Danny Rohl has already had six competitive matches in charge of Glasgow Rangers to assess his squad, after being thrown in at the deep end when he arrived last month.

Every game will have been a learning experience for the former Sheffield Wednesday boss, and this international break has provided him with a chance to take a step back and analyse his start to life at Ibrox.

A 3-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park before the break made it three wins from three in the Scottish Premiership for Rohl, but there is still plenty of work to be done after back-to-back losses in the Europa League.

The former Southampton and Bayern Munich assistant will be able to use this international break to assess the players who are not with their national teams in training.

Meanwhile, Rohl has also had the chance to watch some of his stars in action in different environments, playing for their countries, which may give him a different perspective on them.

One player who may have harmed his club chances through his performance for his country is central defender John Souttar, who struggled against Greece on Saturday.

Why John Souttar should be dropped by Rangers

Rohl should ruthlessly ditch the Scotland international from the starting line-up off the back of a dismal showing at the weekend, as he was criticised for his role in Anastasios Bakasetas’ opening goal.

Analysing the strike, BBC Sportscene pundit James McFadden said: “That is a nightmare. John Souttar initially totally misjudges the flight of the ball. He’s got to take control of the situation.

The Rangers centre-back ended the 3-2 defeat with zero out of two ground duels won and one error that directly led to a shot for the opposition, per Sofascore, on top of his mistake for Bakasetas’ opener.

Souttar’s struggles for Scotland may not come as a surprise to those who have kept tabs on his performances for Rangers in the 2025/26 campaign, as his form has dipped since last season.

The former Hearts star won 74% of his ground duels and was only dribbled past twice in 24 appearances in the Premiership last term, per Sofascore, but he has not been as dominant and hard to play against in the current campaign.

Appearances

24

11

Goals

1

0

Pass accuracy

91%

91%

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.6

1.1

Dribbled past per game

0.1x

0.5x

Ground duel success rate

74%

53%

Aerial duel success rate

66%

66%

Yellow cards

1

3

As you can see in the table above, Souttar has already been dribbled past six times in 11 league games, three times as much as last season in less than half as many matches.

The Scottish defender has also won a much lower percentage of his duels on the ground, which suggests that he is a yard slower to get to the ball, and his struggles in that department were on display against Greece, losing 100% of his ground duels.

Souttar’s declining form for club and country is a cause for concern and should be something that Rohl has paid attention to during the international break, particularly with the options that he has at his disposal at Ibrox.

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The former Sheffield Wednesday boss does have alternatives that he can turn to ahead of the Scotland international, and he should ruthlessly ditch the 29-year-old flop to unleash the rarely-seen Emmanuel Fernandez.

Rangers signed the English centre-back from Peterborough in the summer in a deal that was described as a “blockbuster” move by Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony, but he has not had too many chances to impress.

Why Rangers should finally unleash Emmanuel Fernandez

The 23-year-old star has only played 181 minutes of football across three appearances and two starts in all competitions for the Scottish giants so far this season, per Transfermarkt, with one star in the Premiership and one start in the League Cup.

In his first start for the club against Alloa Athletic in the League Cup, Fernandez played a role in a 4-2 win for Russell Martin’s Light Blues and scored his first goal for Rangers.

The towering defender, who was hailed as a “colossus” by the aforementioned MacAnthony, was rewarded for that performance in the cup in August with a start against St Mirren in the Premiership the following weekend.

Fernandez, ironically, started alongside Souttar on that trip to play the Saints in what turned out to be a 1-1 draw under Martin, and he outperformed his experienced teammate that afternoon.

Minutes

90

90

Tackles

2

0

Interceptions

0

3

Clearances

8

9

Ground duels won

3/5

5/8

Aerial duels won

3/5

7/7

Dribbled past

1x

0x

As you can see in the table above, the former Peterborough star made far more contributions to the team defensively and was not as much of a liability in duels, whilst he was not dribbled past a single time.

It was also Souttar who was caught out by the run that Jordan Ayunga made through the middle to score the opening goal in the game, as the Scotland international failed to track the run or catch up with the striker to prevent him from scoring.

However, since that fairly impressive outing against St Mirren in the Premiership, Fernandez has only played one minute of football in all competitions for Rangers, and that was off the bench in the recent 1-0 win over Hibernian.

The 23-year-old was not provided with many opportunities to shine under the previous management team, but impressed when he did, and Rohl should change that by finally unleashing him after the international break.

Given Souttar’s declining form for Rangers and Scotland, the timing could be right for the Light Blues to look to the future by offering Fernandez a run of matches to see if he can nail down a place in the side and be a more dominant presence at the back than the Scottish dud has been this season.

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Sonny Baker suffers again on debut in only blemish for visitors at Malahide

Matt Roller21-Sep-2025

Jordan Cox’s maiden England fifty drove their run-chase•PA Photos/Getty Images

Jordan Cox has spent the past 10 months desperate for another chance in international cricket and grasped this end-of-season opportunity. He cracked 55 off 35 balls at a sold-out Malahide, setting up another comfortable England win to seal this series 2-0, after their spinners restricted Ireland to 154.Named in squads across formats last summer, Cox’s first five England innings revealed an apparent vulnerability against the short ball and brought him just 39 runs. He was on the cusp of a Test debut in New Zealand last November when he fractured his thumb in the nets, and later sought help from a psychologist to help him get over the disappointment of being ruled out of the series.But he has thrived for Essex this year – he has hit three hundreds in the County Championship and one in the Blast – and was a late addition to this squad after he was named MVP in the Hundred. Handed his chance in Dublin, with Oval Invincibles team-mate Sam Curran absent on best-man duties at a friend’s wedding, Cox produced his first convincing knock in an England shirt.Cox’s partnerships of 57 and 49 with Phil Salt and Tom Banton respectively removed any sense of jeopardy from England’s chase after Curtis Campher’s stunning early catch – diving full-stretch to his right at short extra cover – removed Jos Buttler for a second-ball duck. Cox batted through discomfort after jarring his knee while taking a catch; his only frustration was that he could not quite take England home himself.Instead, it was Banton who calmly knocked the winning single into the leg side to seal a six-wicket win with 17 balls unused and duly finishing unbeaten on 37. The singular blemish for England was a second unconvincing white-ball debut of the month for Sonny Baker, whose first four overs in T20Is cost 52 runs.Cox grimaces as he walks off the field•Sportsfile/Getty Images

Cox steps upCox has had dreadful luck with injuries. He had not played since the Hundred final due to a minor rib injury, and felt soreness in his knee after taking a catch at midwicket early in Ireland’s innings. He then jarred it on the soft outfield while taking a second, and spent the last two overs off the field receiving treatment.But after Friday’s rain cost him another chance to play for England, he resolved to bat through the pain. “There wasn’t a chance that I wasn’t going to bat, because I might have had to wait another two years,” Cox said. He hit four sixes, including two pick-ups over backward square leg, in his 31-ball half-century.The key, he said, was pretending that he was wearing Oval Invincibles teal instead of England red. “I was just like, ‘Come on, this is just franchise cricket and I’m playing for the Oval, so just enjoy it and have a bit of fun.’ That’s what I do when I’m there. Why not try it everywhere?”Cox looks set to miss the cut when England name their Ashes squad next week, but hopes to be involved in their white-ball tour to New Zealand next month: “I’d love to play for England, whatever that is … My goal, and what I want to achieve in my career, is [to be] in an England shirt.”Spin to winConditions in Dublin’s coastal suburbs could hardly have been further removed from those that these teams will encounter at February’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. The run-chase was delayed by nearly an hour due to squally showers, and the temperature peaked at just 13 degrees Celsius on a bitingly cold day.But on a surface being used for the second time in five days, England stuck to the spin-heavy formula that they will employ at that tournament. Though Jamie Overton showed what might have been for the quicks with 2 for 17 in four economical overs, they were vindicated in doing so. Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson have been ever-present across England’s seven T20Is this summer and returned combined figures of 5 for 38 from six overs, while Rehan Ahmed had Ross Adair caught on the slog-sweep after an explosive cameo of 33 off 23 balls.Dawson struck in the Powerplay, having Paul Stirling caught behind on review, then had Harry Tector caught on the reverse-sweep. Rashid was slog-swept for six by Ireland debutant Ben Calitz but had him caught off the top edge looking to repeat the trick, then trapped Barry McCarthy lbw first-ball. From 102 for 7, only Gareth Delany prevented Ireland being bowled out.Adil Rashid claimed three wickets in the innings•PA Photos/Getty Images

Baker’s strugglesBaker recorded eye-watering figures of 0 for 76 on ODI debut against South Africa earlier this month, and his T20I bow went the same way. Adair tucked into him early, launching him over mid-off for six and slapping him over the off side, before Delany cashed in at the death, picking him up over deep backward square leg for consecutive sixes.Delany marshalled the strike well at the death, turning down several singles to face 25 of the last 28 balls. He belted two more straight fours in Baker’s final over, registering his highest score (48 not out) against a Full-Member opponent. It left Baker with the third-costliest figures for an England T20I debutant; his 11 overs in international cricket to date have brought 128 runs.

Alan Shearer has revealed he is happiness for Elliot Anderson after the midfielder's departure from Newcastle for Nottingham Forest sparked a rapid rise to becoming an England regular. With Manchester United now linked with a big-money move, Anderson has gone from Tyneside home-grown hope to one of the Premier League's most in-demand talents.

• Anderson's meteoric rise post his Newcastle departure

  Anderson left Newcastle United in the summer of 2024 as the Magpies were forced to make sales to stay within PSR limits, despite the academy graduate being admired for his potential. He joined Nottingham Forest in search of consistent minutes, stepping into a key creative role and rapidly elevating his performances in the Premier League. That form has led to him becoming a regular in Thomas Tuchel's England squad and attracting serious interest from Manchester United, who need midfield reinforcements.

  Due to his home-grown status, Anderson was a more valuable sale from a PSR perspective, consideed 'pure profit' in the accounts. At Forest, he immediately became a key midfielder under Nuno Espirito Santo with the responsibility to carry the team’s attacking play. His growth has been so striking that he is now widely viewed as one of the most complete players outside the traditional title challengers.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Shearer 'delighted' for the England international…

  Shearer praised Anderson, admitting that the transfer — though shaped by Newcastle’s financial restrictions — was crucial for his development. He told podcast: "It was the best thing. Although it was tough for Newcastle and it wouldn't have happened if it wasn’t for PSR."

  Shearer highlighted that Anderson would never have received the same trust and responsibility at Newcastle. He continued: "But it was the best thing that happened to him, to get out and play. He wasn't going to get in Newcastle's midfield. You've got to give him credit. He wouldn't be far away now [from getting in Newcastle's midfield], I agree with that."

  The Newcastle legend finished by acknowledging the scale of Anderson's growth. "He wouldn't have been able to do what he has done and is doing at Newcastle. Good for him. I'm delighted for him. He's gone from being a bit-part player at Newcastle to being one of the main guys at Forest and one of England's."

• Anderson likely to be a starter at the 2026 World Cup

  Anderson has long been seen as one of the brightest academy talents Newcastle had produced in years, earning the nickname the 'Whitley Bay Figo' during his youth days. His ability to operate as either a No.8 or a No.10 made him valuable, but that same versatility also left him without a fixed role in a squad packed with expensive signings. Nottingham Forest gave him the tactical clarity and first-team trust he needed to reach his full potential.

  At Forest, Anderson quickly became one of the Premier League's standout transitional midfielders thanks to his ball-carrying, creativity and pressing intensity. His numbers surged, with double-digit goal contributions putting him firmly in the England conversation. By 2025, he had not only won his first caps but established himself as a regular starter under Tuchel.

  Heading into the Three Lions' final World Cup qualifier, Tuchel also announced that Anderson is currently his main choice to partner Declan Rice in the midfield for the 2026 World Cup. The German said: "Elliot and Declan are at the moment ahead in midfield. They are a very good pair and complement each other very well. They are performing at the highest level for club and country. Biggest complement to both of them. We took Declan out [of the last match] after 65 minutes to have the chance to play again, Elliot played 90 minutes and it is his first season to play international games as well as for Nottingham Forest, he is a key player there too."

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  Man Utd linked with move for Anderson

  Manchester United are tipped to pursue a move in 2026 as they plan a rebuild in midfield with Casemiro ageing and Bruno Fernandes playing in a deeper role. Forest will fight to keep their star man but are realistic that interest from the league's biggest sides will eventually force a major decision. The competition for his signature is already shaping up to be fierce.

  England, meanwhile, continue to benefit from Anderson's upward curve as he cements his place heading toward the 2026 World Cup in North America. Tuchel sees him as a long-term midfield option alongside Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, giving the Three Lions a formidable core for years to come.

Essex chair, Anu Mohindru, has stepped down from his position in the wake of allegations that he lied on his professional CV.Mohindru, who was appointed chair in 2023, was disbarred by the Barristers’ Tribunal Service last week after a five-day hearing, at which he was ordered to pay £55,000 in costs. Claims that he “deliberately exaggerated his academic achievements and qualifications” when applying for work dated back to 2012-13.Essex announced that Jason Gallian, the former England batter who currently chairs the club’s cricket committee, would step up as interim chair of the board, with Vicky Ford acting as his deputy.Related

• Essex hit with £100,000 fine after being found guilty of systemic racism

• Essex fined £50,000 after accepting historic racism charges

“Essex County Cricket Club can confirm that club chair Anu Mohindru has stood down as a board member with immediate effect,” the club said in a statement. “He informed the board of his decision at a meeting on Sunday.”Following the meeting the board has decided that Jason Gallian will act as interim chair whilst Vicky Ford will assume the position of interim deputy chair.”Essex County Cricket Club would like to place on record its thanks to Anu for his leadership and significant contribution during his time as chair of the club.”Mohindru’s appointment came in the wake of John Faragher being forced to step down as chair in 2021 over allegations that he had made a racist comment during a board meeting – for which the club was fined £50,000 by the ECB.

He last played for India in 2017, while his previous competitive fixture was for LSG in IPL 2024

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Sep-2025India legspinner Amit Mishra has announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 42. He played all forms of international cricket from 2003 to 2017 and finishes with 22 Tests, 36 ODIs and 10 T20Is. His last competitive fixture came for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2024.”I’ve played cricket for 25 years across three decades with legends like Sachin Tendulkar, under leaders like MS Dhoni, and with current stars like Rohit Sharma,” Mishra told PTI. “Now that I’m slowly stepping away, it’s emotional, of course. Cricket gave me everything – respect, identity, and purpose.”Not everyone gets a grand farewell or big press conference, and that’s okay. What matters to me is that I gave everything I had. I played with heart. I performed whenever I got the opportunity.”

Today, after 25 years, I announce my retirement from cricket — a game that has been my first love, my teacher, and my greatest source of joy.

This journey has been filled with countless emotions — moments of pride, hardship, learning, and love. I am deeply grateful to the BCCI,… pic.twitter.com/ouEzjU8cnp

— Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit) September 4, 2025