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Sheffield Wednesday’s Gary Hooper has had an absolutely torrid time with injuries over the past year and a half, but he could be closing in on a return to first-team action.

That’s according to Wednesday fans who have speculated that he may be on the bench for the club when they take on Stoke City this weekend.

This comes after he was left out of the U23s squad to face Ipswich on Tuesday afternoon.

It sparked excitement from some Owls supporters who are eager to see one of their key players finally return to action.

Hooper last played for the club on Boxing Day 2017 and hasn’t been seen anywhere near the first-team frame since.

The 5 ft 9 striker had been vital for the Yorkshire club up to then, having scored ten goals in 24 games during the first half of the 2017/18 season.

The 31-year-old had been nearing a return in September but was then ruled out again with a new issue. He then had to undergo groin surgery in November of last year which ruled him out for another 10 weeks.

Who would make a combined Sheffield XI? Ingood Nick makes his picks in the video below…

However, 15 months on he may now be about to reappear to aid the club’s late play-off push.

Here’s what Owls fans have been saying.

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Tottenham Hotspur fans want the club to revive their interest in Youri Tielemans in the summer after his superb goal for Leicester City against Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

The Belgian youngster netted an excellent strike as the Foxes ran out 4-1 winners against the already-relegated Terriers.

The Daily Telegraph reported in January that Spurs were considering a swoop for the player, who eventually moved to the King Power Stadium on loan from AS Monaco.

Since his move to the club, Tielemans has scored twice – the second goal coming on Saturday – and laid on a total of four assists in just seven games.

His latest display has seen some Spurs fans debate the club’s failure to bring in the midfielder – they did not sign a player at the turn of the year, nor last summer, despite Mousa Dembele departing in January – with others hopeful he could end up moving to the north London club during the summer transfer window…

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

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Bradford City supporters have taken to Twitter to slam the announcement that the club faces the prospect of further action from the FA following an incident in their 3-1 win at home to Peterborough United on March 9.

In Gary Bowyer’s first win as Bantams boss, and the side’s first win in six, it is alleged that a number of fans entered the field of play following Lewis O’Brien’s 86th minute winner.

It has been a season of disappointment for the West Yorkshire side, with the club currently at the foot of the League One table and six points adrift of safety.

The potential charge comes following previous incidents at Walsall and Rochdale this campaign and fans are in complete dismay at what they feel was simply the result of a short moment of joy amidst a miserable period for the club.

Some supporters have criticised the FA, with one fan calling the decision “pathetic”, while others have vented their frustrations at the club for taking the incident so seriously. A certain supporter told the Yorkshire outfit to “get a grip”.

Have a look at some of the responses below…

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West Ham United targeted Marcelo Bielsa in 2015, prior to appointing Slaven Bilic, according to reliable source Ex-West Ham United Employee.

Bielsa is now Leeds United manager, with the Hammers choosing to replace Sam Allardyce with their former defender instead of the then-Marseille manager.

On the chalkboard

It is fair to say that West Ham’s squad might have looked different had Bielsa taken over.

In the 2015/16 summer transfer window, the Hammers signed Dimitri Payet, ironically from Marseille, with Bielsa having transformed him into a star in France. Had he moved to Upton Park, he may well have brought the playmaker with him.

Manuel Lanzini also arrived – a player Bielsa would surely have admired – but the likes of Pedro Obiang, Carl Jenkinson and, in January, Alex Song may not have been trusted to adapt to Bielsa’s high-intensity way of playing.

The eccentric boss prides hard running and high pressing over anything else and works his players to the bone.

Song and Obiang are statuesque midfielders, while Jenkinson is not blessed with any sort of pace.

Nikica Jelavic, a £3 million addition from Hull City, would never have been scouted, let alone signed, though a deal for Michail Antonio may well have been struck – he is a player with pace and energy to burn and may well have worked well under Bielsa.

Mauro Zarate was sold in January and he is exactly the kind of full-throttle forward the Argentine loves.

He could have been gifted another chance under Bielsa’s stewardship, while, conversely, it is difficult to imagine the likes of Andy Carroll, Mark Noble and James Collins getting much of a look in.

A formation change

Leeds tend to line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation in the Championship.

Under Bilic, the Hammers played mostly with a 4-2-3-1 system that allowed Dimitri Payet to thrive.

Bielsa tends to partner attacking thrust with defensive solidity and there may well have been an alteration to the way the Irons played.

There would, naturally, have been many changes to the playing staff too, as well as the coaching team.

One can be absolutely sure that West Ham will have run that little bit harder and pressed that little bit higher had Bielsa been on the touchline.

كشفت تقارير مغربية تفاصيل الجلسة التي جمعت بين جواد الزيات رئيس نادي الرجاء واللجنة التقنية للاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم مساء أمس، بأحد فنادق الدار البيضاء بشأن تأجيل مباراة النسور والزمالك.

ومن المقرر أن يواجه الزمالك نظيره الرجاء في إياب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا، إلا أن التقارير تشير إلى اقتراب تأجيل اللقاء بسبب تفشي فيروس كورونا بين عناصر الفريق المغربي.

وقال موقع “سبور 1” المغربي إن جواد الزيات رفقة محمد عرسي، طيبب الفريق، وعبد السلام حنات، الرئيس الرجاوي السابق، عقدا اجتماعا مع اللجنة التقنية للاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم لمناقشة مصير مواجهة الزمالك.

وأوضح الموقع أن جواد الزيات أطلع لجنة “كاف” على الوضع داخل الفريق، وعدد حالات كورونا التي يعاني منها اللاعبون، بالإضافة إلى عدد اللاعبين المصابين.

وأكد الموقع حسب مصادره، أن اللجنة التقنية رفضت دفوعات الرجاء، وطلبه بتأجيل المباراة، قبل أن تفاجأ بقرار السلطات بمنع الفريق الأخضر من السفر إلى مصر لمواجهة الزمالك المصري.

وبحسب الموقع فإن أعضاء لجنة “كاف” طالبوا مسؤولي الرجاء مدهم بقرص مدمج يحتوي على جميع المعطيات، والرسائل الرسمية التي توصلوا بها من وزارة الصحة والسلطات بمدينة الدار البيضاء من أجل إرسالها إلى لجنة المسابقات.

ويتوقع أن يوافق الاتحاد الإفريقي على تأجيل المباراة بعد تأكدهم من قرار منع الرجاء من مغادرة التراب الوطني، بسبب معاناة اللاعبين من فيروس كورونا.

It’s looking like Aston Villa will need to find a replacement for Albert Adomah then, isn’t it? Contract talks have reportedly (via the Birmingham Mail) been shelved and he looks like he’s on the way out, but they might just have found an ideal replacement in Cardiff’s Kadeem Harris.

It’s been reported in the Sun previously that Villa were interested in the right midfielder, so now’s the time to finally land their man. The tables have turned, with Villa flirting with the play-offs spots and Cardiff looking to be heading back into the Championship.

The Welshman is 25-years-old and while he’s not the young prospect he once was, he still has his best years ahead of him. He’s played just 12 times in the Premier League this season, scoring just once, so it’s fair to say he’s had as miserable a season as his club have had.

It was always going to be tough though, and if Neil Warnock’s men do get relegated then the mood at the club will be down and Villa, if they continue their form, will be in much higher spirits. If they go up, they’d be in a great position to sign their target, but even if they don’t, they’re still looking likely to make the step up soon.

He’s going to leave (as things stand) as a free agent at the end of the season, so Dean Smith could take the risk on signing him without the pressure of a bigger price tag on his head. Adomah will need to be replaced, so a move needs to happen fast.

He looks to be suited for the role, and the fact his contract is ending means the stars could be aligning for Villa to secure themselves their new starting right midfielder. He could well be the man to earn them promotion, or maybe even keep them in the Premier League next season if they continue how they are.

Villa fans, who do you want to see replace Albert Adomah if he leaves. Join the discussion by commenting below.

Rangers fans can see a return to their former glory is nearing, but they’ll never fulfil their potential if they refuse to pay up for players like Ryan Kent.

He’s had a great season for the Gers, playing 22 times, scoring and assisting six each, and Steven Gerrard has made it no secret he wants him to return to Ibrox next season. However, it doesn’t look like the club are willing to put their money where their mouth is.

Ahead of their game against Motherwell on Sunday, Gerrard said: “I think it would unlikely be a permanent move. The numbers being spoken about, I’m out” (quotes from the Scottish Sun). But why is he out? If he wants to build a dynasty at Rangers, he should be demanding the club pay the £12m being spoken about in the Sun.

He’s more confident of securing the winger on loan again, but what if Liverpool don’t want to loan him out next season? It appears Rangers would just roll over and then have to find another player, who would perhaps cost a similar amount and then acclimatise as Kent already has.

If the club really can’t afford to pay the required fee, and don’t get him back on loan, it’s just symbolic of how the club will never be able to compete with Celtic again under the current ownership structure. Gerrard’s moved the club forward, but there’s only so much he can do when the finances just aren’t there.

Signing players on loan is a good short-term solution to this issue, but it means Gerrard will find it hard to build up a team to consistently challenge for the title. How can they do that if their key players are disappearing back to their parent club or other sides every season?

Rangers fans, what do you think it will take to finally challenge for the Scottish Premiership again? Join the discussion by commenting below…

[ad_pod ]Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier was on top form as he defended his celebration of Saints’ win over Wolves at the weekend; the former striker responded to the irritated Molineux Stadium faithful with what he surely saw as an argument-ending stat comparing Ralph Hasenhuttl with Nuno Espirito Santo.

While numbers don’t tell the whole story, Football FanCast are here to explain the rest of it and exactly why Le Tiss’ indication that Hasenhuttl’s Southampton are better than Nuno’s Wolves might be right.

On the chalkboard

The Saints’ excellent run continued with a 3-1 victory at the weekend at Midlands outfit Wolves’s expense, although naturally the opposition fans had their excuses and retorts when Le Tiss took to Twitter to celebrate.

Indeed, the St Mary’s Stadium outfit were in dire straits when Mark Hughes was given the boot and former RB Leipzig boss Hasenhuttl subsequently appointed in early December, although the Austrian has completely turned things around.

While, as the Twitter user trading blows with Le Tissier says, Wolves are in a far, far better position in the standings, the stats suggesting that Southampton have been better than them since Hasenhuttl took the helm don’t lie.

Other than a 0.08 points-per-game margin, what does the Saints chief have on his Wolves counterpart, then?

How has Hasenhuttl done it?

The 51-year-old has instilled an excellent attitude – epitomised by new captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – in each of his players and this has surely been a massive part of their huge improvement in 2019.

Leicester proved in 2015/16 that it’s not all about money and Hasenhuttl is proving that again, albeit not to the same extent, at St Mary’s Stadium with a squad he has inherited mere months ago and has had no part in building.

He has brought players in from the cold who are now on fire – pick any of James Ward-Prowse, Jan Bednarek and Yan Valery – and has got the Saints playing sublime, at times, and effective football.

Why should Southampton be more like Dortmund? Find out in the video below…

While Nuno’s Wolves are equally capable of proving magical moments on the pitch, the Portuguese struggles to adapt mid-game and this has cost last season’s Championship winners on numerous occasions, whereas, while he rarely gets his game-plan wrong, Hasenhuttl’s in-game management has been excellent.

Given half the funds in the summer that Wolves have spent on their squad this season, he will surely be able to transform his side into Europa League challengers for next the campaign if their recent run of form is anything to go by.

تواجد التونسي فرجاني ساسي لاعب وسط الزمالك في مقر النادي لحضور تدريبات الفريق بعد وصوله إلى مصر عصر اليوم من المغرب بعد الإعلان عن سلبية مسحة كورونا الخاصة به.  

وأفاد مراسل الزمالك أن فرجاني ساسي حضر للاجتماع بطبيب الزمالك الدكتور محمد أسامة لتحديد المرحلة الحالية من إجراء بعض التحاليل والفحوصات للاطمئنان عليه بشكل عام ثم تحديد مشاركته في التدريبات الجماعية بعدها.

ومن المقرر أن يستعد الزمالك لمباراة الرجاء المغربي في اياب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أفريقيا موسم 2020.

وكان الزمالك قد فاز على الرجاء في مباراة الذهاب بهدفٍ وحيد، وذلك على أرضية مركب محمد الخامس بالدار البيضاء.

وتقام مباراة الإياب بين الزمالك والرجاء يوم السبت المقبل في استاد القاهرة.

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There is something wrong at West Ham United.

They may have won at the weekend in pulsating fashion, as they came from 3-1 down to defeat Huddersfield Town 4-3 but there are problems plaguing the club.

For a start, they were terrible against the nearly-relegated Terriers, turning in a performance of such ineptitude in the first hour that it would not have been a surprise to see Huddersfield take a 5-1 lead.

That the catalyst for the turnaround was former fan favourite Marko Arnautovic leaving the pitch somewhat sums it all up; he flirted with China in January and was roundly booed when he jogged off to be replaced by Lucas Perez.

Football FanCast also understands that there will be a significant restructuring of the club’s strike-force this summer. Javier Hernandez, Perez and Andy Carroll are all likely to leave.

Add to that the club’s wild fluctuations in form – they have beaten Arsenal this season but also lost to Cardiff City – and you have a very puzzling picture indeed.

FFC has a look at three ways Manuel Pellegrini can sort the mess out.

Sell Arnautovic and reinvest

This one appears obvious but a source at the club has told FFC that Arnautovic could actually stay at the club this summer.

But the clause in his contract allowing him to leave if a £45million bid is tabled remains active. If the Hammers receive an offer north of £30m, they should take it and look to reinvest the money elsewhere.

There are gaps in the squad that need filling; Pablo Zabaleta needs replacing at right-back, there is a need for midfield reinforcements and as many as four strikers could be recruited if Perez, Hernandez and Carroll also go.

Arnautovic doesn’t appear to have much interest in staying at the club and the fans don’t seem to have much attachment to him.

Sending him on to pastures new makes sense for all concerned.

Build around Rice

Declan Rice is the most exciting player to come out of West Ham’s academy in years.

A genuinely brilliant defensive midfielder, he could be set to win his first England cap this week when the Three Lions take on the Czech Republic and has turned it on in some of the Irons’ biggest games this season.

He scored his first ever goal for the club against Arsenal and also turned in a heroic display against Liverpool.

Pellegrini, then, should make him the focal point of his team and accentuate his multitude of strengths.

Making Rice the key man has a two-pronged effect. For one, he is more likely to stay at the club despite the obvious reported interest from the likes of Manchester City, and secondly, it makes the Irons better.

They have all too often relied on players who are prone to mood swings or transfer sagas. Leave the likes of Arnautovic and Dimitri Payet in the past and build around the 20-year-old.

Bring the best out of Felipe Anderson

Felipe Anderson is something of an enigma. He is a streaky player at the best of times but when he is on song the tune is something quite beautiful.

So good have been his performances, he was included in the Brazil squad this month.

But he has not scored for West Ham since December, when he netted both goals in a 2-1 win over Southampton.

He is on an 11-game scoreless streak in the Premier League, the longest of his Hammers career, and he has laid on just two assists in that time.

That isn’t good enough.

If West Ham are to progress next season and climb the table, Pellegrini needs to find a way to bring the best out of Anderson on a consistent basis.

He has shown in sporadic bursts that he is worth the £36m the Irons paid for him, so it is about time he starts paying it back with more regularity.