Football News: Review Of The Day 22nd December 2020

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Review of the Day

Contracts

Former Irish international Daryl Murphy has signed a new one year deal with Waterford.

Transfers

Australian A-League side Central Coast Mariners have signed Costa Rican World Cup goal scorer Marcos Urena on a free transfer.

Injury Round-Up

A covid outbreak in the Millwall squad has caused their next two matches to be called off. Their match at Bournemouth on 26th December and home to Watford on 29th December are the casualties. The club has also closed its Calmont Road training ground. League One side Ipswich Town have also had to call off their next two league games, on the same dates, against Northampton Town and AFC Wimbledon after 6 members of staff tested positive.

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is ruled out of the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester City due to a calf injury.

Managerial Changes

After sacking manager Vladimir Ivic, Watford have appointed Xisco Munoz as their new head coach in his place. Munoz was in charge of Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi. Ivic was sacked as Watford dropped to 5th in the Championship.

John Hughes has taken charge of Ross County. Hughes replaces Stuart Kettlewell who was sacked on Saturday.

Livingston have confirmed David Martindale as their manager until the end of the season after 4 wins from four games under his caretaker guidance. Martindale stepped in after Gary Holt resigned last month.

South Korean World Cup star Lee Young-Pyo has taken up a new role in the game. The 43 year old Lee is to be new CEO of Gwangwon FC. Lee was the left-back in Korea's 2002 FIFA World Cup run to the semi-finals and played for Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven during his playing days.

Disciplinary Charges

Borussia Moenchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram has been banned for five matches with a further suspended game ban for spitting in the face of TSG Hoffenheim defender Stefan Posch. Thuram has also been fined 40,000 euros by the German FA (DFB). Gladbach have stated that they will also fine the player separately over the incident.

New Serie A Record

AC Milan forward Rafael Leao has set a new record for the fastest goal ever scored in Serie A when he opened the scoring against Sassuolo in just 6 seconds. The previous record was 8.9 seconds by Piacenza's Paolo Poggi against Fiorentina.

PFA In Contact With Owls' Owner

The Professional Footballers' Association has written to the owner of Sheffield Wednesday, Dejphon Chansiri, after players at the club were not paid their full salaries in November. The poor loves are having to manage on a mere £7,000 a week as the Thai owner struggles with cashflow problems. The PFA are asking when players will receive their outstanding wages as the poosibility of a transfer embargo looms large over the club.

Cup Dates Changed

The Carabao Cup final has been put back from Sunday 28th February to Sunday 25th April as the English Football League are hoping that more fans will then be able to attend the match. London is currently in tier 4 of the government's lockdown restrictions, meaning no fans are able to attend sporting events.

Written by Tris Burke December 22 2020 05:46:30