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Frank McAvennie believes Chris McKee could leave Glasgow Rangers after being sent off for using foul and abusive language while on loan at Brechin City.

The Lowdown: McKee accused of abuse

McKee moved on loan to Scottish League Two side Brechin in January, making 14 appearances in all competitions for the club (Transfermarkt).

Earlier this month, he started for Brechin in the play-off final against Kelty Hearts, who eventually prevailed. McKee, though, failed to last the whole 90 minutes, with him instead being sent off during the first half following an alleged homophobic outburst.

The Latest: McAvennie thinks he could depart

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie suggested it could be the end of the road for the 19-year-old at Ibrox. He said:

“A lot of people fling crap at Rangers.

“Nothing has been confirmed or reported yet. He’s not been charged by the SFA. 

“It could stick with him for his career. Mud sticks. It takes a while to shake something like that off. 

“He’s a young boy and if he’s guilty he needs to be educated. Things get said on the football pitch but some things just don’t belong on there. 

“Things are sometimes said in the heat of the moment, I’m not justifying what he may have said.

“We have to see what happens but if he’s guilty, they could terminate his deal. They face a really tough decision on keeping him.”

   The Verdict: Difficult decision

As McAvennie says, if McKee is found guilty, Rangers face a difficult decision in regards to whether they should keep him at the club. In recent months, there has been a significant desire to push back against all forms of abuse, and the Gers themselves have been involved in one unsavoury incident when Glen Kamara was racially abused by Slavia Prague’s Ondrej Kudela.

Whether McKee, who Noel Whelan previously said was “worth his weight in gold” (Football Insider), has a promising future ahead of him is irrelevant.

At just 19 years of age, McKee is still a boy – we must ask whether he should really be tarred for the rest of his career because of one very poor choice of words. Some kind of punishment must be given, of that there is no doubt, but losing his contract may feel extremely harsh.

In other news, Rangers fans are livid at this journalist’s tweets.

Cairns and Darwin are set to become Australia’s newest Test cricket venues as early as next year.

Guy Hand29-Apr-2002Cairns and Darwin are set to become Australia’s newest Test cricket venues as early as next year.The Australian Cricket Board is expected to announce winter Test matches for both cities later this week – the first against Bangladesh in July next year. Darwin’s Football Park and the Bundaberg Rum Stadium in Cairns will be the venues.The ACB has been trying to find new venues for Test matches against lower-ranked nations such as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.The International Cricket Council (ICC) requires all Test nations to play each other home and away every five years.But the already crowded international cricket schedule means winter Test matches are the only realistic option.That has led to the push to play in the warmer winter climes of northern Australia to allow proper wicket preparation and better weather.While refusing to confirm Cairns and Darwin as certain to host Test cricket, ACB spokesman Brendan McClements said today it was an option that had beenlooked at for some time.”We flagged some time ago venues in northern Australia as potential international cricket venues,” he said.”The season is getting more and more congested with more and more teams to play and especially with the majority of countries in the same hemisphere.”We’ve looked and continue to look at them.”Bangladesh’s visit to Cairns and Darwin would be followed by Tests and one-day internationals against Zimbabwe in 2004, a World A team in 2005, Sri Lanka in2006, and Zimbabwe again in 2007.Each tour would be a minimum of two Tests – one each in Cairns and Darwin – and three one-day matches.Darwin’s Football Park, which has a 15,000 capacity, and the 10,000 capacity Bundaberg Rum Stadium in Cairns would have to be upgraded to meet stringentICC specifications for Test matches.The ICC has visited Bundaberg Rum Stadium, while the Northern Territory Government has announced a $2.5 million redevelopment for Football Park.The upgrade involves improved drainage and lighting, a new scoreboard, and new change rooms and media facilities.

So Antigua is the perfect wicket for a draw

Anand Vasu10-May-2002So Antigua is the perfect wicket for a draw? Not if the opening batsman falls for three, and the stalwart of the team, arguably the world’s best batsman, is dismissed for a golden duck. India managed to reach 226 for three despite the aforementioned setbacks. There are still no clear favourites, and yes, a draw is still very much on the cards – a high-scoring one at that.There was a touch of the familiar to the proceedings at Antigua in the first session. Carl Hooper won the toss, set his four seamers on the batsmen and scalped the early wicket of Shiv Sunder Das.Although not nearly as quick and bouncy as the wicket at Barbados, the Antigua strip did give batsmen a thing or two to think about. At least three deliveries hit a spot, reared and sailed through. One of those, delivered by Pedro Collins, was too good for Das.With the left-arm seamer slanting the ball away from the diminutive right-handed opener, extra bounce forced the mistake. Playing back and tentatively across, Das could only inside-edge the ball back onto his stumps. Not new for Das; this has happened more than once this season.Then came the partnership that ensured India did not suffer a similar fate as the first day of the Barbados Test. Rahul Dravid began by punching a perfect on-drive back past the bowler to the fence, and went on to repeat the stroke many, many times. He plays the on-drive as well as anyone else in the game; today was a particularly good exhibition of playing straight, with the full face of the bat.Wasim Jaffer, joining Das as opener late in the series, showed impeccable touch and timing. After an initial flash at Cameron Cuffy that just eluded point, Jaffer unveiled some handsome strokes. Standing tall and getting right behind the line of the ball, the opener peppered the regions between point, extra-cover and third man with boundaries.After batting well enough to make a ton, Jaffer fell. As is often the case, the batsman gave his wicket away after doing all the hard work. Nicking Collins through to Ridley Jacobs, Jaffer (86 runs, 180 balls, 14 fours) failed to seal a superb innings with three figures against his name.Then came the big fall. Coming to the wicket with just eight runs in three innings, Tendulkar failed yet again, making for his longest slump in Test cricket. Playing awkwardly at a ball just outside the off-stump, the little master was tentative enough to play slightly inside the line of the ball and edge the ball through to the keeper.For the fourth time in his Test career Tendulkar had fallen for a first-ball duck.After the twin wickets of Jaffer and Tendulkar, however, there was little cause for concern for the visitors. The ball got soft, Hooper used as many as seven bowlers, and India prospered. Sourav Ganguly, playing some handsome strokes, reached 41, while the ever-cautious Dravid neared yet another tidy ton with 86 to his name.There still is not sufficient reason for India to panic. Dravid is batting as well as he ever has. Judging by his demeanour and calm approach, it might well have been an outing for Commerce College in Bangalore against Mysore University. That was how fluent Dravid seemed against the part-time spin, dancing down the track and dismissing the ball. The pacemen proved no trickier, Dravid’s trademark roll-of-the-wrist on-top-of-the-ball pulls signalling a total dominance.Ganguly too seemed less than bothered by the fall of Tendulkar. Enjoying a rare patch of good form, the Indian skipper curbed his natural strokeplay and buckled down. While this is not the best sight for fans of the Bengal southpaw, it certainly serves India’s cause well – either to draw the game or to reach a position from which they could attempt to go for outright victory.

Crystal Palace are keen on hiring former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo as Roy Hodgson’s successor this summer.

What’s the story?

According to The Sun, Palace are interested in talking to the 47-year-old to see if they can convince him over an immediate return to management.

The report claims that Nuno’s experience and style of play has seen him leapfrog other potential candidates on the Eagles’ wish list as they prepare for the 2021/22 campaign.

Parish could revive Palace

Nuno shocked English football when he announced his departure from Molineux after four hugely successful seasons with the Midlands outfit.

The Portuguese boss is thought to be admired by many clubs in England’s top flight and is being eyed up by the Palace hierarchy as chairman Steve Parish continues to search for the south London side’s new boss.

Other candidates such as Barnsley’s Valerian Ismael and Swansea’s Steve Cooper have been shortlisted for the vacancy, but their lack of familiarity with the Premier League may count against them.

Two seventh-placed finishes and a run to the Europa League quarter-finals were among Nuno’s highlights during his time with Wolves, earning praise from well-known journalist Tim Spiers, who said: “He’s done special things, he really has, to get to the cusp of a Europa League semi-final in three years, it’s a miracle – unbelievable.”

Whether the former Porto goalkeeper has the hunger and desire for such a quick return to the dugout may be the deciding factor in his proposed appointment.

A win rate of 48% over his managerial career is an impressive feat, but he may find life a bit trickier should he accept the capital club’s approaches.

Whoever replaces Hodgson will have to oversee an extensive squad rebuild over the coming months while working on a relatively modest and restricted budget.

Key players such as Gary Cahill, Christian Benteke and Patrick van Aanholt are among those approaching the end of their current contracts at Selhurst Park, meaning that a summer of change is set to occur.

However, Nuno has the quality to revive this Palace side and propel them back up the Premier League table. He evolved his Wolves team during his time in charge, and although was backed with significant funds in the transfer market, he often bought well and sold players at the right time.

Bringing in Nuno would appear to be an astute move by Parish, and the 47-year-old’s potential arrival would likely be welcomed by Palace supporters given his track record in English football thus far.

In other news… Parish must seal swoop for £10.3m maestro, Palace desperately need him 

Sheffield United are interested in a deal to bring Tom Cairney to Bramall Lane this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who confirmed on a recent episode of Touchline Talk that Slavisa Jokanovic is indeed keen on making a move for the Fulham midfielder this summer, as earlier reports by TEAMtalk had claimed.

TEAMtalk reported that Jokanovic is desperate for a reunion with his former player at Sheffield United this summer, with the Cottagers believed to be demanding a fee in the region of £10m in order for a deal to be discussed.

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how influential Cairney has been for Fulham in the past few seasons, the news that Sheffield United are definitely interested in a move for the 30-year-old this summer is likely to leave Blades fans buzzing.

Indeed, in Jokanovic’s promotion-winning 2017/18 campaign with Fulham, Cairney was arguably the Serbian manager’s most important player, with the midfielder scoring five goals, registering five assists and creating four big chances over his 34 Championship appearances, as well as averaging a whopping 93.5 touches and 1.9 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £8.1m-rated man earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.35, ranking him as the club’s joint second-best performer in the league that season.

Cairney also impressed for the Cottagers in the Premier League last term despite missing a large chunk of the season due to injury, scoring one goal, providing one assist and creating one big chance over his 10 league appearances, earning an average SofaScore match rating of 7.28 – ranking him as the club’s best player in the top flight.

As such, with Jokanovic facing the challenge of securing an immediate return to the Premier League with Sheffield United next season, the addition of the £27,000-per-week midfielder dubbed “outstanding” by Scott Parker would appear to significantly boost the Blades’ chances going on to achieve this feat.

It would seem highly advisable for United to do all they to get a deal for Cairney over the line this summer, as the 30-year-old has the ability to play a huge part in the club’s push for promotion next year.

In other news: Jokanovic must sanction £10m Sheffield United summer swoop for in-demand “weapon”

Loughborough UCCE has won the University Centre of Cricketing Excellence(UCCE) Championship for the second year running by three points from OxfordUCCE

ECB Media Release28-Jun-2002Loughborough UCCE has won the University Centre of Cricketing Excellence(UCCE) Championship for the second year running by three points from OxfordUCCE. It therefore remains the only side to win the two-year oldchampionship.Despite finishing on equal points with Cardiff / Glamorgan UCCE, Oxford tooksecond place by means of scoring the most points in their match together.This means that Loughborough UCCE will play Oxford UCCE in the UCCE One-DayChallenge Final at Lord’s on Tuesday 2 July.The six UCCE teams played one two-day, two-innings match against each other,with points awarded for an outright win, a win on first innings as well asbatting and bowling bonus points.Final UCCE Championship table

1. LOUGHBOROUGH UCCE            (Played 5) - Total 54 Points2. OXFORD UCCE                  (Played 5) - Total 51 Points3. CARDIFF/GLAMORGAN UCCE       (Played 5) - Total 51 Points4. DURHAM UCCE                  (Played 5) - Total 48 Points5. BRADFORD/LEEDS UCCE          (Played 5) - Total 30 Points6. CAMBRIDGE UCCE               (Played 5) - Total 29 Points

According to an update from French news outlet Foot Mercato, Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car interests West Ham United with the ‘media talking about’ an upcoming offer of €15 million (£12.8m).

Caleta-Car also attracted West Ham last summer, but he rejected the chance to sign at the London Stadium when manager David Moyes was on a centre-back hunt (The Guardian).

Now, reports have resurfaced of the Irons potentially eyeing a move for the Croatian who is currently at Euro 2020.

The 24-year-old was a mainstay for Marseille and started 32 Ligue 1 matches – making an impressive 3.9 clearances per 90 and completing 86% of his passes out from the back (WhoScored).

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-2/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

West Ham are said to be on the hunt for a central defender again this summer, with Claret & Hugh believing that is one of Moyes’ three transfer priorities along with a striker and permanent deal for Jesse Lingard.

Flocking to this news on Caleta-Car, with West Ham expected to make move, many Hammers supporters have been buzzing – find a flavour of their best verdicts from Twitter down below.

West Ham fans buzz over Caleta-Car claim

“Get that deal done .. he’s mustard”

Credit: @joehalford1990

“Please say this is true.”

Credit: @EthanP48445025

“I absolutely beg to god that this is true”

Credit: @TayMack1994

“Get this done”

Credit: @Jlinglis01492553

“Let’s get this one done”

Credit: @1bbyWHU

“We’re actually winning the league”

Credit: @Landsy2710

“Ogbonna – Caleta-Car partnership next season”

Credit: @whuabz

In other news: West Ham make an enquiry for potentially ‘perfect signing’, find out more here.

SYDNEY, July 24 AAP – Former Test captain Mark Taylor believes Steve and Mark Waugh may be using their non-selection in Australia’s one-day teams as a means to continue their Test cricket careers

Glenn Cullen24-Jul-2002SYDNEY, July 24 AAP – Former Test captain Mark Taylor believes Steve and Mark Waugh may be using their non-selection in Australia’s one-day teams as a means to continue their Test cricket careers.While the brothers have said they’ll still push for selection for next year’s World Cup despite not being named in recent Australia and Australia A teams, Taylor believes they would be more than content if they simply maintained their Test spots.”Maybe Steve and Mark are thinking that if they try and focus on getting themselves in every game including the one-dayers then they’ll settle for just playing Test cricket,” Taylor said today.”It could well be the case – it’s just my guess.”It may be that they are worried if they say to themselves ‘ok, we’ll sit back and play Test match cricket’ that they might find their Test match form falls away and they find themselves under pressure for their Test spots as well.“It (showing an interest in playing the one-day game) might be a way of keeping themselves upbeat, fit and at the age of 37 challenging the 27 years as well.”Taylor said the Waughs were in a vastly different position to when he lost his one-day spot in 1997 and went on to play almost another two years of Test cricket.”My position was slightly different. I was dropped as an opening batsmen and it was always going to be difficult for me to get back into that role,” he said.”For them to get back in, it will mean a change of position and a change in the way they play their cricket.Taylor believed it would be very difficult for both Waughs to get back into the national one day team – the likely avenue being for one of them to be “re-invented” as an allrounder playing at number seven.”It will depend a lot on (current allrounder) Shane Watson. Hopefully the selectors will stick with him for a little while longer and give him an opportunity to flourish in that position,” Taylor said.”But if he doesn’t I think there may be an opportunity for one of them to slot into No.7.”Former Australian batsmen and standout one-day international player of the 1980s and early ’90s Dean Jones said the Waughs could still come back into World Cup reckoning with strong domestic one-day form.”Make no mistake someone will fail against Pakistan (in a one-day series in Kenya next month) and then they come under consideration,” Jones said.

The rain may have interrupted play in many games in the Frizzell County Championship, but there was still time for some fascinating cricket – and a couple of results that could turn out to be crucial in the final promotion and relegation battle

George Dobell10-Aug-2002The rain may have interrupted play in many games in the Frizzell County Championship, but there was still time for some fascinating cricket – and a couple of results that could turn out to be crucial in the final promotion and relegation battle.At Canterbury Kent won by 153 runs. The day started with Mark Ealham (60) and Min Patel (a career-best 71 not out) extending their over-night stand to 70, before Kent declared their innings on 286-7.Somerset were set 331 to win, but were soon in trouble on 38-4, with Martin Saggers removing the cream of the batting: Cox; Burns and Bowler. Parsons (52) and Turner (35) hinted at survival in a stand of 56, but once they fell victory for Kent was a formality. Saggers finished with 5-42.Kent, who remain second in the table, take 17 points to sustain their title challenge, while Somerset, who take just four points from this game, have a real fight on their hands if they are to avoid relegation.For the second day in a row there was no play at Old Trafford between Lancashire and Hampshire, with the visitors still stuck on 84-7 in reply to the hosts 163 all out. With one day left in the match a result is now unlikely.Weather permitting there should be an exciting finish at Hove, with Sussex 85-2 in pursuit of 287 to beat top of the table Surrey.The day began with Surrey’s new boy, Mushtaq Ahmed, thrashing 47 in just 31 balls to help his side set a really competitive total. And, with Murray Goodwin on 42 not out it promises to be an intriguing contest, despite the setbacks of losing Montgomerie and Cottey and only just over 30 overs being possible in the day.The other first division game was between Yorkshire and Warwickshire in Leeds. Yorkshire, the current champions, are desperate for their first win of the season to stave off the embarrassment of relegation, but it was not to be as this rain effected match ended in a draw.Yorkshire extended their first innings lead to 80, and would have hoped to put Warwickshire under pressure, but had to settle for 10 points as the visitors batting stood firm.Nick Knight continued his sensational form with another century, to take his first-class average well in excess of 100, while Ian Bell rediscovered his touch with a patient 55 not out as Warwickshire finished on 216-4. They take eight points.In the second division Glamorgan and Gloucestershire drew their severely rain affected game at Cardiff. Mike Powell completed his century, finishing with 135, before Robert Croft hit an unbeaten 101 to help his side to 407. Ian Harvey and Mike Smith each took four wickets.Gloucestershire played out time to finish on 7-0 against part-time bowlers. They take 11 points, while Glamorgan take 12. Both teams have plenty to do if they are to secure promotion.Elsewhere Essex did their promotion hoped the power of good with a victory by 140 runs over Derbyshire.The day started with Essex taking their innings to 324 all out, with Darren Robinson striking 115.Derbyshire were therefore set 292 to win but never looked like getting close to the target, subsiding to 151 all out. Joe Grant took 4-45Essex take 17 points and leapfrog Derbyshire in the promotion race.Meanwhile Northants and Middlesex saw out a draw at Lord’s. The hosts declared their innings on 400-4, with Owais Shah taking his score to 172 not out. They then bowled out Northants for 231, with Phil Tufnell taking three wickets and Ben Hutton adding a couple of wickets to his century. But too much time had been lost to rain to force a result and Middlesex had to be content with 12 bonus points. Northants took six.In the other unfinished game in the second division Graeme Hick hit yet another first-class century (the 120th of his remarkable career) to put his side in a strong position against Nottinghamshire. Hick finished the day on 126 from just 153 balls and has helped extend his side’s lead to 293.Greg Smith struck twice early on to before Hick and Ben Smith (65) added 160 for the third wicket.Earlier Matt Mason had taken three more wickets to finish with 5-50 (a career-best performance) as Notts were dismissed for 161 in reply to Worcestershire’s 201. Paul Johnson was left stranded on 52 not out for the visitors.

Derby County have been handed a huge boost in their bid to bring Teden Mengi back to Pride Park this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claim that Wayne Rooney’s side appear to be on course to land the Manchester United centre-back on another loan deal in the current transfer window, with the Premier League runners-up content to send the 19-year-old back to the Championship side after they secured survival on the final day of the season.

Rooney will be buzzing

With Derby remaining under a transfer embargo due to Mel Morris’ ongoing search to find a buyer for the club, something that limits the Rams’ transfer activity to loans and free transfers, as well as any potential incomings having to be paid a sensible wage, the news that Mengi looks set to make a return to Pride Park this summer is sure to have Rooney buzzing.

Indeed, over his nine Championship appearances while on loan at the club last season, the £1.35m-rated defender turned in a number of impressive performances in what were extremely challenging circumstances.

In the league, the 19-year-old helped his side keep a total of one clean sheet, while also making an average of 1.1 interceptions, one tackle, 2.4 clearances and winning 3.8 duels per game, with these metrics culminating in the youngster earning a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.67.

As such, with Rooney looking to build a side in the transfer window that is capable of mounting a push towards the top half of the second tier table next season, the potential return of a player whom the 35-year-old manager claimed is a “fantastic” centre-back will give the former England captain at least one reason to be cheerful in the coming months, particularly when factoring the mess that his side remain in away from the pitch.

In other news: Derby handed huge blow over £18k-p/w “maverick”, it will leave Rooney livid