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Somerset recorded another emphatic victory in their second pre-season warm up at the County Ground against the Somerset Board XI at the County Ground today

Richard Walsh09-Apr-2002Somerset recorded another emphatic victory in their second pre-season warm up at the County Ground against the Somerset Board XI at the County Ground today.Batting first the county side made 363 for 6 from their 50 overs, the feature of which was an opening stand of 178 between Piran Holloway (127) and Matthew Wood (58).Cornishman Holloway, coming back into the side after missing half of last season with a shoulder injury, made an impressive return to the scene and included 5×6’s and 16×4’s in his innings during which he faced 178 balls.Ian Blackwell also looked in good form as he raced to 70 off just 26 balls, and hit 3×6’s and 10×4’s.In reply the Somerset Board XI were not overawed by their task, particularly the openers Tom Webley (69) and Kevin Sedgebeer (71) who put on 155 for the fourth wicket. Young left hander Webley looked particularly comfortable and included 12×4’s in his innings.At the end of their overs the Board XI had moved to 256 for 5 to give the Cidermen victory by 107 runs. By the close skipper Kevin Parsons had moved on to 54 and Arul Suppiah 25, having shared an unbeaten sixth wicket stand of 67.Matt Bulbeck who had figures of 6 overs, 2 maidens 2 wickets for 5 runs was once again the pick of the Somerset bowlers.After the match assistant coach Mark Garaway told me: “This was another professional performance today. It was good practice for all of and they stuck to their task well.”He continued: “It was good to see the staff boys who played for the Board XI all doing so well. Tom Webley and Arul Suppiah both batted well, and Pete Trego and Michael Parsons were the pick of their bowlers.”Tomorrow is press morning at the County Ground after which the Somerset players will listen to Academy Sports Psychologist Will James who will talk on the theme of ‘winning after winning’.

Ozan Kabak arrived at Liverpool on a short-term loan deal in January as the club aimed to put their injury woes behind them, but a decision not to make his stay permanent could prove to be a costly mistake.

According to The Liverpool Echo, Jurgen Klopp’s charges have not yet decided if they will be extending the 21-year-old’s stay on Merseyside and it looks like a move for RB Leipzig’s Ibrahima Konate could take priority over the summer.

During his time with the English giants, Kabak has steadily improved and adapted to the demands of the Premier League, putting in convincing displays against the likes of Wolves, Sheffield United and Arsenal, as well as impressing in the Champions League last-16.

However, the Turkey international’s performances seemingly haven’t been enough to convince Klopp to activate a clause in his contract just yet, one which would allow the Reds to secure his services for just £18m from German giants Schalke in the upcoming transfer window.

Serious injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez have left the Anfield outfit threadbare at centre-back this season, meaning youngsters Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams have had to step up in the trio’s absence, while Fabinho has often been displaced from his usual midfield role to fill in the gaps.

While the stand-ins have performed admirably at times throughout the current campaign, arguably none of them are the long-term solution to Liverpool’s defensive troubles.

Matip and Gomez are top-class players on their day, but their persistent injury issues mean they’re hardly a dependable duo to plan your season around, especially if you’re planning on wrestling back a top-flight title.

Leipzig’s Konate is also susceptible to significant fitness concerns, missing 49 days of 2020/21 with an ankle injury, and has repeatedly suffered from muscle problems during his short career.

His proposed arrival over summer would leave Klopp with a centre-back recovering from a potential career-changing injury in Van Dijk, three injury-prone options in Matip, Gomez and Konate, and three alternatives who are perhaps more suited to lower league football in Phillips, Williams and Ben Davies.

The enigmatic German manager was full of praise for Kabak earlier in the season, though, lauding the youngster’s impact: “Ozan came in at 20 from Germany, was a big prospect but wasn’t lucky with the last two teams he played for, one went down (Stuttgart) and the other will probably go down (Schalke). But nobody really doubted his quality,” said Klopp.

“Then coming here and making this big step and winning more games than before, it’s really good for him that he can show that.”

This obvious admiration, therefore, makes it even more baffling as to why Liverpool have not yet decided to pull the trigger and secure the £22.5-rated man on a permanent basis. He’s now used to the pace and physicality of the Premier League, he has bags of potential, and is undoubtedly value for money in the modern era at a fee of just £18m.

If he chooses to let Kabak go, it’s a decision that Klopp may live to regret should his side experience another injury-riddled campaign, although people will presumably have far less sympathy for his self-inflicted predicaments next time around.

And, in other news…Lost possession 17x: £34m LFC star proved Klopp right with another shocking display – opinion

Vikram Rathour with an unbeaten 149 helped North Zone to 250/3 at close of play against East Zone in the Duleep Trophy league match being played at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi, on Tuesday.

Staff Reporter26-Mar-2002Vikram Rathour with an unbeaten 149 helped North Zone to 250/3 at close of play against East Zone in the Duleep Trophy league match being played at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi, on Tuesday.After electing to bat first, North Zone got off to a wonderful start; Rathour and Akash Chopra added 140 runs for the first wicket. The two opening batsman played sensibly to raise the 100 runs partnership in 37.5 overs, soon after the lunch break. Left-arm spinner Sourasish Lahiri struck the first blow by removing Chopra, caught by Sanjay Raul. Chopra made 58 runs and was at the crease for 185 minutes, facing 161 balls. He struck eight strokes past the ropes before missing out on a track that looks full of runs.Pankaj Dharmani joined Rathour in the middle and there was no joy for the East Zone bowlers. The second wicket partnership yielded 68 runs and it was once again Lahiri who picked the crucial wicket, Dharmani (29) was caught by Debang Gandhi. In the meanwhile Rathour had raced past his hundred off 182 balls.North Zone skipper Mithun Manhas was the next man in and struggled for a while. After scratching around for 56 minutes and facing 34 balls, Manhas was caught by Subhomoy Das off the bowling of Laxmi Ratan Shukla, just before the close of play. At stumps on day-one North Zone are in a commanding position with Rathour going great guns. He has so far decorated his innings with 23 strokes past the ropes. Giving him company at the crease is Safi Khan (0*)Sourasish Lahiri (29-3-89-2) found some success on a day when the bowlers clearly struggled.

What a great pleasure it was to visit the newly founded Lahore Cricket Academy housed within a beautiful country club, on the eve of the finals of Lahore Veterans Cricket Championship

Rafi Nasim12-May-2001What a great pleasure it was to visit the newly founded Lahore Cricket Academy housed within a beautiful country club, on the eve of the finals of Lahore Veterans Cricket Championship. Apart from the players and officials of Lahore Whites and Lahore Blues the two finalists, about 150 more guests drove all the way from Lahore to attend the gorgeous function.Lahore Veterans-Final:
After an exciting game, Lahore Whites that included at least half a dozen former players of test/national level like Azhar Khan, Ashraf Ali, Saadat Ali, Ali Zia, Ali Ahmed and others, defeated the `Blues’ by 9 runs to clinch the championship. The trophy was awarded by Mr Asadullah Khan Sherazi, GM of the sponsors in Pakistan in his capacity as the Chief Guest.
Wining captain receiving Trophy
The credit for arranging such a colorful function goes to Ashiq Qureshi, a devout lover of the game and a highly competent cricket organizer who is the heart and soul behind Lahore Veteran’s cricket. A pleasant and popular figure in cricket circles, his PR has no bounds.
Rafi Nasim of CricInfo presenting Man of the Match Award
Imbued with the fragrance of sincerity and friendship, he invites people with such a combination of humility and courtesy that no one dare decline! The verbal invitations are supplemented by hand-delivery of cards followed by confirming acceptance on the telephone and if that’s not enough, making a polite transport offer to carry the guests to the venue, in case some one is unable to manage on his own. This is perhaps the extreme in hospitality and I am sure, if there were more people like him in the world there would be no conflicts and controversies.
Lahore Whites, winners of Coca Cola Veterans Trophy
Despite the scorching summer heat the guests kept arriving after regular intervals. The presence of so many people at a holiday resort located in the wilderness near Muridke, about 25 miles north of Lahore was, however, a matter of real joy. The beautiful landscape adorned with modern facilities in such a desolate place almost neutralized the hostility of the unfavorable weather. A delicious Chinese lunch was served while the beverage company’s hospitality continued from beginning to end. Their slogan of `Enjoy’ was capitalized fully by the guests. After the prize distribution the guests were entertained with a sumptuous high tea that marked the end of a delightful function.Before this event the LCC had organized a knockout Tournament sponsored by a Telecom company and 8 local teams participated. The Slazenger team won the trophy by defeating the Global Telecom team by 6 runs. Last winter a `young Asians’ team from Nottingham had visited Pakistan and played cricket matches at the LCC.Lahore Cricket Academy and Country Club:
Notwithstanding the drawback of a turn-around distance of 70 km from Lahore and enormous traffic jams en-route, the emergence of a verdant country club that houses the cricket academy is a refreshing addition to Lahore’s sphere of outdoor entertainment. The brainchild of Mr Shujaat Ali, an ardent cricket lover who runs a tour and travel business in England, the surrounds and facilities can be counted as one of the most modern in Pakistan. His ambitious plans when fully implemented may even raise its status to top of the line.
The club house
Feeling that 100 acres of agricultural land near Muridke were lying unused while he was settled in England, he chalked out the plan of creating a sports complex with recreational facilities in a manner that would even attract foreign visitors apart from the elite of Lahore. Well, over 6 years of devotion and a huge investment is ready to bear fruit and bear witness to his dream.Located in green rural surroundings, it’s more like a dream-palace in the wilderness and for its size and the number of facilities; it excels all clubs in the country. Its many acres of landscaped gardens are studded with hundreds of ornamental trees and fruit orchards.Reflecting the modernisms of the new millennium, the club has an office equipped with all that’s needed, telecommunications, computers, email, the internet and even a website of its own. It offers international standard accommodation in the form of independent villas and a 35-bed hotel, for those who want to get away from noisy city life and spend some time amidst a calm, quiet and fascinating rural setting. Restaurants, sauna, swimming pools, walkways, horse-riding and lakes are all there to enjoy.Apart from a unique blend of unrivaled health, fitness, sports, social and cultural facilities the real focus is on the game of cricket. A full size cricket ground with the requisite number of pitches and well-furnished dressing rooms are excellent for holding domestic cricket and other local matches. Soon, with the creation of a pavilion and spectator stands it may turn into a suitable venue for staging international matches.
Intikhab Alam at work
Intikhab Alam, a former Pakistan Captain and Coach runs the Lahore Cricket Academy. He is responsible for controlling and organizing all types of cricket activity at the academy. It is especially designed for young cricketers eager to learn the game and achieve international fame. The aim is to unearth, develop and hone young talent into winning material. The academy desires to coach promising youngsters in the finest traditions of cricket and the highest spirit of sportsmanship.The academy offers a full range of specialized cricket coaching, through modern coaching clinics using state-of-the-art techniques and is supervised by qualified coaches. It envisages grooming youngsters further by arranging cricket matches against recognized teams. Though the academy basically caters for the age group of 9 – 19 years, there is no bar on those above this age.Apart from 8 nets meant for coaching and practice for the trainees, bowling and fielding machines have been provided to optimize their standards of learning. To cope with different types of playing conditions, a mixture of tracks like a turning wicket, a quick wicket, a flat wicket etc have been prepared. A gymnasium equipped with the latest exercise machines is also available.
Coaching
In line with the most modern training institutions, the academy also caters for physiotherapy facilities to keep it’s students fit at all times, the services of a nutritionist to chalk out balanced diet programs and a psychologist to help improve performance and productivity under pressure.In addition to celebrity coaching clinics by Pakistani Test stars, social evenings with present and past test players and other cultural programs are organized.Special program: Expatriate children coaching and trials
In a latest move towards promotion of cricket, the Pakistan Cricket Board has opened the avenues for Pakistani expatriates to send their children to Pakistan for cricket coaching and training. Recognizing the fact that the Lahore Cricket Academy possesses all the modern facilities to handle the project, the PCB has authorized the Academy to organize the arrival and stay of youngsters coming to Pakistan followed by their coaching. Trials of those who catch the eye will be arranged for local teams and even for the National team. One can think of no better opportunity for Pakistani families living abroad who have young children keen to become the next Wasim Akrams or Saeed Anwars!To add to the overall attraction and have families visit, there are recreation spots like a fishing lake, horse riding, cycling and jogging tracks, swimming pools, tennis courts, picnic spots, children’s playing areas, farm houses, billiard rooms and restaurants. Future plans envisage the installation of floodlights at the cricket ground, the creation of a 9-hole golf course and other sports facilities.As the famous saying goes `Rome was not built in a day’. So is it here, and shall take some more time to develop fully. Already equipped with the most modern facilities in the backdrop of a rural landscape, it’s an excellent place for family visits apart from the cricket. While club membership at a large scale might take some time to grow, the cricket activity will not take long to flourish. Under the able guidance of Intikhab Alam, the academy is likely to remain the busiest institution with the training and coaching courses run one after the other. With the close cooperation of PCB, the cricket ground can also be permanently listed as venue for domestic cricket matches.

If Carlo Ancelotti can take any positives from Everton’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa on Thursday evening, it’s that they didn’t lose.

The Toffees tasted defeat against Dean Smith’s men in the reverse fixture less than a fortnight ago, so they were already behind when it came to the mental battle.

That said, Everton really should have won the game yesterday. They created numerous chances to score but were met with the brick wall of Emi Martinez. The Argentine has been inspired this term and made five saves to deny Ancelotti’s attack in midweek.

The biggest positive, however, will be a successive clean sheet. Everton were lacking Yerry Mina due to injury but stood firm with a three-man backline again.

However, Seamus Coleman didn’t cover himself in too much glory at right wing-back. The Irishman has been a fantastic servant to Goodison Park but it’s evident that his time on Merseyside is starting to wind down.

You can never fault the defender’s attitude and commitment but his final ball and passing let him down during an average display from the skipper.

The tone was set in the very first minute of the game. Hounded by former team-mate Ross Barkley, Coleman gifted the opposition a corner instead of attempting to clear the ball upfield.

He had a particularly nervy opening ten minutes at Villa Park, bringing down Matt Targett when Everton could have won a set piece themselves before lifting a cross straight into the arms of Martinez.

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Coleman completed just 50% of his crosses and was successful with only 71% of his passes. He was disappointing in possession, completing just ten passes in the entire game and taking fewer touches (28) than Jordan Pickford (37).

The defender may have won 50% of his defensive duels but he wasn’t entirely competent when it came to dealing with Anwar El Ghazi and Targett. The latter raced past him as though he wasn’t even there on the stroke of half time but fortunately Villa spurned the opportunity to score.

It was no surprise that Coleman was eventually substituted with more than 15 minutes left to play. He exited Villa Park having lost possession every 2.8 touches; a woeful tally for a player who usually brings a calming nature to Ancelotti’s side.

This was a night to forget for him and the Toffees’ attackers.

AND in other news, Everton must swoop for £300k-p/w “outstanding technician”, he’s shades of Tim Cahill…

According to Voetbal International, Glasgow Rangers are interested in bringing Heerenveen midfielder Joey Veerman to Ibrox.

Gers eye Veerman

Veerman is said to be almost certain to leave his current club this summer, and the Gers are believed to be interested in taking the 22-year-old off the Eredivisie outfit’s hands.

They are not the only side in pursuit, though. Stade Reims and Atalanta were also mentioned in connection with the midfielder.

Major coup

With the likes of Champions League chasers Atalanta to contend with, the Gers signing Veerman would clearly be a major coup. This term, he has managed nine goals and 10 assists in 32 games in all competitions, taking his career goalscoring tally to 31 (Transfermarkt).

Veerman is clearly a player with plenty of talent and would therefore be a fantastic signing for the 55-time Scottish champions – their only issue may be the fee Heerenveen demand. He is currently valued at £6.3m (Transfermarkt) and has a contract that runs until 2024. While Veerman may want to leave, the club themselves are in no need to sell, so the Gers would need to part with a substantial sum to capture him. Whether they would be comfortable with such an outlay remains to be seen.

In other news, Glasgow Rangers fans are livid at this news.

Russel Arnold Winning the Sharjah final was a relief

Russel Arnold04-May-2001Russel Arnold Winning the Sharjah final was a relief. We went to the UAE with confidence after winning our previous two one-day series against New Zealand and England and were looking for a convincing performance. We may have fallen short of these expectations, but we at least turned it on when it really mattered.We started badly by losing to Pakistan, a game we probably should have won, as most of our batsmen made good starts, but then failed to transform those starts into match winning innings. Sanath’s and Mahela’s brilliant batting against the Kiwi’s ensured us an easy victory in the next game.In our final two group games we struggled and lost some confidence. Required to chase in both games we lost wickets at regular intervals and never really threatened to win the games. Thankfully our net run rate was sufficient to book us a berth in the final.AFPOnce in the final we were confident that we could win it. We had little to lose and knew that we hadn’t performed to potential so far. If our game clicked then the trophy was ours so we focused hard on giving one last big effort.Winning the toss was a real bonus. Batting second had proved difficult throughout the tournament. The evening dew offered the pacemen some encouragement and the white ball was unusually difficult to pick up under the glare of the lights because of the whitish colour of the playing surface.This, however, was balanced by the fact that spinners struggled to spin the ball in the later stages because they were unable to grip the ball properly and the dew made the ball skid on to the batsmen. This actually made run scoring easier in the later stages. Thus, you could prosper batting second, but only if you didn’t lose early wickets.We were therefore delighted when we were able to bat first and then took wickets in the early overs of the Pakistan innings. Pakistan scored runs quickly, but they lost crucial wickets, the one of Inzamann being the key. We knew that Inzy and Anwaar were trhe biggest threat, as they were in tremendous form and have the ability to bat for long periods of time.Personally, I had a disappointing tournament, although I was happy with my bowling and my fielding. My batting never really got going. I was hitting the ball well in the nets and felt in good form, but just kept getting out through the odd bad shot and some poor luck. With no runs behind you your confidence is always likely to dip a little.When I am batting really well I am relaxed. I feel in total control. There is no need to think, as the body just reacts and you naturally strike the right balance between attack and defense.When you are playing like that you have the confidence to look at the big picture and plan ahead. For example, in New Zealand earlier this year, when I scored an unbeaten 78 to help win the Wellington game, I came to crease and believed that I was in control. If a good over was bowled I didn’t panic because I felt that I could raise the tempo when it mattered. That is the state of mind that we batsmen strive to create.I was disappointed to have not played up to expectations, but not overly concerned. I have had my share of success throughout the year and I now need to focus on the future – to learn from my experiences and move on.The team too will be looking to the future. After a short break we start training again next week and we know that we need to work on our consistency. To become a really good side we have to perform consistently in all departments, every day of the week. To achieve this we all need to retain our self-belief when times are tough – to be in control at all times. In other words, we have to be mentally strong.

It’s not often that one of your leading scorers doesn’t make the starting XI but that has been the case for Callum Paterson at Sheffield Wednesday recently.

The 26-year-old utility man has found the net eight times in all competitions this season, a feat only bettered by Josh Windass at Hillsborough, who currently sits on nine goals. However, despite the lanky Scotsman having such a crucial part to play in the Owls’ fortunes, he has only started one of their last three league outings.

The Owls most recently defeated Blackburn Rovers to give their survival hopes a major boost, although they still remain four points adrift of 21st with only three matches left to play, including Saturday’s trip to Middlesbrough.

Boro are a side against whom Paterson caused trouble earlier in the campaign, bagging the opener after some nice work from Liam Palmer down the right flank.

Wednesday manager Darren Moore may not have been in the dugout on Tuesday night but he opted for Jordan Rhodes to lead the line instead of Paterson, and whilst they won, his fellow countryman struggled to impose much of an influence on the match.

As per SofaScore, the 31-year-old failed to register a single shot in 75 minutes of action and had the fewest touches of any Owls player to start the match, so swapping him out for Paterson could be an easy change to make at the Riverside for Moore.

It was only a few weeks ago that YorkshireLive’s trusty correspondent Dom Howson was waxing lyrical about how the former Cardiff star had changed the dynamic up at Hillsborough.

‘What Paterson has demonstrated when he has lined up in the centre is that he is capable or breaking in between the lines and causing havoc in the final third,’ he wrote. ‘He takes up good positions and gives Wednesday extra steel and physicality in the department alongside Barry Bannan and Sam Hutchinson.’

The £17,000-per-week dynamo was once lauded by this weekend’s opposition manager Neil Warnock, under whom he worked at Cardiff. The managerial veteran said in March 2018: “Paterson has that ability to score goals from nowhere, he reads things and he’s irreplaceable at the moment.”

They also waxed lyrical about him at Hearts, with his former Jam Tarts teammate Jack Hamilton saying: “Everyone can see how good Callum is in the air and his goal threat. He’s got everything. He works hard on and off the park and eats the right things. He’s got experience now.”

In terms of consistency, Paterson is up there among the Owls’ best, managing an average WhoScored rating of 6.7, which is only bettered by three other players and two are defenders.

Both Josh Windass and Rhodes are way below that output. The 26-year-old is also firing off more attempts at goal (1.1 per game) than his fellow Scot (0.8), and in a match where the Owls need to find the net – potentially more than once – it would make sense to start the player who is more willing to have a go.

On the above evidence, Moore simply has to unleash the “brave” Paterson on Saturday afternoon – it could be a game-changing call.

AND in other news, a worrying update emerges over “immense” Owls gem which will surely leave Moore gutted…

Leicester City reached their first FA Cup since 1969 as Kelechi Iheancho’s goal proved enough against Southampton at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

How did we rate the Foxes’ individual performances in the capital?

Starting XI

Kasper Schmeichel – 6/10: His mark cannot be higher simply because he did not have anything to do. The Dane was not forced into a single save by Southampton throughout the entire match.

Wesley Fofana – 7/10: The Frenchman was very impressive and proved a formidable wall for the Saints to get beyond. His anticipation of danger was key in Leicester reaching the final with his highly impressive five interceptions.

Jonny Evans – 8/10: Arguably Leicester’s man-of-the-match, the Northern-Irishman was a huge presence at the back. He produced a tackle, an interception, three clearances and a block throughout the 90 minutes according to WhoScored, earning his £80k per week wages and more.

Caglar Soyuncu – 6/10: Returning after a two-game absence, the Turkish defender was slightly rash. He was booked early in the second-half for a late challenge on Kyle Walker-Peters and was probably slightly fortunate to get away with a couple of mistimed challenges.

Ricardo Pereira – 5/10: Deployed on the left, the Portuguese did not look totally comfortable. He only completed 56.8% of his passes before he was hauled off on the 60-minute mark.

Wilfred Ndidi – 6/10: Whilst not the usually dominant figure in the centre of the park for the Foxes, having provided just one interception, he was still hugely useful in providing a shield in front of the Leicester backline by keeping James Ward-Prowse quiet.

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Youri Tielemans – 7/10: An ever-present in the Leicester midfield, the Belgian’s display at Wembley was impressive in all facets of the game. He was strong defensively whilst contributing four key passes, more than the rest of the players on the pitch.

Timothy Castagne – 6/10: Not a standout performer by any means but the former Atalanta man was solid without being spectacular. The wing-back contributed three tackles throughout the duration of the game.

Ayoze Perez – 6/10: Another to return to the starting line-up, the Spaniard linked play well and got in behind Walker-Peters on occasion but was somewhat wasteful with his opportunities – highlighted by an overhit cross to Vardy in the first period. He was replaced by Marc Albrighton.

Jamie Vardy – 7/10: Whilst not ending his barren run, the striker was a constant threat to the Saints with his runs down the left-flank. He wasted a fantastic opportunity in the first-half as he attempted to chip Fraser Forster but was key in Leicester’s opening goal having been released down the left, then producing a great cross for Iheanacho.

Kelechi Iheanacho – 7/10: The Nigerian simply cannot stop scoring. Whilst he was fortunate in that the ball came back to him for his strike, he stayed cool to slot home at the second attempt for his 15th goal in all competitions. He also teed Maddison up late on, an opportunity that was wasted.

Substitutes

Marc Albrighton – 6/10: Whilst not quite having had the same impact that he had against West Ham United, he was a useful option in closing out the game.

James Maddison – 6/10: His first appearance since breaking guidelines, the midfielder showed he was a threat after coming off of the bench by having two shots but he could get neither on target.

AND in more news, take a look at a 2020 transfer error from the Foxes…

Writing a message on Twitter, Czech Republic ambassador Libor Secka has proposed a charity match between West Ham United and Slavia Prague, with many Hammers fans in agreement and pleading for it to happen.

The two clubs have been enjoying a great relationship recently, arguably highlighted by the Hammers’ acquisitions of Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal in the summer, and the ambassador to the Czech Republic in London has thought of a worthwhile initiative for a good cause.

This would be to raise money for Isla Caton and her treatment for a rare form of child cancer called Neuroblastoma, with further care needed in Barcelona as the fight continues (JustGiving).

After meeting with the child’s family recently, Secka has proposed a charity match between Slavia Prague and West Ham United, prompting many West Ham fans to support the idea on Twitter. He wrote: “Without addressing the Boards of both clubs is not possible to organise Charity match for Isla Caton between Slavia Prague and WHU. Do you support my effort to go ahead with the initiative?”.

As the prospective event could support an important cause, while giving the Irons and Slavia a chance to play each other, it’s little wonder that so many Hammers fans are in full support of the prospect.

Check out some of the verdicts from social media below.

West Ham fans adore Slavia charity match proposal

“I think it will be lovely to see all the teams play ! See how West Ham cope with Slavia and all for a good cause, Mr. Ambassador if you could use your power to help this it will be amazing! I’m in”

Credit: @Thehammerone1

“Libor this would be an amazing gesture. Isla’ s family and WHU supporters would flock to see this game and support this little girl. Make it happen please and GSB please”

Credit: @Roberto120916

“PLEASEEEEE”

Credit: @Shaneo_300

“Huge respect”

Credit: @SenorSoucek

“Yesssssssssss”

Credit: @joelitt78828048

“An absolutely wonderful idea!”

Credit: @IronessWest

“100%”

Credit: @ScoutSoucek

“Ohhh yesss this would be amazing has to happen and for a great cause now too”

Credit: @CristianoCruzJ

In other news: West Ham are readying a swoop for this £18 million-rated ace, find out more here.