Coach
Eden Hazard says he will be ready in time for Euros
Eden Hazard is still having “some thigh problems” after missing much of Real Madrid’s season but “will be there when the Euros start”, he told a video press conference on Monday. The midfielder said he was “not yet at 100 percent” but added that “physically I still have to prepare myself and I obviously hope to be ready for the first game on 12 June.” Belgium, one of the favourites for the title, start Euro 2020 on June 12 against Russia in a group that also includes Denmark and Finland. Hazard arrived at the national training centre at Tubize on Monday, at the same time as most of his team-mates and, as captain, was the first to speak at the press conference. “I missed the last game with Real because of a little discomfort in my thigh. Since then I have been able to rest for a week and me...
Ex-Fiorentina defender: Victor Osimhen will perform under new boss
Former Fiorentina defender, Vittorio Tosto, is convinced that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen can power Napoli to glory under newly appointed manager Luciano Spalletti. Spalletti, a former Inter Milan coach, was named the boss of the Parthenopeans, days after Gennaro Gattuso left the role following a disappointing end to the campaign. Gattuso was a key factor behind Osimhen’s decision to quit Lille for the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona last summer, with the club parting with a club-record fee of over €70 million. But injuries and coronavirus-related problems limited the attacker to 30 games across all competitions. The Super Eagles forward managed to find the back of the net ten times and provided three assists as Napoli missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day of the ...
Ahly defeat Berkane in Super Cup to claim 21st African title
Mohamed Sherif and Salah Mohsen scored in the second half to give Al Ahly of Egypt a 2-0 win over Renaissance Berkane of Morocco in the CAF Super Cup match on Friday, and a 21st African title. Forward Sherif finished off a sweeping passing move by hammering a left-foot shot past goalkeeper Zouhair Laaroubi into the far corner on 57 minutes. Unmarked fellow forward Mohsen doubled the lead eight minutes from time in Qatari capital Doha by rounding Laaroubi and pushing the ball into the net. Success for Ahly ended a run of upsets in the Super Cup with Champions League title-holders Esperance of Tunisia losing the 2019 and 2020 matches, also in Qatar. South Africa-born Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane has now won four CAF competitions, one less than the most successful African, Tunisian Faouzi Benzar...
Juventus officially announce return of Max Allegri as head coach
Juventus have officially announced the return of Massimiliano Allegri as head coach at the Allianz Stadium. ‘We are ready to build our future together’. Andrea Pirlo only lasted for one year as coach of the Bianconeri, as Juventus have officially announced the return of Allegri, who left in 2019. “Massimiliano Allegri is the Juventus coach again,” Juventus wrote in a statement. “Allegri finds a bench he knows very well, a club that he loves and that loves him, to start a new journey together today, towards new targets. “Those achieved in his first adventure with Juventus are engraved in the history of the club: five Scudetti, four consecutive doubles with the Coppa Italia, two Supercoppa Italiana, two Champions League Finals in three seasons, epic feats in Italy and in Europe. “And then we...
Lazio confirm Simone Inzaghi’s exit
Lazio released a terse statement confirming Simone Inzaghi ‘changed his mind’ and is heading to Inter. Inzaghi’s contract with the Aquile is due to expire on June 30 and last night he had seemingly agreed to extend it until June 2024. However, Inter came back with a new proposal to practically double the wages on offer and lead the Serie A Champions. It was reported President Claudio Lotito tried and failed to change his mind, even telling Il Messaggero this afternoon that they would announce the new contract later. Lazio finally accepted they had lost Inzaghi and released a terse statement in which they never even said his name. “We respect the change of mind of a coach and, before that, of a player who for many years tied his name to the Lazio family and the many Biancocelesti successes....
21 runners dead as extreme weather hits China ultramarathon
Twenty-one people were killed after hail, freezing rain and high winds hit runners taking part in a 100-kilometre (62-mile) cross-country mountain race in China, state media said Sunday. The extreme weather struck a high-altitude section of the race held in the scenic Yellow River Stone Forest near Baiyin city in northwestern Gansu province Saturday afternoon. Among the dead were elite Chinese long-distance runners, local media reported. Official news agency Xinhua confirmed the death toll had risen to 21, citing the local rescue command headquarters. State broadcaster CCTV also reported the final missing competitor had been found dead. Baiyin city mayor Zhang Xuchen said that at around midday Saturday a section of the rugged ultramarathon course — between kilometres 20 and 31 — was “sudde...
Arsenal sack U23 coach after 30 years at the club
Arsenal have sacked U23 coach Steve Bould, ending his 30-year association with the club. The 58-year-old former defender has held various coaching positions at Arsenal since retiring in 2000. An official announcement is still to come from the club but he will leave the Gunners in the coming days. Bould led Arsenal’s U18 side to Premier Academy League titles in 2009 and 2010 as well as the FA Youth Cup in the 2008/09 season. He was then promoted to become assistant to former manager Arsene Wenger in 2012, a role he served for seven years before he was reassigned as U23 coach in 2019. Arsenal’s U23 side only finished 10th in the Premier League 2 this season under Bould, but the team has produced Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe, who have emerged as highly influential members of Mikel Arteta’...
Thomas Tuchel reacts as ‘unlucky’ Chelsea suffer back-to-back FA Cup final defeats
Chelsea suffered late VAR heartache as they slipped to back-to-back FA Cup final defeats after a 1-0 loss to Leicester City, Youri Tielemans’ second-half strike proving decisive. In front of a reduced, yet undoubtedly noisy, Wembley crowd, it was Chelsea who made the brighter start, Timo Werner showcasing his electric speed to test the Foxes backline early on. Despite controlling the opening exchanges, the first real chance of the match fell to their opponents, Timothy Castagne getting in down the right and teeing up Jamie Vardy inside the area, the veteran striker’s effort well blocked by Reece James. At the other end of the pitch, Thomas Tuchel’s men almost fashioned a chance of their own, Thiago Silva’s dinked cross agonisingly evading the head of Cesar Azpilicueta at the back post, aft...
Zinedine Zidane ready to walk away from Real Madrid
Zinedine Zidane will almost certainly leave Real Madrid at the end of this season, regardless of whether the team wins LaLiga. They face Granada tonight and if they pick up a win they will still be just two points behind Atletico Madrid with two games to go. But the 48-year-old coach, who has won two league titles and three Champions League crowns in less than four seasons, has all but made up his mind to walk away after the final game of the campaign at home to Villarreal on May 23. Zidane will be an immediate target for Juventus and for the France national side if they make a change after the Euros this summer. Madrid president Florentino Perez will be under pressure to promote Raul to replace him. He currently has the club’s youth team on the verge of promotion but Perez could also turn...
Hugo Broos takes over as Bafana Bafana manager
Pool Photo On Wednesday, the South African Football Association (SAFA) appointed Hugo Broos as the new Bafana Bafana coach. Broos, a Belgian football coach, had previously managed the Cameroonian senior men’s national football team and is expected in the Rainbow Nation next week. Upon his arrival, Broos is scheduled to meet all football stakeholders including members of the media and address the Press. In his initial remarks about his appointment, the 69-year-old Belgian said he was excited to take charge of one of the biggest teams in Africa: “South Africa has a rich football history and is among the powerhouse on the continent. The country has full of quality and I am coming to coach a truly football nation with massive potential.” One of the top objectives for the new manager would be t...
Jose Mourinho: Why I accepted to coach Roma
Jose Mourinho has said he desires to ‘create a winning project’ at Roma and chose the Gialloross for ‘the incredible passion of the fans’. The 58-year-old returns to Serie A ahead of 2021-22 with 25 major trophies in his luggage so far. The former FC Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur coach has accepted a three-year contract and will succeed Paulo Fonseca after the season. “Thank you to the Friedkin family for choosing me to lead this great club and to be part of their vision,” Mourinho told the club’s official website. “After meetings with the ownership and Tiago Pinto, I immediately understood the full extent of their ambitions for AS Roma. It is the same ambition and drive that has always motivated me and together we want to build a winning proje...
Tottenham to pay part of Jose Mourinho’s salary at Roma
Tottenham Hotspur will pay part of José Mourinho’s salary in his first season at Roma. The Special One will return to Serie A 11 years after leaving Inter, according to Sky Sport Italia, He had warned the Nerazzurri fans he was open to returning to Italy to coach one of their rivals. According to Sky Sport Italia, Mourinho signed his Roma contract on Monday and accepted a pay cut. Tottenham had sacked the Special One earlier in April. The Portuguese coach will earn €7m-a-year, way less than his €16m-a-year contract in North London. However, according to the report, Mourinho will earn the same money in his first season in the Capital as Spurs have agreed to pay part of his salary in his first campaign at the Stadio Olimpico. The so-called ‘Growth decree’ has also had an impact on Mourinho’s...
