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The date is 19 January 2022 at the King Power Stadium and the scene is set on a blisteringly cold night in the Midlands for the revival of one of Tottenham’s largely forgotten men.

Steven Bergwijn was slid through deliciously by Harry Kane after Youri Tielemans was robbed of possession and through he went, rounding Kasper Schmeichel before finding the net via the post.

It was a dramatic late goal as Spurs defeated Leicester 3-2 in the early weeks of the new year and it looked like a new beginning for the Dutchman too.

However, since penning terms with the north Londoners back in January 2020, the forward has failed to elevate his career with moments like his last gasp strike against Brendan Rodgers’ men coming few and far between.

We have only seen rare glimpses of the Netherlands international’s dangerous qualities and on that evidence, it is hard to argue that he has ever been worth the money.

Daniel Levy shipped out a seismic £27m for his services two years ago and in the 109 weeks he has been in English football, all you can say is that Bergwijn has been draining the owner’s bank account for a considerable period of time.

When you consider his weekly salary of £73k and his annual wages of £3.8m, he has set Levy back around £35m, a staggering amount of money for a player who hasn’t provided Tottenham with much on the field of play.

The 24-year-old is still young and possesses clear potential but he has found the net on just seven occasions in Spurs colours, meaning he’s cost them £5m per goal. Furthermore, his tally of only ten assists since signing means he has cost the Lilywhites £3.5m per assist.

Those numbers make for some pretty grim reading and with that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that he’s attracted some negative critics.

Only a few months ago, club insider John Wenham blasted the Dutch attacker for being “terrible all season.” What makes things even worse is that the current manager doesn’t rate him either.

Journalist Mike Verweij claimed on De Telegraaf’s football podcast (via Sport Witness): “Conte is also the one who opposed Bergwijn’s transfer from PSV to Italy. Inter were an interested club at the time, but Conte did not need him. Conte has only said two words to Bergwijn in two weeks at Tottenham Hotspur.”

That is a damning indictment of the player’s ability and attitude, meaning that this is a transfer that will only get worse with time.

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Of course, Conte’s desperate situation at the club could hand Bergwijn a lifeline if the boss does pack his bags and leave Spurs, but it would be a surprise if any new manager could extract more than the likes of Jose Mourinho and their current Italian head coach.

To put it simply; this is a transfer that hasn’t panned out well.

AND in other news, Spurs still paying price for Levy’s 2017 blunder over £53m “animal”, Conte isn’t happy…

The AMI Stadium will be upgraded before the 2015 World Cup © Photosport

The Jade Stadium in Christchurch has been renamed AMI Stadium following a new sponsorship deal. The agreement with the insurance company aims to increase the capacity to 43,000 ahead of the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which will be hosted with Australia.The stadium was originally known as Lancaster Park before Jade bought the naming rights in 1998. AMI and the venue management company Vbase are reportedly getting the community to help come up with a new name for the East Stand.The venue, which is home to the domestic side Canterbury, has hosted 40 Tests and 43 ODIs. Being a multi-purpose ground like Auckland’s Eden Park, it has used drop-in pitches for international matches.

Stuart MacGill has a new issue to think about © Getty Images

Stuart MacGill has missed New South Wales training with a knee injury suffered during Australia’s five-day boot camp in the Queensland bush. In the post-mortem of the adventure the players complained only of aches and pains, but more than a week after the drills finished MacGill did not participate in a state session.The reported he was wearing jeans at Monday’s practice and refused to comment on his injury. “At this point we’re all just waiting to hear back from the doctor,” Trevor Bayliss, the New South Wales coach, said. “It’s really between [MacGill] and Cricket Australia at this point. It’s precautionary at this stage and we’re hoping he’ll be right to train next week.”Peter Young, Cricket Australia’s communications director, confirmed MacGill’s injury to the , but said the safety levels during the camp were “appropriate”. The paper reported up to four players were hurt during the exercises, which involved abseiling, day-long bush treks, mock terrorist exercises and navigating by the stars.”There are a few aches and pains … [and] Stuart has been told to take it easy for a week,” Young told the paper. “This was one of the main issues discussed before the camp, which in formal terms is called risk assessment or risk management. With this program, we were conscious that we did not want to risk our elite athletes.”During the squad’s warm-down at the Hyatt Coolum Stuart Clark told there were “a few people with body soreness and bruises”. “But if cricket was on tomorrow,” he said, “there’d be blokes running around saying let’s go.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Harbhajan Singh congratulates Irfan Pathan after his devastating burst destroyed Zimbabwe at Harare © Getty Images

Irfan Pathan enjoyed another swing-fest on the opening morning at Harare, finishing with his best figures in Tests, and flattened Zimbabwe for a paltry 161 with a devastating mix of curve, swerve and seam. Gautam Gambhir then led a ferocious Indian batting assault and helped them end the day on an imposing 195 for 1, a lead of 34. They are now just a step away from another easy triumph.Zimbabwe knew exactly what they were up against when they had to face two left-arm seamers after Sourav Ganguly inserted them on a lively pitch. But such knowledge solved none of their problems. Pathan smacks his lips when he sees batsmen rooted to the crease, plonking their front foot down the track and failing to read the vicious dip into their pads. The Bangladesh batsmen found that out late last year, when he routed them 18 wickets in two Tests, and Zimbabwe were helpless when he treated them like sharp-shooting targets on the third afternoon at Bulawayo. Today was no different and his swerving darts had the batsmen edging, missing and finally falling.Brendan Taylor lasted just three balls before his technique was exposed – feet rooted to the crease, bat dangling out as the ball grazed the edge. Terence Duffin received a peach of an outswinger, Hamilton Masakadza missed a similar delivery that angled in; Tatenda Taibu got a jaffa that seamed away. The tailenders were plain clueless.Like his recent destructions, Pathan’s spell today was built on simplicity: full length – he only bowled seven short deliveries in all – good rhythm and just enough variation to unnerve the batsmen. Beating the batsman comprehensively by an away cutter is as much part of the plan as delivering the knockout inswinger the next ball and Pathan set all the batsmen up without too much of a hassle.Once he set the tone, the Indian batsmen seamlessly latched on to the momentum and pushed Zimbabwe further into a corner. Virender Sehwag kickstarted the innings with a run-a-ball 44 but he continued his mystifying trend of not making a big score against weaker teams – he has only one half-century in five Tests against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

Gautam Gambhir was on the verge of his second Test hundred after a blistering 95 © Getty Images

However, Gambhir came into the Indian side with the reputation of being a domestic bully and he has often manhandled similar bowling attacks in first-class cricket where he averages close to 55. Today, he rarely let a loose ball go by – savagely cutting when provided with width – and spanked 17 fours in his assured effort. Unlike Sehwag, he isn’t one who will intimidate bowlers at the outset but, as his 116-ball 95 showed, he is well capable of chugging along at a considerable pace himself. Gambhir should face little opposition in reaching his second Test hundred tomorrow – his first was against Bangladesh at Chittagong – but it remains to be seen if he can replicate such innings against superior bowling attacks.One man who has done that for a number of years, Rahul Dravid, was with him for most of the innings and guided him along the way. Dravid survived a few testing overs from Heath Streak, the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers, when he came in but overcame that phase with minimum fuss. That was probably the only time all day when India were made to sweat.

Zimbabwe
Brendan Taylor c Dravid b Pathan 4 (4 for 1)
Terence Duffin c Laxman b Pathan 12 (31 for 2)
Tatenda Taibu c Karthik b Pathan 0 (31 for 3)
Dion Ebrahim c Karthik b Zaheer 14 (31 for 4)
Heath Streak c Gambhir b Harbhajan 14 (75 for 5)
Hamilton Masakadza lbw Pathan 27 (83 for 6)
Andy Blignaut c Karthik b Pathan 13 (122 for 7)
Charles Coventry c Dravid b Harbhajan 37 (136 for 8)
Blessing Mahwire lbw b Pathan 1 (138 for 9)
Keith Dabengwa c Laxman b Pathan 18 (161 for 10)
India
Virender Sehwag c Taibu b Streak 44 (75 for 1)

Andrew Symonds may be given the chance to improve on his Test record© Getty Images

Shane Watson and Andrew Symonds are being considered as possible replacements for Brad Williams, who was yesterday ruled out of next month’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka.Symonds made his Test debut in Sri Lanka in March, and in the two Test matches he has played, has scored just 53 runs at 13.25 and taken only one wicket. Watson, who returned to the one-day side in Zimbabwe after overcoming back stress fractures, is yet to play a Test for Australia.Matthew Nicholson, from New South Wales, and Damien Wright, from Tasmania, are also in strong contention if the selectors opt for a fifth fast bowler, but Trevor Hohns hinted that he may take this chance to pick an allrounder. “This does test our fast bowling depth,” Hohns said. “Normally we would like to replace like with like but this does offer an opportunity to include an allrounder.”Nicholson, who played has played one Test, against England in 1998, was the leading Pura Cup wicket taker last year with 39 at 30.35. Wright finished the summer with 37 wickets at 26.48, while Paul Rofe, a South Australian, who took 35 wickets at 27.02, will also be discussed.

West Indies’ hopes of salvaging the third Test have been dealt a huge blow, after Brian Lara was laid low with a suspected case of chickenpox. Lara, who turned 34 on Friday, spent much of his birthday in the dressing-room, supposedly with a touch of `flu.

If confirmed, Lara would be the second West Indian in the series to contract chickenpox. Jermaine Lawson was forced to withdraw from last week’s second Test, and Ricardo Powell has also suffered the illness recently.

It is terrible bad luck for Lara, who spent several months out of the game last year after contracting hepatitis, but has been in prime form in this series, with two centuries and a 91 in four innings.

England had the better of the first day of the Third and final U19 Test against the West Indies as the Riverside, Chester-le-Street.England, needing a win to level the series, were indebted to an incisive opening spell from Lancashire’s Kyle Hogg for their favourable position.The Lancashire seamer took the key wicket of Devon Smith, caught behind by Matthew Prior off the first ball of the match, to end a prolific run; Smith has scored 54, 90, 169 and 15 so far this series. He then bowled skipper Brenton Parchment for 23 before Justin Bishop weighed in with two wickets to reduce the West Indies to 63-5.Narsingh Deonarine resisted for the tourists with a patient 54, but when he was bowled by Monty Panesar on 149, the end was in sight for the West Indies. Their final total of 166 all out was particularly disappointing considering they had won the toss and elected to bat.Ian Bell had little chance to enjoy his call-up to the England Academy team as left-arm pace bowler Kenroy Peters soon dismissed him and Gary Pratt as England began their reply.That left in-form Durham batsman Nicky Peng, and Yorkshire’s Joe Sayers to see England to the close on 54-2, trailing the by 112.

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Tottenham Hotspur are unwilling to match Leeds United’s valuation for Jack Clarke, per the Yorkshire Evening Post.

What’s the word?

Clarke is, the report states, being monitored by Spurs ahead of a potential summer move.

The 18-year-old made his breakthrough at Elland Road under Marcelo Bielsa in 2018/19 and went on to make 25 appearances in all competitions.

He scored two goals and laid on two assists as Leeds narrowly missed out on promotion.

But the report states that Spurs are not currently likely to match the Whites’ asking price for the teenager as they look to complete their first signing since January 2018.

The Daily Mirror claim that the Championship club are seeking to recoup £20m.

A fearful start

This does not bode at all well for Spurs.

Of all the deals that have been mooted – including those for elite midfielders Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso, of Lyon and Real Betis respectively – Clarke appeared to be the most doable.

But if chairman Daniel Levy isn’t going to pay up for him, that spells trouble for the rest of the window.

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Ndombele would cost over £70m while Lo Celso has an £88.9m release clause.

If a deal for Clarke at £20m is too much of a stretch for Levy, hopes won’t be raised at the club regarding any other moves.

As a result, fans shouldn’t hold their breath when it comes to transfer announcements.

ScorecardFile photo: Sulieman Benn’s six-wicket haul in the second innings dismantled Windward Islands•Associated Press

A second-innings half-century from the captain Paul Palmer helped Jamaica chase down 150 for a three-wicket win against Leeward Islands in Kingston. Jamaica made the early running in the game, as Leeward Islands, after opting to bat, were dismissed for 164 in 63 overs, thanks to a five-wicket haul from the seamer Sheldon Cottrell (5 for 38). The hosts fell to 68 for 6 in their reply and looked in danger of missing out on an innings lead, but Carlton Baugh (73) and Nikita Miller (51) counterattacked by putting up a 110-run stand. Rahkeem Cornwall picked up four wickets for Leeward Islands, but Jamaica managed to compile 243 to earn a lead of 79 runs.Leeward Islands showed more fight in their second dig, scoring 228 on the back of Shane Jeffers’ 61 and Orlando Peters’ 52. However, no other batsman was able to produce a score of note, as Miller collected 4 for 71 to run through the line-up. As was the case in their first innings, Jamaica found themselves on the back foot even in the second, precariously placed at 84 for 5. Cornwall was once again the pick of the bowlers, taking 5 for 39, but Palmer helped weather the storm, stroking six fours for his 127-ball 51, as Jamaica held on for victory.
ScorecardLeft-arm spinner Sulieman Benn’s second-innings six-for fired Barbados to a 181-run win against Windward Islands in Grenada. Barbados, opting to bat, were guided by handy knocks from their top-order batsmen as the team posted a total of 296; Kyle Corbin and Sharmarh Brooks chipped in with fifties. Fast bowler Kevin Stoute ensured Windward Islands remained on the defensive by collecting 4 for 30 to wreck the team’s line-up, as the hosts folded for 179, with no batsman managing a half-century.Brooks then compiled his second half-century of the game – a 183-ball 66 – and added 130 for the fourth wicket with Roston Chase (71), as Barbados eventually declared at 261 for 7, setting Windward Islands a target of 397. Despite starts from their top three batsmen – Tyrone Theophile, Miles Bascombe and Johnson Charles all made forties – the hosts did not get anywhere close to the target. Benn took 6 for 55 in 26.2 overs as Windward Islands were bowled out for 197.
ScorecardA century from Assad Fudadin, and an eight-wicket match haul from Veerasammy Permaul were the cornerstones behind Guyana’s innings and 49-run win against Trinidad & Tobago in Port of Spain.T&T, batting first, were wrecked by Chris Barnwell’s five-wicket haul, and only a fighting partnership of 108 for the ninth wicket between Marlon Richards (53) and Uthman Muhammad (53) got the team above 200. Guyana, though, remained unfazed and collected a massive first-innings lead, as Fudadin, Leon Johnson (92), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (82), Raymon Reifer (64) and Barnwell (79) all got in among the runs. Their efforts lifted Guyana to 475, with a lead of 265 runs.Kyle Hope (74) and Narsingh Deonarine (47) put up a 104-run partnership for the third wicket in T&T’s second innings, but once Permaul (5 for 62) got the breakthrough by dismissing Deonarine, the team subsequently folded. Gudakesh Motie provided support to the attack by taking 4 for 43, as T&T were dismissed for 216, falling to their second defeat of the season.

ScorecardNorthamptonshire survived an awkward second innings to claim a draw against Nottinghamshire after a three-wicket burst from AJ Harris threatened to open up a final-afternoon result. Facing a deficit of 160, Northamptonshire slumped to 18 for 3 before Chris Rogers and Rob White added 134.Nottinghamshire batted aggressively during the morning session, Mark Wagh taking his century to 152 until being caught behind of Johann van der Wath. The middle order all contributed useful runs at a decent pace, but Mark Ealham was forced to retire hurt for 25.Harris then struck with the new ball, having Stephen Peters edging to Chris Read and both David Sales and Alex Wakely taken at slip by Stephen Fleming. However, Rogers found his touch after a lean run and White struck 12 boundaries before everyone shuck hands on a draw.