Swansea City Appointe Italian Francesco Guidolin As Head Coach

Struggling Swansea City appointed Italian Francesco Guidolin as their head coach on Monday with the Welsh club hoping for some Serie A magic to guide them away from the Premier League drop zone.

The 60-year-old will have the final say on team selection as he works alongside interim manager Alan Curtis until the end of the season, Swansea said in a statement on their website (www.swanseacity.net).

One of Italy’s best known coaches, Guidolin led unfashionable Udinese to third place in Italy’s Serie A, the club’s highest finish, and has helped Parma, Palermo and Vicenza win promotion.

A former midfielder, Guidolin coached Vicenza from Serie B to Serie A, won the Italian Cup with them in 1997 and lost a Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup semifinal against Chelsea in 1998.

Swansea, playing at home to Watford later on Monday, are 18th in the 20-team Premier League and in the relegation zone.

The only Welsh club in the top flight fired manager Garry Monk in December after 22 months in charge, with the Swans reeling from a run of one win in 11 league games.

Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said Guidolin’s experience would be a huge asset to the club.

“Although we recently appointed Alan Curtis as manager until the end of the campaign, he was aware and comfortable with the fact that we were still looking to bring someone in to assist if we found the right person,” he said.

“We believe we have found that person in Francesco.”

Jenkins highlighted Guidolin’s success in taking on much bigger Italian clubs on a relatively small budget and motivating the players to beat the best.

“It is similar to what this football club is trying to do in the Premier League,” he said.

“He also has a wealth of knowledge of players throughout Europe which will be a big boost on our recruitment side; something we have been reviewing in a lot more depth over the last few months.”

Swansea said both parties had agreed to review the position at the end of the season with the option of extending Guidolin’s contract.

© Reuters

Swansea City Appointe Italian Francesco Guidolin As Head Coach

Transfer: West Ham Target The Signing Of Ghanaian International

English Premier League Side Targets Black Stars Midfielder

English premier league side, West Ham uniited have made fellow premier league side Swansea City’s forward, Dede Ayew a primary target as they set their sets on finishing in the top half of the table and qualify for Europe.

 

 

Andre Ayew has been in fine form since joining the Welsh based premier league team and is the top scorer for the club. The Ghanaian forward could be tempted with a move away from the Liberty Stadium with the Swans involved in a relegation battle and just one point above the relegation zone and with just a handful of matches remaining the light looks bleak for the Swans.

Swansea City forward, Andre Ayew

The Hammers already have a familiar face in Dimitri Payet who like Ayew signed from French club, Olympique Marseille. The pair were team mates and will be welcome news for Ayew to settle in quickly should the move materialise.

 

Transfer: West Ham Target The Signing Of Ghanaian International

"I Don"t Know Why Yaya Toure Was So Angry"- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has said he is nonplussed as to why Yaya Touré was so angry about the Borussia Dortmund player being voted the Africa player of the year last week. Touré hit out at the decision, saying it was “pathetic”, “indecent” and brought “shame to Africa”.

Aubameyang is back with Dortmund now as they prepare for the restart of the Bundesliga and, talking to Sport Bild, he said: “I really don’t know why he said that at all. I am not going to get angry about it and for me it is already an old story, gone. It simply does not interest me.”

The Gabon striker received 143 points to Touré’s 136 with Swansea’s André Ayew finishing third with 112. Touré appeared to congratulate his rivals on stage, saying he was “disappointed” but adding that Aubameyang had “been doing brilliantly well this year”.

However, the Manchester City midfielder later seemed to suggest the voting had been unfair given his country’s success at the Nations Cup. “I’m very disappointed. It’s sad to see Africa react this way, that they don’t think African achievements are important,” he told the French radio station RFI.

“I think this is what brings shame to Africa, because to act in that way is indecent. But what can we do about it? Us Africans, we don’t show that Africa is important in our eyes. We favour more what’s abroad than our own continent. That is pathetic.”

Aubameyang wants to focus on Dortmund and the Bundesliga, with his side second, eight points behind Bayern Munich. “We will certainly not give up without a fight and all is not lost yet. We know that it will be very difficult to stop Bayern winning the league but nothing is impossible,” he said.

"I Don"t Know Why Yaya Toure Was So Angry"- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

"Its Not Easy Playing At This Time Of The Year"-Andre Ayew

Ghanaian international Andre Ayew says playing at this time of the year is strange to him and his brother, but they are coping quite well.

The Ayew brothers have played in the French Ligue 1 league throughout their young careers, playing for Olympic Marseille and other Clubs in France.

Both players joined the Barclays Premier League in the summer and have been very impressive for their respective Clubs, scoring well over five goals each.

Jordan signed for Aston Villa whilst his senior brother joined Swansea City and they both have been an integral part of their team’s activities season long.

Coming from a league that usually goes on break during the Christmas festivities, the Ayew brothers say they are gradually adjusting to life in the Premiership, especially with the series of matches played at this time of the year.

“To me, it’s not a worry because I knew this before coming here and so did Jordan. We are adjusting and have no problem with playing these days”, Andre mentioned.

"Its Not Easy Playing At This Time Of The Year"-Andre Ayew