TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 SPORTS Coaching revolution takes Iceland to top table

REYKJAVIK: Rykivik Siggi Eyolfsson had Icelandic football’s governing body, New system only modest success as a professional where he launched an overhaul of the Nearly every player Iceland’s Euro footballer abroad, but he worked won- coaching system. Eyolfsson knew his squad, all of whom play abroad, were ders when he returned home to launch a subject, having studied in the United coached in their teenage years in the coaching revolution that many credit for States before embarking on a football new system. There are other achieve- Iceland making their European career, acquiring a degree in exercise ments. About 100 Icelanders play over- Championship debut this year. With a and sports science, and a Masters in seas, and many more compete full-time population of about 329,000 - roughly sports psychology. or part-time in Iceland - from a playing that of England’s soccer wonder-child Now Iceland has nearly 850 coaches base of only 3,000 registered adult Leicester - Iceland is the smallest nation holding UEFA licences who, apart from males. The overhaul of coaching in to qualify for Euro 2016 in France next coaching professional teams tutor boys Iceland was matched by a huge invest- month, playing in a group with Austria, and girls from the age of five. Early ment in facilities. The boom years Hungary and Portugal. But in spite of its results of Eyolfsson’s revolution showed before the 2008 economic crash saw small size the Nordic country of geysers up with the women’s national team indoor “football houses” and artificial and glaciers has more top-level coaches, qualifying for the Euros in 2009 and pitches arriving in large numbers. per capita, than any other nation and 2013. “The KSI deserve so much credit There are seven full-sized indoor has benefited from a huge investment in for starting the coaching,” said Hermann pitches, six half-sized pitches for junior facilities including “football houses” and Hreidarsson, who played in England for games and training, and nearly 200 artificial pitches in the past 15 years. 15 years and won the FA Cup with outdoor artificial pitches of various Eyolfsson should take a bow. As a 26- Portsmouth in 2008. “The man behind it sizes - with more on the way. Rykivik Siggi Eyolfsson year-old with seven years at Icelandic was Siggi he kept talking about it when Everything was paid for by clubs, players,” said Eyolfsson, who helped to including Chelsea and Barcelona. “It clubs under his belt, he left to play for he was head of education until it hap- municipalities and sponsors. “Football ensure that the coaching network could be a small village, so you need a English and Belgium sides, where he pened.” Hreidarsson recalled his early is no longer a six-month game in extended even to the most remote vil- qualified coach in that village.” had a modest career, before returning days in England when he signed for Iceland,” said Omar Smarason, market- lages. “You don’t know where the next Eyolfsson, 42, left the KSI in 2013 to try home in 2002. On his return home Crystal Palace as a 23-year-old in 1997. ing and media manager of the KSI. Eidur Gudjohnsen is going to come club coaching and now works along- Eyolfsson won successive domestic “My technical ability was no better than “Iceland is out-performing about from,” Eyolfsson told Reuters, referring side another Icelander Runar titles with KR Reykjavik, but then took a 14-year-old’s today. The improvements 150 bigger countries and arguably is to the Icelandic midfielder who has Kristinsson as assistant manager at over as head of education at the KSI, have been immense,” he said. the best in the world in developing played for top flight foreign clubs Lillestrom in Norway.—Reuters United sack Van Gaal Man Utd shares dip in choppy Frankfurt trading

LONDON: Louis van Gaal has been sacked as manager of Manchester United, several British media outlets reported yesterday, amid specula- tion he will be replaced by Jose Mourinho. Both Van Gaal and leading employment lawyer Paul Gilroy were seen entering United’s Carrington training ground yesterday. Gilroy’s clients have included David Moyes, whose sacking as United manager paved the way for Van Gaal’s appoint- ment. There has a yet been no official confirma- tion from United, 20-times English champions, about the position of Van Gaal, who still has a season remaining on his three-year contract. But James Ducker, the northern football cor- respondent of Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspa- per, tweeted yesterday: “Paul Gilroy QC finaliz- ing Van Gaal’s severance package now...£5m pay off. Expect an announcement lunchtime.” The BBC said that United would make a statement MADRID: Sevilla’s French defender Adil Rami (left) helps Barcelona’s Uruguayan for- about Van Gaal at 1:00pm local time yesterday. ward Luis Suarez (center) during the Spanish ‘Copa del Rey’ (King’s Cup) final match British media have been awash with reports of FC Barcelona vs Sevilla FC on May 22, 2016. —AFP Van Gaal’s demise, after a leak from an unknown source spread as Manchester United lifted the FA Cup on Saturday. The Dutchman cryptically Luis Suarez in tears after commented, “It’s over” as he left the squad’s Cup final hotel on Sunday, but it was not clear injury, could miss Copa whether he was referring to his tenure or United’s season. Louis van Gaal MADRID: Luis Suarez’ participation in the game is on June 5 against Mexico. The The BBC said Van Gaal had not been Copa America Centenario is in doubt after 100th anniversary edition of the tourna- informed whether he was staying for next sea- have to set standards and we fell below them Saturday, had a year left on his contract. the Uruguay striker left Spain’s Copa del ment will be held in the United States, the son, although it said Saturday’s 2-1 win over this season. “But we have to make sure as players Mourinho, sacked by Chelsea in December Rey final with an apparent muscle injury first edition staged outside South America. Palace at Wembley was believed to have been we get back to those standards and make sure after his second spell in charge of the west and in tears on Sunday. Suarez is expected The striker appeared to get hurt while his last game in charge of United. Van Gaal him- we are back challenging for the main trophies.” London club, has also managed Porto, Inter to undergo tests Monday to find out the going for a ball crossed to him inside the self was defiant after Saturday’s Cup final. “I Meanwhile former United midfielder Ray Wilkins Milan and Real Madrid, winning Europe’s pre- extent of the right leg injury that forced area early in the second half. He over- show you the cup and I don’t discuss it with my said Mourinho was the man to revitalize the mier Champions League tournament with both him to limp off the pitch in the second half extended his right leg to try to reach the friends of the media, who already sacked me for club. “He (Mourinho) is a winner-there is no two Porto and . Manchester United was of the game against Sevilla at the Vicente ball and immediately felt a strain on the six months,” the 64-year-old said. “Which man- ways about it,” Wilkins, also a former Chelsea bought in 2005 for about 800 million pounds Calderon Stadium in Madrid. He was seen back of his right leg. ager can do that, what I have done?” assistant manager, told talkSPORT radio yester- ($1.3 billion) by the Glazer family, owners the celebrating with the rest of his teammates He tried to continue for a bit but ended Despite winning their first trophy since the day. “When he goes to a club, normally he wins a Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise in the National after Barcelona won 2-0 in extra time to going to the ground and asked for medical great Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, Van big trophy within the first couple of years.” Football League. Shares in Manchester United secure its second straight Copa title, but assistance. Suarez walked off the pitch by Gaal’s United didn’t challenge for the Premier were listed on the New York Stock Exchange in walked gingerly and at times still looked in himself in the 56th minute, very slowly and League title and failed to qualify for the Man U shares dip 2012 in an initial public offering. pain. On Twitter, Suarez showed optimism. clearly in pain. Barcelona was yet to pro- Champions League. Fans were also unhappy Meanwhile, shares in English soccer giant According to Thomson Reuters data, the “Now we wait for the tests tomorrow,” he vide any official information about the with the brand of football their team played Manchester United slipped in volatile trading on Glazers’ Red Football LLC investment vehicle has said. “I hope it’s nothing so I can be with injury, only saying that it would be re-eval- under Van Gaal. United scored just 49 league the Frankfurt Stock Exchange yesterday, follow- a 20 percent stake in the club’s New York-listed my national team next week. Thanks for uated. Suarez had been crucial to the team goals this season, their lowest return for 26 years ing media reports the club was set to replace its shares. US investment firm Baron Capital the support.” in the final stages of the season. He had and many supporters felt Van Gaal’s approach manager with former Chelsea boss Jose Management, Lansdowne Partners, Jupiter Cameras showed the striker crying on scored 14 goals in the last five matches. ran counter to the club’s traditional attacking Mourinho. Manchester United’s main stock mar- Asset Management and Fidelity are among oth- the bench after being substituted, with his Suarez finished the season with 59 goals in style. Mourinho saw his second spell as Chelsea ket listing is in New York, although it has a sec- er major institutional investors. The New York- teammates comforting him. A few times he all competitions and was the top scorer in manager end with the sack in December, after ondary, and less widely traded, share listing in listed shares have fallen by around 6 percent so covered his head with his jersey, looking the Spanish league with 40, five more than last season’s champions made a miserable start Frankfurt. The Premier League club’s Frankfurt- far in 2016. Earlier in May, Manchester United desolate. Uruguay’s first Copa America Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.— AP to the their Premier League title defense. listed shares briefly opened up 2.4 percent, but reported record third-quarter revenues and United captain Wayne Rooney accepted this then slipped back to stand 2.5 percent lower. higher earnings. However, van Gaal’s failure to term’s performance had not been good enough Manchester United’s shares closed up 2.4 per- qualify for the Champions League is likely to by the standards expected at Old Trafford. “He cent in New York on Friday. British media report- have proved costly. Manchester United said ear- has been under pressure,” Rooney said of Van ed that Mourinho, 53, would take over at lier this month that not getting into the Beijing Guoan fire Gaal. “I think we all have. “That’s part of playing Manchester United even though Dutchman Champions League would cost it more than 30 for Manchester United and managing Louis van Gaal, who steered United to an extra- million pounds ($43.5 million) in revenue next Coach Zaccheroni Manchester United-it is a massive club. “You time FA Cup final win over Crystal Palace on season.—Agencies SHANGHAI: Struggling Beijing Guoan Evergrande sit on 27 points from 10 Izzo quizzed as prosecutors San Jose, Galaxy draw sacked their coach Alberto Zaccheroni games after former Charlton and Celtic but saw no immediate improvement as midfielder Zheng Zhi, plus in-form probe match-fixing in ‘California Clasico’ a laboring 1-1 draw at unfashionable Brazilian forwards Ricardo Goulart and MILAN: Italian magistrates have announced the opening of an inves- Shijiazhuang left them just two points Alan were on target in the 3-0 win at tigation into an match-fixing affair that allegedly saw corrupt Serie B above the Chinese Super League rele- Liaoning Whowin-Alan finding the net LOS ANGELES: Fatai Alashe headed a late equalizer as the San Jose players help change the outcome of matches to benefit Mafia gang- Earthquakes snatched a 1-1 draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy in gation zone. The Italian former for the fifth league match in succession. sters. Genoa defender is one of several players being Juventus and Japan coach was shown Jiangsu lost ground with a 1-0 defeat at Major League Soccer’s “California Clasico” on Sunday. Alashe glanced in questioned. It is reported that members of the -based a Chad Barrett cross on 87 minutes to give San Jose a share of the the door after winning just two of nine Tianjin Teda, whose Senegalese striker Camorra clan gave Serie B players cash to fix results so they could points at the StubHub Center in Carson just four minutes after the matches during an acrimonious spell in Mbaye Diagne scored the only goal in subsequently bet huge sums on the pre-arranged matches. A series Galaxy had taken the lead through a Marvell Wynne own goal. charge at the capital city powerhouse the 24th minute. Sven-Goran Eriksson’s of dawn raids were carried out on Monday morning when police It was a disappointing result for the Galaxy, who had been hoping to that saw fan protests and criticism from third-placed Shanghai SIPG are now just arrested a total of 10 members of the Camorra, seven of whom were continue their march up the Western Conference standings with a vic- Chinese media. a point behind Jiangsu after a 1-0 win at already in prison. tory. The Galaxy fielded all of the biggest names of their overseas con- With former player and backroom home to Hangzou Greentown, thanks to They are accused of corrupting players, who then fixed the out- tingent-including Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane and Ashley Cole-and staff member Xin Feng installed as care- Ivorian striker Jean Kouassi’s 55th comes of two second division games in 2014: Avellino-Reggina (3-0) looked to be on their way to a win after Wynne’s own goal on 83 min- taker boss, hopes for an immediate minute-winner. Also on 20 points in and Modena-Avellino (0-1), in 2014. A statement from federal prose- utes. The San Jose defender steered a Sebastian Lletget cross into his improvement were dashed as the Hebei fourth place are Hebei China Fortune cutors confirmed: “In relation to the investigation conducted by the own net as the Earthquakes defense finally cracked after a sustained province side took a 38th-minute lead who beat Yanbian Funde 1-0 at home Anti-Mafia Directorate of Naples, which this morning led to a series period of Galaxy pressure in the second half. when goalkeeper Guan Zhen stepped up through Dong Xuesheng’s goal in the of arrests for the illegal activity of betting on matches in Serie B, the Ireland record international goalscorer Keane and Mexican interna- to slot home a penalty. After Brazilian 31st minute.— AFP federal prosecutor Stefano Palazzi has requested the transmission of tional Giovani dos Santos had both gone close to opening the scoring midfielder Renato Augusto secured a all documents relevant to the investigation. in the minutes before San Jose’s own goal. However, with Galaxy’s point with a 53rd-minute equalizer, Xin “In the following hours, federal prosecutors will formally open an boisterous home fans preparing to celebrate a victory, San Jose con- told Sina Sports: “We have played five investigation into the affair.” Izzo, a former Avellino player who is now games in the last 15 days and the players with Genoa in Italy’s , is being questioned alongside Avellino jured a goal in a rare foray into Los Angeles territory. Barrett’s persist- are fatigued.” captain , said the report. Millesi is alleged to have ence saw him win the ball on the left flank, and he curled an inviting Beijing Guoan spent eight million received 30,000 euros from two Camorra leaders via an intermediary, cross into the area which Alashe met to direct into the Galaxy goal. euros ($9 million) on Turkish striker former player Luca Pini, and then used the cash to corrupt other The draw leaves Galaxy in fifth place in the Western Conference Burak Yilmaz in January, but the former players with a view to influencing the results of the games in ques- standings with 20 points from 11 games. Real Salt Lake and Galatasaray man has only played in two tion. Police reportedly used wire-taps to record suspects talking, in Vancouver Whitecaps are third and fourth on 20 points ahead of Los matches because of injury. “We are still code, about what was to be required from the games. Angeles on goal difference. without key players at the back and up The investigation is being led by Filippo Beatrice, one of the sev- The Colorado Rapids head the table with 27 points from 13 front, so a draw today was a decent out- eral magistrates who led the huge ‘Calciopoli’ affair in 2006 which led matches. In Sunday’s other game, MLS Cup champions Portland come,” said Xin. The club have so far to sanctions for several of Italy’s top sides, but notably 32-time downed Vancouver 4-2 in the Pacific Northwest derby, which saw given no indication if or when a long- champions Juventus. Juventus were notably stripped of their two three penalties awarded. Diego Valeri fired Portland ahead from the term replacement for Zaccheroni will league titles from 2005 and 2006 and relegated to Serie B after tele- spot in the fourth minute and Jack McInerney made it 2-0 just before be appointed. At the top of the table, phone interceptions revealed a shady network of relations between the half-hour mark. Kekuta Manneh pulled a goal back for the Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Guangzhou team managers and referees. Top Juventus official Luciano Moggi Whitecaps just after half-time but two goals in four minutes from Evergrande won their ninth consecutive was found guilty of colluding with referees that were favorable to Dairon Asprilla (78) and Darlington Nagbe (82) gave the Timbers a 4- match to go six points clear of second- the Turin giants, and was handed a life ban from football.— AFP 1 lead. Pedro Morales scored a late consolation for Vancouver with a penalty on 84 minutes. — AFP placed Jiangsu Suning. Alberto Zaccheroni