Football News: 10 More News Items
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1. Earthquakes add forward
MLS side San Jose Earthquakes missed out on the play offs last time around, mainly due to their lack of firepower, and have already moved to rectify that with the signing of forward Chad Barrett. The 30 year old free agent is joining his sixth MLS team since originally being drafted by Chicago Fire. Last season Barrett was with the Seattle Sounders but struggled to break into the team ahead of Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins. His 11 years in the MLS have resulted in 56 goals and 30 assists.
2. Flanagan back in action
Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan has finally returned to action after over 18 months on the sidelines with injury. The 22 year old had forced his way into the first team to become a regular at full back just before his injury problems hit him. On Tuesday he managed 30 minutes for Liverpool's U21 sides in a friendly against Fleetwood Town at the Liverpool Academy complex in Kirkby. Flanagan will now be hoping for a return to the form he showed in the 2013-14 season which saw him win an England call up.
3. R.I.P. Pavel Srnicek
47 year old Pavel Srnicek, the former Czech Republic goalkeeper and legendary Newcastle United goalkeeper has sadly passed away following his cardiac arrest while out for a run on 20th December. Srnicek was left in a critical condition following the cardiac arrest, in an induced coma, but now the difficult decision has been made to switch off his life support machine. Srnicek, who also played for Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth while in England, was working for Sparta Prague as their goalkeeping coach.
4. Notts County sack Moniz
League Two side Notts County have sacked manager Ricardo Moniz and his backroom team of Dave Kevan and Dean Yates. Moniz only took charge towards the end of last season in League One, but was unable to stall their descent into the fourth tier. After a difficult start to this season in League 2, the Midlands club have made the decision to part company, despite Moniz not even having had a season to work with the team.
5. Galaxy intend to hold onto Zardes
Rumours abound that Gyasi Zardes will be leaving MLS side LA Galaxy this winter, with the 24 year old forcing his way into the USA national team on a regular basis in 2015, interest has ramped up. Zardes is seen as the outstanding success story of the MLS Homegrown programme and now Galaxy are confirming their intention to hold onto Zardes. The forward has been with the LA side since 2013 and still have two more years left on his contract.
6. Genclerbirligi search for their 6th coach of the season
Turkish top flight club Genclerbirligi have sacked their fifth coach of the season, despite only having completed 17 matches in the Turkish Super Lig. Yilmaz Vural had been in charge for just 6 days and only oversaw one game, which led to a 2-0 away defeat. Genclerbirligi are currently 16th of 18 teams with just 13 points. Vural was sacked after asking for signings in the January transfer window. The Ankara team's president, Ilhan Cavcav, has now gone through 51 different coaches since taking over the club in 1981.
7. Pellegrini confirms Kompany injury blow
With Manchester City struggling badly in recent weeks without club captain Vincent Kompany, Manuel Pellegrini will no doubt have been delighted to see his players keep a clean sheet against the dangerous Leicester City team last night. Sadly for the Chilean coach, Citeh will have to soldier on without Kompany for a while longer yet, after his latest injury comeback lasted just ten minutes, Pellegrini confirmed that Kompany will face another 3-4 weeks on the sidelines. The big Belgian defender has managed eight appearances this season, in which the Citizens conceded just one goal, as opposed to the 19 goals they have conceded in the 11 games he missed.
8. Mikel confirms atmosphere has improved without Jose
Jose Mourinho is barely out of the door, but some Chelsea players seem much happier since he left. Just two games have been played under interim manager Guus Hiddink, but it does seem the players are playing with more belief in themselves now. Jon Obi Mikel has now confirmed that he believes things have improved since Mourinho left, though that might simply be because he has gone from a fringe player to becoming a central figure under Hiddink. "We've moved on and the atmosphere has improved since the change of manager. It's fine now," the Nigerian midfielder has said, in what can be seen as little other than a dig at the departed Mourinho.
9. Forest delight at Cohen return
Nottingham Forest's star midfielder/left back Chris Cohen has been out injured since last season when he suffered an ACL injury in the East Midlands derby as Forest flew high in the league under, then manager, Stuart Pearce. Since his injury, the Trees have dropped down the table and are now looking to return to the top end under Dougie Freedman. Cohen returned to full training last month and now Freedman has said that he expects to include Cohen in the squad for Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
#nffc manager Dougie Freedman: "Chris Cohen is coming back and you might see him at Charlton (on Saturday)."
— BBC Nottingham Sport (@BBCRNS) December 29, 2015
10. Platini facing fresh punishment
UEFA president Michel Platini is currently serving an 8 year ban from all football related activity, but this did not stop him attending the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on 27th December. FIFA have confirmed that he has breached 'in principle' the terms of his ban and is likely to face further action as a result.
Written by Tris Burke December 30 2015 08:22:23