Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane quits at the top

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane dropped a bombshell Thursday, quitting the Spanish giants just days after winning the Champions League for a record third year in a row.

The 45-year-old former international decided to leave at the top saying it was time for a change for himself and the club and admitting he was unsure of his ability to maintain his winning record at Real. 

But he said no other club was involved in his decision to part ways with Real and although experts have linked him to the French national team coaching job, Zidane insisted he is eyeing no other position at this time.

“I have taken the decision to not continue next year as Real Madrid coach,” the Frenchman told a hastily convened press conference.

“This club deserves to continue to win and needs a change” he said, adding that he believed the “moment has come.”

“After three years the club needs another discourse, another method of working,” he added 

Zidane said he was unsure of his ability to inspire the team to more victories.

“I don’t see myself continuing to win this year and I am a winner, I don’t like to lose,” added Zidane, who was under contract with Real until 2020.

“I have thought a lot about this decision and I can’t go back on it.”

Real beat Liverpool 3-1 in the final in Kiev on Saturday, making Zidane the first coach in history to win three successive Champions League titles.

Zidane has now won nine trophies since replacing Rafael Benitez in the Santiago Bernabeu dugout in January 2016.

When Benitez was sacked in January 2016, Barcelona daily Mundo Deportivo dismissed Zidane as merely a “sticking plaster”, who would be replaced quickly by a permanent coach.

But Zidane won the confidence of players and the rest is history.

Real’s captain Sergio Ramos tweeted his reaction, in English and Spanish, above a photo of the two men with the Champions League trophy.

“As a player and coach you decided to say goodbye at the top. Thank you for two and a half incredible years. Your legacy will never be erased, one of the most successful chapters in the history of our beloved realmadrid,” Ramos wrote.

At the press conference Zidane was flanked by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez who said Zidane’s announcement was “totally unexpected”.

“This is a sad day,” Perez said.

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Liverpool-Real Madrid surpasses 2 million viewers on FOX’s final Champions League broadcast

FOX Sports went out on a high this past Saturday as the final between Real Madrid and Liverpool averaged more than 2 million viewers on U.S. television, according to Showbuzz Daily.

Televised live on the over-the-air FOX network, the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League is the very last game FOX Sports will broadcast from the Champions League after handing over the rights to Turner Sports for the 2018/19 season that kicks off in August.

Viewers that tuned into Saturday’s thrilling 3-1 final saw Kate Abdo hosting the pre-match coverage alongside Ian Joy, Warren Barton and Alexi Lalas. During the match itself, which began at 2:45pm ET, the commentary featured John Strong and Stuart Holden, while Keith Costigan was at the stadium in Kyiv conducting interviews and reporting on the game.

TV viewing numbers for the Spanish-language broadcast of the final on ESPN Deportes were not available as of press time.

The 2017 UEFA Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Juventus averaged 1.7 million viewers on the over-the-air FOX network. Meanwhile, the 2016 final had 1,682,000 viewers on the FOX network.

READ MORE:

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• World Cup TV schedule

• World Cup shirts for all 32 teams

• FAQ on World Cup TV coverage in USA

• Schedule of soccer friendlies in USA this summer

 

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Far from Russia, rival world cup kicks off in London

London (AFP) – Far from the showpiece razzmatazz of this year’s World Cup in Russia, 16 teams kicked off Thursday at an alternative world championship for those sidelined by the official competition.

The CONIFA World Football Cup 2018, being contested at non-league grounds around London, sees the likes of Tibet and Northern Cyprus mix with southwestern Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland, the Punjabi diaspora and the Abkhazia breakaway region of Georgia.

CONIFA, the Confederation of Independent Football Associations, is the non-profit federation for teams outside FIFA, the sport’s world governing body.

With a wider interpretation of international identity, its 47 members include sovereign states, nations, minorities, isolated dependencies and cultural regions.

“Many of our members have a history that is quite tragic,” CONIFA president Per-Anders Blind told AFP.

“Even if they never met before, they come on the same pitch and share similar stories.

“Many of these teams have been bullied, abused and neglected from governments, perhaps somebody wanted to take their territories. So there is a respect and understanding.”

At least 30 players taking part have played in one of Europe’s top divisions, according to the Times newspaper. Some have played in the Champions League.

The tournament has grown bigger than even its volunteer organisers expected and CONIFA is counting on London’s diaspora communities turning up to support the teams.

– Drums and dancing –

The 10-day tournament kicked off Thursday.

Reigning champions Abkhazia beat Tibet 3-0 in front of around 300 spectators at a suburban sports ground in north London, where fans dressed in national colours banged drums, chanted and danced pitchside.

“It’s history for us to play,” Tibet striker Pema Lhundup Sherpa told AFP afterwards.

“We feel really proud and really happy that we represent our nation here in England, and show the whole world that Tibetans also know how to play soccer.”

Ellan Vannin — the Isle of Man in its Manx Gaelic language — beat Cascadia 4-1, in the first-ever match for the side representing Canada’s British Columbia and the US states of Oregon and Washington.

Northern Cyprus were held 1-1 by Karpatalja (ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine) while Panjab hammered Kabylia 8-0.

Szekely Land (Hungarians in Romania) beat Tuvalu 4-0, while United Koreans in Japan and Western Armenia shared a goalless draw.

An Yong Hak, 39, coaches and plays for the Korean side. Just eight years ago, he was playing for North Korea against Brazil in the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg.

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Chelsea shelve new stadium plans

London (AFP) – English Premier League giants Chelsea announced Thursday they had shelved plans for a new 60,000-seater stadium in London due to an “unfavourable investment climate”.

“Chelsea Football Club announces today that it has put its new stadium project on hold,” the Blues said in a statement. 

“No further pre-construction design and planning work will occur.”

“The club does not have a time frame set for reconsideration of its decision,” it added.

“The decision was made due to the current unfavourable investment climate.”

The club was looking to build the new stadium on the current Stamford Bridge site in west London, and planned to moved in by 2021.

Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron, who built the Allianz Arena in Munich, the Bird’s Nest in Beijing and other iconic stadiums, had won the tender to revamp Stamford Bridge.

Their project had already been granted permission by the Hammersmith and Fulham local authority and compensation arrangements had been agreed with homeowners set to be affected by construction.

But a conflict with one family occupying a property next to the stadium site resulted in significant delays, and pushed the cost up to around £1 billion ($1.33 billion, 1.14 billion euros).

The latest announcement comes at a difficult time for the Blues, with Russian owner Roman Abramovich still waiting on the extension of his British visa. 

The project was also beset by uncertainty over the interim stadium to be used for matches whilst construction was under way.

A temporary move to Wembley Stadium was mooted.

However, an offer from US tycoon Shahid Khan to buy the 90,000-seater national stadium from the Football Association, the sport’s governing body in England, cast doubt over that option.

A move to the 80,000-seater Twickenham national rugby stadium was also dismissed.

The present capacity of Stamford Bridge (41,631) is far below that of Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium (59,867), currently the largest club stadium in the British capital.

Construction for a Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium of roughly the same capacity is also under way.

West Ham are currently embroiled in a trial over the right to use all 66,000 seats at London Stadium. They are presently only authorised to fill 57,000.

Chelsea finished the season fifth in the Premier League table and won the FA Cup.

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Deschamps backs Zidane as future France coach

Nice (France) (AFP) – France coach Didier Deschamps has backed former teammate Zinedine Zidane to step into his shoes “one day”, only hours after the latter’s shock decision to step down as coach of Real Madrid.

Deschamps, however, played down suggestions that Zidane’s decision had heaped more pressure on his shoulders ahead of the June 14-July 15 World Cup.

“He will be coach” of France, “one day. It will happen when it happens,” said Deschamps, who captained France to World Cup triumph in 1998 and at Euro 2000 when Zidane was an integral part of Les Bleus’ midfield.

Zidane, who led Real to their third successive Champions League trophy with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool last Saturday, made the shock announcement to quit Real early Thursday, claiming he was unsure of his ability to inspire the Spanish giants to more victories.

“I don’t see myself continuing to win this year and I am a winner, I don’t like to lose,” added Zidane, who was under contract with Real until 2020.

Although Deschamps is under contract with the French football federation (FFF) until 2020, he sees Zidane stepping into the role.

“For the moment he wants to enjoy some rest and spend time with his family,” he said.

“One day he will be the national team coach. I can’t say when, but to me it’s logical.”

Deschamps said Zidane’s decision had not affected his plans for France’s World Cup campaign.

“I’m not even thinking about it,” he added. “I’m totally concentrated and focused on what lies ahead for me and the players.”

France, one of the favourites for the World Cup in Russia alongside Brazil and Germany, face Italy in a friendly in Nice on Friday.

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Bolt continues to fuel his pro football dreams in Norway

Drammen (Norway) (AFP) – Usain Bolt hopes to play in a friendly against the Norway Under-19 team next week as part of his ongoing bid to become a professional footballer and prepare for his Old Trafford debut in a charity match.

The 31-year-old eight-time Olympic gold medallist took part in training on Thursday with Norwegian top-tier club Stromsgodset at Drammen,40km (25 miles) south-west of Oslo, as part of his week-long stay.

It is the latest part of Bolt’s on-going bid to become a professional footballer after the Manchester United fan also trained with Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund in March.

He is set to play at United’s iconic Old Trafford stadium in a Soccer Aid charity match on June 10 when he captains a World XI against an England celebrity team led by singer Robbie Williams.

Before that, the retired sprint king hopes to get on the pitch in Stromsgodset’s friendly against the Norwegian Under-19 side on Tuesday.

“If I can get a couple of minutes, that would be good,” Bolt told reporters, sweating heavily after the training session.

“I’m here to try to get fit for the charity game in Manchester next weekend.

“Getting a few minutes on a full pitch would be good for me.

“They are very good at passing. The standard is very good here, the game is high tempo.

“The more comfortable I get here, the more I will relax, but everyone has been cool and welcoming.”

According to reports, Bolt has been given the shirt number 9.58 — his world record time for the 100 metres set in Berlin in 2009 — to wear during his stay.

Stromsgodset are struggling — 12th of the 16 teams in Norway’s Eliteserien top league — and he has some advice.

“Just play better, I guess,” he said with a laugh.

“It’s all about the work and sometimes about a bit of luck, as the seasons goes, on you always improve, so hopefully they’ll get better and fitter.”

Stromsgodset’s sports director Jostein Flo has said he wants to give Bolt a chance in the forthcoming friendly and the squad was surprised to find the world’s fastest man in their dressing room.

– ‘A bit rusty’ –

“We had no idea before he walked through the door, that was awesome,” goalkeeper Espen Bugge Pettersen told Norwegian daily Dagbladet.

“He is a bit rusty, in his current form he won’t add value, but we will have to give him some time.”

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FOX Sports goes all in on Liga MX: World Soccer Talk Podcast

World Soccer Talk is the weekly soccer podcast on the topic of watching soccer on TV, online and apps.

In the NEW episode, number 75, Christopher Harris and Kartik Krishnaiyer cover a range of topics including:

• News about FOX Sports acquiring the English- and Spanish-language TV rights to several Liga MX clubs,

• Which European league sold their TV rights for 1.3 billion dollars,

• Big TV ratings news about the UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid,

• And of course we have feedback and questions from you in the Listener Mailbag section.

Listen to the show via the player above or via this link.

Send in your questions, comments and feedback via e-mail web@worldsoccertalk.com, via Twitter (@worldsoccertalk) or Facebook. We’ll read them out on-air in the next episode.

Here are the different ways you can download the World Soccer Talk Podcast stream.

• Subscribe to the World Soccer Talk Podcast on Stitcher,
• Subscribe to the podcast via Google Play,
• Listen via the World Soccer Talk website, or visit the World Soccer Talk Podcasts page
• Subscribe to the World Soccer Talk Podcast on iTunes,
• Add the World Soccer Talk Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader,
• Listen to the World Soccer Talk Podcast on TuneIn, Soundcloud, Spreaker, YouTube and Audioboom.

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Roma sign Spanish defender Marcano from Porto

Rome (AFP) – Spanish veteran defender Ivan Marcano has signed for Serie A giants Roma, the Italian side confirmed on Thursday.

Marcano has agreed a three-year contract until June 2021, that includes an option for a fourth year.

The 30-year-old arrives on a free transfer from Portuguese champions FC Porto where he has played for the past four seasons, winning the league title last season.

“I am very happy to be here, because Roma is a great club that is moving in the right direction, following a clear sporting project,” Marcano said.

“I also believe the footballing philosophy of the team will fit well with my strengths and characteristics.”

The former Spanish Under-21 international made more than 150 appearances for Porto, having previously played for Villarreal, Rubin Kazan, Racing Santander and Olympiakos, with whom he won the Greek title twice.

“The signing of Ivan Marcano is the addition of a player who will bring his quality, his physical strength and his vast experience to the club,” Roma sporting director Monchi said.

“I wish him all the luck in the world with this new adventure.”

Marcano becomes Roma’s second signing for next season after 21-year-old Croatian midfielder Ante Coric last Monday.

Roma finished third in Serie A this season securing Champions League football, having reached the semi-finals this season.

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Bierhoff angry as Germany poster ‘slip-up’ drops four players

Berlin (AFP) – Germany team director Oliver Bierhoff said Thursday he is angry about a poster of the national team which hints at the four names to be cut from the World Cup squad.

Germany play Austria away on Saturday in their penultimate friendly before the World Cup and four names must be trimmed from their extended squad before Monday when the official 23-man line-up must be submitted.

Bierhoff is red-faced over a poster on the German FA (DFB) website,  showing how the names of Germany stars appear in sign language.

However, only 23 members of the 27-member extended squad appear on the poster. Reserve goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, defender Jonathan Tah, striker Nils Petersen and midfielder Sebastian Rudy are missing. The quartet are all likely candidates to be cut from the final squad.

“It must be a slip-up, I do not know how it came about, but I’ll look into it,” fumed Bierhoff at Germany’s World Cup training camp in Eppan, north Italy.

“That shouldn’t have happened.

“That makes me really angry, but is not an indication of the final selection.”

The announcement of the four unlucky players is expected soon after the final whistle against Austria.

Meanwhile, there is some good news for Germany head coach Joachim Loew as his captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer continues to shine in training despite eight months sidelined by injury.

Neuer is set to play against Austria in his first match since fracturing his foot last September.

“Manuel Neuer is on track, there are no more obstacles, he is highly motivated, which does us good,” said Bierhoff.

Loew has said Neuer will start the first World Cup match against Mexico in Moscow on June 17, providing he proves his fitness against the Austrians, then Saudi Arabia in Leverkusen next Friday before the team flies to Russia.

“He is the best keeper in the world and is very important to us,” enthused Germany defender Niklas Suele.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to visit the world champions’ training camp on Sunday.

“She wants to say ‘hello’ to the team, she wants to do that without making a big scene. It has become a tradition and is well received by the players,” said  Bierhoff.

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Everton appoint Marco Silva as new manager: club

London (AFP) – Everton on Thursday appointed Marco Silva as the new manager, the Premier League club announced on their website.

The 40-year-old Portuguese coach, who replaces Sam Allardyce at Goodison Park, has Premier League experience, with Watford and Hull City.

Before that, Silva enjoyed trophy-winning spells with Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos having also helped Estoril climb through the ranks in his native Portugal.

Everton had tried to lure him last season before taking on Allardyce, causing Silva’s departure from Watford, who complained of an “unwarranted approach by a Premier League rival”.

Known as a manager who wants his teams to play attractive, attacking football, Silva believes Everton fans will be proud of what they see on the pitch next season.

“I’m really proud to be the new Everton manager,” Silva told Evertontv.

“I’m excited and I’m really happy to take this big challenge for us as a club and for me as a manager.

“I know the huge history of Everton as a club and what the fans expect. I’m sure with everybody working together I will be ready for this challenge.”

While city rivals Liverpool enjoyed one of their best seasons in recent memory, reaching the Champions League final and finishing fourth to secure a spot in the competition next season, Everton finished five points behind Burnley in seventh, missing out on a Europa League spot.

With the backing of Everton’s Iranian billionaire owner Farhad Moshiri, Silva said he is ready to meet the fans’ expectations of a far more successful season in 2018-2019.

“We have a lot of work to do in this next month and it is important to prepare everything in the right way,” he said.

“But there will be even more important work to do from the start of pre-season into the first Premier League match of next season.

“I know what our fans expect — they expect results but not only results. I want our fans to be proud when they see our team on the pitch.

“I want them to feel that we are committed, that we are working hard and enjoying our football because that is important as well.

“We want to build a great connection between the squad and the fans, and I’m sure that with our attitude and demands of commitment then our style of play will see that, I believe. 

“Everton is a really ambitious club and that is what I want. What we are seeing now are good changes at the club.

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Swiss tribunal clears banned Peru captain Guerrero for World Cup

Lausanne (AFP) – Peru captain Paolo Guerrero has won a last-ditch appeal to play at the World Cup despite being suspended after testing positive for traces of cocaine, a Swiss federal tribunal announced Thursday.

Guerrero appealed to the tribunal following a recent ruling by the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that saw him suspended for 14 months.

The tribunal, Switzerland’s highest court, effectively “suspended” the CAS ban and said: “Guerrero can now participate at the next World Cup.”

The decision was warmly welcomed by the Peruvian football federation (FPF), which had given Guerrero support in recent months in a bid to get him to Russia for their first World Cup appearance in 36 years.

“It’s a great joy, not only for the federation but for the whole of Peru,” the FPF said in a statement.

The FPF had launched Guerrero’s last-ditch appeal Wednesday “with the hope of seeing Paolo at the World Cup, that reflects the feeling of the FPF and the whole country,” according to its president Edwin Oviedo in a statement released in Lima.

The Swiss federal tribunal is the only body with powers to overturn a decision by the CAS. As well as allowing Guerrero to participate in the June 14-July 15 showpiece, it has also given the player hope of seeing his initial 14-month suspension reduced or annulled as it ruled the CAS decision “unjustified”.

“As a result, Paolo Guerrero will be able to participate in the next World Cup.”

The federal tribunal is expected to examine the case in fuller detail following the World Cup.

– Traces of cocaine –

It brings an end to a saga which began when Guerrero attempted to clear his name.

Guerrero, 34, tested positive for traces of cocaine after a World Cup qualifier between Peru and Argentina on October 5.

Initially banned for a year, this was later reduced to six months on appeal last December. 

That ban ended on May 3, making Guerrero eligible to play at the June 14-July 15 World Cup in Russia.

But instead of accepting the ruling, Guerrero appealed to CAS in a bid to clear his name. Sport’s top arbitration court responded by increasing the reduced six-month ban to 14 months.

That effectively ruled him out of action until January 2019, and Guerrero was suspended by his Brazilian club, Flamengo.

The ruling prompted an outpouring of support from his native Peru, where the president Martin Vizcarra led calls for clemency.

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Zinedine Zidane, master of dramatic departures

Madrid (AFP) – Just days ago Zinedine Zidane was basking in the glory of becoming the first coach in history to win three consecutive Champions League titles with Real Madrid and staking a claim as one of the great coaches in history.

On Thursday, he said he was quitting the Spanish giants in an announcement that seemed to have even taken the club’s president Florentino Perez by surprise.

It appears the 45-year-old Frenchman has decided that it won’t ever get better than this for him at the famously demanding 13-time European champions.

“I don’t see myself continuing to win this year and I am a winner, I don’t like to lose,” said Zidane, who was under contract with Real until 2020.

The Frenchman specialises in dramatic departures — in the 2006 World Cup final in Berlin, his final appearance as a player, was cut short when he was sent off for headbutting the Italian defender Marco Materazzi. Zidane said he had insulted his family.

The 3-1 victory over Liverpool in Kiev on Saturday was the pinnacle of a coaching career after his reign as a player with Real Madrid which peaked when he scored the winning goal in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen in Glasgow.

Zidane was considered one of the all-time greats as a player, his mixture of sublime skill wrapped up in a muscular package driving France to victory in the 1998 World Cup on home soil.

Affectionately known as “Zizou” in France, he was World Player of the Year three times, in 1998, 2000 and 2003 in a career that started at Cannes, moved onto Bordeaux before he moved into the big league with Juventus, staying five years, before joining Real in 2001. 

Incredibly, his record-breaking achievement in Kiev came less than three full seasons in charge after he was promoted from his position as coach of Real’s youth team.

It was only in January 2016 that he took charge of the full Real team.

“You can’t help but admire what he has done,” France manager Didier Deschamps, who won the World Cup as a player alongside Zidane in 1998, told France’s TF1 after the Kiev triumph.

“Already as a player he was an extraordinary player. He’s had a second life as a coach and he is already an extraordinary coach. Achieving three Champions League wins is fabulous.”

Madrid sports daily AS said after the final that Zidane was “the architect of this glorious and possibly unrepeatable era”.

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Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane drops quit bombshell

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane dropped a bombshell Thursday, quitting the Spanish giants just days after winning the Champions League for a record third year in a row.

The 45-year-old former international decided to quit at the top saying that it was time for a change for himself and the club and admitting he was unsure of his ability to maintain his winning record at Real. 

But he said that no other club was involved in his decision to part ways with Real and although experts have linked him to the French national team coaching job, Zidane insisted he is eyeing no other position at this time.

“I have taken the decision to not continue next year as Real Madrid coach,” the Frenchman told a hastily convened press conference.

“This club deserves to continue to win and needs a change” he said, adding that he believed the “moment has come.”

“After three years the club needs another discourse, another method of working,” he added 

Zidane said he was unsure of his ability to inspire the team to more victories.

“I don’t see myself continuing to win this year and I am a winner, I don’t like to lose,” added Zidane, who was under contract with Real until 2020.

“I have thought a lot about this decision and I can’t go back on it.”

Real beat Liverpool 3-1 in the final in Kiev on Saturday, making Zidane the first coach in history to win three successive Champions League titles.

Zidane has now won nine trophies since replacing Rafael Benitez in the Santiago Bernabeu dugout in January 2016.

He was flanked at the press conference by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez who said Zidane’s announcement was “totally unexpected”.

When Benitez was sacked in January 2016, Barcelona daily Mundo Deportivo dismissed Zidane as merely a “sticking plaster”, who would be replaced quickly by a permanent coach. 

But Zidane won the confidence of players and the rest is history.

“This is a sad day,” Perez said.

“This house will be his family forever, he triumphed and won everything, as you know. I thank him for his commitment, his passion. I have no doubt that he will return.”

Real captain Sergio Ramos thanked Zidane for “two and a half incredible years”.

“Your legacy will never be erased, one of the most successful chapters in the history of our beloved Real Madrid,” he added in a Twitter message. 

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Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says will leave club

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said Thursday he was leaving the Spanish giants in a surprise move announced just days after winning the Champions League for the third year in a row.

“I have taken the decision to not continue next year as Real Madrid coach,” the Frenchman told a hastily convened press conference, before adding he was not looking for another club to coach.

“This club deserves to continue to win and needs a change” he said, adding that he believed the “moment has come.”

“After three years the club needs another discourse, another method of working,” he added 

“I don’t see myself continuing to win this year and I am a winner, I don’t like to lose,” added Zidane, who was under contract with Real until 2020.

“I have thought a lot about this decision and I can’t go back on it.”

Real beat Liverpool 3-1 in the final in Kiev on Saturday, making Zidane the first coach in history to win three successive Champions League titles.

Zidane, 45, has now won nine trophies since replacing Rafael Benitez in the Santiago Bernabeu dugout in January 2016.

He was flanked at the press conference by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez who said Zidane’s announcement was “totally unexpected”.

Zidane said his decision had nothing to do with Cristiano Ronaldo hinting that he will also leave the club.

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John Terry leaving Aston Villa after promotion failure

London (AFP) – Former England captain John Terry said Thursday he was leaving Aston Villa and admitted he was “still hurting” after failing to help the Championship club reach the Premier League.

The former Chelsea defender came to the former European champions on a one-year deal last July and made 35 league appearances, the last coming in Saturday’s play-off final defeat to Fulham at Wembley.

Terry, 37, wrote on his Instagram page: “Today I part ways with Aston Villa Football Club. I’m very proud to have had the opportunity to play and captain this great and huge club.

“I have given my everything this year both on and off the pitch and I’m still hurting today that we never managed to get back to the Premier League, where this club 100 percent belongs.”

A club statement thanked Terry for his “effort and professionalism” and added: “John is a true leader and was everything and more that we hoped.

“Hugely popular and influential in the dressing room, he played a real captain’s role in creating the incredible bond the players shared with our supporters, and vice-versa. We hope he looks back on his time with Villa fondly and we wish him the very best as his career moves forward.”

Terry’s teammate in Premier League-winning teams, Frank Lampard, announced on Thursday that he was making his first move into management with Championship side Derby County.

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‘Hunted’ Germany hungry for back-to-back World Cup titles

Berlin (AFP) – Joachim Loew believes Germany will be hunted “like never before” when they attempt to become the first team for 56 years to successfully defend the World Cup in Russia.

Brazil, who lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in 1958 and 1962, were the last team to win back-to-back titles, but Germany’s head coach Loew says his squad must show the necessary hunger to repeat their Brazil 2014 triumph.

“Germany will be hunted like never before, and near-superhuman forces will be needed if we want to end up becoming world champions again,” warned Loew.

Loew sees Brazil — who beat Germany 1-0 in a friendly in Berlin in March, — Spain, England, France and Argentina as Germany’s main threats at Russia 2018.

“Only us, as world champions, have anything to lose.”

Germany have reached at least the semi-finals of every major tournament since the 2006 World Cup finals with Loew in charge.

Under his stewardship, Germany have cemented their reputation as a tournament team capable of raising their performances for the big occasions.

The 58-year-old stepped up from his role as assistant to replace Jurgen Klinsmann as head coach in 2006 and Germany went on to finish as runners-up at Euro 2008, then third at the 2010 World Cup.

His crowning moment was when Mario Goetze scored the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final.

However, Loew enhanced his status in Germany by winning the 2017 Confederations Cup, beating Chile 1-0 in the St Petersburg final, despite his brave decision to take an inexperienced squad to Russia and rest his star players.

His reward was a contract extension which will carry him through to the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.  

His record of 106 wins in 160 matches, with 30 draws and 24 defeats, gives him a win ratio of 66 percent.

He narrowly missed a German national team record in March when Gabriel Jesus’ winning goal for Brazil in Berlin robbed Loew of a 23rd consecutive game without defeat. 

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Frank Lampard steps into management at Derby

London (AFP) – Former England midfielder Frank Lampard is taking his first step into management by taking the reins at Derby County, the Championship club announced on Thursday.

The 39-year-old, who won three Premier League titles with Chelsea, has signed a three-year contract at the second-tier English outfit two years after retiring in 2016.

Derby have been looking for a new manager since Gary Rowett was lured away by recently-relegated Stoke.

Lampard told Derby’s official website: “This is my first job as a manager, but I’ve worked closely with some of the best coaches in the game and I’m confident in my own abilities and those of the team around me, including the board.

“I know it won’t be easy — managing a football team never is — but I’m really looking forward to the challenge ahead.

“I’ve always wanted to manage a club with a big tradition and history like Derby County, so this is a huge opportunity.”

Rowett led Derby into the play-offs at the end of last season only for Fulham to overturn a first leg deficit in their semi-final clash before going on to beat Aston Villa at Wembley.

Lampard said his aim was to take Derby back to the Premier League for the first time since 2008, when the club finished rock bottom.

“We want to build on the club’s top six finish in the Championship last season, while at the same time bringing through some of the excellent youth and academy talent we have at Pride Park,” added Lampard.

After starting his career at West Ham, Lampard joined Chelsea and had 13 successful years at Stamford Bridge.

He remains the club’s leading goalscorer with 211 goals and, as well as his hat-trick of Premier League medals, also lifted four FA Cups, the Champions League and the Europa League during a trophy-laden stay.

His career came to a close at New York City — but he did return to England briefly, scoring against Chelsea while on loan at Manchester City.

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Putin a brave face on it: Japan turn to old guard for Russia

Tokyo (AFP) – Trouble-hit Japan will hope star power can reverse their flagging fortunes after new coach Akira Nishino named his 23-man squad for the World Cup in Russia on Thursday.

The former JFA technical director, who took charge after predecessor Vahid Halilhodzic was controversially fired last month, took no risks as he turned to his old guard, including talismanic forward Keisuke Honda and playmaker Shinji Kagawa.

Japan, beaten 2-0 by Ghana on Wednesday in Nishino’s first game as coach, face Colombia, Senegal and Poland in Group H at the World Cup.

Forward Shinji Okazaki, who has won a Premier League title with Leicester City, and defenders Yuto Nagatomo and Maya Yoshida will also bring experience to a Blue Samurai team low on confidence.

“In a short space of time as coach, I’ve been charged with a very tough job to select 23 players,” Nishino told reporters.

“I’m confident in this group and believe they can rise to the occasion, despite last night’s result,” added the 63-year-old, constantly sucking his teeth in a nervous display broadcast live on Japanese television.

“I don’t want to make concrete predictions but hopefully we can pick up points game by game and get through the group stage.”

Japan, who will be playing in their sixth successive World Cup, have twice reached the last 16 — in 2010 and as co-hosts in 2002.

Okazaki and Kagawa, who had both been struggling with injury, returned to the Japan side as substitutes on Wednesday — the one silver lining for Nishino on a tough night.

Kagawa and Honda were two of those thought to have been at loggerheads with Halilhodzic, who was unceremoniously dumped by JFA president Kozo Tashima citing a breakdown of communication between the players and the firebrand Franco-Bosnian.

“We go (to Russia) in good shape with a strong nucleus and some veteran players,” said Nishino, set to face intense pressure at the World Cup after his employers took the high-risk decision to switch coaches.

“The nucleus of the team is strong and we have a good balance. I believe this team can showcase Japanese football to the world.”

Japan travel to Europe to take on Switzerland on June 6 and Paraguay on June 12 in final tune-ups.

They take on Colombia in their opening World Cup game on June 19.

“It might take a miracle to beat Colombia but that’s what we hope to do,” said Nishino.

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Chinese-owned Mediapro launches offensive for French football

Paris (AFP) – Spain’s Mediapro, majority-owned by a Chinese investment fund, has strengthened its presence in European sports broadcasting by snapping up the rights to broadcast France’s Ligue 1 football, highlighting the growing interest in China for European football.

In a major blow to Vivendi’s French broadcaster Canal Plus which has shown Ligue 1 matches since 1984 and now holds the bulk of the rights, Mediapro on Tuesday won the rights to broadcast the games for the period 2020 to 2024 in an auction by the French football league.

Total yearly broadcasting rights for the championship, including lower level packages of the match bundles on offer which Mediapro did not bid for, will reach a record 1.15 billion euros ($1.33 billion), a 60-percent jump over the previous five-year period.

Mediapro, a major TV and film producer, is planning to create a TV channel specifically dedicated to French football, France’s League of Professional Football (LFP) said in a statement announcing the results of the rights auction.

With 6,600 employees and revenues of 1.6 billion euros in 2017, Mediapro is a heavyweight when it comes to European sports content.

It holds the rights to the bulk of the Spanish league’s matches as well as the rights to broadcast the main international football championships in Spain.

The company also has the rights to broadcast Formula One car racing championships in Spain as well as Euroleague basketball games.

–  ‘Great players’  –

This is not the first time that Mediapro and Canal Plus have clashed over broadcast rights.

Between 2006 and 2013 Mediapro and Spanish pay-TV company Sogecable, which had the rights to broadcast Canal Plus’s programmes in Spain and which historically held the rights to broadcast most La Liga matches in Spain, fought what the press dubbed a “football war”.

Mediapro began negotiating directly with individual clubs the right to broadcast their matches, leading to lengthy court battles with Sogecable. Mediapro eventually ended up with the bulk of Spain’s La Liga broadcast rights.

The Barcelona-based production company, which has produced Woody Allen films such as “Midnight in Paris” in addition to documentaries and TV series, was founded by Jaume Roures, who is reportedly close to Catalonia’s separatist leaders.

Its sudden interest in the French league is directly linked to Chinese private equity group Orient Hontai Capital’s decision in February to acquire a majority stake in Mediapro, said Carlos Canto, a professor at Spanish business school ESADE who focuses on the economics of sports.

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Salah out ‘not more’ than three weeks, still has World Cup hope

Cairo (AFP) – Mohamed Salah could still play a role for Egypt at the World Cup after the Egyptian Football Association announced Wednesday that the injured Liverpool striker would be out for “not more” than three weeks.

“The football federation reiterates that Salah will be at the World Cup, God willing, and will be out for no longer than three weeks,” the federation said after its president Hani Abu Reda and the team doctor met with Salah in Spain, where he is undergoing treatment.

A full three-week absence would likely keep Salah out of action until at least June 17, meaning he would miss Egypt’s opening fixture in Group A against Uruguay on June 15. They then face Russia on June 19 and Saudi Arabia on June 25.

Salah arrived for rehabilitation in Valencia on Sunday, the day after he injured his shoulder after being wrestled to the ground by Sergio Ramos in the Champions League final Real Madrid won 3-1.

The Egyptian FA announced on Monday that their star player, who hit a stunning 44 goals for Liverpool last season in all competitions, had started rehabilitation immediately on Sunday in the hope of playing a role in Egypt’s first appearance in the World Cup since 1990.

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Guardiola dismisses Isco move, praises spectacular Real

Madrid (AFP) – Pep Guardiola has ruled out Manchester City signing Real Madrid´s Isco this summer and described the European champions as a “spectacular team”. 

Guardiola, speaking at a Johan Cruyff Foundation event in Barcelona on Wednesday, also made another staunch defence of his decision to wear a yellow ribbon last season in support of imprisoned Catalan campaigners.

Isco extended his contract until 2022 in September but has not been an automatic pick for Real under Zinedine Zidane this season. 

After scoring a hat-trick for Spain against Argentina in March, the 26-year-old said he no longer felt the confidence of the Frenchman and that playing for the national team “gives him life”. 

Isco started the Champions League final against Liverpool, however, and enjoyed a strong end to the campaign in La Liga. Guardiola says Isco will not be at City next term. 

“No, Manchester City are not going to sign Isco,” he said. 

Guardiola won six La Liga titles with Barcelona as a player before leading the team to three more league successes and two Champions League triumphs as coach.

His City side were knocked out by Liverpool, however, in the quarter-finals in April as Real went on to clinch their third consecutive European crown, and fourth in five years. 

“I congratulate Madrid,” Guardiola said. “When a team gets three Champions Leagues in a row, four in five years, it is a spectacular team. 

“The Champions League is a very tough competition, very complicated, where going through or going out depends on many things. 

“And if all these things are with you for three years in a row, it means you are in control of them.” 

Guardiola´s status in Barcelona means his political views carry weight too, with the Spaniard regularly wearing a yellow ribbon last season in support of those imprisoned for backing Catalan independence.

He was charged in February by England´s Football Association, who ruled that the political message was in breach of kit regulations.

“I would have worn it (in Spain) as well, why can I wear it in England and not here?” Guardiola said. 

“People stand up against AIDS, against gender discrimination. It is not a political claim, it is in support of people who are in jail for expressing a political option, which can happen to anyone. People who are in jail for asking that people can vote. 

“The situation is not easy, but it will not be fixed until the prisoners are with their families.” 

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Guide to Telemundo’s World Cup commentators and talent

We’ve compiled a guide to Telemundo’s World Cup commentators, which also includes the studio analysts and presenters.

With Telemundo Deportes owning the exclusive Spanish-language rights to the 2018 FIFA World Cup on US television, the broadcaster aims to make this the most authentic World Cup experience ever — with all of their commentators based in Russia (and many of them at the stadiums).

Also don’t miss our guide entitled Everything you need to know about Telemundo’s World Cup coverage.

 

Here’s our guide to Telemundo’s World Cup commentators:

 

Commentators:

ANDRÉS CANTOR:

Cantor, the preeminent voice of soccer on US television, has called thousands of matches all over the world, becoming a staple both of Telemundo and sports culture for his undeniable passion and legendary “GOL” call.

Since joining Telemundo in 2000, Cantor has become a part of the routine of every soccer fan. He currently serves as commentator for Telemundo Deportes’ broadcast of the Premier League and Rumbo al Mundial, the network’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. He has also been a staple of the network’s Olympic Games coverage since 2004 and will serve as lead commentator and anchor for Telemundo’s exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.

MIGUEL GURWITZ:

Gurwitz is one of Telemundo Deportes’ leading on-air personalities. He currently serves as co-host of Titulares y Más and studio analyst for Telemundo’s coverage of all major FIFA events, including “Rumbo al Mundial” FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia the Premier League and the Olympic Games.

For the World Cup, he’ll be commentating many of the games from the International Broadcast Center in Moscow.

SAMMY SADOVNIK:

Sadovnik joined Telemundo Deportes in 2007. Since then, he has been an integral part of Telemundo Deportes as anchor of some of the network’s most popular shows, including Fútbol Estelar Liga Premier and Rumbo al Mundial. He served as commentator for Telemundo’s first major broadcast of FIFA tournaments that have included the Women’s World Cup and the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017.

As a commentator, Sadovnik will play a key role in the network’s coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.

MANUEL SOL:

Sol is an analyst and commentator for Telemundo Deportes and a former Chivas and Mexican National Team midfielder star who became a household name for Mexican soccer fans during his 15-year soccer career. He made his professional debut with Pumas in 1992, then played with several league teams and as part of the Mexico National Team roster for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the 1998 Gold Cup and FIFA World Cup Qualifiers for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

CARLOS HERMOSILLO:

Hermosillo is a Mexican soccer legend who has gone on to a successful career in television sports. He is part of the Telemundo Deportes’ on-air team and one of the top all-time goal scorers for the Mexican National Team and Cruz Azul.

As a co-commentator, he doesn’t shy away from strong, honest opinions.

VIVIANA VILA:

Vila will be the first female soccer commentator to call a men’s World Cup game from the host country on US television.

Vila will serve as analyst for select matches during the tournament joining Telemundo Deportes’ renowned team of play-by-play commentators and analysts. The Argentine sports journalist has been covering soccer for radio and television in her native country since 1999. For the last 17 years, she has been working for Radio Continental de Buenos Aires, contributing to the coverage of local and international soccer. She debuted as a soccer analyst in 2004 alongside one of the most legendary sportscasters in Argentina, Victor Hugo Morales, and has since provided commentary for close to one thousand matches, including tournaments like Copa Argentina, Copa Libertadores and the 2016 UEFA European Championship.

ERASMO PROVENZA:

Currently serves as Telemundo’s KDEN sports anchor in Denver and has more than 12 years of experience as a soccer commentator for radio and television, including previous World Cups, such as Germany in 2006, South Africa in 2010 and Brazil in 2014. Erasmo joins Telemundo Deportes team in Russia as play-by-play commentator for this 2018 FIFA World Cup.

READ MORE:

• Cord cutter’s guide to World Cup 2018

• World Cup TV schedule

• World Cup shirts for all 32 teams

• FAQ on World Cup TV coverage in USA

• Schedule of soccer friendlies in USA this summer

 

Presenters:

ANA JURKA:

Jurka joined Telemundo Deportes in 2013 and currently serves as a co-host of Titulares y Más and studio host for a variety of special programming. She also contributes regularly as a correspondent for different sports events, and will be part of the team providing coverage for Telemundo’s exclusive Spanish-language broadcast of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.

KARIM MENDIBURU:

Emmy Award winning host of Telemundo’s Titulares y Mas who also covers some of the top sporting events in the world for the network. He will also co-host the first-ever daily special primetime show exclusively dedicated to World Cup alongside renowned TV host and actress Jaqueline Bracamontes.

 

Studio analysts:

TAB RAMOS:

Former American soccer player who currently serves as head coach of the United States U-20 team and US Soccer Federation’s Youth Technical Director. Over his thirteen-year professional career he played as a midfielder in Spain, Mexico, and the United States. Ramos participated in three FIFA World Cups with the USMNT and was the first player to sign with Major League Soccer where he spent seven years of his career with the MetroStars. He was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005.

EDUARDO BISCAYART:

Experienced sports commentator with four World Cups and nine Champions League finals under his belt, among several other international soccer tournaments. Biscayart joins Telemundo Deportes team in Russia as an analyst for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

JESUS “CHUCHO” RAMIREZ:

Former Mexican soccer player who, following his professional career took on the challenge of coaching. He served as manager of the Mexico National Team and won the U-17 World Cup in 2005, becoming the first coach of a Mexican team to achieve a world soccer championship. Ramírez also served as coach of Club América and currently lends his talent as a motivational speaker.

DIEGO FORLÁN:

Uruguayan professional soccer player who currently plays for Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee. Regarded as one of the greatest Uruguayan players of all time, Forlán has participated in three FIFA World Cups, including the 2010 tournament where Uruguay came in fourth place and he received the Golden Ball as the best player. Through his career he also played for some of Europe’s top clubs including Manchester United, Villarreal, Atletico de Madrid and Inter Milan.

TEÓFILO CUBILLAS:

Former soccer star considered one of Peru’s greatest players and the country’s all-time leading scorer with 26 goals in 81 matches. He represented Peru in three FIFA World Cups, including the 1970 and 1978 tournaments where he helped the team reach the quarter finals. Cubillas is one of only three players to score five or more goals in two different World Cups, the other two being Miroslav Klose and Thomas Müller.

CLAUDIO BORGHI:

After a stellar performance as guest analyst for Telemundo’s coverage of the FIFA Confederations Cup, the Chilean-Argentine manager and former soccer attacking midfielder returns to join the team for Russia 2018. Borghi is a World Cup champion having played alongside Maradona when the Argentina team won the 1986 FIFA World Cup. He also played for several clubs in Argentina and Chile and spent time in Italy with A.C. Milan. After retiring, Borghi has been coaching club teams in Argentina and Chile and served as head coach for the Chile National Team between 2011 and 2012.

SEBASTIÁN “EL LOCO” ABREU:

Former Uruguayan striker who represented his country in the 2002 and 2010 FIFA World Cup and several Copa Americas (1997, 2007 and 2011.) He also played in a number of clubs throughout Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil.

ROLANDO FONSECA:

Costa Rica’s national team’s all-time top goal scorer who’s also widely known among Mexican soccer fans for ending Mexico’s 20-year undefeated streak at Azteca stadium in international play back in 2001, after scoring a penalty kick. He also played for Liga MX’s Pachuca.

JUAN PABLO ÁNGEL:

Ángel is retired soccer star from Colombia who spent most of his career playing with popular clubs around the world including Premier League’s Aston Villa, Atletico Nacional, River Plate and Red Bulls. He was also part of Colombia’s National Team during the qualifiers for the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup.

HORACIO ELIZONDO:

Former international football referee from Argentina who is best known for his officiation throughout the 2006 FIFA World Cup including the epic final where he gave Zidane a red card after he head-butted Materazzi in the chest following a verbal dispute.

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MLS will hit point of diminishing returns if league doesn’t embrace change

MLS continues to pat itself on the back. And why shouldn’t it, many would ask? The 2018 season has seen MLS reach new heights in visibility and quality of play relative to a past when the league existed in a complete vacuum and the level of soccer on display was average by any truly objective standard.

But permanent growth is difficult in a closed-league, single-entity (MLS) or franchise-based (USL) structure. The American club game will hit a point of diminishing returns in the next few years unless serious reforms are undertaken.

Capturing the masses of American-based soccer fans who watch European and Latin American leagues should be a priority for MLS. These fans seek an authenticity in experience and a relevance in individual matches. Currently MLS doesn’t provide either in enough of a dose to satisfy critics and win over those watching other leagues.

The league still suffers from a general market indifference. No doubt, MLS has had sustained successes in die-hard fan bases such as Portland, Orlando and Kansas City but has struggled for consistent market penetration in the largest metropolitan areas in the nation such as New York and Los Angeles. On a larger scale, MLS is struggling to establish anything more than a niche position in the general sports landscape nationally and remains to a large extent a niche even among self-professed soccer fans in the United States.

In reality, MLS has probably reached the end of its rope for a closed league. In the coming months, the league will add three expansion fees at a high dollar value – $150 million, with the first FC Cincinnati announced earlier this week. These clubs will likely look to publicly finance gargantuan stadiums as a way of justifying the expense of joining a closed league that guarantees revenues from MLS’ marketing arm, Soccer United Marketing (SUM).

MLS has largely built its business off collecting expansion fees which then fuel an increase in existing club values. But this is a scheme that will not continue to yield results over time. Moreover, MLS will not be able to replace expansion revenue when expansion ends unless they open up the league structure, something that MLS Commissioner Don Garber seems unwilling to even contemplate. While valuations of existing clubs have increased in recent years due to expansion, those club values are likely to stagnate as the league hits its point of diminishing returns.

Investment in soccer at the lower division level has been difficult because of the closed league nature of the American game as well as the pro league standards which the USSF uses to determine sanctioning of professional leagues. While many owners come into buying or creating a lower division club with the requisite enthusiasm and spend with relatively big money initially, the enthusiasm and investment dries up within a few years unless a team moves to MLS by paying an exorbitant fee.

Lower division soccer can be economically viable if part of an open system is in place that organizes leagues regionally much like conference in college sports. This not only reduces travel costs but increases local relevance via regional rivalries. For example, fans in Tampa would be more inclined to support a club and travel to regional destinations like Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale and Birmingham than to have to travel Ottawa or San Antonio or points further thanks to the USSF’s timezone requirement for second division leagues. This also will give a relevance and context for competition in lower divisions once an open system is implemented beyond simply fighting for promotion.

Despite expansion, MLS owners remain reliant on sponsorship and ticket sales for revenue as TV ratings continue to remain flat. The growth of interest in soccer generally has benefited the league but only to a certain extent. MLS still has trouble gaining a following among hardcore soccer fans in this country. While some of this can be attributed to snobbishness, much of it is due to MLS’ own competition format and calendar.

Earlier this month, Garber gave an interview to the Kansas City Star where he emphatically made it clear that he didn’t think either the competition format, which does not have promotion and relegation, or the calendar could be changed.

Regarding promotion and relegation, Garber said “Just because there is promotion/relegation in other leagues that were founded on different principles doesn’t mean that it would make sense in Major League Soccer. We have a vibrant No. 2 league in the USL. We have (Sporting KC principal owner) Cliff (Illig) and his partners that have just put $60 million of capital, along with the public, into this building. If all of a sudden they’re playing in a different division that doesn’t have national revenues — because the USL doesn’t have that — how does that make any sense? There’s no economic rationality to promotion/relegation whatsoever in the era that we’re in today.”

Garber’s comments are selectively interpreting what would happen in a truly open system where money would flow down the pyramid through media and sponsorship deals. USL’s lack of national revenues is a direct result of the league being designated as a “second division” by US Soccer in a closed system. If promotion and relegation was instituted, it is assumed MLS and USL or whatever the first and second divisions would be called, would pool some revenue, share some media rights and have joint-sponsorships. Moreover, the institution of parachute payments would inoculate clubs who are relegated. This is how leagues are structured throughout the world and how investments of those who put money into clubs are ultimately protected.

Promotion and relegation isn’t just a “cool” concept. It would drive interest in the entire league structure, creating an incentive to watch other clubs on television. It also would likely prompt the type of bottom-up investment that allows more integration in concepts like street soccer and futsal to develop players. If promotion and relegation were to be implemented long-term and solidarity payments were allowed in the United States, investment in the development structure from the bottom up could help drive down the costs to players and their families in the expensive “pay-to-play” system. Money invested in lower division teams would flow up the pyramid as we’ve seen in so many countries across the world, and this would also further inoculate investors to certain extent from the potential pitfalls of relegation.

Another persistent issue with MLS’ ability to attract fans is playing on an abnormal March to November calendar that also creates problems in attracting players because transfer windows aren’t aligned with the top European leagues. Garber conceded in his Kansas City Star interview that shifting the calendar might be ideal in some respects but claimed it was impossible due to weather considerations.

Garber said regarding potential calender shifts: “If we could align with the calendar, we would. Why wouldn’t we? It makes a lot easier for us to have the summer open so that we can take a break when our players are getting called into international competitions and capture some of the opportunities when international clubs wanna come here. But you guys know what the weather is like around the country. We’ve had snow and horrible weather in the beginning of our season in early March. There is no league in the world that plays across (four) time zones and three climate zones. We have to operate in an environment that is consistent with the norms and factors that exist in North America.”

The comments by Garber completely ignore the fact that a longer winter break and creative scheduling can be undertaken. Nobody is saying you must play through snow in January. What is being said is that lining up transfer windows is beneficial to everyone in the league. Moreover, it can be strongly argued that the quality of play suffers during the summer months and weather delays are as numerous as would be during the winter. In my final season with the NASL’s Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 2016, we had 17 out of our 30 league matches negatively impacted by weather in some manner, with almost ten matches suffering a weather-related delay. Even if matches aren’t delayed, the oppressive heat impacts the quality of play and the ability to train at a high level. Additionally, the excessive heat and thunderstorms which much of the country suffers through impacts player safety as much if not more than the cold weather Garber is referring to in his comments.

Instead of using conventional means established in world soccer to grow an audience or a product, Garber is hitching his wagon to sports betting as a potential way to increase fan interest.

“How do we build a fanbase? To be one of the top leagues in the world, we gotta grow our fan base,” said Garber. “We have to have more fans. We have to have higher television ratings. We have to engage with our fans. Maybe sports betting becomes one of those ways that we can build a fan base. We could work with some of the providers to be able to provide exposure to our players and have them engage more with our games.”

Perhaps another remedy for MLS will be unlimited, strategic franchise relocation. The potential relocation of the Columbus Crew SC, an original MLS club and one which has boasted a longer-term more passionate following than most is a test case. If MLS gets away with moving the Crew to Austin, several other potential relocation efforts could follow that hold taxpayers to ransom in multiple cities. This will allow the league to continue extorting public monies from citizens and create new buzz in existing markets, or new markets that seek a relocated franchise.

Instead of tackling the league’s long-term structural problems head-on, it appears that MLS officials prefer to live in a self-created fantasy world where positive PR spin from new expansion cities and the dreams of gambling being a cure-all will turn MLS into “one of the top leagues in the world.” Now more than ever, it’s time for MLS to get outside of its own bubble.

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French football ‘needs’ Neymar – federation chief

Paris (AFP) – French football “needs” Neymar, according to the country’s federation president Noel Le Graet, who said the Brazilian star “must stay” at Paris Saint-Germain.

“We need this image, he’s a fantastic footballer,” Le Graet told AFP Wednesday.

“He’s on a five-year contract. He must stay. PSG shows that it can attract the big stars.”

Neymar became the world’s most expensive footballer after his transfer to PSG last August from Barcelona for a whopping fee of 222 million euros ($264 million).

He won the French player of the year prize this season despite a foot injury meaning he has not featured for the Parisian club since the end of February.

There has been constant speculation that the 26-year-old’s stay in the French capital could be a short one, with Real Madrid linked to a move for the Brazilian.

PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi has insisted, however, that he was “2,000 percent” sure Neymar would play at PSG next season, something the player himself has yet to confirm.

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