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Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has done a phenomenal job at Ibrox after taking over a team that had only won one of their opening eight Scottish Premiership matches.

Now, the Gers are level on points with Celtic after beating them 3-1 on Saturday and six points behind league leaders Hearts in the table, with plenty of football left to be played.

There is still work to be done in the January transfer window, which opened for business last week, and that includes moving players on from Ibrox in the coming weeks.

Rangers midfielder set to leave this month

The Daily Record reports that Kieran Dowell is one of the players who is set to be allowed to move on from the club before the end of the window, as he is surplus to requirements under Rohl.

Per Transfermarkt, the English midfielder currently ranks 24th in the squad for appearances (six) and 23rd for minutes (384) in the 2025/26 campaign, which speaks to how much of a fringe player he is.

The former Norwich City star spent the second half of last season on loan at Birmingham City in the third tier of English football, and did show quality as a scorer and a creator, suggesting that he is more suited to that level than playing for Rangers at Ibrox.

24/25 League One

Kieran Dowell

Appearances

19

Goals

5

Big chances created

9

Key passes per game

1.5

Assists

4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Dowell was superb for Birmingham in their run towards the League One title last season, with 14 goals and ‘big chances’ created in 19 games.

But a return of zero goals and three assists in 38 games for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, shows that he does not have the quality to deliver consistent quality for the Scottish giants.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The Light Blues can finally part ways with Dowell and move on from his struggles at Ibrox by using the January transfer window to sign a huge upgrade on him.

How Rangers could replace Dowell

Rangers are reportedly eyeing up Motherwell central midfielder Elliot Watt as a potential target for the January transfer window, as he only has 18 months left to run on his current contract at Fir Park.

The 25-year-old star has caught the eye with his impressive performances in the Premiership so far this season, and could come in as a player who can seriously challenge for a place in the starting XI.

Dowell, who has not played a game since August, has clearly not done enough to prove to Rohl that he has what it takes to play as the number ten or in central midfield.

Watt, though, has the qualities to play in either of those roles for the German head coach, because he is an incredibly well-rounded midfielder who can offer plenty to the team in and out of possession in the middle of the park.

Heart & Hand podcaster Adam Thornton recently described the 25-year-old star as “a bit of a unicorn” while analysing that his best qualities are a “rare blend”. His statistics in the Premiership this season back up that claim.

25/26 Premiership

Elliot Watt

Rank vs CMs

Goals

4

Top 5%

xA

3.09

Top 9%

Assists

2

Top 25%

Touches

2,058

Top 1%

Tackles

43

Top 6%

Duels won

96

Top 11%

Ball recoveries

163

Top 1%

Stats via FotMob

Described as the “best midfielder in the league” this season by Scottish football analyst Kai Watson, Watt certainly ranks favourably among the best central midfielders in the division in various areas of the game, showing he can impact matches at both ends of the park.

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This makes him a highly versatile and valuable asset to have because he could be deployed as a deep-lying midfielder, tasked with breaking up play, or as an attacking midfielder, tasked with scoring goals and creating chances.

His return of four goals and two assists this season means that he already has more goal contributions than Dowell has in his entire Rangers career in all competitions, despite the Englishman having joined in the summer of 2023.

This suggests that the Motherwell talent would be far more likely to make an impact in the final third than Dowell at Ibrox, as he has proven that he can be a difference maker at the top end of the pitch in the Premiership.

Now, it is down to the board to strike a deal with their Premiership rivals to bring Watt to the club this month, allowing them to finally ditch Dowell and upgrade on him in the process.

Related Rohl can bin Aasgaard by signing £5m gem who'd be a "huge coup" for Rangers

Danny Rohl could drop Thelo Aasgaard from the team with a Rangers swoop for this reported target.

Posts ByDan Emery

The transfer window has not opened yet, but Tottenham Hotspur are already looking to get business done early on.

Rumours have been flying around recently regarding Europa League final hero Brennan Johnson, who seems like he could be set to depart the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this winter.

A recent report from David Ornstein suggests that the Lilywhites have agreed a deal with Crystal Palace for the transfer of the winger.

The esteemed journalist said the two London rivals have agreed a £35m deal for the Welshman, which could set into motion a flurry of incomings in North London.

Already, they have been linked with a new winter addition.

Spurs target new attacking star

With money for Johnson potentially coming into the club, it certainly seems as though Thomas Frank will have room to upgrade his attack. It seems like a deal for Antoine Semenyo is now completely off the table.

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But, Spurs may yet recruit from within the Premier League. According to a report from the Mail, the Lilywhites are one of the sides thought to be ‘admirers’ of Manchester City attacker Oscar Bobb, who could be on the move this winter.

However, this will not be a straightforward deal for Frank’s side to complete. Spurs are set to be rivalled by another London rival, Fulham and Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, for his signature.

Newcastle United, who have also been linked with a move for Bobb this winter, were quoted a fee of £20m, so it is safe to assume Spurs would have to pay a similar fee.

Why Bobb would be a good signing

Although Bobb’s career has certainly had its ups and downs, there is no doubting his talent. He’s struggled with injuries and getting into the City team ahead of the likes of Phil Foden, but at his best, he is “one of the best wingers in football,” according to BBC Sport analyst Umir Irfan.

This term has not been easy for the 22-year-old. Bobb has only played 15 times across all competitions, racking up 739 minutes in that time.

He has managed to get an assist, though, in the first game of the season, in which City beat Wolves 4-0.

Don’t let the fact that the Norwegian international has played so little this term fool you. It is worth remembering that he is competing with Foden and Rayan Cherki for a spot in the side. However, he oozes technical class, as this goal away to Newcastle a few years ago shows.

In the summer, Spurs were close to signing Eberechi Eze before he moved to arch-rivals Arsenal. Well, now they are in for Bobb, it is certainly a deal that has a similar feeling.

Frank clearly wants a more technical player, able to play out wide or in the pockets, to add to his attack.

Eze has done well for the Gunners, so it might sting Spurs fans, given they missed out on him. The England international has five goals and four assists in 24 games.

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That included a hat-trick in the North London Derby

Interestingly, the pair are deemed to be statistically similar players in the Premier League, according to FBref, with the numbers showing why the signings are alike.

For example, the City star 1.92 key passes and 3.27 progressive carries per 90 minutes compared to Eze’s 0.73 key passes and 2.18 progressive carries each game.

Bobb & Eze key stats in 25/26 PL

Stat (per 90)

Bobb

Eze

Key passes

1.92

0.73

Progressive passes

3.46

3.91

Goal-creating actions

0.58

0.54

Take-ons completed

3.08

1.73

Progressive carries

3.27

2.18

Stats from FBref

It is clear to see that Frank wants a player of this profile in his squad. A versatile attacker who can play outside or in the middle, thriving when dribbling in small spaces and creating chances in the final third.

Bobb certainly ticks those boxes, and can offer an exciting new dimension to the Spurs squad that can help take them to the next level.

Related Kolo Muani upgrade: Spurs in record bid for “one of the best CFs in Europe”

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Posts 2 ByAngus Sinclair

Fuelled by EA SPORTS IGNITE, FIFA 14 will feel alive with players who think, move, and behave like world-class footballers, and dynamic stadiums that come to life. Players have four times the decision making ability and feel alive with human-like reactions, anticipation, and instincts.

With 10 times more animation depth and detail than previous consoles, FIFA 14 delivers the dynamic movements and biomechanics of the world’s best footballers. Players are agile and athletic as they plant, pivot and cut, and explode out of each step. The increased fidelity has a game-changing effect on gameplay. Plus, the artistry and athleticism of footballers will come to life with the addition of hundreds of new types of skills and hundreds of new behaviors. And for the first time ever, fans will feel the electricity of a living stadium as the emotions of new 3D crowds rise and fall around the stories on the pitch. Additional features will be revealed in the months ahead, but here are a  list of some of the biggest changes FIFA 14 has in store for everyone:

EA SPORTS IGNITE — Ignite blends new technology with the best rendering, run-time physics, animation, intelligence, locomotion, and online systems from across EA into one powerful, new engine. Athletes possess human-like intelligence for advanced decision-making, players have true athletic motion, and living worlds make the game experience as rich and dynamic as real-world stadiums. Pro Instincts — Players will make intelligent decisions with human-like reaction times, moving instinctively around the pitch like world class footballers. Players will anticipate moves to seal off opponents and intercept passes, skip over tackles and out-stretched legs to avoid collisions, and slow opponents by hooking or holding an arm. Precision Movement — With 10 times more animation depth and detail, EA SPORTS IGNITE delivers the dynamic movements and biomechanics of the world’s best footballers. Every step counts as players now plant, pivot and cut, change direction and shift their momentum with the agility and explosiveness of elite athletes. Player acceleration and deceleration is more realistic with a game-changing effect on gameplay. Players feel more grounded, agile and explosive, and manage their momentum with distinct foot plants and push-offs. Elite Technique — Harnessing the power and memory of the new consoles, FIFA 14 delivers hundreds of never-before-seen new skills and behaviours. Players have an arsenal of new shot types such as side volleys, defections, power chips and first time screamers, and new passes such as touch, over-head, slice and lobs. New behaviours include trapping the ball in stride at pace, panic turns when defenders are beaten, off-balance shots, missed shot reactions, and more. Living Worlds — The world inside the stadium feels alive and stunning 3D crowds and dynamic sidelines impact the experience. Players are also aware of the match and what needs to be done to get a result—their sense of urgency increases as the match draws on, and if a goal is needed, they rush to take a throw-in or corner if time is running down. Pure Shot — Players have the intelligence to adjust their stride and approach angle to find the best position for hitting the back of the net. Well-hit balls feel satisfying and goals are rewarding. As well as quality strikes, players can now shoot while off balance or rushed. Real Ball Physics — Strike the ball with more force and finesse. Realistic ball physics now determines the trajectories of balls in game, enabling players to strike the ball with force from distance, drill low rising shots with accuracy, and blast dipping or swerving shots, just like real footballers. Protect The Ball — Dominate midfield and dictate the tempo. Fend-off and block defenders from the ball while dribbling at any speed. Protect the ball from opponents to control play through midfield and dictate the pace of the match. Plus, out-muscle opponents for position before receiving the ball, then turn defenders to carve out opportunities. Teammate Intelligence — Better decision-making delivers tighter, smarter marking and improved run tracking. Defenders recognize opportunities to provide support and win back possession. Attacking players have new ways to outsmart their opponents by creating space for themselves, running along the backline and checking their pace. Sprint Dribble Turns — Utilize quick, explosive cuts and turns to beat defenders one-on-one while sprinting with the ball. Players can move in any direction, preserving their natural momentum and maintaining possession of the ball. Variable Dribble Touches — The First Touch Control of dribbling varies a player’s touch when dribbling with pace. Skilled players stand out while less skilled players will experience fewer perfect touches and more uncertainty dribbling. Skill Games – A competitive practice mode to learn or master the fundamental skills necessary to compete at FIFA 14. Become a better player, faster, no matter what your skill level, competing against yourself or friends in all-new mini-games. Career Mode — Search for talent year-round with the new Global Transfer Network that brings the world of professional scouting to life. Develop and refine your own scouting network. Evaluate footballers to uncover the attributes of players who could bolster your squad during the transfer windows. A new hub delivers easy navigation, fewer interruptions and live scouting reports. Complete Authenticity — 500 officially licensed clubs, over 30 leagues and more than 15,000 players.

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Jackson Bird and Chadd Sayers have been included as specialist seam bowling role players in Australia’s Test squad for the tour of New Zealand next month.In an assignment that can earn Steven Smith’s men the No. 1 Test ranking, Bird and Sayers have been included as pace support for Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson and Peter Siddle, in expectation of well grassed and seaming pitches. Steve O’Keefe and Scott Boland were dropped from the 14-man squad for Australia’s most recent Test — the rain-marred draw in Sydney against West Indies — to make room for Bird and Sayers.Bird played his most recent Test for Australia in Durham on the 2013 Ashes tour, while Sayers has never played for the national team. However he has turned out for Australia A, including on the tour of the British Isles that preceded the Ashes three years ago. The selection chairman Rod Marsh said Sayers had been in the frame for some time, excepting time out last season due to injury that also cruelled his chances of making the 2015 Ashes tour.”Chadd’s got a terrific record in Sheffield Shield cricket, he was injured most of last summer but he started well again this summer,” Marsh said. “The season before he was rewarded with A team status in the side that went to England and did very well there. And it’s a matter of horses for courses, we think the conditions in New Zealand will suit Chadd as much as anyone. He’s a good bowler under conditions that nibble around a little bit, and we’re very happy for him to be chosen.”Even last summer when he played earlier in [2014] against India A at Allan Border Field you remember that game where it appeared thousands of runs were scored. Chadd bowled a lot of overs and got five-for and his figures outshone any other bowler. He can bowl, he thoroughly deserves his selection.”Under normal New Zealand conditions I think you have to bowl line and length, you’ve got to be patient. It’s something we haven’t always been good at, but we’ll have to get good at it if we want to win this series.”As for the contention that the selection of Bird and Sayers was a deviation from the “pace is power” mantra adopted by the coach and selector Darren Lehmann, Marsh demurred. “I haven’t deviated from anything, because what I always thought is you pick the best bowlers for those conditions,” he said. “To me speed is not everything … there’s no point bowling 150kph if you bowl half volleys and wides. Good bowling is good bowling, you pick your best bowlers. I don’t care what speed they bowl, as long as they bowl beautifully.”The batting line-up arrived as expected following a strong showing by Australia’s top order at home this summer. Mitchell Marsh remains the selectors’ allrounder of choice. “I’m not totally surprised but I’m very happy,” Marsh said of how the batting line-up had settled. “That’s the bottom line, they’ve done exceptionally well. Make hay while the sun shines. Their confidence is obviously up and it’ll need to be up, because New Zealand are a very, very good cricket team.”Australia’s most recent Test tour of New Zealand was in 2010. Of that touring party only Smith, who was then a young and uncapped project player, will be making the trip again. I don’t know what we’re going to get in New Zealand, but if you just look at the pitch they played on in the World Cup game in Auckland that did a bit,” Marsh said. “And the Sri Lankan series those did a bit, so you’re assuming they’re going to do a little bit.”It’s exciting at the moment because if we win in New Zealand we could well go to No. 1, if we play decent T20 cricket we could well go to No. 1 there, and I think we’re that far ahead in one day cricket on the ratings it could be that we could get to No. 1 in all three forms.”Australia squad: Steven Smith (capt), David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Chadd Sayers, Jackson Bird.

Bermuda 231 for 7 (Tucker 59*, Edness 41) beat Uganda 224 for 9 (Kishore 84*, Ruyange 50, Hurdle 4-40) by seven runs
ScorecardBermuda won their opening warm-up match against Uganda in Nairobi, but they were taken to the wire, eventually squeezing a seven-run victory.Bermuda, whose form in the last year has been desperately poor, need good results in Kenya and the UAE, and they got off to a good start after winning the toss, Stephen Outerbridge and Jekon Edness putting on 83 for the first wicket. But then the innings lost its way as five wickets fell for 53 runs, Davies Arinaitwe and Frank Nsubuga picking up two each. Nsubuga’s offspin was particularly effective on a slow pitch, his ten overs producing excellent figures of 2 for 24.Janeiro Tucker led a middle-order revival, smacking an unbeaten 59, including five sixes, as Bermuda recovered to 231 for 7.Kevin Hurdle struck twice in his opening overs to reduce Uganda to 7 for 2, and although they eased to 85 for 4, the game seemed beyond them. Nandi Kishore had other ideas, and with Daniel Ruyange he boosted the score to 170 before Dwayne Leverock broke the stand. The reintroduction of Hurdle was too much for the lower middle-order, and although Kishore kept blazing, the ask was just too much for Uganda.Bermuda will be relieved to have avoided an embarrassing slip-up while Uganda will take great heart from an impressive performance. The two sides meet again on Tuesday (October 23).

Less than a week after arriving in Bangladesh, Zimbabwe’s selectors have drafted two more players into the squad, calling up fast bowler Ed Rainsford and legspinner Graeme Cremer. The pair are expected to arrive in Dhaka on Friday.Rainsford was left out of the original squad that left last week after he cracked his thumb taking a catch during a practice match. Sources say the doctor’s note stated that he was going to be fit two hours before the team’s scheduled flight, prompting the selectors to leave him out.It appears Rainsford, the only genuine quick bowler among the current crop of Zimbabwe bowlers has high chances of playing in the five-match one-day series but will miss the series opener scheduled for Khulna on Thursday. His return puts pressure on Anthony Ireland and Christopher Mpofu who are likely to take the new ball for Zimbabwe. Ireland did duty with Rainsford during the Champions Trophy in India while Mpofu was recently handed an international recall after more than a year on the sidelines.Cremer, a legspinner with an ability to bowl long spells, has been called up for the additional two first-class matches that have been added to Zimbabwe’s tour.

The film community has asked for an inquiry to be held into the manner in which Sourav Ganguly was dropped © AFP

A body representing West Bengal’s film-making community has thrown its weight behind Sourav Ganguly by appealing to the public to not attend the fourth one-dayer between India and South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Ganguly’s omission from the one-day side first and then subsequent removal from captaincy in Tests has provoked outrage in his home state, but the film-makers’ appeal to boycott might not be successful, as a member of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) told the Kolkata-based that ticket sales had been satisfactory.Actors Biplab Chatterjee and Rupa Ganguly of the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists’ Forum asked for an inquiry to be initiated into the manner in which Ganguly was dropped, and sent a memo to Rahul Dravid, the new Indian captain, Kiran More, the head of selectors, and Gautam Dasgupta, the BCCI secretary. However, Dasgupta said that no such memo had reached his notice, and played down the protests by saying that they did not concern the board.Security arrangements for cricket matches in India are heavy and omni-present, but whether their presence will be beefed up for the forthcoming match in light of the protests remains to be seen. A senior CAB official said, “Police are aware of such protests, but I’m yet to get information about any extra security for them.”

Lakshmipathy Balaji becomes the latest fast bowler to be struck by injury© Getty Images

The Indian team suffered another setback as Laksmipathy Balaji was ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy with an abdominal injury. He will return to India shortly. Amit Bhandari, the medium pacer from Delhi, has been chosen to replace him.Balaji has become the second Indian to drop out, after Sachin Tendulkar’s tennis elbow did not recover in time. Speaking to reporters at the indoor nets at the Rose Bowl, Sourav Ganguly said: “There’s a problem with Balaji and we’ve asked for a replacement. He had a problem with his abdomen [muscle] this morning and we’ve asked for a replacement.”Balaji’s problem cropped up in London during the NatWest Challenge. He experienced some muscle pain in the abdomen, and was treated for it. “He had an injection in London on the 7th,” said Ganguly, “and we hoped he would recover, but the injury has not responded since then.”The Indian selectors picked Bhandari to replace Balaji. Bhandari has played two one-day internationas for India, and has picked up five wickets. His last match for India was against Zimbabwe in the VB Series earlier this year, in which he took 3 for 31 in 7.4 overs.

Two stalwarts of South African and Natal cricket have died with 24hours of each other. Dereck Dowling and Walter “Billy” Wade, both 89,Passed away in Durban at the end of last week, Dowling on May 30 and Wade on May 31.Wade was unable to tour, but played in 11 Tests for South Africa,against England in 1938-39 and 1948-49 and then against Australia in 1949-50. An unorthodox striker, he played for South Africaas a wicketkeeper/batsman although, as John Arlott observed, he had little liking for wicketkeeping and often played for Natal as a batsman.The rrother of the former South African captain Herby Wade, he diedin the same house he had lived in all his life.Dowling, an allrounder who bowled legspin, played for Natal andBorder either side of the war but came into his own as an administrator, and was a former president of Natal.

With Manicaland’s first-league season due to start in the next few weeks, most of the young coaching professionals have returned from their U.K. winter employment. Alec Taylor, Kingsley Went, Richie Sims and Neil Ferreira will join new academy graduates Justin Lewis, Ian Coulson and Leon Soma in a tighter than normal fight for first team places. Missing from last season will be Patrick Gada (emigrated to the U.S.A.) and Jason Young (future undecided – awaiting developments in the U.K.).Mutare Sports Club was the venue last weekend for the second annual winter districts cricket festival. The five teams that normally contest the social winter districts league come together for four 10-over matches culminating in a plate and final on Sunday afternoon. The teams were made up mostly of farmers and farming evictees from Odzi, Old Umtali, Upper Bvumba and Burma Valley, together with a Hillcrest College Old Boys side.The emphasis was on fun and forgetting the dire state of farming and Zimbabwe’s problems. Sponsors had stuck Z$70 000 (about U.S.$235) behind the bar and the amount remained unbeaten after two days – a sure sign that Zimbabwe’s currency will continue to attract the international bargain-hunters. Performances ranged from a top end of awful with jeering wives, girlfriends and fellow-contestants applauding every mishap and shortcoming. Eventual winners Hillcrest Old Boys were booed every step of the way for taking themselves and their cricket too seriously during a boring victory over fellow finalists Burma Valley.The previous weekend I had an opportunity to experience firsthand the results of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union’s pilot project for black cricket advancement at the (soon to be renamed) Churchill high school in Harare. Promising black cricketers discovered at coaching clinics around the country are found places at Churchill where a cricket culture is fostered. Pupils receive coaching at the CFX Academy, which is a short distance down the road.Travelling from Mutare as umpire/coach with Hillcrest College’s under-16 side, our team was given a taste of the uncompromising future of Zimbabwe cricket. Churchill’s new black professionals destroyed all four (mostly white) Mutare teams in humiliating and soulless fashion.Over lunch after watching Churchill race to 268 for three in 35 overs, my fellow umpire (a Churchill teacher) confessed the school has too many players and too few coaches. Each age group have four teams vying for promotion, with highly visible classmates Tatenda Taibu and Hamilton Masakadza as role models spurring them on. One gets the sensation of Mike Tyson goes to Lord’s watching these `out the ghetto’ no-prisoners road warriors. Results and personal statistics take precedence over everything as potential future contracts are eyed. Umpiring decisions are routinely disputed and umpires derided in an atmosphere reminiscent of Lord of the Flies. The teachers are ill-equipped to moderate excessive behaviour, being at best first-generation cricket watchers themselves.Whilst it is exciting watching the emerging talent of this new breed of Zimbabwe player, one can’t help but recall Don Bradman’s words that "young players are the trustees of the game". The Z.C.U.’s problems are about to get bigger.