Football News: Review Of The Day 22nd May 2019
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Review of the Day
Contracts
World Cup winning French striker Olivier Giroud has signed a new one year deal with Chelsea.
Crystal Palace striker Connor Wickham has agreed a 2 year deal with the Londoners.
1.FC Nuremberg goalkeeper Christian Mathenia has signed a 5 year contract.
Michael Gardyne has signed a new 2 year deal with Ross County.
Cagliari's veteran Brazilian goalkeeper Rafael has been given a one year deal.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle have given Kevin McHattie a 2 year contract.
Gevaro Nepomuceno has signed a 1 year deal with Oldham Athletic.
Shay Logan has signed a 1 year contract extension with Aberdeen, which will see his contract run until 2021.
Transfers
Former AC Milan midfielder Keisuke Honda has been released by Melbourne Victory.
Colombian centre back Cristian Zapata has been released by AC Milan.
Borussia Dortmund have spent almost £25m on German left-back Nico Schulz from TSG Hoffenheim.
Oldham Athletic have completed the permanent signing of on-loan defender Alex Iacovitti from Nottingham Forest.
Norwich City release Steven Naismith, Matt Jarvis, Ivo Pinto and Yanic Wildschut.
Hibernian have released Miquel Nelom, Ross Laidlaw, Gael Bigirimana and Jonathan Spector.
Hamilton Academical release Tony Andreu, Lenny Sowah, Matthew Kilgallon, Jacob Marsden, Hamish Morrison, Tom Taiwo and Delphin Tshiembe.
Former Leeds United midfielder Casper Sloth has signed for Motherwell. The 27 year old will join on a free transfer at the end of his contract with Silkeborg.
Burton Albion have signed John-Joe O'Toole on a free transfer after his release from Northampton Town.
Barnsley have paid an undisclosed fee to sign Mike-Steven Bahre from Hannover 96 after a season on loan with the Tykes.
Stuart Sinclair has signed for Walsall following his release from Bristol Rovers.
Crystal Palace youth academy graduate Mandela Egbo has joined SV Darmstadt 98, was previously with Borussia Monchengladbach.
Swans Set Up Recruitment Board
Legendary former Swansea City midfielder Leon Britton has been appointed to a new recruitment board, with fellow club hero Alan Curtis, to work under a new head of recruitment at the club. Britton had been seen as a potential new head coach before this appointment. Swans chairman Trevor Birch said: "We will take this opportunity to put in place, behind the scenes, an organisational structure that will bring stability and ensure continuity so that any future managerial changes will have the minimum impact. I will be looking to hire a new head of recruitment and build a robust scouting structure, which we don't have at present. I am going to enlist the help of professional recruiters to assist in finding the most suitable person for the position because it will play such a significant role in the future success of the club. I would like to think that it will be a quick process, but it may not be and will depend on the suitability of available candidates and their circumstances."
Boro Coaching Staff Leave
Five members of Middlesbrough's coaching staff have followed Tony Pulis out of the exit door. Assistant manager Sam Ellis, along with first-team coaches Curtis Fleming, Jonathan Gould and Tim Exeter and analyst Carl Blakemore have all left their positions with the north-east club.
Bolton Admin Will Pay Non-Playing Staff
Administrators for Bolton Wanderers have confirmed that they will pay the non-playing staff at the club from the date of their arrival in May, but they cannot pay outstanding wages prior to that. The staff were not paid for April, while players and coaches were not paid in either March nor April. Administrator Paul Appleton said: "I understand this has been a period of great uncertainty. The loyalty shown has been remarkable and it is clear the football club could not function on a day-to-day basis without the sacrifices they have made. On that basis, the administrators undertake to pay wages and holiday pay to all non-playing staff from the time of our appointment. The first payment will be this week with staff receiving a week's pay in arrears and a week in advance. They will then be paid on a weekly basis from the administration until such time as a new owner is found whilst funds permit. Unfortunately, we cannot pay any wages outstanding from before the date of our appointment. There will be an update on the position of all football-related employees in the next few days."
Mauritania Name First Ever AFCON Squad
Mauritania have named their squad of 23 for their debut appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations in the summer. They also have named 7 players as standby players in case of withdrawals.
Mauritania squad:
Goalkeepers: Suleiman Brahim (FC Nouadhibou), Namori Diaw (ASC Kedia), Babacar Diop (AS Police)
Defenders: Abdoul Ba (AJ Auxerre, France), Bakary Ndiaye (Difaa Hassani of El Jadida, Morocco), Sally Sarr (Servette FC, Switzerland), Diadie Diarra (CS Sedan Ardennes, France), Harouna Sy (Grenoble Foot 38, France), El Mostapha Diaw (Nouakchott Kings), Aly Abeid (Agrupacion Deportiva Alcorcon, Spain), Abdoul Kader Thiam (US Orleans, France)
Midfielders: Mohamed Dellah Yaly (DRB Tadjenanet, Algeria), Ibrehima Coulibaly (Grenoble Foot 38, France), Dialo Guidileye (Elazigspor Kulubu, Turkey), Khassa Camara (Xanthi FC, Greece), Alassane Diop (Hajer FC, Saudi Arabia), Abdoulaye Gaye (Nouadhibou FC), El Hacen EL Id (Real Valladolid, Spain)
Forwards: Adama Ba (Giresunspor Kulubu, Turkey), Ismail Diakhite (US Tataouine, Tunisia), Moulaye Ahmed Khalil "Bessam" (AS Gabès, Tunisia), Souleymane Anne (FC Aurillac Arpajon CA, France), Hemeya Tanjy (FC Nouadhibou)
Standby players:
Goalkeeper: Assane Aly (Red Star FC, France)
Defenders: Hamza Jawar (USON Mondeville, France), Ousmane Samba (JA Drancy, France)
Midfielders: Abdallahi Mahmoud (Deportivo Alaves, Spain), Idrissa Thiam (ASAC Concorde)
Forwards: Amadou Niass (Salam Zgharta, Lebanon), Mohamed Abdallahi Soudani (DRB Tedjenanet, Algeria)
Ali Gets Egypt Recall
After 8 years outside the national team, Ahmed Ali has returned to the Egypt squad named for the AFCON on his 33rd birthday.
Egypt's provisional squad: Goalkeepers: Ahmed El Shenawy (Pyarmids), Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mahmoud Abdel Rehem "Genesh" (Zamalek)
Defenders: Ahmed Elmohamady (Aston Villa, England), Ahmed Hegazi (West Bromwich Albion, England) Omar Gaber (Pyramids FC), Ali Gazal (Feirense, Portugal), Ayman Ahsraf (Al Ahly), Mahmoud Hamdy (Zamalek), Baher Elmohamady (Ismaily), Ahmed Ayman Mansour (Pyramids FC), Mahmoud Alaa (Zamalek), Ahmed Abou-Elfotouh (Smouha)
Midfielders: Walid Soliman (Al Ahly), Abdallah El-Said (Pyramids FC), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal, England), Tarek Hamed (Zamalek), Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan (Kasimpasa, Turkey), Amr Warda (Atromitos, Greece), Nabil Emad (Pyramids FC)
Forwards: Ahmed Ali (Arab Contractors), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, England), Marwan Mohsen (Al Ahly), Ahmed "Kouka" Hassan (Olympiakos, Greece)
Gyan Throws Toys Out Of Pram
Ghana's all-time leading goalscorer has taken his ball and gone home after being replaced as captain of the national team. Asamoah Gyan has retired from international football due to losing the captaincy. Gyan said: "If the decision of the coach is to give captaincy of the tournament to another player while I am named in the team (squad) of the tournament, I wish to recuse myself from the tournament. I also wish to retire from the national team permanently." Very mature and showing exactly why he deserves to have the captaincy taken off him.
Gills Choose Evans
Gillingham chairman Paul Scally has chosen former Leeds United boss Steve Evans as their new manager. Evans, who is probably better known for falsifying contract details of players while at Boston United and being found guilty of tax evasion, has been out of work since being sacked by Peterborough United in January. Scally said: "Steve has had good success as a manager in the past. I fully expect him to bring us success both on and off the field, working within our budgets. Steve is no fool, and neither am I to be fair. He is aware of comments against him from some supporters, about his reputation, about what people are saying about his past, but I would never entertain the prospect of bringing in a manager whom I thought was wrong for the club. Although no manager comes with guarantees I can categorically say that Steve Evans is by far the best candidate for the role I have seen, and I intend to appoint him as club manager, he will commence his role on 1 June."
Spurs Ban Fans For Selling Final Tickets
Three Tottenham Hotspur season ticket holders have been given "indefinite bans" from the club for putting their Champions League final tickets up for resale. Five Liverpool fans are also being investigated for the same offence and are facing lifetime bans from Anfield. A Spurs statement read: "Once again, we wish to remind all our supporters that any ticket purchased is for the sole use of the individual that purchases it from the club. Transferring or selling tickets on unofficially breaches our terms and conditions and is against the law."
Kompany Gets Belgium Recall
Belgium have recalled Manchester City's soon-to-be Anderlecht player-manager Vincent Kompany to their squad for Euro 2020 qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Scotland.
Belgium Squad:
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Matz Sels (Strasbourg), Hendrik Van Crombrugge (KAS Eupen), Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), Leander Dendoncker (Wolves), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham), Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang), Timothy Castagne (Atalanta); Nacer Chadli (Monaco), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Monchengladbach), Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint-Germain), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Dennis Praet (Sampdoria), Youri Tielemans (Monaco) Axel Witsel (Borussia Dortmund); Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea), Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), Divock Origi (Liverpool).
Mkhitaryan To Miss Europa League Final
It has been confirmed that Arsenal will not be taking Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan to the Europa League final in Baku due to fears for his safety in Azerbaijan. Armenia and Azerbaijan have no diplomatic relations currently and Azerbaijan does not normally allow foreign nationals of Armenian descent to enter the country, which has led to Mkhitaryan missing games there in the past, including in this competition in October. An Arsenal statement read: "We have written to Uefa expressing our deep concerns about this situation. We have thoroughly explored all the options for Micki to be part of the squad but after discussing this with Micki and his family we have collectively agreed he will not be in our travelling party. Micki has been a key player in our run to the final so this is a big loss for us from a team perspective. We're also very sad that a player will miss out on a major European final in circumstances such as this, as it is something that comes along very rarely in a footballer's career."
La Liga President Calls For PSG And Man City To Be Booted Out Of Europe
Conveniently forgetting all those years Spanish government money funded Real Madrid, the president of Spain's La Liga Javier Tebas has called for Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain to be kicked out of Europe because they are the "playthings of a state". Obviously that only matters when the team is not Spanish. Tebas said of Man City and PSG: "There are clubs who could not care less what their real incomes are when they want to sign a player because they receive incomes from a state. It forces other clubs into an economic situation which is really living on the edge. It skews the balance of the entire European football structure. This is no longer sport. This is no longer an industry. It becomes more like a toy, the plaything of a state. And when it's a plaything, kids start playing with other kids. You end up ruining the entire system. Indeed the origin of this entire problem with the Super League is the inflationary effect that Manchester City and PSG have created across the whole of Europe because the rest of the clubs in Europe want money to compete with these guys." More rewriting of history, Barcelona and Real Madrid have been the key movers in wanting to create a European Super League, but Tebas is not going to have a dig at them is he?
Written by Tris Burke May 22 2019 06:42:35
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