Former Chelsea boss Avram Grant is the new coach of Ghana after agreeing a 27-month contract, the country’s football association announced yesterday.
The 54-year-old Israeli, who missed out on the Champions League with Chelsea in 2008 after a penalty shoot-out defeat in the final against Manchester United, will lead Ghana in January’s African Nations Cup finals.
Grant replaces Kwesi Appiah who led the Black Stars at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil but was fired in September.
Former Rangers owner held in Mexico
Craig Whyte, the former owner of Rangers, has been detained in Mexico on an arrest warrant relating to his takeover of the Scottish club.
Whyte, 43, took over Rangers in 2011 but the club went into administration the following year.
Police Scotland have launched an investigation into Whyte’s acquisition and arrested four men in England last week.
“We have been advised that the warrant for Craig Whyte has been executed by the Mexican authorities and our International Co-operation Unit ... will take the necessary steps to secure his appearance at Glasgow Sheriff Court to answer the warrant,” a spokesman for Scotland’s Crown Office said.
New deal for Werder coach Skripnik
Werder Bremen coach Viktor Skripnik, who took over last month, has signed a three-year deal after making a good start in his bid to haul the club out of trouble.
Skripnik, who played for the team from 1996-2004, replaced the sacked Robin Dutt with Werder bottom of the league.
The 2004 champions have won two out of three Bundesliga matches under the Ukrainian, who previously coached the club’s youth teams.
Assistant coach Torsten Frings, a former Germany international, has also signed a deal that will keep him at the club until 2017.
United defender Evans close to return
Manchester United defender Jonny Evans has played 60 minutes in a reserve match and could return to manager Louis van Gaal’s injury-hit back line against Hull City tomorrow.
The Northern Ireland international has struggled with a succession of injuries this season, giving Van Gaal a major headache with Phil Jones, Rafael, Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo also sidelined for long spells.
“It’s nice to get 60-odd minutes under my belt,” the 26-year-old Evans told MUTV.
“It’s been a long time coming. I didn’t expect to be out this long so I’m pleased to get some minutes.
“I thought the lads played well and it was an enjoyable game to be part of.
Atletico can beat anyone – Mandzukic
Atletico Madrid are confident they can see off all-comers after last season’s beaten finalists swept into the Champions League knock-out rounds with a game to spare, according to hat-trick hero Mario Mandzukic.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to score a hat-trick, but the most important thing is that we won and secured our place in the next round,” Mandzukic, who moved to Atletico from Bayern Munich in the close season, told reporters after the 4-0 win over Olympiakos.
“In the knock-out stages it’s always 50-50 but we’re showing that we are a really good team, so you never know,” added the 28-year-old.
“We’re able to beat anyone. We’re enjoying ourselves and winning – that’s the most important thing.”
Fabregas playing his ‘best football’
Cesc Fabregas believes he is playing the best football of his career – and puts his scintillating form down to the quality of his Chelsea team-mates.
The Spain midfielder moved to Stamford Bridge from Barcelona in the summer, insisting he had ‘unfinished business’ in the Premier League having previously spent eight years at Arsenal.
“I’ve played in World Cup finals, European Championship finals, Champions League finals with great teams,” he said.
“I feel right now I am playing some of the best football of my career.
“If I chose this challenge (to join Chelsea) it’s because I felt it could be this way. I didn’t come here to just play well and that’s it.”
Brandao punished severely for headbutt
Bastia forward Brandao has been sentenced to one month in prison for headbutting Paris St Germain midfielder Thiago Motta, a French tribunal said yesterday.
The sentence, however, is expected to be turned into community service.
Brazilian Brandao, already suspended by the French football league for six months, was also handed a fine of €20,000.
“It is extremely harsh.
“We used to say that footballers are not above the law but they should not be below the law either,” his lawyer Olivier Martin told BFMTV.
Last week the French football federation rejected Brandao’s appeal against his six-month ban.