When the first reports linking Lionel Messi with Inter Milan appeared, many had concerns over the prospect of a star of such magnitude being managed by Phil Neville. With all due respect to the former Manchester United and Everton defender, he isn t exactly what you d call a manager of proper experience in managing top players. Further more, his team have found themselves sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference in the MLS.
Fortunately for those who doubted Neville s credentials to lead this team down the right road, the club decided enough was enough and though it must ve pained part-owner David Beckham to sack his former teammate, it had to be done. The decision was made public at the start of this month.
So now the question is, who is the right man to sit in t…
French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet is hopeful France coach Didier Deschamps will remain in the role beyond 2018.
Deschamps was appointed as Laurent Blanc s successor in 2012 and has generally impressed in his time as boss, leading France on an impressive run to the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup that was ended by eventual winners Germany.
France have beaten the likes of Spain, Portugal and Germany since the World Cup and the Euro 2016 hosts are second favourites behind Joachim Low s world champions to lift the trophy.
Former Chelsea midfielder Deschamps whose contract with France expires in 2018 has been linked with the managerial role at Stamford Bridge, although Italy coach Antonio Conte is said to be close to agreeing a deal to take over …
Erik ten Hag promised he was a “fighter” after Manchester United slumped to a 3-0 Carabao Cup home defeat to Newcastle to pile more pressure on him.
Defeat in the rematch of last season’s final – which United won to highlight a promising first season in charge for the Dutchman – meant United have lost eight of their opening 15 fixtures in all competitions this term, their worst start since the 1962-63 campaign.
Goals from Miguel Almiron, Lewis Hall and Joe Willock ensured a second consecutive 3-0 home defeat for United, comfortably beaten by rivals Manchester City on Sunday, and they were booed off at both half-time and full-time as Ten Hag was left facing some serious questions.
“I am a fighter and I know it is not always going up,” he said.
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David James believes Arsenal s blossoming rivalry with Manchester City can only intensify should they win the Premier League title this season.
The latest instalment of Pep Guardiola squaring off against his apprentice, Mikel Arteta, delivered an enthralling encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Erling Haaland s 100th City strike was followed by Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes goals, with Leandro Trossard then seeing red after delaying the restart in a pulsating first 45 minutes.
The hosts struggled to make their man advantage count, though, registering eight shots on target from the 27 they attempted before substitute John Stones late intervention snatched a point eight minutes into stoppage time.
But the aftermath of the contest saw tens…
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti claimed Karim Benzema’s choice to leave the club after 14 years was a surprise “last-minute” decision made on the final day of the LaLiga season.
Benzema’s departure was announced by the Spanish outfit hours before the striker netted for the final time in Real’s last game of the season on Sunday night, a penalty equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao.
It took Real’s most decorated player to 354 goals in 648 appearances and he leaves as the club’s second all-time top scorer after Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ancelotti told a press conference: “His departure was a surprise for everyone, but you have to understand it. It was a last-minute decision. Yesterday he trained normally and today he made this decision.
“…
Toronto FC head coach John Herdman has said his side must rediscover their clinical edge upon their MLS return after their Canadian Championship final defeat in midweek.
The Reds were beaten by the Vancouver Whitecaps on penalties after a goalless encounter, with goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer proving to be the hero, making seven saves on the night.
But Herdman was left ruing those missed opportunities as the Whitecaps claimed their third-straight title, insisting his players must respond against the Chicago Fire this weekend.
“We are just not clinical at the moment,” Herdman said. “It’s been a couple games where we’ve been right there knocking on the door but just haven’t been able to find that killer moment or we found a keeper that’s standing on his he…
Technology has undeniably revolutionized how we experience various sports; from training methods to performance to officiating. Two main examples of this are seen in the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in soccer and anti-cheat systems in the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive popularly known by the acronym CSGO. Though these technologies adapted to sports have divergent applications, they were purposefully invented to achieve similar things: to ensure fair play, maintain integrity, and improve the experience of participants and spectators. In this piece, we will delve into the impact of technology on physical sports and e-sports with a focus on soccer and CSGO. We will equally compare their roles in their respective domains and explore the broader implications f…
Mauritius will look to begin life after Didier Six, when they travel to Accra for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Ghana and Mauritius both head into their Group H qualifier on the back of a much-needed win last time out.
Mauritius had not won in nine prior to their 1-0 win over Seychelles at the COSAFA Cup in May, however the victory did not save Six who lasted just five months in the position.
Six was absent for the Seychelles win after being sanctioned for poor behaviour at the COSAFA Cup, and departed the role in bizarre circumstances not returning for duties despite not officially resigning, which led to his sacking.
Akbar Patel, who previously held the senior reins, was in charge for the victory, and presumably will be in the technical area in Ac…
We had to wait an extra year, but the Euro 2020 group stage threw up drama and records – and in terms of goals it delivered magnificently.
With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku hitting their stride, it was a feast for the strikers, with 94 goals scored across the 36 games.
That represented a massive raising of the bar after only 69 goals were netted at the same stage in the 2016 tournament.
Here, Stats Perform looks at the most eye-catching numbers that defined the first 13 days of this delayed tournament – ahead of the do-or-die knockout stage getting under way.
Ronaldo making up for lost time
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score as many as five goals in the group stages of a single European Champions…
Vinicius Junior says he faces a long road to compete for the Ballon d Or, as he tipped team-mate Karim Benzema to be named the world s best player this year.
Vinicius scored the only goal of the game as Real Madrid beat Liverpool to win their 14th Champions League title in May, having also played a key role in Los Blancos dominant La Liga triumph.
The Brazilian scored 22 goals and recorded 16 assists in all competitions during the 2021-22 season, the latter figure representing a team-high total and one bettered only by Thomas Muller (22), Kylian Mbappe (21) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (18) among players in Europe s top five leagues.
Brazil s 2002 World Cup winner Rivaldo recently tipped Vinicius to challenge for the title of the world s best as early as next year,…