Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) sports director Leonardo has informed club manager Antoine Kombouare that he has been fired, the day after his side went top of the French first division, a source close to the coach told reporters on Thursday.
“Antoine was informed he was being sacked today by Leonardo,” the source said, adding that the manager’s assistants were also being fired.
Kombouare, who took over as coach of the Paris club in May 2009, moving over from Valenciennes to replace Paul le Guen, has already told certain close friends that he had lost his job, the source said.
Photo: AFP
PSG later on Thursday issued a statement appearing to confirm the development: “Paris Saint-Germain and their manager Antoine Kombouare clarify that they are calmly holding talks which will be concluded shortly and which will enable each side to preserve their own interests.”
His sacking comes the day after PSG moved back to the top of the French first division with a 1-0 win at AS Saint-Etienne in the last round of matches before the winter break.
Despite their good form in the league, the explosive Kombouare’s position had been under threat for several weeks with Leonardo holding talks with Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who has been out of work since being fired by Chelsea.
Others mentioned as possible replacements were Dutchman Frank Rijkaard and former PSG midfielder Claude Makelele.
A former popular player with the club, Kombouare enjoyed mixed success in his first two seasons as coach, placing fourth in the league last year and reaching the final of the French Cup, where they lost to league champions LOSC Lille Metropole.
However, the parameters and expectations all changed in the close-season when the club were bought by wealthy investors Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).
The Gulf company strode into the French capital with a 70 percent controlling stake and their president Nasser Al-Khelaifi promised “to make the club a great team and a strong brand on the international scene.”
They promptly spent 85 million euros (US$111.2 million) in the summer to attract new talent, including a massive 42 million euros forked out to Italian side Napoli for 22-year-old midfielder Javier Pastore.
In recent weeks, Leonardo has been in talks to bring England star David Beckham to play in Paris for a huge salary, although there has yet to be an official announcement on his arrival.
PSG, meanwhile, crashed out of the French League Cup and the Europa League and struggled for league points in November before rediscovering their form in the last fortnight.
Several sources told AFP that there were also concerns among the club’s Qatari owners over what they saw as the conservative style of play preferred by Kombouare at PSG and whether he would be able to handle some of the big signings that had come his way.
Born on the southwest Pacific island of New Caledonia, Kombouare established a reputation as a rugged center back in a 15-year playing career with Nantes, PSG, Swiss side Sion and Scottish club Aberdeen.
Having earned his coaching spurs in charge of PSG’s reserves, he spent a little over a year at RC Strasbourg before moving to Valenciennes, who he led to the Ligue 2 title in 2006 in his first season in charge.
At Valenciennes his outbursts at referees frequently landed him in hot water with the soccer authorities, but he succeeded in establishing Valenciennes in the elite before returning to the Parc des Princes in 2009.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was