsible for all of your injury troubles? A move to either of the aforementioned clubs would only be a short-term switch; such is Torres’s fear over the physical demands of the league, as highlighted by his decreased lack of playing time year on year, a move back to his native Spain remains his preferred choice.
It’s my contention at least, that Torres will stay one more season at Liverpool, until Barcelona can afford him, for that is his only viable alternative out of England, and most probably one that he would relish. His prior links with Atletico and his deep affection for his boyhood club should surely rule out any potential switch to Real.
Javier Mascherano looks set to leave the club this summer, with the only sticking point being the fee. He’s openly stated his desire to follow Benitez to his new club Inter Milan, he’s praised the club, described any potential move to the Serie A giants as ‘a dream’ and stated that he’s learning Italian, coupled with the fact that his wife has failed to settle, and a departure looks all but secure, so replacing the scrappy Argentine is of paramount importance also.
With Fabio Aurelio having left the club, a solid player whose potential was always blighted by the restrictions of his time on the treatment table and Emiliano Insua having been sold to Fiorentina, a left back is also important with the club lacking a recognised first choice player in that position.
Van Der Vaart plays best in the hole behind the front man, and can go missing in a four man midfield, lacking the physical gifts to present him with the platform to show off his technical abilities in certain games. The Bundesliga and Eredvisie are both quick tempo leagues, so the pace would not be a problem, but the physical nature which Torres attests to might.
With the arrival of Joe Cole, a player who looks to have moved to the North West, not only as the cynics will point to, for a bumper pay packet, but because of a guaranteed first-team slot, something he wasn’t guaranteed at Spurs, Van Der Vaart would have strong competition for a starting berth.Hodgson may have given Cole some firm reassurances that he’ll allow him to play in a more central role, something which would make sense given that he’s lost what yard of pace he once possessed.
Alberto Aquilani, a player who was rather ignorantly labelled as a like-for-like replacement for Xabi Alonso last season, despite the fact that he operates a full 15-20 yards further forward is also looking to prove himself after a stop start campaign last term, but when fit and even rarer, started, the Italian looked a lively and exceptional talent. This is not to even mention club Captain Steven Gerrard, whose dynamic partnership just behind Torres can be as destructive as anything else seen in world football when at its best.
Van Der Vaart stated that “I have heard of the interest from Liverpool and Chelsea – and that is very flattering. I expect the majority of transfers to be concluded in the next two weeks, and if Chelsea or Liverpool wanted to talk with me I would at the very least listen to what they have to say. They are both giants, and if they could offer first-team football it may prove impossible to turn down.”
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But while it’s nice to be linked with this sort of calibre of player still, Liverpool fans will probably realise that strengthening down the flanks and the issues of replacements for both Torres or Mascherano should they depart are much more salient issues.
There is also no guarantee that Hodgson is going to be given the majority of money recouped from the sales of any player this summer to spend on replacements, so signing the inventive Dutchman would most definitely show a lack of foresight and leave the squad lacking serious depth in certain areas. With Benayoun and Riera sold, it’s clear that a winger needs to be added to the squad too, as well as forward cover for Torres, a role that Ngog and Kuyt performed ably at times last campaign, yet neither of them can be relied upon to consistently provide the side with goals.
It’s unclear what the formation will be going into the new season, but Hodgson has a reputation for picking players in their best and most favoured positions, a novel idea given the Benitez era, but to sign Van Der Vaart, an area where the club is extremely well stocked, although undoubtedly a good acquisition, would make little sense in the grand scheme of things.
Van Der Vaart has been derided throughout his playing career for being a luxury player, a view that I’d reject, but perhaps in such pressing times as these, he represents a luxury Liverpool could do without.