World Soccer – August 2019

EUROPE

Former France defender PATRICE

EVRA announced his retirement, saying

he will “be ready to lead a team” within

two years. The 38-year-old won five

Premier League titles, two Serie A titles

and the Champions League once.

Released by Burnley at the end of last

season, former England centre-forward

PETER CROUCH announced his

retirement at the age of 38.

AFRICA

Cameroon sacked CLARENCE

SEEDORF while Guinea dismissed

PAUL PUT following elimination from

the Africa Cup of Nations in the round

of 16. JAVIER AGUIRRE left Egypt

after their surprise defeat to South

Africa, EMMANUEL AMUNIKE left

his post in charge of Tanzania and

SUNDAY CHIDZAMBGA resigned

as coach of Zimbabwe.

“Belgian football has lost a great

personality with the death of

Robert Waseige”

Prime minister Charles Michel (right) pays tribute

to the country’s former national coach

Former Italy boss ROBERTO

DONADONI replaced ex-Real Madrid

coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro at

Chinese Super League side strugglers

Shenzhen, while BRUNO GENESIO

replaced Roger Schmidt in charge

of Beijing Guoan.

Having joined Trabzonspor following

his release by Middlesbrough this

summer, Nigeria midfielder JOHN OBI

MIKEL announced his international

retirement, as did fellow countryman

ODION IGHALO.

Saudi Arabia

appoint Renard

HERVE RENARD will be in charge

of Saudi Arabia for their 2022

World Cup qualifying campaign

after quitting as coach of Morocco

following defeat by Benin at the

Africa Cup of Nations.

“Happy to start a new adventure

in Saudi Arabia on a new continent,”

the 50-year-old Frenchman

tweeted.

The Saudi Football Federation

confirmed the appointment, with its

boss Yasser Almisehal saying: “The

choice was made on a great name,

capable of bringing something extra

to Saudi football”.

An AFCON winner with Zambia

and Ivory Coast, Renard also

steered Morocco to the 2018

World Cup finals.

Saudi Arabia will play Uzbekistan,

Palestine, Yemen and Singapore

in their opening-round World Cup

qualifying group.

They begin against Yemen on

September 10.

Robert WASEIGE

(1939-2019)

Belgian coach of the

year three times, he

won the League Cup

and Belgian Cup with

RFC Liege before

taking charge of the national team

ahead of their hosting of Euro 2000.

He also led his country at the 2002

World Cup finals, where they reached the

round of 16, and later coached Algeria.

Nicknamed “The Magician”, he was the

first Walloon – a native of the French-

speaking region in southern Belgium

• to coach the national side.
  He began his coaching career at
  Winterslag, guiding the club from
  Belgium’s third division into the top
  flight in the space of three seasons,
  before having the first of three spells
  in charge of Standard Liege.

GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

Adventure...Herve Renard

Sacked...Clarence Seedorf

Retired...Peter Crouch

Over...John

Obi Mikel

Appointments, sackings and loans

OBITUARY