LONDON: Antonio Conte's two year tenure as Chelsea manager which began with a bang last year after winning the Premier League title ended sourly on Friday with the club announcing they had parted company with him.
The 48-year-old Italian had been seen as vulnerable despite winning the FA Cup last term having fallen out with both the board and senior players.
The former Italy national coach returned to take training this week but the writing was on the wall and the drawn out process was reportedly due to how much compensation the club should pay Napoli for his likely successor Maurizio Sarri.
"Chelsea Football Club and Antonio Conte have parted company," the club said in a terse statement.
"During Antonio's time at the club, we won our sixth league title and eighth FA Cup.
"In the title winning season, the club set a then-record 30 wins in a 38-game Premier League season, as well as a club-record 13 consecutive league victories.
"We wish Antonio every success in his future career."
Conte leaves with the best win percentage 65.1 of any of Chelsea's managers in the Premier League era.
Former banker Sarri, 59, will be Chelsea's eighth manager inside a decade as Russian owner Roman Abramovich has never shown a sentimental side to his nature regarding them, no matter the trophies they won the preceding season as Roberto di Matteo found just months after delivering Abramovich's holy grail the Champions League.
Conte -- who had a year to run on his contract -- is seen to have contributed to his own demise by falling out both with the players and the board as the sheen of the title victory quickly disappeared.
His intense training methods angered senior players and he alienated the board with disparaging treatment of Spanish striker Diego Costa and constant carping over the club's failure to replace top players with those of similar ability.
However, while present players may have had issues with Conte, former Chelsea legend John Terry, who left after the league title winning campaign had nothing but praise for him.
"Thank You Boss," Terry posted on Instagram alongside a photo of the two of them holding the Premier League trophy. "Great man, Great manager. I wish you every success in the future."
Sarri has been favorite to succeed his compatriot after impressing as manager of Serie A side Napoli, who have replaced him with former Chelsea handler Carlo Ancelotti.
Sarri, who split his time between banking and playing football before he took up coaching aged 40, has not won a major honour in three years at Napoli but has guided the club to finishes of second, third and second again.
The chain smoking former Empoli manager -- who will have to restrain himself on the touchline in England where smoking is banned -- was named Serie A Coach of the Year in 2016-17.
The main reason for the prolonged saga has been compensation.
Conte is due a reported £9million ($11.9million) if he remains out of work for the season and with the major jobs such as Real Madrid and the Italy national post — which he occupied for two years till after Euro 2016 — filled it is likely he will sit the year out.
Napoli are also expecting compensation of around £4.5million for Sarri, who is under contract even though he is no longer their coach.
Sarri is believed to have agreed to bring former Chelsea favourite Gianfranco Zola — whose managerial career has stalled after a series of failures — along as one of his backroom staff.
Sarri has also presented a list of players he would like to sign.
They reportedly include Brazil-born Italy international midfielder Jorginho from Napoli, CSKA Moscow's Russian playmaker Aleksandr Golovin and Italian defender Daniele Rugani from Juventus, the side that edged Napoli in the Serie A title race.
Chelsea fire manager Antonio Conte after two years in charge
Chelsea fire manager Antonio Conte after two years in charge
Saudi footballer Abdulmalik Al-Jaber shines on European stage
- Al-Nassr star’s performances in Bosnia put him at top of list of 9 Saudi players across 7 of Europe’s football leagues
- Faisal Al-Ghamdi played as key midfielder for Beerschot in Belgium
BEIRUT: Midfielder Abdulmalik Al-Jaber has been a guiding light among Saudi players making their mark in Europe following his impressive spell at Bosnia’s FK Zeljeznicar.
Al-Nassr announced on Monday the capture of 21-year-old Al-Jaber on a four-year contract after his strong season with FK Zeljeznicar where played 33 times, scored three goals and assisted in three more.
Al-Jaber’s performances put him at the top of a list of nine Saudi players who played across seven different European leagues last season.
Faisal Al-Ghamdi, 23, played 29 times for Belgian club Beerschot where he was a key player in midfield, scoring one goal and assisting in the creation of another.
Clubmate and forward Marwan Al-Sahafi also impressed, the 21-year-old scoring six times and making one assist across 28 games.
Mohanad Al-Saad, 21, played for Dunkerque in France and scored four goals in 15 matches — one of them against Paris Saint-Germain in the French Cup semifinal, a proud moment despite the 4-2 defeat.
Saud Abdulhamid, 25, got some valuable minutes with AS Roma in Italy where he played eight matches, scoring once and making one assist. Four of his appearances were in Serie A, the top tier.
Midfielder Mohammed Al-Rashidi, 23, boasted eight appearances for Greece’s Panserraikos and a total of 184 minutes on the pitch.
Three other young players had a taste of European football. Hussain Al-Taha, 19, played three matches for Croatian side Vukovar, while Mishal Haddad, 20, appeared in two games for Vinkovci, also in Croatia. Yazan Madani, 20, played twice as left-back for Albania’s Egnatia.
With more Saudi players heading to Europe, it is clear that the future looks bright for talented footballers from the KIngdom.
These youngsters are gaining experience, growing in confidence, and helping to raise the profile of Saudi football on the international stage.
Middlesbrough sack manager Michael Carrick
- The former Manchester United midfielder had been in charge at Boro since October 2022
- “Middlesbrough Football Club has today parted company with head coach Michael Carrick,” the club said
LONDON: Middlesbrough on Wednesday sacked manager Michael Carrick after the Championship club missed out on a play-off place during the 2024/25 season.
The former Manchester United and England midfielder, who previously had a spell as caretaker boss at Old Trafford, had been in charge at Boro since October 2022.
The 43-year-old guided Middlesbrough to the Championship play-offs in the 2022/23 season but they have missed out on the top six in the past two campaigns.
“Middlesbrough Football Club has today parted company with head coach Michael Carrick,” the club said in a statement.
“Michael’s assistants Jonathan Woodgate and Graeme Carrick have also departed the club.
“We’d like thank Michael, Jonathan, and Graeme for all their hard work and unwavering commitment. We wish them all the very best for the future.”
Middlesbrough won just one of their final six league games to finish 10th in the Championship table, four points off the play-off spots.
Arsenal in talks with Partey over new deal as Jorginho and Sterling depart
- Partey’s contract is due to expire on June 30
- The Ghana international has been with Arsenal since 2020
LONDON: Arsenal are in talks with Thomas Partey to extend the midfielder’s contract, the club said Wednesday, while confirming the departure of a slew of other players including Jorginho and Raheem Sterling.
Partey’s contract is due to expire on June 30 and Arsenal said “discussions are on-going.”
The Ghana international has been with Arsenal since 2020.
Italy midfielder Jorginho, Scotland left back Kieran Tierney, Brazilian goalkeeper Neto and Sterling — at one stage a key player for England — are among those confirmed to be leaving Arsenal.
Sterling was only on a season-long loan from Chelsea.
Arsenal have just finished second in the Premier League for the third straight season.
Pakistan clinches 14 medals at Asian Indoor Rowing Championship in Thailand
- Pakistan rowing team wins 10 gold medals, three silver and one bronze
- Championship features athletes competing on indoor rowing machines
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan bagged 14 medals, including 10 gold ones, at the recently concluded Asian Indoor Rowing Championship in Thailand, state media reported this week.
The Asian Indoor Rowing Championship was organized by the Asian Rowing Federation from May 26 to 31 in Pattaya, Thailand, to showcase the talents of indoor rowers from across Asia.
Unlike traditional rowing competitions held on water, this championship features athletes competing on indoor rowing machines, such as the Concept2 ergometer, simulating the rowing experience in a controlled environment.
“Competing against 25 countries, the Pakistani squad stunned traditional powerhouses such as India, Iran, Thailand, South Korea and Japan,” Radio Pakistan said in a report on Monday.
“Despite being a small contingent, the Pakistani rowers delivered an outstanding performance that defied expectations.”
According to a local news outlet, Pakistan won 10 gold, three silver and one bronze medal.
Key contributors included Pakistani rowers Abdul Jabbar and Muhammad Shahzad, who won one gold and one silver each.
Tayyab Iftikhar earned one silver medal and one bronze, the report added.
Radio Pakistan said the athletes received a grand welcome from the Pakistan Rowing Federation (PRF) upon their return to the country.
It highlighted that the athletes’ performance marked “a new era for rowing” in Pakistan. PRF President Hamdan Nazir and Chairman Rizwan-ul-Haq also praised the players for their outstanding achievements.
Chaabani believes debutants Berkane can win CAF Champions League
- Chaabani, a 43-year-old Tunisian, acknowledges that competing in the Champions League will be more challenging than the Confederation Cup
- “The Champions League is a tougher competition, with high-level opponents,” he said
JOHANNESBURG: Renaissance Berkane coach Mouin Chaabani believes the Moroccan club could go one better than CAF Champions League title-holders Pyramids and win the competition at the first attempt.
Cairo outfit Pyramids won the premier African club competition last Sunday in only their second appearance by beating South African rivals Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 on aggregate.
Berkane last month became Moroccan champions for the first time, finishing 13 points ahead of runners-up FAR Rabat.
Called the Orange Boys as they are based in the citrus-growing northeast of Morocco, Renaissance will debut in the Champions League this year.
It is a milestone for a club formed in 1938 and overshadowed for decades by Casablanca giants Raja and Wydad, both three-time African champions.
Berkane finally conquered Morocco by winning 21 of 30 matches, drawing seven, losing just two, scoring 49 goals and conceding only 14 in a championship ranked the second toughest in Africa.
While Berkane are Champions League debutants, they are no strangers to Africa having
competed in the past eight editions of the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup, winning three
finals.
They were also runners-up twice to Egyptian opponents Zamalek, losing one title decider after a penalty shootout and another on away goals.
Chaabani, a 43-year-old Tunisian, acknowledges that competing in the Champions League will be more challenging than the Confederation Cup.
“The Champions League is a tougher competition, with high-level opponents,” the coach who won back-to-back titles in the most prized African club competition with Tunis outfit Esperance told reporters.
“Thanks to repeated appearances in the Confederation Cup, I think Berkane have acquired continental experience. We have an ambitious squad capable of competing at the highest level.
“We will approach the Champions League campaign with great respect for opponents, but also with a desire to go far. Why not aim for the title?
“Our supporters can play a key role. Their unwavering backing, at home and away, has carried us through difficult times as well as joyful moments.”
The Municipal Stadium in Berkane accommodates just 15,000 spectators, and their closeness to the pitch creates what many visiting coaches have called “an intimidating atmosphere.”
Berkane won 43 of 49 home Confederation Cup matches since debuting in 2015, drew the other six, scored 113 goals and conceded only 18.
En route to the latest Confederation Cup triumph, they excelled at home, firing five goals past
Dadje of Benin and Stellenbosch of South Africa and four past CS Constantine of Algeria in the semifinals.
The Champions League is becoming increasingly competitive and unpredictable with the success of Pyramids not foreseen when the competition kicked off last August.
The Cairo club boast a prolific scorer in Congolese Fiston Mayele, whose nine goals won him the Champions League Golden Boot.
Pyramids, fellow Egyptian challengers and record 12-time African champions Al Ahly, Sundowns and Esperance of Tunisia will hope to claim the $4 million (EUR3.5 million) first prize.
Mouloudia Alger of Algeria, who are poised to qualify, and FAR were quarter-finalists last season and capable of going further this time.
Apart from the regular campaigners, there will be newcomers like Wiliete of Angola, Colombe of Cameroon and possibly Police, who need one point from two matches to become Kenyan champions.
Originally due to kick off in August, the Champions League will be delayed as the African Nations Championship (CHAN) has been rescheduled for that month.
