Celtic have appointed their first female director.
Sharon Brown, whose background is in retail with the likes of John Menzies, has joined the Celtic board as a non-executive director. The 48-year-old’s other current directorships include McColl’s Retail Group.
A survey in the summer showed only three of the 70 directors of Scottish Premiership clubs were women – Hearts chairwoman Ann Budge, Motherwell’s Leanne Thomas and Jacqui Low at Partick Thistle.
Championship side Hibernian have two women on their board including chief executive Leeann Dempster.
Dzemaili to join Impact in July
Switzerland midfielder Blerim Dzemaili will leave Bologna next summer to join Montreal Impact in the MLS, the Serie A club supremo Joey Saputo said.
Saputo, who owns both clubs, said: “Dzemaili’s contract is a multi-year deal. He’ll be in Bologna until June and he will then be transferred to Montreal.
“He’s not hiding that either. He’s ready to come to Montreal.”
Bologna coach Roberto Dona-doni said there was nothing official as yet.“The deal is not done yet as Blerim still has to give his best for the team. It is in the interests of a professional to always do well,” the former Italy coach said.
Luis Enrique at ease over Messi contract
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique’s mind has been put at ease by news his talisman Lionel Messi has begun contract negotiations with the La Liga champions.
The player’s father and agent Jorge Messi flew from Argentina to Barcelona last week to begin discussions on a renewal of Messi’s current deal, which runs out in June 2018.
“I celebrate the fact that negotiations have begun. It makes me more relaxed,” Luis Enrique said.
“He will join other players who are going to renew their contracts soon. When it’s announced, if it is, we’ll all celebrate it.
“But at the moment I wouldn’t dare to make any prediction.”
UEFA in the dark over WCup formats
UEFA has been left in the dark over the future format of the World Cup and was not certain it would vote for an expanded tournament, its president said.
Aleksander Ceferin said UEFA had been getting information from the media because FIFA had not replied to their request for more details of the proposals.
Asked if UEFA would back an expanded tournament, Ceferin said: “I am not sure we are getting that way. We don’t have much information from FIFA, we mainly read from newspapers about what is supposed to go on.
“Until we get some concrete information about the format, about everything else, we simply don’t have any information.”
Chapecoense name Mancini as coach
Chapecoense, who lost most of their players and backroom staff when 71 passengers and crew died in an air crash in Colombia last week, have appointed the experienced Vagner Mancini as coach.
He replaces Caio Junior who was one of those who lost their lives when a plane crashed into a mountainside outside Medellin, leaving the football world in mourning.
Mancini, 50, has coached more than a dozen clubs including big names such as Santos, Gremio, Botafogo and Vasco da Gama and must now put together an entirely new squad.
The new season starts in late January.
Roma are showing Fabregas interest
Serie A club Roma are keen to get the signature of midfielder Cesc Fabregas in the January transfer window, reports said yesterday.
Fabregas has failed to command a regular place in the Chelsea team this season, managing just eight starts in the Premier League.
TeleRadio Stereo said Roma are hopeful of convincing Chelsea to let Fabregas go on loan for six months.
If the move is completed, the Spaniard will also be available for the Giallorossi in the Europa League knock-out stages which start in February.
Beckham faces MLS deadline
Major League Soccer fired a warning shot across the bow of David Beckham’s plans for a franchise in Miami yesterday, with the MLS chief saying the clock was ticking down on time to get a deal done.
“There is a deadline on the Miami deal,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said.
Garber, abiding by a confidentiality agreement between the league and Beckham’s group, declined to say what exactly that deadline is but confirmed Miami will be on the agenda when the MLS board meets this week to discuss expansion plans.
Beckham’s Miami team is slotted in to become the league’s 24th franchise following Atlanta and Minnesota United, who are set to start playing next season followed by a second team in Los Angeles scheduled to begin operations in 2018.