Picture from: freelargeimages.com
Review of the day
contract
Ipswich Town have extended the contract of youngster Flynn Downs. The 20-year-old academy midfielder is currently contracted until 2022, with the option to extend for a further year.
Pick up and drop off service
Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire have waived Lichtenstein midfielder Nicolas Hasler.
Brazilian left-back Jorge has been allowed to leave Monaco and join Santos on loan.
Pig’s trotters are getting paid again
Ken Anderson has apparently taken inspiration from Newcastle United boss Mike Ashley’s approach to fan protests. Every time things got too much, Ashley simply claimed the club was about to be sold and the protests died down. Anderson kept saying Bolton could sell within 48 hours, but nothing happened, apart from wages being owed again and a £1.2m tax bill still hanging over the club. Former Watford boss Laurence Bassini is in talks to buy Bolton Wanderers, according to the BBC. In 2013, Laurence Bassini was banned from holding a senior position at any English Football League club for three years for engaging in dishonest financial dealings. Bolton may switch from “No Ken Do” to “No Ban Left” and become even more worried about their financial future!
Levine faces misconduct charges
Heart of Midlothian head coach and director of football Craig Levein has been charged with misconduct by the Scottish Football Association following an incident at an under-18s Edinburgh derby.
Only 30 spectators for Cairo Derby
Egypt introduced security restrictions on fans attending games after a riot in Port Said in 2012 left more than 70 people dead during a match between Al Masri and Al Ahli, meaning there will be only 30 fans at the 86,000-capacity Borg El Arab Stadium for Al Ahli’s Cairo derby against Zamalek. Zamalek are top of the league, two points behind Al Ahli, and have two of the biggest fan bases in Egypt.
Ighalo claims he turned down Barcelona
It was clear in January that Barcelona were done with Kevin-Prince Boateng on loan for the second half of the season and were turning to licking the water from the spoon, but now we know the true depth of their desperation through the words of former Watford striker Odion Ighalo. Ighalo, who plays for Chinese Super League team Shanghai Shenhua, revealed that he rejected a loan contract from Barcelona and signed a long-term contract with the Chinese club. “We said no, it was an easy decision and I chose to stay in China and sign a longer contract with Shanghai Shenhua.” Not sure if saying he wasn’t good enough to be top scorer in a weak league makes him deserve better. It’s like getting an offer from Barcelona but then saying you were part of the school team as a kid so you deserve better.
Monkey hangers suffer blow at Fulham
Hartlepool United are seeking compensation from Fulham over the signing of teenage defender Luka Murphy. According to Hartlepool, the 17-year-old came close to moving to the London club in January, with Fulham listing to them the reasons why Murphy wasn’t good enough. Hartlepool and Fulham had agreed a transfer fee and the youngster even visited Fulham’s facilities in a bid to sign, but Fulham ultimately pulled out of the deal. The teenager’s behavior has since seen him dismissed from Hartlepool’s youth teams, with Fulham subsequently signing him on a free transfer. Hartlepool’s statement read: “Luka’s behavior has deteriorated to the point where it was no longer appropriate for him to remain with our youth teams, but when he left us both he and his agent were aware that we reserve the right to seek compensation. “It is an understatement to describe the conduct of the player, his agent and Fulham Football Club as leaving much to be desired. We need the support of the football authorities to protect us from this inappropriate behavior.
Burnley makes record profit
Not long ago, when Sean Dyche first took charge of the Clarets, Burnley were forced to sell players to keep the club afloat. Things are different now that he has taken the club into the Premier League twice and kept it there the second time (at least so far), with the club now posting record profits. In the accounts for the year to June 2018, it was revealed that the sales of Michael Keane to Everton and Andre Gray to Watford were worth a total of more than £45 million, helping the club to a record profit of £36.6 million. One minor concern is that wages will increase by £20m, from £61m to £81m.
FA appoints new chief executive
This time, the Football Association seems to be actually appointing a new chief executive, rather than blushing when the chosen party gets a better offer from their current employer and changes their mind! Mark Bullingham, currently the FA’s chief commercial officer and football development officer, has been handed over to the FA. Bullingham, a qualified coach who manages an under-9 girls team and an under-11 boys team, has yet to set a date to start his new role, but current coach Martin Glen will leave the role at the end of the season.
Written by Tris Burke March 30, 2019 05:52:16