Football News: Review Of The Day 20th December 2019

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Review of the Day

Contracts

Monaco's teenage centre-back Benoit Badiashile has signed up until 2024.

Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Michael Cooper has signed a new deal with the club which expires in 2022.

Dominic Hyam has signed a new 2 year contract with Coventry City with the option for a further one year.

Transfers

Former Everton and Manchester City midfielder Jack Rodwell is training with Sheffield United.

Liverpool have signed their first-ever Japanese player. Takumi Minamino will join the Reds from RB Salzburg on 1st January.

Injury Round-Up

Hull City defender Angus MacDonald has been given the all-clear from bowel cancer after successful treatment. MacDonald said: "It's been a long couple of months but it's a great time for me now. There were some dark stages but my friends, family, partner and everyone at the club helped me through it. I'm going to enjoy Christmas and then hopefully get back to working with the physios in the New Year. It'll be nice to get back to doing what I love, you miss being around your team-mates."

Rangers' Swedish centre-back Filip Helander is out until after Scotland's winter break with what is being termed a rare injury. Manager Steven Gerrard said: "Filip won't be seen again until after the winter break. It's a foot issue. I'm not a doctor, but I'm told it's a unique injury. I think he's been in the boot for a couple of weeks now, so he will be in a boot until after Christmas and then it will be a case of building the fitness back up and whether there is a reaction from the injury because it's quite a rare one."

Napoli forward Dries Mertens is a doubt for the weekend's visit to Sassuolo as he missed training.

Southampton's French full-back Yan Valery has been ruled out until the New Year.

FGR Get Stadium Planning Consent

Despite concerns over the impact of the move, Forest Green Rovers have been granted planning permission for their new wooden stadium. The plans include a 1,700 space car park and 2 grass training pitches next to junction 13 of the M5. Their current stadium in Nailsworth, which was only opened in 2006, will be demolished and replaced with housing.

The Plymouth Way

Plymouth Argyle have appointed former Yeovil Town manager Darren Way as a youth team coach. The 40 year old was born in Plymouth and was sacked by Yeovil back in March after 3 years managing them.

Pirates Fined

Bristol Rovers have been fined £7,500 after a section of the club's fans chanted homophobic abuse during a League Cup tie against Brighton & Hove Albion. Rovers admitted failing to ensure its supporters conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and have also been ordered to implement an action plan.

Stags Given Dunne Permission

Mansfield Town have been given permission to speak to Bristol Rovers' assistant manager Joe Dunne about taking a role under new boss Graham Coughlan. Dunne was Coughlan's assistant at Rovers until he left on Tuesday to take over at Mansfield.

League One Pair Fined

Both Coventry City and Ipswich Town have been fined over a melee in the match between the two teams earlier this month. Both clubs admitted a Football Association charge of failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion. Coventry have been fined £2,700 and Ipswich £3,750.

Owls Accuse EFL Of Acting Unlawfully

Sheffield Wednesday have hit back at the English Football League following the charges levied on it for selling their Hillsborough stadium for £60m to owner Dejphon Chansiri in order to avoid falling foul of financial fair play rules. Wednesday said: "We have sought to engage with the EFL in order to agree a sensible procedure to resolve the dispute arising from the fact that the club relied upon representations from the EFL in relation to the sale transaction which is the subject of the charges. The club regrets that the EFL has so far refused to agree to the club being permitted to make its claim, and refused to agree to a sensible procedure for dealing with the dispute. The club will continue to take such steps as it considers necessary to protect and enforce its rights against the EFL and to protect it from unlawful action by the EFL affecting the club and the performance of its team."

FIFA Rankings

FIFA's final rankings for 2020 have been released with Belgium top for the second successive year, while World Cup winners France remain in second.
Top 10
1. Belgium
2. France
3. Brazil
4. England
5. Uruguay
6. Croatia
7. Portugal
8. Spain
9. Argentina
10. Colombia

Man City Doc Charged With Anti-Doping Violation

A doctor who worked for Manchester City as a consultant has been accused of an anti-doping violation while working as a club doctor for Bury. Dr Andrew Johnson is charged with providing fraudulent information about a therapeutic use exemption. An application was made on medical grounds for an unnamed player to use a banned substance, believed to be testosterone, in December 2018. Dr Johnson had worked with City for at least 8 years but was dropped as soon as they became aware of the case.

Written by Tris Burke December 19 2019 20:55:07