The 49ers finally ended their hunt for a new manager by hiring Danny Rohl earlier this week and they’ve now revealed the criteria that the German met to be handed the Rangers job.

Cavenagh: Rohl knows "winning is the only option"

Welcoming their new manager after a managerial search full of twists and turns, Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh was full of praise for Rohl and told reporters that the German is well aware that “winning is the only option” at Ibrox.

The pressure will be on the 36-year-old from the off, but he represents a young manager full of ambition and full of the style that Russell Martin otherwise lacked in Scotland.

Rohl also admitted his own excitement after taking the job, saying: “I’m really looking forward to being part of this amazing football club. We want to win, we need wins because we want to turn around the position at the moment. I am looking for an ambitious club, a club that is wanting more. This club has everything for all these goals.

“My job is clear. My focus is on my person, what I can bring to this football club. We want to create chances, we want to create goals. We want to defence as a team. We have to win games then we can speak about playing attractive football.”

Secret Rohl talks took place while everyone thought Rangers were after Muscat

This is an intriguing update.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 20, 2025

He may not have been Rangers’ first choice, but Rohl has ticked a number of boxes in his own right at the 49ers have since revealed exactly why they turned towards the former Sheffield Wednesday boss.

49ers reveal how Rohl met Rangers criteria

Speaking candidly to the fans in a meeting this week, Cavenagh, Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart revealed the criteria that Rohl met to land the Rangers job.

They told supporters that they were looking for a manager who could get the Gers back to winning ways right away, win sustainably over time and win in a way that fans will enjoy watching. Rohl ticked every one of those boxes in the interview stage and beat out two other candidates after Muscat and Gerrard dropped out of the race.

With his counter-pressing system, Rohl’s Rangers side should certainly entertain. Whether that’ll be enough to secure victory is the big question and one that fans will get an answer for this Thursday against Brann in the Europa League.

Manchester United are still working towards having their ideal squad at Old Trafford and have been offered an intriguing swap deal scenario that could see a renowned striker arrive.

Manchester United continue their transfer mission

While the cat remains firmly among the pigeons regarding Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford, INEOS are likely to be already plotting potential additions to the squad come January and beyond, with the belief now that he will be given time to turn things around.

PSR will need to be respected, and Manchester United spent over £250 million during the summer. Hence, it remains to be seen how much wriggle room they have to invite more arrivals into the Old Trafford dynamic.

Delivering an update on someone who could opt to swap the capital for life at the Premier League giants, Ben Jacobs has claimed Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton has a gentleman’s agreement to sign for the Red Devils next summer.

He stated: “I’m told that there’s kind of a gentleman’s agreement that next summer if Wharton doesn’t sign a new deal, he can leave for somewhere in the region of £60m-£65m.”

The England international may be the final piece to complete Manchester United’s midfield jigsaw, while also providing a younger alternative to an ageing Casemiro, who is into the last year of his contract.

Cost of sacking Ruben Amorim revealed as Man Utd's coaching spend surpasses Virgil van Dijk fee

INEOS would have to spend big…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 3, 2025

INEOS have shown they are willing to spend serious money, with Bryan Mbeumo becoming the Red Devils’ sixth-most expensive signing at £71 million. Nevertheless, the opportunity needs to be right for all parties.

With that in mind, Manchester United could now take advantage of a lucrative swap deal that may see one of Europe’s most renowned marksmen arrive at Old Trafford.

Man Utd could swap Joshua Zirkzee for Dusan Vlahovic

According to Tutto Juve, Manchester United are set to be offered Dusan Vlahovic plus cash in exchange for Joshua Zirkzee, and the Netherlands international could be allowed to leave Old Trafford after not featuring frequently under Amorim.

On the same token, Vlahovic is out of contract in 2026, meaning he may be part of a deal that secures Zirkzee’s exit rather than being allowed to leave on a free transfer next summer.

Joshua Zirkzee in 2025/26

Dusan Vlahovic 2025/26

Appearances: 4

Appearances: 7

Goals: 0

Goals: 4

Assists: 0

Assists: 1

No figure has been mentioned in the event of a potential transfer. Regardless, Vlahovic coming in the other direction would address Manchester United’s need for a prolific striker who can deliver in the present.

Viktor Gyokeres

Arsenal

Patrik Schick

Bayer Leverkusen

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa

Christopher Nkunku

AC Milan

Alexander Sørloth

Atletico Madrid

Likened to Arsenal’s new signing Viktor Gyokeres for their physical styles and clinical finishing, he has scored 149 career goals in total inside 347 appearances, with 62 of them coming at Juventus since his move from Fiorentina in 2022.

Now potentially gearing up for a new challenge, his arrival would take the Red Devils’ forward line up a notch despite their recent impressive signings, though it remains to be seen if a deal with Zirkzee factored in will be a solution that works for all parties.

Warwickshire 184 and 55 for 2 need a further 338 runs to beat Worcestershire 333 and 243 (Brookes 87, Roderick 50) Ethan Brookes climbed into Warwickshire’s bowlers again, in record-breaking fashion, to keep Worcestershire on course for a vital Rothesay County Championship victory at Edgbaston.Of his side’s second-innings total of 243, Brookes’ share was a violent 87 from 137 balls. He struck seven sixes which, added to his eight in the first innings, amounted to 15 in the match – a record for any individual at Edgbaston, surpassing the 12 by Ian Botham for Somerset in 1985 and Dean Jones for Australia in 1989.The former Warwickshire allrounder’s barrage left his old team needing 393 to win and they closed the third day on 55 for 2 after losing both openers in the first four overs.Worcestershire resumed on the third morning on 31 without loss, already 180 ahead, but were pegged back by disciplined bowling. The opening partnership reached 80 in 32 overs before three wickets fell for 12 runs in 51 balls. Gareth Roderick (50 off 110) edged an expansive drive at Beau Webster. Jake Libby’s 149 minutes of toil for 25 ended when he pulled Ed Barnard to midwicket. Kashif Ali collected a tortuous 29-ball duck when he pulled Corey Rocchiccioli to short fine leg.As Warwickshire went on the defensive, Rocchiccioli bowling on or outside leg stump, Worcestershire’s batters appeared unsure how to handle such a big advantage. That advantage began to diminish as Ethan Bamber bowled Adam Hose and had Tom Taylor caught at point and Rocchiccioli’s leg-stump probing was rewarded when Brett D’Oliviera tickled a leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Kai Smith and Ben Allison nudged to leg slip.Seven wickets fell for 52 runs in 22 overs but Brookes defended diligently as he awaited support. It arrived from Bertie Foreman, who got the scoreboard moving again before edging Webster to second slip, and then Adam Finch. Having added 88 in the first innings, this time Brookes and Finch put on 91.The cricket descended into farce after tea as Warwickshire went ultra-negative. Rocchiccioli wheeled away while Olly Hannon-Dalby bowled far outside off stump to deny Brookes scope to seek the short boundary. Warwickshire’s supporters bore it stoically though if an opposing team had resorted to such tactics some forthright views would have emanated from the stands. The grim spectacle concluded when Brookes hoisted Barnard to deep fine leg and Finch sliced Webster to second slip,Warwickshire faced a target of 393 in a day plus 26 overs, weather permitting, and in moderate light, soon lost their openers. Rob Yates was trapped in front by a rapid shooter from Khurram Shahzad; Alex Davies chipped to midwicket. Dan Mousley and Zen Malik batted assiduously to the close but Worcestershire would be gutted, from this position, not to bank their first Championship win at Edgbaston since 1993.

ارتبط ليفربول بالتعاقد مع صفقة ضخمة خلال سوق الانتقالات الشتوية القادمة في يناير، لكي يحل محل النجم المصري محمد صلاح في المستقبل.

ونادراً ما تشهد سوق الانتقالات الشتوية صفقات كبيرة ومع ذلك فقد كان أنطوان سيمينيو مهاجم بورنموث قد ارتبط بالانضمام للريدز بسبب الموسم الرائع الذي يقدمه مع فريقه حتى الآن.

ويعاني ليفربول من موسم سيئ، حيث خسر الفائز بلقب الدوري الانجليزي الموسم الماضي بقيادة آرني سلوت خمس من أول 11 مباراة له في البريميرليج.

ورغم تحقيق ليفربول الفوز في مبارياته الخمس الأولى، لكنه تعرض لخمس هزائم بعد ذلك في آخر ست مباريات له في الدوري الإنجليزي.

اقرأ أيضاً.. كاراجر: مشاركة محمد صلاح أساسيًا مع ليفربول يجب أن تنتهي

وقدم سيمينيو صاحب الـ25 عاماً مستوى رائعًا الموسم الماضي حيث سجل 11 هدفًا ووقع عقدًا جديدًا خلال الصيف ويتضمن بندًا جزائيًا، وأحرز أيضاً ستة أهداف وصنع ثلاث تمريرات حاسمة في 12 مباراة فقط هذا الموسم منها تمريرتين ضد ليفربول مما أثار تكهنات حول مستقبله.

وأفادت تقارير صحفية أن هناك عددًا من الأندية المهتمة بضم اللاعب، ولم تعلن بعد تفاصيل الشرط الجزائي، ومع ذلك فإنه قد يكون متاحاً مقابل مبلغ ثابت رغم أنه يملك عقدًا لخمس سنوات.

وكشف مارك ماك آدم مراسل “سكاي سبورت” تحديثات جديدة بشأن سيمينيو عبر منصة “إكس”: “لم يطلب سيمينو مغادرة بورنموث، إنه يركز تماماً على أدائه مع الفريق وهذا كل شيء”.

وكان الصحفي المتخصص في أخبار الانتقالات فابريزيو رومانو قد كشف في وقت سابق أنه من المستبعد أن يتعاقد ليفربول مع سيمينيو في يناير وأن الوضع سيكون هادئاً خلال سوق الانتقالات الشتوية.

Daniel Farke must wonder how he never won promotion with the Leeds United team he inherited heading into the 2023/24 season as the West Yorkshire outfit’s new manager.

Thankfully, the EFL promotion expert did guide Leeds back up to the Premier League at the second time of asking, with a Championship title even being secured along the way, but his previous side disastrously slipped up in the playoff final, even with the likes of both Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray starring week in week out.

Crysencio Summerville, despite his unbelievable display, was another unfortunate member of that team, leaving for West Ham United after the season’s conclusion.

The attacker is still held in high esteem at Elland Road, despite his celebrated stay at the club ultimately ending in disappointment.

What made Summerville so magic

Summerville eventually got a chance to shine again in the top-flight with the Hammers, having initially burst onto the scene as a promising talent in the tough division when Leeds routinely battled against the drop.

An encouraging four goals and three assists came the tricky winger’s way across 28 Premier League outings during the 2022/23 season, with the Rotterdam-born attacker certainly sticking out as a bright spark in an otherwise depressing period for the Whites, as relegation was confirmed.

He was only getting started when looking back, however, with the former Whites number 10 striking fear into Championship defences all season long during the following campaign.

Summerville had the goals and assists to back up his immense footwork and trickery on the left channel, with 20 goals and 19 assists in regular action crowning him as the second tier’s Player of the Season.

Journalist Jake Winderman would even go all out to declare the 5-foot-9 ace as “world-class” for those sublime heroics, while Farke himself stated that the “sky is the limit” for what his star asset could go on to achieve.

Summerville has since shown flashes of his excellence with West Ham, despite injury issues threatening to stop him in his tracks.

After an injury-disrupted 2024/25 season saw just 19 Premier League appearances fall into his lap, the 23-year-old is now up to a quickfire two assists for this campaign, from just five clashes.

While the former fan favourite at Leeds underwent a testing first term away from West Yorkshire, Farke was scrambling for his new Summerville-like star to latch onto, with Manor Solomon stepping into the role effortlessly as another unpredictable talent on the left wing.

Now out on loan with Villarreal, away from parent side Tottenham Hotspur, Solomon was once viewed as a fitting replacement for the immense magic served up by Summerville and Rutter, with a devastating ten goals and 13 assists notched up last campaign by the diminutive 26-year-old helping Leeds to achieve a promotion feat not even their revered Dutchman could clinch.

Solomon would even score Leeds’ title-clinching goal when bursting forward with his usual Elland Road exuberance versus Plymouth Argyle on the final day, with the former Shakhtar Donetsk attacker also receiving similar glowing praise to that of Summerville, lauded as “unplayable” by former Whites boss Neil Redfearn.

The hope was surely to tie down the entertaining forward to a long-term deal past his loan stint, but nothing would come to fruition despite speculative talk suggesting Solomon was up for a reunion, as Leeds looked at other top-flight-ready recruits instead.

So, with Solomon now gone, who has become Leeds’ new Summerville?

Leeds' new Summerville-type figure at Elland Road

Leeds could well have been hesitant to dive in and secure Solomon permanently based on his sketchy track record in the Premier League.

The new Villarreal man is, unfortunately, more known for being ravaged with injuries at that level than being a rip-roaring success, with just four goals and two assists picked up, missing 61 games through injury for both Spurs and Fulham.

Staggeringly, he has already been absent from five games this season through more injury-related difficulties, as Leeds sense they have dodged a bullet somewhat.

In stark contrast, new signing Noah Okafor has been there and done that in some challenging top-flight environments, with a 25-goal haul for RB Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga even seeing scout Jacek Kulig refer to the Swiss international as “prolific” force.

On top of that, he was also previously on the roster of AC Milan for 57 matches, culminating in seven goals being put away with confidence.

Therefore, the powers that be at Leeds would have felt assured that dropping £18m on his services this summer was money well spent, and they have already been vindicated, with two strikes picked up in the Premier League by the direct number 19.

While his calmness in front of goal stands him in good stead to be a Summerville-type figure for Farke’s men moving forward, it’s his ardent manner to always bomb forward and try and create an opening out of nothing that also makes the similarity stick, with Summerville finding that he was constantly fouled in the Championship for also being a brash attacking presence.

Okafor last three PL matches
Stat	v Wolves	v Bournemouth	v Spurs
Touches	40	27	34
Unsuccessful touches	4	2	6
Goals	1	0	1
Key passes	0	1	2
Successful dribbles	6/14	3/4	1/2
Stats by Sofascore

Okafor has come into his own in this regard across Leeds’ last three matches in the league, with the pacey 25-year-old managing an absurd six successful dribbles against Wolverhampton Wanderers, despite only accumulating 40 touches.

Yet, much like in Summerville’s case, it isn’t showboating for showboating’s sake, with two goals picked up across his last three Premier League outings making him a firm starting figure for Farke, which is only reinforced by him amassing three key passes in his attempts to assist teammates around him.

Dubbed as an “explosive” presence by scout Antonio Mango when first securing a move to England, it now appears as if Okafor was the Summerville-like ace Leeds had been crying out for all along.

After all, even an opposition defender for Coventry City in Milan van Ewijk had to hold his hands up at Summerville being an “exceptionally good” dribbler when the Sky Blues clashed with Farke’s men in the second tier.

Okafor will hope, in time, that he’s also remembered as a feared force for defenders to wrestle with, with the early signs of his Leeds career pointing in the direction that he will be a fan favourite for many years to come, particularly if he can be one driving factor behind the Whites becoming top-flight regulars again.

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By
Dominic Lund

Oct 14, 2025

The Philadelphia Phillies fell short of expectations after bowing out of the 2024 MLB postseason in a stunning defeat to the New York Mets in the NLDS. ESPN's Jeff Passan reports that the early playoff exit could result in a roster shakeup for the Phils.

In his MLB offseason preview, Passan noted that Philadelphia has placed All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm on the trade block as they look to make some adjustments ahead of the 2025 season.

Bohm, who made his first All-Star Game in 2024, struggled in the second half of the season and even more so in the postseason. During the first half of the year, he logged a .830 OPS with 11 home runs and 70 RBI in 94 games. In the second half, his OPS dwindled down to .681 and he hit just four homers in 49 games. In the playoffs, Bohm recorded just one hit in 13 at-bats, though he didn't strike out a single time.

The Phillies figure to be back in World Series contention in 2025, but they may feel that an upgrade from Bohm will give them a better chance at achieving their goals. Various teams figure to have interest in the 28-year-old, who has two more years of arbitration left before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2027. Spotrac estimates he'll earn around $8.1 million next season.

Bohm has spent his entire MLB career with the Phillies, having appeared in 599 games for the franchise since debuting in 2020.

For five games of the 2024 World Series, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone sat in their respective dugouts and attempted to outmaneuver each other en route to a championship. Roberts won the battle and the war, as the Dodgers secured a World Series title with Wednesday's 7-6 win over the Yankees in the Bronx.

But don't think that the competitiveness between Roberts and Boone had any effect on the respect the two managers have for each other. After the game, the two managers met outside the visitors' clubhouse and shared a long embrace. Chelsea Janes of managed to snap a photo of the wholesome moment.

Roberts, who spoke to the media after the World Series victory, told reporters that Boone had "sought him out."

"Aaron is an absolute professional," Roberts said. "He sought me out. Wanted to congratulate me personally. We have a long history of competing against one another. A mutual respect."

"And I think Aaron's the only one in baseball that can really relate to my job in the sense of, either win a World Series championship or you've failed and you're not doing a good job in the respective markets."

Both Roberts and Boone could teach a course on how to handle winning—and losing—in professional sports. Kudos to both for handling the World Series aftermath with class.

With a quarter of the season already played, it would be fair to say that Arsenal are flying.

Mikel Arteta’s side had a slight stumble away to Liverpool a couple of months ago, but since then, they’ve been ruthless and looked far better than the defending Premier League champions.

In fact, following their win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, the North Londoners are now seven points clear of Arne Slot’s fragile-looking Reds, and appear destined to finally end their long title drought at the fourth time of asking.

The team are looking better and better with almost every passing gameweek, and one international in particular now has a shout for being one of the best in the world, just like Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal's world-class Saka

The Arsenal squad of today is almost entirely different from the one Arteta took control of over five years ago, and now has more than its fair share of world-class players, such as Saka.

For example, despite missing almost four months of action through injury last season, the Hale End icon still ended the campaign with 26 goal involvements in 37 appearances.

Moreover, he’s already missed some of this season and has still managed to score three goals in ten appearances.

However, while there is no denying the winger’s outrageous talent, it would be fair to say that he somewhat struggled to influence proceedings on Sunday afternoon.

The 24-year-old started his third game on the bounce against Crystal Palace, but ended up coming off the pitch 66 minutes in without a goal or assist, and unlike against Fulham, without looking all that dangerous.

Now, he did complete 100% of his dribbles, won two fouls and won 100% of his aerial duels, but he also amassed a combined expected goal plus assists figure of 0.03, failed to create a big chance and didn’t take a single shot on target.

However, such a middling performance shouldn’t worry fans, as Arteta later confirmed that the talismanic winger was unwell before the game and unable to train with the team in the build-up.

So, as long as he recovers, supporters should expect Saka to be back to his world-class best for the next game he starts, which can be said about one of the Englishman’s teammates as well.

The Arsenal star becoming one of the best in the world

As things stand, it wouldn’t be all that controversial to call the likes of Declan Rice, William Saliba and Gabriel Magehlese world-class.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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Yet, there are other players in Arsenal’s squad who are getting closer and closer to being classed in the same category, such as Jurrien Timber.

The Dutch defender joined the club from Ajax in the summer of 2023, but had his first full season playing in red and white last year after missing almost all of 23/24 with an ACL injury.

The 24-year-old was undoubtedly one of the club’s bright spots last year, as, alongside the rest of the defence, he mostly stuck to his job and made the club incredibly difficult to break down.

However, so far this season, he has taken his game to another level entirely and certainly has a shout at being one of the best right-backs in the entire Premier League.

After all, as things stand, the Utrecht-born “diamond,” as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has made 12 appearances for Arteta’s side, ten of which have been starts, and has therefore been a key part of a backline that has conceded no goals in the Champions League and just three in the league.

If such a run continues, “Ajax’s crown jewel,” as analyst Ben Mattinson once dubbed him, could help the North Londoners beat Chelsea’s record of just 15 goals conceded in a league season.

However, it’s not just his defending that has got even better this year, as the dynamic full-back has also become far more of an attacking threat.

His dribbling and close control have come on leaps and bounds, and while he’s not someone who is going to deliver a Trent Alexander-Arnold-esque cross, he can and does create chances for his teammates or ends up in the box himself.

Timber’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Goals

0.26

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.26

Top 1%

Shots on Target

0.64

Top 1%

Through Balls

1.03

Top 1%

SCA (Shot)

0.51

Top 1%

Passes into Penalty Area

1.79

Top 4%

GCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.13

Top 4%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.90

Top 4%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.13

Top 4%

xG: Expected Goals

0.23

Top 7%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.23

Top 7%

Progressive Passes

6.41

Top 7%

Average Shot Distance

8.60

Top 7%

npxG/Shot

0.21

Top 7%

Pass Completion % (Medium)

88.8%

Top 7%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.59

Top 7%

SCA (Live-ball Pass)

2.56

Top 7%

SCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.26

Top 7%

GCA (Shot)

0.13

Top 7%

Tackles

3.72

Top 7%

Goals + Assists

0.38

Top 10%

All Stats via FBref

For example, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% for full-backs in the league for goals scored, shots on target, through balls, the top 4% for passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

On top of that, he also has two goals and two assists to his name in just nine league games so far this season.

Ultimately, while it is still early on in the season, it’s becoming impossible to ignore the fact that Timber is currently playing like one of the best full-backs in the world.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 27, 2025

Continuing their search for their next manager, Celtic have already been hit with a problem in pursuit of Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen, who has impressed the Bhoys during his time in Belgium.

The last thing Celtic need is a managerial saga, but they may have no choice. The Scottish Premiership champions must get their next appointment right and silencing the noise to do exactly that will be key.

That is, of course, easier said than done with several candidates already shortlisted and the likes of Chris Sutton already having their say on the vacant position.

The former Celtic star believes that Ange Postecoglou is the “obvious” choice and it’s easy to see why. The Australian won five trophies out of a possible six during his last spell at the club and is currently a free agent after lasting just 39 days at Nottingham Forest.

There will be some concerns about his recent performances in the dugout, but the Bhoys know more than anyone just how quickly Postecoglou can create success.

Another name on the reported shortlist is Kieran McKenna. The Ipswich manager took the Tractor Boys from League one all the way to the Premier League in back-to-back promotions, before suffering relegation from England’s top flight last season.

Although he has endured a tough year at Portman Road, his reputation remains intact and managerial ability clear for all to see. Whether Celtic would be able to lure him away from Ipswich remains to be seen, however, and that’s a problem they face with another candidate.

Celtic already facing Nicky Hayen problem

According to Sky Sports, Celtic are now tracking Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen, who held Brendan Rodgers’ side to a 1-1 draw in the Champions League last November.

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ByDan Emery Oct 29, 2025

The 45-year-old has impressed in Belgium and would have no trouble convincing those at Celtic Park that he’s the right man for the job after smashing Rangers 9-1 on aggregate in the Champions League qualifiers back in August. Alas, there still lies one problem.

Luring Hayen away from Brugge could yet prove to be a difficult task and that instantly hands Celtic an obstacle that they’ll have to overcome if he emerges as their top choice.

Celtic already watched on as Rangers endured managerial chaos and may choose to avoid taking a similar path. If that does prove to be the case, then Hayen could become an unlikely candidate.

It’s clear why Brugge will be so desperate to keep their young manager, too. Speaking to The Guardian in January, the owner of Haverfordwest, Rob Edwards, who worked with Hayen at the Welsh club before he set off for Belgium said: “He’s a workaholic and that rubs off on players, it rubs off on staff and it gets everyone behind you if you lead from the front.

“I always knew he was going to go off somewhere else. We didn’t have him that long, but to see what he’s achieved since then makes us all really proud.”

Celtic readying first move for Ange Postecoglou

ESPN's Karl Ravech had a taxing and unusual start to his work week.

He was part of the network's coverage of a bizarre Monday doubleheader between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves where both teams needed a single win to advance to the postseason. A long, strange day ended with a split and Ravech on his second flight day as he traveled to San Diego, where he is working the Padres' Wild Card series against those Mets.

Ravech talked to about announcing three high-leverage games over the span of 30-some hours on opposite ends of the country.

Sports Illustrated: How are you feeling? Are you tired?

Karl Ravech: I'm trying to think of what day we started this whole journey. Buster [Olney] and I happened to board a plane Monday morning at 6 a.m. so that means a 3:50 a.m. wakeup call, then I drive an hour to the airport. He and I get on that plane to Atlanta. We have rooms at the airport hotel. So you basically go to your room, you shower and then you get in the car to go to do the two ballgames which, you know, were incredibly unique. We knew going in it was going to be a weird day. You just knew it was going to be odd.

To have Game 1 turn out the way that it did, you talk about the air out of a balloon. Game 2 felt like nobody wanted to be there, even the Braves, who had to win the game. So you go through that and then you move to the airport and you get on a 10:30 p.m. flight to San Diego because the decision was made regardless of the outcome you're going to the Padres and the Braves or the Padres and the Mets. That's how it was going to play out. We end up San Diego and get into the room at midnight, which is 3 a.m. ET, which means you've been awake for 24 hours. Then you go to bed for a little bit and you wake up on the West Coast, which means you're getting up at a ridiculous early hour because your body's on the East Coast. Then you go and do a Wild Card game. I've never experienced anything like it.

I will say that I am not physically tired. I think most of these types of things take it out of you mentally more than physically. But when you're involved in atmospheres like this with such a unique seat, there's no time to be tired, there's no time to think about what you've just done. You're along for the ride. You cannot take this stuff for granted because it's not going to be there forever. I love every minute of it and I think having done it for so long, to be honest, I like when there are unique challenges. This was one of those. And to navigate it well makes you feel really good.

Sports Illustrated: The way the Padres started that game last night, with Michael King looking electric and Fernando Tatis Jr. hitting an early home run, there was a ton of energy. Did that help at all?

Karl Ravech: That was a cup of coffee, that was a shot of adrenaline. I think what makes San Diego unique is that there's very much a party-type feel to the ballpark. San Diego has basically had that since Peter Seidler decided to invest all of his money, may he rest in peace. He turned it into the place to be and the Padres being the only game in town have played well and attracted the masses. When they go to the ballpark, this is a participatory event, it's not sit on your hands. They are into every second.

And now you introduce a team that has a chance to go deep in October if not win a World Series. So that shot that Tatis hit may have been like a boost but the whole day you knew what it was going to be like when you got there and it lived up to it. The ballpark certainly carries you because it is unique. The relationship between the fans, the team, and city is unique. The homer and King's performance accelerated it a bit but it was there. I didn't have any doubt that we'd be able to get up. And I'll be honest, the first three games of the day helped provide that. There were three really good games. Going in you're feeling really good about the way the day is going from an ESPN and network perspective.

Sports Illustrated: Do you worry at all about the logistics of it all when you're in a situation with all of that travel? I'm the type of person who needs to get to the airport super early and any type of delay really gets me concerned.

Karl Ravech: We actually had that conversation on the air at one point. I think any time a situation like that presents itself, flying the day of a game is always a risky proposition. We certainly don't do that as a practice, we rarely if ever do that for baseball. But in this case where you weren't sure you were going to San Diego and who they were playing, I opted to not spend a night in Atlanta if those games weren't going to be played, so yeah, absolutely. I went to bed around 9 p.m. on Sunday night knowing we had to get up at 3:50 a.m. for that ride to the airport. And for about four hours you have a real peaceful sleep. Even though there were flights at 6, 7, and 8 so you have the backup plan in the back of your mind. . Around 1a.m. is when you wake up and you can feel your brain going when you don't want it to. Your brain is telling you what happens if a pilot is sick, what happens if the airplane has a mechanical issue.

Sports Illustrated: I am looking right now at the graphic ESPN put out with all the coverage teams. It's an impressive group with you, Michael Kay, Jon Sciambi and Sean McDonough calling games and a lot of great analysts. Is this the biggest showcase for the broadcasting teams the network has?

Karl Ravech: When you're talking about Sciambi or McDonough, you're talking about guys that I have grown up with in the business who I'm very friendly with, who I have a tremendous amount of respect for. I think as a company with being really the only game we do once a week, when you have the opportunity to do four and you're able to parade out guys who I think are Hall of Fame-type broadcasters and to be one of them and to be on the marquee game is enormously gratifying, flattering, humbling, all of those things. In listening to all of them I think they're all fantastic.

It's a challenge and I think Sciambi referred to it the other day. It's very well-known that Major League Baseball is a sport in which the local broadcasters, 140-150 times a year depending on the team, are listened to by the fans and are the same voices. It's such a unique, comfortable, intimate relationship. I've always known this. You want to hear the familiar voices. You want to know that they know exactly what happened last month, last week, and yesterday.

When the national guys come in, the feeling is that they're not as invested, they don't know the players, they just sort of parachute in and parachute out. All I can say is we're not day to day with those teams. Certainly Sciambi with what he does with the Cubs, Sean with the Red Sox, and all of our broadcasters. It's not like we don't follow the teams and the games. We do. And we speak to so many people involved. When we get there in the early hours of gameday, you're talking to players, you have relationships. We also have a tremendous amount of respect for the local broadcasters.

Sports Illustrated: Was wondering if we could go back and you could speak about the support staff you have that allowed pulling something like this off even possible?

Karl Ravech: What I've benefitted from in my years at ESPN, having sat in studios and certainly doing for so many years with over 60 different analysts is that you learn that the only way you are going to be good—and I mean not individually but collectively—is to trust the people around you and make them better. While I'm sitting there trying to get the best, in this case, out of Eduardo and David Cone and Buster, there are … I'd love to name them all but I'd leave out some of them. But all you have to do is look at the email chain that we have and how many people behind the scenes make this go.

The baseball group at ESPN is a family and I know you could ask anybody about how important the relationships are between the people in front of the camera, the people in the control room, the camera people, the audio people, the people who support us in every which way from graphics to hotel rooms. Everybody has each other's best interests at heart. Not only is it on the television side—as we discussed earlier, how are we going to get from Point A to Point B. All of that stuff has to be taken care of. I love the people that I work with.