Month: November 2019

Despite Brazil’s World Cup exit, their head coach praised his star man for his performances

Neymar’s return from injury for Brazil was better than expected, coach Tite said after their World Cup elimination.

The Brazil star was unable to stop his team from a quarter-final exit as they suffered a 2-1 loss to Belgium in Kazan on Friday.

Neymar scored two goals and provided an assist in five games, having made his return from a broken foot in early June.

He appeared to be rounding into form in time for the business end of the tournament, having delivered a goal to cap a man of the match performance in Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Mexico in the round of 16.

However, he was held off the scoresheet against Belgium, with Renato Augusto providing the only goal on a headed finish off a delivery from Philippe Coutinho. 

Despite Neymar’s struggles against Belgium, Tite said the way the 26-year-old, who missed three months due to the injury, returned surprised him.

“Neymar, we’ve seen there was a clear evolution coming to his top performance,” he told a news conference.

“Before the match when he was selected man of the match [against Mexico] we got together and I said, ‘Neymar, you are 100 per cent’. Because you can realise when the mind is thinking and the body is responding. The dribbling, the feinting, the speed.

“He came back better than I imagined. Physically he’s also very well gifted, he’s very fast.

“In terms of high-intensity actions, no-one in the World Cup comes close.”

It closes an up and down World Cup for Neymar, who, in addition to his performances in attack, also drew criticism for his theatrics during the tournament. 

The Reds manager has spoken out about the incident for the first time as his side gear up for their first pre-season fixture

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says Loris Karius’ two errors in the Champions League final were “100 per cent” a result of the knock he sustained during the game.

The German goalkeeper, 25, endured a nightmare match after he gifted goals to Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale as the Reds suffered a 3-1 defeat in Kiev in May.

Karius had collided with Sergio Ramos prior to the mistakes and Liverpool clarified after the final that he had sustained concussion, though the statement did not mention the tangle with the Real captain.

Ahead of the Merseysiders’ first pre-season match, Klopp has spoken out about the incident for the first time, saying the concussion is the “explanation” for Karius’ errors but not an “excuse”.

He told Liverpool’s official website: “He was influenced by that knock, that is 100 per cent.

“What the rest of the world is making of it, I don’t care. It’s really not important what the people say. We do not use it as an excuse.

“Now people could think for us it is the explanation – and for me it is 100 per cent the explanation and that’s all.”

Klopp has also explained how he first discovered Karius may have sustained a concussion from a conversation with Germany icon Franz Beckenbauer after the Champions League final.

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He continued: “After four days I got a call from Franz Beckenbauer, our Bobby Moore, our biggest football player who is a good friend of mine.

“He called me and said he came from a doctor, he told me: ‘Your goalkeeper had a concussion.’

“I said: ‘What?’ because in the game, from my position that situation is not very good to see: ‘Maybe there was contact or not.’ I told him immediately: ‘OK.’

“He said the doctor is the most famous doctor in Germany. I said: ‘OK, give me a few minutes, I have to fix a few things.’”

Karius is likely to feature as Liverpool kick off their pre-season fixture list against Chester on Saturday.

The striker’s winning mentality helps make the Manchester United man the “perfect” fit for his country, according to his manager

Roberto Martinez lauded Romelu Lukaku as the “perfect” striker for his Belgium side after the Red Devils beat England 2-0 in the World Cup  third-place play-off.

Lukaku missed several chances to put the game beyond the Three Lions in St Petersburg before he went off on 60 minutes, as the Manchester United striker finished the tournament on four goals, all of which he scored in the first two group fixtures.

And despite an impressive display against Brazil in the quarter-finals, Lukaku failed to spark against Japan, while he was anonymous throughout much of the semi-final defeat to France.

However, Martinez was quick to praise the 25-year-old, who he managed at Everton from 2013 to 2016, insisting goals were not the only aspect of Lukaku’s performances in Russia that should be analysed.

“I think Romelu had a fantastic tournament. I am delighted with his contribution, his contribution goes further than just scoring goals,” Martinez told a news conference.

“I appreciate Romelu’s mentality, he’s a winner, I don’t think he has any worry about playing in big games. He’s a perfect number nine for us. 

“His power, his capability of scoring goals and moving defenders around and occupying defenders, I couldn’t be happier with what he has done.

“He didn’t start the tournament to be top scorer, he didn’t come here for himself, he came here to help the team and that is a real sign of his maturity and he’s got one of the brightest futures in Belgian football at such a young age.

“He has done incredibly well to be in the starting line-up [against England]. It was a really difficult game against France, he had a couple of knocks and was carrying a bit of a pain, but he wanted to be part of the team and to help.”

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Olympic great Usain Bolt is set to trial with Australian club the Central Coast Mariners with a view to a season-long deal.

Eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt has emerged as a shock target for Australian club the Central Coast Mariners.

Bolt, 31, retired after last year’s IAAF World Championships in London and has since trialled and trained at a number of clubs.

But news emerged on Tuesday of a possible six-week trial with the A-League club and a subsequent deal should that be a success.

“The club can confirm that it has been in negotiations with the Olympic champion and world record holder, regarding the opportunity to trial here on the Central Coast,” the Mariners said in a statement.

“The Central Coast Mariners remain committed to discussions with the ‘world’s fastest man’ and his management team, regarding what role the club may play in Bolt’s burning ambition to become a professional footballer.

“It is crucial to note that all discussions between the Central Coast Mariners and Bolt require an initial six-week trial period and no contract is guaranteed.”

The Jamaican sprinter is yet to comment on a potential move, but his agent Tony Rallis told Big Sports Breakfast there are still a few contract issues to sort out for the former Olympian.

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“The deal between the Mariners and Usain Bolt in principle has been agreed, subject to a couple of benchmarks,” he said.

“Mainly a trial, and of course, marquee funds support from the FFA.

“Once the FFA comes back and says that they’ll be part of the process, we’re going to the trial.”

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner might have ended up in Naples, had the pockets of the club been deep enough

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has admitted the Serie A side were offered Cristiano Ronaldo before he joined Juventus, but decided against signing him because it would bankrupt the club.

The 33-year-old joined Juve on a four-year contract that will see him pocket €30 million (£26.5m/$35m) per season after they agreed to pay Real Madrid €100m (£88m/$117m) plus €12m (£10.5/$14m) more in additional charges.

The signing of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has been hailed as a big boost for Italian football by Napoli’s new coach Carlo Ancelotti, who won the Champions League with Ronaldo at Madrid.

And De Laurentiis has admitted that he had the chance to reunite Ancelotti and his former star, but felt it would have been financially disastrous for the club.

“Ronaldo had also been offered to Napoli,” he confirmed to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I called his agent, Jorge Mendes. We also formulated our offer and we would have paid Ronaldo with a percentage on the subsequent profits guaranteed by his arrival.

“The €350 million that Juventus will invest is beyond our reach, we would have risked pushing the club towards bankruptcy.”

Ronaldo spent nine seasons at the Bernabeu, where he scored 311 goals in 292 league appearances for Los Blancos.

During his time with Madrid, he picked up a couple of Primera Division titles and two Copas del Rey, yet it was in the Champions League that the team enjoyed their greatest success, winning the European crown four times, including a run that was extended to three successive years as they beat Liverpool 3-1 in the final this term.

It was after that match that Ronaldo first hinted that he could leave the club, with speculation escalating until he finally departed last week.

He has been handed the No.7 jersey by Juve, with Juan Cuadrado happy to gift the shirt to the Portugal star, whose World Cup involvement ended early as his side were defeated 2-1 by Uruguay at the last-16 stage.

It is unclear when Ronaldo will begin training with the Turin giants, but he could be ready in time to make his debut against Real Madrid in an International Champions Cup match on August 4.

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The German pair have come under fire for meeting up with the Turkish president, but the Liverpool boss has defended the duo

Jurgen Klopp has described criticism of Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan as “absolute nonsense” amid the ongoing fallout from Germany’s World Cup failure.

The Premier League duo were jeered by their own fans in pre-tournament friendlies after meeting with controversial Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which Gundogan explained was not a political statement.

Ozil, who has remained silent over the issue, has been urged by German Football Association (DFB) president Reinhard Grindel to publicly explain his actions, while national team general manager Oliver Bierhoff claimed the Arsenal star should have been omitted from the squad that suffered a shock group-stage exit in Russia.

But Liverpool manager Klopp has deemed the response an overreaction and hit out at suggestions the midfielders should be shunned from international football.

“The intelligent people of this country demand tolerance. And the others should shut up and not question the boys,” Klopp told Sport Bild.

“Both were certainly not very well advised in this matter. Older, more experienced people should have helped them there.

“We should not forget that the two of them have Turkish roots even though they grew up here in Germany.

“But it is the same as always: the one who cries the loudest is the one who hears the most. But that’s never been my thing.”

Klopp was more upbeat over recent developments at former club Borussia Dortmund, where Lucien Favre has been installed as head coach.

The pair locked horns during Favre’s previous Bundesliga stints and Klopp is pleased with the appointment of the man tasked with improving on last season’s fourth-place finish.

“Lucien is a great professional and coach. What he radiates is calm, and that is probably exactly what Borussia needs right now,” the ex-BVB boss said.

“A very good coach is back in the Bundesliga at a very good club and I will be very happy if it works.”

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Potters midfielder Charlie Adam has questioned the mentality of a summer signing at Anfield, with the Swiss star accused of often going missing

Liverpool snapped up Xherdan Shaqiri following Stoke’s relegation out of the Premier League, but Charlie Adam claims the Swiss star “never turned up” for the Potters when the chips were down.

With a top-flight standing under threat in 2017-18, those at the bet365 Stadium were looking to star turns for inspiration.

They found very little, with Shaqiri among those to have seen his attitude questioned after doing little to halt a slide towards the Championship.

Liverpool still saw enough in the mercurial 26-year-old to trigger a £13 million ($17m) release clause in his contract, but they have been warned that the former Inter and Bayern Munich forward has a tendency to go missing.

Stoke midfielder Adam told talkSPORT when quizzed on Shaqiri and whether he underperformed when it mattered most: “Was he one of them? Oh, definitely.

“When the chips are down you look at your big players, you want your big players to bring magic in one moment in the season, and it times we felt like the so-called big players in the squad never turned up for us and never performed.

“Yeah, everybody else could help, but for all the plaudits the so-called bigger players were getting from certain members of the management staff last season – they weren’t producing.

“But, listen, he’s gone now. We move on and we look to the future. The future for us at the moment is in the Championship.”

Shaqiri is set to link up with Liverpool on the back of a World Cup campaign with Switzerland.

He helped them to the last 16 in Russia, with a winning goal netted in a group stage clash with Serbia.

Jurgen Klopp will be hoping for plenty of moments like that in 2018-19, with Shaqiri forming part of an elaborate summer refresh at Anfield which has seen Naby Keita and Fabinho join the ranks and a record-breaking £67m deal for Brazil international goalkeeper Alisson edge closer to completion .

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The Brazilian forward has penned a contract through to 2023 with the Toffees and is looking forward to working with ex-Watford boss Marco Silva again

Everton have completed the signing of Richarlison for £40 million ($53m) from Watford, with the Brazilian penning a five-year contract.

The 21-year-old forward only moved to England in the summer of 2017, but quickly set about making his mark in the Premier League.

A productive debut campaign sparked talk of interest from afar, with Chelsea and Manchester United among those to have been linked with big-money moves at various stages.

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Richarlison is, however, to continue his career at Goodison Park under the guidance of former Hornets boss Marco Silva.

He told Everton’s official website of his ambition on Merseyside: “I want to have a lot of success with Everton. I think it is going to be important for me here to be with Marco Silva again. I will learn more because I am still learning as a player and I aim to develop and grow here.

“Everton have put their faith in me and I intend to honour this shirt and demonstrate on the pitch why I came here.

“I’ve known the manager for a while obviously, so I know how he works.

“I developed really well with him while he was with me at Watford. It was really good working with him and one day I believe he can help me to be selected for Brazil in the full national team.

“But that is for the future and my present is here with Everton. I want my dreams to become a reality here at one of the biggest clubs in England.” Richarlison added: “I want to score more goals, provide more assists for my teammates and help in whichever way is possible.

“Everyone in the world knows Everton. It is a very big club, one of the biggest in England as I said. I am really happy and honoured to be here.”

Silva is delighted to have completed his first piece of business as Everton boss, with Richarlison a player he knows well and one he has brought the best out of in the recent past.

He said: “He is one more player who can help us. He is a good player who will make our team and our squad more competitive.

“The competition between our players is really important to me. This is what will make us better as a club, always that competition within the squad.

“The player himself is fast, strong, very good technically and he can play in three positions across the front line. He can also score goals.

“Evertonians will see a player who will be 100 per cent committed to helping our team always.”

The new Blues boss will need “little bit of patience” to live up to expectations at Stamford Bridge according to the assistant manager and club legend

Gianfranco Zola is confident Maurizio Sarri is the right man to lead Chelsea forward provided he is given support and patience.

Club great Zola has been appointed the new manager’s assistant as the Premier League side move on from the Antonio Conte era.

Sarri has spoken of his aim to instil a sense of fun at Stamford Bridge and appears set on implementing a more fluid playing style than that of his predecessor.

But seemingly mindful of owner Roman Abramovich’s tendency for regular upheaval, Zola warned that his compatriot needs time to bring his vision to life.

“As long as the people at the club support the club, have a little bit of patience with him, I’m sure they will get what they are expecting,” the former Watford and Birmingham City boss told the club’s website .

“I like the way his teams play football. They are very organised, very good defensively but also play very good football.

“I’ve always liked coaches that promote this type of football.

“I believe this is the type of philosophy this club is looking for at the moment. I think it can be a very good marriage. Maurizio can give the club exactly what it is looking for.”

Sarri takes charge of Chelsea for the first time on Monday in a friendly against A-League team Perth Glory.

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The secretary of the Coaches Association has revealed that they will continue to defend the underfire Super Eagles gaffer until the truth is known

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Lobi Stars coach, Solomon Ogbeide has explained that the Nigerian Coaches Association will continue to defend embattled Salisu Yusuf because it has not been proven if the Super Eagles tactician is guilty of taking a bribe.

Yusuf was caught on camera collecting a bribe from undercover journalists who pretended to be football agents.

The bribe was offered and was collected after a discussion on player selection it was reported.

The footage, shot by Ghanaian reporter Anas Aremeyaw Anas in September 2017 during the West African Football Union Unity Competition, showed Yusuf collecting cash of 1000 dollars.

Speaking on the issue, Ogbeide who doubles as the secretary of the Nigerian Football Coaches Association who issued a press release supporting Yusuf claimed that Eagles gaffer might have been set up and that they will continue to show solidarity to the coach until he is confirmed guilty.

“What I have to say about it is that it has not been confirmed that Salisu Yusuf erred,” Ogbeide told Goal.

“We can’t try him in the media and from the available information at our disposal, I don’t think he has done anything wrong. We are behind him until there is a proper investigation that will confirm our doubts.

“He was not the one that asked for the cash that was given him and we heard from the footage of the video clip where he said players are selected on merit. We will not leave him at this point in time until it is proven that he committed the wrongdoing.”