Football News: Broomstick Robber Attempts To Blackmail Bayern, Jose Backed To Restore Man Utd To Former Glories And More
Image from: zimbio.com
1. Broomstick Robber arrested for Bayern blackmail
A former bank robber, nicknamed the 'Broomstick Robber' after a crime spree that netted him millions in the 1990s when he held hostages and locked bank doors with a broom before escaping with the money, has been arrested for attempting to extort money from Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. The 63 year old was freed on parole in 2009 after being sentenced to over 13 years in prison in 1999 for 17 counts of bank robbery. The man has been charged with blackmail after demanding 1m Euros in cash and 2m Euros worth of diamonds with threats involving bombs and drones.
2. Transfer round up
Vukasin Jovanovic, Red Star Belgrade to Zenit St Petersburg, £1.5m
Sheng Guo, Beijing Renhe to Nei Mongol Zhongyou, £38,000
Hugo Monteiro, Arouca to Anadia, on loan
Dmitri Turlin, Belshina Bobruisk to Granit Mikashevichi, free
Omar Elhussieny, Levadia Tallinn to Persela Lamongan, free
Craig Henderson, Stabaek IF to GAIS Goteborg, free
Patrik Bordon, NK Ankaran to Jedinstvo Bihac, free
Igor Lisitsa, Neman Grodno to Granut Mikashevichi, free
Shuang Hao, Heibei China Fortun to Henan Billows, free
Vitali Kibuk, Torpedo Zhodino to Granit Mikashevichi, free
Nikolai Zenko, FK Slutsk to Granit Mikashevichi, free
Dejan Boljevic, FK Cukaricki to Nasaf Qarshi, free
Mads Songve, Nest-Sotra IL to Asane Fotball, free
Marsel Mace, FK Miricina to GOSK Gabela, free
Sebastian Chitosca, Steaua Bucharest to Voluntari, on loan
David Mildzikhov, Baikal Irkutsk to Zenit St Petersburg, free
Andrey Shtygel, Neman Grodno to FK Lida, free
Hao Luo, Ghuangzhou R&F to Nei Mongol Zhongyou, free
Tim Cahill, Shanghai Shenhua to Hangzhou Greentown, free
Daniel Braaten, Valerenga to SK Brann, free
Sergejs Kozans, Bytovia Bytow to Spartaks, free
Reasat Khaton, SG Kaufungen to JK Tammeka, free
Egor Potapov, FK Granitas to FF Jaro, free
Sem Nijkamp, FC Emmen to VV Emmen, free
Kenan Ragipovic, Mladost Obarska to Mornar Bar, undisclosed fee
Blazo Rajovic, unattached to Mornar Bar
Stevan Pavicevic, Iskra Danilovgrad to FK Bratstvo, undisclosed fee
Gonzalo Ancheta, Walter Ferretti to Huracan, undisclosed fee
Eddie Hernandez, CD Motagua to Qingdao Jonoon, on loan
Michele De Matteis, unattached to Marcianise
3. Blatter and Platini bans reduced
Disgraced football officials Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have had their appeal against suspension from football rejected, though the length of their bans were reduced. Initially the pair were banned for eight years, after being found guilty by FIFA's independent ethics committee over a secret financial transaction in 2011. They are now banned for six years, following an in-house appeals committee, made up of members of FIFA's federations, decided the punishment was too harsh.
4. Deco backs Jose to return Man Utd to glory
Brazilian-born former Portugal international Deco has backed his former boss Jose Mourinho to become the next manager of Manchester United. Deco believes Mourinho, who managed him at Chelsea and Porto, is the only man capable of returning the Red Devils to their former glories. United have yet to win a major trophy since Alex Ferguson retired, just one Community Shield the return in that time. Louis van Gaal's era with Man Utd looks to be coming to an end, with United struggling in 5th place, six points adrift of the Champions League places. Deco has told the Red Devils that they should move heaven and earth if necessary to make him their new manager. "Manchester United have to get back to the highest level and Mourinho is the man to do it," said Deco. "Mourinho will bring confidence back to both players and fans. You cannot win anything if you have no confidence."
5. Brazilian joins Union
Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union have completed the signing of Brazilian winger Ilsinho. Ilsinho spent three years in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk, making 19 appearances in the UEFA Champions League in that time. Union used MLS Targeted Allocation Money to sign the Brazilian on a two-year deal. "We're extremely excited to land a player of Ilsinho's caliber and that he chose Philadelphia over other options," Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Earnie Stewart said in a press release. "For a player with experience at the highest level in this sport, he came into our preseason camp with a tremendous work rate and that speaks to the type of person he is and who we want at our club. His elite-level attacking ability speaks for itself and we're confident he'll have an immediate impact."
6. Varela confirms blocked January exit
Manchester United right back Guillermo Varela has confirmed that he wanted to leave the club in the January transfer window but that a move was blocked by Louis van Gaal. The Uruguayan was David Moyes' first signing as Red Devils manager in the summer of 2013, though he failed to make a single appearance under the Scotsman. Last season he spent out on loan with Real Madrid Castilla. The first half of the season saw Varela make just two Premier League appearances, despite United being decimated by injuries, and he felt he needed to leave to get some first team football. Varela told Sport 890: "Because I saw I wouldn't play, I would have few chances. I spoke to the manager and he told me that no, I couldn't go, because I was going to play. Everything happened so quickly that you don't believe that you're playing in the most important league in the world. I take it calmly, training and looking forward." Since then, he has not featured in the Premier League.
7. Dunn back at Rovers
Former Blackburn Rovers midfielder David Dunn, who had two spells with the Championship club as a player, making 377 appearances for the Ewood Park club, has returned. Dunn had a recent spell as manager of Oldham Athletic which did not go well, in League One, but is now going to work as an assistant coach with the Rovers under-21s squad, under former team-mate Damien Johnson. "I'm delighted to be back at the club. I don't have to say how much this club means to me. I think everyone knows what Blackburn Rovers means to me personally," said Dunn. "So I'm just really looking forward to coming in and helping Damien. We have a good relationship anyway, so that should be fine and obviously I'm looking forward to learning from the manager (Paul Lambert), as well as Alan (Irvine) and Rob (Kelly), who are some of the best coaches around."
8. Former Spurs man takes over at Ahly
Former Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham manager Martin Jol has replaced Portugese coach Jose Peseiro at Egypt's most well-supported side Ahly. Ahly are top of the Egyptian league but Peseiro left abruptly to take over Porto in his home country last month. "Jol is a big technical edition for the team because he is an experienced coach with a good CV, winning trophies with the teams he led before," chairman Mahmoud Taher told reporters on Thursday. "Jol has character and charisma and can meet the expectations of fans and management," the Ahly chairman added. "Ahly's good reputation, leading world clubs in terms of international titles, helped me to finalise the deal with Jol quickly," Taher added. "He is happy to coach Ahly and accepted the challenge, even after I informed him about the crowd ban, just to make things clear. He welcomed the deal and revealed that he is happy to stay in Egypt. I hope Jol leads Ahly in the coming edition of the Clubs World Cup in Japan in December," Taher concluded.
9. Robert Pires finally retires
Just a year after his last game, Arsenal legend Robert Pires has announced his retirement at the age of 42. Pires last played for Indian Super League side FC Goa, but was released by the ISL club way back in March. "I am 42 years old and now must be the time to say stop," Pires told French newspaper L'Equipe. "My last experience was in India. Above all it is necessary give way to the young players." Pires was a member of the 'Invincibles' side that went through an entire Premier League campaign unbeaten in 2003/04, as well as winning the World Cup with France. Over the last year, the former Villareal and Aston Villa winger has been coaching at Arsenal.
10. Notts County put up for sale
Owner Ray Trew has put England's oldest professional football club, Notts County, up for sale. The Magpies chairman bought County for just £1 in 2010, but also took on over £1.5m in debt as well. Trew wrote in an open letter on the club's website: 'It is with very mixed emotions that I announce the end of my tenure as chairman of Notts County Football Club, as I put the club up for sale, having re-evaluated my position in light of recent events. I must start by stressing that this is not me backing away from a challenge. I do not do that and, indeed, if I'd have wanted to I would have done so some time ago because it has been a difficult journey at times. However, when my family are subjected to kind of foul, mindless abuse that they have been in recent days - both in person and courtesy of the oh so brave keyboard warriors - regardless of whether this is just the minority ruining it for the larger supporter base, I have to make changes. That said, whilst I have a somewhat bad taste in my mouth from the vitriol spouted by some, I do not walk away lingering on any negativity but instead will take with me the many happy memories that I have accrued from my time at Meadow Lane.'
Written by Tris Burke February 25 2016 15:42:31
