Russian Premier League’s Anzhi Makhachkala have parted ways with coach Yuri Semin, the club said yesterday, with the Russian leaving the team in last place after 10 matches.
The club said the 68 year-old, who had joined in June, left following a mutual agreement between both sides.
“We analysed the situation closely concerning how Anzhi had played in the first 10 games. However, both sides agreed this would be best for the club’s future,” it said in a statement.
Veteran coach Semin had taken over at the club from the south of Russia three months ago, with the team winning promotion back to Russia‘s top flight last season.
FIFA should still run football – Chung
South Korean FIFA presidential candidate Chung Mong-joon insists soccer’s embattled governing body is still the right organisation to run the world’s most popular sport, but only if the current leadership is ousted.
Chung said he supported the ongoing investigations taking place into alleged corruption in FIFA, but believed the running of the sport should not be given to “outsiders”.
“The most urgent task at hand is to root out corruption from within FIFA,” he said.
“Justice must be served. Resuscitating FIFA, however, should be left to those who love football. The future of football should not be left in the hands of outsiders.”
Sannino replaces Castori at Carpi
Promoted Carpi have appointed former Watford boss Beppe Sannino as their new head coach.
The 58-year-old takes over from Fabrizio Castori, who was sacked just six league games into the new Serie A campaign.
Castori guided Carpi to an historic promotion from Serie B but could not steer the Modenese club to a victory and on Monday became the first coach in Italy’s top flight to be shown the door.
Sannino had been out of a job since leaving Catania in December. He inherits a team that sit at the foot of the table having taken just two points from six games.
Rooney reveals Ferguson clash
England captain Wayne Rooney has opened up about his clashes with Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson in a new BBC television film.
Rooney denies that he put in a transfer request just before Ferguson retired in May 2013 but admits that he broached the possibility of leaving the club he had joined from Everton nine years earlier.
“I went in to see him and just said, ‘If you are not going to play me, it might be better for me to move on’,” Rooney said.
“Then, all of a sudden, it was all over the press that I had put a transfer request in, which I never did.”
Ronaldinho quits Fluminense
Former Brazil midfielder Ronaldinho has left Fluminense after spending just over two months and playing only nine games for the Rio de Janeiro club.
The 35-year-old had struggled to get match fit, failed to score a goal and produced only flashes of the talent that made him one of the world’s top players when he was in his early twenties.
Fluminense said that they had agreed to part company with Ronaldinho by mutual consent”.
Ronaldinho was a World Cup winner with Brazil and was voted the World Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006 but his career has slid downhill since then, a decline blamed partly on his partying lifestyle.
Mutu still hopeful of making Euros
Controversial Romania striker Adrian Mutu is hopeful a strong spell with new club Pune City in the Indian Super League (ISL) could lead to an unlikely appearance at Euro 2016 and become his country’s record goalscorer.
The 36-year-old forward will return to competitive action in the burgeoning franchise league next month after more than a year out of the game.
Mutu said Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu had given him hope, two years after his last international match.
“He has told me that if I continue playing football even after ISL, then he will consider me for the European Championship next year,” Mutu said
“It’s a huge motivation for me and I am taking it very seriously.”
Ronaldo to open 30 schools in China
Brazilian great Ronaldo will open 30 soccer schools in China, the three times FIFA World Player of the Year said yesterday, as the Asians continue with ambitious reforms aimed at making themselves world beaters.
The franchises will be mainly located in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen with the former Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan striker expected to be present when the first opens in the Chinese capital in November.
The move comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping, a soccer fan who is pushing for the country to host the World Cup finals one day, attempts to resuurect the image of the sport at home after years of corruption in the past.