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Celtic fans may now have to wait until next week for the club to announce Eddie Howe as their new manager, according to the Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Bournemouth’s exit opens up door

Howe’s former employers, Bournemouth, crashed out of the Championship playoffs on the weekend, which appeared to have played into Celtic’s hands.

The Cherries lost 3-2 to Brentford on aggregate, with reports suggesting Howe’s move to Parkhead was on shortly after that semi-final tie.

The 43-year-old was poised to bring Richard Hughes, Stephen Purches and Simon Weatherstone with him to Scotland, but four days on, a deal is still yet to be announced.

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The Latest: Announcement update

Reports on Sunday claimed that an announcement was expected by the end of the week.

However, the Daily Record dropped a potential delay to an official unveiling on Tuesday evening.

They ran a story on Kristoffer Ajer’s Parkhead future, and in there, suggested that Howe is ‘poised to check in by the end of this week or start of next with Celtic chiefs finalising the minor details of the new look management team.’

The Verdict: McKay playing a dangerous game?

In our opinion, new CEO Dominic McKay is playing a dangerous game, should a deal not be officially announced by the end of the week.

There have been concerns from multiple media sources that Celtic’s waiting game in the manager hunt is becoming tiring and even claims it is disrespectful to the Hoops fans, while the club themselves reportedly have fears that Crystal Palace could look to scupper a move for Howe.

Surely, then, they would look to get a deal announced as soon as possible.

Bournemouth’s playoff exit last weekend gave them the perfect chance to do just that, but it appears as if Hoops fans may have to wait a little longer for a deal to go through.

They’ve been waiting long enough for a new first-team manager, so we’re sure a few more days won’t hurt, but let’s just hope there are no more hiccups.

In other news: Olivier Ntcham contract speculation refuted, find out more here. 

The final 50 over B&H competition (for now at least) starts today withsome interesting confrontations

Ed Green28-Apr-2002The final 50 over B&H competition (for now at least) starts today withsome interesting confrontations.Southern GroupThe only one day first division side in the group, Kent, sit out thisround.Essex v Sussex at ChelmsfordBoth sides have exciting Zimbabwean overseas players and young upcomingkeepers, the crucial contest though will be between Essex’s seasonedbatting and James Kirtley who, having spent some time working on hisaction over the winter, has started the season in excellent form in theChampionship taking wickets on fine batting tracks against Surrey andSomerset.Essex may also be hard pressed to contain Sussex’s batsmen, Adams hasalready scored two championship centuries this season and Goodwin,Yardy, Cottey and Martin-Jenkins have also been in the runs. Howevertheir wily veteran attack will hope to contain them.Middlesex v Surrey, Lord’sIn the two Championship divisions, the pace is being set by the two London sides, B&H Champions Surrey are notoriously erratic at the one day formof the game, but have begun the four day season in such dominant formthat few would bet against them in any match right now. The B&H cup willalso be special to them this year as Ben Hollioake excelled in thiscompetition.For Middlesex it is the last chance of old campaigner ‘Gus Fraser to putone over on the county’s old rivals, much will depend on their bowlingthough as few of the Middlesex side are capable of the ferocious scoringrate that Surrey’s batsmen are capable of when the force is with them.Derbyshire v Lancashire, DerbyAs in the confrontation at Lords both sides can boast two wins in theirfirst two games of the county season. Dominic Cork has begun the seasonin formidable bowling form with eighteen wickets in just two games,while Martin leads the Lancastrian attack with thirteen wickets in theirmatches.Lancashire’s batting may well prove too strong for Derbyshire, butDerbyshire have begun the season so strongly, and Cork on fire, after adreadful season in 2001 they cannot be entirely ruled out.Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire, NottinghamBoth of these sides went down to innings defeats in the second round ofchampionship games and will be eager to erase the memories. With Kluseneras overseas player and having had a fine run in this competition lastseason Notts will be hoping for early season success.Yorkshire’s bowling attack and Darren Lehmann’s capacity to turn gameswith his own brand of explosive batting will be the key weapons for theTykes, but the clean hitting of their own lower order can be a powerfulfactor in one day contests.Northamptonshire v Glamorgan, NorthamptonThe placid Northampton square is ideally suited to high scoring one daymatches, Northant’s upper order gorged themselves in the four daycontest against Worcestershire with three scores in excess of 130.Darren Cousins leads their attack with Scotland’s John Blain and CarlGreenidge, signed from Surrey over the winter.Glamorgan have, in Croft, Thomas and Simon Jones – whose bowling was the highlight of their defeat by Derbyshire in the championship – bowlers who can take wickets while containing batsmen. They also have – with the hardhitting Kasprowicz coming in low down the order – batting of their ownthat is quite capable of posting or chasing a total.Warwickshire v Somerset, BirminghamSomerset should start favourites. With Trescothick and Caddick contracted by the ECB, the knock out trophies represent their best hope of silverware this season. Last year’s C&G winners topped Group West in 2001 and, with batting that runs right down from the class of Cox and Trescothick to the power of Johnson and Blackwell, they travel expecting success.Warwickshire for their part have, in Nick Knight and Sean Pollock twoplayers who can single handedly win games in this form of cricket.Medium pacer Alan Richardson starred with eight wickets in their CC1defeat at the hands of Lancashire.

A draw looks the likely outcome at The Oval, where Surrey have reached 310 for eight at tea on the final day of their Frizzell County Championship match against Somerset

Stephen Lamb27-May-2002A draw looks the likely outcome at The Oval, where Surrey have reached 310 for eight at tea on the final day of their Frizzell County Championship match against Somerset. Although Keith Dutch gave Somerset brief hope by dismissing Ian Ward (67) and Ally Brown (48) before lunch, a half century from Alec Stewart looks to have ended the visitors’ victory hopes.At Headingley, an innings of 83 from Richard Blakey has taken Yorkshire past Hampshire’s first innings total. Yorkshire are on 407 for nine, a lead of 53, with Steve Kirby unbeaten on 51.Gloucestershire are facing an emphatic defeat at Chester-le-Street despite a battling 73 from Matt Windows. Ian Hunter and Graeme Bridge have taken three wickets apiece to reduce the visitors to 194 for seven, still needing another 145 runs to make Durham bat again.At Trent Bridge, an overnight declaration has brought an apparently moribund game back to life. After declaring at 207 for eight, 70 runs behind Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire bowled the visitors out for 153 in their second innings, with Andrew Harris taking seven for 54. Left needing 230 for victory, Notts were 60 for two at tea.Essex have been making up for lost time at Chelmsford, where play got under way a day late. By tea and despite a further interruption this morning, Essex had reduced Derbyshire to 124 for eight. There were three wickets for Ashley Cowan and two each for Ronnie Irani and John Stephenson.The game at Horsham between Sussex and Leicestershire has been abandoned as a draw after rain prevented play both yesterday and today.

According to a report by Danish news outlet BT, as translated by Sport Witness, Tottenham Hotspur and Ligue 1 giants Lyon are in ‘concrete talks’ over a transfer for Joachim Andersen.

The Lowdown: Spurs and Andersen…

football.london first reported that Andersen was on Tottenham’s radar, with reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold believing he is one of the defensive candidates for this summer.

He is joined by the likes of Nikola Milenkovic and Lewis Dunk, according to that report, but Spurs appear to have been more heavily linked to Andersen since then.

Indeed, the Evening Standard have backed Spurs’ interest in the 25-year-old and believe he is keen to remain in the Premier League.

The Latest: Spurs in pole position as talks begin…

Dropping a big update, BT (via Sport Witness) now believe that Spurs are in ‘driving seat’ for his signature with ‘concrete’ Lyon talks now underway.

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It is believed that Andersen is ‘almost certain’ to remain in the Premier League and in London, with several English capital sides also interested in a move.

Lyon were hoping to make €30 million (£25.8m) from his sale, but they now believe that figure can be improved upon given all the interest in Andersen coming from the Premier League.

The Verdict: Do it Levy…

Having already proved himself in the English top flight on loan at Fulham over 2020/2021, Andersen would come as a real coup for Spurs.

The 6 foot 3 powerhouse made an impressive 4.8 clearances per 90 in the Premier League last season and won more aerial duels on average than any Fulham player (WhoScored).

It is clear he has displayed real solidity and Tottenham arguably need to bolster their backline before the beginning of 2021/2022.

Lauded as ‘absolutely sensational’ by Craven Cottage legend Tony Gale (fulhamfc.com), Andersen may be a brilliant acquisition.

In other news: Tottenham are also keen on this ‘amazing’ 103-goal striker, find out more here.

Newcastle United’s move for Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer is not done yet, with the player’s agent ‘looking for the best deal’.

That’s according to Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder.

The lowdown

Newcastle have been scouting the centre-back for a ‘couple of seasons’ and sources at Celtic had indicated that a £6million transfer will be completed in June (via Chronicle Live).

Ajer is about to enter the final year of his contract at Parkhead, putting the Hoops in a somewhat weak negotiating position.

Newcastle, of course, still need to agree personal terms with the 23-year-old, who’s been earning £14,000 per week in Glasgow.

The latest

Ryder says Ajer’s agent is ‘touting the player around’ as he searches for the most lucrative arrangement.

Though the fee appears to be a ‘bargain’, there is a ‘premium to be paid’ in terms of agent fees and wages, four words which are sure to worry the Toon given the rumours of their extremely low transfer budget this summer (£8m-10m, plus sales, via Football Insider).

Newcastle are still said to have ‘plenty of competition’ for Ajer, who’s won three league titles and five cups at Celtic.

The verdict

This would be a commendable piece of business from Newcastle, but they may have to move quickly.

You sense other suitors will be waiting to pounce on a hint of uncertainty and snatch the impressive, youthful centre-half from the Magpies’ grasp.

Equally, though, the club will not want to be held to ransom, and will surely have alternatives in mind.

The agent is clearly holding a few tricks up his sleeve to drive up the fees and wages, which is hardly ideal for a club operating on a tight budget this summer.

In other news, two journalists have issued predictions on the future of Matty Longstaff.

Adam Sanford has been named replacement for fellow fast bowler Mervyn Dillon as West Indies prepare to face New Zealand in the last match of the best-of-five 2002 Cable & Wireless Trophy limited-overs international series at Kingstown, St

Derrick Nicholas14-Jun-2002Adam Sanford has been named replacement for fellow fast bowler Mervyn Dillon as West Indies prepare to face New Zealand in the last match of the best-of-five 2002 Cable & Wireless Trophy limited-overs international series at Kingstown, St. Vincent’s Arnos Vale on Sunday.Sanford, who made his Test debut against India in the 2002 Cable & Wireless Series in April, has not played in any of the limited-overs internationals of the 2002 Cable & Wireless Trophy Series either against the Indians or New Zealanders.He replaces Dillon who withdrew from the side with a lower back strain following the penultimate match of the limited-overs series against New Zealand at Port-of-Spain’s Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday .Dillon, who has been ordered to rest for a week by doctors, will continue to receive physical therapy treatment in his native Trinidad & Tobago and should be fit in time for the first Test against the Black Caps, starting on Friday at Bridgetown’s Kensington Oval.West Indies lead the 2002 Cable & Wireless Trophy Series against the New Zealanders 2-1 following back-to-back victories in the third and second matches in St. Lucia. The visitors bounced back with a nine-run win by the Duckwork-Lewis method in the fourth match at Port of Spain on Wednesday.The first match at Kingston, Jamaica’s Sabina Park ended in a no-result because of rain.Squad: Carl Hooper (captain), Brian Lara (vice-captain), Gareth Breese, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Cameron Cuffy, Chris Gayle, Ryan Hinds, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Adam Sanford, Ramnaresh Sarwan.

With Bruno Lage’s arrival at Wolves comes the need to spend shrewdly in the transfer window.

The Old Gold head into the current market with limited finances, needing to sell players before they can go out and splash the cash.

It’s not the most ideal of starts to Lage’s tenure but, crucially, he knows how to bring young players through the ranks. It was the Portuguese coach who gave Ruben Dias the limelight at Benfica before unleashing a certain Joao Felix on the world as well.

While Dias has won the Premier League with Manchester City, Felix has made the biggest stir throughout world football. At the age of just 19, he signed for Atletico Madrid in a deal worth a jaw-dropping £113m. He has thrived since departing Lage’s clutches, winning La Liga with the Spanish club.

This bodes well for the younger players coming through at Wolves, particularly Theo Corbeanu.

They are currently locked in negotiations with Adama Traore to extend his contract but the Spaniard hasn’t been forthcoming in terms of an agreement. It’s believed the situation has moved on from a position of deadlock but he could still depart if Lage requires the cash to rebuild.

That being said, if European Championship-bound Traore does leave Molineux, they should look towards their academy to replace him.

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Corbeanu is the name to watch out for; he’s a player who possesses similar traits to their swashbuckling forward, beating players for pace and trickery.

The Canadian has had to wait patiently for first team opportunities but was finally handed a chance in the later stages of the 2020/21 campaign. The 19-year-old came off the bench during the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham but only had eight minutes to try and make an impact.

However, Corbeanu has shown glimpses of his quality for the under-23s, form which proves he should be given a look-in by Lage next term. He scored seven goals in Premier League 2, frightening defences to death with his dazzling dribbling ability.

Speaking earlier in the 2020/21 season, Wolves under-23 boss James Collins was overjoyed by his qualities, saying: “He’s athletic, tall, can head it, can defend, can dribble past people and score, he can shoot, he can pass, he’s both footed, he’s got a bit of everything.”

Collins added: “Theo can be anything he wants to be. He’s an outstanding prospect.”

Wolves may well look to replace Traore from an external source but they’d be foolish to ignore their internal options. Lage has a proven track record of developing some of the finest talent to come out of Portugal in the last few years; he must now use the same philosophy in the Midlands.

Corbeanu is a rare breed; he now has to harness his supreme attributes at a higher level.

AND in other news, Lage can immediately replace Neves if Wolves sign £21.5m Mendes client, he’s a beast…

Kenya has agreed to replace New Zealand in the tri-nation one-day series scheduled in Nairobi between Aug 29 and Sept 7

Sports Reporter23-Jul-2002Kenya has agreed to replace New Zealand in the tri-nation one-day series scheduled in Nairobi between Aug 29 and Sept 7. The director of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chisty Mujahid said Monday that Australian Cricket Board (ACB) has been conveyed about the latest development.”The fresh or revised itinerary will be dispatched later this week. The only thing to be done in the itinerary is to replace New Zealand with Kenya,” Chisty said.New Zealand Cricket (NZC) spoiled Pakistan’s golden jubilee celebration tournament by withdrawing last week, citing excuses of players burn-out. Ironically, New Zealand had agreed to participate in the competition when the idea was floated earlier this year.Martin Snedden, NZC chief executive, said he had withdrawn the team also because he was interested in playing in sub-continent rather than in Africa.Chisy said Kenya Cricket Association (KCA) was approached Monday morning and received their confirmmation immediately.Kenya, who has been awarded one-day international status, will be one of the teams in September’s ICC Champions Trophy and would serve an excellent opportunity to prepare for the event.Chisty, who leaves for Sri Lanka Tuesday on a three-day private visit, said the PCB would be conveying its “disappointment” to NZC in a letter. “Naturally, we will convey our disappointment to them. But we will not write to the ICC,” Chisty confirmed.He said Snedden has only informed Pakistan about skipping the triangular series. “He has not rejected the proposal of playing the remaining Test after their tour to India next year,” he said.The Black Caps cancelled the second Test and returned from Karachi when a bomb exploded outside their hotel. Pakistan won the first Test by 324 runs at Lahore.

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has dropped a new update on Aston Villa’s transfer plans for this summer.

What’s the story?

Dean Smith’s side have already enjoyed a superb start to the transfer window by beating Arsenal to the signing of Norwich play-maker Emi Buendia, and Preece has now revealed what the club plan to do next.

He said: “In terms of further business in the market it’s clear that Villa want another midfielder with 18-year-old Metz man Pape Matar Sarr and Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse both linked with strong Villa interest.

“A new left-back is expected to arrive once Villa secure another midfield option while the last piece of Villa’s 2021/22 jigsaw could be a new striker, although Watkins will be Villa’s main man once more next season.”

Fans will be buzzing

Having already clinched the signing of Buendia, the news that Villa are keen on landing a new central midfielder, a left-back and even a potential striker to compete with Watkins should have fans buzzing.

Strength in depth with Villa was the big question last season in the Premier League for Smith, with Jack Grealish’s absence in particular exposing a worrying lack of quality in the creative third – they won just three games that he missed all season in the top-flight.

They’ve already addressed that now with Buendia, and look keen to do the same within terms of covering for Matt Targett and Watkins.

Neil Taylor was the only other real option Smith had at his disposal at left-back but the Welshman was never in contention – he played just 15 minutes of Premier League football – while it didn’t even bear thinking about Watkins going down.

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The summer signing from Brentford missed just one game all campaign in the Premier League, and with Wesley out injured for the majority of the season with a knee injury, Smith would have had to rely on Keinan Davis.

So, Preece’s claim that Villa are intent on strengthening those key areas and giving Smith the kind of depth he needs to rest easy, will be music to the ears of the club’s fans. They’ll be buzzing to see that the club means business this summer, despite the impact of the pandemic on the finances of football clubs across the globe.

Meanwhile, Dean Smith is eyeing a move for this EURO 2020 star…

South Wilts will be without two potential match winners in tomorrow (FRIDAY) night’s Southern Electric Contracting Cup final against Bashley (Rydal) at the Hampshire Rose Bowl, 5.45pm

Mike Vimpany (as published in Daily Echo)31-Jul-2002South Wilts will be without two potential match winners in tomorrow (FRIDAY) night’s Southern Electric Contracting Cup final against Bashley (Rydal) at the Hampshire Rose Bowl, 5.45pm.Paul Draper and Jimmy Tomlinson miss the final, leaving Bashley hot favourites to lift the cup for the second time in three seasons.Draper, arguably the top all-rounder in the Premier League, is best man at the early afternoon wedding of former Calmore Sports team-mate Mark Boston.Left-arm paceman Tomlinson, currently playing in a Second XI Championship match in Bristol, will be on his way to the East Midlands for Hampshire’s Norwich Union League match against Derbyshire.With Draper and Tomlinson missing, South Wilts will rely heavily on South African left-armer Shaun Adam for penetration.With run happy Australian Luke Ronchi spearheading their batting, Bashley should cash in. They should be at full strength, apart from Chris Sketchley.In the previous rounds, Bashley knocked out cup holders Lymington, Easton & Martyr Worthy and BAT Sports.South Wilts beat Andover, Old Tauntonians & Romsey, and Rowledge in a dramatic last over finish.Bashley (Rydal): Taylor (capt), A Sexton, Thurgood, Ronchi, Lilley, Middleton, N Sexton, Pardey, Nash, Whiting, Grierson.South Wilts: Rowe (captain), Glasson, J Nash, Wade, Caines, Cranch, Woodhouse, Chandler, Steedon, Adam, Smith.