Gianfranco Zola: ‘Who was wilder out of Maradona and Asprilla? Tino by miles’

Football | The Guardian

Gianfranco Zola: ‘Who was wilder out of Maradona and Asprilla? Tino by miles’

The former Napoli, Parma and Chelsea forward discusses his old team-mates, managing West Ham and a six-hour helicopter trip to try a new ice cream

Gianfranco Zola still keeps an eye out for West Ham United. It is nine years since the club gave him his first management opportunity and seven since they took it away in the summer of 2010. In total he led the club through 73 Premier League games, only 14 fewer than Slaven Bilic before the Croat was fired earlier this month and replaced by David Moyes.

That might be where the similarities end. “I cannot compare my experience to his,” says Zola. “I believe they are completely different. But I understand what he’s been through. Every manager, when things don’t go well, they feel bad about it. That, unfortunately, is our job.”

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DONE DEAL: Alan Pardew 'thrilled' to be West Brom manager; names John Carver No2

Tribal Football - Football News, Soccer News, Transfers & Rumours

DONE DEAL: Alan Pardew 'thrilled' to be West Brom manager; names John Carver No2

West Brom have named Alan Pardew as new manager.

Pardew, a former Premier League manager with West Ham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace, has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract.

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Spanish expert: Man Utd boss Mourinho will not accept Griezmann rejection

Tribal Football - Football News, Soccer News, Transfers & Rumours

Spanish expert: Man Utd boss Mourinho will not accept Griezmann rejection

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has made Atletico Madrid attacker Antoine Griezmann a priority 2018 transfer target.

Griezmann resisted a move to United last summer, but is now open to a deal with Atletico free to buy his replacement in January.

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Vincenzo Montella: AC Milan sack coach & place Gennaro Gattuso in charge

BBC Sport - Football

Vincenzo Montella: AC Milan sack coach & place Gennaro Gattuso in charge

AC Milan sack Vincenzo Montella and place their former midfielder Gennaro Gattuso in charge of the first team.

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Can Motherwell cause League Cup final upset? Team news, stats and quotes

BBC Sport - Football

Can Motherwell cause League Cup final upset? Team news, stats and quotes

Preview followed by live coverage of Sunday's Scottish League Cup game between Motherwell and Celtic.

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‘All you need in a leader’: Sean Dyche’s stock keeps rising at Burnley

Football | The Guardian

‘All you need in a leader’: Sean Dyche’s stock keeps rising at Burnley

Burnley go into Sunday’s meeting with Arsenal level on points with Arsène Wenger’s side and those who have worked for and alongside their manager are in no doubt about his qualities

When Everton sacked Ronald Koeman on 23 October Sean Dyche was instantly cited among the favourites to replace him at Goodison Park. A month later the club are still without a permanent manager yet the speculation surrounding Dyche’s future has not proved a distraction. Burnley are up to seventh in the Premier League, four points ahead of eighth-placed Watford at the start of the weekend, and on Sunday face an Arsenal side who are ahead only on goal difference.

Twenty-two points after 12 matches is a fine return. Dyche’s side have just recorded three consecutive victories – a club record in the Premier League – and if it appears curious to some that Everton appear to have decided against Dyche, Burnley will hardly care. His ability to maintain focus and reel off those three wins on the bounce shows a key attribute: the level of control he commands over Burnley.

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Marouane Fellaini suing New Balance for £2m over ‘defective’ boots

Football | The Guardian

Marouane Fellaini suing New Balance for £2m over ‘defective’ boots

• Manchester United player says kit man had to steam and stretch boots
• New Balance says it sent new boots and Fellaini said they were ‘perfect’
• Mourinho fears Fellaini could leave United as contract talks drag on

A high court judge may have to examine a series of WhatsApp messages if asked to rule on a row over Marouane Fellaini’s boots.

The Manchester United midfielder says the sportswear giant New Balance provided “defective quality” boots which had to be “steamed and stretched” by a club kit man before he could wear them.

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