International Football
Ahead of clash with Super Eagles, Liberians call for sacking of coach
Ahead of their November 17 clash with Super Eagles, a Liberian sports analyst, Wleh Bedell has joined others in calling on the Liberia Football Association to replace coach Peter Butler with an interim coach.
Liberian news outlet, frontpageafricaonline.com reports the analyst as saying that Butler, a Briton, had failed Liberia since taking over the national team.
“Butler was given the mandate to qualify Lone Star to the Nations Cup and World Cup but the from the look of things the Red White and Blue is far from making it to the World Cup after losing back-to-back to Cape Verde which has placed Lone Star at the bottom of the table with two games remaining.”
In a Facebook post, Bedell said it is time the FA look at ending Butler’s contract to protect the image of the country.
“It’s now glaring that Peter Butler and co. have failed in taking the Lone Star to the play-offs of the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier which would have them face a 180-minute test with one of the ten group winners for qualification to the Qatar football jamboree.
“While the team is left with its final two matches against Central African Republic and Nigeria at home, it is unrealistic for Lone Star faithful to nurse any hope of qualification over group leaders Nigeria Super Eagles as the nation’s pride and joy are deeply rooted at the bottom of the group.
“Butler might resign to avoid the sack as he would look out for another employer and as a way forward, there is a need for the relevant authorities to appoint National U-15 coach Ansu Keita on an interim basis to end the remaining two fixtures of the World Cup qualifiers.”
He further stated that the UEFA license B Coach would be able to unify the team in blending youthful exuberance and experience with the old guards recalled in working with the younger ones at home and abroad as the Lone Star move on something he said if it’s done will serve as an antidote in reviving the team for the future.
The long-time sports writer’s call comes after many stakeholders call on the LFA to sack Butler for his poor run of results.
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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