The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Di Canio calls it a day at Swindon Posted: 18 Feb 2013 02:55 PM PST  LONDON, Feb 19 – Outspoken Italian Paolo Di Canio ended his roller-coaster spell in charge of Swindon Town when he quit as coach of the English third-tier club yesterday. Di Canio, one of the most colourful players in the game during a playing career with Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio, West Ham United and Celtic among others, said last week that he was "considering his future" because of off-field events at Swindon. The 44-year-old former striker said yesterday that he would have stayed on as coach if the Football League had agreed to a buyout of the club by new owners. "I've been told approval has not been granted yet and therefore my temporary arrangement has ended and my resignation stands," Di Canio said in a statement released to the Swindon Advertiser newspaper. "This is all I wish to say for the time being other than to thank my technical staff and the players for their fantastic professional behaviour and attitude in achieving what they have done up to today. "Thanks to the Swindon Town supporters for the incredible support they have shown me and the team throughout my team as manager." Di Canio landed his first job as a coach when he was appointed at Swindon in May 2011. He guided the club to the fourth-tier title a year later and said he was prepared to eat into his savings to fulfil his ambition of taking the team into the second tier. "I'm not going to start selling my houses but I want to keep those players," Di Canio said at the time. "When I die I will have a bit less money but I will have the victory as a manager. I've spent big money on solicitors in the past - you can imagine what I would spend on my players." Di Canio's time at Swindon was anything but dull. His passion often boiled over into rows with his players and this season he antagonised fans by telling those unhappy with his decisions to go and support local rivals Oxford United. Swindon are sixth in the league, three points behind leaders Bournemouth with two games in hand. – Reuters |
| Nani inspires United to laboured Cup win over Reading Posted: 18 Feb 2013 02:50 PM PST  Manchester United's Javier Hernandez heads the ball to score his side's second goal during their FA Cup match against Reading at Old Trafford in Manchester, northern England, February 18, 2013. – Reuters pic LONDON, Feb 19 – Substitute Nani reminded manager Alex Ferguson of his qualities by inspiring Manchester United to a laboured 2-1 home win over Reading in the FA Cup fifth round yesterday. The mercurial Portuguese winger was sent on just before halftime in place of the injured Phil Jones and he scored United's opener before setting up Javier Hernandez for the second. The Premier League leaders dominated the match but struggled to make the breakthrough in the face of resolute Reading defending and a fine performance by goalkeeper Adam Federici. Nani, linked with a move away from Old Trafford, grabbed the first with a cute volley from 12 metres after 69 minutes and his pinpoint cross set up Hernandez for a trademark near-post header soon afterwards. Reading refused to lie down and Jobi McAnuff pulled one back nine minutes from time with a neat finish from close range. The side third-bottom of the Premier League table continued to press forward but the hosts, bolstered by the reassuring presence of experienced Serbian Nemanja Vidic at the heart of their defence, hung on. United, record 11-times FA Cup winners but who have not lifted the trophy since 2004, will play second-tier Middlesbrough or European champions Chelsea in the quarter-finals. – Reuters |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Sports To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan