West Ham United joint-chairman David Gold has dismissed media reports suggesting Slaven Bilic will be replaced at the end of the season, insisting that the club’s board have “no issues” with the manager.
Bilic has come under increasing pressure with West Ham on a five-game winless run in the Premier League and media reports have touted Huddersfield Town manager David Wagner and Reading boss Jaap Stam as possible successors to the Croatian.
“There is no issue between me and the board and Slaven, and I go to every board meeting, and in the board there have been no discussions over Slaven – he’s our manager we all like him, he’s a great guy,” Gold said.
EPL club chairmen fret over Brexit
Premier League club chairmen have urged the British government to exempt footballers from immigration controls that are likely to be imposed once Britain exits the European Union.
Club executives believe Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc could impede their ability to sign players from the continent, with Stoke City Chairman Peter Coates saying the league needed protection from such uncertainty.
“I’m pessimistic about leaving,” Coates was quoted as saying by the Times after a meeting of executives from the top-flight clubs. “Hopefully, football will find a way of looking after itself when it finally happens– whenever that will be.”
Chung to appeal FIFA ban – report
Former FIFA vice-president Chung Mong-joon will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the South Korean’s five-year ban from all football-related activities, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Chung, who served as FIFA vice-president between 1994 and 2011, was found guilty in 2015 of breaching the governing body’s code of conduct during South Korea’s bid for the 2022 World Cup seven years ago, which was eventually awarded to Qatar.
He will discuss his decision to approach CAS at a news conference in Seoul next week.
Spiked drink led to ban – Berahino
Stoke City striker Saido Berahino said yesterday he served an eight-week drugs suspension earlier this season after someone spiked his drink in a nightclub.
Berahino joined Stoke in January for a reported £12 million having not played for former club West Brom since September 2016.
West Brom manager Tony Pulis had said repeatedly that the striker was not playing because of a lack of fitness.
“I still don’t know who would do this to me,” Berahino said.
“To be banned for something you haven’t done is hard to take.”
Lamela not looking to leave – Pochettino
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has laughed off suggestions Erik Lamela is looking to leave Tottenham this summer.
Lamela will travel to Barcelona today for surgery as he looks to kick-start his recovery from a hip injury.
Spurs confirmed Lamela will not feature again this season, with reports suggesting he is seeking a return to Italy.
“That was so strange to hear,” Pochettino said.
“It’s a player who has not played since October and all that he is suffering in the last four, five months, do you think that he is thinking to move? He is very happy here.”
Everton stadium gets funding nod
Everton’s plans for a new stadium have cleared the first hurdle after Liverpool City Council approved the establishment of a scheme to help with funding for the project.
The cabinet met this morning and rubber-stamped a report which agreed to the setting up of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) which will allow the club to borrow the necessary money, guaranteed by the council, to finance the new £300million-plus ground at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Everton can now begin the planning process which will potentially lead to the submission of a formal planning application by the end of the year.
Serbia risk expulsion from tournaments
Serbia and other countries rife with hooliganism risk being kicked out of international tournaments if their governments fail to stamp out violence at soccer grounds, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said yesterday.
The 49-year old Slovenian, who was elected chief of European soccer’s governing body in September, said offenders must be banned from entering grounds.
“If they are not stopped, a disaster could happen and Serbia would be in serious danger of getting expelled from a competition. That would be a disaster for Serbia,” Ceferin told a news conference at the Serbian FA’s headquarters.
He said strong measures must be taken.