Dundee United yesterday announced head coach Mixu Paatelainen had left the club following their relegation from the Scottish Premiership.
The 49-year-old’s position was always likely to be under threat after a disappointing season ended with defeat to local rivals Dundee FC on Monday which confirmed they would be playing Championship football next season.
Appointed in October, the former Hibernian, Kilmarnock and Finland boss could not turn things around for the club he represented for five years.
A statement on the Terrors’ website confirmed his departure, with the club now beginning the process of finding a replacement.
Cole set to swap clubs in NASL
Former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole is set to leave Coventry City and join Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League (NASL).
The 34-year-old joined Coventry City on a free transfer from Aston Villa in January after completing a loan spell at the League One club.
“Joe Cole is going to join Tampa Bay Rowdies and it might happen pretty quickly if he can get international clearance, etc,” Coventry boss Tony Mowbray said yesterday.
Defender Adriano in trouble over taxes
Brazilian defender Adriano is the latest Barcelona player to be embroiled in a tax scandal after a Spanish court said yesterday he had been accused earlier this year with defrauding the Spanish state of €646,086.
The Brazilian paid the full amount owed to the tax authorities on March 7, the court added in a statement. A judge must now decide whether to pursue the matter in court.
Barcelona’s all-time top scorer Lionel Messi was accused in 2013 of defrauding the government of more than €4 million from 2006 to 2009.
Messi is due to stand trial on June 7 alongside his father Jorge.
Wednesday to get play-offs under way
Sheffield Wednesday will get the Championship play-offs under way after the Football League released the running order for its matches.
The Owls know they will finish sixth in the table and they will host the third-placed team, which will be either Middlesbrough or Brighton, on Friday, May 13 with the return leg taking place on Monday, May 16.
Middlesbrough host Brighton on Saturday in a final-day shoot-out for the second automatic promotion place along with Burnley.
The other tie will be between Hull and Derby, although which way round they will finish in the table is yet to be decided.
Veteran Luca Toni to quit football
Former Italy striker Luca Toni has announced his retirement after suffering relegation from Serie A with Verona.
The 38-year-old made his announcement yesterday, four days before Verona tackle one of his previous teams, Juventus.
He was a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, and played for a legion of clubs, including Fiorentina, Palermo and Bayern Munich, with whom he won two Bundesliga titles.
“Sunday will be the last game of my career,” said Toni.
“I’ll stop being a footballer. After so many years this is the right time.”
Courtois pledges to stay at Chelsea
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has dismissed speculation that he could move to PSG at the end of the season.
Chelsea have endured a turbulent season and will miss out on Champions League football next season, sparking speculation that a number of players could leave the club.
Courtois, however, has underlined his commitment to Chelsea’s cause.
“I have never had any contact with PSG,” the 23-year-old said.
“I like playing in England. Paris is a very good club but I am happy at Chelsea. I have a contract for three years, so I will say 100 per cent (I will stay).”
Berlusconi to start talks on Milan sale
Silvio Berlusconi is to open talks with a consortium of Asian companies to sell about 70 per cent of Milan football club, Il Messaggero reported yesterday.
Citing banking sources, the newspaper said Berlusconi would soon agree to start one month of exclusive talks with the consortium through consulting firm Galatioto Sports Partners.
The report said one of the companies in the consortium was part of China’s Wanda Group.
Last week, two sources said a Chinese consortium had offered to buy the club, one of Berlusconi’s most cherished assets, and valued it at around €700 million including debt.
Berlusconi has been looking for more than a year for someone to buy a minority stake in the club that won the Champions League five times after he bought it 30 years ago.