Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has lifted the lid on a single appearance that changed the course of his entire career. The striker moved to United in July 1996, joining from Norwegian side Molde for just £1.5m, winning the Champions League three years later. But it could have been so different, revealing the Manchester giants weren't the only English side interested in securing his services almost three decades ago.
Solskjaer caught the eye for Norway in 1996
Norway took on lowly Azerbaijan in a 1998 World Cup qualifier in June 1996, a game in which Solskjaer started alongside Frank Strandli. Solskjaer scored twice in a 5-0 home triumph in Olso and his performance on the frontline caught the eye of then Manchester United assistant Jim Ryan, who was in attendance in order to specifcally observe centre-back Ronny Johnsen.
But United weren't the only side with a scouting presence, with then Wolves boss Mark McGhee also watching on. The west midlands side, who at the time weren't even playing in the Premier League, were on the lookout for a new striker and it was Solskjaer catching their eye.
However, Wolves missed out to United, in what was a significant sliding doors moment for both player and club. He has labelled that day against Azerbaijan one of the most "important" games of his career.
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Solskjaer's brace vs Azerbaijan culminated in United switch
Speaking with Kelly Somers for , Solskjaer was asked about the first time he knew there would be a possibility he'd be playing in England, to which the former striker replied: "So, for Norway, this is probably one of the most important games in my career. We played Norway against Azerbaijan and I scored two very good goals.
"Coincidentally, Jim Ryan – the [United] assistant manager – was watching Ronny Johnsen, who we signed. He was sitting next to Mark McGhee, who at that time was Wolverhampton manager, chatting as they do.
"Mark McGhee is looking for a centre-forward, Jim Ryan's watching the game and I score two goals. So he thinks, 'OK, Wolverhampton will probably sign this boy'. He rang Sir Alex [Ferguson] that night and said: 'I think I found one and he won't be expensive. It's a cheap one, but we've got to be quick because Wolverhampton are also signing a centre-forward.' It went really, really fast."
Move to Old Trafford was a 'whirlwind' for Solskjaer
Host Somers then suggested it must have been a "whirlwind" for Solskjaer, to which he replied: "Brilliant. Absolutely top. But then you're never 100% sure until you signed the deal.
"But I more or less knew, so before my last game for Molde, I said to Age Hareide, who was the coach, that if I scored, I'm going to take my shirt off, throw it into the stands and run off the pitch. He said: 'No, you can't do that… but [if you have to] wait until 10 minutes before full-time.' That's exactly what happened.
"I think I scored a fifth goal, 5-1, and I just threw the shirt and ran off the pitch and we had no subs ready to come on, so we had to play a few minutes with 10 men. It was a whirlwind of a time. The media were outside my apartment. They wanted interviews and I just tried to stay away from all that."
And when asked about handling the whole new level of fame, Solskjaer said: "Of course. Because 18 months before Manchester United, I played for Clausenengen, my local team, in front of 50 people, so it was a big step up in attention. But I think I've been quite OK in handling these situations."
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Solskjaer went on to become a United legend
Solskjaer's move to Old Trafford caught many supporters of guard as the club pushed to sign Alan Shearer from Blackburn. Shearer ultimately signed for boyhood club Newcastle that same summer, making the switch to St. James' Park for a then-world record fee of £15 million.
The 'Baby Faced Assasin' would go on to cement himself as a United legend, however, as he won the Premier League six times and scored the winning goal in their 2-1 Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich in Barcelona in 1999.
Solskjaer then went on to manage United between 2018 and 2021, and was most recently manager of Besiktas, though he lasted just eight months in Istanbul following their failure to secure European football in August. He is, however, interested in returning to management again.
Leeds United have been linked with making an out of work manager their next boss and a new update has dropped regarding the situation, amid doubts over Daniel Farke’s future.
The Whites sit 16th in the Premier League table currently, with four defeats in their last five matches in the competition seeing the pressure increase on Farke and Marco Rose linked with replacing him.
That said, Sky Sports‘ Zinny Boswell has recently played down rumours of Farke being relieved of his duties any time soon, although there is a tough run of fixtures on the horizon.
“Leeds have no plans to change their head coach as things stand amid growing discontent among supporters and, after taking 11 points from 11 Premier League games, the club and Farke feel the team are currently on course to achieve their goal of survival.
“Sitting one point above the relegation zone, Leeds have the hardest schedule in the Premier League over the next five matches, according to Opta, with Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool visiting Elland Road as well as trips to Manchester City and Brentford. The fact Farke’s scheduled in for broadcast interviews next week is as strong an indication as any that he will be in the hot seat for at least some of those games and, although it is a daunting run, there is a belief internally that the Elland Road factor is a reason for optimism.”
"Available" Rodgers linked with replacing Farke at Leeds
Now, speaking to Leeds United News, journalist Graeme Bailey has discussed Brendan Rodgers being Leeds’ next boss, saying he could be a strong option something which “piles the pressure” on Farke.
There is plenty to admire about Rodgers as a manager, should he become a genuine option for Leeds, with the 52-year-old winning the FA Cup with Leicester City in 2021 and guiding Celtic to four Scottish Premiership titles, among other trophies.
He is an attack-minded manager famed for playing good football in a 4-3-3 formation, and he has huge experience in the Premier League, even coming close to winning the title with Liverpool back in 2013/14, entertaining the masses and getting the best out of the likes of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard.
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That said, it doesn’t appear as though 49ers Enterprises are going to rush into a decision with Farke for the time being, but the situation could change if they struggle in these tough upcoming games.
Leeds now eyeing 4-4-2 "quick and dynamic" manager to replace Daniel Farke
Opener hits unbeaten 72 off 40 balls to keep Rockets winless
ECB Media10-Aug-2025Eighteen-year-old Davina Perrin continued her impressive domestic form with a sparkling 42-ball 70 to overpower Trent Rockets in The Hundred.It was Perrin’s first half-century in The Hundred, and the second-highest score by a female English player uncapped at international level. More importantly for Perrin and Northern Superchargers, it took them to the top of the table with two wins from two.”I had a conversation with one of the coaches before and he said: ‘What are you going to do when you go out?’ And I was like: ‘have fun,'” Perrin said. “It was a pretty decent deck, it was coming onto the bat nicely, so it allowed me to lean into it and just try and play strong shots. It’s nice to do it front of so many people and on a decent ground, so happy days.”It was a dominant performance from the team in purple, who were on top straight away and rarely let their foot off the gas, save some customary excellence from Trent Rockets skipper Ash Gardner.The Superchargers had Rockets at 5 for 3 after 18 balls and right up against it, Gardner did her thing to fight back with a 32-ball 61 but it was essentially a lone hand and her side’s eventual total of 128 felt light at a sun-dappled Trent Bridge.Ash Gardner forces one away through the off side•Warren Little/Getty ImagesPerrin dominated the opening partnership of 62 with Alice Davidson-Richards and entertained the crowd throughout, with strong shots all around the wicket and even a one-handed scoop. Phoebe Litchfield matched her stroke for stroke with her 10-ball 22 and Annabel Sutherland finished things off in a fittingly creative way, reverse-sweeping through the off-side.It was a performance of great promise from the Superchargers who will feel they’re laying down a marker, for Rockets the need to get a win on the board is getting ever greater.
Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl only has to wait a few weeks before he can start to bring in his first signings in the January transfer window.
The former Sheffield Wednesday tactician will be looking to bolster his squad in key areas, despite all of the work that was done by former sporting director Kevin Thelwell in the summer.
Thelwell, along with CEO Patrick Stewart, was recently let go by the Gers and is yet to be replaced, which could mean that Rohl is given a large say in what happens in January.
The key areas Rangers need to strengthen in January
A new centre-forward should be on the agenda for Rangers, despite Bojan Miovski’s brace against Kilmarnock on Saturday, because their strikers have not offered enough in front of goal this season.
Per Transfermarkt, no Rangers number nine has scored more than Miovski’s four goals, with Danilo on three goals, and Youssef Chermiti on one goal, which is why Rohl may want a new marksman to provide goals on a regular basis.
The caveat to this, of course, is that things could change in the next few weeks and if Chermiti, Miovski, or Danilo hit a hot streak and look primed to be the main man up front, then a new striker could fall down the list of priorities.
A creative midfielder should also be on their list. No attacking midfielder or winger in the squad has provided more than one assist or created more than two ‘big chances’ in the Scottish Premiership, per FotMob, which points to a lack of creativity in those areas.
Along with a striker and a creative midfielder or winger, Rohl also needs to push the Light Blues to bring a senior and experienced left-back to Ibrox to replace Jayden Meghoma.
Why Rangers need to sign a left-back.
The Brentford loanee, 19, is the only natural left-back at the club at this moment in time, after Thelwell sold Ridvan Yilmaz and Jefte in the summer window.
He has shown some positive signs in possession in recent weeks, though, with a stunning goal against Dundee United and an assist for Mikey Moore against Kilmarnock in the last two league games.
In quotes sourced by PA Media prior to the clash with Kilmarnock, Meghoma reviewed his time at Ibrox so far and said: “The expectation here is really, really high.
“To be honest, I don’t blame the fans either because of the history. We know that as a team, we have to improve. That’s why we were chasing the game so hard. We know that we need to get more positive results. The loan has been amazing. Every experience you have is another learning curve. That’s what I always say. For me, it’s all an experience and I’m learning new things as I’ve been here. For me, it’s a fantastic experience.
“I think you mould quite well here as a player. Every experience I get here, I wouldn’t gain anywhere else. The experience alone is invaluable and it’s one of the best places to play in football at my age, especially.”
As the full-back said himself, he is gaining vital experience in his development by playing regular football at Ibrox, but Rangers have suffered at times as a result of his learning process, and it is Brentford who will benefit from it in the long run, not the Gers.
Meghoma
Premiership
Europa League
Appearances
12
5
Goals
1
0
Key passes per game
0.8
0.4
Assists
2
0
Ground duel success rate
61%
64%
Aerial duel success rate
19%
40%
Error led to shot
2
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Meghoma has particularly struggled in the air as a defender, which is a problem for Rangers when defending set-pieces and crosses into the back post from open play.
It was most evident for Jacob Lungi Sorensen’s goal for Brann in Rohl’s first match. TNT Sports commentator and former Rangers striker Ally McCoist said it was “remarkable” that the teenage defender allowed the Dane to get his head to the ball almost completely unchallenged to score.
Max Aarons has played at left-back, but is a natural right-sider and stunts the progression down that flank, which is why it is so important for the Gers to bring in a natural left-back in January.
The Light Blues need an experienced defender who can be relied upon to deliver consistent performances, without being a defensive liability, so that Rohl has some stability in his backline in the second half of the season.
Signing a proven performer at left-back would also provide Meghoma with a mentor who can help him to continue his development, even if this proposed signing could severely restrict his minutes on the pitch moving forward.
The Brentford loanee may be having an “amazing” time at Ibrox so far, but Rohl must be ruthless to build a squad that can compete for trophies, which is why he must brutally replace the teenager as a starter when the January transfer window opens for business.
Bid already submitted: Rangers could sign a "very pacy" Gassama replacement
Rangers could replace Djeidi Gassama on the wing by signing this reported target in the January window.
Stuttgart are bracing for a decisive summer as interest intensifies in Angelo Stiller, with Real Madrid, Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund monitoring his situation. Stuttgart director Fabian Wohlgemuth accepts that there is growing interest in the midfielder, but insists there have been no concrete proposals from other clubs.
The growing chase for Angelo Stiller
Stuttgart find themselves at the centre of one of Europe’s most intriguing transfer stories, as Stiller’s remarkable rise continues to attract elite clubs. The 24-year-old deep-lying playmaker has been linked for months with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and a host of Premier League sides.
Sporting director Wohlgemuth, speaking on , attempted to steady the growing speculation. “He has a contract with us. It’s far too early to speculate about that,” he said when asked about potential summer departures. “Of course, one or two clubs will have had their eye on him. He's having an outstanding season. Maybe he'll even play in a World Cup, we'll see. We're happy he's with us.”
Despite the calm public tone, Stuttgart privately accept that Stiller has reached a level that naturally draws heavyweight attention, especially after a season in which his influence has been impossible to ignore.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesEurope’s elite are circling Stiller
The Spanish giants, undergoing a period of midfield transition following the departures of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in consecutive seasons, identified Stiller as a long-term organiser capable of anchoring the Bernabeu midfield for years.
Stiller himself is reported to favour Madrid over Premier League projects, viewing Los Blancos as the ideal next step. While no formal bid has been made, Madrid’s informal approach in 2025 has kept the story simmering.
Reports from Spain note that head coach Xabi Alonso views Stiller as a natural successor to Kroos being a calm, technically immaculate deep-lying conductor who controls rhythm rather than relying on physical explosiveness. Alonso had monitored him closely during his time at Bayer Leverkusen and is said to have personally endorsed him as a 'priority target' for Madrid’s future core.
But Madrid are not alone. The Red Devils and Liverpool have monitored him closely, while Bayern, the club where he was developed, and Dortmund have both discussed internal strategies for 2026. For a midfielder who arrived from Hoffenheim for €5.5 million in 2023, Stiller’s trajectory has been nothing short of meteoric.
Breakout season and Stiller's rising value
Stiller’s appeal is grounded in a remarkable 2024-25 season, which established him as one of Europe’s most complete young midfielders. Across all competitions, he made 47 appearances, scoring four goals and providing 11 assists which are extraordinary numbers for a deep-lying playmaker.
His influence extended beyond individual brilliance. Stiller played a decisive role in Stuttgart’s DFB-Pokal triumph, anchoring midfield throughout their cup run. Further, his form earned him five caps for the German national team following his debut in 2024.
Since joining Stuttgart from Hoffenheim 2023, his market value has multiplied, and European interest reflects just how quickly he has risen from promising talent to elite-level organiser. This season the German international has scored one goal and registered five assists.
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GettyContracts, clauses and what next?
Stuttgart moved early to secure Stiller’s future, offering an improved extension in early 2025 that runs until 2028 and elevates him to one of the club’s top earners. The contract includes a release clause estimated around €40m, though it does not activate until summer 2026. Crucially, Stuttgart also hold an internal option to buy out the clause for around €2m, meaning they could remove it at any time and negotiate freely with interested clubs.
Despite this, Stuttgart’s internal valuation sits much higher. Reports in Germany suggest the club would demand at least €50m if approached before 2026, especially given the global interest. Wohlgemuth acknowledges the persistent speculation but insists the club remain calm: “That’s part of the entertainment we have to cover. But there’s nothing concrete. He can concentrate fully on Stuttgart.”
Stiller, meanwhile, remains committed to Stuttgart’s project, but has also made no secret of his ambition to take the next step when the timing is right. With major clubs preparing summer strategies, the coming transfer window may be decisive. If Madrid, United or Liverpool formalise their interest, Stuttgart will face a pivotal decision over one of Germany’s most coveted midfielders.
Chamari Athapaththu looms as a key figure as the joint-hosts look to kickstart their tournament
Andrew Fidel Fernando10-Oct-20252:46
Preview: Can Athapaththu dismantle England’s plans?
Big picture: Sri Lanka eye another World Cup upsetIn 18 completed games against England, Sri Lanka have won only once. But that one win was worth 18 at least. Sri Lanka’s victory over England in the 2013 World Cup wasn’t just the upset of that particular tournament, it was a vital staging post in the march of women’s cricket on the smaller of these two islands.Without that last-ball win at Brabourne, Sri Lankan women’s cricket would not be where it is now. Shashikala Siriwardene, Sri Lanka’s captain at the time, remembered it this way: “Our lives and our cricket changed with that match. It started with that game. We actually didn’t celebrate massively. We shouted a little bit in the dressing room, and the coach said a few words. And then we just went to our rooms. But I couldn’t sleep! I was up most of the night remembering all the little things in that match, and the big moments. I was overjoyed. It was only the next day that I got a little sleep. I think that happened to a lot of the others as well.”Since that match, England have won 10 ODIs against Sri Lanka on the bounce. There is no question who the favourites are on Saturday. England, additionally, have humbled South Africa, and eased past Bangladesh already in the tournament. Sri Lanka have one point from a washout against Australia, but lost their tournament opener to India in Guwahati.England have surmised that while Sri Lanka have more batting weapons now than they used to have, their best chance of securing victory is to dismiss Chamari Athapaththu cheaply. England opener Tammy Beaumont said as much on the eve of the match: “Chamari will certainly be the one we’ll be desperate to get out. It’ll be really well planned for.” Athapaththu is no stranger to being one of the most-analysed players by oppositions, having been such a singular star for Sri Lanka for a decade.And yet it feels accurate. If Sri Lanka are to topple England, it feels almost inescapable that Athapaththu will have to play a role. England, though, have a bowling attack brimming with confidence. They decked South Africa for 69 all out in their tournament opener, then restricted Bangladesh for 178 in their next game. England’s slow bowlers have been doing the damage. Finger-spinners Linsey Smith, Sophie Ecclestone, and Charlie Dean have 14 wickets between them, in two matches.Form guide:England: WWLWL LLLWW (last five matches, most recent first) Sri Lanka:In the spotlight: Heather Knight and Inoka RanaweeraIn 11 innings against Sri Lanka, Heather Knight has three half-centuries, and an average of 50. In Sri Lanka, her returns are even better – 208 runs, four not outs, and an average of 52.00. She hasn’t batted on the island since 2019, though. Sri Lanka will be aware that Knight comes in to this match with some runs, having top-scored against Bangladesh with 79. Her vast experience and success in Asia is daunting.Athapaththu may dominate opposition bowler’s minds ahead of a match against Sri Lanka, but left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera will have plenty of airtime in the batting discussions. In Sri Lanka’s first match, she took three wickets in one over to leave India 121 for 5, before they recovered (a theme of this World Cup so far). She finished with 4 for 46 in that match. If the Khettarama track takes turn – which it is likely to do – she will be difficult to handle again.Pitch and conditions: Spin, swing… and rain?It has been drier in the last few days in Colombo, but the forecast is again for showers, which is normal for this time of year. Expect another track on which there will be turn. But the humidity at this time of year also makes for great swing-bowling conditions.Team news: Hasini to open for SLEngland could stick with a winning XI for the third game running.England: (possible) 1 Tammy Beaumont, 2 Amy Jones (wk), 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley, 6 Emma Lamb, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren BellSri Lanka have been trying Hasini Perera as opener rather than Vishmi Gunaratne. They will likely retain that order for this match.Sri Lanka: (possible) 1 Hasini Perera, 2 Chamari Athapaththu (capt), 3 Harshith Samarawickrama, 4 Vishmi Gunaratne, 5 Kavisha Dihari, 6 Nilakshika de Silva, 7 Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), 8 Sugandika Kumari, 9 Achini Kulasuriya, 10 Udeshika Prabodhani, 11 Inoka RanaweeraStats and trivia Although she hit an important 62 in that 2013 win against England, Athapaththu’s numbers against this opposition are modest. She hasn’t hit another half-century against them in 13 other innings. One of Knight’s two half-centuries in Sri Lanka came at Khettarama. She strikes at 80.62 in the country, up from a career strike rate of 72.45. Although Sri Lanka have never beaten England in an ODI series, they did win a T20I series 2-1 in England in 2023. Quotes”I think you can never write off Chamari at all. We’ve been on the tough end of it a couple of times over the last few years, particularly when Chamari came to England. She played a couple of amazing innings. But I think over the last few years there’s probably a few more [players] that we’ve started to talk about. There’s certainly a lot more depth to that team that can bat around someone like Chamari.”England opener Tammy Beaumont says Sri Lanka’s batting isn’t all about Athapaththu any more
Galatasaray advisor and prominent agent George Gardi has dived into the behind-the-scenes developments with regards to the transfer to Leroy Sane to the Turkish heavyweights. The 29-year-old, who left Bayern Munich as a free agent at the end of last season, signed a three-year deal with Galatasaray after the club managed to convince him of his importance in the project.
Sane settling into new club Galatasaray
The former Manchester City and Schalke star left Bayern Munich as a free agent upon the expiry of his contract over the summer and joined reigning Turkish Super Lig champions Galatasaray on a three-year deal. He is one of the highest-earning players in Turkey, pocketing a hefty €9 million annual bonus along with a net loyalty bonus of €3m.
His first few months at the club weren't as good as many expected. The German international struggled to maintain his fitness and looked rusty during games. In fact, he was even dropped from the starting XI for the Champions League encounter against Liverpool in September.
However, things have started to fall in place for Sane in recent weeks. In a recent interview with , the winger admitted that "things didn't quite go as planned on the pitch at the beginning," but after getting regular minutes under his belt and spending more time with his new team-mates on the field, he was "very happy with my performances and how I've played."
AdvertisementGetty ImagesGalatasaray advisor reveals how the Sane transfer developed
Galatasaray transfer advisor George Gardi – one of the most prominent agents in Turkey, having facilitated the arrivals of Mauro Icardi, Victor Osimhen and Mario Gomez – has shed light on the behind-the-scenes developments surrounding the Sane transfer.
"This idea came about many, many months before the transfer window opened. I knew this player was needed to take the team to the next level. He was an essential player for building the squad for the upcoming season," Gardi told .
"When I started negotiations – many months in advance – I initially began with his then-agents. Then there was a change in management, and I continued with the new agents. Of course, it was difficult. He had offers from top clubs in England and Germany. He had a huge offer from Saudi Arabia. With the Club World Cup coming up, it was a big decision for his career."
Speaking about the negotiations, Gardi further explained: "I spoke a lot with the agents and also with him personally. I told him that Galatasaray could be a place where he would become one of the leaders. That he would fit perfectly into the system and could win in a place that would give him great emotions and great satisfaction – perhaps even with a chance to win something in Europe, something the club had never achieved before. I explained to the board and the president that we had to make this transfer very early. If we waited too long, the competition would be even greater and it would be almost impossible to get him. That's why I insisted on completing the deal before the Club World Cup. He travelled with Bayern Munich on the US tour and to the Club World Cup – and it was absolutely unusual for Galatasaray and generally for the Turkish market to sign such a player so early in the transfer window. Normally, these top players only arrive in the winter. Signing such a player so early sent a strong signal to the transfer market."
How Sane was convinced to join Galatasaray
Sane spent much of the 2024–25 season in a secondary role at Bayern Munich, logging just over 2,500 minutes in all competitions. Any club hoping to convince him would have needed to guarantee a larger role. At Galatasaray, he has already played nearly half as many minutes as he did last season. And that’s after only 15 matches.
"The deciding factor was the role he would have at the club," Gardi revealed. "The team needed a player with his qualities. The discussions with the coach – who made it very clear how important he would be to the team. And of course, the love of the fans, which he wouldn't have received elsewhere. To pull off transfers of such iconic players – players from such top clubs, with such fierce competition in the market – and to bring them in at the peak of their careers, and then at the beginning of the transfer window… that's a huge success for the club, for the president, the vice president, and the coach. We worked together brilliantly as a team to bring in such an important player. And hopefully, we will pull off similar transfers again in the future."
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Getty Images SportSane yet to unleash his best version for Galatasaray
Although he has scored three goals and delivered as many assists so far this season, the general consensus is that the 29-year-old is yet to display his best version for the Turkish heavyweights. In recent weeks, his prominence has increased and his convincing performances for Germany during the recently-concluded international break – where he scored twice – will only further boost his morale as the season progresses.
Gardi, as such, remains unflustered about Sane's impact. "There was a certain adjustment period – to the league, to the country. But now his performance is a key factor for the team, especially in the Champions League," he claimed. "And I believe we haven't yet seen his full potential. In the coming months, he will show his full potential – and raise his level even further, although it is already extremely high."
Read’s coaching staff will include fellow Trent Bridge stalwart Luke Fletcher as his assistant
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Nov-2025Trent Rockets women have appointed Chris Read as their new head coach.The former Nottinghamshire wicketkeeper and captain has been promoted from his assistant role held under previous incumbent Jon Lewis, who left the Women’s Hundred side at the end of the 2025 campaign after three years in charge.Read is a cult hero at Trent Bridge, having made over 700 appearances in all formats for Nottinghamshire across 19 years, serving as club captain for 10 seasons. He earned 15 Test caps for England, alongside 36 ODI appearances.Rockets will enter the 2026 season under new management following the acquisition of a 49% stake by Cain International – whose co-founders Todd Boehly and Jonathan Goldstein are part of the consortium that owns Chelsea FC – and private equity firm Ares Management. They will run the organisation, with Nottinghamshire retaining a 51% stake.Read’s move into coaching has recently included success as with Lancashire Women, marshalling them to two trophies this year. Last week, he signed a two-year deal to remain as their head coach through to the end of 2027.Read’s coaching staff at Rockets will include another former Nottinghamshire team-mate, Luke Fletcher, as assistant coach.”It’s a deeply proud moment to take on a head coaching role based at the ground that I have a huge number of unbelievably special memories at,” said Read in a statement. “I’ve really enjoyed developing my coaching skillset with the Rockets over the last three summers, and the opportunity to continue that journey is really exciting.”I felt the impact of a sold-out Trent Bridge crowd first-hand over many years, and I know how much their support can change the course of games.”With all the fresh energy and investment into the Hundred, I’m really looking forward to starting the preparation for 2026 and beyond as we bid to deliver success.”Rockets general manager Mick Newell, who coached Read at Nottinghamshire, added: “It’s a real full-circle moment for Chris to return to Trent Bridge to lead Trent Rockets, and we’re delighted to welcome him back.”Having established himself as a true club legend here with years of outstanding service as a player, he has now shown himself to be blossoming into an excellent coach and leader too.”His fantastic start to a coaching career at Lancashire, and his experience from previous years with the Rockets, will stand him in great stead, and we can’t wait to see him in his new role.”Despite boasting a strong group, which includes current England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, Rockets have yet to reach the final of the Women’s Hundred. Their best finish came in 2022, losing the Eliminator to Southern Brave.
He had attended team training on Wednesday and was at Bangladesh’s seven-wicket win over Pakistan for the duration of that game
Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Oct-2025Bangladesh women’s coach Sarwar Imran attended the team’s opening World Cup match against Pakistan on Thursday, despite having suffered a stroke on Monday. The Bangladesh team have been keen to stress that the stroke was “minor”.Imran, aged 66, had been discharged from hospital on Tuesday, the day after the stroke. He had attended team training on Wednesday and was at Bangladesh’s seven-wicket win over Pakistan for the duration of that game. He was largely inside the dressing room through the course of the game, rather than in the dugout at the edge of the field.Team manager SM Golam Faiyaz told ESPNcricinfo that Imran had returned so quickly following the stroke to better support the players. “He didn’t want the players to be discouraged,” Faiyaz said. “The doctor has said to keep an eye on him, and we are doing all that. But he’s feeling better.”Having just won in Colombo – the southernmost venue of this World Cup – Bangladesh now fly to Guwahati – the northernmost venue – on a charter flight on Friday morning. Imran is expected to make that trip with the team. Their next match is against England on Tuesday.