WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2017 SPORTS

Impatient Chinese chase glory at all costs BRIEFS Sunderland sign Lescott BEIJING: European clubs Inter Milan, “not enough just to pay wages”. According to Peter Kenyon, former GLOBAL GOAL Aston Villa and Sochaux have had a high Even as China’s willingness to splash chief executive of Manchester United OL president Jean-Michel Aulas said LONDON: Sunderland have signed central defender turnover of managers since Chinese out on foreign talent has drawn top man- and Chelsea, “The smart people under- IDG carried out “a real investigation” Joleon Lescott on a contract until the end of the sea- takeovers, sparking fears that their trig- agers such as Manuel Pellegrini (Hebei stand it’s not about acquisition, it’s... before arriving at a decision and has son, the basement side said yesterday. ger-happy new owners have little Fortune), Andre Villas-Boas (Shanghai what you do with it (afterwards). since put “no pressure” on the club’s The 34-year-old played under Sunderland manager patience and no strategy. SIPG) and Sven Goran Eriksson “I think we are going to see good pur- recruitment of Chinese players. David Moyes at Everton and has now followed former “Many buyouts are irrational and defy (Shenzhen FC) to the country, many have chasers and bad purchasers but the ones “We have never imagined controlling Toffees team-mates Victor Anichebe and Steven the laws of the market,” Zhou Jiming, a not made it past a few months. Eriksson that I’ve been involved with are long- Lyon. We are not good, not competent to Pienaar, who also know Moyes from their time on football analyst and director at the offi- was ousted from Shanghai SIPG despite term, they’ve got a strategy,” said manage a football club,” said Li Merseyside, to the Stadium of Light. “Joleon Lescott cial China Sports Journal, told AFP. “The leading them to a third-place finish in Kenyon, who now advises on football Jianguang, who led the operation at IDG. has joined Sunderland AFC on a short-term contract,” majority of investors lack patience,” he the 2016 Chinese Super League, Fabio business deals. Some Chinese owners Chinese President Xi Jinping, a football said a club statement. “The defender has put pen to said. That certainly appears to be the Cannavaro was dismissed from have proven to be patient: West fan, wants the country to host and win a paper on a deal with the Black Cats until the end of case with Aston Villa, currently under Guangzhou Evergrande just six months Bromwich Albion, bought in September World Cup, a target which has prompted the season.” Sunderland are a point adrift of relegation their third manager, after a takeover by into the job while Jean Tigana fared even by entrepreneur Guochuan Lai, retained a flood of money into top-flight teams as rivals Hull and Crystal Palace at the bottom of the Chinese businessman Tony Xia last June. worse at Shanghai Shenhua, sacked after its manager, as did French side Auxerre, well as heavy investment and promotion Premier League after a 2-0 loss away to West Xia spent 38 million euros ($40 million) only five games in charge in 2012. currently one place off the foot of French of the sport nationally. Chinese Super Bromwich Albion on Saturday. to hire Roberto Di Matteo as manager, second division, following a takeover by League clubs, encouraged by the gov- hoping the 2012 Champions League LEICESTER LESSON China’s ORG Packaging in October. “The ernment’s vision of turning China into a Toure dismisses lure of China winner would be able to lift Villa’s flag- Chinese investors in football would do smart ones... want to have a say, but football superpower by 2050, have bro- LONDON: Yaya Toure says he wants to remain at ging fortunes. well to look at Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, understand it’s not about them picking ken the Asian transfer record five times in Manchester City and is not interested in moving to But Di Matteo was sacked just 11 the Thai president of Leicester City, reign- the team. It’s a serious investment”, said less than a year, with Shanghai SIPG pay- China, amid reports of a big-money offer from the games later and replaced by Steve Bruce. ing English Premier League champion, Kenyon, who has worked on some ing 60 million euros to lure Oscar from Chinese Super League. Reports last week said Toure, Meanwhile Inter Milan, who are owned for pointers, said analyst Zhou. “He has Chinese acquisitions, including the Chelsea. 33, had rejected an approach from a Chinese club that by Chinese electronics retailer Suning, in done a lot of substantive, solid basic Wanda Group’s purchase of a 20 percent The push to buy European clubs is would have seen him paid around £430,000 November named Stefano Pioli as their work, and the success has been there. stake in Atletico Madrid in 2015. part of a larger drive to secure China’s ($536,000, 499,000 euros) a week. With his contract up third manager in just four months, in a Chinese investors lack this kind of That level of seriousness has been the place in the global football arena, a quest at the end of the season, the former Ivory Coast mid- desperate bid to restore their reputation. involvement,” he said. The shopping case with Chinese fund IDG Capital with heavy political overtones. “Sport fielder faces an uncertain future, but he says he has no Their struggles prompted Chievo presi- magnate bought the club in 2010, over- Partners which acquired a 20 percent gives you huge visibility, so if it’s success- interest in joining the likes of Oscar and Carlos Tevez dent Luca Campedelli to question seeing the greatest rags to riches story in stake in the French club Olympique ful it reflects well on them, and well on in China. “I always say that if I went to China I would Suning’s commitment to football, mock- football when his 5,000-1 shots won the Lyonnais (OL) as part of a “long-term” the country,” Kenyon said. “If it’s not suc- end up feeling angry there,” Toure said, in comments ing the Chinese accent and saying it was Premier League last year. investment, according to the firm. cessful it reflects really badly.” — AFP carried by several British newspapers on Tuesday. “Do you play football because you love football or do you play because you want to make money? What’s the purpose? “Me, I just want to play football because I enjoy it, I love playing. I enjoy helping my team-mates, Celtic on verge I enjoy playing against the big players and teams. I of becoming want to carry on in that way. Algeria coach quits

history Bhoys PORT GENTIL: Algeria’s George Leekens became the first coaching casualty of the African Nations Cup, GLASGOW: Celtic stand on the verge of resigning yesterday after his team were eliminated reaching a historic milestone when they less than three months after taking the job. “Given the return to league action today. The runaway pressure exerted on the federation and the national league leaders have been in cold storage for team, I prefer to stop my contract. For the good of all, I the past three weeks as the Scottish prefer to leave even if I do it with a sore heart while Premiership took a winter break but took a wishing all the success in the world to the national step closer to a domestic treble on Sunday team,” said a statement on the Algerian Football with a 3-0 defeat of Albion Rovers in the Federation website (www.faf.dz). Algeria failed to win Scottish Cup. a game in Group A, finishing with a 2-2 draw against That result means the Hoops could now Senegal in Franceville on Monday for only a second point from three matches. They had been among the equal a club record run of 26 domestic games pre-tournament favourites but were held in their unbeaten at the start of a season with a draw opening game by outsiders Zimbabwe and lost to or a win against St Johnstone today. That neighbours Tunisia. It was the second spell in charge record was set by the legendary Lisbon Lions of the Algerian team for the 67-year-old who has also side managed by Jock Stein, who became the coached the national sides of Belgium and Tunisia. first British club to lift the European Cup in 1967, and present day manager Brendan Rodgers admitted it was a honour for the cur- rent crop to be mentioned alongside them. “To be talked of in the same breath as guys Sevilla title challenge who created the legend of this club would ‘a reality’: Sampaoli obviously be a huge privilege,” Rodgers said. “I LIBREVILLE: Tunisia’s midfielder Wahbi Khazri (R) challenges Zimbabwe’s midfielder Willard Katsande during the haven’t really thought on it, to be honest, I just 2017 Africa Cup of Nations group A football match between Zimbabwe and Tunisia at the Stade de l’Amitie Sino- BARCELONA: Sevilla have serious aspirations to win La try to look to win our games, irrespective of Gabonaise in Libreville on Monday. —AFP Liga for the first time since 1946 after gate-crashing what the consequences of that means. “But, of the usual two-horse race between Real Madrid and course, anywhere you’re mentioned in that Barcelona, their coach Jorge Sampaoli said yesterday. same breath as those guys, it gives a great Sevilla are second in the standings, one point ahead privilege but we have a lot of hard work to do Tunisia advance as of champions Barca and one behind Real Madrid, who they beat this month to become the first team to top- and St Johnstone will be a tough test for us. ple Zinedine Zidane’s side since last April. “They’ve done very well with Tommy and Real have a game in hand on both their title rivals. particularly away from home they’ve done Argentine Sampaoli has proved a roaring success at well, so we know it will be a good test of our Algeria bow out Sevilla since taking over from triple Europa League qualities but it’s another game we’re looking winner Unai Emery last year although up to now he forward to.” LIBREVILLE: Tunisia trounced with the victory over Zimbabwe. scored the lone second-half goal. has been cautious about his team’s title hopes. The match against St Johnstone should But after securing their biggest ever points total in also see club captain Scott Brown reach his Zimbabwe 4-2 in Gabon Monday to “We regained possession well dur- Algeria coach reach the Africa Cup of Nations quar- ing the first half and created scoring took some consolation from the early the first half of a season following Sunday’s 3-2 win at own personal landmark with the midfielder ter-finals as star-stacked Algeria were chances,” said the Poland-born han- exit as Algeria continued to underper- Osasuna, a fifth straight league victory, the coach said set to make his 400th appearance for the eliminated after the first round. dler. “It was a satisfactory perform- form at the Cup of Nations since a he was deadly serious about the title tilt. Hoops. Brown joined Celtic from Hibs in 2007 Naim Sliti, , Taha ance and I congratulate my players. lone title when 1990 hosts. “We’re not being deluded, it’s a reality, we’re going and Rodgers was full of praise for the 31-year- Yassine Khenessi and Wahbi Khazri Now we face Burkina Faso, a quality “I had warned that Senegal were to fight for the title. We may not have the strength in old’s contribution to the club. scored in Libreville as the Tunisian team with good technique and one of the big favourites and we the end and we may not be capable of doing it but “It’s a remarkable achievement by a top- Carthage became the first side at the attacking combinations.” showed that we could respond in dif- we’re going to fight for it,” Sampaoli told radio station class professional,” he said. “I didn’t know 2017 finals to score four goals in a Zimbabwe coach Callisto Pasuwa ficult circumstances, which is impor- Onda Cero. “Our hope is to take an extra step forward. that’s what it was but to play that number of match. Algeria drew 2-2 with a virtual said: “We lost the match in the early tant for the future,” he said. We have managed to instill an idea of play which the games at a club this size, your professional- Senegal ‘B’ side in Franceville at the stages due to a lack of concentration. “Overall it is a disappointment, but players like and enjoy, the idea of playing the same ism, enthusiasm, energy for the game and same time with star striker Islam “I think we have potential, but we need to use this to grow in the way against every team, always taking the initiative, commitment to being a top professional has Slimani finally finding form to bag a must prepare better. A lesson from future,” he added as Algeria are left to and our aim is to be even stronger in the second half to be there. “I’ve said it on many occassions brace. This was the second 2-2 draw this tournament is that players have focus on trying to qualify for the 2018 of the season.” Sampaoli had no playing career and earned his rep- since I’ve walked in the door here. My for the Algerian Desert Foxes after a to remain focused throughout a World Cup in Russia. utation as a coach in Peru, Ecuador and Chile before impressions of him were very positive. He’s a similar result against Zimbabwe, and a game.” Tunisia scored four goals in a “I am still sure of what I have to do. 2-1 loss to neighbours Tunisia in Cup of Nations match for the fourth It was not a gift for me to come here taking charge of the Chile national team in 2012, lead- remarkable leader. “They take a great lead ing them to the Copa America, their first major trophy, from him, the players in the changing room. between proved costly. time as they ripped the Zimbabwe but we will make it to Russia. I think Many pundits had placed Algeria defence to shreds during a first-half my players showed they could react.” in 2015. He’s at the very front from the first steps we He took his first foray into European soccer last year make on to the training field. “The warm-up, among the title favourites given the goal fest which ended with the win- Slimani gave Algeria the lead on 10 presence of stars like new African ners 4-1 ahead. minutes and after Diop levelled just to succeed Emery, who had been head-hunted by Paris right from the start he sets an incredible St Germain after leading Sevilla to an unprecedented example in his performance level and I think Footballer of the Year Riyad Mahrez, The tempo inevitably slowed after before half-time, he struck again early Slimani and Yacine Brahimi. half-time with both teams playing for in the second half only for Sow to three Europa League triumphs in a row.—Reuters he’ll go on and make a raft of more appear- Pre-tournament fears about the the third time in nine days and Ndoro equalise within a minute.—AFP ances. “He shows a great example to the defence proved well founded, howev- players and he’s been playing at the top of er, as they conceded two goals in each his game this season, so 400 will be great for group game. him but I feel there’s more to come as Senegal, breaking a pre-match well.”— Reuters promise of coach Aliou Cisse that he would field a full-strength side, equalised first through Papa Diop and Moussa Sow. Assured of finishing first before the last mini-league matches, Senegal topped the Group B standings with seven points followed by Tunisia (six), Algeria (two) and Zimbabwe (one). Senegal stay in southeastern Gabon to face Cameroon Saturday three hours after Burkina Faso and Tunisia meet in the first quarter-final in Libreville.

THRILLED Cameroon beat Senegal on penal- ties in the 2002 final in Mali and hosts Burkina Faso also won on penalties when they met Tunisia in a 1998 quar- ter-final. Ghana are also through to the last eight and the other three quarter-finalists will be decided today with six countries in contention. All the Group C teams-Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, defend- ing champions Ivory Coast and Togo- can advance to the knockout phase. In Group D, either record seven- IBRARRA: Peru’s player Luis Adrian Ugarriza (L) vies for time champions Egypt or Mali will the ball with Venezuela’s player William Velasquez dur- accompany Ghana to the quarter- ing their South American Championship U-20 football finals. coached match in the Olimpico stadium in Ibarra, Ecuador on Tunisia to the 1996 final during a pre- PORT-GENTIL: Egypt’s soccer players attend a training session at the Stade de Sogara in Port-Gentil, Gabon, yesterday, ahead of their Monday. — AFP vious spell in charge and was thrilled African Cup of Nations Group D soccer match against Ghana. — AP