Established 1961 15 Sports Thursday, August 20, 2020 Koeman to take dream job at Barca, reveals Bartomeu Sporting director Eric Abidal axed

MADRID: Ronald Koeman is set to take his dream and he arrives with Catalans in crisis. job at Barcelona after the Catalan giants’ president Setien was fired on Monday after the embarrass- Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed on Tuesday the ment against Bayern which meant Barca finish the Dutchman will be their next coach. Former Barca season trophy-less for the first time since 2007. star Koeman, who has been in charge of the Earlier on Tuesday sporting director Eric Abidal Netherlands since 2018, will replace Quique Setien, was axed, paying the price for the Bayern trouncing who was sacked after Barca were humiliated 8-2 by and internal conflict that took place during a league Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter- season that saw them surrender the La Liga title to finals on Friday. Real Madrid. “Koeman will be Barca’s coach next season,” Bartomeu told the side’s television channel. “If BARTOMEU UNDER FIRE everything goes OK, Koeman will be the coach we Abidal was criticised for his handling of the dis- announce and will guide this team and the players missal of then coach Ernesto Valverde in January. with a different project. The former left-back blamed the players for “It’s someone the supporters know well, not just Valverde’s dismissal in an interview, provoking an as a player but also as a coach.” According to angry reaction from the club’s normally discreet reports Koeman and his superstar Lionel Messi. agent were negotiating a Bartomeu’s own posi- two-year contract late on tion is also under threat Monday, with the second according to reports with year dependent on the June’s presidential elec- outcome of the presiden- Different tions moved forward to tial elections. March 15. Mauricio Koeman is a hero at project Pochettino was also con- BARCELONA: In this file photo taken on June 10, 2017 former FC Barcelona’s Dutch defender Barca after shining in sidered as a replacement Ronald Koeman acknowledges the crowd during a tribute match against SL Benfica at the Camp Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream for Setien but his previous Nou stadium in Barcelona. Former Barcelona’s Dutch player Ronald Koeman was appointed as Team’, with whom he won comments dismissing new coach of FC Barcelona. —AFP for La Liga titles in the Barca due to his links with row between 1991 and rivals Espanyol have 1994. He also scored the winning goal in the 1992 counted against him. aspiration,” he said. “Every project we do, we do it knowing that we European Cup final — the Catalan club’s first ever Bartomeu announced he would be putting the He insisted Messi would be the “cornerstone” of have the best player in the world... And in the new success in Europe’s top club competition. full weight of Barca’s resources behind the new Barcelona under Koeman, with rumours the project, Koeman can absolutely count on Messi. He has said coaching Barcelona would be his coach, promoting that “the renewal of the work- Argentin forward was looking to leave the club for “Messi wants to end his career at Barca, he has “dream” job, and he leaves his country’s national force will be as deep as it takes for the new proj- which he has played his entire senior career. “Messi said it several times. I spoke with Koeman, who team after two-and-a-half years in charge to grab ect to be successful”. “We will set ourselves up remains the best player in the world. He is number told me that Messi was the cornerstone of his his opportunity. His coaching career has been mixed to win everything. It is a goal, a necessity, and an one and he is with us,” said Bartomeu. project.” —AFP

He was the No. 1 overall pick in the Former NHL star 1981 NHL entry draft by the Winnipeg Jets. He won the NHL’s 1982 Calder Hawerchuk dies Trophy as the top rookie, two years after winning the rookie-of-the year Knights KO of cancer at 57 trophy in the Quebec Major Junior League with the Cornwall Royals. LOS ANGELES: Dale Hawerchuk, Hawerchuk played 1,188 games Blackhawks who “was skating before he could with the Jets, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis walk” and went on to play 16 seasons Blues and Philadelphia Flyers, and in Game 5 in the National Hockey League before recorded 518 goals and 1,409 points. being inducted into the Hall of Fame, The five-time all-star reached 100 EDMONTON: Max Pacioretty had a goal and an assist, died Tuesday. He was 57. points six times and scored at least 40 and the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Chicago Hawerchuk died after a battle with goals in seven seasons. Blackhawks 4-3 in Game 5 of their Western Conference stomach cancer, which he was initially “Dale Hawerchuk put Winnipeg series on Tuesday night in Edmonton, becoming the first diagnosed with last year. “After an and the Jets on the map the day he team to advance through the first round of the Stanley incredibly brave and difficult battle arrived in our city in 1981, and his love Cup playoffs. Mark Stone, Alec Martinez and Alex Tuch with cancer, our dad has passed away. for our community and remarkable also scored, William Karlsson had two assists, and Robin My family is so proud of him and the Hall of Fame career will keep it there WINNIPEG: File photo taken on October 22, 2016 Dale Hawerchuk #10 (left) Lehner made 23 saves for top-seeded Vegas. Tuch scored way he fought. #HawerchukStrong,” for many generations to come,” said a of the Winnipeg Jets alumni chats with Kelly Buchberger #16 of the the winning goal at 1:34 of the third period. Jonathan Toews, Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane scored, and son Eric Hawerchuk wrote on social statement from the Winnipeg Jets. Edmonton Oilers alumni during the 2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic “Dale had a relationship with our alumni hockey game at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Corey Crawford made 35 saves for eighth-seeded media. Chicago. The Golden Knights won the first three games of fans unlike any player in the history of Canada. —AFP Hawerchuk underwent a gastrecto- the best-of-seven series before the Blackhawks earned a my in January to remove his stomach, our franchise. Whether at home or on 3-1 win on Sunday. as well as a tumor and cancerous the world stage, ‘Ducky’ was “So sad, what a incredible human the 1987 tournament that led to Mario cells. He achieved almost immediate embraced by so many, so often being. I’m thankful that Ducky was my Lemieux’s famous goal against the FLYERS 2, CANADIENS 0 success at every level of hockey he because of his humility and the grace friend and I had a chance to talk with Soviet Union. Carter Hart made 29 saves for his second consecutive played. Hawerchuk’s father liked to by which he always carried himself.” him yesterday and say goodbye. This “The National Hockey League shutout as Philadelphia defeated Montreal in an Eastern say his son “was skating before he Former Winnipeg Jet and Anaheim world is not same place without him mourns the passing of Dale Conference first-round playoff series in Toronto. Michael could walk.” Duck superstar Teemu Selanne said .... RIP DALE,” Selanne wrote on Hawerchuk, an instant and enduring Raffl and Philippe Myers scored for the top-seeded At the famed Quebec International he spoke with Hawerchuk on Monday. social media. star who captured the hearts of two Flyers, who took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Pee Wee Hockey Tournament in the Selanne and the older Hawerchuk Hawerchuk also won two interna- hockey-loving cities, represented his Philadelphia can advance with a victory on Wednesday in mid-1970s, Hawerchuk scored all never played on the same Jets team. tional Canada Cup tournaments rep- country with class and distinction, and Game 5. Carey Price made 20 saves for the Canadiens, eight goals during an 8-1 victory in Their careers first crossed paths when resenting Canada. It was his defensive is one of the most decorated players who have outscored the Flyers 6-5 in the series but have the finals, smashing the long-standing Selanne attended a Jets training camp zone face-off win with under two in our game’s history,” said NHL com- suffered 2-1, 1-0 and 2-0 losses. record set by the iconic Guy Lafleur. as a young draft pick. minutes to play in the final game of missioner Gary Bettman. —AFP CAPITALS 3, ISLANDERS 2 Alex Ovechkin scored the tying goal in the second peri- egy as a team since I took on the role of head coach almost eight hours, and running really well with od and the go-ahead goal early in the third for Washington, Misbah has no qualms last September and we have seen the benefits in the Shadab Khan. The way they stole quick singles is which staved off elimination in Game 4 of the Eastern two Tests so far,” Misbah wrote in a column for the something that you don’t see much in Test cricket Conference quarterfinals by coming back to beat New York in Toronto. Evgeny Kuznetsov scored the first goal for Pakistan Cricket Board’s website. and certainly not from a Pakistan team.” over Pakistan’s fitness the Capitals, who fell behind 2-0 fewer than 10 minutes into The second day of the second Test was also the first period before storming back. Goalie Braden Holtby for England finale ‘PERFORM UNDER PRESSURE’ Pakistan’s Independence Day, which has previously made 24 saves as Washington avoided being swept for the “The players have taken ownership of their fit- coincided with some notable moments in the coun- first time since the 2011 conference semifinals. Jean-Gabriel SOUTHAMPTON: Pakistan coach Misbah-ul-Haq ness levels and they should be given credit for that, try’s cricket history. “It is always a special moment Pageau and Mathew Barzal scored for the Islanders, who is confident his side’s fitness levels will hold up especially after three months at home during the to celebrate Independence Day during a Test match are trying to advance beyond the first round for a second when they face England in the third and final Test at COVID-19 pandemic,” he added. “They know hav- and Pakistan has some great memories from previ- straight season — something the franchise hasn’t done Southampton starting tomorrow. A season reshaped ing supreme fitness will help them to perform under ous such occasions in England: our first-ever Test since 1982-83 and 1983-84. by the coronavirus pandemic has left Pakistan with pressure.” win in England in 1954 came just after a programme of three Tests in as many weeks. Pakistan go into the series finale 1-0 down after a Independence Day, as did the famous win at Lord’s STARS 2, FLAMES 1 What could have been a truly gruelling schedule three-wicket defeat in the first Test at Old Trafford. in 1982 and, from a personal point of view, our vic- John Klingberg scored the go-ahead goal at 1:12 of the became less arduous as a result of so much time But that loss saw Shan Masood show plenty of tory at the Oval in 2016 when we levelled the series third period, and Dallas held on against Calgary Flames in Game 5 of a Western Conference first-round playoff being lost to rain and bad light during he drawn endurance during a Test-best 156 while wicket- on 14 August itself,” recalled Misbah. series in Edmonton. The third-seeded Stars took their first second Test, also at Southampton, concluded keeper Mohammad Rizwan, impressive behind the Unfortunately for Pakistan, the weather in stumps in Manchester, was named man-of-the- Southampton meant the current side could not add lead in the best-of-seven series, going ahead three games Monday. But Misbah, who as a 42-year-old captain to two. They can advance with a victory in Game 6 on of Pakistan celebrated scoring a hundred against match in the second Test for a determined 72. to those successes, although Misbah said: “Mohammad Rizwan is a great example of that “Hopefully we can deliver a late gift to the nation in Thursday. Jamie Benn scored a short-handed goal for England at Lord’s in 2016 with a round of press- Dallas, and goaltender Anton Khudobin made 28 saves. ups, has long been convinced of the need for his (fitness) in the way he ran between the wickets and the final Test and announce another Independence batted with the tail,” explained Misbah. “Shan Day! Or, as coach, I can just announce that this is Mikael Backlund scored for sixth-seeded Calgary, and players to be in shape. goalie Cam Talbot stopped 30 of 32 shots. —Reuters “Fitness has been an important part of our strat- Masood also showed it in the first Test, batting for the month of Independence.” —AFP

rupted by COVID-19. England batsman Smith added: “His form is real- day internationals and Twenty20s — but has a England’s Rashid Rashid, however, was a key member of ly good in white-ball cricket. We’ve all seen the modest average of under 30 in all of them. England’s World Cup-winning side last year and skill and the mastery that he’s displaying at the Vince failed to impress during England’s is their top-ranked Twenty20 bowler. moment in that form and we’ll work closely with recent one-day series win over Ireland and still has a Test Although his 60 Test wickets have come at an Adil and with Yorkshire in the future to see if Smith said: “I think James is a very talented expensive average of nearly 40 apiece, Smith he’s ready to play four-day and five-day cricket. player and at his best we all know has the chance: Smith would like to see him prove his fitness following “There is a jump required. There’s a differ- skill to look absolutely at home in interna- a shoulder injury and make a challenge for a ence between bowling 10 overs and bowling tional cricket. LONDON: England believe Adil Rashid still has place in England’s red-ball set-up, with none of 100 overs or whatever a very heavy workload “But I’m not saying anything different “aspirations” to be a Test-match bowler, national his current spin rivals having nailed down a would be in a two or three-game spell in four- here than I said to James on the phone: it’s selector Ed Smith said Tuesday. The 32-year-old position in Joe Root’s team. day cricket. just a question of him grabbing his opportu- leg-spinner last played the most recent of his 19 “Adil’s still coming back from a reasonably “But the main thing with Adil is he’s made nities. He’s not been selected for this series Tests in January of last year and he has not fea- serious injury,” Smith told reporters on Tuesday really good strides and he’s developed really against Pakistan. That was as far as the con- tured for Yorkshire in the first-class County after Rashid was included in England’s well in recovery from that injury.” versation went. Championship during the past two seasons. Twenty20 squad for an upcoming three-match Meanwhile James Vince’s England career “One thing he’d be the first to say, and I think Earlier this year he signed a white-ball only series against Pakistan at Old Trafford. looks to be in the balance after he was omitted he has said it publicly, that for someone of his contract with Yorkshire and so is not featuring “He’s still working on that physical side, but from the Twenty20 squad. The Hampshire bats- talent and his class he probably hasn’t grabbed in the Bob Willis Trophy, the replacement com- in the long term I think Adil still has aspirations man has appeared more than 10 times each in his opportunities in the way he would have liked petition for the Championship in a season dis- to play for England in all forms.” Former the three international formats — Tests, one- to have done.” —AFP