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• Significant progress: Ricketts says JFF has cleared up over JA$300 million in debt owed to Jamaican Government since 2017

  President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Michael Ricketts, says the body has cleared over JA$300 million in debt they owed to the Jamaican Government since he took office for the first time seven years ago.

  Ricketts had defeated Stewart Stephenson to complete the JFF’s 2015-19 term after the death of then-president Captain Horace Burrell in 2017 before being re-elected for his first full term in 2019.

  “We have made significant progress as it relates to our fiscal management. So far, we are in a far better position now than when we were when we got into office,” Ricketts told Sportsmax.tv last week at the unveiling of the Reggae Boyz squad for their upcoming CONCACAF Nations League fixtures against Nicaragua and Honduras.

  “When we got into office I think we were indebted to the Government to the tune of over $400 million. When we took over, we we’re very intent on getting that figure down. We have cut that to $90 million and certainly, we are on track to make that $0 by the end of the year,” he added.

  Ricketts also noted that, for the first time in over a decade, the JFF has been issued a tax compliance certificate.

  When asked about the steps taken to achieve this fiscal improvement, Ricketts gave credit to the federations finance committee as well as General Secretary, Dennis Chung and Technical Committee Chairman, Rudolph Speid.

  “I must commend our finance committee. They’ve been very strong. We’ve gotten support, of course, from our parent organizations, more so FIFA, CONCACAF and CFU. We’ve had sponsors on board like Adidas who have given us major support both financially and from an equipment standpoint,” he said.

  “We have been doing very well. We have a Gen Sec in Dennis Chung who is an accountant. Rudolph Speid, our Technical Committee Chairman, is an accountant so these gentlemen have been very integral in the process of our fiscal management,” Ricketts added.

   

• 'We are lucky to have him' - Guardiola admits Ederson exit was close

  Pep Guardiola admitted that Ederson came close to leaving Manchester City in the transfer window but stayed because a fee could not be agreed.

  The Brazilian was linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League in the off-season, with both Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad both reportedly interested in his signature.

  Since joining the club in June 2017, Ederson has kept 113 clean sheets in 257 Premier League appearances, more than any other goalkeeper in the competition since his debut.

  He has won 15 major trophies with City, including six Premier Leagues, two FA Cups and a Champions League title, as well as the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup.

  Ederson has played in all seven of City's Premier League matches so far this season, keeping just one clean sheet and conceding eight goals from an expected goals on target (xGoT) of 8.54.

  Guardiola is delighted that he was able to keep hold of Ederson, who continues to play a pivotal role in the team.

  "He is an important figure with our team," Guardiola told the club's website.

  "We are lucky to have him, and I hope he is happy. Eddy knows us really well and what we have to do.

  "He knew from day one that I didn't want him to leave. The truth is the offer didn't come. The real offer.

  "They make an offer but the keeper, who won four Premier Leagues in a row, he has a value and a price. Otherwise, he cannot leave.

  “If the offer did come, maybe he should not be here. This is the truth.

  "Ederson is so strong, but when he changed his mind, in one second he said he is here, and he is going to do his best."

• McCullum: England not missing Anderson's coaching

  Brendon McCullum does not believe England were missing James Anderson's coaching during a difficult start to the first Test against Pakistan.

  Gus Atkinson got England an early wicket, but they soon struggled as Shan Masood, whose 43-ball half-century is the second-fastest by a Pakistan skipper in Tests, and Abdullah Shafique both struck centuries.

  However, they made a strong finish to the first day, taking three wickets in the final session, with Pakistan reaching stumps on 328-4.

  Anderson, who has been acting as England's fast-bowling consultant since his retirement, was not in Multan on Monday but is set to join up with the team on day two.

  After a tough day in the field, McCullum insisted Anderson was still on hand to coach the players despite not being present, and believes this shows the impact he has already had on the side.

  "Two months ago, you guys were saying that he didn't deserve to be a coach just yet," McCullum told Sky Sports.

  "Now, it's like, 'We're missing him' - and I think that's a great affirmation of how good an impact Jimmy Anderson has made in a short period of time.

  "He's got [WhatsApp] groups set up with the bowlers and is always feeding information through Jeetan Patel. We live in a world where you can still communicate without being face-to-face… I don't have any qualms whatsoever.

  "I'm absolutely delighted for him that he gets the opportunity to do something he loves doing and when he gets here, he'll be right in the thick of it as he has done as bowling coach since he came in."

  Masood and Shafique added a 253-run partnership for the second wicket but fell softly to Atkinson and Jack Leach before Chris Woakes had Babar Azam lbw as England gave themselves some hope in the closing stages.

  Assistant coach Jeetan Patel, who was working with the fast bowlers in Anderson's absence, was particularly proud of how they kept pushing despite the heat.

  "I couldn't commend them any more," Patel said. "I think the toil they put in today was high-end: the way they tried different things to take wickets, the different fields they had, the way they fielded.

  "To take those three wickets tonight was a testament to the work they'd done in the first two sessions. We're pretty happy with how it's ended up, with them four down."