John Terry Signs New One-Year Deal At Chelsea

 

Terry has won four Premier League titles with Chelsea

Veteran Chelsea defender John Terry has signed a new one-year deal with the Premier League club.

In an emotional speech after his side’s final league game against Leicester on Sunday, the 35-year-old, who was out of contract in the summer, said he wanted to remain at the club.

“Everyone knows I’m Chelsea through and through,” said the ex-England skipper.

“I am looking forward to next season under the new manager and hopefully we can make it a successful one.”

Terry has made 703 first-team appearances for the Blues, having started his professional career at Stamford Bridge in 1998.

Chairman Bruce Buck said: “We are delighted John will spend another year at the club.

“He has been the leader of the Chelsea squad throughout the most successful period in our history. He recently reached the 700-appearance mark, which is testament to his professionalism and dedication as well as his undoubted talent.”

Terry has won four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, and Champions League and Europa League honours with Chelsea.

Chelsea fans held up numerous banners and posters in support of Terry at the final match of the season on Sunday

Terry, pictured against Gillingham in 1990, has made 703 appearances for Chelsea

BBC

John Terry Signs New One-Year Deal At Chelsea

Leicester Stars Must Stay For "One Year More" - Ranieri

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has asked his Premier League title winners to “stay one year more”.

The Foxes completed one of sport’s greatest shocks when they won the league with a squad costing £57m.

Winger Riyad Mahrez, striker Jamie Vardy and midfielder N’Golo Kante are among the previously unheralded players to be linked with moves away.

“I’m very, very confident,” Ranieri said. “Don’t go. If you go another team, you might not get on the pitch.”

The Italian, who only replaced Nigel Pearson as manager last summer, was given a standing ovation by journalists as he came into his news conference for Saturday’s home game with Everton.

“From the beginning I felt something special,” he said. “Never could I imagine this, but it’s good. We work so hard.”

He laughed off suggestions that he could quit on a high this summer, and added he will not be signing global stars for next season’s Champions League campaign.

“I don’t want big names here. My lads are special. We have to bring some good players but they must have the same spirit.”

Algeria forward Mahrez, 25, won the PFA Player of the Year award after scoring 17 goals and 11 assists.

However, his agent Kamel Bengougam says it is “50/50 at the moment whether he stays or goes”.

“We have interest from the UK and overseas,” he added.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez, who takes his side to Leicester on Saturday at 17:30 BST, thinks a shock winner of the Premier League is likely to be a one-off.

“What Leicester have achieved is a great inspiration for any team sport and for any group in order to dream high and have huge expectations but I think we need to be realistic that this is not the norm.

“It’s something we haven’t seen in the modern game and I don’t think that’s going to be repeated easily.”

Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew, whose side face Manchester United in the FA Cup final, said: “Leicester won it after 36 games. Last year for 10 games they were in the best form. For nearly 50 games they’ve been best in the country.

“It’s proof the underdog can do it. And it will give us a boost for the cup final.

“Leicester have shattered the glass ceiling, and I thought it was impossible to break. They’ve gone and done it. Amazing.

“Football isn’t all logic. It’s almost like some stardust has fallen on Leicester – great for them. Let’s hope it falls on us for the final.”

Opera star joins the party

Opera star Andrea Bocelli will perform at King Power Stadium before Saturday’s game.

Ranieri revealed the 57-year-old – who has sold more than 80 million records – called him and offered to perform two months ago.

“He was so happy about what we were doing in Leicester. He said: ‘I would like to come and sing something’. I said: ‘Great, why not?’,” said Ranieri.

“I gave all the information to the club and they made all the arrangements. It is great for all the community.”

BBC

Leicester Stars Must Stay For "One Year More" - Ranieri

PSG Win French League Cup For Third Year In A Row

Angel di Maria scored the decisive goal as 10-man Paris St-Germain beat Lille to win France’s Coupe de la Ligue for the third year running.

Javier Pastore’s volley gave Laurent Blanc’s side a half-time lead, as Lille appealed for offside.

Djibril Sidibe equalised with a free-kick, before PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot was sent off.

Di Maria rolled in the winner as keeper Vincent Enyeama inexplicably charged 30 yards from goal to meet the winger.

Victory means that PSG remain on course for a clean sweep of domestic trophies, having won the Trophees des Champions and Ligue 1, and with the Coupe de France final against Marseille to come on 21 May.

Manager Blanc’s future, though, remains uncertain because of his failure to take the club beyond the quarter-finals of this season’s Champions League, where they were defeated by Manchester City.

Di Maria shot weakly at Enyeama in the opening seconds of an entertaining final at the Stade de France, with Lille looking the more dangerous side after surviving a difficult opening 10 minutes.

Frederic Antonetti’s team had won six successive games going into the final, but went behind to a controversial goal five minutes before before half-time.

Pastore lashed a shot at goal as Lille struggled to clear a corner, with PSG full-back Layvin Kurzawa standing in an offside position inside the six-yard box as the ball flew into the net.

The officials ruled that Kurzawa was not active because he did not move towards the ball, but Enyeama believed that he was effectively prevented from diving to save the shot because the PSG man was in the way.

Lille responded positively, though, with Sidibe directing a free-kick into the corner of the net four minutes into the second half after Adrien Rabiot had been booked for fouling Sofiane Boufal.

Rabiot picked up a second booking, and was dismissed, for a late challenge on Boufal with 20 minutes left.

Lille, though, gave away a soft goal four minutes later, as Adama Soumaoro’s weak back header allowed Di Maria to sprint on to goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu’s clearance, and the Argentian international nicked the ball past the onrushing Enyeama.

Soumaoro headed wide with a good chance to bring Lille level again, but PSG held on.

BBC

PSG Win French League Cup For Third Year In A Row

West Ham To Pay £2.5m Olympic Stadium Rent Per Year

West Ham will pay £2.5m a year to rent the 60,000-seater Olympic Stadium, it has been revealed after the deal was made public following a legal battle.

The ground’s owners, the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), fought a ruling that the contract should be published, but the appeal was rejected this week.

West Ham will pay the sum per year over the 99-year lease, the 207-page document has revealed.

The Hammers move in this summer.

The first £4m of any naming rights deal will go to the LLDC and Newham borough, with anything above that between the two bodies and West Ham.

The rent will be halved to £1.25m if West Ham are relegated.

The LLDC, which had spent thousands of pounds fighting the ruling, said the decision could cost the organisation “millions of pounds”.

But it has decided not to appeal against the tribunal’s ruling.

Extra payments West Ham could have to make

£1m if they win the Champions League    

£100,000 if they win the FA Cup or Europa League, or qualify for it

£250,000 if they qualify for the Champions League group stages    

£100,000 if they finish in the top five in the Premier League, with smaller payments for other positions in the top 10

The club were awarded tenancy of the London 2012 stadium in 2013, and at least £272m has been spent to convert the site for use as a Premier League ground.

West Ham have contributed £15m towards those costs. Last year a BBC documentary revealed the club was having many of the running costs of the stadium paid for it by the taxpayer under the terms of the tenancy agreement.

United will not have to pay for a range of staff including cleaners and turnstile operators. Heating and lighting costs will also be covered by the stadium managers.

A coalition of 14 supporters’ trusts from around the country submitted a Freedom of Information request to obtain that tenancy agreement and believe the deal gives West Ham, who have played at Upton Park since 1904, a competitive advantage.

West Ham say they have nothing to hide, believe it is a “great deal” for the club and the taxpayer, and say the stadium offers a true legacy.

The club added: “Someone renting the stadium for 25 days a year cannot be responsible for 365 days’ running costs.”

A coalition of 14 supporters’ groups and trusts of several different clubs campaigned for the information to be released. In a statement it said: “This is the right decision for the taxpayer, and the right decision for football.”

Credit: BBC

West Ham To Pay £2.5m Olympic Stadium Rent Per Year

Coach Yussif Basigi honoured with fans Coach Of The Year accolade

Hasaacas trainer Yussif Basigi felt honoured after picking the Coach of the Year gong at an anual Sports Fans Award night in Accra.

The experienced trainer pipped a number of domestic rivals to pick the finest managerial talent as voted by the fans.

Basigi steered Sekondi Hasaacas away from the drop after miserable start to the 2014/15 FCPPL.

The head coach for the national Women team expressed his appreciation towards the award and wants to refill his tank with motivation from the award.

The veteran trainer fully acknowledged the decision of the fans and promised to continue his managerial contributions towards the development of the game in the country.

Speaking exclusively to www.sportscrusader.com upon receipt of the award, the confident speaking trainer showered praise on the Almighty Allah for seeing him through.

He said,” I am very much thankful to the Almighty and to everybody out there. I feel very great and honoured to have won the award as decided by the fans.

It will bring more motivation to me going forward as a trainer”.

Yussif Bassigi and several sporting personalities were awarded at the annual Happy FM fans award night held on Saturday night in Accra.

Coach Yussif Basigi honoured with fans Coach Of The Year accolade