Football News: Review Of The Day 30th May 2019
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Review of the Day
Contracts
Hoffenheim defender Ermin Bicakcic has signed a new 3 year deal.
Parma have handed central defender Riccardo Gagliolo and right back Simone Iacoponi a new 3 year contract. Goalkeeper Pierluigi Frattali has been given a 2 year contract.
Former Nottingham Forest forward Lars Weldwijk has agreed a 1 year deal with Sparta Rotterdam.
Oxford United winger Rob Hall has a new 1 year contract.
AJ Leitch-Smith has signed a 2 year deal with Morecambe.
Blackpool's Nathan Delfouneso has agreed a new 2 year deal with an option for a further year.
Transfers
Honduran left-back Emilio Izaguirre has been released by Celtic.
Girona have released defender Jonas Ramalho.
West Ham United have released Spanish youngster Toni Martinez, former French international Samir Nasri, Spanish keeper Adrian and veteran bar propper Andy Carroll.
Udinese have signed Sebastien De Maio from Bologna.
Eintracht Frankfurt have released striker Branimir Hrgota.
Young Austrian left-back Marco Friedl has left Bayern Munich to join Werder Bremen.
Left-back Brian Easton has returned to Hamilton Academical from St Johnstone.
Motherwell have looked to the non-league scene in England to sign winger Jermaine Hylton from Solihull Moors.
Goalkeeper Christy Pym has joined Peterborough United on a free transfer after rejecting Exeter City's offer of a new contract.
Bradford City have signed young defender Tyler French from non-league AFC Sudbury.
Mane Dismisses Madrid Speculation
Liverpool's Senegalese joint Golden Boot winner Sadio Mane has brushed away talk of him joining Real Madrid in the summer. Mane said: "Always this is part of football, so we have to deal with it, but for me the most important thing is Liverpool and I'm happy here. It's always a pleasure that this kind of team wants (you) but don't forget Liverpool. They beat big teams. I'm preparing for one of the biggest games for the club and the fans and the players as well, so let's focus on this one first and win it."
Alei Arrested After Saying He Would Appeal FIFA Ban
Just one day after the former South Sudan Football Association president Chabur Goc Alei said he would appeal against a 10-year FIFA ban and fine, Alei was arrested over an unrelated matter relating to his tenure as president. An SSFA lawyer said: "It is true the former SSFA President Chabur has been detained because he has a criminal case to answer. They have been looking for him and finally got him." Alei is being asked to account for US$830,000 that were spent by the SSFA during his tenure. Just last week he was found guilty of misappropriating FIFA funds and offering gifts or benefits (bribery), which Alei said he was set to appeal against.
Former Sunderland Man In Benin Squad
Despite being banned for the first match, Benin's most-capped player, former Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Stephane Sessegnon has been included in their AFCON squad despite a one match ban. There was no place to be found for Middlesbrough's former Aston Villa striker Rudy Gestede, even on the 7 man standby list.
Benin squad:
Goalkeepers: Fabien Farnolle (Yeni Malatyaspor, Turkey), Saturnin Allagbe (Niort, France), Cherif Dine Kakpo (Buffalos)
Defenders: Junior Salomon (Plateau United, Nigeria), Olivier Verdon (Sochaux, France), Khaled Adenon (Amiens, France) Moise Adilehou (Levadiakos, Greece), David Kiki (Red Star, France), Emmanuel Imorou (Caen, France) , Rodrigue Fassinou (ASPAC), Seidou Baraze (Yzeure, France)
Midfielders: Rodrigue Kossi (Club Africain, Tunisia) Jordan Adeoti (Auxerre, France), Mama Seibou (SC Toulon, France), Anaane Tidjani (US Ben Guerdane, Tunisia), Sessi D'Almeida (Yeovil Town, England), Stephane Sessegnon (Genclerbiligi, Turkey)
Forwards: Mickael Pote (Adana Demirspor, Turkey), Steve Mounie (Huddersfield, England), Desire Segbe Azankpo (Senica, Slovakia), Jodel Dossou (Vaduz, Lichtenstein), Cèbio Soukou (Hansa Rostock, Germany), David Djigla (Niort, La France)
Standby players: Abiola Katchon (Sun FC), Chasa-Deen Chaona (Al-Nejmeh, Lebanon), Cédric Hountondji (Levski Sofia, Bulgaria), Jean-Marie Guera (Enymba, Nigeria), Jacques Bessan (MO Bejaia, Algeria), Yannick Aguémon (OH Louvain, Belgium), Marcellin Koupko (CS Hammam-Lif, Tunisia)
Bony Returns To Cote D'Ivoire Squad
Ivory Coast have recalled Wilfried Bony for the first time since the last Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 2017. The 30 year old, who was released by Swansea City a few days ago, has been included, unlike Gervinho, who managed 11 goals and 4 assists in Serie A last season.
Ivory Coast provisional squad:
Goalkeepers: Sylvain Gbohouo (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Abdoul Cisse (Asec Mimosas), Ali Badra (Free State Stars, South Africa), Tape Ira (FC San Pedro).
Defenders: Serge Aurier (Tottenham Hotspur, England), Wilfried Kanon (ADO Den Haag, Netherlands), Wonlo Coulibaly (Asec Mimosas), Abdoulaye Bamba (Angers, France), Simon Deli (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic), Ismael Traore (Angers, France), Mamadou Bagayoko (Red Star, France), Cheikh Comara (Wydad Casablanca, Morocco)
Midfielders: Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Mainz, Germany), Serey Die (Neuchâtel Xamax, Switzerland), Jean-Michael Seri (Fulham, England), Victorian Angban (Metz, France), Franck Kessie (AC Milan, Italy) , Ibrahim Sangare (Toulouse, France), Ismael Diomande (Caen, France)
Forwards: Max-Alain Gradel (Toulouse, France), Nicolas Pepe (Lille, France), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace, England), Jonathan Kodjia (Aston Villa, England), Roger Assale (Young Boys Bern, Switzerland), Maxwel Cornet (Lyon, France), Yohan Boli (Sint-Truiden, Belgium), Wilfried Bony (unattached)
Nigerian Officials Charged
Five of Nigeria's Football Federation officials have to appear in court over alleged misappropriation of funds. NFF president Amaju Pinnick, vice presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, general secretary Mohammed Sanusi and executive committee member Ahmed Yusuf are facing charges including failure to declare their assets, an alleged disappearance of US$8.4m paid by FIFA to Nigeria for their participation in the 2014 World Cup and arranging international friendly matches that never actually take place.
Bin Zayed Claims Proof Of Funds
The Bin Zayed Group, the investment arm of Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has put more pressure on Mike Ashley to sign a deal to sell them Newcastle United after revealing that they have also provided proof of funds for the takeover to Ashley and have now presented the documents to the Premier League. The Bin Zayed Group have previously said they have agreed a price with Ashley, who has previously resisted attempts to buy the club, despite putting it up for sale a number of years ago. A Bin Zayed Group statement read: "The proof-of-funds statement was forwarded to Mike Ashley's lawyers on 17 April 2019. The so called fit-and-proper Premier League process is a standard procedure which will take time, and we are doing all we can to assist the Premier League during this process. We feel the need to clarify this point in order for the fans and the general public to understand the timelines."
Real Madrid Most Valuable
In another of those pointless lists designed purely to advertise their services, KPMG have released their list of the top European clubs by 'enterprise value'. Someone must care who is worth the most in business terms, as it seems to be more important than what is won on the pitch these days! The values are based on the 2 seasons from 2016-18, when Real Madrid won the Champions League in both years, which edged them ahead of Manchester United.
Top 10 European clubs by 'enterprise value'
1. Real Madrid - €3.224bn
2. Manchester United - €3.207bn
3. Bayern Munich - €2.696bn
4. Barcelona - €2.676bn
5. Manchester City - €2.460bn
6. Chelsea - €2.227bn
7. Liverpool - €2.095bn
8. Arsenal - €2.008bn
9. Tottenham - €1.697bn
10. Juventus - €1.548bn
UEFA Request Concussion Protocol Review
UEFA have asked FIFA to review their current concussion protocols to allow more time for players to be assessed. A November 2018 report from the New York Hospital for Special Surgery found that concussion protocols were "ineffective" in almost two thirds of the matches they studied at the 2018 World Cup. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: "I strongly believe that the current regulations on concussion need updating to protect both the players and the doctors and to ensure appropriate diagnosis can be made without disadvantaging the teams affected." Among the solutions that have been suggested are temporary substitutions to allow team doctors time to assess the player while the match can continue, while still allowing the player to return to the game if found to be healthy.
Hazard Drops Even Bigger Leave Hint
After years of angling for a move to Real Madrid it seems Eden Hazard is to finally get his wish this summer as he said he expects the Europa League final to be a goodbye for him to Chelsea. Hazard said: "I think it's a goodbye, but in football you never know." Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri confirmed the Belgian winger is likely to leave: "I know he wants to leave and I have to respect his decision. He is a wonderful player. It took two or three months for me to understand him as a man and now I do, he's a wonderful man. He's an extraordinary player. He is a strange boy but when he understands it is extraordinary."
Chelsea Lift Europa League
Chelsea have lifted the heaviest of all European trophies after they strolled to a comfortable 4-1 win over fellow London side Arsenal in Baku. A half-full stadium in Azerbaijan was witness to Eden Hazard giving an outstanding performance with 2 goals. Former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud had opened the scoring with a trademark header just after the second half began, putting the header just clear of the grasping hands of former Chelsea man Petr Cech. Man of the match must be reserved for the huge contribution of a man who made John Terry's FKW final appearance pale into insignificance as Rob Green, who has not played a single second in the competition, lifted his first ever trophy in full kit. In case you are wondering, his major contribution was to not play, as he would no doubt have cost Chelsea a fair few goals with his bumbling had he played!
FIFA Ban For Oceania Man
Oceania Football Confederation's former general secretary Tai Nicholas has been banned for 8 years and fined 50,000 Swiss francs after being found guilty of misappropriating funds and accepting bribes. A FIFA investigation into funding of the confederation's Home of Football complex in Auckland between 2014 and 2017 looks set to also involve former OFC president David Chung, who quit after a FIFA audit into the project. A FIFA statement read: "The investigation into Mr Nicholas concerned the misappropriation of FIFA funds allocated to the OFC between 2014 and 2017 in relation to the OFC Home of Football, as well as to various undue benefits accepted from or offered to several football officials and other individuals. In its decision, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Nicholas had breached art. 21 par. 2 of the 2012 edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics, (Bribery and corruption) and art. 20 of the 2018 edition (Offering and accepting gifts or other benefits), and sanctioned him with a ban from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level for eight years. In addition, a fine of CHF 50,000 has been imposed on Mr Nicholas. The decision was notified to Mr Nicholas today, the date on which the ban comes into force."
Written by Tris Burke May 30 2019 06:10:17
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