Saturday, 16 September 2017

Birmingham City Part Company With Harry Redknapp Following Sixth Straight Defeat

Birmingham City Part Company With Harry Redknapp Following Sixth Straight Defeat

Birmingham City Part Company With Harry Redknapp Following Sixth Straight Defeat


Harry Redknapp has left Birmingham City following their sixth consecutive defeat in all competitions.
Birmingham City v AFC Bournemouth - Carabao Cup Second Round
Birmingham lost 3-1 at home to Preston North End in what has now turned out to be Redknapp's last game in charge at St. Andrews, as he leaves with Birmingham sat 23rd in the Championship table.
The club have released a statement on their ​website saying: "Unfortunately due to the poor start to the campaign which sees the Club second from bottom of the Championship, we are left with no choice but to terminate the contract of the manager with immediate effect.

"We thank him for all his efforts and wish him good luck for the future."

Redknapp took over Birmingham with three games remaining last season, and after winning two of them was able to save the club from relegation to League 1.
Birmingham City v AFC Bournemouth - Carabao Cup Second Round
He then signed a one year contract to keep him at the club in May, however has left the club after just five months in charge.

In his final words as manager of the club, Redknapp reflected on his side's 3-1 defeat to Preston, stating they "shouldn't have got beaten like that in the end."
Birmingham City v Swansea City - Pre Season Friendly
He said: "We have got to lift ourselves. There is a team waiting to gel but we have suffered several injuries to key players.

"Fans deserve better and that was my motivation to carry on this season.

"I do not come to work because I need the money, I enjoy the job and leaving home at 5.15 every morning. I would love to be the manager to bring some success to Birmingham."
Birmingham revealed on their Twitter account that Lee Carsley, the club's Head of Professional Development Coach, will takeover as caretaker manager in the mean time.
Liverpool Fan Makes Hilarious Film in Tribute to Kolo Toure Following His Retirement

Liverpool Fan Makes Hilarious Film in Tribute to Kolo Toure Following His Retirement

Liverpool Fan Makes Hilarious Film in Tribute to Kolo Toure Following His Retirement


After failing to find a new club, Kolo Toure announced his retirement from football on Friday.
FBL-EUR-C3-LIVERPOOL-SEVILLA
The Ivorian enjoyed an illustrious playing career, winning the Premier League and FA Cup as well as reaching the Champions League final in 2006. In that time, Toure played for Premier League giants Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City, before leaving to Celtic on a free transfer.
And while Toure will not appear in defence again, the former Liverpool player has rejoined Celtic as a technical assistant. 

“I couldn’t be happier to be back at this great club," Toure told  Celtic's official website.

“This is a new chapter in my career, a new beginning. The football is over now. I can officially say I am retired from playing and now I am fully concentrating on coaching.

In order to pay tribute to Toure, one Liverpool fan put together a rather bizarre, but hilarious film that has since gone viral on Twitter. The two-minute long video begins with praise from Toure's former teammates, before diverging into a story in which Toure is sentenced to prison for taking weight loss pills.
Meanwhile, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers, who managed Toure during while at Liverpool, believes his side will benefit from the former Ivory Coast international's experience.

“This is great news for Celtic that we are able to bring a man of Kolo’s experience into our coaching team. In everything he does, he is quite simply a fantastic example to anyone.

“He has worked at the top of the game for so many years and he has all the qualities which any player of any age should aspire to. He is a fantastic role model for our younger players and someone who has a level of experience and knowledge which can only be invaluable to our established players.”  
Celtic will look to improve on their 5-0 defeat at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain as they take on Dundee in the Scottish League Cup Wednesday.
Dele Alli Must Ignore the Distraction Over the Battle to Be His New Agent Says Mauricio Pochettino

Dele Alli Must Ignore the Distraction Over the Battle to Be His New Agent Says Mauricio Pochettino

Dele Alli Must Ignore the Distraction Over the Battle to Be His New Agent Says Mauricio Pochettino


​The Tottenham attacking midfielder is separating from Rob Segal, the agent who took him to Tottenham from MK Dons, and as a result a host of credible candidates have emerged as suitors for last season's PFA Young-Player-of-the-Year. 
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
The England international's contract with Segal runs beyond this season but Super-Agents Jorge Mendes and Mino Raiola have joined Stellar Group, Key Sports Management, Wasserman and Base Soccer in expressing an interesting in taking Alli on as a client according to The Telegraph
Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund - UEFA Champions League
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said when asked about his player's agent situation: “His big issue must be to focus on trying to improve and develop his game, to stop and try to be better every day. That is my focus, too, my biggest issue.”

The Argentine did reveal he would help Alli if the midfielder required his service: “If he would ask me, sure I would advise him. But it’s not my business. At the moment he didn’t ask me about that.”
FBL-ENG-PR-TOTTENHAM-MAN UTD
Pochettino, who had an agent as a player but not as a manager, added: “It’s important to find a trusted person that can help you to be better every day and help in all the business."

The former Southampton manager also shared his views on how different players experiences are in the modern game compared to his own when he was a player: 

“In the past, it was completely different. Today the players are products with a lot of things happening around them. They need people that look after them because the business is so big today around the players.”
Dele Alli will be a vital player for Spurs this season despite him having to serve a three game ban in the Champions League and the possibility of an international ban for England looming over the 21-year-old. 
Inter Manager Luciano Spalletti Insists Captain Mauro Icardi Needs a Higher Value Release Clause

Inter Manager Luciano Spalletti Insists Captain Mauro Icardi Needs a Higher Value Release Clause

Inter Manager Luciano Spalletti Insists Captain Mauro Icardi Needs a Higher Value Release Clause


Despite stirring controversy with fans in recent years, Mauro Icardi has done well as striker and captain for Inter Milan.
AS Roma v FC Internazionale - Serie A
Inter Boss Luciano Spalletti acknowledged the Argentine's outstanding performance in Serie A in an interview with ​Premium Sport, where he stated that Icardi's release clause should resemble that of Real Madrid's Isco.
"Icardi should be given the highest clause possible," he said. "He's at the level of Isco [whose new Real Madrid contract has a €700m release clause] and all the top players."

Last season saw Icardi net 24 goals for the Nerazzurri in the Serie A and he has continued his strong form this season with five goals in three games. 

Icardi also created 43 chances last season with eight assists while maintaining a 72% passing accuracy average with a total of 318 successful passes. 

He has signed a new contract which sees him with the Italian giants until 2021 with a reported release clause of €110m.

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