Football News: Review Of The Day 24th April 2019

Image from: freelargeimages.com

Review of the Day

Contracts

Blackburn Rovers right-back Ryan Nyambe has signed a contract extension until 2021. The 21 year old is an academy graduate who made his debut for the Lancashire club at the age of 17.

R.I.P. Skipper

Former Hull City defender Pete Skipper has passed away at the age of 61. Skipper had two spells with the Tigers, helping them to promotion twice in 3 years in the early 1980s. A Hull statement said: "He will be sadly missed by everyone at Hull City, and our thoughts are very much with Pete's family and friends at this time." Skipper also played for Scunthorpe United, Darlington, Oldham Athletic, Walsall, Wrexham and Wigan Athletic.

Alioski Out For Season

Leeds United's winger/full back Ezgjan Alioski is to miss the end of the season due to surgery to repair the torn meniscus he suffered in the defeat to Brentford. Alioski, who is a Macedonia international, will not be available for the play-offs, if Leeds fail to clinch the automatic promotion that had seemed to be all sewn up just a few weeks ago.

Celtic Legend McNeil Gone

The first Brit ever to lift the European Cup, legendary Celtic captain Billy McNeill, has died aged 79. McNeill captained Celtic's Lisbon Lions and led the team to 9 league titles in a row, 7 Scottish Cup and 6 Scottish League Cups. He also managed the club twice, winning 4 more titles and 4 Scottish Cups. He also had spells managing Clyde, Aberdeen, Manchester City and Aston Villa. McNeill made a massive 822 appearances in Celtic.

Tunisian League Matches Investigated

Suspicious betting patterns are being looked into by French police and the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) after large cash bets of more than 32,000 euros were placed on the result of the match between US Ben Guerdane and ES Metlaoui this month. The bets were flagged up by Francaise des Jeux (FDJ), the government-owned company that runs France's national lottery, flagged up suspicious activity after the bets all happened in the hours before the match and in and around the French city of Nice. FDJ had raised concerns about matches involving Ben Guerdane twice last year, following similar betting patterns, also in Nice. FTF, meanwhile, have suspended a regional league to examine separate allegations of match manipulation in Tunisia. The federation have passed on their suspicions and evidence to the Attorney General to act upon.

Hammers Refused Permission To Move Kick-Off Time

West Ham United have had their request rejected by the FA to move the kick-off time of their Premier League match with Southampton. The Hammers were asking to move the time of the kick-off forward from 3pm to 12:30, in order to give fans the chance to also go to Wembley to support their women's team in the FA Cup final on the same day.

Long Scores Record Goal

Despite normally taking about a year to score a goal, Southampton 'striker' Shane Long has set a new Premier League record for the fastest goal in a game after he scored just 7.69 seconds into the match with Watford on Tuesday. The goal came that quickly despite Watford having the kick-off. It broke the previous record held by Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King of 9.82 seconds.

Pep Denies Tactical Fouling Claims

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has denied that his players commit tactical fouls after Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said of City: "They will snap at your ankles and heels and kick you. They are not going to allow us easy counter-attacking because there will be fouls, I have absolutely no doubt about it." Guardiola has denied that his team uses tactical fouls and pointed at their low number of yellow cards as evidence his team do not do so. However we all know that City players, particularly Fernandinho and Vincent Kompany, need to perform a decapitation to pick up a yellow card, while their opponents only have to breath on a City player to be booked. That is why I hate stats used on their own as evidence to prove a point, as without context they are just meaningless numbers. The fact that City get so few cards is only evidence that there is something wrong with the refereeing in the English game as they are the most blatant team for tactical fouling in the game. It has always been something Guardiola has utilised as a tactic and why not when it works for him?

Renard Denies Lyon Talks

Morocco's head coach Herve Renard has denied holding talks with Lyon over their vacant managerial position. Reports had claimed that Renard had held talks with Olympique Lyonnaise's general manager Gerard Houllier after current Lyon head coach Bruno Genesio announced he would be leaving in the summer. Renard said: "There was a rumour that I met Gerard Houllier [the general manager of Olympique Lyon] in Marrakech. I was training with my selection and I've never met him. Here, I have an Africa Cup of Nations to prepare for. I'm focusing on that and I am an employee of the Moroccan Federation."

Jovic Could Join Madrid

The sporting director of Luka Jovic's current club, Eintracht Frankfurt, has suggested the Serbian striker could join Real Madrid in the summer, despite his contract being extended last week. Fredi Bobic said on German TV: "There is certainly the possibility that Jovic will sign for Real Madrid. I hope and I want Luka to stay at the club but I am also a realist and I know that if a big club comes in for him and wants him, then we will have no option but to let him leave."

Sarri Gets Fans Backing

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has been given a show of support from the fans of former club Napoli, who unveiled a large banner which read 'Sarri one of us'. With Sarri often facing criticism from the fans of his current club, who have been heard to chant "F**k Sarriball" on a number of occasions.

Written by Tris Burke April 24 2019 06:05:10