20, February 2024
Marseille sack Gattuso and replaced him with Gasset recently fired by Ivory Coast 0
Marseille have sacked Gennaro Gattuso as their manager and replaced him with Jean-Louis Gasset.
Gattuso took over at the French club in late September and leaves with the club ninth in Ligue 1.
The Italian claimed just nine wins from his 24 matches as manager, losing six times during his spell in charge.
Gasset, 70, was recently sacked by Ivory Coast after the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations, before they went on to win the tournament.
“Olympique de Marseille announces the end of its collaboration with Gennaro Gattuso,” Marseille said in a statement.
“Marseille would like to extend its special thanks to Gennaro and his entire staff for the unfailing commitment and professionalism they have shown on a daily basis, and wishes them all the best for the future.”
Gattuso joined Marseille as a replacement for now Villarreal manager Marcelino, who himself had only been at the helm in the south of France for three months.
Gattuso, who as a player won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, has also had spells managing AC Milan, Napoli and Valencia.
After a slow start to his time in France, four straight league wins in December took Marseille up to sixth in the table.
But Marseille have not won any of their last six Ligue 1 matches, four of which have ended in draws.
Gattuso took charge of 15 league matches at the Stade Velodrome, winning five, drawing five and losing five.
Marseille were also knocked out of the Coupe de France last month after a penalty shootout defeat to league rivals Rennes.
Despite the poor run of form, Marseille remain in the Europa League. Finishing second in Group B behind English debutants Brighton, Marseille host Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday (20:00 GMT) in the second leg of their knockout round play-off match, having drawn 2-2 last week.
Source: BBC
23, February 2024
George Elokobi believes FA Cup run has brought Maidstone into global focus 0
George Elokobi believes Maidstone’s FA Cup adventure has catapulted them onto the global stage.
The Stones are the first team outside of the top five divisions to reach the fifth round since Blyth Spartans in 1978.
Their run, including the memorable 2-1 win at Ipswich last month, has captured the imagination from Kent to Cameroon and beyond.
They face a trip to another Sky Bet Championship side, Coventry, on Monday night bidding to become the first sixth-tier team to reach the quarter-finals.
“It’s an incredible achievement, not just for ourselves but for the community, Maidstone United, and our fanbase,” said Cameroon-born boss Elokobi.
“But we have also gained so much admiration globally, how we have gone about our FA Cup run, how we’ve approached it as a football club.
“Now we have kids coming up to us saying ‘we want to emulate what you have done’.
“It’s historic and a lot of the people around the city and elsewhere who aren’t even connected with Maidstone, they’ve told me their new team is Maidstone United. That shows you what the players have done.
“It’s a huge moment for myself. It’s a huge moment for my community back in Cameroon. It’s a huge moment for our football club. For Africa as well. It’s huge.
“The FA Cup is regarded as one of the best competitions in the world and for Maidstone to be in the fifth round, against a Championship side in Coventry, a club full of history, it’s an inspirational moment for myself and I’m ever so proud to be the leader of the club.”
Even if they do not pull off another shock against the Sky Blues, Maidstone will still have won more matches in the competition than the eventual winners.
Their journey began with victory at Steyning in September in the second qualifying round before beating Winchester City, Torquay, Chesham, Barrow and Stevenage before their Portman Road heroics set up a meeting with the 1987 FA Cup winners.
“It’s a day with for no pressure for us,” added Elokobi. “We are Maidstone United Football Club. There shouldn’t be any pressure on us.
“We will go and enjoy the occasion. It’s a historic day for our football club.”
Source: UK Sports