MANCHESTER UNITED: Jose Mourinho & Manchester United agree manager deal

Former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho is now Manchester United's new manager. It was announced today May 26th that Mourinho will take over from sacked Louis van Gaal, after three days of talks.

Although no contract has been signed, Man. U is expected to officially announce it tomorrow Friday May 27th. The 53-year-old Portuguese is reportedly likely to sign a three-year contract with Man. U

source: lindaikejisblog

FOOTBALL BUSINESS: JAGUAR QUICK OFF THE MARK TO CONGRATULATE MOURINHO ON UNITED MOVE

While Jose Mourinho is deep in talks to become the new Manchester United manager, no official confirmation has yet emanated from Old Trafford. 


But while we wait for the white smoke to emerge from the chimney in Greater Manchester many are already jumping the gun, such as the Special One's commercial partners Jaguar. 

The prestigious car company may have taken off before the green light in extending their congratulations to Mourinho ahead of the announcement. 

Congratulations to Jose Mourinho on his @ManUtd appointment. He'll always be #TheFrozenOne to us.

— Jaguar UK (@JaguarUK) 26 de mayo de 2016

"Congratulations to Jose Mourinho on his@ManUtd appointment. He'll always be#TheFrozenOne to us", the company wrote on Twitter, as speculation grew that the former Real Madrid and Chelsea man would be imminently named Louis van Gaal's successor. 

Jaguar, however, might be advised to drop down a gear. 

This transfer saga has had his fair share of twists and turns over the last few months, and there is still some way to go before the finishing line is in sight. 

It would certainly be a disaster if this move were to stall right on the final lap.

source: goal.com

FOOTBALL: SKRTEL SET FOR LIVERPOOL EXIT

Skrtel made just 18 appearances following the arrival of manager Jurgen Klopp in October, with many of those coming when the German opted to rest first-team regulars during the club's run to the Europa League final.

The Slovakia international has attracted interest from Turkish champions Besiktas, but Csonto insists a deal is yet to be completed.

He told Slovakian TV station Markiza: "Besiktas is one of those interested in Martin but we're haven't reached a point where I can confirm Martin is going there, or anywhere else.

"I can say that it is 90 per cent certain Martin will leave Liverpool, but it is far from closed."

Skrtel moved to Anfield from Zenit in 2008.

source: goal.com

FOOTBALL: "MANCHESTER UNITED WILL BE HARD TO BEAT WITH MOURINHO"

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has backed former manager Jose Mourinho to be a success at Manchester United.

The Portuguese boss is reported to have finalised terms with the Old Trafford club and is expected to succeed Louis van Gaal by leading United into the 2016-17 campaign.

Courtois was Mourinho's first-choice keeper as Chelsea won the Premier League in 2014-15 before the club embarked on a torrid run of form that resulted in his removal as manager at Stamford Bridge in December.

But the Belgium international, 24, believes Mourinho's presence will ensure facing United is a challenging prospect next season.

"He's a very good manager," Courtois told Sky Sports. "Obviously this season it was not our year but I'm confident he's a top manager and Manchester United will be difficult to beat next year.

And Courtois has also backed his own team to bounce back after following up their title win with a shock 10th-place finish.

"When a big team has a season like that, everybody learns from it," said the ex-Atletico Madrid shot stopper.

"Not only the players and manager but the directors, fans, everybody. We will be back stronger next year."

source: goal.com

FOOTBALL: FERDINAND WELCOMES MOURINHO TO MANCHESTER UNITED

Rio Ferdinand has welcomed Jose Mourinho to "the biggest club in the world" after a report suggested the Portuguese had signed a contract to become Manchester United manager.

Sky Sports News claim Mourinho completed the paperwork for his move to Old Trafford on Thursday and, while the club have not made any official comment, an announcement is reportedly expected on Friday.

And Ferdinand, who made over 400 appearances for United, winning six Premier League titles and one Champions League crown, is hopeful Mourinho can bring back a period of sustained success to the club after the disappointing reigns of David Moyes and Louis van Gaal.

He wrote on Facebook: "Congratulations to Jose on being announced manager of the biggest club in the world!

"This is Jose Mourinho's most exciting & most challenging job yet.

"The first thing he needs to do is install 'winning mentality' back into the club. Get this ingredient back into the players but also the people that work inside the club day to day. Give them back that belief so it is breathing throughout the club again, which is so important. But doing the above in the Manchester United way is equally as important.

"I have heard many say the 'Mourinho WAY' is not the Manchester United style of playing football. However, the Chelsea team that Jose put together first time round when he entered the Premier League played with wingers and hurt teams with quick attacking play. They had the likes of [Arjen] Robben and [Damien] Duff on the wings who were direct and quick.

"This is a sign he knows how to get a team playing in a way Manchester United fans can look forward to seeing."

Mourinho's detractors have questioned whether he will maintain the club's tradition of bringing young players into the first team; something he has not done regularly at the likes of Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid.

Ferdinand chose not to address the issue, but insists that results will improve under the two-time Champions League winner.

He added: "Another doubt I keep hearing and being asked is, will he keep in with the tradition of the club which is bringing through the young players? For the moment, I can't answer this, only time will tell.

"One thing I can tell Manchester United fans is that they have got themselves a true winner in all aspects. His CV shows success!

"After his recent unsuccessful time at Chelsea in the final year, I can assure you this winner is now a wounded animal which makes him such a mouthwatering appointment. Jose went from winning the League cup &Premier League to losing a dressing room at Chelsea and I am certain he will want to restore all of that very quickly.

"He will be desperate to silence the media who have been writing and saying negative things about him (he will have stored it all being the competitor he is) and will be as focused as ever.

"Mourinho's huge personality is made for this great club, it's what he has been waiting for. Wishing him all the best!"

source: goal.com

FOOTBALL: HOW CRISTIANO RONALDO COULD HAVE ENDED UP AT ATLETICO

Circa 2000, the Rojiblancos received a signed document informing that a teenage Ronaldo and Ricardo Quaresma would be heading to the Vicente Caleron, a biography of super agent Jorge Mendes revealed.The document was in possession of former Atletico president Jesus Gil and should have seen Ronaldo join the club from Sporting Clube de Portugal, according to the book The Keys to Mendes.

"My father had a document from an intermediary to bring in Quaresma and Cristiano and it was signed," Miguel Angel Gil Marin says in the book.

"Cristiano would have been 15 or 16. It was a document from an intermediary who had the power at Sporting to bring the player to Atletico."

However, Mendes did not represent Ronaldo at that point and the move never materialised.

Gil Marin is Atletico's CEO and maintains a warm relationship with Mendes, with the two men often dining together in Madrid.

On one occasion in 2013 Ronaldo was also present as the pair met at a restaurant in Madrid, sparking rumours of a possible interest in the player from Atletico, a secret strategy to bring Radamel Falcao to Real and other theories. However, the meeting was merely about shared business interests.







As it turned out Ronaldo remained at Sporting until moving to Manchester United in 2003. He later joined Real in 2009 for a then world-record fee of €94 million. 

The Portuguese has revealed he is now hoping to spend the remainder of his career at the Santiago Bernabeu and on Saturday he has the opportunity to win his second Champions League crown for Los Blancos - having taken the first (and second overall) with a win over Atletico in 2013-14.

At San Siro Cristiano will turn out for Real in the season's showpiece fixture. But had things been different, he could have been lining

 up in the red and white of Atletico instead.

source: goal.com

CRISTIANO RONALDO: I'M TEASED BY MY OWN SON ABOUT BALE!

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he gets teased by his own five-year-old son, who claims Gareth Bale is quicker on the pitch.
The 31-year-old could win the third Champions League trophy of his career if Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid on Saturday, while he could become the first player in history to score in three finals.

But ahead of the clash in Milan, Ronaldo has spoken about his relationship with his son, who thinks that his Real Madrid team-mate is the faster player.
"I always said it was a dream to have a son, he changed me a lot,” Ronaldo told Jugones de la Sexta.

“Sometimes he comes at home and says ‘daddy, Bale is faster than you’. And I say ‘what are you on about? No one is faster than your dad’.

“And he says ‘yes but at school they told me he is faster and in an interview Messi said that he’d like to have your right foot'. He comes up with these things and it gives me joy, he’s a kid.”

source: goal.com

R.I.P: Teenage boy commits suicide rather than face his parents anger for crashing a new car

An 18-year-old teenage gymnast, Ruslan Gutu, committed suicide by hanging himself, after crashing a brand new car bought for him by his parents. According to his girlfriend Athena, Ruslan confided in her on how worried he was about telling his parents about the crash of the new car.

Athena told the coroner that he was 'shaking' as he told her he was worried about how he would pay for the damage done to his crashed car. 

He also asked if she had any rope or paracetamol and 'how much paracetamol it would take to overdose.' She told him he was being stupid and advised him to think of those close to him.

Before committing suicide, he sent his mother a chilling text, which was later released. It reads, 

'I am sorry to have left you with everything but it is better this way. I will be watching from above.'

Sadly, his hanged body was later discovered in the woods by a park ranger, close to where he lived in his hometown in Bracknell, Berkshire. 

Police cut down the 18-year-old and paramedics at the scene confirmed he had died.

source: lindaikejisblog

Pope Francis prays for over 150 victims of Syria terror attacks, asks God to 'convert hearts' of ISIS extremists

Pope Francis has asked God to 'convert the hearts of those who sow death and destruction' following a series of deadly attacks by the Islamic State group (ISIS) in Syria.

While speaking during his weekly audience in St Peter's Square, on Wednesday, May 25, the pontiff prayed for "eternal rest to the victims" and "consolation to their relatives" after suicide attacks in the regime's coastal heartland that killed more than 150 people on Monday.


Francis said almost all the victims of the seven explosions targeting bus stations, hospitals and other civilian sites in the seaside cities of Jableh and Tartus were "unarmed civilians". Eight of them were children.

"It is the duty of everyone to protect children, most of all those exposed to a high risk of exploitation, trafficking and deviant behaviours," He added, "prayer is not a magic wand," it is our daily bread, our powerful weapon and the staff for our journey." 

"We pray in this Mass, for the victims of this cruelty - so many of them - we pray also for the perpetrators of such cruelty, that the Lord might change their hearts,"

On Monday, a series of seven deadly coordinated blasts targeted Syrian cities of Tartus and Jableh killing over 150 people including children. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks.

source: lindaikejisblog

FOOTBALL: Scottish Football Club Unveiling New Kits With a Body Paint On A Naked Lady

Scottish Championship side Ayr United don't beat around the bush when it comes to kit releases. The club has released its new kit which features a topless model wearing just body paint.

The kit launch photos, in which the topless model's nipples can be seen, have caused online reaction among football fans with a lot of men 'praising' the idea while some see it as an inappropriate way to drive jersey sales. More photos after the cut.

See the club's previous kit launch photos in 2014 below

source: lindaikejisblog