Archives

Kolo Toure joins Celtic….

Back at Paradise, Kolo Toure is officially unveiled to the media. #WelcomeKolo

Celtic have completed the signing of former Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool defender Kolo Toure. Toure, 35, has signed a one-year deal and reunites with former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers at Celtic Park. The centre-back, who played in Liverpool’s Europa League final defeat to Sevilla in May, was a free agent after the expiry of his contract at Anfield. Toure becomes Rodgers’ second signing following the arrival of Moussa Dembele from Fulham. He told Celtic TV: “I feel really excited because it’s going to be a new challenge for me. I’ve come to one of the biggest clubs in the world and it’s a privilege for me to be here. “I know a few friends who play football here and I know what the club has been achieving, winning a lot of trophies and playing Champions League a lot so that’s something I’m looking at. “I played with Brendan when he was at Liverpool and when we spoke about the chance for me to come here I was really happy because we know each other for a long time now. We’ve worked together and he’s a top manager. For me it’s a privilege to come and work with him again.” He added: “I have been playing for top clubs and I’m used to the challenge and I’m here to give everything I’ve got to win my place. You can only win your place on the pitch and that’s through hard work, dedication and determination and I’m ready for that.”

Alex Song confident as he moves to Rubin Kazan on loan….

Alex Song

Cameroon midfielder Alex Song is hoping to “make a great impact” in Russia after joining top-flight club Rubin Kazan on a season-long loan from Spanish giants Barcelona. The 28-year-old spent the past two seasons on loan at Premier League side West Ham United and made 46 appearances for the Hammers. Song joined Barcelona in 2012 from Arsenal for around £15m with an 80m euros (£63m) release clause, but has struggled to break into the star-studded squad. “I’m very happy to come here and be a part of the project being built in Kazan,” Song told the club’s official TV channel.  “The club hopes to establish itself as the biggest team in Russian football in the next four years and I hope to make a great impact towards that. “I’ve played for big teams like Arsenal and Barcelona, these clubs always set high goals so I understand the targets here. “I like the atmosphere in the squad and hopefully we can achieve something positive together,” the midfielder added.

Continue reading

Manchester derby in China called off….

Manchester City training

The pre-season game in China between Manchester United and Manchester City has been called off because heavy rain has left the pitch unplayable. The surface at the Birds Nest stadium in Beijing was described as “bad” by United boss Jose Mourinho on Sunday. And before the game was called off, City boss Pep Guardiola said his main hope was for players to avoid injury. Both City and United said “tournament organisers and clubs” decided to cancel the match at the 2008 Olympic Stadium. Rain had fallen overnight and there were forecasts of more heavy rain on Monday. The clubs’ planned training sessions were switched away from the stadium on Sunday to the Olympic Sports Centre, about a mile away. The fixture cancellation capped a chaotic 24 hours for the Red Devils. Manager Mourinho’s planned news conference had to be scrapped as too many people tried to get into a room which was deemed too small and too hot. And a plane carrying some of the players had to make an unscheduled stop in Tianjin, around 160km from Beijing, as storms hit the Chinese capital. United will leave Beijing to return to Manchester later on Monday as planned, while City are due to fly to Shenzhen on Tuesday for Thursday’s game against Borussia Dortmund.

Cristiano Ronaldo to have airport named after him….

Cristiano Ronaldo is to have an airport named after him on his native island of Madeira after Portugal’s Euro 2016 success. The Real Madrid star already has a bronze statue, a museum and a hotel bearing his name in the island’s capital city of Funchal, but will soon see the main airport rechristened the Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo airport. Local governor Miguel Albuquerque confirmed the decision, according to Mundo Deportivo, with the 31-year-old superstar currently back on the island after holidaying in Ibiza. Ronaldo was recently reported as desperate to play in the Super Cup in early August but Madrid sources say their number 7 is extremely unlikely to feature. The forward was stretchered off in tears during Portugal’s Euro 2016 final win over France, but recovered enough to prowl the touch line for the final few minutes and then lift the Henri Delaunay trophy.

Continue reading

Sudan U-20s stun Nigeria to qualify for Zambia 2017….

Victor Osimhen

Nigeria, the World Under-17 champions, failed to reach next year’s Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Zambia, falling to a shock 3-4 home defeat to Sudan who sealed a famous qualification. Nigeria hosted Sudan in Lagos leading 2-1 from the first leg, but Sudan – who had a man sent off – came from behind to level the tie 5-5 overall and progress on away goals. Senegal qualified on Friday after eliminating Ghana, and South Africa went through with a win over Lesotho. Nigeria, who have enjoyed much success in youth competitions both in Africa and globally, went into the return leg of their qualifier against Sudan as favourites to win. Not only did they hold a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, they also had 15 members of Nigeria’s triumphant Under-17 World Cup winning side from Chile 2015 in their squad – including the top scorer from that tournament, Victor Osimhen.

David Moyes is the new Sunderland’s manager….

David Moyes

David Moyes has been appointed Sunderland manager on a four-year deal. The former Everton and Manchester United boss, 53, takes charge at the Stadium of Light after Sam Allardyce left to become England manager. “I have taken over a big British club, with a great support, and I’m looking forward to working in the Premier League again,” said Moyes. The Scot has been out of work since being sacked by Spanish club Real Sociedad in November. Allardyce was confirmed as Roy Hodgson’s successor with the national team on Friday.

Suarez says Messi could return for Argentina….

Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez thinks club-mate Lionel Messi will reconsider his decision to quit international football. Messi, 29, retired from Argentina duty after missing a penalty in the Copa America final shootout defeat by Chile. He has never won a major international trophy, losing four finals (one World Cup and three Copas). Suarez, who plays for Argentina’s rivals Uruguay, said: “As a friend and an admirer of football I’d like to see him stay with Argentina’s national team. “His love for country is not up for discussion, but you also have to understand him after losing the final. I think he’ll reconsider.”

Allardyce finally named England boss….

England have finally confirmed Sam Allardyce as their new manager on a two-year deal. The 61-year-old Sunderland boss replaces Roy Hodgson, who left after their Euro 2016 last-16 exit to Iceland. The Football Association have issued a statement on Sam Allardyce being named England boss. “Allardyce arrives with a proven track record of getting the best results out of the teams he has managed and a strong reputation as a forward-thinker with progressive ideas. “Alongside his primary target of qualification for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia, Allardyce has a mandate to shape a strong, purposeful team identity and maximise the performance potential of a young, talented England squad at a major tournament. “Allardyce is also charged with helping [technical director Dan] Ashworth integrate and strengthen the FA’s elite performance and coaching programme across the England senior and development teams at St. George’s Park.”

Pochettino and Simeone are targets of Argentina FA….

Mauricio Pochettino and Diego Simeone are among the managers Argentina want to talk to about the national team coach vacancy following last month’s shock resignation of Gerardo Martino. Armando Perez, head of an Argentine FA (AFA) Regularisation Committee, also plans to talk to Lionel Messi with a view to asking the team’s former captain to reverse his decision to quit international soccer. Perez plans to fly to Europe next month because he wants to hear personally from Atletico Madrid’s Simeone and former Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli, now at Sevilla, their views on the national team. Both have said their ambition is to coach Argentina and would be popular choices.

Brice Dja Djedje joins Watford….

Marseille defender Brice Dja Djedje says he has joined Watford. The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international has signed a four-year deal and will move for about £3m. “I had other proposals, yes, even a German club, but I preferred to sign for Watford because this is a good club,” he told the French newspaper. “I will find some former players of Ligue 1 and because it allows me to set foot in the Premier League.”

Julen Lopetegui is Spain’s new manager….

Julen Lopetegui

Spain have named Julen Lopetegui as their new manager. Vicente del Bosque stepped down after eight years in charge following their disappointing Euro 2016 campaign, which ended at the last-16 stage. Lopetegui, 49, was sacked as Porto boss in January and has previously coached Spain at youth level.

Gotze completes Dortmund return….

Mario Gotze

Borussia Dortmund have confirmed they have re-signed forward Mario Gotze from Bayern Munich. The 24-year-old left Dortmund for Bayern Munich in 2013. He helped Bayern win three Bundesliga titles and also scored the winner for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. He has agreed a four-year deal, subject to a medical.

Four-year deal for Portugal boss Santos….

Fernando Santos with the Euro 2016 triphy

Portugal’s Euro 2016-winning coach Fernando Santos has signed a new four-year contract. The 61-year-old guided Portugal to their first European title with an extra-time victory over hosts France in Paris earlier this month. He has coached Portugal since 2014, having previously spent four years in charge of the Greece national team. Portugal begin their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign on 6 September against Switzerland in Basel.

Marco Cecchinato given 18-month ban for match-fixing….

Marco Cecchinato

Italy’s Marco Cecchinato has been banned for 18 months and fined 40,000 euros for match-fixing, says the Italian tennis federation. The 23-year-old world number 143 was found guilty of altering the outcome of his match against Kamil Majchrzak at an ATP Challenger in Morocco in October. Riccardo Accardi and Antonio Campo have also been banned and fined for their roles in attempts to fix matches. Accardi was given a 12-month ban while Campo was suspended for four months. Cecchinato, who is able to appeal, was found guilty of “several other instances of sports corruption” and suspended until January 2018.

Schalke confirm Leroy Sane is set for exit….

Sane is free to complete a move to City after Germany's elimination from the Euros

Schalke sporting director Christian Heidel has confirmed Manchester City target Leroy Sane wants to leave the German side in the current transfer window – and strongly suggested an English club are set to sign him. A fee of around £42 million is thought to be on the table, with City keen to add Sane’s blistering pace to their forward line ahead of the new season. “Leroy Sane has expressed a desire to leave the club this summer,” Heidel told the German media. Sane, 20, has been heavily linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium for some time. M.E.N. Sport revealed in January that City scouts had been dispatched to watch the winger on numerous occasions – and with new manager Pep Guardiola a known admirer of his talent, their interest has been stepped up this summer now the Catalan has officially taken over. Bayern Munich’s interest in the youngster cooled over the weekend, leaving City in pole position to land a player who was part of Jogi Low’s German squad for this summer’s European Championships.

Tiger Woods out of US PGA….

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the US PGA, meaning he will miss all four majors in a calendar year for the first time since his Masters debut in 1995. American Woods, 40, has not played tournament golf in almost a year and had two operations last autumn in an attempt to cure a back problem. His agent has confirmed he will not play for the rest of this season as he is not ready for “competitive golf”. The 14-time major winner has dropped to a world ranking of 628.

Conte says Diego Costa will stay on at Chelsea….

Diego Costa

New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says striker Diego Costa will stay at the club next season and is of “fundamental importance” to his plans. Spain international Costa has been linked with a return to former club Atletico Madrid. The 27-year-old has scored 36 goals in 77 games since joining Chelsea in 2014. “Diego stays with us. He is working very hard. He is very happy to work with his team-mates and with me,” said former Italy boss Conte. “He is a fantastic player, a player with a fundamental importance, and there is no problem. “He is an important player, one of the best in the world, and I am sure when he goes into our ideas he will score a lot of goals for us.”

Demba Ba will not retire after injury….

Demba Ba

Former Premier League striker Demba Ba says he will not retire after suffering a career-threatening broken leg. Ba, now playing for Shanghai Shenhua, collapsed during a challenge in a Chinese Super League match, with his left leg giving way beneath the knee. After the match, the Senegal forward’s coach Gregorio Manzano said the injury “could end his professional career”. “This is a really bad injury but I can overcome it. I won’t call time on my career, that’s for sure,” said Ba, 31. The former West Ham, Newcastle and Chelsea forward added: “The season here ends in November and the new one starts in March. I’ll do my best to return in time for the season after that.” Ba, who joined Shenhua from Turkish club Besiktas for about £12m last July, is the top scorer in the Chinese Super League with 14 goals in 18 games.

Wes Morgan signs new Leicester City deal….

Wes Morgan

Leicester City captain Wes Morgan has signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until June 2019. The 32-year-old defender played every minute in the league last season as the Foxes won the Premier League title. Morgan joined Leicester from Nottingham Forest in January 2012 and has made 182 league appearances for the club. “To commit my future to Leicester City is a wonderful feeling. Everyone knows how I feel about playing for this club,” he told the club website. “Lifting that Premier League trophy was a moment I will never forget and it’s still sinking in. Now we’ve got to give it everything to defend it as well as showing what we can do in the Champions League.” Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri described Morgan as a “leader and a warrior”, adding: “It’s a wonderful time to be part of this team. Now we have another huge season ahead of us and we need him.”

Paul Le Guen has no deal with Nigeria Football Federation….

Paul le Guen

Paul Le Guen will not be taking up a role as Nigeria’s new technical adviser, despite an announcement from the country’s football federation. He had been named by the NFF, which said he would work alongside Salisu Yusuf, who was named chief coach. But the two parties could not come to a deal over a contract. The NFF said it had not been able to reach agreement on targets for the job, or over where the coach would be based. The Secretary-General of the NFF said that Le Guen had “rejected our terms”. French football reporter Hervé Penot, a friend of the coach said that Le Guen had had discussions but had never agreed a deal. “He met the president of the federation, his requests were not met so that was it – it was finished,” he said. A later statement from the NFF said it had “no issue with Le Guen saying he is not coming; several highly-qualified persons would be happy to coach Nigeria.” Sunday Oliseh was the Super Eagles’ last permanent coach before he quit in February in a row over his contract. Yusuf was in charge of the Super Eagles for friendly wins against Mali and Luxembourg in May. Nigeria have failed to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon, but are in the final round of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. They have been drawn in Group B where they will face Algeria, the top-ranked side in Africa, Cameroon, as well as Zambia. The NFF’s technical committee had also recommended that former Super Eagles assistant coach Bitrus Bewarang be given the role of national technical director.