Zambia’s former African Footballer of the Year Kalusha Bwalya has withdrawn from the race for a place on the FIFA Council less than two weeks before the elections for African representatives.
Bwalya, who was voted the region’s top footballer in 1988 and later went on to become president of his country’s football association, said he was pulling out to concentrate on winning re-election to the African governing body’s executive committee.
Elections for African places on the new-look FIFA Council will be held at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Congress in Addis Ababa on March 16, at the same time as the CAF executive committee vote.
Rojo’s form earns him Argentina recall
Argentina defender Marcos Rojo’s form for Manchester United has earned him a recall to a 26-man squad for World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia later this month.
Rojo was dropped last November, missing a 3-0 defeat in Brazil and a 3-0 home win over Colombia in the qualifiers, having been little used at United since the start of the season.
However, United manager Jose Mourinho drafted Rojo into the centre of his defence in October and the 26-year-old has played almost uninterruptedly in the Premier League since.
Fourth substitute allowed for Cup QFs
This year’s FA Cup quarter-finalists will be allowed to field a fourth substitute if ties go to extra time as part of a two-year trial approved by the International Football Association Board.
The trial will be a first in England, although the format was used at last year’s Copa America and then the Rio Olympics.
“With the Cup now adopting a straight knockout format from the quarter-finals onwards, the introduction of a fourth substitute in extra time will bring extra intrigue and interest,” FA chief executive Martin Glenn said.
“Also, from a technical point of view, it will be interesting to see how managers use the chance to make an additional substitution.”
No regrets on Hull switch – Ranocchia
Hull defender Andrea Ranocchia believes his decision to leave Inter has already been vindicated and is determined to keep proving the doubters wrong.
Ranocchia had fallen out of favour at Inter when he opted to join the Tigers on loan in January until the end of the season, but has formed an impressive partnership with Harry Maguire.
“I spoke to other players who had played in England and they said it would be very different and would be difficult, you might struggle,” Ranocchia said.
“But I’ve got here and have phoned them since and said: ‘No, it’s great. I’m happier here than I was in Italy.’”
Capello not surprised by Conte’s success
Fabio Capello was always confident his fellow Italian Antonio Conte would be a success as Chelsea manager.
The former England manager says Conte showed signs during his coaching career in Italy that suggested he was capable of winning the English title.
“I’m not surprised by Antonio Conte’s success in England,” Capello told Reuters. “Remember, I know him and he did some really important things with Italy, Juventus and Siena.
“He’s a really smart manager. He knows what you need to do with the players. He understood when he arrived that something was not good in the dressing-room at Chelsea,” added Capello.
Donovan backs San Diego MLS bid
Landon Donovan is throwing his support behind San Diego’s bid for an MLS expansion franchise on 2018.
Speaking on Friday, the league’s all-time leading scorer announced he has joined FS Investors, the ownership group looking to land a team in the city.
With the NFL’s Chargers relocating to the Los Angeles area and leaving the 166-acre Qualcomm Stadium site vacant, the group has proposed remaking the area into a sports-entertainment district that would include a 30,000-seat stadium for an MLS team and San Diego State’s football programme.
The Chargers announced on Jan. 12 that they would play in the Los Angeles area next season after 56 seasons in San Diego.
Chinese group committed to Milan
The Chinese investors due to buy Italian storied soccer club AC Milan said that they remained committed to the deal and that the delays in the closing were out of their control.
The accord, signed in August with Silvio Berlusconi, was supposed to be sealed on March 3 but sources told Reuters that the Chinese investors were seeking a further delay.
The consortium, grouped under investment vehicle Sino-Europe Sports Investment Management Changxing (SES), said it was disappointed for the delays and that the reasons for a new postponing were “outside its control”.
SES added that it remained committed to continue working with Fininvest, which has owned Milan for three decade.