Hiddink has stadium named after him in South Korea
July 9, 2008
SEOUL (SW) - Guus Hiddink’s status as hero has not been forgotten in South Korea. The Dutch manager now has an actual stadium named after him.
The stadium, which is in fact the second to use the coach’s name, was constructed in the city of Pohang, at about four hundred kilometers from the country’s capital city, Seoul.
The venue has been nick-named ‘Field of Dreams’ and also refers to the accessibility for blind people. Hiddink commented: "Hopefully this stadium will help all disabled people to gain hope and courage through football."
Hiddink became a true legend in South Korea, after taking the country to the semi finals of the 2002 World Cup.
Since, he helped Australia to the round of sixteen in 2006 and guided the Russians to the semi finals at Euro 2008.
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Real, Man Utd bosses ´to meet over Ronaldo saga´
July 7, 2008
MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon and Manchester United chief executive David Gill will hold talks in Switzerland next week over Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, the Spanish sports daily AS reported Saturday.
The private talks will take place on Monday at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon on the sidelines of a wider meeting of European clubs, AS said.
United on Friday moved to quell further talk that their prize asset was about to link up with the Bernabeu club, saying the rumours were "utter nonsense and totally laughable. Cristiano Ronaldo is not for sale".
Manchester United have repeatedly said the player - whose contract runs until 2012 - is definitely not for sale.
Last month the club reported nine-time European champions Real to UEFA for trying to unsettle Ronaldo, though the global governing body have yet to make their decision known.
Ronaldo, currently an injury concern, is not scheduled to join the club on their pre-season tour of South Africa which begins on July 18.
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Aragones signs two-year contract with Fenerbahce
July 7, 2008
ISTANBUL (AFP) - Spanish coach Luis Aragones on Saturday signed a two-year contract with Turkish club Fenerbahce.
"I am here both with my brain and heart to work for Fenerbahce," the 69-year-old, who led champions Spain in Euro 2008, told a news conference through an interpreter.
"I know I have come to a good and strong team. I can tell you that I am very happy," he added.
Fenerbahce had first announced a two-year pre-contract with Aragones on June 25, but the coach — then still at the helm of Spain on the eve of their Euro 2008 semi-final against Russia — had denied the deal.
Approaching his 70th birthday, Aragones became the oldest coach to win the European title when Spain beat Germany 1-0, clinching their second title after the first in 1964.
Back in the dark days of Spain’s early qualifying campaign for Euro 2008 Aragones had tendered his resignation after back-to-back defeats to Northern Ireland and Sweden.
A former Spanish international, he coached several major Spanish clubs before becoming the national boss in 2004.
At Fenerbahce he will replace Brazilian Zico, who joined the club on a two-year contract in July 2006, leading them to the league and Turkish Supercup titles during their centenary year in 2007.
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Terim stays in charge of Turkey until 2012
July 3, 2008
ISTANBUL (AFP) - The Turkish Football Federation said Tuesday they have struck a deal with Fatih Terim to stay on as coach of Euro 2008 semi-finalists Turkey until 2012.
"Fatih Terim had a contract until 2010. In the meeting we had with him today we agreed to extend the contract until 2012," federation president Hasan Dogan said in a statement.
Terim had said he was planning to step down and take over a European club after he led Turkey to the semi-finals of a European championship for the first time.
But the 54-year-old-coach, dubbed the "Emperor" for his leadership skills, came under strong pressure to stay on and lead Turkey’s campaign for the 2010 World Cup.
Turkey’s Euro 2008 performance elevated Terim to a hero’s status after he was severely criticised for his tactics and choice of players after losing 2-0 to Portugal in the opening match.
Pundits had given Turkey little chance ahead of the tournament, but the team reached the semi-finals, winning three of their first four games in a dramatic fashion that earned them the reputation of comeback kings.
After losing to Portugal, they beat Switzerland 2-1 and the Czech Republic 3-2 with last-minute goals in the group stage and knocked Croatia out at the quarter-finals on penalties after equalising with the last kick of the game in extra time.
They lost 3-2 in the semi-final as Germany scored their third goal in the 90th minute.
Terim had also guided Galatasaray to become the first Turkish side to win a European trophy when they beat Arsenal in the 2000 UEFA Cup, after which he coached AC Milan and Fiorentina.
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Lippi back at Italy helm
June 27, 2008
ROME, Jun 26 (SW) - The Italian Football Federation announced on Thursday that manager Roberto Donadoni would be relieved of his duties, to be replaced by former manager Marcello Lippi.
Lippi, who resigned after leading the Azzurri to glory in the 2006 World Cup, takes over a squad that was knocked out on penalties in the quarter-finals of a less-than-impressive Euro 2008 campaign.
Donadoni had been criticized for his choice of players during the tournament and met with federation president Giancarlo Abete to discuss the move.
Lippi will sign a contract that will run through the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and his first match will be a friendly with Austria in August. Qualifying for the World Cup starts on September 6.
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