James Anderson believes Harry Brook can become England’s best ever batter, surpassing even new record run-scorer Joe Root.
Brook became the first England man to make a Test triple century for 34 years in the astonishing defeat of Pakistan in Multan.
In the same Test, Root made 262, and in doing so he passed Sir Alastair Cook’s previous England best of 12,472 career runs.
Anderson, England’s greatest ever bowler and leading Test wicket-taker, believes 25-year-old Brook is the ideal blend of Root and another great, Kevin Pietersen.
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“He’s on the way to being in the top three that I’ve played with,” Anderson said on his Tailenders podcast. “It’s Root, Pietersen and him. He’s definitely got all the attributes to overtake them.
“He’s just got everything. Without trying to big him up too much because he’s still really early in his Test career, I do think that he’s got the perfect amount of each of those two and that’s what will make him the best that we’ve ever had.”
It is high praise from Anderson, whose haul of 188 Test caps is another England record.
Along with Root and Pietersen, Anderson was also a team-mate of other outstanding England batters like Cook, Alec Stewart, Ian Bell, Michael Vaughan and Graham Thorpe.
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Brook has 1,875 runs in 19 Tests and 31 innings. He has a chance to become the fastest Englishman to 2,000 Test runs, beating the 22 matches and 33 innings of the legendary Herbert Sutcliffe in 1928.
Pietersen, perhaps the best three-format batter to ever play for England, had 8,181 runs when his 104-Test career ended in 2014. As a comparison, he had 170 runs fewer than Brook after 19 Tests.
But in a bitter blow to Red Devils chiefs as they consider their options, the German could now be set to replace Gareth Southgate.
German outlet Bild report the ex-Chelsea boss is in negotiations to become the new manager of the Three Lions.
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It comes after Ten Hag appeared to have kept his job at Old Trafford following a long meeting with Man Utd chiefs in London on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Interim England boss Lee Carsley suffered a potentially decisive blow to his aspirations of taking the job on full-time after an embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Greece last night.
Speaking in 2022, he said: “Yeah, why not? I would, I would. I did not give too much thought to it until now.
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“But I would consider if it is the right team and if it has the potential to win trophies like the World Cup and the Euros.”
Asked specifically about England, who then had Southgate in charge, he said: “I see where you are going. But I think England has a good coach right now.
Carsley appeared resigned to not being handed the keys to the senior team for much longer.
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Speaking after the defeat to Greece, the 50-year-old said: “I was surprised after the last camp [to hear], ‘The job’s mine, it’s mine to lose.’
“My remit is I am doing three camps and then hopefully going back to the Under-21s…
“I said at the start that I wouldn’t rule myself in or out.
“And that’s still the case. I’m more than comfortable in my position where I am.
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“The remit was clear. I’m comfortable and confident with that.
“After the first camp, I definitely didn’t get too excited or believe too much.
“I’m very aware that this job is one of the best in the world in terms of you’ve actually got a chance of winning.
“Obviously, I’m talking about that after a loss but in terms of a major competition – and that’s still the case.”
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England’s job advert for new boss
The FA’s seven requirements to succeed Gareth Southgate:
Will hold a Uefa Pro License.
Will have significant experience of English football, with a strong track record delivering results in the Premier League and/or leading international competitions.
Will be an exceptional leader who understands and will enjoy the international football environment.
Will be experienced in successfully identifying, managing and developing English qualified players.
Will be highly resilient and comfortable in a very high-profile role with intense public scrutiny.
Will have a track record of creating a high performing, positive team culture and environment.
Will have strong personal values and integrity and understand and embrace the role that the England Men’s Senior Team Head Coach has inspiring the nation.
Britain and Italy will contest the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup final on Saturday after advancing through a four-race semi-final in Barcelona.
A British Athena Pathway team led by Hannah Mills won the third race on Friday and held off boats from Spain, Sweden, New Zealand and the Netherlands to progress.
Racing in high-tech foiling AC40 monohulls, lifted just above the water on hydrofoils, the black-sailed boats reached speeds of around 30 knots as they sped around the course.
“That was so stressful,” said Mills on the America’s Cup live broadcast.
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The two-time Olympic gold medallist in the Women’s 470, added: “It’s amazing to be in the first ever Women’s America’s Cup final. We are all so happy.
“We will enjoy this moment and then focus on what I’m sure will be an exciting and action-packed race against the Italians.”
The event has been welcomed as a pathway to gain experience in the state-of-the art foiling boats which have been dominated by men, improving the opportunities for women at the highest level of professional sailing.
“It’s such a joy, I’m so happy,” said Italian co-helm Giulia Conti on reaching the head-to-head final, which organisers say will now take place on Saturday, a day earlier than previously scheduled.
LAS VEGAS – UFC Fight Night 244 weigh-ins took place Friday, and the fighters came face-to-face one final time before Saturday’s event.
The weigh-ins took place at the UFC Apex, which hosts Saturday’s event (ESPN+). Check out the video above to see the athletes from all 13 scheduled matchups come face-to-face, and don’t miss the photo gallery below.
But Klopp reportedly netted £15m in his final years at Liverpool, making him the second highest paid boss in the Prem behind Pep.
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The former Dortmund manager has signed a long-term contract with Red Bull but will not begin in his new job until January 1 2025.
Arne Slot aims dig at Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool boss says ‘I’m a stupid manager if 12.30pm kick offs are more difficult’
Klopp has been assured that he can exit this contract if there is a concrete offer that he wishes to pursue.
The German had been enjoying his time off, stating that he didn’t want to take up a coaching role and needed a rest after making his decision at the start of the year.
The position of the German national team head coach remains an option for him.
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Klopp has been linked to the Germany job in the past and has made no secret of his desire to become manager one day.
In 2023 he said: “It’s not completely out of the question that I’ll be the national coach at some point.
“But it has to fit. And so far it hasn’t. And if I end the contract in Liverpool, then nothing will definitely be done for a year.”
Featherweight champion Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) defends his title against Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) in the Oct. 26 main event at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).
In a pre-fight interview moderated by Brendan Fitzgerald, Topuria and Holloway traded barbs, with Topuria vowing to be the first to knock out Holloway. Cormier saw some agitation from Holloway during those exchanges.
“Here’s for me why this worked: You got to see Max Holloway a little bit mad,” Cormier said on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Chael Sonnen. “It felt like Ilia Topuria has now gotten to the point where Max doesn’t like him. He respected Max in his career path and the things that he did. I don’t know that now, he respects him in that way, and I think it’s very smart of Topuria not to hold that respect and have that for Max Holloway because the last guy that Max Holloway fought in Justin Gaethje, who liked Max – he had no bad feelings toward Max.
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“He said he couldn’t get himself ready because Max is a great guy. Everybody loves Max. Max Holloway put him out with one of the most devastating knockouts we have seen in a really long time. Ilia Topuria’s not having any of that. Ilia Topuria’s saying, ‘I’m going to knock you out. I’m going to put you into retirement.’ He said he put Volk into retirement already. This dude Ilia is so confident, but why wouldn’t he be? He is the world champion. … If you can fight the way that this man fights, then you can carry yourself in that way.”
Topuria ran through Bryce Mitchell and Josh Emmett before dethroning Alexander Volkanovski by second-round knockout to become featherweight champion at UFC 298. Meanwhile, Holloway re-entered the title picture after an incredible knockout of Justin Gaethje to claim the BMF title at UFC 300.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
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