Funkerstation » batsman to replace me in Australian condit

A day after masterminding the most unlikely title success in English football history, Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri was asked about his target for the next Premier League season.Would it be a top-four finish? Maybe even retaining the trophy?Not even close.We know very well, Ranieri said, we have to fight for 10th position.Never have titleholders ambitions appeared to be so low. These, though, are no normal champions.Leicester wrote a sporting underdog story for the ages by toppling the traditional heavyweights of England and winning the Premier League at pre-season odds of 5,000-1. A team widely tipped for relegation finished 10 points clear of second place.Now for the encore.But it wont be with the same cast.Ranieri has lost his midfield dynamo, NGolo Kante, to Chelsea for $40 million. Another significant departure came off the field, with Steve Walsh, the head of recruitment with a record of unearthing unheralded players and making them stars, joining Everton.Speculation has been swirling in the offseason around the future of two more of last seasons key players, Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez. Vardy eventually signed a new deal but doubts remain about whether Mahrez will be at Leicester by the end of the transfer window on Aug. 31, with the winger heavily linked with Arsenal.For this season, Leicesters title odds with British bookmakers range between 20-1 and 33-1. Pre-season games have been against Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona rather than Lincoln and Burton, which was the case in 2015. And part of the warm-up for the new campaign was a trip to Wembley Stadium for the Community Shield against Manchester United, which Leicester lost 2-1 on Sunday.Everythings different now, Ranieri said. You imagine the big teams who didnt win, who didnt make the Champions League. They are going crazy now, they want to kill now.Proving that Leicester is operating at a completely new level, the team will be competing in the Champions League for the first time. Ranieri could rely on a core group of players last season -- with no European involvement along with early exits from the domestic cup competitions -- and was able to shed his Tinkerman tag.That may return, given he must juggle domestic and European competition, and Ranieri has been busy strengthening the depth of his squad in the offseason. Nampalys Mendy is tasked with filling the void left by Kante in central midfield, Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa joined from CSKA Moscow and has a similar profile to Vardy, while center back Luis Hernandez (from Sporting Gijon) and goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler (from Hannover) appear able back-ups.With their mostly unheralded players and reliance on the counter-attack, the Foxes brought an element of surprise to last season and opponents underestimated them until it was too late. Even when opposition teams altered tactics and sat back more, Leicester still found a way to get results and finished the season with only three losses.Why shouldnt they challenge for the title again? Taking into account the end of the 2014-15 season, when the team mounted a stunning escape from relegation under Nigel Pearson, Leicester has won 30 of its last 47 Premier League games and lost only four. The team spirit is strong, the King Power stadium is a tough place to visit, and Leicester has the perfect tactics for winning away games.Externally, there will be no pressure on Leicester to repeat its amazing exploits from the 2015-16 season and few are expecting it to. But this is a team that just loves defying the odds. It opens with a trip to Hull on Saturday.The close-knit brotherhood is unbelievable, Vardy says, and, for me, theres a lot of unfinished business here. Justin Reid Jersey . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Justin Reid Texans Jersey . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1. http://www.officialhoustontexanspro.com/Andre-johnson-texans-jersey/ . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. Kahale Warring Youth Jersey . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. Lonnie Johnson Texans Jersey .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. There are few things so certain in life as death, taxes and Misbah-ul-Haq facing questions about his future before the final match of a Pakistan Test series. While it is hardly unusual for an international captain to be grilled about their motivation to continue - even Alastair Cook, 11 years younger than his counterpart, was asked similar questions in his press conference - at 42, Misbah knows there are many more Tests behind him than there are ahead.And no matter the result of the match at The Oval, the topic will almost certainly be broached once more at its conclusion; such is the reality of professional cricket life after 40.Misbahs captaincy of Pakistan is arguably one of the most impressive in the history of the game: that he has rebuilt a team in tatters after it was almost ruined by scandal, led them to become one of the worlds best sides despite never playing at home and helped them regain the respect of the international cricket community ensures his legacy will be monumental whenever he does decide to call time on his career.While winning the Investec Test series is now impossible, levelling the scoreline would still be an impressive feather in Misbahs already distinguished cap given the current status quo, in which the disadvantages of playing away from home are so difficult to overcome.Yes, of course, it is a crucial Test for us, Misbah said. A win will square the series and it will be really good for morale, also for the team, and it is very important for me also.Obviously they have the momentum in their own conditions, they are confident but we believe we can come back from any position because this is a do or die Test match for us so we have to really play well.Throughout the series, Pakistan have struggled with the balance of their side. They gaze at Englands allrounders with all the envious desire of a child at a sweet shop window. Their fast bowlers - unused to playing more than three Tests in a series, unfamiliar with the burden of extra overs required in seam-friendly conditions - have been worn down by a grinding England.Somehow, Misbah must find a way to pick up his bowlers and infuse them with the enerrgy required to take 20 wickets and inspire his batsmen, both in-form and struggling, to give him something to defend.dddddddddddd But, having banished thoughts of retirement after the series against England in the UAE last year, he maintained he isnt afraid of any consequences for his captaincy should they fail to square the series.I dont have that sort of fear otherwise I would have retired long ago, Misbah said. I am always up for challenges and never thought of the results. I believe in just looking at the challenges and trying hard.Another daunting Test tour looms in Pakistans near future. After returning to the UAE to host West Indies, they will head to New Zealand for two Tests and then Australia for a three-Test series where the experience of Misbah and Younis Khan, in particular, could be crucial. Misbah has been Pakistans leading run-scorer in England, with 267 at 44.50, but would not be drawn on how much longer he hopes to continue playing.Its really difficult for me to leave the team on these difficult tours, Misbah said. Thats why Im here on this tough series. Ill be looking forward to that [Australia tour], but lets see how it goes after this series, and how I plan my future.That could be really hard for someone young - even as a batsman to replace me in Australian conditions - and obviously it would be a challenge for a young captain.Of course, there will always be challenging tours and series and, no matter when Misbah does decide to move on, he will leave an enormous crater for Pakistan to fill. But, in the meantime, there is The Oval, there is a chance to level the series and there is the possibility - albeit a slim one - that Pakistan could become the No. 1-ranked side in the world for the first time since the implementation of ICC rankings.I will keep trying throughout this Test and if Pakistan needs me afterwards, thats another point. I will think about that after the series but for the moment this is important for me and the Pakistan team. I will just go about this Test match. ' ' '