Raphael Varane has revealed how he earned Cristiano Ronaldo’s respect, with the Frenchman saying there is “no need to be shy” around the Portuguese.

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French defender moved to Spain in 2011Would not be intimidated by anybodyLanded major silverware alongside CR7WHAT HAPPENED?

World Cup winner Varane completed a dream transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2011. Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo had already been at Santiago Bernabeu for a couple of years by that point and was very much the brightest light in Madrid’s galaxy of stars.

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Varane could have been forgiven for feeling a little overawed in such illustrious company, but the classy centre-half merely made a point of making Ronaldo aware of who he was and that he would not be intimated by anybody.

WHAT VARANE SAID ABOUT RONALDO

Quizzed by on whether one of his first interactions with Ronaldo saw him respond with “I’m Rapha” after being referred to as “’Varane” by CR7, the current Manchester United star said: “Yes it’s true, I think that on the field there is no need to be shy. I am someone who is quite reserved outside but on the field you have to make your own place and be respected.”

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That is a mindset that Ronaldo can get behind, as someone who has spent his entire career pursuing perfection. Varane shares a similar desire to win, but added on how even the very best in the business need to learn how to turn energy levels on and off. He added: “That's the challenge for great teams, to succeed in winning while exerting less energy on the pitch. You can't put your full energy into everything when there are games every three days. You can't run a marathon every day. I had periods where we played Clasico, Champions League, Clasico – in a week you feel like you've lived an entire life!”

Following Inter Miami's draw with LA Galaxy, Lionel Messi sent a heartwarming message to his wife Antonela Roccuzzo for her birthday.

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Messi sends birthday wishes to wifeRoccuzzo celebrating 36th birthdayInter Miami fresh from draw with LA GalaxyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine World Cup winner broke Galaxy hearts in injury time after he linked up with Jordi Alba in classic fashion to draw Inter Miami level on the night and avoid a first defeat of the season. Fast forward to today, and Messi is celebrating his childhood sweetheart-turned-wife's 36th birthday. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner shared a post with his wife as the duo celebrated the event.

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"Happy birthday, Princess! I love you," he wrote on Instagram.

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Messi and Roccuzzo met as young children in Argentina, and while he later moved away from Argentina to train with Barcelona, the two reconnected after a tragedy and eventually fell in love. The pair have three sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

While things have been spectacular for the Argentine on the personal front, Inter Miami have been struggling throughout pre-season and Messi and Co. have been toiling hard to turn around their situation. With a draw and win in their first two MLS games, the Herons will take on Orlando City on Saturday, March 2 hoping pick up another victory.

Newcastle United host Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday evening, but they have suffered a potentially massive injury setback ahead of the game.

Which Newcastle players are fit vs Brentford?

The Magpies have endured a stuttering start to the season, having strutted into it as likely top-four candidates after a stellar campaign last time around, in which they finished fourth in the table.

The 5-1 win at home to Aston Villa on the opening Saturday of 2023/24 suggested that Eddie Howe's side had gone up another level as a team, but since that point, things have spiralled rather alarmingly. While there was no shame in losing 1-0 away to Premier League champions Manchester City, the 2-1 loss at home to ten man Liverpool at St James' Park was worrying, before being beaten 3-1 at Brighton.

Newcastle return to action after the international break on Saturday evening, hosting a dangerous Brentford side, and the hope is that this is a game that allows them to turn their season around.

There are injury problems going into the game, with Joe Willock still out, although the likes of Sven Botman and Elliot Anderson are expected to be fit.

Will Sandro Tonali miss Newcastle-Brentford clash?

According to The Chronicle, who relayed the information from Howe's press conference, Newcastle could now be without Sandro Tonali for Saturday's visit of the Bees, acting a possible huge blow:

Howe said: "He came back from Italy duty with a strain. He’s had a scan but we will see."

Tonali is already a vital player for Newcastle, announcing himself in style with a goal in the win over Villa, and while he is still adjusting to life in the Premier League, being without him against Brentford would hinder their chances of getting a positive result at St James' Park. The Bees actually top the expected goals table so far this season, so they certainly carry plenty of threat, especially if the spine of your side is weakened.

The Italian has already been described as "magnificent" by Howe, who clearly values him greatly as a player, and the Magpies would lose so much without him in the starting lineup, whether it be his quality on the ball or work ethic off it.

With both Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton searching for their best form at the moment, Tonali's absence could be felt even more, so the hope is that he passes a fitness test and is ultimately named in the team on Saturday.

The importance of a win cannot be stressed enough, following three defeats in succession, and if Newcastle are to secure back-to-back top four finishes, these are the sort of matches where dropped points can be so costly.

Granted, Brentford are a good side in their own right, but with the battle for Champions League football set to be far more fierce this season – the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea should all be a lot stronger than they were in 2022/23 – Howe's men need to get on a good run in between these two international breaks, or risk falling away before the campaign has properly got into full swing.

Celtic return to action in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since the first international break of the season as they face off against Dundee at Parkhead this afternoon.

What was Celtic's last result?

The Hoops maintained their position at the top of the league table with a 1-0 win in the Old Firm clash in their last game before the national team matches kicked off.

Kyogo Furuhashi scored a stunning goal to secure all three points against Michael Beale's side at the start of the month. The Japan international raced in behind Connor Goldson, from Matt O'Riley's clever header, and rifled a terrific volley into the bottom corner and past Jack Butland.

Brendan Rodgers was without the likes of Maik Nawrocki and Cameron Carter-Vickers but Liam Scales and Gustaf Lagerbielke produced solid displays to keep a clean sheet intact throughout the 90 minutes.

What's the latest Celtic team news?

The Northern Irish head coach has revealed that Reo Hatate is back in training and could be available for selection against Dundee this weekend.

Marco Tilio, who is yet to make his Celtic debut, has also recovered from his injury issue but may need time to work his fitness levels back up and get used to the group before he hits his stride.

Meanwhile, Cameron Carter-Vickers is closing in on his return to action and could be back over the weeks to come, although he will not be in contention to start this afternoon.

The Hoops have, however, been dealt a huge blow in the build-up to this match as Liel Abada is set to be out for between three and four months with a thigh injury that was sustained on international duty, Rodgers has confirmed.

Football FanCast already published an article explaining why South Korean ace Hyun-jun Yang should come into the starting XI in place of the Israel international.

However, there could also be a change on the other flank as Luis Palma could be in line to make his Hoops debut after joining from Aris FC during the summer transfer window.

Will Luis Palma start against Dundee?

Rodgers should unleash the Honduras international from the start on the left wing as the talented ace has the potential to offer more than Daizen Maeda at the top end of the pitch.

The 23-year-old forward, who was described as "ambitious" by his new manager, was as an unused substitute against Rangers earlier this month and went on to enjoy an excellent international break with his country.

Palma produced a phenomenal performance against Grenada as he recorded a Sofascore rating of 9.1 and contributed with one goal and one assist, along with five shots on target and three chances created for his teammates across the 90 minutes.

The £3.5m signing also arrived at Celtic off the back of a terrific start to the season with Aris in Greece. He racked up two goals and three assists in five matches in all competitions, which included two goals and two assists in four Europa Conference League qualifiers.

As per Sofascore, the 5 foot 10 magician created four chances, one 'big chance', and assisted one goal in his only top-flight appearance for Aris this term, which earned him a rating of 7.7.

Palma came into the 2023/24 campaign after an impressive season last term, as he proved himself to be a reliable goalscoring option from out wide.

The gifted wizard averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.12 across 20 Super League starts and chipped in with 11 goals and four assists, along with 1.4 key passes per game.

He also contributed with two goals and four assists in seven cup appearances for Aris, including three assists in four Europa Conference League qualifiers, which meant that he scored 13 goals and provided eight assists in total throughout the campaign.

How many goals did Maeda score last season?

Maeda, on the other hand, scored 11 times and assisted seven in 49 matches in all competitions for the Hoops during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Japan international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.78 across 35 Scottish Premiership games, which included 25 starts, and chipped in with eight goals and five assists.

This means that the attacker was directly involved in a goal once every 1.92 league starts on average last term, whilst Palma produced one goal involvement every 1.33 starts on average for Aris.

These statistics indicate that the £3.5m-rated whiz has the potential to provide goals and assists with greater regularity than Maeda on the wing, if he can translate his form from Greece over to Scottish football.

The Honduras international's aforementioned 1.4 key passes per game also suggest that he could provide more creativity than the Japanese marksman as he only conjured 0.8 per match last season.

So far this season, Maeda has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.03 and assisted one goal, whilst he has failed to find the back of the net once in four Premiership starts for the Bhoys.

He has already missed four 'big chances' in front of goal, which comes after he spurned 11 of them last term, and this shows that the 25-year-old gem has been wasteful at the top end of the pitch.

Whereas, Palma has only missed one 'big chance' in 30 league games since the start of last season to go along with his 11 goals in that time, which means that the 23-year-old maestro could be a far more reliable option in the final third for Rodgers in comparison to Maeda.

Therefore, the Northern Irish head coach must now move the Japan international aside and onto the bench for this clash with Dundee in order to offer Palma the opportunity to showcase his quality on the left wing.

The talented whiz is coming off the back of an impressive international break and could, therefore, be full of confidence and ready to produce a big performance on his debut for the Scottish giants this afternoon.

Maeda has not provided a regular source of goals or assists over the last 12 months or so and Palma's statistics for club and country during that period indicate that he could be an upgrade on him, if he can adapt to life in Scotland and hit the ground running today.

Manchester United could target a surprise big name arrival in the goalkeeping department despite the recent arrival of Andre Onana at Old Trafford, according to recent reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester United?

According to The Manchester Evening News, both Mason Mount and Harry Maguire are set to be available for selection in the Red Devils' Carabao Cup tie against Crystal Palace on Tuesday after recovering from their respective injury concerns.

Due to Manchester United's shortage of players capable of playing on the right flank currently, the prospect of summer signing Mount being used on the right-hand side has been mooted in recent weeks. Erik Ten Hag hasn't ruled out turning this scenario into a reality, stating in a recent interview: "This has been discussed before, but we have options on the right and we will see how we fill it in. We have the options but also they have to be available and then you have to get the routines in. But the principles and rules – they are clear."

Recent reports emerging out of Italy have emerged claiming that Manchester United could look to make another move to try and lure Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot to Old Trafford in the January transfer window. Newcastle United and Atletico Madrid are also keeping tabs on the France international's situation, which is complicated further from his current employers' point of view as his contract at the Old Lady is due to expire in the summer of 2024.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Ben Jacobs also hasn't ruled out the possibility of Manchester United bidder Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani potentially submitting another bid as his quest to acquire full control at Old Trafford continues to roll on.

Who are Manchester United linked with?

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are believed to view Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak as an extremely attractive potential acquisition at Old Trafford, though any deal would most likely occur next summer rather than in the January window.

Oblak is said to be open to a potential switch to the Premier League giants; however, Atletico Madrid will look to demand in the region of €50 million (£43 million) before sanctioning any exit for the Slovenia international.

Labelled the "best in the world" by Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, Oblak has made a profound impact during his long spell in the Spanish capital, keeping 193 clean sheets in 398 appearances across all competitions for the La Liga giants, as per Transfermarkt.

As per FBRef, Oblak has excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions in the metric of goals conceded per 90 minutes, having shipped an average of just 0.82 combining his match involvement in the last 365 days, putting him in the 97th percentile for this statistic.

Despite current Manchester United number one Onana's inconsistent start to life at Old Trafford, it would seem harsh to look to bring in another elite-level shot-stopper in the mould of Oblak to compete for opportunities between the sticks so soon.

Rangers are interested in completing the signing of a hugely exciting British player who has shone at academy level, according to an update from reliable journalist Mike McGrath.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers have enjoyed a new lease of life with Philippe Clement as their new manager, with the Belgian making an immediate impact after the sacking of Michael Beale.

On Sunday afternoon, Rangers return to Scottish Premiership action as they make the trip to Aberdeen looking to keep the pressure on Celtic in the title race.

The Scottish giants conducted some important transfer business during the summer window, signing the likes of Danilo, Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers, but there is still room for improvement in the squad, meaning that Clement could yet delve into the market in January.

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Rangers could be set to make a signing or two in January

ByRoss Kilvington Nov 24, 2023

Rangers have been linked with a move for Everton centre-back Ben Godfrey, which could be an exciting piece of business, while Motherwell youngster Lennon Miller is also seen as a target for the Gers. Now, a fresh transfer update has emerged, with another prospect potentially heading to Ibrox in the near future.

Rangers want Mason Cotcher

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, McGrath stated that Rangers are keen on acquiring the signature of highly rated youngster Mason Cotcher following his exit from Sunderland:

"England U17 forward Mason Cotcher has been training with the 1st team squad at Arsenal after leaving Sunderland. Rangers are also interested in signing the 17yr old and moving cross-border to Scotland would be for much lower compensation."

Considering he is still only 17 years of age, Cotcher would clearly be a signing for the future as far as Rangers are concerned, but he is someone with such long-term potential that a move to Ibrox would be eye-catching.

The Gers transfer target has won two caps for England's U17s, which immediately says a lot about the level of talent that he possesses, and he has scored and assisted once apiece for Arsenal's U18s in two appearances. Meanwhile, during his Sunderland days, he netted nine times in 27 outings at youth level.

While predominantly a centre-forward, Cotcher is capable of excelling on either flank, further adding to his appeal, with his versatility something that can be priceless for any squad player in the modern game.

Granted, the teenager isn't someone who is going to suddenly inject further life into Rangers' season at senior level, but bringing in one of the most exciting British talents around would be impressive long-term planning, rather than simply focusing on the present and not thinking enough about the future.

In an ideal world, Cotcher would come in as an academy player to begin with, perhaps even being loaned out elsewhere to continue to learn his trade, before eventually maturing into a first-team player and one of the first names on the teamsheet.

There is no doubt that more senior transfer targets also need to be looked at, however, with failure to strengthen Clement's squad in the January window acting as a big opportunity missed as they look to wrestle the league title away from Celtic.

نجح فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك في إحراز الهدف الأول بشباك منافسه المصري، بالمباراة الجارية بينهما الآن ضمن منافسات الكونفدرالية.

ويواجه الزمالك نظيره المصري، على ملعب استاد برج العرب بالإسكندرية، في الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات لبطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

ويقود فريق نادي الزمالك الليلة جهاز فني مؤقت بقيادة أحمد مجدي، بعد رحيل جوزيه جوميز لتولي مهمة الفتح السعودي.

هيثم فاروق: الزمالك أحبط مخطط علي ماهر.. ومصطفى غربال غير مريح

وسجل هدف اللقاء الأول أحمد مصطفى زيزو في الدقيقة 63 من عمر اللقاء، بتسديدة من على حدود منطقة الجزاء.

ويتواجد فريقا الزمالك والمصري، في المجموعة الرابعة ببطولة الكونفدرالية، التي تضم إلى جوارهما إنيمبا النيجيري وبلاك بولز مابوتو الموزمبيقي.

ويحتل الزمالك صدارة المجموعة برصيد 4 نقاط متساويًا مع المصري صاحب الوصافة ولكن يتفوق الأبيض بفارق الأهداف.

ترتيب المجموعة الرابعة في الكونفدرالية بعد فوز الزمالك على المصري

وكان الزمالك قد حقق الفوز في مستهل مشواره في بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، على بلاك بولز 2-0، وتعادل مع إنيمبا في الجولة الثانية 2-2.

على الجانب الآخر، حقق فريق المصري الفوز على إنيمبا 2-0 في الجولة الأولى، بينما تعادل 1-1 مع بلاك بولز في الجولة الثانية. هدف الزمالك الأول أمام المصري في الكونفدرالية

تعادل جودوين شيكا لاعب طلائع الجيش، لفريقه بتسجيله الهدف الثاني أمام الزمالك، خلال اللقاء الذي يقام بين الفريقين الآن، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويلاقي فريق الزمالك نظيره طلائع الجيش، على ملعب الكلية الحربية، في إطار مواجهات الجولة السادسة من عمر مباريات الدوري المصري.

وسجل جودوين شيكا هدفه الشخصي الثاني ولفريقه في المباراة، في الدقيقة 55 من زمن أحداث المباراة.

طالع | مباشر بالفيديو.. أحداث مباراة الزمالك وطلائع الجيش

وجاء هدف شيكا بتسديدة مباشرة داخل الشباك من داخل منطقة الجزاء بعد متابعة لكرة مرتدة من العارضة عقب تسديدة مباشرة من زميله إسلام محارب، من العرضية المرسلة من الجانب الأيسر. هدف طلائع الجيش الثاني أمام الزمالك.. جودوين شيكا

وكان طلائع الجيش تقدم عن طريق لاعبه جودوين شيكا في الدقيقة 35 من عمر الشوط الأول للمباراة.

وتعادل محمد شحاتة لاعب الزمالك، وسجل الهدف الأول لفريقه، في الدقيقة 43 من الشوط الأول، قبل أن يسجل حسام أشرف الهدف الثاني للزمالك في الدقيقة الأخيرة من عمر الشوط الأول.

Marks out of 10 for the West Indies squad

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan04-Jul-2006West Indies

8
Jerome Taylor
Quick and accurate, Taylor turned into West Indies’ spearhead as the series progressed. He wasn’t picked for the first Test at Antigua and took some time to find his groove at St Lucia but transformed into a dangerous proposition in the final two games. His pacy burst on the lifeless surface at St Kitts won many admirers but it was his lethal performance at Kingston that underlined his worth. Getting the ball to lift off a good length, he thrilled his local crowd and was rewarded with his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests. West Indies will hope it is the first of many.Corey Collymore
Collymore pegged away all through the series, providing a valuable tourniquet at one end. He was way ahead of the other fast bowlers in terms of his economy-rate (2.33) and always appeared capable of taking a wicket. His spell on the first morning at Antigua floored India and, despite not looking fully fit, maintained his accuracy throughout.7

Dwayne Bravo
Full of spunk, chipping in with both bat and ball, Bravo, as he had done in the one-day series, often tormented India. He was handy when the ball moved around, producing fine spells in Antigua and Kingston, and put together valuable contributions with the bat. His fielding too was inspirational.

6
Brian Lara
An average of 26.37 after four Tests is a poor showing, especially for a player of Lara’s calibre. His 120 at St Lucia was a lesson in application, helping West Indies hang on for a draw, but he had a poor series overall, hardly looking the threat that he once was. His captaincy was erratic, though he later revealed that his hands were tied due to peripheral issues related to team selection. His catching too, while fielding at slip, was below par.Daren Ganga
With pressure constantly on his back, Ganga, with a hundred and a fifty, had a satisfactory series. Through his patient century at St Kitts, he allowed the rest of the batsmen to flower around him. He was also the most assured West Indian batsman in the final Test at St Kitts. His catching remained suspect throughout. Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Having not made even a fifty in West Indies’ last two Test series, Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s 301 runs in four games was welcome relief. It was tough to predict his approach – at Antigua, with his side fighting for a draw, he made a glorious fifty; at St Kitts, with his side pushing for a win, he bizarrely turned defensive. The crowd at Sabina Park might have abused him for the reckless stroke he played at the crucial stage of the first innings, but he remained the glue that holds the batting together.Ramnaresh Sarwan
Sarwan couldn’t match the consistency he’d shown in the one-day series, ending with a middling average of 32.12. His century at St Kitts strengthened West Indies’ position while his fifty in the second innings at Kingston was a marvelous effort under pressure. Getting the big scores when the going gets tough, though, remains his biggest challenge.Pedro Collins
Collins might not have even played had Fidel Edwards, his half-brother, not been injured but he manfully toiled away under the given conditions. Like Collymore, he stressed the importance of being accurate while bowling on featherbeds and occasionally got the old ball to reverse as well.5
Chris Gayle
A series of two halves for Gayle, beginning well and ending badly. His three fifties helped provide the boost at the start but, disappointingly, he couldn’t kick on to a big score on even one occasion. He ended the innings on a low, grabbing a pair at Sabina Park, his homeground. His offspin was innocuous and his catching in the slips wasn’t always safe.Denesh Ramdin
It was only in the first and last innings of the series that one got to see Ramdin’s potential as a batsman. His keeping, though, was impressive throughout even though the ball was often dying on him. The calculated manner in which he took on the Indian bowlers at the final stages of the Kingston Test will always remain in memory.4
Marlon Samuels
In what was a comeback of sorts, Samuels managed one half-century in the two Tests he played and that too when West Indies were in a comfortable position. The talent he possesses was never in question but his inability to pick the right balls to hit remains a concern. He didn’t make too much of an impression with the ball.Dave Mohammed
In the only match he played, at Antigua, he made a match-saving fifty, one that was filled with some audacious strokeplay. His bowing was patchy – briefly impressing in the first innings before being tonked all over the place in the second.3
Fidel Edwards
Edwards was forced to hobble off after suffering a hamstring pull at the start of the second innings at Antigua. By then, though, he had shown what a potent weapon he could be by troubling the Indian batsmen with his fiery spells. His tenacious batting at the end of the game, though, remains one of the enduring memories of the series.Ian Bradshaw
His heroic 25-over spell at Antigua, where he applied the brakes, was the high point of Bradshaw’s series. He was, quite bizarrely, under-bowled in the second Test at St Lucia and didn’t get a chance thereafter.

Will the region be ready to host 100,000 cricket fans in seven months?

Andrew Miller05-Jul-2006In the Caribbean, the magnitude of the task that awaits the region next March is slowly beginning to dawn. Too slowly for comfort, in theopinion of many observers. In seven months’ time, the curtain will be raised on the ninth cricket World Cup, and at present the preparationsare lagging behind on all fronts.Yesterday Chris Dehring, the tournament director, finally confirmed what the rest of the world had already worked out – the influx of100,000 cricket fans, on top of the usual peak-season demands of the Caribbean tourist industry, means that hotel rooms throughout theregion will be at a premium. “We don’t expect to satisfy the entire demand,” he admitted candidly. “It is really going to be a challenge.”Contingency plans are urgently being sought, including the option of using a fleet of cruise-liners as auxiliary accommodation, but thelogistics of the tournament are threatening to overwhelm the hosts. The rich heritage of West Indian cricket has long distracted from theground-level reality: never before has such a high-profile tournament been strung across so many small – and in some cases, tiny – countries.In total, nine sovereign states with a combined population of roughly seven million (which would barely place them in the world’s top 100)are being asked to pull together to create the third biggest sporting event in the world. It is a huge undertaking for some of the world’ssmallest economies. In terms of Gross Domestic Product, five of the participants – Antigua, St Lucia, Guyana, Grenada and St Kitts & Nevis – are among the smallest 21 in the world, and only Trinidad & Tobago (89) features in the top 100 (out of 180).The Caribbean’s enduring popularity with tourists means that the poverty of much of the region has long been overlooked. The situationis not so very different from expecting Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast and Senegal to cut deals with their neighbours (and rivals) to host theOlympics or football World Cup. It is notable that neither of these events has yet taken place in Africa, and when the football doesfinally arrive in 2010, it will be held exclusively in resource-rich South Africa.The Trelawny pitch is rolled for the first time, as Jamaica steps up preparations for the World Cup•Andrew Miller/Andrew MillerLast week, Cricinfo was invited to Jamaica, where West Indies themselves and Pakistan are to be based for the event. The World Cupwas the only topic on anyone’s lips. Unfortunately, it was the wrong World Cup. At present, everything stops for football. Taxi driverssimply won’t budge while a match is in progress, meetings have to be delayed to accommodate penalty shoot-outs. And all the while, theclock ticks down as vital preparations remain unaddressed.Nowhere is this more apparent than in the state of the island’s venues. Last week, the disrepair at Sabina Park was showcased to theworld as West Indies slipped to defeat in the fourth Test against India. A recent cement shortage, coupled with industrial action fromthe Jamaican workforce, meant that the great ground was just a husk of its former (and future) self. Only the George Headley stand and theKingston Cricket Club pavilion were still in operation – which amounts to barely one third of the projected 21,000 capacity.And further to the north, there is the Greenfields Stadium at Trelawny. Cut from virgin scrubland and perched scenically on the topof a hill near the coast, it is the venue for the tournament’s opening ceremony and a selection of warm-up matches. Greenfields is intendedto become a prime sporting location, but at present it is just another building site, served by a single dirt track and presided over by aclutch of 110 Chinese labourers, in whose hands the island’s entire construction project seems to have been placed.China’s involvement in the Caribbean is controversial but far-reaching, and as the clock ticks down, increasingly essential. As Lyndon James, the venue manager at Greenfields, admitted, their work ethic is “very different” to that of the Jamaican population, as demonstrated by the countdown board outside their on-site compound, declaring “xxx days [sic] hard work left”.”Hopefully some of their attitude will rub off on our guys,” added James, although seeing as the interaction between the two camps wasvirtually nil, there seemed little prospect of that. The state of the wicket was none too encouraging either. In March, the JamaicaGleaner reported optimistically that the square could be ready for matches as early as June.Chinatown at Trelawny: Jamaica’s new stadium is reliant on immigrant workers•Andrew Miller/Andrew MillerIn fact, July was just days away when we saw it being rolled for the first time, under the supervision of Sabina Park’s groundsman, PatGordon – arguably the least relaxed Jamaican on the island. “We won’t know what it’ll be like until we play on it,” he stated baldly. Otherwell-placed sources confided that the ground is so remote that, after the tournament has been done and dusted, it may never again hostanother cricket match.The saddest aspect of the tournament preparations is that there seems to be little attempt to engage the local population in the activities- although seeing as they are sure to be priced out of most of the matches, it is hardly surprising that such apathy is taking hold. ACategory 1 ticket to matches at St Kitts costs US$420, roughly two months’ wages for the average blue-collar worker, while the ICCregulations stipulate that Kingston Cricket Club members have to pay for entry to their own pavilion at Sabina Park, a move that hasbeen met with predictable resentment.Perversely, what the region needs is to be cut some slack. The Caribbean lifestyle is as languid as it gets, and for all the currentfrustrations, it is this inimitable trait that will provide the World Cup with its best and most reliable failsafe. “No problem!” is Jamaica’s catchphrase, as reprinted on countless souvenir T-shirts. For those who do sample the country’s hotels, beaches, cocktails andnightlife, the experience promises to be unforgettable.What is less clear, however, is the extent of the legacy that will remain when the eyes of the world are averted once again. At present, there is little excitement, little involvement, and little evidence that the third-greatest show on earth is coming to town. It’ll be alright on the night, as these things usually are, but will the Caribbean reinvent itself in the manner that Germany has done through the football World Cup this past month? On the current evidence, the answer has to be “no”.