Glasgow Rangers have recently completed their eighth summer signing of the transfer window, managing to lure striker Danilo from Dutch side Feyenoord.

Could signing number nine be just around the corner however? As Michael Beale is looking to further bolster his first team squad ahead of the 2023/24 Premiership campaign.

Are Rangers close to signing Jose Cifuentes?

Fan media outlet Four Lads Had a Dream offered an update on the player, tweeting: “Jose Cifuentes will arrive in Glasgow this midweek, as per multiple previous reports.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

“Everything is agreed and in place to join immediately.

“It’s been a long protracted deal but management are excited about this.”

It appears as though signing number nine is basically a done deal and with the Champions League qualifiers just around the corner, it could be a wise move for Beale to bring in the Ecuadorian this summer as supposed to January 2024, when his Los Angeles FC contract expires.

How good is Jose Cifuentes?

The midfielder enjoyed a productive 2022 MLS season for LAFC, ranking second in the squad for big chances created (11), while also ranking third for successful dribbles (1.5) and tackles (1.8) per game, suggesting that he could offer both attacking and defensive qualities to the Rangers midfield.

With Glen Kamara looking likely to leave this summer and Ryan Jack out of contract at the end of the season, Cifuentes could form a solid partnership with Nicolas Raskin in the heart of the midfield.

Could Beale perhaps have a dream future partner for the talented 24-year-old however? As Cole McKinnon shone for Partick Thistle whilst on loan last term.

Who is Cole McKinnon?

The 20-year-old has already made his senior debut for the Ibrox side, featuring against Hearts on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign, even managing to score a goal, giving the supporters a glimpse of his vast talents.

Following that impressive cameo, he joined Partick on a season long loan deal and journalist Jordan Campbell praised him, saying: “Understand Rangers midfielder Cole McKinnon, who signed a new three-year deal yesterday, is expected to join Partick Thistle on loan.

“The 19-year-old is highly rated at Ibrox and scored in the final league game of last season. Goes box-to-box and has a knack of getting a goal.”

The youngster certainly took his chance during his stint in the Championship, featuring 31 times across all competitions and even registering six goal contributions – three goals and three assists – which is a solid return from the centre of midfield.

McKinnon looks like he could add a reliable goal threat from the midfield and would compliment Cifutenes well, who has displayed a tenacious nature during his spell at LAFC and enjoys winning the physical battles in the middle of the pitch.

The Gers prodigy has also been capped for the Scotland U21 side, making two appearances and the future is clearly bright for him, at both club and national level.

Another loan spell, this time at a club in the Premiership, would certainly stand him in good stead should he aim to challenge for a spot next to Cifuentes in the Gers midfield in the years to come.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are embroiled in a 'tug-of-war' with other interested parties as they try to land Bristol City playmaker Alex Scott, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Is Alex Scott going to Wolverhampton Wanderers?

As per Football Insider, Wolves are set to make another bid for Bristol City playmaker Scott as they try to finalise a deal to bring the 19-year-old to Molineux.

The outlet claim that the Old Gold have already seen two offers turned down for Scott, with the second being at around the £20 million mark; however, they are preparing another attempt to land the England Under-20 international, who is valued at £25 million by Bristol City chairman Jon Lansdown.

Premier League outfit Bournemouth are also keen on signing Scott this summer and failed with an offer of £15 million for his services last week as Bristol City stand firm on their valuation of the Guernsey-born midfielder, as per The Daily Mail.

West Ham United and Inter Milan hold an attraction towards Scott; nevertheless, it is thought that Wolves and Bournemouth are frontrunners in the race to offer him a taste of English top flight football at present.

Last term, Scott enjoyed an impressive campaign for Bristol City, registering two goals and five assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Scott also provided plenty of opportunities for his teammates over the course of the season, racking up 87 shot-creating actions in the Sky Bet Championship, according to FBRef.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has signalled that Wolves are indeed set to up the ante as they try to sign Scott by bidding once more for the starlet.

Jones stated: "Wolves were not expected to go this heavy on Alex Scott based on the fact they are still having to tiptoe around FFP numbers. It shows big intent to make an offer that could reach £20million for a player of his age but at the same time, it was never going to be a deal that would be agreed.

"What they have done is retaliated to Bournemouth’s opening £15million offer and, in theory, we now have a tug-of-war between the clubs. Another bid from both Wolves and Bournemouth is very likely and I would actually edge towards Bournemouth feeling the most confidence about being able to strike a deal on this one.

"Other clubs have watched this in the background so we should be very aware of the fact someone else might come into the frame. But there is no doubt this £25m valuation is proving off-putting."

What other transfer business could Wolverhampton Wanderers conduct?

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui is now at the stage where he is ramping up his interest in several stars as he looks to add some quality to his squad at Molineux.

Republic of Ireland international Matt Doherty is a free agent after leaving Atletico Madrid upon the expiration of his contract and is close to making an emotional return to Molineux. He is in the process of having his medical ahead of re-joining his former side, according to The Daily Mail.

Football Insider report that the Old Gold are 'set to complete' the signing of Borussia Monchengladbach central defender Nico Elvedi for a fee in the region of £7.7 million following progress in negotiations.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is another name being courted by Wolves as a potential replacement for Jose Sa, who is attracting interest from Nottingham Forest, Mailsport understands.

Four wickets in nine balls for Sam Curran leaves Surrey needing victory in their final game and condemns Gloucestershire to a bottom-place finish

Vithushan Ehantharajah17-Aug-2017Sam Curran has given Surrey a potential route to the quarters•Getty ImagesFittingly, in a T20 Blast campaign that has seen Surrey stutter with every strut, a messy win has left them in control of their own destiny going into their final group match. Victory by two wickets over Gloucestershire, achieved with all the conviction of two dogs in a long coat applying for a mortgage, owed much to a bit of pluck as well as Gloucestershire’s own incompetence.Boy wonder Sam Curran gave Surrey the potential for a clear passage through to the last eight with one of the spells of the season, taking four wickets for no runs in the space of nine balls, which included three in his second over.Dangerman Michael Klinger was caught at mid off, before yorkers to Phil Mustard and Cameron Bancroft in successive balls, then Iain Cockbain chipping to mid on ripped the heart and soul out of Gloucestershire’s middle order.Late graft saw Gloucestershire post 130 for 9 and Surrey knew that a quick polishing off of the target would improve their net run rate, with a number of sides expect to finish on equal points when the South Group culiminates tomorrow. Aaron Finch hit the first ball of the innings for six and so the assault began.But Gloucestershire dug deep to reduce Surrey to 69 for 4 after 12 overs. Australian Moises Henriques, appreciating that a quick fix was out of the question, ran all bar 16 of his 45 runs before he was run out smartly by Cockbain, attempting to regain the strike. Rikki Clarke’s cool head found 13 from the 17th over against David Payne, which included a flicked six over midwicket, leaving 20 needed from the final 18 balls.Naturally, Surrey had a few more duff ups left. Clarke ran himself out on the second ball of the 18th over and then Sam Curran was bowled four balls later, attempting to ramp over the keeper. With the equation now 15 off 12, David Payne conceded seven from the first three balls, removed Stuart Meaker and then overstepped with the very next delivery. The free hit brought just two, the extra ball one and so three were needed off the final over. A couple of leg byes and a clip of Gareth Batty’s toes saw the hosts home, finally, with four balls to spare.South London nights have been good to Surrey and they owe it to the atmosphere they have cultivated at the Oval to be a serious player in T20 cricket.They have seen an increase of between five and 10% on last year’s ticket sales for the T20 Blast. Three games at the Oval have been sell-outs, while their match against Glamorgan last week was as good as. Across both their Sunday fixtures – the trickiest day to sell, with a very different clientelle more in tune with Fraggle Rock than the Fratellis – they welcomed more than 30,000 through their gates.They used this final home match of the group stage to try out a new Family Area up on the OCS balcony. Families are usually situated in the Peter May Stand, but feedback to the club has highlighted that rowdiness often spills over causing those with families a degree of discomfort. Surrey have been accused in the past for allowing raucousness in the stands to go too far, so this is very much a step in the right direction.But as much as T20 cricket is about drawing in crowds, and few do it better than Surrey, the club need something tangible on the field beyond the catwalk of big names that drop in and out as per their schedule. Victory over Kent on Friday will secure passage to the quarter-finals.Defeat in this manner sums up a Gloucestershire season that will see them claim bottom-place with a day still to go in the South Group. For a side so well-equipped at white ball cricket on paper, and with results in previous seasons to prove it, it marks the end of a sorry season in all three formats.Throughout this period, Michael Klinger has been their stand-out leader when it comes to runs, but his 281 this season represents his lowest return in English domestic T20 cricket, with 0, 9, 0 and today’s 11 making up his last four knocks. Unfortunately for the county, no one was able to pick up his slack: he finishes as Gloucestershire’s leading run scorer and the only player to make a score over 60 (101 in defeat to Hampshire).Benny Howell excelled once more. Possibly one of the most underrated bowler all-rounders in the country, his T20 season ended with a 2 for 18 from four overs that helped invoke panic in Surrey’s ranks. His 16 wickets this year have been achieved with an economy rate of less than six. None of the top 19 wicket-takers in the country match his frugality.

حقق فريق إنتر ميلان لقب بطولة الدوري الإيطالي، موسم 2023/24، مساء الإثنين بعد فوزه على جاره ميلان في ديربي الغضب.

وتلاقى الفريقان في قمة منافسات الجولة الثالثة والثلاثين من الدوري الإيطالي، حيث فاز إنتر ميلان بهدفين مقابل هدف. أهداف مباراة إنتر ميلان وميلان

تقدم إنتر ميلان بهدف سجله اللاعب فرانشيسكو أتشيربي، برأسية مميزة، في الدقيقة 18 من عمر الشوط الأول.

وضاعف إنتر ميلان تفوقه على أصحاب الأرض بعدما سُجل الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 49، عن طريق ماركوس تورام.

وقلّص ميلان الفارق بعدما سجل فيكايو توموري هدفًا في الدقيقة 80، ولكن ذلك لم يكن كافيًا بالنسبة لهم في النهاية.

وشهدت اللحظات الأخيرة من عمر المباراة شغبًا بين لاعبي الفريقين، خاصة بين ثيو هيرنانديز لاعب ميلان ودينزل دومفريس لاعب إنتر ميلان، وتحصل كلاهما على بطاقة حمراء في الدقيقة 93.

كما طُرد لاعب آخر من ميلان، وهو دافيد كالابريا في الدقيقة 97، قبل إطلاق صافرة النهاية، بعدما اعتدى على أحد لاعبي الخصم في وجهه.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد إنتر ميلان إلى 86 نقطة في المركز الأول، محققًا لقب الدوري الإيطالي، بينما تجمد رصيد ميلان عند 69 نقطة في المركز الثاني.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has given the squad a major uplift during the summer transfer window, adding some much-needed freshness after a period of stagnation.

Eight players have arrived, while a further eight have departed the Ibrox side across what has been the busiest transfer window in recent memory.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

The vast majority of his business appears to be done heading into the 2023/24 Premiership season, however, could there be one or two players who arrive in the coming weeks?

Could Rangers sign Jack Clarke?

Rangers were credited with an interest in the Sunderland winger last month according to Football League World, although they weren’t alone, with Burnley, Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford all keeping tabs on the youngster.

The promising winger still has three years left on his current contract, suggesting a decent fee would need to be offered to secure his signature – particularly with those at Turf Moor having recently seen a £10m bid rejected.

With Ryan Kent departing Glasgow after five seasons and Fashion Sakala also linked with an exit, the left wing position could potentially turn into a problem for Beale if he doesn’t add another player to his squad.

Could Clarke perhaps be the ideal candidate for Beale to slot into that position and link up well with new signings Cyriel Dessers and Danilo?

How did Jack Clarke perform last season?

The signing of Danilo from Feyenoord was certainly the most eye-catching out of Beale’s summer arrivals, especially with the impressive campaign he had for the Dutch champions in 2022/23.

The Brazilian scored 14 goals and grabbed four assists across all competitions as the former Ajax gem showcased his finishing skills and this clearly impressed Beale, who pushed for his arrival.

The 24-year-old could certainly benefit from Clarke’s abilities on the left wing should the former Queen's Park Rangers boss deploy a formation which requires two wide players, and he was outstanding last season for Sunderland.

The Black Cats failed to reach the playoff final, however, the Englishman registered 20 goal contributions – nine goals and 11 assists – across 45 Championship matches, indicating that not only does he create chances for his teammates, but the winger also has a keen eye for goal.

Clarke also ranked third in the Sunderland squad for big chances created (seven) in the league last term, while ranking second for successful dribbles (two) and first for key passes (1.7) per game, showing that he was a key factor for the club across several attacking metrics.

He was lauded by former player Noel Whelan during his spell at Leeds, who said: “He has got a great ability to glide past players. I don’t think I’ve seen a winger really as talented as that, where it looks effortless, just to take somebody on and he really does get you on the edge of your seat, he’s one of those exciting players.”

Beale could form a scary duo should Clarke and Danilo be let loose in the same team, with their respective abilities enough to give defenders nightmares.

The 6 foot starlet may have options down in England, yet Rangers could offer him Champions League football and a solid chance of winning silverware, which could be too good an incentive to turn down.

West Bromwich Albion narrowly missed out on a place in the Championship play-offs last season as they finished three points outside the top six.

The Baggies will be competing in the second division of English football once again next term and Carlos Corberan will be hoping to improve on their ninth-placed finish.

Have West Bromwich Albion signed a player this summer?

They could need reinforcements in order to achieve their goals but they are yet to make a first-team signing so far, despite the market opening for business last month, whilst Karlan Grant, Tom Rogic, and Dara O'Shea have all moved on.

One move the head coach must now make is to sign Chelsea attacking midfielder Omari Hutchinson, whose move to The Hawthorns collapsed during the January transfer window, on loan for the 2023/24 campaign.

The Athletic have claimed that the Premier League youngster is in advanced talks to sign for fellow second tier outfit Ipswich Town on a temporary basis.

However, the report does add that a decision is not expected to be made on his future until the end of the week and that the Tractor Boys are merely the favourites at this stage, which leaves the door open for the Baggies to swoop in.

Is Omari Hutchinson left-footed?

The 19-year-old magician is a left-footed attacker who is primarily deployed as an attacking midfielder or as a right winger, which means that he could come in as the club's next Matheus Pereira for Corberan.

West Brom's last promotion to the Premier League, which came during the 2019/20 campaign, was spearheaded by the talented left-footed Brazilian, who also plays in those two positions.

Pereira averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.45, which was the highest at the club, across 42 matches as he contributed with a stunning eight goals and 16 assists.

The 27-year-old left the club to join Al-Hilal in 2021 and was a constant creative threat during his time at the Baggies with 2.8 key passes per game for his teammates, which was twice as many as any of his fellow attackers.

Meanwhile, Hutchinson, who talent scout Jacek Kulig described as a "playmaker", could offer similar qualities as a left-footed maestro on the right flank or through the middle, if he is able to make the step up to first-team football.

The teenage talent has racked up eight goals and ten assists in 25 U21 games for Chelsea to date, which means that the exciting youngster has set up a goal every 2.5 matches on average – compared to Pereira's assist every 2.63 games during the 2019/20 season.

Hutchinson also produced 17 goals to go along with 16 assists across 46 outings combined for Arsenal's U21s and U18s.

This shows that the Jamaica international, who the aforementioned Kulig hailed as one of his country's "superb" talents, has consistently delivered quality at the top end of the pitch throughout his youth career.

The 5 foot 9 hotshot is an attacking midfielder with a knack for chipping in with goals and assists on a regular basis, which is why he could be a phenomenal addition to Corberan's squad.

There is no guarantee that the Chelsea starlet will be able to adapt to senior football week-in-week-out but his impressive academy form suggests that it is a gamble worth taking as the Spanish head coach could find West Brom's next Matheus Pereira for the upcoming season.

Alex Hepburn’s new Worcestershire record could not stop Dan Christian sweeping Nottinghamshire into the quarter-finals

ECB Reporters Network13-Aug-2017Dan Christian’s commanding all-round show took Notts through•Getty Images

Notts Outlaws sealed a spot in the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast as they overcame Worcestershire Rapids by 11 runs in a low-scoring North Group encounter at New Road.Alex Hepburn returned the best ever bowling figures by a Worcestershire player in T20 cricket – 5 for 24 – as the Outlaws were bowled out for 145 in 19.3 overs.But the visitors struck back with a vengeance with the ball and skipper Dan Christian led from the front with 3 for 18 as the Rapids were restricted to 134 for 8.Harry Gurney bowled a superb final over in which he conceded just three runs to cap a disciplined performance by the entire Outlaws attack.Victory boosted the Outlaws hopes of also securing a home quarter-final while the second from bottom Rapids were left to contemplate yet another setback.The Outlaws were put into bat and Josh Tongue picked up the prized wicket of Alex Hales, on 9, as he flashed outside the off stump and nicked through to keeper Ben Cox.Riki Wessels (32) looked in good form before being trapped lbw by George Scrimshaw at 49 for 2 – and from that point the innings went into rapid decline. Tom Moores was caught and bowled by Tongue off a skier and Brendon Taylor holed out to Joe Clarke at long off.Hepburn made an instant impact with two wickets in three balls as Samit Patel flicked him to Joe Leach at square leg and Steven Mullaney was caught at cover by D’Oliveira.Outlaws skipper Dan Christian (22) and Billy Root (37) tried to repair the damage during a stand of 50 in seven overs, but the last four wickets fell in quick succession as the Outlaws were dismissed for 141 in 19.3 overs.Hepburn returned to account for Christian, who was taken at long off by Santner and Cox pulled off a fine catch as Root flicked at a Leach delivery. D’Oliveira then ran in from the deep square leg boundary to collect a mistimed pull from Ish Sodhi off Hepburn who completed his five-for as Jake Ball was safely pouched by Clarke at long off.It was the same scenario when the Rapids launched their reply as wickets tumbled.Leach promoted himself to open and perished in the first over from Patel as yet another player tried unsuccessfully to clear long off. Santner top edged Harry Gurney to backward point and Joe Clarke went for a pull and the ball ended up in the hands of extra cover. It became 35 for 4 as D’Oliveira went for an expansive drive and was bowled by Ball.Daryl Mitchell and Cox tried to effect a repair job for the Rapids and added 38 in careful fashion in six overs. But the game was back in the balance after Cox drove at Christian and was caught behind and then Mitchell went for a big hit off the same bowler and miscued to mid off.Christian then pulled off a stunning catch at mid off to dismiss Ed Barnard as he attempted to hit Ball over the top. Ross Whiteley was the Rapids last hope but after making 28 he was bowled in the final over by Gurney.

Courtney Walsh’s first bowling camp as Bangladesh’s bowling coach may have been affected by rain, but he is still trying to do his best with the national team’s fast bowlers. Walsh is using the time inside the Shere Bangla National Stadium’s dressing room to impress upon the youngsters the values of consistency, bowling in pairs, and generally thinking more about their game.Walsh joined Bangladesh in September last year. But he hasn’t had the time to have a prolonged training camp, with series against Afghanistan and England at home, followed by tours of New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka, Ireland and England keeping the team busy till June. Over the past week, Walsh has been working with Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and a few others, helping them fix errors.”We have been trying to fine-tune and correct some of those mistakes, to improve in certain areas,” he said. “Progress has been made, but unfortunately we have been having some bad weather, so not as much progress has been made as I would have liked. But we are not wasting the days. Whenever we can, we are going outdoors. We are having meetings inside, just discussing cricket and trying to get the cricket brain sharp.”I want to see more consistency, control, variation, and to put more thought into what they are doing. They are young and exciting, but they have to be a little bit more consistent and keep the pace up. Once they get on to the park, they have to do it. We can’t do it for them. I have been telling them that ‘you are in control of your own destiny, just go out there and get the job done. Try to improve and learn all the time’. If they can achieve the first part – control and consistency – before competition starts, I will be very happy.”Mustafizur, in particular, has been in focus. The left-arm pacer hasn’t been able to bring his range of skills to the fore since recovering from shoulder surgery last year. “I noticed he was falling away a little bit in England. We have been trying to get him to be more upright and balanced so that he can pull through. We are also trying to get his pace back to where it used to be, and get him a little bit closer to the stumps.”He knows what needs to be done as well. I have to give him credit, because he is eager to get out there and practice perfectly. He wants to be the best there is, and he is a special talent. This weather has frustrated him as well, because we were making progress. He has what it takes to correct what’s happening, and I am sure he will come out better.”Walsh clarified that changes don’t necessarily mean changes in his bowling action. “I wouldn’t say he will have a new bowling action, but we are trying to get him more balanced at the crease, and get him a bit closer to the stumps. I will not be trying to change his action unless I think that’s required.”Because of the operation, he was falling away a little bit. He has recognised it. Last couple of days, he has been close to what he used to be. He is heading in the right direction. There won’t be any massive changes.”Walsh has also been trying to get Mustafizur and Taskin Ahmed to complement each other’s skills. “Fast bowlers hunt in pairs and pass information and communicate. I think we had eight of them in the room; they got the message. Fizz and Taskin can complement each other. A fast bowler mentioned that he likes to bowl and help his partner, which is good.”So we are thinking about that now. It is good for fast bowlers to start thinking this way now as youngsters. What used to happen was that instead of complementing each other, they used to compete. What helped myself and Curtly Ambrose was that we helped each other. We tried to outthink batsmen.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers could still be on the hunt for a star name this summer, with Napoli ace Hirving Lozano linked to Molineux.

The Old Gold have had a troubling window so far, with manager Julen Lopetegui expressing that he is “worried” about his squad going into the 2023/24 campaign, with little finances to make much-needed signings.

Could Wolves sign Hirving Lozano?

Back in April, Wolves were linked to Lozano by media outlets in Mexico, however the speculation failed to gather pace amid the club’s financial woes.

However, news reported in Italy last week has provided a new perspective on the deal, with the player linked once more as part of Napoli’s chase for centre-back Max Kilman.

The Italian champions had an opening offer rejected for the Englishman, however, could swoop again with Lozano included to lower the price and tease Lopetegui with an attacking outlet.

The Mexican currently earns £97k-per-week in Naples, with the report questioning whether his wage demands could fit the budget at Molineux.

How good is Hirving Lozano?

Speaking to Dutch Media, relayed by football.london, scout Marcel Brands likened the winger to Lionel Messi for his “explosive and agile” ways, making him a potentially strong acquisition considering the situation at Wolves.

While the winger has fallen down the pecking order at Napoli, the 28-year-old has managed to remain one of the most dangerous wide players in Europe, as supported by his numbers.

As highlighted by FBref, the Mexico international sat in the top 11% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year in terms of his on-the-ball efforts, averaging 4.78 progressive carries per 90.

Such numbers have seen him listed as statistically comparable to Premier League ace Bukayo Saka, suggesting just how much he could bolster the goal-hungry side in the Midlands.

Lauded as “pure class” by scout Antonio Mango, the former PSV sensation could be fundamental to easing Lopetegui’s concerns in the final third after his side ended the 2022/23 campaign as the Premier League’s lowest-scorers.

Having recorded 113 goals and 71 assists throughout his recorded career appearances, the Mexican could improve the side with his individual talents, but enhance the performance of those around him.

Matheus Cunha scored on just two occasions for the Old Gold after making the switch on an initial loan deal in January from Atletico Madrid.

Now that move is permanent, the Brazilian could be provided with more threat in the final third should a player of Lozano’s calibre arrive at Molineux, with the Napoli wide-player showcasing his creative outlet last season.

As per FBref, the 28-year-old averaged 1.68 key passes and 2.24 passes into the penalty area per 90 last term, making him a solid partner for Cunha in attack, who was identified by scouting site Scouted Football as being a player that takes ‘most’ of his shots from ‘inside the box’.

The Mexico City-born star also averaged an impressive 2.13 successful take-ons per 90 in Serie A, highlighting just how much of a livewire he is on the ball and in the wide channels.

While the funds are tight and the pressure is on, Lopetegui could find a glimmer of hope by striking a deal for Lozano, should Kilman go the other way.

The BCCI has agreed to accept most of the Lodha recommendations after an SGM on Wednesday, but were strongly against implementing five reforms

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Jul-2017

After several months of staunch resistance, the BCCI members – state associations – have unanimously decided to implement most of the Lodha Committee recommendations with the exception of five broad reforms. The BCCI took the decision at a special general meeting (SGM) in Delhi on Wednesday, which was attended by all members including the newly-inducted north-eastern states.The recommendations that the BCCI said it has difficulty implementing include: membership status which includes the one-state-one-vote reform, disqualification of office bearers, ministers and government officials based on eligibility criteria such as the age cap, tenure and cooling off period, the strength of the Apex Council – which replaces the existing working committee, the division of powers between the office bearers and the professional management, and strength of the national selection committee.All five recommendations singled out by the BCCI on Wednesday have been raised by board members consistently in the past as major stumbling blocks preventing reforms.The one-state-one-vote recommendation primarily affects six members – Maharashtra, Mumbai, Vidarbha, Gujarat, Baroda and Saurashtra. According to the Lodha Committee, the six votes would be reduced to two with rotating representation at the board meetings every year. However, the BCCI wants the existing membership status to be restored. The BCCI also wants the voting powers granted at present to government institutions comprising Railways, Services and the Universities to be retained.The most contentious reform the BCCI is against is the eligibility criteria for an office bearer or a representative of a state association to attend board meetings. The BCCI wants a cooling-off period of three years after every term applicable to an office bearer removed because a maximum tenure of nine years has already been prescribed. It also does not want to impose the 70-year age cap put in place by the Lodha Committee for office bearers and administrators. The Indian board is also against not allowing government employees to be part of any board committee.Another area that concerns the BCCI is the distribution of power granted to the office bearers and the board’s professional management, led by the CEO. Under the existing system, the BCCI secretary informally carries out the role of the CEO and shares the power with the board president.Under the Lodha Committee’s recommendations, the role of the office bearers would be diminished while the CEO would be granted significant independent decision-making powers. Many of the BCCI members are against ceding control.The Lodha Committee had also suggested replacing the powerful BCCI working committee, which approves all decisions, with a nine-member Apex Council, comprising five office bearers – president, secretary, joint-secretary, treasurer and a vice-president – and a single representative from the general body (all BCCI members). At the SGM on Wednesday, the BCCI argued that the number of representatives from the general body – ideally one from each of the five zones – should sit on the Apex Council.The final reform the BCCI wanted the court to reconsider is increasing the number of heads on the national selection panel to five, two more than the Lodha Committee’s recommendation. The BCCI had already trimmed the selection panel to three, immediately after the Supreme Court approved the recommendations last year.On July 18 last year, the Supreme Court had approved the recommendations and asked the BCCI to implement them within six months from that seminal order. The BCCI remained unaffected. The court then put in place a Committee of Administrators on January 30 this year tasking it with implementing the recommendations.Various BCCI members raised objections, pointing out some of the recommendations could not be practically implemented and went against the constitution of both the board and their respective state associations.On Monday, the Supreme Court directed the BCCI to implement as many recommendations as were “practicable” at the SGM. The court also pointed out that it would revisit some of the recommendations the BCCI had highlighted in the past.According to more than one BCCI members who attended the SGM, the moderate tone of the court’s order on Monday gave an extra leash to those who stalled the reform process. “When the Supreme Court is giving us the liberty to choose [which recommendations to implement], then why object?” a member who attended the SGM said. “When the court itself is not keen in implementing some reforms and it openly says some are impracticable then how can they persuade the members?”