Friday 47 Sports Friday, June 1, 2018 Zidane makes a shock decision to leave European champions

Real Madrid coach drops a bombshell, resigns

MADRID: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane tory to win three successive Champions League dropped a bombshell yesterday, quitting the titles. Zidane has now won nine trophies since re- Spanish giants just days after winning the Cham- placing Rafael Benitez in the Santiago Bernabeu pions League for a record third year in a row. dugout in January 2016. He was flanked at the The 45-year-old former international decided to press conference by Real Madrid president Flo- quit at the top saying that it was time for a rentino Perez who said Zidane’s announcement change for himself and the club and admitting he was “totally unexpected”. When Benitez was was unsure of his ability to maintain his winning sacked in January 2016, Barcelona daily Mundo record at Real. Deportivo dismissed Zidane as merely a “sticking But he said that no other club was involved in plaster”, who would be replaced quickly by a his decision to part ways with Real and although permanent coach. But Zidane won the confi- experts have linked him to the French national dence of players and the rest is history. “This is a team coaching job, Zidane insisted he is eyeing sad day,” Perez said. “This house will be his family no other position at this time. “I have taken the forever, he triumphed and won everything, as you decision to not continue next year as Real know. I thank him for his commitment, his pas- Madrid coach,” the Frenchman told a hastily sion. I have no doubt that he will return.” MADRID: A combination of three file pictures shows Real Madrid’s French coach Zinedine convened press conference. “This club deserves Zidane holding the UEFA Champions League trophy in (From left) 2016, 2017 and 2018. Real to continue to win and needs a change” he said, Stunning blow Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said yesterday he was leaving the Spanish giants, just days adding that he believed the “moment has come.” Zidane said his decision had nothing to do after winning the Champions League for the third year in a row. — AFP “After three years the club needs another dis- with Real icon Cristiano Ronaldo hinting that he course, another method of working,” he added will also leave the club following the Champions Zidane said he was unsure of his ability to inspire League triumph on Saturday. It had perhaps blow from Zidane brought a controversial close he joined AS Cannes, his first professional club, the team to more victories. “I don’t see myself more to do with the side’s mixed performance in to the midfielder’s international career. in 1988, said that there was little left to challenge continuing to win this year and I am a winner, I La Liga, where they finished a disappointing He earned a red card in the 2006 World Cup the coach who had already won virtually every- don’t like to lose,” added Zidane, who was under third, and were left for dead by champions and final, probably costing France the title, for his thing. “But there is one thing...,” Lacombe told contract with Real until 2020. “I have thought a bitter rivals Barcelona. “We say it, it was com- full-blooded headbutt against Italian Marco AFP. “He would like one day to coach the French lot about this decision and I can’t go back on it.” plicated this year in the league, these are mo- Materazzi. The next step for the former Real national team. He has made no secret of that am- Real beat Liverpool 3-1 in the final in Kiev on ments that I don’t forget,” he said. The bombshell Madrid star player is unclear but he has time on bition. “It will happen at the right time. In the Saturday, making Zidane the first coach in his- decision came 12 years after another stunning his side. Guy Lacombe, Zidane’s first coach when right conditions. There is no rush.”— AFP

play-offs by hosting Wellington on Friday. The -based side have named 10 Do you speak current or past All Blacks in their line-up includ- ing Ben Smith, Aaron Smith and Luke Whitelock, year’s World Cup in Japan. “We want to ? who were all rested for last week’s patchy win England to win in South Africa but we want to win the over . Flanker Liam Squire also World Cup and the big thing is that you returns from a broken thumb. Assistant coach keep on changing, that you understand Mark Hammett said that after five weeks on the focus more on what you are good at but you keep on WELLINGTON: Five talking points ahead of this road the side were excited to be back home, adapting.” Jones responded to Bath owner week’s games in Super Rugby: Do you speak where they have won 11 games in succession. attack in South Bruce Craig’s criticism of his training Super Rugby? New Zealand Rugby has released “We want to give a huge push towards making methods by saying that a high-intensity a video detailing how to correctly pronounce the the play-offs this week before we hit the June regime is required to prepare players for names of some Super Rugby players. The clip is break,” he said. “The players are really looking Africa tests international matches. Bath prop Beno hosted by former All Black Piri (Pee-ree, not forward to being back under the roof in front of Obano suffered ligament and hamstring Perry) Weepu, who says pronouncing names a vocal home crowd.” tendon damage in England’s training camp properly is a way of being respectful to different LONDON: England will change their at Brighton this month, taking the number cultures. Among those featured are Crusaders Crusaders test gameplan and put more emphasis on at- of players from the Premiership club in- prop Michael Alaalatoa (Alla-alla-taw-ah), Blues Waikato also take an 11-match home tacking play against South Africa, coach jured during Jones’s tenure to five. flanker Dalton Papali’i (Pa-pa-lee-ee) and Chiefs winning streak into their clash with Canterbury Eddie Jones said ahead of next month’s British media quoted Craig quoted as flanker (So-a-cool-a). Crusaders on Saturday, although their recent three-test tour. England head into the se- describing the situation as “totally unac- ceptable”. “I haven’t seen any figures to There are some names certain to trip up un- form against the reigning champions has not ries on the back of a poor Six Nations suggest they are,” Jones added. “No one suspecting television commentators, such as Hur- been convincing. The Chiefs have lost their past campaign during which they lost their last three matches to finish fifth. They were in our staff has suggested they are but ricanes back Wes Goosen, whose surname is three meetings with the Crusaders, including 45- prounced Hoi-sin like the Chinese sauce, and also beaten 63-45 by the Barbarians at Bruce is obviously an expert on training- 23 towelling in February. The visitors are also on ground injuries, so I’ll have to be sub- Chiefs assistant coach Tabai Matson, whose first Twickenham on Sunday. “We are investing a high after overcoming numerous injuries to more time into attack now, which we al- servient to his greater knowledge.” Centre name is pronounced Tum-bye, with a silent M beat Wellington Hurricanes last week and give ways were going to do, which was part of Ben Te’o was also ruled out of the South Chiefs halfback , recently themselves a five-point lead at the top of the the plan,” Jones told British media. “We’ve Africa tour after sustaining a thigh muscle referred to as “Triple-T” by All Blacks coach table. Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said got a reasonable base in defense and set- injury this week. Jones said there were still Steve Hansen, was given a separate video to spell there was no room for complacency as he looks piece... now it’s time to put more effort into concerns over Billy Vunipola’s fitness de- out his tongue twister Teh Toy-roar Tah-hoo- to take his team into the Test break in a com- attack... that’ll manifest itself into possibly spite the number eight playing in Saracens’ ree-or rung-ee: https://bit.ly/2IYROzq. manding position. “The Chiefs have an extremely more tries. We are looking to play the Premiership final win over Exeter last good scrum,” Robertson said. “Given their in- game slightly differently, which we saw weekend. England face South Africa in Jo- Highlanders prime big guns juries they have done a great job with the players parts of on Sunday.” hannesburg (June 9), Bloemfontein (June Otago Highlanders have recalled their big that have come in for them-as have we, so it will Jones said his focus was also on next 16) and Cape Town (June 23).— Reuters names as they start a late-season push for the be a great battle.”—AFP