Former Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann believes Bayern Munich would be justified in parting company with coach Pep Guardiola.
Since taking the reins at the Allianz Arena for the 2013-14 season, Guardiola has scooped back-to-back Bundesliga titles and was denied the chance to collect consecutive domestic doubles when his men were beaten on penalties by Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal semi-final last term.
But he has twice failed to match predecessor Jupp Heynckes in securing UEFA Champions League glory as Bayern endured heavy semi-final defeats to Real Madrid and his former club Barcelona.
Failure to progress on the European front has left Hamann – who played for the Bavarian giants between 1993 and 1998 – unimpressed and he suggested Heynckes and p…
A World Cup full of surprises returned to something like normality on Friday, as France saw off Uruguay to reach the semi-finals.
In a tournament in which Germany crashed out at the bottom of their group, Argentina came back from the dead and still went home, Spain lost on penalties to Russia and England somehow won a shoot-out of their own, the last game to be played in Nizhny Novgorod went largely as expected.
France had only beaten Uruguay once in eight meetings before this and had failed to score in the most recent five. Uruguay had only conceded once in 2018, in the last-16 win over Portugal, and were without the injured Edinson Cavani in attack. This was no recipe for a feast of goals.
Thank goodness, then, for Antoine Griezmann.
7 Antoine Griezmann…
Mohamed Salah s new contract speaks very loudly about Liverpool s ambitions for the future, according to Jurgen Klopp.
The Egypt international signed a long-term extension reportedly for five years, with no release clause included following a sensational debut season on Merseyside.
Salah scored 44 times in 52 appearances in 2017-18, with 32 of those goals in the Premier League as he claimed the Golden Boot to help Liverpool secure a top-four finish, while they also reached the Champions League final.
Klopp declared the deal to be a deserved reward for the PFA Players Player of the Year winner s stellar performances following his arrival from Roma, and has warned Liverpool s rivals Salah can still get even better.
The German manager also believes …
For most English football fans, Accrington Stanley will forever be associated with a fondly-remembered television commercial for milk from the 1980s.
In it, a football-loving urchin tells a friend that if he does not drink his milk he ll only ever be good enough to play for Accrington Stanley.
His friend replies: Accrington Stanley? Who are they? and fans of the perennially unsuccessful Lancashire club have never been allowed to forget that line, or the response: Exactly!
For those long-suffering supporters this weekend s FA Cup fourth round tie with Premier League Fulham offers an opportunity for their club, which only a few months ago was on the verge of bankruptcy, to make itself synonomous with something other than the dismissive scorn of a ten-year-old.
Chelsea have announced they have agreed transfer terms for Andre Schurrle with Bayer Leverkusen.
The London club have been chasing the 22-year-old striker for months, but the breakthrough, subject to personal terms and a medical, signifies new manager Jose Mourinho s first signing since returning to the club.
The Germany international moves to the Premier League for a fee reported to be around 18 million pounds.
Schurrle netted 14 goals for Leverkusen in all competitions last season and his Chelsea switch was believed to have been delayed after his parent club requested Kevin De Bruyne as part of the talks, although no deal was able to be reached.
Having risen through the ranks at Mainz, where he caught the eye with 15 goals in 33 Bundesliga appearances d…
The 35-year-old Bulgarian international striker Dimitar Berbatov has been without a club since leaving Greek side PAOK in June, but is relishing a chance to return to the Premier League, according to .
The experienced striker enjoyed several successful Premier League spell with the likes of Tottenham, Manchester united and Fulham before leaving for Monaco in 2014.
Two-time Premier League winner’s time in France was followed by a disappointing season in Greece and the Bulgarian international is now looking for a possibility to revive his career hopefully with another run in the Premier League.
“I would happily play for a team where they use my experience and my knowledge”, he said.
Dimitar Berbatov began his career at CSKA Sofia before making a move…
Timo Werner says the prospect of working with Julian Nagelsmann has convinced him to block out thoughts of leaving RB Leipzig.
Nagelsmann has agreed to take over as head coach at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season.
The 31-year-old has established a strong reputation with his work at Hoffenheim, leading the club to successive top-four finishes in the Bundesliga.
Leipzig striker Werner is impressed by what he has seen and is already looking forward to linking up with his future boss.
Julian Nagelsmann is the best coach in Germany, Werner told Kicker.
To get such a coach is a statement to the league. For me that plays an important part in my thinking.
It is appealing to work with him for a few years. He can take us very far as a te…
What the papers say
Newcastle have rekindled their interest in England midfielder James Maddison, according to the Daily Telegraph. The 26-year-old has been linked with a move away from Leicester in the summer.
Timothy Castagne, 27, is another Leicester player who could be on his way out with Arsenal keen on the Belgian full-back, reports the Daily Mirror. Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, 22, is also on the Gunners’ radar.
The Premier League is the likely destination for England striker Tammy Abraham, 25, with Roma prepared to sell for £40million, according to the Daily Mirror. Manchester United are believed to have watched the ex-Chelsea forward.
Hugo Lloris, 36, has been offered a move away from Tottenham to Saudi Arabia. The Times reports the France goa…
Atletico Madrid intend to bring a new forwardd into their squad this summer, and according to , one of the names they ve put up for consideration is Mason Greenwood.
Following a rather messy situation back in England, where he was charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm before all charges were dropped, Greenwood left Manchester United last summer to join Getafe on loan for the season. Through 22 appearances for the La Liga side in all competitions, he has so far scored seven goals and produced four assists, and it seems Atletico boss Diego Simeone likes what he has seen from the 22-year-old attacker.
Greenwood is a versatile attacking player, mostly deployed on the right flank, but fully capable of playi…
Lyon starlet on Newcastle radar
Newcastle and Stuttgart are keeping close tabs on Lyon midfielder Gueida Fofana, .
The same source has suggested that the two sides had the player scouted on numerous occasions this season with a view of making their interest concrete in January.
Given that his contract is due to expire in June 2015, it is believed Lyon are prepared to listen to offers, especially considering their precarious financial situation.
Nevertheless, it appears that the 22-year-old has no plans to leave les Gones in the near future, but is rather hoping to sign a new deal at Stade Gerland.
Gueida Fofana joined Lyon in the summer of 2011 from Le Havre and has since featured in 62 Ligue 1 matches, scoring 2 goals.
He has finally nai…