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“If you’re bowling first, it looks like an advantage is there for bowlers,” agrees Goswami

Firdose Moonda09-Mar-20211:44

Sune Luus: Hope India’s return to Tests helps push the ICC to revive women’s Tests

There is some advantage to bowling first in Lucknow but not so much to justify first-innings scores of under 200, according to South Africa Women captain Sune Luus and India’s premier pace bowler Jhulan Goswami.India and South Africa were bowled out cheaply in the two matches that have been played so far – for 177 and 157 respectively – and were untroubled in their chases. South Africa won the first match by eight wickets, India were victorious in the second by nine.Goswami said the troubles upfront were because of the early starts and fresh conditions, which have eased up as the day has progressed. “We are playing a 9 o’clock match and when you are playing in a place like Lucknow, in the morning there is a little bit of moisture in the wicket. If you get the ball in the right area, it’s not easy to play shots,” she said after her match-winning four-for. “It’s much easier in the second innings. The wicket is very flat and you just need to play through the line. If you’re bowling first, it looks like an advantage is there for bowlers.”

“She’s a lot taller than most women that we would have played against so you have to play her the way you play the length of a man”Sune Luus on the challenge of facing Jhulan Goswami

Luus noted that there also seemed to be more movement on Tuesday as compared to Sunday, but laid the blame for the low total with South Africa’s line-up, rather than India’s bowlers. “It’s a good batting wicket throughout. For pace bowlers, there’s always something in it for the first 10 or 15 overs when you bowl first. And it was a fresh wicket today. There was quite a lot of movement. Their two opening bowlers – Goswami and Mansi Joshi – bowled extremely well with the new ball. But we didn’t execute our shots. I don’t think they bowled well enough to bowl us out with great deliveries, although they still bowled well. We gave our wickets away at the wrong times.”Related

Jhulan Goswami: 'Very excited' at opportunity to play Test cricket again

South Africa lost six wickets for 44 runs to collapse from 113 for 4 in the 30th over to 157 all out after 41 overs, a total Luus deemed below-par. She identified anything over 200 as acceptable on this pitch, even batting first, not least against the game’s leading ODI wicket-taker. Goswami took the only two South African wickets to fall in the first match and four out of ten in the second game.”She’s a lot taller than most women that we would have played against so you have to play her the way you play the length of a man. Where she bowls the ball from is very high so she automatically gets more bounce. It kind of sneaks up on you,” Luus explained. “But today, it was soft dismissals from her bowling. She bowled extremely well in the first 10 overs, nipping it around and asking questions. We need to see through the first ten overs where she is at her most dangerous and try and capitalise when she comes back. It comes down to better positions and better plans.”South Africa’s task at hand is to work out how to improve performances from their middle order ahead of the next match, whether or not they bat first. However, with all five matches in this series due to be played at the same venue, and start at the same time, there may be a danger of proceedings playing out predictably, except if India, as Goswami warned, continue to get better after a rusty start.”In the first match we were playing after a long time and it took time to settle our nerves. We were bowling both sides of the wicket and there and there but today was much more disciplined,” Goswami said. “When you are coming back after a long layoff you need to settle down.”

Hosts’ batting coach at a loss to explain how they were all out for 135

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Jan-2021

The worst he’s seen. That was batting coach Grant Flower’s summation of Sri Lanka’s first innings at Galle, where they were all out for 135, against an England attack that were far from unplayable.Among Sri Lanka’s worst shots were those of Kusal Perera, who fell reverse sweeping Dom Bess’ second ball of the series, as well as Niroshan Dickwella, who slapped a wide long hop from Bess straight to point. Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews and Wanindu Hasaranga also all fell playing attacking shots.”I can’t explain it,” Flower said of the batting performance, after stumps. “I’ve been with the team for a year. It’s the worst batting I’ve seen. It’s purely mental I think. I don’t have any reasons to explain that.”Every single batsman should take the blame. They’ve only got themselves to blame. One of the guys was unlucky – Dasun Shanaka – when it came off Jonny Bairstow’s ankle. But the rest just got themselves out. There was some decent bowling, but the pitch isn’t a minefield.”Flower said the flaws in Sri Lanka’s batting were all in the head, rather than in their techniques. Although Sri Lanka lost 2-0 in South Africa, they had not had as woeful an innings there, as they did on Thursday in Galle.”I can’t give much technical advice,” Flower said. “I can only talk to them about the mental aspect, and ask them what they were thinking regarding their dismissals. I’ve only spoken to a few as well as the coach. I’m at a loss for words. I’ve never seen us bat that badly. Whether it was nerves or coming back from South Africa…”But they know these conditions so well, so they should have had a big advantage over England. But the England batsmen showed us this afternoon there’s nothing wrong with the pitch so far. It’s going to get worse, but today it played well and we batted terribly.”The batsman who did worst on Friday was Kusal Mendis, who collected a second-ball duck. This was his fourth consecutive nought in Tests, having made 12, 0, 0, and 0 in South Africa. He was out pushing at a straightening Stuart Broad ball, outside off stump. He edged it to the wicketkeeper.”I think in South Africa there might have been a few technical things [with Mendis’ batting], but today it didn’t have anything to do with technique. I think it was just a mental lapse. He was playing at a ball that he shouldn’t have.”

Bounce, baby! Bounce! There was a fast-bowling feast at Eden Park. And the batsmen were just not welcome.A rash of mis-hits, screams of annoyance and a flood of wickets suggested Pakistan could not cope with the conditions, where hitting back of a length not only made balls rear up at them, they did so at varying speeds.

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Babar Azam, who was at the ground, would have given a firm (broken) thumbs down as he watched his team struggle without him, slipping to 39 for 5. That couldn’t have been the score stand-in captain Shadab Khan was looking for when he won the toss. But things did improve in the back end of the innings, to such an extent that Pakistan made 102 runs in the last nine overs. That gave their bowlers a total of 153 and they made it look pretty big at the start of the New Zealand chase.Tim Seifert, though, rode the pressure put on him and the rest of his team by a quality attack that was pumped all the way up and produced a half-century that was just about enough to clinch a very tight T20I game.The debutant’s ball
Jacob Duffy had to wait eight years to make it to international cricket and when he did on Friday night, he picked up a wicket with his second ball. That was the first sign that this wasn’t an Eden Park belter. It stopped on the batsman. It kicked up off the surface. It hit high on his bat. And a flick shot, intended to go along the ground through midwicket, ended up a catch at mid-on.Duffy finished with 4 for 33, the best figures by a Black Cap on debut, and the Player-of-the-Match award, which was all a lovely bonus considering all he wanted was “not to get knocked out of the park too often”.Related

• Shadab Khan rues Pakistan's poor powerplay batting, lauds 'very good' Jacob Duffy

• How Mohammad Hafeez has been a T20 giant in 2020

• Jacob Duffy ready to do Southland proud as debut looms

His night could have been even more spectacular but for a stray little finger. In the tenth over, while fielding at deep third man, he ran full tilt to his right and leapt up to intervene with an upper cut from Khan that looked destined for six. The ball stuck in his outstretched right hand, but as he came down, protecting it from touching the ground, just a tiny bit of his other hand – his left hand – brushed against the advertising triangles and ruined what might have been one of the great boundary catches of all time.The captain’s knock
Khan was 9 off 13 at that point. He too was hopping around thanks to the extra bounce on offer, but his shot selection was considerably better than those that had come and gone before him.On a pitch where occasionally the ball didn’t come on to the bat, the flick shot is loaded with danger. Abdullah Shafique and Haider Ali found that out in the worst way. Cross-bat shots are much more useful, but for that, you have to stay in long enough to adjust to the bounce on offer. Mohammad Hafeez didn’t and fell so tamely.But from the ruins of 39 for 5, Khan (42 off 32) and later Faheem Ashraf (31 off 18) counterpunched their way to a total that looked rather unimaginable just a few overs previously. A total that they could defend.Tim Seifert hooks during the course of his half-century•Getty Images

Pure passion
Khan took centre stage again when he produced a ripping catch to dismiss Martin Guptill early and send his bowlers into a state of wicket lust.Haris Rauf was stricken with it. He had a pitch he could turn into his own personal playground. And anyone who entered it, had to deal with nearly 150kph rockets that – once again – were bouncing awkwardly. He took a wicket with his second ball. Devon Conway gone. He then came back to break the most threatening partnership of the New Zealand chase. Glenn Phillips gone. And in the slog, after watching Ashraf put down a simple catch with the equation reading 35 off 27, he knocked over the batsman that benefited from that piece of poor fielding. Mark Chapman gone.Seifert’s greatest trick
New Zealand’s wicketkeeper has so many funky shots that sometimes he feels obliged to play them. Sometimes they go for four. Other times it’s he who goes back to the pavilion.At Eden Park, he concentrated on playing within himself. So much so he produced two of the shots of the game: a straight drive that was nothing more than an extension of defence, and an extra cover drive that kept gaining speed as it travelled to the boundary. Restraint is often the key to success and Seifert found that out just in time to save his team.His dismissal with 44 runs needed off 32 balls put the game back in the balance, but New Zealand have worked on their chasing. Gary Stead has been very particular about it; demanding his players not succumb to pressure and instead, break the runs down into blocks and tick them off. Chapman took that advice to heart. So did Jimmy Neesham and the captain Mitchell Santner as well, who finished the game off with an emphatic six.As good as that must feel, the Pakistan side they beat was a rusty one. Khan even admitted that at the presentation. But they got better as the game went on and given the way they fought, this is going to be one great series.

MatériaMais Notícias

Titular da Seleção Brasileira na vitória por 1 a 0 sobre o Chile, nesta quinta-feira (02), em Santiago, Weverton foi decisivo em mais um triunfo da equipe de Tite nas Eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo de 2022. Campeão Olímpico em 2016, o goleiro vestiu a camisa do Brasil pela 10ª vez, em jogos oficiais, e nunca saiu de campo com um resultado negativo.

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O arqueiro alviverde faz sua 3ª participação nesta edição do torneio continental e, até aqui, ainda conta com 100% de aproveitamento: 5 a 0 sobre a Bolívia, 4 a 2 diante do Peru e, por fim, 1 a 0 contra os chilenos. Weverton é figura constante nas listas de convocação de Tite, tendo feito parte do grupo que disputou a Copa América 2020.

Levando em conta os amistosos que Weverton foi titular, a Amarelinha foi derrotada apenas uma vez, em duelo contra a Argentina, no dia 9 de junho de 2017. No total, são 12 partidas pela Seleção, com oito vitórias, três empates e apenas uma derrota, além da medalha de ouro conquistada nos Jogos Olímpicos de 2016, no Rio de Janeiro.

Provável titular nas duas próximas partidas do Brasil pelas Eliminatórias, contra Argentina (05/09) e Peru (09/09), Weverton deve estar à disposição de Abel Ferreira para o próximo compromisso do Palmeiras pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, no dia 12 de setembro, diante do Flamengo, no Allianz Parque.

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Nearly four months after Shashank Manohar stepped down, the ICC has set the ball rolling on picking its next chairman. October 18 is the deadline for potential candidates to file the nominations and an appointment is expected to be made before the end of the year. The candidates will need to be seconded by at least one current ICC board director to be eligible to contest the election.The ICC has not disclosed how the eventual winner will be declared, though. Incidentally that was the sticking point and the reason behind the ICC board failing to agree upon a process to elect Manohar’s successor.On July 2, the ICC board had said it would finalise within a “week” the process to accept nominations. Despite several meetings in the past few months, the ICC board remained severely divided.As per the ICC’s constitution, any present or former director who has attended at least one board meeting is eligible to run for chairman. ICC directors are each allowed to nominate one candidate, and nominees with the support of two or more directors are eligible to contest an election.The election process is being overseen by the Independent Chairman of the ICC Audit Committee and can vary every election. In 2016, when Manohar took charge for the first time, he was elected through a secret ballot. Two years later, he was the sole nominee and was re-elected unanimously without a vote.On his way out, Manohar himself had attempted to find a successor as a unanimous choice, but failed. Consequently the ICC board agreed to appoint Imran Khwaja as the interim chairman.It could not be confirmed whether the votes would be cast via a secret ballot and whether the eventual winner would be picked based on two-third majority or just a simple one. For any resolution to be approved, the ICC constitution currently requires a two-thirds majority, or a minimum of 11 votes. During the deliberations recently some of the ICC board directors wanted that to be changed to simple majority.The ICC board comprises 17 directors: 12 Full Members, three directors representing the Associates, and the chairman (Khwaja is one of the Associate representatives as well as interim chair, currently), the ICC chief executive officer (Manu Sawhney) and an independent woman director in Indra Nooyi. The CEO, though, does not have a vote.

A manager who recently left Erik ten Hag stunned is a "serious" and “interesting” target for Manchester United this summer, according to a new report.

Man Utd manager latest

The Red Devils and Sir Jim Ratcliffe appear to be planning on making a change in the Old Trafford dugout this summer, with Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio saying that a decision has been made to say “goodbye to Ten Hag”. A number of candidates appear to be in the frame to take over, including Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Kieran McKenna and Roberto De Zerbi.

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“McKenna is the man of the moment in the football world, in the world of coaches, because he is doing great at Ipswich Town. He is the number one choice at Brighton & Hove Albion (to succeed Roberto De Zerbi), but he has also already spoken to Manchester United. At the end of the season, United will say goodbye to Ten Hag.

“Manchester United will also be looking for a new coach. And their targets are McKenna and Mauricio Pochettino. De Zerbi is also on the list, but he has not been in contact with United in recent days. Apparently, the Red Devils are mainly hoping for McKenna: If he goes to Chelsea, United will go for Pochettino. But what is certain: they are saying goodbye to Ten Hag.”

It had appeared as if Pochettino was an option over the coming weeks for United, but Fabrizio Romano recently disputed links to the Argentine: “As for Pochettino, he is open for a new chapter and he feels absolutely ready for any opportunity. Despite reports of Pochettino being appreciated by some key figures at INEOS, there is nothing to say on Manchester United now for Pochettino.”

Football Insider have now provided what they know about the Argentine and a possible move to Manchester however, and it's a pretty significant update from Romano's claims.

Pochettino a “serious” option for Man Utd job

FI reporter Wayne Veysey shared news from a top Man Utd source, revealing that Pochettino is now a “serious and very interesting” option to become the next Man Utd manager.

It is added from sources that Pochettino, who plays a 4-2-3-1 system, is expected to receive offers to return to management over the coming weeks, with United seeing him as a strong candidate due to his Premier League experience with Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea.

The 52-year-old’s departure from Stamford Bridge left Chelsea players in shock, and it looks as if he could be a candidate to take over at England this summer as well, should Gareth Southgate depart after the Euros.

Pochettino’s record against Man Utd is somewhat inconsistent, but his most recent game against the Red Devils left Ten Hag stunned. Chelsea scored twice in stoppage time to win a dramatic top-flight fixture 4-3 back in April, with the Dutchman lamenting his side's decision making and claiming they dominated the game.

Games

16

Wins

5

Draws

3

Losses

8

It looks as if his next job in management could be at Old Trafford, making this one to watch over the coming weeks.

MatériaMais Notícias

Marcos Felipe não ficou satisfeito com a postura do Fluminense na derrota para o América-MG por 1 a 0, no Independência, em partida válida pela 15ª rodada do Brasileirão, neste domingo. Em entrevista à TV Globo, o goleiro destacou que o time precisa entrar mais focado dentro de campo e ressaltou a necessidade de buscar sempre a vitória.

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> Veja jogadores do Fluminense que foram convocados para as Olimpíadas

– Acho que a gente tem que entrar mais concentrado. Foi o que eu falei no início, independentemente do adversário, nós temos que entrar focado, porque são jogos muito difíceis nesse Brasileiro, é uma maratona. Nós temos jogos importantes pela Libertadores, pela Copa do Brasil e temos que focar também no Brasileiro. A gente não pode aceitar jogar dessa maneira, temos que buscar os três pontos sempre – comentou.

> Veja a tabela do Brasileirão

Essa foi, inclusive, a terceira derrota seguida do Fluminense no Campeonato Brasileiro. No entanto, Marcos Felipe destacou que a pressão sobre o elenco sempre vai existir, com vitórias ou derrotas, e que o grupo precisa se cobrar para voltar a vencer.

– A pressão sempre vai existir, vencendo, perdendo… Isso é, se tratando de Fluminense, a cobrança sempre vai existir. A gente tem que se cobrar, nosso grupo tem que ver o que a gente pode melhorar para conseguir as vitórias.

Surrey-Middlesex game will stress-test government guidance

Matt Roller17-Jul-2020

The UK government has confirmed that two county friendlies will be used as pilot events to stress-test the return of fans to sporting venues.As revealed by ESPNcricinfo, a limited number of spectators – likely to be county members initially – will be allowed to attend pre-season fixtures in order to trial the government’s guidance on the return of fans to elite sporting events, with a view to reopening all venues for fans with social-distancing measures in place from October.Surrey’s two-day friendly against Middlesex starting on July 26 is set to be one pilot event, and several other counties have arranged pre-season fixtures which could be open to a limited number of fans.In a statement, Surrey said they were “looking forward to working with the government to enable a limited return of members to The Kia Oval next weekend”. The statement said: “The club look forward to working with the Sports Grounds Safety Authority over the coming days and will make an announcement when arrangements have been finalised.”Fans attending will be provided with information about how the venue is minimising Covid-19 risks, and “must agree to a new code of behaviour obliging them to take full responsibility for themselves and others by not attending if they have any symptoms or have potentially been exposed to someone with COVID-19”.Social-distancing will be observed in seats, with a cap on tickets sold, and a crowd management plan in place to stagger entry and exit times. Additional hygiene facilities will be provided, and government advice suggests the creation of “additional isolation rooms” and screening upon entry into the ground.Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, confirmed the move in a press conference on Friday morning. “From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadia… These changes must be done in a Covid-secure way subject to the successful outcome of pilots,” he said.ALSO READ: Counties hopeful fans can return for Bob Willis TrophyCounty chiefs remain confident that it will be possible to allow a small number of fans to attend Vitality T20 Blast games in September if trial events run smoothly, while the measures announced today seem to increase the likelihood of some spectators being permitted for the final of the first-class Bob Willis Trophy at Lord’s at the end of the season.”For months millions of us have felt the void of being unable to go to the match to support our team or attend a top-class sporting event. So I am pleased that we are now able to move forward with a plan to help venues safely reopen their doors to fans,” said Nigel Huddleston MP, the Minister for Sport.”I recognise that not every sport, team or club has the benefit of huge commercial revenue, and it is often their dedicated fans that are the lifeblood which helps keep them going. By working closely with sports and medical experts, these pilots will help ensure the safe return of fans to stadia.”Although it will remain some time before venues are full to capacity, this is a major step in the right direction for the resumption of live spectator sport across the country.”An ECB spokesperson said: “From the outset of this crisis, we’ve worked in partnership with the UK government on the safe return of cricket, both at professional and recreational levels.”The return of fans to stadia is the next step and we are pleased that this announcement allows cricket to be among the first pilot events. There is now a significant amount of work to carry out ahead of these pilots, and we will continue to work closely with the government to assess what additional planning and safety measures are needed for supporters to be able to return safely to cricket grounds.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Operário-PR não conseguiu seguir com sua boa fase. Dessa forma, nesta segunda-feira, o time enfrentou o Vila Nova, pela 8ª rodada do Brasileirão Série B. Jogando no Germano Kruger, em Ponta Grossa, os goianos surpreenderam e arrancaram a vitória por 2 a 1.

Depois da partida, o Vila Nova, que saiu da zona de rebaixamento para a 10ª colocação, volta a campo no sábado. Assim, joga em casa, contra a Ponte Preta. Enquanto isso, o Operário-PR, que perdeu a sua invencibilidade em casa, fica em 5º lugar. Dessa forma, visita o Náutico, líder do torneio, na sexta-feira.

PRESSÃO DO VILA NOVA
Os visitantes começaram controlando a partida e não demoraram para balançar as redes do Operário-PR. Arthur Rezende chutou de fora da área, vencendo Thiago Braga, que contou com a dificuldades do campo molhado. Com isso, o Vila saiu na frente.

CORRENDO ATRÁS DO PREJUÍZO
Depois do gol tomado, o Operário-PR saiu para encontrar a virada. Dessa maneira, o time mandante teve diversas oportunidades, assustando em diferentes vezes o goleiro Georgemy. Em uma das melhores chances, Tomas Bastos mandou no travessão. Ricardo Bueno, Jean Carlo e Alex Silva também tentaram.

O empate, contudo, se deu no final da etapa. Aos 41 minutos, Ricardo Bueno contou com uma cabeçada à queima-roupa, na pequena área. A bola morreu no fundo das redes coloradas. A etapa terminou no 1 a 1.

PRESSÃO DO VILA
Os goianos voltaram atrás de ficar novamente à frente do marcador. Com isso, fizeram grande pressão no Operário-PR, que conseguiu, aos poucos, controlar e equilibrar o duelo. Assim, aos 10, Tomas Bastos parou em Georgemy, após cobrança de falta. O goleiro colorado seguiu com boas defesas.

GEORGEMY, O PESADELO DO OPERÁRIO-PR
Dois minutos depois, aos 12, Alex Silva cruzou fechado, levando muito perigo. Contudo, ninguém da equipe paranaense apareceu para finalizar. Aos 26, Jean Carlo acabou parando no goleiro colorado.

QUEM NÃO FAZ, LEVA!
A resposta do Vila Nova aconteceu aos 36, em contra-ataque. Assim, Alesson saiu na cara do gol, chutando no canto esquerdo de Thiago Braga. Dessa maneira, o time goiano ficou à frente do placar o restante da partida. Além disso, se colocaram mais fechados, evitando os avanços dos adversários. A última chance foi aos 49, quando Paulo Sérgio venceu Rafael Donato, mas parou em Georgemy na cara do gol.

FICHA TÉCNICA
Operário-PR 1 x 2 Vila Nova
Local: Germano Krüger, em Ponta Grossa (PR)
Data/Horário: 28 de junho de 2021 (segunda-feira), às 18h
Árbitro: Jonathan Antero Silva
Assistentes: Valdebranio da Silva e Robson Babinski
Cartões amarelos: Felipe Garcia (Operário-PR); Pedro Júnior (Vila Nova)
Gols: Ricardo Bueno (41’/1ºT) (1-1) (Operário); Arthur Rezende (5’/1ºT) (0-1) e Alesson (36’/2ºT) (1-2) (Operário).

Operário-PR: Thiago Braga; Alex Silva, Reniê, Rodolfo Filemon e Fabiano; Rafael Chorão (Schumacher, 37’/2ºT), Marcelo (Leandrinho, 21’/2ºT), Jean Carlo (Rafael Oller, 30’/2ºT),Tomas Bastos e Felipe Garcia (Rodrigo Pimpão, 21’/2ºT); Ricardo Bueno (Paulo Sérgio, 30’/2ºT). Técnico: Matheus Costa.

Vila Nova: Georgemy; Walisson Maia (Johnatan Cardoso, 28’/2ºT), Rafael Donato e Renato Silveira; Pedro Bambu (Danilo Belão, 16’/2ºT), Deivid (Éder, 0’/2ºT), Arthur Rezende, Cássio Gabriel (Renan Mota, 24’/2ºT) e Willian Formiga; Kelvin e Pedro Júnior (Alesson, 16’/2ºT). Técnico: Higo Magalhães.

Manchester United legend Jaap Stam believes that Erik ten Hag should no longer be the Red Devils' manager as he questions the team's playing style.

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Ten Hag told to leave by StamMentions the need for introspectionMan Utd backing Ten Hag for the seasonGetty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

Last season, Manchester United had their worst finish to a Premier League season, ending the campaign in the eighth spot with Ten Hag only keeping his job by the skin of his teeth after winning the FA Cup. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team actively courted alternative managers before deciding to continue with Ten Hag, signing him to a new two-year deal.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ten Hag has received backing in the summer transfer window, with United investing over £150 million ($193.3m) to sign Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui. Stam has now openly voiced that Ten Hag needs to take the onus on himself to show the improvements in his side's performances on the field. The United legend also talked about Ten Hag's need to introspect into his own side.

GettyWHAT STAM SAID

Speaking on the 'Up Front with Simon Jordan' podcast, Stam said [via The Daily Mail]: "For Ten Hag, it's his third season at United – I think he needs to go. I think it's good he signed a new contract because he still needs that little bit of help.

"He needs to look at himself and how last season panned out, I don't always agree with him in terms of him saying they played good football.

"I understand that as a manager you need to be positive about your players and help them out by taking some of the pressure away. That said, it's also good to just be honest as a manager and say that your team played rubbish football.

"He needs to step up this season, there have been a lot of changes made at the club with the staff so I'm curious how it's going to work out for them."

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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

The Red Devils did show a lot of improvement during their season-opening Community Shield final against Manchester City despite losing on penalties. Ten Hag will now lead his side in their Premier League opener on Friday evening when United take on Fulham at Old Trafford.