Jose Mourinho wants to manage England if Roy Hodgson steps down after Euro 2016

Mourinho told close confidant and agent Jorge Mendes he would manage England if the opportunity arises next summer

Jose Mourinho wants to manage England after the 2016 Euro’s if Roy Hodgson steps down.

Mourinho has been linked with taking over at Manchester United and returning to Real Madrid since being sacked by Chelsea ten days ago just seven months after winning the Premier league title at Stamford Bridge.

But he’s told close confidant and agent Jorge Mendes he would manage England if the opportunity arises next summer and he’s still out of work, writes Steve Bates in the Sunday People.

Ideally the 52-year-old Portuguese coach would like to stay in club management and with Louis van Gaal under pressure at Old Trafford that would be his preferred destination if United ditch the Duthcman.

But Mourinho has already declared he intends to stay living in England with wife Matilde and two children at their London home. And as recently as September he claimed that when he left Chelsea managing England would be high on his wish list of dream managerial jobs.

For now, the FA remain right behind Hodgson and believe the 68-year-old is the right man to lead them in the Euro 2016 Finals in France next summer despite a disastrous 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

But many England fans believe Mourinho is better equipped to develop a system to get the best out of stars like skipper Wayne Rooney and up and coming young guns like Harry Kane, Ross Barkley, Raheem Sterling and 19-year-old Spurs newcomer Dele Alli against the top teams in the world.

England’s emerging talent is seen by many nations as having the potential to win a trophy – and Mourinho believes that too.

That’s why he’s serious about managing the Three Lions and would jump at the chance to lead them to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

That outcome depends solely on how well or badly England fare under Hodgson in France next summer with senior figures at the FA feeling the squad is capable of reaching the quarter finals after drawing Wales, Slovakia and Russia.

Hodgson’s current England deal runs out after Euro 2016 but so far the FA, wary that Hodgson will be almost 71 when the World Cup begins in Russia, have made no moves to extend his contract.

That’s left the door open for Mourinho - as well as British candidates like Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew, Sunderland’s Sam Allardyce and former Kop chief Brendan Rodgers.

Hodgson has hinted he’d like to stay on if England sparkle in France – but it’s by no means certain he will.

“If we’re going to discuss any extension to my contract, which actually runs out in the summer, I’d have to sit down and talk quite seriously to the FA and find out exactly what they have in mind," said Hodgson recently,

“Most important of all, I’d want to know that I was welcome. One of the things which has always bothered me is that you can outstay your welcome at places and sometimes it’s better not to do that.

“However, having said that, I have got to also say that it is a really exciting time at the moment, especially with so many young players.

“We have spent quite a lot of time with these players and we really do believe they have great potential, so when the day comes for me to turn my back on it I will miss them, that’s for sure.”

That moment could be after England’s involvement in the Euro’s is over next summer. And, if he’s still free, Mourinho will want the job.

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Niyonzima asema hana furaha

KIUNGO mshambuliaji wa Yanga, Haruna Niyonzima amesema hana furaha kuwa nje ya Yanga na kuwataka mashabiki kuwa wavumilivu kwani suala lake linatarajiwa kupatiwa ufumbuzi hivi karibuni baada ya kuwasilisha maelezo yake kwa uongozi.

Akizungumza na gazeti la Habari leo juzi,  Niyonzima alisema Yanga ni timu yake na ameishi nayo vizuri pamoja na watu wake hivyo anaamini tofauti zao zitamazilika na kurejea kuitumikia.

“Yanga ni timu yangu na nimeishi nayo vizuri pamoja na watu wake, lakini sina furaha kwani nimekaa nje kwa muda usiojulikana lakini haya yote ni majaribu na najua ni vitu ambavyo vipo duniani ila naamini yataisha vizuri tu,” alisema.

“Mimi ni binadamu naweza kufanya makosa lakini nawahakikishia wapenzi wa Yanga na wa Niyonzima kwamba hili litaisha siku si nyingi na wataendelea kupata burudani kama ilivyokuwa na zaidi”.

Pia aliwatakia heri Yanga kwenye mchezo wa leo na heri ya Krismasi na Mwaka Mpya 2016 na kuwataka wamalize mwaka 2015 kwa amani. Niyonzima amesimamishwa kwa muda usiojulikana na uongozi wa Yanga kutokana na kuchelewa kurudi kujiunga na timu hiyo baada ya kumalizika kwa mashindano ya Chalenji iliyofanyika Ethiopia ambapo yeye alikuwa akiitumikia timu yake ya taifa ya Rwanda.

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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger rips into ref and insists: “We were unlucky with the first three goals"

Wenger believes that the Gunners should have been given decisions in the build-up to the first three goals as his side lost 4-0 on the south coast

Arsene Wenger lashed out at Southampton’s physical approach and blamed the referee after the Gunners ended up as stuffed as the festive bird.

But Wenger should look at how his players collapsed under pressure from a vibrant, hungry Saints side in this shock at St Mary’s.

Wenger was devastated after his side’s title charge was ­spectacularly derailed on the south coast.

He moaned: “Southampton made the game very physical and we lost too many challenges. That’s why we lost.

“We were unlucky with the first three goals.

“The decisions were all against us, but what can I do about it?

“Shane Long made the game very physical, he got away with too much.”

A brace by Long and goals by Cuco Martina and Jose Fonte gave a previously out-of-sorts Southampton side a superb victory.

Delighted Ronald Koeman praised his players and hit back at Wenger. The Southampton coach said: “Sometimes it’s very difficult to explain why ­something happens.

“It was not about the referee tonight. If you lose 4-0, you can’t talk about the referee.

“It was all about confidence in the team. In the second half we were perfect.

“The game plan was perfect. Shane Long and Saido Mane created a lot of problems. Well done to the boys. Long was very good. He was one of the players who created problems with his movement.”

If the Gunners are to end their painful 12-year wait to be crowned champions, these are really the sort of matches they need to win.

With their rivals taking it in turns to implode, Arsenal were beginning to believe this would be their year.

Heading into this fixture, they had a great chance to leapfrog Leicester into top spot.

But the omens looked bad once Martina opened the scoring with a fantastic strike.

When Ryan Bertrand’s curling cross was half-cleared by Per Mertesacker, there looked to be nothing on for the ex-Twente defender.

He was 30 yards out and the home crowd jokingly urged him to shoot.

The Curaçao international duly unleashed a magnificent strike with the outside of his right boot which curled past Petr Cech to give Koeman’s side a deserved lead.

Just before the end of the first half, Saints almost increased their lead. Mane put Long through but the striker, in for the injured Graziano Pelle, lifted the ball over Cech – and high over the bar.

Long made amends for that miss when he slotted the ball home in the 55th minute.

The Irish forward played a great one-two with Mane before side-footing in from 10 yards.

Wenger was furious – as were his players – because Laurent Koscielny appeared to be fouled by Long.

But it was his own defenders who were on the receiving end of the Frenchman’s moaning when the third Saints goal sailed in.

Bertrand’s corner found skipper Jose Fonte totally unmarked, and the Portuguese defender calmly nodded in.

In the last few minutes, the woodwork denied Long when he slid a side-foot finish past Cech but against the post. Yet the former Hull hitman scored his second goal of a memorable evening in the dying seconds when he broke through to rifle home and complete a disastrous night for the Gunners.

Southampton have had a ­rollercoaster year. Twelve months ago, they were fifth in the league, two points clear of Arsenal. After a dire run the gap is now 15 points.

But it is the Saints who end the year on a high after this sensational victory.

Fonte said: “It was imperative that we had a reaction and we showed passion and ­togetherness to change the bad run we were on.

“The plan before the game was to be ourselves – a hard-working team, quality up front and defending well as a unit.

“We showed we are still a very good team and from now it gives us good confidence to go on a good run.”

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Tambwe hazuiliki, Simba yajikwaa

Dar/Mikoani . Ni nani wa kumzuia Amissi Tambwe? Hilo ni swali linaloweza kuulizwa sasa na mashabiki, hali kadhalika mabeki wa timu pinzani baada ya jana mshambuliaji huyo wa Yanga kuifungia timu yake mabao mawili wakati timu yake ikiiadhibu Mbeya City kwa mabao 3-0, huku mtani wao, Simba ikikwama tena Kanda ya Ziwa.

Tambwe alimtungua mabao hayo kipa wa zamani wa timu hiyo na Simba, Juma Kaseja, dakika za 36 na 64, akitumia vyema pasi za Simon Msuva na beki Mwinyi Haji.

Kiungo Mzimbabwe, Thabani Kamusoko alikamilisha furaha kwa mashabiki wa Yanga kwa bao la tatu, dakika ya 66 na kufikisha mabao manne msimu huu.

Kwa idadi hiyo, Tambwe amefikisha mabao kumi akimpindua Elius Maguli wa Stand United ya Shinyanga aliyekuwa akiongoza aliyebaki na mabao tisa.

Shinyanga

Simba ambayo wiki iliyopita ilitoka sare ya bao 1-1 dhidi ya Toto Africans ya Mwanza katika mchezo ambao kocha Dylan Kerr alisingizia ubovu wa Uwanja wa CCM Kirumba uliojaa maji na utelezi kutokana na mvua iliyonyesha muda mfupi kabla ya mchezo huo, jana ililazimika kuchomoa bao dhidi ya Mwadui ya Shinyanga na kuambulia sare na pointi moja.

Kabla ya mchezo huo ambao kocha wa Mwadui, Jamhuri Kihwello ‘Julio’ aliapa kumfukuza kazi kocha wa Simba, Dylan Kerr kwa kipigo, alikaribia kucheka baada ya kiungo Nizar Khalfan kutangulia kufunga bao dakika ya 77. akimalizia kazi nzuri ya kiungo wa zamani wa Azam, Malika Ndeule.

‘Mtoto’ wa Azam, Brian Majwega akicheza mchezo wake wa kwanza akiwa katika uzi mwekundu aliisawazishia timu yake bao, dakika ya 85, akitumia mpira wa kiungo Mwinyi Kazimoto.

Tanga

Stand United ya Shinyanga iligeuka mwenyeji baada ya kuizima Coastal Union kwa mabao 3-1 katika mchezo uliofanyika kwenye Uwanja wa Mkwakwani.

Stand, ambayo moja iliyopita ililambishwa mabao 4-0 na Yanga, ilianza kusaka ushindi kwa bao la Haruna Chanongo, dakika ya 12, akitumia vyema pasi ya Hassan Banda, aliyeipa timu yake bao la pili, dakika ya 44.

Naye Frank Hamis aliiandikia Stand bao la tatu, dakika ya 55, lakini Coastal ilifuta machozi kwa bao la penalti, dakika ya 76 la Mnigeria, Abasilim Chidiebere, likiwa bao lake la kwanza msimu huu.

Msemaji wa Coastal, Oscar Assenga alisema timu yake ilizidiwa na wapinzani wao tangu dakika ya mwanzo na kupoteza mwelekeo, lakini ana imani makocha watarekebisha makosa hayo katika mechi zijazo.

Manungu

Vijana wa kocha Mecky Mazime, waliendelea kutumia vyema uwanja wa nyumbani baada ya kuiadhibu Mgambo JKT ya Tanga kwa mabao 3-0. Mashujaa wao walikuwa kiungo Henry Joseph, dakika ya 16, Said Bahanuzi, dakika ya 48 na Shiza Kichuya, dakika ya 77 ya mchezo huo.

Mtwara

Wenyeji Ndanda waliambulia kipigo cha mabao 3-1 kutoka kwa vijana wa kocha Abdallah Kibaden, JKT Ruvu waliopachika mabao yao kupitia kwa Hamis Thabit, dakika za 24, 37 na Saad Kipanga, dakika ya 63 huku Atupele Green akifunga la kujiliwaza, dakika ya 46 ya mchezo huo.

Imeandikwa na Charles Abel (Dar), Masoud Masasi (Shinyanga), Salim Mohammed (Tanga), Haika Kimaro (Mtwara)

Mwananchi

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Barcelona star Neymar admits Manchester City are interested in signing him

The 23-year-old has established himself as one of the best players in the world over the last 18 months and he claims City are keen on landing him

Neymar has revealed Manchester City are interested in signing him and refused to rule out one day leaving Barcelona.

The Brazilian has shone for Barca over the last 18 months and was confirmed on the shortlist for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or in November.

He arrived back in Barcelona this weekend after a short Christmas break and was greeted by reporters with questions about City's interest.

"Yes, yes [I am aware of City's interest]," Neymar responded, before he was further pressed on his long-term future.

Asked whether he will ever leave Barcelona, he added: "I don't know, life is long."

Neymar has scored 16 times in 19 appearances for Barca this season after plundering 39 times last term.

His current Barcelona contract, which he signed when joining the club in 2013, has two-and-a-half years left to run.

Negotiations over a contract extension are currently taking place, with both parties confident a deal will be reached.

Mirror

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