NATIONAL TEAM - SWITZERLAND - 2014 WORLD CUP - Goodbye, Ottmar Hitzfeld. All the best and take care.

Hitzfeld has made a positive impression wherever he has been stationed and his name is still regularly chanted in the stands at Bayern Munich.

“He put together a really good team that will last for many years to come,” Granit Xhaka told FIFA.com, before Josip Drmic added: “He’s done a great job.” 

2 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 19 - LAST SIXTEEN - ARGENTINA VS SWITZERLAND 1:0

LAST SIXTEEN
1st July 2014

Argentina vs Switzerland 1:0

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 19 - LAST SIXTEEN - BELGIUM VS USA 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
1st July 2014

Belgium vs USA 2:1

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - ARGENTINA - KEY PLAYER - ‪LIONEL MESSI - PROFILE

Lionel Andrés Messi; born 24 June 1987, is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He serves as the captain of his country's national football team.

By the age of 21, Messi had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year, in 2009, he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. 

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - USA - KEY PLAYER - ‪JERMAINE JONES - PROFILE

Jermaine Junior Jones, born 3 November 1981, is a German-American footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Turkish club Beşiktaş. He has previously played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, Blackburn Rovers and Schalke 04. He was born in Germany and represented them at U21 and senior level.

1 Jul 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - NIGERIA - COACH - STEPHEN KESHI RESIGNS AFTER EXIT

He becomes the sixth manager to leave his job during the World Cup, following the departures of Honduras's Luis Suarez, Iran's Carlos Queiroz, Japan's Alberto Zaccheroni, Italy's Cesare Prandelli and Ivory Coast's Sabri Lamouchi.

Keshi, who captained Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup finals, was previously in charge of Mali and Togo.

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 18 - LAST SIXTEEN - FRANCE vs NIGERIA 2:0

LAST SIXTEEN
30th June 2014

France vs Nigeria 2:0

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 18 - LAST SIXTEEN - GERMANY vs ALGERIA 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
30th June 2014

Germany vs Algeria 2:1

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - GERMANY - KEY PLAYER - THOMAS MUELLER‬ - PROFILE

Müller's role can be described as an attacking all-rounder, a player able to play in a variety of forward positions. He can play in any of the attacking midfield roles but usually plays in the center for Bayern Munich, and on the right for Germany.

He has been used as an out-and-out striker on occasion. Müller has been praised for his maturity, pace, technique, awareness and positioning.

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - FRANCE - KEY PLAYER - ‪KARIM BENZEMA - PROFILE

He has been named French Player of the Year twice for his performances in 2011 and 2012. Benzema is a former French youth international and has represented his nation from under-17 level onwards. 

Benzema has earned over 65 caps and represented France at three major international tournaments; the 2008 and 2012 editions of the UEFA European Football Championship and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

30 Jun 2014

NATIONAL TEAM - SIERRA LEONE - COACH - Sellas Tetteh named as caretaker boss

AFRICA CUP 2017 QUALIFIERS

 

Ghanaian Sellas Tetteh has been named as caretaker boss of Sierra Leone as the search for a permanent coach is put on hold.

Tetteh is the Ghana under-20 coach and will take the Leone Stars job after an agreement between the Sierra Leone and Ghana football associations.

Coaches shortlisted for Sierra Leone job:
• John Keister - Sierra Leone
• Luc Eymael - Belgium
• Drago Mamic - Croatia
• Savisa Milosavljevic - Serbia
• Carsten Herzog - Germany
• Tahseen Jabbary - Netherlands

The 58-year-old has been contracted for three months.

His first match will be an African Cup of Nations qualifier against champions Ivory Coast on 5 September.

The venue for the match against this year's Nations Cup winners is yet to be decided as Sierra Leone is currently not allowed to host international games due to Ebola.

Tetteh, who won the 2009 Under-20 World Cup with Ghana, will be assisted by a group of local coaches.

A SLFA statement reads: "The SLFA is honoured to inform the general public that the Ghanaian FA in a solidarity gesture has agreed to a three-month loan with the SLFA for Coach Sellas Teivi Tetteh to serve in a caretaker capacity as national coach for Leone Stars."

"The Ghanaian FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi was keen to lend support to the SLFA as a sign of support and solidarity towards Sierra Leone's determination to continue its participation in the games, despite tremendous mounting odds."

Leone Stars lost their opening Nations Cup qualifier 1:0 to Group I opponents Sudan in June, when John Jebbor Sherington was caretaker coach.

Group I also includes 2017 Nations Cup hosts Gabon but their matches will not count towards qualification. Only the group winners advance to the finals.

The former Black Stars and Rwanda coach will also be in charge of Sierra Leone's first 2018 World Cup qualifying fixtures home and away to Chad in early October.

If Leone Stars progress to the second round Tetteh, will continue in the role against Egypt in November.

The SLFA has put on hold the selection of a permanent coach for Leone Stars until further notice, citing "delays in logistical procedures."

Six coaches have been shortlisted for the job including local trainer John Keister.

The other five are all Europeans; Croatian Drago Mamic, Herzog Carsten of Germany, Belgian Luc Eymael, Serbian national Savisa Milosavljevic and Tahseen Jabbary of Netherlands.

 

 

15 Aug 2015
(BBC Sport, Freetown by Mohamed Fajah Barrie)

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