The BBC's cricket magazine programme Stumped has an interview with with South African fast bowler Kyle Abbott, who quit international cricket midway through a Test series last month to take up a Kolpak deal with Hampshire.

"I always felt like I was being close to being dropped and I have good reason too," the 29-year-old says. "I was dropped after some pretty decent performances for South Africa. 

"From my debut to the World Cup, to not so long ago against England in a Test series here, recently taking a five-for against India in India and two Test matches later not playing again. I always felt that whatever I did, I was on the verge of being dropped for either something better or a bright idea of a new player."

Andrew Rothery: FA & EFL Cups + 1st & 2nd Prem = Champs League. Only five overseas players on pitch. Cap team transfers to £100M per season!

Richie Turner: I would ban substitutions after 90 mins. Blatant timewasting. Nobody needs to be subbed with 30 seconds to go.

SilverJFox: Three-yard quadrant in each corner - no attacking player allowed in there for more than five seconds - no more time-wasting in corner.

Good work everyone, there is still time to tweet us using #bbcsportsday or write on the Match of the Day Facebook page., external

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In 2016, former Ireland and Lions captain Paul O'Connell announced his retirement from rugby with immediate effect because of injury.     

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe, subject of a £6m bid from former club West Ham last month, insists he is only thinking about his club's survival as the Black Cats seek to move off the bottom of the table with victory over Southampton on Saturday.

The 34-year-old, who has scored five league goals in as many matches this year, said: "It's always nice when you're wanted. But I've been a part of this game for a long time and that's part and parcel of it now, so it was easy for me to see it and just think, 'OK, that's nice people want me, but I've got to be focused on Sunderland'.

"I realise how important the goals are, so I totally dedicate myself to preparing in the correct way so I'm ready to go." 

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is expecting a "high-tempo, intensive" game when his side play Liverpool on Saturday and says Spurs need to be "clever" to win at Anfield.

Watch some of his news conference here.

Paul Clement confirms that deadline day swap signing Jordan Ayew will make his debut against the Foxes: "He joined in training this morning, he is ready to go and he will be involved on Sunday," the Swans boss says.

Few would have predicted Swansea's recent win at Liverpool and although the Welsh side's defeat at Manchester City left them in 17th, new boss Paul Clement says of Sunday's home game with fellow strugglers Leicester - who also have 21 points - "I think psychologically, if we get the victory and a good performance, that would be a big boost for us.

"The two teams are level on points and we will not play each other again this season, so that adds an extra spice to the fixture."  

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Colin Todd: • Safe standing areas • No attacking player in six-yard box before corner is taken • Pass (football!) instead of throw in.

Pete Garrett: Bring back and enforce moving free kicks 10 yards to stop dissent / delays, and make it a penalty if the 10 yards go into box.

Not Daniel: Introduce minimum terms for managers. At least half a season, create a level of consistency.

Keep the thoughts coming in to us, using #bbcsportsday or by posting on the Match of the Day Facebook page., external

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Bad news for the viewing figures at the World Grand Prix in Preston, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump have both lost in the second-round stage.

Both rapid potters lost 4-1, O'Sullivan to another former world champion, Neil Robertson, and Trump to Barry Hawkins.

How will O'Sullivan sound after that?

Many Southampton fans will already be looking ahead to 26 February and a League Cup final meeting with Manchester United at Wembley.

But boss Claude Puel says: "The best way to prepare for the Cup final is with a good result this weekend against Sunderland."

Having lost at Swansea, Saints then went from a goal up to a 3-1 home defeat against West Ham last week and Puel said: "We have to keep a good ambition. We cannot accept this position and the last results. It's not us."  

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An inquest into the death of jockey Walter Swinburn has recorded a verdict of accidental death. 

The Westminster coroner concluded that the 55-year-old rider of Shergar and two other Epsom Derby winners died as a result of injuries incurred in “a tragic accident” when he fell around 12-feet from the window of the bathroom at his London home. 

Some more quotes from Everton boss Ronald Koeman on his team, who are seventh and unbeaten in seven Premier League games, and top goalscorer Romelu Lukaku.

"From day one of working with Romelu, he's a perfect professional, he likes to improve, train hard and is really involved in the team," said Koeman.

"The club is more important than the manager or the players and if the team's working hard he will score the goals. The team makes Romelu the top striker, obviously you need the striker to have that quality of finishing, but you can't do it by yourself.

"The team is stronger than at the beginning of the season and it's up to everyone to show we're getting better and fighting to win titles. It's really difficult to come through the top six, but I'm convinced we're going in a good direction."

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Southampton travel to the north east to face the bottom side, who stunned Crystal Palace with a 4-0 win at Selhurst Park last weekend, without their key defender Virgil van Dijk, who is out for around two months with ankle trouble.

"He is a big miss for the team. The answer is to give a little more as a collective," says Saints boss Claude Puel, who adds that Sofiane Boufal also misses out with an ankle injury.

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton boss Claude Puel on former Barcelona and Juventus defender Martín Caceres, who is currently a free agent and has been linked with a move to the Saints, subject to a work permit.

"Caceres is not with us. We will see what happens in the next few days," Puel explains. 

There has been speculation, external that the Premier League's top goalscorer Romelu Lukaku is set to sign a new deal at Everton. Toffees boss Ronald Koeman has been talking about Lukaku, who scored four in their 6-3 win over Bournemouth last week.

"I didn't speak to the board about Romelu but if his agent has mentioned he likes to stay or is close to a new deal then that's perfect for Everton," said Koeman.

"If players see a future at the club, if they see the team improving and getting stronger then that's always a plus for them to stay. Everyone has their own ambition, that's normal, and we like to keep the good players. At the moment he's the top scorer, playing at a high level, so clinical, and it would be difficult to find a replacement so I hope he stays.

"He's a world class finisher but in other details, other qualities, he can and must improve and he knows that. If the team's showing ambition it's always good and we need to show him that the short future is at Everton."

Image source, Getty Images

Since Southampton reached the League Cup final with that fine win at Liverpool, they have lost 5-0 in the FA Cup and successive league defeats have left them 13th in the table. Manager Claude Puel says: "The squad is angry with the last results. We have to correct this and give a good answer."  

Watch as BBC Sport marks a year to go until the 2018 Winter Olympics by seeing what British snowboarder Katie Ormerod gets up to during a typical day.

READ MORE: GB's 2018 Winter Olympic medal chances 'exciting'

Jock Jamieson Black: Fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh have a knockout for the last European (Champions League) spot.

Alan Robins: Invest & support in grass roots with a clear strategy for future - cost of FA/Wembley vs investment totally disproportionate.

Joiny Z. Beans (Jnr): Get rid of shin pads, they've been slowing players down for years now.

Keep sending us your suggestions on how to reform football (serious or jokey) and we will put the best of those messages on this page throughout the day. Alternatively, you can write on the Match of the Day Facebook page., external

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Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Of major interest in today’s investors conference call was executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward’s admission that the huge growth in United’s commercial revenues will be hard to maintain.

Instead, it seems attention is turning to increasing media revenues.

The MUTV app Woodward announced today will not be available in the United Kingdom but it is expected to be available in China, India and Indonesia.

At a cost of between £1.99 and £4.99, it is not going to be a “game changer” but it does represent the first steps in what will become a major advance into the digital word for United, as that is where their next drive for increased revenues will come from.

Staying with the Winter Olympics, the torch has been unveiled for 2018 in Pyeongchang in South Korea. How many triple A's would that need?