Friday 47 Sports Friday, August 23, 2019 Henry’s desire to succeed remains undimmed after Monaco misery

LONDON: France football legend Thierry ‘Communication and honesty’ Henry is keen for another chance to prove he Henry, who was a member of the France can be a successful manager despite his un- squads that won both the 1998 World Cup and happy brief tenure at Ligue 1 side Monaco. The the Euro 2000 title, said although he has been 42-year-old-Arsenal’s record goalscorer-told contacted over jobs, he has yet to find the the Daily Telegraph that although his phone did right fit. “My phone didn’t ring for four months not ring for four months following his sacking, after I left Monaco and then all of a sudden I things have picked up since then and he has re- got five calls,” he said. “Some were not what ceived five offers. I was looking for and some were as a number Henry’s dream return last October to man- two.” “I won’t do a number two job because age Monaco, the club where he established his I want to be a number one.” reputation as a top class striker, turned into a Henry, who has spoken with basketball nightmare. Having been part of Belgium man- and athletics coaches since being fired to ager Roberto Martinez’s backroom team at the gain extra insight into coaching top level World Cup-where they reached the semi-fi- athletes, says it is frustrating having to wait nals-he lasted just over 100 days after only four around for another opportunity but he is league wins. convinced football coaching is where his fu- “Call me crazy if you want, but I love football ture lies. “I came out of it fully reassured and I believe I can be a successful coach,” he that’s what I want to do, zero doubt about said. “I’m not thinking about the pain, I’m not it,” he said. All Henry asks is for transparency thinking about failure. I don’t like easy. “I like from his employers. to lead and it’s on me to make it happen. The “Communication and honesty from the Thierry Henry same when I joined Arsenal as a player, the start is key,” he said. “What’s the job? Is the same when I went to Belgium with Roberto. It’s job to stay up, is the job to win the League and what is success? Is success improving portant thing, but I want to improve players an evolution.” or be in the Champions League? “But how players? Ultimately, results are the most im- as well.” — AFP

man squad named by Italian World Sudan plans Brazilian Cup winner Lippi for ’s game in the Maldives on September 10. appears likely to be the for a women’s Elkeson earns start of a growing trend for perennial under-achievers China, who languish football league landmark 71st in the FIFA rankings and made the World Cup just once, in 2002. Fel- China call-up low Brazilians and KHARTOUM: Sudan’s first ever women’s club football Fernando are both reportedly set to league will start next month, a federation official told AFP be naturalized, along with English de- Wednesday. The championship, which will involve 18 : China named Elkeson in fender Tyias Browning, also of Ever- clubs separated in three regions, would have seemed un- their squad Wednesday for their grande. likely only a year ago when Islamist general Omar al- opening World Cup qualifier with the Although many other nations, no- Bashir was still in power. “The women’s football league Brazilian poised to become the first tably 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar, will start in the first week of September,” Mirvat Hussein, without Chinese ancestry to play for call up players born in other coun- the top federation official in charge of women’s football, the country. The move has divided tries, China had resisted doing so told AFP. Chinese football fans and experts, until now. Some fans and pundits, She said a national team was also in the works to rep- however, as coach at- desperate to see China play at a resent Sudan in international events. The Confederation tempts to guide the nation to only World Cup again, have backed the of African Football (CAF) has no continental cup for KHARTOUM: Rayan Ibrahim Rajab, a 22-year-old foot- their second World Cup. naturalization policy. Others brand it women’s club football yet. The announcement came on baller, rests on an astro-turf pitch during a training Lippi has long complained about short-sighted and question why a the same day as the swearing in of a joint military-civilian with her Tahadi women’s football club in the Sudanese a dearth of attacking options and has country with a population of 1.4 bil- Sovereign Council in Sudan. The body replaces a military capital. — AFP moved to plug the gap with the 30- lion cannot find homegrown players council that took over in April when Bashir was forced year-old striker, who will use the Chi- that are good enough. Reacting to from power by months of relentless protests. nese name Aikesen. The move to Elkeson’s inclusion in the China In what was seen as a significant advance, the 11- squad, one sports think tank was member ruling council, two of the six civilians on the naturalize the Brazilian comes after MATCHES ON TV China similarly gave a passport to unimpressed. council are women. Many Sudanese have voiced the LOCAL TIMING London-born midfielder Nico Yen- “It’s not in line with the original in- hope that the three-year transition will see more liberal naris. The Guoan player has tention of football and the long-term policies implemented across the country, including taken the Chinese name and development of the industry in measures to advance freedom of speech and women’s ENGLISH made his debut for Lippi’s side in China,” wrote an opinion piece by rights and promote sport and arts. Aston Villa v Everton FC 22:00 June this year. Vning on social media. The organiza- Speaking during a training session with her club beIN SPORTS HD 2 The former Arsenal man, however, tion also questioned how effectively Tahadi, 22-year-old Rayan Ibrahim Rajab said a women’s is half-Chinese, whereas the likes of Elkeson and Yennaris- league would have been unlikely just a year ago. “In the SPANISH LEAGUE Evergrande striker Elkeson qualifies who is having intensive Chinese les- past, it was difficult for women to play football, there were Granada CF v Sevilla FC 21:00 for China having played in the coun- sons-will be able to communicate many complications that prevented women from partici- beIN SPORTS HD 3 try since 2013. Elkeson has scored with their teammates. “Whether they pating,” she said. “Now everybody is looking for a new Levante v Villarreal CF 23:00 more than 100 goals in about 150 can be integrated into the team and reality and has new ambitions,” Rajab added. Sudan beIN SPORTS HD 3 games in the . whether they can fight with honor in joined FIFA in 1948 and established the CAF along with Along with Espanyol forward Wu Lei face of difficulties are hard to say,” Egypt, Ethiopia and South Africa. But women’s football GERMAN and Yennaris, Elkeson is part of a 35- Vning added. — AFP has faced an uphill fight since the country adopted Is- FC Koln v BV 21:30 lamic sharia law in 1983, six years after which Bashir beIN SPORTS HD 5 seized power in an Islamist-backed coup. — AFP