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Wilfried Nancy’s implementation of a 3-4-2-1 system at Celtic has provided some players with a fresh chance to emerge as regular starters for the club.

Hyun-jun Yang, who scored against Livingston last time out, has established himself as the first-choice option as the right-sided wing-back, for example, since the Frenchman came in.

Anthony Ralston is another player who has benefitted from the change in formation, starting the last four matches as a right-sided centre-back, but his performances have left a lot to be desired.

67HailHail described his performance against Livingston as a ‘nightmare’, handing him a 4/10 player rating, and claimed that some fans ‘have had enough’ of the experienced defender, because of his errors.

Celtic eyeing move for Premier League defender

The Hoops are now reportedly looking at adding a player to their squad next month who could be the end of Ralston’s career with the Scottish giants.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to The Scottish Sun, Nancy is lining up a move to sign Bournemouth right-back Julian Araujo on loan from the Premier League side in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the defender is due to move on from the Vitality ahead of the second half of the campaign, and that the Hoops could swoop to bring him to Parkhead.

It adds that the full-back, who played in the MLS whilst Nancy was managing over there, is viewed as an ideal player for the manager’s 3-4-2-1 system.

The Scottish Sun reports that Celtic are ‘strong contenders’ to secure his services on loan until the end of the season, as they want to add more quality to their backline.

Why Celtic should sign Julian Araujo

Nancy should push for the club to get this deal over the line because he could end Ralston’s Celtic career by coming through the door to take the starting spot on the right of the back three.

Araujo has yet to play a single minute of football in the Premier League for Bournemouth this season, after starting seven matches last season, but his form in the MLS in the past suggests that he could be a good option.

The Mexico international caught the eye with his performances for LA Galaxy in the MLS and with Las Palmas in LaLiga during the 2023/24 campaign.

Araujo, as explained in the post above, excelled in possession during his time in the MLS, which is backed up by a return of 11 assists in his last two seasons with the Galaxy, per Sofascore.

Ralston, meanwhile, has provided six assists in all competitions since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, per Sofascore, and is yet to create a ‘big chance’ or assist a goal in 14 appearances in the Scottish Premiership so far this season.

Julian Araujo (MLS)

2021

2022

Appearances

32

35

Goals

0

1

Key passes per game

1.1

1.2

Big chances created

8

6

Assists

6

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

4.7

3.4

Duel success rate

51%

50%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Araujo provided quality as both an offensive force and as an out-and-out defender in his last two seasons in the MLS, which may be where he caught Nancy’s eye.

Subscribe for deeper Celtic transfer and tactics insight Curious about how a signing like Julian Araujo could reshape Celtic’s back line? Subscribe to our newsletter for expert breakdowns of transfer prospects, tactical fits, and the squad implications that matter to fans.

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Upon signing for Bournemouth in 2024, Chief Executive Neill Blake claimed that the full-back has “high potential”, but he has not had many opportunities to fulfill that potential, starting just seven league matches to date.

Celtic could provide him with an opportunity to start week-in-week-out in Glasgow as a loan signing for the second half of the season, which would offer him a chance to finally fulfill his potential by playing regular minutes.

His mixture of creativity and defensive quality with LA Galaxy suggests that he could offer more than Ralston, who has created nothing this season, as the right-sided centre-back in Nancy’s system, leaving the Scottish dud on the bench.

Related Dream 1st Nancy signing: Celtic could ditch Yang for SPFL "machine"

Celtic are reportedly interested in a deal to sign a star who could be an upgrade on Hyun-jun Yang in January.

Posts ByDan Emery

Then, Ralston could find himself struggling to make the bench once Alistair Johnston is back fit and ready to compete for Araujo for a position in the side, which is why this signing could facilitate the end of the right-back’s career at Celtic, as he may have to consider his future at Parkhead.

Hanuma Vihari scored his fourth first-class double-hundred as Andhra took comprehensive strides towards an outright win against Tripura in Valsad. Vihari went from an overnight 144 to an unbeaten 233 (482b, 17×4, 4×6) as Andhra declared on 524 for 5, having established a first-innings lead of 353.Bowling 47 overs, the left-arm spinner Gurinder Singh finished as Tripura’s most successful bowler, with figures of 4 for 166. With 42 overs left to bat out before stumps, Tripura lost three wickets, ending the day 165 for 3, still trailing by 188, with Yashpal Singh, their experienced import from Services, batting on 46.Half-centuries from Bipul Sharma and Sumeet Verma gave Himachal Pradesh a 76-run first-innings lead in a closely contested match against Chhattisgarh in Kanpur. Both teams ended day three with a chance of winning outright, with Chhattisgarh 175 for 4 and 99 ahead, courtesy an unbeaten 69 (156b, 7×4, 1×6) from opener Abhimanyu Chauhan.Himachal began the day trailing by 28 runs. Bipul scored 86 (179b, 4×4, 4×6) and Sumeet 68 (195b, 5×4, 2×6) as the pair stretched their overnight seventh-wicket stand of 60 to 130, before Himachal lost their last four wickets for 34 runs. Left-arm spinner Sumit Ruikar took two lower-order wickets to finish with figures of 7 for 112, his best in first-class cricket.Seamers Vinod Kumar and Sandeep Warrier shared seven wickets between them to help Kerala take a 56-run first-innings lead against Goa at the Brabourne Stadium. Goa, six down and 173 behind at the start of the day, got as close as they did to Kerala’s first-innings total thanks to Shadab Jakati’s 85 (162b, 13×4) from No. 8.Kerala stretched their lead to 210 by stumps, with Rohan Prem following up his first-innings century with an unbeaten 60 (128b, 7×4), and Mohammed Azharuddeen scoring 56 not out (101b, 7×4). The two came together after a three-wicket burst from Saurabh Bandekar had reduced Kerala to 54 for 4, and added an unbroken 100 for the fifth wicket. During the course of his innings – which was his fifth consecutive score of 60 or more – Prem went past Sunil Oasis to become Kerala’s highest-ever run-getter.A four-wicket haul from Sanjay Pahal helped Haryana enforce the follow-on against Jammu & Kashmir in Cuttack. Batting at No. 3, Pranav Gupta scored 94 (189b, 16×4), but J&K’s batting fell apart around him as they were bowled out for 262 in their first innings, 89 short of avoiding the follow-on. Opener Shubham Khajuria, who resumed on 48, only added four runs to his score before falling in the eighth over of the morning. He had put on 89 for the second wicket with Pranav. The wickets fell steadily thereafter, with only a sixth-wicket partnership of 65 between Pranav and wicketkeeper Puneet Bisht resisting Haryana for any length of time. With 19 overs left at the end of the day, J&K went to stumps 38 for no loss in their second innings.A century from Shamsher Yadav and a 90 from Nakul Verma helped Services defy Hyderabad at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, as they ended day three with reasonable hope of taking one point from a run-heavy game. Coming together at 116 for 3, after Services lost three wickets for the addition of only 39 to their overnight score, Shamsher and Nakul put on 84 before the latter fell for 90 off 178 balls (13×4). Even as wickets fell steadily around him, Shamsher remained at the crease through most of the rest of the day, before he was ninth out two overs from stumps for 104 (196b, 13×4, 1×6). Services were 360 for 9 at stumps, still in danger of following on, trailing Hyderabad by 220 runs, but with a fighting chance of saving the match. Seamer Ravi Kiran was Hyderabad’s most successful bowler with figures of 3 for 68.

Daren Ganga will captain Trinidad and Tobago during the Grenada Cricket Festival, a triangular Twenty20 competition © Getty Images

Trinidad and Tobago are looking to maintain their reputation as the leading team in the West Indies when they travel to Grenada for this weekend’s Grenada Cricket Festival.The Trinidad and Tobago squad have a lot to live up to as they contest the triangular Twenty20 tournament featuring Grenada and Antigua, but Omar Khan, the team manager, is confident, even though they will be without Dwayne Bravo and Ravi Rampaul.While this was not high on the priority list for the national team, as they prepare for the KFC Cup regional limited overs competition in Guyana later this month, Khan was adamant they will give a good account of themselves, saying: “We are going there to win and I believe that we have enough talent in the squad to come out on top.”It is a full-strength squad and it will be an opportunity for the guys that are going to continue their preparation for the KFC Cup, which is our top priority,” Khan said.Trinidad and Tobago, the defending KFC Cup champions, had reached the final of the Stanford Twenty20 Tournament last year but stumbled against Guyana. They will be using the Grenada Cricket Festival as a starting point for building their line-up for the 2008 Stanford Tournament, scheduled for January.”The KFC Cup squad still has to be cut down to 14 so these guys will have a further opportunity to impress the selectors,” Khan said. “The coach and training staff will also get a chance to do some extra work with the team in Grenada because it is all about performing in a different environment and conditions and the extra work there will pay off in the KFC Cup.”The squad leave today and play their first game tomorrow against Grenada at the National Stadium and take on Antigua at the same venue on Monday.Trinidad and Tobago Twenty20 squad:
Daren Ganga (capt), Denesh Ramdin (wk), Rayad Emrit, Richard Kelly, Amit Jaggernauth, Nicholas Ramjass, William Perkins, Mario Belcon, Keiron Pollard, Lendl Simmons, Sherwin Ganga, Andre Browne
Coach: David Williams
Manager: Omar Khan
Physical Trainer: Gerald Garcia

Malcolm Speed announces the shortlist for the ICC Awards © AFP

Mohammad Asif, the Pakistani fast bowler currently being investigated on doping charges, is still eligible for the Emerging Player of the Year award at next month’s ICC awards. Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, confirmed this with Cricinfo while announcing the short-lists for the awards presentation on November 3 in Mumbai.”Under the anti-doping policy he is not ruled ineligible for awards for performance prior to his doping offence,” Speed said. Asif, who along with Shoaib Akhtar tested positive for nandrolone, a banned steroid, will submit his written statement at a second hearing of the tribunal investigating the case on October 26.Ricky Ponting has been short-listed in four categories for the ceremony. After averaging 58.22 and 48.42 in Tests and ODIs, Ponting, 31, picked up nominations in the Player, Captain and separate Test and ODI Player of the Year sections. Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan and Mohammad Yousuf were also short-listed for Test Player of the Year. In the ODI category, Ponting is up against his team-mate Michael Hussey, Yuvraj Singh and Mahela Jayawardene.In addition to the individual awards and the Spirit of Cricket prize, this year’s ceremony will also feature the Test and ODI Teams of the Year. And for the first time there is an award for Women’s Cricketer of the Year.”The past year has been another exciting one for cricket fans around the world and these players have contributed hugely to our enjoyment,” Speed said.”This is the third annual ICC Awards night and it promises to be a fantastic evening with some very tough decisions to be announced. It is also a pleasure that for the first time we will be presenting the award for the Women’s Player of the Year. Now that the women’s game is under the auspices of ICC it is important that we acknowledge the marvellous contribution that female players are making.”The short-lists were announced after the votes were submitted by members of the voting academy. The 50 Academy members were asked to pick players nominated by a selection panel chaired by Sunil Gavaskar. The period of contention was between August 1, 2005 to August 8, 2006

At SuperSport Park, Northerns captain Pierre Joubert lead from the front as he took 6 for 39 in nearly single-handedly bowling North West out for 204. Was it not for Goolam Bhayat, batting at No. 11, North West might well have faced a bigger first innings deficit than 60 runs. At stumps on the second day Northerns had moved to 79 for 2, a lead of 139.In Johannesburg, a last-wicket partnership of 128 between debutante Michael Masinga (48 not out) and Patrick Thompson (66) gave Gauteng a healthy 115 run lead over Easterns. The Easterns second innings started poorly as they ;lost both openers with one run on the board. By the close they had recovered to 126 for 4, with Goolam Bodi not out on 57.

Lancashire 311 and 99 for 3 drew with Gloucestershire 311 for 8 dec and 289 (Keedy 7-132)
ScorecardGary Keedy, Lancashire’s left-arm spinner, picked up 7 for 132 on the final day at Old Trafford, but Gloucestershire, helped by a century from Chris Taylor, still made 289 to set Lancashire an improbable 290 to win. Keedy’s second innings haul, after his 7 for 95 in the first, took his match tally to 14 for 227 – a career best.Gloucestershire lost Craig Spearman, caught by Mark Chilton off the bowling of Sajid Mahmood, with only 10 on the board this morning. After that, wickets fell regularly as, Apart from Taylor, no batsman made more than Mike Hussey’s 45. This was Hussey’s last match for Gloucestershire, as he takes over as Durham’s new captain next season.After Keedy had wrapped up Gloucestershire’s innings by having Ian Fisher caught behind by Warren Hegg, Lancashire found themselves in some trouble at 12 for 3 in reply, with Iain Sutcliffe and Andrew Cook both out for ducks. But Mal Loye (45) and Carl Hooper (43) made sure that was as bad as it got for Lancashire with an unbeaten 87-run stand, although the match was overshadowed by the confirmation of Lancashire’s relegation.

Shane Warne might be serving a one-year ban from cricket for drug abuse, but the Australian board showed its support for him by naming Warne as one of 12 players who will participate in a media session in Sydney on Friday, July 11. The session is part of the Australian Test Cricketers’ Cap Presentation Reunion ceremony, and the players have been selected to represent Australia’s rich cricketing history – there is at least one from each of the last seven decades.Warne’s off-field exploits have been as controversial as his on-field ones have been spectacular. His latest controversial act – and the resulting one-year ban – raised speculation that he might not return to international cricket, but Warne himself has stated that he has been working hard to stay in shape for a comeback. The decision to name him in such an august list indicates that the board has forgiven him for his past sins.The representatives from each decade
1930s Bill Brown
1940s Sam Loxton and Arthur Morris
1950s Alan Davidson and Bob Simpson
1960s Ian Redpath
1970s Jeff Thomson
1980s Allan Border, Merv Hughes and David Boon
1990s Shane Warne and Justin Langer

The possibility of an innings victory over Jammu and Kashmirwas converted into a reality by Haryana’s bowlers today.After a dismal display last year Haryana came to life with arejuvenating outright trumph over Jammu and Kashmir in theopening encounter of the North Zone Ranji Trophy league at theMaharaja Aggarsain Stadium today. In the process they alsoavenged their defeat suffered at the hands of same opponentslast year at Jammu. On the third and penultimate day of thematch , Haryana registered a convincing victory over theirrivals with an innings margin.After facing the humiliation of follow-on, Jammu and Kashmirneeded another 282 runs to make Haryana bat again with ninewickets intact at draw of stumps yesterday. Today, Haryanabowlers spent a frustating first session as Jammu andKashmir’s overnight-unbeaten pair of batsmen ­ Raju Sharma (57in 227 minutes) and Kavaljit Singh offered resistance andregistered hundred run partnership for the second wicket in144 minutes off 223 balls.The partnership was terminated when leg-spinner Amit Mishraprovided the much needed breakthrough, but not before the pairhad added 140 runs. Kanwal scored 71 runs in 206 minutes off174 balls. He hit twelve fours. His dismissal cleared thedecks for Haryana’s outright victory. Jammu and Kashmir lostthe remaining wickets in quick succession. It was young leftarm spinner S Vidyut who was playing his first match forHaryana after migrating from Tamil Nadu who did the damage.Vidyut struck in a big way and bagged 6 wickets afterconceding only 24 runs in 21 overs. The Jammu and Kashmirinnings folded at 179 to give Haryana a victory by innings.Haryana managed to garner as many as 8 points whereas Jammuand Kashmir got no points from the match.

Pubudu Dassanayake has stepped down as Nepal coach, reportedly citing personal reasons. His last assignment with the side will be the WCL Championship matches against Papua New Guinea in November 16 and 18 in the UAE.The contract that had been offered to Dassanayake last year expired on June 15, 2015. However, the World T20 Qualifier in July, followed by the World Cricket League Championship led the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) to extend his contract until January 15, 2016.”It’s unfortunate. I have received an email from the coach stating that he has submitted a resignation letter to the general secretary and will continue till the WCL in Dubai [sic Abu Dhabi],” Bhawana Ghimire, CEO of Cricket Association of Nepal, said.Dassanayake’s decision will bring an end to his four-year tenure as Nepal coach, the highlight of which was the side’s maiden World T20 appearance at the 2014 edition.His stint with Nepal, however, has not been controversy free, with the Cricket Association of Nepal facing numerous administrative issues of its own including an investigation into the activities of some of its members.In March 2014, CAN had said that Dassanayake would get a year’s extension. However, due to the board being under investigation, he was only given an additional three months, which ran out in June, after which he left the country. In August, Dassanayake returned to Nepal after being invited by the government and was reappointed in September.

The England camp have admitted that James Anderson had been warned twice for running on the pitch before he was removed from the attack for a third transgression in the third Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.Anderson, England’s record wicket taker in Test cricket, appeared incensed when Aleem Dar, the umpire, notified the England captain that Anderson was to be withdrawn from the attack after two balls of the 100th over of the innings.In an angry exchange that continued beyond the end of innings, Anderson appeared to insist that he had been warned only once previously.But an ECB spokesman later confirmed that Alastair Cook, the England captain, admitted he had been warned twice previously about Anderson running on to the protected area. The first warning came after three deliveries of the 61st over of the innings; the second after four deliveries of the 94th over. All the warnings were captured by broadcasters.Law 42.12 – a section headlined ‘bowler running on protected area after delivering the ball – states that, on the first instance of any infringement, the umpire shall “caution the bowler and inform the other umpire.” They should also “inform the captain of the fielding side and the batsmen.”If the bowler contravenes again, the umpire is obliged to “repeat the procedure indicating that it is a final warning.”Aleem Dar, who his officiating in his 101st Test as an on-field umpire, won the ICC’s umpire of the year award for three years in a row (between 2009 and 2011).While the England camp have suggested that the umpires could, perhaps, make their warnings a little more obvious, they have effectively accepted the sanction. Coming, as it did, with nine wickets down, and with Ben Stokes requiring only one delivery to finish off the innings, it did not adversely affect them. Anderson, whose querying of the decision probably stayed just the right side of the line separated between ‘inquisitive’ and ‘argumentative’ is unlikely to face further punishment.There may be concern, however, at Anderson’s habit of running on the pitch – a habit that appears to be of increasing interest to umpires – and his apparent fury with the world and almost all upon it once he takes to the pitch. It is understood a team-mate recently made it clear in the dressing room that some were tiring of the latter.There has been illness within the England squad in recent days and it may well be that Anderson – and Stuart Broad, who bowled far below his recent high standards here – have suffered as much as anyone and deserve some patience. No doubt Anderson’s anger stems from his burning desire to perform for the team that he has represented with pride for more than a decade. He has more than earned the benefit of any doubt.As a new England side emerges, though – an England side keen to engage with its supporters and in the first flush of enthusiasm for international cricket and all it entails – Anderson’s anger jars and appears oddly out of step.