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Santner kept hitting the dry patch with cunning pace variations and came away with 7 for 53, which included the wicket of Kohli with a full-toss

Deivarayan Muthu25-Oct-20244:08

Santner: ‘It was a shock getting Kohli out to a full toss’

Mitchell Santner earned the nickname “Flatline” at Northern Districts, his domestic team, for his cool and relaxed demeanour. On the eve of the second Test against India in Pune, he stayed true to his nickname and warmed up with a casual kickabout before wheeling away with his left-arm fingerspin at the nets. There was an air of calmness around him even when he was engaging in some violent T20-style range-hitting towards the end of New Zealand’s training session.There were strong hints that Santner would replace one of New Zealand’s seamers on a slow, dry pitch in Pune. He would’ve been expected to do a job, even though he is only a sporadic presence in the Test team, pushed to the sidelines at home where conditions limit his skill. It might be fair to say now that he exceeded those expectations. “Flatline” peaked on Friday with a seven-wicket haul, which included a clean bowled of Virat Kohli (with a low full-toss).After going wide of the crease from left-arm around, Santner, who had originally started the second day by darting the ball into the surface, slowed his pace down to 82.6kph and had Kohli missing a swipe across the line. Kohli was shocked, as were Santner and more than 20,000 fans in Pune.Related

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• 'Every time I got a wicket, it felt better' – side soreness no barrier for 13-wicket Santner

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• The perfect storm that's left India's proud home record reeling

“Yeah, I think I was in more of a shock getting Kohli out with a full-toss, he doesn’t usually miss those,” Santner said. “I think it was slightly slower through the air, I just tried to change it up a little bit but usually if you bowl those they go for six so, but yeah, I think there was obviously a little bit there which was nice and I think the change in pace was key today and the Indian spinners bowled pretty good areas with the change in pace.”There’s a chance that Santner might not have played this game had offspin-bowling allrounder Michael Bracewell been available for selection. Before the Pune Test, Santner had a bowling average of 42.16 and a strike rate of 91.6. He had taken some tap in the Tests against Sri Lanka in Galle and had never picked up a four-wicket haul in Test cricket, let alone a five-for. However, with a dry spot to work with, Santner kept hitting it with cunning pace variations and let the Pune pitch do the rest. He came away with 7 for 53, helping New Zealand earn a decisive first-innings lead of 103.In one over, Santner was able to hike it up to 95kph from around 75kph. Among current fingerspinners, hardly anyone varies their pace as much as he does.Virat Kohli was beaten by Mitchell Santner’s dip and drift•BCCI”I tend to do that a lot in white-ball cricket – change the pace,” Santner said. “I think today we kind of spoke about that kind of just under 90 kph [speed]. [It] looked like it was spinning and then for a period there when you went over the top it was actually bouncing a lot so we spoke about maybe going a little bit slower. But I just think at the start it was [about] kind of [bowling] fast into it and then it [the pace] kind of changed as the day went on with the pitch and I think Washi [Washington Sundar] did that as well; he did that very well.”Santner kept attacking the stumps in India’s first innings – six of his seven wickets were bowled or lbw – and he hopes to keep it just as simple in the final innings when the conditions could be even more extreme.”So, going into the next innings…trying to keep the stumps in play and hope for something similar and I think the India will probably come out maybe more aggressive and try and put us on the back foot but, you know, there’s still a job to do with the bat. Obviously the more runs we get now it makes our job with the ball a little bit easier.”Santner also credited Rangana Herath, the former Sri Lanka left-arm fingerspinner who is currently New Zealand’s spin-bowling coach, for sharing his inside knowledge on subcontinent conditions.”Yeah, Rangana been really good,” Santner said. “Obviously in Sri Lanka and now here he’s. He took wickets all over the place and yeah he was a master of that kind of change of pace and guile and working with him as a spin-bowling unit has been good, especially in conditions which are not too similar to back home.”After Santner bagged seven on Friday, he had his team-mates ruffling his hair in joy. He could give his mates and New Zealand more joy on Saturday by wrapping up their first-ever Test series win in India.

Fitness issues, little game time and lack of form have affected these players in recent times

Deivarayan Muthu30-Aug-2022Evin Lewis (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots)
Lewis didn’t appear for the fitness test that had been arranged for him by Cricket West Indies (CWI) during his IPL stint with Lucknow Super Giants, according to Haynes. Lewis has since got gigs in the Lanka Premier League (Jaffna Kings) and T10 league (Bangla Tigers) and on Sunday, he captained St Kitts and Nevis Patriots to the inaugural men’s 6ixty title. With Chris Gayle making himself unavailable for CPL 2022, Patriots will look up to Lewis for the opening salvos. He hasn’t played for West Indies since the 2021 T20 World Cup and needs a bumper CPL season to force his way into the T20I side for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.Related

• CPL week one: Bravo's Patriots outplayed, Powell's class act, Hosein's injury scare

• Experience gives Pollard's Knight Riders the edge, Bravo expects Patriots to build on recent gains

• Fabian Allen ready to return for West Indies after 'difficult time' for him and family

• Phil Simmons: We can't beg people to play for West Indies

Fabian Allen (Jamaica Tallawahs)
Allen has made himself available for national selection ahead of the T20 World Cup following a statement about his father’s death. He had declined a central contract with West Indies earlier this year and had taken a break during the international home season. Allen had marked his return to competitive cricket with a 33-ball 82 not out – the highest individual score in the men’s 6ixty – and finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer. All up, Allen smashed 14 sixes in the 6ixty; only Andre Russell (15) hit more sixes. If he can press on further in the CPL, Allen has a chance to return to the T20I XI as the spin-bowling allrounder.Will Roston Chase end up being one of West Indies’ spin-bowling allrounders for the T20 World Cup?•Getty ImagesRoston Chase (St Lucia Kings)
Chase is another player vying for the spin-bowling allrounder’s spot for the T20 World Cup. He is recovering from injury, though, and has not played competitive cricket since turning out for WICB XI against the touring Bangladesh side in a three-day fixture in June.He was picked as West Indies’ anchor for the 2021 T20 World Cup, but form and fitness issues pulled him down the pecking order. With Kings letting go of Obed McCoy, Keemo Paul and Rahkeem Cornwall, they would also want more from Chase with the ball in conditions that could aid the slower bowlers.Sheldon Cottrell (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots)
Cottrell is another player who is working his way back from injury and hoping to prove his fitness in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. Like Chase, Cottrell missed the 6ixty and has dropped down the pecking order, with McCoy establishing himself as West Indies’ frontline left-arm seamer during the home season. While McCoy can hit speeds north of 145kph and also cut it down with his collection of variations, he isn’t a genuine swing bowler like Cottrell, and not as useful in powerplays.Oshane Thomas’ fitness and form have taken a hit but he can be a handful with his height•Getty ImagesOshane Thomas (Barbados Royals)
When on song, Thomas can consistently hit speeds above 140kph and can also generate extra bounce with his tall frame. He was a potent force for West Indies when they ran through Pakistan in the 50-over World Cup in 2019, but fitness issues have since seen him fade away. Thomas has played just 15 white-ball internationals since that ODI World Cup and has not played a T20 game since December 2021. He will have to compete with Alzarri Joseph for one of the fast bowlers’ slots in the West Indies side.Andre Fletcher (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots)
The self-styled ‘Spiceman’ was a notable omission in West Indies’ recent white-ball squads, with the selectors leaning towards Shamarh Brooks, who is more of a Test and ODI batter, as the back-up opener and Devon Thomas as the back-up keeper. Fletcher is set to open with Lewis for his new franchise Patriots and recently also won a deal with Mumbai Emirates in the UAE’s ILT20. Fletcher has also had a stint in the BBL with Melbourne Stars and although that didn’t go too well, he appears to be a better option than Brooks or Devon Thomas.Hayden Walsh Jr (Barbados Royals)
Akeal Hosein has established himself as West Indies’ frontline fingerspinner – with or without Sunil Narine – but there are questions over legspinner Walsh’s potency (or the lack thereof). During the home series against India and New Zealand, Walsh struggled for control and often let the opposition batters hit with the wind. Walsh’s wrong’un, however, can be deceptive as it skids off the pitch and despite his patchy form, it is quite hard to see a side travel to Australia for the T20 World Cup without a wristspinner. In 2019, it was the CPL that propelled Walsh into the international spotlight. He now returns to the scene of his emergence in his quest to relaunch his international career.

Sharp of memory, not short on ego, Mohammad Asif looks back at his short, splendid career, and at Pakistan’s attitudes towards fast bowling

Interview by Umar Farooq04-May-2020How to find Mohammad Asif? How to find someone who doesn’t care about being found, who doesn’t care what the media say or write about him, who doesn’t want to get his narrative out there? Who doesn’t do social media?Somewhere, recently, Kevin Pietersen had once again remarked that Asif was the most difficult bowler he faced in his career. Pietersen isn’t alone in saying this but he has said it more than others. And no Pakistani cricketer is more lamented than Asif. So I decided to find him and ask him about it. The phone number I had for him was switched off and WhatsApp wasn’t showing up anything either. I asked someone I suspected would have a contact for him – Salman Butt, with whom he will be forever linked – and sure enough, got a number. I was then told by others that Asif had moved to the US permanently (not true) and was stuck there at the moment because of the Covid-19 pandemic (true).ALSO READ: Ahmer Naqvi: The everlasting wiles of Mohammad Asif (2016)I sent him a WhatsApp message, introducing myself and asked for some time to chat. He replied the next day, initially suspicious. Why do I want to chat, what do I want to chat about? Why now? It took three nights – late nights – of chats with him, calls, messages and voice notes – to get him to agree. I wanted to talk about fast bowling, his career, his finest spells. He wanted to talk on his own terms and at first did so in the style of a tell-all exposé , giving me all kinds of amazing headlines and stories, none of which, of course, would be fit to publish. He wanted the truth out there, all of it, but it couldn’t happen.Three days later I caught up with him again and this time, managed to convince him to talk about what I wanted to talk about. He agreed.Do you have any regrets about the way your career ended?
Of course. My ambition was to finish my career on a better note and I do have regrets. But that’s a different story. I think whatever happened it had to happen and that’s okay. Everyone has regrets in their life and a few want to talk about them, but I think I am fine. Everyone makes mistakes and I did too.

“My job is not to scare batsmen but to make fools of them and then get them out”

Players had been indulging in fixing before me [in 2010] and even after me. But those before me are working with PCB and there are few after me still playing. Everyone was given a second chance and there are few who never got the same treatment [as me]. PCB never tried to save me regardless of the fact that I am the kind of bowler who was highly regarded by everyone in the world. But anyway I’m not sitting around brooding about the past or hung up on it.What happened is history. However much I played in my career, I made it count, (I shook up the world). That is more important for me to think about. Even today, so many years later, the best batsmen in the world still remember me and they talk about me. Just think how big the impact was that I had on the world. So this is what makes me proud – that there is a reason KP, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla talk highly about me. That is what makes me happy.ALSO READ: Osman Samiuddin: The young fox (2007)But don’t you regret that you really could have established yourself as a genuine legend if your controversies hadn’t overshadowed and then cut short your career?
Yes, I could have ended up with a different standing without the controversies, but I am still somewhere with whatever I have done. Yes, I should have behaved better off the field. That is where I had issues. But I didn’t die of hunger then and I’m not going to die of hunger now either.I want to give the kids this message that when you cross the boundary line into the field, your ambition should be to do well for yourself and for your team. And when you cross the rope back towards the dressing room, you should go in with your head held high and no doubts about your performance. And even if you didn’t get a wicket, your figures should be good enough [for people] to acknowledge your contribution and effort.I was selfish as a bowler because I wanted to take wickets, and that was to help the team win. Being selfish isn’t bad if you’re playing your part for the team.Asif gets Pietersen in the 2006 Oval Test. “The reason why I probably am still haunting KP – for which he is talking about me every fourth day – was because I did test him as a bowler”•Getty ImagesYou did certainly leave an impression on people…Muddy [Mudassar Nazar] once asked me to bowl to someone at the NCA [National Cricket Academy in Lahore] as part of a trial. The guy I was bowling to, I asked if he had his guard on. He didn’t and I made sure he put one on. The very first delivery I bowled to him, he left on line, only for it to come back and hit him on his guard. Muddy Pa laughed at me and said, “You bastard, how the f**k do you have such control?”One time I was bowling in the nets at Gaddafi Stadium and Wasim Akram was there. He asks me how many balls I would take to get the batsman out. I said, third ball I’ll hit the stumps. The batsman was a lefty and he let my first two balls go, which were outswingers, and then he left the third one as well – but his stumps went flying, because this one came in, and I looked at Wasim and saw the amazement on his face.Even Mohammad Abbas, who said to Wasim Akram publicly in an interview on YouTube that he learnt a lot from me – he should’ve actually said that it’s you [Akram] who is my idol but instead he said it was me. Not a very smart move, because he didn’t realise that if he wants to have a long career, he’s better off saying Akram is his biggest influence and not me!ALSO READ: ‘The line’s the thing’ (2007)I proved myself not just once but repeatedly. I got the same batsmen out more than once, and it’s not like I bowled one fluke great delivery and never did it again. I kept doing it. With ball in hand I was in control. Moving the ball in and out wasn’t just a one-off thing. And I didn’t learn to do it in days. It took me years and I worked really hard for it.I do miss playing cricket. Everyone does. You ask Viki [Waqar Younis], Wasim Akram, they all do, but you are never going to play your whole life.

“You can’t break anyone with pace. Selectors think fast bowlers can blow any team away, but nobody really fears pace as such – or if they do then it is sustained pace”

You talked about Abbas. He has done well, in a way similar to you.
He is seriously good. I told him to increase his bowling speed by 5-6kph and he can easily make into the ODI team as well. But with his age now, at this stage, it might be tough for him.One of the basic problems we have in our system is that a lot of our selectors, over the years, had very minor and ordinary playing careers. For them, picking express fast bowlers is the only thing, because they probably struggled to handle really quick bowlers when they were playing, or didn’t play enough to understand the importance of bowlers like me and Abbas. They just judge a fast bowler on the basis of his pace, ignoring that fast bowlers come in many different categories: there are some who bowl really fast and there are some who take wickets. But in Pakistan, the instinct is that only a fast bowler with express pace can win you games. I wouldn’t know for sure but I’d guess that the times we played together, I had more wickets than Shoaib Akhtar [Asif took 15 wickets in the four Tests he played alongside Akhtar, who took eight.]You can’t break anyone with pace. Selectors think fast bowlers can blow any team away, but nobody really fears pace as such – or if they do then it is sustained pace. But the longer a batsman spends at the crease, the more that fear goes away. The real fear is of getting out. Phillip Hughes was so unfortunate and tragic because he got hit on the one unprotected spot, but the odds of it happening are very low. Our system remains inclined to looking for fast bowlers, but these days it seems like we’ve had more quantity than quality.There are quite a few in the current batch although they’re coming up without having played much cricket. Shaheen Afridi is a great find and right now you are playing him in every format, making him play everything. But at the end of the day when he stops performing, you’ll drop him and pluck another young kid out from nowhere. There are 20 to 25 bowlers in the range of 130 to 140kph, but in Test match cricket I don’t see pace. A fast bowler who can take a ten-wicket haul is the quality I’m looking for. How many fast bowlers have taken ten wickets for Pakistan since 2010? Only Abbas after me.Asif on extracting movement out of a flat pitch in Kandy in 2006, where he took 11 wickets: “Either I was in a hurry or probably they [Sri Lankan batsmen] were in a hurry”•AFPBut these days, isn’t pace important on flatter pitches in some countries?
All you have to do is understand your limits and play within those. I played well within mine. I’m not saying you don’t need a really fast bowler in a team. Some teams need an express bowler who can push a batsman on to the back foot. I bowled within my limits and this is what worked for me. I’m not saying you have to have an entire team of bowlers like myself and that this is the only successful formula. My job is not to scare batsmen but to make fools of them and then get them out. Bowlers like myself are essential in the team, but bowlers like myself often need more patience and time to prove our worth. But unless you’re going over 140-plus, people are somehow never convinced.What did you make of Mohammad Amir retiring from Test cricket at the age of 27?
I curse the PCB for how they rescued his career. But it was his obligation to help Pakistan cricket in a tough situation and he should have stayed, especially when they had helped him return. Anyway, it’s the PCB’s decision to let him go, but if he is meant to leave Test cricket at this age, it really is a curse upon those who fought so hard to bring him back. And did anyone ever take Amir’s name, saying he was the toughest bowler to handle? Definitely no.ALSO READ: Rahul Bhattacharya: Foxes lizards and other bowlers (2010)It’s about how compassionate you are. If the PCB invested so much in you then it’s your duty to rescue them in Test cricket. If they had done the same with me, then I’d still be available to rescue Pakistan in Test cricket for the next two years. I know there are fitness standards, but I can work that out and whatever is required I can do it.What do you remember as the best spells of your career?
I enjoyed playing cricket to the core. I really loved it and that means that I loved every spell I bowled, because each spell had a story, a context and purpose to it. If for instance in some spell I wasn’t getting a wicket, I was still learning something important about the batsman and how to get his wicket next time.

“With ball in hand, I was in control. Moving the ball in and out wasn’t just a one-off thing. And I didn’t learn to do it in days. It took me years and I worked really hard for it”

So my all spells were good, but if I had to narrow it down, I’d remember the Karachi Test against India. The biggest batting line-up of the time. I remember Shoaib Akhtar in the dressing room worrying about how we’d get them out. I just got them out and showed him. So that particular game I remember, and then that Kandy Test where I don’t really remember who but either Umar Gul or Rao Iftikhar Anjum came to me and asked how the hell I was making the ball swing, when for them the ball wasn’t moving at all. Anyway, I don’t know, either I was in a hurry or probably they [Sri Lankan batsmen] were in a hurry (). Those 11 wickets were fun.I tell you one thing – I never had to “make” [tamper with] a ball. Otherwise there are bowlers – some regarded as the greatest – who just wait for the ball to go rough so that it starts reversing. [Asif bowled in the Oval Test that Pakistan forfeited over allegations that they had tampered with the ball.] There were so many figures you will find with the team at 200 for 1 and suddenly they are 250 all out. But I always had taken wickets with the new ball and upfront. The reason why I probably am still haunting KP – for which he is talking about me every fourth day – was because I did test him as a bowler. He was a great batsman to bowl to and getting that kind of wicket makes you feel equally great. A tail-end wicket never really gave me the same satisfaction.Any plans to get into coaching? I’m sure there are many who would want to learn your skills.
I am working here in the US, between New Jersey, [Washington] DC and Pittsburgh. There are some wonderful academies here and I’ve also been playing some league matches. It’s a great opportunity and facilities here, with a lot of Indians and Pakistanis who want to learn cricket away from their native country. I will go back to Pakistan as well and work there if required but our circuit has no space at the moment. There are players from ’90s still cramping the system, so no chance for us. I had plans to set up my own academy but this pandemic has come in the way for now. But I’m determined to do something and pass on to kids what I know.

Deion Sanders is now well-known for being the head football coach of the Colorado Buffaloes but back in the day he was one of the coolest two-sport athletes in the world, playing in the NFL and MLB at the same time. Bo Jackson, another legendary two-sport star, was doing the same thing back then, also playing in the NFL and MLB.

Sanders and Jackson squared of in an electric game 35 years ago today at Yankee Stadium. Sanders played center field for New York, while Jackson played center field for the Kansas City Royals.

Jackson batted cleanup for Kansas City and belted three home runs in his three at-bats. Sanders, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot for the Yankees and hit an inside-the-park home run that had the crowd going nuts.

Check out these highlights from that clash:

Incredible.

Imagine if that game was played today. The sports debate shows and social media would have been going wild for days.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is making his seventh All-Star Game appearance on Tuesday night in Atlanta, and he showed up rocking quite the dazzling accessory.

When the American League starters were announced at Truist Park on Tuesday, Judge was seen wearing a diamond chain of a gavel, paying homage to his last name. Turns out, this chain was a gift from his Yankees teammate Giancarlo Stanton. And, it cost a whopping $20,000, according to the .

The piece of jewelry isn't just of a plain gavel. The chain includes 14-karat white gold, 12 carats of diamonds and three bands of amethyst. Additionally, the chain has details of Judge's daughter's name Nora, and her birthday on it, his wife Sam's name and the names of his two dogs Gus and Penny. It also has "2x" written on it to honor Judge's two MVP awards. What an extremely generous gift.

When Judge first revealed the present Stanton gave to him in June, he shared that he's been wearing it every day. Showing off the chain at the All-Star Game was no different.

Let's see if the gavel brings Judge good luck during the All-Star Game.

With FA president Gilbert Martina – once a fish farm investor and health-care CEO – at the helm, Curacao have risen fast. GOAL explores how a near-impossible dream came true.

Some have described Curacao's qualifying for the World Cup as a miracle, the kind of thing that does require belief in a higher power of some sort. And yes, there was something larger than life about that night in Kingston two weeks ago, when the Blue Wave secured a tie with Jamaica to advance to the 2026 tournament. 

FA president Gilbert Martina understands why the word keeps coming up. Curacao’s players pray before every training session and every match – not to a single faith or tradition, but as a show of unity. For them, belief is the starting point.

“We start with a prayer: praying to say thankful that we are living. Praying to say thank you for the journey ahead of us. Spirituality, religion, whatever you want to call it, that’s a key part of the team,” Martina told GOAL.

BIt worked. Not just that alone, of course. There are other dynamics that go into a winning team: tactics, performance on gamedays, perhaps a little bit of luck over the course of 90 minutes. For Curacao, prayer was an act of unification, a way for a squad of 26, representing a nation of just 155,000, to express their togetherness as they approached each day.

And their qualification, more broadly, required a bit of everything. Prayer? Sure. However, it was just as much about a sense of purpose, a genuine belief, and the right amount of targeted investment to propel a tiny nation into the 2026 tournament.

“I call it a divine journey. It’s magical. When everything aligns, the universe aligns with your objective, then magic happens.”

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  'I love big dreams'

  Curacao sealed qualifying on Nov. 18, 2025. But for Martina, the process started in 2002. That’s when he was brought in, mostly in an advisory role. 

  He was a strange appointment at the time, mostly because he had no real history in soccer. Martina was a businessman and the CEO of a large insurance company. His degree was in chemical engineering, and he got a post-master’s degree in HR. But he was Curacao through and through – in a way that so many others aren’t. Martina was born and raised on the island and studied at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands before moving back home. That was a vital experience that so many other footballers would later have for the country. 

  He was also well placed to rake in some cash. Curacao didn’t really have a football association in 2002. There was a footballing culture, to an extent, but the island didn’t breed tons of top talent. And those that they did produce? Well, they moved somewhere else as youngsters and represented their adopted countries at the national level.

  Curacao, as a result, were an afterthought on the global stage. But for Martina, this was a chance to dream. So, Martina went about securing sponsorships and helped fund the federation. He wanted to qualify for a World Cup – no matter how far away that may have seemed at the time. 

  “From that moment, I believed, because I love big dreams. I love big plans. My grandfather used to say, ‘In every graveyard, you have excellent plans. ’ So this was not a plan to get into a graveyard. We had to make it happen,” he said. 

  Still, this was very much a part-time job. Curacao was not an independent nation and was still under the control of the Netherlands. And for every penny he managed to raise, there were plenty of barriers: poor pitches, a small player pool, even a lack of opponents. 

  Meanwhile, Martina went about his day to day work in a health insurance company. For a while, he was also invested in a fish farm. He dabbled in hospital advisory. He wrote, lectured, and invested. Next year, he is releasing a book. 

  Yet, he plugged away hard in the background. He raised some money here, invested a dollar there. Slowly, something was building. 

  “We don't have huge resources, like the Netherlands, like Germany, like Brazil. But size, resources do not matter when you go for a higher goal,” Martina said.

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  Proving themselves to the continent

  The big break was a political one. In 2010, Curacao achieved independence from the Netherlands. Although they are still beholden to the Netherlands in a number of political senses – defense, foreign affairs – Curacao, for all intents and purposes, are their own nation. 

  There were more important implications than football, of course, but it did open up some doors – not least official FIFA acknowledgement of the national team. They became recognized by football’s governing body in 2011, ranked at No. 151. CONCACAF membership, under their new name after independence, soon followed, and by August of that year, this nation of 150,000 was playing official games. 

  Not that they went too well at first. Infrastructure was poor, and even if Martina and an expanding FA chipped in, competing on the pitch was a real struggle. They won six games in four years from 2011-2014. In 2013, they played just two games. A Gold Cup qualifying win over Cuba on away goals, until relatively recently, was the finest footballing achievement in the country’s history. 

  Yet important work continued. The Curacao FA managed to convince some European, South American, and African talents to exercise their eligibility to play for the country. By 2020, this was a squad that featured players from the Eredivisie, Belgian Pro League, and Turkish Premier League. 

  “Our players for sport have all been educated in the Netherlands and Europe,” Martina said. 

  Further successes followed. Curacao beat Jamaica in the 2017 Caribbean Cup – a clash between the four best sides in the region. That earned them qualification for the 2017 Gold Cup. The tournament brought limited success, as they lost all three group games. But in 2019, they showed that they could play, beating Honduras and Jamaica in the group stage, before losing to the USMNT in the quarter finals. 

  By then, something was clear: Curacao were legit.

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  'It was a huge party'

  Qualifying for the World Cup, globally, is easier than it has ever been. It’s a question of math, really. Forty-eight teams make it to the tournament. There are more spots up for grabs. Some have criticized the initiative. Qualifying in CONMEBOL, for example, is much easier – with up to three extra spots up for grabs depending on seeding. But elsewhere? It’s just as tricky. 

  And in fact, Curacao should be nowhere near this thing. In truth, a few things went their way. The fact that three CONCACAF nations had qualified as hosts – Mexico, Canada and the U.S. – made for a lighter group phase. And their group itself was remarkably kind, with a struggling Jamaica their only real competition. 

  However, they still needed to pick up results. To make it all happen, Curacao appointed Dick Advocaat, an experienced Dutch manager who had coached extensively in the Eredivisie, Scottish Premier League, and Bundesliga. 

  And when Martina was appointed head of the FA for good in April 2025, he made it a priority to schedule as many fixtures as possible in the run-up to qualification this fall. 

  “Funding is very important, because this is very costly, and the Federation does not have that amount of money to sponsor and to cover all the costs. So bringing in sponsors was key. We played 10 games this year, and the majority of those costs were covered by two of our sponsors, one of them an airline,” Martina said. 

  The luck of the draw also meant that Curacao played back-to-back home fixtures in October. They knew that a duo of results against Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago would stand them in good stead. 

  Oct. 10 was special. It’s Curacao's independence day, and this year, it marked 15 years since it became an autonomous nation. A win when they hosted the would have put them top of their qualification group. One of those cosmic coincidences – the very spirituality the team focuses on – might just come true. The buzz around the island was palpable, Martina said. He knew the fans would show up. But he had no idea how significant the support would be. 

  Ergilio Hato Stadium was packed. Some of the fans couldn't even fit in. And when Livano Comenencia, a former Juventus academy product, smashed one in from 30 yards in the first half, the crowd, which far outnumbered the 10,000 capacity of the stadium, was sent into raptures. They added a second and held on for a 2-0 win. 

  “It was a huge, huge party, a huge gift,” Martina said.

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  Making the 'magic' happen

  7 is a lucky number, and in Curacao it holds even more significance, Martina explained. And when Curacao opened the November window by battering Bermuda, 7-0, Martina knew everything was sealed. He could feel it – as absurd as that seems.

  He was right. Trinidad did them an immense favor by holding Jamaica to a draw at home, and they went into the final game of the qualifying slate needing at least a tie to advance. They could have sat in, especially after Advocaat left the training camp due to personal circumstances. With no full-time manager in place, it would make sense for them to play for a point. 

  Instead, they went for it, and earned a scoreless draw – even if they could have left Jamaica with three points. That was enough to seal the deal. A corner of Curacao fans jumped over the barriers and ran onto the track surrounding the pitch in Kingston. The players hugged and cried. The internet blew up. Curacao went unbeaten in qualifying, and became the smallest country – by both and landmass and population – to book their spot at the World Cup.

  Two weeks later, and Martina still gets emotional talking about that moment. It was simply magical, he insists. 

  “When you go for a higher goal, as long as you have the right mindset, the right attitude, and you really connect with that invisible force that is around, then the magic happens,” he said. 

  As for the tournament itself? Well, they don’t plan on being there to make up the numbers. This may already be an impossible achievement, but the journey doesn’t end here, Martina insists. He wants his side to be tested. After all, he believes in miracles. 

  In fact, he prays every day for them. 

  “We are not going to be a tourist. I can tell you that. I hope we have a good group with strong teams. I’m telling you, every big opponent – Germany, Brazil, you name it – watch for Curacao,” he said.

It’s make-or-break time for Eddie Howe in the Newcastle United dug-out.

Howe has now overseen 190 games in charge of the Magpies, with recent 3-1 defeats picked up away at West Ham United and Brentford surely ranking high when scanning over some of the most abject performances served up during his long-standing tenure.

Former Magpies goalkeeper Tim Krul has come out to say Howe will still go down as “one of the legends of the club”, despite his poor current form in the hot seat, resulting in Newcastle sitting in a lowly 14th position in the Premier League.

All these glowing words will ultimately mean nothing, though, if Howe can’t turn around this concerning rut, with many a selection decision for the under-pressure boss to ponder over now during the international break, in an effort to save his job.

How Howe can save his job at Newcastle

Howe must know he’s under pressure now, with the usually calm and relaxed 47-year-old cutting a dejected figure after the away defeat at the Bees.

He will surely have come to the realisation he cannot rely on the first-teamers he has picked throughout his spell on Tyneside to continue to come up trumps, with the likes of Nick Pope and Joelinton potentially put to one side – owing immediately to injury – but also due to their recurring poor performances as the Toon slide down the division.

It’s a sad decline in real time for both the Brazilian and the ex-Burnley shot-stopper, with Aaron Ramsdale the likely candidate to replace Pope long-term, after he kept a clean sheet when last selected in the EFL Cup.

The faltering Magpies could look to the January transfer window to try and nail down a lasting replacement for Joelinton, but Jacob Ramsey did impress in flashes at the Gtech Community Stadium, winning five duels and amassing two key passes.

Howe could also be willing to gift Harvey Barnes some more first-team chances to save his skin, with the number 11 bagging his first Premier League goal of the season against Brentford to raise a rare smile.

With Anthony Gordon also being stricken by injury, and Anthony Elanga yet to get off the mark after a £55m summer move, the manager’s dependable super sub could be in for a start against Manchester City, after the break concludes.

There is also the major problem of Newcastle’s leaky defence that Howe will need to address, with one first-team figure – who was once even likened to Magpies’ great Alan Shearer – now in grave danger of being shelved for good.

Newcastle's "Shearer-like" star could be given the boot

As the aforementioned Krul touched upon, Howe will be viewed as a heroic icon down the line when his Newcastle tenure does expire, having guided the often trophyless Toon to an EFL Cup triumph just last season.

On that memorable day at Wembley, Dan Burn, all 6-foot-7 of him, got the ball rolling against the heavily fancied Liverpool, with that powerful header too fierce for Caoimhin Kelleher to palm away.

Sky Sports’ Gary Neville even heralded this moment as being “Shearer-like” from the Blyth-born defender, as the passionate number 33 scored an all-important strike, much like Shearer managed during his Tyneside peak, time after time.

Still, Howe cannot afford to be swept up in sentiment right now involving the ageing defender, with a red card picked up against Brentford resulting in the away side collecting a depressing fifth league defeat of the season.

Minutes played

73

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

61

Accurate passes

20/32 (68%)

Accurate crosses

0/1

Possession lost

18x

Tackles won

1/2

Interceptions

0

Clearances

11

Blocked shots

1

Ball recoveries

1

Total duels won

8/17

It wasn’t just the dismissal, though, that would sting from Burn’s off-performance, with the four-time England international also failing to lead by example when only winning eight of his 17 duels, on top of also giving away possession 18 times.

For Howe to save his job, he will need to ditch using Burn as a left-back option, with one content creator certainly right in his assessment now from earlier in the season, that the 33-year-old staying in that spot for the foreseeable future is the “stuff of nightmares.”

It will be a tough call to get rid, with Burn even once being noted as one of the “best signings” his manager has ever made, by Howe himself.

But, with his fralities being exposed all campaign long now, it could be a necessary alteration to bring Lewis Hall in, so Howe lives to see another day at St James’ Park.

PIF must cash in on Newcastle "legend" who is becoming the new Sissoko

This Newcastle star appears to have gone past his sell-by date.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 12, 2025

Gary Lineker is reportedly in talks with Netflix to feature in its US coverage of the 2027 Women's World Cup. The former Match of the Day host left the BBC's flagship football show in May after a string of controversies. Now, the former England international could return to sports broadcasting in 2027, with fellow Rest is Football podcast hosts Alan Shearer and Micah Richards potentially also being involved.

Lineker's long stay with BBC ends

In late May, Lineker announced his exit from MOTD after 25 years in the role. The ex-Tottenham striker eventually left the organisation after sharing an Instagram post about Zionism that included an antisemitic symbol. Now, The Times claims he is in discussions with Netflix about presenting at the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. This follows after the streaming giant secured the rights to show live coverage in the US of the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Quit or be quitted'

Following his BBC departure, the 64-year-old revealed his exit from the broadcaster was not entirely of his own volition.

In July, when asked if his exit was "of his own volition, or a case of quit or be quitted?", Lineker told The New World, via The Independent, "the latter".

He also apologised for his actions, saying, "I made a mistake and I immediately took it down and apologised, which I thought should have been enough."

'A defining voice in football coverage'

At the time of his departure, Tim Davie, the BBC's then director general, praised Lineker, while also alluding to his error of judgement. 

"Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season," he said. "Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades. His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond. We want to thank him for the contribution he has made."

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Getty Images EntertainmentWhat comes next for Lineker?

While those talks with Netflix continue on in the background, Lineker will continue hosting his popular football podcast with Shearer and Richards. Aside from football, he is currently fronting the ITV game show, The Box.

تحدث النرويجي إيرلينج هالاند، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي مانشستر سيتي، عن مباراة فريقه أمام ليفربول ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي.

ومن المقرر أن يخوض مانشستر سيتي مباراته أمام نظيره ليفربول مساء اليوم، الأحد، في تمام الساعة السادسة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، السابعة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت مكة المكرمة.

ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليفربول في الجولة الحادية عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”.

وقال هالاند، في تصريحات حول قمة الجولة الـ11 عبر الموقع الرسمي لناديه: “أشعر أن هذه هي أفضل نسخة من نفسي، لم أشعر أبدًا بتحسن أكثر من الآن”. (لمزيد من التفاصيل اضغط هنا).

وأضاف عن مواجهة ليفربول: “أعتقد أنهم فريق قوي حقًا، إنهم أبطال الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز لذلك فهم فريق رائع، ولديهم العديد من اللاعبين الجيدين”.

وأكمل: “لا أعتقد أن لديهم الكثير من نقاط الضعف، لقد عانوا من بعض الصعوبات لكنهم فريق جيد ومتكامل وهذا يجعلهم أحد المرشحين للفوز بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مرة أخرى”.

وأردف صاحب الـ25 عامًا: “إنهم أبطال تلك البطولة ويلعبون بالشعار الذهبي على أكمامهم، لذلك ستكون مباراة صعبة، لقد أنفقوا مبالغ طائلة في الصيف، فماذا يمكن أن أقول؟ لا أعتقد أن لديهم نقاط ضعف كثيرة”.

وعن فرص مانشستر سيتي في المنافسة بقوة على اللقب هذا الموسم، قال هالاند: “لا ينبغي لنا أن نفكر كثيرًا في أي شخص آخر وأن نركز فقط على أنفسنا”.

وأتم: “إن التحسن في الأداء على أرض الملعب كفريق واحد وتحسن أداء كل فرد هو الأفضل بالنسبة لنا وفي النهاية، علينا فقط أن نحاول الفوز في كل مباراة على حدة”.

Newcastle United’s wait to see Yoane Wissa in action goes on. The £55 million summer signing has suffered another delay in his recovery from a Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) injury sustained while on international duty with DR Congo. Eddie Howe has confirmed that Wissa is “not close” to making his debut and will almost certainly remain sidelined until after the November international break.

Wissa's wait for Newcastle debut goes on

Wissa’s highly anticipated debut for Newcastle United has been pushed back yet again as Howe revealed that the striker is still far from returning to full training. The 29-year-old sustained a PCL injury just a week after completing his £55 million transfer from Brentford on September 1, having picked up a knock while representing DR Congo. Despite earlier optimism that he could return before the next international break, Howe has confirmed that Wissa’s fitness is not yet at the required level for him to rejoin the first-team setup.

Newcastle had initially hoped the DR Congo international might be available for selection ahead of their Premier League clash against West Ham this weekend. However, those plans have been scrapped after the medical team advised caution, prioritising Wissa’s long-term fitness.

The injury setback is a frustrating twist for both player and manager, given how central Wissa was to Howe’s summer plans. Newcastle identified him as the ideal successor to Alexander Isak, who joined Liverpool for £130 million, but the club’s new marquee forward has yet to even train with his teammates since signing.

AdvertisementAFPHowe admits Wissa still not ready for action

Howe admitted his frustration at Wissa’s slow progress but stressed the importance of allowing the striker the time to recover fully. “It (his comeback) is definitely not West Ham (on Sunday),” the Newcastle boss confirmed. “He’s working very hard. He’s on the grass. He’s getting the fitness work in that he needs.”

The manager added that while Wissa is over the worst of his injury, he is still short of the physical sharpness needed to train with the squad. “I’d say he’s not close to training with the group at the moment, not through injury but through fitness, and making sure we build his robustness. I’m not trying to be evasive. I don’t know when the moment will be when he’s back with the squad.”

Howe also praised the DR Congo forward for his attitude during what has been a mentally testing period since his arrival on Tyneside. “He has a very strong character and that comes across,” Howe continued. “He’s good with the players, he’s very positive. He’s a leader. You can see that already.”

Wissa's spectacular move to Newcastle this summer

Wissa’s arrival on deadline day was seen as a major coup for Newcastle, following months of pursuit by the club’s recruitment team. The DR Congo star had been a standout performer for Brentford, scoring 19 Premier League goals in the 2024/25 season and earning widespread praise for his relentless pressing and clinical finishing. His £55 million transfer was part of Newcastle’s broader rebuild after Isak’s high-profile sale to Liverpool, with Wissa viewed as the perfect stylistic fit for Howe’s high-energy system.

However, the timing of his injury, sustained during international duty just days after signing, has been an immense blow. The 29-year-old forward has yet to train with his new teammates and has spent the past several weeks in an intensive individual recovery programme. Newcastle’s medical staff have been careful not to rush him, given the nature of the ligament injury and the risk of recurrence if he returns too early.

Off the pitch, Wissa has already made a strong impression in the dressing room. “He’s trying to inspire and help the players, which is sometimes very difficult when you come to a new club and you’re injured straight away,” Howe said. “That’s a real tough mental challenge for him to take on, especially with his transfer fee. There’ll be a lot of emotions going through him, but all he can focus on is trying to get fit and trying to make a difference on the pitch.”

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Getty ImagesWissa won't return before the November international break

Newcastle are mindful of easing Wissa into a squad that has struggled with injuries last season. Several key players, including Harvey Barnes, spent extended spells on the sidelines, making depth in attack a persistent issue.

Newcastle’s upcoming schedule means Wissa will likely be absent for their next two fixtures — the Champions League home clash with Athletic Bilbao and the Premier League trip to Brentford, ironically against his former club. Should his recovery continue smoothly, his debut may finally arrive after the November international break, potentially giving him the chance to feature in a string of key matches leading into the festive period.