4, March 2021
Football: Leeds United keen to land Nicolas Nkoulou 0
The Whites need to strengthen their defense this summer. Reports in the British and Italian media claim Leeds United are keen to land Nicolas Nkoulou. The 30-year-old has been subject to interest from various European clubs.
The centre-back has banged in one goal in 13 matches for Torino this term on all fronts. The 30-year-old is considered to be one of the best centre-backs in Cameroon.
Nkoulou has also left his mark at the international stage after netting one goal in 72 senior appearances for the Cameroon national team.
The centre-back’s contract at Torino is about to expire and a number of clubs are said to be monitoring his situation, with Leeds showing the most concrete interest in an attempt to lure the player to their team.
Marcelo Bielsa wants to sign a new centre-back and Nkoulou is one of the names at the top of his wishlist.
The report claims that Leeds manager has extensively scouted Nkoulou and is considering a move for the centre-back.
The Whites are desperate to make an impact in the summer transfer window.
Nicolas Nkoulou is a very comfortable defender and has qualities which would improve the Leeds United’s backline. His arrival would give Leeds some much needed tactical flexibility.
According to the report, “Leeds United are eager to sign Torino defender Nicolas Nkoulou. The Whites are looking to establish themselves as a top half club in the Premier League next term. According to CalcioMercato, Nkoulou is interesting Marcelo Bielsa and his coaching staff. The 30-year-old is out of contract in the summer and could arrive on a free. Bielsa coached Nkoulou at Marseille a few years ago.”
Leeds United will have to come up with the right proposal to convince Nkoulou to join the club.
Good signing for Leeds United?
The 30-year-old is a good centre-back, and on a free transfer, he would not be a bad signing for Leeds.
The Cameroon international could be a very good squad player for Marcelo Bielsa over the next few years. He is at the peak of his career right now and Bielsa could bring out the best in him.
Stylistically, he would be a great fit in Leeds.
It will be interesting to see where the player ends up this summer.
Source: Eurofootballrumours
9, March 2021
Bundes Fußball: Loew to step down after this year’s Euros 0
Germany’s World Cup-winning head coach Joachim Loew will step down after the European championships this July, the German football association said on Tuesday.
Loew will leave with a year left on his contract having signed up until the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.
In a statement, Loew said he was “full of pride and enormous gratitude” after nearly 15 years as national coach and that he was “motivated” for his swansong at the rearranged European championships from June 11-July 11.
Fritz Keller, the president of the German football association (DFB), said Loew’s decision “gives us the necessary time to name his successor calmly”.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick, who was Loew’s assistant coach when Germany won the 2014 World Cup, have been mentioned as early frontrunners for the job.
Loew has vowed to go out on a high at the European championships but Germany face a tough task to has been drawn in the same group as world champions France and holders Portugal.
“I still feel the will, great energy and ambition,” Loew insisted.
“I will do my best to make our fans happy and be successful at this tournament.”
– ‘Great triumphs, painful defeats’ –
The 61-year-old nicknamed “Jogi” has been in charge of Germany since 2006. The 2014 triumph in Brazil, where his side beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the final thanks to Mario Goetze’s extra-time winner, was the highpoint of his reign.
But Loew has faced three years of criticism since holders Germany crashed out of the 2018 World Cup in Russia at the group stage.
The calls for him to resign grew louder since Germany were hammered 6-0 by Spain in the Nations League last November.
Until the 2014 debacle, the Germans had reached at least the semi-finals of every tournament under Loew.
“I have worked with the best footballers in the country and supported them in their development,” Loew said on Tuesday.
“I have had great triumphs with them and painful defeats, but above all many wonderful and magical moments – not just winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.”
The fallout from the debacle in Russia tainted his legacy as he struggled to rebuild the team.
His decision in March 2019 to end the international careers of veterans Thomas Mueller, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels soon backfired.
The assured performances of Mueller and Boateng in 2019/20 helped Bayern Munich win the Champions League title and led to Loew constantly having to defend his decision to sideline them from the national setup.
Recently Loew has hinted that he may recall the exiled trio for Germany’s World Cup qualifiers at the end of March.
His record as coach is an impressive 120 wins in 189 games with Germany as well as 38 draws and 31 defeats.
“I have great respect for Joachim Loew’s decision,” German FA (DFB) president Fritz Keller in a statement.
“The DFB knows what it has in ‘Jogi’, he is one of the greatest coaches in world football.
“Jogi Loew has shaped German football like hardly anyone else over the years and has helped it achieve the highest international reputation.”
Source: AFP