Bayern München Neuer in Bayern Munich squad for DFB-Pokal final Joe Wright 17:34 5/18/18 FacebookTwitterRedditcopy Comments(0) 
Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images Bayern München Bayern München v Eintracht Frankfurt Eintracht Frankfurt DFB Pokal The Germany goalkeeper has been included in the squad for the first time since September last year following his recovery from foot surgery Manuel Neuer has been included in Bayern Munich’s squad for the DFB-Pokal final against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.The Germany international has recovered sufficiently from foot surgery to be named in the group travelling to Berlin, although it is likely Sven Ulreich will start the match in goal.It is the first time Neuer will be in a matchday squad since the 4-0 Bundesliga win over Mainz on September 16 last year. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Goalkeeper crisis! Walker to the rescue but City sweating on Ederson injury ahead of Liverpool clash Out of his depth! Emery on borrowed time after another abysmal Arsenal display Diving, tactical fouls & the emerging war of words between Guardiola & Klopp Sorry, Cristiano! Pjanic is Juventus’ most important player right now Thomas Muller has also been passed fit after suffering a stomach bug this week, but veteran winger Arjen Robben and defender Jerome Boateng have been ruled out with ongoing muscle problems.Midfielder Arturo Vidal is also unavailable as he continues his recovery from knee surgery.Bayern are looking to clinch the domestic double with victory in what will be Jupp Heynckes’ final match in charge.Frankfurt boss Niko Kovac will take over as Bayern head coach on July 1.He’s going to Berlin! For the first time since September 2017, @Manuel_Neuer is in an #FCBayern matchday squad. #MiaSanMia #FCBSGE #Berlin2018 pic.twitter.com/mz2kHg2wkg— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) May 18, 2018Neuer has also been included in Germany’s preliminary squad for the World Cup, and may be included in the final 23 if he can prove his fitness.
Spain ‘Iniesta is an idol, he can do whatever he wants’ – Alonso backs star’s Japan move Chloe Horswill 00:52 6/7/18 FacebookTwitterRedditcopy Comments(0) 
Getty Images Spain World Cup The Spain and Barcelona legend is preparing for a new challenge after the World Cup with Vissel Kobe in the J League Andres Iniesta’s extra-time World Cup final winner in South Africa marked a historic victory for Spain, and Xabi Alonso believes the significance of that goal should give him all the freedom he desires in football.In a tight match against the Netherlands in July 2010, it was Iniesta’s goal that crowned Spain as world champions for the first time.In April the midfielder announced plans to leave Barcelona, following a long and successful career at Camp Nou, before confirming his move to Vissel Kobe in the J.League at the end of the season. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Goalkeeper crisis! Walker to the rescue but City sweating on Ederson injury ahead of Liverpool clash Out of his depth! Emery on borrowed time after another abysmal Arsenal display Diving, tactical fouls & the emerging war of words between Guardiola & Klopp Sorry, Cristiano! Pjanic is Juventus’ most important player right now Eight years on from their World Cup success, Iniesta is once again in the Spain squad and his former international team-mate still thinks he is an important addition to any team and represents an “idol” for all.”Andres can do anything he wants, Andres is an idol for everyone,” Alonso, who retired at the end of last season, told Omnisport. “I have to be grateful for life with him for what he gave to us, to everyone; that magical goal.”He can do anything he wants. He will have the admiration of everyone.”Spain face Tunisia on Saturday in their final friendly before they start their World Cup campaign against Portugal in Socchi on June 15.
Transfers ‘Fekir’s passed his medical… I think it’s done’ – France FA president provides positive Liverpool update Robin Bairner Last updated 1 year ago 21:11 6/9/18 FacebookTwitterRedditcopy Comments(0) 
Getty Images Transfers France v United States France Liverpool UEFA Champions League Friendlies The Lyon playmaker seems to be heading towards Anfield and the president of his country’s federation wants the deal completed as soon as possible Nabil Fekir has passed his Liverpool medical and will become the Reds’ latest signing, according to French FA president Noel Le Graet.When the deal was not made official on Friday, doubts were cast over the player’s fitness as he had suffered a serious injury to his right knee previously. However, reports in France suggested the delay may be down to Lyon’s accountancy practices wanting the deal to be completed in the new financial year.Le Graet offered a positive comment for fans fearful that the 24-year-old may not complete his switch to Anfield. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Out of his depth! Emery on borrowed time after another abysmal Arsenal display Diving, tactical fouls & the emerging war of words between Guardiola & Klopp Sorry, Cristiano! Pjanic is Juventus’ most important player right now Arsenal would be selling their soul with Mourinho move “He’s in the middle of negotiations and I think it’s done,” he said. “I spent 15 minutes with him this morning [Saturday], and he’s worried by the France team. He’s in good spirits.”He passed his medical in Clairefontaine. That’s logical, we’ve done it for other players. “He was looking forward to it because the visit he had was positive.”Meanwhile, Le Graet believes the negotiations were all part and parcel of regular transfer activity.“It’s always like that when you talk about a transfer: each tries to raise his price, to lower his price, when there’s a hiccup someone wants it reduced. It’s part of the game,” he said.Finally, he confirmed his wish to see Fekir complete his switch to Anfield before the World Cup begins in Russia next week, something that the Reds are keen for but Lyon have said will not happen. “It would be better for him, but he’s not perturbed,” he said of the No.10.Fekir is coming off a career-best season with Lyon, in which he scored 23 goals and created eight more, leading the Parc OL side to a third-place finish in Ligue 1 behind Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco.He has won a place in the France World Cup squad for his performances, though Antoine Griezmann is set to be preferred to him in the starting XI for Saturday’s final warm-up friendly against the USA.Liverpool have already plundered Fabinho from Ligue 1 this summer, with the midfielder arriving at Anfield from Monaco. The Brazilian has previously urged Fekir to join him in England.The France international is expected to cost the Reds around £60 million (€68m/$80m).
Strategic Plan 2007/08 – 2009/10The TFA Board has approved the current six priority objectives for the new three year Strategic Plan 2007/08 – 2009/10:1. Substantially increase participation2. Thrive at the elite level3. Provide quality experiences for everyone involved in Touch4. Grow the resources available to invest in the sport5. Substantially raise the profile of the game6. Provide best practice administration at all levelsThe strategic planning process including timelines has been distributed, but attached here for information.Over the next few weeks, the national office will be distributing a framework for national and state plans to facilitate the process.The framework will be pre-populated with the objectives and some of the current strategies to provide a starting point for discussion by stakeholders.Related Filesplanning_and_budgeting_process_final-pdf
The Men’s Open final will be played at 7.00am on FOXSPORTS 3 on Thursday, 9 June 2011.
In the lead up to the 2012 State of Origin Series, www.austouch.com.au catches up with some of the greats of Origin to find out what their favourite memories have been at an Origin level over the years. From Origin series wins to the New South Wales versus Queensland rivalry to off-field memories, be sure to visit the State of Origin Series website in the lead up to the event to hear about some of the most memorable moments according to some Origin greats. There are memories being uploaded regularly to the State of Origin website in the lead up to the series. To view, please visit the event website – www.soo.mytouchfooty.com. Stay tuned to the State of Origin website to read more memories over the next two weeks. Be sure to check out the upcoming version of the Hard Wrap magazine at the 2012 X-Blades National Youth Championships and State of Origin Series for the full story. Keep in touch with all of the latest news and information from Touch Football Australia during the 2012 X-Blades National Youth Championships and State of Origin Series in the following ways:Facebook – www.facebook.com/touchfootballaustraliaTwitter – www.twitter.com/touchfootyausYouTube – www.youtube.com/touchfootballausWebsite – www.austouch.com.auRelated LinksOrigin Memories
Play By The Rules will hold a special webinar this Thursday, 22 August. The webinar will have three generations of Play By The Rules managers involved and will give a little history and update on Play By The Rules and also run through how best to make use of Play By The Rules. The webinar will also include categories including:– What a safe, fair and inclusive sport might look like;– Simple strategies that can contribute to making sport more fair, safe and inclusive;– How to make maximum use of Play by the Rules online resources. The webinar will commence at 4.00pm AEST and to sign up to the webinar, please click on the following link:Play by the Rules WebinarFor more information about Play by the Rules, please visit their website:www.playbytherules.net.au. Related LinksPlay By The Rules
We’ll be posting your messages of support for our Australian teams on our website in the lead up to the series, so be sure to send in your support for your favourite player, team or the entire contingent. We’d love to provide as much support as possible so be sure to send in your messages and cheer our teams on!You can do this through any of our social media sites (listed below) or send an email to media@austouch.com.au with your message.Keep up-to-date with all of the latest news and information from the 2014 Trans Tasman Series:Website – www.touchfootball.com.auFacebook – www.facebook.com/touchfootballaustraliaTwitter – www.twitter.com/touchfootyaus (#transtasman2014)Instagram – www.instagram.com/touchfootballaustraliaYouTube – www.youtube.com/touchfootballausRelated LinksMessages of Support
The Touch Football Australia Board advised today the appointment of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Steve Mitchell. TFA Board Chair, Anita Hagarty advised that the appointment of Mitchell comes at a pivotal time for the renewed direction for the organisation, the sport and approaching the mid-point of the current strategic cycle to 2020.Mitchell will commence in the position effective Monday 11 September 2017. He joins TFA following his most immediate roles with the Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby franchise and the North Queensland Cowboys where he led significant growth in all areas of commercial operations for both organisations.“We’re very excited to have someone of Steve’s experience, business acumen and success leading across all facets of the organisation and sport,” TFA Board Chair, Anita Hagarty said. “We have as a Board undertaken a very extensive recruitment search for the right candidate in terms of experience and ability to drive the sport forward,” she said.Mitchell brings a wealth of business and sports administration experience to the role having worked as a senior executive in both the NRL and ARU club systems following an extensive career in media management.“I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to join such a progressive national organisation and fortunate to have their many achievements of recent years as a platform to work from,” Mitchell said.“I am really impressed with the outcomes achieved by the sport and the organisation through the TFA-NRL strategic alliance to date. I’m looking forward to building on these and the many other relationships fundamental to the delivery of our Strategic Plan over the years ahead,” Mitchell added.TFA Chair, Anita Hagarty spoke on behalf of the Board expressing her gratitude to current interim co-CEO’s Garry Foran and Tim Arnold for their leadership and stewardship following the vacancy late-April.“We have certainly not missed a beat in recent months while the recruitment was underway and for that we thank Garry, Tim, the Leadership team and staff for their commitment and business as usual approach adopted in the interim period.”Contact Garry Foran (garry.foran@touchfootball.com.au or Tim Arnold (tim.arnold@touchfootball.com.au) for information on TFA business operations or through existing TFA Leadership Team on specific portfolio matters.For further information / media contact: Julian Buckmaster – TFA General Manager, Business Development and Marketing Julian.buckmaster@touchfootball.com.au (0438) 777 993
About the authorPaul VegasShare the loveHave your say Wolves players buzzing after Liverpool FA Cup surpriseby Paul Vegas10 months agoSend to a friendShare the loveWolves players were buzzing after their FA Cup win over Liverpool.Wolves stunned the Reds 2-1 on Monday night.Wolves captain Conor Coady said: “It was always going to be a nervy end so you have to defend but the lads stood tall against a good Liverpool team.”Liverpool are a fantastic club but we played the way we wanted to. We moved the ball and kept it well so it was pleasing for everyone.”Wolves goalscorer Ruben Neves also remarked: “It was a very good game for us. We did well against a very good team. We play well. Sometimes it is difficult but we showed again that we are a great group and can do very good things.” 
Arsenal midfielder Ramsey completes first part of Juventus medicalby Freddie Taylor9 months agoSend to a friendShare the loveArsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has completed the first part of his medical with Juventus.The Welshman underwent a ‘secret’ examination on Sunday after agreeing a five-year contract with the Italian giants.The new deal is reportedly worth €7m-a-year.And Ramsey is one step closer to finalising that deal after Juventus officials flew to London on Sunday.The 28-year-old’s agent, David Baldwin, is expected to meet with Juventus officials in Milan this week. TagsTransfersAbout the authorFreddie TaylorShare the loveHave your say
Liverpool receive Salah assurances from Qatarby Paul Vegas13 days agoSend to a friendShare the loveLiverpool have been told that Mohamed Salah will be treated in the exact same way as his team-mates when they travel to Qatar for the Club World Cup.The Reds had fears that Salah’s presence at December’s tournament would be used for propaganda purposes after Egypt cut off diplomatic relations with Qatar in 2017 as part of a Middle East-wide blockade.But the Daily Mail says Liverpool have been reassured that Salah, arguably Egypt’s most high-profile sportsman, is safe to travel to Qatar and there will be no diplomatic ramifications.Indeed, the club have been reassured that Salah will be treated in the same way as his team-mates when they bid for more silverware. About the authorPaul VegasShare the loveHave your say
SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 07: A member of Notre Dame Fighting Irish holds up his helmet on the opening kickoff during the game against the Stanford Cardinal on October 7, 2006 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)Relax, Notre Dame supporters. The Irish won’t be wearing the below gold chrome facemask with their iconic helmets any time soon. But we imagine that there’s a portion of ND fans who might be wishing they would.Red Zone Reconditioning teamed up with Badass Masks to create a somewhat feasible way of incorporating Notre Dame’s logo into the facemask design itself. Sure, the D is a little stretched out, but it’s still impressive.ONE OF A KIND #NotreDame display mask we added color & chrome to for it to stand out even more! @Badassmasks #Bling pic.twitter.com/4AhXbyUcTI— RedZoneRecon® (@RedZoneRecon1) March 13, 2015No, these probably aren’t NCAA legal. But they might make for a cool collector’s item.
Abdoulaye Doucoure’s late header earned Watford a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, who missed the chance to go six points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.Salomon Rondon’s 29th-minute header, his fifth league goal of the season, appeared to have been enough for Newcastle to complete a league double over Watford.Watford had scarcely provided a threat in response, but a rare moment of quality eight minutes from time was rewarded as Doucoure’s thumping header from Gerard Deulofeu’s cross earned a share of the spoils. Article continues below Editors’ Picks ‘There is no creativity’ – Can Solskjaer get Man Utd scoring freely again? ‘Everyone legged it on to the pitch!’ – How Foden went from Man City superfan to future superstar Emery out of jail – for now – as brilliant Pepe papers over Arsenal’s cracks What is Manchester United’s ownership situation and how would Kevin Glazer’s sale of shares affect the club? Newcastle were eight points clear of the bottom three at one point in the match, but their late collapse and Fulham’s last-gasp win over Huddersfield Town means they are only four above safety after taking just two points from three games.As he has so often done this season, Martin Dubravka came to Newcastle’s rescue to deny Deulofeu with a strong save early on as the former Barcelona forward threatened to inject life into a dreary start to proceedings.Newcastle had offered precious little in attack but their first promising move resulted in the opener as Christian Atsu found Matt Ritchie, whose teasing left-wing cross was powered home by Rondon as he beat Adam Masina to the ball to head in.Rondon had the ball in the net again – but from an offside position – before Isaac Success stung the palms of Dubravka at the other end.An injury to Federico Fernandez suffered in the waning moments of the first half forced Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez to replace the centre-back with Fabian Schar, but the visitors continued in the ascendancy and Rondon headed a Ritchie corner narrowly over.Newcastle sat back to protect their lead in the closing stages, but could not hang on as a marvellous right-wing delivery from Deulofeu was brilliantly turned home by Doucoure.4 – Gerad Deulofeu has had a direct hand in four goals in his last four Premier League games (two goals, two assists), as many goal involvements as in his previous 36 games combined. Pinpoint. pic.twitter.com/W2dm6zEXOr— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 29, 2018What does it mean? Festive cheer thin on ground for MagpiesNewcastle appeared primed to give their travelling fans some belated Christmas cheer, but their inability to see this game out on the back of a 0-0 draw with Fulham and a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool means it has been a frustrating festive period for the Magpies.Deulofeu deliversWatford had produced precious little quality throughout the contest but Deulofeu, arguably their most talented player, delivered when it mattered with a sensational cross. He has now had a hand in four goals in his last four league games.Fernandez blow proves costlyNewcastle’s defence looked extremely comfortable in the first half, with Fernandez performing excellently at the back, but his injury was ultimately what denied them the three points as his replacement Schar allowed Doucoure to get goalside and beat Dubravka in style.Key Opta Facts- Watford have drawn a Premier League match at home for the first time since April, having won six and lost five of their previous 11 matches.- Newcastle have now won just one of their last seven league games (D3 L3), following a sequence of three straight wins prior to this run.- Watford have picked up just nine points from their last 10 Premier League matches (P10 W2 D3 L5), 10 fewer than the number they amassed in the previous 10 such games before this run (P10 W6 D1 L3 – 19 points).- Despite conceding late, Newcastle have only lost one of their last six away games in the top flight (W2 D3), this after suffering five defeats in the previous seven matches on their travels beforehand.- Newcastle striker Rondon has scored five goals in his last eight Premier League matches, as many strikes as in his previous 30 such games in the competition.What’s next?Both sides have to contend with a busy week, Watford visit Bournemouth and then face non-league Woking in the FA Cup, a competition in which Newcastle host Blackburn Rovers just three days after welcoming Manchester United to St James’ Park. read more
Eintracht Frankfurt star Sebastien Haller has yet to make his debut for the French national team, but he is hoping his stunning Bundesliga performances this season will be making Didier Deschamps stand up and take note.The 24-year-old has scored nine goals in 17 league matches – matching his tally for the entirety of the previous campaign – while also leading the Bundesliga for assists with eight.His impressive form has helped Frankfurt to sixth in the table at the halfway mark of the season, with his side four points behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig in the final Champions League qualification position. Article continues below Editors’ Picks ‘There is no creativity’ – Can Solskjaer get Man Utd scoring freely again? ‘Everyone legged it on to the pitch!’ – How Foden went from Man City superfan to future superstar Emery out of jail – for now – as brilliant Pepe papers over Arsenal’s cracks What is Manchester United’s ownership situation and how would Kevin Glazer’s sale of shares affect the club? And while Haller believes a call-up from France manager Deschamps is something he is targeting, his focus will not waver from performing for Frankfurt if he is overlooked for international duty.”If someday I’m nominated [for France], perfect. If not, then I’ll continue as usual,” Haller exclusively told Goal and DAZN.”I can only do my job, keep working, keep scoring. Everything else is out of my hands, because I’m not the coach. But I feel no pressure.”Haller joined Ligue 2 club Auxerre’s academy at the age of 13 but failed to make an impact on the first team in his 50 league appearances between 2012 and 2017.And the striker believes his struggles in France were down to his youthful naivety and failure to get on with the coaching staff.”I was young and just not ready to get my maximum every weekend. I also had some disagreements with my coach at Auxerre. The best thing was to look for something else,” Haller said.”Auxerre did not want to give me to any other club in the second division. But I did not want to change to the third division. That would have been a step backwards.”Instead of dropping down a division in France, Haller made the move to Dutch club FC Utrecht after impressing on loan during the back half of 2015.
And he attributes much of his development to then Utrecht boss Erik ten Hag, and lauded the Dutchman for his commitment to coaching and work ethic.”He was really important for my career. He wanted to take me to another level from the beginning until the end,” Haller said of Ten Hag, who is now the coach of Dutch giants Ajax.”He is a fantastic coach who loves football and lives it everyday. He does everything to succeed. Sometimes he studies his opponents until late into the night.”Haller was also full of praise for former Frankfurt manager and current Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac, while noting the differences in style with team’s new coach Adolf Hütter.”Niko likes to control everything. He is a fighter who attaches great importance to the physique of his team. You can see that in every training and in every game,” Haller said.”It’s different with Adi. He is more relaxed than Niko. He speaks more with the players and prefers to make the difference with the ball instead of the physical fitness. Both are outstanding coaches who analyze their opponents very well.”Haller grew up inspired by one of France’s greatest strikers and with Ivorian blood, also admired the African nation’s most famous centre forward.But the level-headed talent isn’t keen to emulate anyone and wants to travel his own path.”Thierry Henry was one of my greatest role models in my childhood. As a half Ivorian I also liked Didier Drogba, later Zlatan Ibrahimovic,” he said.”But I want to write my own story and not copy anyone.”I do not play football to be a star. I play football because I love football.”I realise that some see me as a star when I score a few goals. This is not a problem for me. But it’s not what I want. We must not forget that we are lucky to be football players.”Haller’s Eintracht Frankfurt are currently in the USA for the Bundesliga break, with upcoming friendlies scheduled against Brazilian opposition Sao Paulo (January 11) and Flamengo (January 13), before resuming their league campaign against Freiburg on January 20.
Karim Benzema fractured his finger in Real Madrid’s win at Real Betis, coach Santiago Solari has confirmed.Benzema suffered the injury during Sunday’s 2-1 victory at the Benito Villamarin, which was sealed by a late Dani Ceballos free-kick.Striker Benzema fell heavily on his right hand and was in obvious pain as he left the field shortly before the half-time interval. Article continues below Editors’ Picks ‘There is no creativity’ – Can Solskjaer get Man Utd scoring freely again? ‘Everyone legged it on to the pitch!’ – How Foden went from Man City superfan to future superstar Emery out of jail – for now – as brilliant Pepe papers over Arsenal’s cracks What is Manchester United’s ownership situation and how would Kevin Glazer’s sale of shares affect the club? Benzema did not return to the pitch for the second half with Solari sending on Cristo Gonzalez for his LaLiga debut.46′ | 0-1 | We made our first change at the break with Cristo replacing @Benzema. #RMLiga pic.twitter.com/Gt5cis7TYD— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) January 13, 2019Solari confirmed Benzema fractured his finger in a post-match interview but gave no expected timescale for his recovery.Benzema has featured 19 times in league play, scoring seven goals while adding two additional assists.The Frenchman has also scored three Champions League goals as well as one further goal in the Copa del Rey.Madrid are already without forwards Gareth Bale and Mariano Diaz, while regular starters Toni Kroos, Marco Asensio and Marcos Llorente all missed the trip to Seville.Solari’s side are in Copa del Rey action away to Leganes on Wednesday, holding a 3-0 lead from the first leg of the tie.They then host Sevilla – who are third in the table, level on points with Madrid – in a crunch LaLiga clash on Saturday.
Maurizio Sarri will avoid resting a tiring Jorginho because he believes Chelsea are not ready for the tactical change the midfielder’s absence would force.Italy international Jorginho has started all but one of the club’s Premier League fixtures to date and has featured 25 times in all competitions.Cesc Fabregas’ departure for Monaco has left Chelsea with no natural alternative at the base of midfield and Sarri admitted a heavy workload is beginning to affect his deep-lying playmaker. Article continues below Editors’ Picks ‘There is no creativity’ – Can Solskjaer get Man Utd scoring freely again? ‘Everyone legged it on to the pitch!’ – How Foden went from Man City superfan to future superstar Emery out of jail – for now – as brilliant Pepe papers over Arsenal’s cracks What is Manchester United’s ownership situation and how would Kevin Glazer’s sale of shares affect the club? The Blues are chasing Zenit Saint Petersburg’s Leandro Paredes to provide Jorginho with relief but, for now, the 27-year-old will be asked to continue, with Sarri opposing a switch that might accommodate two holding midfielders.”We are not ready to change at the moment,” Sarri said.”I can change when we are at 100 per cent in what I want to see. If [using] a 4-3-3 we are at the top, we can try to change. But not at the moment.”It’s very difficult to say a percentage but, in England, it’s very difficult to arrive at the top because this one was the first week without three matches since August.”So, for the first time in the last four months, we had time to try to improve. So it’s not easy in this situation to improve a lot in such little time.”Jorginho has played with me for four seasons. It’s very difficult for him to improve more. He played very well for 20 matches, I think.”Now, maybe, in the last two matches he was a little bit tired. He moved the ball a little bit slowly than before. But I think that it’s normal.”You cannot stay at the top for 60 matches, so it’s normal to have a different period, a period when you are not so lucid as usual. But it’s not a big problem. Of course, it’s the reason I said we needed a replacement for Cesc.”Chelsea could secure at least one new arrival in the near future with Gonzalo Higuain, on loan at AC Milan from Juventus, believed to be on the cusp of swapping San Siro for Stamford Bridge.The striker flourished under Sarri at Napoli but the Blues boss distanced himself from being a factor in the success of transfer market moves, insisting his position does not rely on the effectiveness of new arrivals.”Not at all. I don’t think so. My job is on the pitch,” he said.”I don’t want to be involved because I want to spend my energy on something different, on the pitch. Otherwise, for me, it’s a problem. If I spend 50 per cent of my mental energy on something different, I am in trouble on the pitch.” Check out Goal’s Premier League 2019-20 fantasy football podcast for game tips, debate and rivalries.
Claude Makelele will be given a prominent coaching post with the loan group at Chelsea as part of Petr Cech’s return to Stamford Bridge to take on a role similar to that of a technical director.Several sources close to the west London club have been talking about the return of a host of club legends to Stamford Bridge, which is set to be kick-started by the announcement of Cech’s appointment in a leadership role across football operations.Makelele has recently left his managerial job at KAS Eupen but he remains an ambassador at the Belgian Pro League club where he guided the minnows away from relegation in two successful seasons. Article continues below Editors’ Picks ‘There is no creativity’ – Can Solskjaer get Man Utd scoring freely again? ‘Everyone legged it on to the pitch!’ – How Foden went from Man City superfan to future superstar Emery out of jail – for now – as brilliant Pepe papers over Arsenal’s cracks What is Manchester United’s ownership situation and how would Kevin Glazer’s sale of shares affect the club? He will be the latest addition to a Chelsea overhaul that has long been planned by director Marina Granovskaia, who has been keen to refresh things at the club after manager Maurizio Sarri’s exit to Juventus was announced on Sunday.Sarri will be unveiled at Juventus on Thursday but it may take a few more days for progress to be made on appointing Chelsea’s first-choice replacement in Derby boss Lampard as discussions are had about which backroom staff he will bring.Lampard’s assistant manager Jody Morris is likely to be the first name on his list to join him back at the club where he became the all-time leading scorer with 211 goals.Morris is the former Under-18s head coach at Chelsea and has worked with many of the loan and youth players that he and Lampard will be encouraged to use next season due to FIFA’s imposed transfer ban.Mason Mount has a Japanese visa set up so he can attend Chelsea’s pre-season matches against Kawasaki Frontale and Barcelona in Asia, and is one of the most likely young stars to get his chance after a campaign on loan at Derby.The likes of Tammy Abraham, Reece James and Fikayo Tomori are some of the other youngsters who could get their chance, while France internationals Kurt Zouma and Tiemoue Bakayoko are hopeful that the change in management will see them get another opportunity under the new regime.For Bakayoko, the appointment of Makelele is a massive boost as he will find another ally at the club after being mentored by his compatriot at Monaco.Former Chelsea coach Chris Jones could also be among the staff, while Lampard’s head of performance Stephen Rands is expected to follow him to west London, just as he did from Manchester City to Derby last season.Chelsea have not commented on appointing Sarri’s successor, and they have yet to accelerate talks over the new manager, but there are thought to be few barriers to naming Lampard as the Rams will ask for £4 million in compensation. Check out Goal’s Premier League 2019-20 fantasy football podcast for game tips, debate and rivalries.
Frank Lampard has vowed to give youth a chance at Chelsea, with the Blues preparing to open a new era under the guidance of a club legend.After several weeks of speculation, a man who spent 13 years in west London as a player has been confirmed as Maurizio Sarri’s successor at Stamford Bridge.A Premier League post represents a sizeable step up the coaching ladder for a man with just one season of experience at Derby under his belt. Article continues below Editors’ Picks ‘Everyone legged it on to the pitch!’ – How Foden went from Man City superfan to future superstar Emery out of jail – for now – as brilliant Pepe papers over Arsenal’s cracks What is Manchester United’s ownership situation and how would Kevin Glazer’s sale of shares affect the club? Ox-rated! Dream night in Genk for Liverpool ace after injury nightmare Lampard does, however, have plenty of credit in the bank with Chelsea fans and will be given time in which to make the desired impact.The 41-year-old has suggested that he will turn to academy stars in an effort to deliver the success he craves.Chelsea are currently working under a two-window transfer embargo, so will be unable to add to the deals tied up for Christian Pulisic and former loanee Mateo Kovacic.Lampard has no issue with that, with hope offered to the likes of Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount as they seek to prove their worth on a senior stage.“I’m delighted to be here,” Lampard told Chelsea TV in his first interview since returning to familiar surroundings.“It’s obviously the club that has been in my heart for a long time and I have never forgotten that and never will.“But once we go beyond the emotion, which I’m very keen to go beyond very quickly, I want to work.“What they [the fans] can hopefully expect from me is a manager that is a young manager that is going to give everything, every hour that I have in the day to bring a team that the fans can be proud of.“This is a competitive club, it always has been in the modern era and one of the main competitors.“I want to help with the younger players, try and get them into the squad because I know that fans really relate to players that come through the academy and feel the club.“I will work hard to try and bring success to the club.”Lampard worked with Mount at Derby last season, while Abraham helped to dash the Rams’ promotion dreams as he aided Aston Villa’s cause with 26 goals across all competitions.The Blues have a number of other loanees and promising youngsters ready to stake their claims to more regular roles in west London.There are also the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi to take into account, with two home-grown stars in west London currently working their way back from Achilles injuries. Check out Goal’s Premier League 2019-20 fantasy football podcast for game tips, debate and rivalries.
With their dreams of glory cruelly shattered in this weekend’s semi-finals, Tunisia and Nigeria will look to close out their Africa Cup of Nations campaigns on a winning note when the pair meet in Cairo on Wednesday.Having seen their hopes dashed in late defeats to Senegal and Algeria respectively, the Eagles of Carthage and Super Eagles will look to bounce back to finish off on a high in the tournament’s third-place play-off.Despite their failure to achieve a fourth continental title, the latter in particular will be looking to restore some national pride, while manager Gernot Rohr looks set to remain at the helm beyond the immediate future after the Nigerian Football Federation dismissed rumours of his impending exit . Article continues below Editors’ Picks Emery out of jail – for now – as brilliant Pepe papers over Arsenal’s cracks What is Manchester United’s ownership situation and how would Kevin Glazer’s sale of shares affect the club? Ox-rated! Dream night in Genk for Liverpool ace after injury nightmare Messi a man for all Champions League seasons – but will this really be Barcelona’s? Game Tunisia vs Nigeria Date Wednesday, July 17 Time 8pm BST / 3pm ET Stream (US) fubo TV (7-day free trial) TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch In the United States (US), the game can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial) .New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser. US TV channel Online stream beIN Sports fubo TV (7-day free trial) In the United Kingdom (UK), the game will be broadcast on Eurosport 2 and can be streamed via Eurosport Player UK. UK TV channel Online stream Eurosport 2 Eurosport Player UK Squads & Team News Position Tunisia squad Goalkeepers Ben Mustapha, Ben Cherifia, Hassen Defenders Meriah, Haddadi, Bedoui, Bronn, Aouadhi, Drager, Hnid Midfielders Msakni, Badri, Kechrida, Sassi, Lamit, Skhiri, Srarfi, Ben Mohamed, Chaalali, Sliti Forwards Khazri, Khenissi, Chaouat Tunisia XI: Chrifia, Drager, Hnid, Meriah, Haddadi, Chaalali, Skhiri, Sassi, Badri, Khenissi, Khazri. Position Nigeria squad Goalkeepers Ezenwa, Akpeyi, Uzoho Defenders Omeruo, Balogun, Troost-Ekong, Aina, Collins, Awaziem Midfielders Mikel, Ndidi, Etebo, Ogu, Abdullahi Forwards Musa, Ighalo, Iwobi, Onyekuru, Chukwueze, Onuachu, Simon, Kalu, Osimhen Nigeria XI: Uzoho, Aina, Omeruo, Troost-Ekong, Collins, Ndidi, Etebo, Chukwueze, Iwobi, Musa, Ighalo.Betting & Match Odds Nigeria are favourites at 11/8 to take the match with bet365 . Tunisia meanwhile can be backed at 21/10 while a draw is priced the same.Click here to see all of bet365’s offers for the game, including goalscoring markets, correct score predictions and more . Click here to see all of bet 365’s offers for the game, including goalscoring markets, correct score predictions and more. Match Preview 
With gutting last-gasp losses bringing to an end their dreams of Africa Cup of Nations glory, Tunisia and Nigeria will hope to conclude their stay in Egypt with the honour of third place in this year’s tournament, as they meet in the penultimate match of the competition at Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo.Alain Giresse’s Eagles of Carthage only saw their hopes dashed in extra-time against favourites Senegal when they conceded a 101st-minute own goal from Dylan Bronn while Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles were sunk by a 95th-minute injury-time winner from Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez for Algeria.Both teams will have been left reeling from their narrow defeats but will now pick themselves up for one final game in the continent’s biggest tournament, with their eyes both on the prize of a bronze-medal finish.Tunisia defender Mohamed Drager has stated that his side are certainly not short of drive or inspiration, adding that the squad hope to deliver success in their final match for their supporters who have stood with them every step of the way.“We are professional players and each of us has to find motivation from within. I don’t think anyone has to struggle to find motivation because as professionals, we must fight to win every game,” he told the media .“The loss to Senegal in the semi-final was tough but our fans deserve to be happy at the end, so we have to fight and win this game for them.”Rohr, meanwhile, insisted that his side are determined to still deliver a result from AFCON 2019, particularly with his own future looking to be secure in charge of the nation.“We will keep focused on the third-place playoff and hope to sign off with a happy result,” he stated .“I worked in Tunisia but on the pitch this means nothing. Both teams have similar ambitions and many young players who would like to win.“Alain Giresse is an experienced coach and I’m always happy to play against him.“When you are one of the four best teams in the continent, this is a good result and we have to build on it. This is a team with a brilliant future.”