Corner kicks
Drogba closes curtain on career
Cote d’Ivoire and Chelsea great Didier Drogba announced his retirement on Wednesday after a 20-year career.
The 40-year-old scored 164 goals in 381 appearances for Chelsea, winning four Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the 2012 Champions League. He is also Cote d’Ivoire’s all-time record scorer with 65.
Drogba most recently played for Phoenix Rising in the United Soccer League.
“I wanna thank all the players, managers, teams and fans that I have met and who made this journey one of a kind,” he wrote in a statement on Twitter.
“If anyone tells you your dreams are too big, just say thank you and work harder and smarter to turn them into a reality.”
Guardiola warned over ref comments
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was formally warned by the Football Association on Wednesday over comments he made about referee Anthony Taylor before the Manchester derby.
Guardiola went against FA rules by discussing the suitability of the appointment of the official, who is from Manchester suburb Wythenshawe, six miles from United’s Old Trafford stadium.
Although Guardiola backed Taylor for the Nov 11 game, which City won 3-1, and dismissed accusations of potential bias, managers are not permitted to talk about referees ahead of matches.
United manager Jose Mourinho was fined $64,000 in November 2016 for talking about Taylor ahead of a clash with Liverpool but he was already on notice.
Kahn in line for Bayern presidency
Former Germany captain Oliver Kahn is emerging as the favorite to be the next president of Bayern Munich — 15 years after he first put himself forward for the job.
In 2003, while he was still keeping goal for Bayern and Germany, Kahn said in an interview that he “could not imagine a better man than me” to one day take charge of Bayern.
Current Bayern president Uli Hoeness, 66, is due for re-election in November 2019. According to magazine, Kahn, 49, is Hoeness’ preferred replacement.
The pair have stayed in contact since Kahn retired in 2008 following a 14-year stint with the Bavarian giant.
O’Neill departs the Boys in Green
Martin O’Neill stepped down as Republic of Ireland manager with a “heavy heart” on Wednesday after five years at the helm following a dismal run that resulted in relegation in the Nations League.
The former Leicester City boss left by mutual consent, with assistant manager Roy Keane also departing.
O’Neill guided the Irish to the last 16 at Euro 2016 and oversaw famous victories over Germany and Italy, but failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup finals in Russia.
Mick McCarthy, who has been out of work since leaving English Championship club Ipswich Town in April and who managed Ireland from 1996 to 2002, is the bookmakers’ early favorite to succeed O’Neill.