Football News: Review Of The Day 28th November 2019

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Review of the Day

Contracts

Italian full-back Luca Ranieri has been given a new deal by Fiorentina which expires in 2024.

Real Betis midfielder Sergio Canales has extended his contract until 2023.

Transfers

Nashville SC have drafted American right-back Eric Miller from New York City FC.

FC Dallas have paid £245,000 to sign Fafa Picault from Philadelphia Union.

Former Egyptian international Hany Said has retired at the age of 39 and will take up the post of sporting director at Egyptian club Pyramids. Said won the Africa Cup of Nations twice, in 2008 and 2010 but also spent 6 months banned after testing positive for banned substances at the 2002 finals in Mali.

Injury Round-Up

Real Madrid are relieved as tests have shown Eden Hazard only suffered bruising on his ankle and should be fit to face Barcelona in 18th December.

Tottenham Hotspur left-back Ben Davies has been ruled out for a lengthy spell with ligament damage to his left ankle.

Zlatan Buys Into AEG

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has bought a stake in Anschutz Enternment Group, which owns his former club LA Galaxy and a controlling interest in Swedish club Hammarby. Ibrahimovic told Hammarby's website: "Hammarby is a fantastic club with passionate supporters and is well respected in both Stockholm and Sweden. I have always liked the club and its fans, and I'm also impressed with the club's achievements over the last years, both on and off the pitch. To be part of and to assist Hammarby in its progress feels both fun and exciting." Hammarby ruled out the 37 year old striker playing for the club saying: "his engagement...will be of a different kind".

City Looking To Extend Pep's Stay

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has said that he hopes Pep Guardiola will stay at the club "for years to come". Al Mubarak said: "Pep has been an incredible asset to this organisation. We can speak about his managerial accomplishments for hours but I think as a person, as an individual, as a friend, he's been a core part of what we've accomplished here over the last three years. He's very committed, we're committed to him. You've seen his interview a couple of days ago. We have a great relationship, we have a great environment here. The people around him, the team we have in place today, the relationships I have with them, this is really an environment that's conducive to success for both him and everyone involved in this organisation. So I'm very satisfied with his commitment and our commitment to him and I'm looking forward to the continuity of this for years to come. I think in Pep we have a leader who has shown time and time again his ability to continuously evolve and continuously challenge, and we've been in this position not once but many times before, and we've shown the character always consistently to come back. No doubt the challenge is there. We're up for it and there's still a long way to go, we're still in November and we'll see where we end up in May, but certainly we're up for it."

Dons Need To Raise £11m

AFC Wimbledon have revealed that they need to raise a further £11m by January to complete their new stadium at the club's spiritual home at Plough Lane. They are looking at alternatives to borrowing the money, as they say that would leave them with a playing budget "barely capable of surviving in League Two".

Pompey Look For Public Money

Portsmouth's chief executive Mark Catlin has claimed that the club cannot progress with their plans to redevelop their Fratton Park stadium without public funding. They are seeking financial assistance from both the city council and Network Rail to help them with their plans to increase capacity to around 30,000 from its current maximum of under 20,000. Catlin said: "We're saying 'meet us halfway'. We're willing to invest money in the ground, but the transport infrastructure also has to improve. That's just the start, which unlocks a whole wider development involving the North Stand too. We would want to put that straight into a planning application after consultation with the fans. It's a very, very big project and until we get some real help from elsewhere, we're not really going to commit to starting it, so we can't put a timescale on it. We're a football club with a stadium that we want to do a wider development of. We hope it will create a lot of employment opportunities for the potential regeneration of the whole Fratton area, which needs a lot of investment. It's a moving feast. There are sites elsewhere that we're really, really loathed to explore. But if that's the future of the football club and what's in the best interests of giving these fans what they deserve - a 21st-century stadium - then we have to look at it. We really want to stay at Fratton Park and hopefully we can galvanise support with our plans and build for the future."

League One Duo Charged

Both Shrewsbury Town and Bristol Rovers have been charged with failing to control their players by the FA. Shrewsbury's Louis Thompson went down in the box, sparking a melee which saw five players booked. The Shrews have also been charged with failing to ensure its players refrained from violent conduct. Shrewsbury's defender Aaron Pierre has also been charged with violent conduct for an incident not seen by match officials but caught on video.

Zimbabwe International Stuck As Nation Cannot Afford To Produce Passports

Turkish side Yeni Malatyaspor are having to make do without their Zimbabwean defender Teenage Hadebe as he could not return to Turkey following the international break. The government have run out of money and cannot afford to print new passports, with Hadebe out of pages in his current one he is stranded. A Zimbabwe Football Association spokesperson said: "The Zimbabwe Football Association would like to categorically state that the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Art & Recreation and the Registrar General's department have done their role in ensuring that Warrior Teenage Hadebe's passport renewal is expedited in the least possible time. The Warriors team manager, Mr Wellington Mpandare in liaison with the Zifa Secretariat has commenced the process. We are glad to state that Hadebe's passport will be issued on 28 November 2019. We sincerely regret the inconveniences caused to Yeni Malatyaspor by Hadebe's delayed return. Zifa is deeply grateful to the government for treating Hadebe's case as a priority. On our part, we are also engaging Yeni Malatyaspor to ensure that we have lasting relations beyond the just concluded fixture."

Prosinecki Gone

Robert Prosinecki has left his post as manager of Bosnia-Herzogovina, meaning they will have a new head coach when facing Northern Ireland in the Euro 2020 play-off semi final. A statement read: "Robert Prosinecki is no longer BIH national team coach. After a constructive session and a thorough analysis, we made the decision with the objective of progressing to Euro 2020 through the play-offs. We wish Prosinecki the best of luck in his future endeavours. He's been very professional and showed plenty of hunger in our quest to qualify for the European Championship."

Hertha Appoint Klinsmann

Hertha Berlin have sacked head coach Ante Covic and appointed Jurgen Klinsmann until the end of the season. Covic was only appointed in July, promoted from coaching the reserves but has been fired with the capital club in 15th saying: "The way we've been playing recently, and the results, have led to this decision. Since Hertha is not just an employer to me, such a decision hurts, of course. But I have always said that this club is more important than individuals. I love not only this profession, but I love this club with all my heart."

Man City Parent Company Announces Investment

American private equity firm Silver Lake have invested £389m into City Football Group, the owners of 7 football clubs around the world, including Manchester City. Silver Lake are buying approximately 10% of CFG with the money. Group chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said: "We and Silver Lake share the strong belief in the opportunities being presented by the convergence of entertainment, sports and technology and the resulting ability for CFG to generate long-term growth and new revenue streams globally."

Felix Is The New Golden Boy

Tuttosport has announced the winner of its Golden Boy award, given annually to the best player aged 21 or under according to the 40 jurors. This year Atletico Madrid starlet Joao Felix has beaten Jadon Sancho and Kai Havertz to the title.
Golden Boy ranking:
1 JOAO FELIX, Portugal, Atletico Madrid, 332 votes
2 JADON SANCHO, England, Borussia Dortmund, 175 votes
3 KAI HAVERTZ, Germany, Bayer Leverkusen, 75 votes
4 ERLING HAALAND, Norway, Red Bull Salzburg, 74 votes
5 MATTHIJS DE LIGT, Netherlands, Juventus, 71 votes
6 ANSU FATI, Spain, Barcelona, ​​49 votes
7 PHIL FODEN, England, Manchester City, 46 votes
8 GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA, Italy, AC Milan, 37 votes
9 NICOLO ZANIOLO, Italy, Roma, 36 votes
10 DONYELL MALEN, Netherlands, PSV Eindhoven, 35 votes
11 MASON MOUNT, England, Chelsea, 29 votes
12 RODRYGO, Brazil, Real Madrid, 20 votes
13 VINICIUS JUNIOR, Brazil, Real Madrid, 13 votes
14 MOISE KEAN, Italy, Everton, 13, votes
15 ANDRII LUNIN, Ukraine, Valladolid, 11 votes
16 DEJAN JOVELJIC, Serbia, Eintracht Frankfurt, 9 votes
17 MATTEO GUENDOUZI, France, Arsenal, 9 votes
18 ALPHONSO DAVIES, Canada, Bayern, 1 votes
Background behind the numbers: Each of the 40 jurors could select five candidates. 10 votes went to the player chosen first, seven to the second, five to the third, three to the fourth and one vote to the fifth player.

Enrique Accuses Moreno Of Disloyalty

Returning Spain manager Luis Enrique, who has returned to the national job after taking time off to be with his dying nine year old daughter Xana, has dismissed his assistant manager Robert Moreno. Moreno had acted as caretaker during Enrique's absence and led Spain to qualification for Euro 2020. Enrique said: "The only person responsible for Robert Moreno not being in my coaching staff is me. He came to see me in my house and told me he wanted to lead the team at Euro 2020 and afterwards he would be happy to be my assistant coach again. I understand that he has worked very hard to be the coach and that he is ambitious - but for me that is disloyal. I would never do something like that and I don't want someone with those characteristics in my staff. I understand his decision but cannot agree with it and told him I didn't want him as my assistant and that I felt strong. Ambition is to be encouraged but excessive ambition is a defect, not a virtue."

Written by Tris Burke November 27 2019 22:41:33