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Review of the day
Cambridge goalkeeper trade
Young Bulgarian goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov has signed a new three-year contract with Cambridge United. The 21-year-old serves as David Forde’s backup but has started the final three league games of the season. Mitov said: “I agreed without hesitation as I really enjoyed my first year at Abbey. I am now ready to keep working hard and compete for the No. 1 spot and look forward to getting back to work in pre-season.”
Al Ahli coach resigns after heavy defeat
Hossam Badri, the head coach of Egypt’s Ahly club, announced his resignation after an unexpected loss to Uganda’s KCCA in Group A of the African Champions League. Although they did win the Egyptian League title this season, the defeat left them at the bottom of the group after their first two games.
McGregor returns to Ibrox
Alan McGregor has returned to the club six years after leaving Rangers to join Besiktas. The 36-year-old was Hull City’s player of the year this season but turned down a contract offer to return to Scotland. McGregor said: “I can’t keep the smile off my face. When the opportunity came it was an absolute no-brainer. I started training here when I was 12 and to be back is unbelievable. We need to make this place better.” [Ibrox] A fortress that no one wants to come to and we need to win games no matter who you play against. If you keep doing this, that’s why you win championships. “
Everything changes for Everton
Everton have sacked Sam Allardyce, his coaching staff and Steve Walsh as they look to make a fresh start under Farhad Moshiri. Marcel Brands was the first to succeed Walsh as director of football. The 56-year-old Dutchman previously served as PSV Eindhoven’s sporting director. The changes are also larger in scale, with new chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale replacing Robert Elstone, who left to take a similar role in a rugby-based regulation.
Southgate announces England squad
There are no surprises in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for next month’s World Cup. The biggest surprise may be the addition of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who has spent the season on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea.
England team:
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley).
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Cahill (Chelsea), Delph (Manchester City), Jones (Manchester United), Maguire (Leicester City), Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Stones (Manchester City), Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur), Walker (Manchester City), Ashley Young (Manchester United).
Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea).
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal).
Substitutes: Lewis Cook (Bournemouth), Tom Heaton (Burnley), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), Jack Livermore (West Brom), James Tarkowski (Burnley).
Athletic Cup Final
Sporting Lisbon players have said they will play in the Portuguese Cup final despite being attacked by a large group of fans at the training ground. The teams all signed a statement saying they would “respect their status as professional players” even though they “do not possess the mental and psychological conditions required to compete”. The players have also said they will take legal action, which could see them leave for free, costing the club hundreds of millions of euros.
RIP Ray Wilson
Ray Wilson, England’s oldest starter in the 1966 World Cup final, aged 31, has died aged 83. The left-back began his career at Huddersfield Town before joining Everton, where he enjoyed a memorable 1966 season and won the FA Cup just weeks before the World Cup.
Maradona gets new role
Just weeks after Emirati club Fujairah resigned as head coach after missing out on automatic promotion to the UAE’s top flight, Diego Maradona has signed a three-year contract as president of Belarusian top flight side Dinamo Brest. After his resignation, his Fujairah team gained promotion through the play-offs.
Moyes leaves Hammers
David Moyes has left West Ham United just months after taking over from Slaven Bilic and leading them to avoid relegation in the Premier League. West Ham joint-chairman David Sullivan said: “When David and his team arrived, both parties wanted to focus on the six months before the end of the season, when decisions will be made about the future. We feel it is right to move in a different direction. Our aim is to appoint a high-quality figure who we feel will lead the club over the next 10 days to deliver an exciting future for our loyal supporters.”
Swindon releases five
Tanned Swindon Town manager Phil Brown sacked Rice-Charles Cook, Donal McDermott, Tom Aldridge, Ben Purkiss and Tom Smith. League Two did offer new contracts to six others, opting to extend the contracts of Luke Norris, Kyle Neuer and Scott Twin.
Luton also posted five
Luton Town have announced the release of five players who helped them gain promotion following the club’s promotion to the First Division. Captain Scott Cuthbert, Johnny Mullins, Jordan Cook, Lawson Das and Kawan Kote are all now looking for new clubs. The Caps did re-sign seven other players to one-year deals.
Nantes confirm Ranieri will leave in summer
Claudio Ranieri has signed a two-year coaching contract with Ligue 1 club Nantes but will leave this summer after one year in charge, the club’s president has announced. Valdemar Kita said: “We can’t hide anything. We had a meeting with the sponsor and he thanked everyone. He must be thanked for all the work he did. It was not always easy, there are regrets, but this is life and there is no anger.”
Hasenhüttl quits Leipzig
The head coach of Bundesliga side Leipzig has left the club two years into a three-year contract. Ralph Hasenhüttl led the team to their first Champions League appearance but decided to leave after the club refused to consider a contract extension. Hasenhuttl said: “The club has every right not to offer me a contract extension, but we also stress that it is not ideal to enter the final year of the contract without a clear long-term future plan. “I think this is important for the future of the club and I hope to get a reassuring “yes” rather than a resounding “no”.
Bremen enters the transfer market
Werder Bremen dabbled in the transfer market earlier this summer, announcing the signing of Japan international Yuya Osako from German club 1. FC Koln for an undisclosed fee. The Green and White have also brought in young left-back Leon Guwara, who is currently on loan at Kaiserslautern but will become a player for Utrecht FC next season.
Huth replaces Kovac
With Niko Kovac leaving Eintracht Frankfurt to take charge of Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt have announced the appointment of Adi Huth to replace him. The Austrian coach has just shattered FC Basel’s dominance at the top of the Swiss Super League, leading Young Boys to their first league title since 1986.
Hercules signs new goalkeeper
Dutch Eredivisie side Hercules Armelo have signed Janis Blasewicz from Monchengladbach. The 27-year-old, who signed a three-year contract, said: “I’m delighted that the move has been completed. My goal has always been to play at the highest level possible. The Eredivisie is one of the best leagues in Europe and now I want to prove my ability at this level.”
Written by Tris Burke May 20, 2018 20:52:53