Dean Naidoo

Former journalist @independent; now academic leader, researching media+comms+AI+robotics. Loves cricket + making/breaking stuff. Own views, etc

[Dean Naidoo @ByDean]

@SoVeryBritish The five spice at the back of the grocery cupboard

[Holly Brockwell @holly]

Lady who's adopting a kitten: is there any chance we could come this weekend to meet little Mallow? My son is biting at the bit
Me: let me ask fosterer...
Fosterer: sure, as long as he's well behaved
me: she said it's fine as long as he's well behaved, how old is he?
Lady: 22

[Sachin Tendulkar @sachin_rt]

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s bat swing has been outstanding. What’s even more remarkable is how beautifully he clears his front foot to create room for balls aimed at his legs. This freedom allows him to play the way he does.

That innings was nothing short of spectacular!

[Dean Naidoo @ByDean]

This is excellent from @carolecadwalla 😅

[Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla]

‘Is there anyone else you know who has had a 28.9% pay rose in the last 3 years,’ asks Nick Robinson disbelievingly of an NHS doctor.

Last year, Robinson’s BBC pay rose by at least £135k

[Yorkshire Evening Post @LeedsNews]

Delivery driver caught stealing cat on door camera in West Yorkshire could face five years in jail https://t.co/KJU1jvLZfF

[147mag @147Magtr]

Tell them Mark 😂

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Manchester United used to be synonymous with leadership. In the dug-out, on the pitch, in the boardroom. Sir Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, Bryan Robson, Roy Keane, David Gill and many others, revered, even feared, authority figures, rated, adored, never ignored. Leaders who thought about the team and the club and fought for them.

Football (society?) has fewer real leaders generally currently. At United, this great club changed the moment the Glazers arrived in 2005. United gradually came more about what could be taken out (£) rather than put in (commitment). The leadership principle was eroded, and that accelerated when Ferguson and Gill stood down in 2013. United lost expertise, experience and wisdom. They lost leaders.

David Moyes and others tried but the culture had changed under the Glazers. They didn’t know enough, didn’t appoint well enough. They spent money - fans’ money - on the football side but not judiciously enough. They seemed more focused on the business side. The brand played on. The tills were alive with the sound of revenue, the distant Glazers were happy.

But the football drifted. The squad cried out for more players with the right character, and proper investment in training ground and stadium. The Old Trafford leaky roof summed up the lack of attention – and a lack of love and leadership.

New co-owners Ineos promised better. They promised strong leadership. They have delivered some good things, investment in the training ground, but the team continue to slide. How many United players would get into Arsenal’s XI? Arsenal showed leadership and judgement in appointing Mikel Arteta, and backing him because they could see his leadership qualities. Arteta has authority as well as his obvious coaching strengths.

United keep appointing managers and they don’t last. Ruben Amorim – an Ineos appointment - was Manchester United’s fourth manager in their four most recent trips to Elland Road on Sunday following Glazer appointees Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 2021, Ralf Rangnick 2022 and Erik ten Hag 2023. Pay as you churn. How much will Amorim get in his pay-off? Millions. For failure. In a period when Ineos culled good staff – people who care about the club - to save a few quid. Poor leadership. And where was the judgement and leadership in recruiting a head coach committed to wing-backs? United are about wingers.

Amorim deserved to depart for his stubborn commitment to a formation and philosophy that didn’t suit United’s squad or their DNA. Good managers adapt. Good managers also don’t talk like Amorim did in too many press conferences. Nice guy, but naïve, a headline waiting to happen, rarely positive.

“Maybe the worst team in the history of Manchester United” – not great for players' morale? “I came here to be the manager of Manchester United not the head coach” – his job title from the word go was head coach. “That’s going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on” – basically predicting his departure. No wonder Jason Wilcox, Omar Berrada and Ineos had had enough. At least they’ve showed leadership in taking action. At least they’ve appointed a leader in Darren Fletcher to take the team for the trip to Burnley.

Amorim never felt like a leader. A Manchester United head coach should sound the part – defiant, always positive about his players – and carry some aura. Also be appreciative of the great privilege of leading this great club. Look at United’s remarkable and patient travelling support. Total commitment to the cause. The biggest club in the country deserves to be properly led.

And so to the pitch. Where are the leaders? Bruno Fernandes is captain, United’s best player, but not a natural leader. Moans too much on the pitch (but an admirable ambassador for the club off the pitch). Harry Maguire’s a good leader but not certain of his place (or pace). Bryan Mbeumo in a quiet way. Casemiro’s ageing. Too few leaders. Under Ferguson, there would be 5-6 you could give the armband to. Where are the standard-setters now?

Any complaints about the criticism of pundits Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Keane should be dismissed. Neville, Scholes and Keane represent the standards that United players should aspire to. The levels of commitment. All of them responsibility-takers, winners, and, in different ways, leaders.

Manchester United need to recruit more leaders and for those already at the club, from dressing-room to board-room, to show greater leadership. Amorim was a symptom of the malaise as well as a cause. #MUFC

[The Labour Party @UKLabour]

The Tories pulled us out of the Erasmus scheme.

With Labour, the UK is rejoining that scheme. This will mean every young person has the chance to study or train abroad, no matter their background.

[SuperSport Rugby @SSRugby]

For one last time in 2025 💚🇿🇦

The Springbok class is lining up for duty in Cardiff 🫂

📺 16:00 Build-Up | 17:00 Kick-Off

#SSRugby | #QuilterNS

[VeryBritishProblems @SoVeryBritish]

I always get out of bed as soon as the sun rises. Which means today I’m still in bed.

[BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking]

Ex-footballer Joey Barton guilty of six counts of posting "grossly offensive" messages on X https://t.co/09DaKbgDJf

[Jacqui Oatley @JacquiOatley]

Independent women’s football journalism is so important. @FloydTweet is brilliant. Get subscribing to @The_Cutback. Otherwise, we’ll all end up consuming club PR which doesn’t ask/answer important questions that fans require answers to. @The_Cutback

[England Cricket @englandcricket]

🗓️ On This Day in 2005…

KP 158 at The Oval! 🔥

Kevin Pietersen scored his maiden Test Match century as England clinched series victory in the 2005 Ashes 🏆

[George Dobell @GeorgeDobell1]

Good for @WorcsCCC They're charging just £10 for a ticket for the Metro Bank semi-final against @SomersetCCC on Sunday. £1 for kids.

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Delighted to join Sports Illustrated. First column here: Matheus Cunha has the personality and physicality as well as the technical qualities to flourish at #MUFC. With one caveat. Via @SInow @SI_FootballClub 
https://t.co/U1jRgCExKT

[Darren Lewis @Darren_Lewis5]

The very first game of the new season. #semenyo

[BOXRAW @BOXRAW]

A heartbreaking night for boxing. Both Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa have now sadly passed away from injuries sustained on the same August 2nd card in Tokyo. A tragic reminder of the danger all fighters put themselves in in the ring. RIP, two fallen warriors 🖤🕊️ #boxraw

[England Cricket @englandcricket]

Providing there's no further rain, play will resume at 4:45pm.

[Dean Naidoo @ByDean]

Wow! ❤️

[Lionesses @Lionesses]

WE'RE BACK-TO-BACK EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS!! 🏆

[Historic Cricket Pictures @PictureSporting]

On July 25th 1857 Roger Fenton, who had founded the Royal Photographic Society in 1853, took several pictures of a cricket match in progress between Hunsdonbury Club and Royal Artillery at Hunsdonbury. These are believed to be the earliest pictures of a cricket game in progress

[Sky Sports Cricket @SkyCricket]

Sky Sports understands that Rishabh Pant has fractured his metatarsal and has been advised to rest for at least six weeks 🇮🇳