Donadoni to be sacked next week: Italian press
June 25, 2008
ROME (AFP) - Italy coach Roberto Donadoni is going to be sacked and replaced by reigning World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi, the Italian press reported on Tuesday.
The fate of 44-year-old Donadoni will be decided early next week, Ansa news agency reported, following Italy’s elimination from the Euro 2008 quarter-finals by Spain, 4-2 on penalties after the match ended goalless.
Italian federation (FIGC) president Giancarlo Abete is expected to meet Donadoni on Monday June 30 or Tuesday July 1 in Rome.
Donadoni’s contract was extended until 2010 just before the June 7-29, 16-nation tournament co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland.
Italy’s 2006 World Cup victory in Germany, with Lippi at the helm, heralded the start of Donadoni’s stint in the post. Donadoni’s record reads 13 victories, five draws and five defeats, with 35 goals scored and 22 conceded.
Donadoni had said after defeat on Sunday: "Resign? The thought would never even entered my brain. I don’t have a reason. We only lost a game on penalties.
"You can’t say things work when you win but don’t work when you lose on penalties. We will talk and decide. It doesn’t make any sense to talk about whether I deserve to carry on."
Italy’s next match is a friendly against Austria in Nice, France, on August 20.
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“Domenech shouldn’t leave:” Ribéry
June 24, 2008
PARIS (SW) - Although France failed to impress at Euro 2008, star player Franck Ribéry hopes that manager Raymond Domenech opts to stay with the team for another two years.
The Bayern Munich player, who went off injured during the lost clash with Italy on Tuesday, was the first to support Domenech in public.
"For me, Domenech doesn’t have to leave. We need him to continue the job with this group. Mistakes have been made, but not just by him," says the midfielder.
"There is a new generation about to arrive, with lots of quality. The French team will show great things in the coming years."
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Italy´s Donadoni rules out quitting
June 24, 2008
BADEN, Austria (AFP) - Defiant Italy boss Roberto Donadoni ruled out quitting the national team despite his country’s insipid Euro 2008 exit on penalties to Spain.
The world champions’ rollercoaster tournament ended at the quarter-final stage but 44-year-old Donadoni has come under fire for the team’s negative tactics and far from inspirational play.
They were thrashed 3-0 by the Netherlands in their opening game before being held to a 1-1 draw by Romania - although only a late penalty save by Gianluigi Buffon earned them that result.
Italy qualified for the last eight by beating France 2-0 but their opponents had to play three quarters of the game with 10 men after Eric Abidal’s sending off.
Without playmaker Andrea Pirlo, who was suspended against Spain, and captain Fabio Cannavaro - the heart of the team - Italy were bereft of creativity and fight, surrendering meekly after a turgid 120 minutes of football and some poor penalties in the shoot-out.
The press speculated on Monday morning that Donadoni will be shown the door but when asked if he will jump first, he was adamant.
"Resign? The thought would never even enter the antechamber of my brain," said Donadoni.
"It’s not because of a missed penalty that I’m going to change my opinion of our European Championships, that would be stupid."
Despite his conviction that he won’t quit, Donadoni’s time looks numbered with many newspapers speculating that World Cup winning boss Marcelo Lippi is set to make a comeback.
And after the Spain defeat, Italian Federation (FIGC) president Giancarlo Abete refused to publicly back his coach.
"It’s positive in terms of the quality of the group of players and I’m pleased with the great bond created in the group but we are aware that our overall capacity and skills have certainly not reached the level that we expected," he said.
And when pressed on what Abete had told him personally, Donadoni was not particularly forthcoming with revealing information.
"Just one hour ago at breakfast I spoke with president Abete. I simply told him I was happy to have experienced these two years," he said.
Donadoni took over the post after Lippi resigned following Italy’s 2006 World Cup victory in Germany.
Donadoni was given only a two-year contract leading to much speculation even before this tournament began that unless the team went far he would not be offered a new deal.
He turned down a conditional offer, based on reaching at least the semi-finals, but eventually signed a new two-year deal just days before the tournament began.
However, a contract in Italy is no guarantee of remaining in employment and when asked if he thought he deserved to remain in the job, Donadoni preferred not to proffer a reply.
"With respect to those who should decide I’m not going to try to sway them. My record speaks for itself, I’m not going to try to talk it up."
Donadoni admitted that he could do nothing about the speculation or even the clamour for the return of the popular Lippi.
"Seriously you’ve been writing about his return for two weeks," he told journalists at a press conference in Italy’s base near Vienna.
"Hence since I arrived here I decided not to read the comments, neither the positive nor the negative ones."
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Eric Cantona wants to be the next Manchester United manager
June 10, 2008
Interesting news are coming out of the Premier League and it has been reported that Eric Cantona has revealed that he would love to be the next Manchester United manager.
It has been reported that the Old Trafford legend wants to take over from current boss Alex Ferguson, who has revealed recently that he will retire in the next three years. It has been a well known fact that the Frenchman has no coaching experience and has taken up acting since retiring from football in 1997 but it has been reported that Cantona told the media that he would like to do exciting things and is proving many things. Cantona was one of the best foreigners to play in England but believes FIFA’s idea to limit the number of imports in the Premier League is a good idea. Cantona also added that he thinks that it is important to have a minimum of English or British players in the squad and to still work on the young players. He also added that this will benefit the national team and would help improve the overall quality. The United legend also added that to have the best chance to win things, you must have as much as possible with English players to have a big choice and work hard on young players.
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Sir Alex Ferguson to spend 50 million on new signings
May 27, 2008
Ground breaking news are out from Old Trafford and it has been reported that Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is planning to go transfer crazy in the next two weeks, spending over £50 million on new signings. Local British newspapers have reported that Ferguson has told the Manchester United board that he wants to conclude his £50million summer transfer spending within the next fortnight. It was reported that the top of Fergie’s wanted list are Sevilla’s Brazilian duo, striker Luis Fabiano and defender Daniel Alves, who are likely to cost United a combined total of £30million. It is believed that Daniel Alves is seen as Gary Neville’s permanent replacement at right-back, but Fergie remains keen on Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards, despite his likely £20m price tag.
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