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Celtic’s turbulent campaign took another dramatic twist as the Scottish giants scramble to salvage their season following one of their most disastrous managerial appointments ever.

O'Neill returns to Celtic for second time this season after Nancy disaster

Wilfried Nancy’s brief spell at Parkhead ended in humiliation earlier this week after the Frenchman won just two of his eight matches in charge, becoming the latest casualty in what has been a catastrophic season for the Glasgow club.

Nancy arrived from Columbus Crew with impressive credentials as the 2024 MLS Coach of the Year, replacing the departed Brendan Rodgers who resigned in October.

The 48-year-old then signed a two-and-a-half-year contract in early December, but lasted just 33 days before the board pulled the trigger following Saturday’s devastating 3-1 home defeat to Rangers in the Old Firm derby.

The final straw came at Celtic Park when the Hoops surrendered a 1-0 halftime lead to collapse spectacularly against their bitter rivals.

Yang Hyun-Jun had given Celtic the advantage with a fierce strike, but second-half goals from Youssef Chermiti and Mikey Moore turned the contest on its head, marking the first time in 152 home matches that Celtic had scored first and gone on to lose.

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Celtic shipped 18 goals across Nancy’s hapless eight matches in charge, with his stubborn refusal to adapt frustrating supporters who watched players regress dramatically under his management.

The dismissal came particularly harshly given Nancy replaced interim boss Martin O’Neill, who had won seven of his eight matches in charge following Rodgers’ resignation.

The stark contrast between the two spells highlighted the catastrophic nature of Nancy’s appointment, with the board also sacking head of football operations Paul Tisdale in acknowledgment of his recruitment failure.

Enter O’Neill for his second interim spell in charge this season.

The Northern Irishman returns alongside assistants Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham, tasked with stabilizing a crisis that has seen Celtic drop six points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts.

Behind-the-scenes, Celtic chiefs are prepared to back O’Neill to the hilt with transfers this month.

Celtic in talks to sign Nacho Laquintana with Jocelin Ta Bi

TEAMtalk reports that The Hoops are closing in on two exciting wide players with one deal already agreed.

The club have reached an agreement to sign Ivorian talent Jocelin Ta Bi for £2 million, with the 21-year-old right-winger expected to undergo a medical in the coming days.

Ta Bi has impressed during a loan spell at Hapoel Petah Tikva from Israeli side Maccabi Netanya. His pace and directness represent exactly the kind of energetic, exciting player O’Neill needs to inject life into his forward line after the Nancy debacle left the squad devoid of confidence.

Negotiations are also progressing simultaneously for Uruguay international Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Laquintana, with O’Neill’s side actively working on a deal.

The 26-year-old currently plies his trade for Red Bull Bragantino in Brazil, and has emerged as a prime target after talks were held over the weekend. TEAMtalk indicates the player himself is keen on making the move to Glasgow.

Subscribe for in-depth Celtic transfer and manager coverage Get deeper Celtic coverage by subscribing to the newsletter: expert breakdowns of managerial shifts, transfer moves like Ta Bi and Laquintana, and what they mean for the title race—clear, club-focused insight for dedicated fans.

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Celtic are pursuing a loan-to-buy deal that would allow Laquintana to make an immediate impact while providing crucial financial flexibility.

The Uruguayan’s creativity and goal threat from wide positions make him an attractive proposition for O’Neill as he plots Celtic’s resurgence in the title race.

Both signings address critical areas of need following the tactical chaos under Nancy. The attacking reinforcements provide fresh options in wide positions where Celtic have lacked dynamism throughout a campaign that has lurched from one crisis to another since Rodgers’ October departure.

O’Neill will welcome the incoming talent as he attempts to close the gap on Hearts while simultaneously rebuilding confidence within a fractured squad.

With announcements expected imminently, supporters can anticipate a busy January.

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Tottenham Hotspur have long been regarded as one of the best-run clubs in the Premier League. Daniel Levy was nothing if not a savvy businessman.

However, on-field success left something to be desired, and the incredible Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou last season ended a 17-year wait for silverware, with Brennan Johnson striking the winner against Manchester United in the final.

Football does move at a relentless pace, though, and Johnson is seemingly in the process of packing his bags and leaving N17.

The latest on Brennan Johnson to Palace

Johnson, 24, scored 19 goals in all competitions for Tottenham last season, but he has fallen by the wayside under Thomas Frank’s wing, cast to the sidelines and with only two Premier League goals all year.

Given that his underlying data reveals a player struggling to produce any measure of success in creative and athletic metrics, it’s surely right that he’s shipped on, with Crystal Palace agreeing a healthy £35m fee with the north Londoners for the versatile winger’s transfer.

Johnson has yet to give the green light himself, but all the pointers suggest this one will be wrapped up in the early stages of the January transfer window, giving Spurs co-directors Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici ample time to find a replacement.

Tottenham have already missed out on Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City, but they remain ready to pounce on any opportunities that come their way.

However, there may already be an up-and-comer on the books who has the potential to far outstrip Johnson and become a superstar in the Premier League.

Spurs already have a Johnson upgrade

Make no mistake, Tottenham are going to need to dip into the transfer market for a new wide forward sooner rather than later, but in Mikey Moore, they do already have a prospect who may already offer more than Johnson.

The Welsh winger, after all, ranks among the bottom 5% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for shot-creating actions, the bottom 14% for progressive passes and the bottom 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

Moore, conversely, is regarded as a robust and energetic winger, capable, like Johnson, across both flanks and able to blend direct and creative firepower with ease. Currently on loan with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, Moore has been cutting his teeth in a tough environment, with the Scottish giants at a low ebb.

He’s yet to establish himself as a prolific force on the senior stage, but this loan spell in Scotland will do the tricky winger the world of good, and his efforts for Tottenham’s youth set-up underscore his “superstar potential”, as has been noted by scout and analyst Ben Mattinson.

Mikey Moore – Club Stats so Far

Club/level

Apps

Goals (assists)

Tottenham U18

24

19 (13)

Rangers

21

2 (2)

Tottenham

21

1 (2)

Tottenham U21

5

2 (2)

Tottenham U19

5

0 (0)

Data via Transfermarkt

Even though his stint with Rangers has been testing at times, Gers podcaster has praised the “outrageously good” prospect for showing no fear and displaying evident technical quality.

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And his fleet-footedness has even led to comparisons with one lightning-quick former Spurs star, with Spurs writer James Harris remarking that Moore could “bring back the old Aaron Lennon” to north London.

Lennon didn’t score much, but he was a ferocious player in his heyday, so dangerous down the wings.

Given that Moore established himself in Postecoglou’s squad last season, featuring 21 times for the seniors and scoring his first senior goal in the Europa League, Frank could be onto a winner with this one, returning to London next summer with the experience to match the innate talent, ensuring Johnson is quickly forgotten.

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England allrounder Luke Wright has joined the ranks of players who have turned down offers from IPL franchises.Earlier this week Ravi Bopara and Sajid Mahmood revealed that they had also been approached to join IPL, but both opted to put their England ambitions ahead of short-term financial gain.”At the moment my main focus and priority is playing for my country,” Wright said. “Obviously I was very pleased to be considered for the IPL. If the timings were different and it wasn’t going to affect my chances of playing for England then it would be something I would seriously have to consider.”Wright is not centrally contracted to the ECB and so would only have required permission from Sussex to play in the IPL.

Scorecard

Champa Chakma bowled Bangladesh to the final © ACC

Bangladesh, the favourites, sealed their place in the final with a 59-run victory against Hong Kong at Johor Bahru. The result owed much to the guile of little 16-year old left-arm spinner Champa Chakma who took 3 for 16 with a variety of top-spinners, in-cutters and googlies that had all who faced her floundering.Bangladesh’s batting remains, by and large, bright and breezy and there’s always the feeling that a wicket could fall the moment they play an attacking shot. Singles aren’t fancied in case, thus the false economy of a hard hit is chosen. To generate power the players swing the bat hard; inevitably, more shots than not go in the air.Salma Khatun and Panna Ghosh are alone in being able to drive on the off on the front foot along the ground and look a class apart from their team-mates. Their partnership of 37 in a little over 10 overs for the fourth wicket did much to steady Bangladesh after they’d lost two wickets in two balls in the eighth over.When Khatun was out, flat-batting firmly to a terrific diving catch at cover by Samantha McIlwraith, Bangladesh were just about getting their noses in front. Three more wickets fell for 10 however, and Hong Kong were back in the game.Had Panna Ghosh been held at long-on when on 28 (one of three chances she offered) and two run-out chances taken, Bangladesh would have been struggling. Her partnership with the bustling Tithi Rani Sarker at the end of the innings ran Hong Kong ragged. Twenty runs were put on in the last four overs and Bangladesh managed to reach their pre-match target of 100.They thought it would be enough. One obstacle remained however, Hong Kong’s captain Neisha Pratt. Until she was out, Bangladesh couldn’t rest. Pratt came in at 4 so as to better negotiate the perceived spin-treat of Bangladesh and when she took guard with her team at 14 for 2, the innings rested on her shoulders. Ghosh’s pace was negotiated safely and one could sense that Pratt was just playing herself in, looking to build a platform for her side’s victory.Chakma’s second delivery fizzed past the edge, Pratt was out of her crease and the bails were whipped off. Even Bangladesh’s manager screamed with joy.If Chakma was too good for Pratt, she was way too good for the rest. Barely nudging four foot and from a part of Bangladesh (the Chittagong Hills) that didn’t know of cricket until the 21st century, Chakma possesses a repertoire of which Monty Panesar would be proud.The ball that did for Renee Montgomery would have foxed anyone and had even the umpire from her end, S. Chandrasekaran admiring it. He said after the match’s conclusion, “Through the air it looked like it was going to the off, and the batsman shaped to drive, on pitching it just darts in and takes leg-stump. She has one that bounces, one that moves away and one that moves in, there’s one that gets quicker off the pitch…..” Spinners took six of the Hong Kong wickets to fall.Chakma is pretty good and so is Hong Kong’s left-arm prodigy thirteen year-old Chan Sau Har. She gets prodigious bat-beating turn herself and has major star-quality. It wasn’t her or Hong Kong’s day today. Bangladesh were just too good.”It’s a learning curve for both teams,” said Hong Kong’s coach Lal Jayasinghe. “The gap between Bangladesh and the other Test-playing countries of Asia is like the gap between us and them, but take the best young players from both teams and give them every chance to improve, within a few years they’ll be a match for the rest.”Hong Kong captain Neisha Pratt said: “There are many positives we can draw from this tournament. Our young players really got stuck in and showed a lot of character especially in the bowling department.”Clearly our batting has been disappointing and we’ll be working hard on this area. We’ve now seen the level of competition in Asian women’s cricket and, with a lot of hard work from the squad and continuing provision of resources Hong Kong can be confident of competing successfully at this and higher levels moving forward.”Bangladesh will meet Nepal in the final on July 18 after they defeated China in the other semi final.

Graham Ford: ‘The lure of the pound is very strong’ © Getty Images

The subject of the number of overseas players in English cricket has been argued over for years, but the recent influx of players under the Kolpak ruling has taken the debate onto a new level. The number of South Africans playing county and club cricket has never been higher, and most benefit from having British passports through parents or grandparents.But while the issue is a concern to the English, it is also a worry for South Africa. Graham Ford, Kent’s South African director of cricket, has been responsible for an influx of his countrymen to Canterbury, but he is worried by the trend.He told AFP that he is inundated by phone calls and e-mails from South African parents desperate to get their sons into one of the leagues. “Every week, I receive hundreds of queries. I’m extremely concerned that so many quality players are deciding to play elsewhere. If we continue to lose so much talent it’s bound to threaten our depth and it’s going to be terribly difficult in the long run to maintain that same quality.”It was Ford, who coached the South African national side until 2001, who first identified that Kevin Pietersen was a special talent. “A lot of people ask me how we could let someone like that go,” Ford shrugged. “I don’t have an answer. I tried to keep him in South Africa but it didn’t work out. The really worrying thing from a South African perspective is that we have no idea how many other potential matchwinners we are losing.”South Africans have a big problem regarding KP [Kevin Pietersen]. They don’t want to acknowledge that this guy is an exceptional talent. Of course it’s sad seeing Pietersen winning games single-handedly for England when he could be doing it for South Africa,” said Ford.Ford added that the player drain was continuing. Former international wicketkeeper Nic Pothas, 32, will qualify to play for England this season – although his chances of a call-up are almost non existent – while Jonathan Trott, who is only 25, could well be drafted in after strong performances.”The lure of the pound is very strong and you can’t always fight against that,” admitted Ford. “But there are other reasons as well. Disillusionment is just one of them. And then there are a whole lot of guys who simply haven’t made it and are feeling sorry for themselves. It’s a convenient excuse to blame the situation back home.”This winter, Ford, who coached the South African national side until 2001, will return to the republic to take charge of the Dolphins.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Brendon McCullum hit 143 to rescue New Zealand from the brink of embarrassment© AFP

Brendon McCullum stroked his way to his maiden Test hundred (143) to give New Zealand a lead of 225 runs, before Bangladesh lost two wickets before the end of the day, and looked set to lose the first match of the series within four days. They reached the close on 41 for 2, with Daniel Vettori doing the damage second-time around.The day had belonged entirely to New Zealand. They first frustrated Bangladesh by repelling the bowling with ease, and then built a comfortable lead for their team before prising out Javed Omar and Hannan Sarkar before the close. When they resumed their innings, unperturbed by the absence of specialist batsmen, McCullum did not attempt to shield the tailenders when the spinners came on. And Vettori (23) and James Franklin (22) held their own, in partnerships of 71 and 57. While McCullum went after the loose balls, Vettori and Franklin tapped it around, applying themselves in a manner missing when the top order batted yesterday. McCullum fed off their comfort, and took the match further away from Bangladesh.McCullum was quick to pounce on anything either too short or too full, and though he was mostly fluent, he did enjoy some luck. Two catches were dropped, but he carried on as if nothing had happened. Cuts flew to the fence. Sweeps beat the fielders. He stayed back and played strokes as late as possible. Some balls stayed low, others jumped, and patience was needed, of which he had plenty. Bangladesh grew more and more dispirited as his score grew. When he eventually fell, it was while attempting to steer Mohammad Rafique to leg – a shot he had played successfully until then (371 for 9). But New Zealand were safe, and had broken away from Bangladesh’s clutches for the first time in three days.Bangladesh were restricted by their limited bowling attack. Apart from Rafique (6 for 122) and Manjural, no-one looked likely to get a wicket, and runs came freely when the fast men bowled. They had opportunities: the new ball swung, but it was pitched on the wrong line, and a shot off McCullum flew airily to third man, where the fielder chose to save four runs, rather than dive for a catch. Apart from the spinners, Bangladesh lacked penetration. Vettori fell to an outstanding catch by Nafis Iqbal, and Franklin attempted an over-ambitious pull (351 for 8).Soon, Bangladesh’s batsmen were in pads, with the task of wiping out the considerable lead. They played steadily at first, barring two edges off Franklin that went through slips to the boundary, but all that changed when Vettori came on. Getting one to turn a bit, he clipped Omar’s outside-edge, before Sarkar tried playing a ball to leg, but edged it back to Vettori (33 for 2). Nafis Iqbal was still there on 24, though, striking the odd defiant shot, but there was no doubt about which team was in complete control of the game.

England, Pakistan and India all have a chance to wrest the third spot in the ICC Test Championship table going into the final match of their series in West Indies and Pakistan. Currently, just two points separate the three teams, with Pakistan on 102, England on 101, and India on 100.A victory at Rawalpindi will push Pakistan’s tally to 105 points and assure them of third spot regardless of the outcome of England’s Test against West Indies in Antigua. If Pakistan only achieve a draw, though, they will stay on 102 points, and England can sneak ahead with a draw and a 3-0 series win – which will improve their rating to 103 points. If England win in Antigua, their tally will go up to 104.For India to leapfrog both teams, they will have to beat Pakistan in the third Test, and then hope that West Indies pull off a surprise win against England. If that happens, India and England will be tied in third place with 102 points, while Pakistan will slip to sixth place with 99.Australia lead the way with 127 points, while South Africa are in second place with 112.

The State Central Hinds team to play State Auckland Hearts at Melville Park at the weekend is:Aimee Mason (captain), Abby Burrows, Sarah Duffill, Cindy Forsyth, Erin McDonald, Sara McGlashan, Zara McWilliams, Elizabeth Perry, Kelly Sutherland, Nicole Thessman, Donna Trow, Kelly Winkley.Kate Pulford is injured and not available for selection.Kelly Winkley will make her debut for the State Central Hinds.

Trent Bridge:
Lancashire 2nd XI 287-3 (GD Lloyd 148*, MJ Chilton 66)
Nottinghamshire 2nd XI 147-7 (CJ Hewison 47)
Lancashire 2nd XI won the match on run rate.1st day of 3Hinckley:
Leicestershire 1st innings: 247-6 (AS Wright 76, SJ Adshead 52)
YorkshireCoggeshall:
Derbyshire 244-6 (RM Khan 91)
EssexWest End:
Hampshire 136 (M Bulbeck 4-34)
Somerset 25-1

West Ham have been given a boost in pursuit of a ‘top class’ player who’s believed to be keen on a switch to east London in January, according to insider ExWHUemployee.

Nuno in need of top January window as West Ham stare at relegation

The looming January window, set to open in under a fortnight, could be make or break for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side as they stare down the barrel of relegation.

There have been some positive signs since Nuno replaced Graham Potter, with a marked improvement in overall performances.

However, results still haven’t been good enough to lift them out of the Premier League relegation zone.

Only bottom side Wolves have conceded more goals than the Hammers so far, while Niclas Fullkrug’s departure to AC Milan leaves them a striker short.

The German spectacularly flopped at Rush Green, bagging just three goals in 29 appearances with his spell marred by constant injury problems.

Reports suggest that West Ham are entering the market for a new number nine, and they’ve been linked with a few intriguing options already, most notably Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen.

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Nuno’s side are believed to have made an approach for the Norwegian, who in turn is open to swapping the Midlands for London to give himself a better chance of avoiding the Championship.

While a striker and talks for Wolves winger Adama Traore are taking centre stage, West Ham badly need an alternative to the likes of Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo too, with the former enduring a nightmare against Man City last weekend.

Now, as per ExWHUemployee, that man could be Toulouse centre-back Charlie Cresswell.

Charlie Cresswell keen to join West Ham in January

Writing on his Patreon, via the West Ham Way website, Ex shared an update on Cresswell after claiming last month that West Ham could ‘reignite talks’ for the Englishman.

Cresswell was apparently close to joining West Ham in the summer, and that interest remains heading into January.

What’s more, Ex now reports that the 23-year-old is ‘keen on the move’ to West Ham next month — gifting Nuno’s side a boost as they still ponder a move for the former Leeds United defender.

Cresswell has enjoyed a remarkable 25/26 campaign with Toulouse, establishing himself as an indispensable figure in the heart of their defence.

The England Under-21 international has started all 16 of Toulouse’s Ligue 1 fixtures, playing every single minute of their season to date, demonstrating his importance to manager Carles Martínez.

Subscribe to the newsletter for West Ham transfer intel Discover deeper transfer context—subscribe to the newsletter for detailed scouting reports, tactical fit breakdowns and player profiles (including Charlie Cresswell), plus comprehensive transfer coverage and expert insight across the league. Subscribe Subscribe to the newsletter for West Ham transfer intel Discover deeper transfer context—subscribe to the newsletter for detailed scouting reports, tactical fit breakdowns and player profiles (including Charlie Cresswell), plus comprehensive transfer coverage and expert insight across the league.

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Cresswell has even netted three goals and one assist so far, showcasing his threat from set pieces while maintaining defensive solidity at the back.

Toulouse currently sit eighth in the Ligue 1 table with 23 points from 17 matches, having lost just once in their last seven games.

Cresswell’s performances have earned him comparisons to former Chelsea defender Thiago Silva due to his composure on the ball and aerial prowess in both penalty areas.

The centre-back has also earned recent recognition with England’s Under-21 squad, playing a key role in their successful European Championship defence last summer where he was named in the Team of the Tournament.

Daniel Farke was a big fan of his at Leeds too, calling him a ‘top class’ youngster who kept Leeds’ senior defenders on their toes.

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