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As Rangers headed into the international break they will have done so with glee as the Gers sat top of the league with everything appearing to be rather rosy at Ibrox.

There was a Scottish League Cup semi-final to prepare for and Steven Gerrard will have been confident about Rangers making the final.

However, he is no longer in Glasgow. The Gers have lost their title-winning head coach to south of the border and instead of a straightforward break, they had to work harder than ever to replace him.

The new boss is well known at Ibrox and brings with him a CV that eclipses that of Gerrard.

On Thursday afternoon, it was confirmed that Dutch coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst would become the 17th permanent manager of the club.

He has won the Eredivisie with Feyenoord in what stands out as his proudest achievement to date as a manager. However, his expertise guided the Netherlands-based side to two cup triumphs too.

The 46-year-old will also bring with him an experience of managing some of the finest players to grace European football. That list includes Liverpool hero Dirk Kuyt and Premier League winner Robin van Persie.

The former Arsenal star was a revelation under van Bronckhorst’s watchful eyes, bagging 25 times in 45 matches under the new Rangers manager’s tutelage.

Of course, it is hard to compare van Persie to anybody in the Gers squad but their head coach will undoubtedly require somebody who can fire in the goals on a regular basis.

Ryan Kent will, of course, be vital to retaining their Premiership crown but Alfredo Morelos will also need to start firing.

El Bufalo has been out of form this term with just four league strikes but it surely won’t be long before he becomes his ruthless self again.

The £33k-per-week earner may see a new manager as the perfect opportunity and if he starts scoring regularly again, he will become van Bronckhorst’s next van Persie in Scotland.

Morelos has been consistently linked with a move away from Glasgow but ahead of the January window, Ross Wilson and co must ensure he stays put.

He is a man capable of carrying them to the title and if we consider his goal record, it becomes clear why he’s being mentioned in the same breath as one of the Netherland’s great modern centre-forwards.

The dominant Colombian forward has beaten the goalkeeper on 101 occasions since arriving at Rangers and his iconic playstyle has earned some eye-catching appraisals.

“He was like a jungle cat who hadn’t been trained,” former coach Carlos Restrepo said of his youth days.

“He has a body type like an ox,” Restrepo added in an interview with The Athletic.

Van Persie was more technical than physical, something Morelos typifies, but their goalscoring records certainly match up.

Van Bronckhorst will surely relish the opportunity to coach him each day.

AND in other news, Rangers sealed dream deal over “physically powerful” £230k gem, GVB will love him…

According to a recent report from the BBC, Crystal Palace are interested in a January move for striker Cenk Tosun. The Turkey international currently plays his football at fellow Premier League outfit Everton and has done so since January last year, although struggles for regular game time under new Toffees manager Marco Silva has plunged his future at Goodison Park into huge doubt.

And a recent report from the BBC suggests that Roy Hodgson’s Eagles are eyeing up a loan move for the 27-year-old this month as they seek to bolster their striking ranks, with a move to Selhurst Park potentially what’s needed to reignite Tosun’s flailing Premier League career.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the £18 million-rated star (as per Transfermarkt) made the move to Goodison Park 12 months ago as former Everton boss Sam Allardyce sought the answer to his side’s striking woes, and Tosun certainly started well on Merseyside with five goals in 14 Premier League appearances in the second half of last season.

And with two goals and two assists in his first nine games of this term under new Toffees chief Silva, the 27-year-old looked set to play a part in the 41-year-old’s revolution of things at Goodison Park, although those numbers certainly mask the problems Tosun had in converting plenty of chances into goals.

And once the goals dried up around November, the Turkish star has found regular football hard to come by since with just one Premier League start since the middle of the September – and in a team which doesn’t play with a natural number nine in Richarlison, that is a damning indictment of just how unconvinced Silva is in the 27-year-old’s ability.

However, his start to life in English football, alongside his excellent goal-scoring record at Besiktas, simply cannot and should not be ignored, with a fresh start at Hodgson’s Palace perhaps what’s needed to get Tosun’s Premier League career going.

Ultimately, the Eagles are in dire need of striking reinforcements heading into the second half of the season given they have netted just 23 times in their 23 Premier League games this term, with their top goal-scorers being Luka Milivojevic and Andros Townsend with six in all competitions, neither of whom are strikers.

In fact, their top-scoring striker this term is Jordan Ayew with a paltry three to highlight just how much of a struggle things have been in the final third, but with Townsend and star man Wilfried Zaha in the side, it surely only requires someone in the right place at the right time to put the ball in the back of the net – Tosun is that man.

Not only did he start well in England last year, but the 27-year-old earned a move to Everton as a result of his brilliant goal-scoring exploits at Besiktas, for whom he bagged 64 goals in just 142 appearances to help them to back-to-back Super Lig titles during his time at the club.

And with that predatory instinct in the 18-yard box, Tosun could be exactly what Palace need to turn their territory into goals – and a fresh start at Selhurst Park could be exactly what Tosun himself needs to finally get his Premier League career going.

Palace fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Brad Haddin insists Twenty20 is not just a young man’s game

Peter English22-Apr-2010Brad Haddin insists Twenty20 is not just a young man’s game and is confident Australia will be successful at the World Cup by employing similar fundamentals to the ones that work in Test and one-day cricket. Haddin, 32, has been encouraged by the high-class performers who have stood out in the IPL and expects more of the same in the Caribbean over the next month.”I think everyone around the world is just starting to take Twenty20 seriously,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a young person’s game. You look at the success of Haydos, Gilly, Tendulkar, Roy and the likes at the IPL, the best players are still the ones that are performing.”The only problem for Australia with Haddin’s theory is that their most experienced batsmen are no longer with the squad. Ricky Ponting has retired and Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds only play in the domestic leagues. Even when they were with the national side it struggled to stay in touch with the trend-setting outfits.On Friday Michael Clarke departs from Sydney in charge of a fresh-faced unit that will attempt to avoid a repeat of Australia’s first-round exit in England last year. Despite the personnel changes, Haddin is not forecasting a dramatic overhaul in the way the team operates and said the fundamentals that ensure success in the other formats remain relevant.”I find if I get in trouble in Twenty20 cricket it is when I’m trying to reinvent the wheel,” he said. “We’ve sort of seen as the game has started to progress, the guys who are leading the run-scorers in the IPL now, it’s Kallis, Tendulkar, and those sorts of players. The fundamentals are still pretty similar. If I try to get too funky, it’s only going to lead to my downfall.”As the Australians completed their pre-tournament camp there were batsmen trying to learn – or perfect – the ramp shot over the wicketkeeper and the bowlers were testing different variations in an effort to stay ahead. They have two warm-up games next week in St Lucia before the group matches against Pakistan and Bangladesh.Last year Australia were knocked out by West Indies and Sri Lanka, but Haddin doesn’t expect the situation to be any easier this time even though the group looks friendlier. “The beauty of Twenty20 is because it’s such a short form of the game, any team on any day only needs a couple of players to go off to be in the contest,” he said. “For an easy part of the draw, I don’t read too much into that. Bangladesh are a very dangerous team in the shorter form and with Pakistan you don’t know what you’re going to get.”Despite the growing status of Twenty20, the format is still well short of ODIs and Tests in terms of respect. Haddin couldn’t remember appearing in the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007, when Australia lost their opening game to Zimbabwe. He wants this trip to be much more memorable.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst is closing in on his first transfer window at Ibrox in charge of Rangers as January is just around the corner.

The Dutch head coach joined the club in November and has not yet had the opportunity to bring in players of his own to stamp his identity on the playing squad.

Whilst it can be easy to get wrapped up in transfer rumours and get excited about the endless possibilities that come with a new signing, what must be remembered is that with every incoming comes with it the chance of a current player leaving.

Brutally axe

One Rangers dud who may find themselves on the chopping block next month is rotation forward Scott Wright, who has found game time hard to come by this season.

The Gers are reportedly interested in signing Icelandic winger Albert Gudmundsson. According to The Telegraph, the Scottish giants may look to snap him up on a pre-contract deal in January as his contract at AZ Alkmaar expires in the summer, with Celtic also said to be battling for his signature.

This means that Rangers could bring him in for £0 at the end of the campaign and his arrival could spell the end of Wright’s time at Ibrox.

The Scot has played 11 times for the club this term and only started three games in the Premiership, scoring one goal and providing zero assists as an attacker. In the Europa League, he has made three appearances and scored one goal – starting one match – whilst creating one chance in that time.

Gudmundsson, meanwhile, has scored four goals and provided two assists in 12 Eredivisie starts for Alkmaar this season. This comes after he managed seven goals and four assists in 25 league starts in the 2020/21 campaign, showing that he has the ability to both score and create goals.

AZ technical director Max Huiberts previously explained what type of player the beast is. The chief said: “Albert is a creative, technically skilled and fast player who has proven that he can play in different positions in the attack.”

Therefore, the signing of Gudmundsson could leave the £5.6k-per-week dud, Wright, being brutally axed from Rangers by van Bronckhorst. The Scottish youth international has not shown enough this season to prove that he can be an important player for the club and bringing another player in who plays in his position could leave him with no choice but to leave if he wants regular game time.

AND in other news, Big boost: Boxing Day selection update emerges that’ll leave Rangers fans buzzing…

Axel Disasi has urged his Chelsea team-mates not to get carried away amid an uptick in form ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.

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Chelsea held City to 1-1 drawDisasi influential at the EtihadBlues unbeaten in three gamesWHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues face Jurgen Klopp's side on Sunday having gone three games unbeaten – a run which includes an impressive FA Cup victory at Aston Villa and a hard-earned league draw at title-chasing Manchester City on Saturday. However, Disasi is adamant that Chelsea can't let their resurgence go to their heads as they prepare for the showdown with the Reds as clear underdogs.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT DISASI SAID

Speaking to the , the Frenchman said: "The last three games have been good but we have to stay humble and keep going as we are now and push forward. Since the start of the season there have been a lot of expectations, just because we played well in the last three games doesn’t mean we should say, ‘Chelsea are back’. No, we have to stay humble, but you can see we are growing and improving. We have to stay like this, stay humble, and keep this level. Next is the final and we have to learn from this game. We showed we can take a lot of confidence before the next game. We need to rest and prepare for this final very well."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino will be mightily relieved to have overseen something of a change in fortunes. Calls for him to be sacked had grown louder just three games ago, with the Blues suffering damaging back-to-back Premier League defeats to Liverpool and Wolves and conceding eight goals in the process.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR DISASI & CHELSEA?

France international Disasi has been key to shoring up the defence in the absence of the injured Thiago Silva, starring in the 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium in particular. He will expect to start on Sunday as Chelsea challenge Klopp's men for their first piece of silverware since the UEFA Super Cup in 2021.

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has banned Shah Rukh Khan from entering Wankhede Stadium for five years

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2012The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has banned Shah Rukh Khan, the Kolkata Knight Riders owner, from entering Wankhede Stadium for five years as a result of his scuffle with security guards after the game between Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians on May 16. The IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla, however, said the ban was not final until the BCCI had its say on the matter.”The MCA managing committee is forced to ban Shah Rukh Khan from entering Wankhede Stadium for a period of five years,” Vilasrao Deshmukh, the MCA president, said in Mumbai. “It was a unanimous decision. It applies to any match whether domestic or international at the Wankhede. We have taken a decision to protect the dignity of our association. BCCI is our parent body and we have written to them informing what had happened. We have no control over BCCI’s decision. We are also an independent body with the Wankhede being our property.”If rules are violated, action will be taken. It does not depend who the individual is. It’s a message to everyone, whosoever he or she may be, that stern action will be taken if there is any misbehavior. How can he go inside the ground without proper accreditation? Even I can’t go inside the ground if not invited for presentation ceremony.”Shukla said only the Indian board could make the final decision. “State bodies can only recommend but a final decision has to be taken by the BCCI. When the matter comes to BCCI, the board will decide [on the ban].”The incident took place after Knight Riders had beaten Mumbai Indians. Shah Rukh was accused of trying to walk on to the field of play after the game and MCA officials lodged a complaint against him the Marine Drive police station. They also said he had been drunk and abused officials.Shah Rukh, however, denied being drunk and said he was reacting to the “obnoxious” and “unpardonable” behaviour of officials at the stadium. He said he had not been present at the match but had gone there after it was over to pick up a large group of his children and their friends. Shah Rukh said he saw security guards manhandling the children and when he objected a group of officials came over and the altercation started.

Morne Morkel routed England’s lower-order in a spell of 3 for 0 in six deliveries, before JP Duminy extracted the battling Paul Collingwood for a brave but futile 71, as South Africa levelled the series

The Bulletin by Andrew Miller17-Jan-2010 South Africa 423 for 7 (Smith 105, Boucher 95) beat England 180 (Steyn 5-51) and 169 (Collingwood 71) by an innings and 74 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKevin Pietersen’s dismissal opened the floodgates on the fourth morning•Getty ImagesMorne Morkel routed England’s lower-order in a spell of 3 for 0 in seven deliveries, before JP Duminy extracted the battling Paul Collingwood for a brave but futile 71, as South Africa levelled the series – and retained the Basil D’Oliveira Trophy – with a crushing innings-and-74-run victory at the Wanderers. The victory was delivered on the stroke of the lunch-break when Ryan Sidebottom missed a slog-sweep to give Duminy his second wicket in an 11-ball spell.England had resumed the fourth day in deep trouble on 48 for 3, still trailing by 195 with two full days remaining in the contest. The situation demanded runs as well as crease occupation, and Collingwood responded with a gutsy and well-judged 71 from 88 balls, as he shed the outright obduracy that had carried England to safety at Centurion and Cape Town, and climbed into his cross-batted repertoire whenever South Africa strayed in line or length.But he alone located the correct balance between watchfulness and aggression, as he picked 12 fours and a six in total, comprising an even mixture of cuts, pulls, drives and genuine edges. But all too few of his colleagues were capable of emulating his efforts. His overnight partner, Kevin Pietersen, hung around for 10 overs in the first hour and seemed to be finding his range once again as he contributed an improbably meagre three runs to a fourth-wicket stand of 36. But the debutant Wayne Parnell tempted him with an outswinger that drew a rash snick to the keeper, and that was the end of that.Ian Bell, who has impressed with his more settled temperament on this tour, once again looked in control of his nerves as he held up an end for seven further overs while dodging a series of bullets from Morkel’s lethal lift and tight line. But eventually he jabbed at another rising delivery outside off, and Jacques Kallis at second slip clung onto a flying edge.That soon proved to be the end of England’s rapidly fading hopes, for Matt Prior then came and went in an impressively woeful double-whammy. His first ball, from Morkel, was dropped by Hashim Amla at short leg; his second was outside off and drew a wafty pull shot. Graeme Smith at first slip backpedalled to claim a spiralling top-edge, and Prior trooped back to the dressing-room as his captain, Andrew Strauss, vacated the balcony in disgust.Four balls later, and Morkel had his third of the morning, as Stuart Broad – who came close to being timed out after taking an eternity to arrive in the middle – was sent trudging back in the same direction with his indignation palpable, after being caught off the glove by a bouncer down the leg-side. The initial appeal was turned down by umpire Tony Hill, but this time Daryl Harper in the third umpire’s hotseat had no trouble picking up the audible snick.Graeme Swann, who last night told his Twitter followers to look out for his maiden Test century, joined Collingwood in a rollicking eighth-wicket stand of 30 in 26 balls, and briefly looked good for his promise as he cracked three fours in six balls after being dropped by Ashwell Prince in the gully. But one ball later, Steyn’s full-length swing proved too much, as he drew a defensive dab for AB de Villiers to collect the thick edge at third slip.Collingwood kept up the intensity, lacing Ryan McLaren through the slips before hoisting Steyn up and over long-off for the first and only six of England’s innings. But with just two wickets still standing and a deficit of 89 still to be surmounted, he was eventually extracted by JP Duminy’s first delivery of the day – a top-edged hoick off an ignominious long-hop, that flew at a comfortable height straight to Morkel at deep square leg.And so it all came down, as it always tends to do, to England’s ninth-wicket pair. With their lucky charm, Graham Onions, watching glumly from the dressing-room, Sidebottom and James Anderson played their shots for 16 deliveries, before Sidebottom sized up one slog too many, and the rattle of timbers signalled a richly deserved South African win.

Wrexham midfielder Elliott Lee perfectly summed up the club's emphatic 6-0 win over Morecambe on Saturday.

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Lee assesses Wrexham's win over MorecambeCongratulated Paul MullinMullin netted a hat-trick against former clubWHAT HAPPENED?

Wrexham star Paul Mullin netted a hat-trick against his former club Morecambe as the Welsh club registered a thumping 6-0 win on Saturday in a League Two clash.

After the emphatic win, midfielder Lee took to Instagram where he shared the club's full-time post and congratulated his colleague Mullin for scoring a hat-trick and also breathed a sigh of relief for successfully crossing the 19-match mark with four yellow cards to his name.

AdvertisementWHAT ELLIOT LEE SAID

In his story, Lee wrote, "Three points. Hat-trick for my mate Paul Mullin and yellow card threshold completed!

Elliot Lee InstagramGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After missing the start of the season due to a punctured lung – which he suffered during a pre-season match against Manchester United in the US – Mullin is slowly regaining his form from the last season. In the ongoing campaign, the striker has scored nine goals and provided two assists in 14 matches across all competitions.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

After a setback against Accrington Stanley last week, the Red Dragons are back to winning ways and have climbed up to the second position on the league table. They will next face Harrogate Town on Tuesday.

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An essential to get rid of any post-training muscle pain

Whether it's after training in the gym or a post-match strain, there's nothing worse than aches and pains stopping you from doing what you love. This is where massage guns become an essential piece of kit to keep you moving.

Massage guns have evolved to become the must-have gadget for sports recovery and there’s a wide selection of options to choose from. From ones with advanced LCD screens to travel-size minis – perfect for away games – there's an option out there to suit everyone.

What is a massage gun and why should use one?

If you’ve never used a massage gun before, fear not because they couldn't be simpler to operate. They are handheld machines that help relieve muscle pain and tension and are an excellent tool for giving you an effective muscle massage, and pain relief using vibration therapy. 

Most devices come with multiple attachments, specifically designed to be used on different parts of the body. There will usually be more than the one-speed setting, so you can truly personalise your experience.

So, whether it’s an overstretched leg from a tackle you didn’t quite make, or a shoulder barge you were on the receiving end for, GOAL has you covered. Here are all the best massage guns you can buy right now. 

Shop: Best massage guns for 2023

If you don’t mind investing in the best quality massage gun the market can offer, you won't go wrong with the Therabody Theragun PRO.

Voted best Kitbag accessory in the GOAL 2022 Product Awards, the newest member of the Theragun family comes with an impressive bounty of new features like built-in guided routines and app connectivity, plus, a stronger motor quieter than ever before.

A kitbag essential – loved by the likes of Trent Alerxander-Arnold and Granit Xhaka – for muscle recovery, the Theragun PRO is the ultimate tool to help you find relief after those tough games. 

The Hypervolt 2 is on the pricier end of the scale, but you’ll get the best of every feature for the money. It’s lightweight, so you can operate it with ease, and quiet enough for you to watch your favourite boxset whilst recovering post-match.

You don’t have to break the bank to get some much-needed relief from sore muscles. The MKHS massage gun packs a punch for a reasonably priced device. Plus, you get all the benefits of a much higher-priced item for a fraction of the price.

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Nothing is worse than when you’re using a massage gun, and the battery goes dead halfway through.

You won't have to worry about cutting your recovery session short with the Mebak 3 model. Featuring a three-hour run time after being fully charged, plus an LCD screen that displays the battery life in real-time.

Longest-ever unbeaten streak, most consecutive wins in all competitions, managers with the longest reign – Goal rounds up other European records

On February 22, Real Madrid will celebrate a historic 1000 days of being European champions after three consecutive years of winning the Champions League.

It is hard to remember a time when Los Blancos were not Champions League winners, and could very well win a fourth trophy in a row this season.

As the Spanish giants reach a victorious millenium, Goal looks into other momentous record-breaking feats in European football…

GettyMost consecutive Champions League titles – Real Madrid & Bayern Munich (3)

After defeating Liverpool 3-1 in the 2018 Champions League final in Kiev, Real Madrid won their third consecutive European title in a row. It is a feat that has not been achieved since Bayern Munich in the early 1970s.

Not only did Los Blancos equal the record for most consecutive Champions League titles won by a single team, but they also extended the record of most European trophies won by a club (13).

Should they be successful once again this year, they will set a new record of being the first team in history to win four consecutive Champions League trophies (not to mention their fifth in six years).

AdvertisementGettyMost consecutive Premier League title wins – Man Utd (3)

When the Red Devils won the Premier League for a third straight season in 2009, they equalled their own record for most consecutive league titles won by a club (which they set themselves between 1998 and 2001).

In doing so, they stretched the record of most top-flight titles won by a team in England to 20. They surpassed the record set by Liverpool in 1990 of most top-flight wins when they clinched their 19th title in 2011, thus leading them to adopt The Courtneers’ hit song ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ as their anthem of celebration.

GettyLongest unbeaten league run – Steaua Bucharest (104)

The Romanian side’s 1986 European Cup victory against Barcelona marked the start of an incredible run that saw them go 104 domestic games undefeated, starting from June 1986 to September 1989, setting a world record in the process.

They went on to win consecutive Liga 1 titles during that remarkable era while they also hold the record for most Romanian top-flight titles won (26).

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Longest-serving players at one club – Paolo Maldini & Francesco Totti

True one-club men are one in a million, and the football world must have done something right to bear witness to the greatness of Paolo Maldini and Francesco Totti for AC Milan and Roma, respectively.

The Italian legends are currently the longest-serving one-club men (from the top-five European leagues), with both careers spanning a momentous 25 seasons each.

Maldini has registered more Serie A appearances (647) than Totti (619), but both are just two of a rare breed of footballers who have pledged their entire senior careers to one club.