SPORTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Qatar fire coach with 2018 hopes in balance

DOHA: Ambitious World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar someone from Doha, a coach from Doha,” said the al team between 2007 and 2008. He has had a long have sacked coach Jose Daniel Carreno just a fort- spokesman. Adding to the expectation that Fossati and varied career as a player and manager and night ahead of a crucial 2018 qualifier in South will be appointed, the spokesman said no coached the Uruguayan national team for two Korea and after successive defeats. The Uruguayan announcement would likely be made until after Al- years from 2004. was dismissed following recent back-to-back Rayyan’s game on Friday evening. Asked if Carreno The other leading candidate is French-born defeats against Iran and Uzbekistan which left had lost his job because of World Cup qualifying Algerian Djamel Belmadi. The former Southampton Qatar’s hopes of making the World Cup in Russia in results, the spokesman replied: “For sure.” player coached the national team in 2014-15, when two years’ time in serious trouble. Qatar, which has been savaged by critics after Qatar won the Gulf championship. He currently Carreno is expected to be replaced by fellow being awarded the 2022 World Cup for having lit- coaches QSL side Lekhwiya. Completing the mana- Uruguayan Jorge Fossati, currently coach of Qatar tle footballing pedigree, is desperate to reach its gerial merry-go-round, Carreno is expected to Stars League (QSL) champions Al-Rayyan. A Qatar first finals in 2018. If it fails to do so, Qatar will become the new manager of Al Hilal in Saudi Football Association spokesman told AFP yesterday become the first team to host a World Cup finals Arabia, after they fired their Uruguayan coach that there would be an announcement of a new without previously qualifying since Italy way back Gustavo Matosas on Thursday. Carreno’s fate was coach “today or tomorrow”. “The new coach will be in 1934. Fossati, 63, previously coached the nation- sealed following a meeting on Thursday. — AFP

Mourinho: Criticism cut above ‘Einsteins’ attack

MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho insisted yesterday he was unhurt by attacks on his players from football “Einsteins”, adding it was a very different matter when he publicly criticized his team. Mourinho’s approach was called into question by various sections of the media during a run of three successive defeats that ended with United’s EFL Cup victory over third-tier side Northampton Town in midweek. The Portuguese boss labeled the critics “Einsteins” for their know-it-all approach but said in a news conference on Friday they had not annoyed him. “I am (not) upset with anything,” Mourinho said. “I am such a lucky guy that I can- not be upset with anything. I am upset with nothing. “The only thing that upsets me a little bit is the kind of criticism to my players because my players are my players. “I should protect them, I would love to protect them, and from you (in the media) I can’t. It is something that is completely out of my control.” The former Chelsea manager added: “It’s like when you want to protect people and you can’t. “I think it’s a feeling of frustration, but with me it’s fine and with the Einsteins it’s fine. “The Einsteins need money to live, they can’t coach, they can’t sit on the bench, they can’t win matches. “They can speak, they can write, they can criticize the work of other people, but I am a good man. I am a good man of goodwill. I do lots of charity, I help so many people, so why not also feed the Einsteins? That’s fine.” MADRID: This file photo taken on February 2, 2016 shows ’s Brazilian forward arriving to Spain’s National Court. — AFP ‘Learning process’ Mourinho has not been averse to his own criticism of Spanish court reopens his players so far this season, which started with three successive wins before losses to Manchester City and Watford, either side of a Europa League defeat in Feyenoord. United defender Luke Shaw Neymar’s fraud case was said to be unhappy at being singled out for criticism for a mistake he made in the loss at Watford but Mourinho defended his stance. MADRID: A fraud case against Brazilian agreed to pay a 5.5-million-euro ($6.2 tract agreement between Neymar and “It’s a learning process,” Mourinho explained. “You superstar Neymar and his father in rela- million) fine in a deal with prosecutors Barca impeded other clubs from making make a mistake, especially the kind of individual mistake, tion to the player’s 2013 transfer to that see the club avoid trial on tax-eva- offers for the player, affecting the value you have to learn with what that means for the team. “The Barcelona was reopened yesterday fol- sion charges over the transfer. of the transfer fee. Neymar is far from the critique is part of the evolution, the critique is part of the lowing a successful appeal by Spanish Last week announced it will only Barca star to find himself in prob- process, the critique helps people to learn how to cope prosecutors, a court filing showed. In investigate Barca over the deal. Rosell lems with the Spanish authorities. with critics. It’s their life. From you, they cannot expect oth- July a judge ruled that irregularities in resigned amidst the scandal over how Five-time World Player of the Year er thing than be ready to smash them when they have the high-profile transfer were detected, much Neymar cost the club. The Spanish Lionel Messi and his father were given periods of not so much success.” United captain Wayne but said it was an issue for a civil court, champions originally published the fee 21-month jail sentences in July for tax Rooney’s unconvincing form has been another major talk- not a criminal court to settle. However, in the transfer as 57.1 million euros, with fraud relating to the player’s image ing point during the early months of Mourinho’s Old prosecutors successfully argued the 40 million euros of that given to the rights. Messi is appealing the verdict, but Trafford reign, with the manager saying it was just a reflec- player and his father were aware of player’s family. But Spanish authorities the prison sentences are likely to be sus- tion of the side’s performances as a whole. potentially fraudulent dealings between believe the true transfer figure was at pended as is common in Spain for first “We are a team. We are not Wayne Rooney, we are a Barcelona and his former club Santos to least 83 million euros because of a series offences for non-violent crimes carrying team,” he said. “We all won four matches. We all lost three the detriment of DIS, a Brazilian invest- of extra agreements tied to the transfer a sentence of less than two years. “If matches in a week. We like to say very good start to the sea- ment company who owned 40 percent between the two clubs. there is one player used to dealing with son, probably better than we could expect, better than you of the player’s sporting rights at the time different situations and one team used were prepared for.” United face defending champions of the transfer. Pre-contract agreement to dealing with different situations, it is Leicester City at Old Trafford on Saturday, already trailing Spain’s National Court “fully over- Santos-the Brazilian club of a young Barcelona,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique Premier League leaders Manchester City by six points. turned” Judge Jose de la Mata’s decision Pele and where Neymar started his yesterday. “All the players and their Mourinho accepted he had taken a chance in saying United two months ago, allowing the case to career-received just 17.1 million, 6.8 mil- coach are used to dealing with things would be challenging for the Premier League title in his first proceed. Neymar, 24, his father (also lion euros of which went to DIS. DIS has that have nothing to do with football.” season in charge. A three-time Premier League winner at Neymar), Barcelona president Josep claimed it was cheated of its real share Barca’s Argentine defender Javier Chelsea, he added: “I always said since day one that my title Maria Bartomeu and his predecessor firstly because part of the transfer fee Mascherano also agreed a one-year sus- ambitions were also a motivational factor. — AFP Sandro Rosell were all called to testify in was concealed by Barcelona and Santos. pended sentence with authorities for tax the case in February. Barcelona in June Moreover, DIS also believes a pre-con- fraud earlier this year. — AFP