Leyton Orient have stripped player-manager Kevin Nolan of his coaching responsibilities, placing Andy Hessenthaler in charge of the side. Nolan, 33, has won seven of his 15 games since joining the O’s in January. Orient have taken one point from their last four games but remain two points off the League Two play-off places. “We believe Kevin will be able to make a bigger impact without the distraction of managerial duties,” Orient chief executive Alessandro Angelieri said. Nolan played with our own Austin Okocha at Bolton and succeeded Okocha as Bolton’s captain.

A top-flight manager in Slovenia will keep his job despite making a racial slur against one of his own players. Olimpija Ljubljana boss Marko Nikolic used the term against Blessing Eleke after the Nigerian scored an equaliser. Nikolic felt Eleke celebrated too long after levelling for the Slovenian league leaders at home to Zavrc. The Serb said he made “an emotional reaction” and “never intended to offend the player racially”. Eleke was reported to have been called a ‘black idiot’ by his own coach for wildly celebrating the equalizer.

Footballer Adam Johnson has formally lodged an appeal against his six-year sentence for grooming and sexual activity with a girl aged 15. The former Sunderland and England player was jailed last month following a trial at Bradford Crown Court. An official at the court confirmed that Johnson’s legal team had lodged an appeal against his sentence. The 28-year-old has already begun an appeal against his conviction of sexual activity with a 15-year-old. Johnson admitted grooming the girl and a separate, less serious charge, of sexual activity. On the Adam Johnson’s Appeal Fight Facebook page, run by his sister Faye, a post said: “Adam’s appeal against his sentence has now been lodged!” It added: “Thanks everyone for your support it means a lot! X” Sentencing the player, Judge Jonathan Rose told him he had abused a position of trust and caused his victim “severe psychological harm”. Johnson began his career at Middlesbrough before moving to Manchester City and then on to Sunderland in 2012.

AC Milan has sacked coach Sinisa Mihajlovic and replaced him with youth team coach Cristian Brocchi, who will take charge until the end of the season, the Serie A club said on its website. The decision followed a meeting between club president Silvio Berlusconi, CEO Adriano Galliani and Brocchi on Monday evening, according to media reports in Italy. Milan, sixth in the league, have failed to win their last five Serie A matches and lost their last home game against table toppers Juventus.