Papua New Guinea allrounder Mahuru Dai has received an official warning and one demerit point for violating Article 2.1.8 of the ICC code of conduct, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international match”. The incident occurred during PNG’s revised chase of 170, after Dai was caught by the substitute fielder off Rohan Mustafa. Dai admitted the offence, and accepted the sanction.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) kicked off their World Cup Qualifiers campaign on a very positive note, easing past Papua New Guinea (PNG) in a rain-hit encounter in Harare. PNG’s target was revised from 222 to 170 from 28 after a rain break, and they didn’t get close, folding for 113. Seamer Mohammad Naveed contributed much to this slide, taking career-best ODI figures of 5 for 28.At one point PNG looked in danger of missing out on triple digits, falling to 70 for 8; none of their top five got past 12, and the innings’ top score was 24 from No. 6 Charles Amini who was eventually run out.It was PNG who chose to chase, and UAE looked like there were keen to make them pay for this decision from the outset. Their openers Rohan Mustafa and Ashfaq Ahmed put on 91 at a brisk pace, but none could kick on to big hundreds. PNG enjoyed some relief after Ashfaq fell for 50 off 56, taking two more quick wickets.The UAE middle order could not quite get going thereafter, and Mustafa was kept in check too – he eventually fell five short of a hundred, having played out 136 balls. PNG must have felt relieved to have only 222 to chase, given UAE’s start. However, rain and Naveed intervened and spoiled those plans.
Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo made a poor error as Blackburn came from a goal down to lead 2-1 in their FA Cup tie at Ewood Park.
Wrexham taking on Blackburn
Take shock lead at Ewood Park
Goalkeeper gifts hosts goal
WHAT HAPPENED?
Okonkwo had a moment to forget during Wrexham's FA Cup tie with Blackburn. The goalkeeper came racing out of his penalty area but sold himself short, allowing Sam Gallagher to calmly stroke the ball home and put his side 2-1 up in the tie, having previously cancelled out Andy Cannon's brilliant opener.
Advertisement
WATCH THE CLIP
Getty
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Wrexham had enjoyed a dream start as Andy Cannon fired the visitors into a shock lead. However, Sammie Szmodics levelled before Okonkwo's error saw Blackburn go ahead. Szmodics then struck again just before half-time to give the visitors a mountain to climb.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty
WHAT NEXT?
The winners of the tie progress to a fifth round match against Newcastle. Wrexham's next game is a League Two clash against Salford City.
Liverpool may be focussing their attention on signing a new holding midfielder before the start of the 23/24 Premier League campaign next week, but remain attached to speculation over a move for Celta Vigo prodigy Gabri Veiga.
What's the latest on Gabri Veiga to Liverpool?
That's according to Deportes COPE Galicia (via Estadio Deportivo), who claim that the Reds have lodged an opening bid of €25m (£21m) for Veiga, who concluded a tremendous breakout season in LaLiga this year.
This is some distance from the Sky Blues' demands that the 21-year-old's €40m (£35m) release clause is paid to warrant his departure from the club, though Jurgen Klopp's side hope to smooth discussions by offering the player remains with Vigo for a year on loan.
Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano confirmed Liverpool's stance in June and revealed that the Anfield side had been "following" the player's situation closely, with Chelsea also enquiring about the midfielder's availability.
How good is Gabri Veiga?
It is perhaps a testament, rather than a discredit, to Veiga's quality that Liverpool are hoping to complete a deal this summer and allow the player to remain with his outfit for the coming campaign.
The Spaniard was one of the hottest commodities in his homeland last term and dazzled with his return of 11 goals and four assists from just 28 starting appearances during his first full season in the Spanish top-flight, and he has consequently been praised for his "dangerous" skills by journalist Euan McTear.
Described as a "very electric player" and "one of the best talents in the world" by Romano, Veiga boasts the all-encompassing creative arsenal to rival the goliaths of the game, and given his surging nature on the pitch and innate goal-scoring ability, could be Klopp's very own Kevin De Bruyne.
De Bruyne has been a veritable wizard since joining Manchester City from Wolfsburg for £55m in 2015; the Belgian star has won every major honour at his disposal with the Citizens, completing a stunning treble last season, and has scored 96 goals and supplied 152 assists from 356 displays for the imperious club.
Described as "the greatest" midfielder in Premier League history by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, De Bruyne is undoubtedly a genius playmaker with a superlative technical ability, and he blends the facets magnificently.
As per FBref, the £400k-per-week phenom ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 2% for progressive carries and the top 3% for touches in the attacking box per 90.
While Veiga focuses more on his striking than as the orchestrator of openings for teammates, he still ranks among the top 20% of positional peers for assists per 90, also ranking among the top 1% for goals, the top 12% for progressive carries and successful take-ons and the top 11% for touches in the attacking box per 90.
Previously hailed as a "wonderful talent" by journalist Josh Bunting, Veiga boasts the glitz and the glam but also a footballing intellect that has formed the foundation of his exploits.
He has even been dubbed "baby Kaka" by content creator Rimedi for his velvet touch and breezy elegance on the pitch – like a leaf in the wind.
Even if Liverpool were to allow him to spend one season on loan to nurture his precocious talents, he would grace Premier League soil with astounding quality and rise to the fore as one of the division's greatest maestros under Klopp's tutelage.
Arsenal have a long and illustrious history littered with silverware, but the truly elite honours have eluded them for some time now. Mikel Arteta is clearly seeking to ensure that this summer finally gives them the chance to challenge once again at the pinnacle of English football, and they seem far from finished with their dealings.
Is Marc Guehi leaving Crystal Palace?
With Declan Rice the outstanding acquisition from this window, his big-money move perhaps overshadows the equally important signings of Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber. All three of these combine to give the Gunners a massive boost with regard to their depth, which was sorely needed.
However, rumours continue to circulate despite these improvements, suggesting that sporting director Edu Gaspar is still very much incensed when it comes to tempting new faces to the Emirates.
One such report that remains, despite emerging in May, did suggest that Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi remained a viable option for the north London club.
Although his £50m price tag could provide a stumbling block, signing the England international could prove a remarkable coup for a side seeking to cultivate a youth-focused squad with the talent to challenge for those top titles now and long into the future.
How good is Marc Guehi?
During the early years of Arsene Wenger's reign, despite claiming the Premier League title in just his second season, he had suffered many near-misses in the pursuit of domination.
Between 1998 and 2001, the Frenchman led his squad to three consecutive second-placed finishes, failing to take that next step to truly achieve greatness.
That was until he signed Sol Campbell.
It was noted in the English defender's biography [Sol Campbell – The Authorised Biography, pg. 106]that he was signed on the claims of Wenger, who noted: "It was as if he was indestructible, such a power spread from him."
He was tall, powerful, fast and menacing, yet had a touch of class; he would propel the Gunners to stardom.
TheScore served to supplement such a notion, writing the following review on the 48-year-old after ranking him as the 11th-best player of the legendary manager's reign: "Sol Campbell is the epitome of an athletic centre-back, whose robust frame and barrel chest hid the fact that he was sublime on the ball."
His first year after moving from Tottenham Hotspur saw him win the Premier League title, and two years later he would be ever-present during their Invincibles run. His acquisition proved to be a catalyst, and in Guehi, they could repeat this feat.
sol-campbell-arsenal
He too boasts many of the physical qualities that made Campbell so revered, alongside a passing range that mirrors the legendary centre-back's. After all, his England U21 teammate Josef Bursik branded him an "absolute tank" back in 2021.
Just last season saw him maintain a 6,94 average rating in the league, with that figure largely upheld by his 85% pass accuracy, 82% dribble success, 1.4 tackles and 3.6 clearances per game, via Sofascore.
His ability to remove danger from his own penalty area would have seen him ranked first among Arsenal's squad last season.
With his bulky frame and speed off the mark, he can stride out from the back to then find a teammate.
Should things then go wrong, he boasts the raw pace to return back in position to thwart opposition attacks.
Guehi is the quintessential modern-day centre-back and could help take Arteta's side to the next level, should Edu manage to lure him across the capital this summer.
Having also finished second last campaign, the Spaniard will be seeking the edge that can help them overtake Manchester City.
Perhaps, given just how similar Guehi is to Campbell, he could prove to have a similarly revolutionary effect that propels them to a league title in his first year upon joining.
Newcastle United are intending to sign three new players in key different areas of the pitch this summer, according to an exciting new transfer update.
Who have Newcastle signed in 2023?
The Magpies enjoyed a superb 2022/23 season, arguably exceeding all expectations and eventually finishing fourth in the Premier League. It means that they are back in the Champions League next term, which will lead to some memorable European nights at St James' Park in 2023 and hopefully 2024.
It is imperative that Newcastle don't sit still this summer and fail to kick on from last season's excellence, however, making sure their squad is bolstered enough to reach another level in 2023/24. Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali has already been brought in from AC Milan, but their business cannot afford to stop there.
The money is seemingly available for the Magpies to continue their recent spending, so Eddie Howe should be able to have an even more formidable-looking starting lineup by the time their opening fixture of the new campaign rolls around at home to Aston Villa next month.
While Newcastle look well-stocked in certain positions, not least midfield, especially after the signing of the highly-rated Tonali, there are other areas that look a little light currently, and that could do with summer surgery. A new update suggests that the Magpies have the situation under control, though.
Are Newcastle linked with new signings?
According to Football Insider, Newcastle still want to sign a left-back, a centre-back and a wide attacking forward this summer, in order to perfect their squad.
They see those areas as key points of focus, in order to have more options moving forward, and it will be "another big money window" according to this report.
This is encouraging to hear for Newcastle, with all three positions mentioned in needed in strengthening, if Howe's men are to go up another gear and secure back-to-back top-four finishes in the Premier League.
Dan Burn did a commendable job at left-back last season and remains an important figure, but it is important that a more natural left-sider comes in there, at least to provide competition and a different style of play to the towering Englishman. Arsenal's Kieran Tierney has been linked with a move to St James' Park and he could be ideal, in that respect.
Meanwhile, a younger centre-back is needed to come in and be a long-term replacement for Fabian Shcar, who at 31 years of age, has arguably reached his peak as a player. Monaco favourite Axel Disasu continues to be a target and a player of that ilk would be perfect.
Finally, another winger is also of the utmost importance for Newcastle, especially with Allan Saint-Maximin potentially heading off to pastures new, with a move to Saudi Arabia mooted in recent days.
The Frenchman is a threat on his day, but an upgrade is required moving forward, in terms of someone who can provide more reliable end product. Harvey Barnes looks like a primary option to come in and be that man, having scored 13 times in the league for a Foxes side who ended up being relegated from the Premier League last season.
The Cricket Advisory Committee needed more time and to speak to the India captain Virat Kohli before finalising on Anil Kumble’s successor
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-20172:12
Kohli will be consulted, but he’s not the main decision-maker – Ganguly
India will continue to be without a head coach for the tour of Sri Lanka, which begins on July 26, after Sourav Ganguly said the Cricket Advisory Committee needed more time and to speak to the India captain Virat Kohli before finalising on Anil Kumble’s successor.The CAC, which also includes Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, had interviewed Lalchand Rajput, Richard Pybus, Tom Moody, Virender Sehwag and Ravi Shastri – Phil Simmons wasn’t available – for the job. Ganguly said the panel did not want to make a rushed decision without speaking at length to the stakeholders who would be working with the coach after the appointment was made.”We feel there is no hurry at the moment,” Ganguly said on Monday in Mumbai. “Sri Lanka tour is in a week’s time, the board headed by [secretary] Amitabh Choudhary and [CEO] Rahul Johri will probably continue with the same set for the time being.”We want to speak to Virat Kohli once he is back from America, all three of us along with the respective people concerned. We will explain to him that the coaches want to function in a certain way and make sure that everybody is on the same page before we make the announcement, because once we make the announcement it has to be till the [2019] World Cup.”You got to give credit to Virat that he is just completely straight about it. He has no input, he has not sent any names, but we feel as the Advisory Committee that he is the captain, which is the most important thing in cricket. He and everyone of us need to be on the same page because for us Indian cricket is more important. We are just a small bit; the main bit is the players who are going to play with the coach.”India have been without a head coach since the end of the Champions Trophy in England in June, when Kumble’s one-year term came to an end. Kumble had been offered an extension to cover India’s tour of the West Indies immediately after the Champions Trophy, but he declined owing to a breakdown in his relationship with Kohli. The India captain had earlier told BCCI officials that some players were uncomfortable with the “intimidating” style of Kumble’s man management.
Surrey are currently working on development plans which would make the ground the largest dedicated cricket stadium in the country
George Dobell09-Jun-2017Surrey hope to increase the capacity of The Oval to 40,000 in time for the 2023 Ashes. The club are currently working on development plans which would make the ground the largest dedicated cricket stadium in the country and increase capacity sharply on the current 25,500. Their aim, subject to planning permission and funding agreements, is to begin work after the 2019 World Cup.The centrepiece of the project would be a replacement for the Bedser Stand which could add up to 8000 seats. There would also be an enlargement of the existing OCS Stand. Surrey already have planning permission for a large development next to the pavilion – No. 1 Oval Square – which will incorporate additional capacity and facilities.The Oval has an outstanding record of attracting spectators. Surrey have led the way in optimising the domestic T20 market – their first Friday night fixture of this season’s campaign, versus Kent, has already sold out – and hope to host one of the newly branded teams in the competition scheduled to start in 2020.”The time is now right for cricket to think on a bigger scale,” Surrey chairman Richard Thompson said. “This summer we have seen unprecedented levels of demand for cricket at the Kia Oval. We need to build on this success and have a ground that can satisfy the unprecedented demand we have created.”Richard Gould, the club’s CEO, said: “Our business has taken off over the last five years and our reserves have quadrupled in size along with significantly higher profits. This has largely been driven through T20 cricket and an increase in our non-matchday business, but sales for international cricket also remain very strong. Most of our major games now sell out, either for county cricket or international cricket, and we need more seats to meet demand.”The schedule for the 2023 Ashes has yet to be announced but it is anticipated that the Ageas Bowl, near Southampton, will be competing with The Oval for the right to host a Test. The Oval’s staging agreement with the ECB (whereby they are guaranteed a Test a year) expires in 2022 and Surrey may fear that their opposition to the new-team T20 competition has done little to ingratiate them with the decision makers at the ECB. They are understood to have consulted with the ECB over their new plans, though it is unclear if they have been given assurances over future major match allocations.Certainly there seems to be increasing competition for the major match market. With the ECB looking at cutting the number of Tests each summer, the existing venues will be fighting harder than ever to retain the level of cricket they require to sustain themselves. And with talk of utilising other venues – such as the London Stadium (formerly the Olympic Stadium) – continuing, even the bigger grounds such as Lord’s and The Oval are not immune to these changes.It is telling that the news comes as the MCC announces the timetable for its planned redevelopment of Lord’s. While both MCC and The Oval are wealthy, it is possible that both will borrow heavily to fund the schemes, reviving memories of the ‘arms race’ of a decade or so ago that saw grounds across the country sink heavily into debt as they sought to build venues that would persuade the ECB to grant them more major matches.
Former England goalkeeper David James has questioned why Declan Rice would choose Arsenal over his old side Manchester City this summer.
What did James say about Rice?
The Declan Rice transfer saga has been in full flow for weeks now, with news that Manchester City are ready to enter the race for the midfielder's signature only furthering the discourse.
Arsenal have seen two bids rejected for the 24-year-old already and their attempts to sign Rice have just been made significantly harder as Man City have joined the hunt for the West Ham captain.
The choice will prove to be a difficult one for Rice too, who has a big decision to make ahead of one of the most definitive periods of his career. However, David James sees no difficulty in the decision whatsoever, questioning why the 42-cap England international would choose the Emirates over the Etihad.
"I would rather that he went abroad, not that he's listening, because then he won't be in a team that might want to beat West Ham, and that would be something a lot of West Ham fans wouldn't like," said James.
He continued: "Declan Rice is top drawer and Man City are the best team in Europe, probably going to be the best team in the world in a few months after they win the World Club Championship. If Declan Rice is part of that it's because he deserves to be."
When quizzed on whether he thought Arsenal or Man City would be a better fit, James replied: "Why would he want to play for Arsenal? One team is the European, FA Cup and Premier League champions, the other is neither, or none".
James is likely to haves stoked the social media fire with his words, although they were said behind a broad smirk. Given that James featured a combined 202 times for Manchester City and West Ham, it is unsurprising he feels a move to the Etihad would be more sensible.
Are Man City signing Rice?
Much like the Premier League title race last season, it appears to be Arsenal vs Manchester City in the battle for Rice. Similarly to that title race, it could end with Man City getting their prize in spite of Arsenal leading the race for so long.
While Man City have always kept themselves in the loop in regard to Rice, their interest has accelerated over the past few days, although no official bid has been registered yet.
The midfielder is believed to be open to a move to either club, making his decision based on what Arsenal and City will do in the coming days and weeks to convince him.
Tom Helm’s 5 for 33, the second-best figures by an England Lions bowler, allowed the side to pip ahead in a rain-affected match and cut the margin of defeat in the series to 3-2
The Report by David Hopps in Colombo11-Mar-2017 ScorecardTom Helm’s 5 for 33 was the fifth five-for in Lions history•ECB
Tom Helm had expressed modest ambitions for his first England Lions tour. “One of my main aims was to leave the tour in one piece,” he said. A young fast bowler can soon become philosophical when his early career is strewn with stress fractures and injury mishaps in the field. But he has not merely survived, he has finished with his reputation enhanced.With Helm to the fore, England Lions again chose the colonial-style backdrop of Colombo Cricket Club to salvage respectability from their lost one-day series in Sri Lanka. A second win in 48 hours cut the margin of defeat to 3-2 and, after the batting exploits of Daniel Bell-Drummond and Tom Alsop on Thursday, came the fast-bowling promise of Helm, who returned the second-best figures in Lions history.Finally, records are available for nearly 30 years of Lions cricket in all its guises – the ECB deserves credit for that – and they reveal that Helm’s 5 for 33 was only the fifth five-wicket haul in Lions history, surpassed only by Tom Curran’s 5 for 16 against UAE in Dubai before Christmas. Curran was pulled out of the one-day leg of the Sri Lanka tour to join England’s senior squad in the West Indies; Helm did enough to encourage hopes that one day he may follow.Even before this display, Helm felt like one of the successes of the tours, only without the stand-out performance to amplify the thought. His director of cricket at Middlesex, Gus Fraser, was on hand when he was limited to two wickets in a four-day affair in Kandy, although they were good ones as he made both balls bounce to leave Fraser nodding with appreciation. He found ways to concern batsmen on Sri Lankan pitches, was unafraid to vary his approach and was forewarned of the challenges ahead by England age-group experience in India earlier in his career.A Lions tour had not been on his mind after a season in which he made only four appearances in all competitions. He was pleased enough to be called up to a fast bowling camp, but he quickly impressed and with England’s youthful pace resources not exactly limitless his promotion quickly followed.Strangely, he looks more powerful on the pitch than off it, which might say something about a strong, repeatable action as well as a mild disposition. England might still want him to bulk up a little, especially considering an injury record that he will hope is now behind him. His parents have watched him throughout the tour and have even been able to draw pleasure from the first six of his List A career.Helm will now go to Dubai for a Middlesex pre-season tour (Fraser having abandoned the practice tent at Radlett in deference to last year’s Championship win) and for the Champion County match against the MCC.”I couldn’t be happier with how the winter’s turned out,” Helm said. “It’s not really how I expected it to go. It’s a lovely place to come, but tough as a seamer. I bowled a lot of balls that should have been hit to the fence, and they ended up hitting them to fielders. I felt like other days I’ve bowled better but they’ve hit good balls to the fence.”As the Lions’ tour of Sri Lanka drew to a halt, the other match in Colombo 7 was still attracting more attention. Down the road at Sinhalese Sports Club, the 138th Battle of the Blues was heading for another inevitable draw, or at least deemed that way by a convivial Bar-Propper, with a grand beard and even grander feathered hat who marked the start of play at Colombo Cricket Club with his first hard liquor of the day.”I might go down there later,” he said, signalling down Maitland Place, where the unerring responsibility shown by the young players of Royal and St Thomas Colleges were being watched – or half-watched – by a crowd of 10,000, “but I tend to get stuck here.” There are worst places to linger than the members’ bar at CCC, but when Sri Lanka A crumbled to 82 for 6 by the 21st over, he rose from his seat to find consolation in Sri Lanka’s most historic schools contest.Helm had begun that decline in his first over with two wickets in successive balls, grateful when Ron Chandraguptha slapped one to cover and bowling Sadeera Samarawickrama first ball. Two wicket-keeper catches accounted in later spells for Angelo Perera and Dasun Shanaka, before he returned for a final time to end a vexing last-wicket stand of 52 with a leg-stump yorker to remove the imposing Ramith Rambukwella.”I’m glad I got him out first ball because I was cramping,” Helm said. “It would have been a long over otherwise.”Helm’s incursions had been followed by another unyielding spell of off spin by Liam Livingstone, 2 for 27 this time as his reliability drew self-destructive moments from Charith Asalanka and Ashan Priyanjan, whose slog sweep down straight midwicket’s throat was a curious shot from a captain at that stage of the contest.Livingstone has not bowled offspin for long, but you would not credit it. He began the tour intending to bowl legspin (his more common style) at right-handers and offspin at left-handers, but the left-handers in Sri Lanka’s line-up have kept coming and because he has been in the groove, as series figures of 7 for 144 in 40 overs testify, the legspin has rarely appeared. His promise as an attacking England one-day batsman and sixth bowler is apparent.Name a third player to prosper and Ben Foakes, the neatest of wicketkeepers has obvious Test potential. As for the three Test top-order batsman, Haseeb Hameed (in the four-day series) and Ben Duckett and Keaton Jennings throughout the tour have had a largely frustrating time, although without any sense that the disappointment will be terminal.On the same surface used 48 hours ago, Sri Lanka A were not without hope in defending 192. When the captain, Jennings, holed out at mid-on, so completing his frustrating tour of twenties and thirties, a murder of crows landed malevolently by the England dressing room.At 90 for 4, chasing 193, the Lions were not dead, but they were certainly unwell. The air was dense with the threat of rain and Sri Lankan expectation. But then came the threat of lightning, the players never returned, and Messrs Duckworth and Lewis proved to be a couple of old colonials. Club sandwich anyone?
Leeds United have reportedly "opened talks" with Carlos Carvalhal over becoming their new manager this summer, according to a fresh rumour regarding the search for a new boss.
Which managers are Leeds linked with?
It has been a period to forget at Elland Road over the past 12 months or so, with the club getting through three different managers en route to being relegated from the Premier League.
Amid the new takeover from 49ers Enterprises, Leeds are now working hard on finding a new boss, with so many different names linked with the job in the weeks since their relegation was confirmed.
The likes of Brendan Rodgers, Graham Potter, Steven Gerrard, Carlos Corberan and Scott Parker have all been mooted as potential successors to Sam Allardyce, but no clear favourite has emerged in the race yet.
Now, a new name has been thrown into the hat – someone with plenty of experience in English football in the past.
Are Whites in talks with Carvalhal?
According to iG Esporte [via Sport Witness], Leeds have "already opened talks" in "recent days" with Carvalhal, suggesting that he is considered a strong option to come in and lead the promotion charge at Elland Road.
The 57-year-old is "free in the market" currently, having left his post as Celta Vigo manager earlier this year, although Brazilian side Atletico-MG are also believed to be eyeing him up.
Carvalhal could be an interesting appointment by Leeds if they get a move over the line, having previously managed Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea City in the past. He got the former into the Championship playoff final in 2016, and the semi-finals the following year, although he only lasted approximately six months with the latter.
The Portuguese is now a hugely experienced manager, having taken charge of teams all over the world, from Sporting CP to Besiktas, and he also won the Portuguese Cup with Braga in 2021.
There are question marks over whether Carvalhal is the strongest contender to come in, though, considering the likes of Rodgers and Potter are arguably more highly thought of currently, having been established Premier League managers for a while now, despite admittedly both losing their jobs earlier in the campaign.
Meanwhile, someone like Daniel Farke has won promotion from the Championship twice in the past, during his time at Norwich City, which is something Carvalhal has never managed, so he could be a safer pair of hands.