Romanian football great Gheorge Hagi will replace Frank Rijkaard as coach of Turkish league giants Galatasaray, the club announced yesterday.
The contract with Hagi, who won the UEFA Cup as a player with Galatasaray in 2000 and coached the team in 2004-2005, will be signed in Istanbul today, the statement said, without giving other details.
Media reports said Hagi, 45, had agreed to a one-and-a-half-year deal. Former Galatasaray and Blackburn Rovers midfielder Tugay Kerimoglu will be Hagi’s assistant, the statement said.
Galatasaray on Wednesday announced they had ended the contract of coach Rijkaard by mutual agreement, following a disappointing start to the season.
Player power inevitable – Martinez
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez believes an increase in the power of players and agents is the pay-off Premier League clubs must accept in exchange for the riches that have come their way. The issue has been brought to the fore by this week’s events at Manchester United, with Wayne Rooney refusing to sign a new contract because he was not given the assurances he wanted about the future make-up of the squad.
“I think that’s the price of having such a high-profile league,” Martinez said.
“The Premier League has got that status around the world, the players are well known, they are becoming more than footballers.”
Villa’s Clark pledges future to Ireland
Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark has pledged his international future to the Republic of Ireland – to repay his Irish-born mother and father for the support they have shown in him.
Clark, who played 78 minutes of last Saturday’s goalless draw with Chelsea, was born in London and has captained England Under-18s.
“Why have I chosen to play for Ireland? For myself and my family,” Clark said.
“My family have done a lot for me over the years, since I was a little boy. I owe them a lot so I’ve made this decision for them.”
Da Costa hit by sexual assault claims
West Ham defender Manuel Da Costa has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault by police investigating an alleged incident at a night club, it emerged yesterday.
Da Costa is on police bail pending further inquiries.
The Sun newspaper said the Portuguese player was alleged to have molested a woman dancing at Faces nightclub in Ilford, east London, then to have assaulted her and two of her friends when a row broke out.
Scotland Yard said allegations had been made by a woman in her early 20s at an east London police station in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Under-fire Carroll victim of arson attack
Newcastle striker Andy Carroll had his new car torched outside the home of team-mate Kevin Nolan just three days after a court appearance on assault charges.
Police said they were called on Wednesday after Carroll and Nolan saw the forward’s chrome-plated Range Rover on fire on the drive.
A garage door was also daubed with graffiti but no-one was hurt in the arson attack.
Carroll bought the car after being handed a new five-year contract and it was packed with high-tech gadgets including a games console in the backseats.
England U-21 striker Carroll was this week ordered by the court to live with Newcastle captain Nolan on an exclusive estate, Darras Hall, after being charged with assaulting his 18-year-old former girlfriend Laurie Henderson on October 17.
Casiraghi leaves Italy U-21 post
Pierluigi Casiraghi has quit as Italy U-21 coach after the team failed to qualify for the European Championship and London 2012.
The Azzurrini suffered a disappointing 3-2 aggregate defeat in a play-off against Belarus earlier this month despite building a 2-0 lead in the first leg played in Rieti.
Reports in Italy said Casiraghi had a meeting in Rome with FIGC president Giancarlo Abete and his deputy Demetrio Albertini on Wednesday.
The FIGC have yet to appoint a replacement for Casiraghi but Italy Under-19 boss Daniele Zoratto is the favourite.
Man. City express interest in Radu
Stefan Radu has received an offer to join Manchester City, the Lazio defender’s agent has revealed.
City boss Roberto Mancini has already lured Aleksandar Kolarov to Eastlands and could be lining up another Olimpico swoop.
“Mancini personally met with my brother to discuss Radu in the lead-up to a Europa League game,” Victor Becali, the player’s agent, said.
A former Dinamo Bucharest star, Radu has been with the Biancocelesti since 2008 and can play as centre-back or left-back.